Many tears were shed during the creation of this chapter.

This chapter holds personal meaning to me and will be a special treat for anyone who was a reader of my works from before I joined the Brony fandom in 2011. Please enjoy.

My mind and heart are still reeling as I type this. I was expecting a soothing undisturbed slumber when I fell asleep last night. Unfortunately, my dreaming brain was not going to let me do so that easily.

Everything last night leading up to sleep was pleasant enough. The camp had gotten quiet. Smolder and I shared a spot of tea before we took turns bathing. We cuddled in bed with her wing draped over me like she always does as we whispered sweet loving words to each other before allowing sleep to take us. But while I do not know when my mind went from resting to dreaming, I was not expecting to see what would appear before me that night.

I was in a vast meadow. Most likely sometime in the afternoon. And I was aware. Too aware for just any dream. Was someone near? As I surveyed my surroundings, I saw that I was standing on what seemed to be the remains of a dirt road. It was encrusted with weeds and prairie grass. And up ahead was what seemed to be a town. But it was quiet... Much too quiet. And while it was much too far away to make out any significant details... It looked like it had seen better days.

The reason behind my unusual awareness revealed itself before much longer. A dark figure passed overhead before swooping back around and landing before me. Nightmare Moon stood before me without saying a word at first. The eerie silence of the meadow around us was only broken by the almost mournful whispers of the wind and the quiet rustling of the millions of blades of grass around us. The Princess of Dreams asked quietly, "Are you well...? This world feels...different from all the others. Empty... Almost lifeless and not in an unnatural machine manner either."

I turned my head to look around us. Clad in only what I had been wearing when I fell asleep, I felt the tender caress of a warm summer breeze on my skin. But Nightmare Moon was not mistaken. While the world around us was lush in undisturbed flora, there was not the slightest sign of life. No twittering of songbirds. No little creatures scampering in the grass. Not even the buzzing or darting forms of small insects. This world did not simply feel empty. It felt dead. "I don't recognize this... I would remember a world without life like this... But...this world almost feels familiar somehow... Like something at the back of my mind..."

"Do you think we may be in danger here? That there may be an old foe waiting to attack?" Nightmare Moon asked as her eyes glanced warily at our surroundings. The grass was certainly tall enough beyond the road to hide crouching beasts of the plains, but I sincerely did not think we were in danger.

"I dunno... Almost feels like there's a reason behind this dream... Might be a good idea to suit me up anyway, just in case." I replied while Nightmare Moon nodded, her magic aura flaring up around her horn. In a flash of light, I stood covered in my enchanted winged armor. For the moment, I was without the Lunar Shield and Celestial Sword, but I knew Nightmare Moon could summon them if needed. "Thanks. You think we should bring Celestia and Luna into this?"

"I do believe we should. I have a hunch they will need to witness...whatever may happen here." She replied before summoning a pair of portals beside us. A moment later, the Princesses of the Dawn and Night stepped through while their eyes scanned their new surroundings. Nightmare Moon then spoke as the portals closed behind them, "So sorry to disturb you tonight, sisters. Something...meaningful is afoot."

"Are you certain? There does not seem to..." Luna muttered while she and Celestia fell silent. They too could sense how empty the world was. "I... I sense nothing... Nothing alive out here."

Celestia looked at me with a gaze of concern in her eyes and asked, "Are you feeling all right? Have you been feeling troubled this evening?"

"Not in a way where this could be a reflection of what I'm feeling." I said while I gazed skyward. There was a very thick cover of clouds as far as the eye could see, but it did not feel like there was rain on the way. I just was not getting that impression from the air pressure. I then turned my gaze towards the distant town and said, "Let's just...look around for now."

We followed the road and into the ruins ahead. Judging by the architecture, or what was left of it, the place seemed to be a product of maybe...the 16th century on Earth? Somewhere in Europe? And much like with how lifeless that meadow felt, there was an equally ghastly lack of life in those ruins. We wandered the streets that were choked with weeds. Observed the crumbling stone buildings lined with rows of ivy. I almost expected to find signs of death. Old bones of those who were long dead. But no such thing ever crossed our vision. Celestia muttered softly, "Did a great war break out here?"

"No... No, I don't see any signs of battle here. This...seems to be the result of mere entropy. Nothing but the effects of the march of time." Nightmare Moon spoke somberly as she peered in through the remains of a window that likely peeked into an old bakery. "It's as if whoever was maintaining this land simply stopped at one point or just disappeared one day..."

Somewhere at the back of my mind was a nagging feeling. That I should know what this silent husk of a town used to be. A lingering sense of deja vu. It ate away at me. Like a strange sense of longing and loss. No matter where we looked, we found no signs of who could have resided there. No signs of a struggle. It was as Nightmare Moon said. The structures around us had not been smashed. They had simply deteriorated and collapsed over the passage of time. It must have been decades since someone was last there.

We spoke little during our time there. As if the ominous yet sullen atmosphere was instilling a sense of despair among us. It just all felt so sad... Although at one point, Luna turned her gaze to the south and down the stone street. Her gaze was directed from whence we came. "If I may ask... Why do you suppose there was a road leading south when there is nothing but forest at the end of it?"

We all turned to look south. She was right. While still a great distance away, all that stood ahead of those empty ruins was a vast forest. But if that road connected the town to it, surely something must be inside the forest or on the other side of it. We all looked at each other while the near total silence all but compelled us to stay quiet. I turned my gaze to the distant forest and said, "Yeah, we should check it out."

We strolled south and out of the ruins without a word. The road was difficult to see, only vaguely visible due to the smaller concentration of flora choking its length. It was a much longer walk than we expected, but we eventually entered the forest and began to follow the path that laid before us.

While the path was clear, it was much harder to traverse than out on the plains. Saplings and towering weeds blocked our way and forced us to push our way along. It was dark too. Much darker than it would have been if the sky above was clear with the sun shining down. But as we followed the few curves in the path, we eventually saw something up ahead that was very clearly not natural. A private home in the woods?

"Ah, there! Yes, there is something there!" Luna spoke up as we hastened our pace just to get out of the forest path. But once we reached the clearing ahead... We stared in somber silence. Indeed, a manmade structure stood before us. A large private manor that too showed signs of a 16th century design. It was surrounded by stone walls that weathered the flow of time well enough, but the manor itself... In utter ruins. Beyond the rusted iron gates, we could see that the door had fallen and was crushed by the remains of the arched stone doorway, preventing access. "A private estate...? And it too is long abandoned..."

While the town only felt vaguely familiar, this manor felt moreso. And I felt a dull pain in my heart. The roof had caved in here and there to the point where it felt unwise to try and find a way inside. Towering twisted blocky bushes could be seen beyond the walls. No doubt hedges that at one time had been sculpted into the forms of exotic creatures. Bush sculptures... No... It could not be...

"James...?" Celestia spoke several times beside me before I finally noticed the sound of my own name. I turned my gaze to her, a feeling of dread now in my heart along with a powerful sense of longing. "You look troubled... Do you know this place?"

"I... I think it's all starting to come back to me... And it hurts." I muttered in barely more than a whisper. It was all there at the back of my mind, but... It had been years. Of all times for such memories to resurface, why now? And I felt such an overwhelming sensation of guilt that I could not even begin to describe. "I feel like this might be my fault... And I wish I could explain why."

The three royal sisters had nothing to add. They were simply along for the ride by now. We all looked skyward at the clouds above, the manor's grounds providing a gap in the canopy of the forest. With nowhere else to go, we spread our wings and took to the air. We rose higher and higher above the forest as the horizon to the south reached farther and farther. And once we rose high enough, we could see something beyond the forest. Something vast and blue. Nightmare Moon asked quietly, "The ocean?"

We soared on ahead over the forest as that expanse of blue only grew. Indeed, it was the ocean. A towering cliff stood at the edge of the forest that led down into the deep blue depths of the sea. But as we gazed down... The ocean was too still. I could not see any waves splashing against the rocky cliffs. It looked like a massive pond that only ripples in response to the wind blowing along its surface. Luna muttered wistfully, "Even the ocean looks and feels devoid of life... There truly is nothing left in this world."

"Then why are we here? Just to bask in the emptiness of a dead or dying world?" Celestia asked in confusion. She had a point. There was no reason to linger in a world like this in the realm of dreams if all it was meant to do is instill a feeling of solitude in us. But as we hovered out there over the sea, the Princess of Dreams glanced down and spoke up, "Wait... What's that down there?"

When we looked... It was difficult to make out at first. When we descended, it became clear. A massive sea cave of sorts had been carved out of the cliffside. But upon closer inspection, we found that it was not merely a cave. It contained a dock. A private housing for a large sailing ship that now rested at the bottom of the cave. It must have been quite impressive to behold in its prime, but now was just a rotting wreck sunk at its moorings. Luna then asked quietly, "Do you suppose that cave...is linked to the estate we just saw? Perhaps through subterranean tunnels...?"

My heart lodged in my throat. It was all coming back to me now. The manor tucked away in a forest. A private dock for a grand sailing ship housed in a cave filled by the ocean... How could I forget those? But now this world was dead... Empty. Years of neglect condemning it to oblivion. But before I could even think too hard on this, Nightmare Moon very sharply turned her head to gaze east. Celestia asked softly and almost cautiously, "Sister...?"

A deep blue magic aura coated the sable horn of the Princess of Dreams. She spoke firmly and warily, "I sense someone... Just one... Over there."

"One...?" I asked as a sudden thrill filled my heart to create a storm of emotions within me. It was no longer an exciting mystery over who we may have to clash against in the realm of dreams. Now I felt genuinely afraid as if I was about to cross paths with an old friend who was sure to be very upset with me. Together, we all flew east over the still and nearly silent ocean.

As we flew along the coastline, the cliffs reached lower and lower until we began to pass along beaches of coarse sand. And then... On the horizon, we saw it. A long wooden pier reaching out from the mainland that looked like it was only barely holding itself together. And at the end stood a small island covered in intricately carved stone flooring and thick stone pillars standing at the corners. I felt a surge of emotion as I could indeed see a long figure standing at the far end of that island. Who was no doubt gazing out at the ocean.

We all landed at the edge of the pier on the mainland. Just as an act of caution. We could not approach this mysterious entity carelessly. The four of us began to carefully walk along the creaking rotting wooden planks while silence hung over us. Even from that distance, I could see that in that dead and lifeless world there was indeed someone standing there up ahead. But as we drew closer and I could make out more and more details, I removed my helmet and cast it aside into the surf as I was filled with a compulsion to not bear it in this duel that was surely approaching. "It can't be... Him...?"

Just after we crossed the wooden walkway, time finally caught up to it as much of the pier broke away and fell into the silent surf. All eyes were focused on the clearly human form before us at the far end of the island. He stood motionless with his back turned to us, arms crossed as if patiently awaiting our arrival. Nightmare Moon took a step forward, but I held my arm up before her to signal her to stop. I knew who this man was and needed to go first.

The royal sisters followed a short distance behind me as I drew near. I could clearly make out the shimmering yet reasonably worn suit of plate armor that covered his body. A bold metallic blue hue filled much of it with hints of gold and silver highlights here and there. The only difference were his pauldrons, which almost looked like metallic feather motifs that bore a dimmed red color. The torn remains of a cape hung from under his pauldrons, no doubt from an enemy snagging a blade on it and tearing straight down to take out the entire middle section. This resulted in the two strips of blue cloth resembling a type of scarf. His long raven hair was styled up in an almost spiky style, something that simply would not work in the real world. And yet, I recognized him instantly. "It's you... It's really you..."

In response to my words, the armored warrior lowered his arms and slowly turned to face me. And when he did... I felt such a surreal chill flow through me like a dagger to my heart. The one remaining remnant of a world that I had long cast aside years ago. He gazed at me with dark brown eyes. And under those eyes... Faint markings or scars in a distinctly narrow Z design. He said nothing. I said nothing. I could not find any words to say. But Celestia spoke first as she asked, "James... Who is this? Do you know him?

I pondered my reply as I grappled with the emotions flooding my heart. I was all but quivering. But I finally provided the best response I could. The title carried by this warrior before me. "The Angel of the Eternal Flame..."

The royal sisters said nothing. Though I could feel their gaze upon the two of us. The silent warrior stared back at me, his lips still as a somber gaze filled his eyes. A gentle mournful breeze blew across the island, his shredded cape swaying listlessly as it danced with the wind's caress. Although Luna did finally break the silence as she asked, "Angel of the... Is he another product of a work of fiction you are familiar with?"

"Yes... But not just any work of fiction." I replied while still feeling a maelstrom of emotions whirling in my mind and heart. I never could have imagined crossing paths with this very special knight. "He is...a warrior of my own creation. Ashton Redford Crimson... Angel of the Eternal Flame. The hero of his own story...from a world that I wove through my own writings."

"You... You wrote narratives and stories before you came to Equestria?" Celestia asked with a hint of wonder in her voice. I looked back at the three of them while the Princess of the Dawn took a step forward. She then spoke past me with her eyes resting their gaze upon Ashton. "And you are the protagonist of those stories?"

A moment passed while the knight clad in blue armor gazed at us with quiet eyes. Not a word escaped his lips. His eyes wandered as if he was uncertain of how to respond. After much too long without an answer, Nightmare Moon spoke next. "Is he mute?"

"No, he was never meant to be a silent protagonist. But... Oh... Right..." I muttered in sullen realization. "He can't speak...because he never had a voice to begin with. Just...text on paper."

The royal sisters fell as silent as the world around us. I knew what this was now. This world that I once had so much investment in... Now dead and empty from years of stagnation. And Ashton... I focused my eyes at him and asked, "You... You're all that's left of this world, aren't you?"

Ashton's eyes closed as his head bowed. I felt such an uncomfortable weight upon my shoulders. Was this all my doing? Because I had failed to carry my creation to the next step beyond the last chapter? And even then, I knew... I knew I had not originally intended for the tale to end where it did. "I... I wove quite a tale for you, didn't I? Even wrote a sequel... That was something, wasn't it?"

I found myself smiling, albeit bitterly, as I reminisced over memories of my past creations. Even Ashton began to smile somberly as he lifted his head to look at me. A new pain emerged in my heart as I said, "I had... I had no fewer than two sequels ready to follow the last one... I had so much more in store for you. It would've been...so good to see it all through to the end, but... I..."

He looked so pained. I almost expected him to be furious at me for failing to sustain the world I had created. Even I did not truly have an answer for why and how everything just...stopped when it did. Even with my move to the world of Equestria, I just did not have an answer on why the journey ended sooner than I had intended. And now... The world I created was dead and empty. Unsalvageable. "I wish I could say why... You were...my magnum opus at the time. I wish...I could've given you a proper finale. Not just...leave it unfinished with so much more to come that never did..."

I heard the brief rattle of plate armor as Ashton raised his right arm. He pointed his armored finger at me as his somber gaze became more...determined. He said nothing. I knew he could not speak. But that stare... It almost looked like he was issuing a challenge of sorts. Daring me to do something. But then it dawned on me. "Right... We... We both know why we're here, don't we?"

Ashton smirked at me before he closed his eyes. His arm relaxed as his hand was pulled back just slightly. He held his armored hand out before him, fingers opened as wide as the armored plating of his gauntlets would allow as if waiting to grasp something. And then... Embers. Flickering flames began to ignite in his palm.

We all watched in awe as those flickering flames expanded horizontally. Spreading to take on a much wider form. They surged and glowed for a moment before finally fading the instant Ashton's hand closed firmly to grasp something. And when he did, the fading flames revealed a new familiar and solid form. A mighty greatsword of impressive length and hefty width was now resting in his grasp. Impossibly large for any ordinary warrior to wield. A distinctive symmetrical flame pattern lined the edges of the massive blade, a wide brass crossguard matching a large round pommel at the base of its wooden handle. For an instant, faint text could be seen briefly glowing along the middle of that mighty blade before fading from sight. A sacred safeguard. I gazed in a silent thrill of excitement. His iconic steel sword. The Flamberge had been summoned to its master's hand.

Luna was the first to speak, though what she said was both not what I expected to hear, yet was unsurprising. "It's...so big... What is it with you and warriors wielding such oversized swords lately?"

I almost let out a laugh as I suddenly noticed that myself. And there was only one thing I could think of to say that could explain my...design aesthetics of the time. "Uh... About that... How do I... Let's just say when you overindulge in pop culture from a nation that is basically the international equivalent of that weird neighbor who spends all day locked in his closet with his fantasies and has no idea how the real world works, it tends to severely impact your expectations and perceptions of reality."

"Huh... If you say so. But I trust he is able to wield that as swiftly as you can swing yours?" Celestia asked in concern while beholding that mighty blade in its master's hand. He had absolutely no issue holding its sideways with one hand at all. When Ashton opened his eyes, his left hand clenched into a fist as an aura of blue spiritual energy briefly engulfed his limbs. Just for a few seconds. I knew what it was. And it was the only possible way to explain how he could wield such a heavy blade without throwing himself off his feet. A means to bend the laws of physics without breaking them. And a reminder that this knight possessed unorthodox skills that I needed to be mindful of.

Ashton effortlessly pointed the Flamberge at me, issuing his challenge for one final duel. At that instant, I heard something. The growing sound of ocean waves splashing against the island. The wind began to pick up and blew gently, but with noticeably more vigor. Even the clouds above us started to move along with a powerful airflow high above as they began to clear the sky. It was as if the world itself was waking up. Coming back to life in order to witness this final swansong.

My eyes fell upon the mighty steel blade of the sword before me. I doubted the Lunar Shield would protect me much when it came to the sheer amount of force behind each swing. I world need an equally long and mighty blade to match it. And so I held my hand out towards the royal sisters. "I need the big one this time."

"Understood. Allow me." Nightmare Moon replied as her magic aura surged around her horn to weave a familiar weapon into existence. A bright light burst above me as a solid shape began to form in the glow. It lowered before me and only faded once I reached out and took hold of what was within it. With the glowing light gone, a familiar greatsword now rested in my grasp. The edge glowed softly with a pure white light, the middle of the blade black as the night sky with twinkling stars peppering it. Equal in length to the Flamberge, but not in mass. Even then, I knew it would be able to match that massive blade blow for blow. As I lowered the sword to my side, Nightmare Moon then asked, "Shall we assist you?"

"No... I need to do this alone. Ashton is my creation. It's my duty to give him a proper sendoff. Just get comfortable and enjoy the show." I explained while feeling a complex combination of emotions in my heart. I felt exhilarated...yet so very sad...and yet so happy. It was an opportunity to finally face off against the very paragon who was an important part of my life at one time. And for the final time as well.

The royal sisters began to back away to give us more room, but I knew there was more to see before this duel could begin. I turned my gaze to Ashton while he lowered his sword in waiting. I let out a long sigh before I said, "All right, Ashton... Show me. Spread your wings, my angel."

A bold smirk filled his face. Ashton then closed his eyes. The markings under his eyes began to thicken. Going from little scratches on his skin to looking like lines of ash that had been smeared on. And as they did, a swirling circle of fire began to streak along the ground around him. Seconds later, that little trail of fire erupted upward to form a spiraling column of enchanted flames that entombed him in that cylindrical fiery vortex. But even through the flames, I could still see him. And when he opened his eyes, I twitched. The dark brown of his irises had turned a bold red. The eyes of the phoenix. And then, as the column of flames began to weaken and dissipate... His wings revealed themselves.

Flickering flames burst from the back of his cuirass and spread wide, taking on the unmistakable form of functional wings much like those on my armor. But while they were predominantly the traditional fiery orange of hot flames, flickering embers of a rainbow of colors fell from the burning wings. I heard Celestia speak with a gasp, "Magnificent... What power is this?"

"A hero blessed by the phoenix... A phoenix of the east instead of the west. A mystical bird who carries the Eternal Flame." I explained while beholding the Angel of the Eternal Flame in all of his glory. I could only wonder if I would be a match for him, even with everything I had at my disposal. But win or lose, it would not matter. This was not a duel for supremacy. This was an act of saying goodbye.

I tightened my grasp on the mighty greatsword in my hand. Ashton and I shared a gaze of silence. We were ready. And so I said, "I'm sorry I can't do anything else for you... But I can still give you this. One last dance, old friend. One...final chapter."

Ashton nodded in silent understanding, a calm smile upon his lips. And as we took our swords in hand and assumed mirroring stances before each other, we glanced to the west. The clouds began to rapidly part. And there on the horizon was a most glorious sunset with the sky a brilliant warm orange. The world may have been empty, but it was awake and watching. Setting the stage for one last dance of swords. As if the sunset and the crashing waves of the ocean were cheering us on. And from behind me as they stood at the edge of the island, Nightmare Moon called out beside her sisters. "Have at it, gentlemen! Let us bear witness to this duel of angels!"

We smiled at each other. Even from the distance we were standing, I could see that almost grateful smile on his face. I too smiled, though with a heavy weight on my heart. With the anticipation eating away at us, we charged. On the strength of our wings, Ashton and I hurled ourselves at each other with matching swings of our mighty blades. With a sharp clang, my sword's edge bit into that of the mighty Flamberge. Even with all that weight coming at me, the power behind my swing matched it. But I knew better than to assume my opponent's blade was less lethal than my own. While my sword was much sharper, Ashton's would hit much harder.

The smiles on our faces faded as the tension finally hit us. A fierce scowl filled Ashton's vibrant red eyes while I no doubt gave him an equally harsh glare. We jumped back to disengage and came in swinging with our swords. Sparks filled the air with each clash of our blades as we tried to find an opening. It truly was much like a dance for a short while. The setting sun's orange rays shimmering along our blades, gleaming off of our armor and especially my pale and soft metal wings. It... It must have been a truly beautiful sight to behold. A sight I am sure the three royal sisters were appreciating from nearby. And in that clash, even when knowing I was in danger, there was a strange wondrous joy that filled my heart.

Ashton became more daring in his assault as he began to flex his enchanted might. Taking a step back suddenly, his left hand released its grasp on his sword as he began to perform wild and unrelenting swings with just his one right hand. I was forced to go on the defensive as he displayed prowess I could never hope to match, even if my enchanted gauntlets would allow me to do the same with my much more reasonably sized greatsword. I just did not have the courage to try and get bold against this veteran warrior as his mighty swings kept me at a distance.

Knowing that trying to get in a quick strike while his sword was still swinging would more than likely result in the sheer momentum of his sword to come around and hit me right after I dealt a finishing blow, I got the idea to trip him up. I prepared the magical energies in my left gauntlet to access my ice elemental spellpool. And once Ashton had missed with another slash, I suddenly summoned a thick ice pillar from the ground a little to my right. Ashton was already in the process of lashing out with another swing and could not stop himself, showing a look of shock as his massive blade smashed through the tough pillar of enchanted ice with shimmering shards flying everywhere. Even if his blade was not stopped, the sudden encounter of some very tough resistance did cause him to stumble as he was thrown off balance.

"Gotcha!" I shouted as I began to bring my sword down for a killing blow. I knew that his armor would not stand up to the supernatural sharpness of my enchanted sword. But before my blade could connect, Ashton responded in much the same way I would have in his situation. His massive fiery wings flapped hard to propel himself backwards and out of my reach, his burning wings flinging many flickering embers of countless colors into the air. I was honestly left momentarily confused on how I could have missed, but found myself relieved that this duel did not end too soon.

Ashton came to a sliding halt as he landed a safe distance from me. He then quickly propped his sword up on the ground to free his hand and let it rest against his fiery wing as it folded inward to hold the massive blade. I flinched as I saw him bring his armored hands together. He was undoubtedly a knight, but he had added an arsenal of mystical arts to his repertoire that hailed from the other side of the globe. "Uh oh..."

I stood ready with my left hand out while wondering if I should project a barrier. What would he unleash? But I did not wait long before I found myself staring in bemusement. Ashton was indeed trying to perform the necessary hand signs for one such art, but... The plating on the back of his gauntlets. They kept interfering. I had no idea just how cumbersome armored gauntlets could make the act performing more intricate finger movements! Ashton himself displayed a look of almost comical levels of confusion as he could not understand why his fingers could not flex enough or even fit between each other while fully armored.

"What is he doing...?" I heard Luna ask as Ashton repeatedly and nosily fumbled with his armored hands as he tried to make at least one successful hand sign work. The clicking and clinking of metal could be heard as I saw him even starting to grit his teeth in sheer frustration.

"Oh my god, it never occurred to me how much those things actually get in the way!" I shouted as I burst into laughter. It really is amazing just how much gauntlets can restrict the movement of your fingers. Finally looking like he was about to just throw a fit in irritation, Ashton flashed me an annoyed glance and finally began to methodically cycle through a total of twelve different hand signs. Or at least try to see which ones his gauntlets would allow.

Sign after sign, Ashton's gauntlets continued to get in the way. Either by being too bulky to let his fingers slide between each other or by preventing his fingers from fully uncurling. But when he attempted the twelfth, I froze. Both hands held together and turned upside-down, fingers curled inward to form something of a half fist. The only hand sign his gauntlets would permit. His look of irritation turned into a satisfied smirk as I saw an aura of blue spiritual energy engulf his hands. A single hand sign would usually not be enough for anything significant, but I was still caught by surprise as I saw a massive wall of water rise up from the ocean just to my left. I cracked an awkward grin as I realized my opponent was not at all as handicapped as I expected. "Well, I guess you could always just force it!"

Spreading my wings, I flung myself skyward for a massive jump as that huge wall of water tried to crash down onto me. It swamped the island for an instant while Ashton made certain to direct the water away from himself. The three royal sisters protected themselves from the wave by generating a magic barrier around themselves for a moment. But before I could really begin to descend, I thrust out my left hand and prepared to fire off a lightning spell. "My turn!"

A swift blast of blue magic lightning burst forth from my hand. But Ashton was already preparing a defense. He punched his fist into the ground and forced a wall of tough stone to jut up before him. The bolt of blue lightning exploded into the earthen shield, but failed to take much of a chunk out of it. Nightmare Moon then called out, "What is this mastery of elemental forces he uses?!"

First water and then earth. But as Ashton once again took hold of the Flamberge in his right hand with the stone wall retracting back into the ground, I knew what was coming next. He reached back with that massive blade turned on its side while I cast a spherical barrier around myself. With a mighty swing, Ashton whipped up a gale of wind with the wide blade of his sword serving as a fan. And against my barrier... The clashing and slashing of invisible blades of wind. I was caught in a whirlwind of blades that were rapidly striking away at my defenses, whittling away at my mental fortitude. It was honestly a relief when the wind finally fell silent and I fell back to the island encased in that glowing yellow ball of light.

I managed to land on my feet while dispersing my barrier. Ashton once again took the long wooden handle of his sword into both hands to maximize control. But I then noticed him pull his head back as he took a deep breath. "Oh, here we go..."

When Ashton threw his head forward, a stream of fire slipped from his lips and rapidly expanded into an intense gout of flames that would put even most dragons to shame. I was quick to summon a large wall of enchanted ice that held firmly against this inferno. I knew that this was not the product of any mystical arts from across the sea. This was the power of the phoenix herself. True unrestrained mastery of fire. There would be no restrictions or limitations with what he could do with this one element.

When I noticed the flames had suddenly stopped, I jumped back as the mighty blade of the Flamberge smashed right through the frozen wall before me before Ashton came charging in at speeds that easily rivaled my own. The Flamberge now truly lived up to its name as its massive blade was coated in flames. I countered by wreathing my own sword with billowing magic flames before our blades began to clash with orange and yellow embers flying with each strike.

Without relying on more esoteric means of attack like magic or ancient mystical arts, we were truly in our element. Knights in full armor, swords of great length and power clashing and clanging under that final sunset with embers filling the air from both of our burning blades and Ashton's own fiery wings. Our focused scowls even began to fade as we were locked in that dance of blades. We were beginning to smile. Beginning to savor this duel like a pair of old friends catching up on lost time.

"You're good, Ashton! Real good!" I called out as I found that I was legitimately enjoying myself. Ashton flashed his teeth with a truly joyous grin as I was left wondering what he would have said to me had he only had a voice in his throat to speak with. All too reluctantly, I decided to try and break out of this stalemate. I took a step back while performing a wide rotating sweep with my sword to try and repel Ashton while also channeling the magic in my left gauntlet for some more ice magic. By then, multitasking with magic while in armor had become all but second nature to me. And when we both glanced up, Ashton and I saw a few dozen large ice spikes floating above that were ready to come crashing down on him. "Think fast!"

And he did. Ashton took his sword in both hands and thrust it heavenward just as my icy projectiles began to fly down at him. But the instant he did, a massive towering vortex of flames exploded around him and all but instantly reduced that enchanted ice to vapor. It would have taken forever to melt through that magic material had I erected a wall, but that sacred fire of the phoenix destroyed my weapons well before they could slam into him.

Thinking fast myself, I waited until that cyclone of fire was starting to fade before using the teleportation spell to suddenly place myself behind Ashton. And yet he barely caught on just in time to bring his sword up behind him with a half rotation. Our blades let out a clang as their edges bit into each other while I started to wonder what I would have to do to overcome such a stalwart opponent.

It was at this point that Ashton himself seemed to decide to try and end this duel right then and there. With a flap of his wings, he launched himself into the sky and flew out over the sea as he began to bank around and start to head back to the island. But as he did, he began to go into a spiral. And that spiral became more rapid with every passing second until I thought I was looking at a massive fiery javelin rocketing towards me. My eyes went wide as I recognized this technique. "The Phoenix Maelstrom... Hoo boy, here we go..."

I quickly tried to think up a counter for this as I dreaded what would happen if the drilling flame spear rammed me. I stabbed my sword into the ground to free up my hands and stood ready with a barrier projected before me. I knew I would get completely blown away if I was not prepared, but I still very nearly got bowled right over when that fiery drill came crashing into me.

The sheer amount of pressure that attack was putting on my barrier was absurd! I could already see cracks beginning to line the surface as that roaring hiss of whirling flames reached my ears. Even with the barrier holding him back, I had to brace my armored feet into the stone floor as I pushed back. I had been pushed to the very middle of the island by the time I managed to think up a counter to this overwhelming offense.

With my left gauntlet generating the blue barrier before me, I began to focus with my right to begin forming an orb of pulsing white celestial energy in my palm. I knew that fire magic would be useless against one who has been blessed by the phoenix. But solar magic is far beyond that. I strongly doubted even her blessing could grant immunity to raw celestial energies. I knew better than to summon too much lest I end up destroying us both. Once I had formed an orb of solar magic that was no larger than a golf ball, I created a small gap under the barrier and gently lobbed my creation through it before restoring the barrier. By then, the cracks between myself and Ashton were too numerous to count. It was now or never!

I cast my spell. And the blast was so overwhelming that it even shattered my barrier! The Phoenix Maelstrom was thoroughly disrupted as the flames were blown away by the sheer towering blast of that tiny flexing of Celestia's most powerful magic. The swirling shroud of flames that coated Ashton faded in an instant as he was blown far to the edge of the island and hit the ground with a clatter of metal. Had that veil of mystic fire not been around him to absorb some of that solar magic, he just might have been outright vaporized by it.

This was the opportunity I needed. With a flash of magic light, my mighty sword was summoned to my hand before I raised its blade high. With a flap of my wings, I launched myself for a great jump with blade raised to try and end this with a single chop. Ashton only barely managed to see me coming in time to hurriedly rise to his feet. With the Flamberge in hand, he held the blade sideways with his left hand resting on the back of the blade near the tip to support it like a steel beam used as a shield. But when I came down for that one final slash...

I thought for sure my attack would fail. That my sword would have been blocked by the wide blade of the Flamberge. So I was left shocked as I continued on and stumbled to my knees when my slash continued on uninterrupted. My gaze was turned to the stone ground below me as I was left wondering why my attack was not blocked. And then... With a clank, more than half of the Flamberge's mighty blade fell before me with it having been neatly cleaved from the rest of it.

The sight of that beautiful sword now completely ruined filled my soul with a sense of horror. It was over. With that one strike, and without the hardened edge of the sword ready to meet my own, the steel blade of the Flamberge did not hold when my sword's supernaturally sharp edge struck the smooth flat side of its opponent's blade. And when I turned my gaze upward...

Ashton was still. His fiery red eyes opened wide in shock. There was no sign of any physical injury. No blood being spilled or armor smashed or cut in twain. And yet I knew. I had cleaved right through him. And in his right hand was the now nearly useless lower half of his sword. No, not even half of the blade was still affixed to the crossguard.

The bold markings under his eyes began to soften and narrow. His eyes returning to their natural dark brown coloration. And bit by bit, his magnificent burning wings began to fall apart like countless feathers of fading flames. His arms limply lowered, the remains of the Flamberge falling from his grasp and hitting the ground with a clank. His stance weakened as he seemed ready to fall. A sense of desperation coming over me, I released my grasp on my own sword and rose to my feet. And I caught him. I held the fallen warrior in my arms, fresh tears forming in my eyes.

The sound of hooves reached my ears as I remained frozen in place. I held the Angel of the Eternal Flame as tightly as I could to keep him on his feet. Celestia spoke out to me from behind as she asked most softly, "Is it...over?"

I just nodded in silence as I struggled to hold back tears. I knew there was no other way this duel could end, but... I was horrified at the thought of having to put down such a dear relic of a time I most likely could near go back to. I felt a wing caress my head as Nightmare Moon too spoke tenderly to me. "You both performed splendidly... A worthy final duel."

I nodded again. Words just would not come. But as I held him in my arms, I felt something tap against my armored back. A hand? I only then looked at Ashton's face and saw him look at me out of the corner of his eye. He was smiling. A very tired smile, but a very happy one too. I let out a gasp as I felt a surge of relief in my heart. "Oh, thank god... I... I thought you were..."

His balance restored, Ashton gently pushed himself off me and stood before us. Luna spoke to him as she said, "I regret to say we do not understand the context of your existence, Angel of the Eternal Flame. But for as brief as our encounter was, we appreciate what we saw. You carry the air of a champion about you and your prowess in battle is to be applauded. It was a pleasure getting to witness this duel."

He smiled and even appeared to quietly chuckle. I did not hear a sound from him, but I could tell that Ashton was happy to hear that. And beyond him... The sun had settled even lower into the sky. Now it was melting into the sea. The sound of the ocean's waves still reached my ears, but they now washed over the shore even more gently than before. The world was beginning to drift into sleep. Most likely never to awaken again.

Ashton and I shared a silent gaze. He looked exhausted. Like he just wanted to rest. I muttered as I tried to maintain my composure, "It was...an honor actually getting to meet you like this... But I... I wanted to do so much more... I wove such a tale for you, but it...it was not meant to end where it did. I had...so much more in store for you... So much more for you to see..."

I was struggling to hold back my tears. I knew this was goodbye. I brought a hand to my chest while Ashton smiled weakly at me with such a look of understanding and even gratitude in his eyes. "I failed you... I'm sorry... I just hope that this... That this final chapter was enough to at least make things right..."

The dying angel before me lifted his hand and held it out to me. And I all too eagerly and desperately grasped it with my own. Our gazes locked, my hand beginning to quiver. The metal around our gauntlets rattled audibly as my voice began to break. My eyes then went wide as I saw embers rising from below. And I saw why. Small flames were beginning to ignite over his left hand and his sabatons. The flame of the phoenix was about to be extinguished for the final time.

"You were an important part of my life... No matter how rough around the edges it all was... I'm glad I could tell your tale... And that so many were able to see it... And that this...will be enough. Your story is over... But what a story it was, right...?" I whimpered as tears finally cascaded down my face with my grasp remaining painfully shaky, our gauntlets quietly rattling. I saw a tear trickle down Ashton's cheeks as his smile never faltered. The flames continued to spread. Creeping over his armor. I held on for as long as I could as the flames engulfed his body. As they reached along his arm towards our hands, I...struggled to speak with barely a whisper as I could hardly hold back my sobbing. "I shouldn't keep you... It's time to go... Goodbye, old friend..."

As I released my grasp on his armored hand all too reluctantly, Ashton smiled silently without a word. He was not in pain as the flames spread over his body. My breath became ragged and unsteady as I quietly wept. The flames began to utterly engulf him. Shrouding him in a flickering inferno. And when I saw his eyes close for the final time, I broke. My knees buckled as I let out a quiet gasp and sob. I staggered back, but was caught in the soft embrace of Celestia's wing. She and her sisters leaned into me with eyes showing gazes of quiet sorrow as well, holding me when I needed them most. I wept most pathetically as I could barely bring myself to watch my creation being engulfed in cleansing fire. All the while, my throat ached and my tears flowed freely as I could do nothing but mourn.

The seconds went by as the fiery veil that consumed Ashton burned so hotly that I could not longer see him. But my tears did not cease. It was just so very painful to watch him go for the final time... Finally, the flames began to fade. And all that remained were dark bits of ash that were carried away on the whispering wind towards the setting sun out on the horizon. My weeping softened, but I remained in Celestia's tender embrace while she and her sisters said nothing. And as the Angel of the Eternal Flame finally faded for the final time, the sea became still. Even the wind ceased to blow entirely. With his demise, the world finally became empty. There was nothing left. Nothing to salvage or preserve.

"His life was one well lived, I am sure. A story well told." Nightmare Moon whispered tenderly as we all beheld the sun setting for the final time. Its round orange form had all but disappeared into the sea. I sniffled weakly as my eyes and throat ached. I must have looked pathetic, being clad in a full suit of armor yet was weeping almost uncontrollably. But they did not judge me. They held me and insured I would not slump to the ground.

"I do believe he was pleased that you did this for him... He was smiling..." Luna whispered tenderly as I barely glanced down to see her look up at me. "It was a truly noble end for such a champion. A grand finale, to say the least."

I weakly nodded. I could only hope I did what was best given the circumstances. Celestia brought her other wing to my face and tenderly wiped my tears away while she placed a kiss upon my cheek. "If possible, we would love to hear his story someday. If you wouldn't mind sharing it."

"Maybe I will... Someday..." I gasped as I struggled to let my eyes rest. My gaze turned down. There was but one thing that still remained of the Angel of the Eternal Flame. The ruined form of the Flamberge, its mighty blade still split in twain, rested lifelessly upon the ground. I slumped to my knees and reached for the half that held its hilt. I lifted the remains of the sword in my hands, clutching its hilt tightly in my armored grasp. "Please... Can I just...stay here until I wake up?"

"It would be wrong for us to tell you otherwise, my friend. Take all the time you need." Luna retorted as they relaxed upon the ground beside me. We watched sun disappear over the horizon in the coming minutes, knowing it would surely never rise again. And then...that familiar rippling sensation that pulsed through the world.

Over the horizon, I saw an encroaching field of white closing in on us. The world was being wiped clean. Returning to a blank slate. My grip on the Flamberge's ruined form tightened as I sighed harshly. I knew it was time to wake up, but I did not feel ready to leave this world. I whispered to my companions, "Did I do the right thing...?"

Celestia rested her head against mine as she whispered to me. "I can't say I've heard of many creators who have had to face the creations they discarded before finishing their stories... But if his smile was anything to go by... I think you did him a great act of kindness by coming here tonight. I think...you will wake up feeling very satisfied."

Nightmare Moon too brought her snout to my cheek to nudge me gently. "Tonight was most taxing on your heart. Please, remain indoors for today. Rest. You've earned it, my friend."

"Thank you... And thank you for being here tonight... I'm glad I had a witness..." I muttered while feeling only slightly more at ease over the agonizing ordeal I had just gone through. It had to be done. I knew that much.

With the encroaching white void on the verge of reaching us, Luna then spoke to me. "It was a pleasure, my friend. May today be a day of rest for you. Farewell for now."

White filled my vision. And then the familiar gentle weight of a blanket and a dragon's wing draped over me. I found myself gazing at a ceiling I had seen many times before. My room. Out on the Empty Plains. My eyes still sore from so many tears shed, I could barely bring myself to move. I almost did not even notice Smolder slumbering at my side as the rays of the morning sun peeked through the curtains beyond her.

I lazily and weakly forced myself to sit up at the edge of my bed. My gaze turned to the floor, I did not budge for some time. My mind with still heavy with a strange sense of grief. Something only an artist could understand. I was so lost in my sorrow that I failed to notice the shifting of the blanket and mattress behind me. Someone embraced me from behind, a voice whispering into my ear. "What's wrong, mi amor?"

A moment passed before I turned my head to see Smolder looking back at me from beside my shoulder. I could barely look at her for long. My gaze returned to the floor as I slumped forward. "A painful dream... Not exactly a nightmare, but... It hurt."

"James... Were you crying? Your eyes look like they're really sore..." Smolder whispered to me as she most tenderly held and caressed me. I sincerely appreciated her loving touch, even if I did not have the heart to fully express it. She then asked, "Can you tell me what you saw? Will it help?"

I let out a sigh and closed my eyes just to rest them for a moment. "I... I met an old friend... A friend I have not seen or even thought about in a very long time... A friend who I wanted to do so much with, but...lost the will to do so... I left so much undone... I felt like I let him down... I tried to give him a proper sendoff, but... We... We had to say goodbye... Forever. And it...hurt so much..."

The memories so recent and vivid in my mind, my tears began to flow again. Smolder tightened her embrace on me as she said, "I don't really get what you're saying, but... Are you gonna be OK?"

"I think so... Just...need to take some time off today to rest... I've been given permission to take it easy and remain in the command center today. I don't think we'll be finding trouble out there today anyway..." I muttered while just wanting to take a soothing morning shower to start my day.

"Sounds good. I won't be going anywhere either, so if you need me... Just let me know, all right?" Smolder whispered to me as she placed a kiss upon my cheek. "I'm here for you, mi amor. Don't forget that."

And now I sit here at around noon. I feel absolutely compelled to document that dream from last night. Like it would be wrong to not commit it to memory.

The pain in my heart lingers, but at least my tears are not flowing anymore. I think... When given the circumstances, I did the best I could have done. I could only do so much to tie up loose ends, but I think...the result was satisfactory.

I know there is virtually no chance of me ever going back to continue that story... The tale of the Angel of the Eternal Flame is over. I know that much. But... As unlikely as it is... Should the planets align... Should that rare spark of inspiration alight... As unlikely as it stands now, perhaps a day will come where the phoenix shall rise from the ashes for his story to continue. But who can say for sure?

God, my eyes hurt... And I have such a headache coming on. I am going to drink some tea and take a nap with Smolder to rest my head. I truly feel like I have earned it. And the gentle rolling sensation of the command center being pulled along on wheels is strangely soothing.

Unless something of interest happens before the next clash with the enemy, I will be refraining from writing anymore journal entries. There is really not a lot going on out here while we are advancing. And I think I am all right with that. Now then, time to rest. I know I have earned it today.