“Our demands are simple, ponies,” the centaur messenger said from his position on the ground, his words amplified by a simple spell to enable all in Cloudsdale to hear. “One week to surrender. Those who do so will be allowed positions worthy of their talents. Those who do not, will be captured and drained of all their magic and serve their entire lives as our slaves. There will be no negotiations. Tirek has risen.”

Espirit shivered and stared out over the cloud, watching the messenger and his guards turn to leave. It had been a few days since the battle and nopony had been willing to make a move against the centaurs since their arrival. A few ponies, changelings and dragons had been released. They were all completely void of magic, not even having cutie marks on the ponies.

Those who were released told of the great armies of the centaurs and massive cages holding their prisoners. Tirek, the massive centaur they had met at the war front, was a spirit with the power to drain the magic of all. The only thing controlling him seemed to be the presence of the centaur emperor, surrounded by his army. Those he drained were then imprisoned to await the final battle. Cloudsdale was growing larger by the day as every wandering cloud town and city across the kingdom made its way to the capital city, attaching and growing with it. The streets below were packed as the ground based ponies made their way as well.

News was that Canterlot was undergoing a similar design. The king had summoned all citizens to the capital city. It all felt so hopeless, though.

They hadn't stood a chance against Celestia, this creature not only had the power of Celestia, it had the power of Luna, Cadence and however many others they had captured and drained. It was an impossible fight none of them could hope to win. Even if they could get the power of the alicorns out of him, he was too much.

She could feel his pull on the aether of the world, draining and absorbing it. They needed something stronger than any of them could hope to be. They needed the power of all ponies, their allies and then some.

“Lady Espirit?” a voice called from behind her.

“W-what?” she asked, looking back. Goldencollar was standing there, a look of concern on his face. He trotted forward and gently dabbed at her eyes.

“Dear lady, why are you crying?”

“I-I'm not, I-I just... I...” Her entire body quivered and she felt a soft sob breaking out from inside her. She looked around, there were other ponies on the cloud, looking out along with her. She had to be strong. “I-I just... C-can we talk in private?”

He nodded. “Of course. Come with me.” He trotted back across the cloud and she followed behind him. He led her to one of the many buildings in the residential district, the doors flanked by two pegasi in armor. Espirit smiled and looked between them. “I'm happy you're feeling better.”

“Thank you ma'am,” the one on the right said.

Goldenseed trotted inside and then looked to her. Once the door closed he chuckled. “I see you remembered about my guard, that was kind of you. So, what seems to have you so upset? I've never seen you cry in public like that.” He pulled out a small hoofkerchief and gently dabbed at her eyes.

“I just... I'm fine I...” She tried to hold the tears back, but once again they started to fall. “W-we can't win. I-it's not fair. I-it's just impossible! W-we couldn't even defeat Celestia and this thing... this Tirek is so much stronger! How can we even hope to defeat something like that? I-it's hopeless. I-I just don't... I just don't know what to do. I just don't k-know what I c-can do. I-I want to stop this, but I can't. I-I'm not strong enough, n-none of us are!” Her entire body started shaking and she couldn't stop herself from wailing. He moved over and gently put a hoof around her and she sobbed into his chest. She felt like she was back home again, back in another hopeless situation where she couldn't win. Except it was so much worse now, because all that would happen if they fought was that they'd be enslaved.

“I-if we'd j-just beaten C-Celestia then, C-Cadence a-and Luna never would h-have come,” she said softly, shaking. “I just... I just want... I want to stop this but I-I can't, n-none of us can! We're not... I'm not... s-strong enough.”

He nodded. “Of course you're not. No pony is that strong. Besides, you're young, vulnerable. But there's still something we can do.”

She blinked and looked up. “R-really? L-like what?”

“We can be the motivation for ponies. You're one of the heroes that ponies count on. If you stand strong, they'll believe that there's still a chance. That might be all ponies need. Perhaps if we all work together we can still beat this.”

She gulped and nodded. “R-really? You... you think that's all... all they'll need?”

“Of course,” he said before he leaned in, gently rubbing his head against hers. “You must be strong. I know it's hard, but you must. As long as there are ponies who are still free, then there is still hope.”

She nodded. “I... I guess. B-but if I can't... if we can't, what hope is there? We're the only ponies trained to fight things like that and even we're... we're outmatched. It's... it's just... it's impossible...” She sobbed into his chest.

“There there, it's okay, something will happen,” he whispered as he gently pat her back. “It's going to be okay.”

“How can you know that?”

“We've fought off threats like this before, threats that seemed impossible. This is no different from them, it's just a little scarier this time, that's all.”

She whimpered a little and smiled up at him. “R-really? You... you think so?”

“Of course. Now, I think it's best you run back to your company. They're probably worried about you and they'll want to get you ready for the coming battle.”

Espirit nodded and trotted out the door, giving him one last smile. “Thank you.”

------

“Espirit, we need to talk,” Mirage said. The crystal pony had been waiting outside the lodging district under the city, where most of the soldiers who couldn't cloud walk were resting before the final fight.

“What? Is everything okay?”

“Yes. I want you to walk with me,” the mare said before she started walking. Espirit gulped and followed after her.

“What's wrong? Did I do something bad?”

“No. It's... everything has gone bad. It's not your fault. But I think you're one of the ones who are going to be affected the most. It's just...” She took a deep breath. “There's no easy way to say this. Clearpond asked me if it was possible and I have to agree, it's for the best.”

“W-what? What is it?”

“We want you and some others to retreat to the breezie's dimension. There's only a few who know where it is and how to open the door. I can probably reseal it until this is--”

“NO!” Espirit shrieked. “Y-you can't expect me to just turn tail and flee, we--”

“Keep it down!” Mirage snapped, holding out a hoof to cover the zebra's mouth. “Listen, I don't like this any more than you. But Tirek is coming and there's no guarantee we can stop him. In fact, it's almost impossible that we will be able to. But a few can still escape and hide. They'll... use this land, but then they'll return to their home most likely. The ponies will need a conjurer who can repair the damage that's--”

“No.”

“Espirit, you--”

“I won't! I won't just give in and I won't flee! If... if I have to die, then I'll die fighting. But I won't hide and cower in the darkness while everypony is torn apart.”

“But you--”

“I don't care. If you want to, fine. Take whoever you can, because I--”

“Espirit, you don't understand anything!” Mirage snapped, glaring into the zebra's eyes. “You're just a... a...”

“A child?” Espirit asked, grinding a hoof into the ground. “That I may be. But I'm a child who will fight, and die, for these ponies. Just like any of you would. And I have just as much right to risk this as any of you.”

The crystal pony sighed before shaking her head. “Very well. If that's your answer. Just know you may doom us all.”

“I'll die before I'd reveal where the portal is.”

Mirage let out a snort before trotting away. “If you change your mind, come find me or Clearpond.”

Espirit frowned and trotted back towards the building. She couldn't believe this. After everything they'd been through, they were treating her like a child, trying to hide her away. Even if she was terrified, there was still hope. Goldencollar was right. She could, and would fight with them. And they'd win. Somehow. She just wish she knew how.

When she stepped into the building she caught the eye of Clearpond, sitting at one of the many tables with other members of the assorted companies. She cringed and took a step back, before slowly stepping towards the mare. The pegasus got up from the table and left the others behind. “Espirit, did you talk with Mirage?”

“I'm not doing it.”

“Yes, you are.”

“Why? You need me! I can be useful when we fight Tirek. I can't just hide away and cower in the... Clearpond? What's wrong?”

“Espirit. I... I want you to come with me. It's time we... we had a talk.” There was something in the pegasus' eyes. Something she'd never seen before, that she couldn't identify. She... didn't like it.

The zebra blinked before nodding. Clearpond led her up the stairs to the third floor, before trotting into one of the rooms. She quickly closed it behind them before motioning to the bed against the wall. “Espirit. I want... I want you to take a seat. Get comfortable.”

“What? Why?”

“There's something I need to tell you. Something... It's not going to make much sense at first and it's going to be very, very hard for you to believe. But you need to trust me.”

Espirit gulped and sat on the bed. She looked up at the white mage before lowering her eyes. “You... figured it out?”

“Figured what out?”

“Who... I am?”

The pegasus gasped, putting a hoof to her mouth. “You... you know? For how long?”

“Well... always? I guess? I never forgot? I mean, the fantasia didn't wipe my memories or anything. I just... Clearpond? What's wrong?”

The white mage took a deep breath before moving to sit besides her. “Espirit, this isn't about... I need you to listen to me. I need you to trust me. I need you to understand everything I tell you is true and it is why you must flee from Tirek.”

Espirit nodded and gulped. “W-what?”

“You're not a zebra.”

“W-well, I know. I'm a earth pony, I--”

“No. You're not.” She took a deep breath. “What's the last thing you remember after you gained this form?”

“After I took this form? You mean after I drank the fantasia? I... traveled through the aether and ended up in the north, near the battle front between the ponies and centaurs.”

Clearpond nodded. “Exactly. Where the need was greatest. Where ponies were calling out the most for help, where the land needed healing. It only makes sense you'd end up there.”

“W-what? What do you mean?”

“The one thing you told me before. What... you've said many times. You've always wanted to be a hero, didn't you?”

Espirit nodded. “O-of course. Ever since I was a little colt. I'd read books and... and... Clearpond? W-why are you crying? W-what's wrong? What are you saying?”

The pegasus reached out and wrapped her hooves around the zebra. “I'm so, so, so sorry. You were... you were sent because there was a need. You were created from this need. If Tirek gets a hold of you, there's no telling what could happen.”

Espirit trembled. “W-what do you... what do you mean? W-what am I? Created? Need? I'm just a earth pony.”

“You're not a pony. You're a spirit, child. Like Celestia, Cadence and Luna. You are aether made flesh.”

Espirit's eyes widened and she shook her head. “N-no, that's impossible! I can't, I've never, that doesn't even make sense! H-how could I--”

“It's why your connection is so strong with the world. Why you feel ill when those creatures awaken. It's how you, and only you, were able to go through the barrier guarding the breezies, and why you were able to take it apart.” She looked down at the frightened zebra, not letting her go.

“T-that's not p-possible! A-Aetherbind knew me! She, she remembered me! We talked!”

“You may have been alive, once, child. But no longer. This body isn't yours. It's a part of the aether that flows through the world. The world needed somepony to fight off this horrible damage, to repair where it was broken. Ponies needed a hero. And... I believe you needed to be a hero. That's why you were chosen. But your connection with the aether in the land is strong. If Tirek gains control of it, if he steals your power, there is no telling what destruction he could cause. He could exterminate all life on this planet and--”

“NO! I-it's not possible!” Espirit screamed, tears flowing down her face. “I-I am a real pony, I-I'm a... I'm Espirit. I-I'm... i-it's just the fantasia. T-that's why I seem... why I don't...”

“I'm sorry,” Clearpond said softly, gently stroking her mane. “I wish there was... I wish it was possible I was wrong. But when you went to Canterlot... they confirmed it.”

Espirit shivered. If the council confirmed it, if her father confirmed it, then it had to be true. She felt... numbness slowly flowing through her. How could she be it? If didn't make sense. “Does... does everypony know?”

“No. Just the council in Canterlot, Tempora, Mirage, I and Silverwing.”

“Is that... is that why she was so protective of me? Why she...” Espirit sobbed into Clearpond's chest. She thought she'd be out of tears after her earlier fit, but now it seemed she had so much more to give.

“Yes. When she found out she wanted to make sure you weren't a danger to us or... anypony else.”

“H-how can I... how can I... be... b-but I feel... I... I feel p-pain and... and I g-get hurt a-and I remember everything. I even... I get hungry. I get... I get...”

“It's okay, child. It's okay,” Clearpond whispered as she gently stroked the zebra's back. “I'm sorry we waited so long to tell you. But this is why you must go with Mirage. You must hide. You must--”

“N-no. No I w-won't,” Espirit said softly. “I... I'm not... I...” She slowly looked up, her entire body shaking. “I-I'm strong. I... I'm stronger t-than you think. If I... if I was made to stop t-this, then I will. I have to... I have to try.”

The pegasus sighed. “Espirit, please. Spirit or not, you're still just a child, you--”

“If I don't do it now, I might just f-fade away!” she shrieked, her hooves latching out to grab the mare. “O-or worse! H-he's draining everything, everypony is coming u-under his control! If... if I'm the only chance to defeat him, then... then we have to try now. He's o-only going to get stronger and... and the world is going to get... weaker. I'm going to get weaker.”

Clearpond nodded slowly. “Of... of course. If you fall, however, they--”

“I... I was a prince.”

“What?”

“P-prince Goldenseed. I was... that was me.”

“Espirit, don't be silly, he's--”

“His name is Aetherbind. She was a traveler, she t-took my form t-to protect me. To allow me to b-become an adventurer. I just... I just wanted t-to try it for a month. I-I never wanted... I never wanted to hurt anypony, to make h-her stay this long. But... but she has t-to know. M-my father has to...” She whimpered again. “Please... d-don't... don't let him yell at me. I can't... I never... I never wanted a-any of this to happen. I-it was only s-supposed t-to be for a month. A short little... a month. I wasn't... I wasn't supposed to... become a...”

Goldenseed nodded. “Of course. This is all...” She took a deep breath before leaning down to kiss the zebra on the forehead. “I need to send a message to Canterlot. I--”

“Please,” Espirit begged, her hooves gripping the mare. “I just... please... don't. I don't... don't... l-leave me. N-not yet...”

Clearpond nodded and pulled the zebra into a tight hug, her wings wrapping around her and pulling her close. “I know. I'll stay with you as long as you need.”

“T-thank you...” Espirit said softly.

She should have known. She couldn't believe she'd actually believed she was so powerful, so useful, a true hero. All along she hadn't even been real, just another spirit like the alicorns. A fake pony that should have never existed. She cried as long as she could, until her eyes burned and her throat was sore, nestled into the mare's chest.

Author's Notes:

Been building up to this for a looooong time. I wonder how many readers caught on and figured it out early?