Daniel Book Four- Zebrica

Ice Fire felt something. Some sort of power close by. It was dark, and almost familiar. He swooped down from the cloud he was on, silent as the air itself, drifting slowly down, scanning the area. Nopony was out in the Ponyville streets, which was normal. But he still could sense the power, a looming presence, full of hatred, and full of evil. Ice Fire lowered his brow in thought as he continued to search the area for its source. He found himself over Ponyville's park area, and the power seemed to grow stronger. As he swooped lower he saw the source. Daniel? Daniel was near the tree he usually slept in. Ice Fire rolled his eyes and landed behind the kid.

"Hey kid, aren't you supposed to be in a different country?" Ice Fire growled. Daniel stopped doing whatever he was doing and turned slightly.

"Oh, am I? And where might that be alicorn?" He said, his voice... off. Ice Fire immediately suspected something.

"What's wrong with you kid? Are you hurt?" Ice Fire asked, concerned, although it came across rather snarly.

"No, not at the moment, now, I'll ask again, where am I supposed to be?" Daniel said, turning around, he had a grin on his face that was anything but friendly, the gleam in his eyes caused Ice Fire to take a step back. There was definitely something off about Daniel, more than off, Daniel didn't seem to even be Daniel. Ice Fire had an idea.

"Look Ice Fire, you need to get inside with me," Ice Fire said. 'Daniel' nodded.

"Alright, fine, I'll come with you," the false Daniel said. Ice Fire without any hesitation spun around quickly, bringing his back hooves to the impostor's jaw.

"You shouldn't have done that," said the creature, his face contorting to bare a wicked and crooked grin. He grew slowly with audible cracks in the joints of his body. Large curving blades began to come out of his shoulders, and several more from out of his back, all of them a sickly dark green, almost black color, and his skin as well began to melt off, leaving in it's place a rough and jagged layer of Faust knows what, with the same color as the spikes. The contorted grin melted last with it falling to the ground and melting slowly there, bubbling, oozing, and finally fading into a pile of green goo that smelt strangely of some unmentionable things. In place of the face that was Daniel's, was a jagged grin, with burning embers coming out of it. The eyes were cold, with radiating green eyes to replace the blue that had been there. the creature grew out a tale with a jagged hook coming off the end of it, and stepped towards Ice Fire. Ice fire inhaled deeply, then exhaled deeply as the change seemed to stop, but not before the thing grew out two wings not covered in feathers, but instead, the same green substance that the eyes seemed to radiate with. With it's same crooked grin it took a step towards Ice fire, who stood his ground.

"Well, I kind of had to you ugly fuck," Ice fire said, cracking his neck, and flying up into the air with a strong flap of his wings. He started to light up his horn as a storm came in from the Everfree, his horn glowed brighter, and brighter as the thing slowly and rather clumsily flapped its own wings. Ice Fire's horn finally shot a bolt of light into the sky, and a necklace with a jet black lanyard slowly was beset upon his neck. The medallion, that of three cogs interlinking glowed with a green aura and beeped once, and suddenly everything seemed to slow down. Ice Fire began to speak.

"This goes to Daniel, the fifth legendary alicorn. Int this message comes with all of my alicorn power, and as such I wish for it to be treated well. May this message also be heard by Alicorns Celestia Equine, Luna Equine, and Diane Herald Ditzemina Doo. May it also be heard by griffin Gilda Strongheart. I am now facing the first Newborn of many. Let it be known that they can change forms, and are extremely grotesque in their true form. May Faust help us all." And with that, Ice Fire's medallion glowed even more brightly then before, and in a flash it was gone, and his wings had shrunk slightly. In Ice Fire's Place was Stratus, co-founder of the Shadowbolts. He was still Ice Fire, and he knew it. He would fight until death, it meant delaying the creature from finding the fifth.

"So strange, you give up your power, when it might be the only thing strong enough to save you. I will never understand you ponies, especially not you. We have watched you for quite a long time Alicorn, you never give up anything, you are nasty, and never are friendly to others, hell, I don't even think you have friends. What is the point of going on for you? All you do is spread fear to others, intimidating them. My only question is why, why now do you do something kind?" The Newborn said. Ice Fire smiled and gave a dark chuckle. his smile showed not happiness but contentment.

"I wish not to be known, I watch over the world, and I love the people in it. I never try to spread fear to those who don't deserve it, but I come off as threatening. I suppose you wouldn't understand love, judging by your heart. I'll tell you something, if there is anybody I love the most, it would have to be Daniel. That kid reminded me of something I didn't remember anymore. He reminded me that there was hope. And I have hope in him, he will bring your kind down. Al of your hatred, all of your evil, everything. He has touched everybody he has been around, myself included. He will defeat you, my only regret is that I won't be able to help him, even though he won't need it." Ice said proudly, and charged forward at the beast. As he got closer and closer, he knew that all of his words were the truth, and for that he knew that he didn't regret charging into the belly of the beast, both literally, and figuratively. A single tear came out of his eye, and trailed down his cheek, not of sadness, but of joy. Ice Fire was happy, and at peace, after years of pain, he was at peace.

"You care for him, and therefore are weak. You shall die, and he shall as well. I know it, for we have seen it." came the sickening voice as Ice Fire closed in. Finally at the last second he closed his eyes as the end neared.

*   *   *

The medallion neared Luna as the message began to play. Luna listened, a tear coming out of her eye. "Good bye my rose, may your stem grow buds in a new life. I will never forget you my love, never," she said softly as the medallion spun away.

It seemed that after the message was relayed to Celestia, and even to Daniel, Ditzy, and Gilda, Luna was hurt the most.