Sunshine took in everything in a second. He saw the broken pillar, the same pillar that he sent Timespire into. It was one of many that Timespire had weakened with his ability. He put the pieces together, Timespire had aged it with his ability, so much so that it crumbled upon impact.

It crumbled during the fight; somehow Taz had managed to avoid it. He was grateful for that small favor; however, Nighttide was not so lucky. The young mare was still covered in debris; Taz had only managed to uncover her head and part of her chest.

Taz was crying as he worked, the tears in his eyes froze to his face as he sought to uncover his friend, “Nighttide! Wake up!” He shouted.

Sunshine took in all these factors in a second. However, the main thing he noticed was that unlike her uncles, there were no shadows gathering around her, she was not healing.

In truth, he did not know if she was even alive.

‘Why isn’t she healing?’ Sunshine asked himself. She should be healing; she should be able to draw upon the same magical energy that the others were using even now to recover from their fight with him. Yet she was not. The reason why quickly became apparent.

“Taz, you’ve got to get away from her!” Sunshine shouted at the frantic young stallion.

“No, I’ve got to save her!” Taz replied back.

“Taz, she’d heal on her own but your power is preventing it!”

He looked up, “But I’m not using it.”

“You are,” Sunshine could see the aura of nothing surrounding Taz, he was using his power. He just did not know he was using it, “You’ve just lost control right now.”

Taz nodded in understanding and backed away, more tears falling from his eyes as every step seemed to do nothing. It was when he got fourteen hooves away that the shadows returned to the young mare. They both gave a sigh of relief when they saw it.

As soon as they did, Sunshine uncovered the rest of the mare by removing the remaining debris with his magic and then he floated her over and onto his back, “We’ve got to go,” he said with urgency in his voice.

“Is she okay?” Taz asked as he took a step closer to them.

“No! Taz, you’ve gotta stay back, you don’t have control of your power right now, she needs to heal,” Sunshine did his best to keep the young stallion away from her.

Taz paused in his walk, “Oh, okay.”

“Hey, it’s okay. Let’s get back home,” Sunshine said with a smile as he started walking back to the other end of the room. Taz nodded and soon followed him. He could do nothing about the concerned look on his face but he did manage to keep his distance from the two of them.

They both paused when they heard a sound that caused them to shiver from something other than the cold. It was an explosion of a magical shield, one that Sunshine put up not that long ago. “Run!” Sunshine shouted at the young stallion.

They went nowhere. Directly in front of the group a red unicorn glared at them. He did not say a word but he did not need to; the temperature in the room increased by thirty degrees simply due to the magical energy radiating off him.

“I told you it wouldn’t hold me forever,” he said with a grin.

“Cast it again!” Taz yelled out.

Sunshine shook his head, “I… I can’t,” It was the truth; the spell took him over an hour of preparation time, with several runes and incantations to get right. It was only usable because he knew to use it, because he had time to prepare it. He had Nighttide to thank for that information.

The memory of her warning came back clear as day.

”Dayspring, if you’re going to do this there are things you need to know. The first is my two uncles. You will most likely face Mindsink and Timespire before my father ever gets off his lazy ass and does something. Mindsink commands memories, he can change your very nature; make you believe things happened to you in the past that will suit his purposes.”

“However, his ability is only truly effective at close range, at a distance he can put his words into the wind and implant suggestions that you can fight against. At close range it’s irreversible. If you hear his words, you will be his puppet. Do not let him talk to you.”

“Timespire is a true bastard. He can control an object's time, he can make anything he chooses be younger or older as he sees fit. As with Mindsink, his power is absolute. If he ages you, you will die. There is nothing you can do about it. There is nothing I can do about it…” she looked down at that.

“What do you mean?” Dayspring asked.

“I’m not as young as I seem,” Nighttide said with a small frown, “He used his power to make me this young.”

“How old are you?”

“It’s rude to ask a lady her age.”

“Funny.”

“Timespire might be an asshole, but there are limits on his power. It only works on things that are within sixty-three hooves of him. If you can stay farther away, you can beat him.”

Dayspring thought about that, “Tricky, but not impossible,” he admitted.

“You will face both of them at the same time.”

That gave him pause, “I’m not sure that’s doable, a two on one situation would be hard enough but with those sorts of powers they only need to get one luck shot in.”

Nighttide looked at him, “I never said it would be easy.”

He snorted, “No, you didn’t. I may know a way.”

“I figured you would.”

“And the last?” Dayspring asked.

“My father?”

“Yes.”

“Understand something Dayspring, my father is a singular foe. He’s arrogant and cocky to the extreme. However, he has the power to back it up. I’ve… I’ve never seen the like of his power, let’s just say, there is a reason why his brothers follow his command.”

“What is he?” Dayspring asked.

“In truth, I don’t know,” Nighttide looked down at her hooves at that, “But I need you to understand this: If he fights, you will lose.”

“You’d do well to not underestimate me.”

She looked up, her eyes said the truth of it; she was very serious about this, “Dayspring, I know you’re strong, stronger than even you realize. But it’s apples to oranges. To defeat someone like him, it would take your mom or sister, maybe both at the same time. I beg you; under no circumstances should you ever engage him in a fight.”

“How do I avoid it?”

“There is one spell that will keep him from doing anything; it should buy you time, ten minutes at least. However it takes an hour to set it up. I’ll show you how it works and how you can prep it in advance.”

“This is going to cost you, isn’t it?” Dayspring asked. He was not referring to the spell.

“More than you could ever know,” there was a tear in her eyes when she said that; “However, you were right, it’s not worth breaking your own heart.”

It had only been five minutes yet the pony in front of Sunshine was free. It only took a glance to see the strength in his features, the definitions of his muscles as they bulged out from under his fur. Physically he was far more intimidating than any earth pony Sunshine had ever known in his life.

Yet it was not his physical strength that caused the lump to build up in Sunshine’s throat. The honor of causing that was due to this pony’s magical presence. As physically impressive as this pony was, it was totally eclipsed by his magic. Every time he breathed magical power went with him. It was almost as if with every inhale he was getting stronger, absorbing every iota of magic in the room.

A room that was chocked full of it. Sunshine did not know where they were exactly, yet the entire place seemed to be made of magical energy. He even toyed with the thought that the place was merely the extension of something greater.

He had no time to consider that line of questions, this pony… this creature demanded his undivided attention just by being in his presence.

“I must admit, you’ve grown very powerful, Sunshine Spring,” the red unicorn practically hissed the words.

“Let’s test just how powerful,” Sunshine said with a snarl. If this was to be the end at least he would go out fighting. Sunshine lifted the mare off his back and placed her on her side well away from the three of them. She needed to heal, being in this fight might see her dead, and placing her next to Taz might just cause the same problem.

Sunshine unlocked his potential. He dug deep into his reserves and called up all the magic energy he could. It had not been a simple boast, his comment to Nighttide, ever since her visit eight years ago Sunshine had spent every waking hour for the sole purpose of protecting Taz.

He found out what everyone learns, when you have someone to protect, it makes you that much stronger.

He put that strength to use now, “Taz, I need you to stay back and watch this," he did not want his brother to get involved as this would be the first time any of them would ever face this creature.

“Okay,” Taz said from the sidelines. Even he could see the power these two had. While he could not feel it like someone else could, he did not have to. He could see it, all of it.

In truth he was a little scared, his eyes kept going from Sunshine to Nighttide. The energy was red versus purple, their magical auras repelled each other when they met. It was as if they could not exist in the same space at the same time. Taz watched as Sunshine’s eyes went pure white; the unicorn’s eyes went pure dark as he matched Sunshine power for power.

Sunshine grunted as he tapped into more and more power. He had grown strong over the years, very strong. His power was a mighty river with next to no end to its reserves. Such power came from decades of training and experience. His time with his favorite teacher and mom. His time spent as the headmaster for Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns, and his time spent as the host of the Night revenant. All of it, it all lead back to this.

It was all for naught, he could feel that much just by looking at his opponent. This unicorn… this creature, he was on another level altogether. If Sunshine’s power was a mighty river, then this creature’s power was an ocean with its depths uncharted. Nighttide had been right. No one… no one with mortal power could ever hope to defeat this creature.

Briefly he considered going darker, of activating the spells he tried to forget, the spells that caused his first death. The spells that almost caused him to become a threat greater than any other that Equestria had ever known. He wrote that off, he would rather pay his life now for a later victory than achieve it through such a result again. Yes, that option was better, he may not win, but he could help another win. All he had to do was cause a wound, a crack in the armor that another pony could exploit.

Twilight, Shimmering Night, Rainbow, heck even Siros’s Vengeance could make use of such a wound. His sacrifice now would ensure their victory later.

“That’s your max, isn’t it?” The pony across from him asked, “Well, it’s impressive for a normal pony, I’ll give you that much. However, we both know this is the end.”

“On that we agree,” Sunshine said with a small smile. They both lowered their horns and aimed at each other. While everypony was expecting a stand-off, the two competing powers to slam into each other and for the stronger to overpower the weaker, Sunshine had a different idea.

When it happens, when you or your masters spring your trap, I will be there. I will stop you, regardless of what it costs me.

His promise to Nighttide rang true in his ears. He focused his power not as a blast, but as a beam. It would do nothing to stop any of his opponent’s power; it would however leave a mark on his opponent. Sunshine knew his fair share about shadow melding; he would forever rob this pony of that ability, as his target would no longer be able to draw any shadows to him.

They fired at the same time. A huge channel of magical energy desired to rid the world of Sunshine, a small focused beam designed to hit its target and deliver a crippling blow that would rob him of his ability. They both caused an echo like a cannon going off in the confined room.

…

In the next second, Sunshine noticed two different things: The first and foremost was that he was still alive, something that should have been impossible. The second was that his eyes were still closed.

He opened them.

A pony stood in front of him, one he knew, one he wished did not stand where he did. Taz had jumped between them, effectively nullifying both magical shots without blinking an eye. His power radiated out at max range, encompassing both ponies and eliminating any chance of the battle continuing.

He was staring at Nighttide’s father, “I won’t let you hurt him!” Taz shouted. He could no longer sit on the sideline while his friends life was in danger. That had caused him to act without thinking. His anger caused him to lose what little control he still had on his ability.

The unicorn laughed, “Tell me, why not?”

Taz’s eyes went wide at such an obvious question. “He’s my friend!”

“Oh, do friends normally lie and betray each other?” The red unicorn asked with a smirk, “You’ve been lied to Taz, lied to and ostracized for having your own secrets. Yet others, everypony around you walks around with theirs fully intact. And still you fight me?”

“You’re lying!”

“What did I promise you when we first spoke? I’d only give you the truth, I only have, and I only will.”

“Because liars wouldn’t lie about being liars?” Taz asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Because everything I say I can provide, or rather, you can prove.”

“What?”

“Taz, get out of here,” Sunshine tried to say. He could barely stand, much less anything else. He had put everything he had into that shot.

Taz ignored Sunshine, “What are you talking about?”

“Like I said, your friends over there, both of them, they’ve been lying to you. You can prove it if you want evidence.”

“I… I…” Taz was speechless at that.

“By all means, don’t take my word for it, simply look behind you.”

Taz did not trust him, he did not want to take his eyes off this pony, yet, for some reason, he could not come up with a reason why not to turn around. This pony was under his power, he could not use magic again, and even if he ran out of Taz’s range, anything he did to anyone in the power would simply fade away in much the same way their energy shots had when he jumped in the middle.

So he turned around.

And his world was forever changed.

…

Sunshine had a yellow coat and orange mane; he had a large wheel and axle cutie mark. He lived in the Everfree Forest and fixed broken carts for a living. He was wise beyond his years, but other than his intelligence there was not much special about him.

This pony was not that one. This one was light purple, this one had a rainbow mane, and this one had a square academic cap cutie mark. Taz knew the yellow unicorn, he knew him as a friend, and he knew him as his mentor.

He knew this pony too, he knew him from stories, from pictures, and from the tears his family would cry every year when they got together at the anniversary of his death. He knew his name too.

“Dayspring… Dayspring Gleam?”

Dayspring looked up as his younger brother used his real name for the first time. He did not have the energy to stand much less try and explain why he had lied to him over the last eight years, why he was pretending to be someone he was not.

It had been unfortunate, in an effort to save his friend Taz revealed his secret. Taz’s ability is absolute; it is unique in the entire universe as having the ability to do what should have been impossible. He could cancel out a God’s magical power; Dayspring’s glamor spell never stood a chance, regardless of how good he was at using it.

“I… I… I can explain,” The effort of talking was almost too much for the unicorn. He lay his head back down, no longer able to keep it up. Dayspring had put everything he had into that last shot; after all, there was no reason to hold back.

Taz’s jaw dropped. He had been expecting some strange denial of it, some epic reason that would explain how his friend was not really Dayspring, that he was not really his brother. That he had not been lying to him for eight years now masquerading as someone he was not.

Thoughts flew into his head, thoughts of every time he would see Twilight breaking out into tears when someone mentioned her oldest son. Thoughts of how Rainbow would suddenly go for a around-the-world flight whenever the new headmaster of Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns would swing by. Thoughts of his sisters crying at night when their thoughts turned to their lost brother.

“You’re… you’re… you’re alive? All this time… you’re…” Taz was crying as he tried his best to articulate a response, he might as well been trying to capture wind. His mind only turned to all the times Sun- Dayspring would suddenly show up and help him when he was in some bind, how he always went out of his way to help with whatever Taz needed help with.

He was always there, he just… he was just not there.

His tenth birthday party: The strange gifts that were in his room, the ones that Twilight seemed shocked about.

His first day back at school: He fell down the stairs and landed on pillows that had no business being there.

All his uneventful trips to and from Sunshine’s cottage through the Everfree, not once did he ever encounter anything threatening. He had always been told it was so dangerous.

It was all there, all of it. All the little tidbits in his life that made no sense, they were all Dayspring’s doing.

He was always there, he just… he was just not there.

Taz had no idea why Dayspring lied, why he did not come back, but he did not need the reason. There was one thing that he could not get out of his head, one thought that kept replying like a sick movie in his head, one that was stuck on repeat, playing over and over.

His parent’s tears; he could not-not see them. The betrayal was not Dayspring betraying Taz; it was Dayspring betraying his family. The hurt he put Taz’s parents through, the sad look on Night’s face. The pure pain Aurora lived in, all of it. Dayspring did not hurt Taz with this action, Taz had not known him. Rather, Dayspring hurt everyone Taz loved with this action.

That he could not forgive, that he could never forgive.

His hoof made contact with Dayspring’s muzzle, “You BASTARD! You know what you did, you know how much you hurt everyone, while you what?! While you played this stupid game with me?! Do you not CARE?! We’re family and you… you …” Taz wailed on his brother, his first hit slammed the unicorn back, his second and third blacked his eyes and busted his nose.

Dayspring did not have the strength to fight back, he simply lay there, taking the verbal and physical beating his brother gave him. Every word Taz said he had said to himself a thousand times before, every hit felt like it was deserved, justified.

He knew that even if he did have the ability to move or fight back, he would not. Part of him wanted this; even if it could not come at a worse possible time.

Taz stopped when the blood hit his face. Dayspring’s rainbow mane was now mostly red. He bled freely from his nose, several cuts on his face, and his left eye was too swollen to open. When he saw what he did, Taz moved off his brother and to a column.

He threw up.

“Prince Taz, are you tired of being lied too?”

Taz wiped his mouth clear and looked back. He was relieved that Dayspring was still moving, it was small but he could see his stomach moving up and down as he took in short choppy breaths. Somehow the stallion had not screamed or cried; he took his beating in silence.

The red unicorn was waiting for his answer. The stallion had not moved the entire time. He was on his stomach with his front hooves tucked under him. There was a knowing look on his face that was both smiling and frowning.

“Yes,” Taz answered.

"I think it's time I end his annoying interference then."

"No!" Taz said reflexively. He would not have the death of any pony on his hooves, there was enough blood there already.

"Taz, he will not be the only one to die."

“You said I have power over you?”

“Yes I did,” the unicorn replied.

“So, that means you’ve got to do what I want?”

“Yes, yes it does, provided it serves to give me what I want in the end,” the red unicorn was smiling now.

“Help those two, keep them alive,” Taz gestured at the two bodies on the floor. Nighttide had yet to wake up and Dayspring's magical exhaustion and blood loss would see him die without help, help Taz was unable to provide. Regardless of what they did, he did not want to hurt anyone… no more than he had anyway.

“If I let them go it will create problems,” the unicorn said.

“Understood,” Taz replied, “You don’t have to let them go, just don’t let them die.” He paused, thinking about something else, “No one I know dies.”

“I can promise that from this moment onward, no one you know will die by our actions.”

“This moment onward?” Taz raised an eyebrow at that choice of words.

The unicorn shrugged, “Even I can’t change the past.”

Taz thought about it for a while, he was sure there was some context in that statement he was missing, but this could save the ones he loved. If the unicorn kept his word it would stop anyone he loved from being killed. He’d just have to give him whatever it was he wanted and hope he went away afterwards.

It was quite the gamble, but at least the unicorn had been honest up until now, “Fine.”

The unicorn sat up, “You agree without knowing what I want from you?”

“I don’t care what you want, if it’s something I have that I can give you and that will keep everyone safe, so be it,” Taz said. His face a frown as he looked over at sun- at his brother’s body, there was a small pool of blood forming around his head. Taz looked down at his own hooves, there was blood caked on them, “Now keep your word, save them,” Taz looked up and regained control of his ability, an action that allowed the red unicorn to regain his magical abilities.

“As you wish,” the unicorn bowed before the young stallion and directed the tiniest amount of his power to the unicorn he had just finished dueling with. Dayspring’s wounds were healed instantly; however, he did not awaken.

“What’s going on?” Taz asked.

“Thing will be simpler for all of us if he doesn’t awaken right now. He’s alive and his wounds are healed, just as you asked.”

“And Nighttide?”

“My daughter’s in no danger of dying, not here. Allow me to make accommodations for them both.”

“You’re going to lock them up, aren’t you?”

“Yes.”

“They’ll be safe?”

“Yes, I told you that you have power over me, I will keep my word. After all, something won with lies is worthless. I have and will only give you truth, Prince Taz.”

“Stop calling me that,” Taz said with a snarl.

“You should embrace it, not be ashamed of it. After all, it’s part of who you are.”

“I’m…”

“You’re concerned how the others will see you, aren’t you?”

Taz looked up; he did not say anything but he did nod, “I thought so, others see you however they wish. Trust me; there is nothing more fickle than the court of public opinion. From my perspective you’ve ensured the safety of your family, you prevented your brother from sacrificing himself, you saved the mare you loved from any retaliation for betraying me, and you did it all without fighting.”

“Love?” Taz asked as he looked over at the body of Nighttide.

“It comes in many forms, Taz.”

"You said she lied to me?"

"Her objective was to make you fall in love with her."

Taz went to run a hoof through his mane. It was all too much to consider, he paused when he saw the blood. “I… I want to go to bed,” today was easily the worst day of his young life. He suspected he would have a lot of bad days from now on.

“Of course,” as if it simply responded to his will, a door appeared behind the throne. Taz walked over and opened it up; he was rewarded for his efforts by a cold wind blowing through his bones.

“And for the love of Luna, turn up the heat,” Taz said through chattering teeth as he walked down the hallway.

“As you command,” the unicorn said with a smile.

Author's Notes:

Sometimes our best can only minimize our loss.