Chapter 10: The Great Worm.

"So, the true history is coming clear. The Evil One's first attack was to send the Great Worm to destroy everything outright, but the Four Wizards; King Ari and his wife Queen Carri the rulers of Mankind, and King Sunfire and his wife Queen Starlight, the Alicorn rulers of Ponykind, united their powers and imprisoned the Worm. But thinking they had destroyed it, they let pride blind them to their true danger. The Evil One, seeing he could not destroy them out right, instead turned to lies and trickery and thus broke the perfect harmony.

Humania then broke off from the continent and was set adrift until the time of unity was come. Then, when Luna was taken by the Nightmare Forces and I forced to banish her and you saw our sadness, Humania started its long trip back.

Now, we must unite and seal the lands in true harmony once again by truly destroying this creature," said Celestia, her powers blazing like the sun in her fury.

"I agree, but we must hast my friends, the creature has all ready reached the gates," said King Greg as he walked through the doors.

Everyone rushed out and surely, there was the Great Worm at the city gates. A monster without arms or legs or feet or claws, but possessing thick scales of black hue and a cavernous mouth filled with sharp teeth, reared up its head and roared. That roar rang with the hate of many years of captivity, now released like a flood!

Alex stood beside Luna while Greg stood beside Celestia. Together they advanced to the gates and faced the monster of old. Alex, Greg, Luna, and Celestia reached deep within themselves and harnessed the power of true unconditional love, which fuels true friendship, and thus combining their powers, attacked the Worm.

Luna carried Alex upon her back as Alex combined her command over fire and stars with Luna's power of night and moon. Celestia carried Greg in kind as he combined his power of justice and earth with her power of the sun and light. They all combined their power and love and fought against the Worm. The Worm roared in pain and anger as the Four Wizards bombarded it with the power of light and love and harmony. It retaliated by launching its scales, which were darts of pure anger, hatred, and rage at them. Luna was hit by a scale and felt the poison start to effect her. Alex at once removed it and drew the poison into herself. Luna sensed what Alex had done and she was filled with a deep and terrible rage. She glowed like the moon in her fury, but Alex stopped her rage by a pat on her shoulder.

"Luna, don't give in to hate," she said.

Luna could feel love radiate from Alex and she was calmed.

The battle raged for hours, which turned to days, and just as they felt they would loose, Alex shouted, "Go back! Everyone, go back! Its head! Look at the back of its head!"

They looked and saw a dark blue spot, that spewed a mist of the same color. They knew what they had to do. Up until now they had been keeping part of their strength back, but now they saw they had no choice. Gathering the very last of their strength, they poured out their love for their people, their world, and each other, and launched an attack more powerful than any they had yet used right into the heart of the Worm's weak spot. There was a bright flash and the Great Worm loosed one final roar, then exploded and was no more.

The ponies nearby came cautiously to the scene. When they saw what had happened, a great mournful cry went up that was heard from the Crystal Empire to the farther shores of Humania. Twilight, Rarity, Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, and Spike came at once. Shining Armor and Princess Cadance came from the Crystal Empire to see what had happened. When they all arrived, what they saw rent their hearts, for what did they see but Princesses Celestia, Luna, and Alex, and King Greg lying dead where they had fallen, having given their lives to truly destroy the Great Worm so that none would ever have to face it again.

Just then a young man pushed his way through the crowd of ponies and knelt beside the King and Princess of Men. He threw back his head and loosed a cry of grief and pain that would have melted a heart of stone. He threw himself upon the ground and sobbed as one who has lost his kin.

Twilight walked up to him and asked, "Excuse me, but, are you Prince Ryan Shadowrider?"

The young man looked up, his eyes already red from his tears. "Yes, but I fear the name is not welcome to you. You were there, at the duel, weren't you? You and your friends helped to free me and for that I thank you. But I must attend to my cousin and sister."

Twilight noticed that his eyes were now green and very kind, completely different from the last time she saw him. But now they had four brave rulers to bury, but something caught Twilight's attention. Bending down she placed her ear to Alex's heart. There! It was faint, but still there! Alex's heartbeat.

"Everypony! Quick! Their not dead, but they will be soon if they don't receive treatment!" Twilight exclaimed.

"The Healers! We must get them to the Healers!" exclaimed Ryan.

Soon the four rulers were carried to the Mountain of Healing and placed in the care of the Healers. For three weeks they remained there, slowly but surely recovering. Once they were well enough, they returned and a great celebration was held. It also happened to be the day of the Summer Sun Celebration and ever after it was known as the New Dawn Celebration, for what had been a time of great mourning and black night had become a time of new dawn and great celebration. And thus the Age of Unity truly began in earnest.

The End.