"This is your final warning. Stand down, or suffer the consequences."
The Grand Ruler, in all his pristine glory, stood amidst a sandstorm-ridden desert, barren of habitual plant life. In front of him stood an opposing monster - batlike with a hellish red color, thin, leathery wings protruding from his dark red clothes, and razor-sharp claws, which equaled his demonic face. His upper teeth stuck out, his long ears twitched, and his red, beady eyes stared down his adversary with a fiery glare. His army, filled with members of many other races, all wearing black, rusted armor, surrounded the alicorn.
The creature spoke in a high-pitched, screechy voice. "You really think you can stand against the mighty Nightcrawler Bandits? I've heard of a death wish, but this is beyond suicidal!"
The Grand Ruler stood firm. "Your kind has taken valuable treasures from their owners, pillaged entire planets, and murdered more than enough residents to get what you want. The crimes you've committed cannot go unpunished, any longer." He opened his wings, taking the stance of a falcon about to dive towards its prey. "I will give you another chance, Redfang: surrender your forces and come quietly, or I'll have no choice but to stop you."
Redfang simply screeched with laughter in response. "Really! You, stopping us? Alone? No one has ever stood up to our numbers, let alone survived! What makes you think you're any different? Followers, show this fool what happens to vermin when they cross our paths!"
As the powerful bandits soon lunged towards their opponent, the golden-horned alicorn simply sighed...
"I can't say I didn't warn you..."
The alicorn ducked under one rat bandit's axe, then decked him with an uppercut that sent him flying out of the fight. The rest of the bandits proceeded to attack regardless, which would turn out to be the biggest mistake of their lives. Some reptilians attempted to swing their clubs at him from all angles, to which the Grand Ruler dodged each one and simply let them all hit each other on the head. A few minotaurs tried to charge at him from behind, which he countered by flying right behind them as he karate chopped them into unconsciousness. A good number of harpies opted to fly above him and shoot at him with poison-tipped arrows, only for the powerful being to catch every single one they fired, breaking each one in half before he flew up to them and kicked them all to the ground.
As the Grand Ruler landed, an incredibly large ogre swung his ax at him, landing a clean hit to the side...unfortunately for the latter, however, though his armor gained a crack from the impact, the pony himself didn't even feel a thing, whereas the ax had been dented greatly from hitting it. The ogre, realizing his mistake, began shuddering with fear as his foe looked towards him.
"Are you done, yet? You could have torn my cape." His wings' feathers began to stand up on end, as if a white flame had been lit. The ogre just stood silent, unable to bring himself to move. "Looks like your combat instincts are as finely tuned as your craftsmanship. Permit me to give you a crash course."
The Grand Ruler roundhouse kicked the ogre into the air, then flew up and landed a powerful punch to his face, sending him falling straight to the ground in a cloud of dust. With the bandits unable to get up, the alicorn stood over his last opponent and looked towards their leader.
"This is your final warning: surrender, or be defeated!"
Furious, the minuscule menace bared his claws and fangs, ready to take a bite out of the pony. "You...you'll pay for humiliating the Nightcrawlers! YOU'LL PAY!" He flew around his adversary with incredible speed. "This is my true power! You can't possibly find a way to counter this, pony, but I'd like to see you try!" The bat laughed even more maniacally than ever, as he lunged towards the Grand Ruler.
He responded by grabbing him by the head, letting the creature flail about in his hand. "If your mouth didn't give you away, then your lacking the element of surprise would have. Even a newborn foal would have been able to react fast enough."
A large spaceship flew overhead and landed near the battlefield. Several ponies of different sizes and colors, all clad in full-body armor, rushed out to greet their employer. A light gray pegasus with a turquoise mane and two crossing blades emblazoned on her silver chest armor landed right next to him. "Grand Ruler, sir! We've finished freeing the bandits' prisoners, just like you ordered."
The Grand Ruler smiled softly at this news. "Ah. Thank you kindly, Aqua Marine. You're right on time, too; I would like you to round up the bandits in front of your fleet. Make sure nopony goes unfed, got it?"
"Understood, sir!" Aqua turned to her subordinates and barked her orders. "You heard him: round up the enemies and keep them from making anymore trouble!"
Without another word, the rest of the guards gathered the defeated bandits and cuffed them, before carrying them all inside the ship. Most of them came quietly, while their loudmouth of a leader continued flailing and cursing as the Grand Ruler walked inside with him in tow.
"Contact Neo-Equestria and tell them we'll be on our way," he said as he placed the little runt into a tiny, glass box (with air holes). "Let them know that the Nightcrawler Bandits have officially been disbanded."
Aqua saluted, then went straight to the communication panel. "This is Captain Aqua Marine to Neo-Equestria. We have detained the Nightcrawlers, and will be heading home shortly."
... No answer. Just static.
"Aqua Marine to Neo-Equestria, do you read me?"
... Still nothing.
"What seems to be the issue?" The Grand Ruler walked towards Aqua.
"It's...it's not going through! I'm getting some interference."
He seemed a tad puzzled. "There shouldn't be a cloud in the sky today. What could possibly be interfering at this time? Let me scout out the problem..."
He stood perfectly still with his eyes closed, trying to sense the magical output of his planet... What he saw caused him to break out in a cold sweat. A dark, purple cloud was blocking any and all magic from being sensed. "But how? This kind of phenomenon should be impossible, unless..." He checked to another corner of the universe, and was even more horrified at the sight he was to behold...
Nadir had broken free of Eris.
The Grand Ruler gasped and swiftly opened his eyes, hyperventilating at the visions he picked up.
"Sir?" Aqua interrupted his train of thought. "You look like you've seen the end of the world. Is everything alright?"
"It's...it's him...Nadir broke free while my back was turned..."
With just that one sentence, Aqua's entire demeanor changed. "What? But he's not to emerge until the seal weakens!"
"Then it must have happened earlier than anticipated!" The alicorn quickly stepped outside, with Aqua following him with a worried expression. "I'm going there, myself. Tell the others to stay away in the meantime!"
Aqua nodded nervously. "Y-Yes, sir! Should I notify the others?"
"Guards only; they can't be kept in the dark about this. The guests and prisoners cannot know of anything going wrong." As he took to the skies, he left a final order. "And be sure everyone is safe, not just the ponies."
The Grand Ruler flew off as fast as he could, and burst through the atmosphere without hesitation. As he moved in the direction of his home, he began to have thoughts about the ponies on his home planet, especially the special pony and fairy from long ago.
"Everypony...please, hang in there! I'm on my way!"
As the darkened sky struck with bolt after bolt of fierce lightning, Nadir stood imposingly in front of Team Trifecta. Many a pony simply ran and found a place to hide as he surveyed the landscape.
"So," he said. "This is what has become of your planet since last I arrived? I hope you don't plan on relying on your precious Grand Ruler, like you did in centuries past."
The trio stared down their adversary, visibly stunned by the being's visible power. Regardless, they took their battle stances and stood down the sorcerer.
He scoffed at them, looking slightly amused. "You're the most powerful ponies on this planet, barring that foolish alicorn? From the looks of things, even my weakened state can wipe your entire trinity out in an instant. But no matter; I'll have immense satisfaction knowing that you'll be dealt with!"
As he unleashed a dark aura around him, everypony in the room began to feel uneasy. Despite their growing fears, however, the trio continued to stand their ground.
"Vile sorcerer..." Hocus began to bellow. "You would dare come back to our world and resume your dark designs? If your wish is to do harm unto us, then we won't allow it!"
Ingrid followed. "What you see, here, is the home of many innocent ponies and other countless species! We won't allow you anywhere near them!"
Equal concluded, as he pulled out a ray gun from his coat pocket. "For their sake, and for the rest of the universe, you will be apprehended!"
The three ponies emitted a bright light and immediately changed into bright lavender, beige, and light emerald-colored armor before circling around Nadir. He fired several bolts of dark lightning at them, but they dodged the attacks and countered with their own powerful strikes, landing hit after hit on their foe.
Ingrid struck with fast, powerful, calculated blows on the opponent with her hands and feet. Hocus fired several blasts of different properties, dealing different types of damage. Equal, meanwhile, used a wide array of gadgets to get the job done, from his stun blaster to his mini-bomb launcher. Despite all these, the sorcerer seemed unrelenting even in the face of this total onslaught.
As the fight went on, Lightning, Crystal, and their newfound friends quietly watched the battle from the staff room.
"Incredible..." Lightning had a look of anticipation. "I've never seen Team Trifecta fight up close, before; this is something else!"
"I know we have to keep quiet until this is over," Crystal mused. "But I wish there was something we could do to help..."
Astra could only barely keep their excitement. "There's really no need to worry! Once they start sizing up their enemy, the fight's pretty much over."
Shortly afterward, Hocus fired a burst of magic that trapped Nadir in what looked like chains made of black lightning before they went for a team attack. Ingrid swept by the sorcerer at what looked like the speed of light and delivered many powerful blows across the body, knocking Nadir around like a punching bag. As she did, Hocus fired a powerful blast at him, sending him against a wall. Finally, Equal aimed his personal favorite weapon, the multi-purpose ray gun, and fired several powerful laser shots at the dark being, causing plenty of second-degree burns in the process. Nadir, much to their surprise, continued to stand tall without many visible injuries aside from the burns, though he still staggered slightly.
"Hey Equal," Hocus shouted. "Remember what the Grand Ruler said for whenever we deal with this guy; don't hold back! The fate of the world is at stake now, more than ever."
"Don't have to tell me, twice." Equal set his ray gun from 'stun mode' to 'scorching hot'. "I hate to have to do this, but I think it's time to give him the old 'Darkfire Combo'!"
Garter's ears perked. "They finally perfected that move, have they? I recall them saying they'd only save such an attack for when the threat is too great."
"Looks like now's as good a time's ever," Colin responded. "That guy looks like the kinda person ya wouldn't wanna invite to a get-together."
Hocus conjured up a series of portals while Nadir was still getting up, with a bigger one between both parties, followed by him and Equal respectively firing a powerful beam of magic and a red-hot laser blast into it. The attacks landed from all conceived angles, actually causing the sorcerer to make audible sounds of pain. As the attacks collided, a gray explosion of smoke and dust covered the library, leaving the results as a brief, but certain, mystery.
"Did...did it work?" Colin wondered.
"An attack like that could probably torch a normal being in seconds," Garter mused.
"Then...that means they won!" Lightning pumped his fist in the air. "They beat him!"
"That was so AWESOME!" Astra jumped for joy. "I mean, they pretty much had that in the bag!"" Without thinking, she hugged Lightning in her excitement.
"Well, looks like everything worked out alright!" Crystal smiled as she watched the two ponies.
Percy looked towards the battlefield as the smoke cleared up. "I wouldn't celebrate, just yet..."
"Why'dya say that?" Colin veered his head in the same direction, and his bright expression slowly dimmed. "Aw...horseapples..."
As they turned their heads back to the fight, the sorcerer's figure, though slightly charred, retained its original appearance as quickly as it was lost. There were a few holes in his robe, which patched themselves up as quickly as they were made. His hood, as though quickly hiding his face, reformed the quickest as Nadir regained his posture.
Ingrid flew beside her teammates. "Impossible...that attack should have..."
"Defeated me?" Nadir chuckled. "Don't get me wrong; that actually did hurt quite a bit." He soon became shrouded in a black cloud of mist. "But I have survived that irritating light for nearly a thousand long years, waiting for my chance at victory! And I cannot be killed by such pathetic creatures!"
He struck the three with powerful black bolts of lightning before they could react, sending them back slightly. As the three attempted to get up and fight back, Nadir flew up close and swiped at them with his powerful hands, sending them towards the wall. The trio landed, feet first, before jumping up and landing their strongest attacks on him: a giant magic beam from Hocus, a lightning-fast punch from Ingrid, and another powerful heat blast from Equal. Though they landed their hits, Nadir simply swiped them all away with his might and pounded the trio into the ground with his fist.
The group of six could only watch in horror at what was going on. Lightning and Crystal, unable to believe this, turned his attention to the others.
"This...this can't be right!" Colin looked even more concerned than ever. "Are they really gonna..."
Garter had a worried expression on his face, as he kept trying to look for an answer. "I don't know... They should be able to handle it, but..."
Percy clenched her fists. "We...we still have to stay put...but we can't just..."
Astra, in particular, had the most horrified reaction to all of this. She was on the verge of tears, her voice quivering as she spoke. "No...Aunt Ingrid and Uncle Hocus...we have to help..."
Suddenly, Lightning felt that familiar spark in his heart. "That's it!" He stood up tall and determined, with a look of fury in his eyes. "I'm not going to sit here and let this jerk kill our friends!"
"Lightning, wait!" Crystal tried to stop him. "We can't just run in without a battle plan!"
"We need to go about this is a better manner than whatever it is you're thinking!" Garter said, concernedly.
"What, and let Team Trifecta die?!" Lightning looked at the fight, seeing that Hocus had used his magic to shield his teammates from any fatal blows.
"Persistent little bug..." Nadir towered over them as Hocus stood his ground, his two teammates struggling to get up. "But the most tenacious of all are the ones that are the most satisfying to squish!"
"Ngh...gloat all you want, you fiend... But I won't let you harm my colleagues while I still draw breath!"
"That can be arranged..." Nadir placed his hand in front of the force field and fired a beam straight at Hocus's location, causing him to squirm in pain, but otherwise stare the sorcerer in the face.
"I can't take this anymore! I'm going in!" Lightning raced towards the fight, hoping to stop them in time.
"Lightning, wait up!" Crystal immediately followed.
"Lightning! Crystal!" Garter outstretched his hand as the two dashed in.
Before Hocus could give out from exhaustion, Lightning caught the beam of darkness in his hands, screaming in agony as he did.
"Lightning Dawn, what are you doing? You were supposed to stay put with the others!" Hocus pleaded.
"Sorry, Sir, but I can't allow you to die! Not right now!" Lightning winced as the beam slowly pushed him back.
"So, another foolhardy equine wishes to perish as well, does he?" Nadir chuckled as he put more power into his attack. "Then I'll have you sent to your demise in a flash!"
As Lightning continued to struggle against Nadir's might, Crystal flew beside her companion and emitted a field of magic from her hands to help push back the beam. "If you're gonna kill Lightning, you'll have to go through me!"
As the two friends struggled against Nadir together, Astral, Garter, Colin, and Percy all couldn't wait any longer and rushed towards Hocus as his magic finally gave out.
Ingrid slowly got up and inched towards her niece. "Astral? You were supposed to..."
"I'm sorry, Aunt Ingrid," the indigo pony said with tears still in her eyes. "But I can't just let you, Equal, and Uncle Hocus die!"
Equal winced as he clutched his shoulder. "Ngh...I appreciate the offer and all, but we're kinda too banged up to do anything to that guy. Even if we weren't, his strength is greater than we ever could have imagined! You have to flee, now!"
"No can do," Colin said, regaining his cheery smile. "Y'all taught us to be ready for anythin', even ne'er-do-wells like this!"
"I don't know if we can win," Garter said with a determined look on his face. "But we can sure as Tartarus try!"
"As touching as this is," Percy remarked, "I doubt Lightning and Crystal can hold out much longer. We need to get Team Trifecta to safety, right away!"
"But how do we save Lightning?" Colin looked at the pony and his fairy.
As the two continued to defend, Nadir kept pushing them back with his sheer dark power.
"Pathetic little fool! Do you really think you can save them? That everything will turn out okay like in your fairy tales?" He chuckled as he continued to push Lightning and Crystal back. "It's actually quite amusing, yet sad at the same time. Once this world is finished, that miserable Grand Ruler will have nothing to protect. And it all begins with you and your meddlesome little friends."
Lightning gritted his teeth as he glared at the sorcerer with his determined eyes. "I...I won't let you..."
"Hmm?"
The unicorn's golden horn shone bright as he gathered up his strength. "I won't let you harm this world!"
A bright, yellow beam shot out and blasted Nadir in the face, causing him to scream and writhe in agony. Everypony else just stood there, stunned.
"GAHHHHHHHHH!!!!! You...you little WORM! What did you do?"
Lightning looked up and noticed the golden horn. "I...I'm actually using magic..."
"You finally noticed it!" Crystal said with a smile across her face. "I was wondering when it would come back!"
Nadir clutched his face, writhing even still. "I...I see, now... The pony I was searching for wasn't any of these three...but rather, you!"
He rose up to the library's ceiling, a dark cloud of fog surrounding him. Thunder sounded from his very aura, barely containing the dark anger within.
Lightning shouted from below the sorcerer's height. "Hey! Where do you think you're going? We're not through, yet!"
Nadir couldn't help but ponder. "This changes everything...I'm no match for that kind of power, just yet. Hmm...yes, that's it!" He looked towards the young stallion, and raised his voice for all of Neo-Equestria to hear. "Lightning Dawn, was it? You put up a good effort, I'll give you that. However, you still cannot stop me! Once you head to the sacred battlegrounds, I'll prove it to you."
"He doesn't mean..." Abra said.
"Blackheart Hill?" Ingrid followed up.
"Why, you..." Equal seethed with rage as he spoke.
Nadir continued. "Should you somehow pass my test, I might consider allowing this planet to live another day. But I assure you, such a feat won't come very easily. I await your response, Lightning..."
He disappeared into his own darkness, emitting a sinister cackle as he exited the scene. When he disappeared, all that remained was silence...
Silence which Colin soon broke. "Did we win? I mean, he's still on Neo-Equestria, but we kinda got outta this unscathed, so..."
Garter had to actually process this situation for a little bit, understandably shaken. "Honestly? I don't know if we can count that as a victory, since he's still evil and on our turf."
Suddenly, Hocus clutched his head in pain. "Urgh...I think I overdid it, there..."
Astra gasped and ran to him. "Crap, that's right; Team Trifecta took such a huge beating, there! We gotta get them to the hospital, quick!"
She, Garter and Percy took Ingrid, Hocus and Equal, respectively. "Mary's gonna have a field day with this, for sure..."
Lightning looked a bit confused. "Mary? I don't actually recall hearing that name very often."
"I'm guessing word of non-Starfleet members doesn't get around to you, does it?" said Percy. "Mary Aide is a close friend of ours, even though she's not an official trainee. I guess you could call her Neo-Equestria's resident healer."
Colin nodded at this. "Our doctors ain't terrible at their jobs by any means, but Mary's got quite the healin' touch. She can fix ya up quicker than you can say 'here's a tip'! And she does it all with this gorgeous li'l smile on her face, an' it just warms ya right up!"
"Okay, I get it. You like seeing her," The yellow unicorn sighed.
Crystal flew on top of Lightning's shoulder, yawning quite deeply. "I...I shouldn't have used so much magic at once. If this Mary Aide could give me a little pick-me-up, that'd be nice..."
Lightning affectionately nudged her with his fingertip. "It's alright. We'll head there, right away. Besides, at least we get to meet a few more locals, right?"
Astra smiled at Lightning. "Exactly! Let's get going!"
A few hours passed, and our group was still waiting in the hospital for the results. Taking care of Team Trifecta was a hot-pink Earth Pony with a rose-red mane curled up into a ponytail. She wore a white doctor's outfit, and thin, gray-rimmed glasses.
She exited her room and went to the others, with a warm smile on her face.
"I'm guessing they're okay, now?" said Astra. "I'm still worried, regardless..."
Mary looked to the group. "The good news is, Team Trifecta should be up and raring to go within a few days. The injuries sustained will keep them from directly helping you, however."
"And Crystal?" Lightning added.
"She's been resting in the best bed we could find for her; she should be up and raring to go in a few more minutes."
The fairy zoomed on past her and back to Lightning's side. "So, when're we ready to go?"
"Make that a few more seconds. My, she's a spry little thing, isn't she?"
Crystal smiled a tiny bit. "Well, you know me; I never like to start a day late. Someone's gotta wake Lightning up in the morning."
Lightning chuckled. "Didn't stop you from sleeping through lunch that one time."
The fairy pouted at that. "That was a one time thing and you know it!"
The rest of the ponies had a good laugh as well. Colin couldn't help but smile. "Now ain't that just the cutest thing ya ever did see! It's kinda like watchin' two siblings. Maybe y'all are siblings?" Percy groaned and facepalmed in response.
"In any case," Mary interrupted, "they're all awake now; they wish to see you as soon as possible."
"What for?" Garter wondered.
"It's a bit complicated. Just come on inside." As Mary led them into the room, the ponies involved were resting in their hospital beds, allowing their wounds to heal up.
Astra rushed over to them each and gave them soft hugs for fear of hugging them too tightly. "I'm so glad you three are finally okay! I wouldn't have forgiven myself if anything happened to any of you."
Ingrid smiled and looked at her niece. "I'm just happy to see you, dear..."
Hocus chuckled softly. "Don't worry, my dear Astra...nopony can stand up to the mighty Hocus Po--" He was interrupted by his own coughing. "Ah...seems like my body and mind don't agree for once."
Geez Hocus," Ingrid said, "even when you're in the hospital, you can't help but show off!" She giggled a bit. "But I guess that's what made me love you in the first place, you big dork."
Percy folded her arms and sat down. "I'm just relieved you're alright. So, what did you need us for?"
Equal spoke up. "It has to do with me, mainly. But first, allow me to say this...Lightning Dawn, Crystal, Astra Physics, Garter Variety, Colin Canvas, and Percy Prose...today, you've shown an exceptional amount of bravery in standing up to the enemy. And against something like Nadir..." He boiled up as he remembered what the wizard said, before regaining his composure. "But enough about him. This is about you."
"What about us?" Garter asked. "If anything, Lightning was the one who took charge. We just did what any officer would in that situation."
Lightning looked down, clutching his shoulder. "Heh...it was nothing, really. I just didn't wanna see you guys get hurt. Besides, if I didn't act, Nadir would've slaughtered everypony."
"C'mon Lightning, stop bein' so modest!" Colin patted him on the back. "You got the heart of a manticore and the tenacity to boot!"
"But you all knew what you wanted to do," Hocus said. "It wasn't just Lightning. All of you stepped in not just because somepony else did, but because you wanted to. Because you felt the need to protect those closest to you, and to save your friends. I'm proud of that..."
Ingrid smiled warmly. "In any other situation, that would have been a downright reckless move. And believe me, it was. I'm not saying you should do that more often, but at least you took charge and came up with a plan to try and save us."
Astra sighed. "But we couldn't save anypony; we're just trainees. We don't even have our weapons..."
Equal smirks. "That's precisely what I wanted to share with you all today." At once, he pressed a button and his own carrying case expanded into an assorting tray. Within, four weapons of different shapes and sizes appeared before them. The ponies' eyes lit up; even Percy was somewhat shocked.
"Is this...what I think it is?" Garter stood there in further disbelief.
Equal nodded and laid them out for everypony. "The rest of the team and I had been preparing weapons for your initiation. It's a good thing we at least finished these ones. These creations tap into your inner magic and turn into reflections of who you are as ponies."
Astra took a few seconds to process this. "Y-You mean we're..."
Hocus chuckled a bit, still coughing. "After the bravery you six showed today, and after all the training and lessons you went through, I think you're all more than worthy of becoming Starfleet officers. The choice is all yours, of course."
The indigo Pegasus squeed and immediately went for a bow, which immediately started glowing before becoming a silver color with a constellation pattern encrusted on it. "Are you kidding?! I wouldn't give this up for the world!"
Colin went next, grabbing the bō staff and letting it turn a bright orange color, its tip turning into a paintbrush's bristles. "Wouldn't let this opportunity die anytime soon, no siree!"
Garter mused over the weapons for a bit before grabbing the whip, which immediately conformed into a vine-like contraption with retractable thorns and a rose-shaped handle. "I'd be honored to take up this position."
Percy, the last one without a weapon, took the katana which turned its handle a darkened blue, its sheath turning a dim yellow combined with that shade of blue. "If I didn't want to join Starfleet, I wouldn't have taken up the offer to be an officer in the first place."
Lightning spoke up afterward. "Um...what about Crystal and me? Don't we get some cool weapons?"
Equal sadly looked at the two in question. "Sorry, Lightning, but we didn't have a weapon completed for you yet. The Grand Ruler himself said he was perfecting the creation of a very special weapon. With his current absence, we're afraid that's not possible right now..."
This disappointed the two at first, but they quickly perked up. "That's alright," the former assured, "I can handle myself just fine. We've gotten this far, right?"
Crystal eagerly flew up. "He's right! And if he can't handle something, he's got me to bail him out." Lightning rolled his eyes and smiled.
"If we can even wound Nadir, then I'm willing to take any chance we've got."
Hocus couldn't help but smile. "It sincerely warms my heart that the two of you are this dedicated to doing the right thing. Dare I say it, with that kind of attitude, we may very well stand a chance."
Equal nodded and started speaking. "Unfortunately, that monster made his way to Blackheart Hill, where the shrine in which the original fight between the Grand Ruler and Nadir took place. The entrance is easy to find, but it's navigating the treacherous Amethyst Bog that could cause some significant problems."
Lightning's ears perked. "Did you say Amethyst Bog?"
"You've heard of it?" Ingrid looked."
"Oh yeah, we never told you!" Astra giggled. "He and Crystal originally woke up there when they were 5."
The three elite ponies sat up where they were, startled. "They survived as but foals?!" Hocus said, surprisingly the most shocked of all.
"Yep," Colin finished. "But they met each other, took on a wild cragadile and learned that Lightning had a golden power like the Grand Ruler's. Guessin' that's why he picked him up. Still think they're related, though..."
Garter just chuckled. "In other words, he's more than capable of getting us there anyway; if Lightning is with us, he's bound to know his way around at least a little bit.
"Agreed," said Percy. "We'll undoubtedly need a guide, and we happen to have two in our midst. T'was fate that brought us together. At least for this mission, you two are the ones who will lead the way."
Astra and Colin happily saluted Lightning and Crystal without hesitation. "We're ready to follow your lead!"
Percy sighed. "I didn't say he was a leader, just yet. But right now, he and Crystal are our best bet."
Crystal looked at Percy inquisitively. "I think you just rhymed, there." The yellow mare blushed.
"I-It's nothing! Just an old family tic that comes up from time to time. I'm honestly not very good at it..."
Colin put a hand to Percy's shoulder. "I think it was pretty good. A bit rusty, but every work of art needs to start somewhere."
Percy looked away, hiding a smile. "You find everything to be pretty good..."
Hocus interrupted their touching moment. "I believe it is time to hurry and go forth towards Nadir. Every minute we waste is another he could be gaining his power."
Lightning nodded. "Right! If we don't act now, we'll never get anything done! Everypony, get ready and raring to go!"
Crystal flew around before perching atop Lightning's head. "I wouldn't back down for even a minute!"
Astra stood next to Lightning. "I'll develop any strategies you may need!"
Garter took his stance next. "No way am I letting anything slow us down. I'll be sure to take down anything that stands in our way."
Colin stood tall and proud next to the group. "Together, we can take on any challenge! Even Nadir won't stand a ghost of a chance against us!"
Percy was the last to join in. "You're all lucky I like every single being on this planet. Let's do this."
With his confidence at an all-time high, Lightning looked towards his comrades. "Alright! We're finally ready! Everypony, to Amethyst Bog!"
They all headed out of the hospital, weapons secured and not losing sight of one another, they marched towards their destination. What they were unaware of, however, was that they were being watched...
In the very center of Amethyst bog laid a secluded field, thunder clouds roaring overhead, the browned grass filled to the brim with weeds, the long-decayed remains of brave pony warriors from days of old still jutting out. At the top of the hill in question laid a large, stone building laden with stone blocks that somehow failed to give way after years of a lack of use. Inside were plenty of dilapidated tapestries, some of which were still falling apart at the seams. At the very back of the area was a seat, suited only for the Grand Ruler himself. No points for guessing who decided to break that rule.
The sorcerer looked into his magic sphere, gazing at Lightning and co. from afar. "So, he decided to show up after all, did he?" He cackled maniacally. "Time to put my plan into motion..."
At once, Nadir used his magic to bring four corpses back to life, watching as they emerged from the ground. Soon, they all began to take their shape, though still shrouded in darkness, their eyes glowing a bright red as they bowed towards their master...
"What is your command, my lord?" They all spoke in unison.
Nadir simply smirked and looked at his new minions with a commanding presence.
"At last...my plan B is coming into fruition. Best of luck, Lightning Dawn...for you're going to need every last drop!"
To be continued...