//------------------------------// // Chapter 163: Operation Rescue! // Story: My Little Pony, Friendship is Magic: Stallion Edition // by SuperPinkBrony12 //------------------------------// While the rest of the stallions (and whoever they chose to bring along on their missions) were retrieving their assigned artifacts, Shining Armor, Twilight, Sunburst, and Starlight were all at Ponhenge. They were working to clear away the last of the vines and making sure everything was ready. "Now, Twily, you're absolutely sure this is gonna work?" Shining Armor asked his sister. Twilight gave an affirmative nod. "Yes indeed, Shiny. As long as your friends bring the items back here and place them on the pillars, there's enough combined magic between myself, Sunburst, and you and Starlight to open the portal. And from there it's a simple process to yank the pillars out of limbo," With a smile she added. "I can't believe I'm actually going to meet Starswirl the Bearded. Well, outside my dreams and all." "And I can't believe you're actually going through with this," Starlight nervously commented. "Don't take this the wrong way but this is pretty out there, even for you." Sunburst scoffed. "Come on, Starlight! What's out there about saving the most important ponies in all of history?!" "I'm just saying, messing with portals didn't exactly work out for me when I tried it," Starlight explained with a gulp. "And while it's just a hunch, maybe Starswirl and the Pillars knew what they were doing and we should just leave well enough alone. I'm not usually one for caution, but this whole thing is giving me a very bad feeling." "I appreciate your concerns, Starlight," Shining responded to his student. "I'd be lying if I said I didn't have similar worries myself. But I have faith in my sister's magical abilities, they're second to none. If she estimates our chances of saving the pillars without complications to be almost one hundred percent, then I say it's worth the risk. Besides, we've already come all this way out here. There's no point in going back now. We might as well as see this through to the end." At that Soarin spoke up. "Well that's good to hear, because otherwise Spike and I would've traveled all over the dragon lands for nothing. You would not believe what we had to go through to get this shield back." He placed Flash Magnus' shield on one of the stone slabs a second later. Big Macintosh gave a rather confident grin as he simply replied. "I hope you don't think you're the only one who managed to find his artifact, Soarin. 'Cause this here shovel says otherwise." Like with Soarin, he was quick to place Rockhoof's shovel on one of the stone slabs. Fancy Pants lightly scolded the two. "Oh look at you two, you're just like boys with toys. Not everything has to be a contest," As he placed Mistmane's flower on one of the stone slabs he added. "Although, Mistmane's flower is arguably the most magnificent of all the artifacts." "Please, you're just sayin' that 'cause you didn't have to dive in a pit of green sludge to get yours!" Braeburn proudly declared as he placed Somnambula's glowpez necklace on one of the pillars. With a gag face he remarked. "You don't wanna know where I found this, trust me." "Neither of you had to move a flash bee hive for your artifact. And I didn't even have to do it." Thunderlane commented as he placed Mage Meadowbrook's mask on the remaining stone pillar (Starswirl's journal already occupied one). "Excellent!" Shining smiled. "I knew I could count on you guys! But where are Cheerilee and Fleur? I thought they went with you." "Cheerilee said she had to go back to Ponyville, wanted to work on the lesson plans for her next class," Big Macintosh commented. "A shame really, my family's taken quite the shine to her." "And my dear Fleur is staying behind in her village to catch up on the news. When she's finished, I presume she'll return to Ponyville on her own. She's a big mare and is more than capable of taking care of herself." Fancy Pants declared. Twilight just clapped her hooves together. "Well that's a shame, but at least the rest of us are all here now. So that means we can put the plan into action! Is everypony ready?!" "You betcha!" Sunburst declared! "I... guess I'm in too," Starlight reluctantly added, even as she muttered under her breath. "I hope this doesn't backfire on us." "I'm ready as well!" The prince firmly declared. "Okay, here we go!" And to the unicorn trio he instructed. "Give it all you got! Full power in 3... 2... 1, now!" On cue, the trio of unicorns lit up their horns and Shining did the same! They all concentrated their magical powers on the journal, and watched in delight as the magic was transferred to the rest of the artifacts. They rose into the air and created a magnificent circle of light. There was a blinding flash and for a moment everyone shut their eyes! The flash faded just as soon as it had arrived, and six ponies appeared from the sky. With nothing holding them up they began to fall, followed closely by pieces of the stone slabs that threatened to crush them! Reacting quickly each stallion rushed to save the pillar whose artifact they had retrieved, with Shining saving Starswirl the Bearded. The aged wizard slowly opened his brilliant gold eyes as he forced himself to stand. "What? Where are we?" He wondered. "Starswirl the Bearded?" Twilight spoke up. "My big brother and his friends just recused you and the other pillars, and we..." At that Starswirl seemed to become alarmed! "You did what?! No! Quickly, you must undo what you've done!" "Why? What do you mean? I'm not even sure we could, Starswirl," Shining stuttered in response. "Or do you prefer Mr. The Bearded?" "Just Starswirl will do, but there's no time for formalities!" Starswirl protested. "Please, you must reverse the spell! You can't bring us back!" The prince became confused. "Why? I just did." Starswirl shook his head. "You fool! You cannot bring only the pillars back!" It took the prince but a moment to realize what Starswirl was referring to. "No, it can't be..." He remarked as he nervously turned his attention to the center of Ponhenge. An ominous black blob was beginning to take shape, slowly morphing into the form of a giant pony with a curved horn and glowing white (but blank) eyes as dark clouds hung overhead. The familiar form of The Pony of Shadows soon stood before all, cackling with delight. "At very long last, I'm free!" It declared. "The darkness is here to stay!" Everyone gulped. And both Shining and Starlight could only find themselves thinking one thing. "We've really done it this time! How are we going to get out of this predicament?!" And neither of them knew the answer, assuming there was one.