Celestia sat on her throne, looking over various reports. Ever since Twilight and Bahamut had vanished, the Princess had been extra cautious and her network of crown-funded Guilds were keeping eyes and ears on anything suspicious. If this Alex and Exdeath made any kind of move, she’d know about it.
Luna was assisting, though she’d been somewhat silent. Auric and the fillies were working to try and find Twilight and Bahamut as quickly as possible, but had no luck thus far.
“Would it truly be so terrible?” Luna suddenly spoke up, getting Celestia’s attention.
“What do you mean?” she said, a small frown creasing her brow.
“The missing ones,” the lunar alicorn stated. “Would it truly be so bad? Deep down we know Bahamut could become a nigh unstoppable threat. Discord proved that he can be controlled, and almost no force on Equus could stop him.”
“Well…” Celestia sighed. “It’s true, we can no longer use the Elements of Harmony as we once did. But…”
“But?” her sister raised an eyebrow.
“I… I think I actually believe Bahamut has changed.”
“Only because young Twilight sealed his power.”
“And she has shown she can release it. Several times he’s been unleashed has done nothing but defend ponykind.” Celestia set down her paperwork and sighed. “I… think I may have been a little hard on him. If he returns, I believe I shall, at the very least, offer an apology.”
Luna stared at her. “But do we truly need him? Auric has proven to be much more amicable and far superior in terms of intelligence and combat capability. You said that he didn’t seem perturbed by Exdeath and Alex in the slightest.”
“I will not sacrifice Twilight and Bahamut needlessly,” Celestia said. “I can understand your worries Luna…”
“Do you truly?” Luna said. “Discord’s seal is weakening as the world gets more dangerous. And if he breaks out, tis as you said. No-one could stop him.”
“Luna,” Celestia said. “It is imperative that Twilight be rescued.”
“Why?” Luna pressed. What was so special about that little unicorn?
“Her destiny is not to vanish into the Void… she is made for so much more…” Celestia’s mind drifted to the tree that they obtained the Elements from. And the mark that was emblazoned on its trunk. And when she saw Twilight’s cutie mark for the first time…
A guard suddenly burst into the room, startling both alicorns. “Your Highnesses!” he said. “I have an urgent message from Mister Fulcrum!”
“Speak,” Celestia said.
“He may found a lead to that special project…”
“Did he now?” Luna said as she stood up, her horn aglow. “Sister dear, I’m going to need you to do something for me.”
“Hm? What is it Lu—”
Cadenza stepped through the mirror portal, the surface rippling behind her. She looked at the human that had sent her and frowned. “Well, not only am I scarred by what I saw, they weren’t there… Thank our non-existent god.” Six failed attempts so far…
“Well, at this point we’re just crossing off possibilities,” Auric said, twirling his staff as he thought. “This would be so much easier if I practiced it more. I handed that off to my counterpart, though…Not really a fan of being summoned.”
“Thank you for helping us,” Moondancer said, the little filly staring up at him with big, bright eyes as she nudged her glasses up. “But, can we really save them Mister Auric?”
“At this point, I’m considering just going on a void-dive myself,” the human grumbled. “I’m sure they’re still out there, somewhere. Knowing Bahamut, he likely pulled Twilight and himself into the closest world once his head stopped spinning. The question is, where, in all of infinity, did he define the ‘closest’ world?”
“Maybe something he has an affinity to?” Sunset suggested as she read a book. “You said that you’re some character or some such from your world right? Does Bahamut have anything like that?”
“Remind me to tell you the full story later, but actually…” the human focused his golden magic, and a pair of gauntlets fell out of thin air. “I can think of one other person from the same line as him. We can try that world. Like might call to like.”
“For fucks sake…” Cadenza sighed. “You better get it right this time. I nearly died a few times there you know.”
“Trying to pinpoint a specific world in all the multiverse is like trying to pinpoint a single grain of sand in a sandstorm,” Auric countered as he channeled his magic, using the gauntlets as a focus. “Fortunately, some of us are around to act as anchors, to help everyone find their way.”
With a grunt and a splash of golden fire, another portal opened up, a hole in the middle of the air. “There,” the human panted. “Try that one.”
“So… what can I expect?” Cadenza sighed and hefted her spear. “I swear if it’s those Caribou again…”
“Should be a relatively peaceful world,” the human replied. “Though the guy I’m sending you to is a bit dramatic.”
“Wonderful,” the pegasus said as she stepped through…
“I hope they’re there,” Moondancer prayed. The door behind them creaked open and Luna stepped through.
“Any progress?” the dark alicorn said.
“We’ve crossed off six worlds in an infinite sea of them, so no, not really,” Auric replied. “Though we might have a lead with number seven. You’re not the only ones with such a character as Bahamut. So I’m sending Cadenza to scout out a friend’s world, see if they’ve acquired any dragons and petite purple ponies as of late.”
“I see…” Luna stared at the mirror. “A pity they won’t make it back.”
“I’ll keep trying, sending out the word through the trusted Displaced that I know of to be on the lookout,” the human waved a hand. “If we all look, I’m sure we’ll find them eventually.”
“No… you won’t,” Luna said as her horn lit up, a lance of energy striking the mirror as it crackled dangerously, the surface rippling and fading in and out.
And in front of the fillies, Auric changed. From someone who was kind and helping them look for their friends…
To an actual warrior. His clothes, the right half of them changed from mirroring the sun to having some of Luna’s colors on them. His staff melted and flowed into a sword with a dangerous edge, and he moved far too quickly for their eyes to track as he stood between Luna and the mirror.
“Give me a good reason,” he hissed, his voice having an echoing effect, “As to why I shouldn’t take your damn horn for that.”
“As if you could,” Luna chuckled and her horn shone before she vanished from sight. “I’ll be waiting in the throne room,” her voice lingered in the air.
“Girls, take note, Luna can’t be trusted,” Auric snarled as he stuck his sword in the stones of the room before walking to the mirror and laying his hands on it. “She did some work here,” he muttered, sending his own branch of magic into it. “I need high-density matter, preferably magical crystals, to fuel my magic to repair it. Otherwise I don’t know if they’ll make the trip back.”
“W-Why would Princess Luna do that?” Moondancer whimpered, hiding behind Sunset. “Why would she not want our friends back?”
“I’ll blast her,” Sunset growled. “You get the crystals, I’m goin’ to the throne room!”
“Tell Cel why before you just attack moonbutt,” the human told Sunset. “In any case, I’ll stabilize it as well as I can on my own. But my magic isn’t inexhaustible.”
“Okay,” the filly said and rubbed Moondancer’s head before galloping away.
He’d been working for an hour now, and the mirror flickered on and off. As he turned to try and see if there was anything in the room he could use…
*Thump*
A pegasus mare, a unicorn filly and an adolescent dragon tumbled from the mirror and onto the human, as Moondancer squeaked and hid behind a box.
“Get up, get away from the mirror!” Auric cried, muffled though it was. “It’s damaged! Get away! The strain—”
With a loud crackle, the mirror started to flash dangerously…
Before collapsing in on itself, Bahamut dragging Twilight away as Cadenza worked fast to pull Auric. And with a flash of light, the mirror just… ceased to be.
“The fuck was that!?” Cadenza said. “You nearly killed us!”
“No, moonbutt nearly killed you,” Auric growled as he examined the spot where the mirror had been. “I’ve spent the past hour making sure that when she damaged the mirror after hearing we had a lead, it didn’t just up and die on us. Apparently she really didn’t want you back, scale-butt.”
“What?” Bahamut rubbed his head, but Twilight was the first to answer.
“That prolly wasn’t Princess Luna!” she exclaimed. “Mister Buzzy, he’s a Changebug. And what did Mister Gilgy say?”
Bahamut groaned. “One of those Archfiend things is a formshifter. Mighta been one of those…”
And Sunset had gone to her… alone.
Auric gulped. “And Sunset went after her…by herself,” he illuminated. “You four. Go to the throne room, help her. I’ll see if there’s anything that can be done to salvage the mirror or its unique magics, they really help when making a portal between worlds. Give me ten minutes, and if I can’t find anything, I’ll just warp to you.”
Bahamut was already running from the room, as well as Cadenza. Twilight paused and hugged Auric’s leg. “Thank you for saving us,” she smiled and then followed after the others, Moondancer trailing behind them. Hopefully…. Hopefully they weren’t too late.
This was not a good situation.
A tall humanoid sat of Celestia’s throne, arms folded and legs crossed as he stared at the small group as they entered the throne room. He was clad in a red cloak covered in purple marks.
What was more worrying, were the five ponies chained up next to the throne. Celestia, Luna, Raven (Celestia’s assistant) and some guard stallion.
And lastly… little Sunset.
Bahamut’s upper lip drew back as he snarled. “Let them go and maybe I’ll make your death painless,” he said in a dangerously low tone.
“I didn’t want to, you know,” the man sighed and shook his head. “I wished for a fair and honorable fight. Unfortunately, I am bound by the contract of my master and cannot go against it.”
“Sunset is just a child,” Bahamut said, clenching his fists. “And the others have nothing to do with this fight. Let them go.”
Rubicante looked at the dragon, then snapped his fingers, releasing the bindings and letting the ponies go. “You are correct. They do have nothing to do with this. I wish for a fair fight after all. Me against your best warrior.” He looked the dragon up and down. “But without that little unicorn, you're not much of one, are you O’King of Dragons?”
“Tch!” Bahamut clicked his tongue in annoyance. Annoyed as he was, the Fiend was right. Without Twilight to release his seal, he was useless.
“Then I’ll fight you!” Sunset roared, only to be held back by Celestia as the royal sisters glared at Rubicante. “Hey! I can take him!”
“Quite the firecracker,” Rubi chuckled. “But not the challenger I am seeking.”
“Then maybe I’ll suffice,” Cadenza said as she stepped up, her spear tucked under her wing. She glanced at the dragon as she walked past them. “I’ll handle this. You stay put Twilight. Bahamut, watch them. I dunno what crap he’ll pull while I’m fighting.”
“You got this,” Bahamut growled as his mind raced to try and come up with something. “You’re one of the strongest mares I know. S’why I chose you after all.”
“We’ll talk about that later…” She looked at her aunts and nodded. “We’ll all sit down and talk. But right now, I have an asshole to stab.” She stepped up to the center area of the throne room, where the fiend had designated the combat area. She spared a brief glance as the captured ponies. She’d save them. All of them. She would NOT fail again.
“So, the little princess wants to play first hm?” Rubicane chuckled. “Very well, let us see if you possess a warrior’s spirit.”
Cadenza snarled as she rushed forward, thrusting her spear out in a flurry of attacks, each one clashing with the chime of ringing metal, as the Archfiend parried her blows almost effortlessly.
“Hah, that was almost childsplay,” the fiend mused as he gave a few lazy swings. “Really dear, you need to put more effort into it.” he stepped into an attack as Cadenza was forced the defend.
“Shut up!” Cadenza roared as she swung her spear in a circle, creating her Seven Dragon’s technique as the ethereal dragons rose up and shot towards Rubicante. This was her best attack, she’d wipe him off of the face of Equus…
If only Rubi hadn’t created a flame shield that blocked her attack effortlessly.
“Hmm, I actually had to block that one, not too shabby I suppose,” the fiend chuckled as he backhanded Cadenza, sending her flying.
As she landed, skidding across the floor, an inferno of golden flames appeared between Rubicante and the ponies, though, and it cleared to reveal Auric in his Eclipse form, glaring at the fiend of fire. “Oh, it’s you,” he blinked a few times, before looking around. “Where’s the imposter?”
“Oh, that would be me,” Rubicante said. “Please do not interfere. We are currently having an honorable duel.”
Auric raised his hand, he would erase this Fiend, only to have a wing block him.
“Hey…” Cadenza said as she got up, groaning slightly. “I said… I got this okay…” she took a step forward, a slight limp in her step. “I failed to protect Twilight and Bahamut back then.” She gripped her spear and narrowed her eyes. “I will not fail again… else, I don’t deserve to live.”
“Cadence, you don’t have to,” Auric told her. “I’ve been holding back myself, but if it means beating him, I’ll use my full strength—”
“I said I’ve got this!” Cadenza snapped. “You don’t get it Auric. This, this isn’t about just beating him. Or.. even just about saving them.” Her pride was on the line here. This was something she felt she had to do.“Stay out of this Auric,” Cadenza warned. “I will be really pissed if you interfere.”
“How about this?” he said, his staff awash in power. “You do what should be a fatal blow to him, actually land it? The only interference I’ll offer is the spell to destroy his essence and make it stick with your blow.”
“Stay. Out of it,” she said, before rushing again. Rubi raised his swords, deflecting her incoming blow.
“You’re quite the angry mare aren’t you?” he observed. “Emotion is good, one can draw a great deal of power from them. But don’t let them cloud your better judgement, else a calm and collected foe can take advantage of that.”
Cadenza skidded back as he unleashed a burst of flames spells. Her hooves scratching the marble floor. “Maybe so,” she said, twirling her spear to deflect a fireball. “Maybe I am a slave to my emotions.” She flew a few feet off of the ground, kicking off of a pillar as she swung her spear. “It’s always been a flaw of mine. I’m always angry. I’ve always hated the destiny that’s been laid out for me since birth.” She flipped over him, kicking off of his back as the fiend stumbled, not having expected that as flames around him flared up, causing Cadenza to back off.
“That anger blinds you,” Rubicante said. “It clouds your mind and averts your eyes from the truth. In battle, that anger has and will keep costing you.”
“Maybe,” the pegasus mare said as she landed, using her wings like a rudder to bank to the right, avoiding a stream of flames. “But, it’s not just anger. Sometimes I feel happy. These fillies? I think they’re changing me for the better. Hell, I don’t hate my aunts quite as much anymore…” The ground sparked as her speartip struck it, dragging along as she brought it up in an upwards swing, parrying Rubi’s blade away. “And I’m determined. I’ll keep getting stronger. I’ll keep rising higher to protect them. Until they no longer need me to.”
“Admirable,” Rubi chuckled, casting aside his blade. He raised his hands as his form became wreathed in flames. “You are cut from a different cloth from the others. It’s almost a shame that I have to kill you. I’d like to fight you again.”
“Humph, I’d ask you to give up, and maybe we could,” Cadenza nodded. “But we both know you won’t.”
“No, I wouldn’t,” he agreed as he cast the most powerful Fire spell, the area around Cadenza erupting with an explosive Firaja spell. “I will at least remember you,” the Fiend said as he picked up his blade. “You deserve that much at least.”
Auric let out a growl as the Night half of his Eclipse form started to bleed over into the Day half. “You talk about emotions like you know them,” Auric snarled. “You’re nothing more than a magical construct. I could tell you the history of anger as humans know it, and it wouldn’t even begin to sink into your head. But rest assured…” his staff crackled with destructive light. “You’ve bucked up now.”
“Yeah he has,” Bahamut said, oddly calm for some reason. “He was fucked the moment this fight started. All cause of his Element.”
Wait… what?
The roaring flames that had engulfed Cadenza rippled before it… started to shrink?
No, it wasn’t shrinking, something was drawing the flames in like a vacuum. Rubi turned, ignoring the human as his eyes widened. “That… is not possible.”
Amidst the flames, Cadenza stood. Her tail was now more solid and longer, lashing back and forth as the flames her drawn to her open mouth, now longer and lined with sharp fangs. Two ebon black, curved horns protruded out of her head, curling around behind her ears. And when she opened her eyes, draconic slits had replaced her iris’ as she sucked down the flames.
“How…” Rubi took a step back, gawping at the mare. “Ponies cannot do that!”
“No they can’t,” Bahamut chuckled. He’d sensed it a while back, when he’d extracted Ifrit from her. The blood that coursed through her veins. Draconic blood.
“Whoever said she was entirely a pony?”
“Well, that… was not according to the plan,” Rubicante said as he beheld the dracony.
“Plans are for wimps,” Cadenza chuckled as she gripped her spear. “I just do it.”
And with that she charged again, only this time? She was so much faster. Rubicante skidded back as he tried to block, his flames now doing nothing to impede her as she unleashed another flurry of blows, these hits actually landing as he grunted in pain.
“I’ll admit, I did not expect this,” Rubi said as their weapons collided, creating a small explosion of force. “You’ve far exceeded my expectations. How wonderful!”
“You talk too much, you know that?” Cadenza said before a punch set her spiralling back. She skidded to a stop and grunted. Even now, this guy was pretty damned strong. Still… “Gotta admit, I’m having fun,” she chuckled. “Hey, you know why I chose the spear as a weapon?”
“Hmm, well if you use it right, it has excellent reach in combat,” he said as he lifted his sword.
“Nah,” Cadenza smiled as her spear igniting with a blinding flame. “Everyone forgets that it’s also long range.”
“Wha—” Rubi let out a gasp as she threw the spear, the force behind it lifted him off of the ground and pinned him to a nearby pillar, the weapon poking out of his chest. “Oh…”
“I’d like to let Auric finish you off, you wouldn’t come back after, that much I know,” Cadenza said as she cracked her neck. “But fuck that, this is my fight and… well you’re still good, you deserve that much at least.”
Rubi let out a choked chuckle as the mare shot forward like a bullet, kicking the end of the spear and pushing it all the way through, shattering the pillar he was pinned to as he fell to the ground, Rubicante’s body already disintegrating.
“T’was a good fight… I have no regrets,” he said in a quiet voice. “But fair warning Lady Cadenza… my creators, they are far far stronger than I. You would do best… to not fight them. Retreat…”
Cadenza looked at her friends and shook her head. “Fuck that. I’ll protect this world with them. And that’s a promise.”
“Heh… I… believe it…” Rubicante nodded as he faded away, leaving behind a stone tablet.
“Heads up,” Bahamut said as Cadenza fell sideways, returning to her pegasus form. “We might be fighting after all.”
The tablet glowed, four motes of red light shining, before firing out of a window and off into the sky. And… then nothing?
“Huh…” Bahamut looked around. “Think it was a dud?”
Auric?
Auric had paled.
“We need to evacuate the city,” he whispered. “Four fire...that translates to one thing.”
They heard screaming coming from outside as the group hurried to a window. Auric however, was looking up. Bahamut followed his gaze and his eyes widened.
“Please tell me that is not a giant meteor headed for Equestria,” he said to the human.
“I could tell you that, but it would be a lie,” Auric replied as he summoned all of his staff back to himself. “I’m going to need everything for this one,” he muttered. “I’m going to pull off something that will either get me killed, or go wonderfully.”
“Idea…” Bahamut looked at it. “You’re smarter than me, so tell me. That’s just a big ass rock falling from the sky right?”
“Along with whatever was left of Rubicante in it, I.E. those four red motes that barely have any awareness,” Auric replied. “We could smash it, but they’d be left behind.”
“Can you help them?” Twilight asked. “Like you did with the other Djinns’?”
“I can try,” Auric growled. “I need to be somewhere connected to the earth,” he muttered. “I need more power than I can bring to bear…”
“I have an idea,” Bahamut said and looked at Twilight. The filly blinked and then nodded, already focusing on her Garnet. The dragon turned as a magic circle appeared under him. “Hey Auric? Wanna go to space?”
“Um...while I’m functionally immortal, and should be able to keep myself breathing, I fail to see how this hel—” the human had time to say.
Before a large claw grabbed him, along with a certain white alicorn as the now full-sized dragon roared loudly, scaring anypony nearby even more.
“Bitchin’ Let’s go to space!” And with that, he flapped his wings and accelerated quickly, passing the clouds as he soared higher and higher. He also forgot to ask if Tia could breathe in space…
Ah well, she’ll be alright.
Auric felt a sense of weightlessness as Bahamut stopped finally, putting the human on his shoulder as he got a good look at him. He was covered in midnight blue scales, his wings were enormous, larger than his whole body. The insides were lined with crimson and the elbow joints were hooked with three, massive scythe-like claws. His torso, arms, legs and tail were all armor plated, leaving not much in the way of weak points on him. Two long horns protruded from his head as crimson eyes turned to look at the human. Auric found himself wondering what version of Bahamut he was…
<Ah, you survived. That’s good> the dragon said in his mind.
The human went to reply verbally, before figuring that that wouldn’t work. Sound doesn’t travel well in space. So he simply nodded and made to turn and look at the giant meteor. Well...now he didn’t know how he was going to fight it.
<I have you in a telepathic link> Bahamut said as he looked at his other hand and flicked the nose of the alicorn there, waking her up. <Rise and shine Sunbutt. We need your help too.>
Celestia flinched and looked around, before she spotted the meteor. Her mouth opened, but no sound came out before she frowned and nodded. <Ah… so, that is a problem.>
<Yes,> Bahamut nodded and looked at Auric. <Now, think you could calm the Djinn if I weakened the Meteor and Celestia supplies you with her Solar magicks?>
<I...could try,> Auric thought back. <My original plan was to call on the entire earth for help in the face of this threat, but...this could also work. Fighting fire with a greater source of fire.>
<Like calls to like> Bahamut said as he looked at Celestia. <Well, do you trust me?>
<I haven’t much choice,> the alicorn said with a shake of her head. <But, for what it is worth Bahamut. Yes, I trust you.>
Well, alright then. He let go of the pair and had them float back a bit. <Auric, shield yourself and Tia. I don’t wanna send you guys flying with the backlash of energy.> Already, Auric could see a light welling up in the dragon’s chest.
<Already on it,> Auric thought as he surrounded the pair of them in a golden bubble of force.
Bahamut built up his attack more. He needed to give this everything. Twilight had given him roughly 85% of his power, and he intended to use every last drop. His mouth opened, light building up within as he powered up his signature attack. His mind briefly flashed to what Gilgamesh had said, about tactics and whatnot. Bahamut didn’t have much of a mind for that. That fight had proven as such… (And that Gilgy was OP as hell) But he did know that he couldn’t stop this on his own.
What he could do was buy time and make a window for those that could. With a loud roar, he unleashed his Mega Flare attack, the massive, bright energy beam erupted from his mouth and soared across space, impacting the meteor with a massive explosion as the two powers faced off.
<By the gods… what power,> Celestia whispered, clearly meant to have thought that only to herself.
<Yeah, and we’ve got our own task ahead of us once he’s done,> Auric thought back. <I already know what I’ll need to do to impress the Djinn...but I’m going to need every bit of power you can spare to make it work.>
<Can you handle it? My magic power?> Celestia asked, a worried tone in her thoughts.
<I’m just as immortal as you are,> Auric chuckled. <Learned that one the hard way…>
<Ahh, we’ll swap stories sometime about that…>
<Any… day… ladies!> Bahamut managed to get out, his beam starting to weaken a little.
<Ah…> Celestia looked to the right, as the sun peeked over the horizon line of the planet. She closed her eyes as her Cutie Mark started to glow, her mane rippling and glowing brighter as she started to funnel her might into Auric.
Goodness, that… that was some rush of power he was getting.
<Fire...from the sun,> Auric grunted, his magical power reaching down and skimming some water from the atmosphere. <Water...from the planet...form of…>
A massive human woman, easily matching Bahamut in size, garbed in a robe that shimmered and sparkled in all the colors of the rainbow, formed in front of the meteor. She smiled softly at it and laid one hand on the rock, letting her healing power wash over the poor, contained spirits.
<Isis...goddess of the rainbow...able to soothe any pains…> Auric thought out as he channeled the power to sustain her existence on this plane through his body.
The meteor shuddered as Bahamut ceased his attack, staring at the summoned creature. So, this was what is was like to summon something like that huh. She was kinda pretty too.
The meteor stopped, floating listlessly in space before it started to dissolve, Isis’ healing calming the raging Djinn as their fusion broke apart, leaving the four little creatures to float there, unconscious from the power forced upon them.
<Gather...them up,> Auric thought to Bahamut as Isis turned to the planet. <I can give her...one more target. Tell Twilight to let the other Djinn out...Isis will make it rain healing power to give them a form…>
Bahamut nodded and extended his power. A few moments later, Auric could feel a weak source of Psynergy coming from somewhere below them.
<There…> he thought to Isis, and she extended her arms, making the planet below them, where he’d sensed the power, suddenly have a slight drizzling of rain. Rain infused with her healing energy.
And Celestia could see...the power wasn’t coming without a cost to Auric. He was bleeding from his nose.
<You need to stop, my magic is too much. Mixed with your own, you’re not used to this!> She said worriedly, ceasing her funneling of her might into his body.
<It’s not...the power...it’s doing it all without a Djinn to help,> Auric muttered, Isis starting to become patchy in places. <I’m meant to...have someone help me...channel it...control it...Bahamut is it working?>
<Yes, but it needs a little more... > he had an idea. A foolish one but. He turned and looked at Celestia and Auric. <This is going to sting a bit, sorry…> he held out his claws as he summoned forth his power. The power to grant might to those that could wield it. He drew some power from Auric, frowning a little at the… unusual energies. Before he looked at Celestia and nodded.
“Celestia, Daughter of the Sun. I grant you this strength, so that you may use it to better yourself, and others. Take this power, the Class of Adept!”
Celestia gasped as she felt something change deep with her. A power she’d never felt before rise to the surface as strange worlds filled her mind. What was more, she could feel something from the creature that Auric had summoned, as well as weaker lights from below.
And more… was the golden aura that surrounded the human boy, a light not too dissimilar to her own. She smiled as she put a wing around him, now feeding her newly bestowed Psynergy into him, taking some of his burden away.
Auric let out a soundless gasp as he felt that, Isis becoming a little more stable as the power to sustain her now came from multiple sources. <...You didn’t have to...I could have held it,> he muttered softly over the link.
<You also said I needed to start trusting others,> Bahamut replied. <So I will… even if it’s only small steps.>
Celestia closed her eyes, letting the warm sun fuel her magic as she drew directly from it, her Cutie Mark glowing brightly as Auric’s hair shone gold, her power was… impressive for somepony only just learning to wield it.
<...Dammit I’m going to have to give lessons all over again, aren’t I?> Auric grumbled good-naturedly over the link. <Just...be careful not to burn yourself out, Princess. A steady flow to maintain Isis until Bahamut tells us the Djinn are healed.>
<Of course,> the princess nodded as Bahamut closed his eyes. It took a few more minutes, but eventually…
<Twilight says they are looking well now,> he said. <Their forms appear stable at least.>
<That’s about all we can expect then, if Isis can’t help them any more, then they can’t be helped any more,> Auric thought. <Ease off on the flow, I’ll dismiss Isis now…>
Celestia nodded as she shut off her power, feeling rather drained now as she slumped a little. Bahamut gathered them up as Auric worked on dispelling his summon. Isis broke up into sparkles and flashes of light as she rained down on the planet below, giving it one last gift of healing water. Shortly after that, Auric slumped and fell against Celestia.
<Remind me never to do that again,> he muttered over the mental link.
<You were pretty cool Auric,> Bahamut chuckled as he started to descend. He used his magic to shield them from the heat of re-entry with Nul-fire, before the city of Canterlot came into view. A few more moments later, they were landing in the courtyard of the palace.
Once landed, Bahamut set Celestia and Auric down, before collapsing himself. That had taken a good deal out of him too. So the trio lay there, the cool rain washing down on them as they relished in the accomplishment of saving the world, at least for now.