It had been more than a week since Star had gone with Leaf Mane to Animarium to continue with his training and things seemed calm in the Light Kingdom. However, despite this, Twilight didn't seem to be very excited. After all, Star’s absence was something that affected her a little bit, especially when she hadn't heard from him.
Fortunately, her friends and their husbands and children came to visit her, including Shining and Cadance, and, while Twilight and her friends talked animatedly among themselves, Blue and the other stallions talked, mainly on sports, talking about what hoofball team would win the championship that year. Meanwhile, the infants were playing in the gardens with the Heartbeat and Melody’s supervision and Moonlight, Jonagold and Gleaming Shield strolled through the citadel.
During the conversation between the mares, Cadance revealed some news that left them all excited.
"I can't believe!" Twilight exclaimed in excitement. "Cadance, you're pregnant?"
"Well, yes" she replied. "I and Shining just discovered that a few days ago, but we're pretty excited."
"That's wonderful, darling" said Rarity. "There is no better feeling than carrying our own foal in our womb."
"Well, maybe when the foal is born" Fluttershy said. "It may be painful, but seeing Moonlight and Dark Cloud for the first time are my happiest memories."
"Yes, in fact, nothin’ is able tah give us greater happiness than tha moment we see our children bein’ born" Applejack said.
"Are you kidding?!" Pinkie Pie asked. "Of course there is! When we see our children grow up and become independent and don't need us any more and start their own family."
That made everypony look at her and Pinkie Pie said:
"What? I'm thinking about all the birthday parties, Heart’s Warming Eve and many other celebrations that we will have to create all the wonderful memories we have of our children."
"Oh!" the others exclaimed.
"Now that makes more sense" Cherry said.
"Seriously, Pinkie Pie, after all these years you still can’t use the right words to express certain feelings" Rainbow Dash said.
"Well, what did ya expect, Rainbow?" Applejack asked. "It's Pinkie Pie we’re talkin’ ‘bout. No matter the time that passes, she will continue to be the same.”
"Duh, of course I will continue to be the same" Pinkie Pie replied. "If I didn't, I wouldn't be Pinkie Pie, don’t you think?"
And they all laughed. However, Cadance noticed that Twilight laughed forcefully, as if her mind was somewhere else.
"It's everything okay, Twilight?" she asked. "You seem a little… distracted."
"I'm fine, it's just..." she started. “I can't stop thinking about Star. It had passed more than a week since he started training with Leaf Mane."
“I understand what you're feeling" said Cadance. "It's hard for a mother when she’s away from her son for very long."
"At least, when he's at the academy, I know I can just go there when I miss him, but now..." Twilight said.
"Don't worry" Cadance said. "It's not going to delay until he returns. And don't forget that he will come back stronger than ever. He will have a better chance against the Lord of Chaos and his villains."
"Yes, you're right" Twilight said. "I just have to be more patient. Thanks, Cadance."
"Hey, what sisters-in-law are for?" Cadance replied, making Twilight dropped a laugh.
For the meantime, Shining was also revealing the news to the stallions.
"Congratulations, bro!" Blue exclaimed Blue, giving him a pat on the back. "That's great news!"
"Yes, I must say it was a surprise" said Shining. "We weren't expecting."
"Sometimes, that's just something that happens" Soarin said. "The same thing happened with me and Rainbow Dash. Honestly, we didn't expect to be parents so soon after our marriage."
"Ah have tah agree with Soarin" Apple Busher said. "Sometimes it's plann’d, other times it's a surprise."
"But the most important thing is that now there is a new foal coming to brighten things up" Shadow Claw said. "With all this tension in the air because of the Lord of Chaos’ threat, we really need it."
"I don't know if I should be happy or distressed" Shining said. "It's not that I'm not happy by Cadance being pregnant, but, as you just said, Shadow Claw, we are living in a tense period."
"But that doesn't mean we can't enjoy the good times" Thunder Night said.
"You will see that everything will be fine, Shining" Cloud Chaser said.
"Eeyap" Big McIntosh said.
At the citadel, Gleaming Shield, Moonlight and Jonagold were walking by it.
"You know, it's weird walking around the Light Kingdom without Star" Gleaming Shield said.
"Yeah, ya're right" Jonagold said. "Ah jest hope that his trainin’ is goin’ well."
"Are you kidding?" Gleaming Shield asked. "It’s Star we’re talking about. He will probably be done with it in no time."
Giving a quick look at Moonlight, she saw that she was a little sad as much as Twilight was.
"I'm serious, Moonlight" Gleaming Shield said. "You’ll see that it won’t last many longer for us to see him again."
"I know that" she said. "But I hate to be away from him for so long, especially when I couldn't say goodbye."
"Come on, Moonlight, cheer up" Jonagold said. "Ya don't want Star tah see ya that sad when he gets back, do ya?"
That made Moonlight smile slightly.
"I think you're right, Jona" she said.
"So let's enjoy our time here and go eat somethin’, what do yah say?" Jonagold asked.
"Sounds good" Gleaming Shield replied. "I'm a little hungry."
Moonlight agreed with a nod.
At the library of the Light Castle, Golden Paladin and Mirror Coat talked.
"So, were you able to find out anything about the General of Chaos’ ability to get through solid objects?" Golden Paladin asked.
"Unfortunately, I haven't the answer yet” Mirror Coat replied. "This seems to be a fairly complex skill, because I couldn't identify any logical explanation for it."
"Maybe you could ask Purple Smoke to try to reproduce it" Golden Paladin suggested. "Maybe that way you could..."
"It will not be possible" Purple Smoke’s voice said.
And he appeared on his smoke form, adopting his corporeal one shortly after.
"I would try to do it, but I don't know how he exactly did it, so I can't reproduce it."
“Balls” Golden Paladin said. "Just perfect. I just hope the General of Chaos is not planning anything against us right now or else I don't know how we gonna stand against him."
At the border of the Light Kingdom with the Dense Forest, emerging from the shadows of the branches, was the General of Chaos and some of his dark ponies, including Dark Night. He and four others had different eyes, despite keeping the red color, with a strange and characteristic undulation. The General of Chaos approached the border and extended his hoof. It was then that he touched the barrier that protected the Light Kingdom from the invasion of dark creatures that gave him a shock and made him back off the hoof.
"A pretty impressive defense" he said. "But if it is able to keep the Lord of Chaos away, so even I don’t have the power to cross it. But that doesn't mean that there is no way to break it. And I know exactly how to do it."
In Animarium, Star and Tough Skin made a break from your workout in Frog Kata, relaxing in the shade of one of the huge trees there.
“Well, I have to say, Star” Tough Skin said. “I am impressed with all of your advances. You’ve learned from Leaf Mane how to use the natural energy and you were able to get the basics of the Frog Kata. But I am concern about one thing.”
“What is it, Tough?” Star asked. “You sound so serious. That doesn’t look like you.”
“With good reason” Tough Skin. “Probably, it would be for the best if it was Leaf Mane to talk to you about this. It is about the risks of using the sage mode.”
“The risks?”
“Yes, exactly. Once you understand the risks that involve using with it, then you can explore the sage mode to its fullest extend.
“I see…” Star said. “So, what are they?”
“Well, first, as you already probably managed to figure out, you can’t maintain sage mode for long periods of time. Five minutes at most. Also, to master the natural energy is necessary to enter the sage mode you must follow the principals of staying still, what means you can’t use it while you’re the middle of the battle, as you’ll become an easy target for your enemy.”
“Yeah, you’re right” Star agreeded. “That means I can only used when…”
“When you have comrades that can protect you while you gather the natural energy” completed Tough Skin. “But, if you want to get in sage mode when you are by yourself, you have to witdraw from the battle momentarily in order to gather natural energy.”
“But, if that is true, how can I use the sage mode during battle?” Star asked.
“Don’t worry about that” Tough Skin. “I can help you with that and, by doing so, diminish that risk.”
“How so?”
“By doing this” Tough Skin said.
And before Star’s eyes, Tough Skin changed size, becoming small enough to sit on Star’s shoulder.
“Wow, how did you…” Star started.
“Well, I and the other toads can change our size as we pleased” Tough Skin. “What comes in handy for my idea. I can seat on your shoulder or back and gather the natural energy for you, while you’ll be free to move.”
“Oh, I see” Star said. “That’s actually a very good idea.”
“Well, of course, after all it comes from me” Tough Skin said. “So, what do you say, Star? Let’s do it?”
And he extended his hand and Star bumped his hoof on it, saying:
“Let’s do it.”
On the border of the Light Kingdom, the General of Chaos was preparing to execute his plan.
"From now on, you will divide in two teams" he said to the dark ponies. "One of the teams will cause a distraction while the other seeks the Jinchuriki. Dark Night, you will lead the distraction team while you two” he pointed to two dark ponies undulated eyes “seek for Prince Star Knight. Your eyes are connected with each other and with mine. In this way, we will all know what the others see. I myself will take part in the search as well. Now to weaken the barrier... It is strengthened by the power of the seven Generals and Princess Twilight themselves. Right now, I can feel that the barrier is not on its complete strength. One of the Generals should not be here. It doesn't matter, it won’t do much when it's over."
And, having said this, he focused and his horn was surrounded by dark magic. The spell he was performing required all his concentration. When he finally was ready to use it, he freed it and a wave of dark energy was released everywhere.
In the library, Golden Paladin, Mirror Coat and Purple Smoke were still trying to figure out a way to study the General of Chaos’ power when a huge pain invaded them. It was an unbearable pain that looked like it was going to consume them on the inside.
"What's this?" Purple Smoke asked. "What is happening to us?"
"Someone is trying to expel us from the Pony Reality!" Mirror Coat explained.
"And I think I know who!" Golden Paladin said with the General of Chaos in your thinking.
Both shone with the light of their respective color and then disappeared.
The same was happening with Blue, who was moaning in pain while everypony watched.
"Blue!" Twilight exclaimed, while approaching. "What's going on?!"
"We don't know, Twily" Shining said. "He just started to squirm in pain."
"Somepony... is expelling us!" Blue said. "Twilight, they're here!"
And, after he finished that sentence, a blue glow surrounded him and he disappeared.
"Blue!" Twilight called.
"What did he mean by that?" Applejack asked. "Who's coming?"
The doors opened and the second-in-command of the Light Guard came in and said:
"Princess Twilight, terrible news. Golden Paladin, Mirror Coat, Purple Smoke, Melody and Heartbeat are gone. It happened all of a sudden, nopony knows what happened."
And then it all made sense for Twilight.
"Oh no... I know what's going on. And it's not good."
At the border, the General had just used the spell when he felt a wave of weakness that made him stagger.
"Now I understand why the Lord of Chaos does not like to use this spell" he said. "I think, for now, I will not be able to pass through objects. But it doesn't matter, because we have what we want."
And he tried to touch again in the barrier around the Light Kingdom, finding it weakened, because it did not respond in the same way as before.
"The Light Kingdom is now within our grasp" the General of Chaos said.
And, loading his hoof with dark magic, he punched the barrier that began to break, creating cracks everywhere. Twilight and his friends, accompanied by the second-in-command, came to the balcony and saw the shield cracking.
"What's happening to the barrier of the Light Kingdom?" Cherry asked.
"The barrier is fueled by my magic and the Generals’" she replied. "It's our combined magic that protects the Light Kingdom. Without any of the Generals in the Pony Reality…"
"The barrier is like a house of cards" Cadance completed.
And she was right, as the barrier just disbanded, to the astonishment of everypony in the kingdom.
"Let’s start the hunt" the General of Chaos declared.
And the dark ponies began the invasion to the Light Kingdom.
The light ponies, seeing the dark ponies attacking, began to panic and flee. The dark unicorns launched destructive magical beams, particularly a dark unicorn with undulated eyes, and a dark earth stallion with the same eyes hit the front hooves on the ground, invoking what appeared to be large vicious white spectral dogs which started running, while chasing the ponies and causing damages. Dark Night attacked a guard and, when the latter tried to attack him with a magic beam, Dark Night simply lifted his hoof and absorbed the magic, much to his shock.
While all that happened, a dark unicorn mare with undulated eyes, was trying to find information about Star’s whereabouts using a powerful mind reading spell on a guard.
“No information on the Nine-Tails” she said. “I see…”
And she released the spell, making the guard fell on the ground into a catatonic state.
A dark pegasus stallion with strong aspect and undulated eyes was holding two guards against a wall, while asking:
“Where can I find Prince Star Knight?”
“We will never betray our prince” one of the guards said. “Not him and not Princess Twilight or Prince Blue Sword.”
“I didn’t ask if you would betray them” the dark pegasus said. “I asked where the Jinchuriki o Nine-Tails is?”
And his hooves started to glow and then the two guards entered in a hypnotic state and said in unison:
“We don’t know where he is.”
And the dark pegasus dropped the guards, who fell uncouscious.
Seeing the destruction that the dark ponies were doing to her kingdom, Twilight couldn't help but feel her hooves shaking. Only the voice of the second-in-command made her come back to reality.
"Princess, what should we do?" he asked.
"We have to contain this attack as soon as possible" she said. "We cannot allow innocent ponies get hurt. Meanwhile, we have to scour the citadel. I think there is something more beyond these random attacks."
"You're right" Cadance said. "This may be just a distraction, while others seek Star."
"But Star is not here" Rainbow Dash said. "He's in Animarium."
"Yes, but we must not let them get that information" Twilight said. "Although Animarium is free of the influence of the Lord of Chaos, that doesn't mean he won't do anything to go there and capture Star."
"What are you thinking, Twily?" Shining asked.
"We have to evacuate the residents and all the injured to the Diamond Domain" she said. "I will open the passage. No dark pony gets in there. The Diamond Heart’s light as well as the light of the other diamonds is too strong for them."
"I’ll communicate your orders to the other guards, Your Highness" the second-in-command said, making a bow.
"And we will help you fight those ruffians" Shining said, referring to him and to the stallions. "Right, guys?"
"Right!" they replied.
"Well, then I'm coming with you" Rainbow Dash said. "Nopony can stop me from entering in a good fight, especially when it's against dark ponies. I still have a score to settle with them since that time in the Hayseed Swamps."
"Yeah, me too" Applejack said. "They will feel tha force of mah bucks."
"Cherry, I want you to help treating the wounded who are taken to the Diamond Domain" Twilight said.
"Don't worry, Twilight, I will help in what I can" Cherry said.
"And I will help you, Cherry" Cadance said. "I can use my magic to keep everypony calm."
"And I can also help" Fluttershy said. "I'm sure Leaf Mane has some herbs at the infirmary that I can use. But I'm worried about Moonlight. She's in the Citadel."
"As well as Gleaming Shield” Cadance said.
"And Jona" Cherry added.
"Don't worry" Shining Armor told them. "We will get them."
Big McIntosh and Thunder Night, nodded, agreeing with him.
"And I and Pinkie Pie can go pick up our children and take them to the Diamond Domain" Rarity said.
"Yes, you can count on Rarity and Pinkie Pie, the wonder duo" Pinkie Pie said, whispering then to Rarity. "I hope you enjoyed I said your name first."
"Yes, Pinkie, that was… very nice of you" said Rarity, smiling awkwardly.
"Thank you everypony" Twilight thanked. "If it wasn't for you..."
"You probably would do the same if the Crystal Empire was being attacked" Cadance said.
"Well, let's do it" Shining said.
And he and all the other advanced to carry out their respective missions.
"In the meantime, I'm going to help in what I can do better" Twilight said.
The streets of the Light Kingdom were a mess, with the light ponies running, while the guards, following Twilight’s orders, were trying to evacuate them to the castle, where they could access the Diamond Domain, whose entrance Twilight opened. But a filly had tripped with her grandmother approaching to help her rise up. At that moment, one of the spectral dogs appeared, ready to attack them.
But before he could do so, Jonagold appeared and tackled him, throwing it to the ground. Gleaming Shield and Moonlight approached the young filly and her grandmother and the former asked them:
"Are you okay?"
They both waved and then they heard Jonagold saying:
"Ah think Ah'm goin’ tah need some help here."
The spectral dog stood up and roared to Jonagold, as it didn’t like of being attacked.
"Step aside, Jona" Moonlight said.
He did so and, as soon as he got out of the way, Moonlight released a supersonic scream that reached the spectral dog and threw it to the ground and, when it came up, it ran away from there, whimpering.
"Wow, I'm officially open-mouthed" Jonagold said.
Gleaming Shield cured the little filly’s hurt hoof.
"Okay, there" she said.
"Thank you, princess" the filly's grandmother thanked. "Thank all of you."
"Now you should go quickly" Gleaming Shield said.
And the two moved away.
"How did ya know how tah deal with that thing, Moonlight?" Jonagold asked.
"Because I've dealt with them before" she replied. "They're gytrash, spectral dogs living in Discordia. They may be vicious but are quite sensitive to the sound just like any dog."
"Well, good for us ya spent some time on tha other side" Jonagold said.
"I'll take that as a compliment" Moonlight asked.
"Then take it twice, because I think I have to say the same" a voice said.
She turned and saw her father approaching, using his cloak to protect himself from the sun, approaching with Shining Armor.
"Dad!" Gleaming Shield and Moonlight exclaimed, going to embrace their respective fathers.
"And we were thinking that the three of you would be in trouble" Shining Armor said.
"Let me guess" Gleaming Shield said. "You want us to go with the others to a safe place."
The two stallions exchanged a look and then Shining Armor replied:
"Given the seriousness of the situation, I think we can use some extra pairs of hooves."
"This means..." Moonlight started, while she and the other two smile.
"Just if we do not run unnecessary dangers" Thunder Night replied, turning then to Jonagold. "But you, boy, you need to talk to your father."
"Yes, sir, Ah'm going tah try tah find him" Jonagold said.
"So keep up the good work" Shining Armor said. "And I'd appreciate it if you, Gleaming, passed in the Diamond Domain. Your healing capabilities would be of great help."
"Yes, daddy" she replied.
And Shining Armor and Thunder Night moved away and the three friends went to do what they were asked to do.
In the Diamond Domain, the light ponies found shelter, while the wounded were treated, some with more severe injuries than others. Cherry Blossom, Fluttershy and Cadance treated them, however the amount of wounded who were coming was increasingly. Fortunately, Gleaming appeared.
"Mom!" she called, approaching.
"Gleaming, I am so glad you're here!" she exclaimed. "And I'm glad you're okay, my daughter."
"Where's Moonlight?" Fluttershy asked.
"And Jonah?" Cherry asked.
"Don't worry, they are fine" Gleaming Shield said. "They are helping in the evacuation."
"Well, I think that even if I tried, I wouldn't be able to stop Jona from doing this" Cherry said. "He is too much like his father."
"But, Moonlight..." Fluttershy started.
"Don't worry, Fluttershy" Gleaming Shield said. "From what I can see, Moonlight has become quite strong. In addition to that, she knows the creatures that the dark ponies have invoked and knows how to fight them."
"Fluttershy, your daughter is quite prudent" Cadance. "I'm sure she's not going to endanger herself for nothing."
"I hope so..." Fluttershy said, a little worried.
"What can I do, mother?" Gleaming Shield asked.
"Well, your healing magic is stronger than ours" Cadance said. "Try to treat the most serious wounded and then go see if there are any more injuries on the citadel."
She nodded and started to do what her mother told her to do.
Shadow Claw found Dark Night and turned on his pony-wolf form.
"It's time to cause some damage" he said.
And he advanced and lifted one of his paws, ready to strike the attack. But when he tried it, he saw it turning back into a hoof.
"What the…?" he asked.
And he quickly retreated, before Dark Night could attack him.
"He managed to revert my transformation" Shadow Claw said. "This means he can absorb magic. Well, then I guess I'll have to resort to the old hoof-to-hoof combat."
Twilight, together with some guards, went upstairs to the circular room between the two great towers.
"It's time to do my duty as a princess of this kingdom."