//------------------------------// // Chapter Eight: Old Friends // Story: Darkest Star // by The1Ryu //------------------------------// Chapter Eight Old Friends Dark Star looked past the pair to where Princess Celestia and another pony stood several dozen feet away. The princess stood still; her eyes closed a look of hard concentration played across her face. The cloaked pony with her was golden with a red mane and tail, and though Dark Star could not see her eyes past the hood of the cloak, he knew she was watching him closely. “Oh, I see Celestia is used her black arts to bring you all back to life just so you could fight me for her.” Dark Star spoke casually to the pair in front of him, shaking out his wings and folding them neatly at his side, “How ghoulish of her.” Green Garden slammed her hoof down the ground sinking under it and glared at the white-maned stallion, “Thou will address her Majesty as Princess!” “You sound like your descendant Greenery,” Dark Star chuckled referring to Big Macintosh as the current inheritor of Titan’s power as Green Garden had once been, but taking note of their shared soft green eyes the false unicorn wondered if there was not another connection between them. “He tried to step in and protect Princess Luna,” He spat Luna’s title. “But even with your abilities and old Moon Blaze’s as well, he failed. Just as you all failed a thousand years ago, what makes you think you’ll have any better luck protecting Celestia now.” He made a show of saying the princess’ name which caused the green mare’s glare to return replacing the shock that had appeared at the revelation of her decedent’s unique combination of abilities. She stepped ominously towards the evil pony only to be held back by a silver wing. “Thou’s past deeds will be judged according to Equestrian law,” Sword Strike said stepping forward his head high and his voice was even and commanding. “We are servants of justice, not vengeance and will not be drawn into a petty conflict. Surrender now Dark Star and thy will not be harmed.” Dark Star scoffed at that giving them a look of indignation that spoke volumes of how empty their threat was to him. “Thou are nothing but a coward that struck at us from the shadows,” Green Garden shouted back, pushing up against Sword Strike outstretched wing and glaring hatefully at the black stallion. “Thy’s chances dwindle to nothing against us in open combat.” Dark Star scoffed again at the green mare’s words, but Sword Strike calmed his friend with a gentle look and added coldly to Dark Star. “Green Garden speaks true Dark Star thy has no chance, surrender now.” Dark Star glared back at the elite guard ponies his eyes shifting back and forth between two as if waiting for one of them to make a move. However, they remained still; their stern eyes fixed on the dark unicorn pegasus waiting for him to make some move. After several long moments, Dark Star let out a defeated sigh lowered his head and let his eyes fall shut. The earth pony and pegasus signed in relief relaxing and stepping forward to seize their prisoner. However, as they took a step towards him Dark Star’s head snapped up, his horn aglow with arcane energy as he summoned up a sphere of pulsing sound. In an instant, he launched it over their heads towards the princess. Green Garden and Sword Strike gasped whipping around to follow the path of the sound sphere helpless to act as it shot towards their princess. However, the third pony, Gold Guard, quickly reached into her cloak and drew forth a sword with her mouth. Stepping forward, Gold Guard leaped up into the air and with practiced skill easily slashed at the attack spell slicing it in half with one quick motion dissipating the spell completely. Dark Star cursed to himself; she was wielding Spellbinder. The sword would protect her from any of his attack spells, and in the golden mare’s hooves, she could easily use it to protect Princess Celestia from Dark Star’s magic cutting his spells from the air before that had a chance to hit their mark. Green Garden snorted angrily and barreled forward, more like a bull than a pony, but Dark Star easily dodged to the left then dropped to the ground letting Sword Strike sore over him harmlessly. The green mare whipped around and charged the black stallion again who sprang into the air and back flipping over her. His wings caught the air in mid-flight, and Dark Star banked to the right just as a silver pegasus dropped from the sky right where Dark Star would have been. The false unicorn pegasus scoffed at their efforts; they might have been something of a problem when they had caught him off guard, but not out in the open where he could anticipate their actions. Princess Celestia’s spell might have brought them back from the other side, but their abilities had long since moved on to others, and without them, they were a distraction at best. Green Garden charged him again, but this time Dark Star did not bother to dodge. Instead, his horn flared to life, and he summoned another of the odd hand-like energy constructs he had wielded against Big Macintosh. It seized Green Garden around the neck, with a quick jerk flipped her forward over Dark Star and slammed her into the ground with such force Dark Star could swear the ground shuttered slightly. Sword Strike swooped in again hoping to break Dark Star focus enough that his spell would dissipate. As he neared the gray-eyed pony another hand shot forth, this one massive, easily enveloping a pony's whole body, conjured right in front of the silver stallion and snatched him in its grasp before he had a chance to react. “This isn’t telekinesis, old friend; the hands merely do as I command them.” Dark Star said coldly turning to face the pegasus. “If I tell them to squeeze,” The giant hand wrapped around Sword Strike’s body began to clench painfully around him. “Then they will do so until I tell them to stop.” Dark Star’s smug grin was suddenly cut short as a something barrelled into him. Dark Star was thrown forward rolling a couple of times through the air before catching himself and landing back on him hooves sliding back a few feet before completely stopping. Green Garden stood before him her tight muscles readying for another charge. Dark Star’s large hand was still wrapped around the mare’s throat squeezing down with more than enough force to choke her, but she was not suffocating, nor was she even slowed down. Green Garden started at Dark Star, but with a flick of his horn she flipped forward again and was slammed into the ground. Not satisfied the false unicorn flicked his blade-like horn again and again. When he finally stopped and let the hand grasping her lax the mare fell to the ground in a crumpled heap. Then with hardly any hesitation, she moved to stand up somehow completely ignoring the thorough beating she had taken and the long split in her skin down her flank. Then Dark Star realized that there was no blood running from the wound and beneath rather than pink muscle there was a rough black stone. Before the black stallion’s eyes, the split pinched closed and vanished. “I see…” As the green mare set herself to charge the black pony again, Dark Star gave a flick of his horn, and the hand around the mare’s neck tightened and lifted her into the air, her hooves dangling just off the ground. Dark Star turned to regard Sword Strike, whose body had become twisted and stretched like clay clenched between a pair of hooves. That confirmed his suspicions, and with another flick of his horn Dark Star summoned up a bubble of blue energy around Sword Strike and the hand just as the revived pony burst like a balloon and transforming into a cloud of sand that pooled at the bottom of the bubble then swiftly reformed into the silver stallion. “Celestia couldn’t truly revive you, so she summoned your spirits and bound them to those fake bodies.” “Thou is correct, thy efferts ‘re in vain,” Green Garden glared hatefully down at Dark Star. “Thy can’t kill us; we’ll fight without stopping as long as it takes to defeat thou.” “Thou’s magic cannot hold us forever either,” Sword Strike said slamming into the wall of the bubble, Dark Star could feel the walls weaken slightly. Dark Star frowned at this for a moment, then quickly smiled up at Green Garden. “Greenery have you ever wanted to fly?” Without waiting for a response the hand around her throat shot up into the air and whipped the mare around a few time before releasing her, tossing her into the horizon. Still smiling smugly Dark Star folded his wings and trotted past Sword Strike’s bubble, the hand within had vanished. “I’ll have to finish this quickly then.” Sword Strike beat the wall of the bubble furiously, but it showed little sign of giving way under his attacks. The golden unicorn mare standing in front of Princess Celestia clenched Spellbinder tighter in her teeth, her brown eyes glaring at Dark Star as he approached. “Hello Gold,” The false unicorn pegasus greeted his old friend trotting towards the red maned mare, speaking in a genial familial tone. “How’s the family?” Gold Guard did not respond, watching the evil pony closely for any sign of underhanded tactics or imminent attack. Caution was needed to deal with a pony like Dark Star; she could charge ahead and risk leaving anything open to him. “Oh right, they’re dead,” Dark Star spoke as if he had forgotten the date, continuing with a shrug. “A good thing too, you wouldn’t have wanted your parents to see you become literally a mud pony.” Gold Guard remained silent and vigilant; his words meant nothing to her at all. Dark Star stopped several strides from the mare giving her a mocking nod of approval, “Ever the proper unicorn I see, after all, only earth pony would speak with something in their mouth.” With barely a sound Gold Guard lunged forward at him, her hood flying back letting a beautiful red mane free as she threw her head to the right bringing Spellbinder to bear against him. Dark Star caught the sword with his blade-like horn straining to hold it in place. “No time for small talk, good me neither! I’m…” Dark Star suddenly cried out in pain and staggered back from the unicorn mare. No unicorn before had ever had the martial skill to take on a wielder of Spellbinder as he had just now, so there was no lore to warn what would happen. The touch of Spellbinder’s blade had tried to rip the magic from Dark Star horn, and though its brief touch took an insignificant portion of his magic, it was as painful as any physical wound the sharp blade could reap on a pony’s body. Gold Guard pressed forward attacking with another powerful swing which Dark Star narrowly dodged as he pushed the pounding pain in his head away and refocused on the golden mare in front of him. Gold Guard turned the missed swing into a thrust, Dark Star jumped back with a quick flap of his bat wings and summoned up a pulse of pressurized water and launched it at Princess Celestia. The swordsmare cut the attack spell out of the air before it could pass her, then whipped her head sharply to the left, stabbing at Dark Star who was trying to slip past her left side. The black stallion jumped up over the thrust and rolled through the air over the mare landing on her right side. Gold Guard caught sight of the evil pony landing on her off side and with a swift motion tossed Spellbinder up into the air flipping it around to better defend her right side. However, Dark Star needed no such preparation and lunged in with his horn. A loud crack rang through the air as Dark Star’s horn me the edge of a simple dagger held in a dark green aura. Surprisingly he smiled rather than scowled and jumped back with the assistance of his wings and Spellbinder cut through empty air where he had once stood. “Finally, I was beginning to think that nopony understood my thousand year speech.” The other tasks at hand slipped away to the back of Dark Star’s mind upon seeing the magically held dagger and the same green glow around it as around the golden mare’s horn. Sword Strike and Green Garden had lost too much when their abilities had been passed on at their deaths, but Gold Guard’s abilities were all her own, developed just as Dark Star’s were through time and toil. “That’s not all, is it? Come, Gold Guard show me everything. Gift me the honor I stole from myself all those centuries ago.” Dark Star panted the anticipation stealing his breath, and the golden mare obliged him. She threw open her cloak, underneath was almost two dozen blades of various shapes and sizes, sheaths sewn into the cloth itself. Casting off the garment, she seized the blades in her magic and drew them forth. They set themselves hovering around her like a flock of mumming birds poised to strike. “I could have never defeated you a thousand years ago, even after my queen gave me my horn and all the magic and power that came with it.” Dark Star could feel the walls of the bubble containing Sword Strike continue to weaken sadly there would be no more time for games. “You had been dead five hundred years before I successfully developed a counter strategy. The one thing I’m grateful to Celestia for, is bringing you back so we can finally have a proper duel.” Dark Star set his horn aglow, its eerie dark light enveloped the false unicorn and then broke away leaving behind a black metal pony in his place. Twin blades framed each hoof, the horn was elongated and even more blade-like, his wings were double bladed razors, the tail was braided into a thick rope, and despite being weighted at the end by a heavy spiked ball, it seemed to move freely almost as if by its own accord. Gold Guard seemed moved by none of this, she remained quiet, and her intense stare remained fixed on her opponent waiting for him to make an aggressive move. The swordsmare knew the value of patience and the time Dark Star wasted on drama was time her companions could use to regroup. Dark Star rushed forth at the unicorn who unleashed her swarm of blades at the stallion, launching them like a barrage of missiles. Dark Star jumped and twisted in the air as the barrage came down upon him, knocking away a half dozen with a powerful swipe of a bladed wing. The spiked ball on his tail slapped away another dagger then wrapped around a longsword tearing from the air and embedding it in the ground. His back hoof caught one coming in low and with a quick twist snapped it out of the air and Gold Guard’s magical grasp. Coming around Dark Star’s right wing swiped out like its partner batting away eight more, two more were snapped out of the swordmare’s grasp with a twist of the twin blade on his front hooves and the last was deflected with a quick flick of the horn-like blade on his forehead. Dark Star’s hooves hit the ground with hardly a missed stride reaching Gold Guard in only a couple more and brought his horn-like blade down upon her with tremendous force. Gold Guard caught the blade with Spellbinder. Dark Star’s left hoof came up locking the legendary sword between its twin blades and pulling it down. The sword’s magic was helpless against Dark Star’s armor, for, while he had summoned it using magic, the armor itself was unenchanted. The golden mare was showing tremendous strength and resilience holding the sword up despite the duel pressure Dark Star was putting on it. Instead of trying to overpower her, Dark Star thrust his right hoof up at her chest only to be blocked as a sword with a particularly wide crossbar shot down between then pinning the stallion’s hoof inches away from Gold Guard’s chest. Dark Star glanced back, though he could not see them past the visor of his helmet he could feel the magical energy wielding the swords closing in. Closing his eyes, he set his wings and tail spinning in a dizzying pattern, lashing out to knock away the blades as they came in. A moment of shock finally broke Gold Guard’s stone vestige as she watched the dizzying display. His wings and tail covered him from every angle it was the perfect defense to counter her perfect offense leaving them stalemated. Or so she thought until she felt the dark magic gather around Dark Star. She didn’t think it was possible, sure the armor around his horn kept Spellbinder from draining his magic but how could he fend off the barrage of attack and concentrate on casting a spell at the same time. Gold Guard knew how hard it was to multitask with magic, few had such skill, but what Dark Star was doing needed an unheard of level of disciple. No matter how impossible Gold Guard could not deny what was happening she felt his magic seep into the earth between her and Princess Celestia readying to unleash the earth barrage spell any moment. She had no choice, the golden swordsmare jumped back and thrust Spellbinder into the ground dispelling the spell. Dark Star followed suit, momentarily leaving the barrage of blades behind and raking his right hoof blades down Gold Guard’s side. The false skin peeled away revealing a glittering diamond body underneath entirely unmarred by the attack. Dark Star jumped back a few feet whipping around to once again push past the golden swordsmare barrage of blades. Clever Princess Celestia had created the perfect bodyguard out of the red maned unicorn, Spellbinder made her impervious to magical attack, and her diamond body was all but impossible to harm physically. Dark Star could think of only one strategy that could work, but he’d need to… There was a flash of green in the corner of Dark Star’s eye that preluded the collision that sent the black armored pony sailing through the air; the oxygen was torn from his lungs. He hit the ground and before he could even think to open his wings to brace himself or even simply stop his violent roll across the ground, the second hit came. A devastating buck that flung him twice as far as the slam. Dark Star hardly felt himself impact with the ground, thank his queen for that, and forced away the pain so he could stand. He looked up to see her green fur and brown mane whipping back as she charged at him again, her face twisted in an unintelligent snarl her eyes seething emeralds of rage, her voice nothing but a bestial groan one would, again, expect from a bull rather than a pony. Still shaky Dark Star managed to swing out with his bladed wing hoping its sharp edge would at least blind her for a moment. Instead, she whipped her head to the side snatching the armored wing in her teeth and with a quick jerk back tore the armor from the wing as if it were tin foil. Undeterred Dark Star charged ahead to meet the enraged mare and using his substantial height advantage stabbed his horn-blade into her forehead. She did not so much as flinch and grabbed the helmet in her hooves, her mere touch beginning to crush it. Dark Star unlatched the helm with a thought and jumped back pulling his head free from it in time to watch her crush it like a can. Pulling the blade from her granite forehead, the savage earth mare tossed the destroyed helm away and charged at Dark Star again. The black pegasus tried to fly out of her reach, but the imbalance of having one armored wing while the other was unfettered threw off his ascent. The green earth pony jumped up at him and grabbed the collar of his armor in her teeth. The sudden added weight of the granite pony caused them both to plummet to the ground Dark Star crashing atop the mare. The next moment she was back to her hooves and slammed him into the ground. Dark Star lashed out with his hoof blades, the right cutting twin lines in her skin long her neck and the left embedding in her side to little effect other than to expose the granite beneath. With a firm and painful stomp of her forehooves she pinned his forelegs down, and a quick jerk back of her head tore the protective breastplate from his chest and tossed it away. Her head came swinging back down at his own and turning it to the side to protect his precious horn was all the false unicorn could do before focus went out of the world. Through a blurred lens, he now watched the mare rise as tall as her back legs would allow her to become, her forelegs raised above her head ready to stomp the life from the evil pony. Dark Star tried to summon up some reserve for strength to roll away, but though he had the will his body was useless, the mare’s unbelievably strong blow had ever so temporarily severed the communication between mind and body. Dark Star watched her hooves come down, too slow to be real but inevitably so. Then he was moving again being pushed, sliding along the ground a dull roar of rage growing ever distant and an insistent shouting calling out to him. “Star Knight get up! On thy hooves, guard!” Sword Strike shouted authoritatively, pulling the armor from Dark Star’s left wing. The enraged earth pony barrelled down on them, her rage filled eyes did not seem to be able to discern friend from foe. She was only a few strides from the pair of stallions when without warning a pillar of stone shot up from the earth impaling the granite pony on its sharp tip and lifting her into the air. Sword Strike looked down to see Dark Star’s horn aglow with dark magic as the false unicorn finally pushed himself to his hooves. “That won’t hold the simpleton long.” Sword Strike snarled at the comment, “Thou should show more respect, the lady was almost thou’s undoing.” On top of the pillar, the brown maned mare let out another bull-like groan and smashed bother her hooves into the pillar shattering down to its base. “You should have let her; it would have made your job a lot easier.” Dark Star watched the green mare fall through the air and smash into the newly formed rubble beneath quickly forming an energy bubble to trap her. “That was not the Princess’ orders; thou are to be taken alive.” With a single buck, the shield shattered and dissipated, and the green earth pony started at them again. “I don’t think Greenery feels the same way about those orders as you.” Dark Star summoned up his magic forming another giant minotaur hand which grabbed at the mare. However, before it could wrap its fingers around her, she slapped it away with a back hoof causing it to wheel around her for a moment then shoot back at her, only to be shattered with a powerful buck. “Thy taunts are the cause of this, the rage thou has incited in her blocks all reason, save for the Princess she sees all as enemies.” The pair took to the air, Dark Star slower than his new ally as he discarded the remains of his shattered armor and reeled at the pain still coursing through his body. Their only hope now to flee beyond the insane mare’s reach, but as the black stallion slowly climbed into the air, the green earth pony showed her tenacity leaping impossibly high into the air and grabbing onto his hide legs. Dark Star let out a short, loud groan as she clapped tightly around his legs threatening to shatter his bones. Sword Strike looked back to see Dark Star in danger quickly looped around and slammed into the brown maned mare knocking her off and sending her plummeting back to the ground. “I am at a lost as to how she is doing this, for even in her rage Lady Greenery should not be this powerful. It is as if she is regaining her lost abilities.” Dark Star’s eyes went wide at that, realization blossoming in his mind. In an instant, he had Sword Strike’s collar in his hooves, and he snarled at the pegasus, “Tell Celestia to end the spell now!” Sword Striker snarled back and pushed the false pegasus away, “Thou are mad if thy thinks I will be coerced into assisting in Celestia’s defeat after saving thy sorry life.” “Grr, you ignorant fool! Can’t you see that if this keeps on happening she’s going to kill him.” Sword Strike could only react with confusion at this, but Dark Star was quick to explain. “Celestia is the tether that keeps you here, your spirits are the minds, and the earth is your bodies, but the power source is pony life force. “It would have to be somepony alive whom you have a strong connection to, for Gold Guard, it’s probably some decedent, but you and Greenery are most strongly connected to those whom currently possess the abilities you once did. Normally it’s probably just some tiny about that they’d never miss it. Greenery has become so strong because she’s pulling in more and more from the current titan earth pony, who, by the way, is currently hospitalized because I beat him half to death and if we don’t stop her now he’ll die!” Sword Striker eyes were wide with shock; he didn’t know how to process what Dark Star was saying, it could be a lie, some trick. The concern in his voice did not seem fake; it seemed as urgency and genuine as any he had ever heard. “I cannot,” Sword Strike choked out finally, “While casting the spell Celestia is entirely cut off from the world, trapped in a void. So long as one of us is not incapacitated their consensus is required for us to end the spell.” “Then we need a way to incapacitate her,” Dark Star paused for a moment his face becoming a scowl his eyes hard as he worked to find a solution. Then with a strong flap of his wings, he soared higher into the air calling back over his shoulder, “Come on I have an idea.” Sword Strike followed the bat-winged pegasus swiftly catching up to him with a few pumps of his tireless wings. He noted that the black pony had slowed down a bit since their battle had begun. Thanks to Dark Star’s magical ability to heal himself no injuries marred his body but within fatigue and injuries not so easily healed seemed to be taking their toll. “Can you still perform a Sonic Boom in that body?” Dark Star’s question snapped Sword Strike back to the moment. The silver pegasus confirmed the question with a nod; his sand body allowed him to push himself further than a normal pegasus so breaching the sound barrier was something he could do, though not with the ease he had once done so. “Good, I can do the same now as well,” They soared higher still nearly reaching the space need to reach the necessary acceleration. “Greenery’s granite body would probably endure one, but two should blast her into enough pieces for her to count as incapacitated.” Dark Star spoke with a wide grin that left Sword Strike feeling uneasy causing the reanimated pegasus to pause and consider what he was doing. Could he trust Dark Star in this, the pony sought to revive the evil Nightmare Moon against even the will of Princess Luna who had been the one to succumb to her insecurity and turn evil in the first place? Should he help Dark Star to defeat one of his companions simply because he claimed Green Garden’s actions were killing somepony else, why should Dark Star even care? Sword Strike could not know if Dark Star was speaking the truth, and that was the problem. The silver pegasus did not know. He knew nothing of the ways of magic, but Dark Star did. The false unicorn had spent a thousand years studying magic; his knowledge may very well have eclipsed even Princess Celestia’s, who had suffered many distractions in her life, at this point. “Here this is far enough, let’s do this,” Dark Star said whipping around in the air and started to dive, but was forced the halt when Sword Strike swooped in front of him. “Striker we don’t have time for foolish games,” Dark Star snarled at the other pegasus bringing a hoof up to push him away, but Sword Strike held it back. “How can I trust thy Star Knight, thou betrayed us all and hurt dozens of ponies in thy’s attempt to bring back Nightmare Moon. Thou are even going against Princess Luna’s wishes to do it, she was the one thou swore to protect with thy’s life and now thou want me to believe that thou are concerned for somepony whose life is in danger partly because of thy’s actions?” Dark Star just scoffed at the silver pegasus and shoved him aside. “We don’t have time for your suspicions; we have to act now. Look for yourself,” Dark Star pointed to the ground. Sword Strike turned and followed Dark Star’s hoof to the ground where Green Garden was swiftly closing the distance between her and another perceived enemy of her Princess, Gold Guard. “I don’t know if it can be done without you, but I’m going to try.” Dark Star shot down past the silver pegasus and began barreling towards the earth leaving the surprised Sword Strike behind for a moment before the steely blue-eyed stallion shook his head with a growl and followed. Pushing himself hard he slowly caught up to Dark Star, and the two shared a nod of understanding. They turned their full attention to the task at hand, for they needed to calculate their decent perfectly so they would reach the enraged green mare just as they neared the ground and unleash their Sonic Booms at the same time. Though the mad earth pony’s rush towards Gold Guard made this more difficult it was a good thing her attention was away from them. If she had been focused on them, she would have most likely leap at one in some mad attack ruining their decent. Trajectory set Sword Strike began to lose himself in the act of performing the Sonic Boom. The wind rushing past, the ground seeming to become steadily more focused and detailed rather than larger, while the sky and horizon stayed the same. It was so different than when he was the speedster pegasus when shattering the sound barrier and performing Sonic Booms was as simple to him as flying was for a regular pegasus. He did not miss it, in all honesty, everything had been too easy then, he had yearned to be pushed to his limits to feel like he could fly no faster only to be spurred on to greater speeds. For a speedster pegasus though such notions meant only death, and as far as Sword Strike knew he was the only one who never succumbed to the temptation. The air around him grew heavy, and it felt as though it weighed him down on all sides from the tips of his wings to the tip of his tail. Giving in to that weight would have broken his flight path and ruining the Sonic Boom, so he fought back against the weight flapping his wings to remain steady. The weight became a constricting force wrapping around his body squeezing down on every inch of him. Sword Strike let his eyes fall upon Dark Star at that moment. The squeezing air pressure meant nothing to him being comprised of sand he didn’t breathe, but Dark Star was being choked to death at that moment. Any pegasi whom could make it this far would often pass out or lose their nerve, their instincts demanding that they stop to preserve their own life. Sword Strike pushed forward; he was nearly there. The air constricted more tightly around him, and he could feel grans of his body being lost to the wind. The air squeezed tighter and tighter and then suddenly he was set free from it. To him, there was no explosion, just freedom like he had never known before. Performing this stunt was so different when he was the speedster pegasus. Back then it had been more like shifting gears, briefly slowing down before a burst of speed. It was nothing like this, nothing like the feeling of being set free from everything Sword Strike’s disciplined mind quickly snapped him back to reality, however, not allowing him to bask in his freedom for very long. He quickly stopped and whipped around, something only a pony without internal organs could do without killing themselves and watched as the twin explosions of silver and dark light rippled out and slammed into the Green Garden’s enraged form sundering to pieces and scattering them across the field. Dark Star’s black streak cut past him, the false pegasus slowing himself as he descended to the scattered remains of Green Garden, no doubt to make sure they had managed to incapacitating her. Sword Strike realized that their alliance had just come to a swift end and he shot down towards Gold Guard. Hopefully, two fresh unfatigued opponents would deter the black pegasus from attacking. Landing next to Gold Guard, Sword Strike kept his eyes fixed on Dark Star watching him carefully as the white-maned stallion inspected the pieces. Sword Strike started to explain to Gold Guard why he had just helped their enemy destroy their friend but stopped himself. They didn’t have time for that now, and as a soldier, the golden mare would already fully understand the necessity of his actions. Instead, he asked, “Is thou all right Gold Guard.” Silence came as her response, and it hung forebodingly in the air the air around them. “Gold Guard,” Sword Strike looked up at her in confusion she was staring straight forward her eyes wide, her pupils pinpricks, and her body stiff, Spellbinder clenched tightly in her mouth. Sword Strike realized then that all her other weapons lay scattered on the ground around them, not a single one touched by her magical grasp. He reached up and placed a hoof on her shoulder only to have the diamond-bodied pony shatter under his touch collapsing to the ground as a pile of gems. “Diamonds are much more sensitive to sound than granite.” Dark Star’s voice called over; Sword Strike could practically hear the evil pony’s sinister grin in his voice before he looked over to him and saw it spread across his face. “Still I couldn’t have done it without you.” Sword Strike let out a savage neigh and shot towards Dark Star ready to bore the evil pony to the ground and beat him into submission. If that did not work, Dark Star would know what it was to have one’s lungs filled with sand. Dark Star hardly seemed to care, strolling casually to meet Sword Strike as he summoned up his magic. The silver pegasus didn’t even see the spike-tipped pillar of stone shoot up out of the ground impaling him through the midsection. The pegasus’ artificial body lost its cohesion and fell apart to thousands of grains of sand, but that was not the end of him. The natural viscosity of his sand body made him nearly impervious. The grains of sand took to the air carried by an ethereal wind and flowed back together into a single mass from which Sword Strike took form from once again. Sword Strike whipped around to see that Dark Star had almost reached Gold Guard remains and Princess Celestia stood eyes closed in concentration just a couple of dozen feet beyond. Not wasting a moment the silver pegasus shot down towards Dark Star who turned to face him at the final moment. Suddenly Sword Strike felt something sink into his chest; his eyes shot wide as he felt weakness spread through his artificial body. He looked down to see Dark Star grasping Spellbinder in his mouth the blade buried into his rapidly crumbling chest. “I told you a thousand years ago never to call me Star Knight again,” Dark Star growled and thrust the sword the rest of the way into Sword Strike’s body. The Princess let out a gasp, and her eyes shot open, confirming what she had felt in the void. Sword Strike eyes went to hers, both reflecting sadness that their eyes would only be able to meet the others for this one instant, though they both understood it could be no other way. Sword Strike reached out for his princess his hoof slowly turning to sand and falling away. “Celestia,” was all he managed to croak out before the magic holding him to this world faded completely and his body collapsed into a pile of sand. Tears brimmed at the edges of the princess’s eyes and she turned away from the sight shutting her eyes and cursing herself, wishing she did not have to watch her beloved parish again. “Weakling!” Dark Star rocketed across the distance separating them his horn aglow with power. He made a quick swipe at her to cut her down, but his horn met no resistance Princess Celestia’s form vanishing moments before his blade-like horn could cut into her. Dark Star scoffed at her retreat, “Where’d she run t-” Dark Star’s words were cut off as something sharp plunged into his side. He cried out in pain at the sudden attack and jumped back, a flap of his wings quickly separating him from his attacker. He landed hard, stumbling a bit and clenching his teeth in pain, then shot a glare at the spot he had been standing. There stood the princess staring back at him her face set hard as stone. “I forgot you could do that,” The black pony admitted with a cough, his breathing becoming labored as he fought against the pain of his wound, which was all too close to his lungs. Despite his efforts to ignore the pain and stay strong, it was quickly stealing his strength. His wing on his injured side hung weakly unable to hold tight against the wound, and his heavy breathing turned suddenly into a brief fit of coughing. The white princess tried to steel herself, but she could not help but see the weak, frail thousand-year-old pony Dark Star had once been standing before her, it was so easy to pity him. She reminded herself that even back then he was dangerous just as he still was now. “It’s over Star Knight, tell me where Luna is, and we can get you some help.” Dark Star began to laugh mockingly, but it quickly turned into a fit of coughing which took him a minute to stifle. Despite this, he spoke determinately, his dark magical aura gathering around his horn. “I already… perished once… this will… not stop me!” “Stop it, Star Knight!” Princess Celestia shouted desperately, she felt the ground beneath her begin to shake and could sense powerful magic emanating from Dark Star. The scene was playing out before her once again; the aged Dark Star was over taxing himself ready to be destroyed to complete his task. However, this time it was futile, even if he managed to defeat her he would not be able to revive Nightmare Moon if he killed himself in the process. Princess Luna would remain lost, possibly forever, and without its princesses, Equestria would be plunged into chaos. “Your death will be meaningless!” Dark Star ignored her words his magic building up even as he struggled to maintain it; there was no reasoning with him. Princess Celestia clenched her teeth until they felt as if they would bleed, why was he doing this, why was he forcing her to kill him? She wanted it to be over, for Dark Star to realize he had been beaten and give up and... She sighed, that was a foolish thought, a foal’s hope that a thousand years of wisdom should have done away with. Dark Star held death at bay for a thousand years to fulfill the task his mistress had given him and had even defeated death itself to answer his mistress’ call. Nothing short of his complete destruction would ever stop him from fighting. Princess Celestia took a deep breath and readied herself; she too had a duty to fulfill. The spell she had used to wound Dark Star was a terrible one that she had created more than a millennia ago when her talent with magic overshadowed thoughts of ethical application. The spell allowed her to teleport and attack in one instantaneous fluid action, no flash or sound give away what she was doing at half the speed of a blink. The teleportation magic pulled at her, and she readied herself picturing the point of attack allowing the magic to guide her action to what she desired providing her a moment of absolute clarity to strike before any disorientation from the sudden change of position could settle in. She did not hesitate for she could not afford to, plunging her horn into his side. She met with an eerie lack of resistance. Her eyes flew open, and her head began to swim, but through the disorientation, she saw the starry illusion of Dark Star’s body and the sinister grin it wore on its false face. Princess Celestia tried to move but it too late, the real Dark Star was next to her, his sinister grin mirroring the illusion, as he unleashed his spell and jumped back his wings carrying him away. A sphere of fire flared to life of its own accord around Princess Celestia sensing the danger to its mistress but had no understanding that its efforts would be futile in protecting her. Within the fiery sphere there was a cry of pain that was suddenly cut short, and a moment later the shield faded away. All the strength was suddenly gone from the princess’ body, her legs buckled underneath her and she fell to her stomach shaking uncontrollably. “You feel that Celestia?” Dark Star asked, striding up to the princess, the pain and weakness his wound had caused were gone as he stood tall and strong over the princess the wound at his side sealing itself shut. “That’s hypothermia. I imagine this is the first and probably only time you’ll ever feel it.” “H-h-h-how…?” The princess shivered unable to finish her question. “Your sun shield protected you from my long range cold spells, but it was of little use when I cast the spell within its range. In fact, all it did was help protect me from the effects of my own spell, which I must say I’m grateful for. Healing that wound you gave me was trouble enough, not bad enough that I couldn’t use a little magical misdirection to throw you off, however.” Princess Celestia continued to shiver as she tried desperately to speak but no words managed to come out. “Hypothermia, to the degree you have, means your body temperature is dangerously low. Your heartbeat, breathing, and even blood pressure are all severely reduced. Speaking and even thinking clearly becomes difficult and the fine concentration needed to use your magic is impossible to maintain.” Dark Star smirked down at the princess who looked up at him weakly, her condition denying her even the simple dignity of a defiant glare. The smirk on Dark Star’s face faltered, he frowned and turned away from her, “Just concentrate on warming yourself up Celestia; otherwise, your organs will start shutting down… Not a pleasant way to end such a long life.” Dark Star put the fallen princess out of his mind and strode several steps away from her into the center of the field. He could feel it now, the solitude of being the only one with the power to raise and lower the sun and the moon. Millennia ago it took nearly the whole tribe of the unicorns to move the celestial bodies, but the unity of the tribes and the coming of the royal sisters changed all that. It was now only they who knew how to perform the spell, and him, through the magic Nightmare Moon had gifted to him. In truth, he would be glad to relinquish this power back to his mistress once she was restored, though there would be little need for it once the night was made eternal. With a firm shake of his head, he banished the thoughts from his mind and went to work. The dark aura of his magic flared to life around his horn as he focused all his attention on the movement of the celestial bodies. Using magic was always a tiring activity, even for ponies with substantial magical prowess like him. It produced an odd combination of physical and mental exhaustion, though simple magic like levitation could be used for hours, even by unicorns unskilled in magic, with little or no fatigue. More powerful forms of magic are not only fatiguing but require a strong force of will to perform, if you do not believe you can do something, then you will not be able to even if you are skilled enough. However, will was not a problem for Dark Star who had crossed back over from the land of the dead through sheer will, if it was for the sake of his Queen he could do anything. As his magic expanded out, further Dark Star began to raise up into the air, and soon the celestial bodies began to shift at his command. The sun dipped below the horizon causing the sky to turn black, and the stars pierced the black curtain forming their beautiful tapestry. Suddenly the beautiful pure darkness of the night was shattered by a flash of light. Without breaking his concentration, the black stallion turned back to confront the unnatural light, and his eyes shrank to pinpricks at what he saw. --- “If we can’t use the Elements on Dark Star without him attacking us then we simply have to use them when he’s too distracted to stop us.” Twilight Sparkle explained excitedly as if stumbling upon the correct answer to test that had been stumping her a moment before. “Ya mean like when he’s busy fightin’ the princess?” Applejack asked from her bed. “No,” The Princess shook her head, “He will be expecting an attack like that and I will not be able to protect you from his magic. I fear he’s even more powerful then you’ve seen and you two.” She turned to Rainbow Dash and Applejack in their beds covered in bandages. “You would be particularly vulnerable in your current condition.” Twilight Sparkle put a hoof to her chin and nodded, “You’re right Princess we need a better, a sure thing, moment to act.” The purple unicorn frowned in thought, her hoof returning to her chin for a moment before her eyes sprang wide once again, a delighted smile spreading across her face. “We’ll wait until he begins raising the moon. It takes a minute for even you to move the sun and the moon, right princess, so we should have plenty of time to use the Elements on him. Dark Star will be so occupied with the spell that he won’t even notice us until it’s too late.” Silence hung in the air for several long moments as Twilight Sparkle looked to her friends and mentor expecting to them to look impressed with her plan or at least nodding in approval, but they all just looked down blankly. Confusion overcame the studious mare’s face, “What’s wrong,” It was Rarity that stepped forward to answer her, “Well darling, your plan does require the Princess to be defeated by that evil ruffian.” Twilight Sparkle gasped at her oversight. They were right and, for what she knew of the stallion, he would not be tricked by a false surrender. If the princess did not fight him with all her effort, he would know instantly that something was wrong. “Oh no princess I’m sorry,” the student bow quickly to her mentor before beginning to pace nervously once again. “Please just give me more time I know I can come up with a better plan.” “No Twilight,” Princess Celestia spoke softly slowly shaking her head and holding up a hoof to stop her student’s pacing. “Your plan is as perfect as any we could devise, and in truth I’m uncertain I can defeat him by myself. If I should fail, your plan will be the only hope we have to stop him.” Princess Celestia moved over to her student and wrapped a hoof around her drawing the smaller unicorn into a short hug, smiling reassuringly down at her. “We cannot place the fate of all of Equestria in hooves of just one pony… even me. I will face Dark Star with all my strength, and you and the Elements will be there should I fail.” Twilight Sparkle looked away from her mentor sadly and quietly nodding in agreement. “However,” The tall white unicorn pegasus began speaking sternly to everyone in the room. “I must make myself clear; you must remain completely hidden from Dark Star and not interfere no matter what happens, no matter what he does to me, even if he kills me. You have to promise me you will not act until the time is right. If you cannot promise me this, I’m afraid I cannot allow you to attempt this plan.” The six mares all looked down grimly, the thought of seeing their princess in such pain or of losing her completely brought a thick lump to their throats that would not be swallowed. With a keen pain in their hearts, they all nodded in agreement. --- They had waited on the edge of the battlefield hidden by shrub and magic from sight. Applejack and Rainbow Dash lay away from the edge of their hiding place. Not even they trusted themselves to be able to watch the princess battle against their hated enemy and remain silent. Fluttershy who could not bear to watch the violence sat with them, comforted by them rather than comforting them as she had intended to. As Dark Star rose into the air and the sun dipped below the horizon Twilight Sparkle could see their time had come. Turning from the scene, she trotted a few paces back to Applejack and the pair of pegasi, “Now’s our chance girls we have to hurry.” “The Princess is she…” Applejack began, but the purple mare quickly dissuaded the notion with a vigorous shake of her head. Pinkie Pie rushed to Rainbow Dash’s side while Rarity did the same for Applejack the injured mares would need their friends’ support to be able to stand strong enough so they could unleash their elements. Her friends ready Twilight Sparkle’s horn flared to life and with a pop and a flash of light, they all disappeared. --- Dark Star saw the six bearers of the Elements of Harmony standing around the princess. Twilight Sparkle in front facing him Rarity supporting Applejack on the right, Pinkie Pie supporting Rainbow Dash on the princess’ left, and timid Fluttershy stood behind the princess favoring a look of concern for the princess rather than a scowl at him. How easy it would have been to smite them at that moment, but if he dared break his concentration now the power of the magic he was attempting to wield would backlash against him. Such a drain on his magic and attack on his concentration might prevent him from starting the spell a second time let alone completing it. Instead, he turned away from them focusing all of his will to drive the magic on faster, desperate to raise the moon and finish his work in the precious few seconds that remained. “All right girls, let’s put an end to Dark Star!” The smiles crept onto other faces as they exchanged nods of approval. As one the six mares let themselves relax and let the magic of their given elements swell up from deep with them. The magic focused and empowered itself through the element each bearer wore, pouring forth as a brilliant brightly colored light. The light soon spread out from the bearers and coalesced into a bright rainbow light that shot forth like a ribbon and swirled around Dark Star Dark Star could no longer feel the moon. That was the first indication that the Elements of Harmony were destroying him. His magic went numb next; it felt like it should still be there reaching out from him to the world around him, but it was gone. It was like losing a sense one that he had for as long as he could properly recall. The Elements were erasing him. He cursed the princess for tricking him, but in truth, it was his fault for not expecting the millennium old mare to have a backup plan. It was funny really, he thought with a smirk, for a warrior mage like him to be defeated by something like friendship. He wondered if this was like it was for Sword Strike to slow waste away to old age. He had tried to spare the pegasus that pain with his would-be fatal blow, but Sword Strike had rejected that gift and lived. Dark Star scoffed at himself, what trivial thoughts to have at the end, he should be furious. Still, everything had been prepared just in case he failed to return, the ritual would complete itself soon enough, and Nightmare Moon would return. Princess Celestia and her student had lost, and he had once again given everything for his queen. It could be no other way; this was all he knew.