Chapter Ninety-nine
Eclipse Castle; Balcony
Rainbow Dash
After everything, we were still going to die. We staged a resistance. We made it to the capital. We killed the queen. And we were still going to get killed by her last assault either way. The others couldn't reach us in time, and we were too weak to kill one light beast, let alone a hundred. They were too close for us to try running, we'd all be devoured by the time we reached the door again. It was over.
Despite everything, I still had some tears left in my system. One rolled down my cheek, and I grabbed Applejack's hand. "I'm so sorry, AJ... I tried my best, I really did..."
"I know ya did, partner, I know..." She wrapped an arm around me. "I love you."
"I love you too... I'm not going to let Celestia have this victory though. I'm going to go down swinging. Let's kill as many as we can, AJ. Everyone. Let's not give Celestia the satisfaction of seeing us go down without a fight. Let's go down heroes for those that are still here."
Applejack nodded, and we both wearily hefted our weapons. Slowly but surely, the other Elements did the same, even Fluttershy. "Luna..." she started, "I want you to go back. Find someone else in the army. They'll take care of you."
Luna shook her head, crying. "No! We won't let anyone else die for us! Ooh, why does it have to be us... Why can't we just..."
I sighed. "Sorry, kid. I wish it could be different. But you'll be alright. You deserve that much. Now go, get to the others, quick."
No one moved. The light beasts began to stalk forward, ready to kill, and I knew I couldn't do anything to change Luna's mind. Some big brother I turned out to be...
"Hey, wait just a minute!" a quite unfamiliar female voice yelled from behind us, back in the hall. I only turned my head fractionally, but watched as a woman in a pretty white dress and with cute green hair strode past me. I guessed she was around thirty, or maybe forty, and her clothing was occasionally complimented by seashells. She carried herself lightly, but confidently.
"Hate to steal your thunder after that speech, but you're sitting this one out." She cast out her arms, as though to take on the whole mob of light beasts herself. "So step back, and watch the big boys play!"
"Sounds like she's quotin' somethin'." Applejack commented.
"I agree..." said Twilight, "but I don't recognize the words. She looks like she might be from Ivoire, so maybe it's from a foreign book."
A light beast decided to make a lunge for the woman, but she beat it back with an impressive lightning spell. "Sorry I'm a little late." she apologized, "I wanted to make it to get a shot at this tyrannical queen, but I guess I can still help save the day again, anyway." She turned around, giving us a genuine smile with large, bright eyes. "My name's Marona, by the way. Nice to meet you!"
"Wait, ma'am," I started. "You don't mean to say you're going to fight all these light beasts yourself, do you?"
She giggled. "Not quite. Me and my friends will take them!" Marona did a little spin, her hands raised in the air. "Valiant phantoms, aid me in battle! Chartreuse Gale!"
At the word 'phantoms', my heart skipped a beat, and I wasn't disappointed. A conversely very familiar voice sounded from between my head and Applejack's: "What'd I tell you guys? I'd be back in time to take my share, right? And here I am!"
We both twisted around, and I had a huge grin on my face. We were going to make it. Ultraviolet was here to save us. I watched as a blue light pulsed from where the voice had come from, and my brother materialized in it's place. He reached down and took his old sword from my hand, hefted it over his shoulder, and moved over to join Marona. I quickly saw that he wasn't the only one; at least twenty other warriors, mages and a few inhuman creatures moved over and stood with her. The odds looked a lot better now that Vi was here, but that was still almost five light beasts per fighter. Not impossible if they worked together, but they were going to need to be careful all the same.
"Alright, guys, let's make this nice and clean." Marona instructed. "Use teamwork and take one at a time, okay? No unnecessary risks."
Fluttershy shuffled forward a step. "But, I don't understand... Was it your brother's... phantom, that told her this was happening now? How did she know to come here?"
"It was him, and me." yet another voice answered, and the little fuzzy form of Angel scurried into view from the passage behind us. The phantoms had already begun fighting the light beasts, and Angel held his scythe at the ready. "When I reached Ivoire for safety, I still couldn't just leave. I had to try and help. So I found a hero to help us, one that wouldn't want anything in return but to make sure the world was safe. And miss Marona told me she would help, so we came back home!"
"Oh, Angel!" Fluttershy exclaimed in joy, and wrapped him up in a big hug. "You're amazing! You saved us all! Oh, I love you so much, when we get back I'm making you a great big cake!"
"Careful, everyone." Twilight warned. "We're still very outnumbered. Keep your wits about you, we may still need to do a bit of fighting..."
I watched with interest as the battle progressed. Marona was a brilliant leader, never needing to shout very much, and her troops fought efficiently and without complaint. I supposed the fact that they were already dead meant that they didn't have much risk. Ultraviolet had only sharpened his skills since I last saw him, and was holding his own against a light beast all by himself. "Please!" he barked, barring his teeth at his opponent. "I eat horror-terrors like you for breakfast!"
"They're still not enough..." said Rarity, watching as the phantoms struggled against the numerous and powerful light beasts. "We have to get more help..."
"I don't think anyone's that close to our position." I stated. "At least, we'll have to hold them off until the troops on the ground can work their way up, which means we might need to do some more fighting ourselves..."
"Actually..." Angel started, "I think I hear some more people coming up the stairs... Six or seven of them."
I twisted around to see who was approaching this time. The strangest mix of relief and fear filled my system as I saw them all charge up: Trixie, Kyle, the Crusaders. To my surprise, Spike was among them as well, even though he was supposed to be dead. Was he a phantom as well? Their clothes were all slightly disheveled from combat, but they showed no signs of serious wounds. Scoots! Applebloom! What are you doing?! Agh, just get out while you can, please!
"Kyle!" Pinkie exclaimed, running and almost jumping into his arms. A little surprised, the archer caught her, then held her close. I smiled: now that it was just Chaos in there, he would probably have an easier time being her hero. He moved back to the rest of us and gave her a pat on the back.
"I'll take care of them, Pinkie." he assured her, "Just stand back, I won't let them get close."
The Crusaders approached from behind, and moved to defend their older siblings. There was something both comical and touching about this motion. I would have hugged them all, but I knew to save it until after the battle was over. Besides, I would have to properly introduce my older brother to my younger brother.
A light beast had escaped the battle with the phantom troops, and began stalking forward. The limited fighters we had defending us steadied their weapons. However, just as it drew near, I heard a mighty roar from behind us, followed by the glare of a brief flash of light. The great violet form of Spike barreled forward and tackled the light beast, and he tried clamping his jaws down on it's neck. At last, he just shot a blast of fire through it's midsection, and the beast evaporated.
Spike stepped back, form-shifting back into human shape, and I could hear an audible squeak from both Fluttershy and Twilight. Apparently the Goldoan heard as well, because he turned around with arms open wide, and a warm smile on his face. The two girls ran forward and embraced him, and he returned the gesture.
“Daddy!” I heard Twilight say, and she quickly tried to hide it, blushing profusely. “Oh crap, I just said that out loud, didn’t I… you’re never going to let me live that down, are you?”
“Nope!” Spike confirmed with a grin. “First time you’ve called me that in years, of course I won't forget it!”
"Spike, oh my goodness!" Fluttershy exclaimed, happy tears in her eyes. "I thought you were dead!"
"I thought so too." Spike answered. "I hadn't counted on being saved, thanks to the Wonderbolts and Phil and Trixie. I'm sorry for having you believe I was gone all this time, but I promise I'm not going anywhere, now... And guess what? My lifespan was shortened a little bit when I was healed, because it was a pretty serious wound... But I now have what you'd call a 'normal lifespan', and I will age at the same rate as a normal Equestrian! Fluttershy, you know what that means?"
To answer his own question, Spike leaned forward and kissed Fluttershy, a move which lasted several seconds. Both were blushing. Twilight seemed a bit uncomfortable, but happy. I turned away to give the strange family their space.
Trixie strode forward next, purposefully, staff held over her shoulder. She stopped just before those of us who were not a direct part of the battle. Her black mage outfit showed some signs of a more serious struggle, though she seemed to ignore it. Her eyes were locked on the enemy, and I could see she was preparing to do something big.
"Rarity..." the black mage asked, "I need you to do me a favor. Do you have the strength left to use Soul Release one more time?"
Rarity frowned. "I... I think so. Why? Do you want me to use it on you?"
Trixie nodded. "Yeah. Use it on me. I'll handle every last one of them if you can do that. Please."
Something about the tone of her voice made me hesitate. It seemed almost resigned. Regardless, Rarity began casting her skill once again, and the radiance began to collect around Trixie. Just as it was finishing, I heard a cough from the passage, and turned to see an extremely wounded Phil leaning on the doorway. The corner of his mouth was slightly bloody, ad his eyes were frantic. "Don't... Don't let her do it! It'll kill her!"
It took a moment to register what he was trying to say. Whatever Trixie was getting ready to do, he thought it would be too much for her to handle. While Twilight separated herself from her adoptive father to rush to Phil's aid, I turned back to Trixie to try and stop her at whatever it was she was doing. Unfortunately, it seemed I was already too late. Soul Release had already taken effect, and the strength of Trixie's fighting spirit had been amplified into deadly energy around her. She gripped her staff with both hands, and in a loud, clear voice, began a battle cry.
"Fire of battle..." she started, and I saw Marona's head whip around from all the way across the battlefield. "reveal my heart..."
"Someone stop her!" Marona and Phil seemed to shout at the same time.
"Psycho Burgundy!" the black mage finished. The radiance around her- the very essence of her soul- was set ablaze, and I watched in wonder and horror and she drifted forward, a flaming angel of death. A light beast leapt at her, and with a simple flick of her wrist, a massive fireball tore through it and dismissed the creature.
"Everyone, pull back to the balcony!" Marona ordered, and the phantoms that were still on their feet joined her in retreat. She skidded to a halt nearby, and I could see a look of terror on her face. She must have known exactly what Trixie was doing. "No... No, no, I can't let another battle end this way! I won't let that skill take another person's life!"
Trixie was unstoppable. The light beasts threw themselves upon her, and were all torn to pieces before even making contact. The halo of light surrounding Trixie was enough by itself to set the creatures on fire. With simple gestures and movements, Trixie was able to rip apart the powerful light summons, so when she hefted her weapon in preparation for a real attack, I knew she was serious.
She leapt into the air and slammed her staff into the insubstantial ground, generating a shockwave that obliterated the remaining light beasts. Marona flinched, as that last attack probably cost Trixie a lot of energy, and energy was something she had a very short supply of at this point.
A momentary relief filled me. The last battle was over. The resistance had won. Equestria was saved. However, it all went away when Trixie attempted to return to us, and collapsed on the magic-born ground. Before Celestia's last spell faded, Ultraviolet and another phantom rushed over and dragged Trixie back to us. Phil had recovered enough to move over and check on her. He and Twilight both had tears in their eyes. Trixie's breathing was labored, and I could tell that Psycho Burgundy had taken it's toll on her. Did Celestia manage to claim one more, even after death?
Marona dropped to her knees and put her head to the black mage's chest, searching for a heartbeat. She seemed to have found it, as she proceeded to roll up her sleeves and cast an extremely powerful healing spell. Trixie's pained breathing steadied, and though she stayed asleep, I could tell that she was alive.
"Not again." Marona stated adamantly, sitting upright. "This time, you live. You're not leaving your sister alone, like he did..."
Twilight sniffled. "So... is she going to be alright...?"
Marona sighed. "She's going to be alive, I can tell you that. I don't know if I'd go as far as 'alright' though. The fact is, she just amplified her soul at least tenfold, then lit it on fire. She's very lucky to still be alive, but she probably will never be able to fight again. If anything, that staff of hers will have to serve as a cane now... But she'll be alive."
Twilight sniffed again, and nodded. "That's all I can ask for. We won't need to fight anymore, anyway... Thank you, miss Marona."
She nodded and stood, then surveyed the battlefield. The magical floor had faded, the bodies of light beasts all evaporated. The only sign that a battle had even taken place was the unconscious girl at our feet. The phantom of Ultraviolet moved over to Marona, and put a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Thanks for bringing me home, Marona." he said, "and for everything else. I'm afraid it's time for me to go."
The phantom summoner closed her eyes and nodded. "You were a good friend yourself. It was no trouble. I'm happy I was able to help you move on."
I looked to my brother as he walked towards me. This was it. I had been spared truly saying goodbye to him when he died, but I had to make up for it now. He put a hand on my shoulder, the same way he always used to. "I'm proud of you, bro. Don't forget that. You did better than I ever could have hoped. Equestria is free thanks to you and your friends. And that weird semi-immortal guy, but you get the picture."
I shook my head. "I couldn't have done it without you looking out for me."
"Sure you could have. This way just makes me look cooler." He gave me a playful punch on the shoulder. "Don't get sloppy now. The fight may be over, but you've got plenty of other stuff to take care of, you know."
I nodded, a lump in my throat. Vi's gaze shifted slightly, and he moved over to Scootaloo, who had appeared at my side. "So, you're the next-in-line, huh? Heh, you've got the right look about you. Just stick with Dash, and you'll do fine."
He moved over to Applebloom next, who was looking upon him in wide-eyed wonder. "Wow, you got big fast, didn't you! Last time I saw you, you were this big!" He put his hand below her knee-level to illustrate, and she giggled. "Same goes for you. Listen to Dash, and your sister. Don't let them get into any trouble, alright?"
Vi approached Applejack next. He put a hand on her shoulder, and said simply: "I totally called it. I knew you and Dash would be together someday. Heh... Take good care of each other."
He returned to me. I had a smile on my face, glad that he still cared about us so much. "Well, kid, I guess I'm off. I've been overdue."
"We won't forget about you, bro." I promised him, an unbidden tear in the pit of my eye. "And hey! When you see Mac and Creiddylad up there, tell them we all said 'hi'."
Vi laughed. "Will do." With that, he cast his gaze skyward, and his form began to fade. Within a few brief moments, he was gone. I closed my eyes, a smile on my face. I knew that a part of him was still here, still with me, and always would be. With that in mind, I knew I would be able to tackle whatever challenges life threw at me next.
"Let's head home, partner." Applejack said, hand on my shoulder affectionately. "I'm startin' to miss Ponyville already."
"Hey, I was meaning to ask..." Scootaloo started, "I'm not even sure why I never did before. But while I remember, the name of our town always made me curious. What even is a pony?"
"No idea." I answered. "Sounds pretty badass though, doesn't it?"