The Fallen Kingdom Chronicles.

Chapters

Chapter 1: For the Argentum Solarium!
Chapter 2: Wounds
Chapter 3: A Welcomed Visitor
Chapter 4: Time for a Walk
Chapter 5: Welcome to Ponyville
Chapter 6: Balcony Conversation
Chapter 7: Ambush
Chapter 8: The Library
Chapter 9: Darkness of the Mind
Chapter 10: Confrontation
Prologue: Storytime

Chapter 1: For the Argentum Solarium!

Chapter 1: For the Argentum Solarium!
By Dawnforge

The rain drizzled on the palisade walls of Barrier, soaking the wood with bitter water. A red-maned, white coated unicorn stood upon the gate overseeing the forked road towards the once prominent market town of Stratmane, and the festering graveyard of Restful Hill. The unicorn rolled his shoulders with a grunt. The silver and gold-trimmed plate armor rattled under his cloak, bearing the colors of the Argentum Solarium; a golden sun letting off white rays, rising above a silver horizon on a black background.

The click of another set of armored hooves echoed on the wooden walkway of the hastily erected palisade wall. “Brother-Captain.” A large chestnut earth pony came to a stop next to the smaller white unicorn; clad in black and silver trimmed plate and mail. “Sense anything the sentries may have missed?”

The Brother-Captain closed his eyes, muttering a quiet prayer. “Nay, Brother Glaive. There is only the lull in the sea of undead we awoke by hitting Restful Hill.”

Glaive reached back, adjusting his signature battle axe, looking down at the area below. “Hrm, it has been two days since the death knight sent his forces against us, or we heard a peep from that necromancer.”

“Fret not, brother. Celestia watches over us.” The Brother-Captain turned, glancing at the camp behind him. There was only one solid building, a partially burned down house being rebuilt with whatever wasn't being used to strengthen the walls of Barrier Camp. As well as several rows of tents, for everything the Argentum and the few small platoons of soldiers from Stormane needed to hold the pass from the Scourge of Canterlot.

“Glaive?” The Brother-Captain spoke solemnly as he turned to his fellow Argent.

“Aye, Zeal?”

The Captain turned to his friend and brother-in-arms. “Assemble the men and tell Valor Fist to have his men take up the reserve position this fight.” He glanced out to the rotting woods in front of Barrier. “I feel like we will soon learn why the Undead has spare the time for us to rest.”

The large stallion saluted and turned, his armored hooves clanking on the wooden walkway. “As you wish, Brother-Captain.”

As Zeal turned back to the woods, he could see faint outlines past the fog and mist the rain brought on as it lightened up, but with the lessening of the rain, the sounds started. Moans and cries of anguish began to echo off the rotting, stinking wood of the treeline. He closed his eyes with a tired sigh, ‘How long has it been since we started this war?’ the stallion thought to himself.

‘Almost six years of constant fighting… By Celestia and her divine light, when will this end?’ He frowned, muttering a prayer. “Celestia, bless us with the power of the Sun as we prepare to free your subjects from their damned prison and torture called undeath. And give us the resolve never to waver.”

With the prayer finished, Zeal glanced behind him, noting the noise and bustle of ponies gearing up for the fighting. Warrior pegasi, earth pony shield bearers, and lancers arming themselves. Unicorn mages were sweeping through their spell tomes, making sure that the spells were memorized to perfection. Unicorn archers tested their bows and checked or restocked their arrow supply. Zeal gave a faint smile as he saw a pegasus and a unicorn in armor similar to his own moving through, stopping to share a few word or bless a squad. They were Paladins of the Divine Light, a male pegasus named Sterling Hammer, the other a unicorn mare named Faith.

Glaive’s voice rose above the moans of the undead behind him, and the bustle of the camp in front of him. “Argentium! Form up at the gates!”

A sentry further down the walls called out towards Zeal. He turned his attention back to the woods and as soon as he did, fear clutched at his heart, the cold hoof of the grave reaching to wrap around his heart. He muttered another prayer, and stomped down the fear as best as any mortal pony could. As he peered at the figure, he felt a slight buzzing in the back of his mind confirmed what he feared.

Standing on top of a hill amongst a large gathering of undead, was no pony of death and decay, but one with flesh as white as snow. His armor was black as the night and had several unholy icons of the Fallen carved into the metal. A small, dry and heartless chuckle crossed the distance, and a voice that Zeal knew was only meant for him said, ‘So, little paladin. You will continue this ‘game of chess’ of ours?’ the voice rasped followed by another dry laugh, ‘So be it, I gave you two days to admit ‘checkmate’ but now I believe it is time I added a new piece to my side…’

The figure of the Death Knight stepped back into the mist, as the sun weakly shone on Barrier alone; the rays were weak and sickly, offering nothing more than enough light to see by. Zeal frowned and shook his mane, letting out a small groan of frustration. ‘One day. By Celestia that traitor knight will pay!’ He stomped his hoof. He had been so entrapped by the Death Knight’s words that he let his surrounding go on unnoticed.

A grey pegasus stood carrying a large, two-hoofed mace on his back. The Pegasus cleared his throat. “Brother Zeal.”

Zeal shook his mane and turned to his fellow, “Aye, Brother Sterling?”

“The men are assembled and await your command. Archers and mages are moving to the wall, and half the men have taken position outside the gate. I shall join my men to the right flank, Faith is with hers on the left, we’ll wait for your signal.” Sterling bowed his head respectfully, before giving Zeal a soft smile.

Zeal waited for Sterling to leave before he picked up his shield and strapped it onto his left fore-leg. He used his magic to sheathe his runic longsword over his back, the soft blue glow of the runes used to channel his magic through the blade casting an eerie light across his back. As he walked down the ramp and out the gates, moving in front of the thirty warrior pegasi and earth ponies he had under his command. He took his place at the front of the formation. He rose his voice above the moans and sounds of the advancing hordes of undead.

“Brothers and Sisters of the Argentum Solar! For the past two days we have kept the pitiful, smaller waves of undead from us. We’ve cut them down, releasing the poor, tortured souls from their damnation from afar atop our walls. But today, we stand outside those walls; for the undead horde amasses before us!”

The mist began to recede, allowing the shapes of skeletal ponies and ghouls standing among the trees, with flesh and gore clinging to their forms. With a few of the larger and more horrifying shapes of giant beasts of numerous pony corpses sewn together.

Zeal resumed his speech after a short pause, “They wish to move past us! Move past this bleak and barren land and into the remaining territory of Equestria that bears life, the life of our families and loved ones!” Zeal drew his sword out with his silver magic, thrusting it out before him. “We will not let them! We are those who took up the call, to take back our kingdom and find our lost Princess! Celestia and the Light smile upon us today, now and forever! For we are the Argentum Solar! Stand strong, stand firm...” he paused briefly before taking his sword in hoof and lifting it into the air “For Equestria!”

Cheers and prayers rang out from behind him as he began muttering a small prayer. A silvery aura of runes covering his sword as he took to a strong defensive stance. At this, the undead began to quickly shamble forward. The filly zombies, the weakest, though swiftest of the horde; charged first for the defending lines.

“For the Solarium!” Zeal roared as he struck down the first of the advancing filly zombies with a mighty blow of his runic blade before spinning to his left and crushing another under the weight of his shield. He muttered a quick prayer of divine magic, light enveloping his shield and incinerating the flesh of the defenseless zombie below.

The Argents behind him held their ground as the charge came, the wall of shields took the brunt of it as unicorn archers and mages sent arrows and fireballs flying overhead and into the masses, quickly thinning their ranks. Zeal began pushing forward, even as he heard the more powerful of skeleton and ghoul ponies begin to shamble and charge them, howling for his flesh. Zeal sheathed his sword with great haste, muttering prayer. A powerful bolt of silver energy flared from his horn and struck a large skeletal pegasus, turning it to a pile of ash.

“Forward, soldiers of the Argentum Solar! For the Solarium, for Equestria!” He cried out as he began muttering another prayer. He reared up onto his hind legs before stomping down hard to the ground. Magical fire, blue in appearance flared out and arched forward across the ground before him, scorching and utterly destroying the hapless undead in it’s wake.

The ponies behind him let out a loud battle cry as they began their advance; pushing forward, their formation breaking the solid wall it had been to take to the charge and bring the fight to the undead. After many skirmishes, the Argent ponies had learned one does not simply fight the mass of the undead as a wall, but as a sparse group. Each individual had to be able to hold their own against multiple undead. Spears and hammers, blades and axes; they all fell upon the walking corpses, pushing them back and breaking the tide. But for every undead that fell, more took their place. Eventually several of the ponies fell to the advancing horde; only to have their bodies quickly destroyed by their fellow soldiers, least they rise again in undeath against their former allies.

Zeal heard two other clashes some distance to both sides of him. He swept a large group of undead before him aside with his magic, gaining a moment to breathe. ‘Sterling and Faith have begun flanking them, good. If we can push them back, we can take the section of the Startmane road needed…’ the pony paladin’s thoughts were interrupted as a bestial roar pierced his ears. The ground trembled as a large axe crashed into the ground where he had been only moments ago, before being pulled back by the wielder, a giant construct of flesh and bone.

“Well.. This’ll be interesting.” Zeal smirked. He closed his eyes muttering a prayer as his hooves were consumed in golden fire. He reared up on his hind legs before crashing down and sending the fire into the ground in a wide circle around himself, incinerating the undead within the circle. He turned, moving to face the large abomination of rotting flesh and bone before him.

The thing lumbered over him, the many eyes and eye sockets of once living ponies staring down at him with seething jealousy and hate. Zeal drew his sword holding it in his right hoof and his shield held defensively before him on his left.

“For the Solarium! For Celestia!”

He lunged at the abomination, his sword cleaving into the hulking creature’s leg. The abomination turned on him silently, the large axe slashing through the air at Zeal. Catching the blow upon his shield, he stumbled back from the force. As he recovered he barely caught another blow on his shield, this one cutting straight through the device and carving his armor like paper and gashing his forehoof.

Before he could recover from the blow a massive hand wrapped around his body, picking him up and bringing him near the piecemeal face of the walking corpse giant. Zeal struggled, but in vain as the giant’s grip slowly tightened squeezing the life out of him. His vision began to blur and darken. As unconsciousness began to creep upon him, the grip on his body suddenly released, and he fell to the ground dazed as a scream tore through the air that seemed to silence the entire battlefield.

The abomination’s arm had been severed, a large battle axe stuck in the ground next to the bleeding pile of rotting flesh and bone.

Glaive stood before Zeal, removing the battle axe from the ground with ease. “On your feet Captain.”

Zeal shook his mane, getting to his hooves shakingly. “Right, thank you Brother Glaive. Let us take this behemoth down, shall we?”

Glaive simply nodded and turned towards the towering undead.

Zeal’s horn began to glow a soft silver. “For the Argentum.”

Zeal sat on the bench, allowing a priestess from the Lunar Kingdom of Stormane to see to a large gash he had on his left foreleg, among other, numerous wounds that had already been tended to.
eee
“Right, are you going to cleanse this one or shall I, Captain Zeal?” The priestess asked, looking up from his wound.

“I can do it, you shall need your strength for the others.” He took his foreleg out of her grip and held it close to himself, leaving room so he could bow his head and touch his horn to the wound. He muttered a prayer, concentrating on the spell for cleansing his wound. A golden aura began to cover his horn, soon the golden magic slipped from his horn onto the wound. He gritted his teeth as the spell cleansed the wound of any and all foreign contaminates.

The Priestess took his foreleg again, casting a basic healing spell to speed up the healing process and close the wound’s deeper layers. She then wrapped it quickly in a bandage. “There you go, Captain. You may not be able to use your shield for a day or so. Try not to get into any dangerous fights.”

Zeal nodded as he stood, testing his foreleg, frowning and wincing at the initial strain and the pain from the fresh wound. He grabbed the greaves of his armor and attached it quickly before walking from the medical tent, allowing the priestess to see to another wounded soldier. He took a minute to take in all the activity. The damage to the walls are being repaired by a group of the less battle inclined of the camp. While a group of unicorn mages and archers levitated all the corpses into a pile and set them aflame. No sense allowing the Damned to reuse the corpses.

A voice cut through his observations and thoughts. “Brother Zeal!” Sterling trotted up to Zeal. His armor black with gold trim, to Zeal’s silver with gold trim. And his rust red coat and dull blonde mane dirty from the battle, blood and dirt covered the brilliant silver hammer on his back. His golden eyes wearily looked to Zeal’s as he spoke. “Casualty report is in.”

“Ah..” Zeal frowned, they didn’t always have a casualty report, but, this last fight was brutal, four abominations and one Horror(an abomination over three times the size of a normal one.) along with countless ghoul and skeleton ponies had been sent to destroy the camp. Sighing and shaking his head slowly to clear the gathering dark thoughts from his head. “How bad, Sterling?”

“Ten seriously wounded, and eight dead. Six Argents and Nine of the Stormane battalion.” Sterling said gravely. Though, that may seem like nothing compared to other fields of battle, the Argentum was not a simple army, they were a brotherhood and sisterhood of the ponies seeking to reclaim Equestria and find Princess Celestia. They had not the numbers to even lose a man a battle. It was a hard blow to morale of the men, especially since the last few weeks had seen this being a daily toll they must pay. “Shall I speak with Faith about holding a sermon for the camp?”

Zeal frowned and nodded. “Aye… Is-“

Sterling interjected, knowing full well the question Zeal would ask, “Aye, Centurion Glaive is seeing to the repairs, Magus Starlight is seeing to the cleanup of the corpses, and Priestess Redheart is seeing to the wounded and the cleansing of those who fought.”

Zeal nodded, his eyes moving to look in the direction of Restful Hill. “Good, good… I… need a hour or so to myself, as usual. If anyone needs me, you know where to send them, Sterling.”

“As you wish, Brother-Captain.” Sterling bowed his head respectfully, as the Brother-Captain trotted off towards a secluded spot on the wall facing Restful Hill to the east of the camp.

Chapter 2: Wounds

Chapter 2: Wounds

Zeal sat on the wooden wall, staring at Restful Hill sadly, in between his front hooves on the wall’s walkway, laid an open locket, inside was a picture, though in black and white. It was of a unicorn mare, and two fillies and one colt. He frowned, as a few memories flooded to his mind.

The smell of blood and ash. He knelt by the bodies of three ponies, one mare, two young children, one male one female. He took the mare’s head in his hoofs, stroking her mane. He had been too late. Too slow. Too stupid. It was all his fault. ‘Foal, you are a foal and not worthy of Celestia’s blessing! Or the gift of Light magic! You could've saved them if you had not rushed in head strong!’

Silent tears fell from his eyes, his sobs the only thing aside from the crackle of flames and the falling of the timber of the now burnt manor behind him.

‘Celestia and the Divine Light… Why didn’t I take their place?’

A voice cut through the memories, sweeping them aside and jerking Zeal back to reality. “You know, I always wonder why you come here every chance you get, Zeal.”

With a quick movement, Zeal swept up the locket, replacing it around his neck and tucking it under his chestplate. “I come here to see if anything has changed at Restful Hill, so that maybe we can take it.”

Faith smiled, she walked up to sit down beside the male unicorn, she pushed her brown mane behind an ear, and her tail of the same color swishing to curl around one of her hind-legs. She wore a simple white robe with gold trim, covering most of her chestnut coat. “Zeal, we’ve been through too much together for either of us to get a half thought up lie past the other.”

He frowned, turning to stare at Restful Hill. “You know I don’t want to talk about it, Faith.”

“But, you need to. And I know part of you wants to.” She gently placed a hoof on his armored shoulder.

He looked out of Restful Hill and sighed before shrugging off the hoof. “No, Faith. I do not wish to speak about it.” He stood and started to walk off before he felt a magical grip envelope him, pulling him back to his spot. He sighed in defeat.

“I do not give up so easily, Zeal. You know this.” She looked to him with a frown. “You do not have to tell me details, but I want to hear it… We have fought side by side since you joined and we’re friends, you stubborn colt.”

“Why is this so important to you?” He looked to her with an inquisitive expression.

“Because, Zeal… I see a look in your eyes that worries me. I see the reason you really joined the Solarium.” She frowned, broaching a subject she knew would ring friction between them.

He looked to her, his eyes becoming hard as he raised an eyebrow, more in amused anger then genuine curiosity.

“You joined us to fight the undead, until you die. None of us here have risen as fast, nor fight with the fury you do. There is no self-preservation in you. You have always acted as if you are a pony on death row, waiting for his turn on the gallows; or as a gladiator slave in the griffon’s arenas, fighting only so that his death is a glorious one.” She placed a hoof again on his armored shoulder, allowing her frown to remain, though her eyes shone with the amount she genuinely cared about him. “And… I don’t want to lose my Captain and best friend.”

Zeal felt like someone had just pried a secret from his mind against his will, and the emotion in the eyes, stung him to his core. “I…” He sighed and shook his head. “I…. No, Faith… Please, it hurts to much to speak of it…”

Faith frowned and wrapped her fore-hooves around the armored pony, nuzzling his neck. “Zeal…“

Zeal reluctantly returned the hug, but cut her off in the middle of speaking. “Just… I wish not to talk about it further.” He drew back from the hug, giving a small smile. “Besides, you will have a sermon to deliver soon. You need not worry about me. Whatever my motivations, I will live to see our duty done. I promise.”

Faith looked up at the paladin and smiled reluctantly. “R-right. And, that is suppose to be fine? Till our duty is done?” She place her muzzle up against his, and ran a hoof gently across his cheek. “Sometimes, Zeal... Completing one's duty is not enough to satisfy the heart.” She place a gentle kiss upon his cheek before turning from him to hide the tears in her eyes. “Valor Fist wanted to see you, better get back to your duty, Captain.” She walked away without another word, leaving him alone again upon the battlements.

Zeal watch her go, before getting to his hooves. “Sometimes, Faith... the mind is stronger then the heart.” He sighed and went to meet with Valor Fist.

Valor Fist was gathered around the map table in the large Command Pavilion, muttering and scribbling with a quill here and there, sifting through the mess of maps, scouting reports and supply lists. His grey coat covered in splotches of black ink and his black mane looking as if it had been neglected for days. Though, somehow his cutie mark of a fist enclosed over a lightning bolt, had remained ink-free. Without glancing up, he spoke to the stallion who entered the tent. “Ah, Zeal, good to see you showed up. I’ve been running a check on the plan you devised to shift this defense, to an offense.”

Zeal nodded as he closed the tent flap, his horn lit up as he cast a spell that sound proofed the room. He may be a Paladin, but he had picked up on a few spells of the non-holy nature, for the undead armies would spy on command staff meetings, and many a commander and his men have died to these spies. “And? Do we have everything we need?”

Valor Fist levitated a map from the bottom of the stack of papers onto the top of the table, frowning as he shook his head. “Your plan is not the best. While it would buy us enough time to send for aid from Princess Luna, and possibly Lady Sparkle in Theramare, we would need resources to clear the road to Stratmane or rebuild the bridge to Restful Hill. We can’t attack the undead on two fronts, it is suicidal, even with an army or three at our back.”

Zeal nodded and moved to the table, overlooking the map detailing the plan. “Well, We can always remove placing explosives in the mountains alongside the Stratmane road, but we MUST blow the bridge to graveyard if we wish to retake Celestia’s Shrine and Restful Hill. The reinforcements won’t be armies, and they won’t be experienced in the type of fighting we do.”

Valor Fist nodded. “I know, but, if we used the remaining explosives to rig traps along the Stratmane road, we would be able to stop them from sending anything to Restful Hill before we can secure it.”

Zeal rubbed his hoof under his chin thoughtfully. “Hrm… We need a few catapults built, though. That will take a week at least, longer if we hide the constructions from the eyes of the Damned.”

Valor thought for a moment. “We can send diplomats while preparations are made…” The black unicorn looked at Zeal with a raised eyebrow. “Did you-?”

Zeal nodded. “Aye, I sound proofed the tent.”

“Right… Can we expect any more Templars playing the role of the ordinary Paladin?” Valor asked cautiously, as the topic of discussion was not one easily broached.

“No… Doubtful, I have not received any word. The Order is stretched thin right now, we are the only Templars here, though, whichever one of us leads the assault into the Necromancer’s Tomb in Restful Hill, will most likely be able to flex our full powers.” Zeal spoke softly, frowning apologetically at Valor.

Valor sighed. “Well, a pity we cannot show the whole of Equis our full power.”
Zeal frowned, this time it was one of unamusement. “You know that if the Damned knew how much of a threat the Argentum was, we would have their full weight against us. And you know the Order will not give permission to anyone until Celestia is found.”

“I know… I know.” Valor looked away, sighing. “Well… who shall we send?”

Zeal smirked for a moment. “You won’t like my suggestion, Valor.”

“Oh?” The other unicorn raised an eyebrow curiously. “Why not?”

“Because, Faith and I are going to go.” The red-manned one spoke firmly.

“Zeal! I have to object, you are the Brother-Captain, you cannot sim-“ A held up hoof silenced him, more out of respect for Zeal, than any demand of rank.

“I know, Valor. But, the Solarium does not work that way. Our officers are more vulnerable than any in a normal situation. Others of the Argentum must be tested to take up the mantle of Command and excel past their previous commander. Not only that, but we must not allow the Scourge to fix on us having one singular leader and on any officer of any position. Paladins are an exception, as many of the former who are now of the Damned understand ,that a paladin that leads in battle line, or shines the brightest is not always the one in charge or making the plans.”
Valor Fist sighed, conceding defeat. “Fine, fine… But, I swear. You two better not lollygag or worry about stolen sweet rolls.”

The white coated pony chuckled. “What? I love sweet rolls!” He received a chuckle from his comrade in return, before both settled down to discuss the details of the trip and who would be in charge while they were gone among other things.

Chapter 3: A Welcomed Visitor

Chapter 3: A Welcomed Visitor

The moon rose above the skies of Stormane and shone down upon the city. Its grey walls gleaming dully in the moonlight and spires of rich purple and dark blue rose above homes and shops. A few sparkles from large observatories and their telescopes glimmered over the rooftops and in between the spires. The Palace stood above them all, with its gold trimmed marble walls, and balconies decorated with hanging flowers and vines and telescopes and sitting areas. It was the home of Princess Luna, alicorn ruler of the Southern Kingdom of Stormane and Princess of the Night.

On one of the balconies towards the top of the spires, sat a midnight blue alicorn, her mane and tail waving on an ethereal wind and seemingly holding a portion of the night sky captive. She was without clothing or regalia as she was on her private balcony right outside her bedchambers, smiling down at her capital city. The trade and research districts of the city were still bustling at night, both for their own reasons, the alicorn was sure.

A few knocks on her large bedroom door echoed to her ears and she let herself sigh, wondering who would disturb her at this hour. She stood and walked to the door, moving to unlock the latch that kept the door from being opened. “Who is it?”

“An old friend from Theramare.” A voice answered from the otherside.

Luna beamed with a feeling of joy, she recognized the voice and opened the door with her magic, ruffling her wings in excitement. “Twilight Sparkle!” She called out as the door opened to reveal a lavender unicorn wearing robes of midnight blue and purple. Without waiting for a response, the Princess rushed forward and hugged the unicorn, her face beamed when the hug was returned after a moment.

“It is good to see you too, Luna. May I come in?” The lavender mare nudged her way inside Luna’s personal and private bedrooms, closing the doors behind her and Luna, who had followed her back in. “I was visiting Cadence while she was here in the city. It isn’t often she leaves my brother alone at Solarium’s Hope.”

Luna nodded, smiling at Twilight. “I am glad you decided to pull yourself from those books and the burden of leadership to visit us..erm.. me.” Luna walked to a private little bar she had for herself and close friends. “Bourbon?” She offers to her companion as she pours herself a glass.

Twilight shook her head, “Mmm… Have anything lighter? You know what happened last time you gave me something strong.” The lavender mare smirked playfully, before turning to look over Luna’s personal bookcase. “And you know I don’t lead Theramare alone, the city has been ruled by a Council since its founding. Or did you not read that history book I sent you?”

Luna snickered and glanced at her. “Of course I did! Why wouldn’t I read anything you suggest, Twlight.” She turned and grabbed a bottle of wine with her magic, pouring a glass for her guest.

“Come with me to the balcony.” The Princess of the Night took both glasses in her magical aura and walked out onto the balcony, and was joined by Twilight a moment later. She levitated the glass over to her companion who took it in her own aura with a muttered thanks.

“The night sky is always beautiful, especially when it is shared with you.” Twilight blushed, as she delivered the compliment to Luna. Her companion always made her lose the mask of leadership she had developed in Theramare.

Luna smiled at Twilight and nuzzled her neck. “But, the night can not capture your beauty, Twilight.”

They sat there drinking and just idly chatting for a few hours, Luna was thinking how nice it was to spend time with Twilight without the worry of devastating political backlash, or duties being avoided. It was one of those rare weeks when both were able to dump their duties on others.

After a few moments, Luna sighed, their conversation had died, and they were simply enjoying being near the other, but then Twilight frowned looking at Luna.

“What’s wrong?” The lavender mare nuzzled Luna’s neck affectionately.

“I was… just remembering.” Luna answered after a moment of hesitation, not sure if she wanted to go this route in the conversation.

Twilight nodded sadly, snuggling up against Luna. “I miss her too.”

Luna smiled at Twilight, it seems that she was still able to read her mind. “We… I, I miss her. And it isn’t the pain of simple loss. She is still alive… somewhere, and somehow…”

Luna sighed, frowning as she stared down at her city. “When we drew the lines, she took the northern half of Equestria, and molded it into a land of Light and the day. I molded mine into the peaceful tranquility and freedom of the Night. I never thought the day would come that as my Kingdom rebuilds from a Changeling invasion, my Sister’s burns by the corpses of our subjects…”

Twilight nodded, she had heard this before and knew all of this, but, it never hurt her to have Luna spill her feelings again on her. “I miss it too, I remember when I was still learning about magic and friendship under Celestia… I never thought that all the adventuring, learning and books in Canterlot would one day be gone. I miss the parties Pinkie threw and the dresses Rarity dazzled the entire continent with. Or the tricks of Rainbow Dash and Applejack’s honest thoughts and opinions.”

“Do you think they can do it?” Luna asked, after a few moments of quiet.

“Who?”

“Your brother and his Argentum Solarium. Do you think they can do it alone?”

Twilight frowned, and sighed. “I hope so. We are in an uneasy truce with the Changelings near Theramare, but… I wish we could get everyone together and march all the way to where that traitor is and end all of it.”

Luna nodded. “And we have been having border skirmishes with the Changelings and I have reports of one with the Griffons. We can’t take a war with both kingdoms alone, Twi. We may have to send an ambassador to the Zebra and Donkey nations.… Most of my subjects are tied up, still rebuilding from the last invasion of the Changelings.”

The silence resumed as the two sat side by side on the balcony, their empty glasses had been levitated back to the bar. Luna spoke after what seemed like hours. “Come, Twilight. Let us go to bed, there hasn’t been many nights we get to share with each other lately.” She put on a playful smirk, making it her goal not to allow either of them to fall into dark thoughts any longer. “And besides, you may be tardy to that lunch with Cadence and me tomorrow if you stay up all night.” She nipped Twilight’s ear teasingly before trotting back into the bedroom.

Twilight, for her part, bristled at the mention of possibly being ‘tardy’. Memories of her last near-tardy-on-something-level-freak-out rushing to the forefront of her mind. She pushed them aside and followed Luna inside. When she saw the Princess sprawled out on the bed waiting for her, she let her emotions for the alicorn finally take full reign as she tackled the other mare.

“It has been FAR too long, Luna.”

Luna sat back upon the balcony, looking at her starry night. She idly glanced back at the bedroom behind her. It was a mess. Her royal bedsheets were scattered upon the ground and all but one pillow was absent from the bed. Her private bar was a mess of used glasses and empty bottles of various drinks. And if one were to walk into the room, they would be assailed with a stench of sweat and love-making to rival the largest orgies known to ponykind. With a glance to the sky one last time and a small sigh she turned and went to crawl back next to Twilight and the only pillow that managed to remain on the bed. "You were right, my little Sparkle, It WAS far too long."

And with those whispered words, Princess Luna feel asleep to pleasant dreams.

Author's Note

Added a little paragraph at the end here from the original. Hope you enjoy.

Chapter 4: Time for a Walk

Chapter 4: Time for a Walk

The sun finally shone on the group of four ponies leaving the plagued lands of former Equestria, or Northern Equestria. The area was mountainous and hilly, as well as infamous for its frequent blizzards and snow flurries. The entire land was coated in snow, the only exception was the infrequent patches of coddled roadway that stood above the snow; the last visages of a neglected roadway.

The four ponies walked in two groups, well one group of three. Faith, was wearing a combination of leather and mail armor that reflected the sunlight off its silver and gold trimmed surface as much as snow around them. Two male pegasi stood to her right and left, talking to her and each other. One had a cyan blue coat with a white mane named Thunderstrike, the other was the opposite, a white coat with a royal blue mane, called Cloudchaser. Both wore the black and silver trimmed leather armor of the Argentum’s scouts. Thunderstrike one bore a shield and small one-hoofed hammer, while the other carried two one-hoofed battle axes.

The last of the four was trudging quite ahead of the other three ponies. His red-mane and gleam of his silver armor sometimes being the only thing that the other three could see as they continually rushed to catch up. Even as the sun went down in the east and the land began to freeze, becoming cold enough to kill, Zeal wanted to continue on. Eventually, with much coaxing and yelling about how futile and suicidal it was to continue, the Captain relented and they set up camp in a small glade off the road. After camp was set, the three who had stayed together were gathered around the fire, huddling for warmth. The loner of the group, was off in the woods, ‘gathering’ firewood, as night fell on the camp.

“Is he always so…” Thunderstrike struggled to find the right words.

“Distant? Cold? Unyielding?” Cloudchaser offered as a suggestion.

“Aye, one of those, Cloudchaser.” Thunderstrike nodded his head in thanks, holding his bare hoofs over the flames.

“No problem, Thunderstrike.” He responded with a friendly smile, drawing the blanket tighter around his body.

Faith frowned and sighed, staring into the fire sadly. “Yes… At times, anyways, especially during travel. He… just gets lost in his thoughts. Once we get passed the ruins of Ponyville, I am sure he will return to himself.” Even at her own words, she looked in the direction their leader had disappeared to with a frown.

Cloudchaser glanced to his fellow pegasus with a frown, before speaking, “I… guess I can understand that. Ponyville’s ruins put a lot of ponies off. Especially the older ponies.”

Thunderstrike frowned, and bonked Cloudchaser on the noggin. “Hey, you know the ruins give me the creeps. And I’m only twenty-four, ya’ saying I’m old?”

The white pegasus grinned, a gleam of joy twinkling in his eyes. “I guess so, you have been getting soft in your fighting lately. I think I saw you hesitate in the last battle.”

Thunder balked, he glared at Cloudchaser, “I do not hesitate.”

Cloud smirked, amused. “You want to prove it? Come on, I could use something to tire me out enough to sleep and warm me up. How about a duel?”

Thunderstrike grinned wickedly, he moved to grab his shield and mace. “As you wish, Cloud. But, don’t cry when I leave you bruised.”

Cloudchaser chuckled and leaped to his axes before turning to launch at his fellow Argent as they began their duel. The first strike from Cloudchaser landed on Thunderstrike’s shield, glancing off. A wide swing from the Thunderstrike’s mace sent Cloud dodging back, his wings flapping to give him a speed boost. The two took to flying a few feet in the air to continue their duel, trading blows, dodging, and wincing as they dueled. Though, to an observer that was not use to the intensity of the Argentum’s duels, they would take it as an actual fight, but each blow was the light tap of a mace or the flat of an axe.

As her fellow Argents dueled to relieve stress, Faith it was to keep their minds off the strange behavior of their Captain lately. She stood with a sigh. Knowing they wouldn’t hear, she called out to them anyways. “I am going for a walk, you two try to keep the camp safe from more than each other.” They didn’t even acknowledge her words, though they were slowing down in their fighting.

She trotted towards the direction Zeal had. The snow made this all the easier as fresh hoof prints led the unicorn mare through the glade. As Faith stepped into the darkness of the trees, she closed her eyes as her horn shone brightly, a basic light spell to help guide her. Long minutes passed as she followed the trail of hoof prints before finding a small clearing with a hill. Upon it, sat the pony she was looking for. His armor shone in the moonlight dully, his shield and longsword sat at the foot of the hill; a soft blue glow emanated from the runes of magic etched into the blade.

She slowly walked towards Zeal, cautiously, like she was sneaking up on a timid rabbit. His voice caused her to freeze for a moment.

“You know… They say that every star in the sky was put there by Princess Luna, and that when she was asked by a curious pony in the ages before the reign of the nightmare in her soul… That each one represented a significant event for a pony that she witnessed. I think it was her way to try and remember each and every pony she knew. Immortality can be lonely, I’m sure.” Zeal let his head drop from looking to the heavens to staring at the snow covered ground he sat on, falling silent.

Faith smiled lightly as she resumed her approach, sitting down beside him, but leaving a hoof or two of distance. “Always the romantic historian and philosopher, aren’t we?”

Zeal looked up at her with an ever so faint smirk. “It seems that I still have something besides a soldier in me, ‘eh?”

Faith frowned and reached over gently and slowly placing a hoof on his shoulder. “You are more than an old soldier, Zeal.”

The other unicorn leaned into the touch, sighing. “I know…” He looked to her opening his mouth to speak, but instead closed it and moved away from her.

Faith drew her hoof back quickly, wincing slightly as if a needle had poked her hoof. “Zeal…”

The red-maned unicorn shook his head. “No, Faith. Do not do this, it will lead to heartbreak for you and guilt for me. My heart is buried in the ground. And my soul roams the memories of a kingdom that is whole and ruled by Celestia and Luna.”

The chestnut mare frowned and opened her mouth to speak, but a glance from her companion stopped the words in her throat. She hung her head, partly in defeat, and partly to allow her mane to conceal the tears of a bitter rejection of friendship and possibly more.

Zeal frowned and sighed softly, looking to the night sky. “I will explain to you what is in my head and this husk of a pony, so that you understand.” His horn glowed soft with a silver aura. From under the chest plate he pulled the silver locket that always hung around his head. He opened it and allowed it to float near Faith so that she could see the picture. “I failed them. I promised to always be there and always be the defender, the shield against all their woes. But, when they needed me to be a sword, instead of a shield… I failed. But, that is not all. I allowed my despair grab my heart and mind. It drug me into the ground, into depression….”

He closed his eyes and released a shaky sigh, this was as much him venting as explaining why even true friendship was not going to work. “I failed my Princess, my fellow ponies and my kingdom. I should have been at Canterlot when it fell, when Celestia disappeared. I should have been at Ponyville when the Changelings took the opportunity of Canterlot’s destruction to raid and destroy the home of the six greatest ponies in Equestria…”

Faith bit her lip and shook her head as she heard his words, she also saw the underlying truth that was spoken there. “You blame yourself, Zeal. For all the bad that is in this world. I would say you are one pony and it would not have changed anything, but my time in the Solarium has taught me otherwise. But, we will never know if your presence would have changed anything or not. I do not believe your soul roams or that your heart is buried. For I have seen a pony inside that most do not. And this is an example of that.”

The mare looked to the sky, wiping the few tears from her face before they froze. She moved towards him and placed a soft kiss on his cheek. “You can try to turn the friendship offered away, and many ponies would give up on you. I will not. My cutie mark is a book behind a cross. Symbols for knowledge and faith. And I have faith that you will become who you are, rather than this ‘husk of a pony’ you see yourself as now. You have many friends back in Barrier and many care for you as their Captain, friend and companion. One day, I hope you see it as I do.” She nuzzled his neck softly, before turning to walk, and adding with some finality and a firm tone, “You will have first watch.”

And with that, Faith walked back to the warmth and light of the fire, while Zeal was left in the cold snow, with his guilt.

As the morning sun rose, the group of ponies continued on their path. As they traveled down the road, the fields of snow slowly transformed to chilly, but grassy fields as they left the mountains. As the sun reached the peak of its path across the sky, the group decided to rest. The brief respite was silent for the most part, the entire group either wrapped up in their own thoughts or unhappy with what the next change of scenery would be. The ruins of Ponyville, the home of the fabled six heroes of the Great Wars against the Changelings and the Chaos Legion of Discord. The journey continued after the rest without any words being exchanged, until Cloudchaser finally spoke up.

“So… I heard Ponyville is haunted…” Cloudchaser spoke quietly, not sure if his words would be acknowledged.

“I would hope not, we must go through it.” A firm voice responded, it was, to the surprise of the others, Zeal’s.

“T-through it?” Cloudchaser responded, a tinge of fear entering his tone. “I thought the road goes around it?”

The leading unicorn shook his head. “Nay, The old road does not, and the new road adds another day to our journey. We need to reach Stormmane in three days. And the longer we are away from camp, the longer they are four people short. Besides, we’ll have a few of the buildings still standing to camp in.”

Cloudchaser snorted and muttered something lowly, though Zeal either ignored or didn’t hear what it was, the grumbling was rewarded with a smack on the head by Thunderstrike.

Faith frowned and trotted to catch up to Zeal, she glanced his way and inwardly sighed at the lack of emotion she saw on his face. “I know you want to get back quickly… But, the ruins are dangerous. Those hauntings have some solidity to them, and it is said that Changeling patrols pass through them as well.”

Zeal kept his gaze straight ahead, lacking the courage to look at the female unicorn next to him. “I know. But, it cuts our travel time by a day and a half, and a few changelings or tormented spirits will not stop us, Four Argents are more than a match for things that would take an entire squad of fifteen normal ponies.”

“I.. I know, Zeal. It is just…” She frowned and sighed, shaking her head and dropping back, falling into her own thoughts.

Zeal frowned, glancing back at her. He turned around and continued on with a sigh.

‘She is a persistent one, isn’t she?’ He smirked at the thought, ‘Enough so to get me to talk to myself, huh?’

‘Well, if you would socialize…’

‘No. I will not. I swore an oath to duty and faith.’

‘And did that oath say that a relationship or even friendship is out of the question?’

‘They have no place in my life, you know this. They will lead to pain and that pain will blind me to my duty again.’

‘No, it is because you feel incomplete and hollow, and you have felt that hole for so long you do not want it to go, because you are afraid you will forget her, forget them.’

‘Be silent!’ He growled, and snorted angrily, tossing his mane. He continued trudging on, not noticing the landscape changes as he fell into a pattern of fighting with himself and quiet contemplation.Also, he didn’t notice where he was until he walked right into a sign that marked a fork in the road, his snout smacking into the pole and causing the unicorn to fall back onto his plot with a crash of armor and a groan. He rubbed his nose angrily, mumbling to himself, and soon an embarrassed blush stole across his features as he heard the laughing behind him.

“Wow, Captain. I didn’t know that was part of the path.” Cloudchaser snickered, trying to hold back a torrent of laughter.

Thunderstrike was next to Cloudchaser snickering lightly, but, he was a tad bit nicer. “You alright there, Captain? I think that pole got the drop on you.”

Faith, though, was at his side helping him up, even though she was giggling. “Are you alright, Zeal?”

The unicorn who was stupid enough to not look where he was walking finally responded, “Aye… Aye, I’m fine.” He pulled his armored hoof from his snout, a large dab of blood was on the silver metal, as well as a few drops that fell to the ground. “Bloody… By Celestia and the Light…”

He muttered, though, it sounded off with his lack of a proper nose, electing another round of laughter from the two pegasus warriors behind them.

Faith, however, had stopped laughing and simply sighed. “Oh, Zeal… I think you broke it.”

“You fhink? I fan barfely talk. Wiff out sounding fupid.”

That gained a cracked smile from the female before she placed a gentle hoof on his nose and closed her eyes, muttering a prayer of mending; and channeling the magic granted from her horn, enveloping her hoof in its soft blue glow and into the bleeding nose. As the magic did its work, a yelp of pain was emitted from the red-maned pony, followed by a large snap as the magic forcefully set his nose and lightly mended it. After the job was done, Faith removed her hoof and wiped the blood on some nearby grass, frowning as she saw the state it was in. “Zeal… what happened here?” She glanced back down the road. Only a few meters away the ground seemed to be divided as if by a line, dead and decaying land on one side and living, vibrant on the other.

As all four turned to survey their surroundings more closely, it was obvious the boundary of dead and decaying ground was in a circle around the ruined buildings they could now make out in the distance.

“I… do not like this, it… does not smell of death and decay, and even the death and decay lessens the close you get to the ruins..” Thunderstrike pointed out.

It was true, the death and decay around them had no smell. In fact, the smell of even living plant life and animal life was faint, and wafting behind them.

“This land… it isn’t merely dead, Zeal… It is what remains of a land drained of life and the will to live….” Faith spoke softly, her voice shaking, more so at the unexplained lack of smells and life.

“This isn’t like what we have in the Plaguelands… it… is worse. That is like an infected wound… This… this is… a void…” Thunderstrike spoke solemnly, glancing around nervously, like something would appear out of thin air and devour him into nothingness.

Cloudchaser had been silent for awhile, but finally found words to speak, “We… we should continue, the sun is going down and I.. don’t want to be out here at night.” He looked to his Captain. “Which path are we taking, Zeal?”

Zeal was staring at the fork in the road and glancing between each path calmly, after what seemed like an hour to the others, Zeal took a step forward and then another, down the path to Ponyville’s remains. “We do not have the time to waste… And I will admit, I am curious as to what has done this to the land, it wasn’t like this when the last land caravan came up to Barrier it is, recent.”

The three shared worried and fearful glances before swallowing the fear. They were Argents, survivors in a land infected with unholy and decaying and infectious ‘life,’ a lack of it was nothing. So, Zeal, with the reluctant Argents in tow, proceeded to enter the ruins of Ponyville, the once beautiful and peaceful home of the Six Heroes of Harmony.

Author's Note

I thought about making this chapter title funny. Then I realized my comedy is Off-set.

Chapter 5: Welcome to Ponyville

The four ponies stood in the center of Ponyville, the two pegasus stallions shared worried glances as the silence was broken occasionally by the squeak of a hinge, or the slamming of window shutters. The group stood between the old fountain and a statue of Celestia that had toppled to the ground and shattered to pieces; shattered bones could be seen protruding from under the rubble. As the four looked around collectively, all they saw were the burnt husks of buildings and buildings toppled into each other. The remains of ponies, changelings, and a few griffin's and donkeys were also visible everywhere they looked. The only thing that stood relatively intact was the old library, the tree-home of Twilight Sparkle.

Zeal looked to the sky, frowning as the sun was setting; even the sky here seemed dull and lifeless, “We can either travel through the night, or rest in the old Library,”, He spoke plainly to the others.

Thunderstrike snorted and glanced around. “It depends… If I remember my basic history correctly, the Element of Magic use to live there, so who knows what could be left there that has kept it from falling like the rest of the town?”

Cloudchaser frowned, “I’d prefer the library, at least there we can defend ourselves from anything that may lurk here… Who knows what the rubble and shadows will hide?”

Faith smiled at Cloudchaser softly, “Celestia and her light are with us, and there is nothing to fear here. These ruins hold nothing more than ruins.”

Cloud frowned, and muttered something under his breathe. “If you say so, Sister Faith…”

Zeal turned to them and waved a hoof, motioning the three to him. “Right, we’ll move to the library in a wedge formation. I will have point, Thunder and Cloud, you take my right and left, Faith you take center.”

The three nodded firmly in conformation, it was a basic scouting formation for the Solarium. As Zeal began walking the others quickly fell into formation. None of the four wanted to be out in the dark, so they moved rapidly through the lifeless ruins; sometimes having to make a detour around fallen buildings or piles of bones in the road. Eventually, they reached the library. The tree was nothing more than a lifeless husk; the branches were lacking leaves of any kind, dead or alive. The bark was missing in large chunks in some sections, and branches and limbs were breaking and falling when a gust of wind blew across them; it seemed like the life had been pulled from every cell in the tree.

“Not… the liveliest place…” Cloudchaser grumbled, receiving a annoyed nudge from his fellow pegasus. “Ow! Cut it out!”

Zeal glanced back at the two with a frown. “This is not the time for childish behavior. When we get in, Cloud and I will sweep upstairs; and Faith, you and Thunder will clean out the first level.”

The three responded with nods. Zeal went up to the door and went to push it open, the dull wood creaked, and groaned, but refused to open. The Brother-Captain pushed again, with more force, even tried turning the knob to no anvil.

“Let me take care of this, Captain,” Thunderstrike said as he walked up to the door. Zeal moved with a frown and nodded at the other pony. Thunderstrike stood on his hind legs and unsheathed his hammer. He opened and flexed his wings, using them to balance his body before lunging forward and swinging the hammer down on the door with a solid blow. The door erupted with a loud BOOM and a shower of splinters as it was knocked off its hinges, clasping inwards. It landed with an echoing thud and kicked up years of undisturbed dust and dirt. “There. Now, let us get some sleep.” The warrior moved inside, with a snort, followed by his fellows.

What greeted them was that of what you expect of a lifeless, abandoned library. Books were lying in various positions across the floor, some tore, burnt, or laying in piles under a fallen shelf. The entire place looked as if ponies had fought for their lives in there.

“This is pleasant, indeed…” Thunderstrike spoke, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

“Fan out.” Zeal spoke, moving to the staircase, Cloudchaser following behind his Captain. Thunderstrike and Faith moved into the other rooms of the first level.

“Cloud, you fly ahead, I want a quick look around here..” Zeal ordered.

“As you wish, grumpy!” He gave a half-salute and flew up to the top of the stairs, opening the door and disappearing inside.

Zeal turned to a small table he noticed that still seemed oddly intact. Ontop of the table, sat a dark leather tome, with green patterns woven on the cover. He walked over to the table and book and using his magic opened it. He stepped back at what he saw almost instantly. “By Celestia, a summoning book!”

Cloud’s voice rang out with fear and worry, “Zeal! You may want to get up here!”

Zeal frowned, even though Cloud was not the bravest among them, he certainly was not one to call for anypony with anxiety in his voice. He was sure whatever it was, Cloudchaser would keep it under control, but nevertheless, he hurried up the last few broken steps and sped into the room, only to come to an abrupt stop at what he saw.

There laying on the floor, was a pentagram made of a mix of bones and blood. Cloudchaser was at the door way, but off to the side. He knew what it meant and knew that it was beyond his abilities to fool with. In the pentagram, was another shape, this one in the shape of a gapping many toothed maw, and laying in the center was a changeling, and a pony. Both were hollowed out husks of skin and hair. Zeal stood, eyes wide in horror, staring at the scene for a few long moments, before he spoke with an eerie calm voice.

“Cloud…”

“Aye?” The pegasus spoke with a tinge of anxiety.

“We need to leave. NOW.”

“I…agree… but… what does it mean, Zeal?”

Zeal went to the summoning circle and summoned his magic, adding a small prayer to the casting. His horn glowed yellow and he sent the magic out in a burst, destroying the pentagram without another moment of hesitation. “It means… someone let loose a devourer on Ponyville… and did so in this Library. Now, come let us leave.”

Both ponies turned to leave, Cloudchaser making it out of the door to fly downstairs and get Thunderstrike and Faith. But, as Zeal moved to leave, the door slammed shut violently and the lock turned.

Startled, the paladin jumped back in surprise, before frowning. He didn't like this. He tried to turn the lock and open the door, but to no anvil. He was about to break it down, when a slithery voice spoke.

'Yoouuu… Havee… disturbed…my sleep. I….hunger… little… pony. You… will not… leave.'An aura of fear began to seep into the air, the paladin muttered a prayer, standing strong, and forcing his fear down, seeking to control it, and not let it control him.

“Show yourself, foul beast!” Zeal spun on his hooves, keeping his back to the wall, his horn glowed blue as it took the runic long sword from it’s sheathe across his back. He closed his eyes for a moment and mumbled a prayer. “Celestia’s Light, give me guidance to purge this foul beast from our lands.”

‘How… cuuuute… I see… the Light… still tries to shine…. Where darknesss… shhhhould… reign eternal.’

“You are nothing, but a pest, a tiny shadow for the Light to sweep aside! Show yourself and die!” Zeal growled, looking around the room, the soft blue glow from his sword and horn causing more shadows then they cast light.

‘Buuuttt…. What is the fun…… in that?... ‘ Hollow laughter ringed out across the room and a thud hit the door, but instead of the sound of wood giving way, it was as if a force field protected the door and whatever hit it bounced off.

‘You… brought more to feast upon……. Yessss…. They… will fall first…. And you… shhaaalll… be last.’ The laughter echoed again, as the shadows themselves seemed to move.

“I am a paladin of Celestia and the Divine Light! I shalt slay you here and aid my fellows!” Zeal called back to the demon and began to walk cautiously into the room, glancing around and looking for any movement. The aura of fear lessened and the sounds of the door downstairs slamming closed and sealing could be heard. As well as the sounds of a scuffle downstairs; the sounds of shambling corpses and the moaning of hungry dead echoed through the door.

‘Ah… Theeeey…. Will not last much…. Longer.’

“That is where you are wrong demon! They are Argentum, the best in Equestria, and you shalt be sent back to the voids of the blackest prisons in the sky from wench you came!”

‘Foalish mortal… Hehehe.’

As Zeal reached near the center of the room where the remains of the pony and changeling had been, he felt something wrap around his left hind leg. As he turned around, the decaying hoof of the changeling corpse pulled, retching his leg out from under him and causing him to fall and drop his longsword. The possessed corpse clawed and bit at his leg armor until a solid kick in the muzzle sent it reeling back, enough for the paladin to mutter a prayer. “By the Divine Light, I cleanse this desecrated corpse of your foulness, demon!” His horn glowed as he prepared a blast of magic to destroy the corpse, until a form blotted out his vision and he lost his aim. Instead of firing blindly, he held the magic, working to manipulate it as he fought the limbs of the pony and changeling corpses now crawling over him.

‘Yess…… Your soul shall….. beeeee mineee.’

“Never!” He released the magic as a blast of divine fire, scorching the corpses and sending them off him. He quickly took the opportunity to hop to his hoofs and leaped for his sword, only to feel teeth bite onto his tail painfully and yank him down. A quick hoof blow to the face of whichever corpses did so, gave him a split second as he reached out for his weapon, his hoof to close…

His hoof wrapped around the runic blades grip as he turned, just in time to deliver a halting blow to the remains of the changeling that had leaped at the downed paladin. A blaze of blue fire erupted from the weapon's runes as they made contact with the rotten flesh of the corpse; denigrating most of it and cleaving the remains into two halves. Before he could get to his hooves though, the other zombified pony was on him and began immediately clawing at his face with protruding bones from its splintered hooves.

‘Die, foal, you are no match for my hunger…. Myy…. Pooweerrerrr.’

The paladin did not respond, instead he managed a right hook to the skull of the corpse, the bone caving in as if it was nothing but cardboard; and forcing the thing off him. “I release this body from your control, foul scum!” His horn flared with righteous anger and a bolt of golden light leapt from it, connecting with the corpse and leaving nothing but a smoldering pile of bones.

Finally, moving to stand on his hooves, blood poured from his now re-broken nose as well as a busted lip and numerous other cuts across his head and face. Zeal then sheathed his sword. “Come out, foul thing!” He growled out loud.

‘Assss…… You…. Wish.’ A form stepped out in front of him from the shadows, it looked like a pony, but with a solid white head, with no features, and a black body, that looked like it was made of marble, and not flesh. Four black tentacles protruded from the back of the demon. ‘Sleeep…’ It spoke, as it strode forward, the tenticles shot out with inpony speed, latching onto various parts of the unicorn as a cry of agony escaped him.

“Let… me… go, You shall not defeat a Paladin of the Argentum Solarium!” Zeal struggled, trying to break free or bring a spell to his mind, but he could feel weariness settle over him. He did his best to fight it, but, alas it was in vain, for the shadowy limbs attached to his own seemed to suck the energy right from his body.

‘Sleep… little pony… dream, dream while I feed…’

Author's Note

The next few chapters are gonna be rather short. I'm thinking of recombining a few of them together and such.

Chapter 6: Balcony Conversation

Chapter 6: Balcony Conversation

Luna stood upon her balcony, over looking Stormane, as she took a deep breathe. ‘You can do this, Luna… You have been doing it every morning…’ She released the breathe as her horn began to glow softly, slowly building up brighter and brighter. She reached into the connection that both she and Celestia had with the celestial bodies they controlled.

As she felt her tie to the moon, she used her magic to ‘lasso’ it, and pull the large orb below the horizon, it was easy and simple, the moon wanted to set as always. As soon as she felt the moon dip below the horizon, she turned her magic to the sun. With her sister gone… She took up responsibility for it, though she never could bring the warmth and loving light Celestia did to the land. She grunted, her eyes squeezed shut as she strained to pull the larger body into its set path in the sky. As soon as it was, she let the magic go, stumbling lightly as her eyes opened. She felt a hoof touch her shoulder to help steady her, she turned to the lavender mare with a smile.

“You never told me you handled both of them now…” A soft voice spoke quietly, carrying a tone of fearfulness of the emotions the topic may cause to both of them.

“I… I had to, Celestia disappeared and I could not let night reign eternal… Ponies would blame me and try to over throw me out of fear.” Luna frowned and scuffed her hoof on the balcony stone, sighing sadly.

“They would have to go through me..” Twilight smiled softly, nuzzling the dark alicorn.

Luan sighed and smiled softly. “That makes me feel better… Thank you, Twilight. Now, I think it is time we both showered and prepared ourselves for court.”

“Both of us?” Twilight raised her eyebrows curiously at her love.

“Yes, I think it is time Stormane knew of our relationship. They need something happy in these times, with darkness closing in from every side.”

“Mmm… I suppose… but, what if they object?” Twilight frowned, looking worried about the reaction of the subjects of Luna and the citizens of Theramare.

Luna turned to Twilight, nuzzling her cheek softly. “They would not dare oppose it, some of the nobles may be upset that there may be no ‘heir’ or that their plans for courtship will not work, but the ones who matter, the average pony, will rejoice or be happy for us.”

“A-are you sure?” She frowned, her anxiety starting to surface again, like that time she was almost… tardy. But, not quite as bad.

“I am, my dear.” Luna kissed Twilight’s cheek gently and turned, walking back into the room. “I’m going to shower now; you can either join me…” Luna gave her a wink, “Or wait your turn.” And with that, she entered the bathroom, leaving the door open only a sliver.

Luna levitated a towel to her hoofs as she moved to dry her lover off, the unicorn was shaking a tiny bit and chewing her lip nervously.

“I-I’m worried, Luna.” Twilight spoke softly, trying to hide any outright fear in her voice.

“Why would thou be worried? ‘Tis just going to be a few noble ponies we have to sil-convince this isn’t a power play by Theramare.” Luna smiled as she slowly dried her lover of.

Twilight was leaning into Luna’s hooves as she was dried off, “W-well... I was t-thinking of giving my position over to... Trixie, she isn’t as arrogant these days. And... I want to spend more time with you and my books again.” She looked at her hooves blushing.

Luna smiled working on Twilight’s tail and mane. “Well... I think that is a good idea, I could offer you the position of my Archmage, and we will not have to worry about that. Plus, it means you get to suffer with me through those nobles.” Luna giggled wickedly, smirking.

Twilight’s eyes went wide. “B-b-but... No pony has ever been offered Archmage since Starswirl the Bearded! Celestia herself told me that only the most powerful non-Alicorns could even be considered for it! I..I’d be over all the study of magic and its practice in the Kingdom!” She turned, giddy with joy and utter astonishment at Luna’s casual offer. “I don’t want that jsut because we share a bed!”

Luna frowned and finished ehr drying of Twilight, levitating the used towel into a linen bin. “You think that is the reason?” She raised an eyebrow with a neutral expression, “You may be the most powerful unicorn in bed magic, but, that is not the reason I am giving you this position. You even surpass me in some areas, love.” She smiled lightly, nuzzling Twi’s neck. “Do not ever think I just give my lover’s power. One does not learn how to use power if they are simply given it.”

Twi smiled lightly at Luna’s word, nuzzling her back. “Okay then... I would take it if you honored.” She looked around and frowned. “Where are my robes?”

Luna giggled. “They... er, got dirty during our... ‘fun.’ “
Twilight blushed sheepishly, kicking her hoof at the stone floor. “Oh... Right.” She looked to Luna, who had walked to her neatly piled regalia and was putting it on. “What will I wear then, Lu-lu?”

Lu-lu tapped her chin with a hoof for a moment before she beamed. “I know!” She walked to her closet after finishing putting her regalia on throwing open the double doors and darting inside. Her magic closed the doors behind so Twi’s view was obstructed.

Twi tilted her head curiously. ‘What could she be doing in there? All I need is a decent outfit..’ As she took a step forward the door suddenly flew open causing her to jump back in surprise. Her jaw dropped to the floor almost in a literal way. “I-is t-that?”

Luna nodded and levitated the robes over to Twilight, blushing and hiding her face partially behind her mane, much like Fluttershy would have. “I.. had it made for you when we started seeing each other secretly, I was hoping to offer you the position earlier, but then... The undead an-” She looked at the floor sadly as memories began to spring forth unbidden, but a pair of lips meeting hers broke the trance.

Twi forced Luna back, almost on the bed before she broke contact. “It looks just like his robes... except purple...” She smiled happily at Luna, wrapping her own magical aura around the floating set of robes. oth ponies shivered excitedly as they felt their magics touch for a few moments before Luna let her horn’s glow die.

“Much better than that silly costume I had your first Nightmare Night back....” She looked off into the distance, almost getting lost in thought, odd for her. She shook herself from it. “I don’t know what to say, Lu-lu!”

Luna smiled, regaining her composure from the surprisingly forceful, yet not unwanted, reward for her gift. “How about you get ready and I will begin to make plans for the announcements tomorrow? I’ll send a letter to my herald and we’ll summon the court earlier than I had planned.”

Twilight nodded, bouncing happily much like Pinkie Pie would, to the bathroom, robes following in a magical glow of lavender behind her.

Luna turned to a small writing desk and sighed. ‘This.. is going to be an interesting few days...’

Chapter 7: Ambush

Chapter 7: Ambush

Sterling crouched behind a tree, nearby three other ponies quickly joined him as they hid out of sight from the marching mass below on the road. Reaching back, he carefully drew the large mace from his back, glancing to the right and left of his position to see if the other two squads were in position.

Sterling knew the plan well, he had helped Valor Fist with it in the command tent the day before.

“The plan I propose is simple,” Valor stated, pointing a hoof at the section of the map currently on top of the pile of papers and used quills. “We know that a column of the more... ‘sentient’ of the undead, the skeletal ones that were risen from the military cut down in Equestria’s fall, w-”

Glaive snorted, standing to his hooves. His immense bulk taking up most of the tent. “We know all of this, Valor. To the point, time is not something I enjoy wasting at a map table when undead out there have yet to meet my axe.”

Sterling raised an amused eyebrow, smirking at his fellow Argent. “Now, now, Glaive. The readers don’t know it yet.”

Glaive and Valor simply looked at Sterling with a confused, flat look. Glaive snorted, as Valor returned to the map.

“Right...” Valor begun, “Anyways, back to the plan. We know a column of skeletal warriors will be marching to reinforce the entrance to Restful Hill, these are a batch of the elite ponies they have risen from the grave. Taking them out is a massive blow to Restful Hill, as that was simply a civilian graveyard, anything they raise will be weak and unarmed.”

Sterling nodded, leaning on the large silver mace that was his namesake. “I agree, but, that isn’t the only reason to send both Glaive and I out with six of our best, is it?”

Valor grinned, tossing his ink splatted mane. “You are correct, the plan me and Captain Zeal worked out requires more then just a few reinforcements from the south. We have to cut Starmane off from Restful Hill to be able to take either in the long run.”

Sterling nodded. “Aye, I understood that, but how do you plan to do that? The road is too much for us to defend from both sides. We barely keep this pass secure from assaults on one-side half the time!”

Valor Fist’s grin widened even more. “Explosions.”

Glaive snorted, leaning over to peer at Valor critically. “Explosions? What kind of answer is that?”

Valor simply chuckled patting the large stallion on the head. “I’ll explain!” He lit his horn up with a soft ebony glow, and picked a quill up before setting about scribbling his plan on the map as he spoke.

“You and Sterling will set your squads up, here and here. While a third squad, led by Tech specialist Blinky sets up here. They need to rig this entire stretch of road without the undead catching on, so when our plan is put into motion we can remotely blow the explosives, Understood?”

Sterling and Glaive both nodded. “A sound plan,” The former spoke, “Anything else we need to know?”

Valor frowned for a moment and sighed, his face growing solemn and serious. “Yes, there are reports a minor death knight will lead this column.. Be careful, both of you.”

A voice brought Sterling back to the present, “Sir, the column is in position for the ambush, we need to hurry, Glaive has already begun engagement.”

Sterling turned to the pegasus and nodded. “Right. Celestia, give your breathe to our wings as we soar into battle in your name.” He prayed before hefting the mace over his shoulder and flaring his wings. the other three pegasi with him followed suit, unsheathing weapons and flaring their wings for flight.

“For Cloudsdale!” Sterling roared, before kicking off with his hind legs, and sailing through the air at the column of skeletal warriors. His eyes sought his target, and standing on the other side of the engagement was a pony, a living pony, clad in black armor decorated with spikes and skulls. Sterling angled his wings so that his approach was right at this pony. He closed his eyes, muttering a prayer of might to the Celestial Light. His mace flared up with a golden aura, as runes glittered along the head of the hammer. Sterling reached the undead massed before him and with a grunt of effort brought the hammer around mid flight, crushing the undead in his path with the mace as he landed.

Giving a mighty sweep to clear a space around him, he spared a glace at the others of his squad who had landed in the middle of groups of undead elsewhere in the battlefield and were working on surviving and killing.

A mighty clash was heard as Glaive and his earth pony Argents clashed on the edges of the conflict, roaring their hate for the undead as they carved the edges of the column to shreds with axe and blade.

A glancing blow on a pauldron brought Sterling’s attention back to the present. He glared at the skeletal pony warrior before him, muttering a prayer, runes along his hoof-glove activated, and channeled his inner magic into the hoof as it crashed with divine light into the skeletal skull of his enemy, burning the necromantic magic holding the corpse together away. Sterling gave no more pause, hammer swinging in wide marks as he yelled his hate and faith at the undead, carving a path to the death knight.

As he finally parted the group of undead before him with his divine mace. He stood before his sighted enemy, the traitor.

Before his opponent was the corpse of a Argent, his body shown open like a sliced tomato.

“You will pay for that, foul traitor!” Sterling bellowed, kicking into the air and bringing his body and mace around in a spin in an attempt to decimate his opponent.

However, as the mace head came around to strike the armored pony, it instead hit a resisting force, a wall of pure magic.

“Foolish paladin.” The Death Knight’s dark voice spoke. “You think I am some skeleton to be decimated by the servant of a false queen?” The death knight’s horn glowed with a void black aura. The aura pulsed, sending out a blast of magic that sent Sterling into a tree, away from the battle.

“Pathetic. A pegasus paladin? You should leave the magic of faith to true ponies, not a lesser race such as yourself.” The death knight chuckled as his horn lit up to sent a bolt of magic into the dazed paladin before him.

“Any last wo-” The death knight was cut off as an axe cut into his spine, only the armor on his back kept it from cutting into the spinal cord and killing him instantly.

“You should watch your back, scum.” A deep voice bellowed.

Glaive ripped the axe from the death knight’s back and swung it at the pony’s head, narrowly missing as the target ducked under the blow.

Glaive’s opponent dropped his head and charged, crashing into the large stallion with a surprising amount of strength and sending him stumbling back and his axe falling from his hooves.

However, before either could act, a mace crashed into the side of the death knight’s helmet, caving it in, and leaving the pony’s head with a deadly wound. However, the death knight turned and fired off an erratic blast of magic at the offending pony, sending Sterling flying back, his armor blackened and mangled.

The Death Knight walked over to his fallen opponent and hefted the mace, for a killing blow.

“FOAL. I will not be beaten by a simple wound to the head! The wounds of the flesh mean NOTHING to one who has transcended the glory of the lesser races. I am MO-” Again, an axe cut interrupted the death knight, however, this time for good. As the axe blade sliced clean through the evil pony, slicing through his spinal cord, rib cage and internal organs, killing him instantly. The halves and a good deal of blood fell onto Sterling.

“When will the bad guys learn that monologue will get you no where on a battlefield..” Glaive snorted, as he pushed the corpse with ease from Sterling’s body and offered him a hoof up.

“You know... Sometimes I wonder what I would do without you, Brother.” Sterling smirked as he grabbed his mace, standing on shaky legs as he held a hoof to cover a gaping chest wound.

“You would be dead,or bleeding to death. I will clean this up and have the bodies burned.” Glaive turned to a pegasus who was near and called to him.

“Brother Lightning! See to it Sterling is taken to Priestess Redheart, now!” Glaive took the mace from Sterling and looked to his axe, the blade had been shattered and the haft broken by the force of the blow. He frowned and hefted the mace. “I need to borrow this. Stay alive, Sterling.”

Sterling grunted, but could do little more as the wound’s severity set on him, made it hard to breathe. He leaned onto the pegasus warrior ordered to see him back and left the rest of the clean up to Glaive and the others.

He gave one final look at the body of the death knight.

“He really did talk too much..”

Chapter 8: The Library

Chapter 8: The Library

After parting ways with Zeal and Cloud to explore different parts of the library; Faith moved through the back of the library, Thunderstrike following her with his mace slung over his back as he used his wings to hover slightly above the floor. She frowned, glancing around at the books idly taking in their titles if they still existed on the covers. Her mind wandered to sadder thoughts.

‘Zeal has been drifting away from us... especially me...’ She bit her lip, her horn lighting up its signature silver to pick an interesting tome up and hovering it before her green over to read it, The title displayed was, ‘The Celestial Magiks and the Princesses of Equis, By Twilight Sparkle.’ Faith sighed, setting it down, it was a common tome in the Paladin order. ‘Why do I try? He wants to burn himself to ash with his zealotry.’ Her hoof stepped on something soft and she looked down at it.

The object her hoof had fallen on was a stuffed doll in the shape of a pony with two button eyes and polka dotted pants and oddly bent and stretched ears. She frowned at the doll, saddened by its presence for some unexplainable reason. Faith sighed, shaking her mane.

‘You know exactly why you try... You are Faith. And... yo-'

The loud thunder clap of a certain mace against a wooden door could be heard, startling Faith from her thoughts. She turned to find her companion standing before a broken door that fell to the ground with a thud, its hinges ripped from the door frame by the impact of the blow.

“Faith.” Thunder spoke gravely, “You... may want to see this...”

Faith tilted her head, “What is it, Thunder?” As she walked up to the doorway, her friend moved aside revealing the room in all its horror.

The room was a simple storage room, large in size but, it held shelves with chemicals for cleaning a few brooms and a few crates. It wasn't any of this that brought utter disgust and horror to Faith’s face and causing her to step back in shock. What caused this reaction, was the corpses, skin and bones of various ponies, in some places all there was, was bones or just piles of tattered skin.

“T-that is not good.” Faith regained her composure and lit her horn, illuminating the room to better see the horrors of what it was. In the center there was a pentagram of demonic design with dried blood pooled in the center. At the sight of it, Faith gasped. “No... It can’t be...” She turned to Thunderstrike, “Go upstairs and check on Cl-” The sound of a crash in the main room cut her off. Without a moment of hesitation Faith ran to the source of the noise, followed by Thunderstrike.

When they arrived in the main room, they were introduced with Cloudchaser shakily crawling from out of a massive pile of books that fell on him when he crashed into the wall. “F-faith!” Cloud flapped his wings taking to a low hovering stance for his fighting as he drew his dual axes. “Zeal is trapped upstairs! He said that we have a devourer here!”

“So I've noticed. Zeal should be alright, but did you find anything upstairs?” Faith said, turning to walked back to the storage room, motioning for the others to follow her.

“A... intricate pentagram and a few sacrifices it looked like...”

Faith frowned and turned. “We need to remove the one down he-”

Faith stopped dead as she entered the area towards the storage room, for the corpses, all of them, were crawling, walking or stalking their way towards the three. There were dozens of them coming from other adjacent rooms they had not previously explored all too well.

Thunderstrike grunted, standing on his hind-legs as his wings flared to balance himself. He wielded his mace in his left hoof and his shield on his right, a wicked expression crossed his face as he looked to Cloud. “Shall we play the usual game, my bubbly brother?”

Cloud smirked and his eyes glinted in response, demons he was not the best at. Corpses? OH he loved fighting them. “One with the loser buys the booze!”

Faith looked at them and rolled her eyes, muttering a prayer as her horn glowed with magic. She fired off a bolt that disintegrated a moving pile of flesh and skin. “You boys better hurry then. I am at one. And I need to get to the pentagram.”

The Stallions both nodded before using their wings to propel them towards the mass of walking corpses. Thunderstrike lived up to his name. Each hammer blow peeled with the thunder of crunching bone. His shield and armor taking blow after blow, yet he never staggered or faltered.

Cloud was more agile, dodge and weaving easily between the sluggish and haphazard blows of the walking and lifeless corpses. His dual axes carving through fleshy skin and rending bone like butter.

Faith simply walked forward, towards the pentagram. Her will was iron, for she knew what it meant the longer they tarried with these lifeless corpses. They were worse then the undead, for unlike those who were ponies who bodies and souls were chained to servitude with magic and could be released, the minions of a devourer were husks, the souls of the ponies in the devourer’s grip until the demon himself was killed.

Muttering prayers, Faith continued to stride forward, blasting undead that flocked to her instead of Thunder and Cloud. Her horn sent bolt after bolt of magic out, sometimes she turned the magic into a ball of fire, that would consume the enemies in swathes. ‘This is too easy.’ She thought as she blasted another two undead apart, they were already almost to the pentagram and then it would simply be a matter of dispelling the horrible thing.

That was when they heard it, a cry that stopped them for a precious moment. It was the cry of a pony they knew being tortured.

Faith set her jaw, her horn glowing brighter then the stars in the night sky and firing off. Zeal was in pain, and that only added to her resolve. ‘Hold on, Zeal. I’m coming for you.’

“Thunder! Destroy the pentagram! I have to go help Zeal!”

Thunder simply nodded and went back to work, both him and Cloud’s movements were quicker. She left them to it as she turned and ran, galloping through the library, blasting anything that stood in her path as she raced for the stairs that led to her Captain, best friend and the pony she knew she loved.

Chapter 9: Darkness of the Mind

Darkness and blood.

This is what assaulted my senses as I returned to consciousness. I dispelled the darkness easily by opening my eyes. The images I saw were fuzzy at first. The smell of the smell of fresh death assailed my senses. ‘Wh-where am I, that would smell of death?’ My memory was just as fuzzy as my vision. I blinked, shaking my head. Slowly after a few moments and a bit more blinking, my vision began to clear. ‘Odd, my vision shouldn’t be taking this long to come back... Its been at least a min-’

What I saw then stopped my thoughts dead, and made all resolve and strength seep from my very bones. ‘N-no... No. No!’

Before me laid the broken bodies of Faith, Cloudchaser and Thunderstrike. The two pegasi were tore open, with their blood spilling onto the floor. As much as my heart ached for my two comrades, it was the third body, that of Faith, that caused me to finally collapse with tears flooding my eyes. ‘N-no... No. I’ve failed. I’ve failed them, I failed her. I’ve failed her just like I failed Clover and the kids...’

My heart sank, nothing in my life mattered anymore. I knew if they were dead, the demon had killed them and survived. He would come for me soon. I didn’t care. I failed my comrades and I realized, and a pony I cared deeply for. ‘Again. I failed again. Why?! Why must I be this failure!’

“Why?! Celestia why?!” I howled in pain at no one in particular.

The voice answered me. It dripped with the hiss of evil, and the mirth of a villain who has won over the story’s hero. Its words slow and drawn out. ‘Ssssooo... melodramatic... Paladin of the Fallen... Kingdom.’

“So, you come for me, demon?” I slowly rose to my hooves, my sword was nowhere to be seen. ‘Odd... I was sure it would still be here.’

The voice crackled in what could only loosely be called a laugh, though it sounded like bone being scraped against bone. ‘Yoooou... are so clueless my little pony... I already have you. You are nothing... compared... to my power...’

I chuckled and glanced around. “I will fight to my last breath. I may be a failure as a Protector, but as a Vindicator? I am the master. Come and face me! I will not fall pray to your evil this time!”

I closed my eyes, letting the magic of my body flow through me. I whispered a prayer in Celestia’s name, and felt the connection of my magic with that of the sun’s divinity. I opened my eyes and blasted my magic out in a wave, striking the entirety of the room. Every shadow, and every speck of darkness was dispelled in a display of utter brilliance as I used a blinding spell magnified by the holy powers I could call upon.

There was a shriek off in the distance and the faint explosion like a powerful barrier spell being shattered. Then the voice responded, it lashed out with a tentacle of pure darkness, a void in the light I brought into existence. It slammed into me, ending the spell and slamming me into the wall.

‘You.... Foalish Paladin. I tire of your constant ‘prayers’ and ‘faith’ and your heroic attitude. We both know what it is for. You need the faith of Celestia and her ‘divine’ sun. You need it to feel better about your failures. Your weakness, your pathetic little existence. You don’t even realise what has happened to you.’

With a demonic growl, the room vanished and I was floating in darkness the tentacle rushing my body in its grip. Before me stood the Devourer, its bone white skull void of anything and its black body draped in rotting flesh.

‘You are nothing and neither are the three who stand before me. One comes before me, to face me. Me. I am the devourer of the souls of life! There is -nothing- you little pathetic ponies can do to stop me, so give up!'

I took the abuse, my struggling had ceased mere moments after the tentacle begun strangling my body. I could feel the life slowly draining from my flesh, but we dueled on another level. Pouring every ounce of my magic, body and soul into a passive spell I had invented long ago to fight his kind, fighting him for every ounce of power he drew from my body. Even when Faith was dead before me, I was fighting the spell he used on me. Then I suddenly broke my concentration long enough to see that there was only a void of nothingness and it hit me. ‘I’m in my own mind.’ I chuckled, at my own stupidity, or at least tried to. The tentacle was probably strangling my breathing in reality as well, and that made the laugh sound more like a choking cough in my mind.

“You don’t get it. I live not for myself, but others. My failures are not living up to the hero everyone holds me to be. Clover and my children died because of my recklessness. And Faith is not dead yet. She will fight you, and fight you harder than I ever could. I’m broken, even as I fight I know my will is not strong enough.”

'No, you live for yourself, foal. And that is why you will die.' The demon retorted, it simply sat there, if it had eyes, I would think it was peering at me in amazement.

“I am Zeal, I am the blind faith and revenge of the weak willed. She... she is Faith, not simply Faith in Celestia and her Divine source of power; but in others and each other and ourselves. She has the will to beat you. Our names are linked to who we are, our special talents, our cutie marks, and who we are.”

'Then die as a 'hero'.' The tentacle holding me reared me back and then hurled me down.

Down, I fell for what seemed like days.

Down into the bliss of death.

Down into nothingness.

Down into Darkness.

It was over now. I could feel the demon’s spell leaching the last of my strength. Even trapped inside my own mind, with the feeling my body dying. ‘I wonder... If Clover and the kids will be waiting for me on the other side.’ My eyes shut completing the darkness of the void. I could feel the weightless wall.

‘I think, that will have to be my one regret... will not be completing my mission. If only, I had not been so foa-’

My thoughts were interrupted by a brilliant light that pierced even the darkness of my closed eyes. ‘No, I have done my best in life. I have done the best I can, and still failed. Can not the embrace the cold grave, take me and allow I to join those I failed and love still? Please, let me fa-’

This time a new voice spoke. It was full of grief and sadness, calling to me.

‘Zeal!’

I opened my eyes. The darkness was still there, but, in front of me was a bright light. The voice was coming from its direction.

‘Zeal! Come back to me! I love you... Please, please, please! Don’t leave me! I need you.... Faith needs Zeal, p-please.’ The voice stopped speaking, but I could hear the sobs of sorrow.

‘F-faith?’ I blinked and took a step towards the light. ‘Faith needs me. I failed one mare, I refuse to fail another.’ I took another step and another, and finally I stepped into the light.

Chapter 10: Confrontation

Faith bolted up the stairs, stumbling a few places over various objects cast across the staircase. ‘I pray to Celestia, I am not too late.’ She stopped before the door upstairs, it was closed and a purple glow surrounded it. ‘Part of me thinks bucking the door down is the way to go, but... No. That is magical, and probably keeping it from being touched.’

She frowned impatiently and closed her eyes, casting a simple recognition spell on the glowing door. As soon as her spell reached the door, a lash of magic snapped from it, cutting through her robes and leaving a bleeding gash on the side of her body. Faith cried out in pain and stepped back, shaking with fear. ‘I... That hurt.’ Faith took a shaky breath and sighed. She began to mumble a prayer to Celestia, her horn lighting up with a mix of blue-gold magic. The blue-gold magic poured from horn for a few moments and into the gash. She closed her eyes against the stinging pain as the spell closed the wound. As soon as she finished the prayer, the magic stopped flowing. She let a relieved sigh. ‘Now, for the door... How to go about this?’

Noise began to come from behind her. The sounds of ponies, or something moving up. She turned a spell alight on her horn, ready to blast whatever was coming up behind her.

“Whoa there, Faith! No need to turn us to dust!” Cloudchaser jokingly teased at her as him and Thunderstrike came to a stop by her. “We destroyed the pentagram, ma’am!” He beamed at her.

Thunderstrike grunted beside him. “I see that the door is closed.” He walked up to it, hammer slung over a shoulder. “Magically protected?” He glanced over and Faith with a raised eyebrow, his gruff voice calm and casual.

Faith simply nodded. “Yes, I can get it. I-I just need time.” She frowned, obviously upset that the door was keeping her from Zeal.

Cloud walked over and draped a wing over her, his boyish manners and tone gone for a brief moment. “We do not have time to try with magic, Faith. Let Thunderstrike try. No door can resist his hammer and Zeal needs us.”

Faith simply nodded and bowed her head in defeat.

Thunder grunted. “Right, stand back you two.” Her stood on his hind legs, wings flaring slightly to give him balance as he took his war hammer in a two hoofed grip. He brought the hammer down, slamming into the barrier of magic protecting it. The magical barrier lashed out, cutting into Thunder’s armor. The pony only grunted and stepped back. Not from pain, his armor had protected him, nor from caution but, to take another swing. His hammer hit the barrier letting out a boom as it connected again. The magical barrier flared this time, before lashing out violently. Cutting through Thunder’s armor and into his flesh. He let out a small grunt of pain and drew the hammer back smashing it again, and receiving another beating from the magic of the barrier.

Faith winced at every blow that fell upon Thunderstrike. ‘I have to help him...’ She took a deep breath and began to pray. Her horn lit up with a mix of blue-gold magic again, and as she continued, the flow of magic went from her horn into Thunderstrike. Healing his wounds even as they were closed and reopened.

Seconds seemed to stretch onto minutes, and minutes into hours as Faith cast her healing prayer-spell on Thunder and in turn, Thunder pounded away at the barrier. Finally, after what seemed like hours to Fatih, the barrier broke under the mighty hammer, dissipating in a backlash of magic that sent the three ponies flying back or into a wall.

Faith groaned, shaking her head. She winced at a slight pain and tasted blood in her mouth. ‘That... didn’t end well.’ She glanced around the area to look for Thunder and Cloud, finding them practically atop each other, yet covered by the door that they were pounding on just mere moments ago. She struggled to her hooves, swaying for a moment before casting a basic healing spell to stop any bleeding and walked over to her comrades. Her horn light up, and her magical grasp flung the door away. “Thunder? Cloud? You two alive?”

Thunder was the first to stir. He groaned lightly and blinked at the unconscious white pony seated on top of him. He pushed Cloud off. “Bloody door.” He tried to get to his hooves, before he yelped in pain, looking to his left wing, which was bent and obviously broken. He cursed quietly and looked to Faith. “Go help Zeal, I’ll wait here with Cloud and catch up. Not much I can do with my wing.”

“No, let me heal it, Thunder.” Faith argued, moving to place her horn on the wound and heal it properly, only to have a hoof stop her.

“No, you will need all your strength to help Zeal. If whatever it is could protect a door that well, no telling what else it can do.” Thunder moved to flex his wings only the bite his lip and grunt. He was a pony unaccustomed to any real emotion past his gruff nature.

Faith shook her head. “I am going to set it and start the healing process in the least. I am not leaving you like this.” She stated bluntly, and touched her horn to his wound before he could protest and began her prayer-spell.

Faith groaned, shaking her head. She winced at and tasted blood in her mouth. ‘That... didn’t end well.’ She glanced around the area to look for Thunder and Cloud, finding them practically atop each other, yet covered by the door that they were pounding on just mere moments ago. She struggled to her hooves, swaying for a moment before casting a basic healing spell to stop any bleeding and walked over to her comrades. Her horn light up, and her magical grasp flung the door away. “Thunder? Cloud? You two alive?”

“No, let me heal it, Thunder.” Faith argued, moving to place her horn on the wound and heal it properly, only to have a hoof stop her.

Thunder bit his lip, groaning in pain as the magic began to work on his broken wing. The bone slip back into place with a extremely painful pop, and the wound itself began to heal. He opened his mouth to protest and stop Faith from fully healing the wing, but before he knew it, it was too late.

Faith stumbled back in weariness, her body exhausted from pouring so much energy into a spell so quickly. She blinked. “T-there. N-now I have to go find Zeal.”

Thunder stood to go after here. He grabbed his mace. “I’ll come with you.”

“No, somepony has to watch Cloud till he wakes, up. Defend him well, Thunder. I am saving my friend.” Faith turned and trotted to the door, stopping before it. As she stepped inside, the door flew from its place on the floor and back onto the hinges, locking and shutting behind her.

“You... have come... to save him... There is no will... in thiss one, he is worthless to me...”

The body of Zeal slammed into the wall to the left of her, broken and pale as death.

‘No!’ Faith’s eyes went wide, running towards the broken body of Zeal. “Nonono! Zeal!” She panicked, placing her hoof on his chest and her ear near his mouth, trying to get a pulse or a breathe of air.

‘It.... is... futile... Giiiiive in.’

Faith didn’t respond or listen. Her worry was to now if Zeal was still alive. A mere moment later, though it seemed like ages to Faith, she felt a faint heartbeat, and the drawing of a bare breathe. It was all she needed for her conviction to set in. ‘He is alive, for now. This -thing- must die, and die soon.’

Faith stood back up and turned to face the demon. She narrowed her eyes. Her horn began to glow faintly with magic, the blue aura building up over her horn slowly as she spoke. “I do not have the patience to deal with you. Not to mention you hurt -my- Zeal. I’m going to rip you apart piece, by demonic piece and cast what is left back to Discord in pieces.”

The demon laughed, the sound seemed to come from the entire room. A normal pony may have been frightened or cowed away.

Faith just simply gave him a flat, bemused look. Her eyes gleamed darkly. “Please, I’m more mage then paladin. Basic voice amplification spell. Here, let me show you REAL magic.” Her horn flared as she drew up the magic from herself. A blade of pure arcane formed in front of her and flew out, a tentacle lashed defensively at it. ‘Futile.’ She thought, as the magically formed weapon cleaved through the obstacle and blinked out of existence.

The demon shrieked, this time the sound came directly from the thing itself. A few of the windows shattered from the noise. The remaining tentacles lashed out in blind pain at Faith, only to be met with a shield of blue magic.

“You are also too predictable. The bruises on Zeal’s body shows you love to just strangle people with those things.”

‘You insolent little foal I will destroy you and engorge myself with your soul so that -nothing- reaches the afterlife!’ The tentacles flailed at the shield attempting to bash the magical protection down. When that failed the demon charged it, bucking at it with his hooves. This did cause Faith to fall back, stumbling as the magical shield cracked.

However, Faith just smirked and her horn flared, the shield burst into shards of magic still solid enough to be as lethal as glass. Another spell sent the shards of her magic shield at the demon like hundreds upon hundreds of shards of glass shredding into the thing’s body. Oddly, nothing bled. Faith tilted her head. “Odd.”

The demon shrieked again in pain. It lashed out at her. Faith moved aside, barely dodging a lashing tentacle, her robe’s lower edges ripped by the appendage. She shot out a bolt of magic at the Devourer, it burned a slice of flesh from the thing. Summoning a shield in front of her, she barely stopped another assault by the tentacles.

Faith struggled under the assault this time. Her magic use was taking a toll on her body’s reserves of energy. ’I have to end this. NOW.’ She sent the shield forward, it smashed into the demon and slammed it down into the pentagram.

The demon struggled, it was extremely strong still. Her magic was barely holding it in place. She looked around the room. ‘Where is it? Where is it?!’

Next to the pentagram the faint runes of Zeal’s sword shone. Faith’s eyes went wide. ‘Yes!’ She had to be quick, she knew and she rushed forward and picked the sword up, gripping it in both hooves as she stood poised now, over the body of the demon. “In Celestia’s name and blessing, I remove thee from existence!” Her horn’s glow faded and the shield did as well, stabbing down into the demon’s skull with the sword.

The demon let out, an unnatural scream, that shouldn’t of even been possible. The demon flailed its remaining limbs and tentacles, trying to lash out in its last moments of existance. Faith twisted the blade, gritting her teeth in anger. “Just. Stop. Moving. And Die!” With a final twist of the blade the body stopped moving and began to disintegrate.

Faith released her hold on the handle and slumped to the side, panting. Excessive magic usage and the battle had drained her more than she thought it would. ‘Atleast... It is over, I hope Cloud is alright, I need to fi—’ Her train of thought ended as she laid eyes on the pony laying against the wall with his eyes closed. “Zeal!” She shouted before struggling to her hooves and clumsy running over to him.

She collapsed near him holding back tears. Faith checked his pulse, it was there, barely. She felt it getting longer between each beat of his heart. “N-no...” Her horn lit up with magic, and she hastily began to try and heal Zeal’s body, pouring even her our life’s energy directing into his body.

“C-come on! Don’t you leave me, Zeal!” She strained to hold the spell, she wasn’t accomplishing much other than healing his flesh wounds. Her horn sputtered and eventually the magic died, as her exhaustion hit her full face. She checked his pulse again, it had stopped.

“Zeal! Come back to me! I love you... Please, please, please! Don’t leave me! I need you.... Faith needs Zeal, p-p-please.” She collapsed on top of his body in a fit of tears. “Don’t die, Zeal... p-please...” She continued crying on him, till she felt a hoof on her shoulder.

“Faith.” Thunderstrike was standing behind her, and a weary and injured Cloudchaser behind him. “He... isn’t going to make it. We need to...”

“No!” She yelled out in response, refusing to acknowledge the truth. “No...”

“Faith, he is gone. We... can’t afford to waste so much time here.”

Faith chewed her lip, and wiped a few tears from her eyes. “Alright.. just... giving me a few moments alone, please?”

Thunderstrike nodded, and turned leaving the room with Cloudchaser. Faith turned back to Zeal and sniffled. “I... I’m sorry I wasn’t fast enough, Zeal...” She stood and turned to gather his sword before collecting the body. But, a hoof wrapped around her hind leg and dragged her into an embrace. She screamed in surprise.

“Don’t blame yourself.” Zeal spoke weakly, his grip wasn’t even tight, a miracle he pulled her into his hooves. “Now... lets get out of here, and get those two numbskulls. I need a nap.”

Faith bit her lip and slipped from his embrace. “As you wish, Captain.”

Prologue: Storytime

Solarium, Capital of the Solar Kingdom, built upon the ruins of the ancient city of Canterlot.

‘Ancient? It has not been so long since my youth... has it?’

The old unicorn chuckled to himself, tossing his salt and peppered mane from his eyes. He glanced around at his surroundings. He stood in the middle of the Hall of Legends. ‘I have no clue why they do not rename this. It is... so cliche...’

He strode forward, down the corridor in front of him. The place was well kept, he always made sure of that. Murals of varying sizes lined the walls at a set interval. Each one depicting a scene or figure in some heroic pose. He passed the first one, stopping to give it an idle look to make sure the mural was in pristine condition. This one depicted six ponies blasting a beam of multi-colored magic at the twisted figure of Nightmare Moon. ‘The heroic elements of harmony. Outshining the other heroes of Equis.’ The stallion snorted stomping his armored hoof in a mild form of annoyance before continuing to the next one.

The second mural displayed a draconequus, standing threateningly over Equestria with demons flowing from the portal he had opened onto the land. He frowned at the six ponies, again blasting multicolored magic to best the draconequus and his legions. The aging unicorn frowned and glanced at the inscription beneath;

‘B.F. (Before the Fall of Canterlot) 4 Discord’s Invasion and defeat.’

“And again, you six outshone the armies that gave their lives."

He moved to the next one; it showed ten ponies kneeling before the princesses, Celestia and Luna. Five bore silver and gold armor, and were arranged in a semicircle around Celestia. The other five were arranged in a crescent around Luna, their armor as black as the night. Under the mural stood a description.

‘B.F. 4 (Before the Fall Canterlot) The Founding of the Paladins of Solar and the Nova Eclipsed.’

The aging unicorn smiled lightly to himself, his war torn silver armor gleamed, the gold trim still sparkling like slivers of sunlight where it still remained. ‘A hundred and fifty years ago....’

He turned from the mural and continued his march down the corridor. He passed many murals each depicting another year of significance or heroic event. The pony had stopped taking time at each mural,, simply reading their description and passing them.

B.F. 3 The Nova Eclipsed fall from the public eye.

B.F. 2 Celestia and Luna split Old Equestria in half, creating two Royal Courts one each in the north and south.

Coming to stop at the base of one of the largest murals in the hallway, he read the description outloud.

“Year 0. Sombra returns from the Shadowlands, formerly the Crystal Empire, with a massive legion of the walking dead. He sacks Canterlot, and Princess Celestia challenges him in single combat. She fails.”

A pair of tiny hoofsteps echoed down the hall behind him coming to stop short of him as he finished his reading. “But... The month after, the paladins discovered that prayer to Celestia gave them more powerful solar magic, right, Keeper Argent Scroll?” A small voice said behind him.

Argent Scroll turned, a small and pleasant smile on his face. “Indeed. I see your history lessons are going well, Star Twirl.” He spoke to one of the fillies, a apple green unicorn, who had snuck up on him.

A huff annoyance and a roll of the eyes was the response of the other filly, a cyan pegasus with a white mane. Scroll smirked, “And how are your history lessons going, Little Comet?”

Comet snorted. “Bad. But, it isn’t my fault! The instructor can’t teach worth a salt lick!”

Star Twirl rolled her eyes. “We have the same instructor. How do I ace the tests and you sit there beating your muzzle shape into the desk?”

Comet rubbed his hoof behind his head. “Yea... well... He just gives us the facts... It isn't interesting right now, it is just about the undead wars or whatever. I want to hear about the Element bearers!"

The Old Keeper frowned deeply, agitation flashing across his features before fading. He tapped his armored hoof to his muzzle. “Hrm... Isn't your instructor Keeper Silent Scroll?”

The two fillies nodded, Star replying. “Yea! He does History and Astronomy, but he doesn’t really seem interested that much in history.. I ended up checking out an old book from the royal library. I had to get Mom to let me, though. Keeper Fireblade wouldn’t let me otherwise.”

The old unicorn quirked an eyebrow inquisitively. “Oh? That is odd. Though, I would hope your mother doesn't abuse her position as Steward of the Throne... Hrm...” He gazed off into the distance, his eyes glazing over as his mind flew off.

After a few moments, Star twirl tapped her little hoof on his chest piece. “Keeper Argent Scroll?”

The old stallion blinked and looked down at the young filly. “Ah... sorry. I went off in thought. What book was it that you checked out? Is it in your saddlebag there?” He gestured towards Star Twirl’s saddle bags.

Comet rolled his eyes and wandered off as Star Twirl pulled an aged and tattered white tome out of her saddlebags, her green aura covering it as she levitated it over to Scroll. “Yes, I still have it, I have to turn it back in later today though.” Star huffed, “I’m not even halfway done...”

Argent Scroll’s horn lit up in its silver aura. “May I?” He raised a questioning eyebrow at Star, the little filly nodded and released her magical grip just as the old stallion took control of it with his own magic levitating it close to his face so he could read it. “The Fallen Kingdom Chronicles...” He narrowed his eyes. “Did you scratch out the author?” He moved the book aside giving the little filly in front of him a harsh glare.

Star Twirl’s eyes went wide. “W-what?! N-no! I showed Keeper Fireblade the second I saw it! He said it was done by the author himself wh-when it was wr-written!”

He frowned and looked back to the book. His expression softened and nodded. “Right... They keep good records of everything done to their books and tomes in the Royal Library.... They would remember why he did it...” He looked off in the distance again, about to fall into his thoughts before Comet’s voice reached his ears.

“Keeper Argent Scroll! What is this one about? I don't remember this in the history book.”

Scroll turned, levitating the book back to Star Twirl, he walked over to the mural Comet had stood in front of. The mural, unlike the others showed a white unicorn stallion with a blazing red mane, standing on a wooden palisade and looking out at a sea of corpses. He stepped forward and placed an armored hoof gently on the mural. He smiled sadly, “This... This is a picture of Zeal. One of the Heroes of Equestria.” He turned to the two children. “Would you two like to hear a story? It will certainly be more interesting than any of Silent Scroll’s text books, and I think you will even learn more then that tome will tell, Star Twirl.”

The two small ponies’ looked to each other before nodding slowly. “Sure! I don’t have anything for a few hours... And I would love a story!” Star Twirl piqued, sitting her flank down where she was.

Comet kicked a hoof idly before sitting himself. “Well, as long as it is awesome and interesting.”

Argent smiled and sat down with the other two. “Let us see... We shall start with the mural here. For, while it only shows Zeal, it is the beginning of a quest that placed your great grandparents, Shining Armor and Cadence as the Stewards of Celestia’s throne...” He tapped his chin with an armored hoof. “Let me see... how did it begin... Ah! Now I remember...”

“The rain drizzled on the palisade walls of Barrier.....”