"I still think that you should've brought more supplies Dark Heart." Nova said for what seemed like the millionth time as I made my way to the small village that served as the destination for my first mission given to me by the princesses.

"What for? This mission won't take long considering it's a simple extermination mission. Besides the more time spent packing, the more ponies will be slaughter by this mysterious dragon." I countered.

"He has a point though wasn't it you who insisted on heading out as soon as possible after we were given the specs?" Shadow backed me up.

Nova let out an annoyed huff. "You know that's so unfair."

"What is?"

"That I'm the mare in the group. Whenever we get into an argument you two gang up on me."

"Since when, last I checked it was always you two ganging up on me and I would still win so don't even go there missy." I shot back earning an annoyed growl before all fell silent in my mind.

It was two days ago that Celestia and Luna gave me my first mission as their special units guard and since then I've been traveling to get to a town that was being terrorized, according to witness reports, a dragon who would go around killing ponies in horrific ways. I was the only strong enough to take of the problem both in terms of strength and psychi. There was a sizable amount of the guards sent with me to evacuate what citizens remain but they were a ways behind me.
"According to this map we should be close to the town let's just hope that we aren't here too late." I heard the spirits give soft murmurs of agreement. I came around a bend in the mountain path that was the only way in on hoof and spotted the town just a ways down. "Looks like I should be there if I were use my magic to extend the distance of my jump." I said to myself.

"You aren't really planning on making that kind of jump are you?" Nova asked pleadingly as a mischievous grin spread across my muzzle. Nova sighed in annoyance as I backed up a few meters before sprinting towards the edge. I diverted some of my magic into my legs as I reached the edge and was launched towards the town. I was hollering with joy as a flew threw the air as the town came closer and closer until I landed with a bit of a bounce just outside its limits. I couldn't make out much from the ledge I has been standing on on the mountain but now that I was closer I could see just how much damage had been done to this town. The small town of Everglade, that had a population of approximately eight-thousand six-hundred ponies with a majority being earth ponies and pegasi, has, from what I've been told, had well over fifty percent of it population killed by a dragon.
It has been going on for quite some time before the princesses had been told thanks to the dragon stopping every attempt to get a message to anypony. After a recent the townsponies had succeeded in getting one of their neighbors out the mountain pass though not without a get deal more being killed in the process.
The town had sustained massive damage as I walked through town and noticed that there were a number of homes and businesses had been burned down or smashed apart. The citizens moved mournfully as they went about repairing their town, making temporary shelters, or burying their dead. There were ponies trying to comfort some of the filly and colts as they watched somepony they cared about be lowered into the ground, well the ones that weren't horribly maimed.

"Dark Heart, there's a filly and colt to your left that need somepony to lend a shoulder to cry on. They're siblings and it seems that they've lost their parents and nopony else here is related to them or seemed to have taken notice." Nova informed me.
I changed the course of my walking to head in the direction Nova said the foals were and walked down a row of houses.

As I looked around for the foals I noticed that nopony seemed to be in the area and began to wonder why that was. I didn't get to muse for long as I heard sobbing nearby. I followed the sound around a few houses before finding two foals crying over the corpses of a unicorn mare and earth stallion. Thankfully they weren't like some of the others I've seen already as it seemed that they were simply stabbed through the heart but still it was a heart wrenching sight.
I knelt down behind them and placed a comforting hand upon their shoulders. They turned to look to me when they felt something touch them before fling themselves into my arms. The colt was an earth pony who had eyes that were as red as my eyes and his mane and tail were a few shades darker with a black tint along the edge and a single violet streak on the left side. The filly was a unicorn with a tan coat and a glimmering blue mane and tail with eyes to match. From what the Heart is telling me they are both nine years old with only three months between them. They stayed for the next hour before they were finally able to calm down enough to speak.

"Who are you mister? We've never seen anypony like you in Everglade before." The filly asked.

"That's because I'm not from around here. I was sent here to help you guys deal with the dragon that has been attacking your town." I told her.

"So you're the unicorn that Princess Celestia informed us about. We weren't expecting you until at least tomorrow along with the other guards that are supposed to help with evac." A voice said from behind us.

"Sunny!" The two shouted as they ran past me. I turned around to find a member of the town's guard hugging the foals. She was a thestral mare that had a sunset orange coat with a burnt orange mane and tail that had a black and dark grey streak found on the right side of her hair. Her striking, slitted blue eyes and violet-blue bat wings complimented her coat, mane and tail nicely though they were barely visible from under her armor. She had a modest bust of double Cs and a generously sized flank for a guard. I had no idea why but there was something about this mare I couldn't quite place as I examined her form though I couldn't figure it out. It felt like I should know her for some reason as a certain permeated around her. My eyes landed on a patch of golden fur just above her chest that was in the shape of the Heart if Light and it was then I realized who she was.

"My eyes are up here pal" I heard the mare growl as I hadn't noticed that she had since gotten up from her embrace with foals.

"Sorry, it's just that I couldn't help but notice the patch of gold on your coat. If you don't mind me asking what is your name?" I asked after I apologized.

"Why do you need to know?" She asked as she looked at me incredulously.

"Because if you are who I think you are then I believe that I've met your ancestors." The mare raised her eyebrow in a questioning manner.

"My name is Sun Spear and this spot," She gestured to the gold patch. "Is a birthmark that everypony in my family has had for generations. There are five of my ancestors that are famous throughout history that are buried in the Garden of Heroes so I think you've definitely heard of them. I know for a fact that everypony knows of StarDust and Lucky Streak along with their daughters, Star Trail and Midnight Dancer. It was also said that they had an older son but he had disappeared when he was sixteen never to be seen again. Our family had a powerful family heirloom that the princesses had told me about one they learned that they were my ancestors." Sun Spear ranted on.

"Do they tell you what the name of their son was or what this heirloom looked like, or was called?" I asked.

"Yeah actually, they did. They said his name was Dark Heart and the the heirloom as known as the Heart of Light. Apparently he used dark magic and that he was the only pony that they would have allowed to use it if he was still alive. But they all lived over a thousand years ago so I doubt you could have meant them unless you know a time travel spell." She said with a shrug.

"I know I told them that I wouldn't go searching for my great nieces and nephews but I never said anything about if they had found me." I said to myself.

"What are you getting on about?" The mare asked impatiently.

"Well to answer my statement from earlier I had indeed met two of your ancestors. You see StarDust and Lucky Streak were my mother and father and Star Trial and Midnight Dance were my little sisters though they weren't born by the time I was ran out by the princesses." I told her as she gave me a look that suggested that she didn't believe a thing I said.

"Do you think I'm an idiot. There is no way that's true or even related to me considering I don't see the birthmark in it's usual spot."

"Of course it's not. I'm not sure if you've been told this but the guardian of the heart has the mark moved up to their neck, but if you don't believe me you can ask the princesses after I deal with the dragon but right now I feel as though we've wasted enough time on this conversation." I stated as walked up to the two kids. "Do you two have any other family that lives outside of Everglade?"

The colt nodded. "We have an aunt that lives in Ponyville."

"Well I guess that'll make things easier on making sure you two get there safe and sound. Who is your aunt?"

"Her name is Cheerilee and she's a teacher." The filly said excitedly, at least it was nice to see these two cheering up a little.

"Cheerilee? Does that mean that you two are Brick Builder and Dazzling Gem?" They nodded happily at the mention of their names. "By the goddess this is one hell of a coincidence, I know your aunt and I can take you two to her after I'm done here if you want. I think that she'll be happy to see you two again, especially since she was planning on coming here for a visit." Their smiles at hearing and they looked at me with fearful yet pleading expressions.

"She's coming here, with that dragon here. Mister Dark Heart you have to stop her, we don't want her getting hurt too." They begged me.

"Hey, hey don't worry. The guards aren't letting anypony near here so she won't get caught in this but don't worry. I'm going to go after that dragon and make it pay for doing this and they won't hurt anypony ever again, I can promise you that. Sun Spear I suggest that you take these two and go gather everypony else. Get them somewhere safe while I go after the dragon. Things will go much easier if I don't to worry about protecting other ponies." I ordered her. Surprisingly she just saluted and corralled Brick Builder and Dazzling Gem out towards the open and to the center of town with the rest of the citizens.

I went to the forest to see if I could use the amulet to track down the dragon that was responsible for all of the death and destruction that had been caused here. I felt the rhythmic pulses that ran through the ground as a the waves of magic coming from the Heart, sensing out every creature that lived in the area. This trick was something that Nova taught me while we were trapped in the amulet and comes in handy whenever I can't use any of my other senses. It's similar to the echolocation bats and changelings use to maneuver in the dark. You know if it wasn't for your limiters Nova I'd be overpowered you know that right?

"I know why do you think I placed them on you in the first place. You had an advantage that only the immortals have thanks to Nightmare Moon. I wouldn't be surprised if at one point you do become an alicorn."

"..................urk, hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha."/ " ..................urk, hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha." Shadow and I busted up after a moment of silence as we knew that she was serious about that statement.

"What neither of you thinks that's true?" Nova asked irritably.

"Fuck no we don't. Nova can you seriously that fate would allow this fucking mental case to become an immortal. Seriously it's bad enough that he's still alive but obviously he's needed here for a reason that he wouldn't have been able to serve back in his time. I don't mean any offense bud but I don't think the world would be able to handle you for the rest of eternity."

"None taken Shadow because I agree with you. This world was not designed to handle beings like me Nova and you damn well know it. As much as I like living I am meant to serve a purpose, one that was needed here for. If I were to live forever then the world would surely fall into madness, and if not then there's still the risk of not being able to control the monster and lashing out." Me and Shadow presented our cases against her.

"But what if that is fate's intent then Dark Heart?"

"What do you mean?"

"What if you were sealed away and wounded up here because you're meant to be an immortal like Celestia and Luna. There is meant to be balance in everything in this world and what if you are here to help retain that balance with your dark magic. Celestia and Luna keep day and night balanced for the benefits of their subjects. The order and peace they brought balanced out Discord's chaos, so it would make sense if you are here to help keep the balance between light and dark instead of good and evil." Every dark magic user has been put out of commission because of how they used it but you are different and me and Shadow are proof of that." Nova argued back but before I could retaliate I picked up a surge of darkness hit me from one the further waves.

"I found her." I snarled.

"Her? How can you tell it's a her?"

"It's what the Heart is telling me as well as a few other things that I don't quite understand." I said as my anger turned into confusion. "Nova are you getting this as well?"

"Yeah but I'm not sure if I believe it. Looks like you'll have to gather some information before we can decide what to do." I nodded in agreement as I headed in the direction I felt the wave bounce back from.

"What's you guys, what the hell is the Heart saying?" He asked as I sped through the forest.

"It's saying that not only is the dragoness sorry for what she's done but that she didn't do it of her own free will. We're not sure whether or not to actually be this as it could be trap so like Nova said, we're off to gather information. If what the Heart is telling us checks out then I guess we'll have a change of targets once we find out who the real culprit is." As I came upon the other side of the mountain range that surrounds Everglade. I started to climb since the pings were getting stronger but made sure to be silent about it so as not to raise alarm. It will do me no good if the dragoness turns hostile and the Heart is right.

I wished I had wings right now. I complained in my head much to the enjoyment of the spirits. It wasn't that the climb itself was tiring, just long and boring, plus I don't like having to waste the time for this crap when other's lives are at stake but alas I'm stuck with my hands and hooves to help me traverse this terrain. Bright side is that all of my complaining and internal dialogue had taken my mind off it and when I came out of my thoughts to focus on climbing I noticed that I was only twenty meters away of the ledge. I could feel that the source were just over it as the I could feel the darkness without the Heart now. It was stronger than the Heart had lead me to believe but I wasn't concerned considering that it just gave me strength.
I looked over the ledge to check if the coast was clear, once I saw that it was I climbed up on it and searched for a cave or anywhere the dragoness could be hiding. Using the darkness that she was emanating to play hot cold I found a rather spacious and homey cave a ways into the mountains. Using the shadows as cover I traversed the caves for signs of my target. After about forty minutes I heard a, no two voices coming from one of the tunnels. I peeked around the corner and spotted the my target and sure enough it was a she. Her scales were a dark violet and her belly down to the underside of her tail was a cream color. The spines running down her back and tail looked like they were made of jade and she wore armor that looked like it was thrown together in a few minutes.
She wasn't alone as there was another figure there and I immediately knew from his appearance that he was trouble. Whoever he was he was nothing more than a cloud of black smoke. I amplified my hearing to listen in on their conversation as the dragoness seemed to be trying argue her way out of something and was failing.
"Please stop making me do this. Those ponies have never anything but show me kindness and now over half the town is dead because of your possession over me." The dragoness pleaded.

"Hyperion you should be honored that I've decided to use you as my vessel. You are weak and much too kind for your own good but don't you worry my dear. When I'm done with you you'll be on par with another dragon that I took control of millenias ago. I would ask him for help instead of bothering you but he's off looking for an artifact known as the Heart of Light that was last seen and the son of that damnable StarDust, Dark Heart I believe his name was." The cloud said as my eyes grew wide at what I just heard.

"So that's why we've been unable to cure him of the evil in his heart. He was possessed by one of the demon lords of Tartarus." Nova said as realization struck her.

"What does that matter? Your and the Heart's power are on par with the Elements of Harmony and since they can take down the god of chaos then shouldn't you be able to heal whatever corruption they could dish out?"

"Yes but it takes insane amount of energy to do so and keeping the target restrained long enough for the blast to hit is extremely difficult, not to mention that I'll be out of commission for awhile. Trying to cure a direct possession is even harder as not only does it need to banish the demon themselves but it also needs to create a portal back to Tartarus to make sure they can't do it again for another few centuries."

"What if you just banished the demon from somepony's body?" I asked as I continued to listen to the conversation between the demon lord and dragoness.

"I would still need about a month to recover but I guess it's better than waiting almost a year though you can't seriously be thinking of taking this guy on."

"Alone no, but with the help of the dragoness I could at least keep him on the run long enough for Celestia and Luna to get my message." I said as I waited for the opportune moment to strike.

"What message?"

"I already sent her a message using the magical channels about what I've found out and what it is we need to do to send this asshole back to Tartarus." I stated neutrally. Just then the demon lords cloud form yelled as he was getting angry with Hyperion for continuing to refuse to allow him to take full control of her body and turn her into like Spirit. It was then I made my presence known as Cursed sliced through the lower half of its form. The demon lord howled in pain before turning to me with a furious stare.

He appraised my form and his ominously glowing icy blue eyes widen in realization. "You're Dark Heart, the son of StarDust."

"Yeah, I am."

"But how are you still alive and why are you here?"

"The Heart and I'm here because I had been sent to kill her," I pointed towards Hyperion who lowered her head in shame. "For terrorizing Everglade and killing its citizens. After listening to the two of you though I realized that it was you that I'm after." This earned me a laughing cloud of smoke as the demon lord found it humorous that I was going to attempt to stop him, at least he would have if I hadn't sent Blessing his way to slice off another piece from the bottom of his smoke form that was bigger than the last. "Hyperion if you want to make amends for your sins that this bastard forced you to commit then I suggest that you help me take him down." I informed her as I took up a battle stance.

"Are you crazy, there is no way we can take him on! " She yelled desperately as I stood beside her after a quick teleportation.

"We don't have to we have just have to draw his attention and head for Canterlot. You will have to fly both of us there is we are to have any chance of survival. What do you say?" I asked as I blasted the demon lord again to keep him pinned to the wall. Hyperion kept looking back between me and the tunnel entrance as she contemplated whether she should run away or fight. After awhile it looked like she was going to just up and run as a look of terror appeared on her face and she began walking towards the exit. She stopped when she was about half way there and turned to her right as she grabbed something from behind her wardrobe. When she retracted her arm I saw that she was holding a mace before she ran at the demon lord. I smiled as I infused a bit of my magic into the weapon so that it could actually damage him.
The sweet, sweet sound of his pained howls was music to my ears as I got a message back from Celestia saying that she had everything ready.

"Hyperion let's go before he gets up!" I shouted as I ran towards to exit. She caught up in no time as I didn't have that big of a lead on her with the black cloud right behind us. We both put in the effort to keep him a distance away from us before we exited her cave and I jumped on her back as she jumped off the ledge. Using the chain that held Blessing to the gauntlet on my arm I anchored myself to Hyperion as I stood up on her back and deflected any projectiles that was sent our way.

"Hey be careful where you dig your boots pony." Hyperion said over the wind as I noticed that I had somehow been shifted from my position by the area where her wings was connected to her back and was practically standing on her ass. It was then that I noticed that something was off about to chain as it appeared to be lengthening itself and the gauntlet was becoming detached. I felt a rush of an unnatural power run through me as I noticed a glow light coming from the gauntlet. Not trusting this power I clamped the gauntlet shut, readjusted my position on her back, and resecured the chain tightly around her waist.

"Sorry about that. I hadn't realized the chain was coming loose so thanks for the heads up."

"Just don't let it happen again." She said as she dived down to escape one of the demon lord's attacks. We had past the mountains awhile ago and I could see Canterlot in the distance. We still had a ways to go but we seemed to be doing good so far so I don't think we had anything to worry about along as we didn't get cocky, well in my case I guess it's cockier.

"Hyperion I see Canterlot up ahead, do you think you try going faster?"

"I can but then you won't be able to hold him off."

"Don't worry about me I'll be fine just get going so we can be done with this damn chase." She nodded and told me to hold on as she started to fly faster. The change in speed was rapidly increasing as her wings flapped faster and harder and the size of Canterlot grew rapidly as we neared it all the faster. When he saw where we were heading he sought to catch us quicker as his speed increased as well though it seemed that he had to strain to do so. Whenever he reached out a nice slash to the face or the limb that was reaching out usually got him to back off a few seconds before trying again. The demon lord's smoke form was getting smaller and smaller as I hacked at him but he seemed persistent on getting to us, though it looked more like me specifically, guess he's after the Heart, though he was stopped dead in his tracks as a wall of light surrounded him from all sides as soon as we got into Canterlot.
I directed told Hyperion to land at the steps to the castle when I spotted the princesses. "Thanks you two, I don't think even I could have beaten him if I had decided to stay and fight." I thanked them as I jumped off Hyperion's back.

"It was no problem at all Dark Heart. We're just glad that the true criminal responsible for Everglade's recent issues." Luna said as she and Celestia looked at the diminished form of the demon lord. "Though I have say that you did a nice job of wearing him down. This will make even easier to banish him back to Tartarus and keep him locked up for quite some time."

Just then Hyperion landed behind us and saw that my plan had indeed worked. "Wow pony I guess you did know what you were talking about after all." She complimented.

"Meh, it was nothing." I shrugged it off. "But thanks for helping though, I couldn't have done it without you." Her cheeks turned a little as she fidgeted a little in place.

"What are you talking about all I did was fly us here." She responded bashfully.

"And that was the most important part into leading this to be successful. If I had tried to run here I would have gotten caught or he would have hurt more ponies and caught to the plan sooner. So in actuality you and the others did most of the work while I just swung my sword around like a maniac."

"Not to mention trying to cop a feel of my ass." She said with a playful smirk.

"Hey the chain was unraveling itself and I didn't notice because I was too busy watching out for that asshole." I said as I gestured over to the demon lord who was now being pulled into Tartarus.

"Mmhm sure you were."

"Oh whatever I don't need to explain myself to you though could I ask you for a ride back to Everglade?"

"Why are going back to Everglade, your mission is done." Celestia asked before Hyperion could answer.

"There are a couple of foals there that have been orphaned from the attacks and I promised to bring them to Ponyville. The only family they have left is Cheerilee who happens to be their aunt so I figured that I could take them. So I guess my mission isn't over quite yet." Informed her of Brick Breaker and Dazzling Gem's current situation.

"Well isn't that noble of you? Before you go though I have to ask. Was this mission exciting enough for you Dark Heart?" Luna asked smugly.

"Oh shut it Luna, and by the way I met Sun Spear and she may come ask you if I'm really her great uncle when she and the rest of the guards get back from Everglade."

"How did you know she was family?" I showed Luna the gold patch on my neck and she merely nodded in understanding.

"Ready to go?" Hyperion asked as I walked up to her. I gave her a nod then she motioned for me to climb onto her back. It made me feel like a colt again from when I had my dad give me piggyback rides. As I thought of this I couldn't help but feel sadden by the fact that I missed doing so much with not only my parents but my sisters who I never even got to meet. "Hey what's up with you?" She asked when she looked back and noticed my downtrodden expression.

"It's nothing just remembering a time that ended much sooner than it should have."

"I don't follow you."

"*sigh* Hyperion, do you know who Spirit the Dragon is?" I asked her and her face turned into one of disgust.

"Every dragon knows of that lowlife by now. It's because of his damn raids looking for some amulet that demon wanted that have given us a bad names among ponies, save for a chosen few. Things wouldn't be so rocky between our races if he would stop these raids or the pony who has what he's looking for would just give it to him. I know that demon has terrible plans for it but with you on our side I don't think there's much he could do before being put down. Still I wonder who the pony he's looking for is to cause such a fuss for those two." She said before I let out a small chuckle. "What are you laughing about?"

"You know you're carrying the pony who has what he's looking, right?" Hyperion stopped and stared at me in shock.

"Why haven't you done anything to stop him then!?" Hyperion asked furiously as she extracted me from her back and dropped my from two-hundred miles in the sky. I stared at impassively as I fell not saying anything to get her to stop my fall.

"I tried to kill him over a thousand years ago but was stopped by the princesses before I could. Since then I have been trapped inside my amulet and have unable to do anything to put an end to his madness. He knows I'm back now and should stop his random raids seeing how he knows where I live. Believe me when I say I'm going to make him for everything he's done in my absence next time we meet. He may be stronger now but he's still no match for the likes of me." I finally said after falling for a good dozen miles or so.

"Why not just give him the amulet huh? Why don't you save all us all the trouble I set up an ambush for a fake exchange and be done with it?" She asked as she grew even angrier.

"Because not only is it a family heirloom but it's also the only way to remember the only ponies to ever love a monster like me." I said as I gripped the Heart tightly to my chest and allow my tears to flow.

"What do you mean?" Hyperion asked in a much softer, kinder voice.

"The reason I asked if you know who Spirit was, was because he's the reason I lost my family when I didn't have to. He invaded my school and terrorized my classmates when I was sixteen. We fought and I almost won but was stopped by the princesses and my parents as they thought that my dark magic and driven me insane and evil. I had to leave home and live in a cave until I was sealed in the amulet for a thousand years. I had nopony back then except my parents and I didn't even get to meet my little sisters. I was released into a world that I didn't know and worse yet, with ponies I didn't know. The only ones left are the princesses and although I've forgiven them for what happened I still haven't quite gotten over losing everypony that cared for me." I had stopped falling and was wrapped in Hyperion's arms as she hugged me to her chest. I didn't bother to stop what little crying I had started as she held me in the sky.

"Sorry Dark Heart, I guess with going through all that I wouldn't want to give up something like that either. I don't know what's like to lose everypony you care about but if you're up for it we could be friends." I nodded into her chest as she stroked my back, comforting me although I had stopped shedding any tears, and I returned the embrace.

"Thanks Hyperion, I appreciate that more than you know right now." I said after awhile of idly floating in the sky.

"No problem, now what do you say we go get those kids?" And with that we were headed to our destination with a renewed smile on my muzzle at the feeling of making a new friend that understood my plight. Hopefully things continue on like this because I'm going to need all the help I can get.

Author's Notes:

Finally getting back into the groove for writing Darkness' Light. Hope I can keep this going for some time once I have all three stories up and running. Speaking of which my third story should be out by sometime next week with quite a bit to read already so I guess something to keep you all distracted between updates the next few updates for all three.