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I remember being in the tender company of Ocellus and Smolder at my sides while Gallus was sleeping inside a cozy pillow fort nearby. There was nothing but good expectations that night when we finally drifted off to sleep. The next day would be a good day. But we had to sleep through the night first. But when I did finally began to dream...

Something was wrong. While I still drifted from awake to dreaming with no way of knowing how and when the transition was made, the same as every night, I felt...too aware. Too awake despite being asleep. And I was alone. Standing in a black void with no sense of up or down. But for me to be lucid enough to feel as if I was awake... Was I not alone?

After a moment of wandering with my feet touching an unseen surface, it suddenly dawned on me. I was not merely not alone. Someone was there. Someone I was warned of the night before. Someone was expecting me. I looked down at myself. All but nude, in the same minimal attire I fell asleep in. And despite the darkness around me, I was not shrouded in shadows. My body was perfectly visible despite the darkness around me. If I was not alone, it would only be right to greet my guest. "I was told you'd be coming. She sent you, right? The one who watches over Equestria?"

A giggle filled the air. And the voice that spoke out over the darkness... I had heard it before. Ad not all that long ago. A voice that followed an ethereal trio of spectral birds. A dove, a falcon, and a raven. A voice who gave no answer when I asked for an identity. And now that voice had returned. "The All-Mother took you on quite the guided tour, hm? Yes, I have been waiting for you, dear James. So good to see you again. Even if...your forbearers have inflicted such dire harm upon you."

I bowed my head in remembrance. So much happened not even a week ago. To the point where I was on the verge of death. And as I pondered those grim memories, the voice asked me. "Before anything else, I must ask... The emperor... The one who will now be forever remembered as the Forgotten Emperor. Tell me. Do you hate him?"

"For a good while, I thought I did. The longer the war went on, the more I grew to resent the old fool. But when I finally met him... Saw that ancient husk who was barely a man at all anymore..." I sighed before pausing in recollection. I saw everything. I heard everything. Listened to the words of the emperor so past and present. And I knew what my heart had decided upon. "I couldn't... I probably should've hated him, but I can't. He was just an old fool who made too many mistakes... And he did what little right he could at the end of it all."

"Thank you. Truly, I am grateful his actions did not instill hatred in your heart." The elegant voice of a young woman spoke to me. A voice I had heard only once before. Or...had I?

My mind began to wander as I dug through my memories. I had heard that voice before. At least once. It carried a certain...nobility to it. An almost royal accent. I began to pace forward with my arms crossed. Trying to recall. I did hear that voice during that one time with the three ethereal birds, but...did a time come after it where I heard it again?

I did not get much further before something happened I could not have foreseen. A glowing orb of white light began to emanate from my forehead. And from that light burst the form of a dove composed of that light. It soared high into the darkness before two more shapes burst out of it. The form of a falcon composed of a silvery glow. And a raven of purest black that even stood out from the darkness around it. I watched curiously as the three ethereal birds circled above me, following each other in a ring. And then they suddenly descended while maintaining that spiral.

Instead of swooping past me, they dove into an unseen floor and became still. Their forms becoming flatter and more elongated until their three forms were touching each other beak to tail feathers. Now standing in the middle of this perplexing ring of avian imagery, I took a step forward only for more color and shape to expand out from under me. The unseen floor beneath me became visible as beautiful golden patterns resembling stained glass spread out past me and then beyond the beautiful three bird shapes. And as that ring of stained glass became visible, so too did six more shapes. Six identical gemstones. Ones I had only seen once before. The Elements of Harmony, but in their most basic forms free from a connection with a bearer. While this beautiful circle of stained glass patterns was beautiful and expanded far, I recognized this setup and almost laughed at it. "Are we diving into my dreaming mind? Or is this a dive to my heart?"

Once again, that voice giggled at my observations. "It appears familiar, does it not? I must assure you that I am not in control of this. What you see before you? Most likely your thoughts and hearts molding something that makes sense in the situation. Although I must say that whatever inspiration it drew from, the results are breathtaking."

I listened closely to the voice. Its use of words... Trying to find certain patterns and how some words were spoken more than others. But as I thought back to that voice and the first time we heard each other... I recognized that tone and pitch. But I remembered it speaking much more angrily. And...I could almost imagine hearing it wail in grief. That was when my eyes opened wide in realization. "Wait... Your voice... I heard it one more time after we first spoke. But...wasn't that during... You...can't be..."

As if to answer my suspicions, a growing gate of light began to form ahead of me. Like a portal to step through. And through this portal, I could see a shape. A very human shape. The light was too bright... I had to shield my eyes while trying to see what little I could. And as the light began to fade, that same voice spoke again. But instead of sounding like it was coming from everywhere, it was being spoken from directly in front of me. "You remembered. And you saw. Yes, dear James. It is I. And I have been waiting some time to finally have this opportunity."

I lowered my hand and stood transfixed. Standing before me... It was...such a surreal experience. A fellow human. A human woman with blond hair tied into a long flowing braid behind her. Her body wrapped in a simple white toga, she smiled at me brilliantly with such bright blue eyes. Where I was left unsettled at the sight of the emperor's decayed and barely living husk of a body, the sight of this young woman filled with a very different type of awe. And more than anything... I knew her name. "Megan..."

She giggled in delight, any and all otherworldly wisdom replaced with the pleasant youthfulness of this hero princess. She placed her hands behind her back and leaned forward to smile at me. "What a momentous meeting this is. Bearers of Humanity, one of Equestria and one of Earth. Tell me, dear James. How does it feel to finally see another of your kind after leaving your world behind?"

"You mean aside from a vision into the distant past?" I replied while struggling to find the words to convey my thoughts. It was...spellbinding to see her. A living breathing human being, even if she was one from an entirely different world from my own. Although perhaps living is the wrong word to use. I found myself reaching out to her. Compelled to touch her to confirm that she was actually there. And Megan responded in kind. She straightened her posture and gently placed her palm against mine while never losing that smile. Only then did I speak. "I have no words that can do this justice... I'm in awe... Really. I know who you are and... I don't know what to say."

"Oh, don't be so coy, my friend. Come here." She replied before stepping forward and putting her arms around me like an old friend instead of a couple of strangers. I was being held by the princess of the human empire. The last of her kind to...fade from the world of Equestria. She hugged me tightly yet tenderly, her fingers sliding along my scalp. I could feel a full head of hair there, my injuries in the physical world apparently not reflected of how my soul portrayed me at the time. "I've been watching for some time, my friend. I only wish it did not have to be like this..."

"But...aren't you long gone? You didn't...bind your soul to the Element of Humanity itself, did you?" I asked in confusion while still reciprocating her hospitality with an embrace of my own. Her presence was...comforting. She felt youthful and pleasant, but far from naive. Megan's presence demanded respect and instilled hope in me. This princess was a true champion, even as just a specter.

"No, not exactly... At least not entirely." She replied before pulling away so we could actually see each other. Her smile did falter as she explained, "I lived my life well. Even with my empire gone and my remaining people scattered to the winds to soothe the fears of Equestria, I continued to serve as a champion of my world. When the need arose, I would take up my sword and shield to protect the people of my world. But even I could not resist the march of time."

"I know... You were the last to leave." I said with a nod. I knew that much.

"True... Or so I thought. When my time finally came, I left this world. And I met...her. The All-Mother met me between the world of Equestria and the world that waits beyond this realm. And she told me...my father had never left the world at all." Megan explained while I too remembered that wondrous mare. A mare whose mention I will have to redact from this entry one I am finished with it. "I was fearful of what may happen if my father remained in the world of Equestria while I could not be there to stop him. And she was duty-bound to not intervene unless absolutely necessary. So I... I remained tethered to the world of Equestria. A connection was made between my soul and the Element of Humanity. I left the world of the living, but I still hold a chain that binds me to it. And then..."

She reached out and almost playfully tapped me on the forward as that smile returned to her face. "You came along. And I felt it. The Element of Humanity manifested for a new bearer. But I certainly never expected it to bind itself to a human from a world that is not my own!"

I cracked an amused smile of my own in response to her playful advance. "Hey, I barely even knew that it existed at all. It's not like I was counting on it to show up. After all that's happened, I'm kind of shocked in hindsight that it thought I was good enough."

Megan rested her hand upon my bare shoulder as she smiled in a more comforting manner. "Yes, I know... I have seen your world. What a sad place... I am very grateful Celestia and Luna found you before that world could erode your heart too much. I have been watching you ever since and...well, aside from what happened with Discord, you have been performing admirably. I do believe we would've been fast friends had we existed in the same era."

I knew better than to inquire about Discord. Whatever happened between he and I was a dark incident that needed to be forgotten. Although the fact that she knew him... And that she was no doubt visiting me from beyond the grave... I needed to ask. "Have you met Discord?"

"I can't say I ever really became acquainted with him. I was very young when he plunged the world into chaos." She explained before sighing quietly with her eyes closed. "But I did finally meet him not that long ago. And he wanted me to tell you... He can't apologize enough...for the bedlam you and Equestria have suffered through recently. He knows. And he could not have foreseen the consequences of his actions at the time."

"I know... And I'd like to just put all that behind me." I retorted while trying to not think too hard about the war and its catalysts now that it was finally over. I sighed while turning my gaze up at the darkness above us. "He was already pretty remorseful of a lot of things when he said goodbye. I can't imagine how much he'd be rolling in his grave after finding out about the war."

"He was a wondrous soul, from what I was told. It was just such a shame that his true immortality became a gilded cage in time..." Megan said while her gaze wandered. But she then found the will to smile. "But truly... Thank you for what you did for him and my father. They...became slaves to their vices with their true hearts buried deep."

I nodded, but then gave my own thanks. "And thank you for being there when we needed you most. I was out of options... I really thought there was no fixing everything by then. He and I... We needed to see what happened back then."

"You needed to see that. And I was praying seeing it again from a new perspective would be the final push he needed. I was holding my breath... And he did relent." Megan said before sighing in what was surely a wistful recollection of that dark time. She then closed her eyes as she muttered, "He was warned... Given an ultimatum to turn back. It was not too late. The Elements were laid bare before him. Did he...think I just did not have it in me to unleash such a force of judgement upon my own kind?"

She was starting to become too focused on that dark day. I remembered that stalemate. The point where they would either turn back or be judged. The emperor tempted fate that day and paid the price. I stepped forward and did what little I could to comfort my predecessor now that bad memories were taking hold. I embraced her and rested my chin on her shoulder. "You did what you had to do... And I'm not so sure I could've done the same at the time. You're everything I expected you to be."

The paragon in my arms shuddered as she wheezed with a gasping breath. She held me in her arms, savoring my touch. "Thank you... You don't know what it's like... Having to watch your entire empire... The people you were fated to reign over one day being cast out of the world to the stars above... Wherever they ended up, I hope they are thriving... And not being a burden on the world they found."

The ultimate destination of Megan's people was a mystery I doubt anyone will ever get an answer on. I am sure they were only sent to a world that could sustain life and worlds like that are an extreme rarity in the universe. But knowing the Elements of Harmony and their bearers, I was certain they would not have sent Equestria's human population to certain doom. Surely they showed mercy that day by choosing a world where they would survive just fine without bringing strife to a preexistent civilization. Their descendants were alive out there somewhere. And hopefully they had come to repent for their folly after coming to understand what they had thrown away.

We just stood there for a moment, our arms holding each other while I waited for Megan to find peace. It must have been a long time since she last got to talk to a fresh face over a pivotal moment of her life that ended up redefining her very world. I felt her turn her head, but thought nothing of it for a moment. At least until she finally spoke. "I must say... The form the Element of Humanity took on was truly fitting. And the cutie mark you bear shows it."

That was when I remembered again what was branded onto my biceps. I loosened my embrace and looked upon my upper arms. The twin dove symbol that the Element of Humanity had come to mirror. I remembered her voice making that observation last time we spoke. "You did mention that, didn't you?"

"It truly suits you. You would much rather put down the sword and take up the quill instead, would you not?" Megan asked as she stepped to my side to examine my cutie mark up close. She never stopped smiling while she said, "You always have had an affinity for birds too, if I recall. I also have a favorite."

Megan looked off into the distance while she snapped her fingers. I looked out into the darkness beyond the elaborately designed platform we stood upon and soon saw a glowing flash of red swoop through the air. But once it drew near, that vibrant red light took on the form of a physical form that soon fluttered forward and perched upon Megan's fingers. The vibrant red form of a male cardinal. The hero princess before me stroked her fingers along her little friend while he would occasionally let out a quick and sharp cheep. Megan smiled almost nostalgically as she said, "There's nothing quite like that striking shade of red perched upon a branch in a tree devoid of leaves in the dead of winter. That color full of life amongst that frigid white. I always adored these birds. A sign of hope in a void of lifeless white. Hope that spring will come."

I knew of what she spoke. There is no color that stands out more among a blanket of white than that bold shade of red. The color of vitality and vigor. And few songbirds have a more distinct form than the northern cardinal. I observed that little friend of my guest, my thoughts going out to my little Angela back home. That precious dove with a lovely voice. With a raise of her hand, Megan sent her little friend on his way. The little cardinal fluttered out into the voice and was gone. Although I then felt the need to ask. "If you don't mind me asking... What does your cutie mark look like?"

"Well, I must say you and I have more in common than you might expect. You know what they say about doves and olive branches..." She replied before reaching for one of her toga's sleeves. Megan slid her hand up to raise it in order to reveal her right bicep. And there upon it was the unmistakable form of an olive branch curling inwards to form the beginning of a spiral. It felt...so fitting for her in hindsight.

"You really were a bringer of peace..." I muttered as I studied the meaning of such a symbol. With sword and shield in hand, Megan was a true champion who brought peace to Equestria whenever she had the power to do so. "I really hope Equestria grew to love you in spite of what happened."

Megan lowered her hand to let her sleeve fall again. She sighed wistfully and explained, "It took time... Those who stayed true to Equestria's balance were scattered far and wide, but I heard that they did require the faith that had been lost by becoming respected members of society all over again. It was a...case by case sort of thing. Although for the sake of everything, my people and their empire still needed to be forgotten... Although I suppose that's no longer possible, is it?"

My eyes opened wide as I suddenly remembered what the very existence of the war meant for Equestria. There was no downplaying or hiding the nature of the war or our enemy. "That's a good point... There's no way they'll be able to avoid declassifying that information to the public."

"I have faith the people of modern Equestria will take the news better than one might expect. Time has a way of...softening the blow." Megan replied while she let out an almost bitter chuckle. The truth would come out somehow. At least while assuming it had not happened already. She then looked at me and spoke, "I do believe that you will still be as welcomed as you always were. You never strayed from your friends. You always put Equestria first. How can they ever frown upon you for that?"

"The royal family would certainly never stand for it... They'll vouch for me." I muttered with my thoughts going out to the those five impressive ponies. They all had grown to adore me in their own ways. Nightmare Moon especially would fiercely and even violently protect me at any cost. But as I thought about them, my thoughts drifted back to Megan. "You said those who remained were scattered... But what about you? Where did you go?"

Megan's smile warmed as she said, "I remained with the royal family. Queen Sunflare and King Orbash did return to the shadows after that crisis was resolved, but Celestia and Luna welcomed me into their own castle to remain among them. They always loved me as if I was their own. And all I could do to repay them was to serve as their knight. You will not find any of my accomplishments or trials in the history books, but I did have to take up the sword a few times to thwart a few villains in my time after the loss of my empire."

As someone who had also faced off with some infamous names in Equestria's history, I immediately became curious of some of these villains of eons past that Megan faced off against. "Really now? Care to share some heroic exploits?"

The hero princess giggled with her fist before her lips. "I'd be happy to! Things were quiet for a few years. Equestria has always been a very peaceful world where war is virtually unheard of. But when evil does take root in the few, it tends to reveal itself in a big way. It does make for grander stories the less common it is."

"Yeah, it does, now that you mention it. If you normalize that stuff too much, people stop seeing much reason in paying it any mind." I replied with a roll of my eyes. "Anyway... What are some names that stand out in your history in Equestria?"

Megan then explained, "I recall the first time a new threat presented itself was when there was word spreading far to the south. In the savannahs where the zebras hail from. There were other more minor threats afterward, but this was the only enemy who managed to stand out in my memory. A zebra shaman with access to arcane magics that differ from most others. Although his name was...merely Zeb."

"Zeb... A zebra shaman named Zeb?" I asked in bewilderment as I heard that. "Um... Are you sure that's what he called himself?"

"Not the most imaginative name, I know. I am not certain if it was an alias or if he called himself that ironically. Whatever the case, his name was not an indicator of his abilities in battle." Megan recalled rather grimly while showing no joy at the memory. "I did not know the zebra people were capable of such nightmarish summonings. Or perhaps they aren't and he found an unnatural way of unleashing such power. Despite his humble race, he was an impressive force that truly tested me. A witch doctor capable of calling upon arcane nightmares. But in the end, I bested him and he was slain by my hand. Although I had to ask the zebra people who bore witness to the struggle to not remember me. It was for the best that humanity be forgotten and I had to obey that decree. Although...they did not forget entirely. From what I understand, they told tales of a harpy warrior who descended upon the rogue shaman with sword and shield in hand."

"Remembering you with half-truths, huh? I guess embellishing the truth is one way for your exploits to live on." I retorted with a chuckle. When considering that harpies make for some of the best swordsmen on the planet, it was not an implausible tale.

Megan then continued as she said, "To be fair, that was common practice for the rest of my people until they...departed Equestria for the next world. If they became respected and admired enough, the locals would spin a tale to remember them by insisting that they were an entirely different species. The people of the savannahs remember me as a harpy, for instance."

"A harpy with wings, eh?" I retorted while Megan snickered under her breath. We both knew that harpies are flightless birds. Although I then asked, "Who else though... Who else found a place in the history books only to be remembered as something else?"

"Hm... If there is one that comes to mind first..." Megan muttered with a fist held to her chin in thought. But she then smiled and said, "Of all those who served at my side, the first to renounce my father's dogma on our way to the royal family's castle was dear Gunnstein. I doubt you could have picked him out among my unit when you saw us, but he was one of the finest knights we had at the time. An excellent warrior who preferred the axe to the sword. I understand that he was relocated to what is now known as the Vanhoover region."

I suppose every empire has its standouts among its military ranks. My curiosity piqued, I then asked, "What can you tell me about that guy?"

Megan explained with fond recollection in her voice. "From what I heard, he never truly stopped fighting even after settling in the tundra to the north. Even if he had to adapt to his new home. I heard he went from wearing full plate armor to draping himself in a bear pelt and growing out his beard with an axe in each hand. Or a heftier axe in both hands when needed. He served as a guard for the fledgling settlements at the time and I even heard he became quite the inspiration to the surviving yaks who were relocated there from the frozen north. The history books remember him as a mighty minotaur, but he became quite loved all the same as a defender of the people. Gunnstein Berserk Killer, I think they called him. And he had quite the tales to tell when I finally met him again beyond the mortal coil..."

What a character. A knight adapting into a wild woodsman warrior out in the evergreen forests of the north? Should I ever visit the Vanhoover region, I will have to look his stories up. "At least I can understand why they would remember him as a minotaur. I can totally see them hefting axes as weapons. But beyond him and that Zeb character... Who else do you recall?"

"Well...if you must ask... There was one other evildoer I had to face who stands out in my memory. My first trial by fire." Megan replied with her tone darkening. She then spoke, "The first memorable villain I faced was shortly after I received my enchanted arms and armor. And she was one of my own people. A human witch who was known as Somnambula."

That name... It sounded vaguely familiar. And then I did recall where I had first heard it. "That's... I'm pretty sure I heard Orbash or Sunflare mention that when we first met."

Megan nodded without a word at first. "Yes. The history books don't mention her, but she was a frightful sorceress who developed a vile means of magic to siphon the youth out of her victims. A means to live forever, so I heard. As a mere squire, I found great difficulty in facing her. She was a most capable opponent. But...I still slew her. I saw her fall and whatever youthful energies she absorbed escaped their crystal prison and returned to their proper owners. Wherever her corpse still lies, her lair has most likely been left buried deep within the Empty Plains by the passage of time. I doubt any will ever find it."

A human villain who had been doubly forgotten... I suppose it would have only been a matter of time before one of Equestria's own human residents to pursue darker ambitions. The desire for dominance is...inherent to human nature, if I must be completely honest with myself. I took note of Megan's distinct lack of satisfaction and said, "It seems we've both faced our fair share of enemies. And we didn't find any enjoyment in it."

"If you take pleasure in the ending of a life, how can you call yourself a virtuous being? It may be necessary and even justified at times, but to feel pleasure in it? No... No, not once did I ever feel happy when blood stained my blade. At best, I only felt relief to know the threat was over and that my world would be richer for it." Megan said without the slightest showing of joy upon her face. Although a smile did creep across her face when she said, "And I am glad to see the same applies to you."

I nodded while pleased to know I had not disappointed this hero before me. "Yeah... I mean there can be enjoyment when its just a friendly spar. Or if just to let loose. I admit some of my...virtual training sessions could be rather fun at times. Although admittedly not often..."

"The royal family has been keeping you sharp in your dreams, hm? Luna would do the same for me at times as well. And while we're on that subject..." Megan replied before she began to step past me. And her voice began to carry a certain...grimness to it. "There is another reason why I am here, my friend. There is something I must do now that I may never get another chance to do."

"Yeah?" I asked in curiosity as she walked a fair distance away from me before stopping. I did not get the impression she wanted me to follow. Only to watch. "What might that be."

"We have both served Equestria as champions of its people. Faced dire crises for the sake of this wonderful world. You and I are the same. Therefore..." I heard Megan speak while she remained facing away from me. But as her words trailed off, her toga began to glow brightly and dissolved away into petals of light. But not to reveal her body. Something began to replace it in a veil of light. Something...with great wings that spread wide. "I must ask you of this, my friend. Now and not any other time."

The light faded. And there she stood in the same suit of winged armor I saw her wearing so long ago. Its wings were spread wide and strongly resembled those of Luna's. And when she thrust out her left arm to the side with her wings folding, I saw a circle of golden flames starting to swirl before fading to reveal a great round shield affixed to the back of her left gauntlet. This shield... It was not the Lunar Shield. Large and round, it bore Celestia's cutie mark upon it with the sun's eight arms reaching the very rim of it. I muttered under my breath, "That's not mine..."

Megan relaxed her arm and turned to face me before raising her right arm high. Luna's billowing blue magic aura covered her right gauntlet before a bolt of blue lightning shot down from the shadows above while being drawn into her armored hand. A few seconds later, that lightning compacted to form a sword. But it was not the Celestial Sword. This sword was not quite as long, its blade being subtly more triangular than perfectly straight. The unmistakable form of an arming sword with an...upswept silver crescent moon crossguard, the blade being very similar in hue to Luna's dark blue coat. But maybe just a bit lighter? Armed and armored, Megan pointed her enchanted sword at me. "Please. Face me, Sir James. I must know how far you have come in the ways of the sword."

I stared in awe. Her armor's colors. The sword and shield. The magic auras assigned to each hand. Everything about Megan's arsenal was the inverse of my own. What was blue was white and what was white was blue. The moon was held in the right hand and the sun was attached to the left. And upon those smooth rounded pauldrons... Perhaps I simply did not notice it when I last saw her in that armor, but there was a crystal inlay embedded into it that let off a soft pale glow. That coiling shape... Her olive branch cutie mark. A unique feature exclusive to that armor? Like how that ethereal helmet plume is to my helmet? Although I then took note of my situation. She was fully armored while I was...not. "Um... Hate to break it to you, but I'm not exactly equipped for a duel at the moment."

A crooked grimace spread across Megan's lips while she let out quite the snicker. "Of course... Allow me."

Her left gauntlet under the shield became coated in a familiar golden yellow aura while her right was shrouded in a billowing blue. And in a flash, I was coated in my own familiar suit of armor. Although I noticed my helmet was not present atop my head. I looked at myself and then at her. We were our own reflections, the colors of our armor being inversions of the other with the designs differing significantly. With the magic in my own gauntlets surging, I summoned the Lunar Shield to my left arm and the Celestial Sword to my right hand. I then took a good look at both before glancing at Megan's weaponry. "Those aren't mine... Are they?"

Megan smirked almost giddily. The cogs in my head were turning. While I knew that my armor would choose a form most suited to its wearer, the Celestial Sword and Lunar Shield had no such function. Their forms were set in stone. Megan then brought her shield forward and lightly tapped the side of her sword's blade against it. "I have never seen those two being held by human hands before. The Celestial Sword and the Lunar Shield. Truly works of art. But where you wield those, I carry the Dusk Sword and Solar Shield."

Dusk Sword. Solar Shield. A mirrored set of arms to my own. "Perhaps I've forgotten, but... Has there always been a set of two of these?"

Megan nodded her head and said, "Of course. Do you truly believe such arms would be given to just one champion? No. These were meant for two. A pair of friends who would support each other in the thick of battle. It's actually quite sad, all things considered... All this time and you never had another of your kind to be by your side in battle."

It made far too much sense. There were two princesses reigning over Equestria for so long. The sun and the moon. And like them, there were two sets of weapons and armor. One carried the moon in one hand and the sun in the other and vice versa. It only made sense that two human champions would be needed to uphold the balance. And it made me realize just what a loose wheel I had been the entire time. I gazed upon the dimly glowing white blade of the Celestial Sword as I muttered, "I had no idea I was only using one half of a set... There's another set out there just like this?"

"There is. As for whatever became of it after I left the realm of the living... It may be best not to ask them, James. Not until someone else comes along who you can count on to be by your side in battle." Megan replied while I just bowed my head in understanding. It was not a power that could be bestowed upon just anyone. And it was likely reserved exclusively for human use. But who else could possibly be called upon to wield them?

I raised my sword, eyes focused upon the glowing white blade. My eyes then fell upon the blue blade of the Dusk Sword. Mine was longer, but hers allowed for greater control in one hand. The Solar Shield was wider than mine, but the Lunar Shield was generally more balanced for defense due to its vague resemblance of a kite shield. We were not perfect reflections after all. But I had every reason to believe her sword was as sharp as mine. There was likely little it would not cut through. I could not rely on my armor to hold off that blade. My eyes then met Megan's, wondering if I really wanted to do this. "I don't want to hurt you."

"You can't hurt me, James. My life ended long ago." Megan replied while she pointed the Dusk Sword at me. She stood ready, her eyes issuing a challenge. "I know the war only just ended, but please. Grant me this. This may be the last time we ever speak. Let me face you as a true equal."

She was right. While our weapons differed slightly, we were on perfectly equal footing. Except I knew this hero princess possessed a lifetime of experience with that weaponry. I was at a disadvantage. Or was I? I raised the Celestial Sword to mirror her stance, our blades pointing at each other. "All right then... Feels like it would be wrong to pass up this opportunity."

I saw a confident smile spread across my guest's lips. A very shrewd smile. "Thank you, my friend. Let us enjoy ourselves here. I'm ready when you are."

This was a duel I had never experienced before. I was thrilled, yet uneasy. I had only been using my equipment for a relatively short amount of time. Never before had I faced an opponent who was packing literally everything I had at my disposal. We stared each other down, blades aligned. I tried to get in a first shot with my right gauntlet's magic aura billowing around it. A burst of golden fire shot forth from my sword's blade. But Megan had the same idea. With a flash of her right gauntlet's blue magic aura, a bolt of blue lightning was fired from the Dusk Sword's blade and intercepted my own shot in a flash of embers and blue sparks. A stalemate. We would not get anywhere by relying only on magic.

We had no words after that failed attack. For the moment, we stood ready with swords raised. As if waiting for the other to make the first move. When this still failed to get us anywhere, we moved simultaneously. Megan and I lunged forward and swung our swords. A flash of magic light filled the air as our unparalleled blades struck each other. The edges bit hard into the other, locking them in a bind until we both pulled away. We stood ready with shields raised. It was time to get started.

Megan made the first move from there, trying to lash out with a swing of her sword. I parried with my shield as it failed to even scratch the surface. With a shove of my left arm, I pushed her sword away and swung quickly only to have the Celestial Sword smash into the Solar Shield. It once again became a perfect stalemate with our swords colliding against our shields with every swing. I started to suspect we would end up being unable to land a blow at that rate. But not for much longer.

Megan suddenly changed things up after several failed slashes. Upon blocking my blade once again, she pushed the Celestial Sword to the side. I expected her to continue the cycle by slashing at me with the Dusk Sword, but that was where things changed. With my eyes focused on her right arm, I was unprepared when she jabbed her left arm forward to basically punch me with the rim of the Solar Shield. Where the Lunar Shield was not suited for that manner of offense due to it being taller than it was wide, the perfectly symmetrical round shape of the Solar Shield gave it a certain offensive advantage that the Lunar Shield did not have. I really felt that hit and had to quickly stagger to get my shield up in time to block the Dusk Sword. My armor's wings carried me backwards with a quick flap to get some safe distance between us. But Megan proved how effective our armor's wings were for pursuit as well as retreat by chasing me with a quick swoop. I had to repel her by hurling my shield directly into her to shove her away with that wall.

The two of us momentarily stunned by our defensive assaults, we stood our ground with shields raised once I summoned mine back to my left arm. My eyes narrowed as I contemplated what that first scuffle demonstrated. While my set of weaponry was certainly balanced with a slight leaning towards a defensive approach, Megan's equipment was decided geared towards a more offensive focus. That round shield, while effective on defense, could be weaponized for causing harm more effectively than my own. I could see a dent along my breastplate where the rim had struck me. And when I had the chance to look under the Solar Shield... I saw that there were no latches to hold it in place on her left gauntlet like those on the Lunar Shield. It appeared to be affixed to her vambrace with a type of magical magnetism in the middle to keep it centered no matter how much it might rotate. That perfectly round shape gave it a unique advantage mine did not have.

We began to try to attack each other from a distance as we began to run around the circular battlefield while always being to each other's right. With our shields out of the way, we pointed our swords at each other and fired out bolts of magic. Ranging from simple beams of magic to elemental shots like fire and lightning. We did not miss often. And while our armor did have a respectable level of resistance to physical blows, they truly shined when it came to resisting magical assaults. We hardly flinched when our shots struck. But I knew even they still had their limits. I could never forget when Nightmare Moon pursued me through the Everfree Forest at the brink of dawn, her lightning magic being supercharged to the point of fracturing my pauldron and severing a wing from my armor. But in that moment, we did not have the time to focus enough to empower our magic further.

We came to a stop when it became clear the average magical assault on each other was futile. Our weapons would be the deciding factor. With a flap of our wings, we hurled ourselves at each other and rammed into the other with shields raised. A loud clank filled the air as the Solar Shield met the Lunar Shield with the two of us trying to push the other aside. Our enchanted sabatons and greaves allowed us to resist the pushing from the other. No matter how the designs of our armor differed, the effects were the same. The strength and speed of an earth pony in our legs, we could not overcome the other. Our wings carried us both back before Megan spoke rather happily to me. "Impressive so far, James! You know your equipment well!"

"So do you! I've never faced off against someone who literally has everything I do in a duel." I replied while also finding myself cracking a smile. There was a certain thrill in this clash that I never felt before. I finally had an equal. Someone who could truly match me blow for blow.

Megan nodded while keeping her shield up to brace for a potential assault. "True. But remember... Just because we possess the same abilities does not mean we don't have our own unique tricks up our sleeves! Behold!"

With a sudden swing of her left arm, the Solar Shield detached and flew right at me like a discus. Its rim struck my shield hard enough to make me stagger. Megan used levitation magic to quickly call it back to her left arm and charged at me with blue lightning crackling around the blade of the Dusk Sword. I had to remember that our swords were aligned elementally with the magic that was stored in the gauntlets worn on our dominant hand. Her sword was aligned with the power of frigid ice and searing lightning while mine was geared towards the heat of flames and even the sun's celestial energies. Embers and sparks filled the air as our swords smashed into our shields.

Megan was fierce and possessed a warrior's spirit I simply did not have. I found her aggressiveness to be genuinely intimidating and shoved her away with another toss of my shield. My riposte was so sudden that I even knocked her right off her feet and onto her back only for Megan to demonstrate the versatility of her armor's wings. Much like I had done at times, she catapulted herself into the air by suddenly extending her armor's wings against the floor and performed a graceful full rotation in the air before coming back down onto her feet. I let out a quiet failed whistle under my breath as I said, "So that's what it's like..."

With the Lunar Shield back on my left arm, I stood ready and waited for Megan's next move. But what came next... I saw the Solar Shield become engulfed in a bright glow. I thought the shield had dissolved, but... It was still there, but without its rim and the white sections between the arms of the sun motif. Only the sun shape itself was still there. And when Megan hurled the Solar Shield's modified form at me, the eight arms on the shield had begun to rapidly spin like the blades of a buzz saw!

I did not even try to block this incoming wheel of blades. I used my armor's wings to hurl myself to the side while keeping my shield up. Megan's arsenal proved itself to be much more offensively designed than I expected with even the Solar Shield possessing a unique and deadly function the Lunar Shield could not hope to emulate. While that first toss did miss, I did not turn my back to it. I could see it leaving a trail of golden yellow in its wake as a sign that Megan was manipulating her buzz saw shield with levitation magic to guide its path. Sure enough, it flew in a wide arc to come back towards me! I even called out in shock, "Hey, why can't my shield do that?!"

I got bold on the second pass and shoved my shield into the whirling blades of that discus. Fiery sparks flew from the wheel of solar blades as it tried to eat away through my defenses. While the Solar Shield may have been perfectly unbreakable, so too was the Lunar Shield neither side gave even as that blade wheel suddenly ignited with golden flames. I glanced to my side to see Megan holding out her left hand, golden yellow aura billowing around it. Could she channel Celestia's magic into it?

The heat was getting to be too much. I threw my left arm to the side to force that Solar Shield's flaming form to pass me. It flew in an arc like a wheel of flames. But those flames of golden yellow soon turned a searing white. Solar magic too?! I dared not try to block this next pass. I knew my armor would be evaporated by those flames. But as it came back towards me, I thought I heard the clanking of sabatons that were not my own.

Megan was coming in fast, rapidly closing the distance between us with the speed of the swiftest earth pony in her stride. I had to take my attention away from her ranged attack now that she was trying to strike me from both sides. Upon noticing her approach, I lunged at her to exploit the lack of a shield. With a thrust of her left hand, she shoved me away with a barrier before stabbing the blade of the Dusk Sword into the floor while it was shrouded in frigid mist. A jagged cluster of icy blue spikes exploded from the floor and smashed hard into the Lunar Shield. I was thrown back hard and had to act in a panic. I focused the magic in my left gauntlet to generate a barrier around me and only narrowly managed to hold off the whirling Solar Shield just in time. Megan was truly proving herself to be a very shrewd and experienced warrior with much more daring than I ever had. Although that failed attack from both sides did prompt her to summon her shield back to her left arm as the whirling blades ceased spinning while the rest of the Solar Shield's mass returned in a flash of light. While having a much greater leaning towards offense than my own equipment, having to separate herself from her shield still carried risks that she could not ignore.

We stared each other down as that cluster of cold blue icicles dissolved into arctic mist. Megan appeared to be more cautious than she was at the start of this duel. Her eyes narrowed in contemplation. I suspected she believed I was being very patient with my defenses and that was making her wary. My manner of combat was not quite as flashy as hers, but lasting as long as I did against such impressive attacks carried with it worrying implications. And with a sudden raise of her sword, Megan made her next move. She summoned a barrage of blue lightning bolts all around me. I raised my shield high, expecting this to be a diversion and was very mindful of my surroundings. But no matter how I glanced about, I could no longer see Megan around me. Where had she gone?

The storm soon passed and I glanced all around me in a panic. Megan was gone. Unless... I then looked up. And there she was, her armor's great blue wings holding her aloft high above me. And the Solar Shield was raised while emitting the bright white light of solar magic. She was holding it before her and had the shield's face angled down at me. And I knew what was coming. I readied the Lunar Shield and stood my ground, trying to keep as much as myself behind it as possible.

What came next was harsh and overwhelming. A wave of white celestial fire was emitted from the Solar Shield like focused laser that bore down on me with the Lunar Shield being the only thing protecting me from instant incineration. For that shield to even be able to function like the lens of a solar laser... Everything about Megan's equipment projected an image of overwhelming destructive power. And that power was steadily pushing me further and further back towards the edge of the arena. What would happen if I were to be pushed over the edge? Would I plummet regardless of my wings?

I had to act fast. I could not even try to lower my defenses or push myself to the side. With my sabatons scraping against the ornate floor, I could barely even look past the searing light that solar magic was giving off. But I could just barely make out Megan's presence at the source thanks to the flapping of her much darker wings. I had a destination. And with a bit of focus while standing my ground, I made my move.

A quick flash of light put me in the air just behind Megan while my wings carried me aloft. It looked like Megan could not even tell I was no longer there with the blinding light of that solar magic blocking her view of my own teleportation spell. But she did soon notice something was wrong and cancelled out her spell. I saw her visibly jump upon realizing that I was no longer there. And by the time she looked back, I was already in the middle of lashing out with one last swing of the Celestial Sword.

My aim was true and cut Megan right down the middle. I felt virtually no resistance as Megan lost all composure with her armor's wings spreading wide like she could just drop out of the air at any second. I felt a surge of relief seeing that I had dealt a decisive blow. And then I realized what I had done. Did I...hurt her? Could I hurt her even then? Megan descended gently with her body and armor remaining whole even though I knew that strike had connected. And just before she landed upon her armored feet, whatever binds were holding her hair's braiding together came loose. Probably even cut in two. That golden blond hair now free, it unfurled and hung low to the point of nearly reaching her ankles.

I landed gently behind Megan while she stood there motionlessly. She did not fall, but she did not speak. Dreading that I had done something wrong, I asked softly, "Megan...? You OK there?"

What reached my ears next was unexpected. A satisfied giggle. And then the humbled princess turned to face me with a smile, her long flowing hair swaying with her motions. "Well played, James. That will do."

The Dusk Sword and Solar Shield vanished in flashes of light to leave Megan unarmed. I responded by sheathing the Celestial Sword in its scabbard before detaching the Lunar Shield from my left arm and just letting it fall to the floor with a clatter. I then asked, "Did I hurt you?"

"You can't hurt me, James. I'm not exactly alive anymore." She retorted frankly before flexing her neck to relax. Megan sighed before saying, "It's been so long since I last took up the sword. I was afraid I might've been a little rusty, but I'd say I still have it."

"You sure did... I'm very impressed. I feel like I only got lucky back there." I replied while certain I only triumphed by exploiting a downside in that one spell. Now that the duel had ended, that mystical serenity had fallen over that otherworldly location again. The duel had ended. What was next?

Megan shook her head and said, "Nonsense. I was actually starting to become worried with how well you were holding out. You're a very patient fighter, but clever too. As long as your defenses hold out, you tend to find an opportunity."

"If you say so... I've still got a lot to learn." I muttered in response to the words of this paragon. Although it was then that I felt the faintest ripple in the air. A tremor? Or rather... I knew what it was. That familiar sign. "We finished up at a good time too. I think...it's about time to go."

She said nothing. Megan only nodded before she stepped towards me. "It was...an honor getting to meet you tonight, James. An enriching experience for us both, I'm sure..."

I nodded in turn. I felt like this was an important experience for us. Even if her time in the world of the living ended long ago. But I was taken aback when Megan stepped forward and threw her arms and wings around me for a tender embrace. She sounded almost mournful... "I wish...we could have met in very different times... We would have been fast friends, you and I. I would be by your side and vanquish evil with you together... If only..."

I wrapped my arms around her as well, my armor's wings also coiling around her in a feathered embrace. "I think I would've liked that... I'm sorry we have to part so soon. But it was wonderful finally getting to meet you, Megan."

"Likewise, James. Likewise..." She muttered while continuing to hold me. Although she then whispered, "James... If I may? One request."

I did not refuse. "Name it."

The hero princess whispered to my ear. "I know you take no pleasure in combat... Truth be told, neither do I. But please... I am certain that great evil still lurks in this great wide world of Equestria. Please... If you can... Please continue to defend my world while you are still able when the need arises. Can I leave my world to you, my friend?"

"I'll do what I can. At least I hope I will..." I retorted quietly as I wondered if I could really count on myself to fulfill such a request. After the war, I was hoping I would never have to take up the sword again. And I am certain Megan knew this.

"And I hope you will not have to... May your days be spent in peace in the world I loved..." Megan whispered before she pulled away to gaze at me with the shadows beyond the ornate platform we stood upon steadily growing brighter. A single tear fell from her eye as she said, "It was such an honor getting to meet you. Now... Go, my friend. And please... Tell them for me. Tell them that I wish them all the best."

"I will... When the time is right. I won't wait too long." I muttered while I continued to hold her as that drew near to take us. "Is this goodbye?"

Megan spoke one last time without releasing me. "Yes... I have done what I needed to do. I can...let go now. Thank you for your time, my friend. I will be waiting... You will have much to tell me when we finally meet again, I'm sure. Until then... I leave Equestria to you."

And with that, the light took us. And I awoke alone in my bed. Although I was not quite alone. Smolder and Ocellus still clung to me in their sleep, wings draped over me. And I could hear the faint nasally snoring of Gallus from within that pillow fort up against the wall. I almost forgot he was there until I noticed the sound of a third sleeping voice in the air.

The sun had rising, but we were all still so tired. The very atmosphere in the entire camp instilled a sense of restful laziness over the area. Now that something as antagonizing as war had ended, no one wanted to rush for anything. And we deserved to take it easy. I did not want to wake any of my companions around me and closed my eyes to go back to sleep. Maybe I would see Megan again...

But I did not. I cannot recall anything of importance occurring during that dream. I was alone and dreamed undisturbed, dreaming aimlessly. And now that I am awake, I am trying to finish this entry in time. It will not be much longer now. Today is the day where I finally depart for home.

Still... I really saw her. I spoke to her. And I even dueled her. Megan. The successor of a throne that was buried by an eon without her people's presence in Equestria. A true hero princess I doubt I will ever truly match. I will need to speak to the royal family about that incident. They will want to know what their old friend said.

I think I will wait until I have settled back into civilian life before hitting them up for a conversation about her though. And I certainly will not forget about it now that I have put that experience down on paper where I can read over it again to jog my memory. To think that we are finally almost home...

Noon is drawing near. It will not be long now. I just hope I do not end up disappointing her... You did enough, Megan. Leave Equestria to us. We will take good care of it. I hope...