Equestria
Canterlot Theater
Many hours later
Reaching the end of the concert, Twilight Sparkle prepared to announce the final number. Without the audience knowing, this next number was about to take things from ‘horrifying’ to ‘hopeful’ at the same time.
“Our last number for our Equestria Fantasia program is a combination of two utterly different pieces of music in construction and mood that they set each other off perfectly,” She stated. “Like Darkness and Light, Chaos and Order in a strange way one could say.”
In the stands, Discord, sipping a drink quietly and enjoying the show, nearly did a spit-take after hearing what Twilight said.
Hey, Chaos and Order may be total opposites but they both need one another.
Like a coin needs Heads and Tails or Yin needs a Yang… Not just the cartoon.
Anyways, Twilight continued her speech.
“The first part you will hear and see is A Night on Bald Mountain, by Modest Mussorgsky, one of Russia’s greatest composers. The second part of this number is Ave Maria by Franz Schubert, sung by the lovely voice of Lyrica Lilac. Musically, dramatically, terrifyingly, we have here a picture of the struggle between the profane and the sacred. Bald Mountain, according to old tradition, is the gathering place of the followers of Satan, or in this case… followers of Chernabog.”
Twilight’s body shivered fearfully at the very mention of that… monster’s name. From the stands, Celestia and Luna both expressed worry and concern for not only Twilight but for her friends, all of whom went through that exact realm.
“Here on Walpurgis Night, which is surprisingly the equivalent of Equestria’s Nightmare Night and Earth’s Halloween, the creatures of evil gather to worship their dark master. Under his control, they dance furiously like mad, wild beasts with no sentient logic. I won’t lie. My friends and I… well… it was very horrifying for us, and I honestly felt like It was going to be the end for us. At one moment, he had us cornered and at his mercy… lack of mercy mind you.”
Somewhere in the musical stands, Applejack lightly rubbed her hind legs that had several bandages wrapped around. The fight against those monsters and Chernabog had given her a good number of new scars to add to her growing collection. Same could be said with Dash, who’s right wing was in a split. It wasn’t broken, thank Faust, but she was certainly grounded for the time being. Pinkie’s mane and tail deflated at the very mention of the dark, gloomy, and depressing realm and the feelings that came with it. As if all the happiness had been drained bone dry and that she’d never feel happy again should she be trapped in that world of music.
Twilight inhaled, then exhaled before resuming her speech.
“In all the hard times my friends and I have faced, we’ve confronted many threats and villains trying to take over our home… And yet they all pale in comparison to Chernabog… an entirely different level of evil and darkness. I don’t dare think about what would’ve happened if we hadn’t received the warnings and advice given to us about Chernabog. When all seemed lost, the coming of dawn and the soft, yet strong sounds of church bells ringing sent Chernabog himself, and his infernal army, slinking back into their abode of darkness. And then we hear the Ave Maria, with its message of the triumph of hope and life over the powers of despair and death.”
Twilight finished as she left the stage, feeling more relaxed as Spike hugs her strongly to comfort her from the mention of the bad memory. The guest conductor, disguised as a pony, raised his hooves as the music begins…
Symphony of Sorcery
Sleeping Village/Bald Mountain
Present Time
Mist. Nothing but mist covered the view of our heroes. After listening to the information and warnings from Deems and Leopold; Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Octavia, Vinyl, Spike and Jiminy Cricket traveled through this cursed land in search of the last two sheet music while being extra cautious... for the devil that lives in these very parts.
“I’ve never seen fog this thick on Nightmare Night,” Spike noted.
“Fog’s so thick, the birds might as well be walkin’,” Applejack replied.
“We better watch our step,” Twilight advised, her horn glowing brightly.
“It is rather chilly out here,” Rarity replied, lighting the way as well. “Shouldn’t we wear something warmer?”
“It’s not like it is freezing outside, Rarity,” Twilight said. “But I do get a chill just looking at this place.”
“Vinyl, I don’t feel very comfortable around here,” Octavia spoke anxiously.
“Me too,” Vinyl said, bringing a hoof around her best friend. “But that’s okay. You have me and the others looking after you.”
The cellist, though scared still, gave her friend a small smile.
“We better stick together and not split up,” Jiminy Cricket suggested. “Who knows what ghastly stuff we’ll run into?”
As our heroes slowly walked on, feeling more uncomfortable than usual, the mist became less dense, revealing some old houses in a spooky atmosphere.
"Are we sure this is the right place?" Spike asked, looking around.
“It fits Deems’ and Leopold’s description perfectly,” Rarity answered observingly. “Though the whole macabre look is really sending some mixed messages.”
“This place sure is different than the other realms,” Twilight said, picking up some dirt. “Even the soil here feels different.”
In a strange, creepy way, the dirt in her hoof began to move. A scary face suddenly appears, while whispering a monstrous growl. Twilight gasped with fright, quickly shaking the dirt from her hoof. Fluttershy quickly approached Twilight and hugged her fiercely.
“Twilight, I’m starting to get the feeling we should’ve listened to Deems and Leopold,” Fluttershy whimpered, shivering uncontrollably. “I-I-I really don’t like it here; this place is so dark and scary! I don’t wanna be here! I wanna go home, locked in my closet, with my teddy bear!!!”
Twilight tried calming her, soothing her back gingerly with a ‘shh’.
“Cheer up, Fluttershy,” Pinkie replied, in her usual tone. “You gotta laugh, like we did with the trees the first time we explored the Everfree Forest, and sing, like you did with Snow White. I’ll start: A one… A two…”
Pinkie took a deep breath, while tapping her hooves.
“W…”
But before she started singing, Twilight quickly covered her mouth while looking around. Then she stared back at Pinkie with a serious stern.
“Pinkie Pie, we’re in a world that reeks of evil,” Twilight warned. “We need to be quiet, meaning… no singing!”
“Mhmm…” Pinkie moaned, yet nodded understandingly.
“Twilight’s right,” Applejack agreed. “This ain’t like the other realms we visited. We best find them sheet music and get out of here fast.”
“Easier said than done,” Jiminy noted. “All we can do is keep a watchful eye while we look around.”
“We could use an extra look-out,” Twilight suggested.
“And I can totally do look-outs,” Rainbow bragged.
“Best on the ground, Rainbow,” Twilight advised. “We can’t take any chances.”
“Oh… Fine.”
Then slowly but surely our heroes move further into the village, where not a single soul or inhabitant could be seen.
“This could be a long search,” Jiminy replied, looking around. “Let’s hope that our presence goes unnoticed."
In that very moment, our view slowly zooms out to see exactly where they are: The old village they were in was located within a mountainous area. It had a river and a few trees here and there… but that wasn’t everything. All of it was overlooked by an enormous, dark and morose mountain. The foggy night sky, along with the pale light of the full moon, made everything feel ominous and scary.
Slowly and silently, our heroes wandered past the various homes representing the whole village. Most of the houses they’ve passed were completely devoid of light… not ‘all’ of them of course.
“Check it out,” Vinyl pointed. “The lights are still on in those homes.”
“Maybe there’s some people in there who aren’t asleep,” Twilight assumed.
“Or maybe… they’re h-h-h-haunted!” Fluttershy gulped, quivering.
“Fluttershy, you’re overreacting!” Rainbow replied. “Haunted, HA! That’s the silliest thing I’ve ever heard.”
“A-A-Aren’t you afraid?” The timid Pegasus asked, shivering fearfully.
“Me? Pfft! Please… you’re looking at only the bravest mare in all of Equestria!”
“That same mare who got scared out of her wits from an old castle?” Applejack stated bluntly.
“You were scared too!” Rainbow shouted in the farm pony’s face.
“Shh!!!” Twilight hushed them, quieting them down.
“It'd be rather surprising if both sheet music were in one of those homes,” Octavia said.
Suddenly, to the surprise of them all, Pinkie Pie appeared from a window of the house closest to them.
“No sheet music in here!” Pinkie called, before popping back inside.
Next thing they know, their friend popped her head out of the windows of the various homes.
“Or here! Or here! Or here, or here, or here… Waaaaaiiit!!!”
Pinkie lifted a small stone off the corner of a house, just to be sure.
“Nope! This place is emp-ty! Oh well, worth a shot!”
Moving further along, the group paused around town square where a hanging gallows stood. Atop the gallows sat a vulture pecking its feathers, its red eyes gazed at the quadrupedal and scaled strangers, making the group more nervous and afraid. Even Spike found himself staring before the gallows, his tiny legs quivering in fear.
“Something truly bad must have happened here,” Spike observed. “Something that turned this entire place into a ghost town.”
“A g-g-g-g-ghost town?!” Fluttershy stuttered fearfully.
“Come on, guys,” Rainbow butted. “You don’t seriously believe all that stuff.”
“Are you saying you don’t believe what Deems and Leopold told us?” Twilight asked, raising a brow. “That it’s some kind of cruel joke?”
“Well, uh, I wouldn’t go that far. I can understand magical fairies that can change the seasons or wizards that can bring broomsticks to life. And I can understand those giant ferocious dinosaurs and celestial beings with great power. But ‘ghosts’… c’mon, Twi. When’s the ‘last’ time we’ve ever actually seen a ghost?”
“I get your point, Rainbow,” Twilight assured. “But that doesn’t mean they can’t be real. I for one won’t take their warnings for granted.”
“This village alone is enough to give me goosebumps,” Octavia spoke, uneased.
“Ah gotta agree with Twilight and Octavia,” Applejack added. “Ah don’t believe so much in ghosts, despite havin’ seen my folks again. But ah know a lie when ah hear it and those warnings ain’t no lie.”
“You’re letting this place get to you,” Rainbow insists, stepping back. “I’m not falling for it like that zombie prank you guys pulled on me. Nothing scary is going to happen this time and somehow I’m going to prove it!”
However, while Rainbow was busy with her friends, she failed to notice a black cat walking and…
MEOOOOOOOOOOOOW!!!!
The black cat screeched for its life, not only because Rainbow stepped on its tail, but the very sight of the strange ponies.
“AAAAAAAAHHH!!!” Rainbow screamed.
Soon, all the ponies start screaming for their lives, one by one (Even Spike and Jiminy). The cat, still screeching, ran as fast as it could into the mist while our heroes trembled.
“I don’t think I can take this anymore!” Fluttershy freaked out, shivering violently. “I WANNA GO HOME!”
Twilight and the others couldn’t help but feel sympathetic for Fluttershy.
“Okay, okay, let’s just calm down for a sec,” Twilight announced.
“Flutters, you just need to be brave like the previous times,” Rainbow encouraged. “Remember that Nightmare Night when you scared all of us dressed as Flutterbat?”
“She did what?” Jiminy and Octavia asked simultaneously.
“It’s a long story,” Twilight answered.
“I didn’t enjoy scaring you,” Fluttershy whimpered.
“Oh yeah? Well, what about the time you stood up to that dragon?” Rainbow asked again. “Or the time you pulled a thorn from a manticore’s paw? You weren’t scared then.”
“Those were different!” Fluttershy replied, feeling uncomfortable. “And I don’t think it’s going to end like one of those moments.”
“Fluttershy, sometimes you’re really childish,” Rainbow said. “Like a foal in a mare’s body.”
“Leave her be, Dash,” Vinyl said.
“She is who she is,” Applejack added. “She can’t help herself. You oughtta know better since you scared her with that prank once.”
While the group conversed, Pinkie looks around in confusion as if she heard something.
“Come on, this again?!” Rainbow spoke back. “It was just for laughs and I didn’t mean anything rudely.”
“She’s sensitive about pranks and you should know better!” Rarity points out.
“You’re letting this place get to you, just like back at the castle. If I didn’t know any better, you guys are starting to act like Pinkie Pie!”
“Um girls, I don’t mean to interrupt,” Pinkie cut in. “But do any of you hear that spooky music?”
Everypony turns toward her before Rainbow spoke further.
“See? This is exactly what I’m talking about. Letting your imagination run amuck.”
“Is it me or is that getting louder?” Pinkie asked.
She looks around, trying to find the source of where the music came from.
“…That can’t be good.”
Even as Rainbow kept talking, the group couldn’t help but feel something spooky is in the air. Even Spike felt the spinetingling chill, as he looks around frantically. He suddenly looks up, his eyes become small as pinpricks and his jaw slowly drops to the ground. Twilight spots Spike’s reaction and went to check on him.
“Spike? Are you alright?”
The little dragon slowly points a claw at what he saw. Twilight looks up and the same reaction forms upon her face.
“And another thing, you just said you’re more afraid of losing us!” Rainbow spoke further.
“I am!” Fluttershy argued. “But this place…”
“… is creepy, we get it! How’s about telling me something I don’t know!?”
Suddenly, another strange feeling courses through Pinkie Pie. Something she’s all too familiar with.
“My knee!” She shouted. “Pinch-pinch! Pinch-pinch!”
“Shut it, Pinkie!” Rainbow shouts, before facing the others. “You all should know in the first place there’s no such thing as ghosts!”
“Girls?” Twilight squeaked loudly.
The others, hearing Twilight, turn toward where Twilight and Spike were staring. They all look on in shock, except Rainbow Dash.
“Twilight Sparkle, even if what Deems and Leopold say is true, there’s no…”
But just as the blue Pegasus finally turns, a strangled gasp cuts her off. Even Vinyl had to take her glasses off to be sure her eyes weren't deceiving her. Atop the large mountain, what they assumed to be the peak moving, giant bat wings spread wide open revealing a dark being with horns protruding from its head and eyes glowing yellow in the night. The being stood there with its arms crossed, looming over the entire village.
Our heroes stood petrified, never before having felt such fear in their lives. Even Jiminy hid underneath Applejack's hat. Just as Fluttershy was about to scream, Rarity quickly covers her mouth.
“Shh! Shh! Shh!” The white unicorn hushed, staring frightenedly.
“W-W-W-What is that thing?” Rainbow stuttered.
Twilight Sparkle stood silently for a moment, but she knew the answer already.
“… Chernabog.”
“That’s him?!” Rainbow asked surprised.
“Now I know how those musicians feel,” Octavia shivered.
Pinkie Pie tried to cover her eyes but couldn’t help but watch nervously.
“H-H-He truly is super-duper scary!” Pinkie trembled fearfully.
“What do we do?” Rarity asked, hugging Fluttershy.
“Don’t ask me!” Jiminy quivered, underneath the hat. “I’m too scared to come up with something.”
“Reckon Jiminy can’t help us now,” Applejack said, turning toward Twilight. “How ‘bout you, Twi? What’s the plan?”
Twilight stared frightfully before she found her voice.
“Sorry, guys. I’m terrified beyond the capacity for rational thought.”
“Translation,” Spike added worriedly. “’We’re doomed…’”
The giant demon loomed over the village below him. He raised his arms above him, before bringing them back down. His shadow casted over the mountain and onto the village before, shrouding the entire town in complete darkness. The buildings themselves began to move, including the nearby church, and multiple bats flew from the belfry.
The bats screeched and flew straight towards the Equestrians, making them scream in terror. Rarity, Pinkie, and Twilight screamed the highest. The ponies and their friends tried to shoo them away till the bats flew away. Rarity kept screaming while one bat got stuck in her mane.
“GET IT OFF! GET IT OFF! GET… IT… OFF!!!” Rarity yelled.
<”GET ME OUT! GET ME OUT! GET… ME… OUT!!!”> The bat screeched.
Twilight helped Rarity by brushing the bat away, as the beast flew back toward the cauldron it came from.
“Oh, how bats disgust me so!” The white mare complained, hyperventilating.
“Good thing they didn’t find me!” Jiminy appeared, beneath A.J.’s hat. “Or I’d be bat food!”
Suddenly, the shadow loomed over the group and coursed through the town square. The darkness sent chills and an uneasy feeling upon their spines. The vulture, sitting upon the gallows, felt something wasn’t right and flew away.
“I don’t like where this is going,” Octavia cowered.
Just when it couldn’t get any scarier, what happened next was more than enough to make the hottest skin turn cold. From underneath the gallows, skeletal ghosts arose and float through the noose. The corrupted spirits of criminals hung on these very gallows ages ago were free to roam about the Earth.
“Y-Y-Y-You’re all seeing this too, right?” Spike stammered, trembling at the sight.
“I s-s-sure d-d-do!” Jiminy stammered, clutching Applejack’s hat.
Everypony shivered in fear, all except for Rainbow Dash. The mare stood there, skeptical over the ghosts before them.
“Pfft! Please,” Rainbow replied, unimpressed. “Those aren’t real! A.J., throw a rock at them.”
“Ah don’t reckon I should, R.D.!” Applejack replied uncertainly.
“Ah, come off it! This is obviously just some cheesy tactic to scare us! There’s no such thing as ghosts and I’ll prove it… now throw!”
Without further question, Applejack picked up a tiny rock in her mouth. She threw it high in the air and bucked hard with one of her hindlegs. The rock soared straight toward one ghost. But suddenly, rather than hitting the ghost, the rock went straight through it. Applejack turned fearfully toward Rainbow Dash, the Pegasus looking back with utter confusion.
“Uh… let me try,” Rainbow said.
She grabbed a nearby rock, twirled it around with high velocity and pitched it toward a ghost. But the end result was exactly the same, the only surprise being the little reaction she received from the ghost. Rainbow rubbed her eyes to make sure she wasn’t hallucinating before looking back toward her friends with jaw-hanging shock.
“I think we better run,” Rainbow squeaked nervously.
“I think so too,” Twilight agreed, turning away. “Everypony, follow me!”
The alicorn and her friends turned and flew, as the spirits took off into the sky toward the mountain. The huge demon kept looking down, raising one arm and brought it down with two fingers. His shadow loomed over a ruined castle in the midst of a moat. From the moat and castle grounds, white-and-black spirits appeared, of fallen warriors and their steeds. The very sight of the spectacle caused our heroes to stop dead in their tracks.
“There’s more of them?!” Vinyl asked in shock.
Before anypony could answer, loud cackling caused the group to turn up as several spirits, resembling witches on broomsticks, arise from the various sections of the village. Their looks contrast between beautiful to ugly and monstrous.
“Does that answer your question?” Twilight replied.
“Witches?” Octavia said, in surprise and fear. “First ghosts, now witches?!”
“Please tell me this isn’t happening,” Fluttershy begged fearfully.
“Oh… it’s happening!” Spike nodded frightfully. “It’s happening!!”
“Go, go!” Twilight shouted.
The group fled across the town, through the sea of spirits and witches. Their moans and laughter bellow all around them, as one-by-one the spirits arose from their graves. Spike turned behind him briefly, running as fast as his tiny feet could carry him. Suddenly, a screaming ghost rose before him, causing him to stumble and scream in fear.
Twilight managed to grab him with her magic, just before the spirit could pick him off. Next thing Spike knew, the little guy was riding upon her back as she galloped hastily.
“I do believe in ghosts!” Rainbow yelled, from the top of her lungs. “I do believe in ghosts! I do! I do! I DOOOO!!!”
“Come on!” Applejack shouted.
With every sprint and every breath, the group galloped farther away from the village. Before their eyes, a swirling mist gathers atop a hill.
“Hurry! Into the mist!” Twilight announced.
“What?!” Spike gasped in shock. “You’re leading us in there?!”
“Where else are we gonna go?!” Twilight asked. “Just do it!”
Quickly running uphill, our heroes venture deep into the mist. Their entire frontward view blocked, their gasps for breath escaping into the freezing breeze. All around them, the bellows and moans of the spirits echo in every direction. All while our heroes raced as if their very lives depended on it.
(Pause music at 1:40)
Suddenly, Twilight tripped over a rock, causing the others to bump against her and roll along the ground. They rolled about in different directions until they stopped, losing each other in the thick fog.
Fluttershy used all four of her hooves to pick herself off the ground. She desperately looked around for a trace of her friends. Her anxiety began to build, as nothing but mist appears in her gaze.
“Girls? Spike?! Jiminy?!?!”
Suddenly, she heard a noise behind her. Turning around, Fluttershy could swear it sounded like something was coming… right her way.
“T-Twilight?” Fluttershy asked timidly.
But no response came, and that strange noise seemed to draw closer. The frightened Pegasus began to breath heavily with fear.
“Rainbow?” She squeaked. “Please tell me it’s you…”
Once again, no answer came, not from whoever or whatever was in the mist. The mysterious being came closer and closer, the Pegasus’ breathing grew heavier, and her heartbeat raced faster. Suddenly… it stopped. Fluttershy narrowed her eyes, her breathing still heavy, trying to look closely into the mist.
“AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!”
In the blink of an eye, a ghostly head with razor sharp teeth and eerie eyes appeared from the mist, shrieking loudly. The spirit zipped right through Fluttershy’s face, as she fell down and screamed in terror. The yellow pony quickly ran through the mist, hyperventilating while trying to find a way out.
“GIRLS! GIRLS!!” She shouted desperately. “SOMEPONY HELP ME!!!”
After running for a few seconds, Fluttershy tripped over something big and fell along the ground with a grunt. Quickly standing on her hooves, she looked around quivering with fright and eager to be reunited with her friends. She didn’t notice something reaching for her… a white hoof. The moment it touched her, Fluttershy screamed very loud.
“Fluttershy! Fluttershy, it’s me!”
Turned out the owner of the hoof, Rarity of all ponies, tried to calm her down. The yellow Pegasus stopped screaming long enough to open her eyes, to see the truth.
“It’s me!” Rarity reassured.
The moment Fluttershy saw it was her friend, she broke down in tears and hugged her as if she hadn’t seen her in years. The snow-white unicorn did her best to console her, never letting go.
“Fluttershy! Rarity!”
Soon, Twilight Sparkle appeared from the mist, having heard the screams from a distance.
“Thank Celestia, you’re okay,” Twilight sighed with relief.
“Twilight!” Fluttershy cried, as Rarity stroked her mane. “Don’t leave me again!”
“Fellers?!” Applejack yelled in the distance. “Where are ya?!”
“Over here!” Twilight yelled back.
It didn’t take long for Applejack, Jiminy, and Rainbow Dash to appear while the mist slowly dissolved. But it wasn’t enough for Rainbow to see where she’s going, causing her to bump against something hard.
“Ow!” The blue Pegasus grunted. “I hate this mist! I’ve bumped five times and tripped three times… and always something hard!”
“Any of you seen Pinkie, Spike, Octavia, and Vinyl?” Jiminy asked.
“No!” Twilight shook her head.
“Neither have we,” Rarity added.
“Spike?! Octavia?!” Twilight called out, looking around.
Suddenly, they spotted a horrifying shadow with glowing eyes appearing in the mist. It approached the group while they stared with strangled gasps, even Fluttershy hid her face deep in Rarity’s mane. But the closer the shadow guy came, the less menacing it appeared and the better they could see who it was.
“There you guys are!” A familiar pinkie friend said.
To everypony's relief, Pinkie Pie appears from the mist.
“I don’t know about you guys, but I’m never playing hide-and-seek in the mist again! Searching for you is like searching for a needle in a haystack… only without the haystack. You won’t believe how easy it is to bump and hurt yourself against every flat stone in this place.”
“Flat… stones?” Applejack asked in confusion.
“Oh, didn’t you see?” Pinkie asked. “I’ve come across a ton of these stones just sticking out from the ground. One moment…”
Twisting her tail, Pinkie released her hoof, and her tail spun so rapidly that it made the mist around them dissipate quickly thereby revealing things they didn’t see before.
“Look over there, this stone’s got writing all over it!” Pinkie pointed.
The party pony took a closer look upon the stone, reading the inscription.
“R… I… P. Rip. Hmm… could be a secret code. Otherwise, I’d say that’s short for ‘Rest in Peace’ or maybe… ‘Really into Pinkie’! Well, who wouldn’t be really into Ponyville’s number one party pony? I mean I know I’m not as popular as Princess Luna when she’s in a poll, but still—"
“Rest in Peace?!” They all said.
The mist dissipated until there was only enough around the level of their hooves. They could all see where they ended up and they gave a terrified shriek, but none more than Rainbow Dash herself.
The entire place, filled to the brim with tombstones of all shapes and size, could only mean one thing.
“A CEMETERY?!” Rainbow shouted, shaking her head in disbelief. “Why’d it have to be a cemetery?!”
“Oh no!” Fluttershy moaned, shivering and refusing to release Rarity.
“Twilight!” A voice shouted.
Drawn to the shout, Twilight turned and spotted Spike, along with Octavia and Vinyl, waving at her.
“Spike! Girls!” Twilight called back.
They rushed toward her and the rest of the group, the little dragon hugging his friend/sister for dear life.
“Why does it have to be a cemetery of all places?!” Vinyl asked, looking around fearfully.
“That’s what I just asked!” Rainbow shouted.
“This is really scarin’ me right now!” Applejack said, while her and Pinkie’s teeth chattered.
Suddenly, they soon noticed the huge shadow, belonging to the giant demon himself, coming their way.
“Quick! Everypony, hide!” Twilight shouted.
They hid behind the tombstones while staying close together, not planning to lose each other again.
(Continue music)
The shadow covered a grave, with a wreath on top, that was underneath a tree. The Equestrians watched in horror when a cloaked phantom rose from it. Soon, with the rest of the graveyard covered in a blanket of darkness, the spirits of those who were not buried in sacred ground rose from their graves. Some of them were phantom-like or skeletal in appearance while others looked disfigured.
Our heroes, shivering with fright, couldn’t believe they were witnessing all of this.
“This will give me nightmares forever!” Spike shuddered.
“I’ve never seen so many ghosts, especially all at once,” Twilight said. “There must be millions of them.”
“And looks like they’re gathering towards some place,” Octavia observed. “But where?”
Rarity, being ever so observant, saw exactly where the ghosts were heading.
“To the mountain… to him…”
They turned toward the mountain, watching Chernabog flailing his arms about like a conductor. They saw the menace in his gestures as he summons an array of ghosts from their graves.
"How can we complete our mission if we have to hide?" Rainbow asked.
"I'm not sure, but we can't let Chernabog see us," Twilight advised. "Whatever you do, don't do anything to draw his attention... especially eye contact."
But Applejack was too busy staring toward the giant demon. All of a sudden, he stopped conjuring after feeling a strange presence in the air. Slowly, he faced the direction of the cemetery, narrowing his eyes. The cowgirl pony feared she made a grave mistake.
"Ah made eye contact," She spoke honestly.
"With the demon?" Vinyl asked.
"Eeyup... straight down the barrel."
Chernabog unleashed a terrifying roar, so loud that it forced the Equestrians backwards. Raising his arms into the air, he stretched them forward while waving his hands and fingers. Small orbs of light soon appear, transforming into something unknown. For whatever it was he summoned, he commanded them to fly toward the cemetery with a single point of his fingertip. With another mighty roar, the cemetery's ghosts turned toward the equines and dragon with malicious intent. This made the Equestrians very uncomfortable.
"Houston, we have a problem," Jiminy said worriedly.
"No, no, no..." Fluttershy squeaked silently.
The dreadful apparitions kept coming closer, stretching their arms to reach them.
"Stay back!" Twilight demanded.
But the ghosts paid no heed to her words and kept edging toward the princess and her friends.
"Have a cupcake!" Pinkie shouted.
She hurls a cupcake toward one of the ghosts, only for it to pass through its body.
"A cupcake?" Rainbow asked, furrowing her eyebrows. "Seriously?"
"You're right... should've brought a proton gun or a thermos to catch them.
Rainbow was about to say something else, but the look of confusion spoke for her. As the ghosts drew closer, Twilight charged her horn... ready to strike at any time.
"Twilight?" Spike spoke, in discomfort.
"I said... 'STAY BACK'!!!" Twilight yelled.
She fired a magic beam at the ghosts, stopping them in their tracks. In spite of that, however, the ghosts kept floating toward them under the influence of their sinister master.
"Any other ideas would be useful right now," Octavia spoke, smiling uneasily.
"Um... um, uh... eugh..." Twilight thought, panicking.
Fortunately, good ol' Spike came up with just the solution.
"Twilight, Yen Sid's book!" Spike shouted. "Maybe something in there can help us fight the ghosts!"
"Right!" Twilight said, her eyes widening. "Pinkie, my saddlebag!"
Quickly, Pinkie reached into her mane and brought out Twilight's saddlebag.
"Here you go!"
Grabbing the saddlebag, Twilight dug through the infinite space created within the bag. Finally, she managed to find the book and quickly skimmed through the pages while the ghosts drew closer.
"Hurry up!" Applejack shouted. "They're closing in on us like a pack o' timberwolves!"
"I'm searching as fast as I can!" Twilight shouted back.
But they didn't have enough time. While Twilight kept searching the pages, the apparitions were almost within arm's reach.
"TWILIGHT!" Spike yelled.
Everypony screamed for their lives, even Rarity while trying to protect Fluttershy. Just when it seems our beloved heroes were done for, the ghosts just about to touch them, they zipped backward while screaming, moaning in fear and agony. The Equestrians opened their eyes and witnessed Pinkie using a canister to sprinkle something white and grainy on the ground. Whatever it was, the ghosts were terrified of it.
"Pinkie, what are you doing?" Twilight asked.
"Saving us, of course," Pinkie answered.
The group just looked on with confusion, as Pinkie drew a circle around them with that stuff.
"What is that?" Rainbow asked, pointing.
"Salt," Pinkie spoke plainly.
Pinkie eventually turned around, noticing how her response made everypony confused.
"So get this... I've been reading a ton of books and magazines about monsters and supernatural creatures lately. Apparently, all the experts say 'salt' is one of the best defenses against ghosts and witches. Can you believe that?"
Suddenly, the canister with salt is zoomed in and rotated. Everything around the group proceeds to resemble that of an old commercial.
<>
“This story has been entirely sponsored, and brought to you, by ‘salt’,” A random announcer guy said. “The perfect kitchen item you can use for your most delicious meals and the safety of you and your loved ones.”
Pinkie Pie quickly appears beside the canister with the brightest smile.
“It’s not always good for your health, but it clears pesky ghosts, witches, and demons away from your house and neighborhood,” Pinkie announced. “Salt, it truly is… the white gold!”
“Not likely to be used against giant demons,” The announcer added.
“Yeah… wait what?”
<>
The scene reverts back to normal, with everypony staring at Pinkie Pie for a few seconds. Till eventually, it is Twilight Sparkle who breaks the ice.
“I have no idea what that just was, but… good job, Pinkie!”
The pink party pony squeaked with glee, while Twilight studies the pages before coming to a complete stop.
“Here it is! A spell that could give us an advantage against spirits,” Twilight read. “It also says I can transfer a portion of that magic into a single object.”
“Then what are we waiting for?” Rainbow asked, pumped and ready. “Give us some of that sweet magic!”
The ghosts tried vainly to reach for them. But due to the salt, they’d dare not lay one bony finger upon their hides. Seeing their vain attempts, Pinkie Pie lifts up the canister high in the air while it glows.
“Ha ha! Thou cannot withstand the power… of SALT!!!” Pinkie shouted deeply.
But then suddenly, something big and aerial rapidly snatched the canister from Pinkie’s hoof.
“OW!!!” Pinkie cried.
Clutching her hoof, Pinkie looked up and gasped wide-eyed. To everypony’s shock, a monstrous creature with the naked upper body of a woman, wings, talons, and tailfeathers clutched the canister within its talons, screeching loud and fiercely.
“A harpy!” Twilight shouted.
“I-I-I’ve read about them,” Fluttershy whimpered, shakily. “B-B-B-But I’ve never seen one in my life… until now!”
“Did you know that harpies also have udders in the same spot as the centaurettes?” Pinkie asked. “Imagine that…”
“REALLY, PINKIE?!” Rainbow shouted, bluntly.
Just then, the moment of danger returns as another harpy appeared. With its wings, it blew the salt away from the ground permitting the ghosts to proceed. The eyes of the Equestrians grow widely.
“Did you see that?” Spike asked.
“That harpy blew the salt away so the ghosts can catch us!” Twilight shouted. “How did I NOT see that?!”
(For this fight, you can keep using Night on Bald Mountain or this track)
A cloaked phantom soon charged straight toward Twilight.
“Take this!”
Twilight fired a magic beam at the phantom, propelling it backward. To say the ghosts and harpies appear surprised was a certainty. Even Chernabog himself witnessed everything with his all-seeing gaze. But that didn’t stop the ghosts from attempting to capture our heroes.
“Looks like we have ourselves a battle, gals!” Applejack announced.
“Good!” Rainbow spoke, cracking her hooves. “I’m sick of running from these wimps!”
“Applejack, get your rope!” Twilight ordered.
Without further question, the cowgirl pony brought out her trusty lasso and Twilight cast a magical beam upon it to make it glow.
“This spell I cast should help us catch those ghosts,” Twilight explained. “I’ll see if I can cast it upon those rocks over there.”
“Better cast it on some of mah apples as well,” Applejack suggested.
“And maybe some of my cupcakes,” Pinkie added.
The moaning of the ghosts grows, as they draw closer to the girls. The harpies flap their mighty wings, keeping themselves in midair. Once more, Twilight cast the spell upon the items till the whole team was prepped for combat.
“C’mon girls…!”
“Ahem!” Spike cleared his throat.
“… And you too, Spike and Jiminy… let’s bust some ghosts!”
“On it!” Jiminy cried, ready to fight.
All at once, several ghosts charged toward them. Only the magic blasts shot from Twilight’s horn were more than enough to keep them at bay.
“Stand guard, everypony!” She warned. “Don’t let them try to possess you!”
The Equestrians take Twilight’s warning by heart, as they battled for their lives against the army of undead spirits and demons. Between the fighting, Pinkie tried to regain her container of salt, clutched within the grips of a vicious harpy.
“Drop that canister, birdbrain!” Pinkie cried out.
The harpy screeched horrifying toward the pink pony, bracing itself to either attack or fly away.
“You watch your language, lady!”
Slowly, Pinkie Pie prepared herself to pounce, only to quickly bounce away when the harpy swooped in. The monstrous bird woman flew high in the air, hovering over the pink party pony. Unleashing a mighty screech, the harpy violently swooped, its feathered arms firing its feathers toward her. The pink pony ducked and dodged as quickly as she could, using that Pinkie Sense of hers to outmaneuver the assault. All the while, the harpy flew farther away just as Pinkie regained her footing.
“HEY YOU! GIMME BACK MY SALT!” Pinkie yelled, waving her hoof.
As Pinkie pursued the harpy, the rest of the Equestrians fought the barrage of ghosts targeting them. While the majority gave everything they could, Fluttershy, however, was too scared to help. The poor butter-yellow Pegasus curled herself into a tiny ball, mentally wishing this would all be over.
Applejack threw a few apples into the air and, at just the right moment, bucked them toward all the ghosts and specters coming her way. Thanks to the addition of Twilight’s spell, the moment the apples made contact did the ghosts dissipate instantaneously. One phantom charged toward her, its claws extended and ready to kill. But the cowgirl pony proved too quick, pulling out her lasso, grabbing the phantom, and threw it hard toward a tombstone, dissipating it as well.
No sooner had the phantom disappeared when a skeletal dog rose from the ground, floating right before Applejack, and growled viciously. Applejack stood on guard, ready for anything, as she eyed the snarling canine.
“Nice doggie,” Applejack spoke, smiling nervously. “Good doggie. Heel? Roll over? Play dead?”
The dog went silent for a moment; Applejack’s eyes went wide. Realizing what she just said, a bead of sweat dropped from her brow.
“Uh… that came out wrong.”
Barking viciously, the spectral dog pounced toward Applejack. But before it could do her harm, the dog was destroyed by a single magic beam. Applejack turned to the side, spotting Rarity as her horn glowed following her attack. While for certain Rarity’s magic was not as advanced as Twilight’s, she managed to learn a few spells for just such an emergency. In this case, a battle against an endless army of ghosts.
“Thanks, Rarity!” Applejack sighed, tipping her hat. “If these dogs are bad, I’d definitely hate it if Winona acts or looks like that!”
The marshmallow-white unicorn merely nod when a cloaked ghost appeared before her. Its glowing eyes stared deeply into Rarity’s gaze, as if the specter could see right into her soul. The poor unicorn was nearly frightened to death over the sight. As she stood, frozen and still, the ghost brought its claws together, harnessing a ball of spectral energy, and fired it straight toward the unicorn.
With a gasp, Rarity quickly conjured a hexagonal shield with her magic. The spectral energy contacted the shield, creating a glowing light as a struggle between the two forces pushed against each other. Rarity grunted and groaned as she tried to keep her shield up, as the spectral energy attempted to claw its way toward her. The force proved so strong, that Rarity found herself bending on one front hoof in an attempt to keep her strength up. The shield slowly started to dim and come to life, back and forth, as Rarity struggled to keep her defense as best as she could.
But eventually, Rarity managed to muster all her strength within to push the ghost away with her diamond shield. The shield hurls the ghost at a lengthy distance until it contacted a tomb and explodes into smoke. Everypony, even Rarity herself, looked on with shock over her actions.
“Oh dear,” Rarity gasped.
“Where did you learn to do that?” Rainbow asked, dodging another ghost’s attacks.
Rarity quickly conjured another diamond shield, blocking the onslaught of spectral assault. She struggled as they attacked her shield, while Rarity fought back with her magical beams.
“I’ve learned some spells that just speak to me,” Rarity replied.
Rarity’s combination of assault-and-defense continues, as Jiminy Cricket carefully observed from the top of Twilight’s head.
“Boy, if spells like that diamond shield don’t fit her, I don’t know what does,” Jiminy replied, turning his head. “Twilight, on the right!”
A screeching harpy made to charge toward Twilight. But thanks to Jiminy’s warning, she managed to duck low on the ground.
In the meantime, Octavia and Vinyl assaulted the wave of skeletal ghosts with magic-glowing stones (Courtesy of Twilight, of course). Once hit, the ghosts dissipated immediately.
“That’s a fine hit, Tavi!” Vinyl complimented, hitting a ghost in the chest. “Right in the skull!”
A combination of magic and fire flew toward the two, yet the mares quickly ducked for cover behind some tombstones.
“Watch out, Twilight!” Vinyl called out. “You and Spike almost hit us!”
“It wasn’t me!” Twilight called out.
“Me neither,” Spike spoke honestly.
Suddenly, they heard cackling again and slowly turned toward the two culprits.
“Witches!” Twilight shouted.
She fired a few beams toward the witches, as the cackling wenches conjured their magic shields for protection. One of them casted a pentagram portal in front of her, unleashing a devastating fireball.
“Incoming!” Twilight yelled.
Everypony quickly jumped out of the way just before the fireball made contact. The witches kept cackling while continuing their assault.
“Those witches are more powerful than I thought,” Twilight observed.
“How do we beat them?” Octavia asked.
With their brooms, the witches flew at a swift pace toward the ponies. They reached with their boney fingers to grab them, only to come face-to-face with Spike. The little dragon, a might frightened, stood his ground, took a deep breath, and unleashed a large stream of flames. A few of the witches got hit, screaming in pain as they dissipated. The others flew away in fear. Both Spike and the ponies were surprised by this mere act.
“Huh!” The dragon smiled. “Looks like those witches can’t stand the heat!”
The little dragon licked his finger, touched his hip, and playfully made a *PSH!* sound with his lips. Twilight rolled her eyes and shook her head over that statement.
Meanwhile, the harpy holding the canister flew around. She dodged the numerous items shot from Pinkie’s cannon. The pink party pony desperately tried many means just to get her salt back. She kept firing and firing while the harpy kept her distance high along the sky.
“GIVE… IT… BACK!!!” Pinkie yelled with each shot.
Through her vision, she tried to acquire her target until it was locked. With one final shot, Pinkie fired her cannon and struck the harpy, screeching in pain. The impact contacted her stomach, knocking the wind out of her lungs, and she dropped the canister from her grip. It fell on Fluttershy’s head before rolling along on the ground against a tombstone.
“Ow, my head!” Fluttershy moaned, rubbing her head.
She turned until her eyes caught sight of what hit her.
“Pinkie’s salt!”
She smiled before she turned and saw her friends were still locked in combat with the ghosts. Taking her chance, she galloped as quick as she could for the salt. But another harpy took her by surprise, landing atop the tombstone before the pony could grab the canister.
“AAAAH!!!” Fluttershy screamed.
The monstrous bird woman screeched loudly, its cry bellowing throughout the landscape. Spreading out its wings, it pierced the frightened Pegasus with an intimidating stare. Fluttershy slowly crawled backward, staring at the bird creature with great fear. The harpy poised itself, ready to charge.
But then, just before it could, a rainbow blur knocked the bird woman so hard it fell off the tombstone backwards. Before it can recover, the creature finds itself pinned by a certain rainbow-maned Pegasus.
“Oh no, you don’t, lady!” Rainbow spoke. “Nopony lays a claw on Fluttershy!”
The harpy itself screeched violently, trying to fight itself from underneath the pony’s hooves. Its screeches were so loud Rainbow had to fold her wings over her ears.
“Ha! Nice try, Tweety! But you have to do more than to get rid of Rainbow…”
Before she could finish, the harpy swiped her talons across the Pegasus’ belly, leaving a nasty scratch.
“AAAAAHHH!!!” Rainbow yelled.
As Rainbow clutched her belly with a hoof, the harpy pushed the Pegasus aside and flapped into the air. It then reached out with its talons, grabbing the Pegasus around her waist, drawing her high into the air, and threw her viciously toward a nearby tree, right beside Fluttershy.
“Rainbow!” Fluttershy cried.
The timid Pegasus rushed toward her friend, gasping in horror as Rainbow clutched around her belly. The cyan Pegasus groaned in pain, as Fluttershy’s eyes widen. For try as she might, Rainbow’s stomach began to bleed. Fortunately, the scratch wasn’t enough to draw out any guts for a harpy would normally disembowel their prey if they had the chance.
“Rainbow Dash, you’re hurt!” Fluttershy observed worriedly.
“I’m fine,” Rainbow moaned, grunting in pain. “Just a scratch… it’s all it is.”
“No, you’re not fine!” Fluttershy yelled out. “You need help, and you need it now!”
Just as Fluttershy tried to help Rainbow up, the harpy landed upon the ground. Its screech drew the attention of the two Pegasi, as the creature loomed over the ponies.
“I’ll fix her!” Rainbow grunted, struggling to get up.
“Rainbow, don’t do it!” Fluttershy begged. “Harpies are too smart and vicious for you to handle alone.”
“Yeah? Well I refuse to get my butt whooped by a messed-up parakeet. That bird’s going down, one way or another.”
Using all her strength to flap her wings, Rainbow took off into the air. The harpy screeched once more, as it flew straight at the cyan Pegasus with its claws stretched forward. Rainbow herself kept the charge toward the monster, her hooves ready for a fight. Fluttershy could only watch helplessly, worried that her friend could be killed.
But before the two were about to collide, Rainbow used her speed to dodge the harpy’s deadly claws and summoned a storm cloud to zap her. The harpy turned and quickly dodged the incoming lightning bolt, before hurling its sharp feathers with a swingle swoop. Dash made sure the feathers didn’t graze her skin, flying rapidly around the harpy. The harpy’s eyes spun as quickly as its body, swirling around to the peak of dizziness. By the time the harpy pulled herself together, she failed to notice the Pegasus standing before her with a smirk.
“Boo!” Rainbow said.
With a hard karate kick from her hind leg, Rainbow sent the harpy spiraling toward the surface and it crashed its head against a tombstone. The impact crumbled the stone to pieces, as the harpy laid upon the ground unconscious.
“That’s what you get when you mess with me!” Rainbow boasted.
Just then, Rainbow Dash suddenly felt a tad strange. Grunting, she slowly lifted a hoof over her forehead.
“Whoa… getting a little woozy… oh boy…”
Suddenly, Rainbow dropped toward the ground, completely passed out. But before she touched the surface, Fluttershy managed to catch her, holding onto her with all her might, and laid her gently upon the dead grass.
“Rainbow! RAINBOW!!!” The yellow Pegasus cried out.
She shook Rainbow Dash, trying to get her to open her eyes. When that didn’t work, she turned back towards her friend’s belly. She noticed that the bleeding did not stop and knew the wound needed to be treated quickly.
“PINKIE!!!”
The party pony was busily attacking the nearby ghosts with her party cannon. The cry for help drew her attention, rushing away from the fight, and raced toward the two Pegasi.
“Oh no! Dashie!” Pinkie gasped, shocked. “What happened?”
“She got scratched by a harpy and is bleeding badly!” Fluttershy explained. “She needs medical aid, stat!”
Without second thought, Pinkie Pie rushed into a nearby tombstone, at a speed so great it sent startled skeletons racing out screaming. A great commotion takes place as the tomb shook, scattering bones and relics out. Then a loud siren is heard, as Pinkie Pie suddenly came bursting out the doors, a siren latched atop her head, a doctor’s coat around her body, and she wheels out a stretcher.
“MAKE WAY! MAKE WAY! MAKE WAY! Nurse Pinkie Pie on the scene!”
Pinkie Pie skid to a stop, as both she and Fluttershy position Rainbow Dash onto the stretcher. Without hesitation, they tend to her wound immediately.
“Please hold on, Rainbow,” Fluttershy pleaded to herself.
Meanwhile, Twilight Sparkle and Rarity kept firing magic beams at their enemies. Using their magic to either destroy as many ghosts as possible or keeping them at bay. But they weren’t alone as Spike provided some additional help, shooting fireballs against any spirits the girls missed. But no matter how hard they fought, the ghosts and witches kept coming. There seemed to be no end to these supernatural beings.
“There’s too many!” Spike said worried. “We can’t fight them all!”
“We must keep fighting or they’ll finish us off!” Twilight commanded.
Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie applied as much disinfectant as they could, rubbing along the wound. Poor Rainbow Dash just flailed and screamed like she experienced the worst pain in history. Still, her friends did their best to hold her down.
“AAAAH! OOOOW! YOU’RE KILLING ME!”
“We’re trying to help you, Dashie!” Pinkie said. “Just hold still!”
As Fluttershy kept applying the rubbing ointment along the wound, she could see it’s not looking good for their friend.
“The wound’s too open,” Fluttershy observed. “We need to treat it as best we can and get to the hospital once this is over.”
“You mean if this is over,” Pinkie corrected.
While very rare for Pinkie Pie to be worried, deep down she was afraid they’ll never hear the end of it. Still, she wrapped as many bandages around Rainbow’s waist as best she could. The sound of moans and screeching drew their attention. Before their eyes, a massive army of ghosts, witches, and skeletons approached them.
“Oh no!” Pinkie uttered.
Fluttershy too was scared, but quickly noticed the salt canister on the ground. Quickly, she rushed over and picked it up. She sprinkled a circle around her, Pinkie, and Rainbow to keep all the ghosts at bay.
“Twilight, catch!” Fluttershy yelled.
With all her might, Fluttershy threw the canister as far as she could. Twilight, hearing her, caught it with her magic. Quickly, she sprinkled a circle around herself and the rest of her friends. The ghosts, phantoms, and witches screamed and moaned in fear again, failing to capture the Equestrians.
“Yahoo!” Twilight cheered. “Alright everypony, I’m going to transport us far and out of here posthaste!”
But if there’s one thing these ghosts don’t seem to know, that would be quitting. Before Twilight could do anything, another harpy flew above them, seizing its chance by diving down at the first pony it sees: A certain white unicorn. Spike quickly spotted the harpy as it prepared its talons.
“Rarity, look out!”
The white mare looked up, seeing the harpy draw towards her. She fired a few magic beams, but the bird monster dodged flawlessly. With a gasp, she ran for her life with the harpy hot on her trail.
“Rarity!” Twilight yelled.
Desperately, Twilight fires a few magic spells of her own. The harpy kept dodging them rapidly while its focus remained on the unicorn. Once the harpy was close, it opened its talons again and grabbed Rarity by the waist, scraping her hard onto the ground before carrying her up in the sky. Rarity screamed in distress, trying to pry herself free while the harpy carried her away.
“AAAAAAHHHH! HEEEEELP! TWILIGHT! SPIKE! GIRLS!”
Everypony, shocked to see her taken away, would not allow that to happen.
“Hang on, Rarity!” Twilight shouted, charging her horn. “We’ll save you!”
But another harpy pushed her deep against the Earth, preventing her from interfering.
“Uh!” Twilight grunted.
The others gasped while the harpy flapped its wings, creating a gust of wind that blew away all the salt. It then held Twilight with all its might, carrying her away as well.
“AAAAAHHH!!!” Twilight screamed, reaching for her friends.
“They got Twilight too!” Octavia cried worriedly.
Vinyl looked around, gulping in fear.
“And I think we’re gonna be next!”
Sure enough, everypony looked around in horror. The ghosts encircled them with no means of escape. There seemed to be nothing our heroes could do but cuddle in fear.
(Play Night on Bald Mountain at 1:40)
One by one, the ghosts carried them into the air. Pinkie and Vinyl were carried by skeletal ghosts, Octavia by a witch, Rainbow and Spike by cloaked spirits, Applejack by one female ghost, and Fluttershy by a harpy. All of them couldn’t help but scream, as they were taken away from the graveyard.
As they tried to free themselves, our heroes found themselves amongst a giant mass of apparitions, white and black in color, of all kinds heading in one single direction. They saw regular ghosts, cloaked spectres, witches (both beautiful and ugly) riding their brooms, spectral dogs, naked women riding goats and boars, terrifying ghost heads, skeletal ghosts, phantoms riding skeletal cows, and even an alumni of undead knights, warriors and deceased kings riding skeletal steeds. The very sight was too much for their eyes to bear.
As the apparitions took them toward the very top of the mountain, their frightened captives quivered over their terrifying screams and faces. Poor Spike, equally scared, was dropped by the spirit.
“NO! SPIKE!” Twilight shouted.
The princess could only watch helplessly as the little dragon fell, screaming while he did, before he was recaptured by another spirit. The spirits keep at it like a sick game of catch, until he landed on the broom of a cackling witch. The Equestrians found themselves in the same game, which they did not enjoy one bit. Rarity especially couldn’t stand this humiliating display.
“Leave my friends alone, you ruffians!” She called out, trying to free herself. “Fighting may not be my thing, but I will tear you apart if you don’t…”
Before she could finish, she released a deafening scream of pain. The harpy, which held her, scratched along her sides and forced her to bleed intensely.
“RARITY!!!”
Everypony gasped in shock, helpless to do anything. But what came next shocked them greatly…
In a matter of minutes, they reached the mountain’s peak where the huge black-winged demon resides. They could see him staring upon the ghastly mass with glowing eyes, conducting violently with his arms and made the ghosts swirl around him. The ghosts and harpies carrying our heroes brought them inside the peak’s crater, hurling them against the hard stony surface. The Equestrians themselves grunted on impact; their eyes closed tight.
Once that was done, the demon swayed his hands and the insides beneath him glowed. Spreading his arms wide open, suddenly, a huge burst of flame appeared from the crater itself.
(Pause at 2:49)