Chapter 11: Loyalty

Lightning immediately jumped at the stallions that attacked them; his wings were a flurry of steel.

"Let's show these jokers whose boss!" Lightning called

Twilight fired off magic blasts while Rainbow flew in and kicked some flank

"You are stronger than you should be." The mare commented

"Well I try." Lightning smirked

"You cannot leave this place."

"We'll see about that."

Lightning flung a blade off of his wing and it clashed with the mare's own projectile

"Impressive; you cannot think that you can win however." The mare taunted

"I'll keep going; I'm loyal to my friends." Lightning was determined

"We'll see about that." The mare chuckled darkly

Lightning got hit and was launched back; his head hit the wall of the tower.

"By Celestia's beard!" He called out on instinct

"Now's not the time!" Twilight called

Lightning was on his hooves in seconds; he launched himself blindly into the crowd of flailing hooves and limbs. Our stallion hero actually bit a dark leg; causing the dark stallion to back off.

"Get away from my friends." Lightning growled

"Very well; we have what we came for." Lightning saw the mare wink before she vanished into the air.

Twilight sighed, "So what now?"

"We look for the others; they can handle themselves I hope." Lightning retrieved his wing blade.

"Let's go; there's nothing here for us." Lightning gestured to a pile of wizard bones; he sighed, "they beat us here; I think we should move on."

Twilight nodded; Rainbowdash thought for a moment

"Could they be at that temple we came from?" she asked

"I don't see why not; it's highly likely." I answered

"So we're off to the temple?" Twilight asked

"To that temple; there's bound to be danger; perfect for us right?"

They left the tower; it wasn't that big of a problem to get down; Lighting just jumped.

Lightning stood by the entrance; his mane ruffled with the stale wind that left the opening; it reeked of decay and death itself.

"Well if that doesn't discourage you then nothing will!" Lightning took a step; then a poison dart whizzed by his snout, "Or that will!"

Twilight looked at the panel; it had pictures that repeated; a pony a manticore and a windigo.

"What do these have in common?" Rainbowdash asked

"Daring Doo much?" Lightning jibed

Rainbow ignored him and stepped on the manticore plate; it didn't move.

"their all four legged except for the manticore; which can walk on two." Rainbow explained

"What are we waiting for an invitation?" Lighting asked; then he plunged deep into the temple

Lighting made it to the bottom of a staircase; perched on a pedestal was a small blue pony

"This is like that sidequest in the well." Lighting commented; looking around

"Is there anything that can help us find our friends?" Twilight asked aloud

The ground shifted; a voice from the grave rattled their bones.

"I can help you find your missing friends." It said

"Who are you?" Lightning asked

"I will answer one question each; choose wisely."

"Ah horse feathers!" Rainbowdash swore Equestrian wise

"We need to find our friends; where are the friends that went with us into the tower?" Twilight asked

"They are not far; they await you at the entrance to the temple."

"Will I ever join the Wonderbolts?" Rainbowdash asked

"Follow your heart and you will fill your dreams." It answered

"How do we stop the nightmare?" Lightning asked

"You must fight it; it is closer to you than you know."

Lightning nodded; Twilight motioned for them to leave.

Once they got back to the surface Lightning saw only Luna standing there.

"Where's Sketch and Pocket?" Lightning asked

"They are not on our side of the world any longer." Luna answered

"They died?" Twilight asked

Luna nodded, "They were no match for the shadowbolts."

Lightning slammed a hoof into the ground; two of his friends were dead.

"We must go through the cover of the night; before we are exposed by the sun's rays of light." Luna said

Lightning added Sketch and Pocket to the list of others that died for him

Lightning stood up; they got walking back to Ponyville.

After an hour or two they stopped to rest; it was necessary if they wanted to be ready.

Lighting was sleeping; his head going through what he did during that night; he noticed how the moon didn't move the whole time; nor did the light shift.

Lightning sat up, 'This just got bad.'

Luna looked at him with disinterest, "Why must you toss and turn in your sleep?"

"Twilight; Rainbowdash I need you two to get up." Lightning woke the duo up

"Why are you doing that?" Luna asked

"Because I've been getting a good night's sleep lately." Lightning growled

"How is that an excuse?" Luna then gasped

"I see you caught on; I can't sleep during the day; why hasn't the sun risen yet?"

TAKE THAT!

Luna laughed; she began to transform; she morphed into Nightmare Moon.

"You figured me out; might I say that you did it faster than your ancestor ever could have." Nightmare complimented

"There's a difference between us; I just wonder why you didn't kill us all in our sleep."

"I needed you all dead at once; I couldn't have taken all of you at once."

"Well now you revealed yourself; I will protect my friends." Lightning took out his wing blades

Nightmare Moon powered up her horn; Twilight and Rainbowdash started to wake up behind him.

"I shall end you and the elements; farewell!" a flash enveloped all three of us