And it was over.

"Will he ever wake up?" A familiar mare's voice asked.

"He should but he may need more rest." Another voice answered. "He's lucky he didn't have the Blessing for too long. He would have died otherwise."

'I..hear noises.." Rune could only say in his mind. 'What..happened..?'

"Have you can contacted Sweet Dreams. His mother should be one of the first he sees when he wakes."

"Yes, well Calligraphy and Dusk are calming her down right now." A male voice answered. "I swear a few guards soiled themselves from that mare's shouting."

Then suddenly, Rune's body let out a few twitches. His mouth made a faint groan and his eyes slowly started opening.

"He's waking up!" A filly's voice called out in joy.

"Hurry! Get his mother and Dusk!" The stallion's voice ordered what could be assumed to be guards.

When Rune's eyes opened, he found he was in a large bed. It looked different from a hospital bed but it definitely wasn't a casual bed. The bed was large, oval shaped, fluffy and dark blue. He was in Luna's bed. To the side of the bed was Midnight. Her mouth was in a joyous smile and she was crying.

"Midnight?!" Rune could barely mumble.

"Rune." Midnight said jumping at Rune in a hug.

"It seems you've awoken." Princess Luna stated, walking into the room.

"Luna." Rune said as Luna approached him.

Before Luna could say anything, the door almost swung open violently.

"Where is he!" Sweet Dreams shouted, storming into the room. In a swift motion, Dreams knocked Rune on the head so hard, it almost cracked his head. "WHAT THE BLOODY BUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU!? First you break in Calligraphy's house, learn some dark secret about her, sneak into some underground kingdom, cause a fuss, possibly start a war, then fly in on a giant black owl and kick the shit out of the pony who was attacking us by using some suicidal magic!!" Just before she was about to smack Rune upside the head again, Rune felt the embrace of his mother's hug. Rune could feel warm tears touching his face. "Stupid stupid child. Promise me you'll never do something so foolish again."

"Rune?!" Dusk then stated, coming into the room. Followed by Calligraphy and Nightwing.

"It's good to see you're awake Rune." Calligraphy smiled.

"Lucky bastard is what you are." Nightwing nodded.

"How am I still alive?" Rune asked, then looked at Midnight, who was still hugging his side.

"Do you remember anything?" Calligraphy asked.

"I remember beating Bru." Rune explained. "Then I fell- Wait! what happen to Bru, to Celestia, what happened?! How long have I-"

"One thing at a time." Nightwing interjected. "Sad news is Bru escaped along with Comet and Soul. Wave is currently in the dungeon until we decide what to do with her."

"That is of course after Celestia." Calligraphy added. "Who is recovering peacefully, decides what will happen to the Children."

"What about that mare?!" Rune added. "Before passing out, I saw a mare over me. She told me that I could bestow the Blessing to Midnight to save her."

"Well clearly it worked." Nightwing answered. "Did you see what the mare looked like?"

"I only remember her being a unicorn and she had a flowing mane." Rune answered.

"It must have been that mare you were with when you arrived." Shining Armor answered walking in the room. "What was her name...Rem Sleep."

"It's possible." Calligraphy answered. "Rem did leave before we found Rune. But she vanished just as quickly."

"But for now." Armor sighed. "They've arrived and are being lead to the throne room. And they are under strict watch."

"I understand." Nightwing sighed in annoyance but accepted it. "Calligraphy, let's go."

"What's going on?" Rune asked, but Calligraphy, Nightwing, and Armor had already left.

"You've been asleep for a few days." Dusk answered. "After you defeated Bru, Calligraphy sent word to the Children's castle. Right now, all the members of the Children's Council are meeting with Celestia to discuss terms."

"But the other Children shouldn't suffer for what Bru did right?" Rune protested to Luna. "We need to so something."

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

In the royal throne room, Celestia, with several bandages, sat on her throne. Before her were the remaining members of the Children's Council. All were cloaked, with their hoods down. Surrounding them and lining the walls of the room were possibly more guards than were necessary, all with one weapon or another fixed on the council members.

"I brought them your highness." Armor stated, walking into the room with Calligraphy and Nightwing.

"Very good. Now we can begin." Celestia stated. "I would first wish to know your names."

"We are the Children of the Night." Greene stepped forward a bit. "We are the forgotten fillies and colts saved by Princess Luna over a thousand years ago."

"So you lead them?" Celestia asked.

"Only until Princess Luna would come for us." Greene answered. "But now it does not matter now. But to answer the first question, I am Greene, the Leo seat of the Council."

"Mariana, the Aquarius seat." An aqua colored unicorn mare with a darker blue mane answered.

"Fault Line, the Taurus seat." A brown earth mare, with a small twin purple Mohawks answered.

"Pulse Wave, the Cancer seat." Wave answered.

"Nightingale, the Virgo seat." A dark gray pegasus mare, with short dreadlocks answered.

"Honey Pot, the Capricorn seat." A golden earth mare, with a golden ribbon over her short mane answered.

"Waltz, the Pisces seat." A whitish tan unicorn mare with her mane covering one of her eyes answered.

"Calligraphy, the Libra seat." Calligraphy answered.

"Nightwing, the Gemini seat." Nightwing answered.

"Only eight of you?" Celestia politely asked. "And who were the other three who attacked?"

"They were Bru Tality, the now former Scorpio seat, Comet the now former Ophiuchus seat, and Burning Soul the now former Sagittarius seat." Greene answered.

"What about that Aries seat of yours." Armors asked. "What was her name? Rem Sleep?"

"She was banished and is no long considered one of the Children." Greene said very sternly.

"Now what is it you want?" Celestia asked.

"We want to return." Greene answered. "We have waited over a thousand years for Princess Luna to return and lead us. For that we have remained hidden for centuries. And now all of it may be for nothing."

"And why is that?" Celestia asked.

"Because of Bru's actions." Greene answered, looking around the room, the angry look in all the guards' eyes. "It would appear that we are not wanted and we are to be hated. The Council has agreed to submit ourselves and the Children to whatever punishment you are to give us."

"We disagree!" Princess Luna announced, storming into the room with Rune, Dusk, and Midnight.

The Children bowed their heads a low as they could towards Luna.

"P-princess Luna." Greene stated. "But we have lost and to the victor goes the spoils."

"But you have not lost." Rune answered, then looked at Princess Celestia. "Princess, I would like to ask that you spare the Children. They had nothing to do with Bru's attack. All those involved were either killed or have fled."

"What are you talking about?" Celestia asked. "I'm not going to punish them at all."

"WHAT?!" The whole room stated loudly at once.

"Sister, if you would." Celestia turned the attention to Princess Luna as she was stepping to the front.

Spreading her wings wide open, Luna made her presence very intimidating, and very dignified. "We, Princess of the Night, have deemed the fate of our long forgotten children." Turning her head towards Rune. "Dawn Rune, as we recall, you learned a form of teleportation array under our tutelage correct?"

"Yes." Then Rune realized what she meant and his eyes lit up. "Yes I remember!"

"You are to create an array connecting Canterlot with the Children's castle." Luna ordered. "The fate of the Children is to join Equestria. Not as slaves, or prisoners, but as equals."

"Y-you mean?" Greene couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"We offer our deepest apology to our lost Children for our abandonment." Luna bowed her head. "The Night's Castle and Canterlot are to join as equals. I want to be with my Children again. Welcome home."

There were tears. every member of the council, and even Midnight couldn't stop crying. All that they have hoped for, all the centuries in some forms of isolation and even in dark corners was finally over. They could return to their Goddess, their mother, their Princess Luna.

"Praise Luna!" Greene called out, as the others followed in the chant.

Celestia then stepped forward and reached out her hoof to Luna. "And I want to make it official. That the Equestrian kingdom of Canterlot joins Luna's Children of the Night in a unity of friendship."

"We agree and want to live together in harmony." Luna nodded and shook hooves with Celestia.

"Praise Luna, Praise Celestia!" Greene and the others, and even the guards started chanting.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"So you're gonna stay up here then?" Dusk asked.

"Yeah." Rune answered, now back in bed. "Luna needs me to design and make that array. Also Calligraphy wants to keep a close eye on me. Apparently the Blessing took more out of me than I thought, so I'm to be observed for a while. Should only be for a couple months."

"I understand." Dusk said, then pointed at a sleeping Midnight, who was curled up against Rune. "And what about her?"

"I don't know." Rune responded. "I gave her back the Blessing, but according to Calligraphy, it only restored her life. She doesn't have the Blessing's power anymore, and neither do I. So after I recover and set up that array, I'll keep my promise and show Midnight around Ponyville."

"Or you could do something else." Calligraphy walked in.

"Calligraphy?!" Rune exclaimed. "What do you mean?"

"Well Oracles never know their parents." Calligraphy suggested. "And I've been talking it over with Dreams, since you're dating that zebra in Ponyville. Maybe you should adopt Midnight, take her with you."

"You trust me to be a parent?!" Rune asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Isn't that a bit extreme?" Dusk asked.

"Well in all honesty it was Dreams' idea." Calligraphy said. "I personally trust that his marefriend is more responsible."

"I see." Rune smiled a bit. "I think Zecora might like the idea. She did talk to be about the idea of having kids last Nightmare Night."

"Then it's settled." Calligraphy nodded. "But Dusk, I do have to ask you to leave. Rune needs his rest and I already have some guards ready to take you back to Ponyville."

"Okay." Dusk nodded. "I'll visit you sometime Rune."

"You should also get some rest." Calligraphy suggested to Rune.

Rune couldn't complain, his body was too exhausted to and he was soon out like a light. Calligraphy turned off the light left the room, closing the door behind her. Walking down the corridor, Calligraphy walked out to a nearby balcony that overlooked all of Canterlot.

"And to think it was almost lost." Calligraphy told herself. "But now we are free of our centuries of burdens. Let's only hope it can truly last."

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The quick flight via guard chariot took less time than Dusk noticed and before long, he was back home in Ponyville. After the last few days, he felt he deserved some rest. Luckily he sent several letters to Spike to tell the girls not to worry about him and that investigation would take days, if not weeks. When Dusk finally arrived at the Library, he was greeted not only by Spike and Trixie, but by the eager ears, eyes, and mouths of the other girls.

"Glad to have you home dear." Rarity said.

"But what took you so long?" Rainbow Dash impatiently asked.

"Well." Dusk took a deep breath and let out a sigh. "It's a long story."

Author's Notes:

Thank you for enjoying my Children of the Night story. Now I will finish the last two chapters of Season 1 of Dusk and Rune, then I will take a break to play catch up with my other stories and begin Season 2 when I can. Here's a hint the Chaos Goddess Eris is freed and may have plans for Dusk and his friends.