Bright Haze: Archmage of Oldeby EquestrianWriterChaptersWedding of fourWedding plansWedding CrasherWedding KnightDawnTheifResurrectionNightmare landsShadowed TaleBroken GemsStanding tall once more9/11Explainations; Or a tale of 2 and a half thousand years agoWedding of fourFinally, six months have passed since the first day of peace and Spectra Speed and Rainbow Dash were getting married, she wore an amazing dress as she trotted slowly down the pathway of Canterlot Castle, Celestia had insisted to hold both weddings in the castle, as payback for all our deeds. Spectra had elected me as his best stallion and I felt bad about not choosing him for mine, but the laws were to have an unmarried best stallion, so I chose Heart Breaker to give me away. Rainbow came down the pathway and had her mares-of-honour behind her, Twilight, Fluttershy and Dee. The three ponies followed suite of the cyan Pegasus and I had to admit, the dresses Rarity had made were amazing. I smiled at my fiancé and she gave a giggle. Celestia stood on top of a small stairway looking down on the two ponies. The room was packed with ponies, maybe none of us knew, they had just shown up. Celestia began, and as always, the Alicorn Heart Breaker hung on every word. I gave a silent laugh. "Stallions and mares.-" She began. "-We are brought here today to witness the bounding of two ponies, one miss Rainbow Dash or 'Dashie' and Spectra Speed, or 'Spectra'. These two ponies have shown complete love for each other and declared they wish for a bond between the two to be made by marriage. I shall declare this with worded proof, starting with the mare. Rainbow Dash, do you promise to hold and care, to love and tolerate, to keep and hug, one Spectra Speed." Celestia asked. "I do." Rainbow replied. "And do you promise to love him forever and stay with him through everything that fate may throw at you?" Celestia asked. "I do." Rainbow replied. "Now onto the stallion." She repeated everything she just asked of Rainbow to Spectra. He nodded and grinned all the while. "I do." He said to the final question. "Now if the ring bearers would so kindly step forward upon name of said ponies. "I now make you, Spectra Speed.-" She said, I walked forward, giving him the ring we had taken from the Sky Dweller city. He put it on Rainbow's hoof. "-And Rainbow Dash.-" Twilight stepped forward and gave Dash a ring, who put it on Spectra's hoof. "-Mare and Stallion, you may kiss the bride." Celestia declared, there was much cheering and I walked away quietly to the window and jumped out, flying as fast as I could then shooting back into the sky over the castle performing a Sonice Rainboom for the newly wedded couple. I finished it of and slowed, before flying back in through the window. "Now, there will be a few drinks and food served in the main hall but I shall be holding the new wedding of Bright Haze and Derpy Hooves in four hours. " Celestia declared and I gulped, sprinting out of the hall to get ready. I was in blind panick, I didn't know the weddings would be on the same day, I had no suit to wear. I instantly thought of Rarity but she would be busy helping Dee get ready. I panicked around, sprinting and flying around my room sweating and worried, I couldn't go in in what I was wearing, nor nude. I heard a knock on the door and answered it, Aeb, Heart Breaker, Nick and Spectra all walked in. "What the hell do I do? I have nothing to wear?" I asked. "Look, nopony knew it was today, we can explain that we haven't gotten the suite yet." Spectra replied. "Oh and congrats my friend." I muttered, he twiched at friend as normal. "Yeah, it was wonderful, now lets get you a damn suit Haze!" Spectra shouted. "How?" I replied. "Buy one?" Nick suggested. "Nice one dagger brains, with what money, its all in Ponyville." Aeb replied, then laughed at his own pun. "Wait here. I'll fly to Ponyville and wear the Dweller king armour they sent me a month ago in hope I would come back, Luna is doing a great job though." I said, stretching my wings out. "What if you are late?" Aeb asked. "Delay it as much as possible. I wouldn't be late for my own wedding." I replied, doubting myself. "But would Derpy like the idea of you being in Dweller clothing, hell, would anypony." Spectra asked. "Good point, I have no other clothing other than that though, well suitable for a wedding." Aeb was in long laughter after that pun, suitable. "We will go into the city, maybe borrow some bits of Celestia if we have to. We will buy a suit and if you get here first, wear the armour and go in their, if we get a suit and you aren't here, we will hold it off until you do then wear that." Aeb said. "Not a perfect plan but it'll do, okay, meet back here when you are done." I replied and shot out of the open window. I shot straight across the skyline of Canterlot and down the mountain toward Ponyville, I sped up and sped up until I broke the sound barrier and completed a Sonic Rainboom. I zoomed across Equestria toward my home where the armour was situated and I headed straight to that. Closing in on Derpy's house I landed, kicking up dirt and making a real cock up to the landing, and garden I rushed toward the door and almost drop kicked it open, thanks to there being little or no crime in Ponyville, it was safe to leave the back door unlocked, not that anypony would try to robe me, or any of the others. Us being saviours of Equestria and me still legally being a king. I still hated the Sky Dwellers, not as much as Spectra clearly but still with deep hatred, but I had to admit, they were coping well with becoming a Equestrian mining colony rather than a state of war, there had been some uprising but the now unarmed guards, the only armed ones being Equestrian born, had quickly sorted any revolts and life had gone on, Luna was enjoying being in charge, not that she did much, everything that happened was both mine and Celestia's decision. Rather than the night princess' herself. I quickly dashed around, looking for the armour, I found it laying in a pile upstairs with a few other things, I also grabbed the crown of the seventh Element of Harmony; being sacrifice and put it on my head. I strapped as much of the armour on as possible and put the rest into a small bag. I then procided to the door, closed it and began to slowly fly back to Canterlot, already sweaty and tired. I had about an hour to spare by the time I finally reached Canterlot again and flow in the same window I had gone out of, the others were waiting empty hoofed and I smiled. "Every wedding shop for a mile is shut or out of stallion stock. But you got the armour." Aeb muttered, I nodded. "Yes, well thanks anyway you guys, now, help me put this on?" I asked, Heart Breaker laughed and they all began to help put the gold armour on me, even brushing my hair back and altering some parts so it wasn't holding any sort of hidden weaponry device. I laughed when Aeb knelt down, pulled my hoof up and yanked a small, straight dagger from my armour plating. There was just over twenty minutes to spare when I was ready and we all began to head back to the main castle. "Oi Spectra." I muttered as we entered the chamber. "Proform the Rainboom will ya? I did for you. Friend." I asked joking, Spectra twisted and punched me lightly, Spectra had now, sort of gotten used to the whole friends idea but still had spasms whenever it was mentioned. I smiled at him and Spectra hooded, moving toward the window. "Got the ring?" I asked Heart Breaker, he nodded and also laughed. Then pulled the ring out of his suit jacket and proved that fact. I nodded my thanks and ponies began to take their seats. Wedding plansThe time I had spared made the standing around and waiting incredibly awkward, Derpy was still getting ready, well from what Twilight had said when she ran in to grab some flowers from a nearby chair she had mistakenly left there. Hell, even Celestia wasn't here yet, so us stallions just stood at the alter waiting. And waiting. "This armour is too damn tight." I complained. The shoulder blades I had put on myself so had fucked that bit up. Aeb just laughed and in a cloud of purple smoke, became a copy of me. He smiled and just winked at me. I was surprised Spectra didn't shat himself seeing this as Aeb hadn't told him he was a Changeling but I guess the Pegasus had figured it out or openly didn't care. I knew I didn't. "For fuck sake Haze, this is the day of your wedding and your armour we actually don't want or even like is too tight?" Heart Breaker joked and we laughed. Nick and Steven were together near the giant window, mainly so the great serpent Steven could put some of his body out of the window and sort of hang onto the side of the building, he had been growing recently and now was the size of a small dragon, compared to his old tree-tall self. Nick was always dwarfed by everypony else, being a knife, but now Nick was tiny compared to the scale covered serpent. Ponies were walking into the castle and sitting in what looked like completely random seats with no order to it at all, we had about half an hour to spare and the armour was getting annoying. "Hey Haze?" Aeb asked suddenly. I turned to him and he formed himself into a female unicorn. "What? No you arse doesn't look big in that suit." I replied, Aeb laughed and changed back to his normal Pegasus grey pony self. "Do you think this peace will last?" He asked. "Honestly, no. Why?" I replied. "I was thinking about settling down, finding a job, maybe in the rebuilding of Cloudsdale. I dunno, get a mare." He said. "What's up Aeb?" I asked. "Haze, I am scared I am going to die. Some threat will turn up and it'll kill me." "Hey don't worry Aeb, we all feel that way, always have. Any fight we have been in, whatever has been thrown at us. We have won against it. You survived a war Aeb, you're be okay." I replied, he smiled his thanks, then Princess Celestia herself opened the double door and trotted in. Heart Breaker bowed instantly slowly followed by the rest of us. She walked up to her stand and smiled down. "Rise, no, actually. I have an idea." She said, then pulled a sword off the wall. "Knell my little ponies." The Goddess ordered, we were already bowing so we just nodded our heads down. Something was going on, I had an idea. I was near the end of the line and from what I could tell she was working her way down the line. Heart Breaker would be jumping over fucking cows for months after this. "Now rise, sir Aeb, of Equestria." Celestia said. 'Holy shit she was knighting us!' "Now rise, sir Nick, of the Everfree." Celestia had actually just knighted, a knife. I was still looking down but I heard Aeb change form and began flying around screaming in happiness. I gave a short quiet laugh and despite Spectra also laughing, he softly hit me with his front hoof. I turned me head to the suited pony and winked. "Rise, sir Steven, of Equestria." The serpent thanked her, how the hell Celestia reached his shoulders would forever bewilder me from now on. I could hear Celestia now, she was at Heart Breaker. "Rise, sir Heart Breaker, of Equestria." Then she finally reached me. I felt the sword tap my left shoulder, then my right. I then saw it do an invisible cross pattern over my chest and finally it tapped my head. Here goes. "Rise, sir Bright Haze, of Equestria, and the Dweller Kingdom." Celestia said. Bullocks. "Still going on about that?" I asked, she just laughed and I walked off to speak to the others and watch her knight Spectra. She did it the way she had done me and nodded her head. "Rise, sir Spectra Speed, of Equestria." She said, Spectra did and she bowed her head to all of us. "Now my knights, I have one more thing I wish to give you." Celestia requested, I nodded and waited for her to explain. "Alicorns like myself, as well as Luna can give out special powers, I wish to bestow some onto all of you, I do not know if it will work for Nick and Steven, but I can try none the less. " Celestia said. Spectra didn't look happy at this but nodded anyway. "I have recieved a power from Luna already Princess, and a kiss from you, with all due respect is breaking my marriage vow. Even if it means nothing." He said, Heart Breaker nearly jumped up when he figured out Celestia was going to kiss us to give us these powers. "I'll go first." He said, probably louder than intended. I always was having doubts but as long as Dee didn't see and have me to explain it to her. I could see it now. ("Haze! What are you doing! That's the princess!" Derpy would say. "But Dee, it's not what it looks like!" I would reply. "What is it then?" "She was giving me a special power." Then Dee would laugh and look to my stallionhood. "I bet." Then storm out. It would be a long day.) I looked to the others and I either just ran that conversation out loud or was looking really awkward whilst I had done it, either way ponies were giving me looks. I almost forgot the building up crowd who had seen everything happen, even the knighthoods. They didn't even react. "I will do it." I decided. "Okay, Spectra the spell wouldn't work even if I tried if Luna has done it. Now I have no idea what the ability will be but I know they will appear in the time you need them. She trotted over to Heart Breaker, who nodded, straight face, Celestia nodded back then went in for the kiss. The male Alicorn's face went a full on cherry colour and his eyes closed, I think he held the kiss longer than needed and I thought he was going to cry when Celestia finally broke the kiss. Heart Breaker began to literally glow in a white aura and then it faded, as quickly as it had arrived. "Now, onto the rest of you knights." She said, going on to each of us. Nick and Steven also began to glow and when she did it to me I felt magic rush through me. Not wild, but natural. "Well that was weird." Aeb said after his kiss, he began to randomly change form without being able to control it and then went back to his normal self. "That was weirder." He muttered. "Well, now we wait for Dee and the others, how long have we got?" I asked. "Ten minutes, just about." Spectra replied. Then we stood there waiting for my bride. Wedding CrasherThe bells began to ring out finally to declare a wedding in the Canterlot Castle and everypony who wasn't already awkwardly seated trotted in and sat down, row by row this time, rather than random spots they could find quickest. I stood at the front of the group, Steven still balancing out of the window and Sir Knifley the sharp as Nick was now calling himself was on Spectra's back waiting like the rest of us, Heart Breaker stood next to me holding the diamond ring on his hoof, ready for the time but unlike everypony else, who was watching the door, he was looking to Celestia, who had her tail conveniently up and her plot sticking out slightly, not that I noticed. The bells rang again and the double doors opened, the most beautiful thing I had ever seen walked through the double doors. Rainbow Dash was beautiful in her wedding but Dee was stunning, hair tied back in two cute braids, a long silky white dress and gold shoes, make-up, everything. I looked to Spectra and he just gave a wink and silent laugh. Sir Knifely, Nick, just gasped and Heart Breaker stared at Celestia, head away from everything else. I wasn't sure who was giving Dee away, probably Dash as they had been good friends during the times of peace and the weeks of my death, wow, that still sounded weird, but nevertheless, it had happened. Dee and the mane six slowly made their way down the space between the seating and heading toward the wood stand, it felt like a thousand years passed before I could fully look into those bright, amber eyes. "How do I look?" She asked me. I fought the thought of laughing or reacting too much at that, she was a bucking angel! I will admit Rainbow was pretty good too and it was probably just me loving Dee like Heart Breaker-, no bad example, like Spectra loved Rainbow. I suddenly thought, we can't call her Dash or Dashie now. Have to be Mrs Speed. I smiled at my own joke then realised I hadn't answered Dee. "Amazing." Was all I managed to get out. Dee tilted her head a little in cuteness and confusion, but accepted the compliment and gave a giggle. My heart exploded. "Are the beloved ready?" Celestia said, I turned to the Goddess Princess, as did Dee and we began. She went through the same stuff as Spectra's wedding and when she came to me asked. "Will you love Dee forever?" And I smiled, looked Dee straight in the eyes and said. "I do." Then put two hooves on her soft face. "You are now mare and stallion, you may kiss the bride." I didn't need telling twice, I did and the kiss felt like hours and I hated when we parted, I was in bliss, finally felt, happy? Joyful? No, I felt safe that fate wouldn't be a bitch anymore. Oh how wrong I could've been. Just as we parted our kiss as husband and wife a fully armoured guard ran in, panting, everypony looked to him, the guard pointed a hoof, readied himself to speak, then exploded in a ball of white fire and blood, behind him a figure stepped into the castle, closing the double doors behind him with some invisible magic force. Celestia instantly prepared a spell, as did Twilight and Rarity. Aeb changed form to a unicorn and prepared as well, I readied for a charge and nodded to Pinkie to take Rainbow and Dee away, she nodded, surprisingly understanding just a nod and pulled the two brides away and hid under a wedding table, Fluttershy had already made it there. Spectra flow up to a guard who was also readying and after a brief exchange gave Spectra the sword he had strapped to him. I turned to Steven who throw down one of those hidden blades from this damn armour which he had been picking his teeth with and with the help of Aeb's magic, slotted it in. This took a while but the figure was standing at the doorway, now wide open again and surrounded by guards. It gave a deep, evil laugh, The figure looked to be a dark emerald colour and wore a black, maybe brown cape and hood, hiding his cutie mark and face, I did notice the unicorn horn though, and the wings. An alicorn. It laughed again and shot beams of light into the surrounding guards and ponies trying to hide in thier seats. Smoke came up and when it cleared, the guards in the room were all dead. Celestia trotted forward, followed by the rest of us, we went toward this unknown attacker with, little, median amount of fear. I smelt piss in the air and heard Fluttershy squeaking, we got this. "Who are you to attack this city?" Celestia asked. As we got closer I saw a bit of face appear, although it was white, much like bone. Steven had crawled into the castle and was laying down arm outstretched, following our movement. I twitched my neck and readied for a fight. Letting the hidden blade slide down my arm. "Ah, Princess Celestia, it has been a long time, but I thought you would have remembered me. Especially after what I did to Starswirl the bearded. Blue level unicorn mage, he was such a waste of space. Your people tried against me, and failed. Yet still he was chosen." The figure said, Celestia stopped her advancement and paused, then continued, we were very close to this attacker now. "Impossible, you died. I buried you myself." Celestia muttered, magic flowing through her horn. "Not quite dead. Just, in a coma you could say." The figure replied, then prepared some magic spell, all three unicorns and Celestia stepped forward, horns pointed. "Don't try it. Or we will put you back in a coma." Twilight threatened. "Who is he you highness?" She added, good question. "Kalmor Rift, an old, dead enemy of mine." Celestia replied. "I only have one thing to say to prove of my return, I used DawnThief to kill Starswirl, his own spell, and I still remember how to cast it, so let me go, or you all go down with me." Kalmor said. Horn glowing again, Aeb shot but the magic just disappeared. A blue shield appearing round the unicorn. "Where will you go? Once word spreads all of Equestria, and the Sky Dweller kingdoms will know of your return. Not to mention the Crystal Empire. You will have no where to hide this time mage." Celestia threatened, but lowered her horn. Kalmor turned and opened the double doors. He began to walk out. "I don't want to hide this time. I am going to the old castle, but everything you send will die." Kalmor said and just walked out of the room, closing the doors. There was a shout, a blast of magic then silence. Everypony was looking at Celestia. Wedding KnightCelestia finished her story and took a slow, shallow breathe and watched as we took this in. I stood silent like the rest of us. Aeb shifted his weight slightly and Nick folded his cartoonish arms, but nopony did anything else. Just, silence. I looked at each pony in turn, Twilight. Fluttershy. Rarity. Pinkie. Dee. Aeb. Spectra. Applejack. Rainbow. Steven. Nick. Heart Breaker. All broken and scared. Just like myself. unsure what to do. I stood silent. Eventually it was Spectra who spoke. "So if you killed this guy, how the buck is he back alive now?" Spectra asked, good question. Celestia looked stunned, probably hoping to not answer that question. "As you may or may not know, the portal between Earth and Equestria which Discord created is still very much open and tiny bits of stuff are fazing through each end. The portal thankfully hasn't been tampered with either end so won't open any further but for some reason won't fully close.-" Celestia said, Heart Breaker took a step away from the group, Rainbow gave a glare at him and he bowed his head. "-So some old, wild magic is leaking in and out, some I believe, or so my unicorn research team tell me, is that it is old magic from a resurrection spell from thousands of years ago. Maybe before my rule. This magic has leaked into pony bodies and allowed them to come back, I doubt Kalmor, if this is the real one, will have been the only dead pony brought back. But as far as the spells history states, only ponies who need or want to come back will, so thankfully we won't have undeads walking around and scaring everypony. Just a certain few, or one." Celestia added. "So anypony who hates us could be back alive?" I asked. Celestia just nodded. I thought of the old Sky Dweller king and how the Dwellers would react if their king reappeared. I guessed a revolt, something Luna alone couldn't handle. "And Kalmor is back alive presumably to hide up and then send a powerful spell onto Canterlot when ponies forget him." Heart Breaker added, another nod. Canterlot was undefended. Well from magic anyway. "A mage that took weeks to kill and nearly finished you off." Rainbow added. Nod. This would-be God killer would be too hard for us. Unknown threat like normal. "And you want the Elements of Harmony and the rest of us to bugger off into battle again against some undead crazy?" I asked. Celestia nodded and Dee ran out of the room. i would need to sort that out in a minute. "Well, we're fucked." Nick exclaimed. Everypony walked away from Celestia in random directions. Furious, scared, pissed. I for one couldn't believe she was asking this of us again. We had retired, four of us married. Dee would be worried and wouldn't sleep again. I would be facing unknown enemies, again. And the rest of us would have to march out in armour and holding blade, not knowing whether we would win or die. The war was over, why must fate be such a bitch. I turned to Celestia. "I will go." I said. Then looked the goddess straight in the eye. "But not for you, it has never been for you." I was furious with her, but she seemed understanding, which made the situation so much worse. Rainbow perked her ears up to me. She began to trot over to Spectra and began quietly talk to him. I looked to the group, facing away from me, Celestia, and themselves. "We may be in retirement my friends. We may have won the war and saved all ponykind and given peace and hope back to Equestria. Fuck we may have killed Discord, saved Luna from Nightmare Moon and battled until we fell exhausted. But I will say one thing my ponies! Fate has called upon us again to save our home from this bastard Kalmor, who has stupidly come back from the dead, well my friends, I will tell you one thing, that bastard will wish he had stayed dead, and we will send him back. I can't do this alone, but do not fight again with me for me. Or Celestia, or for yourselves, do it for your home. Do it for Equestria. I will be in the armory first thing tomorrow, but first, I must comfort my wife." I said, not overly proud of my speech but it may have worked. I walked out of the castle, stepping over the bodies of the dead guards and listening to my gold armour clank and squeak. I headed toward mine and Dee's quarters and entered the room. "How the hell could you even think about doing this! You are retired Haze! You are mine! You promised me no more!" Dee screamed. I stood still, taking it. "Please tell me you told her no! For fuck sake tell me you told Celestia to go fuck herself you are done fighting! Haze!" Dee shouted, tears flowing downwards uncontrollably. "You know I can't do that Dee, Equestria needs me." I managed to mutter. "But I need you." Dee cried out. She had fell to her knees and was in front, crying into my forelegs. "I know Derpy. I know." I muttered. "I can't sleep when you are gone. I can't eat, drink. I worry every second. Haze." She said, tears still flowing. "I am so sorry Derpy Haze. I really am." I muttered, no strength to reply. "I can't do this Haze. We may be married now, but I really can't do it anymore. I need you with me. Not fighting some dead unicorn. Make your choice, but either way. I'm going home." Derpy muttered and trotted out of the room. I thought about going after her but, stayed. Shocked and scared. Was it over? Had I just single hoofedly fucked over my life with Dee. I was unsure what to do, my heart ached and my body was cold. So very cold. I managed to take a step toward the bed before collapsing, not being able to move I just passed out where I was, still in armour and hurting. Hurting so bad. DawnTheifThe tears hadn't stopped since Dee had left. I didn't go after her, I was stupid to have not. The sun set and I hadn't moved at all, just sat on the double bed pouring down a Strom. I hated myself and I hated Celestia. The moon was out and I lay in bed. Not sleeping, staring into space, alone. So alone, and so weak. I couldn't breath, I couldn't move if I tried, I had tried calling out for Dee but my voice was dead, just a whisper. My stomach hurt but not of hunger. I ached all over and was still. I should be with my wife. But now I don't know if I have a wife anymore. I thought on Dee and how weak I now was without her. But also on something else. Something that Kalmor guy had said earlier. Something about that DawnTheif spell. I wondered what it was, Celestia hadn't mentioned that in her story, had she? I wanted to know more but was too weak to move. Dee was on her own, unsafe and I was a stupid colt for not going with her. I eventually managed to stand up, before collapsing again on the floor. I crawled across the floor dragging myself toward the door. Eventually, after a slow minute I reached it and climbed up the wood work. Opened the door and slowly walked out to look for Celestia, Luna, or anypony else who knew what the fuck was going on. I wondered the castle and reached the main tower complex fairly quickly, already lost in the vast complex. Blood stains still littered the floor as well as burn marks and pieces of rubble. I saw the double doors open and heard a conversation. It was Luna talking to somepony. But who? I didn't really care but needed to speak to Luna so entered. Before me stood Spectra Speed and Princess Luna having idle chatter in the middle of the night. I walked up to them without either seeing, I bowed then said. "Good evening Princess. May I have a word." Spectra jumped up and nearly shit himself and Luna jumped as well, but tried to cover it up. "Ah, Haze. What are you doing up?" Spectra said, flying down from the chandelier he had been hanging from. His eyes seemed a darker shade but it may have been the lighting, or lack of lighting. "Could ask you the same thing. Spectra Speed, knight and husband. Recently made husband, like today that is." I replied, winking at him. Luna giggled and looked to me. "What is it you want Haze?" She asked, a bit more stern that meant I think. "I want to know more about the spell Kalmor mentioned earlier." I replied. "Oh, what spell is that?" Luna asked. Both myself and Spectra made eye contact. His eyes were a lesser shade so it was probably the lighting. "DawnTheif." Spectra and myself said almost completely together. Luna stepped back for a second, clearly stunned by us asking about such a thing, but why. "That.-" Luna paused, looking around for whatever reason. "-Isn't my place to say, come. Celestia will be awakening soon for the sunrise. Follow me. Luna went on ahead and I followed, Spectra at my side. "So it has been bugging you too?" I asked, Spectra nodded. "Yes, as well as a few things. Like why the fuck is Aeb changing form so easily and randomly recently, and why no guards were able to stop Kalmor before he reached the castle." Spectra, among the obvious had clearly picked up a few minor things as well, but they could become vital. We reached Celestia's room and Luna knocked. A warm welcome came from inside and the night princess opened the door. We stepped in. "Ah, knights. And sister. How may I help you?" Celestia asked, she was laying in her bed with straightened hair and looked warm and wet from a bath. Heart Breaker would have groaned at the sight. "I wish, we wish to know more about the spell Kalmor mentioned today." I said. "The DawnTheif spell." Celestia looked as shocked as Luna, the goddess nodded, closed the doors and windows with her magic and cast some spell, maybe to check for anypony who might be listening. "DawnTheif was created by Starswirl by accident, it has enormous power and was hidden away when it's full power was figured out. Nopony would ever be able to use it and Starswirl nearly killed himself, twice, for creating such a spell. However in one of Kalmor's early, less aggressive attacks to the city he found out where the parchment, or most of it had been hidden, it wasn't the full spell but enough to let Kalmor use it and cause chaos onto the city, killing Starswirl and burning much of the city with him. We had Warded the spell so Kalmor would never realize that it was missing a piece. But any smart mage could have figured it out or expanded the spells power on their own accord giving it full power. Kalmor thankfully hasn't done so, yet and I believe it is what he is doing, see the first time he cast it, with the missing piece, he cast it wrong. Only destroying some of the old city. But if he excels the spell he would be able to wipe out all of Canterlot. That is through his mind, maybe. But if he does even give some much as a nano-drop more of magic to the spell it would have enough to go fully charged. And that is where its name comes from. For you see Haze, Spectra. If Kalmor were to try to cast DawnTheif again, right. He would power it so the spell literally blows the sun up and wipes out all life on Equestria." Celestia said. We all paused, taking it in. This spell, if used right. Could destroy the sun. Really fucking ruining my day. "Then we have to stop him from casting it." Spectra replied. "Not stop him, if you wound or capture him he could escape and use DawnTheif, you need to kill Kalmor and burn his body. No mercy I am afraid ponies. Now, get some sleep, it will be dawn soon and you charge out tomorrow. Luna and I need a chat." Celestia replied. We both bowed and left. "If DawnTheif isn't destroyed in Kalmor's death it could be absorbed in Haze's magic. So when it goes critical, he could kill us all." Luna muttered. "I know little sister. DawnTheif will survive, it always has. So when Haze is about to die. We must send him to the Void." Celestia replied, hating the idea now more than when she thought to banish Haze back to his home to close the portal, but Celestia had figured out that he wasn't the only pony, or one keeping it open anymore. And the portal couldn't be closed anyway. Luna nodded her head and began to leave. "And Luna. That wild resurrection magic. It affected some old friends. Go to the gates at dawn. We got two coming in hot." Celestia smiled and winked to her sister, who understood and began to trot to the outer gates. ResurrectionI woke in the bed still tired and hurt. Missing Dee like fuck and only wanting an end to this so I could go home and sort this out. I rolled my body over and looked face to face to Dari and another pony. I closed my eyes thinking it was a dream and rolled back over. My brain didn't process the fact two ponies were in my room and one I had never seen before, the other meant to be dead. I groaned a yawn and decided I better say hello. "Morning Dari." I groaned. She squeaked a reply. I scrawled at her with eyes still closed, when I finally opened them the other pony held a hoof out. "Dari can't speak right now. The rebirth process left her mute for now with a mind like a child. Well, openly, inside its still Dari. The last Siren. The name is Star Burst partner." The second pony said, I was still too sleepy to care so brohoofed him and decided to get up. "Ah I see, rebirth spells will do that to you." I replied, Star Burst stepped back, as did Dari. "We will let you get ready. Met us all in the main hall when you are done." Star Burst said and I nodded, the two ponies left. I sat on the bed for a few seconds then panicked. "Holy fuck Dari is back!" I shouted, rushing around to get dressed. I slowly walked toward the hall and could already hear talking from where I was. Aeb appeared from the doorway up ahead and saw me. "Haze! Quick! That pony Siren Dari you spoke about is here, as well as Luna's lover Star Burst!" Aeb shouted, then became a green unicorn with black hair. Aeb shock his head, continued to change randomly then went back to his grey Earth pony self. He looked to his hooves in confusion. "Still?" I asked quickening my pace. From afar I saw Aeb nod his head. "Happened all last night. Didn't get any sleep." Aeb grunted. "Me neither." I admitted, then reached the doorway, inside everypony was present, Dari was rolling around the floor like a baby would but with a very pissed off face. "Ah Bright Haze, glad you are up finally. Now we can get onto this matter at hoof. Or, knife, or claw." Star Burst said, looking down on Nick. "Yeah. Sir Nick-" I began. "Sir Knifely the sharp." Nick corrected. "-Is a good member to this group. As is Steven." I finished, Star Burst stared at me for ages, then smiled again and jumped onto a table. Everypony was here, except Dee. Everypony was surrounding Celestia and Star Burst and Luna now, the trio were going to talk. Out of habit I looked to Heart Breaker before Celestia spoke and as always, his face lite up. I had a great line I wanted to use when she had finished. "Okay, so Luna has thankfully piled information onto myself so I am completely up to date. As you know Kalmor has somehow returned and is on the prowl again. It is our job this time to hunt him down, and kill him. No mercy. I will be leading the expedition into the Everfree Forest with all of you. As you can also see Dari is in a rebirth state, meaning she won't be much use but can still, hopefully fight, she will be in this state for an unknown amount of time and I shall use a spell to figure out when she will be her normal recovered self again, later after this fight. There are a lot of weaponry and armour ready for you all so I will now hoof you over to Celestia." Star Burst exclaimed. Spectra didn't look happy about Star Burst taking command, we normally would just wing it, but I guess this Kalmor bastard would need a few hits before he fell. "My little ponies, I have asked you to do this task for me not of spite or just because I can, or any of that. I ask you this because I know you can all do this. You can all defeat this Kalmor enemy and bring permanent peace to Equestria. If you win this fight my ponies, I swear as ruler of these lands never to ask anything from you all again. Your rest is needed and your days of fighting are over soon. Now, please go out there and show Kalmor why he shouldn't have come back." Celestia said, Luna nodded and we all began to head to the armoury. All thirteen of us. Inside all sorts of weapons hung from the wall. Spears, crossbows, axes, nearly any sort of killing weapon was hanging down the wall on string or chains. With help we all put armour on, I my Dweller armour, not by choice it just had lots of slots and gadgets I could use to store weapons. I helped out everypony else as that doped on their armour. I slipped in a hidden axe blade on one hoof and a long knife blade on the other, placed a crossbow and quiver on my back and a shield on my left hoof. Dari grabbed a small mace to hold and put on leather armour, Twilight and her friends all wore traditional white plated armour with a spear saddle or crossbow. Rainbow put on some dark metal armour that looked a bit like the Sky Dweller were. She had a double axe on her back which I presumed would only be good in flight. Heart Breaker put on white boiled leather on, a heavy crossbow on his back and a hidden blade arm on. Steven was wearing old dragon warrior armour and was wielding a giant ass tree club. Nick was wearing a strip, yes strip of leather he had cut of and tied round himself and also held a shard of glass. I looked in wonder when Nick had done that, even weirder when he chipped a piece of door away as a shield. I laughed. "What a clay horse there sir knight." I joked, then remembered the joke for Heart Breaker. "Hey Heart?" I asked, he turned. "I was mind wondering, what was it Celestia said earlier? I missed it. All." I asked, Heart Breaker smiled and repeated what the princess had said word for word. Gods Heart Breaker was a good friend. I smiled and he punched me when he realized what I had done and a small dart thing shot out of the armour should plates, nailing the wall inches above Aeb's head. He kept trying to put armour on but everytime he chose one that fitted he would change form randomly to different sized ponies. Once he became an alicorn taller than Heart Breaker, then a little filly. I kept wondering what the fuck was up with him, but I guess we all did. "Ready?" Star Burst said, he held a mace in his hoof and wore full scale royal armour. Helmet and all. "Yep. Let's go fuck this guys day up." I answered, laughing, we all walked out of the castle in armour and armed. Heading for the forest. At the edge, a battle raged on. Guards stood everywhere fighting back hordes of timber wolves. A shadowed figure stoodnear the treeline. "Oh good, look who is back." Rainbow grunted. "Who?" I asked. "Ah, you were with the Changelings, that there is the Timberpony. We shot him and the chaos of the Everfree flooded from him, he had been completely corrupted by the forest's power." Rainbow answered, I nodded. "So he is bad guy?" I asked. "No look, he is fighting the wolves!" Spectra shouted. Pointing a hoof. It was true, the pony had a large stick and was bashing the wolves, helping the guards. "This isn't his work then, probably Kalmor's doing. The Timberpony coming back would be that old magic." Twilight said. Horn glowing. "Yes, well we must get to Kalmor and kill him." Star Burst said. "But what about the fight here?" Rarity asked. I nodded. "We can't just leave them." Aeb's mare form agreed. "Fine. Sir Haze, you take Aeb, Spectra, Heart Breaker, Nick and Rainbow into the forest and kill Kalmor." Star Burst ordered. "What about you?" I asked. "You know what my alicorn power is?" He asked me. I nodded, lying "Well after this long dead.-" Star Burst's eyes went a dark shade and he began to form lots of muscle. Panting hard he grown size slightly the turned to me. "-IT'S TIME TO LET DARK-STAR LET SOME STEAM OFF!" He shouted and charged the wolf lines, the mane size and Steven followed suite. I stared at everypony left in turn. "Fuck." I said. "I can do that. Dark-Red." Spectra replied. I repeated what I just said. "Fuck." Then we began for the old castle. Nightmare landsAs we all moved into the Everfree, bypassing the fight at the edge, it was clear by the howls and cries that Timber wolves had littered themselves all over th, dark, damp, dangerous Everfree Forest. Hundreds were still charging and I saw almost instantly we would have to fight all the way to the old castle. I stabbed out, flying slightly to gain more height, with my blade and axe, cutting into the wood and sticks making up the timber wolves, I heard shouting of somepony calling out for Rainbow or Spectra as we continued fighting through the lines of the corrupt wolves but I otherwise ignored it, too busy killing shit. I heard a pony coming toward us as we slowly made our way through, leaving ruined sticks and pieces of splinter behind, I looked to the Changeling and saw that he was changing randomly again but looked to be trying his best to ignore it. He was glowing a dim brown colour but maybe didn't realize, or like the random race changing, didn't care to become stressed about it anymore. He stabbed out with the spear and suddenly began swearing every time he changed form. Nopony still hadn't figured out why he was changing, but that was for another time. I stopped fighting for a moment to see two ponies coming our way, one was a dark brown or green colour and seemed to be made almost entirely of wood, the other was a tall, dark coloured pony with no visible cutie mark. "Shadow? What the buck are you doing here? Thought you left for Changeling kingdoms?" Spectra asked, Aeb backed away from the black pony and seemed, scared of him. I looked to Aeb as he became a young colt alicorn, then a filly Pegasus, then finally a fully grown Celestia look-alike. Heart Breaker stood to attention at Aeb's new form but then remembered who it was and just stared, Aeb, despite himself, laughed then became his normal pony self again. "I did, the job is done. I came back, and met a few friends." Shadow replied, just as he said that a dozen figures came out of the forest, the leader I instantly knew, the leader was a strong stallion with a reputation as far as the Dweller borders of the Crystal Empire went. He , along with the group were known all throughout Equestria as simply; The Bloody Skulls. "Lez Dresdal you bastard. Welcome back!" I shouted, almost ignoring the wooden pony. He smiled at me and put his forelegs out in surprise. Last I saw Dresdal was at the battle of Canterlot against the Changeling army. "Ah Haze! Good to see you, we heard about this mage treat and had to come and fight again." The pony replied. Usually the Bloody Skulls would fight traitor Griffons or just anything that would wish to attack Equestria, apparently from what AJ had told me, they had recently been on leave but occasionally killing off a Changeling survivor tribe or two, slowly wiping their population out. "That and those griffons were less of a worry than we though." Stone Mountain, the brute of the gang, the Bloody Skulls added in his deep voice. So they had just finished off a Griffon mission before coming here, presumably they finished off the thing quicker than normal as they hadn't really rushed to come her. But it was what they do. Now they were here, everypony enemy would be shitting themselves where they sleep. "Ah, I am sorry, you are?" I asked the wood pony. He smiled and bowed, a piece of wood from his foreleg snapping off and then magically reforming itself through the ponies magic. "My name is Diamond Ray. I once tried to travel through the Everfree and it corrupt me, into the thing I am today. Thanks to Rainbow I fell before I could actually kill anypony but for whatever reason I came back to the living, I found Shadow here taking on some timber wolves and decided to help." The pony said. "Yeah, sorry about killing you." Rainbow muttered, blushing. "No hard feelings, you did what you had too. Now, about why I returned. Does any pony know?" He asked. "I do. An old alicorn by the name of Kalmor Rift has returned and is terrorizing Equestria again. Due to a portal connecting our world to another one, magic is drifting in and out and a very old resurrection spell has taken power from the rift and brought back a dozen or so ponies who died." Spectra said. Everypony looked to him. "A magic spell brought you back to life because there is an invisible hole in the sky." I explained, Diamond Ray nodded in understanding. "Well there is quite a lot of us now. So what's the plan?" Nick asked. "Same as before, just this time we have the numbers to fight whatever Kalmor throws at us." Heart Breaker replied. I nodded and we began to move forward again, fighting down everything that came our way. The castle was supposedly not that far away but with all these Timber wolf attacks, not that they were damaging or hurting any of us, they were just annoying, we were going at a very slow pace. I didn't think Kalmor would send any sort of challenge at us until I saw a five headed Hydra up ahead. Everypony with a crossbow loaded up and the rest of us held tight onto weaponry. The beast saw us and began to charge. I galloped forward and flow over it, stabbing down twice blinding one head completely. "We can't kill it, the heads will re-grow, so just blind it!" I ordered, everypony nodded. Bolts flow at the beast, everypony except Heart Breaker's. He laughed. "I will need it later, this bolt has Kalmor Rift written all over it." The Alicorn said, I nodded understanding and stabbed down again. Two heads were blinded by me and a third had six bolts hanging out of it. Spectra's eyes began to glow red and he charged forward, screaming. He punched into the Hydra's stomach and burst open the skin. He screamed as the insides splattered out and the beast fell. He flow up punching the heads and eyes. Its body fell, roaring in pain as the thing crashed down Dark-red burst a head open, brains and skull leaking everywhere. He went back to normal and climbed off the dead body. He turned to us, everypony, even the Bloody Skulls group were in silent shock. "We need to keep moving no?" He asked. I just moved my head in surprise and carried on. Completely startled. "Gods above." Razor the red pony from Bloody Skulls said, holding his knife in hoof. Everypony with a crossbow reloaded and we carried on, toward the castle. Toward our fight. Shadowed TaleAs always the deeper into the Everfree we got, the darker it became. The light equalled almost midnight in normal terms. Our very small army of ponies trotted through the forest toward our goal, it was quiet now. No more Hydra's or Timber Wolves, just peace. Something was wrong. I had taken the front alongside Heart Breaker, Spectra and Nick who rode on the Pegasus's back. The kings armour was getting tight again, it seemed to constantly fight me to take the thing off, like some magic was on it. Something was definitely up with the magic on Equestria. Aeb transforming randomly, armour fighting back, rouge spells coming back to life. This couldn't all be because of the rift. Could it? I wasn't sure anymore what was going on, only I needed to kill this alicorn and go home to Dee. The old castle shouldn't be to far ahead now. I didn't remember. I decided a conversation would quicken our travels and thought of a topic. "Does Dari remember anything do you think?" Heart Breaker asked suddenly, bastard, I wanted to make idle chatter. I smiled and almost laughed. "What do you mean?" I replied, confused toward the question. "I mean like, does she remember how she died, and how painful it could've been?" He asked, clearly talking about whether the explosion hurt her or not, and if so, how much it hurt her. "Ah." I exclaimed. "I guess. She certainly knew who we were, she hasn't said much to say she is hurt, or was hurt, this rebirth thing has messed with her mind." I added. "Yeah, but she also 'knew' who Star Burst was." I had to agree there. Maybe she didn't know us, just knew who was good and who was evil. Apparently she had gone with the good side with was always a plus sign. "I looked into Siren history quickly before you came in and just before we left, what's with this mention of a Dweller/Siren war?" Spectra asked. I was screwed there, I had heard of it and knew some history but not a lot, all i knew was that Siren ponies had awesome powerful arcane magic's and any race of pony could use them. Not just Unicorns or Alicorns. "That I can say." The Timberpony exclaimed. Diamond Ray cleared his throat. "What would you like to know Spectra Speed?" He asked, I kept looking at the pony in disbelief, he was covered in wooden attachments and one leg kept breaking but repairing. Flesh was hanging lose and some blood dripped down his leg and shoulder. He must have been in so much pain, doing this alone and for some wolves to eat. I was surprised he hasn't died of any contamination or disease. "Everything really, I am amazed at history, who are the Sky Dwellers, why did they attack the Sirens, what was the wars outcome." Spectra replied, I smiled again, Spectra was certainly one with his Equestrian history. I personally wanted to know more on the Crystal Empire Celestia had said about to Kalmor. What was it and where was it, why was it the Crystal Empire? I must take Dee to see it one day. If that is, she takes me back ever. "Okay then. For that I must tell you a story thousands of years ago.-" Diamond Ray said, then began his story. "Thousands of years ago Cloudsdale was a horrible place, it would take in disabled Pegasi or homeless, weak, anything that would ruin their perfect image and turn them into, Rainbows. They got away with it for ages, four generations in fact, however ponies did soon realize what was going on and the factory shut down, everypony who worked there was executed. At one point in the factory's rein the CEO's of the place took in one hundred ponies to make a super rainbow, one with enough power to power all of Equestria. However before this, 'miracle' could be made the hundred ponies escaped and vowed to fight Cloudsdale and everything around it. They began to breed and slowly became their own, unique pony race. The Sky Dwellers. They took the outer badlands to make their cloud cities, unnamed in case anything could be related to the hated kinda of ponies. The Siren race, magic ponies who used very powerful, very unique magic no matter what race they were. They were sent to try to reason with the Dwellers, that the factory had been destroyed, however the hatred the Dwellers had grown for centuries had reached the peak, and the Dwellers went to war. The thing lasted almost two hundred years, but sadly left the Sirens almost extinct. Only a few remain, and as far as any pony knows, Dari is the last of her kind. Sirens were peaceful ponies, but were destroyed by the evil, twisted Dwellers. There reasons for hating everypony was natural, but they nearly wiped out Dari's entire race." Diamond Ray finished his story, a few tears falling down his eyes. Everypony was silent again. Trotting quietly through the forest, not making a sound. "So, Dari is the last Siren?" Spectra asked, I nodded. I knew it was bad, but after this story, it showed how much hatred the Dwellers once had. I hated them, hated them for what they did and hated myself for going there ever, I was supposedly their king. I felt like screaming out, but held it in. "Their king now is supposed to be a real dictator. He has more hatred than any king before." Diamond Ray said. "He is dead." I muttered. "Oh, I would hate to be the next in line." "That's me." "Oh." "I killed him and they crowned me, I turned the place into a mining kingdom, not one Sky Dweller born has a weapon of any kind anymore, and Princess Luna is ruling them. I was just the one to swing the spearhead down." I muttered. Heart Breaker looked exactly how I felt, angry, full of rage. "So,how did Dari die again?" Spectra asked. A tear rolling down his check. "She used all her magic to explode inwards, causing the mana inside and around her to explode into a huge bomb thing. She blasted the gates of Canterlot so we could break in and save Luna, and finish the Changeling army." I replied. "Ah I see." Spectra replied. We walked for what seemed to be a few more minutes when suddenly I caught sight of something. A ledge, a bridge, a castle. "The ruined castle, we made it." Nick muttered. "Incoming!" Somepony shouted as a ball of white fire came bursting out of the huge, still standing tower right at us. We scattered. Broken GemsI managed to jump out of the way of the spell, as did everypony else, but when the spell hit the ground, giant red scorpion things appeared and began to attack. I was with Heart Breaker and Aeb we were stuck and weren't sure what to do. Spectra was kicking into one of the beasts and saw us apart from the rest. "Go kill Kalmor." Spectra said. "I GOT THIS." Dark-Red replied and attacked with unknown furry. I caught sight of the unicorns place protective spells over everypony. Either protecting themselves from scorpion attack, or Dark-Red's furry. With that in mind i began to cross the bridge, well flow over it, as did Aeb, obviously Heart Breaker had to walk over it and thankfully we had no trouble crossing. Once over we stepped into the old castle domain and weren't sure where to go from there. I spotted flashing lights and saw a pony's shadow in the tallest tower and began to gallop toward it. "There." I said. Galloping full on toward Kalmor. I heard the fighting outside as I ran, not turning my head to check if Aeb or Heart Breaker were following. This was it. This was the time we killed Kalmor Rift. We ran up and up the stairwell toward him and I suddenly stopped, so did the other two. "What?" Aeb asked. As a mare. "How are we going to kill this guy? He would ha e protected himself from attacks wouldn't he of?" I asked. Heart Breaker face hoofed himself. "Of course. Well apparently no pony ever looted the armoury, so there may be a weapon there we could use. I have an idea as to what but not sure if it is here." Heart Breaker said, turning around and heading downstairs. I followed, then Aeb did. I followed Heart Breaker all around the castle and he seemed to know his way pretty good, as i was already lost. But nevertheless, Heart Breaker did find a set of double doors and opened them. Weapons lined the wall, all sorts of stuff, there were maces, swords, axes, even a weird white orb or two. Heart Breaker grabbed it and gave us one each, it was surprisingly light for its size but still awkward, i wondered what it did. "What the fuck does this do?" I asked, Heart Breaker just muttered something, he wasn't listening, he was searching for something. I looked behind me and was face to face with a greener version of me. "What?" A Twilight sounding voice asked. Aeb had randomly changed again. "You are a green version of me Aeb." I replied, he looked to himself and just laughed. "I am not even going to get pissed about this anymore." He admitted. Changing back. "Change to your normal form for a second." I asked. "I am in normal form." He said. "No I mean Changeling form." I explained, he did but then changed back to his pony self straight away. "That's weird." He said, confuses again, he tried again, same results. "You can't change back to normal form anymore?" I asked. Aeb shook his head. "Ah." I muttered. "Yes! It is here!" Heart Breaker exclaimed. Holding out a silver bolt. I stared at it, then Heart Breaker. "A silver crossbow bolt?" I asked. He nodded then shot the wall, unloading his crossbow. "Load me up." He ordered giving me the bolt. Aeb became a random unicorn and magic'ed it on. The weapon was now armed and we were ready to fight. "So what does the bolt do?" I asked. Heart Breaker grabbed a blue metal sword out as well. "It will break his mental protection. We need this sword to break his physical ones, then another blow to kill him." Heart Breaker said. "I think." He added. "Outstanding. I will swing the sword. Heart Breaker you shot him and Aeb, kill him." I said, everypony nodded and we began to climb the stairs again. We reached the door we were all certain Kalmor was behind and readied ourselves, I had the sword in hoof, Aeb had a spiked club and Heart Breaker had two crossbows on, one with the magic bolt, another for a killing blow were everything to fail. I looked to everypony who nodded, then opened the door. The world went whit for a moment and when I could see again it was daytime. We weren't in the Everfree anymore. We were at the side of a river. The sun was out and the birds singing. I looked around and saw Heart Breaker and Aeb next to me. Kalmor Rift stood on a bridge above us all. "How poetic Celestia sends some ponies to kill me. Its a pity, I wanted you lot as slaves when I returned, but I guess you are going to kill me so be done quickly." He said. I wasn't sure what to do now. I looked to Heart Breaker who was equally as confused. I just decided to gun it and charge him. I ran straight at him and sliced into him with the blue sword. He screamed out in pain and began glowing. "Impossible! No blade can kill me. My magic is failing. How?" Kalmor asked, then punched me, I felt pain and my body crashed into the river bank, the water was ice cold and my vision blurred already. I saw Aeb run at him next, as Heart Breaker shot the bolt. Hitting him, Kalmor screamed out, glowing white light I saw Aeb swing down with his mace to perform the killing blow. Then lightning hit him from Kalmor's horn, the Changeling went flying and smacked down onto the opposite bank. I called out but Aeb was also passed out. He was bleeding and burnt badly, his body went limp and I crawled toward him. "How dare you hurt my friends" I heard Heart Breaker shout. I heard a whizzing sound, another Kalmor scream but ignored it, I was next to Aeb now. My vision failing, going black. I felt blood trickle down my body and into the icy water. Aeb didn't move, I pushed him with a hoof. Nothing. I called out Aeb's name, then Derpy's. Then passed out. Heart Breaker saw Haze fly across the sky from Kalmor's hit and then shot the silver bolt. Kalmor was so weak, Heart Breaker nearly recoiled when he saw how powerful the lightning was that hit Aeb square on and also sent him flying. Haze would be alright, but Aeb, Heart Breaker couldn't be sure. "How dare you hurt my friends!" Heart Breaker shouted, then flexed a hoof, firing the second crossbow, it hit Kalmor right where the emerald on his neck was and shattered the gem. Green shards shot everywhere as the bolt pierced skin. Kalmor cried out in pain. "Aeb! Derpy!" Haze shouted, weakly. Heart Breaker looked to the now passed out Pegasus king and then back to the enemy. His horn was glowing as the enemy tried to heal. Heart Breaker charged picking up the mace Aeb had dropped and charged straight into the Alicorn mage. Heart Breaker swung the weapon winding the dying mage who fell to the floor. Heart Breaker remembered an old line from somewhere and saw his moment. Holding the mace in two hooves Heart Breaker looked into the eyes of Kalmor who looked up at Heart Breaker. "Looks like your about to get powned." Heart Breaker said and swung the mace down, Kalmor's skull exploded in blood and bone, the world went white again and the trio were in the castles tower again. Aeb laying against the wall, Haze near him. Both passed out. Voices could be heard from downstairs and Heart Breaker begs to shout. "Help! Aeb and Haze are wounded! We need to get them back again!" Heart Breaker shouted. Then passed out himself. Standing tall once moreI was the first to awaken apparently. Aeb was in some sort of coma and Heart Breaker had just completely collapsed after shooting Kalmor. I woke and saw Rainbow and Spectra, who told me everything that happened. Kalmor had apparently teleported us to some bridge near Ponyville and his body had been collected by Celestia and burnt. He had blasted myself and Aeb backward and both of us were internally bleeding. Thankfully though most of Aeb's was fixed and I was filly healed. I looked around the crowd of my friends to search for Dee, when she wasn't there my heart sank. Diamond Ray walked up to me with a grin. "Welcome back to the living. You did it, well apparently Heart Breaker did it. But you survived and are back." He said. Then stepped aside to let Nick climb my bed and get in ear range of me. "Yeah, fuck all this knighthood stuff. I award Heart Breaker the Hero of the Day award." He said smiling as well. Well without a face I presumed the knighted knife was smiling. "Does anypony know where Dee is?" I suddenly asked. Everypony fell silent. "She, she never came up here to see you. In fact she hasn't left her house since she left Canterlot." Nick replied slowly. I nodded and stood up, more quickly than I should have because I fell back down with my head dizzy and my vision blurry. I tried again but I found I couldn't move. Something was stopping me. The dark pony Shadow blurred into excistance and I saw his two front hooves were on me. "You are hurt Haze, stay here." Shadow said. I nodded and smiled, Shadow let go, big mistake. I shot up and flow into the air as fast as I could and began to dart toward Dee's house. I heard my name being called and some fly up to follow me but I was too fast and shot across the sky. My head spinning and my vision blurring I began to go in circles in the air, spinning out of control. I landed somehow and stumbled onto the doorway of Dee's house. Knocked on the door as weak as if a flow of water had hit it. I heard Dee coming and as she opened the door. I fainted in her arms. My world going black once more. -_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_-- Back Canterlot Heart Breaker was the next to wake. He was confused for a second but then everything came back to him. The fight, the crossbow. And Aeb! Heart Breaker jumped a bit, everypony looking at him and he noticed Aeb, laying still barely breathing, Heart Breaker looked to his left but noticed Haze was missing. "Where is Bright Haze?" Heart Breaker asked. "He went to fix the thing between him and Derpy. Glad you are up." Spectra replied, brohooving the white Alicorn. "Hero of the Day!" Nick shouted from somewhere. Heart Breaker laughed and began to sit up, felt fine so sat up the whole way, staring onto everypony. They all stood awkwardly for a moment until a groan came from Dari. Everypony stared at her. She was glowing bright yellow and her stomach was growing, she groaned again, in pain and began to get a nose bleed, she throw up a few times next and everypony stood shocked. Twilight cast a spell over the Siren and screamed out. "Dari is in labor!" She shouted, everypony gasped as the Pegasus continued to scream out. Spectra and Shadow dragged her and put her onto the bed. "Rainbow, fly to Celestia, we need a mare doctor who can deliver babies!" Twilight shouted, Dari screamed out and opened her legs to let loose. "Shit!" Somepony shouted as Dari naturally began to push to get the baby out. She screamed over and over and didn't stop. Blood began to flood out of her marehood and she continued to glow with magic. Nopony seemed to notice Aeb was also glowing. "I guess I will have to do it." Twilight said, horn glowing. "Spectra go get Haze. And Dee. This is fucking important." Heart Breaker said, the Pegasus nodded and shot off. Dari cried out and pushed harder. Blood and tears flowing uncontrollably. -_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_-- I woke to see Dee over me crying. she was holding tightly onto me, as to not let go and she buried her face into my body. "Dont die on me again. You promised, I know I said I didn't care anymore but I do. Just come back to me!" She shouted. I looked at her and raised a hoof, then slowly began to stroke her mane, caring. Calming her. "Dee, I am here." I said, my vision was grey and blurry, my head spun in circles but I was alive. "I do care for you Haze. Did you do it?" She asked, I nodded, then felt pain in my head and regretted it. "Yes. Its over, we can have peace. If you want to have peace with me?" I asked. Dee smiled then leant in close to my ear. "I have to now, not just due to marriage." She muttered. "What do you mean?" I asked. She smiled and I suddenly noticed something about her. "Holy fuck." I muttered, she nodded. "I am with child." She said. "Okay, what should we name it?" I asked. "If it's stallion; Crystal Haze, if it's a mare, you choose." Dee replied winking. I thought for a moment then said. "Tage." Dee smiled and nodded, there was a knock on the door, I managed to stand but by then Dee had opened the door and I saw Spectra standing at the doorway. "Spectra? What is the matter?" I asked confused, clearly. "Dari, Dari is with child. She is in labor now, as we speak. I need you-" Spectra panted, he looked to Dee and smiled, Dee nodded and Spectra winked at both of us in turn. "-And you wife to come back to Canterlot right now." Spectra panted again, I nodded and the three of us began flying back. -_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_-- We flow back and I saw straight away where the baby would be born. Dari could be heard screaming from a mile back and doctor ponies ran about all around her. We landed with the others and I stood next to Heart Breaker and Nick. "How long she been at it?" I asked. "Nearly since you left. Give or take a minute." Nick replied, we all stood staring. Aeb was still on his bed, a few unicorns working on him now but many focused on Dari. With her broken mind she must be so alone and confused. I had no idea how this had happened but according to everypony else, neither did they. "Push my dear. Push." A doctor said to Dari, she did and after about ten minutes I could see a hoof. I also heard a moan from somewhere and a doctor call my name. I turned to the sound and saw Aeb stirring and Doctors calling me. I walked over to them and saw Aeb, wide awake and moving. "Haze. Haze." Aeb asked. I got in his field of vision. "Haze." He muttered I held onto his hoof. Blood trikled down his nose and out of his mouth. "What happened?" I asked. "His lungs gave up and collapsed." A doctor said. "Then fucking fix it!" I shouted. "We can't." was the reply. I stormed up to the unicorn who said it and went as close as I could to him. "You listen to me Doc. You fix him or at least try your very fucking best to heal him or so help me I will-" I was stopped. I felt a hoof touch mine, I turned to Aeb who looked to me with a false grin. "Don't worry about me Haze. I will, be ab-so-lotly, fine." Aeb grunted, his pony self fading as he became himself in Changeling form. "We had. We had a good, run eh?" Aeb muttered, Dari continued to scream, her voice hoarse and dying. Another hoof was seen coming out. "Aeb, don't you fucking die. DO SOMETHING!" I shouted to the doctors who rushed in and began healing him with magic. "Come on Bright Haze, you win this fight. We all did, no more fights, no more wars. Just peace, and if. If this is the peace I am to get. Then. So be it. We all knew we would die. One day. But today. Is my last on. Equest-. Goodby Haze. We, we had a good run." Aeb said and at the simultaneous moment the baby came out of Dari, Aeb passed away, his eyes closing and his pulse stopped. I looked to the doctors healing him and they stopped with the spells. "He is.-" One began. I began to walk away. "Don't even fucking say it." I muttered, going over to Derpy. "What should the baby be called?" A nurse asked Dari, i didn't expect a reply but Dari opened her mouth and weakly said. "Aeb Tree-Born." Before Dari fell asleep. I smiled onto the new born and looked to Dee, and Heart Breaker, Spectra and Nick and all the rest. The war was over, fate had finished with us. And we could go home now.... The End.... For now.. EquestrianWriter / Bright Haze.. 9/11Now I am not American, nor did anyone I know of die in the attacks on the World Trade Centre but it always hurts me whenever this day comes around. This chapter will be on all my fictions new and old so you will be seeing it a lot, those following me anyway. I would like to thank those who saved survivors from the rubble of the twin towers that day and would like us all to remember everybody who died that day, civilians, firemen and police. Everybody who was killed and affected by the attack twelve years ago today. My thoughts go out to all those who died in the tower, planes and those killed in the aftermath of the bombings. Thank you. Explainations; Or a tale of 2 and a half thousand years agoCelestia's story of Kalmor- Two thousand and five hundred years ago our old city florist with young unicorn mages eager to learn the arts, I built a tower excluded from the rest of the city so they could practice under mine, and Luna's supervision. We were proud beyond reason at how our unicorns were learning, becoming stronger, smarter. They would never want to stop using their magic, but would still welcome the time they could go home to their families, everypony was learning good magic, we had grown an army of Equestria's defenders an almost unstoppable force. But one day, this middle aged unicorn comes into the tower and asks me to help him learn aging spells so he could practice for much longer than most. I agreed thinking everypony would ask for it, but this mage; Kalmor, had been learning dark magic on his own in the forbidden area of the old library. He was near on invisible with never aging and all the dark protection spells he had casted on himself. Kalmor became more dark and evil as time went by and one day, he broke. Kalmor went crazy and began killing the mages in the tower, shooting them all with his magic lightning. Hundreds died, he burned down the tower and then disappeared. For years myself and Luna believed him dead, but we were wrong. For almost one thousand years passed and almost all memory of Kalmor had died, Luna had a coltfriend Star Burst and the city and mage tower were growing again. But one day, Kalmor returned, very much alive. The mage had gone into complete darkness, he had learnt all kinds of magic's, many from the western Zebras and long expelled enemies, Kalmor summoned an Ursa Major and commanding the beast to attack our glorious city, Star Burst fought the thing, defeating it but sadly falling into the Void with it. We were forced to evacuate and once again Kalmor vanished. We moved to the mountains where Canterlot is now. That was also the day where Luna became Nightmare Moon. I was now on my own fighting Kalmor, not knowing where he was, but still ready to fight if the need arrived. One day, it did. Almost two hundred years after Nightmare Moon's banishment passed and Kalmor came back, asking just for a duel between myself and him. I accepted and after almost two weeks of fighting. I won, killing the mage, almost falling myself. But we were safe. And that, my little ponies, is who Kalmor is.
Wedding of fourFinally, six months have passed since the first day of peace and Spectra Speed and Rainbow Dash were getting married, she wore an amazing dress as she trotted slowly down the pathway of Canterlot Castle, Celestia had insisted to hold both weddings in the castle, as payback for all our deeds. Spectra had elected me as his best stallion and I felt bad about not choosing him for mine, but the laws were to have an unmarried best stallion, so I chose Heart Breaker to give me away. Rainbow came down the pathway and had her mares-of-honour behind her, Twilight, Fluttershy and Dee. The three ponies followed suite of the cyan Pegasus and I had to admit, the dresses Rarity had made were amazing. I smiled at my fiancé and she gave a giggle. Celestia stood on top of a small stairway looking down on the two ponies. The room was packed with ponies, maybe none of us knew, they had just shown up. Celestia began, and as always, the Alicorn Heart Breaker hung on every word. I gave a silent laugh. "Stallions and mares.-" She began. "-We are brought here today to witness the bounding of two ponies, one miss Rainbow Dash or 'Dashie' and Spectra Speed, or 'Spectra'. These two ponies have shown complete love for each other and declared they wish for a bond between the two to be made by marriage. I shall declare this with worded proof, starting with the mare. Rainbow Dash, do you promise to hold and care, to love and tolerate, to keep and hug, one Spectra Speed." Celestia asked. "I do." Rainbow replied. "And do you promise to love him forever and stay with him through everything that fate may throw at you?" Celestia asked. "I do." Rainbow replied. "Now onto the stallion." She repeated everything she just asked of Rainbow to Spectra. He nodded and grinned all the while. "I do." He said to the final question. "Now if the ring bearers would so kindly step forward upon name of said ponies. "I now make you, Spectra Speed.-" She said, I walked forward, giving him the ring we had taken from the Sky Dweller city. He put it on Rainbow's hoof. "-And Rainbow Dash.-" Twilight stepped forward and gave Dash a ring, who put it on Spectra's hoof. "-Mare and Stallion, you may kiss the bride." Celestia declared, there was much cheering and I walked away quietly to the window and jumped out, flying as fast as I could then shooting back into the sky over the castle performing a Sonice Rainboom for the newly wedded couple. I finished it of and slowed, before flying back in through the window. "Now, there will be a few drinks and food served in the main hall but I shall be holding the new wedding of Bright Haze and Derpy Hooves in four hours. " Celestia declared and I gulped, sprinting out of the hall to get ready. I was in blind panick, I didn't know the weddings would be on the same day, I had no suit to wear. I instantly thought of Rarity but she would be busy helping Dee get ready. I panicked around, sprinting and flying around my room sweating and worried, I couldn't go in in what I was wearing, nor nude. I heard a knock on the door and answered it, Aeb, Heart Breaker, Nick and Spectra all walked in. "What the hell do I do? I have nothing to wear?" I asked. "Look, nopony knew it was today, we can explain that we haven't gotten the suite yet." Spectra replied. "Oh and congrats my friend." I muttered, he twiched at friend as normal. "Yeah, it was wonderful, now lets get you a damn suit Haze!" Spectra shouted. "How?" I replied. "Buy one?" Nick suggested. "Nice one dagger brains, with what money, its all in Ponyville." Aeb replied, then laughed at his own pun. "Wait here. I'll fly to Ponyville and wear the Dweller king armour they sent me a month ago in hope I would come back, Luna is doing a great job though." I said, stretching my wings out. "What if you are late?" Aeb asked. "Delay it as much as possible. I wouldn't be late for my own wedding." I replied, doubting myself. "But would Derpy like the idea of you being in Dweller clothing, hell, would anypony." Spectra asked. "Good point, I have no other clothing other than that though, well suitable for a wedding." Aeb was in long laughter after that pun, suitable. "We will go into the city, maybe borrow some bits of Celestia if we have to. We will buy a suit and if you get here first, wear the armour and go in their, if we get a suit and you aren't here, we will hold it off until you do then wear that." Aeb said. "Not a perfect plan but it'll do, okay, meet back here when you are done." I replied and shot out of the open window. I shot straight across the skyline of Canterlot and down the mountain toward Ponyville, I sped up and sped up until I broke the sound barrier and completed a Sonic Rainboom. I zoomed across Equestria toward my home where the armour was situated and I headed straight to that. Closing in on Derpy's house I landed, kicking up dirt and making a real cock up to the landing, and garden I rushed toward the door and almost drop kicked it open, thanks to there being little or no crime in Ponyville, it was safe to leave the back door unlocked, not that anypony would try to robe me, or any of the others. Us being saviours of Equestria and me still legally being a king. I still hated the Sky Dwellers, not as much as Spectra clearly but still with deep hatred, but I had to admit, they were coping well with becoming a Equestrian mining colony rather than a state of war, there had been some uprising but the now unarmed guards, the only armed ones being Equestrian born, had quickly sorted any revolts and life had gone on, Luna was enjoying being in charge, not that she did much, everything that happened was both mine and Celestia's decision. Rather than the night princess' herself. I quickly dashed around, looking for the armour, I found it laying in a pile upstairs with a few other things, I also grabbed the crown of the seventh Element of Harmony; being sacrifice and put it on my head. I strapped as much of the armour on as possible and put the rest into a small bag. I then procided to the door, closed it and began to slowly fly back to Canterlot, already sweaty and tired. I had about an hour to spare by the time I finally reached Canterlot again and flow in the same window I had gone out of, the others were waiting empty hoofed and I smiled. "Every wedding shop for a mile is shut or out of stallion stock. But you got the armour." Aeb muttered, I nodded. "Yes, well thanks anyway you guys, now, help me put this on?" I asked, Heart Breaker laughed and they all began to help put the gold armour on me, even brushing my hair back and altering some parts so it wasn't holding any sort of hidden weaponry device. I laughed when Aeb knelt down, pulled my hoof up and yanked a small, straight dagger from my armour plating. There was just over twenty minutes to spare when I was ready and we all began to head back to the main castle. "Oi Spectra." I muttered as we entered the chamber. "Proform the Rainboom will ya? I did for you. Friend." I asked joking, Spectra twisted and punched me lightly, Spectra had now, sort of gotten used to the whole friends idea but still had spasms whenever it was mentioned. I smiled at him and Spectra hooded, moving toward the window. "Got the ring?" I asked Heart Breaker, he nodded and also laughed. Then pulled the ring out of his suit jacket and proved that fact. I nodded my thanks and ponies began to take their seats.
Wedding plansThe time I had spared made the standing around and waiting incredibly awkward, Derpy was still getting ready, well from what Twilight had said when she ran in to grab some flowers from a nearby chair she had mistakenly left there. Hell, even Celestia wasn't here yet, so us stallions just stood at the alter waiting. And waiting. "This armour is too damn tight." I complained. The shoulder blades I had put on myself so had fucked that bit up. Aeb just laughed and in a cloud of purple smoke, became a copy of me. He smiled and just winked at me. I was surprised Spectra didn't shat himself seeing this as Aeb hadn't told him he was a Changeling but I guess the Pegasus had figured it out or openly didn't care. I knew I didn't. "For fuck sake Haze, this is the day of your wedding and your armour we actually don't want or even like is too tight?" Heart Breaker joked and we laughed. Nick and Steven were together near the giant window, mainly so the great serpent Steven could put some of his body out of the window and sort of hang onto the side of the building, he had been growing recently and now was the size of a small dragon, compared to his old tree-tall self. Nick was always dwarfed by everypony else, being a knife, but now Nick was tiny compared to the scale covered serpent. Ponies were walking into the castle and sitting in what looked like completely random seats with no order to it at all, we had about half an hour to spare and the armour was getting annoying. "Hey Haze?" Aeb asked suddenly. I turned to him and he formed himself into a female unicorn. "What? No you arse doesn't look big in that suit." I replied, Aeb laughed and changed back to his normal Pegasus grey pony self. "Do you think this peace will last?" He asked. "Honestly, no. Why?" I replied. "I was thinking about settling down, finding a job, maybe in the rebuilding of Cloudsdale. I dunno, get a mare." He said. "What's up Aeb?" I asked. "Haze, I am scared I am going to die. Some threat will turn up and it'll kill me." "Hey don't worry Aeb, we all feel that way, always have. Any fight we have been in, whatever has been thrown at us. We have won against it. You survived a war Aeb, you're be okay." I replied, he smiled his thanks, then Princess Celestia herself opened the double door and trotted in. Heart Breaker bowed instantly slowly followed by the rest of us. She walked up to her stand and smiled down. "Rise, no, actually. I have an idea." She said, then pulled a sword off the wall. "Knell my little ponies." The Goddess ordered, we were already bowing so we just nodded our heads down. Something was going on, I had an idea. I was near the end of the line and from what I could tell she was working her way down the line. Heart Breaker would be jumping over fucking cows for months after this. "Now rise, sir Aeb, of Equestria." Celestia said. 'Holy shit she was knighting us!' "Now rise, sir Nick, of the Everfree." Celestia had actually just knighted, a knife. I was still looking down but I heard Aeb change form and began flying around screaming in happiness. I gave a short quiet laugh and despite Spectra also laughing, he softly hit me with his front hoof. I turned me head to the suited pony and winked. "Rise, sir Steven, of Equestria." The serpent thanked her, how the hell Celestia reached his shoulders would forever bewilder me from now on. I could hear Celestia now, she was at Heart Breaker. "Rise, sir Heart Breaker, of Equestria." Then she finally reached me. I felt the sword tap my left shoulder, then my right. I then saw it do an invisible cross pattern over my chest and finally it tapped my head. Here goes. "Rise, sir Bright Haze, of Equestria, and the Dweller Kingdom." Celestia said. Bullocks. "Still going on about that?" I asked, she just laughed and I walked off to speak to the others and watch her knight Spectra. She did it the way she had done me and nodded her head. "Rise, sir Spectra Speed, of Equestria." She said, Spectra did and she bowed her head to all of us. "Now my knights, I have one more thing I wish to give you." Celestia requested, I nodded and waited for her to explain. "Alicorns like myself, as well as Luna can give out special powers, I wish to bestow some onto all of you, I do not know if it will work for Nick and Steven, but I can try none the less. " Celestia said. Spectra didn't look happy at this but nodded anyway. "I have recieved a power from Luna already Princess, and a kiss from you, with all due respect is breaking my marriage vow. Even if it means nothing." He said, Heart Breaker nearly jumped up when he figured out Celestia was going to kiss us to give us these powers. "I'll go first." He said, probably louder than intended. I always was having doubts but as long as Dee didn't see and have me to explain it to her. I could see it now. ("Haze! What are you doing! That's the princess!" Derpy would say. "But Dee, it's not what it looks like!" I would reply. "What is it then?" "She was giving me a special power." Then Dee would laugh and look to my stallionhood. "I bet." Then storm out. It would be a long day.) I looked to the others and I either just ran that conversation out loud or was looking really awkward whilst I had done it, either way ponies were giving me looks. I almost forgot the building up crowd who had seen everything happen, even the knighthoods. They didn't even react. "I will do it." I decided. "Okay, Spectra the spell wouldn't work even if I tried if Luna has done it. Now I have no idea what the ability will be but I know they will appear in the time you need them. She trotted over to Heart Breaker, who nodded, straight face, Celestia nodded back then went in for the kiss. The male Alicorn's face went a full on cherry colour and his eyes closed, I think he held the kiss longer than needed and I thought he was going to cry when Celestia finally broke the kiss. Heart Breaker began to literally glow in a white aura and then it faded, as quickly as it had arrived. "Now, onto the rest of you knights." She said, going on to each of us. Nick and Steven also began to glow and when she did it to me I felt magic rush through me. Not wild, but natural. "Well that was weird." Aeb said after his kiss, he began to randomly change form without being able to control it and then went back to his normal self. "That was weirder." He muttered. "Well, now we wait for Dee and the others, how long have we got?" I asked. "Ten minutes, just about." Spectra replied. Then we stood there waiting for my bride.
Wedding CrasherThe bells began to ring out finally to declare a wedding in the Canterlot Castle and everypony who wasn't already awkwardly seated trotted in and sat down, row by row this time, rather than random spots they could find quickest. I stood at the front of the group, Steven still balancing out of the window and Sir Knifley the sharp as Nick was now calling himself was on Spectra's back waiting like the rest of us, Heart Breaker stood next to me holding the diamond ring on his hoof, ready for the time but unlike everypony else, who was watching the door, he was looking to Celestia, who had her tail conveniently up and her plot sticking out slightly, not that I noticed. The bells rang again and the double doors opened, the most beautiful thing I had ever seen walked through the double doors. Rainbow Dash was beautiful in her wedding but Dee was stunning, hair tied back in two cute braids, a long silky white dress and gold shoes, make-up, everything. I looked to Spectra and he just gave a wink and silent laugh. Sir Knifely, Nick, just gasped and Heart Breaker stared at Celestia, head away from everything else. I wasn't sure who was giving Dee away, probably Dash as they had been good friends during the times of peace and the weeks of my death, wow, that still sounded weird, but nevertheless, it had happened. Dee and the mane six slowly made their way down the space between the seating and heading toward the wood stand, it felt like a thousand years passed before I could fully look into those bright, amber eyes. "How do I look?" She asked me. I fought the thought of laughing or reacting too much at that, she was a bucking angel! I will admit Rainbow was pretty good too and it was probably just me loving Dee like Heart Breaker-, no bad example, like Spectra loved Rainbow. I suddenly thought, we can't call her Dash or Dashie now. Have to be Mrs Speed. I smiled at my own joke then realised I hadn't answered Dee. "Amazing." Was all I managed to get out. Dee tilted her head a little in cuteness and confusion, but accepted the compliment and gave a giggle. My heart exploded. "Are the beloved ready?" Celestia said, I turned to the Goddess Princess, as did Dee and we began. She went through the same stuff as Spectra's wedding and when she came to me asked. "Will you love Dee forever?" And I smiled, looked Dee straight in the eyes and said. "I do." Then put two hooves on her soft face. "You are now mare and stallion, you may kiss the bride." I didn't need telling twice, I did and the kiss felt like hours and I hated when we parted, I was in bliss, finally felt, happy? Joyful? No, I felt safe that fate wouldn't be a bitch anymore. Oh how wrong I could've been. Just as we parted our kiss as husband and wife a fully armoured guard ran in, panting, everypony looked to him, the guard pointed a hoof, readied himself to speak, then exploded in a ball of white fire and blood, behind him a figure stepped into the castle, closing the double doors behind him with some invisible magic force. Celestia instantly prepared a spell, as did Twilight and Rarity. Aeb changed form to a unicorn and prepared as well, I readied for a charge and nodded to Pinkie to take Rainbow and Dee away, she nodded, surprisingly understanding just a nod and pulled the two brides away and hid under a wedding table, Fluttershy had already made it there. Spectra flow up to a guard who was also readying and after a brief exchange gave Spectra the sword he had strapped to him. I turned to Steven who throw down one of those hidden blades from this damn armour which he had been picking his teeth with and with the help of Aeb's magic, slotted it in. This took a while but the figure was standing at the doorway, now wide open again and surrounded by guards. It gave a deep, evil laugh, The figure looked to be a dark emerald colour and wore a black, maybe brown cape and hood, hiding his cutie mark and face, I did notice the unicorn horn though, and the wings. An alicorn. It laughed again and shot beams of light into the surrounding guards and ponies trying to hide in thier seats. Smoke came up and when it cleared, the guards in the room were all dead. Celestia trotted forward, followed by the rest of us, we went toward this unknown attacker with, little, median amount of fear. I smelt piss in the air and heard Fluttershy squeaking, we got this. "Who are you to attack this city?" Celestia asked. As we got closer I saw a bit of face appear, although it was white, much like bone. Steven had crawled into the castle and was laying down arm outstretched, following our movement. I twitched my neck and readied for a fight. Letting the hidden blade slide down my arm. "Ah, Princess Celestia, it has been a long time, but I thought you would have remembered me. Especially after what I did to Starswirl the bearded. Blue level unicorn mage, he was such a waste of space. Your people tried against me, and failed. Yet still he was chosen." The figure said, Celestia stopped her advancement and paused, then continued, we were very close to this attacker now. "Impossible, you died. I buried you myself." Celestia muttered, magic flowing through her horn. "Not quite dead. Just, in a coma you could say." The figure replied, then prepared some magic spell, all three unicorns and Celestia stepped forward, horns pointed. "Don't try it. Or we will put you back in a coma." Twilight threatened. "Who is he you highness?" She added, good question. "Kalmor Rift, an old, dead enemy of mine." Celestia replied. "I only have one thing to say to prove of my return, I used DawnThief to kill Starswirl, his own spell, and I still remember how to cast it, so let me go, or you all go down with me." Kalmor said. Horn glowing again, Aeb shot but the magic just disappeared. A blue shield appearing round the unicorn. "Where will you go? Once word spreads all of Equestria, and the Sky Dweller kingdoms will know of your return. Not to mention the Crystal Empire. You will have no where to hide this time mage." Celestia threatened, but lowered her horn. Kalmor turned and opened the double doors. He began to walk out. "I don't want to hide this time. I am going to the old castle, but everything you send will die." Kalmor said and just walked out of the room, closing the doors. There was a shout, a blast of magic then silence. Everypony was looking at Celestia.
Wedding KnightCelestia finished her story and took a slow, shallow breathe and watched as we took this in. I stood silent like the rest of us. Aeb shifted his weight slightly and Nick folded his cartoonish arms, but nopony did anything else. Just, silence. I looked at each pony in turn, Twilight. Fluttershy. Rarity. Pinkie. Dee. Aeb. Spectra. Applejack. Rainbow. Steven. Nick. Heart Breaker. All broken and scared. Just like myself. unsure what to do. I stood silent. Eventually it was Spectra who spoke. "So if you killed this guy, how the buck is he back alive now?" Spectra asked, good question. Celestia looked stunned, probably hoping to not answer that question. "As you may or may not know, the portal between Earth and Equestria which Discord created is still very much open and tiny bits of stuff are fazing through each end. The portal thankfully hasn't been tampered with either end so won't open any further but for some reason won't fully close.-" Celestia said, Heart Breaker took a step away from the group, Rainbow gave a glare at him and he bowed his head. "-So some old, wild magic is leaking in and out, some I believe, or so my unicorn research team tell me, is that it is old magic from a resurrection spell from thousands of years ago. Maybe before my rule. This magic has leaked into pony bodies and allowed them to come back, I doubt Kalmor, if this is the real one, will have been the only dead pony brought back. But as far as the spells history states, only ponies who need or want to come back will, so thankfully we won't have undeads walking around and scaring everypony. Just a certain few, or one." Celestia added. "So anypony who hates us could be back alive?" I asked. Celestia just nodded. I thought of the old Sky Dweller king and how the Dwellers would react if their king reappeared. I guessed a revolt, something Luna alone couldn't handle. "And Kalmor is back alive presumably to hide up and then send a powerful spell onto Canterlot when ponies forget him." Heart Breaker added, another nod. Canterlot was undefended. Well from magic anyway. "A mage that took weeks to kill and nearly finished you off." Rainbow added. Nod. This would-be God killer would be too hard for us. Unknown threat like normal. "And you want the Elements of Harmony and the rest of us to bugger off into battle again against some undead crazy?" I asked. Celestia nodded and Dee ran out of the room. i would need to sort that out in a minute. "Well, we're fucked." Nick exclaimed. Everypony walked away from Celestia in random directions. Furious, scared, pissed. I for one couldn't believe she was asking this of us again. We had retired, four of us married. Dee would be worried and wouldn't sleep again. I would be facing unknown enemies, again. And the rest of us would have to march out in armour and holding blade, not knowing whether we would win or die. The war was over, why must fate be such a bitch. I turned to Celestia. "I will go." I said. Then looked the goddess straight in the eye. "But not for you, it has never been for you." I was furious with her, but she seemed understanding, which made the situation so much worse. Rainbow perked her ears up to me. She began to trot over to Spectra and began quietly talk to him. I looked to the group, facing away from me, Celestia, and themselves. "We may be in retirement my friends. We may have won the war and saved all ponykind and given peace and hope back to Equestria. Fuck we may have killed Discord, saved Luna from Nightmare Moon and battled until we fell exhausted. But I will say one thing my ponies! Fate has called upon us again to save our home from this bastard Kalmor, who has stupidly come back from the dead, well my friends, I will tell you one thing, that bastard will wish he had stayed dead, and we will send him back. I can't do this alone, but do not fight again with me for me. Or Celestia, or for yourselves, do it for your home. Do it for Equestria. I will be in the armory first thing tomorrow, but first, I must comfort my wife." I said, not overly proud of my speech but it may have worked. I walked out of the castle, stepping over the bodies of the dead guards and listening to my gold armour clank and squeak. I headed toward mine and Dee's quarters and entered the room. "How the hell could you even think about doing this! You are retired Haze! You are mine! You promised me no more!" Dee screamed. I stood still, taking it. "Please tell me you told her no! For fuck sake tell me you told Celestia to go fuck herself you are done fighting! Haze!" Dee shouted, tears flowing downwards uncontrollably. "You know I can't do that Dee, Equestria needs me." I managed to mutter. "But I need you." Dee cried out. She had fell to her knees and was in front, crying into my forelegs. "I know Derpy. I know." I muttered. "I can't sleep when you are gone. I can't eat, drink. I worry every second. Haze." She said, tears still flowing. "I am so sorry Derpy Haze. I really am." I muttered, no strength to reply. "I can't do this Haze. We may be married now, but I really can't do it anymore. I need you with me. Not fighting some dead unicorn. Make your choice, but either way. I'm going home." Derpy muttered and trotted out of the room. I thought about going after her but, stayed. Shocked and scared. Was it over? Had I just single hoofedly fucked over my life with Dee. I was unsure what to do, my heart ached and my body was cold. So very cold. I managed to take a step toward the bed before collapsing, not being able to move I just passed out where I was, still in armour and hurting. Hurting so bad.
DawnTheifThe tears hadn't stopped since Dee had left. I didn't go after her, I was stupid to have not. The sun set and I hadn't moved at all, just sat on the double bed pouring down a Strom. I hated myself and I hated Celestia. The moon was out and I lay in bed. Not sleeping, staring into space, alone. So alone, and so weak. I couldn't breath, I couldn't move if I tried, I had tried calling out for Dee but my voice was dead, just a whisper. My stomach hurt but not of hunger. I ached all over and was still. I should be with my wife. But now I don't know if I have a wife anymore. I thought on Dee and how weak I now was without her. But also on something else. Something that Kalmor guy had said earlier. Something about that DawnTheif spell. I wondered what it was, Celestia hadn't mentioned that in her story, had she? I wanted to know more but was too weak to move. Dee was on her own, unsafe and I was a stupid colt for not going with her. I eventually managed to stand up, before collapsing again on the floor. I crawled across the floor dragging myself toward the door. Eventually, after a slow minute I reached it and climbed up the wood work. Opened the door and slowly walked out to look for Celestia, Luna, or anypony else who knew what the fuck was going on. I wondered the castle and reached the main tower complex fairly quickly, already lost in the vast complex. Blood stains still littered the floor as well as burn marks and pieces of rubble. I saw the double doors open and heard a conversation. It was Luna talking to somepony. But who? I didn't really care but needed to speak to Luna so entered. Before me stood Spectra Speed and Princess Luna having idle chatter in the middle of the night. I walked up to them without either seeing, I bowed then said. "Good evening Princess. May I have a word." Spectra jumped up and nearly shit himself and Luna jumped as well, but tried to cover it up. "Ah, Haze. What are you doing up?" Spectra said, flying down from the chandelier he had been hanging from. His eyes seemed a darker shade but it may have been the lighting, or lack of lighting. "Could ask you the same thing. Spectra Speed, knight and husband. Recently made husband, like today that is." I replied, winking at him. Luna giggled and looked to me. "What is it you want Haze?" She asked, a bit more stern that meant I think. "I want to know more about the spell Kalmor mentioned earlier." I replied. "Oh, what spell is that?" Luna asked. Both myself and Spectra made eye contact. His eyes were a lesser shade so it was probably the lighting. "DawnTheif." Spectra and myself said almost completely together. Luna stepped back for a second, clearly stunned by us asking about such a thing, but why. "That.-" Luna paused, looking around for whatever reason. "-Isn't my place to say, come. Celestia will be awakening soon for the sunrise. Follow me. Luna went on ahead and I followed, Spectra at my side. "So it has been bugging you too?" I asked, Spectra nodded. "Yes, as well as a few things. Like why the fuck is Aeb changing form so easily and randomly recently, and why no guards were able to stop Kalmor before he reached the castle." Spectra, among the obvious had clearly picked up a few minor things as well, but they could become vital. We reached Celestia's room and Luna knocked. A warm welcome came from inside and the night princess opened the door. We stepped in. "Ah, knights. And sister. How may I help you?" Celestia asked, she was laying in her bed with straightened hair and looked warm and wet from a bath. Heart Breaker would have groaned at the sight. "I wish, we wish to know more about the spell Kalmor mentioned today." I said. "The DawnTheif spell." Celestia looked as shocked as Luna, the goddess nodded, closed the doors and windows with her magic and cast some spell, maybe to check for anypony who might be listening. "DawnTheif was created by Starswirl by accident, it has enormous power and was hidden away when it's full power was figured out. Nopony would ever be able to use it and Starswirl nearly killed himself, twice, for creating such a spell. However in one of Kalmor's early, less aggressive attacks to the city he found out where the parchment, or most of it had been hidden, it wasn't the full spell but enough to let Kalmor use it and cause chaos onto the city, killing Starswirl and burning much of the city with him. We had Warded the spell so Kalmor would never realize that it was missing a piece. But any smart mage could have figured it out or expanded the spells power on their own accord giving it full power. Kalmor thankfully hasn't done so, yet and I believe it is what he is doing, see the first time he cast it, with the missing piece, he cast it wrong. Only destroying some of the old city. But if he excels the spell he would be able to wipe out all of Canterlot. That is through his mind, maybe. But if he does even give some much as a nano-drop more of magic to the spell it would have enough to go fully charged. And that is where its name comes from. For you see Haze, Spectra. If Kalmor were to try to cast DawnTheif again, right. He would power it so the spell literally blows the sun up and wipes out all life on Equestria." Celestia said. We all paused, taking it in. This spell, if used right. Could destroy the sun. Really fucking ruining my day. "Then we have to stop him from casting it." Spectra replied. "Not stop him, if you wound or capture him he could escape and use DawnTheif, you need to kill Kalmor and burn his body. No mercy I am afraid ponies. Now, get some sleep, it will be dawn soon and you charge out tomorrow. Luna and I need a chat." Celestia replied. We both bowed and left. "If DawnTheif isn't destroyed in Kalmor's death it could be absorbed in Haze's magic. So when it goes critical, he could kill us all." Luna muttered. "I know little sister. DawnTheif will survive, it always has. So when Haze is about to die. We must send him to the Void." Celestia replied, hating the idea now more than when she thought to banish Haze back to his home to close the portal, but Celestia had figured out that he wasn't the only pony, or one keeping it open anymore. And the portal couldn't be closed anyway. Luna nodded her head and began to leave. "And Luna. That wild resurrection magic. It affected some old friends. Go to the gates at dawn. We got two coming in hot." Celestia smiled and winked to her sister, who understood and began to trot to the outer gates.
ResurrectionI woke in the bed still tired and hurt. Missing Dee like fuck and only wanting an end to this so I could go home and sort this out. I rolled my body over and looked face to face to Dari and another pony. I closed my eyes thinking it was a dream and rolled back over. My brain didn't process the fact two ponies were in my room and one I had never seen before, the other meant to be dead. I groaned a yawn and decided I better say hello. "Morning Dari." I groaned. She squeaked a reply. I scrawled at her with eyes still closed, when I finally opened them the other pony held a hoof out. "Dari can't speak right now. The rebirth process left her mute for now with a mind like a child. Well, openly, inside its still Dari. The last Siren. The name is Star Burst partner." The second pony said, I was still too sleepy to care so brohoofed him and decided to get up. "Ah I see, rebirth spells will do that to you." I replied, Star Burst stepped back, as did Dari. "We will let you get ready. Met us all in the main hall when you are done." Star Burst said and I nodded, the two ponies left. I sat on the bed for a few seconds then panicked. "Holy fuck Dari is back!" I shouted, rushing around to get dressed. I slowly walked toward the hall and could already hear talking from where I was. Aeb appeared from the doorway up ahead and saw me. "Haze! Quick! That pony Siren Dari you spoke about is here, as well as Luna's lover Star Burst!" Aeb shouted, then became a green unicorn with black hair. Aeb shock his head, continued to change randomly then went back to his grey Earth pony self. He looked to his hooves in confusion. "Still?" I asked quickening my pace. From afar I saw Aeb nod his head. "Happened all last night. Didn't get any sleep." Aeb grunted. "Me neither." I admitted, then reached the doorway, inside everypony was present, Dari was rolling around the floor like a baby would but with a very pissed off face. "Ah Bright Haze, glad you are up finally. Now we can get onto this matter at hoof. Or, knife, or claw." Star Burst said, looking down on Nick. "Yeah. Sir Nick-" I began. "Sir Knifely the sharp." Nick corrected. "-Is a good member to this group. As is Steven." I finished, Star Burst stared at me for ages, then smiled again and jumped onto a table. Everypony was here, except Dee. Everypony was surrounding Celestia and Star Burst and Luna now, the trio were going to talk. Out of habit I looked to Heart Breaker before Celestia spoke and as always, his face lite up. I had a great line I wanted to use when she had finished. "Okay, so Luna has thankfully piled information onto myself so I am completely up to date. As you know Kalmor has somehow returned and is on the prowl again. It is our job this time to hunt him down, and kill him. No mercy. I will be leading the expedition into the Everfree Forest with all of you. As you can also see Dari is in a rebirth state, meaning she won't be much use but can still, hopefully fight, she will be in this state for an unknown amount of time and I shall use a spell to figure out when she will be her normal recovered self again, later after this fight. There are a lot of weaponry and armour ready for you all so I will now hoof you over to Celestia." Star Burst exclaimed. Spectra didn't look happy about Star Burst taking command, we normally would just wing it, but I guess this Kalmor bastard would need a few hits before he fell. "My little ponies, I have asked you to do this task for me not of spite or just because I can, or any of that. I ask you this because I know you can all do this. You can all defeat this Kalmor enemy and bring permanent peace to Equestria. If you win this fight my ponies, I swear as ruler of these lands never to ask anything from you all again. Your rest is needed and your days of fighting are over soon. Now, please go out there and show Kalmor why he shouldn't have come back." Celestia said, Luna nodded and we all began to head to the armoury. All thirteen of us. Inside all sorts of weapons hung from the wall. Spears, crossbows, axes, nearly any sort of killing weapon was hanging down the wall on string or chains. With help we all put armour on, I my Dweller armour, not by choice it just had lots of slots and gadgets I could use to store weapons. I helped out everypony else as that doped on their armour. I slipped in a hidden axe blade on one hoof and a long knife blade on the other, placed a crossbow and quiver on my back and a shield on my left hoof. Dari grabbed a small mace to hold and put on leather armour, Twilight and her friends all wore traditional white plated armour with a spear saddle or crossbow. Rainbow put on some dark metal armour that looked a bit like the Sky Dweller were. She had a double axe on her back which I presumed would only be good in flight. Heart Breaker put on white boiled leather on, a heavy crossbow on his back and a hidden blade arm on. Steven was wearing old dragon warrior armour and was wielding a giant ass tree club. Nick was wearing a strip, yes strip of leather he had cut of and tied round himself and also held a shard of glass. I looked in wonder when Nick had done that, even weirder when he chipped a piece of door away as a shield. I laughed. "What a clay horse there sir knight." I joked, then remembered the joke for Heart Breaker. "Hey Heart?" I asked, he turned. "I was mind wondering, what was it Celestia said earlier? I missed it. All." I asked, Heart Breaker smiled and repeated what the princess had said word for word. Gods Heart Breaker was a good friend. I smiled and he punched me when he realized what I had done and a small dart thing shot out of the armour should plates, nailing the wall inches above Aeb's head. He kept trying to put armour on but everytime he chose one that fitted he would change form randomly to different sized ponies. Once he became an alicorn taller than Heart Breaker, then a little filly. I kept wondering what the fuck was up with him, but I guess we all did. "Ready?" Star Burst said, he held a mace in his hoof and wore full scale royal armour. Helmet and all. "Yep. Let's go fuck this guys day up." I answered, laughing, we all walked out of the castle in armour and armed. Heading for the forest. At the edge, a battle raged on. Guards stood everywhere fighting back hordes of timber wolves. A shadowed figure stoodnear the treeline. "Oh good, look who is back." Rainbow grunted. "Who?" I asked. "Ah, you were with the Changelings, that there is the Timberpony. We shot him and the chaos of the Everfree flooded from him, he had been completely corrupted by the forest's power." Rainbow answered, I nodded. "So he is bad guy?" I asked. "No look, he is fighting the wolves!" Spectra shouted. Pointing a hoof. It was true, the pony had a large stick and was bashing the wolves, helping the guards. "This isn't his work then, probably Kalmor's doing. The Timberpony coming back would be that old magic." Twilight said. Horn glowing. "Yes, well we must get to Kalmor and kill him." Star Burst said. "But what about the fight here?" Rarity asked. I nodded. "We can't just leave them." Aeb's mare form agreed. "Fine. Sir Haze, you take Aeb, Spectra, Heart Breaker, Nick and Rainbow into the forest and kill Kalmor." Star Burst ordered. "What about you?" I asked. "You know what my alicorn power is?" He asked me. I nodded, lying "Well after this long dead.-" Star Burst's eyes went a dark shade and he began to form lots of muscle. Panting hard he grown size slightly the turned to me. "-IT'S TIME TO LET DARK-STAR LET SOME STEAM OFF!" He shouted and charged the wolf lines, the mane size and Steven followed suite. I stared at everypony left in turn. "Fuck." I said. "I can do that. Dark-Red." Spectra replied. I repeated what I just said. "Fuck." Then we began for the old castle.
Nightmare landsAs we all moved into the Everfree, bypassing the fight at the edge, it was clear by the howls and cries that Timber wolves had littered themselves all over th, dark, damp, dangerous Everfree Forest. Hundreds were still charging and I saw almost instantly we would have to fight all the way to the old castle. I stabbed out, flying slightly to gain more height, with my blade and axe, cutting into the wood and sticks making up the timber wolves, I heard shouting of somepony calling out for Rainbow or Spectra as we continued fighting through the lines of the corrupt wolves but I otherwise ignored it, too busy killing shit. I heard a pony coming toward us as we slowly made our way through, leaving ruined sticks and pieces of splinter behind, I looked to the Changeling and saw that he was changing randomly again but looked to be trying his best to ignore it. He was glowing a dim brown colour but maybe didn't realize, or like the random race changing, didn't care to become stressed about it anymore. He stabbed out with the spear and suddenly began swearing every time he changed form. Nopony still hadn't figured out why he was changing, but that was for another time. I stopped fighting for a moment to see two ponies coming our way, one was a dark brown or green colour and seemed to be made almost entirely of wood, the other was a tall, dark coloured pony with no visible cutie mark. "Shadow? What the buck are you doing here? Thought you left for Changeling kingdoms?" Spectra asked, Aeb backed away from the black pony and seemed, scared of him. I looked to Aeb as he became a young colt alicorn, then a filly Pegasus, then finally a fully grown Celestia look-alike. Heart Breaker stood to attention at Aeb's new form but then remembered who it was and just stared, Aeb, despite himself, laughed then became his normal pony self again. "I did, the job is done. I came back, and met a few friends." Shadow replied, just as he said that a dozen figures came out of the forest, the leader I instantly knew, the leader was a strong stallion with a reputation as far as the Dweller borders of the Crystal Empire went. He , along with the group were known all throughout Equestria as simply; The Bloody Skulls. "Lez Dresdal you bastard. Welcome back!" I shouted, almost ignoring the wooden pony. He smiled at me and put his forelegs out in surprise. Last I saw Dresdal was at the battle of Canterlot against the Changeling army. "Ah Haze! Good to see you, we heard about this mage treat and had to come and fight again." The pony replied. Usually the Bloody Skulls would fight traitor Griffons or just anything that would wish to attack Equestria, apparently from what AJ had told me, they had recently been on leave but occasionally killing off a Changeling survivor tribe or two, slowly wiping their population out. "That and those griffons were less of a worry than we though." Stone Mountain, the brute of the gang, the Bloody Skulls added in his deep voice. So they had just finished off a Griffon mission before coming here, presumably they finished off the thing quicker than normal as they hadn't really rushed to come her. But it was what they do. Now they were here, everypony enemy would be shitting themselves where they sleep. "Ah, I am sorry, you are?" I asked the wood pony. He smiled and bowed, a piece of wood from his foreleg snapping off and then magically reforming itself through the ponies magic. "My name is Diamond Ray. I once tried to travel through the Everfree and it corrupt me, into the thing I am today. Thanks to Rainbow I fell before I could actually kill anypony but for whatever reason I came back to the living, I found Shadow here taking on some timber wolves and decided to help." The pony said. "Yeah, sorry about killing you." Rainbow muttered, blushing. "No hard feelings, you did what you had too. Now, about why I returned. Does any pony know?" He asked. "I do. An old alicorn by the name of Kalmor Rift has returned and is terrorizing Equestria again. Due to a portal connecting our world to another one, magic is drifting in and out and a very old resurrection spell has taken power from the rift and brought back a dozen or so ponies who died." Spectra said. Everypony looked to him. "A magic spell brought you back to life because there is an invisible hole in the sky." I explained, Diamond Ray nodded in understanding. "Well there is quite a lot of us now. So what's the plan?" Nick asked. "Same as before, just this time we have the numbers to fight whatever Kalmor throws at us." Heart Breaker replied. I nodded and we began to move forward again, fighting down everything that came our way. The castle was supposedly not that far away but with all these Timber wolf attacks, not that they were damaging or hurting any of us, they were just annoying, we were going at a very slow pace. I didn't think Kalmor would send any sort of challenge at us until I saw a five headed Hydra up ahead. Everypony with a crossbow loaded up and the rest of us held tight onto weaponry. The beast saw us and began to charge. I galloped forward and flow over it, stabbing down twice blinding one head completely. "We can't kill it, the heads will re-grow, so just blind it!" I ordered, everypony nodded. Bolts flow at the beast, everypony except Heart Breaker's. He laughed. "I will need it later, this bolt has Kalmor Rift written all over it." The Alicorn said, I nodded understanding and stabbed down again. Two heads were blinded by me and a third had six bolts hanging out of it. Spectra's eyes began to glow red and he charged forward, screaming. He punched into the Hydra's stomach and burst open the skin. He screamed as the insides splattered out and the beast fell. He flow up punching the heads and eyes. Its body fell, roaring in pain as the thing crashed down Dark-red burst a head open, brains and skull leaking everywhere. He went back to normal and climbed off the dead body. He turned to us, everypony, even the Bloody Skulls group were in silent shock. "We need to keep moving no?" He asked. I just moved my head in surprise and carried on. Completely startled. "Gods above." Razor the red pony from Bloody Skulls said, holding his knife in hoof. Everypony with a crossbow reloaded and we carried on, toward the castle. Toward our fight.
Shadowed TaleAs always the deeper into the Everfree we got, the darker it became. The light equalled almost midnight in normal terms. Our very small army of ponies trotted through the forest toward our goal, it was quiet now. No more Hydra's or Timber Wolves, just peace. Something was wrong. I had taken the front alongside Heart Breaker, Spectra and Nick who rode on the Pegasus's back. The kings armour was getting tight again, it seemed to constantly fight me to take the thing off, like some magic was on it. Something was definitely up with the magic on Equestria. Aeb transforming randomly, armour fighting back, rouge spells coming back to life. This couldn't all be because of the rift. Could it? I wasn't sure anymore what was going on, only I needed to kill this alicorn and go home to Dee. The old castle shouldn't be to far ahead now. I didn't remember. I decided a conversation would quicken our travels and thought of a topic. "Does Dari remember anything do you think?" Heart Breaker asked suddenly, bastard, I wanted to make idle chatter. I smiled and almost laughed. "What do you mean?" I replied, confused toward the question. "I mean like, does she remember how she died, and how painful it could've been?" He asked, clearly talking about whether the explosion hurt her or not, and if so, how much it hurt her. "Ah." I exclaimed. "I guess. She certainly knew who we were, she hasn't said much to say she is hurt, or was hurt, this rebirth thing has messed with her mind." I added. "Yeah, but she also 'knew' who Star Burst was." I had to agree there. Maybe she didn't know us, just knew who was good and who was evil. Apparently she had gone with the good side with was always a plus sign. "I looked into Siren history quickly before you came in and just before we left, what's with this mention of a Dweller/Siren war?" Spectra asked. I was screwed there, I had heard of it and knew some history but not a lot, all i knew was that Siren ponies had awesome powerful arcane magic's and any race of pony could use them. Not just Unicorns or Alicorns. "That I can say." The Timberpony exclaimed. Diamond Ray cleared his throat. "What would you like to know Spectra Speed?" He asked, I kept looking at the pony in disbelief, he was covered in wooden attachments and one leg kept breaking but repairing. Flesh was hanging lose and some blood dripped down his leg and shoulder. He must have been in so much pain, doing this alone and for some wolves to eat. I was surprised he hasn't died of any contamination or disease. "Everything really, I am amazed at history, who are the Sky Dwellers, why did they attack the Sirens, what was the wars outcome." Spectra replied, I smiled again, Spectra was certainly one with his Equestrian history. I personally wanted to know more on the Crystal Empire Celestia had said about to Kalmor. What was it and where was it, why was it the Crystal Empire? I must take Dee to see it one day. If that is, she takes me back ever. "Okay then. For that I must tell you a story thousands of years ago.-" Diamond Ray said, then began his story. "Thousands of years ago Cloudsdale was a horrible place, it would take in disabled Pegasi or homeless, weak, anything that would ruin their perfect image and turn them into, Rainbows. They got away with it for ages, four generations in fact, however ponies did soon realize what was going on and the factory shut down, everypony who worked there was executed. At one point in the factory's rein the CEO's of the place took in one hundred ponies to make a super rainbow, one with enough power to power all of Equestria. However before this, 'miracle' could be made the hundred ponies escaped and vowed to fight Cloudsdale and everything around it. They began to breed and slowly became their own, unique pony race. The Sky Dwellers. They took the outer badlands to make their cloud cities, unnamed in case anything could be related to the hated kinda of ponies. The Siren race, magic ponies who used very powerful, very unique magic no matter what race they were. They were sent to try to reason with the Dwellers, that the factory had been destroyed, however the hatred the Dwellers had grown for centuries had reached the peak, and the Dwellers went to war. The thing lasted almost two hundred years, but sadly left the Sirens almost extinct. Only a few remain, and as far as any pony knows, Dari is the last of her kind. Sirens were peaceful ponies, but were destroyed by the evil, twisted Dwellers. There reasons for hating everypony was natural, but they nearly wiped out Dari's entire race." Diamond Ray finished his story, a few tears falling down his eyes. Everypony was silent again. Trotting quietly through the forest, not making a sound. "So, Dari is the last Siren?" Spectra asked, I nodded. I knew it was bad, but after this story, it showed how much hatred the Dwellers once had. I hated them, hated them for what they did and hated myself for going there ever, I was supposedly their king. I felt like screaming out, but held it in. "Their king now is supposed to be a real dictator. He has more hatred than any king before." Diamond Ray said. "He is dead." I muttered. "Oh, I would hate to be the next in line." "That's me." "Oh." "I killed him and they crowned me, I turned the place into a mining kingdom, not one Sky Dweller born has a weapon of any kind anymore, and Princess Luna is ruling them. I was just the one to swing the spearhead down." I muttered. Heart Breaker looked exactly how I felt, angry, full of rage. "So,how did Dari die again?" Spectra asked. A tear rolling down his check. "She used all her magic to explode inwards, causing the mana inside and around her to explode into a huge bomb thing. She blasted the gates of Canterlot so we could break in and save Luna, and finish the Changeling army." I replied. "Ah I see." Spectra replied. We walked for what seemed to be a few more minutes when suddenly I caught sight of something. A ledge, a bridge, a castle. "The ruined castle, we made it." Nick muttered. "Incoming!" Somepony shouted as a ball of white fire came bursting out of the huge, still standing tower right at us. We scattered.
Broken GemsI managed to jump out of the way of the spell, as did everypony else, but when the spell hit the ground, giant red scorpion things appeared and began to attack. I was with Heart Breaker and Aeb we were stuck and weren't sure what to do. Spectra was kicking into one of the beasts and saw us apart from the rest. "Go kill Kalmor." Spectra said. "I GOT THIS." Dark-Red replied and attacked with unknown furry. I caught sight of the unicorns place protective spells over everypony. Either protecting themselves from scorpion attack, or Dark-Red's furry. With that in mind i began to cross the bridge, well flow over it, as did Aeb, obviously Heart Breaker had to walk over it and thankfully we had no trouble crossing. Once over we stepped into the old castle domain and weren't sure where to go from there. I spotted flashing lights and saw a pony's shadow in the tallest tower and began to gallop toward it. "There." I said. Galloping full on toward Kalmor. I heard the fighting outside as I ran, not turning my head to check if Aeb or Heart Breaker were following. This was it. This was the time we killed Kalmor Rift. We ran up and up the stairwell toward him and I suddenly stopped, so did the other two. "What?" Aeb asked. As a mare. "How are we going to kill this guy? He would ha e protected himself from attacks wouldn't he of?" I asked. Heart Breaker face hoofed himself. "Of course. Well apparently no pony ever looted the armoury, so there may be a weapon there we could use. I have an idea as to what but not sure if it is here." Heart Breaker said, turning around and heading downstairs. I followed, then Aeb did. I followed Heart Breaker all around the castle and he seemed to know his way pretty good, as i was already lost. But nevertheless, Heart Breaker did find a set of double doors and opened them. Weapons lined the wall, all sorts of stuff, there were maces, swords, axes, even a weird white orb or two. Heart Breaker grabbed it and gave us one each, it was surprisingly light for its size but still awkward, i wondered what it did. "What the fuck does this do?" I asked, Heart Breaker just muttered something, he wasn't listening, he was searching for something. I looked behind me and was face to face with a greener version of me. "What?" A Twilight sounding voice asked. Aeb had randomly changed again. "You are a green version of me Aeb." I replied, he looked to himself and just laughed. "I am not even going to get pissed about this anymore." He admitted. Changing back. "Change to your normal form for a second." I asked. "I am in normal form." He said. "No I mean Changeling form." I explained, he did but then changed back to his pony self straight away. "That's weird." He said, confuses again, he tried again, same results. "You can't change back to normal form anymore?" I asked. Aeb shook his head. "Ah." I muttered. "Yes! It is here!" Heart Breaker exclaimed. Holding out a silver bolt. I stared at it, then Heart Breaker. "A silver crossbow bolt?" I asked. He nodded then shot the wall, unloading his crossbow. "Load me up." He ordered giving me the bolt. Aeb became a random unicorn and magic'ed it on. The weapon was now armed and we were ready to fight. "So what does the bolt do?" I asked. Heart Breaker grabbed a blue metal sword out as well. "It will break his mental protection. We need this sword to break his physical ones, then another blow to kill him." Heart Breaker said. "I think." He added. "Outstanding. I will swing the sword. Heart Breaker you shot him and Aeb, kill him." I said, everypony nodded and we began to climb the stairs again. We reached the door we were all certain Kalmor was behind and readied ourselves, I had the sword in hoof, Aeb had a spiked club and Heart Breaker had two crossbows on, one with the magic bolt, another for a killing blow were everything to fail. I looked to everypony who nodded, then opened the door. The world went whit for a moment and when I could see again it was daytime. We weren't in the Everfree anymore. We were at the side of a river. The sun was out and the birds singing. I looked around and saw Heart Breaker and Aeb next to me. Kalmor Rift stood on a bridge above us all. "How poetic Celestia sends some ponies to kill me. Its a pity, I wanted you lot as slaves when I returned, but I guess you are going to kill me so be done quickly." He said. I wasn't sure what to do now. I looked to Heart Breaker who was equally as confused. I just decided to gun it and charge him. I ran straight at him and sliced into him with the blue sword. He screamed out in pain and began glowing. "Impossible! No blade can kill me. My magic is failing. How?" Kalmor asked, then punched me, I felt pain and my body crashed into the river bank, the water was ice cold and my vision blurred already. I saw Aeb run at him next, as Heart Breaker shot the bolt. Hitting him, Kalmor screamed out, glowing white light I saw Aeb swing down with his mace to perform the killing blow. Then lightning hit him from Kalmor's horn, the Changeling went flying and smacked down onto the opposite bank. I called out but Aeb was also passed out. He was bleeding and burnt badly, his body went limp and I crawled toward him. "How dare you hurt my friends" I heard Heart Breaker shout. I heard a whizzing sound, another Kalmor scream but ignored it, I was next to Aeb now. My vision failing, going black. I felt blood trickle down my body and into the icy water. Aeb didn't move, I pushed him with a hoof. Nothing. I called out Aeb's name, then Derpy's. Then passed out. Heart Breaker saw Haze fly across the sky from Kalmor's hit and then shot the silver bolt. Kalmor was so weak, Heart Breaker nearly recoiled when he saw how powerful the lightning was that hit Aeb square on and also sent him flying. Haze would be alright, but Aeb, Heart Breaker couldn't be sure. "How dare you hurt my friends!" Heart Breaker shouted, then flexed a hoof, firing the second crossbow, it hit Kalmor right where the emerald on his neck was and shattered the gem. Green shards shot everywhere as the bolt pierced skin. Kalmor cried out in pain. "Aeb! Derpy!" Haze shouted, weakly. Heart Breaker looked to the now passed out Pegasus king and then back to the enemy. His horn was glowing as the enemy tried to heal. Heart Breaker charged picking up the mace Aeb had dropped and charged straight into the Alicorn mage. Heart Breaker swung the weapon winding the dying mage who fell to the floor. Heart Breaker remembered an old line from somewhere and saw his moment. Holding the mace in two hooves Heart Breaker looked into the eyes of Kalmor who looked up at Heart Breaker. "Looks like your about to get powned." Heart Breaker said and swung the mace down, Kalmor's skull exploded in blood and bone, the world went white again and the trio were in the castles tower again. Aeb laying against the wall, Haze near him. Both passed out. Voices could be heard from downstairs and Heart Breaker begs to shout. "Help! Aeb and Haze are wounded! We need to get them back again!" Heart Breaker shouted. Then passed out himself.
Standing tall once moreI was the first to awaken apparently. Aeb was in some sort of coma and Heart Breaker had just completely collapsed after shooting Kalmor. I woke and saw Rainbow and Spectra, who told me everything that happened. Kalmor had apparently teleported us to some bridge near Ponyville and his body had been collected by Celestia and burnt. He had blasted myself and Aeb backward and both of us were internally bleeding. Thankfully though most of Aeb's was fixed and I was filly healed. I looked around the crowd of my friends to search for Dee, when she wasn't there my heart sank. Diamond Ray walked up to me with a grin. "Welcome back to the living. You did it, well apparently Heart Breaker did it. But you survived and are back." He said. Then stepped aside to let Nick climb my bed and get in ear range of me. "Yeah, fuck all this knighthood stuff. I award Heart Breaker the Hero of the Day award." He said smiling as well. Well without a face I presumed the knighted knife was smiling. "Does anypony know where Dee is?" I suddenly asked. Everypony fell silent. "She, she never came up here to see you. In fact she hasn't left her house since she left Canterlot." Nick replied slowly. I nodded and stood up, more quickly than I should have because I fell back down with my head dizzy and my vision blurry. I tried again but I found I couldn't move. Something was stopping me. The dark pony Shadow blurred into excistance and I saw his two front hooves were on me. "You are hurt Haze, stay here." Shadow said. I nodded and smiled, Shadow let go, big mistake. I shot up and flow into the air as fast as I could and began to dart toward Dee's house. I heard my name being called and some fly up to follow me but I was too fast and shot across the sky. My head spinning and my vision blurring I began to go in circles in the air, spinning out of control. I landed somehow and stumbled onto the doorway of Dee's house. Knocked on the door as weak as if a flow of water had hit it. I heard Dee coming and as she opened the door. I fainted in her arms. My world going black once more. -_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_-- Back Canterlot Heart Breaker was the next to wake. He was confused for a second but then everything came back to him. The fight, the crossbow. And Aeb! Heart Breaker jumped a bit, everypony looking at him and he noticed Aeb, laying still barely breathing, Heart Breaker looked to his left but noticed Haze was missing. "Where is Bright Haze?" Heart Breaker asked. "He went to fix the thing between him and Derpy. Glad you are up." Spectra replied, brohooving the white Alicorn. "Hero of the Day!" Nick shouted from somewhere. Heart Breaker laughed and began to sit up, felt fine so sat up the whole way, staring onto everypony. They all stood awkwardly for a moment until a groan came from Dari. Everypony stared at her. She was glowing bright yellow and her stomach was growing, she groaned again, in pain and began to get a nose bleed, she throw up a few times next and everypony stood shocked. Twilight cast a spell over the Siren and screamed out. "Dari is in labor!" She shouted, everypony gasped as the Pegasus continued to scream out. Spectra and Shadow dragged her and put her onto the bed. "Rainbow, fly to Celestia, we need a mare doctor who can deliver babies!" Twilight shouted, Dari screamed out and opened her legs to let loose. "Shit!" Somepony shouted as Dari naturally began to push to get the baby out. She screamed over and over and didn't stop. Blood began to flood out of her marehood and she continued to glow with magic. Nopony seemed to notice Aeb was also glowing. "I guess I will have to do it." Twilight said, horn glowing. "Spectra go get Haze. And Dee. This is fucking important." Heart Breaker said, the Pegasus nodded and shot off. Dari cried out and pushed harder. Blood and tears flowing uncontrollably. -_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_-- I woke to see Dee over me crying. she was holding tightly onto me, as to not let go and she buried her face into my body. "Dont die on me again. You promised, I know I said I didn't care anymore but I do. Just come back to me!" She shouted. I looked at her and raised a hoof, then slowly began to stroke her mane, caring. Calming her. "Dee, I am here." I said, my vision was grey and blurry, my head spun in circles but I was alive. "I do care for you Haze. Did you do it?" She asked, I nodded, then felt pain in my head and regretted it. "Yes. Its over, we can have peace. If you want to have peace with me?" I asked. Dee smiled then leant in close to my ear. "I have to now, not just due to marriage." She muttered. "What do you mean?" I asked. She smiled and I suddenly noticed something about her. "Holy fuck." I muttered, she nodded. "I am with child." She said. "Okay, what should we name it?" I asked. "If it's stallion; Crystal Haze, if it's a mare, you choose." Dee replied winking. I thought for a moment then said. "Tage." Dee smiled and nodded, there was a knock on the door, I managed to stand but by then Dee had opened the door and I saw Spectra standing at the doorway. "Spectra? What is the matter?" I asked confused, clearly. "Dari, Dari is with child. She is in labor now, as we speak. I need you-" Spectra panted, he looked to Dee and smiled, Dee nodded and Spectra winked at both of us in turn. "-And you wife to come back to Canterlot right now." Spectra panted again, I nodded and the three of us began flying back. -_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_-- We flow back and I saw straight away where the baby would be born. Dari could be heard screaming from a mile back and doctor ponies ran about all around her. We landed with the others and I stood next to Heart Breaker and Nick. "How long she been at it?" I asked. "Nearly since you left. Give or take a minute." Nick replied, we all stood staring. Aeb was still on his bed, a few unicorns working on him now but many focused on Dari. With her broken mind she must be so alone and confused. I had no idea how this had happened but according to everypony else, neither did they. "Push my dear. Push." A doctor said to Dari, she did and after about ten minutes I could see a hoof. I also heard a moan from somewhere and a doctor call my name. I turned to the sound and saw Aeb stirring and Doctors calling me. I walked over to them and saw Aeb, wide awake and moving. "Haze. Haze." Aeb asked. I got in his field of vision. "Haze." He muttered I held onto his hoof. Blood trikled down his nose and out of his mouth. "What happened?" I asked. "His lungs gave up and collapsed." A doctor said. "Then fucking fix it!" I shouted. "We can't." was the reply. I stormed up to the unicorn who said it and went as close as I could to him. "You listen to me Doc. You fix him or at least try your very fucking best to heal him or so help me I will-" I was stopped. I felt a hoof touch mine, I turned to Aeb who looked to me with a false grin. "Don't worry about me Haze. I will, be ab-so-lotly, fine." Aeb grunted, his pony self fading as he became himself in Changeling form. "We had. We had a good, run eh?" Aeb muttered, Dari continued to scream, her voice hoarse and dying. Another hoof was seen coming out. "Aeb, don't you fucking die. DO SOMETHING!" I shouted to the doctors who rushed in and began healing him with magic. "Come on Bright Haze, you win this fight. We all did, no more fights, no more wars. Just peace, and if. If this is the peace I am to get. Then. So be it. We all knew we would die. One day. But today. Is my last on. Equest-. Goodby Haze. We, we had a good run." Aeb said and at the simultaneous moment the baby came out of Dari, Aeb passed away, his eyes closing and his pulse stopped. I looked to the doctors healing him and they stopped with the spells. "He is.-" One began. I began to walk away. "Don't even fucking say it." I muttered, going over to Derpy. "What should the baby be called?" A nurse asked Dari, i didn't expect a reply but Dari opened her mouth and weakly said. "Aeb Tree-Born." Before Dari fell asleep. I smiled onto the new born and looked to Dee, and Heart Breaker, Spectra and Nick and all the rest. The war was over, fate had finished with us. And we could go home now.... The End.... For now.. EquestrianWriter / Bright Haze..
9/11Now I am not American, nor did anyone I know of die in the attacks on the World Trade Centre but it always hurts me whenever this day comes around. This chapter will be on all my fictions new and old so you will be seeing it a lot, those following me anyway. I would like to thank those who saved survivors from the rubble of the twin towers that day and would like us all to remember everybody who died that day, civilians, firemen and police. Everybody who was killed and affected by the attack twelve years ago today. My thoughts go out to all those who died in the tower, planes and those killed in the aftermath of the bombings. Thank you.
Explainations; Or a tale of 2 and a half thousand years agoCelestia's story of Kalmor- Two thousand and five hundred years ago our old city florist with young unicorn mages eager to learn the arts, I built a tower excluded from the rest of the city so they could practice under mine, and Luna's supervision. We were proud beyond reason at how our unicorns were learning, becoming stronger, smarter. They would never want to stop using their magic, but would still welcome the time they could go home to their families, everypony was learning good magic, we had grown an army of Equestria's defenders an almost unstoppable force. But one day, this middle aged unicorn comes into the tower and asks me to help him learn aging spells so he could practice for much longer than most. I agreed thinking everypony would ask for it, but this mage; Kalmor, had been learning dark magic on his own in the forbidden area of the old library. He was near on invisible with never aging and all the dark protection spells he had casted on himself. Kalmor became more dark and evil as time went by and one day, he broke. Kalmor went crazy and began killing the mages in the tower, shooting them all with his magic lightning. Hundreds died, he burned down the tower and then disappeared. For years myself and Luna believed him dead, but we were wrong. For almost one thousand years passed and almost all memory of Kalmor had died, Luna had a coltfriend Star Burst and the city and mage tower were growing again. But one day, Kalmor returned, very much alive. The mage had gone into complete darkness, he had learnt all kinds of magic's, many from the western Zebras and long expelled enemies, Kalmor summoned an Ursa Major and commanding the beast to attack our glorious city, Star Burst fought the thing, defeating it but sadly falling into the Void with it. We were forced to evacuate and once again Kalmor vanished. We moved to the mountains where Canterlot is now. That was also the day where Luna became Nightmare Moon. I was now on my own fighting Kalmor, not knowing where he was, but still ready to fight if the need arrived. One day, it did. Almost two hundred years after Nightmare Moon's banishment passed and Kalmor came back, asking just for a duel between myself and him. I accepted and after almost two weeks of fighting. I won, killing the mage, almost falling myself. But we were safe. And that, my little ponies, is who Kalmor is.
