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A slow ache crawled up my right foreleg, I shook it off and followed Shining and Cadence back out of the cavern. As the ache turned into a subtle pain I paused to stretch my leg, the pain had finding its way to my joints. By the time we reached the stairs I could tell something was very wrong, the strange feeling had spread throughout a majority of my body. I lagged behind a bit on the stairs, struggling to climb.

Upon reaching the summit Shining looked back, only to see me collapse. My world had become a constant agony, each throb pulsing through me. I barely felt the magic that lifted me onto Shining Armor's back.

As we burst back into the courtyard all training ground to a halt, I felt the cool pavement upon my burning side as I was lowered down to the floor. The silver crystal unicorn from earlier ran up quickly spoke to Cadence and Shining. I could faintly hear some of it over the pounding in my head. Something about magical overload...

The energy flared up to its highest point inside of me just as Shining Armor put a protective shield around me. Not a shield for my sake... but one for those around me.

My eyes glowed as the pavement beneath me cracked, lifting up around me as I floated there. There was nothing I could do to control the violent winds that whipped around me as the energies inside me released. Tendrils of fire lapped at the edges of the sphere and crackling bolts of lightning surged their way around me.

The power flowing out of me kicked up a notch as the sphere around me began to show signs of the stress it was taking. Cadence added her power to the mix, fortifying the barrier against the stress. The energy inside of me slowly died down as it was expended against the powerful barrier, the chunks stone floating around me falling back to the ground.

As the energy faded I fell too, but was caught by an invisible force as Shining armor removed his barrier. The young Crystal unicorn, who was currently holding me aloft with her magic looked at me quizzically. "The stories always end the same way... why is this one different, why does he persist?" she spoke aloud to herself.

Nobody seemed to hear her except for me. She brought me close to herself and whispered to me, "You play with a dangerous power, but there is something different about you..."

Before Cadence or Shining Armor could question her about her knowledge of my condition she bolted off, leaving me to quickly get my legs under me as I fell the last of the way to the ground.

I ran off after her, needing to know what she meant. My body felt fine now, like a great pressure had been relieved. As the Crystal unicorn fled the scene I chased after her, using the trick I had learned to accelerate my movement.

As I closed in on her she looked over her shoulder, giving a short frown at how quickly I had caught up. Her expression changed to a challenging smirk as she put on a burst of speed, using her own magic to guide the air around her.

Not fair, I thought I had invented that! I gathered a small amount of the air around me, focusing it into a thick compacted ball. I launched it towards her but didn't aim quite properly, striking the ground ahead of her. Before I could react she had made a sudden turn down a narrow passage between buildings. I tried to make the same turn but my momentum dragged me forward and I took a tumble as my hooves came out from underneath me.

I pushed myself up as Cadence circled down from the sky landing nearby.

"She knows something... Something more than she would say." I spoke aloud

"I'll put out a search, we will find her." Cadence reassured.

"Get Twilight, I think I need to take a trip to the library... Oh... And don't tell any of the others."

~~

I scoured through book after book, Twilight assisting me. I learned a great deal of the kingdom's history but it was not what I was looking for. I needed something that referenced magical overload... My only clue.

As I put down another book Twilight looked over to me, a mortified expression on her face, she had found something. The magic keeping the book in front of her aloft ceased, it fell to the ground with a large echoing slap. A tear fell from Twilight's eye as she rushed over to embrace me.

"I will find a way to fix this. I promise."

"Fix what?" I went to move away but she held me tightly.

"If this is right, you're dying..."

I was shocked into silence by her words, pulling away to see the book.

I began to skim the chapter, "Weapons of the great war" that Twilight had left open, flipping back to the beginning.

As the war between the nations dragged on the crystal kingdom developed weapons to use against the invading Imperium... They had managed, with great effort and unnamed sacrifice, to harness boundless power into the form of four bands.

The bands of power;

The Solar Bracer: Heavenly Sentinel.

The Dusk Armlet: Guardian of Knowledge.

The Greave of Night: Keeper of Dreams.

The Shackle of Dawn: Vanquisher of Darkness.

These had been given to the four most powerful heroes of the time, who used them in battle. But it was quickly discovered that power came at a cost. The heroes were not strong enough to contain the forces welling up inside of them and all eventually succumbed. Their deaths came in the form of a great release of energy, one that could come on suddenly and at any time. The only remains would be a charred corpse and the power band, perfectly unharmed, waiting to be worn again.

The sacrifice was made countless times, many choosing the power to protect their loved ones over their own lives. Any with malicious intent were immediately destroyed, while those of pure heart could live for weeks before the effects set in.

~

Twilight stood silently behind me as I closed the book.

"I don't see any band of power, do you?" I said holding out my right foreleg... The very one that the pain had started in...

Realization was slowly sinking in, but I wanted Twilight to believe I was fine. I needed her to. I couldn't bear to see that sort of sorrow upon her face.

Twilight shook her head silently in response.

"And how would I have gotten one anyways?" I thought back to the blank area in my memories the time fighting the Hydra that I had somehow forgotten... The pieces were fitting together.

"And besides, it said the energy release killed the bearer. Here I am, feeling better than ever." The book had said a great release of power... One that could level a building or a whole city, not just crumble a bit of pavement and shoot some flames...

Twilight spoke up, a tinge of doubt in her voice. "I just want you to be careful okay? Even if this isn't it you could still be in danger."

"Will you promise not to tell any of the girls about this?"

"If that's what you want..."

"Thanks Twilight. No need having them worry, I'm sure whatever this is can be fixed easily." I lied to myself, placing the book back on the shelf while memorizing its position.

I followed Twilight out of the library and felt a strange twinge in my leg... Seeing a nearby fountain I casually trotted over as the strange ache begun its spread. I forced myself to channel the oppressive energy as heat into the water, causing it to come rapidly to a boil. Steam escaped from the surface into the afternoon air. As the water became dangerously scalding I stopped. But to be extra sure I chilled the water back down to a reasonable temperature to use any excess magic that had built up.

I looked over to Shining Armor, who was trying to follow me discreetly in case of another emergency. I motioned him over and walked quickly to catch up with Twilight. "Looks like I can control it if I drain some magic every once and a while."

"Wait? You just..." he looked at me with a concerned look that quickly left when he saw I looked fine.

"Yeah, I'm just a little tired from using up so much."

"Good to hear Ike, that saves a lot of trouble. We just need to work you hard during training," he paused realizing they were being listened in on. "Oops."

Twilight had stopped and was listening to our conversation. "What training?"

"Sorry. I forgot she didn't know yet." Shining winced a little as Twilight glared.

"Well, I wanted to tell everyone at once," I paused briefly while trying to think of how to say it. "But I'm going to be staying here for a while."

"Oh." Twilight's mood, which had just barely recovered, fell a little with the words.

"Don't worry Twi, I'll be fine. And when I come back I might have a few tricks to teach you."

~

Both Shining and I worked on cheering up Twilight a little as we headed off to the evening's planned celebrations.

~

When we arrived Shining lead Twilight to the main doors but stopped me before I could enter. "Your entrance is planned out."

With that he lead me around the building to what looked like a servants door. Inside was the suit Rarity had made for me along with the crystal rose, how she had managed to get them on the train without me noticing I didn't know.

There were muffled sounds of music and talk echoing through the small chamber so I quickly but gently clothed myself before following Shining up the stairs to see what was happening. We emerged from another door into the wings of the grandiose hall. I looked down from the side balcony to the hundreds gathered at the social party.

I looked over to Shining who was leading me to the main balcony between two curved staircases. "Oh no you don't!" I scolded as I started to head back the way I came. I definitely did not want to be the center of attention at such a large gathering of strangers, not even for one second.

"Oh come on," he chuckled a bit "It isn't often that somepony from another world gets awarded honorary titles around here."

"Biscuts..." I said sourly in an Applejack-esque substitution as I followed him once again.

I saw two Alicorn figures on the balcony; apparently Princess Luna was in attendance as well.

As I Shining and I approached Cadence smiled towards us. Shining took the spot by her side while I hung back, out of sight from the people on the ground floor.

Luna spoke out to the assembled crowd, announcing my presence, forcing me to awkwardly step forward into the gaze of the assembled mass of regular and crystal ponies.

I looked over and realized that Cadence had used some sort of spell on herself, changing her appearance to that of a crystal pony.

"Announcing Ike, the guest of honor at tonight's celebrations."

The room came to a hush as all the attendees looked up towards me. I stood there silently, wishing that it could end.

Cadence began to speak to dispel the silence. "You have probably heard the stories, a mysterious appearance from another world, the slaying of a Hydra," She stopped for a moment before continuing. "Today is a day of welcoming. Welcoming this pony, who has proven to have Equestria's interests close at heart."

There was a light stomping in the audience after her speech but it quickly died down as Luna continued where Cadence left off, "Furthermore, Canterlot wishes to bestow knighthood on this colt for his valor and quick action in saving the inhabitants of Ponyville."

"The Crystal Kingdom seconds." Cadence added.

"Are there any in attendance that would deny this?" Luna scanned the crowd.

The silence continued for a good, heart pounding, five seconds before Luna continued. "Very well. Ike, If you would kneel."

Luna approached and I lowered the front portion of my body, pointing my horn down to the ground as well. "On behalf of the collective pony kingdoms of Equestria I dub thee knight, and Vanquisher of Darkness" I could feel the tip of Luna's horn as it tapped both of my shoulder bones lightly.

"Rise Sir Ike."

The words vanquisher of darkness rang through my mind... I had heard them before, the book!

I could almost recall the page exactly, the last band of power to be listed.

The Shackle of Dawn: Vanquisher of Darkness.

I pushed back unto my hooves and listened to the sounds of hundreds of stomping hooves. I became a bit flushed in realization that they were applauding me.

Shining whispered into my ear. "If you wish to say anything, now is the time."

I swallowed nervously before starting. "This world is still new to me, new and wonderful. I vow to keep it safe for the sake of my friends, for without them I would be nothing."

It was then that a miracle occurred. A viable reason to escape direct line of sight of all those in attendance.

"Leeeets PARTY!!" Pinky Pie shouted as she wheeled in the biggest party cannon I had seen her with yet. It barely fit through the grand doors at the back of the hall. She put a torch to the wick and I barely had time to cover my ears before it went off.

The building reverberated with the boom as a storm of confetti burst forth, I saw as Shining Armor quickly reacted, putting a shield up around the balcony. When the confetti storm had died down a little I could hear the laughter of six familiar girls.

The shield that Shining Armor placed deactivated and the confetti he hadn't noticed resting on top fell down on us regardless. Shining made sheepish eye contact with Cadence, who was brushing a piece from her horn and began to laugh as well.

Soon enough the whole room had joined in, the startled fear of the sudden confetti attack wearing off quickly.

~

Best of all, the distraction broke the awkward formal barrier of the party, giving me the time and chance to talk to Luna.

"The words you used in my knighting, Vanquisher of Darkness. Why those words?" I asked skipping right to the point.

Luna looked at me strangely, knowing what I had discovered.

"They simply seemed fitting words for the occasion, words I read over one thousand years ago."

I spoke in a lowered voice, " The Shackle of Dawn, why would you give it to me?"

"We have a close friend, one that can travel in time... Just today he came to us with an urgent mission, one that he said would save Equestria... In our journey we came across you, ready to accept your defeat against the Hydra... We gave you the band of power, but couldn't stay," She paused, " The rules of time travel are tricky to understand, even with my long life... Just be certain that Celestia and I are looking for a way to fix this..."

"I can control the power now... But what happens if it continues to build?"

"Let us hope we can find a solution before it comes to that."

Luna departed immediately back to Canterlot, hopefully to begin the work required to fix my problem.

~

So Luna had just found out herself that I had the band of power by going through time on a mission that intersected with my past and giving it to me? Gosh time travel must be a pain...

The rest of the party was lived out in a somber attitude. I had just learned that I was a ticking bomb, my timer set to whenever...

Author's Note:

Thanks for reading!