//------------------------------// // Rescuing the Pillars // Story: My Little Mage: The Play of Shadows // by Foxhelm //------------------------------// Everyone looked at each other and at the pillars, “Uh... what just happened?” Rainbow asked the question on everyone’s mind. Flash flew up and flew around the stone circle. After he finished his flight, he landed in the center of the circle.“I am going to go out on a limb and say that we witnessed Star Swirl casting a spell that banished the Nightstalker in order to save Mystica from whatever that abomination had planned, sacrificing himself and the other Pillars in order to do so.” Starlight looked over the pillar where the image of Star Swirl was projected. “But how did we see it? I am mean it’s been over two thousand years since that spell was cast.” Twilight and Rarity shrugged their shoulders, neither having an idea of how the projection was cast. Sunburst was holding his chin in thought. His eyes suddenly shot wide open as he snapped his fingers, “Of course!” Everyone turned their attention to the wizard. “The Grandehedge is a place of power. Whenever the powerful magic that resides here is used the stones themselves record it.” Sunburst said as he walked over to the pillar that Twilight placed the tome on. He then back to everyone “Not only that, the spell itself would leave an impression on this place. Bringing the book back here must have the trigger for here let us see what happened.” “So what’s next?” Applejack asked. “Ah for one say we should head home and get some real rest Ah got a date with the Sandman.” Applejack then yawned and stretched her arms and back. Shortly after dawn the next day back in the Castle of Friendship, both Starlight and Sunburst were walking in one of the halls. “It's amazing to think one of the greatest mysteries of Mystica was solved with a musty old book from an antique shop.” the binder commented as the two were heading towards the library. Sunburst shook his head and took off his glasses, “I wouldn't say the mystery's solved. We still have no idea where the Pillars took the Nightstalker.” “The Pillars?” Starlight asked in confusion with a raised eyebrow. Sunburst looked at Starlight in utter bewilderment, “Um… Mistmane, Meadowbrook, Rockfoot, Flash Magnus, Somnambula and Star Swirl, they are collectively known as the Pillars of Legend, or the Pillars for short.” Sunburst explained. Starlight just stared at him, like he was talking about something he stumbled upon in an antique shop. Sunburst took off his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose and gave a sigh. “You really need to read up on history.” He then put his glasses back on. “That being said, the spell Star Swirl cast that night was one of the most powerful feats of magic in all of history.” He stopped and started to rub his chin in thought, “It'll take years of study before we fully understand it.” Just then Twilight flung open the doors to the library with a massive grin on her face. She leaped out. “I think I understand Star Swirl's spell!” Sunburst and Starlight looked at each other and sighed together, “Of course she would.” An hour or so later that day, Twilight, her friends, Starlight and Sunburst, were seated at the Aura Map with many books around it. “I know I've finished one of Star Swirl's spells before, but this one was on a whole different level!” Twilight started as she got out of her throne and flew around the table, levitating in her wake several books in her excitement. “Was it an explosion of magical feedback? An evocation? A kind of incantation? It's Star Swirl, so the possibilities are endless!” Twilight then flew to be right in front of Starlight, “And once Starlight set me on the right track with his crazy handwriting –” Twilight then started to laugh with a noticeable snort in her laughter. “I mean, he was a genius, so I guess we can forgive a little messiness –” Twilight then flew to be in front of Applejack and summoned Star Swirl’s book to her and brought it to right in Applejack’s face. “I went through the journal again, and it's amazing!” In her excitement, she bopped Applejack in the face before she flew to be in the center of the room and was looking at the pages of the tome giddier than a schoolgirl. “Twilight, darling. We understand you're excited,” Rarity spoke as Applejack rubbed her nose, and everyone was at a loss of what Twilight was so excited. “but that's all we understand.” the enchantress stated bluntly. Rainbow then got out of her throne and stretched her back, “Yeah, what exactly is so amazing?” Twilight then flew to have her face right in Rainbow’s “Only how Star Swirl and the other Pillars sent the Nightstalker to Limbo!” the demigod declared as she was almost nose to nose with Rainbow. “Um, Sugarcube, you really need to work on your personal space.” Applejack said which got Twilight to nervously ‘tehe’ as she flew back into her throne. “But what did they do again?” Twilight levitated to herself a diorama of Grandehendge. She then pulled her hands together above the diorama and pulled them apart. In the space between her hands what seemed to be a ball of darkness appeared, but it was more a darkness of an absence of everything then the lack of a reflection of light. “They used their magic to open a portal between worlds – to Limbo – and pulled the Nightstalker inside.” As Twilight spoke the hole seemed to get bigger and bigger until it poofed shut taking the diorama to some void. “Darling, your diorama!” Rarity all but gasped as they all witnessed the disappearance of the diramona. “I made more!” Twilight brushed Rarity’s concern off with her expression of sheer joke and excitement as she pointed to a pile of replicas of the diorama, a couple fell to the floor with a clatter. After everyone turned their attention back to Twilight, the demigod opened the tome, “Star Swirl thought the only way to stop the Nightstalker was to trap it in Limbo and for the Pillars to take him there, in order to do so taking themselves to Limbo as well.” “The Nightstalker must have been really awful for them to do that.” Fluttershy shivered at the thought of what would convince six people to send themselves to another realm to contain another being. As Twilight was hovering over the table, Pinkie stepped on it and began to walk on it, “I suppose being trapped for all time with a super-duper bad guy in Limbo might be okay if you were doing the limbo,” She said as did the limbo as she walked under Twilight, “but that's still pushing it.” she finished with a shoulder shrug. “The thing is, I think I can get them out,” Twilight said as flew back to her throne. Sunburst’s jaw dropped before he closed it with his hand, “Twilight, are you serious?” he asked in utter amazement. “You can save the most legendary people of all time?” Starlight shook her head facing the floor in doubt. “I don't know. Opening portals between worlds didn't work out well for me. Are you sure it's safe? Twilight flew to be above the table, holding the spell book in her left arm. She then pointed her right hand at Starlight, “First of all, you opened portals through time, not space. And second of all, Star Swirl wrote the spell you used to do it.” As Twilight spoke, Starlight lowered her head in shame not unlike she was about to cry. Twilight was oblivious or ambivalent to her friend’s state as she focused on the tome and continued, “If he'd been here, he could have stopped it. Mystica would be safer with him in it. We have to save him.” “But you'd be savin' all the Pillars, right?” Applejack asked getting Twilight’s attention back to everyone else in the room. “And they disappeared millennia ago.” Applejack pointed out and shivered at the thought that this might be a fruitless endeavor as the Pillars might be dead. Twilight sat down and opened another book after she found the page she was looking for she levitated the book to the paladin. “That's the thing about Limbo. It exists outside of the four dimensions that make of our Space-Time continuum, in fact, it exists outside of all ten dimensions that we can fathom. If we can pull them out, or more accurately pull them back into this space-time continuum, for them it'll be like they never left.” Twilight informed as the paladin read the bookmarked pages. “I actually built another model to demonstrate—” Before Twilight could continue, Rainbow groaned and slammed her head on the table with a thud. As Twilight was about to say something to Rainbow, Spike placed his claw on her arm, “What can we do to help?” he asked defusing a potential situation. Twilight nodded and opened Star Swirl’s spell book, “If I'm right, we need to find items that are connected to the Pillars in some way. Namely the items that were used along with this spell book for the spell. Luckily, we already have a lead on Netitus's location, as well as Mage Meadowbrook’s mask." Starlight raised a hand, “Netitus?” the binder questioned. “That’s the name of Flash Magnus’ shield.” Rainbow informed as she raised her head in slight frustration, “Seriously, you claimed a stick was one of Mage Meadowbrook’s artifacts, one would think you’d know a lot more about the other artifacts of our world.” Twilight then coughed with an ‘ahem’ and got everyone’s focus back to her. “In addition to that Star Swirl took a lot of notes.” Twilight paused before she started to read from the tome, "My compatriots are as varied as the realm itself and hail from every corner of our land, bringing with them artifacts and talismans of great power." As Twilight spoke she seemed to be oblivious to the shimmering of the map. Everyone else was shocked as they saw five golden orbs appear, “Um, Twilight? What are you doing?” Starlight asked for everyone as they watched on. Twilight looked up from the tome with a confused look, “I'm not doing anything,” She stated before she gasped as she as witnessed what everyone else saw. Just then the five orbs revealed an image in them, a shovel, a mask, a shield, a potted flower, and a blindfold. Applejack followed the orb with the shovel as it hovered above the northeastern fjords south of Gryphonstone, “Rockfoot's shovel!” Rainbow followed the image of the shield as it hovered over the eastern peninsula, “Flash Magnus' shield!” Rarity’s eyes followed the potted flower as it went over to the southwestern coast, “Mistmane's flower!” Fluttershy eyes followed the mask to the southwestern bayou, “Meadowbrook's mask!” Finally, Pinkie watched as the blindfold hovered over the pyramids of the southern desert just to the northeast of Alfheim. “And the blindfold Somnambula wore when she faced that nasty sphinx!” Twilight was utterly perplexed that Netitus was in the Dragonlands, she could have sworn she saw the shield much closer to home. Before she could speak, “Twilight, here is the shield you asked for…” came Flash Sentry’s voice as he walked in with what looked like Netitus on his left arm. Flash trailed off as he saw what was projected on the map. “Um...okay, what did I miss?” Twilight turned from the map to Flash, “Wait if Netitus is in the middle of the Dragon Lands, then what is this?" she asked as she pointed to the shield Flash had on. Flash was dumbfounded at first, after a second of thought, “Wait you thought,” he started before everything seemed to sink in. “Oh, no. This is just a replica,” he said as he nodded to the shield. He then rubbed the back of his head with his right hand, “You see there’s this old family story on my mom’s side that not only do I descend from Flash Magnus, but after Netitus was lost, this replica was forged.” Flash then gave a nervous chuckle, “Of course, until today, I thought that all that were just stories.” Twilight’s eyes shot open and flew towards Flash, "Why didn't you say so earlier?" she asked as she looked at the replica than to the projection on the map and back a bit of annoyance in her tone. Flash tilted his head slightly to the right in slight bewilderment, "It never really came up until now.” he answered as he raised his head back up. He then narrowed his eyes in question, “And how should’ve I told you?” he asked before he rolled his eyes as if he knew he wasn’t going to get an answer. “ ‘Hey check out my shield, it’s a based off of Netitus, the shield of Flash Magnus,’ ‘No it’s not Netitus, it’s a...well, a knockoff based on a legend.’” he commented his tone was clearly sarcastic boarding on sardonic. “And when would I have told you?” “When you first took me antiquing?” Twilight countered with a raised voice. “As entertaining as the sweet nothings of this lovers’ spat are, I have a question.” Everyone stopped as they saw Discord appear floating above the table as he called out to Twilight, in a more draconic version of his natural form. “Is there a plan to get to the general area of each of these knick-knacks and back here, because if you had to go on foot, fly, take a train, it would take days.” the Erisedies pointed out. Rarity smirked, “Well since you still owe five favors, I’ll cash in mine.” the enchantress started. “Actually you already did, remember the whole Punk Rock thing because we each got the wrong soap from Zecora. You asked him to restore your hair after the photoshoot.” Pinkie pointed out. “Well, that still leaves, mine, Twilight’s, Rainbow’s and yours, Pinkie.” Applejack pointed out and sighed. “Ah don’t really want to do this. But Discord, Ahm cashing in my favor. Ah wanna tah cast a spell that will teleport each of us to our destination and teleport back here with the artifacts a couple of seconds after we each acquire the one we are looking for.” As Discord was about to snap his talon. “Now before you do that, give us a few minutes to come up with a plan.” Discord huffed in disapproval. Applejack dismissed it as she continued. “We might want to send some sort of note to someone in the places we’re headin’,” Applejack said as she gestured to the map. “that might help?” Applejack pointed out. She looked at the projection of Rockfoot’s shovel and started to scratch her head, “I think there’s a girl with that Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo helped that has a real knack for archaeology and Ah think there’s a dig going on at the fjords.” “You mean Petunia Paleo?” Twilight and Rainbow asked. “She’s there under the tutelage of Professor Fossil.” The two continued to speak together. The two then stopped as Twilight turned to the elementalist. “How do you know about Professor Fossil?” Twilight asked Rainbow. “I know about her because she was a guest lecture Rainbow rolled her eyes as she flew over to the collection of book and pulled out “She’s in the person A.K. Yearling dedicated the second Daring Do book.” “Speaking about A.K. Yearling, isn’t Daring Do still in Somnambula?” Pinkie asked as she looked over the projection of the blindfold and the pyramids. Rainbow nodded a ‘yes’. “I sure Cattail wouldn’t mind another visit,” Fluttershy commented as she looked over the bayous. “I’m on it,” Spike said as he was composing letters. Twilight took a moment to look at the map, focusing on the peninsula known as the Dragon Lands. “Spike, also write a message to Ember, let her know Rainbow, Flash and you will be going.” “What?” Rainbow and Flash asked together and continued to speak in unison, “Seriously, you think I/she needs him/me? Do you not know what I/she has done? I am/She is a Wonderbolt. I/She doesn’t need him/me to help me/her.” The two then turned to face each other. “You think that I don’t need you?” Rainbow asked taken aback, not sure if she was being complimented. “Yeah, I do Blunderbolt,” Flash said with a nod. Twilight nodded, “I know you can handle things on your own Rainbow, but Spike is the emissary to the Dragon Lands and even if Ember does let you through, there are still dragons that don’t like us and Flash’s boons might be helpful.” Twilight pointed out, her focus on Flash’s sword as she spoke the last part. “Well, if when you’re ready, the sooner your done with this project, the sooner Fluttershy and I can have our Tuesday Tea.” Discord said as he seemed to just appear on Flash’s head in the shape of a rabbit walking on two legs dressed in a red tailcoat as he pulled out a pocket watch. “We have a very important date.” “But it’s Sunday.” Twilight pointed out. Discord vanished and reappeared in his human form, “Do you want my help or not?” he asked bluntly. Before Twilight could reply, “Let it go Sugarcube, we’ve got heroes to save.” Applejack pointed out. About an hour and a half later at the excavation site indicated on the Aura Map indicated by the projection of Rockfoot’s shovel, a young Earthborn girl, no older than 12 had finished brushing of dirt revealing a helmet with what seemed to be wings on the side. The girl squealed in delight as she knew what she found, a signature headpiece of the Mighty Helm. “Professor!” she called as an older woman in her late fifties early sixties approached. “It's a Mighty headpiece!” the girl declared as the professor, Professor Fossil looked at the helm more closely. “Maybe it belonged to an einherjar or maybe a skjaldmær!” the girl surmised as she seemed to just explode in joy. She gasped, “Maybe even to Rockfoot himself!” she shouted as she tugged at the professor’s arm child-like. Professor Fossil shock her head with a small closed-eyed smile, marveling at her youngest student’s excitement, “Legends don't wear helmets.” She said as she readjusted her glasses and pat the girl on the head, “This belonged to a real person.” “Oh, I can guarantee Rockfoot was as real as you and me.” Applejack said as she walked over to the two. “But Ah can tell ya right off the cuff this isn’t Rockfoot, he never wore a helm.” Applejack said with just a glance at the helm. Before the girl could pout, “But ya know what Sugarcube, this did belong to someone and the fact you found it means he or she is not forgotten.” The girl smiled and hugged Applejack. “Ah take it you got the letter from Princess Twilight.” “I have, however, if I may say that if you believe that Rockfoot, I suppose you believe that ravine” Fossil said as she pointed towards the large break in the land that almost separated the village from the rest of the small peninsula that the fjord surrounded. “was dug with his trusty shovel to save the village from an erupting volcano.” Fossil then chuckled. Applejack nodded. Fossil chuckled again and then took a breath. “Now I love an old legend as much as anyone. But a man strong enough to save a village from rushing lava with a shovel is…” she paused as she readjusted her glasses, “preposterous.” At that moment there was a small shake in the earth. “Everyone stay calm.” Elsewhere at the dig as the quake ended a large boulder was loosened and began to roll towards a group of the diggers. They yielded in fear. Applejack gasped and ran to intercept the boulder. She got in front of it and pushed against the boulder straining and grunting as she was able to bring it to a stop. Applejack then lifted the boulder, clearly pushing herself farther than she probably should, and threw it into the waters of the fjord. Everyone was absolutely flabbergasted as the paladin wiped the sweat off of her brow and rubbed her muscles. “I can't believe you just did that.” Fossil said as she was the first to find her words. “Y-You saved us!” Applejack smirked in return, “I suppose a retort of ‘If I told anyone else the story, it might sound preposterous’.” Applejack nodded with her smirk. Just then one of the other diggers at the site pointed what was behind the boulder. Everyone went to see and saw that it was a tomb, but inside it, there wasn't a body or other remains but instead a shovel, with a longer than average shaft. “I suppose some stories might be true…” Professor Fossil commented as she started to read the runes, near the entrance as Applejack went for the shovel itself. Applejack looked at the shovel in awe and then took a moment to look at the tomb and everything in it, namely the engraved image of Rockfoot. It wasn’t until now she actually accepted the stories her mother told her and her brother. “And Rockfoot’s is one of them.” she muttered as a tear rolled down her check. “You were right, Ma.” Applejack whispered. Before she could do anything else the shovel began to levitate on its own and placed itself in her hands. At about the same time as Applejack was in the tomb of Rockfoot, Rarity was opening a large wooden after she shut the gate behind her, she gasped. The place was overgrown, and the wooden buildings seemed to be in disrepair. “This place has clearly seen better days,” the enchantress said as she then spotted in the potted flower that had been Mistmane’s artifact, despite being over two thousand years old was still very much as it was when Mistmane cased the spell that stripped her of beauty and youth as the legend indicated. Rarity walked up to the flower and reached her hand out to the flower. Just before she could touch it, a hand spade smacked her hand. “Ow!” “You keep those hooves to yourself, dearie!” an older woman in her late seventies dressed in dark grey kimono stepped to be between Rarity and the flower. “This place has been in my family for generations,” she declared as she pointed to the overall place, the Far Eastern Gardens, “and I'm not about to let some whippersnapper take the last good piece of it!” she said as she pointed the shade into Rarity’s face. The old gardener then signed as she saw that Rarity had taken a step back, “Time was, people came from far and wide to see these gardens. But that flower's the only worthwhile thing left!” Rarity looked around and then smiled as she had an idea. Her focus gem then started to glow as gardening and building repair equipment began to levitate. Rarity guided the equipment to clear out the garden and repair the buildings restoring it all to their cleared-up state. Rarity whipped her forehead of the sweat that formed due to her spells. As the last piece of equipment was returned to where Rarity summoned it. “Perhaps it just seemed like your gardens were worthless. But a little pruning can work wonders.” As the gardener recovered from the sight of the restored garden, she shed a tear. The two then looked at the flower, “Of course you will have to look after more than just one flower now.” The gardener nodded and with a smile picked up the potted flower, “You've given me back so much of my family's legacy.” She then handed the flower to Rarity. “I suppose Mistmane’s Flower seems like a fair trade for that. It would be in the hands of someone that seems to understand her more than one of her great-nieces.” Rarity accepted the flower. Once it her hands it started to glow golden. Just as Rarity was accepting the flower, among the tall grass near an actual bayou shore a man with a long beard and tied blonde beard and hair in his mid-forties, dressed to fit the swamp-like environment, the most noticeable thing he wore was green vest, a golden necklace and worn plague mask shaded not unlike a parrot’s but colored yellow and blue. Not far above him was a beehive, but the bees that lived in it weren’t normal bees as they were yellow and blue and seemed to glow, flash bees. As the bees noticed him they flew towards him and hovered in front of him as if they were entranced. From the grass, Fluttershy slowly flew towards the tree the hive hang from. “Just remember not to turn away from them, Cattail.” the druid told the man. “Flash bees can get pretty aggressive. I guess that's why none of the other bayou animals can get to the water,” she said as she looked back to the animals, snakes, frogs, waterfowl, alligators, etc, all of which were hiding from the bees. As the recently identified Cattail waved his arms and tried to dance around like a bee while keeping his face forward towards the flash bees. “Wouldn't it make more sense for you to wear the mask that calms the bees?” he asked, the nervousness in his voice was unmistakable. Fluttershy nodded, “It would…” she trailed off as she took the hive and began to fly to a higher branch which the hive could attach to and would be so that the bees wouldn’t feel threatened by the other animals. “if I didn't have to fly up here to move their hive. There!” the druid informed as she secured the hive and flew back into the grass. Cattail then joined her, hiding in the brush. The flash bees then flew away back to their hive, not seeming to notice that the hive was much higher than it was before. “Now the other bayou creatures can get to the water without the bees feeling threatened,” Fluttershy said as the animals all seemed to get back to their bayou. Their mutual peace still in play. Cattail took off the mask and handed it to Fluttershy, “You know, you didn't have to help with this. I would've given you the mask anyway, I’m sure Meadowbrook wouldn’t mind you having it.” Fluttershy nodded with a smile on her face, “I know. But I couldn't leave without helping you out with this first.” the druid pointed out as she accepted the mask and hugged Cattail. Just then the mask started to glow with a golden light. As Cattail was handing Mage Meadowbrook’s healer’s mask to Fluttershy, inside one of the pyramids of the city of Somnambula a group of the residents of the town were watching from the ledge as Daring Do was pumping air into a long tube that went into the pool of what would be best described as green slime. “I don't think anybody can find anything in there.”One of the villagers commented. “If my little girl is right about her friend, I wouldn't give up hope.” the archaeologist/writer said as she continued to pump air. Just then there was a sudden pop, like an air bubble in a sink just burst and the slime started to drain almost taking the pump that Daring Do was using with it and would have if Daring had not made sure her foot was down. As the last of the slime drained an old-fashioned diving suit claimed out, noted by the large brazen head. In the left hand was a slime covered blindfold. “I found it, Daring!” came the voice of Pinkie from the suit as she opened the front of the diving mask. “Someone let it get stuck in the drain.” “Told ya,” Daring said as she turned to the villager that express doubt of Pinkie’s success as they helped the jester out of the emptied pooled. Just as Pinkie was back on the level everyone was on the blindfold start to glow, like the other three artifacts. As all the events Flash and Rainbow flew with Spike on Flash’s back as the sentinel had the replica of Netitus on his left arm. In addition to his shield, Flash has his sword and a hand-crossbow on his belt. “So that’s a fake?” Rainbow asked as she looked over the shield, “It’s spot on to the legend.” Flash nodded, “I’ve always thought that the legend of Netitus was made up after this shield was made.” Flash took a look at his shield and then to the area they were flying over. A frown then formed on his face. “But if the legend of Flash Magnus is true then it’s true that one of my mother’s so many great uncles had the shield when he disappeared here, likely to his death.” All three were silent for a moment as they continued to fly and look around. “You sure that Ember is okay with this?” Rainbow asked Spike point blank. Spike closed his eyes and nodded, “Of course, given that Netitus is technically Flash’s and dragons have a big thing on property rights.” Rainbow smiled at that not looking forward, “LOOK OUT!” shouted Flash as suddenly Rainbow was pulled into a roll and the two crashed on the ground. Flash underneath Rainbow and his right leg looked like it was not bending the way it should. As Rainbow looked at the leg she saw burns. “Well, well, well, look who I found, the purple puny phony and two useless humans.” Spike and Rainbow turned to see a red dragon walking on all for legs look down at them from a jettison of rocks. “Garble,” both Rainbow and Spike hissed. “You know that Dragon Lord Ember gave us the go-ahead to be here,” Spike added as Rainbow hovered her left hand over her bow ready to draw it from her waist quiver. Garble then reached to his back with his right talon, “She sent me to give you a warm welcome.” the red dragon chuckled at his own joke. He then showed what he was reaching for. “Also said I should give you this.” Then he revealed the item… “Netitus!” Rainbow shouted as she stepped forward, her right hand reached out to accept it. Unbeknownst to her Garble was inhaling as he was about to exhale flame. “SKYBOOM SHIELD!!!” Flash shouted as he managed to just barely get in front from Rainbow and shield her from the dragon’s fiery breath. “Hot! Hot! Hot! Hot!” Flash shouted as the heat of the flame radiated and conducted through the shield itself and his arm. Once Garble’s breath died down, Flash’s shield was all but melted as the sentinel rapidly discarded it as he fell down and grabbed his broken leg. “So much for the knight in shining armor.” Garble laughed at the sight as Rainbow as she went to tend to the Flash. “You know this not being very friendly.” Spike’s voice was barely heard by Rainbow as she looked at Flash and then to her hands seeing that there was nothing she could do. “Dragon Lord Ember will not like this.” Spike continued to talk back to Garble. All the while Rainbow couldn’t fathom what to do. Rainbow then saw Flash reach out and touch her bow and her right hand, as the star on his sword’s pummel flashed, “requiem blaster.” Flash whispered. Rainbow eyelids then shot open as her eyes started to glow the colors of the rainbow as did her fingernails as the air around her started to give off a charge as if the gas was being converted into plasma. She took her bow and aimed it straight to at Garble’s mouth as he laughed at Spike, not taking the younger dragon seriously. “HEY, WORM!” Rainbow shouted as drew the ‘string’ of her bow and seven arrows, each one a color of the rainbow, and they grew intensity. “TASTE THE RAINBOW, MOTHER FUCKER!!!” she shouted as let loose her arrows. The arrows struck Garble knocking the dragon back. As the dragon fell he lost his grip on the shield as he fell backward into a ravine. The surge that Rainbow felt then subsided, “What just happened?” “I think Flash transferred one of his boons to you.” Spike surmised as he went over to the shield as Rainbow then turned to Flash. “Specifically ‘Requiem Blaster’, I actually just earned it,” Flash said as he was gritting through the pain. “Glad it paid off,” he smirked. “I owe you...,” Rainbow said as she tried to lift Flash up to be a sort of human crutch. “Crash” Flash cut her off and before Rainbow could ask for clarity or accuse him of calling her by her Wonderbolt nickname, “Crash Sentry, I got that when on my first day of boot camp. I was so excited I crashed into my drill instructor, needless to say, my ass was grass for my entire time there.” Flash then tried to chuckle through the pain he was in. “Rainbow Crash,” Rainbow confessed, “On the first day as an actual Wonderbolt, I was so excited about being one finally that I forgot to look both ways before crossing the runway. After an approach was called to my attention, I jumped out of the way, but I ended up crashing into a trash can.” she explained before Spike arrived with the shield. “You earned this,” Rainbow said as she was about to take move Flash’s arm to take the shield, but Flash took it back. “No, it’s yours now, Crash,” Flash said somewhat dismissively as Spike handed the shield to Rainbow. “Let’s get you to a medic, Crash,” Rainbow said as accepted the shield as it took on a golden glow. At the site of Grandehedge, about an hour later, Starlight, Sunburst and Twilight had cleared out all of the brush and growth returning the stone circle to just short of its state before it was overgrown, “I can't believe I'm gonna meet Star Swirl the Great!” Twilight said as she flew to Sunburst as he was looking at the center stone pool. “You know, outside of my dreams,” she said as she batted her eyes in a bedroom eye like manner. Sunburst nervously laughed as he took a step back. Starlight then tabbed on Twilight’s shoulder sparing Sunburst from the situation, “I can't believe you're actually going through with it.” Starlight said as she then leaned against one of the pillars. Before Twilight could ask what the binder meant, “Now I’m all for pushing the envelope, obviously,” she clarified as she knew her past, “but this is pretty out there for you, Twilight.” She continued as she pointed out how different this was from Twilight’s own. Sunburst took off and readjusted his glasses, “What's "out there" about saving the most legendary people of all time from a thousands-year-old prison?” The wizard asked as he pointed out the intended goal. Starlight was taken aback at that retort, “Well... nothing when you say it like that.” She had to confess, “Unless quote "the most legendary people of all time" unquote knew what they were doing, and we shouldn't mess with it.” Starlight pointed out, recalling everything they saw the night before. Sunburst leaned against the ring in the center of the hedge, “I'm sure Star Swirl and the Pillars did the best they could back then,” the wizard acknowledged his oldest friends point, “but magic has come a long way over the last two thousand years. Mostly because of the work they did.” he countered “That's true.” Starlight acknowledged with a nod, “And you did get your wings from finishing one of Star Swirl's spells.” she said as she pointed out Twilight’s ascension in part because she finished a spell that had Star Swirl stumped. Before Twilight or Sunburst could reply, “But then I messed with one and nearly destroyed the universe, so…” she trailed off hoping that Sunburst and Twilight would connect the dots. Twilight shook her head in disagreement, “Starlight, Star Swirl’s the greatest wizard who ever lived. The chance to have him back in Mystica is worth the risk.” she said as she placed the spellbook at the base of the pillar Star Swirl stood in front of. “That's good news.” Came Spike’s voice as he and Rainbow flew into the area. “Otherwise, we'd have brought this shield for nothing.” the elementalist said as she placed Netitus on at the base of the pillar Flash Magnus stood in front of. Twilight looked around and noticed the absence of Flash Sentry, “Where’s Flash?” she asked. Rainbow rubbed the back of her head with her right hand, “About that,” she then gave a nervous laugh before she continued, “he kind of got his leg broken saving my rear from dragon fire…” she said as she looked to the ground in slight shame. “Literally.” Spike continued where Rainbow left off, “So he’s at Magiville General getting a cast on.” Pinkie then popped out from Sunburst’s cape causing the wizard to almost screamed as he stumbled and landed on his rear at a complete loss of words, seems to do what everyone has always said not to do. Pinkie, however, kept her focus on Rainbow and Twilight, “You know what’s odd? Whenever Flash takes a part of a story, he’s often taken out, or he’s conveniently occupied with something else.” the trickster asked as she skipped to the pillar that Somnaumbla’s image appeared. “Good thing Daring Do was still in Somnamubla to help me get this. Oh and Dashie, your mom said ‘hi, I love you and congrats on becoming a Wonderbolt, your biological father would be so proud of you, so how is that debate with Quibble going?” She then pulled out of her hair the blindfold. Pinkie then turned to face you, the reader, “Just to be clear I was talking about the city. It would totally weird if I was talking about the person.” She then held her chin in thought, “Although it’s going to be very confusing once we successfully rescue the person from Limbo,” She then shrugged her shoulders and placed the blindfold at the base of the pillar. “oh well.” “Well, Ah’m glad yah both got yahr artifacts.” Applejack said as she arrived at the site and placed Rockfoot’s shovel at the pillar that the giant of a man stood when he and the others banished the Nightstalker. “So that’s four down.” the paladin pointed out as she counted everyone at the site, namely those with artifacts. “So we’re waiting for Fluttershy and Rarity.” “I’m here.” came the typically timid druid said as she almost silently floating down to the site wearing the mask of Meadowbrook. She then took off the mask and placed it at the pillar that Meadowbrook stood in front of the night the Nightstalker was banished. “That’s five and ever late,” Applejack said as she pointed to pillar that Mistmane stood in front of. “Honestly, Applejack,” the enchantress said with a laugh, “if one must be late, then one must be fashionable,” Rarity said as she brushed her hair back before placing the flower at the base of the pillar. “We’re six for six, Twilight.” “Good work, everyone,” Twilight said as she looked at each of her friends and smiled. She turned to face the pillar that Star Swirl stood. She was then joined by Rarity, Sunburst, and Starlight. “Let's do this!” Twilight, Rarity, and Sunburst then sent their magic into the tome, Starlight groaned as she added her magic. After about thirty seconds of the magic striking the tome, a golden light then shot from the tome in the reverse order the light that was part of the spell to banish the Nightstalker did. In less than ten seconds, about five feet above the top of their respective pillars, Star Swirl, Flash Magnus, Somnambula, Rockfoot, Meadowbrook and Mistmane appear. Quickly each other bearers of the Elements of Harmony caught either physically or through use of magic the Pillar whose artifact they recovered and got them safely to the ground. As the six Pillars started to wake, “What... What has happened?” Star Swirl asked, clearly still in some sort of stupor. “It worked!” Twilight cheered before she rushed over and hugged Star Swirl, not unlike a child that thought they did a really good thing and wanted an affectionate pat on the head, “We brought you back!” she declared as she ended the hug and gave a big closed eye, closed mouth smile to Star Swirl. The old wizard was utterly baffled at what just happened and started to look around in confusion, “To where?” he asked. Twilight, with the grin on her face and eyes still closed, “Well it was rather straightforward once you account for all eleven dimensions.” She started. “Dimensions? What is a dimension?” the old wizard asked bewildered by the term. “While really important, but right now, as Applejack said, I’ll K.I.S.S…” “K.I.S.S.?” Rainbow asked Applejack. “Keep it short and simple, you’re the one in the military here, and yet you have the hardest time with acronyms.” The paladin pointed out. Rainbow raised her hand and opened her mouth, but quickly shut it as she had no reply that would save face. “Anyway, you and the others have been trapped in Limbo for over two thousand years, but I figured out how to get you ho—” Twilight continued as if uninterrupted as Star Swirl finally recognized where he was. “What?!” the old man shouted as he broke the demigoddess from her lecture. “No, no, no, no!” he started to panic as he looked around and his vision finally recognized the other five pillars. He turned back to Twilight, “You must undo what you've done! “What? Why? I mean, I don't think I can.” Twilight started as she took a step back not unlike a child afraid of a scolding from an irate parent. “You cannot bring us back!” Star Swirl shouted as he pulled at his hair clearly irritated. “But I did.” Twilight counted as she pointed out each of the other five Pillars. “I brought all the Pillars back.” Star Swirl shook his head before he looked squarely at Twilight, a just anger in his eyes, “You cannot bring only the Pillars back!” he declared just as clouds began to form and lightning stroke. Everyone turned to see a black sphere appear in the center of the stone circle as the triumphant laughter of the Nightstalker was heard before the sphere morphed into the Nightstalker as he was when he was banished. “Oh, no!” Twilight gasped in horror as she just realized what she did.