Encounter in a Cave

ThunderHawk walked into the large cave that had served as his home. There were piles of hay and bones lying around. He walked in and set some pieces of wood on the hot coals that were in the fire pit. He waved his hands over the coals and they glowed hot, slowly catching the wood on fire. He sat on a pile of hay and his tail wrapped around him.

"Unique?" He said quietly. "That means I am one of a kind. That there are no others like me. That Alicorn even said there was no others like me that she had seen. Why would there only be one of my kind?"

He watched as the fire began to consume to the wood, as the moon crossed the night sky. His mind went back to the talk with Princess Luna and the scenes shown in the pool of water. When he had escaped he had worried if she was to close. He slowly laid on the hay and his eyes closed. He had pushed himself hard and was surprised his body seemed to have the energy to keep going. He felt himself drift off to sleep.

Everyone had remained quiet at Princess Luna's statement.

"Are you being serious?" Twilight Sparkle said stunned

"Those are just old mare legends for colts to have dreams off." AppleJack said shocked.

"They were never real." Rainbow said wide eyed.

Princess Celestia watched every pony's reaction, including some of the guards. A guardian?

"That is an interesting point, sister." Princess Celestia said as she turned o Princess Luna. "I would have never thought of that. They have been gone for over millennia or more. I haven't heard of those since we were little."

"You've heard of them too?" Rarity asked in disbelief.

"Yes, it was said that the Guardians died at the start of the Alicorn Reign. Supposedly, they helped keep the lands in balance and when the first of the Alicorn appeared, the Guardians taught them how to do it. As the Alicorns grew in strength, the Guardians disappeared, for they were no longer needed. It is said that the last one fell in battle, defending the Crystal Empire from Sombre during his quest for power."

The group looked at each other in shock. Twilight blinked and looked at the two Princesses.

"They were real and had the power of an Alicorn?" She asked shocked.

"The legend was old, when we first heard it." Princess Celestia said with a nod. "And it was said that their power was greater than an Alicorn. The old stories say that one Guardian had the strength of four Alicorns."

"Four!?" Twilight said as her jaw dropped in amazement.

"Yes, but it hurt them to tap into their true strength. According to the stories, during great battles when a Guardian tapped into his or her real strength, that they would seem to become more barbaric and would lay waist to all around them like a mindless monster." Princess Luna said with a nod. "Despite this, they were noble creatures made of the energy of several animals, so they themselves looked like a patchwork of animals in the same body. Each of the animal features they had, helped represent the powers they had."

"So, if this one creature we have been seeing is one, his powers are tired to dragons, gargoyles and whatever his race is?" AppleJack asked and Princess Luna nodded in response.

"So what you're saying is that this creature has the ability to wage destruction across Equestria and the only ones who can stand up to and has a chance to defeat him are the Princesses?" Rainbow asked worried.

"Not so." Princess Celestia said calmly. "Despite their powers, the Guardians were flesh and blood. They could be wounded and killed by mere weapons. Plus we do not even know if he is one. Besides, the stories say a Guardian won't come into their real power until they are almost killed. For it is at that moment when their mortality is first tested that they truly awaken and their real abilities rise to the surface. I doubt that my scratching his wings counts as life threatening."

Suddenly there was a loud clamor and everypoy's head snapped around. The main doors swung open quickly and ThunderHawk walked in, with two Unicorns trying to push him back out. His stride wasn't slowed by them as he walked forward. Rainbow Dash leapt up and streaked towards him, intending to knock him back, but was jarred as he blocked her with a simple open palm and then tossed her aside.. His shining eyes stopped their shining as he approached the group. Princess Celestia and Luna watched as he stopped. He looked to them, as he pushed the two unicorns aside.

"I am here to talk and find out what I am, for one of you said I was unique." He said as he looked to Princess Luna. "I am ThunderHawk, only one of my kind and master of the slipstream technique."

She ran down the crystalline hallway. She heard the loud buzzing from outside the windows and the sounds of fighting. She glanced around in fear. She had felt the enemy coming and sent word out. Most of her subjects were able to hide in the shelters, but power that defended their realm didn't even slow down this new enemy. As a matter of fact, they seemed to eat on it and weakened her at the same time. A white unicorn with a blue mane rounded the corner in front of her.

"Shining Armor, how bad is it?!" She said as she felt the tears welling up in her eyes.

"It isn't good, Cadance. We need help before the Changelings overwhelm the guards." He said quietly, as he watched the Princess with tears flowing down her cheeks. "We've pulled every Crystal Pony into the Palace and I have my shield over it, but it won't last forever. You have to contact Princess Celestia as soon as possible."

"I will, let's go to the throne room so I can do it now." Princess Cadance said with a nod and they headed to the throne room.

ThunderHawk looked around, as his shoulders drooped.

"SO you have no idea what I am?" He asked quietly, as he looked at the others.

"I am afraid not. We have looked, to try and understand how to interact with you." Princess Celestia said quietly. "I do not enjoy seeing one so lost."

"You don't have any memories of who you were?" Rainbow asked as she watched him.

"No, just fleeting dreams and abstract visions from a spell. All I have figured out is that I defended people where I am from." ThunderHawk said as he sat on the floor. "Everything I know starts from the moment I crawled out of the crater that marked my arrival."

Princess Celestia nodded and stood up. She walked over to a window and looked out it. She turned to say something, but stopped when her eyes widened. Everyone watched her in silent for a few moments. She then blinked and shook her head.

"IT has begun." She said looking at Princess Luna.

"Where at, sister?" Princess Luna asked worried.

"What? Where?" Both Twilight and ThunderHawk asked in unison.

"The Crystal Empire is under attack by the Changelings." Princess Celestia said worried. "I need to get forces there as soon as possible. Shining Armor is currently holding them back."

"We can't get anyone there that fast! The Empire is at least a couple of days travel!" Twilight gasped as fear for her brother shot through her mind. "It is too far to teleport too!"

"If I could get there, I could help hold them off, until the forces get there." Princess Luna said looking down, "provided they don't attack here.'

As the group began to debate over what to do, ThunderHawk stood up and looked around. His eyes fell on the map that had Princess Luna's markers. He walked over and looked at it. He quickly found Canterlot. After a few seconds, he found the Crystal Empire and was studying how far it was. Could he? IT was farther than he ever had gone.

Pinkie Pie looked over and saw ThunderHawk looking at the map. She walked over and stood beside him.

"You've been in a lot of places." She commented, surprising ThunderHawk.

"What?" He asked looking down at her.

"Look at all those markers. Princess Luna says their all places you have been seen." She said with a grin. "Look at this, Ponyville is near where you took our apples and look how far Canterlot is."

ThunderHawk watched as she pointed out the markers. He nodded in agreement.

"You must be a really fast flyer. Possibly faster than Rainbow Dash to get that far so quickly." Pinkie commented looking at him.

"I use the slipstream technique. It's similar to teleporting, but is almost like folding space. It allows me to travel long distances quickly…" ThunderHawk said and stopped.

His eyes narrowed and it dawned on him. He picked up a pin and marked the map where the pond was and then the cave. He held up a quill to mark the distance of the places from Canterlot.

"I did go from here, to the lake, back to here, and then to my cave in one night." He said as he looked at the length of the quill.

"Really? That's far!" Pinkie said amazed.

Everyone in the room stopped at her little statement and looked at the two of them, in time to see ThunderHawk hold the quill against the map.

"ThunderHawk?" Princess Celestia asked curious.

ThunderHawk looked at the others and stepped over to Princess Luna.

"You say you can help them?" He asked and she nodded. "I can get you there quicker than anything else can. If you are willing to trust me."

A few minutes later, everyone was outside.

"Are you sure about this Princess?" AppleJack asked looking at Princess Luna

"He is right, he is the only one who can get me there fast enough." Princess Luna said with a nod of her helmeted head. "Help get the forces ready, but only send up a part of them. I believe this is a tactic to leave Canterlot with a minimal force."

"I will sister." Princess Celestia said with a nod and looked at ThunderHawk. "Protect my sister and allow no harm to come to her."

ThunderHawk nodded and leaped into the air, followed by Princess Luna. She hovered by him and nodded to him.

"Let's go then." ThunderHawk said and wrapped an around her shoulders in front of her wings.

Princess Luna tried to remain calm, remember the size of those claws near her neck. She felt the arm wrap around her tightly. She was about to say something, when she felt a magical field wrap around her.

To the group below, they saw both of them suddenly wrap around each other and suddenly stretch out and snap, vanishing in the blink of an eye. They felt the wave of energy wash over them and push them back.

Princess Luna wasn't prepared for the feeling included with the technique. She felt her body fold in and wrap around her and ThunderHawk, as well as feeling his body wrap around her as well. The sudden folding in and suddenly being stretched out. Her vision of the lands seemed to stretch out. She felt her stomach being stretched to an insane level, along with the rest of her body. Then all of a sudden it snapped together and everything became a blur to her, as miles and miles of landscape shot by in a mere blur. It was so fast, she couldn't track it. Suddenly she jerked to a stop and was surrounded by the cold winds of the northern territories. ThunderHawk quickly set her down and dropped to the ground, chocking and gasping. It had been farther than he thought it was and his body was screaming not only for the distance, but the fact he carried more mass with him than normal.

"I think I am going to- urp!" Princess Luna gasped and turned her head to the side, barely avoiding throwing up on ThunderHawk.

By the time, she was done emptying her stomach into the snow, ThunderHawk had recovered as well. He stood up.

"Is it… always like that?" Princess Luna gasped as her stomach threatens to try and empty itself again.

"Eat this." ThunderHawk said and offered her a root to chew on. "It will help steady your stomach and let it settle."

She quickly ate it and her head shot straight up, realizing she just ate something she didn't even know what it was.

"It is alright. It's a Wildfire root. IT isn't toxic. It has a calming effect on stomachs." ThunderHawk said as he watched her and then looked around. "I don't see them Empire."

"It's this way." Princess Luna said and began to trudge through the snow. "Why didn't you give me that before?"

"You would have thrown it up, before it could work. It's easier to eat it after the fact. The juices of it get into you faster then. If you travel that way more often, you will get use to it." ThunderHawk said as he walked along side her. "Why does this place seem familiar to me?"

"I'm not sure, but it is said the last Guardian died fighting here to try and protect this empire." She replied as she walked along.

"It feels like a great battle happened here a long time ago. Many lives lost." ThunderHawk said as he walked with her.

"There was. When Sombre became king, my sister and I stood up to him. Our forces fought their way in, trying to save the Crystal Empire. Sombre cursed the empire as he fell, vowing to return and that the Empire would be gone until he did." Princess Luna said as they walked. "Twilight and her friends freed the Crystal Empire when Sombre returned and tried to retake it."

ThunderHawk was about to say something, when a bolt of green energy shot out of nowhere and struck him squarely in the chest. The blast sent him sailing backwards through the air and down the cliff side. Princess Luna's head snapped around and saw him arc out of sight. She looked to where the shot came from and saw a large female changeling.

"Chrysalis!" Luna snarled in anger, as her horn gleamed.

"Well, my dear Princess Luna, it is nice to see you again. I take it that your sister didn't accompany you here? Just that abomination?" Chrysalis said with a smirk, as other changelings came up along her.

"Why did you attack him? He's one of a kind!" Princess Luna said and a beam fired from her horn.

A changeling jumped in front of Chrysalis and the bolt hit it squarely. Its body exploded into ash and Chrysalis merely smirked.

"He served his purpose. One of the two ruling Alicorns is now stranded in the Northern regions. The abomination that was able to bring you here so fast is not gone and your sister is woefully under prepared for my followers to attack now." Chrysalis said smiling. "My lovely changelings will enjoy feasting on you. I don't care for this pathetic kingdom. I have a greater target to strike… in Canterlot!"

To Princess Luna's horror, Chrysalis leapt into the air and performed the Slipstream, vanishing from sight. Princess Luna looked at the remaining changelings and swallowed. Instead of engaging them, she turned and ran to the cliff and dove off it.

The lady filled his vision through the window. He watched as the plate slowly sealed in place. He saw the fear in her eyes, as it dawned on both of them that there was nothing they could do. She began to beat on the window, as the plate sealed it off. He placed his hand against the metal plate.

"Alluna." He whispered before the light engulfed him.

ThunderHawk laid on the ground, his wings outstretched and his chest was burnt black from the bolt. His body was motionless. The two ponies standing near him looked worried.

"Is it really?" One asked.

"It looks like the one that is described, but it feels wrong." The other one said quietly. "I can't tell if it is even alive."

They both turned as a dark figure came rushing into the cave. Both ponies shrank back, beside ThunderHawk's head. The figure stopped and shook the snow off, revealing Princess Luna. She looked down at ThunderHawk.

"ThunderHawk?" She asked worried.

"ThunderHawk?" One of the ponies asked confused. "That great warrior died at the hands of King Sombre."

The princess looked up at the two ponies and blinked.

"That's his name." She said and indicated to ThunderHawk. "Is he alive?"

"We can't tell. He feels wrong." The other pony said quietly.

"Wrong? How?" Princess Luna asked confused.

"The energies of the Great Warrior are still in our kingdom and part of it. This one doesn't feel like him." The first pony said as she looked down at ThunderHawk. "Though he almost looks like him."

Princess Luna was about to ask a question, when suddenly ThunderHawk took in a loud gasp. The burnt skin on his chest cracking and flaking off with each expansion of his chest.

"Alluna, I… need help. I haven't… forgotten." He whispered in pain.

The two ponies looked down at him. Princess Luna turned her head to the cave entrance as she heard the buzz of changeling wings.

"This isn't good." She whispered.

ThunderHawk's finger began to twitch and curl. The claws unsheathed and extended to their fullest length. The two ponies backed away. His chest began to rise and fall quickly, as his fingers flexed.

In his mind ThunderHawk say another that looked like him, but with a few different animal parts attached to it. IT looked down at him.

"You are no Guardian, but you were created like one. Our kind is dead. I was the last. You are a new creature." It muttered looking at him.

"What am I?" ThunderHawk asked.

"You are no more or less than what you want to be. You are not bound by a position." It said in response.

"So, I have no purpose then?" ThunderHawk asked depressed.

The Guardian spirit reached down and its claw went into ThunderHawk's head.

"Your memories are telling you what you are. From that, you have a purpose and a reason. DO you remember now?" It asked.

ThunderHawk was silent as some of his memories flooded back. In his world, he protected people. He was a law enforcer. To protect and serve was his purpose there. That was why he was in that strange hall. He had helped people escape a… meltdown? He blinked as he looked at the spirit in front of him.

"I died." He said quietly. "Died protecting people."

"So did I. I protected the Empire you came to help. I died fighting for them. Is that an honorable death?" IT asked "You have your answers. Now you make a choice."

Princess Luna ducked back as a changeling fired a blast of green energy at her, barely avoiding it. She stumbled over ThunderHawk's still form and her feet went out from under her, dropping her to the ground in a heap. The changeling lunged forward to take advantage, only to have a clawed hand clamp down on his muzzle and stop him cold. Its eyes looked down and saw that the eyes of the motionless body were glowing a dark red. The clawed hand clamped shut in a snap of bone and then it threw the changeling out of the cave. ThunderHawk rose to his feet as the others came rushing in. ThunderHawk felt a rage in him that boiled from deep in his heart. IT boiled forth and a screech of primal rage ripped out of his mouth. IT sounded like a mixture of dragons and gargoyles screaming at the same time and the burnt skin erupted in silver flames. TO the changelings, the scream sounded like something they had never heard before and brought forth a feeling they were strangers to. This feeling froze them in their hoof steps. Their muscles locked up and wouldn't move. This great beast in front of them inspired a new feeling in them.

It was fear.

((A/N; Hope everyone is enjoying this so far. Go ahead and give a review. I read all of them and I do listen to all opinions, and try to work them in as i go. Thanks for reading.))