The great battle began in New Canterlot. The Starfleet fighters put a valiant effort, but Rai Shi constantly empowered his forces with more energy to enhance their strengths which put the heroes at a serious disadvantage-- a disadvantage soon which turned the tables on the villains to give the fighters another chance. Meanwhile, on Ainzul, the battle waged on, and both Tan Shi and En Shi were captured, and in the ensuing battle created a large explosion that blew the top of the mountain away, and while the fighters may have survived… so had a furious Stammadon!

Stammadon glared furiously at the fighters with his flaming aura burning brightly. “You may have beaten my minions! You may have destroyed my temple… But I still stand.

“Striker, please… I know you can hear me! You’ve got to fight for control!”

Stammadon then began to groan and moan as he clutched his head and felt his control weakening again.

“It’s working!” cried Rarity, but she soon ate those words as Stammadon regained control, and roared.

“Well, looks we’ll have to fight him after all.” said Rainbow. The others all agreed, and Lightning told Swift to stay down.

Swift looked up at him though, worried for his cousin, and Lightning assured him, “…If we have to-- try to be brave.”

Lightning then leapt out before the valkyries, “We tried to reason with you, but if this is how you want it, so be it!”

Lightning threw a punch, and Stammadon blocked it with his arm, and kicked him back. The valkyries then proceeded to attack with their swords, but Stammadon, using his amazing kung-fu skills, managed to dodge their attacks, block them, and proceed to punch, kick and bash the valkyries away.

“It’s no good!” cried Fluttershy “We used up a lot of our power deflecting the meteors!”

“Ha!” scoffed Stammadon “Your one fatal weakness is my greatest strength-- my power can never be depleted!” he demonstrated by absorbing more of the dark power in the skies to re-energize himself.

Stammadon laughed as his aura burned brighter than ever. “Still think you can win?!”

“We don’t think! We know!!” said Celestia. Lightning agreed, “We’ve never given up before, and now isn’t going to be any different!”

Stammadon snickered, “BLAZE OF THE FLARE KING” His flames were much hotter with his enhanced strength, and KAPOW… caused such an explosion that blew all the fighters about to Swift’s horror.

The fighters were weak, though not beaten. Lightning was not able to go Enticorn, having used up too much of his power already and the valkyries began to worry as well-- with their own powers running low, they would need to save every bit they had left if they wanted to try and save Striker.

Stammadon turned to face him, “This does not concern you now!” and he raised his hand and fired a blast.

“SWIFT…!!” shouted Lightning, and he sprinted over and tackled his student out of the way just in time.

KAPOW!! The blast made a big explosion, sending rocks flying all over. The valkyries raised their shields to protect themselves.

Lightning and Swift were fine, but Swift got up immediately, and jumped out into the open, “Swift… No!” shouted Lightning.

Stammadon and Swift stood at opposite ends of clear grounds, away from the rubble.

Much as Lightning wanted to get up and save his student, he just let him stand there. He was still ready to act anyway. “Come on, Swift… do it!” he muttered.

Stammadon began to stomp towards Swift, and Swift just stood there. “I’m not going to move!”

Swift remained still, “No… that’s not going to happen, because you won’t do it!”

“No! You won’t do it! Striker would never want to destroy me! He’d never want to destroy anyone! I know him that well!”

“Your cousin, is no more!” growled Stammadon “He has fallen to my mighty strength just as you will now, and your pitiful friends will soon follow!”

Swift said nothing more, and finally Stammadon was there right before him. He seemed to be hesitating, but he grabbed him by the shoulder, and raised his other hand, ready for the kill.

Stammadon then seemed to be struggling and couldn’t seem to finish his attack.

Stammadon began to groan and moan as he fell to his knees clutching his head worse than ever.

Striker’s real voice was then heard, “Help me…! I can’t… hold him… down!”

Stammadon’s voice was heard, “Cannot… stop… me…! I am… the… strongest!!”

Lightning then stood, and blasted Striker’s body with a low level charge of uniforce, not to destroy him, but just to weaken him a little more physically.

“No!! Stop!! Let me go!!” thundered Stammadon, but Striker’s force was now growing stronger thanks to Lightning’s power.

The valkyries all stood and summed up all the magic they could into their swords, which they joined together once more.

POW!! The blast fired, striking the body hard. “NOOOOO….!!!” Stammadon and Striker both screamed as the light enveloped them both, splitting the evil aura out of the body.

There was a bright flash that threw everyone back hard. The valkyries had exhausted the last of their powers and they all de-transformed.

When the light had cleared everyone could all see…! Striker was standing there, not looking nearly as muscular or pale as he used to be, but he collapsed on the ground flat.

One gator swung its sword at Artie, and Artie held up his staff and actually blocked it, now that his strength was back at full. “I… got you now!” Artie taunted, and shoved the sword out of the monster’s huge hand.

Another gator swung its club at Rhymey, and Rhymey roared as he soared up with his sword in hand… and WHACK!! He sliced that huge club right through the middle!

Without the dark power in the skies, the gators continued to grow weaker, and shrink in size.

Buddy could scan their energies with his visor, “Keep going, we’ve almost got them!”

The twins agreed, and saw two more gators charging at them and launching their meteors, but now that their energies were weaker, the flames were much smaller, and the twins were able to take the blasts with their super armor easily.

Their big flames spouted out, striking all the rock gators at once and frightening them all into one big group.

Rai Shi continued to battle Starla’s group. He was starting to look tired-- he, too, was growing weaker, having used up most of his strength to control he rock gators, but now… without the dark power to strengthen him.

“You can’t win, Rai Shi!” Starla scolded him “You may as well make it easy and give up now!”

Cadance and Saber stood by her agreeing, and I hovered overhead agreeing with them, but Rai Shi, stubborn as ever, refused to give in. “A true and honourable galaxy champion… does not give in… NOT FOR ANYTHING!!”

The four of us all sighed, “They always want to do it the hard way.” I groaned.

“STRIDENT SHOCKWAVE” Saber fired his blasts all around the maniacal ape, but Rai Shi still managed to dodge right around them. His determination was still that strong!

Cadance threw her ninja shurikens, and he punched and bashed each and every one of them away.

“I got him!” I hollered, and I pointed my sword at him unleashing energy pulses, which he dodged and then he leapt straight up at me, but I teleported out of the way causing him to miss, which let Starla leapt right up from beneath, and head butting him hard in his huge chest, sending him crashing down hard.

We four fighters all surrounded him, ready for the attack! “You’re through Rai Shi!” Saber shouted “INSECT SCIMITAR” he held out his sword, and charged it up!

“I’ll help you!” I called, and I concentrated hard, powering up my own sword with my pure energy.

Then Cadance rushed forth with her fists enveloped in her aura, and she leapt high and came down, punching Rai Shi hard in the gut sending him way up high.

POW!! She fired the shot, and Rai Shi saw his fate flashing before his eyes. “At least, I have fought well.” he said to himself.

WHAMM!! He was struck, exploded in midair and was imprisoned in a sphere-- the last of Stammadon’s generals!

As for the gators, the remaining fighters stood ready, and powered up their finisher attacks.

“WHIPLASH STRIKE”

“SUPER STAFF SPIN”

“THRASH SLASH”

“BOOM-BOOM FLARE”

All those attacks blasted those gators down to size immensely, and now Spike was ready for the final blow! He summed up all the power he had left in him, “FLAMES OF LIGHT!” and with that great blaze of brightness, the gators were finished-- blown into ashes that blew along the winds.

The entire army at the gates cheered for joy, while the super fighters and I just sighed. The super felts felt exhausted.

Starla looked over at the other space ponies, and they all gave her a high thumb, and she smiled and nodded proudly at them.

*POV Pause*

As for Grand Ruler and Princess Luna, they couldn’t be prouder, but they couldn’t help but wonder how the other team was doing on Ainzul.

The entire team huddled around Striker, and Lightning scanned him with his visor.

“No, he’s alive.” answered Lightning “He’s almost normal. I can’t scan any evil energy anymore, and his strength is way down-- normal even.”

“It’s okay, Striker,” said Lightning “We saved you-- you’re no longer under Stammadon’s control.”

Striker looked up and saw all the others staring at him, even the queen. “Just take it easy, you’ve been through a lot.” Celestia said.

Striker shut his eyes and clenched his fists in shame, “I don’t get it, why would you all save me? I haven’t exactly been the nicest guy. Heck, it’s MY fault that Stammadon got loose to begin with.”

“Yeah, about that…” Rainbow said in a serious tone, but Lightning held her back “That’s not important now. What matters most is you’re safe, so are we.”

“Um… guys….” whimpered Fluttershy “I don’t think we’re quite safe yet!”

The others all turned and saw Stammadon’s fiery spirit rise from out of nowhere and roaring at them all—preferably at Striker. “You would DARE reject me?!”

Striker’s features hardened, and the rest of the team glared furiously at him.

“Well… fortunately I have no further need for you!” thundered Stammadon “I’ve gathered more than enough fear and darkness to fully regain my true form!”

The others all gasped, and Stammadon snickered, “But why use it on you, when I can take it all with me and destroy your planet!!”

His spirit then rose up into the sky and began to absorb all that darkness into it, like a sponge soaking up water, until the skies were bright and clear as they used to be, but Stammadon then shot off into space like a comet, heading in the direction of United Equestria!

The cousins did as they were told, and stood close to him. Everyone then activated their return-spells, and warped off the planet.

“What now?” asked Grand Ruler, but everyone could look up in the sky and see the unidentified aura heading straight for the open fields from where we all stood, and it took shape.

“I HAVE RETURNED!!” Stammadon shouted, and indeed, after all the ages he had taken on his true form once more-- as big as a small mountain, with a lion head, dragon heads for arms and hands, a bears head as chest armor.

His beastly, clawed feet were large to flatten the forests… which he did as he stomped about, laughing! “It feels so great to be me again-- All this wonderful power and strength!!”

The super fighters all huddled together, “Am I seeing what I think I’m seeing?!!” cried Saber.

Cadance shuddering softly in fear, as did many of the fighters in the army, even Princess Luna felt a little freaked out, much to Stammadon’s delight. “Yes… give me your fear! It only makes me stronger!!”

Grand Ruler clenched his fists angrily, and he turned to call to the army, “Prepare to open fire!!”

“Come on you fairies!” Krysta shouted at her own soldiers “Let’s give it all we’ve got!”

The fairies complied and began to channel whatever power they had left along with the army of fighters.

The Super fighters and I stood at the front of the team, with Grand Ruler and Princess Luna hovering over us all.

“FIRE!!” shouted Grand Ruler, and all the powered combined together formed into a large stream of energy that flew straight at the giant monster, but Stammadon only snickered and held up his two dragon-head hands, and unleashed enormous flames, intercepting the blast and deflecting it up into the sky where it exploded in a bright flash, much to everyone’s horror.

Stammadon laughed, “Did you honestly think a power as weak as yours could conquer me-- the greatest and strongest being in the universe?!”

Stammadon then prepared to unleash his flames on the village, this time at full strength.

Starla ran the scans on herself and all the fighters, every single creature in sight had already exhausted a lot of their powers from the previous battle, and just now with that last blast.

Grand Ruler soared out in front, “Give what little power you have left to me!”

Starla straightened herself right, “Well, you heard him! Give him your strength!”

Everyone did as they were told, even I helped, but all I could give his majesty was a few bits of energy from my sword-- I wasn’t trained like they all were.

Grand Ruler could feel the power with in him, and just as Stammadon was about to unleash his flames, Grand Ruler used his telekinetic waves, enhanced with the power boost he had just received, and forced Stammadon to point his dragons back at his own self, and fire.

Stammadon roared as the flames engulfed him, and while everyone seemed overjoyed that it seemed to work, when the smoke cleared, Stammadon was laughing wickedly-- hardly damaged at all by his own power. “Not good enough, Starfleet-- Nice try though.”

Grand Ruler growled, “I still have power to do battle!” and he leapt up high punched the huge beast in his lion face, actually damaging him.

“Why you…!!” Stammadon thundered, and he swung his dragon heads. Grand Ruler swerved and dodged them skilfully, and then proceeded to fire a light flash in the villain’s face, stunning him, and then booting him hard in his huge gut almost knocking him over.

The super fighters and I were impressed at how well his majesty was faring. “He might actually win this.” I said.

…But suddenly, his majesty was starting to lose his glowing. “Oh, no…!” he cried “My extra power is wearing down!” He was only given a small boost from everyone to begin with, and forcing all that power onto a huge beast like Stammadon used it up all the faster.

“Pathetic weakling!” mocked Stammadon, and he fired a blast from one of the dragons, which his majesty barely dodged and was forced to retreat back to the army.

“I’m fine,” answered Grand Ruler “But he’s bigger and stronger than I thought. Even if we combined whatever remains of our powers, it will do no good!”

Everyone looked up as the evil beast roared, “Finally, after all this time, all this waiting and planning, I shall rule the galaxy and erase all the weak and spineless filth that I see!”

“This can’t be happening!!” cried Krysta. All the other fighters felt the same, and this only made the evil grow stronger-- the more fear they felt, the greater his strength.

“STRIKING FORCEWAVE” someone suddenly shouted, and blasted the huge beast from behind. It didn’t hurt him…

“What?!” snapped Stammadon, and he turned to see Striker, Lightning and the rest of the team from Ainzul.

“Celestia!” hollered Grand Ruler. His wife nodded lovingly at him from afar.

“Ah, the traitor dares show himself?!” Stammadon sneered at Striker “Perhaps I really should have done away with you and your friends first.”

Striker only scoffed, “Wrong! Your biggest mistake was taking over my body! At least I still have some of the powers you left behind!”

Swift stood up next to his cousin, “It’s time for you to answer to everything you’ve done, Stammadon-- all the people you’ve hurt for your petty obsession with strength!”

“Ha!” snapped Stammadon “All I see before me is an army that has nearly depleted what remains of its, already, worthless strength.”

Lightning snickered, “That’s why when we got back we brought reinforcements!”

Stammadon then could hear the sounds of hollering as many Starfleet allies, ponies and other creatures alike, came rushing and soaring in over the lands-- as was Starfleet’s plan, to round up as many helpers they could.

“Listen to me, everyone!” Lightning hollered “We have only one real chance; we must use the pure inner strength!”

The super fighters were already sceptical about this, as were all the other fighters who had never used it before, though they were informed of the basics of how to supposedly tap into it.

“Try!” shouted Lightning “Try and think and feel the balance-- Good and bad, light and dark, and let your determination inspire you!”

The massive army felt it was worth the try, and their only hope of ending this battle for good! So they all closed their eyes and concentrated their thoughts-- Of people they loved, like friends and family, and tragically those they had lost. They also took the time to focus on how much they wanted to rid the world of this great evil!

The rest of the army started to glow, and even I was glowing-- I could feel the power in me igniting.

We all opened our eyes, and while we would awe in the glowing of everyone, we just focussed on the great beast, and combined our strengths together.

“NOW!!” shouted Lightning, and all that magic was unleashed in multiple streams of light that enveloped Stammadon’s body.

“NOOOOOOOOOOOO----!!!” he shouted as his body began to disintegrate into nothingness, and KAPOW!! He was gone!!

The light had faded, and everyone felt just exhausted. All the super fighters de-transformed, their energy having run out. Many of them had collapsed to the ground.

Celestia only smiled, and the armies were all overjoyed, just a little too tired to cheer for the moment.

“I think I know how.” said Lightning “I’d been wondering why we couldn’t seem to unleash the strength, but yet some of us were able to…

Not only did we have to actually be in battle, we had to actually be surrounded by many creatures of pure energy in order for it to work. I figured that’s how it happened, because Queen Mowaza told us that an army of warriors beat Stammadon together.”

After a couple of days of rest and surveying whatever damage was done from the battle and how to fix it, you can bet there was a huge awards ceremony held at the royal palace.

The Ainzulians had come from the refuge planet to attend the celebration, especially Queen Mowaza and Princess Balia.

The first thing they did was donate a large golden statue of the lion, as gratitude for destroying Stammadon.

“Thanks to all of you,” Mowaza said “We, the Ainzulians, can now return to our planet and start our new, peaceful lives. We are honoured to have you as allies and know that you will be there to help us as you have done in the past.”

All the Super fighters had been promoted, for extreme heroics, discovery of newer skills and magic to vanquish the enemy, and mastering the super-modes to help.

Spike was now a First Class Major. The Equestrians were all Lieutenant Colonels, and the male Space Alicorns were all now First Class Colonels.

As for Starla, just as Lightning promised, and with Grand Ruler and Celestia’s blessings and agreement, she was made a general.

She now wore a uniform almost like Lightning’s, with her medals and ribbons on her armor, complete with a large white sash. Instead of fancy epaulets on her shoulder, she had four stars on each side. Instead of a beret, she wore an army cap, but had to do up her long hair in a bun in back. A silver sparkling windbreaker and a matching short cape on her back that only reached down to her tail.

She was still only Lightning’s second-in-command, but now she had a greater new position in the force, which also meant newer and bigger responsibilities… that she was willing to adjust to.

Lightning finished pinning the last medal on his wife’s uniform. “Congratulations, General.”

Starla saluted to him, and he saluted back, and they couldn’t help but smile at each other with deep love.

The crowd went wild with cheers, but still the ceremony continued, and as Starla’s first official act as general, she was to present special honorary medals to the brave souls she announced.

I approached her proudly, and accepted my medal, and we saluted to each other. Then I went and stood over on the sidelines as the next awards were given.

The girls excitedly approached, but managed to keep steady and cool as they accepted their medals, for their bravery and assistance in saving the planet from the Digital Dangers like me.

Rarity and Applejack almost felt like bursting into tears as they watched their respective sisters. They couldn’t be more proud and happy for them, finally being real heroes.

Buddy was extremely pleased with DD. He knew in his heart she’d go on to be a great Starfleet fighter.

Applebloom’s folks watched from the audience, and Pear Butter dabbed her eyes, “My little filly ain’t so little anymore.” she sighed.

Bright Mac held her close and thought of Granny Smith, “Ma would be as proud as me.”

“And now…” Grand Ruler announced, and the crowd quieted down, “To conclude the ceremony, we have two final awards to give to two special ponies…

The two ponies approached, and Swift received his medal for outstanding courage, bravery, and for being the one to help discover and unlock the pure inner strength power. This, of course, did not earn him commission to Starfleet as he was still undertrained, but he was proud to accept it.

While many were skeptical about Striker and the things he had done, Celestia announce, “We understand how you all must feel. While it cannot be ignored what had happened, it can be noted that all the things he had done were not truly of his own free will, as he was controlled by Stammadon.

In many other ways Striker has helped us to defeat the great evil. His courage and strength was the final key in fulfilling our mission, and that makes him brave and worthy of forgiveness, and another chance to be recognized as a fine fighter.”

Striker accepted his medal, and announced to everyone, “I promise from this day forth to make amends for my errors. The old Striker is gone, and I hope soon forgotten. As I have been granted pardon by the officers and their majesties… I wish it known…

…I believe in all of you, just as the officers, their majesties, and my own cousin believed enough in me to save my life from that dreaded evil that possessed me. While it will take time for me to fully earn our trust again…” he paused “…I’m willing to try.”

A few ponies began to clap, followed by more, and more until the entire assembly was applauding, showing their forgiveness and willing to accept Striker into the community again.

A few days later, Striker was given full graduation from the Starfleet academy, but rather than join the force, he chose to stay at the school as a trainer and teacher, to help with his own reformation and to guide others not to take the path he took.

As for Swift, he addressed to all the cadets, sharing his experiences and what he had learned on his adventure and training with Lightning.

“I helped saved the galaxy, and thanks to Commander Lightning and his team I discovered that I was capable of doing more than I thought.

But these were all skills I could have learned right here all along. It was never that I wasn’t as good as the Commander or his fighters, and it was never that I didn’t have what it took. It was the fact that I didn’t believe in myself, and I let myself be blinded by envy.

But I learned this: I can be a great fighter, but I have to be my own fighter. I cannot keep trying to be someone I’m just not and won’t ever be, and I can learn and discover all this, so can all of you.”

The cadets felt inspired and moved by his speech. Many of them began to reflect on this and realized just how silly they had all been acting, and were now ready to get back to training with new confidence and belief.

All the cadets were training better than ever now, and hardly screwing up or fumbling like they did before.

Lightning was very pleased, “We’ve done it.” he said to Swift “We got their confidence back, and the future of Starfleet looks better than before.”

Swift felt proud of himself, “Does this mean… you and I are done too?” he asked.

“No, no, you won’t get rid of me that easy. I’m still your teacher, and you and I still have a long way before you get commissioned.”

Swift smiled at his teacher, and Lightning smiled at him, “How about a quick spar?” Lightning offered.

The two sparred off in the dojo-- Lightning went easy on Swift, and form up above the rest of the team watching with pride, feeling everything was going to be alright.

My Brave Pony: Starfleet Magic Season VIII

by DakariKingMykan

Final episode: Final Part: The Greatest Strength