We ride closer and closer to Ponyville, and I slowly lower the skeletal hand before we can be seen. However, as we get lower and the town grows closer, a letter seems to magically appear in front of me. I take the letter and read it aloud.
Necromancer,
After your almost success in the Crystal Empire, I have waited for a job you might be able to pull off correctly. The opportunity has appeared, and this is your final test to prove if you are to be gifted with living in my land. Tirek, a demon from Tartarus has escaped under Pony Satan’s nose. Now, the devil refuses to help us find and fight the magic thief. Likewise, the Elements of Harmony are currently inactive. So, in order to prove that you truly are not bad, I issue you this command. Kill Tirek, or send him back to Tartarus. If you complete this task, you shall be afforded the same rights of a real pony. If you are to fail, then your execution will be swift.
Our magical scans show him about to enter Ponyville. Find him, and kill him.
Princess Celestia.
I look up at all the others as we are lowered all the way to the ground, “How far away is Tartarus?” I ask.
“Half a day.” Scootaloo responds instantly. “We’re the closest town.”
I nod, “So he’s only been out for a day at max, that means he won’t be very strong. Might be a thief, but he hasn’t stolen a thing yet.”
“Then let us find him.” Sombra says, and follows it up with a smile, “Celestia will be taken further by surprise if she sees us following her commands.”
Louis looks at me, “Raven, if you allow me to scan the emotions of the town, I might be able to detect him. Raise me into the air enough for me to see the whole town.”
I sprout another hand of bone and raise both of us high into the air. I go up until Louis holds up a hoof.
He stares down at the town for a few seconds, his eyes looking all around. His eyes lock onto somewhere, “I can feel bursts of hate and rage from there.” He points to an alleyway in between two stores.
I look at the same place, and see a large collection of mana, “Yep, seems like a magical thief.” I carry us over to the alleyway, and carry the four below us with smaller hands of bone. We all meet at the entrance of the alley, and I look down it, able to easily see the collection of mana, “Come out, Tirek, we just want to talk!”
We hear a dark laugh, and a tall centaur steps out of the shadows. He takes one look at me, and smiles, “So you’re the ones who killed Starburst. I suppose I should thank you, without his magic I would still be stuck in Tartarus. My thanks does not, however, spare you from my need.” He licks his teeth, “Your magic shall do nicely within me.”
I summon up a sword of bone, and hold it within my hooves, “You can either turn around back to Tartarus, or we can kill you. Even if you are a thief of magic, we can defeat you.”
He laughs, “Not if some of you cannot fight.” He opens his mouth wide, and I see dark green Necromantic mana flow into his mouth from the Crusaders. After no more comes out, he suddenly vomits, blood present within, “What is this?! I can feel myself being healed by the magic but it seems to be tearing me apart!”
I smile, “You just ate some death, Tirek. Mana of death. It will slowly kill you from the inside out and make you into a skeleton over time.” I look behind me to my two friends left standing, “Let’s get him, boys.”
Louis has no idea on how to fight, and charges him straight on. He shapeshifts into a Minotaur and punches Tirek. But he is not prepared or trained, his fist is caught, and his magic is drained, helping Tirek, “A small snack.” Tirek growls out, pain evident within his voice.
Sombra melts into the shadows around him, making the battlefield his domain. He shifts in and out of corporality, appearing out of the shadows to stab at Tirek with a spear of crystal. Tirek manages to dodge most of them, until he starts to cough roughly in the middle of the fight, “What is happening to me?” Sombra appears next to him, shoving his spear through Tirek’s neck. I can see Tirek cough some more blood up, and seemingly try to shout for help. But, he never can, and his eyes change. The black changes to a deathly green, and the yellow dots in his eyes change to bright red. His screaming mouth suddenly turns to a smile, and he reaches out to grab Sombra. Before Sombra can react, he’s been drained of his magic. Tirek looks at his form, even as all his skin fades, leaving behind a skeleton with his glowing eyes. It turns over to me, and smiles sickeningly, “After so many years, I’ve been given a proper vessel.”
I look him in the eyes, and instantly recognize the being that looks back, “Beast. Did you really decide to abandon my body for that failing one?” I hold out my sword, and open my own eyes. My empty voids stare into his mad dots, “Fool, incompetent fool. Did you really think I would just let you take another body freely? Do you not realize I will stop you? This world is one better than our old, and I shall not allow you to bring ruin and death upon it!” I send myself flying forward with a push from some bone hands, and I twist midair. I twirl myself around, and bring the sword down upon his head. It hits right in between his horns, and I slide down his face.
The blade stops so that I can stare him right in the eyes. He laughs, and easily absorbs all my magic. He grows large enough that he picks me up with only two fingers, and flicks me into the wall. He laughs some more as he stares at my crumpled body, “Now this world shall know death.”
My breath does not come easily, and I can feel the lack of a respotory system definitely affecting me. My body all of a sudden demands for oxygen and blood flow, stuff I cannot provide without the proper organs. I cough roughly, and breathe in as much as I can, taking in every gas possible. I struggle to get my hooves below me, and I try to stand up, “I will never give up. This world is not yours to kill, Beast. And I will not stop fighting until you lay dead at our hooves! Sweetie Belle, Sombra, Louis, Scootaloo, Apple Bloom, raise up with me!”
Then Sombra limps over to me, and allows me to fall upon his shoulder. He supports me as he stands next to me, “I stand, for I know that our laughter and joy cannot die! ¡No permitiré que la tristeza infecte este mundo!“
Louis stands up as well, moving next to Sombra, “I shall stand as well, and I will gladly give my life to stop you!”
Then Sweetie Belle moves up beside me, supporting my other side. She hoists me up with Sombra, and face the Beast, “I stand because of the cruelty you would bring upon our world. Raven has always shown kindness like I, and I trust him when he says we need to stop you!”
Then Scootaloo trudges forward, standing next to Sweetie, “I stand because I already know it’s true when I say we will win!”
And finally Apple Bloom, and she moves to the side of Scootaloo, “I stand because I believe in my friends decisions!”
I cough, and summon up the last of my air for a final shout, “I will not allow you to break the unity between us!”
The Beast laughs, “You have no magic, Raven! Hope and friendship can only get you so far!”
I breathe in deeply as I feel a strange power fill me, and a strange green glow starts to radiate off of me. I look around and see the others all start to glow as well, and they hold themselves surer. Sombra glows a strangely light black, like the embrace of a shadow. Sweetie starts to glow white, a pure light that fills any who look at it with happiness. Scootaloo is a fiery orange that could get anyone’s blood running and adrenaline pumping. Bloom starts to glow yellow, reminding me of a nice beam of light to keep you company after a day of hard work. Louis is blue, calming like the ocean’s peaceful waves or the flow of a slow river.
I smile, and seem to say words not of my own accord, like another being has taken me over entirely. A golden necklace appears and clasps around Sombra’s neck, the jewel inside a shadowed crystal with a hint of blue in the middle, “Sombra Noche, he who always tries to bring joy, is the new Element of Laughter.” Another appears around Sweetie’s neck, this gem a white circle with a single musical note within, “Sweetie Belle, she who has shown kindness to all she comes across, is the new Element of Kindness.” Scootaloo has the same happen, her jewel a pair of orange wings spreading out, “Scootaloo Roll, she who has been honest to the end, is the new Element of Honesty.” Bloom’s jewel is a yellow apple, “Apple Bloom, she who follows her friends to the ends of the world, is the new Element of Loyalty.” Louis’s jewel shows a blue first aid kit, “Louis Ragnar, he who would suffer to try and prove his race to be good, is the new Element of Generosity.” Finally, one appears around me, showing a green scythe, “Ravens Breath shows magic, that much is true. However, it is because of him that these ponies of different cultures and worlds have been able to come together today. Ravens Breath is the bearer of the Element of Unity.”
The Beast watches as we float into the air, and a red beams starts to connect all of us. He smiles as it connects with me in the middle, “Is this what you want Raven? To invite me back in your mind?”
I stare at him as my eyes glow a bright green along with the rest of me. I slightly nod at his paralyzed body, “I can suffer you for as long as I need.”
He simply watches as the red beam starts to hit him. He doesn’t allow even a single scream of pain to pass as his entire body is turned to ash and dust. I can see the magic from him go out in a shockwave, returning all his stolen magic. I sigh as I feel my magic enter me once more, and hear him start to whisper once more.
As we lower, I look around at the others, “The Beast lays dormant in my mind once more, he is not a threat anymore for the time.”
The others all seem to be in shock, looking at the Elements that now adorn their necks. Sombra smiles, “Maldito, if not for you, Raven, I wouldn’t have this power. To be a bearer of Los Elementos is not a privilege I thought I would ever have.”
“I can’t beleve that us Crusaders of all ponies would be Element bearers.” Sweetie says in similar shock.
But, I notice something else start to glow and appear other than the Elements. I smile at Sweetie, “You three might have something else to freak out about.”
They all look at their flanks where I point, and see new marks adorning their backside. Apple Bloom’s is a simple apple with two hoof impints on it, and a strange antenna coming out the top. Scootaloo’s is a speech bubble with a two spreading wings inside. Sweetie looks back at her’s as well, it being a musical note with different instruments surrounding it. They all start to freak out at their new marks.
It’s then I hear someone politely cough behind us, “Excuse me, gentlemen?” We all turn around, and face the newcomer. He is seemingly very well kept, barely any dirt on his coat. His eyes are a light blue and seem to glow with knowledge and wisdom. His hat represents the night sky, light blue with stars and moons on it with golden, polished bells decorating it. His cape is the same, bells all over, and a very nice light blue with the same stars and moons. His beard reaches down to his body, long and flowing, very well cleaned and kept.
I instantly think back, “Starburst?”
The Crusaders take notice as well, looking at him instead of their marks. He smiles, his white teeth shining in the light, “Not exactly, but yes. Starburst is my corrupted form, having gone mad from spending so long alone. My name is Starswirl the Bearded, pleasure to meet those who saved me. I always seeked knowledge and magic, some of which was forbidden. What you saw of me was the result of Celestia locking me away because I knew to much. But, you freed me, and so I am in your debt.” He starts to slowly fade away, and gives us a nod, “Until my debt is served, I shall be a spirit that will wait for your commands. Good day.” He fully disappears.
We’re given zero time to breathe as Luna appears in front of us, “Don’t worry, I’m here to help y- where’s Tirek?” I silently point at the pile of ash, and she watches as it blows away. She looks back at me, and notices my new necklace, “You’ve become the new Element bearers?” She takes a slight bow to us, out of respect, “Then I shall follow you.”
I look all around at my friends, “I think it is time for us to march.”
Sombra and Louis just nod their heads. Sweetie Belle asks, “What should we do?”
I look at Sombra and the Crusaders, “Sombra, I need you to take one of the Crusaders and tell Black Smith to produce enough guns for an army. The other Crusaders, I want you to go to Pot Hitter, and convince him to drum up support from the ponies of Ponyville. Have him tell them what Celestia has done or something.” I look over at Louis, “Louis, make sure your Changeling forces will be in optimal positions to take out Canterlot’s Guard.”
Luna looks at me with an eyebrow raised, “Raven, what are you talking about?”
I look over at her, “I am executing my justice and vengeance against Celestia.” I point her out at the town, “Gather the previous Element Bearers, bring them to Twilight’s Library. If they join us, more will follow suit. Tell them it’s an emergency, and I will meet you there.”