The Traveling Horseman

Zecora was still cleaning herself. The Royal Guards escorted her back to her hut and asked some questions. Still dumbfounded, she just kept using a cloth to wipe off the blood from her coat.

''ZECORA!'' Came the concerned voice from Twilight Sparkle.

She looked up to see the elements of harmony approach. As they stopped next to her, they looked over her. Zecora had some blood on her coat, mostly on her neck. She still remembered as a terrifying creature tackled her, then when she thought it's the end, a bipedal creature stabbed trough it's head and a blade exited trough it's mouth.
She asked his name and Traveler told her. That's when the Royal Guards found her.
''Zecora, are you alright? What happened?'' Asked Twilight.

Sighing, she calmly started. ''Creatures in the Everfree, that I myself never seen. Do not fear my friend, who saved me is The Traveling Horseman.'' She explained, using her rhymes of wisdoms.

''He saved you?'' Exclaimed Twilight and looked at her friends. They all seemed dumbfounded by the news. ''Where did he go?'' She asked from the zebra.

''The traveling spirit can go anywhere, but he's heading towards a Royal Sister.'' Zecora answered.

''Princess Luna!'' Twilight cried out. ''He's heading to the Ruins of the Ancient Castle of the Royal Pony Sisters. Come on girls, we have to help Luna!'' And they left Zecora in her hut.

''Good luck Twilight Sparkle...'' Muttered the zebra.
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''Trees are useless now.'' Growled Traveler, as he crouched down and started moving.

He was really near to the tower. So he decided to approach it from the ground, stealthy. He already met with Followers, as they attacked a zebra. There was no time to say 'thanks', because the Royal Guards were after him. ''I've gained enough distance. Why did Twilight had to send guards after me. Those ponies should stay out of this. They don't know this enemy, I do.'' He thought.

After twenty minutes of silent approach, a castle came to view. It was just a ruined building, with a tower on the top... and a huge amount of magic came from the building. ''Found them...''

A bridge separated the castle and him. The bridge was in a bad condition. ''Yes, and I probably use that garbage...'' He thought.

But as he found no choice, he came up with a solution. He walked to the bridge and cut the ropes. He grabbed the last rope, held it tightly and cut it. He swung over the gap, mist covered the bottom of that and the forest's magic made it more creepier.

But he had other things to to. He used his legs to reduce the impact and started climbing up. He reached the top and took a look at the building. It probably saw better days before...
Wines covered most of the walls, plants started growing on the windows and it looked like it's about to collapse.

''And where are the Followers?'' He asked himself.

And like a magical wish... Followers...

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''Shining!'' Cried out Twilight.

''Twily!'' Shining armor greeted his little sister.

''I'm so glad to see you there. We have to find Traveler!'' She hugged her brother and he returned the embrace.

''Don't worry, I'm not gonna let him to hurt you. All of you is safe as long as I'm here...'' He smiled at Twilight.

Twilight smiled back, but quickly changed her expression to confused. ''I-I don't understand. At first, he's talking like a cold hearted murder, then suddenly, he wants to help us. I-I don't know if I should worry about his well being. Or I should afraid of him.'' She slowly hugged her brother and he held her close.

''We will see what happens... don't worry Twilight!''

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''Too easy...''

Traveler walked up to the huge, double, wooden doors. He left a quiet gruesome scene behind. ''The ponies will clean up my mess. Because I'm not gonna, that's for sure...''

The doors creaked open, just enough to squeeze himself inside... or to let a Follower grab him.
A huge arm grabbed him by his neck, trying to pull him inside. Seeing that he couldn't reach his claws or blades, he tried something new.
He grabbed the two doors and slammed it into the creatures face. As the creature's grip loosened, Traveler jumped up, kicked close the door, separating the creature and it's arm. The door had a bloody circle from the inside and outside.
Traveler got some blood too on his new clothes. ''Great! It's like I never repaired this actually. Back to the start point.''

The huge hand was still on his neck. He grabbed it at the elbow, stood up and opened the door again. An armless creature was lying on the floor, around it a smaller horde of Followers.

''Oh, I killed your friend? Aww, look how much I sorry!'' Pointing a finger at himself, he mocked them.
Than suddenly, he rushed forward. The Followers couldn't react in time. A huge hand sent them flying away. Swinging the huge arm from left, right, spin around and strike, Traveler quickly cleared out the place. Every hit met with the sound of bones breaking and Followers crashing into walls, floor or ceiling. The bigger Followers only had broken bones all over their body and eventually, Traveler's new weapon broke too.

Two bigger Follower stood in front of him. They were a troll and some kind of dragon thing, from the previous world. Surprisingly, the dragon attacked first. It wanted to bite Traveler, but he stuffed the huge, broken arm inside it's mouth and jumped on top of it's head. There, he used his claws to slide down on it's back. Scales parted to two different direction, earning a choked scream from the dragon.

The dragons back was now open to free attacks. And the troll just joined just in time. It wanted to smash Traveler on the dragon's back. He jumped at it's extended arm. The dragon's spine broke and the sharp spikes penetrated the troll's hand. When it retreated it's hand from the scales, Traveler used this momentum, to deliver a powerful kick, at it's only one, big eye ball.
The eye ball just exploded under Travelers boot's and the troll quickly bleed out...

As a result, Traveler looked over what he did. He stood in the middle of a bloody lake. His arms and legs covered in a blood, from different kind of creatures. The smell didn't even bothered him.

''Now... where is that leader. There's a big magical energy here. It's impossible for a small horde to have that much magic.'' He thought, as he stayed still, trying to find any movement around him.

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''HALT!'' Shouted Shining Armor. ''We can't cross here!''

''Hey! I fixed this bridge last time!'' Spoke up Rainbow Dash.

''Thous ropes! Somepony cut dem!'' Pointed out Applejack.

''Traveler...'' Whispered Twilight.

''DONE!'' Cried out Pinkie, who stood next to the new and stable bridge.

''WHAT?!'' The girls exclaimed.

''Oh, I placed this 'Bridge Equipment' here, if we have a bridge emergency here.'' She said happily.

''But... how did you kno-... never mind!'' gave up Twilight, who remembered to not question Pinkie Pie.

''Let's move!'' Ordered Shining Armor, not really bothered about Pinkie's randomness and the royal guards started walking trough the bridge.

The sun was setting down. Only Rainbow Dash remembered that silly joke about twilight, that Traveler said. She was the only one who chose to stay loyal and think about Traveler like new friend, who needs help.
As she thought back what happened that day, she remembered Celestia saying something about her sister. The sun finally settled and the moon came to view. ''Where is the Princess?'' She thought and looked at the castle.

There, she saw the Night Princess flying inside the building. She went trough the windows on the top of the tower part. ''The Princess went inside!'' Spoke up Rainbow Dash.

''Hurry, we must help her!'' Urged Twilight the others.

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''I checked the map and it say that I'm right at the point where the magic comes from. That means... it's right under me?'' He looked down. ''No, that's ridiculous...'' Then it hit him. He looked at a staircase, that led upstairs. ''Or it's above me...''

He walked up the stairs and he felt something new arriving up there. He quickened his pace and found himself at some kind of throne room. A huge window, with colorful peaces shoved two alicorn, the sun and the moon.

*tap*

He turned left, just in time to see a lone Follower pouncing at him. He grabbed it by it's neck and used his green flames to light up the Followers head. It tried to put out the fire, but it kept burning.
Traveler used his claws to drag the Follower around. He used the dying creature to see in the dark. He looked around, examined some mosaic, painting, stone of pillars and the big windows.

The Follower finally died and collapsed on the ground. He left it there and walked closer to the window. ''That's what Twilight talked about...''

He summoned his map, flipped around and placed his hand on the glass. He looked at a spot on his scroll, where he wrote down information about The Royal Sisters History and a picture about this window appeared next to those notes. The purple light died out and only the green flames gave him some light source.

Then something made the wind to blow trough the room. The green fire died out, making the room totally dark.

''Do not move! We only want tho to speak!''

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''EEP!'' Cried out Fluttershy, as she nearly stepped on a dead corpse.

The group reached the place, where Traveler left the gruesome scene. Bodies hang from the trees, cuts and stabs on the dead Followers. And of course...

''So much blood...'' Commented Shining Armor.

''That's it, I don't trust Traveler anymore. We have to stop him, whatever he wants to do.'' Said the determined Twilight.

''Ah'm wit' ya Twi.'' Applejack walked next to her.

''Me too! Me too!'' Exclaimed Pinkie Pie, bouncing next to her friends.

''Well, I don't want to see these... awful creatures and he making a mess like that. So I'm with you darling.'' Joined Rarity.

They looked at Rainbow. ''Yeah... sure. Of course I'm with you girls.'' She said, giving a fake smile.

As much as Rainbow wanted to stay with her friends, she had different opinions. ''He's doing it on purpose. And he saved Zecora and went there, just to save the town. He's not evil... I know it.''

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''Show yourself! Then we can might talk...'' Traveler said to the female voice.

''Then tho must put down your weapon.'' Came the voice.

Traveler hesitated, but put down his claws on the ground. As he reached his full height, a magical blast came from his right. He immediately threw himself to the ground, grabbed his claws and sent Map, up above to illuminate the throne room.

The purple glow revealed an alicorn. She was dark blue, wore some kind of necklace and horseshoes, that shimmered. Her expression shoved confusion, as she looked at the glowing eagle.

''We only want to speak eh?'' Said Traveler. ''So even the Princesses came here to make my job easier. I told Twilight to not worry about me. The Followers are my problem, not yours.'' Luna looked at him, still confused. ''But now, you all came here and became my problem. Leave before you got into more trouble!''

''How dare tho threat me while tho came here without permission? And I have not spoken about these dangerous creatures, that tho brought here.'' Luna said, forcing back her anger.

''I did not threat you now. I warn you. There is a huge magical energy here and it's not yours. Something is here and it will attack soon. Leave, before this problem of mine, becomes yours too.'' Traveler said, looking around.

''We want tho to come with us and take care of that 'problem' together.'' Luna calmed down a bit. ''I only want tho to put away your weapons and let the royal guards escort you to Canterlot Castle.''

''As escort, you mean drag me to prison.'' Luna was taken aback. ''Don't look at me like I'm a stupid monkey. I know well what's going on outside. They saw the dead bodies of the Followers and thinks that I'm evil.'' He looked deep into Luna's eyes. ''And you think that too, but not exactly like them.''

''Wh- what are tho talking about?'' Stammered Luna. She had to keep her true identity as a secret, but Traveler found out the truth.

''You know well. You are only concerned, that I'm a stronger being than you. You know well, why I killed those. You are different from the other ponies. That's why I give a second chance to leave me alone now.'' He stopped for a moment. ''Keep all the ponies away from this castle. It will be dangerous to come close to this building. A huge fight is about to come Night Princess.''

Luna just stared at him. She did not expected him do be like that. They said he's too dangerous to even talk to him. And now, here he is, giving her a second chance to go without a fight, after she attacked him.

But Luna had to bring him back. ''I am really sorry, but I still have to bring tho with me. However, I appreci-...''

*GROWL*

The two looked at the far end of the throne room. There, an army of Followers swarmed into the room. All kinds of creatures from every world, that Traveler have visited. And now, that he already been in Equestria for one day, scaled pony Followers were amongst the army. They glowed in blue, purple and green.
The purple ones told the army where he was. The green ones transported the blue ones closer to him. And the blue ones now came to fight.

''Now go Night Princess! It's not your fight!'' Traveler said and he readied his weapons and summoned his horse.

Luna looked at him and the horde. She hesitated, then after a frustrated sigh, she teleported next to him.
Traveler sighed. ''I had a feeling that you would join anyways.''

Luna grinned. ''If the others ask, tell them that I wanted you alive. They will believe that.''

Traveler hummed. ''And truly, why do you want to help me?''

Luna grinned even wider. ''Because recently, I became really stressed. And I want to let go of this stress.'' She summoned her Nightmare Moon armor and placed it on herself. However, she did not turned into Nightmare Moon.

''Anything else you want to tell me?'' Asked Traveler. Then he summoned a double long pole-ax. Two double blade was placed on both ends, facing to different directions. A magical energy hold the two peace together at the middle of the handle. He could use it as two double pole-ax, for both hands, or in one piece.

''I would be honored, If I can fight on your side...'' Luna smirked.

Traveler chuckled. ''Then, let me have the first few shots...'' he said, stabbing his weapon into the ground. The weapon was long enough, so it reached his waist, as he sat on his horse. He pulled of his bow and placed three arrows on it. He pulled the string, placed the bow in a horizontal position.

Then fired the first three shots...

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The girls and the guards, just stepped into the castle, but the smell of fresh blood quickly made some guards to ran back outside to get some fresh air.

The coughing group of royal guards stood at the edge of the bridge. They ran away from the smelly castle and they reached the deep gap.

Meanwhile, the girls tried their best to convince themselves to go inside. But when Twilight and Rainbow Dash finally found the strenght to get inside, the guards from the bridge ran back to them.

''They coming from the forest! We're trapped here!'' They shouted as they arrived at the captain.

''Get ready! Don't let them cross the bridge!'' Ordered Shining Armor and turned to the girls. ''Twilight, I need you and your friends to get inside. It's dangerous out there. Find Traveler and get him. Princess Luna is inside so don't worry. Now go!'' And he ran to the bridge, helping his guards to stop the army of Followers.

The girls were nervous. Really nervous.

Twilight gulped and walked inside...

Soon followed her other five friends...

Is it weird, if I wrote this chapter, while I hold two knife and play Traveler in my room? Because it feels so bucking cool!