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Days have gone by. Days of unease and that infernal waiting. Word eventually got around after my prior entry where a light infantry battalion was wiped out before they could reach our encampment and everyone knows I was the one who handled it. While that has earned me some slack in the resentment that has been spreading among my allies, I think that night as well as what happened...when Nightmare Moon nearly perished in battle has also fueled a growing wariness among my allies that I never felt before. Not contempt, but rather...fear.

I think it has dawned on my allies, especially those who had never heard of me until they started serving with me, just how powerful I actually am when I have access to my enchanted armaments. And it would be futile to try and explain to them how I perform in battle depends upon my emotional and mental state. But at the very least, this has resulted in me feeling safer lately. I suppose it is true what they say. Better to be feared than hated, as dour such a statement really is.

My dreams have been...inconsistent. Sometimes they are peaceful. Other times I wake up with only a vague memory of feeling utterly dreadful. And other times, I remember feelings of rage. Angry and violent dreams that left me feeling a profound sense of remorse upon awakening. Whether I was in the gentle youthful embrace of little Smolder and Ocellus or the much more loving embrace of Ember or Rain Shine, it hardly affected what happened in my dreaming mind. I suspect that someone was paying attention to my dreaming thoughts lately because last night was...interesting, to say the least.

When I drifted from trying to sleep while bordered by Smolder and Ocellus, my mind soon became awake. Dreaming, yet awake. Everything felt so real. A lucid dream. Standing there all but naked as a manmade chamber surrounded me, I knew I was not alone. "Ladies? Anyone? You there?"

"I'm on my way up, James. Are you well?" I heard Luna's voice speak up. I walked forward towards the edge of a sort of balcony with a pair of stairs on each side. A hallway spread out ahead of me while I noticed Luna coming up on my left. I noticed that the floors consisted of hexagonal tiles with electronic lights flowing periodically between each tile. The aesthetics of the chamber around me felt very technologically advanced, and yet...magical in a way. A vaguely familiar way. Luna noticed my wandering eyes as I paid more attention to my surroundings than her. "Does this area bring back any memories? Something you recall?"

"Somewhere in the back of my mind... Something that I probably remember more than what little fueled the dream where we squared off against Malefor. That was cobbled together from bits and pieces of vague memories I have. But this...was produced from a very vivid recollection. I feel like I should recognize this place, but I never got to see it from this angle..." I retorted while digging through my memories. It certainly looked and felt familiar. I even heard the faint hums of the technology at work around us. Some sort of...what is the term... A magitek facility? Suddenly realizing what being in a familiar yet fictional setting meant for us, I turned my attention towards the Princess of the Night. "I take it we should expect trouble?"

"Most likely. That is what these shared dreams tend to develop into, yes?" Luna replied before she started to look less sure of herself. As if an uncomfortable realization had dawned upon her. She lowered her head and looked away before speaking. "Forgive me... With all the mayhem that has transpired recently, I felt it would be wise to take your mind off the battlefield and allow all of us to face off against a foe who would put you in your element. I understand if you would much rather slumber in peace instead of having a sparring session..."

I only pondered this for a moment. I was exhausted, at least in some ways. But this location felt special. Something...I would be remiss to pass up on. And being allowed to face an opponent that I could get the most out of my gear against, not at all the lowly foot soldiers I have dealt with recently, would probably make for an invigorating change of pace. I just waved a hand at Luna and said, "No, it's fine. I feel like this will do me some good tonight. A little clash to get a kick out of without having to worry about my allies, you know?"

"You are certain? In that case, let me summon Celestia. I doubt she would want to miss this." Luna replied as her eyes brightened in intrigue. With a cast of her dream magic, a rift formed to my left. And on the other side sat Celestia while savoring a slice of some delicious looking strawberry shortcake. Luna then called out, "Celestia! Would you care to join us! We're expecting quite the spectacle tonight."

"Oh, really?! In that case... Just let me finish this, all right?" Celestia replied while helping herself to another bite of cake.

That cake looked so good that... I just could not resist. I then reached out and asked, "Can I get some of that too?"

"Of course! Here, let me bring plenty." The Princess of the Dawn replied before hopping through the portal with four dishes holding slices of that strawberry shortcake. She then spoke while the portal closed behind her, "I suppose I just needed some comfort food lately. And without the calories."

"Can't go wrong with that. Thank you." I retorted while Luna and I helped ourselves to the extra floating dishes of cake. But while I held two of the four in my hands, I looked around in confusion. "Where is she? Shouldn't Nightmare Moon be... Oh... Right..."

Luna frowned while letting out a knowing sigh. "Best let her rest, James. Her body is healing, but so too is her mind."

"You would dare assume such a thing about me, sister?!" A familiar voice suddenly called from below that made us all jump. Followed by the sounds of hooves coming up one of the stairs leading down. And there she was. Nightmare Moon stepped into view without a single sign of damage upon her body. We all stared aghast, hardly able to believe that she was already up and about. Even in the realm of dreams. The Princess of Dreams cast us a proud smirk and asked, "What? Why so surprised? Even if my body is broken and healing, my mind remains as sharp as it always has. And this is my domain. Mortal wounds hold no sway over my presence here."

Celestia let out a sigh of relief as we all were left stunned over how we could have overlooked such a fact about her. "That's quite true... Good to have you with us, sister. It would not be the same without you."

I then stepped towards my dear dark princess and held out one of those dishes to her. She took it into her levitating grasp, but then stepped forward as we shared an embrace. Just for a moment to savor this together. Whatever fate had chosen for us to not have, we still loved each other. And I was delighted to see there was one place where Nightmare Moon's injuries would not apply.

We stood there atop that balcony to savor our slices of cake for the moment. A little something sweet to start our night. Once our snacks had been consumed, their dishes and matching cutlery vanished in flashes of white light as Luna dismissed them. "Much obliged, Celestia. I did not know how much I needed that."

"Good food is good for the soul. Even better when you don't have to worry about the calorie count." The Princess of the Dawn chuckled while I too cracked a smirk. She then cast her gaze around the magical yet technologically designed room and asked, "Now then... Any idea what we're in for tonight? Does this ring a bell to you, James?"

"Just a little. As for who might be around, I'm not sure yet." I spoke while trying to piece together my memories. It was something I must have remembered well, but the details and context of our location must have been very obscure. Which only made me more intrigued over the possibilities.

Nightmare Moon turned her attention to me after taking in her fill of our surroundings. "When taking into account how this setting feels more like something out of those comic books... Do you believe it would be best if we had you don that robotic guise you seem to take glee in assuming?"

Luna was thrilled at the suggestion. "Oh, yes! It's been some time since we got to experience a thrilling display by the mighty Hunter!"

"I dunno... I mean if this was a strictly sci-fi setting, that'd be fine. But this...feels more like its somewhere between science and magic in its foundation..." I retorted as I pondered this carefully. Science? Or sorcery? Which would fit best? After a moment of thought, I went with what was in my heart. "Suit me up in my usual set of armor. I have a hunch it will fit much more with what we're about to face."

"Very well then. And we shall don our armor as well. Ladies?" Nightmare Moon replied while her sisters nodded in agreement. With a flash from her horn, we all stood in full armor. The three royal sisters were clad in their suits of barding while I had my winged armor covering my body with the Lunar Shield on my left arm. We were ready. The Princess of Dreams then looked down the hall behind me and said, "Lead on, James. We are with you."

I turned to face the only other way out of the room and marched on with the clattering of our armored feet echoing around the hall. But once the hall ended, we stepped into a vast room that leaned much more towards a technological angle than a fantastical one. Rows upon rows of glass capsules filled with fluid were spread out to our sides with horizontal pipes crisscrossing above us. Each capsule was large enough to hold a man, but a swirling bubbling layer of foam obstructed our view of whatever could be inside them. Celestia began to mutter, "This is...eerie... Are you certain this isn't the product of any memories from a science fiction thriller?"

"I...don't think so. It's hard to forget about a sight like this and I don't recall much in the way of horror elements here..." I replied as I led my companions to the center of that massive laboratory. There was an opening in the center of that room that held another similar glass pod. This one was installed in a device that was atop tracks in the floor. Probably as a means to prepare the contents before adding it to the rest of the pods around us. Out of curiosity, I tapped on the pod before us. "Anything in there besides bubbles?"

"I...sense something... Something alive, but just barely..." Luna spoke while the three of them peered past me. And then it happened The swirling suds in the pod began to thin. And we all jumped back. The pod was not empty at all. There was someone inside. Something...human. "Heavens...! What is this?!"

I too was unnerved by what I was seeing. Within the stasis pod before us was a clearly young human man. Body bare, he appeared to be little more than a corpse. And all around us, the bubbling foam inside the pods began to clear. Every last one of them contained human bodies. All were...unresponsive. Nightmare Moon called out in shock, "Corpses?! We're in a room full of nothing but human corpses?!"

"No! They're not quite dead... They live...but just barely. Not dying. More like...being revived?" Luna explained as she felt closer through the air of the realm of dreams. And those words... They stirred old memories within me as my eyes started to widen. Obscure did not even begin to describe what spawned this setting in my sleeping mind.

Thoroughly disturbed by the ambiguous situation around us, Celestia turned to me while I gazed down at the capsule before us and its slumbering occupant. "James... Surely you remember something by now. Where are we?"

I turned to face my royal companions. A twinge of amazement in my heart, I spoke a single word. "Dycroft."

"Dycroft...?" Nightmare Moon muttered in confusion as they all turned to face me. "What is Dycroft?"

"An aeropolis. A city in the sky." I replied as the reality of the situation dawned on me. They could not have known how grim the scenario was, but I knew. And I could never forget. A tale with a bleak climax should we not act soon. I then looked around at the nonliving bodies around us and explained, "These people are being revived, but at the cost of the world below and everyone on it. The world down there... It's dying."

Nightmare Moon's eyes narrowed in cold resolve. "Then should we destroy these husks?"

"If we try, he'll come running." I retorted before turning my gaze beyond the capsule before us at the hall leading further into the facility. "Their king is near... And he probably already knows we're here."

"A foul king choking the life out of the world below? Why does that sound familiar..." Celestia growled from within her armor. I glanced at them and saw that all three of the royal sisters bore glares of fiery determination. As noble and beloved monarchs, it must be a sore point for them to have to face off against any royalty who are far from noble. "Lead on, James. We're ready."

There was only one other way to go out of that ghastly chamber. I led my companions around the pod before us and down the hall on the other side. And what waited ahead truly carried an air of finality to it. A raised walkway led on to a wide area that was bordered by an intricately designed cradle of polished pale metal, though also segments that looked uncannily like bone. And at the far end of that room stood an impressive sight. A large spherical prism with many sides, easily my height, constantly rotated in place. It appeared to be stained a vibrant light purple, almost as if it was composed of solid amethyst. But there was no one around. At first.

"There is no one here...?" Luna muttered as we approached cautiously. It was too quiet... Too empty... Where was he?

And then we heard him. A haughty voice that came from everywhere. "Hmph... Such sacrilege. What audacity for you to come marching into a land you do not belong in. You may bear the form of a divine being, but I can still smell the stench of Er'ther blood on you."

We all stopped in our tracks as our eyes gazed upwards. A flash of golden light filled the air before fading. And there, floating before us while surrounded by an almost heavenly golden outline, was a man who could truly be considered very kingly by his outward appearance. Clad in a skintight royal purple shirt and ornate fingerless long gloves, he bore a long red cape topped with a layer of white that was clasped before his chest. An equally white cloth wrap hung around his hips, many gold accents adorning these colors of white, purple, and red. His shimmering gold hair hung in broad bangs over his face and was braided as it hung down his back. A air of round cyan orbs were used to secure his hair near the tip. And between his cyan eyes emblazoned upon his brow was a noticeable white sigil of indiscernible design. But for as royal and glorious as this kingly man was, there was nothing noble about that gaze. He constantly sneered at me from above, that loathsome scowl as he held his head high carrying all the airs of arrogant tyrant mad with power. I knew my companions were waiting for answers, and so I provided them. I could never forget this foul tyrant. "Kronos. The Aetherian king."

"A lowly Er'ther remembers my name? Why do I have the creeping suspicion that I should be humbled by such a statement, as absurd such a notion is?" The beautifully garbed king above us declared while he began to cross his arms. I almost expected him to perform a mocking bow, but he would not even give me that.

I decided to go ahead and speak my mind now that all the memories of this evil king's tale was starting to resurface in my mind after so very long of being all but forgotten in the grand scheme of things. "I remember your tale. It was a tale of destiny, but was forgotten too soon so shortly after it was released to the public. It was just the circumstances surrounding it. But I remember. I read that story. And I never forgot it. And I never forgot you."

"Hmph... And here I thought the tales of the Aeth'er Wars had faded long into obscurity... I suppose there will always be intrepid scholars who will manage to unearth even the most forgotten of tales, even if those stories remain only with them." Kronos spoke with a subtle display of admiration for the pursuit of knowledge. Although that smug smirk began to fade as he gazed down upon me in confusion. "But enough of that... How did you even get up here? The Aethersphere is complete. There is no means for a lowly Er'ther like you to breach the new surface. There are no gaps to exploit. Even those wings would surely only carry you so high."

"We have our ways." Nightmare Moon spoke firmly as she and her sisters finally stepped forward. Kronos cast a very wide-eyed gaze upon them while the Princess of Dreams called out to him. "I can see it in your eyes, tyrant. What cruel ambitions have you pursued?"

"Well now... The lot of you... Yes... Yes, what exquisite specimens!" Kronos declared as he held a hand to his chin in an analytical manner. He was very taken with the royal sisters and their almost ethereal qualities. "Manes and tails of auroras and void? Sparkling with the stars of the night sky? And those elegant wings... Yes... Yes, you would most certainly be welcome in my kingdom. I have need for such noble steeds like yourselves!"

"I beg your pardon?!" Luna barked in disgust over the implications the Aetherian king was voicing through his observations. "We serve no tyrant. Not when we have our own people to reign over. And we are here to insure you will harm no kingdom ever again!"

Kronos was visibly taken aback by the act of these armored ponies openly rejecting him. And he certainly was not expecting them to have the ability to talk. "You can speak?! Unexpected... Well, no matter. We can discuss this later. As for now..."

He once again directed his focus down to me. And with that sneering scowl on his face, Kronos spoke to me. "I don't suppose your presence here is without purpose, Er'ther scum. You come dressed for war and carry the weapons needed for it. I don't suppose you...plan to become a kingslayer today?"

"If I must. But what we really need to dispose of..." I began to reply while I drew the glowing blade of the Celestial Sword from its scabbard. I then pointed my sword at the rotating prism ahead of us. "...is that!"

"The Eye of Atamoni... And you think your sword is enough to shatter such an artifact?" Kronos declared with a glare of irritation settling into his eyes. I was doubtful I could actually destroy it so easily. Perhaps even the Celestial Sword would not be able to even scratch it. But I had to try. Even if I knew Kronos would not make it easy for me.

It was then that Celestia stepped forward and called out to us all. "Hold on a minute! What's even happening?! Kronos?! Dycroft?! Aethersphere?! Eye of Atamoni?! What is all this?! James, please. Bring us up to speed. What's even happening?!"

I cast a glance up at Kronos while he smirked down at me. The Aetherian king when waved dismissively at me as he said, "Oh, don't mind me. You seem knowledgeable enough about the situation at hand, Er'ther scholar. I'll be patient. I have all the time in the world. And time is most certainly on my side..."

He knew exactly what he was talking about. But my companions deserved to know the context of the situation surrounding this scenario. It was not a tale many remembered. Certainly not in its so-called first edition. I took it upon myself to explain without overdoing it. "That thing there... The Eye of Atamoni is a substance referred to as a lens. And its the largest of its kind, being useful as a massive energy source. That thing is powering Dycroft...and the Aethersphere beyond it."

Nightmare Moon narrowed her gaze before she asked in curiosity, "Aether...sphere... If I had to make an assumption through the name alone, it is a round object that floats in the heavens? Is it a moon?"

I did not mince words as I explained the true nefarious nature of that heavenly device. "It's basically the new outer crust of the world below. Constructed over the planet with the new mantle being the empty space between the ground and the sky above. Think of it like a hollow orb of hardened earth wrapping around the planet."

All three of the royal sisters stared aghast at me since they were far too knowledgeable about the concept of a world no longer being able to be touched by the rays of the sun. Luna then asked, "But...if the world below is trapped...where the sun can no longer reach it..."

"Yeah... The world below is dying. Not just from the lack of sunlight. The Aethersphere is literally sucking the world dry. Draining every bit of natural energy out of every living creature down there. Just to revive the ones in the room we passed through..." I replied as the gravity of the situation really started to get to me. I was too young back then... Too naive to grasp how ghastly such a fate really is. The slowest deaths are always the most agonizing. And Kronos was engineering a truly awful fate for the world below. And when I glanced up at him... He was smirking proudly. So sure of himself and his twisted ideologies. "And this guy is the one behind it all."

The three royal sisters steeled themselves and glared at the foul king floating above us. Luna then asked, "Tell us, tyrant! Is there a way to destroy the Aethersphere?!"

"If there is, I am not so certain myself. Perhaps you could if you were to destroy the Eye of Atamoni, but best of luck trying. A simple stab from even the sharpest of swords likely won't do much. And besides that..." He replied with a growing tone of malice in his voice. Kronos then descended to the floor before us, but not quite enough to touch the floor with his white boots remaining just off the ground. He then sneered at us all and said, "I can't let you do that. I have spent far too many centuries waiting...watching...plotting to let everything I've strived for fall to pieces now! I will have my kingdom again! For this world once again belongs to me! I am Kronos! I am the king of the Aetherian people! And we will rise again to reclaim what has always been ours!"

"I doubt everything you speak is spoken without a very self-serving filter, you wretch. We see nothing more than a tyrant that's overdue for the guillotine." Nightmare Moon declared while we all took positions near each other. It was four of us against just this one king shrouded by a heavenly aura. A form bright as the sun, but with a heart black as the abyss. And...there was something missing. He may have been without guards or soldiers, but he was not defenseless.

Kronos smirked at us despite our superior numbers and his complete lack of knowledge about his enemies. "You think you can break me? Well, if it is a fight you want... I can oblige."

The Aetherian king reached out to us with his right hand opened wide. Seconds after he did so, billowing smoke or black flames began to filled the air before him in a horizontal line. And upon closing his hand around something, those flickering shadows faded to reveal an ominous weapon in his hand. Celestia's eyes opened wide as she muttered in unease, "That...sword..."

An impressively large backsword was now grasped in Kronos' right hand. Not quite as long as the Celestial Sword, but with much more girth and width to add some terrifying power to every slash. I would almost even say it was overbuilt, but not so much that I was unconvinced it could be realistically used in one hand. The design was beautifully ornate, yet also ominous. The blade was pitch black with a pair of arcs in the sword's spine being tipped with spikes specifically designed to resemble fangs. A great deal of golden elements was around the hilt and even a sturdy knuckle guard for the hand, but there were still more fangs and even a few red orbs on each side of the guard that resembled demonic eyes. The sword looked like it was explicitly designed to appear demonic as a means to intimidate its wielder's enemies. His horrifying weapon in his hand, Kronos raised his left hand dramatically and chuckled at us with that loathsome grin on his face. "No matter how deadly a weapon you're carrying, you cannot fathom what manner of power this sword bestows onto me. And you can't have it, Er'ther scum. Come at me, if you dare. I am ready for you!"

My eyes scanned the platform we were all standing on. Impressively expansive and wide, an acceptable indoor battlefield. Kronos floated before us with sword ready, waiting for us to make the first move. My armored allies stepped forward with horns lowered. Celestia then whispered, "You lead, James. We're right behind you."

I nodded and then charged. My wings carried me forward in a burst of speed. Perhaps if I lashed out quickly enough, I could end this fight quickly with a single strike. But Kronos likely anticipated an attempt to end things quickly and decisively. His impressive sword caught my blade while he supported his blade with his left hand against the spine. A flash of embers rose into the air as we stared each other down with that infuriating sneer never leaving his face. "Hmph. Let us begin."

With a swing of his hand, Kronos repelled my sword in an impressive show of almost inhuman strength. To be able to wield such a hefty blade so deftly... The balance of that sword would require it to be used in a manner similar to an axe. But even with no leverage provided with his feet on the ground, he maintained impressive control over his weapon. I began to question how much I actually remembered about this immortal king and went on the defensive with the Lunar Shield ready.

"You showed such bravado a second ago. Now you cower behind a shield like the rat you are." Kronos chuckled with his teeth bared. Just when I was almost convinced I should strike again, he lashed out with a heavy slash of his black blade. Even though I caught it on my shield, it shocked me with just how much power was behind it. Easily enough to sever an unarmored limb. Such power could easily damage my armor if I suffered too many hits to one area. But when Kronos tried to strike me again, I managed to parry his swing more effectively with my shield and shove it aside. He did flinch in shock as I tried to cleave him in two, but... That heavenly aura... My blade was not blocked. More like...the impact of my blade was entirely negated! Taking advantage of my momentary confusion, Kronos grabbed me by the face and shoved me back before unleashing a crescent wave of shadowy purple into me from his sword. "Wretched Er'ther! Know your place!"

My armor held up well to that crescent wave of dark energy, but it still pushed me back towards the three royal sisters. Now grouped close together, they stepped forward with Luna speaking first. "What happened? That blow should have struck, yet...it did not? Why?"

"That aura surrounding him... It can negate damage entirely. It's not consistent, so he can't constantly rely on it, but it will trip us up at times." I explained, having all but forgotten about that feature Kronos held and certainly not expecting it to work on the first strike. But when I glanced back over at Kronos, he was holding the blade of his sword at the tip with his left hand. Faint trails of light were being emitted on both sides on the rear of the ornate golden guard. There was a round component on each side. Like a lid of sorts hiding something inside. A second later, Kronos pointed his sword out to us as a flash of light shone from the round covers of that area. And then it dawned on me. "Uh oh..."

Reacting quickly, I glanced up. A mass of small glowing beacons began to form overhead. And I knew what was coming. "Ray! Move now!"

My allies only barely kept up with me as a shower of rays of light poured down over the area we had been standing in rapid succession. They exploded upon making contact with the ground with thunderous force. The four of us became scattered across the metal battlefield. Luna then called out, "Magic...?! You have access to magic?!"

"You cannot begin to comprehend what this sword can do, little mare." Kronos retorted while dragging his fingers along the blade in an unsettlingly possessive manner. As if the sword was more than just a weapon. More like...a trophy. Something he relished merely possessing. He then grinned at me and said, "It is far more than that pathetic blade you carry. And I will show you why."

"I'm well aware of who you're carrying there!" I called out before rushing towards the foul king as swiftly as my enchanted greaves would carry me. With a swing of his blade, Kronos unleashed a flurry of purple magic darts at me that my shield effortlessly repelled. I lashed out with my sword while he did the same, the sheer weight behind his sword smacking mine away with each clash. I was not at all used to having my sword clashing against a weapon carrying that much more force behind it and found myself staggering after a particularly hard intercept. My sword may have been sharper, but it could not compete with the velocity behind that black blade. "It's...too heavy!"

"All the better to crush you with, insect!" Kronos shouted as he smashed his sword hard into my shield. The royal sisters acted accordingly and bombarded him from afar with explosive bursts of magic. He did not flinch at first, that heavenly aura around him negating some of them, but he did grunt and recoil as some did make it through. But in a flash of golden light, Kronos then warped himself to the far side of the battlefield. Right beside Celestia. "You first!"

There was no time to react. Celestia let out a shout of pain as Kronos smashed that heavy blade into the middle of the barding on her back. The plating held, but an impressive dent was left in its wake. And the sheer force of the impact was clearly painful as Celestia was nearly knocked to the floor. That armor would only protect her from so much harm against something that hit as hard as an axe. Celestia managed to collect herself and erect a barrier between her and Kronos when her opponent tried to take a swing at her head. No matter how heavily that blade would hit, Kronos could do nothing as his sword glanced off that golden veil. But he hardly looked bothered. "Ah, tenacious! Can't have you getting too ravaged now, can I? I'll see to it you and your fellow mares are spared."

"Don't you patronize me, tyrant!" Celestia roared with a fire in her eyes. Kronos was forced back as a pillar of golden yellow flames erupted from beneath him. His aura held it off just long enough to retreat to a safe distance. He once again held his sword horizontally to focus for another spell. Luna and Nightmare Moon were quick to unleash concentrated bolts of magic lightning into him while Kronos floated backwards to try and buy himself some time to finish. But even when his heavenly aura did falter for a second to let some of that potent magic through, he did not flinch enough to lose focus. He was determined... Resisting all matter of pain to unleash something upon us.

I made the foolish decision of rushing towards Kronos when I should have been going on the defensive. Right when I was between Luna and Nightmare Moon, a flash of light was emitted from his sword's guard while he raised the blade high. And right under me burst a spherical fiery explosion that explode out in all directions. Celestia was thankfully out of range while Luna and Nightmare Moon were only mildly scathed by it, but I was hit with the full force of that fiery blast and tossed right into the air by it. Had it not been for my armor's high resistance to magical damage, that might have been fatal.

"James, are you well?!" Luna called out as she and Nightmare Moon tried to sooth their singed bodies. Their armor held up to direct exposure to the flames and the blast faded before it could heat the metal too much, but they were not entirely unharmed. And I ended up on my back once I fell to the floor. "Such potent fire magic... First there are rays of explosive light, and now searing flames? What manner of magic do you possess, tyrant?"

"Perhaps I should be asking you the same thing. Enduring an Explosion spell? Your armaments fail to impress, but that armor is quite a work of art." Kronos asked in return while we attempted to regroup. If we had no means to interrupt his means of casting from what was surely a very deep spellpool, we would be at a critical disadvantage. Our superior numbers were nothing in the face of an opponent who could resist or at least tolerate injury enough to unleash powerful magical barrages.

I did not take kindly to Kronos continuingly insulting my sword and shield. The Celestial Sword and Lunar Shield are easily the finest weapons in the world of Equestria. A blade that can cleave through nearly anything and a shield that endures against all attacks. Where was he getting the idea they were so worthless? I raised my sword to him and shouted, "Just give me a second! All I need is one good swing to cleave you in two! You've only gotten lucky so far!"

"Is that a fact? Then perhaps I should...." Kronos muttered with that insufferable sneer on his face. He once again prepared a spell, but this took much less time to cast to the point where we had no time to intervene. He suddenly raised his sword high and called out, "Perhaps I shall...show you exactly how hollow your weapons truly are!"

We glanced around warily, watching for any signs of a spell incoming. But nothing happened. Nothing exploded from below. Nothing came rushing in from the sides. Nothing even started raining down on us from above. But then Nightmare Moon did notice something. "James... What...are those?"

When I checked where Nightmare Moon's eyes were focusing, I saw what it was that caught her attention. Two narrow red beams of light were shining down on my sword and shield. As if something had locked onto them. And when I glanced up, I saw it. Seemingly from nowhere, a pair of shimmering beacons shot down those rays of red light directly towards my weapons. And upon making contact, my sword and shield were engulfed in that cleansing light...and began to shrink down to nothing. I only then recognized this ominous spell and shrieked, "Dissolve?! NO!!!"

There was nothing we could do. We could only watch as the Celestial Sword and Lunar Shield were literally disintegrated out of existence. My armored hands were now empty, my mind barely able to comprehend how Kronos managed to do the impossible. Even the three royal sisters gazed upon my now empty hands with abject horror, having been the ones to forge my weapons in the first place. Celestia spoke first and shouted, "How...?! How does one destroy that which can't be destroyed?!"

Kronos could only cackle at our utter disbelief. He floated higher above us and pointed his sword down with that blade aimed directly at me. "I only destroyed that which had no soul! Your weapons are as empty and fragile as your frail Er'ther form! Now then, how shall we continue? Do you dare try?"

I clenched my armored hands into fists. While I was much more adept at being a swordsman than a mage, I was no slouch with magic. Blue and golden yellow auras billowed around my gauntlets as I stood ready. "Hey, I'm not disarmed yet! If it's a duel of magic you want, I can keep up!"

We stood ready to continue this clash with only magic as our weapon. And Kronos looked even more sure of himself now that my my easiest means of slaying him had literally been dissolved down to nothing. But just as readied our magic for another coordinated assault, a voice called from above and seemingly from nowhere. "Don't be foolish! You'll need more than that!"

In that instant, Kronos lost his constant smug composure and glanced up at the ceiling high above. His eyes narrowed in frustration as he seemed to recognize that voice. "Them... Of course they would be present during the surface world's darkest hour!"

We too gazed at the ceiling. And we saw that it was emitting a bright white light. And in that light were five colored beacons. Each being either a shade of red, blue, yellow, orange, and green. And as the colors registered with me, my eyes opened wide in awe. We were no longer alone in this duel. "They're here..."

"Who, exactly?" Luna asked while we all watched with bated breath. Even I did not really recognized that voice, even if it spoke with a bold fiery tone. But I had a hunch of who it belonged to.

Another voice called from the light above. The voice of a younger man, perhaps even younger than me. "I'm surprised we made it! Fortune's on our side tonight!"

"Time is short. And your weapons are dust. Allow us to even the scales." Another man's voice spoke, but this new sounding older and more wizened. And yet...there was a certain whimsicality to it. A voice of one who was seasoned in the art of humor.

The next voice was cool and collected, carrying an air of intellect with it. But the voice of the man above still seethed with disgust towards our enemy. "Really, Kronos! Destroying your opponent's primary means of defending themselves?! Have you no honor?! Even now you continue to wield the corpse of Berselius as a trophy!"

Lastly, a woman's voice finally spoke. Collected, yet still firm in the face of the enemy. "You won't get far without us. Quickly! Take us into your hands!"

With that, the lights descended. The white glow above faded as the five colored beacons shot down in a spiraling descent. With metallic clanks, five swords stabbed into the floor around us. Celestia glanced around at the five weapons with her sisters as she asked, "What are these? Swords?"

I knew better. I recognized these five weapons. They all bore the same circular lidded cover on each side where the blade met the hilt, just like on the sword Kronos was carrying. One was a broadsword that bore a double-edged blade that became slight wider up the length before ending in a sharp point, being a very balanced design that would excel at stabs and cuts. The wide crossguard bore colors of gold and fiery red with even a narrow flame sigil emblazoned upon the blade at the base. The shortest of the five swords had a design that brought to mind a Persian saber, appearing light and not designed for the frontlines of combat. While that curved blade did appear designed for cutting, I could see that the spine ended just shy of the blade's tip, the sword ending with a pronounced double-edged tip that would air the narrow blade in inflicting piercing stabs. The next had the look of a more proper saber, the blade having just a bit more girth and remaining single-edged along the entire length. Black and yellow patterns were emblazoned on the sides of the blade at the base and the consistently silver saber even sported a cup hilt and knuckle guard for defense. The next sword was roughly the same length as the first, but had a blade designed heavily for powerful chops. The blade was very wide to the point where there was virtually no space for a crossguard at the base. The blade was even stained an intriguing shade of pink and gave off the air that it may not have been as lethal as it appeared. The last sword was the longest of the five, easily being on par with the Celestial Sword with a design that would allow for effective one-handed or two-handed use, although the blade was narrower than most of the others and would probably excel at stabs instead of cuts. The crossguard of this longsword consisted of four barbs that reached out in an X formation with the sword being hues of silver all around. A slivery green line pattern that brought to mind a trail of wind was emblazoned upon the blade. These five swords... I knew they were not mere weapons. They were so much more than that. And so I answered Celestia's inquiry. "Not swords..... Swordians."

"Wretched fossils! Where did you even come from?!" Kronos shouted from above while knowing he likely could not destroy these enchanted swords even if he tried. But they were not in our grasps. Not yet.

The voice of a young and almost boyish man spoke out as the round coverings on the side of the saber glowed with an earthy orange light. "All of you! Quickly! Choose your weapon!"

Being completely ignorant to the context of what was happening, the three alicorns before me looked about as they tried to locate the source of the voice. Nightmare Moon then called out, "Where are you?! Did you give us these swords?!"

The broadsword before us then displayed a fiery red glow from the round cover on each side of its guard. The voice bold and equally filled with a hot drive, it spoke to us. "We are here! Right in front of you! Wield us if you can!"

"I can't believe what I am seeing... These swords are alive?!" Luna shouted as it only then dawned upon them exactly what was happening. Indeed, these sentient swords were not at all lifeless. And they possessed the power to repel Kronos.

My eyes glanced about at the five swords around us. Each bore a unique elemental property. Fire, water and ice, lightning, earth, and wind. Most of which being elements the three royal sisters were also inherently skilled with. But when my eyes locked onto the fiery broadsword, Kronos raised his sword high and shouted at me. "I won't let you!"

With a swing of his blade, Kronos unleashed another shadowy crescent wave at me that I had to quickly sidestep. Nightmare Moon was quick to counter and fired a bolt of magic lightning at him right from her horn. But not at Kronos himself. She instead blasted his sword right out of his hand! The Aetherian king did not even know what hit him and it took him a few seconds to notice his great black sword falling out of sight and past the edge of the platform we were standing on. Snarling in irritation, he called out to us. "Clever... Most clever. Enjoy this brief respite while you can!"

Rather than leave himself an easy target, Kronos vanished in another brief flash of golden light while he rushed off to retrieve his weapon. Now that we had gained a valuable moment of peace, it was time to arm ourselves. And I had decided on who would be best for each sword. I rushed over to the fiery broadsword and yanked it from the floor. But not for me. "Celestia! You're with Dymlos!"

I hurled the sword at Celestia while she was quick to catch it with her levitation spell. Once floating before her with its hilt coated in her golden yellow magic aura, the broadsword spoke to her once more. "It would seem we're in this together, ma'am."

"I would say so... What's that name again? Dymlos?" Celestia asked while displaying such an amusingly perplexed grimace upon her armored face while her sisters looked on with equal confusion. I doubt she even once in her very long life ever expected to be having a conversation with a sword.

"Yes, I am Dymlos. And that warrior over there spoke correctly. We are all Swordians." The sentient sword of flames spoke again while Celestia nodded in understanding. She really was making an effort to understand the situation, as were her sisters. "So then, I suppose you are my mistress for the time being? Your name, please?"

"Oh! How polite! Well, I am Celestia. Princess of the Dawn. It's...um...a pleasure, Dymlos." Celestia replied while already getting along quite well with her new ally.

"A princess, you say? Ha! You hear that, you lot?! We're getting paired up with royalty today!" Dymlos laughed while even the other four Swordians got a good chuckle out of that. More introductions were in order.

My eyes fell upon Luna next. The most diminutive of the three royal sisters, I then reached for the smallest of the Swordians as well. The saber that held the healing power of water and the freezing might of ice. I then flung the slender saber towards the Princess of the Night. "Luna! You're with Atwight!"

The Princess of the Night responded to her new companion with just as much bewilderment as her eldest sister while holding the saber aloft in her blue billowing aura. "Well then... Atwight, was it?"

A woman's voice replied with a certain tenderness in that professional tone. "I am, your highness. I hope to be of service. May I ask you your name?"

Luna bowed her armored head in greeting and spoke with a smile. "I am Luna. Princess of the Night. It's a pleasure, Miss Atwight. Although I must ask... Can we actually use you and your comrades?"

"If you can hear us, you can use us to the best of our abilities. We will all sync quite well with you." Atwight explained while I nodded in understanding. We could all hear the five Swordians. There would be no handicap.

Nightmare Moon then called out to me, "James, send me my sword! There's no telling when that lout will be back up here!"

"Yeah, sure! And you get..." I retorted before my eyes fell upon the heftiest of the five Swordians. The one that pulsed with the power of lightning, an element that Nightmare Moon is very proficient with. And even then, I knew that this mighty mage sword carried much more than just lightning within it. I then took it in hand, but was shocked at just how...light such a hefty blade felt. It was so much lighter than it seemed and I had all but forgotten about that feature of its design. Regardless, I then threw it at my companion. "You're with Clemente!"

Upon being grasped in the dark blue magic aura of Nightmare Moon, the paradoxically light sword then spoke with the voice of an older and rather whimsical man. And Nightmare Moon's eyes then shot open wide as he chuckled to her. "My goodness, what honor has been bestowed upon me to have a mistress of such beauty today?"

"Gah! Do not address me with that tone, old man!" The Princess of Dreams barked before looking over at me with...a look I cannot describe. But I just about laughed as she flustered while Clemente could likely see her as well as I could. "James, take this scoundrel away from me! I'll settle for...the longsword! Pass me the longsword!"

"Bwahahahahaha, some things never change!" I laughed as I had nearly forgotten how that old coot always had a preference for the finer sex. I am sure his allies were cringing at how even he could not ignore the otherworldly beauty of the mare before him. I then called out, "Really though, stick with Clemente! He'll serve you well!"

"Ugh, if I must..." Nightmare Moon growled before glaring at the Swordian that levitated before her. "Clemente, was it? I am Nightmare Moon. The Princess of Dreams. And you will behave yourself while you are in my service, old man!"

Rather than be intimidated by the authority of the Princess of Dreams, Clemente was nothing short of amused. "Ohohoho, such fire in this one! Are you certain you would not be a more fitting mistress for Dymlos?"

"Clemente, if I still had hands, I'd strangle the life out of you for that one if you still had a neck!" Dymlos shouted as the levity in the air was very appreciated. Laughter began to fill the air. Being surrounded by these individuals all but lost to the passage of time... It was like being reunited with old friends.

Nightmare Moon let out quite the snort at the rather promiscuous nature of the eldest Swordian among us. But Clemente then cleared his nonexistent throat before saying, "Oh come now, surely one can enjoy a spot of humor in dire situations. In any case, it's a pleasure, your highness. And do not worry. I shall behave myself. And I think I will be quite useful to you."

With each of my companions now armed, I turned my attention to the only two remaining Swordians. The saber and the longsword remained near each other. A saber imbued with the power of the earth itself and a longsword that wielded the wind. Neither of which being elements I had access to through just my own enchanted armor. But perhaps...my magic could supplement theirs. Ice-encrusted earth? Fire fueled by the wind? The potential combinations got me brainstorming. But there were only four of us to wield these five Swordians. At least until I remembered a quality I possess that I could exploit here. I always did have two hands.

I stepped forward and took hold of each of the two remaining Swordians. The saber in my left hand and the longsword in my right. "Chaltier and Igtenos. You're with me."

"Both of us?! Are you sure you can handle it?! We Swordians were not designed to be wielded by more than one at a time!" The young man's voice emanated from the saber in my left hand.

The voice that then came from the longsword in my right hand while a green glow was emitted from the round lid between its crossguard was practically the opposite. Cool and reeking of a sharpened intellect. "Have faith in him, Chaltier. He's already more knowledgeable about us than we assumed. Perhaps we will handle things well enough."

Chaltier quickly caught himself, easily sounding like the youngest and least experienced of the five Swordians. "Oh, that's right! He already knows our names, for one. In that case... Hello, young master. I am Chaltier. And you are...?"

"Don't call me that, Chal. You don't sound much younger than myself. And I am James. Consider me the knight of those lovely princesses over there." I replied before holding the sword in my right hand up before me. I gazed upon it in fond recollection as I said, "Igtenos. In retrospect, I have to say you were always my favorite. I can always appreciate an intellectual."

"Is that so? In that case, I suspect you chose wisely. I think you and I will benefit each other quite well." The Swordian of wind replied with a kindly tone. I then turned to face our companions as he then asked, "Now that introductions are done with... My master for the evening appears to be very knowledgeable about us. Tell me, Sir James. What do you know?"

"I know enough. And I know that your story is one worth being told." I replied while I approached the royal sisters with my Swordians in my hands. "Some would even call it a...Tale of Destiny."

"There will be no submission to fate tonight for us. Tonight, we rebel against destiny. Destiny exists not to be obeyed. It is to be defied!" Dymlos boldly called out as a fire filled his voice. And yet, his mistress looked...irked by his choice of words. And I remembered why. But that was not the time to discuss it. We had a world to save and a tyrant to slay.

No sooner had I thought that than a flash of golden light appeared above us for a second. Kronos had returned to face us and had regained his mighty black Swordian. A Swordian that could no longer speak or think. Truly, the shadow Swordian Berselius was long dead. But not at all no longer functional. Kronos then sneered down at us as his eyes scanned the five Swordians held in our grasps. "Hmph... I see you've chosen your weapons. Now things are getting interesting..."

"I hope you all know how to use a sword!" Atwight called out as we readied ourselves. While I knew Nightmare Moon was adept in swordplay, I could not remember the last time Celestia or Luna had performed acts of swordplay. But the way they held their swords before them in a levitation spell... I suspected they had trained in swordplay to some degree. Perhaps they would be fine.

"We'll manage. Although I'm sure there's more to each of you than a sharp blade..." Luna replied while she closely examined Atwight's slender form before her. I suspect she understood that such a design and lack of size showed that there had to be more to the Swordian of water than a sharp stabbing tip.

"Enough of this!" Kronos shouted while swinging his sword out to his side. The base of the blade was once again emitting flickers of light, a spell being readied. "You five will not make a difference here tonight. I shall end you as I should have a millennium ago!"

"I'd like to see you try, Kronos! We are in the company of exceptionally powerful allies tonight!" I heard Clemente call out while Nightmare Moon appeared to smirk at her Swordian's confidence. He then spoke to all of us. "Show him no quarter! Time is running out for the surface world! We've taken too long already!"

It was then that Kronos cast his spell. Shimmering spikes of light suddenly manifested and rained down erratically. Kronos lowered himself closer to the ground, his arrogance likely being mistaken for courage. I rushed forward with Chaltier and Igtenos in my hands. While I had no formal training in the art of duel wielding swords, I was knowledgeable enough to lead with my left hand. Chaltier was shorter than Igtenos and was more adept as a parrying tool, especially with that knuckle guard his design possessed. And when I drew near enough, Kronos lashed out with a heavy swing of his sword. I utilized a trick of my own, leading with Chaltier and pressing the blade of Igtenos against Chaltier's spine for added leverage. This was only just enough to match the force behind that mighty swing as Kronos and I shoved against each other for a second. The Aetherian king smirk at me from behind his sword. "Two Swordians at once? You overreach yourself."

"Oh please, I'm more than proficient with two spell sources at once!" I retorted before suddenly removing Igtenos from behind Chaltier and lashing out with a quick stab. The longsword's narrow blade successfully pierced the golden aura that outlined Kronos. But even though he grunted from the wound and pulled away, I noticed I did not draw any blood. Now that I had some distance, I tried to put the most important aspect of my two Swordians to use. "OK, let's see what you two can do..... There! Stone Blast! Wind Arrow!"

After only a second of focus, I raised both Swordians high as I channeled their magical properties to cast the simplest spells they had. Casting magic through a Swordian was virtually no different than how I cast magic through my own gauntlets. I raised Igtenos high as a narrow spear of wind made visible with a green aura shot forth from the tip of his blade. At that instant, a shower of rocks materialized above Kronos and dropped onto his head in rapid succession. But the Aetherian king just floated there with an insufferable smirk on his face as that golden aura around him caused these small projectiles to harmlessly bounce off. He then calmly asked, "Is that your best?"

"Forgetting someone?!" I heard Celestia call out as she and her sisters also tried getting their feet wet by starting small. A flurry of fireballs was summoned and launched from Dymlos while a single bolt of magic lightning shot down from above. Several ice darts formed around Kronos and launched themselves into him. But even with so many projectiles to contend with, his aura held. It was not simply a means to occasionally negate damage. It completely nullified the weakest magical assaults. Celestia growled in irritation and asked, "Nothing?! What do we have to do?!"

"If you want to slay me tonight, you will have to get much bolder! Let me show you how it's done!" Kronos laughed with head held high. I lashed out with a quick double slash while he was distracted, Chaltier managing to illicit a pained snarl from Kronos while Igtenos failed to land a strike. With a flash of golden light, Kronos placed himself to the far end of the battlefield to escape me. By the time we had turned around, a flash of light shone forth from his sword. "Be crushed by gravity!"

"Gravity...?" I muttered before the lighting in the area dimmed. At the very center of the battlefield, a swirling disc of space dust resembling a galaxy began to form while a crackling spherical field of dark energy began to emanate from the very center. My eyes went wide as I also felt myself start to be drawn towards it. "Black Hole! Keep your distance!"

That fiendish shadow spell would likely cause great harm if we were drawn into it. We struggled to hold our ground in the hopes of outlasting the spell. But during that moment of tension, Luna was working to take advantage of the situation. With a flash of light from Atwight, Kronos was bombarded by a barrage of falling heavy icicles from above. While his aura did hold some of them off, many of them crashed right into him as he shouted in pain with the icy barrage slamming him into the metal floor. Kronos barely remained upon his feet as his own spell faded out, allowing Celestia to coming galloping in with Dymlos floating ahead of her. "You're mine, scum!"

With a mighty overhead swing, Celestia brought Dymlos down into the black blade as Kronos held his sword up to block that blow. A flash of fiery sparks was emitted between the two while Kronos looked perplexed over how exactly to deal with a sword that was not being held in someone's hand. But I could quickly deduce how the use of a sword with levitation works. Celestia needed to keep Dymlos a certain distance from her in order to effectively gauge distance and reaction time. If her weapon was too far away, her depth perception might not be helpful. The two of them squared off while the rest of us waited for an opening. Kronos once again began to float just off the ground as he raised a confused eyebrow, his sword constantly pivoting from one side to the other to try and gauge where Celestia's next strike would come from. "How do you even use a sword like that?! How...unorthodox!"

"We ponies have our ways!" Celestia replied while she made a wide sweep at Kronos while Dymlos was cloaked in fiery gold flames. A wave of magic fire was thrown up at Kronos while the Aetherian king desperately tried to ward them off. With Celestia already possessing mastery over fire...and that particular technique immediately looking familiar...would she be able to unleash the superior techniques only Dymlos could provide?

"Your highness... I believe how may be a good time to explain that I am not designed for frontline combat. I was created with a support role in mind." We heard Atwight speak while Celestia and Kronos continued to clash. They were impressively evenly matched, especially with how Celestia combined her fire magic with her swordplay to pressure Kronos.

Luna cast her gaze towards her elegant saber and said, "Yes, I suspected you had more of the look of a sidearm than a primary weapon. What would you suggest, Atwight?"

"Well, before I became...this, I was a colonel in the Er'ther Medical Corps. I excel greatly at healing magic, should any of you become wounded." Atwight replied politely while I found it more than just strangely fitting that she was paired up with Luna instead of Nightmare Moon.

"You make me feel like I'm not pulling my weight here... I will not simply stand by as the healer of our team. I shall face the enemy directly if I must." Luna declared boldly, proving that she was no coward despite her more diminutive stature.

Atwight was quick to reassure her mistress. "I assure you that my offensive arsenal will not leave you lacking. I hope we can... Sir knight, behind you!"

In the brief moment I had been focusing on Atwight, Kronos had vanished from before Celestia in a flash of golden light. Which then appeared just behind me. I only had just enough time to turn to see that vicious sneer on his face before Kronos made a powerful wide sweep of his blade. Pain filled my torso as he exploited a weakness in my armor. The small gap at my waist where my cuirass ended. A flash of red spilled as that heavy blade tore right through my soft underarmor. Rage filling me, I turned to face him with the sword in my right hand set to thrust forward. "You little... Igtenos!"

"I've got this!" I heard the Swordian of wind call out before I throat him directly at Kronos. The Aetherian king floated back just enough to avoid a direct hit, but that was not what I was going for anyway. A powerful explosive burst of green wind shot forth from the tip of my sword and exploded into Kronos to send him flying back. Quick to notice me bleeding, Igtenos then called out to his allies. "Atwight! He needs you!"

"Let's see if your words carry any weight, Atwight! Heal him!" Luna replied as her Swordian began to emanate flickers of light from the hilt. With a sudden flash a second later, a blue glyph formed below me as I was engulfed in a glow. My wound closed in seconds, my spilled blood fading as well. Luna, very pleased with the results, let out a shout of delight. "Huzzah! If only such healing spells were available in Equestria!"

"You're mine, wretch!" Nightmare Moon roared as she was quick to pursue Kronos upon seeing my blood spilled. Celestia followed as I beheld the Princesses of the Dawn and Dreams locked in combat against Kronos with swords of similar design. Their armored forms rattled as they parried and weaved around the swings of that deadly black blade. Kronos was either fearless or impossibly cocky. He made little effort on defense, placing too much faith in his protective aura. Even when a strike did get through, he did not relent. Although Nightmare Moon soon shouted in frustration, "What is wrong with this sword?! Such a wide blade should make for heavy cleaving, but it feels so...light! I can't get the power I need!"

"Sister! Allow me! Retreat if you must!" Luna called out before she rushed forward with Atwight ready. She elegantly angled that delicate saber and delivered a quick stab while Kronos contender with Celestia. That strike did pierce his aura and I noticed the faintest hint of red starting to stain his purple suit. Now it was time for the sisters and swords of fire and ice to duel together. Such poetry in motion.

Nightmare Moon landed beside me as she glared inquisitively at the Swordian floating in her magical grasp. She was not wrong. Even I noticed how disproportionately light Clemente was when I first held him. I then decided to speak. "Yeah, that one takes some getting used to. He does still cut better than he stabs, but he's still inferior to the others."

"That's preposterous! Every sword must be effective weapons and this one should cut very deeply!" Nightmare Moon growled in frustration with her magic aura performing a few swings to test Clemente's weight. Very dissatisfied with her findings, Nightmare Moon scowled at her weapon. "Still too light... Explain yourself, old man! Why so underweight?"

Clemente sounded like he had been trying to hold in his laughter the entire time and finally let out quite the guffaw by then. "Bwahahaha, forgive me, your highness! I'm afraid that frontline combat is not something I was designed for. I was designed primarily with spell casting in mind. You will have much better results if you utilize my vast spell pool. Lightning is but one element I am proficient with."

While this sounded like a good idea to me, Nightmare Moon was having none of it. "Nonsense! If you are to serve me, you WILL be useful in a duel of swords! Even if I must make it work!"

"What?! Your highness, I swear that if you continue down this path, you will only be disappointed. I am simply not designed to... Wait, what are you doing?!" Clemente tried to protest, but all in vain. And I too began to take a few steps now that Nightmare Moon was holding Clemente high above her head while the telltale signs of a spell being prepared became visibly evident.

"She's...uh... She's quite the force to be reckoned with, isn't she?" Chaltier asked while still resting in my left hand.

"Let's just say that Nightmare Moon has a way of making things happen when they need to happen." I retorted as I watched in awe and unease. She seemed to already have a grasp of how to get the results she needed out of her Swordian, but what was she angling for? Her attention was not directed towards Kronos at all.

With a flash of light, her spell was cast. And it was a very familiar one. A spherical orb of raw lightning formed overhead that began to discharge streams of lightning in several directions. Not one of them going anywhere near our enemy as Luna and Celestia continued to hold Kronos off with the occasional clank of a sword striking armor being heard. But those trails of lightning began to redirect themselves upward as Nightmare Moon exerted her natural control over lightning and caused the electrical currents to come right back down into the orb they were spawned from. And with one massive lightning strike, all that magical lightning shot directly down into Clemente. And the result...was just about what I would have expected out of her.

That thunderous thunderclap rang out throughout the massive chamber we were in. And it was quick to get the attention of everyone. Luna and Celestia looked back at us while even Kronos paused to gaze upon Nightmare Moon with a look of utter shock on his face. "What the...?!"

What a sight to behold. A massive blade of blue lightning now coated Clemente while being several times his size. Easily my height at least, but with no change in weight. If Clemente could not cut effectively, Nightmare Moon would fix that by adding some extra power in her own way. Beholding this display of utter genius, I let out a laugh. "Hahahahaha, now THAT'S a Thunder Blade!"

"Ohoho, I see I was chosen well for this task! You are quite the genius, your highness!" Clemente laughed as even he was impressed while Nightmare Moon twirled her massive sword of lightning overhead for a moment to test its length. She looked very proud of herself and cast that smirk directly towards our enemy. I could only imagine what havoc that blade of lightning would rend upon even Kronos.

Celestia was not so impressed. Or rather she was rather wary of such a massive blade carrying out acts of collateral damage. "Sister, are you sure...we won't get caught while you're swinging that thing?!"

"No, I am absolutely uncertain of the risks I am taking here. But if we have a magical medic on standby, I'm certain any accidental harm caused to my allies can be mended readily enough." Nightmare Moon retorted with a rather smug disregard to us all now that she sounded like she was starting to have some fun with the situation. My armor would easily hold up to that blade of magic lightning, but I doubt the barding coating her sisters would provide the same results.

We all scowled at Nightmare Moon in unison. I am sure she was just messing with us or perhaps even trying to mess with Kronos by implying she would even lash out at him when her own allies were in danger of being struck by her own attacks, but that statement did not sit well with her sisters. Luna then rolled her eyes and groaned, "Oh, that reassures me so! Sure, go ahead. I am certain Atwight here can patch us all up if you get too careless!"

"Your highness... I'm not so sure you're being sarcastic or not..." Atwight muttered uneasily. I am sure she was more than capable of sustaining us if needed, but still...

"That mare in blue armor... She's...uh...quite the wild card, isn't she?" I heard Chaltier ask while still clutched in my left hand.

I found myself chuckling while seeing that snide smirk on Nightmare Moon's lips. "I guess she's the black sheep of the royal family for a reason, but good lord..."

"Desperate times call for desperate measures, Chaltier. And Atwight can most certainly compensate." Igtenos added while not sounding quite as alarmed.

"In any case..." I muttered before I turned my gaze towards Kronos. He was distracted for the moment, giving me the chance to strike. "My turn!"

The Aetherian king only barely responded in time as I launched myself at him with a flap of my wings. I tried lashing out with a quick slash from Chaltier and following with a thrust from Igtenos. Chaltier's saber form was easier to handle and that bit of practice in saber fencing from Celaeno had giving me a grasp of how quick sabers can be. Even with him being held in my off hand, I found Chaltier easy to use with quick swipes to keep Kronos on the defensive. Igtenos had grater reach, but his narrower blade made him less ideal for slashing. I had to learn to alternate between Swordians to maximize their very different strengths.

Kronos went entirely on the defensive for a brief moment, readying his blade to parry my strikes. Clinks and clanks filled the air as our blades struck. But at the first opportunity, he forced me back by shoving Igtenos away when I tried to run him through on that long narrow blade. I took a firm strike across my breastplate and had to ready myself for another incoming slash. I countered the best I could, utilizing Chaltier's knuckle guard to counter that slash with an armored punch. I smashed that heavy blade back, but the force behind that hit still gave my arm a jolt of some nasty hand shock. "Ow! That wasn't supposed to hurt... Was it?"

"Very bold, matching my blade with a fist!" Kronos declared as even he flexed his fingers from the shock of that hard impact. But he then glanced to his right as i was forced to jump back. "You?!"

"Have at thee!" Nightmare Moon roared as a teleportation spell brought her right next to Kronos. And with one heavy cleave, she slashed her massive Thunder Blade right through him. Kronos yelled in pain, his aura only doing so much as the Princess of Dreams slashed away with that colossal blade of raw lighting. Whirling and twirling with the greatest of ease in her levitating grasp, Kronos could do little to ward it off. But he could still escape with a sudden teleportation of light. "Coward! Do not run from me!"

"I shall do as I please!" Kronos shouted from the far end of our battlefield as he readied another spell. "Wretched mare of darkness... I can accept losing you! Be purged by my royal light! Holy Lance!"

With a flash of his sword, Kronos summoned a volley of radiant spears of light around Nightmare Moon that rapidly impaled themselves into her. They had no mass and did not draw blood, but she was still sent sprawling along the metal floor as they burst like shards of glass. "What was... Such pain..."

"Be still, sister! We have you! Heal!" Luna called out as she and Atwight readied another healing spell. She then glanced at Celestia and I before pleading, "Keep him away while I tend to her!"

"I've got this!" Celestia retorted before she galloped towards Kronos. I had Chaltier ready, channeling the magic within him to prepare a spell to compliment Celestia's approach. Kronos summoned a volley of shadowy projectiles all at once to collide with her, but Celestia endured without slowing. But what came next was unexpected yet impressive. She turned Dymlos around to have his pommel go first. And with a mighty swing, she unleashed a burst of flame that even appeared to roar. It vaguely bore the form of a beast like a wolf and propelled Kronos away from her more than it burned him. And with a thrust of Dymlos' blade into the floor, a field of bubbling lava seemed to form under Kronos where he had fallen. But that was not what the true threat was.

I watched in awe as I saw Celestia execute this impressive technique. Pillars of magic lava erupted beneath Kronos and launched him high into the air with the lava field fading afterwards. And this was the moment I needed. I raised Chaltier high as I unleashed on of his most potent spells. "Your turn to shine, Chal!"

"I've got this, young master!" The earth Swordian replied with gusto. And with a flash, a massive boulder materialized above Kronos. I could only imagine the look on Kronos' face to see that boulder about to crush him. And with a mighty crash, he was indeed smashed to the floor with the boulder breaking apart in the process. The Aetherian king remained where he had fallen, yet surprisingly not reduced to a bloody smear on the floor. "Was that...enough?"

"You wish..." Kronos growled as he levitated himself back up onto his feet in a smooth motion that was almost creepy to behold. But he was starting to look fatigued. "If nothing else, consider me impressed."

"Now, together!" Nightmare Moon suddenly shouted as she once again charged Kronos with her massive blade of lightning. He again tried to parry, but that blade of raw electrical power practically bypassed his defenses. He shouted in stunned pain before I noticed Celestia hurl Dymlos towards Kronos in a whirling wheel of flames. It dug well into him before a burst of fire exploded from where the flame Swordian's blade became lodged in the floor. And it was Luna's time to shine then. Thinking quickly, she amassed an arsenal of icy facsimiles of Atwight and sent every ice saber slamming into Kronos in rapid succession. It was only then that it became apparent how sheer numbers and versatility was proving to be too much for even someone as powerful and resilient as Kronos.

Dropping to the floor in pain, I took the time to cast a quick double spell. Through Chaltier, I summoned a set of stone walls around Kronos from nowhere to keep him boxed in. Now unable to move easily, Kronos was vulnerable to attacks from above. And it was then that I summoned the mightiest spell I could muster from the Swordian of wind. Stormy clouds were summoned from above before a visible pillar of crushing air pressure shot down into that box of stone. The sheer amount of force behind that crushing Divine Wind was so powerful that it blew the walls out! The Stone Walls scattered in shards of stone while Kronos only barely remained standing. Reacting quickly, I rushed forward and brought both Swordians down for a heavy double slash.

Kronos only barely turned to me in time for both blades to be raked down along his torso. And this time, his aura did not hold. The Aetherian king staggered back, two trails of fresh blood using through his purple suit. Now brought down to his feet, he stabbed his sword into the floor for leverage and leaned heavily on his blade. "Er'ther scum... Should I not be surprised?"

"You knew it would come to this, Kronos. We are the only ones who could've directly challenged the tyranny of the Aetherian king himself." I heard Igtenos speak while Celestia summoned Dymlos back to her side. No matter how powerful he was, we would inevitably outlast Kronos at this rate.

All these words did was stir a newfound rage in the Aetherian king. Wounded as he was, he began to force himself back onto his feet. "You speak as if the power you possess is your own! You only have this power because you stole it from the heavens! That power belongs to the Aetherian people! And I will see to it...that you won't have it for much longer!"

"I don't think he's done yet..." Celestia muttered before she held Dymlos aloft. With another flash of light, she unleashed a spell to try and finish him off for good. A barrage of heavy fireballs began to rain down upon Kronos. But...

Even though his aura should not have protected him from a barrage that potent, Kronos appeared unfazed. And I saw why. After having gone the duel being almost entirely unnoticed, the rotating form of the Eye of Atamoni behind Kronos was starting to spark and hiss with electrical energies being radiated off of it. And with his sword held high, Kronos appeared to be drawing that limitless power into himself. My eyes opened wide as I mumbled, "Oh no..."

"Madness! Kronos, you fool! You dare take the power of the Eye of Atamoni into yourself?!" I heard Clemente call out as Celestia's fiery bombardment ran its course. The golden outline that surrounded Kronos only became bolder... Even so potent that trails of it rose up and away from him. I feared something drastic would occur to his body. But to my relief, the results were not so frightful. At least not yet. Kronos' aura expanded out from him, taking on the distinct shape of angel wings not unlike my own. The wounds on his body began to fade as any red staining his attire faded. From the look of things, he had only absorbed a safe amount of power from the Eye of Atamoni. But if he were to get desperate enough to turn up the output...

A chuckle began to radiate around the room as the Eye of Atamoni continued to radiate with its unfathomable power. And all of it was being channeled into Kronos. It was not a power meant for humans to wield directly, but he was remaining stable for the moment. Lastly, the sigil on his brow between the eyes began to expand. It glowed brilliantly and nearly took up his entire forehead. "This flimsy platform just won't do for this climax a thousand years in the making. Let us take this to the apex!"

Space around us began to distort. Was the Eye of Atamoni beginning to malfunction to the point of twisting and alternating the space around us? The metallic confines of that vast room began to fade, revealing the vast expanse of space with the form of a moon spreading out well below us. I distinctly could not feel the floor under my feet anymore, our wings now holding us aloft as an expanse of limitless space lay spread out before us. And like a star in the sky, the Eye of Atamoni remained ever present behind Kronos where it had always been. Dymlos then called out to us, "This just might be it for us! Eyes forward, all of you! There's no retreating now!"

We were ready. Kronos floated before us upon wings of heavenly light, a blade black as night still radiating an ominous aura in his right hand. Teeth bared in a pompous sneer, the Aetherian king cast his decree. "This world is mine now. DIE, YOU SCUM!!!"

Our wings spread, we swooped onward through the void of space to pursue this highborn king. He was no longer focusing on just one of us at a time. With swings of his mighty blade, Kronos launched more crescent waves of dark energy to cut us out of the air. Nightmare Moon took point and put the massive lighting blade surrounding Clemente to good use. Her mighty swings were enough to counter these incoming waves, each slash dispelling them. Once again, Kronos raised his sword to summon a Holy Lance barrage. But instead of targeting just one of us, they started coming in from all directions to hit us all!

"I've got this! Stand aside!" Celestia shouted as she then took point. She held Dymlos out before her, his blade pointed straight ahead. And through his fire magic, she enshrouded herself in an aura of fierce flames. The Holy Lances could not stop her as any that came from ahead were dissipated upon contact. She flapped her flaming wings potently, racing ahead of us while spanning the skies like a phoenix in flight.

In sheer desperation, Kronos summoned a most potent spell to repel us. In the distance, massive meteors could be seen approaching like a volley of comets. It was too late to stop Celestia though. Shrouded in flames, she rammed squarely into Kronos as he desperately tried to keep the ignited Dymlos from being run right through him. That fiery aura could be seen starting to burn through his protective golden outline, bits and pieces of his royal attire becoming singed.

Kronos led Celestia right where he wanted her. With a flash of light, he was gone. And Celestia rammed right into one of those flying meteors. An explosion erupted from the two of them collided, Celestia having been partially shielded from the blast by her own fiery aura. Rattled, she then spoke to Dymlos while catching her breath. "Any advice on this, Dymlos?!"

"Stay on the move and let my magic surround you! Weaponizing yourself like that is making for an excellent balance of offense and defense!" The Swordian of fire replied while Celestia had to once again evade an incoming meteor. They were huge, each being larger than myself. We were fortunate there was no solid ground anywhere near us since they would surely generate massive explosions with each impact.

Kronos appeared far away from us and beyond the Eye of Atamoni as it hung in the center of those vast celestial void. Nightmare Moon was the first to charge, her massive blade of thunder floating beside her. The Aetherian king tried to summon a barrage of massive fireballs down into her, but Nightmare Moon simply teleported ahead of them and began to whirl her Thunder Blade. "You won't escape from me, scum!"

"Tch! Vicious little mare, aren't you!" Kronos shouted as he held his blade long ways to try and block every strike of that electric blue wheel. Such mastery over such an impressively large blade was inspiring to behold. There was no way to completely defend against the literal lightning strike from every swing, his aura barely holding off any electric charges. No matter how Kronos flapped his ethereal wings, he could not escape the relentless pursuit of the Princess of Dreams.

I watched and waited while having to stay on the move to evade the Meteor Swarm that was flying across the battlefield. Celestia was on the move, her fiery form shooting across the sky as she waited for an opening. Luna was the only one hanging back with Atwight, no doubt taking her role as a healer very seriously now that the threat level had jumped. I glanced down at the Swordians in my hands. "Any suggestions, gentlemen?"

"I'm not sure I can be of much help... My elemental prowess is with earth and...well...there's not much solid ground around here at the moment." Chaltier replied while sounding rather embarrassed over being out of his element. He then asked, "What about you, Igtenos? Any suggestions?"

"I can feel the heat of fire in your right hand, James. Now may be a good time to try combining that with my wind." The longsword in my right hand spoke. I was grateful for the reminder. And so I waited while staying on the move. I had to be mindful of the obstacle course Kronos had turned the field into.

What I did not notice at the time was that Luna was preparing a spell with Atwight. And once Kronos had again teleported, she was ready. With a flash of light from her sword, Luna cast her spell. A very startled Kronos was then swept up in a swirling torrent of water that materialized from nowhere, threatening to drown him in it. "Drown in the Maelstrom!"

This was my chance. I focused all my attention on Igtenos and kept Chaltier out of my way. Kronos was sent tumbling through the air and soaked to the bone once the Maelstrom spell ran its course. And then I struck. With swing after swing of Igtenos, I launched vacuum waves of green wing from his blade. Over and over without stopping, I whirled him around me like a dance. And after a second, I amped it up. My right gauntlet's golden fire magic merged with that wind magic and ignited the air. That wind became gusts of fire that scorched Kronos as he tried to intercept my attacks with crescent waves of darkness from his sword. Even Chaltier did not miss out on this as he readied another spell of his own. "Another Stone Press!"

Kronos only barely reacted in time to float out of the way of Chaltier's plummeting boulder. He had already been crushed by one before and would not easily be hit by it again. Frustration taking hold, especially now that the Meteor Swarm spell was starting to fade out, Kronos raised his sword high during the brief lull that he needed. "Enough of this! I shall bring you all despair! Belcrant, I summon thee!"

"Belcrant... No!" I recoiled in horror as a rift in space formed far away from us. Whatever power the Eye of Atamoni had bestowed upon Kronos, he appeared powerful enough to manipulate space and time to some degree. And from that rift extended what appeared to be an utterly colossal sword made seemingly of stone. But it only extended so far as the very base of the blade itself.

Igtenos too began to speak with a barely concealed panic as he recognized that dreaded device. "No... No! Not Belcrant! How is that even here?! It was jettisoned after the completion of the Aethersphere, wasn't it?!"

"What is this Belcrant you speak of?! What is that sword?!" Luna called out from nearby as Nightmare Moon and Celestia did not yet appear to register its presence so far away. They had no idea what was about to be unleashed upon us.

"That's not a sword, it's a cannon! Move! Scatter! If that's a direct hit, we're dead!" I shouted before flying as swiftly as I could to the side. I had to be quick and stay away from anywhere that appeared to be solid ground. The only presence of such was a moon of sorts far below, but knowing the power of that weapon...

The massive sword in the distance split right down the middle as it began to arm itself. It was only when that deep droning noise filled the air did Celestia and Nightmare Moon finally noticed what was happening and veered away. We all scattered in opposite directions to make us impossible to target. But Belcrant did not need to. A pulsing flash of purple surged down between the blade's two halves and was discharged like a laser towards the ground far below us.

We were so high up. So far away. And yet... The resulting shockwave rattled us all. A colossal wave of destructive force exploded outward and even right back up. The pain that I felt ravage me through my armor... If that was how hard it hit me from the very edge of that thing's blast radius... It would have resulted in instant death had we been any closer. I desperately clung to the Swordians in my hands even as I felt myself drifting down through the air. "How...are we supposed to counter that...?"

"I'm...not so sure we can. All we can hope is to end this before Belcrant can fire again." Igtenos replied while I could see my three royal companions also drifting in the void. They did not move, but did not release their grips on their weapons. "Are they well?"

Before I icould answer, there was a flash of light from near Luna. And this got me to smile. "They will be in a moment."

A massive blue sigil formed under us, reaching far as Atwight cast her most potent healing spell. We were all engulfed in cleansing light as I felt all the pain in my body fade. All at once, we righted ourselves while Kronos looked down at us unharmed. "Hmph... Seems you got lucky. Savor this miraculous survival while you can. Belcrant won't miss the same way twice."

Celestia was quick to call out to us all. "Luna! You and Nightmare Moon contend with Kronos! James, come with me!"

I did not object. While Nightmare Moon and Luna rushed Kronos together, I followed the Princess of the Dawn. And she was leading me right towards Belcrant. The blade remained split down the middle, but it was silent for the moment. How long did we have until it fired again?

It was easy to misjudge just how far away Belcrant was. We kept getting closer....and closer...and it was still so far away. My eyes went wide now that I realized how far away out battle was taking place. I could barely make out the flashes of magic being cast in the distance. And once we were right in front of Belcrant's blade split in twain, I was left stunned. The entire thing was easily the size of a skyscraper. A world-ending weapon right in front of us. And then... That dreaded droning noise. And I could see a brightening glow at the base. "Celestia, if you've got any ideas, better tell me now!"

"Ready your most powerful magic and just let loose! We'll overpower and destroy it!" Celestia explained as her horn became coated by the searing white glow of solar magic. I had seen exactly how potent such magic can be and was left somewhat confident that we could rival the power of a weapon that could easily obliterate a mountain.

"Uh...sure! That might work! Excuse me a minute, gentlemen." I replied before releasing my grasp on Chaltier and Igtenos. I was going to need both hands for this. They floated in the void patiently and were most likely watching with extreme interest along with Dymlos.

We only had a moment to prepare ourselves as I felt a cold sweat starting to trickle down my neck. If this failed, this entire duel would be all for naught and I would wake up with a very unsatisfying outcome. Celestia and I stared death in the face, readying our most powerful magic. Lightning in my left hand and celestial fire in my right, I floated there and waited. And as soon as that flash of impending death started racing down the middle of the split blade, Celestia called out to me. "Give it everything!"

Together, we unleashed our waves of magic directly down the middle of that massive cannon. And it was a struggle. Even together, Celestia and I had to strain ourselves to push against the wave of destructive energy trying to be fired from Belcrant. But bit by bit, we persevered and started to push through. Our volatile torrents of lightning and solar flames pushed that stream of energy right back up the split blade it had come from. And just when I was wondering if there would ever be an end to it, I saw it happen. Our magic combined with Belcrant's own destructive output exploded right at the base of the blade. The entire thing began to spark and rattle. "Um... Did it work?"

"Maybe we should... Agh! Hold on!" Celestia shrieked before we snatched up our Swordians and took shelter in a barrier she provided. The explosion that engulfed Belcrant was greater than anything I had ever experienced aside from what happened the last time we engaged in one of these dream duels. The concussion was jarring and we were flung across the void. And once we came to a stop not far from the battle that was still raging on, there was no sign of Belcrant at all. The cannon was gone. Celestia shook her head in disbelief of our own achievement and said, "I...can't believe we pulled that off!"

We were all suddenly swept away by a powerful gust of wind magic, grouping the four of us together while Kronos could only gaze in horror at the empty space were Belcrant had once been positioned in. "You... How?! To destroy Belcrant?! What sort of power must you possess to achieve such a feat?!"

"Power the likes of which you will never know!" Celestia called out boldly while we all stood ready with our Swordians. But it was then Kronos readied his sword again for another spell. And that sneer on his face... That kind of fury. I had a terrible feeling in my gut that Kronos was about to overtax us to compensate for the loss of Belcrant. Celestia then glanced at me and asked, "Something big coming?"

"Yeah... I'm expecting some Divine Power here. It's gonna be big." I replied now that we likely would not be able to stop the mightiest spell possible. I then looked towards Nightmare Moon and asked, "Clemente, any suggestions?"

The eldest of the Swordians replied with an unprecedented urgency in his voice. "All we can do is counter each phase with a spell of our own. All of you! Ready the spells I call out! Your highness, I can cast them as well! Please have me join in!"

Having intimate knowledge of this spell myself, I then spoke up. "The order is fire, ice, wind, and earth! Dymlos, you're up first!"

"I've got this! Brace yourself, your highness!" Dymlos shouted while Celestia and Nightmare Moon stood ready to cast a counterspell. And then it happened. Kronos yelled to the heavens with his sword held high, leaving us with little room for error. And with a flash of light from their Swordians, Celestia and Nightmare Moon cast theirs. "There! Fire Storm!"

A massive whirling wheel of fireballs descended towards us from above, ready to engulf us in that swirling inferno. But the combined might of Dymlos and Clemente unleashed a rising identical vortex of fireballs to hold it off. Smaller, but two combined was just enough with neither able to bypass the other. And once those fiery vortexes faded, Atwight called out. "It's our turn, Lady Luna! Blizzard!"

Right ahead of us, a wall of swirling frigid ice nd snow came roaring towards us. Together, Clemente and Atwight summoned their own wall of howling winter rage to collide with this imminent cold front. I knew what was coming next and began to prepare a spell through Igtenos. "Our turn next."

"We've got this. Cyclone!" Igtenos called out as he and Clemente again combined their magical output. The instant the frigid storms blew themselves out, a swirling whirlwind descend towards us from above. But the two Swordians summoned a double layered whirlwind from below as those two tornados of green air pushed against each other. But before it could entirely fade, Igtenos had a startling realization. "Wait! How do we stop the last one?!"

It was then that we saw it. A massive boulder much larger than the typical Stone Press spell falling right behind the Cyclone segment of the Divine Power spell. How could we stop something that large and heavy on such short notice?! There was no stopping a falling boulder with another falling boulder! But thankfully, Chaltier did some quick thinking. "Young master, hurry! Combine your ice magic with mine!"

"Good thinking, Chal! We got this!" I shouted in relief as I was reminded of the original stratagem I had upon taking him into my left hand. I readied a very specific spell through him while also channeling the ice magic in my left gauntlet. I then raised the earthly saber high as I made my move. "Grave!"

Just like that, massive stone spires burst up from nowhere while encrusted in Luna's magic ice. They pierced the falling boulder and instantly halted its descent. The stone spires alone likely would not have been enough under that weight and velocity, but the enchanted ice from Luna's magic reinforced it just enough to save us all. The spires and boulder soon faded, leaving Kronos' attack entirely ineffective. "Phew, close one."

"What must I do to be rid of you insects?!" Kronos shouted as his frustration really started to peak. He readied another spell, though not the same one now that it was proven we could counter it. "I am out of patience, you scum!"

"So are we." Nightmare Moon growled as a flash of light emanated from Clemente. And with that, Kronos was interrupted by several arcing bolts of lightning that converged on one spot below him. They rapidly rotated, trapping him in a lightning tornado before exploding in a crackling cloud of scathing electricity that left Kronos reeling in the air. Nightmare Moon then called out to us, "This ends now! All of you, strike hard and decisively!"

"It shall be done!" Luna replied as she summoned dozens of icy copies of Atwight around Kronos. All at once, they slammed into him in terrifying rapid succession while shattering against his barrier. Now at the mercy of a very focused coordinated attack, Kronos had no hope of composing himself enough to escape.

Celestia was quick to make her move, using Dymlos to summon a wall of fire right under Kronos as he tried ever so desperately to focus enough to get off just one more spell. During this moment, I readied the two Swordians in my hands. It would be my turn and I needed to make this next move a big one. "OK... I'll never be as hot-blooded as Stahn, but... I think I can make this work!"

As soon as that wall of flames faded, I charged forward with a flap of my wings. Kronos could not even get his sword up in time as I went into a slashing frenzy. Alternating between Igtenos and Chaltier, I pressured Kronos as hard as I could manage. His barrier began to falter, flashes of red flying away from his body. And after several seconds of an unending barrage of blades, I decided to improvise. I knocked Kronos into the air with an upward slash from Igtenos. But I did not stop. I repeated this action over and over, rising into the air with him as the Swordian in my right hand began to generate sweeping currents of wind to hold me aloft.

The magic in my right gauntlet began to coat Igtenos, igniting the wind he generated to turn my rotating slashing spin into a scorching blade wheel. Over and over, faster and faster, I cut through that golden barrier as Kronos started to let out a protracted scream of pain. Dozens of slashes later, I slowed for the coup de grace. And with one powerful swing of my arm, I unleashed a gale of flames right into our foe that threw him back and into the Eye of Atamoni itself.

Kronos could barely keep himself floating. Scorched and bleeding, he was truly showing the results of a long and hard battle against too many capable opponents. And now that the Eye of Atamoni was right behind him... Inspiration struck. It was time for the final blow. "All of you! Lend me your Swordians!"

"Do what he says, your highnesses! He knows what must be done!" Clemente replied before I released my grip on Igtenos and Chaltier. All together, I took the five Swordians into my levitating grasp. I needed to make this quick. If Kronos had enough time to himself, he would surely draw more power from the Eye of Atamoni and make the situation...much messier.

During this brief lull in the battle, Kronos clutched at his body with his left hand before lifting his head to see the five Swordians floating ahead of him. Their blades pointed forward and ready to deliver one final blow. My eyes were locked onto my target. I would not miss. "You're done."

Kronos tried to throw up his sword to at least make a feeble attempt to parry this incoming barrage, but it was far too late. I made y move, sending all five Swordians rushing forward. One by one, they impaled themselves through the Aetherian king and even pinned him directly against the Eye of Atamoni itself. It was a gruesome sight. Five swords impaled bloodily through his torso, plunged to the hilt so deeply that they even pierced the massive spherical lens behind him.

The area fell quiet as Kronos barely clung to life with his eyes opened wide in sheer agony. The golden winged aura surrounding him began to fade, as did the illusionary battlefield around us. The expanse of deep space was replaced by the same metal chamber was had been in not long ago. Bitterly clinging to life, the Aetherian king weakly tried to raise his sword one more time. "This world is... This world was always... My world... Eye of Atamoni... Why do you not...heed my...call...?"

It was over. Kronos became limp as he remained bloodily pinned to the very source of power he had sought. The heavy black sword hung from his hand momentarily before it too slipped free of his fingers and hit the cold metal floor below. The shadowy aura that coated the blade faded away in seconds. Now as lifeless as the Swordian he once wielded, Kronos became still. We all let out a deep sigh of relief as the stillness in the air became very welcome with Nightmare Moon being the first to speak. "It is done."

"Not yet." The voice of Dymlos spoke up as the entire chamber began to rumble. All of Dycroft trembled and we quickly saw why. Great cracks began to run through the entirety of the Eye of Atamoni before the area where the five Swordians punctured it began to erupt with elemental energies associated with them. The discharge was so potent that Kronos' corpse was vaporized in mere seconds. Now with only the five Swordians plunged deep into Dycroft's power source, the Swordian of fire called out to us. "You chose well in plunging us into the Eye of Atamoni. Now the Aethersphere can finally be destroyed once and for all."

Luna spoke first as she took a step forward. "Explain! Kronos is no more! What happens next?!"

Igtenos provided an explanation. "The Eye of Atamoni is composed of the same material as our core crystals, which houses our essence. Will can overcharge it like this and will generate a shockwave that will result in its destruction, along with that of Dycroft and the Aethersphere itself. This is the only way to free the world below now that the Aethersphere is entirely complete."

Celestia was the first to piece together what this meant for our new allies. "But...if that thing is destroyed...and your cores are connected to it..."

Atwight was next to speak. And she spoke with a somber tone. "Yes... It will be will mean the end of us."

I already knew this. I knew that that the only means to save the world that was dying below us would mean the sacrifice of the five friends we had only just made. I knew this and had accepted it. And yet, there was still a sting in my heart as the entirely of Dycroft trembled around us. Nightmare Moon was not so quick to yield our companions to their doom and called out, "What?! Surely there must be another way! You don't have to die here... Do you?"

"Forgive us, your highness. This is the only way now. And do not mourn us too much... We've lived for far too long already." The kind voice of Clemente spoke as the five Swordians faced their imminent doom with true dignity. There was no fear in their voices. They had accepted their fate.

It was then that Chaltier spoke. "But...that doesn't mean you have to die with us! Hurry! You can still make it to the hangers! There must be escape pods you can use to reach the surface safely!"

Dymlos spoke next while mirroring the urgency in Chaltier's voice. "Don't let this opportunity go to waste. Go! Quickly! While you still can!"

For just an instant, the four of us did turn to run down the hall from which we had entered the room from. But barely a few steps later, we all stopped. The four of us shared a knowing gaze. We had nothing to fear. We had survived worse thanks to the dream weaving abilities of the two night princesses. Dycroft's destruction was something we could easily weather. And so we turned and approached the five Swordians while Luna spoke to them. "Actually... We will stay."

Needless to say, our five allies could barely believe what they wee hearing. Chaltier then called out to us, "But...but...Dycroft will soon be utterly destroyed! You'll die for nothing!"

"Trust us, my friends. We have our ways. The destruction of this place is of no concern to us. We will be fine." Nightmare Moon explained with no fear in her voice. She knew her power well. We had survived worse thanks to her and Luna.

I glanced over at Celestia while she smiled at me somberly. She then gazed up at the five Swordians and said, "It's the least we can do...to stay with you in your final moments."

They remained silent for a moment before Dymlos attempted to whisper to his comrades. I do not believe he knew we could hear him from that distance. "Have they gone mad? Taken leave of their senses?"

After a moment of further silence, Clemente then spoke kindly. "No, I do not believe they have lost their minds. Let us have faith in their judgement. If they are certain they can endure being here when the end comes, I believe we should trust in them."

Atwight then spoke kindly to us, "While we do not recommend you put yourselves in harms way now that this can't be stopped... Thank you all. It is...comforting that you are staying here with us. Even to the end..."

I felt the slightest twinge of a tear in my eyes. I knew this was what was doomed to happen. I expected it...yet it still got me right in the heart to see these old friends on the verge of death. I could find no words to share at the time, but Chaltier then spoke unexpectedly. "You know... It's strange. I'm getting the weirdest feeling that this...happened before. But...I wasn't there last time. And it feels...so good to be here with all of you in the end. It feels...right."

"It's good to have you here, Chaltier. We're all in this together, yes?" Igtenos spoke with a soft tone. And I knew of what the earth Swordian spoke of. To see all five there and not just four... It was...soothing, to say the least.

Atwight then found something to add. "You're not the only one, Chaltier. What is this feeling... I feel as if...we've been forgotten not just by the world below after so long... It feels like time itself has forgotten us. Why...?"

I let out a long sigh. I knew more about them than they could ever know. And so I spoke to them. "You're...more right than you know. Your story... Not that many had the presence of mind to read it. There were so many others competing for attention at the time and yours...faded into obscurity. It was a shame, really."

"Is that so...?" I heard Dymlos say with a truly melancholy tone. One that was almost unfitting for someone with such fire in his voice earlier.

I found myself smiling as I continued to speak to them. "But I read that story. I was one of the lucky few who happened across it in spite of the circumstances. It was a wonderful tale. And I always held it close to my heart. You all deserved better, but I never forgot you. And...it was a pleasure getting to serve alongside you tonight. Like...seeing a bunch of old friends I haven't seen in ages."

The three royal sisters gazed upon me as I found myself struggling to hold back tears while finding myself able to tell them that. I then said as Dycroft continued to tremble around us, the Eye of Atamoni spouting magical sparks from the cracks lining its surface, "You deserve to be remembered... All of you."

What happened next was not what I expected. The lids over the Swordians' core crystals began to shine. And they began to...project something below them. Our eyes opened wide as the forms of five humans began to form before us. Four men and one woman. And Celestia was the first to realize who they were. "You... You were all human once?"

"That we were. But that was a very long time ago." The man with wild and flowing blue hair spoke while clad in an ornate white robe. His eyes filled with a warm fire, he spoke his name. "Dymlos Timber."

The woman beside him, who Dymlos then rested his hand upon her shoulder, Was clad in a wide puffy white hat and an equally white long coat that matched her high white boots and a uniform that looked like it was meant for one enlisted in a medical corp. Her long lavender hair complimented her kind smile as she said, "Atwight Eks."

A young man stood near them, one who looked even younger than me. Hair of silver and a silver tailed coat, he wore white trousers and silver boots. Emblazoned over his torso was a yellow and blue pattern that brought to mind the patterns emblazoned upon the base of Chaltier's blade. He smiled brightly at us and said, "Pierre de Chaltier."

And older man stood behind them, one with graying hair and a full beard. He was clad in an ornate robe while sporting a red cape that draped well over his shoulders. His eyes were squinted, but his smile warm. He spoke with a familiar wizened tone. "Laville Clemente."

Lastly, a tall man with tidy blond hair stood beside Chaltier with his arms crossed. Dressed in an elegant cool green jacket that reached his waist, much of his attire fit the soothing green wind wielded by Igtenos. And that was indeed the name her spoke. "Igtenos Minarde."

I had never seen them like this before. All I had ever known was the forms they had as Swordians. But to see them in the flesh... When they were still flesh and blood... I felt a single tear flow down my cheeks. Clemente, kindly old man he was, spoke with a smile. "No need for tears, friend. This is how it must be. You knew this, yes?"

"Yeah, I know... Just...wasn't expecting this... A real treat." I muttered softly as the entire aeropolis around us groaned and quivered, bits and pieces of the interior clattering in the distance as anything that was not too firmly affixed to the walls were loosened. We did not have long.

The four of us approached the human forms of our comrades. Celestia reached out first, hesitantly reaching for Dymlos as she likely suspected it was only an illusion with no mass. But to our surprise, he reached out and took hold of her armored hoof. He smiled proudly at his mistress as he said, "You performed well here tonight, your highness. It was a pleasure serving you."

Celestia choked back a tear while she grinned delightfully at her partner. "Same to you, Dymlos. It was...a worthwhile experience."

I watched as Luna lifted her hoof high to reach Atwight's gentle grasp. As they too shook hand and hoof, Luna spoke to her partner. "I think you and I...would have been good friends had we had more time..."

"Whether we would or not, I enjoyed our time, your highness. I hope the future is bright for you." Atwight said sweetly while beaming at the Princess of the Night.

Clemente took hold of Nightmare Moon's hoof as they shared a smile. But true to form, he lifted her hoof higher and placed a kiss upon her greave. He let out a deep chuckle as he said, "It was such an honor being able to serve one of such beauty tonight. And of such tactical genius. I'm sure you will serve your people well for much time to come."

Instead of being irritated with Clemente's flirtatious action, Nightmare Moon appeared to cut him some slack while let out an amused snort. "Hmph. I'll let that one slide, old man. Thought truly, you were a sight to behold tonight."

I then cast my gaze upon Chaltier and Igtenos as they waited patiently. I raised my armored hands to them before they reached out and took hold of the hands that held them not long ago. I muttered while trying to keep my emotions in check, "It was an honor getting to meet you all tonight..."

"It really was, young master. I'm glad I could be of service." Chaltier replied while even cracking quite the toothy smile. He was just delighted to have been able to pull his weight that night.

Igtenos cast me a much more reserved smile, but his words were still filled with a cool and stalwart reassurance. "I do believe you chose well tonight. I really felt as if...we had a certain connection tonight, Sir James. Thank you."

The Eye of Atamoni hissed with more of its energies leaking out violently. We had only moments to go before its integrity reached critical levels. We all stepped back, knowing it was time. With the entire aeropolis around us quivering as if an earthquake was happening just beneath us, Clemente spoke to us. "I suppose this is goodbye, friends... Our tale has ended, but yours... There is a great many chapters left to be written in your stories. I just hope they will be worth reading about."

"And I won't ever forget your tale. All of you... Rest now. You've earned it." I replied while trying to hold in my tears. To have to say goodbye to them when I knew their demise was nigh... It weighed heavily on my heart.

"This is it, everyone!" Dymlos spoke up as more and more cracks started to line the Eye of Atamoni. Only seconds remaining, the Swordian of fire smiled at us as we all bid them farewell. "It was an honor, all of you. Farewell. And remember! Destiny is not to be obeyed! It is to be defied! Carve your own path towards your destination!"

And with that... It was over. A colossal blast of mystical light filled the chamber as the Swordians and their human forms were consumed by that light. But not us. The royal sisters wrapped us all in a spherical barrier with three layers. No matter how devastating the resulting blast was, we were safe.

The explosion that tore through Dycroft hurled us far back. We had no idea where we were going. But when our vision was no longer obstructed, we found ourselves in high orbit above the world below. It looked like a black orb as far as the eye could see. An orb with fissures of explosive light tearing across it. The cracks spreading far and wide, the shards of that dark sphere began to break apart. Disintegrating before our eyes. And far below with nothing remaining draped over it, a lush world far below of bright blue oceans and landmasses dotted with fertile earth and verdant forests and meadows. We were not too late. The world would live on.

The Aethersphere was gone. No trace of it remained. Safe inside that bubble in orbit around the planet below, Celestia spoke with a sigh even as I felt a familiar ripple pulse around us. "They died well... Tonight felt fulfilling."

"Indeed. A most memorable encounter to change things up in recent days." Nightmare Moon replied before she cast a smile at me. "And I appreciated getting to make up for being bedridden the past few days. I enjoyed myself tonight."

"Yeah... It was good to see you back in action. Even if it was just in the dream realm." I smiled at my beloved Princess of Dreams. If she was so capable where only her dreaming mind decided what happened, surely that was a good sign. "Although...I guess it's time to wake up."

"It is... Best not keep everyone waiting. I shall see you all at breakfast." Luna retorted before a veil of white closed in around us. And with that... I awoke in the company of a familiar orange dragoness and a dark yet cuddly love bug. And I felt genuinely rejuvenated. I needed that dream. I really did.

My heart is heavy as I type this, but I feel like last night was a worthwhile experience. And it felt...topical. Like I actually benefited from it in this war.

And yet...I cannot shake the feeling that...the worst is yet to come. There's an overwhelming anxiety as I comprehend what might be awaiting us at the Heaven's Pillar. We nearly lost Nightmare Moon last time. And there is no way we will reach our destination without at least one more major battle. What else can we expect from the emperor now?

A storm is approaching. I just know it. We have made it without a single casualty so far... But will it last?