//------------------------------// // The Power of the Regents // Story: Star Knight and the Nine-Tailed Fox // by Rakoon1 //------------------------------// Before the sudden appearance of Petal Sprout, all the guards appeared, ready to defend their regents. “But what is this?!” Aspen asked. “Petal Sprout” Twilight said to the plant pony. “So it’s you.” “Petal Sprout?” Mystic Heart asked. “He’s a villain that escaped Tartarus when the Lord of Chaos invaded it and then the prison-book” Blue answered. “He is just a weakling that is not much stronger than a simple Changeling drone, but he’s very annoying” Heartbeat said. “Guess what” Petal Sprout said in a mocking way. “Ulysses is right in here. I wonder where do you think he can be hiding right now. Any guesses?” “What did you say?!” Aspen asked. “Ulysses?” Gael asked. “He’s here? Why?” “Isn’t he the one with the power of electricity?” Mystic Heart asked. “The one that captured Black Stone” Hard Stone said. “It’s a wonderful game of hide and seek” Petal Sprout continued said. “Let’s all try to find Ulysses! Come on!” Suddenly, Aspen appeared right in front of Petal Sprout and pinned his head to the groud, securing him firmly with the hoof. “Tell me where that filthy griffon is!” Aspen exclaimed, angrily. “Give me an answer right now!” Petal Sprout couldn’t believe how fast Aspen had attacked him. He was almost as fast as Heartbeat. “Refuse to answer and I’ll show you no mercy!” Aspen exclaimed. “Where is Ulysses now?! Answer me!” “Well, as you don’t leave me no choice, I’ll give you a little hint” Petal Sprout said, always mocking. Without any patience, Aspen just broke his neck, leaving Petal Sprout motionless. “Aspen, why did you do that?!” Twilight asked. “I don’t know, but I liked it” Heartbeat said. “I always wanted to see him burn… But this good any way.” “And he would never say where Ulysses is” Shining said. “He was just mocking us.” “But I will find him” Aspen said, turning then to his captain. “Blackthorn!” “Yes, sir” he replied. And the captain started to focus. “But you didn’t had to kill him, Aspen” Mystic Heart said. “If you had restrained him and interrogated him, we could have get useful intel about the Lord of Chaos.” “It wouldn’t work, no villain talks about their master” Strongpaw said. “Most are completely devoted.” “Even so, killing him was not the answer” Twilight said. “I agree with Twilight” Cadance said. “We could have done this differently.” “Go find this Ulysses at once” Green Spear ordered to his bodyguards. “Yes, sir” they replied, getting out. It was then that Blackthorn was able to sense Ulysses. “My king” he said. Aspen nodded and he said to the other regents: “I’m sorry for leaving you, but I’ll return after dealing with a certain pest. It will be a little favor to you, King Gael, and a pleasure to me.” His horns got electricity and then tackled against the wall, making a hole for where he passed along with his captain and guard. “That Aspen can really become violent when angry” Hard Stone said. “Sometimes, that can be really annoying. He really didn’t change anything.” The guards of Trottinghan, after being warned, started to try to find Ulysses. Noticing that, Adagio asked: “But what is happening? Does the guards noticed our presence? Don’t tell Petal Sprout…” But then she saw that Ulysses had disappeared. “What the…” she said, realizing then what he would do. “That stupid little…” One of the guards was walking around, looking for Ulysses, when, silently, he appeared behind him and knock him unconscious. After that, the griffon just step in to the light, revealing himself to the guards. “I guess you can be my warm-up for the big fight” Ulysses said to them. “Let’s see how long you can last against me.” “We can say the same to you!” a unicorn guard said, launching a magic beam against him. However, Ulysses used a light sword to cut the beam. The guards became quite surprised, but they didn’t gave up and started to head towards him. And it was then that Ulysses started to use the light blade to slice the guards who tried to face him. Watching from the shadows, Adagio couldn’t believe how dark he had became. Meanwhile, Aspen, Blackthorn and the guard were running on a superior level and the captain of the guard said to his king: “He’s right below us, my king.” Listening that, Aspen charged his horns again and started to do his own passage. Below, Ulysses, after defeating the guards who dared to face him, felt something coming from above. And the ceiling broke and the griffon flight to escape the falling debris and then Aspen appeared with his guards, surrounded by a strange aura and electricity and he said to Ulysses: “It’s time for you to feel my fury, Ulysses!” And so the griffon advanced against the king, but then the guard used natural manipulation to create a water barrier that stopped Ulysses and then Blackthorn launched electricity. Those combined attacks made the evil griffon to retreat. “Just like it was told, he has a light nature” Blackthorn said. “We can used this to counter his attacks.” He then turned to the guard and told him: “You know what to do.” “Yes, sir” the replied. And then his horn shone with an intense light that started to blind Ulysses. When he was able to see through it, he saw Aspen and Blackthorn appearing from both front and behind, ready to attack him with their horns. He could defend one, but not both. It was then that a supersonic scream hit Blackthorn, making him retreat, what allowed Ulysses to block Aspen’s attack. He then opened the wings and flapped them to retreat. “I didn’t need your help” he said. “I’m sorry to disagree, but it looked like you did” Adagio said, appearing beside him. Putting himself at the side of his king, Blackthorn said: “Your Highness, that is one of the sirens. Her name is Adagio.” “Yes, I know her” Aspen said. “She is the one that corrupted one of my son’s friends.” Blackthorn turned to the guard and said: “Remain behind and give us support if we need it, while trying to see if there is anymore surprises. I and King Aspen deal with them.” Meanwhile, at the conference room, Shining looked at Petal Sprout and said: “It really looks right he’s completely out.” “Heartbeat, what do you think?” Twilight asked. “I can’t feel anything, but Petal Sprout’s emotions always were difficult to sense because he is part plant” Heartbeat said. “He was created by the Lord of Chaos himself, so he is not like Arbor.” “Arbor, the tree king?” Mystic Heart asked. “I have heard about him getting out of Tartarus, but I never had the chance to know what happened to him after that.” “Arbor made a sacrifice to protect nature, by becoming the matrix of Leaf Mane” Twilight said. “He was tricked by the Lord of Chaos, but ultimately made the right choice that save everyone.” “I see…” Queen Mystic Heart said. “That explains what happened with the plants and tree dying.” “Some villains are not really villains, but simply good beings that the Lord of Chaos controls like puppets” Ingrid said. “He uses our own darkness in his advantage to make us do his bidding. I, my sister Luna and Arbor were not the first.” “But Ulysses is not like that” Gael said. “He was already a rascal before starting to work for the Lord of Chaos.” “You seem very certain of that, King Gael” Godot commented. “He allied himself with Arimaspi and took over Griffinstone” Gael said. “They manipulated innocent ponies to turn griffons against ponies.” “Even with Arimaspi betraying Ulysses in the end, his actions were really nasty” Shining continued. “In that, I agree with Gael.” “And now that same griffon is causing havoc right here and right now” Cadance said. “Probably if we had started to strengthen the relationship between our kingdoms, maybe it would not had come to this” Luna said. “Yes, sister, maybe” Celestia said. “But we can’t forget that in the Enchanted Forest, most kingdoms still have suspicion between each other. Making them forget all their differences and then creating ties of trust is not something that can be done that easily.” “For once, I agree with you, princess” Hard Stone said. “It takes time and patience to create that what you are saying. But impatience makes one short-sided and invites failure. And let’s be honest, patience is not exactly a quality that exists in youngsters nowadays. And, without it, there cannot be trust and, subsequently, peace.” There was a pause and then Strongpaw said: “If we can’t even trust each other, even at the edge of a threat like this one, then I think there is no future to us.” “What does that mean?” Hard Stone asked. “Without mutual trust and understanding, all that will remain in this world is fear and terror” Strongpaw replied. “Even with the ones like the alicorn princess and the Generals of Order trying to spread the light, it can’t be consolidated if we still remain in the darkness, if we also fight to spread it. I can’t tolerate to not give up so easily and have no regard for what is right… resigning oneself… I find such things hard to accept these days.” “For somepony who barely get out of diapers compared to me, you really know how to express such complicated concepts so simply. But I’ll tell you what, this is your chance to ask me anything you want. It will be a pleasure to share some experience, if you want. I mean this also to you, young dragon. After all, ruling is not only control as your predecessor found for himself.” And he gave a little chuckle that really irritated Spike. “Your little…” he started, with a few flames getting out of his nose. “Spike, no!” Twilight exclaimed. But Ember was able to prevent Spike from attacking Hard Stone by saying: “Never mind him, Spike. He’s still a king of an influential kingdom of the Enchanted Forest.” “Hold on, did she said still a king?” Stone Quake asked. “Ignore her” Quartz Blitz said. “Well, if you insist, then let me ask you one thing” Strongpaw said. “Sure, go ahead” Hard Stone said. “You can ask away.” “When did all of you forsake yourself?” Strongpaw asked. That question really did some impact on Hard Stone. Celestia smiled before that question and the same went for Mystic Heart, who never saw someone capable of putting Hard Stone without an answer. “This is very good to watch and all, but I can’t just stay here while Ulysses is nearby” Gael said. “I’ll go after him.” “Wait, Gael, I’ll go with you” Shining, turning then to Cadance. “Unless you need me here, Cadance.” “Your guard can stay here with me” Cadance replied to him. He nodded and then asked Blue: “What about you?” “I’ll stay here for the case Ulysses manages to pass through you and arrives here” he replied. “Twilight is not still fully recovered.” “Maybe not, but I can still defend myself” Twilight replied. “Well, do as you want, Blue” Shining said. And he and Gael, along with his guards, got out from the hole that Aspen made. Without any warning, Strongpaw and his guards did the same. “Hey, gramps, it seems that pony-panther scored a point on you” Quartz Blitz said to her grandfather with a smile. “Uh, shut it” he said to her, grumply. “My king, what do we do?” Stone Quake asked. “Shall we join the fight?” “Your foul, and what happens when my back pain gets worse?!” Hard Stone replied. “But I want to see this Ulysses who managed to defeat Black Granite” Quartz Blitz said. “Fine, do as you please” Hard Stone responded. “But if you get caught by Aspen’s crossfire, you’ll die. Stay out of his way.” “All right!” she exclaimed. “How about you, Stone Quake?” “I have to keep an eye on the king in cause he gets trouble with his back” he replied. “So I’ll stay here with him.” “Well, then later” she replied, getting out of the room. “You don’t seem very worried about your granddaughter, King Hard Stone” Kyrippos said. “She can’t take care of herself” Hard Stone replied. “The ponies from the Enchanted Forest learn the elemental manipulation, even the ones who are not unicorns. We are not defenseless against an adversary that uses the same kind of magic.” “Well, I for one prefer to have my talons clean if necessary” Godot said. “They can take care of the rogue griffon. After all, he is responsibility of Griffonstone.” “Aunt, with your permission…” Arcing said to Mystic Heart. “Yes, you can go” she replied. “If the opportunity to help arises, take it.” “Yes, mam” Arcing replied, taking flight and exiting the room. Facing King Aspen and Blackthorn with only Adagio to help him, Ulysses created a light clone and ordered him to attack Aspen, but the king rapidly appeared before it and stabbed it with the tips of this horns, dispelling it. While that, the Siren appeared before the guard and used her supersonic scream to pull him away. Fortunately, Blackthorn stopped him. “Thank you, captain” he thanked. “You’re welcome, now stay put” Blackthorn said. “I deal with this siren.” He nodded and moved away. “Do you really think you can deal with me?” Adagio asked him. “I know that you use songs to hurt your enemies, but I won’t let you sing a note” Blackthorn said. Aspen, after dealing with the clone, prepared to deal with the original, turning to him. And he made a step to attack Ulysses, but then he trampled an electric mine put by the evil griffon. It realease electricity and then a blast of light that covered Aspen. “No, my king!” the guard deer said. But it was then that an intense pain started to run his body. It was excruciating. Hoovering, Ulysses was using his blacklight energy, something that was causing him some pain, while fighting its side effects. While dodging Adagio’s attacks, Blackthorn noticed that. He wanted to do anything, but Adagio wouldn’t let him. However, Ulysses’ concentration was disrupted by Aspen who appeared from nowhere in a big jump and his horns charged. The griffon was forced to dodge, releasing the deer guard from the pain. After this, he landed, still surrounded by the aura and the electricity, and turned, while Ulysses descended with a light blade. The griffon advanced and tried to hit Aspen with his light blade, but, when he tried, it seemed like the aura and electricity prevented him from doing so, cutting it. That forced Ulysses to flap his wings to keep his distance. After this, he charged his talon with electricity and advanced to Aspen, who charged his horns. Avoiding the horns, Ulysses tried to stab Aspen at the chest, but he simply couldn’t pierce it. Taking advantage of this, Aspen got hold on Ulysses and said: “A thrust attack using the light nature to increase force and penetration. I’m impressed you’d been able to approach so closer to me.” While fighting Blackthorn, Adagio saw that and said: “He failed?” “Yes, and now he’s dead” Blackthorn said, while trying to tackle Adagio. Using his horns, Aspen raised Ulysses and then, with a sudden move, he throw him violently against the ground, what caused a great crush and a blast of electricity. Meanwhile, Blackthorn tried to attack Adagio, with this attack almost hitting her, forcing the siren to disappear. Seeing the place where Aspen was, a guard became very impressed with that. “So that’s King Aspen’s powerful blow” he said. “There is no way that griffon could have survived that. It appears we don’t need reinforcements after all.” King Aspen, looking to Ulysses, became surprised by seeing what he was seeing. A dark, and at the same time bright, aura appeared around Ulysses, creating what appeared to be a ribcage that protected Ulysses from the fall. When a member started being formed, Aspen gave a blow with his horns that threw him, but Ulysses was able to stop tanks to the member. The king of Thicket new that kind of energy. It was the blacklight nature. He never thought he would be able to such rare nature, the most unstable one. Now he understood how he was able to defeat his younger brother. But the blacklight nature was very difficult to control and dangerous if not tamed correctly. That meant he had go with everything he had, hopping to take a blow or to making him take the wrong step, so he intensified his electric aura. Blackthorn advanced to the unconscious guard and asked, while he started to wake up: “Are you okay, soldier?” “Captain…” he said. “Is your fight finished?” “I think so” Blackthorn replied. “She ran away.” He helped him rise up and then Blackthorn said, referring to the fight between Aspen and Ulysses: “No one ever survived to that blow of our king. Not until now. And take a look to those bones. The energy they are made of is not like anything I ever saw. What is that?” “I don’t know” the guard said. “But he caused me pain without even approaching or touching me. How is that even possible.” At that moment, more guards appeared, surrounding the place where Aspen and Ulysses were fighting. “The glow is dark, but I can also see some brightness in them” Blackthorn said. “Wait, don’t tell me… that’s the blacklight nature?!” “Wait, blacklight nature?!” the guard asked. “But I thought no one has ever been able to accomplish it.” “It seems the Lord of Chaos’ villains are an exception” Blackthorn said, seeing how Aspen’s aura was even more intense. “That’s why King Aspen cloaked himself with more electricity: to counter with his specialty.” “Bring it, feathers!” Aspen exclaimed. Ulysses’ body started already to resent on his use of the blacklight nature, with one of his eyes starting to tear blood up, but the griffon remained in control. With all the time he had after the Lord of Chaos had grounded him, he learned how to control the blacklight nature in a most effective way. He tried to cause pain on Aspen, but he moved so quickly that he ended up hitting one of the guards that fell on the ground, starting to scream in pain, with the others trying to go to help him. Ulysses tried to find Aspen, but the king then appeared all of the sudden behind him, trying to hit him with the horns. However, the evil griffon noticed him and involved the ribs with an obscure light that was as strong as the laser. The smirk on Ulysses’ face motivated Aspen to tell: “Don’t underestimate me!” And he hit Ulysses with one of his horns, with it passing the obscure light, throwing Ulysses against the ground, much to everypony’s surprise. Ulysses, hitting the ground, spat some blood, while he felt the pain of using the blacklight nature. While the horn fell on the ground, Aspen gave a high jump and double charged his other horn, while saying: “NOW YOU’RE MINE!” Ulysses reacted quickly by preparing to shot lasers from the ribs on Aspen, when a bunch of sand appeared and put itself between the two. That sand came from Strongpaw’s bag, who arrived with Gael, Shining and guards. Aspen quickly returned to the edge of his captain and guard, while Ulysses looked up to Strongpaw, while he released the blacklight nature. “You’re… the former Jinchuriki of One-Tail” he said. And then his eyes laid on Gael. He gave a slight chuckle and said: “And look who he is. I never thought you’d be here, Gael. After all, this summit is for regents and you’re just a fake king.” “Like the one you were when you overthrew King Guto” Gael replied. Shining went quickly to the guard who was agonizing in pain and started to apply a simple healing spell for any internal damages. “I never thought the blacklight could cause such damages” Shining said. “It is even worse than the things I read about it.” “You guards of Trottinghan stay back” Strongpaw said. “This is something that we must regents must deal with.” “Thank you, Chief Strongpaw” the guard that was holding his damaged companion said. “Why did you interfere, Strongpaw?” Aspen asked. “Don’t you see I was trying to eliminate this worm?” “If you had continued your attack, he would had pulverized you with the blacklight lasers” Strongpaw replied. “You better than anyone should know the damages that blacklight nature can do. Besides, it’s not like he’s going anywhere. Look at him, he barely can control the blacklight nature. You don’t have to harm yourself unnecessarily.” Aspen seemed to have listened well those words and then Strongpaw said to Ulysses: “And this also applies to you, Ulysses. You’ve already used too much of that power. Give up, you can’t defeat all of us.” “That’s what you said” Ulysses said. “I still have plenty of power to use…” “Don’t bother yourself trying to reason with him, Strongpaw” Gael said. “He’s hopeless.” “Of course you’d say that, Gael” Ulysses said. “You think you are better because of all that integrity you think you have. Give me a break.” “After everything you’ve done?” Gael asked. “You just attacked the summit of regents. I know I’m better because you didn’t show any proof of the contrary. What is sad, because I really thought you could change after all those years in that cell back in Griffonstone.” “As if I believed in that” Ulysses replied. “I now live in the darkness. I serve the Lord of Chaos!” “Well, if you think that way, then I have no choice but treat like all the other villains” Strongpaw said, while sand started to get out of his bag. Seeing the amount of sand getting out of his bag, Ulysses reactivated the ribcage. He then tried to induce pain on Strongpaw, but the latter used the sand to block the attack. “You blocked those attacks well” Ulysses said. “I am impressed. Your ultimate defense is in good shape. I believe better than when Rothbart defeated you.” Hidden behind a pillar, Quartz Blitz witnessed the battle, becoming impressed with it. “Wow, amazing.” At the conference room, Heartbeat sensed something that Blue noticed. “What is it, Heartbeat?” he asked. “I can sense another dark presence, beyond Ulysses” she asked. “That means there is another villain besides him” Celestia said. “Who is it, Heartbeat?” Twilight asked. “The presence is… melodic” Heartbeat said. “It can only be…” “Adagio” Twilight ended. “Then, we must be ready.” At the battle, Arcing arrived, landing, and, while preparing to execute elemental manipulation, he said: “I’ll join you, if you don’t mind. And I’ll make the first move and then you can follow me.” And he started to accumulate energy on his front hooves that he joined, with a halo of bright energy around them. Seeing that, Strongpaw realized what he was about to do. “That’s gale nature, the combination of light and water” he said. “Interesting… Very well, go ahead.” “Laser Circus” Arcing said, shooting several beams of energy. “Sand Shower Barrage” Strongpaw said, shooting dozens of sand bullets. Shining also shot a magic beam to add to those combined attacks. They created a great explosion around Ulysses. But when the dust settled down, they all became openmouthed with what they saw. Around Ulysses, was the front half of a pony skeleton made of energy. He said: “Strongpaw, I got an ultimate defense even greater than yours.” “That’s what he used to defend my attacks” Aspen said. “The Warrior of Dark Light…” Strongpaw said, without believing in what he was seeing. “The ultimate form of blacklight nature, something that only the best in using can perform” Ulysses said, with an evil smile. Meanwhile, at the place where Ulysses supposedly defeated Hawthorn, everything seemed calmed. A tentacle of Eight-Tails was laying at the bottom of the lake. It was then that, from the cutting place, something started to get out of there. It was Hawthorn who swam to the surface and, after making sure there was no one close, he said: “It seems the coast is clear.” And he started to swam, thinking about how he used the tentacle that Ulysses sliced to escape, finding a good plan that came in a flash. In his mind, he was sitting on Eight-Tails’ snout, who asked him: “What are you talking about? That so called good plan of yours cost me several of my limbs.” “Come on, don’t be mad, Eight-Tails” Hawthorn said. “You know it was the best against something like that blacklight nature.” “You should had listened my advice and run when that griffon appeared” Eight-Tails said. “It annoys me when you make me fight unnecessary battles.” “Yeah, yeah, I know” Hawthorn said. “But I was done of being stuck in one place. Let me see, I should I do now?” “Oh, boy, where comes another big idea of yours” Eight-Tails said, not very enthusiastic. Hawthorn got out of the lake and said: “I think I go spare with an old friend of mine at the other corner of the kingdom.” “Oh no, not him…” Eight-Tails said on his mind. “Hey, at least I can get out of my brother’s protection for a bit” Hawthorn said. “I have to enjoy the freedom. After all, as far as everyone knows, I’m still at the grasp of the Lord of Chaos.” “Knowing King Aspen as I know, he must have gone on a rampage” Eight-Tails said. “Are you sure this is a good idea?” “I’ve been practically a prisoner in my own kingdom, because, as a Jinchuriki, I’m just a glorified weapon” Hawthorn said. “I need to breath every once in a while.” “So are you really planning to visit Birch to have a spar with him?” “But of course.” “How can you be so carefree?” Eight-Tails asked. “The Lord of Chaos and his villains won’t stay still for long. Besides that, because you summoned me, you don’t have that many stamina left. Did you really had to call me when you had the upperhoof on the battle.” “Well, to tell you the truth, that griffon is probably one of the toughest adversaries I ever faced before” Hawthorn said in his mind, while walking. “It was good to finally fight seriously for once.” There was a pause and then Eight-Tails said: “You know, times may change very soon.” At the battle against Ulysses, Strongpaw said: “I can’t believe the Warrior of Dark Light really exists.” “What is that thing?” Gael asked. “A manifestation of blacklight energy that can endure any attack done against it” Strongpaw replied. “However, it does take a lot of control to summoned it and, even if that happens, it draws a lot of energy. No known being has been able to summon something like that and live for very long.” The ones who heard that became very nervous about it. It was then that Ulysses smirked and then the Warrior of Dark Light summoned a dark blade of light that it swang, causing a great shock wave that started to crack the pillars. Seeing that Shining exclaimed: “The ceiling is going to collapse!” And, indeed, the ceiling started to fall. Protected by the Warrior of Dark Light, Ulysses went to a hallway, deactivating it after that. “Impressive” a voice said. “I never thought you’d be able to go that long with the darklight.” He turned and saw Adagio. “You’re still here” Ulysses said. “And I was thinking you ran away.” “I’m not stupid to fight a fight that I can’t win” Adagio said. “Besides, there’s two Generals with Princess Twilight. You’ll need all the help you need. Mainly with you at that state.” “Fine, you can come with me” Ulysses. “As long as you show the way to the conference room.” “As you wish” she replied. “Follow me.” And they advanced. At the place where the ceiling fell, one part of the debris was moved by Aspen that used his power to do it, having protected his captain and guard. Strongpaw had protected the others close to him with his sand. “I guess I owe you one, Chief Strongpaw” Arcing said. “Ulysses is not here” Gael said. “He must have escaped during the confusion” Shining said. “In that way, we must wonder what is happening with the others.” At the conference room, everyone was calm and silent. It was then that Heartbeat said: “They’re here.” And suddenly all the tapestries were cut. Blue was able to detect Ulysses. “Above us” he said. And they all looked up and saw Ulysses hovering above them, looking to Twilight. “There you are, princess” he said to her. Green Spear then jumped and tried to attack Ulysses with a sword, but he defended with a light blade. Then a supersonic scream hit Green Spear and threw him against the ground. Ulysses turned to face Twilight, but Heartbeat and Blue appeared before him. “I don’t think so, feathers” Blue said. “You won’t be able to go through us” Heartbeat said. “Adagio!” Ulysses exclaimed. She prepared to sing, something that would affect them, but when she tried, nothing came out. Before that, the siren tried again, only to fail again. “Don’t bother, my dear” Godot said, with his talon, that was glowing, extended. “I’m the one who is doing that to your voice with my wind energy. Magical or not, the voice is producted by the air passing by the vocal cords.” Seeing he was in clear disadvantage without Adagio’s voice to weaken the Generals and the princess and still recovering from the extensive use of the blacklight nature, Ulysses saw the best was to retreat to gather strength to attack again. When he and Adagio tried to escape through the hole created by Aspen, what seemed to be lava was cast to the entranced that was soon sealed by it, starting soon to solidify. They turned and saw that lava was cast by Queen Mystic Heart, who remained sitting with some lava on her lips that she cleaned, while saying: “You servants of the Lord of Chaos already caused a lot of damages to both our kingdoms. And yet, when I look at you closely, griffon, you’re really quite handsome, mainly with that scar.” “You can stop talking, old hag” Ulysses said to her. “You won’t seduce me with compliments.” Mystic Heart was clearly offended by that insult and she said, while raising up: “Too bad, such fine male, but with a sharp tongue. Such a wast. But even with those bad qualities, I think can give a kiss that will melt you away.” Addressing to Twilight, the other alicorn princess and the other regents, she said: “Please, Your Highnesses don’t bother to interfere. I can handle this. King Godot, please, keep the siren’s voice in check.” “Don’t worry, this little bird will not sing at my presence” he said. “I have enough of all her screams.” “Very well, then I suggest to keep your heads down” Mystic Heart replied, focusing on her magic. And then she spat more lava that rapidly shadowed over Ulysses and Adagio. The alicorn princesses created magical barriers to protect the others, while Hard Stone and Stone Quake, using the king’s magic on their hooves, placed themselves at the ceiling. Seeing all that lava, Adagio found refuge under the table, while Ulysses summoned the ribcage of the Warrior of Dark Light. “Now!” Mystic Heart exclaimed to her guard, while she moved towards the exit. “Yes, mam!” he replied. And, focusing energy on his front, he charged Ulysses and was able to throw him against the wall of solidified lava, that he passed, going to the hallway at the other side, hitting the all. Ulysses tried to get up, but the pain of using blacklight was stopping him from doing so. He could feel all his cells hurting and he even wasn’t able to achieve its full form. He then noticed the presence of someone and saw Mystic Heart, who was sealing the hallway behind her with lava, just like she did with the hole created by King Aspen. “And now it’s just the two of us” she said. At the conference room, Adagio, after throwing herself under the table, noticed Petal Sprout, seeing now what happened to him. “And now let’s deal with you, my dear” Godot said, referring to Adagio, while making a gesture. A sudden wind threw her against the wall and then Heartbeat, teleporting to the outside of the shield created by the alicorn princess, appeared in front of Adagio and summoned the cell blaster, that had a life cell, and said: “I’ve waited to book a villain for so long now. It will be good to finally do it.” But before she could do it, Adagio smiled and then slapped her hoof against the wall and then the sound was amplified in such way that disoriented everyone in the room, including Godot, whose magic that was preventing the siren from speaking was undone. “And you’ll have to wait a lot more before that” Adagio replied. And she released a supersonic scream that affected everyone. And then Ingrid shot and ice beam that hit Adagio at her face, freezing her mouth. Adagio could see that her situation had worsened. Outside, where Mystic Heart was facing Ulysses, she said to him: “Are you seeing that wall besides you? I sealed it with my first attack against you earlier. This room is now completely sealed off. There is no way to run. I can use three natures of elemental manipulation: fire, water and earth. So actually I possesses two combined natures. One of them, as you could see, is lava. The other… is vapor.” And then, using her vapor energy, Mystic Heart released a cloud of mist from her mouth that soon covered all the sealed room. It was then that the ribs of blacklight energy started to melt down, much to Ulysses’ dismay. He tried to correct that, but the effort was such that his body resent and made him fell. “It seems you were hit pretty badly by King Aspen earlier” Mystic Heart observed. “But I have no intention to spare you. I’ll admit to you that causes pain to my heart for seeing such handsome male melting away. But you must die.” The mist intensified and Ulysses could already feel it corroding his own skin. It was then that Mystic Heart noticed some white masses growing around her body. “What’s this?” she asked. The same was happening at the conference room, as everyone, except for Adagio, were also being involved by white masses that grew to restrain them. “What is this?!” Spike said, while he and the other dragons tried to use their flames but without success. “I can’t believe…” Heartbeat said, while restrained. “Petal Sprout… your disgusting weed…” “But this is…” Mystic Heart said, realizing who was doing that, while clones of Petal Sprout started to appear on the mass. “This is the one from before.” The head of a clone stared at Mystic Heart that used vapor to dissolve it, only for it to regenerate. She could feel him stealing her energy. The ones in the conference room also noticed that and Twilight said: “He’s using our energy to grow.” “But when did he…” Kyrippos asked. “I see, you did this at the time Aspen attacked you, wasn’t it?” Hard Stone said, while the head of a clone formed ahead of him. “Enough of this” Mystic Heart said, using the mist around her to melt the clones that were restraining her. It was then that one of clones extended from the queen and headed to Ulysses and started to involve him. Ulysses could feel his body receiving energy from Petal Sprout, telling then: “Took you long enough.” “I’m sorry, but I had to be careful because of Heartbeat” he replied. Using the energy he regained, Ulysses used a hoof of the Warrior of Dark Light to break the solidified lava of the hole, what allowed him to get in, although limping. “Ulysses, are you okay?” Adagio asked, having get ridded of the ice that covered her mouth. Mystic Heart was able to melt the white mass, although it had left exhausted. “My mist will spread to where the others are. I have to adjust the acidification level.” And using her magic, Mystic Heart started to disperse the mist. Hanging up-side-down, Hard Stone noticing Ulysses getting in, said: “It seems she’s having trouble with him. Stone Quack, what do you said in joining the fun?” “Sure” he replied. And then he opened his mouth and he released energy that took the form of rock that was molded to the form of a pony that started to pull out Petal Sprout’s clones from Stone Quake, eating them. Hard Stone, on the other hoof, used an earth-based spell to increase the gravity around him that caused the clone that was restraining him to petrify and crumble away. It and the statue that Stone Quake summoned to eat the clones fell on the ground. Hard Stone laughed, while he was in the air, apparently flying without the use of his magic. “So you’re the griffon that took down Black Granite” Hard Stone said to Ulysses, while joining his hooves. “It is not like I had a good relationship with him, but you caused me a lot of trouble and your death is desire by many.” He put his hooves away a little and formed a cube with a white sphere at its center. “But that’s…” Celestia started, while trying to get rid of white mass. “No, it can’t be.” “What is it, Princess Celestia?” Twilight asked. “That’s the particle nature, a very rare and powerful combined nature” she said. “What does it do?” Cadance asked. “You’re about to see” Luna replied. “Goodbye, little griffon” Hard Stone said to Ulysses. He launched the cube that increased in size and trapped Ulysses inside. “Atomic Dismantling Spell!” Hard Stone exclaimed. And a white light covered the inside, covering everything and an explosion appeared to happen and, when it cleared, it was revealed that there was nothing there, not even Ulysses. “What did just happened?” Spike asked. “The particle nature is capable of creating a pulverizing force that reduces anything to dust inside that cube” Celestia replied. “Unbelievable…” Twilight said, amazed. “Wow, that old king has really some skills” Heartbeat said. The cube disappeared and Hard Stone said to Celestia: “It appears that you know about my specialty, princess. Well, by all means, let me give you a second demonstration… with her.” And he turned to Adagio, who was really scared by what just happened. Steps were listened and Aspen, followed by the others, get in, having also get ridded of Petal Sprout’s clones. “Where is Ulysses?” the king deer asked. “Where is he?!” Seeing Green Spear and his bodyguards still trapped by the clones, Shining used his magic to release them, while Mystic Heart also got in. Then, Aspen turned to Hard Stone, who was still floating in the air, asked him: “Hard Stone, where is Ulysses?” Without undoing his smirk, Hard Stone replied: “I turn that brat into dust” he replied. “How dare you?!” Aspen exclaimed. “I wanted to take him down! You had no right to…” “You still have a chance” a voice replied. “So quick whining, King Aspen.” And, before them, hoovering at the ceiling, was the General of Chaos, who was carrying Ulysses, who was unconscious. “The General of Chaos…” Twilight said, with her rage starting to rise up. “Twily, no” Blue said to her. “You’re still very weak.” “Don’t worry, I didn’t come here to fight you” the General of Chaos said. “I just came here to explain something to you all and, once you understand it, I’ll ask you question.” It was the first time that Celestia was seeing the General of Chaos, but she didn’t know why but he really seemed familiar to her, although she couldn’t see what. “What is it?” Aspen asked. “It’s about my master’s plan” the General asked. “It’s time for you all to know about it.”