I was trotting through town, headed for Twilight’s Library. In my saddlebag was my lockbox, and inside that, was the Horn. I needed her to assess it, and possibly tell me whether or not it was genuine, for if anypony would know, it would be her. I had messaged her ahead of time, and she assured me she would prepare for its arrival. ‘Hope for the best, prepare for the worst’ she said. Wise words indeed. It gave off a violent energy, something that weighed heavily on my shoulders ever since I retrieved it from the tunnels. I paused. ‘Might explain Fluttershy’s recent late-night ferocity’. I grinned, but I could also feel its effect on me. I heard it whisper in my ears, telling me to kill and maim all of those around me. I ignored it with a shudder as I hurried my pace to the library.

As I trotted down the streets, the ancient artifact’s power was definitely apparent. As I walked by, ponies became agitated, arguments broke loose, and animals fought each other viciously. I increased my pace, praying that the effects would dissipate with distance. I soon arrived at the library, knocking on Twilight’s door. Spike answered, who was covered in charms and glyphs. He waved me in, and thankfully he appeared to be immune to the Horn’s influence. Twilight was standing nearby, with Zecora. Both wore dress much like Spike’s.

“Hello, Twilight. Spike. Zecora. I see you have taken all precautions.” My eye twitched. Zecora stepped up.

“Rid yourself of your burden and put on this charm, lest you try to bring us harm.” I still was not used to her odd impediment. I nodded, placing down my saddlebag. Twilight adorned me with several charms while Zecora pulled out the lockbox and placed it on a table. She nodded back to me.

“We must remove the Horn from its cage if we are to subdue its limitless rage.” I nodded back, stabbing my hoof on the spike, letting my blood dribble into the lock. I licked the wound, my eyes turning crimson once more before removing the horn myself, much to Twilight and Zecora’s surprise.

“Wait… how can you hold it? Coming in contact with that would drive an average pony insane!” I squinted at them.

“I am no average pony, as it would appear.” I placed the Horn in a charm bag being levitated by Twilight before turning back to my lockbox. Spike was nearly drooling over its gem-based contents. I chuckled, handing him a hoof-sized emerald.

“Here you go, Spike. I think you deserve a gem. After all, being Twilight’s assistant can’t be easy.” Spike took the gem, rolling his eyes.

“Yeah, especially now that Big Mac’s been coming over for ‘sleep overs’. I can hardly sleep anymore with all the noise.” Twilight spun around, fuming.

“Spike! I can’t believe you!” I laughed out loud now, but my expression turned serious again.

“Be wary, Twilight Sparkle. Your rage is a dangerous thing around that artifact.” She sighed, the anger disappearing from her eyes.

“Right, ok. Let’s just get this over with. I don’t want to have to be around that thing for longer than I have to. It is a fragment of War’s Armor, as you say it is.” I nodded back to her, and turned my attention back to Zecora, who was preparing some sort of ritual. In the center of the room was large circle drawn in chalk, and in the center of that, was the Horn in the bag. Zecora looked up. I had to admit, she looked quite exotic with all of her paints and charms. Sensually so. I rapped my skull with a hoof. ‘You’re married now. Stop thinking like a bachelor.’ When I looked back up, Twilight Sparkle had joined her and they were beginning the ritual. I stepped up next to the Zebra, curious.

“Pray tell, what is this ceremony meant to do, anyway? I am curious of your intentions.” Zecora smiled and stated:

“This ancient ritual is meant to unveil what type of magic is within this steel mail.” I nodded, and let her proceed.
Zecora began a chant, closing her eyes. The language was unknown to me, but it left me cold. Clearly this ancient ritual called upon ancient spirits, none of whom seemed very thrilled to be called upon. A strange light filled the room, red mixed with purple. The Horn glowed a devilish crimson meanwhile Zecora herself shimmered with a violet aura. Twilight and I both took a step back, while Spike merely watched in awe at the events unfolding before him. Before long, the two colors started to clash, and Zecora shuddered noticeably, her eyes still closed. I contemplated ceasing this whole thing, but decided I should let it continue. Zecora knew very well what she was getting herself into, and there is no reason I should interrupt. Unless she started bleeding from her eyes. Then I might help.

Zecora fought off her discomfort and continued her chant. Her voice became strained, and sweat was beginning to form on her brow. The Horn started to glow a burning red, and the walls started to shake.

“Uh… Twilight…” started a nervous Spike, “Is this supposed to be happening?” The purple mare shook her head, never once taking her eyes off of Zecora.

“I don’t know… this procedure hasn’t been done in several generations. At least, that’s what Zecora said. We had no way of knowing what was going to happen!” Right as she said that, there was an enormous blast of energy, sending the three of us flying across the room. I was the first to arise, and I immediately looked to Zecora. She and the horn were both now levitating off the ground, violet and crimson energy swirling around them respectively, clashing with shockwaves of magical power. Books were falling off the shelves, fissures were forming in the walls, and the typhoon of energy was growing more violent by the minute, stirring up fast winds now.

“Damnation! This is something out of a bad horror novel! Twilight! Aid me! We must end this before it falls out of hoof!” The mare struggled to her hooves, nodding. We started making our way towards the center of the maelstrom, pure magical energy whipping at our bodies, tearing fur and drawing blood. Twilight fell back a pace.

“Red Storm! Stop! It’s too dangerous! The magic is too unstable! It’ll kill you!” I snarled back, the energy now searing my flesh.

“I cannot! This is my burden which I had thrust upon you! I can withstand it! Stand back if you must, but I must stop this!” I turned back to Zecora and the Horn, which were several feet off the ground now, pulsing with magic beyond anything I had ever seen. And I have sparred with my mother. Magical tendrils started to form from the Horn, wrapping themselves around Zecora. I gritted my teeth as I unfurled my wings.

“Damn you! Let go of her!” I launched myself at the fragment of War, and tore it from Zecora, an enormous blast of energy nearly cutting me in half. The maelstrom stopped immediately, and Zecora dropped to the ground, unconscious. However, the wind had ripped the protective charm from my neck, and now I held the Horn in my mouth, its full potential now revealed. I felt the power of a thousand Sanguine Berzerkers flowing through me like an electrical current, and my mind collapsed. All I could see was red, and all I could think of was slaughter and destruction. I could feel my wounds closing instantaneously, and the rage within brewing. I looked to Twilight, seeing only a new foe to slay. She looked at me and gasped, seeing the Horn clutched in my mouth. I rose, but before I could move in for the kill, a voice rung in my ears like a heavenly chorus.

I thought of Sandsturm, and the rage left me, washed away by calmness. Calm within the Storm. My body relaxed, and I let the Horn fall from my mouth onto the floor. I closed my eyes, and took a deep breath. I looked back up to Twilight, who still looked worried. Her body was covered in minor scrapes and cuts, but nothing serious. I noticed Spike was getting up now, clutching his head were there was blood flowing. Then my thoughts drifted to Zecora. I spun around to the zebra on the floor. Her nose was bleeding, and she was looking at me with the same expression as Twilight. Uncertainty and distress. I made a move towards her, and she jumped up, taking a defensive stance. Her charms were broken and her glyphs were smeared. However, she seemed cautious of me, not hostile. I turned back to Twilight, and she stood in a defensive stance next to Spike, but I could say the same was true for them as well. Thinking back to the discord the Horn caused outside, they were well within its range of effect. Yet… nothing. A smile crept across my face, causing Zecora to tense up. I then laughed.
“It looks like our mission has accomplished! HA!” The three around me looked at me quizzically, but then I pointed at the shard of War at my hooves.

“Even though touching it nearly drove me insane, I think it’s safe to say Zecora has successfully dispelled the Horn’s range of influence. I don’t feel like killing anypony, do any of you?” The mares in front of me glanced at each other, and relaxed.

“Even thought it was a painful process for everypony involved, I think it was well worth it. I would say that we have successfully contained War’s wrath.” Zecora let a grin slip, proud of her own work. Then, Twilight cleared her throat, eyeing the damage to the library.

“I’m sorry to ask, Red Storm… do you think you could lend me some bits for repairs? I hate to ask you something like this after everything and… I waved a hoof in the air before trotting to my lockbox, and pouring the remainder of its contents onto the table. There was a hooffull of gems, and a pile of bits.

“Of course I will pay for the damages. After all, none of this would have happened if it wasn’t for me. And Zecora…” I tossed the zebra an amethyst with my wing, “Thank you for all you’ve done to help. Please, accept this as a token of my gratitude.” Zecora looked at the pink stone awkwardly, before placing it in her saddlebag. After I had divided out my remaining wealth from my princehood, Zecora spoke up.

“While it is good that the Horn has been contained, it must still be kept safe to avoid more pain.” I nodded and she removed a strange looking stick from her saddlebag, and used it to pick up the Horn, replacing it into her charmbag.
“The Horn of War will be safe with me, for nopony dares enter the Everfree.” I nodded again, and watched as Zecora left, dabbing her nose with a napkin. I returned my attention to Twilight, who was sorting the books into piles, one pile for those damaged in the ritual, and a pile for those still intact.

“I am sorry for all the trouble I have caused you and your friends. I hope that I can make this up to you.” Twilight looked at me and smiled.

“It’s alright, red Storm. Things like this happen… I mean bad things. Average ponies don’t go around unleashing maelstroms of energy inside libraries, but it’s ok. That’s what friends are for. Making messes and forgiving each other after.” Her response helped me a little, but I still felt guilty. Then another thing popped into my head.

“Tell me Twilight, why did you look so scared when I had the Horn clutched in my jaws? It couldn’t have just been caution.” She looked surprised.

“You… you didn’t see it? The fire?” I blinked twice before asking her t repeat herself.

“Yes. Fire. When you had the Horn in your mouth, you looked like you were engulfed in fire. Burning, searing hate and rage for everything around you, manifested into the form of a veil of fire around you, threatening to burn away anything that came near.” I coughed, blush forming on my cheeks.

“Oh? Really? Is that so? Well then… it looks like the Horn really is more powerful than I could have ever imagined. Good thing we contained it when we did, huh?” Twilight sharpened her gaze towards me.

“Is there… something you’re not telling me, Red Storm? Something I should know?” My blush grew deeper as I tried to think of a way out of the situation. I couldn’t let her know I was the Avatar of War. It would… strain our friendship, to put it lightly.

“I… uh… Oh my, look at the time! Looks like it’s time for me to join Fluttershy for our five ’o clock tea! Would hate to keep her waiting. Talk to you later!” I promptly left before any more questions could be asked.

As I neared my home, I noticed that Fluttershy was at the door speaking with two familiar ponies. One was a mountain of a stallion, having to lean over to speak with my wife. The other was a thin grey-blue mare. Both wore blood-red steel plate armour. Then it hit me.

I flew forward, feeling the sound barrier exploded behind me. I was about to tackle the huge red stallion when something stopped me. I was completely frozen not even able to move my eyes. Then Stardust stepped in front of me.

“I would suggest the prince stay put and listen before attacking the messengers.” I was then released from her magic, hitting the ground with a ‘humf’. Fluttershy hurried to my side, helping me up. I looked up at Bloodthorn, and Bloodthorn was looking down on me. He wore the same deadpan expression as ever.

“Prince Red Storm. We are here to deliver the King’s declaration of war. I am sorry to be the bringer of bad news, but it appears that we will finally see who is stronger, won’t we m’lord?” I nodded, snatching the letter and tearing it open. Fluttershy hid behind me as I read aloud.