The Legend of Gylden Glør
Side note: read up to at least the chapter, 'Legends Part 1' in 'Chronicle of Choices' before you read this!
The Golden Warrior arrived upon the winds of the night,
His steel wings whispering the darkness of his coat,
His ebony horn glowing as gold as the stripes upon his coat.
The Guardian of Harmony opened his eyes. Discord was killing his carefully constructed Reality, as well as the ponies who inhabited it...
For one year, he had watched the forces of Discord meet those of Celestia and Luna again, and a gain, and again. Now the Draconequus was winning the war, slowly crushing the life out of Harmony.
The zebra stood, his ebony horn glowing, his wings of metal spreading, whispering as they did. He summoned the winds of the night; the dark guardians of the light. He let them carry him to the dying world.
The Golden Warrior walked out into a world of Chaos and Discord,
Onto a battlefield between good and evil,
His breastplate and cloak of fire burning as hot and as passionate as his soul.
The Golden Warrior entered the wordl, dozens of retreating ponies staring as the zebra entered the land, streaks of golden light falling behind him.
He wept, seeing the destruction, the dead ponies everywhere...the minions of Discord flooding the battlefield, killing those who could not run. Fillies wept for lost fathers, colts for lost mares, and mares for lost fillies and colts.
As usual, in the war, the women bear the greatest responsibility...the mourning of the dead, and the mourning of the living...
The Golden Warrior felt the Chaos in everypony's heart, the tumult they experienced. His soul of flaming rage became corporeal, donning him in a breastplate and cloak of pure fire, of pure anger and pain, the embers glowing as bright as his horn as he descended into the world, the power of Harmony enveloping the ruins of the Canterlot castle, flying buttresses crushing those who were once held up by the elegant arches...
He warded the castle, ushering ponies into its crumbling foundation from left and right, receiving looks of awe as he spoke.
"By the Power of Harmony, I command you to flee this battle! Run back to the castle, as I have warded it, it is now protected by the grace of Harmony! Run, everypony, run!"
As soon as everypony was inside of the castle, the Warrior stood his ground, staring the horrifying beasts down, their gesticulating limbs slick with the blood of fillies and colts alike, their nightly raids having angered the residents enough.
Thus is how the great Guardian presented himself to the Princesses,
His horn awash with light,
His wings thrumming with energy.
Thus is how Gylden Glør, the Guardian of Harmony appeared to the Sun and the Moon.
He fought bravely, loved the shunned;
He beat back the forces of Chaos, and he used his Harmony to recreate Reality.
Gylden Glør's wings glowed with a hidden power, his horn expanding to huge spike of light, his eyes replaced by glowing orbs of power, the golden irises hidden from view.
The golden stripes adorning his black body glowed as well, the power of Harmony surging through his veins, embodying him, making his breastplate glow even brighter, his cloak billow with more corporeal wisps of anger and determination.
He released the power, an involuntary cry of 'Harmony!' escaping his lips, bathing the area in a healing light. Strange patterns returned to grass, clouds of cotton candy to crystallized water vapor, and the beasts into nothing, turning to the Darkness they had come from, returning their souls to Discord, telling him that a true warrior now stood in his way.
He completed the ward, fully encircling the castle, and walked into the audience chamber, up to the two regal sisters, the Sun and the Moon.
"I am the Guardian of Harmony, the Golden Warrior, and Gylden Glør. I come to restore this land to its former glory, and to beat back the powers of Discord."
As he spoke, his horn glowed, filling all the ponies in the room with Kindness and Loyalty, reminding them to help their neighbors. He walked up to the two alicorns, maintaining his prominent stature, his metallic wings awash with power, his horn spreading Harmony throughout the distraught castle.
"You two...must remain here. Under no circumstances can either of you leave this castle, until I deem it appropriate."
The white alicorn answered first, her authority obvious.
"As thou wish, so it shalt be. Thy princess and I shall remain in this castle, and shall bequeath you with our trust and loyalty."
Gylden Glør nodded, turning, ready to face the horrors that Discord had created, ready to find any ponies on the brink of death and restore them, his duty top priority in this world of death.
He moved from body to body, checking their life force, confirming that they were dead, not dying. The few ponies he found that were not yet dead were past the point of return, their intestines spilled out and emaciated, their minds smashed in, their hearts and lungs acting only on instinct.
He found one pony, however, who could be healed. One single pony, whose wounds were not physical, but instead, on the soul. The grey Pegasus sat alone, weeping, back to the castle full of comfort.
"Young mare...why do you weep alone? You should be inside with everypony else, where you may be comforted, and comfort others."
The Pegasus looked up at him, the pain in her eyes causing his cloak and breastplate of fire to burn ever brighter, hating Discord for ever causing such emotional pain to a pony with such beautiful, yellow eyes, both looking straight ahead into the future.
"Because...I have no cutie mark..."
Gylden Glør looked at her flank, confirming the statement.
An almost grown mare, and no cutie mark...how odd...
"But why should that stop you from enjoying the company of others?"
The mare sniffed, eyes brimming with tears.
"Because everypony hates me...they think I bring pain and suffering with me..."
Gylden Glør knelt down next to the broken mare, placing a hoof under her chin, raising her eyes to his, the yellow irises meeting.
"You...you have the most beautiful eyes I have ever seen. They should not be clouded by tears of mourning for being shunned, but rather by tears of happiness for being accepted and loved."
The Pegasus smiled, her soul bolstered by his compliment.
"Th...thank you...your eyes are nice, too..."
Gylden Glør forgot his duties to the realm, as only this Pegasus mattered at the moment, reminding him of his life before he had become the Guardian of Harmony...a time when he, too, was shunned for having such a spiky mane, and golden stripes rather than white...and a horn, but no wings. Then the Element of Harmony had presented itself to him after he had tolerated everypony who shunned him, for being Kind to those who hurt him, for Generously giving back to those who took from him, for Laughing as he was ridiculed, for being Honest with the only pony who had ever loved him, for being Loyal to the only pony who had ever loved him, and finally, for performing the greatest Magic to defend the pony he loved.
Unfortunately, the pony he had loved was torn away from him, killed by the passage of Time while he remained living as a god...
But now, he had found that same love among the Chaos of his heart as he looked into the yellow eyes of the grey Pegasus, her golden hair falling over her shoulder.
"What is your name, young mare?"
"Ditzy Doo...what's yours?"
"My name is Gylden Glør. Ditzy, would you...would you care to walk with me?"
The grey Pegasus nodded, the zebra comforting her.
Gylden Glør walked everywhere with Ditzy Doo. She had become not only his partner, but his friend, and eventually, the love of his life. He had already loved her, but now, she loved him in return, about five months into his campaign against Discord.
He stumbled into his chambers in the crumbling castle, tired from attacking Discords' minions. Ditzy Doo looked up at him, love shining in her eyes.
"Gylden! You're okay, thank Celestia! I heard that everypony on the team had been..."
The zebra hugged Ditzy Doo back, kissing her, his love for her overwriting a century of immortal coldness.
"I love you, Ditzy Doo...you make feel...like a normal pony again..."
However, the sound of his metal wings whispering as they scraped against one another proved him wrong, his ebony horn glowing with dutiful Harmony reminding him of his never-ending job.
"Gylden...I think it's time we go see her..."
The zebra nodded, the Princess' words still ringing in his ears from the last time they had met.
'Thy love shall be thy downfall, or thy strongest attribute in this war...'
Gylden Glør walked with Ditzy Doo to the Princess' chambers. Once safely inside the warded room, he asked the question that was on both of their minds.
"Princess Celestia...when will I face Discord? What will happen to me and Ditzy Doo when I do?"
The Princess looked up, years of sorrow evident upon her face.
"You will make a choice, and that choice will be hard for you and Ditzy Doo...and if you do not make it, then all of Equestria will fall into Chaos...but if you do, then Ditzy Doo...will be cursed with the Eye of Dreams."
Celestia explained what the Eye of Dreams was, and then drifted back to sleep, her recent debate with Luna having exhausted her to the point of no return.
"Doo, let's go back to our room."
"What choice, Gylden?"
"I'll tell you in our room."
He walked back to his room with Ditzy Doo, the grey Pegasus never leaving his side.
Once safely inside their warded chambers, Gylden Glør looked at his love, not knowing how to tell her what he had tried to reject so many times...
"Ditzy Doo...I saw something in my sleep...about a choice. A choice that would depend the fate of Equestria from now until the End Times...a choice of Sacrifice. I can either give up the Element of Harmony, and make it into the six Elements of Harmony, which would then be Celestia and Luna's to control, and I can Sacrifice my soul to become the Seventh Element of Harmony itself...or-"
He was interrupted as a kiss was planted on his lips.
"Gylden Glør...I will never leave you, no matter what choice you choose. If you choose to Sacrifice yourself for the good of all of Equestria, then I will use the Eye of Dreams to help you find your wielder in later years..."
Gylden looked at the grey Pegasus, love filling his eyes, and he kissed her again, a passionate kiss full of emotion and gratefulness.
"Ditzy Doo...I love you...I never want to leave your side...I want to be there for you, always..."
"You will. If you choose to Sacrifice yourself, you will...and I will be with you, as well. In your heart. You may be a century old, and you may be a god, but you still have my love. You still have my love with you, Gylden...I will never leave you, and you will never leave me."
They kissed again, crying, already knowing which choice Gylden would choose.
"Ditzy Doo...just please, don't look when it happens..."
Upon the final battle with the deity of Chaos, the Guardian of Harmony lost his life,
But not in vain, as he gave his Harmony to the world,
Created the Six Elements of Harmony,
And Sacrificed himself to become the Seventh Element of Harmony.
Gylden Glør walked up the hill, the wind blowing his spiky mane astray, the golden stripes all over his body and hair glowing with love for the grey Pegasus that walked next to him.
When the reached the top, Gylden sighed, feeling apprehension as he prepared to call the name of the foe he had fought for the past half a year...
"I'm afraid, Doo..."
Ditzy Doo put a hoof on his shoulder, comforting him.
"Don't be. I'm here for you."
"But...if what she said is true, then you'll be cursed with the Eye..."
She kissed him, hard, their tongues darting at each other instinctively, trying to find the partner that made them feel...safe.
"So be it. I will use it to protect the world as you have, and I will live through each century as the Dreamer. And when the time comes, I will help you find a new wielder."
Gylden Glør nodded, staring deep into her beautiful, yellow eyes...
"You have beautiful eyes, Doo..."
"And so do you, Golden Embers..."
He shouted the name of his foe.
"Discord! I summon ye to face me on this accursed rock, as I will banish you to the world from whence you came! I shall defeat you here, with the Power of Harmony!"
His wings glowed, his horn turned into a staff of light, and his eyes disappeared behind pulsating energy. Just like his first day in Equestria as the Golden Warrior.
A cold, dark laugh filled the land, echoing off of the mountains, playing a note of Disharmony.
"My foe...you who have been a thorn in my side for a long half a year..."
And there stood the Draconequus, in all of his disjointed glory.
"Come to die, at last. You cannot possibly best me."
Ditzy Doo hid from the horrifying beast, its claws reaching out to crush the life out of the love of her life...
"I can. And I will. Through the Power of Harmony."
Discord laughed. He reached down and touched Gylden.
At that moment, Gylden did what he had to. He put all of his energy out, used all of it to create the Six Elements of Harmony, even as Discord tore at him, tearing his limbs off, opening his body, tearing at his organs with a greedy blood lust, Ditzy Doo forced to cower in fear, tears streaming down her face, as Gylden cried out in agony, gurgling as the energy and life left his body.
And suddenly, Celestia and Luna stood there, awaiting the six Elements of Harmony, their separated powers greater when combined, greater than the overbearing Element of Harmony.
They took them, the six glowing stones revolving around them, three around each alicorn.
And, even as a chromatic magical bolt shot from their horns, enveloping the screaming Draconequus in stone, Gylden Glør uttered one last thing.
"Ditzy Doo...I love you...now...then...and forever more..."
And his body disappeared in a wash of light, the Seventh Element of Harmony forming from his life force, leaving this world to await its wielder.
Ditzy Doo walked out into the hill, watching as Gylden Glørs' soul was carried off, the Seventh Element of Harmony shining with its hidden light.
And, as it faded, a light gathered around Ditzy Doo, designating her as the Dreamer who would help Gylden return to the world as the Seventh Element, and to help him find his true wielder.
Her eye was held in a fixed position, suddenly glowing with wisdom and Sight, allowing her to see past the Realm of Reality into the Realm of Dreams, where she could see the dark manifestations of a Nightmare in Luna, and two resurrections awaiting Discord...
When the tendrils of Chaos extend into the world for a third time,
It is said that the Seventh Element of Harmony shall present itself,
Not only to the Sun and the Moon,
But to the Dreamer as well.
Gylden Glør descended, the peacefully sleeping ponies not noticing the power that shone from within the comet, held deep within the clutches of Harmony.
He first descended to Celestia, unable to keep any form more than a ball as he did so. She dipped her horn into his energy, and saw the truth, the truth that the Seventh Element was coming back, and so was Discord.
After he shared the truth with Luna, he descended upon Ditzy Doo, who now lived as a mail mare.
He picked up a stone with his magic and knocked the door with it, eagerly awaiting seeing his true love again.
She answered the door, gasping, Gylden Glør immediately noticing the lazy eye, the Eye of Dreams.
She reached for him, but could not touch his ghost.
He reached for her, but could not reach her body.
They cried, and when Gylden Glør had finished talking, he left, the apparition draining his scant amount of energy.
And his favorite memory with his love rose up as he retreated from the world, tears of Sacrifice falling behind him as he painfully remembered that glorious day...
Ditzy Doo and him sat side by side, simply watching the patch of Harmony that grew in the Princess' garden.
They watched the beauty, and Ditzy Doo leaned upon him, wrapping her arms around him like she did so often.
However, today was different.
Today was the day that Gylden would tell her how he felt.
"Doo, I have something that I want to tell you..."
The grey Pegasus shushed him, raising her lips to his.
She kissed him, her tongue darting into his mouth, grappling with the zebras' tongue.
Gylden held her tighter, regretting that he would one day have to die to save her...
"I love you too, Gylden..."
At that moment, his heart exploded with joy, and he kissed her again, tears of joy squeezing past through his tear ducts.
"Doo, I love you...I love you, Doo...I love you!"
They repeated the word 'love' to each other over and over again, not tiring of its magical effect.
And they both knew that if anypony had walked in on them, then and there, they wouldn't have understood what it was like.
But to Gylden, it was not only the greatest day of his life, but it reminded him of what it felt like to be loved...
And that He who Wields the Seventh Element of Harmony,
Shall be Kind,
Honest,
Loyal,
Filled with Laughter,
Generous,
And able to perform the greatest feats of Magic.
Gylden's soul watched the new inhabitant with care.
He made no assumptions.
But he knew that the seven Soul Gem fragments were something to behold.
And he knew that the Doctor had done his job well.
Ditzy Doo, ordering around a Time Lord...who would've thought it about ten or twenty centuries ago, huh?
He saw a choice made.
And he dreaded its outcome.
He added an eighth passage to his 'Legend', one that no mortal pony would ever hear.
And in the same way the Seventh Element of Harmony was made,
So shall it be begotten.
Through Love.
