This marks the #100th chapter of The Lost Element. What a journey it has been. To all my loyal readers who have been following for years and those who only discovered this story recently, thank you for following my creations. I hope I continue to please in the coming years.

I dreamed last night. The very first day after our first true battle went by well enough. I took things easy to allow myself to rest. Stayed in the command center for the most part and spent some time with Ember in her temporary cottage. I even cooked her dinner that night. But when I slept in my own bed with dear Smolder and Ocellus at my side... Something happened.

I was aware. Too aware to simply be dreaming normally. I had a certain lucidity about me that I only get when the Princess of the Night or of Dreams visits me in my dreams. But not this time. I was alone. Standing in a dark empty void. It almost felt strangely familiar. My soft bare feet gently echoed as I strolled along. I was nearly naked aside from the simple pair of boxers I had worn to bed. Even in the dark, I could clearly see myself as if I was illuminated. Darkness all around me, but not shrouded in shadows.

"Hello...? Luna? Nightmare Moon?" I called out as I wondered if I was alone. And I was. No one responded. No portals to the dream nexus opened around me. I was dreaming entirely unhindered and undisturbed. But why so aware at the same time? I do not dream lucidly on my own. I simply do not know how. Was there someone else there with me? "If anyone is there... Anyone?"

It was only then that a voice spoke to me. A voice that seemed to come from everywhere. "You are aware? You are dreaming, yet awake? What good fortune."

The voice that reached me... It was not one I had heard before. Soft and gentle, with a tender feminine tone. The voice of a young woman with her voice carrying a certain elegance to it. A spirit? A product of my dreaming mind? And where was it coming from? "You do not know me? I have been watching for some time. I was wondering if you would ever hear me. Bearer of Humanity."

"You know? But...who are you?" I asked before I started to notice a growing luminescence coming from my biceps. My cutie marks were glowing increasingly brightly. They are covered so often that I tend to forget they are even there. Those two markings displaying twin doves suddenly released two orbs of white light that rose above me before joining together. That formless orb of light began to take on a definitive shape. One that I started to recognize.

Seconds later, a bird composed of that white light hovered gently above me. A dove. Like an avatar of some divine being. I had to wonder... Was it the will of the Element of Humanity itself? I then asked, "Wait... You're not the Element itself, are you? Are you a sentient presence?"

"Am I? Or am I not? Who can say?" The ethereal dove spoke to me while its wings loftily held it in the dark void before me. She... It... The presence then said, "But I know who you are. What a pivotal time for you to be here as the one who embodies the very concept of Humanity in the world of Equestria. It has been so very long since humanity held such sway over this world."

I said nothing. I was uncertain if this was my own dreaming mind playing tricks on me or if some unseen third party was actually trying to communicate with me. I sensed no malice or trickery in the tone of the voice I was hearing. Perhaps slightly playful at the time, or perhaps it was just being vague for the sake of some other motive. The entity must have noticed my prolonged puzzled silence since it then said, "Am I confusing you? My apologies. I do not wish to vex you tonight. This is a.....special occasion."

The ethereal dove descended in a manner that gave me the impression it wanted to land. So I offered my arm as a perch. It gripped my fist with its little feet like a proper bird would. I could not resist the urge to pet the little creature. Although when my other hand stroked its fingers down the bird's back, the sensation I felt was... It was not like feathers. It felt like...how light itself might feel if it could take on physical properties. The voice spoke to me again. "Of all the shapes and images the Element of Humanity could have assumed, I do not believe anything beyond the form of doves would be more fitting."

"You really think so?" I asked with growing curiosity. This mysterious entity at least had my attention by then. I glanced down at the cutie marks upon my own arms. The pure white silhouettes of two doves with beaks and talons touching to form a perfect heart shape between them.

"Oh, absolutely. Not the fierce predatory nature of a falcon. Nor the grim cunning of the raven. The gentleness and loving nature of the dove. It truly suits you." The voice spoke softly to me as I was certain the dove of purest white light upon my hand was looking right at me. "And yet, humanity cannot be trusted or expected to always remain in the light of virtue. It can waver. Step towards the shadows. Or fall into them entirely. Or even...hurl themselves so far in that there is no coming back."

A certain grimness settled upon that voice as it spoke. A wizened experienced tone filled with understanding of which it spoke. "Never set in stone. Always able to go one way or the other. Or even anywhere in-between. Is that not the defining aspect of human nature?"

"It is, really. I do try to stay on the brightest path... The world of Equestria helps with that." I replied as I began to walk with my little passenger perched upon my hand. Its presence was proving to be comforting by then. I had no destination in mind. Certainly not within that vast expanse of black nothingness. "This world really is inspiring. I love it."

"Such a precious relationship humanity has long held with Equestria. One guides the other while the other inspires the former. They have long needed each other. Cherished each other." The voice explained while the dove gazed ahead. Its voice began to speak with a tone of longing to it. "And yet, tempted by what could be, one sought dominion over the other. Seeking to lay claim to what once guided it. Not seeing or understanding the true value of what already lay before it."

My stride came to a stop. A somber tone settled over us. The wording was cryptic, but I knew of what the presence spoke of. I had already been informed of the catalyst of humanity's downfall in the world of Equestria. And I had every reason to believe that this entity was intimately familiar with the history of the race from which the Element of Humanity was born from. And yet, it was such a sad history to think of. Dear friends to each other. One whose much more gentle nature influenced the humanity for the better with the human spirit inspiring those who did not possess it. It must have been such a golden era when humanity coexisted in harmony with the rest of this world.

"That is why you are here, is it not?" The voice spoke to me as my mind trailed off. Wondering about all I had come to know in such a short time. "The Princes of the Dawn longed for better days. Wondered if what once was could be what is again. It was such a bold and perilous endeavor, reaching out to a distant world with so many vices that could ruin Equestria forever if they ever took hold of those who call this world home. And yet, they found you. Tell me, Bearer of Humanity. Do you think they chose wisely in bringing you to this world?"

I said nothing at first. It was such a heavy question. I knew that the royal sisters had spoken with certainty on how well I had meshed with their world. But I had to wonder... Was I really the right choice among so many others? Now that I had come to understand why humanity had all but ceased to be in the world of Equestria? Was it truly for the best to bring humanity back into this world after what it had tried to achieve so long ago? Would this world ever regain what it has lost? And would the journey to regain what is missing be worth it in the end? These thoughts in my mind, I muttered softly, "I don't think I'm at liberty to decide that..."

"It is a display of wisdom to never presume about oneself in degrees of this magnitude. After all, who is to say you could not have faltered along the way here? Or strived for a brighter ending?" The voice spoke kindly before the ethereal dove upon my hand suddenly spreading its wings and fluttered into the air. But when it did, two differing glows burst from its sides. Two more avian forms emerged from the dove before me before the three of them landed on the black floor before me. The dove now stood to the left. Emitting a silvery gray light was the sleek predatory form of a falcon with curved talons at the tips of its glowing feet. And standing tot he right was the jet black form of a raven with a shimmering outline that allowed me to make it out among the inky blackness of our surroundings. And set into its head were a pair of glowing crimson beacons like a pair of unblinking eyes. While I felt a sense of familiarity in the forms of the dove and the falcon, the presence of the raven instilled a sense of unease. I felt like I had seen this entity before. And wondering when or where it had happened made a cold sweat start oozing from my pores. Perhaps it would be wiser to not try to dig through my memories for it...

"You see it, do you not? Nature of the human spirit is never set in stone. It can bask in the light. Drown in the darkness. Or walk between the light and shadows, wavering from one side to the other." The same voice spoke, but not seemingly from any specific ethereal bird before me. It was like the voice was shared between them. The three birds before me turned and began to walk ahead while I followed. Each displayed a different gait. The dove jerked its head with every step, the falcon walking with grater yet more cautious strides, and the raven marching with a sense of aloof confidence with each step. Each carried a different feel to them, yet were all bound to each other. And as they walked, I could see something unfolding before us.

Like a massive spider's web, glowing lines of white, gray, and black bordered by a silvery edge began to expand before us. Spreading and weaving back and forth. Countless paths stood before us. The voice spoke again, "As it is in human nature to not be bound to a single path, you must wonder. What if you took a different path from the moment you arrived?"

The birds began to follow the paths that matched there colors. And floating above each fork in each road displayed was an image that showed something I had nearly forgotten about. I could see myself with Diamond Tiara in the middle of the school playground. Above white path was a picture of me simply standing between her and the Cutie Mark Crusaders with a disdainful scowl on my face. I did get a chuckle out of seeing that I was still wearing that green bandage around my forehead to cushion that nasty bump that Rarity accidentally gave me at our first encounter. The image above the gray path displayed a sight I did indeed remember. Having Diamond Tiara securely pinned under my foot as I gave her a good scolding. But the image over the black path... I was holding her in the air by the back of her neck while she looked like she was flailing in fright. Could I...have hurt her back then?

Even if she was a spiteful little brat at the time, the thought of me inflicting physical harm on a child for petty jeering made me wince. But I could have been gentler too. I had to wonder what the outcome could have been had I listened more to the mercy in my heart or the vengefulness in my gut. As I pondered one of the earliest dilemmas I faced during my time in Equestria, the voice spoke to me again. "Gentleness or cruelty. Mercy or punishment. Or somewhere between the two? Just one of many choices one could have made at the time?"

"Are you condemning me for what I did?" I asked while knowing that punishing Diamond Tiara by hiding her cutie mark with that little prank device I had picked up on a whim probably caused more problems for myself than was necessary in the aftermath. But had I not done that... And Diamond Tiara had not tried to blackmail me...

As if to mirror my thoughts, the birds marched along. And before me, that gray glowing line began to connect to a wildly branching segment of the map before us. That little act of almost playful punishment triggered an impressive chain reaction. Seeing so many branching paths jogged my memory. I ventured into the Everfree Forest for the first time. I wandered into the cursed village known only as Sunny Town. I met Mitta and Ruby, who I would eventually return to. And then... Nightmare Moon. I met Nightmare Moon deep within the Everfree Forest. What would have happened had I not made that choice when I did?

"It is dizzying, isn't it? One little decision, made squarely between the light of mercy and the shadows of vengeance, generated such a jarring chain of events in the coming days. Just imagine... Had you not crossed paths with the withering remains of the Princess of Dreams..." The voice spoke to me before the three birds came to a stop as another image appeared before me. The three ethereal birds came together to stand upon their paths that was directly connected to this one event. And I saw her. Nightmare Moon surrounded by the floating dimmed copies she forged of the Elements of Harmony. Her failsafe against the one force on the planet that could sever her control over her grip on the night.

"This was such a decisive moment. The moment that would decided Equestria's fate not simply for that night. But many more conflicts to come." The voice spoke to me as I saw three images beyond this one. The image floating over the black path depicted me bowing to Nightmare Moon in probable union. The one over the gray displayed me with sword raised as if ready to cut her down in an act of uncertainty or desperation. And the one over the white...

I remembered that moment. When I turned away from her offer to stay by her side, but also refuse to harm her. My insistence to do what was best for Equestria. Knowing this, the voice spoke from around me once again. "I heard your call. The moment that would decide if you were truly worthy to serve as the bearer of that which represents the human spirit. You showed no compromise when it was most desperately not needed. Even when the choice was difficult. It was then that we were bound together. You were, and have most certainly been, worthy to serve as the Bearer of Humanity."

"Who are you?" I finally asked as the three birds of varying shades of black and white turned to face me. This entity knew me well. Too well. "Are you...the Element of Humanity itself?"

"Me? Oh, not quite... Although I can only say so much. I believe it is too soon to tell you much more. Do be patient. Although I must say that I am relieved to finally be able to speak to you." The voice spoke again from seemingly everywhere. "I am sure you have felt it. Or seen it. You have, in a sense, returned home. The Element of Humanity knows of whence it came. The Empty Plains that you now sleep upon. It was once where it was most rooted to."

"I...think I get what you mean. I've seen them... Phantoms of times long past. Going about their day like...memories the Element of Humanity is remembering. And it...always chills me when I see them." I replied while remembering the very few times I have witnessed that phenomenon upon the Empty Plains. I was hoping I would not see them again, but that was not likely.

"They are not your memories. They are not your kin. They are ghosts of better times before...that happened." The voice said before the three ethereal birds before me began to waddle along their respective paths again. I followed at a steady pace as they tread the paths assigned to them. "Do not feel their sins are yours. For you have not sinned as they have."

A fork in the road came up that I froze upon seeing. A pattern I noticed is that the paths I remembered taking in life glowed brilliantly to set them apart from the paths I did not take. But it was eventually that I saw the path of black's silvery outline shine brighter. The forks became many in a very short amount of time, all following the black path as the ghostly raven followed it. A web of black led us along, but the images floating above each branching path... They were full of static. Static that caused my mind to ache. As if my body was trying to remember, but nothing came. But on the air... I swear I noticed the faint scent of blood. Memories I could not recall... Memories...that burdened me. "Discord... Were these what happened between us?"

The voice spoke once again, but much more solemnly this time. "You faltered that day. Loss gave rise to despair. Despair gave rise to anger. Anger gave rise to twisted desires of vengeance. And that vengeance gave rise to madness. You teetered on the verge of ruin. But the light within never truly faded. When vengeance was attained, the desires fell to anger. And that anger returned to despair. You did not reach further into the blackness. You turned away from it when you needed to most. You showed the darkest side of humanity that day, but you did not embrace it in the end."

"Please... Say no more... Discord told me he could not leave me with the burden of knowing what happened and I want to believe he did the right thing in making it so I could not recall." I replied as turned away from the panels of static floating in the air. The paths of black began to dime as the brighter paths of silvery gray and purest white began to glow beyond them.

"It was an act most kind of him. However foul your methods were, you did the Spirit of Chaos a great favor that day. Wherever he has ascended to now, I am most certain he is joyous. You caused him great pain. But great relief in the end as well. He is free now. That is not something simply anyone can say." My guide spoke as we continued along. I could still remember those final minutes with him as all was revealed. And he finally left this world to the sound of joyous fanfare. And then saying goodbye in a way only he could... I could almost smell the chocolate milk raining from the sky.

"I was told such good things about him... I hope he's happy." I muttered as I thought kindly of the friend I said farewell to on that day. It was a memory that weighed heavily on my heart.

"I can assure you that he is. So many faces rushed to welcome him at the gates." The voice said all too knowingly.

I stopped where I was. This entity sounded like it knew exactly what happened beyond the mortal planes when Discord finally ascended beyond this world. "You sound like you were actually there to see it. As if you were personally there to welcome him... Who...are you?"

The voice fell silent for a moment. And it did not speak. My suspicions growing, I decided that I was probably not going to get an answer. All I could do was follow.

The minutes went by as I passed so many branching paths. There were a few gray lines lit up, but most were reassuringly white. And then...it stopped. The three ethereal birds at my feet stopped before three lines of white, gray, and black. From beyond this point, the lines led straight ahead into the horizon while being visibly dim. There were no forks in the path Because they had not yet been traveled. The voice finally spoke to me and said, "This is as far as we have come. What lies ahead? Who can say. This journey will only continue.....when you wake up in the morning."

"Do you think I will continue to make the right choices from here on out?" I asked with a sense of uncertainty. Seeing the dimmed paths ahead with no sign of what was to come... And knowing what was currently happening at that moment upon the Empty Plains... It was daunting to imagine.

The voice once again spoke kindly to me, "You have faltered at times. And taken less than ideal paths in-between. But you have stayed true to yourself. And to what you value. It would be unrealistic to say you will always follow the purest path, but I have faith the choices you decide upon will be for the best in the end. Do not seek the path of perfection. For there is none. Seek to do what you can and enough of it. That is the best we can strive for, is it not?"

I felt the world quiver. It was already time to wake up? How long had I even been asleep? Regardless, the three birds of ethereal light joined into one bird of purest white once more and fluttered up to my hand. I could sense its gaze upon me. "It was wonderful finally getting to speak to you. I do hope that we will be able to speak again soon."

"Yeah... Not sure who you are, but...it was nice all the same." I replied while feeling like this dream had some sort of deeper meaning to it. Something special. But who could say what it was?

As the black around me started to turn an encroaching white, the dove upon my hand spoke one last time. "You have come far. A hundred miles with many more to go. Your story shall continue. I can only hope that the ending...will be a happy one. Farewell, dear James."

I awoke suddenly. My name... The entity knew my name. Almost on a personal level. Not at all disconnected by the spiritual distance associated with the divine. My eyes adjusted to the mid morning light. And in my arms were dear little Smolder and Ocellus. Sleeping soundly with no knowledge of what just transpired in my mind.

I sit here now at the typewriter in my room. It was such a simple dream... But so lucid too Why am I able to remember it so clearly despite the lack of the Princesses of Dreams and the Night's company? Some other entity reaching out to me from somewhere out there? I can only be grateful that it was not a malevolent presence...

Why appear to me like that? What was the purpose of that dream? I get the strange feeling that something has occurred right under my nose. What day is it? What special occasion is it? Something I cannot know on my own?

Perhaps I am overthinking this. Breakfast should be ready soon. We still have a ways to go. Equestria needs us and we must not fail. Not now. Until then, here is to another hundred miles. Whatever that meant.