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// The world came crashing down 
// Story: Darkness Returns 
// by BronyNathan 
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	The human continued the elegant battle with the master of disharmony. His staff and his shield, made out of what appeared to be obsidian, were striking vicious blows. All of which discord blocked with magic. 
"So you think your attempts are going to help them? It's only prolonging the inevitable!" Discord spouted sending another blast at him. 
The human smashed it away with his shield and continued his advance. "I have many sins to atone for. It doesn't matter if I win or lose here today, as long as I make up what I have done, then that will be enough for me!" 
He flung the shield at Discord and stabbed at him in his confusion, striking a glancing, but severe enough blow, to send Discord reeling backwards. The human yelled a war cry and charged. 
Squeak reached the top of the mountain to see, what she could only describe as pure chaos. While the girls were helping Luna, her mom was helping her dad get to his feet. But was it her dad? 
He looked so much taller now. His wings too. He also had a horn like her Auntie Twilight and Rarity. What happened to him?
She cautiously stepped out of the bushes and approached her parents. 
She fell to the ground as a large black claw wrapped itself around her hind legs. She screamed in terror at what she saw.
Everypony seised what they were doing and went into attack mode. Caltroth had crawled his way out of the portal, his black hide riddled with claw marks and bites from the demons. He was holding Squeak in his powerful claw smiling. He stared dead into Woodwinds eyes. 
"Ah, is this your daughter?" He asked smiling, running a sharp claw across her cheek. She screamed in pain as the wound began to trickle blood. Woodwind stood, ignoring the pain, and grunted in anger. Fluttershy was hiding behind him in tears. "Sweetie." He whispered to her, "Go to the girls. get ready to use the elements." 
She nodded and flew to the others, never taking her eyes off the standoff.
"You don't want to hurt her, Caltroth. It's me you want! Let her go!"
Caltroth bellowed with laughter. "Do you really think I have to chose between the two of you? Why can't I destroy you both?" 
Squeak sobbed and reached for her father. "Daddy! Please help!" 
He had to think. What could he do? His thoughts bubbled away as rage took its place. He felt something deep within. An ancient, almost primal power was building. He tried to contain it, but failed.
A burst of light shot from his horn. He felt all the power in his body drain into the blast. 
As the power drained, he felt his body returning to its normal state. He shrunk down to his normal size, his wings had lost their elegant beauty, and his horn shrank into his skull. 
Everyone stared in awe at the magic befalling them. Woodwind looked up to see himself. Well, not really himself, anyway.
The magic was in the form of the Alicorn he once was, transparent and glowing. It looked to Woodwind with a smile, and back to the others. It walked towards the mane 6, glowing brighter with each step. They were all paralyzed by the spectacle. The magic began to speak.
"It has been far too long since I have been awoken." It bellowed, it's voice echoing off the dusty mountainside. 
"Who are you?" Luna demanded, now on her feet. The creature cocked a quizzical head at her. "My identity is of little concern. I have been summoned by the Pegasi there." He said pointing toward Woodwind, who still had his eye on Caltroth. 
"He is the only element which has command over my power." he bellowed. All the girls continued to stare at the entity with wide eyes. 
"If you're here, you mind helping us?" Rainbow yelled, frustrated by its apparent lack of caring. The creature shook its head.
"Only if Woodwind accepts the Element of Harmony back into his heart. Otherwise, I can do nothing."
Caltroth yelled in frustration. "Alright, I've had about enough of this!" 
He slid his claw across Squeaks throat. Fluttershy screamed at the sight and Woodwind rushed the beast, yelling the entire way. Caltroth sidestepped, threw the filly to the dirt, and bashed Woodwind on the head. 
The other ponies were weeping as they rushed to Squeak, her tiny body now lying in the dirt. They scooped her up and tried to aid her.
But it was too late.
All the ponies looked at the horrible beast now raising a massive hand to Woodwind. "You now know true pain, you pathetic horse! Now you'll die, along with the rest of your world!" He brought the fist down. Woodwind was in tears and braced himself for the hit. 
Nothing.
He looked up to see Caltroth, the staff now sticking through his chest, his blood seemed to blend with the pure black, crystal like object. The human peered from behind the body and spoke. 
"I think you've caused enough hell for one life time." He said pulling his staff out of the creatures abdomen.
Caltroth gave a few choking gags and fell to the ground, no longer breathing. 
Woodwind knew that voice all to well. Even though he had an idea who it was a long time ago.
Cole pulled the hood back and smiled at his old friend. "It's been far too long." He said whipping his staff on a nearby boulder. 
Woodwind would deal with this later. He rushed to the others and to Squeak. Fluttershy screamed and cried as her daughter lay lifeless in Twilights arms. Woodwind gingerly picked up her limp body and cradled it.
"Squeaks?! Squeaks please!" He pleaded, tears running hot down his cheeks. 
Her lifeless eyes just stared back at him. He yelled back at the body of Caltroth, obscenities and all. "You heartless sonofabitch! You fucking piece of no good garbage!" He fell to the ground, sobbing. Twilight and the others came to him, trying to comfort him as best they could. But their tears only added to the pain. 
The large magical being trotted forward. "You loved her, didn't you?" He asked. Woodwind looked up furious. 
"Of course I fucking loved her! She was my first child! My little miracle!" He said looking back down at her. He closed her eyes and embraced Fluttershy, who was sobbing uncontrollably. 
Feeling forgotten, Discord came forward, actually looking genuinely upset. 
"Girls, I-I never wanted anypony to get hurt. All I wanted was pure, fun chaos. I'm-" He was cut off. Everyone gasped in horror by what they saw. 
The black claw was sticking through Discords midsection. He looked at all the terrified faces around him as the blood drained from his face. His eyes rolled to the back of his head and he collapsed to the ground. Caltroth loomed over the body as a fine red mist began to emanate from it. Caltroth inhaled deeply and sucked it in.
He instantly began to change. His body grew an extra three feet, muscles bulged from his leathery black hide. His voice became a deep grumble from what it was before as he began to bellow an evil laugh. "After all these years, i've forgotten what TRUE power felt like." He said smiling, looking over his now imposing form. 
Woodwind put Squeak down gingerly, and stood. Still trailing tears. He gave Caltroth a horrible stare. The only kind of stare one can muster from a pain unimaginable. "You only came back to life to die again, Caltroth!" He yelled and charged the beast. 
Cole went to join the others, who took instant defensive posses. Except for Twilight.
"Everypony, relax. It's ok. He's here to help us." Twilight said going up to him. "Glad you could make it." she smiled, but with tears still in her eyes. Cole went over and brushed the lifeless filly's mane. The others watched him, unsure why he felt upset for her. 
He looked up to the specter, "Is there anything we can do for her?" He asked pleadingly with the magical being. 
"There is always something someone can do. But are they willing to do it? That's the real question." It said gazing up at the stars. 
"Anything." Cole said. The creature now returned his stare. 
"Are you willing to trade your life energy to save her? Are you willing to die?" It said gazing into his eyes. 
"My life was forefit long ago." He stated bluntly, looking back down at the little corpse. "Do it."
The creature looked over to the fight between Woodwind and Caltroth. "For it to work, no evil must be near. Which means Caltroth must be dealt with first." 
"Well isn't that fan-fucking-tastic!" Rainbow yelled, taking all the girls aback by her language. They expected it from Woodwind, but from her? 
Well, actually...
Fluttershy looked Cole dead in the eyes. "You're going to save her?" She asked, grabbing him by his collar. 
He looked her dead in her bright blue eyes. "I promise."
Woodwind didn't care about the beating he was receiving. The blows didn't hurt as much as his emotional pain. He managed a few glancing blows but other than that, he was getting his ass handed to him on a platter. 
The girls watched as he was punted back into their midst. Fluttershy grabbed his forearm, pleading with him. "Please, Woodwind, I can't loose you too. I need you!" He stood back up, and was about to continue the fruitless battle. "Woodwind! I'm pregnant!" She yelled 
Everypony looked in shock, except Twilight, who knew all along. Woodwind froze in place, but only for a minute as Caltroth charged them. He flew and bucked him in the face, sending him reeling backwards.
"Fluttershy, why didn't you tell me before?!" He yelled, taking another blow to the stomach. 
"I couldn't! I thought it would cause you more distress than you're already in!" She yelled over the chaos of their fight. 
"Well, nothing could stress me out more than today!" He said, taking a kick to the back of the leg. 
He crumpled to the ground and rolled as a fist came down where his head was. 
"If you're going to vanquish Caltroth, you must use your elements now. It's the only way." The magical being said staring at the fight. 
"But tha elements won't have any affect on 'im." AppleJack said, wiping away tears. 
"You're right." The being said flatly. "But if you don't try, your entire world is doomed." 
The girls gulped and looked down at the elements around their necks. 
"Alright girls, lets do this. For Squeak..." Twilight said trailing off, staring at the little filly. New tears began to form in her eyes. 
"I love you, Squeak..." Fluttershy sobbed. The girls got into position. 
They all levitated four feet off the ground, beams of light emanating from their being. Luna and Cole, who was still holding Squeak in his massive arms, backed away from the spectacle. 
Woodwind took another bash to the face. He felt his jaw snap and he fell to the ground. Caltroth dove on him, pinning him to the ground. 
"I took your daughter away, next i'll take your wife away, then everypony you hold near and dear to you, then you!" He said getting right in his face. 
A blast hit Caltroth and he turned to respond to the threat.