Burning skies and reddening hues as smoke acridly filled the world. Crumbling… crashing… tumbling… a fortress gone in an instant. Hooves stepped over the remnants of the crumbled home. A horn lit up and moved the debris around careful to keep them low to the ground. There didn’t need to be any witnesses to the acts happening around here now. The presence of the lich like being was finally gone.
“Now where are you…?” The voice looked around tossing a few more loose bricks away. The magic surrounded a large section of the ceiling lifting it far above his head and over to the side gently enough to only cause a few displacements of the surrounding rubble.
“Ah! There you are.” The voice triumphantly stated picking the staff that the Horned King once held in his hands. “A fool and his treasure are so soon parted I suppose. And there was no bigger a fool than he. Seriously, using necromancy as a base for your powers when it has the chance to steal your soul if you fail. Honestly, amateurish at best.”
The stallion stepped over the rubble cradling the staff in his magic. He adjusted his hat making the bells ring out slightly. Gritting his teeth, he peered around carefully hoping no one had heard that. The sound suppression spell had worn off far too quickly. Eight days straight and he needed to recast it already. He groaned at the thought that his spells needed a little more work.
“Bah! I have what I came for and all is well. Thank you fake pony for all your hard work. Also thank you mares for providing a large enough distraction for me to use.” He replies with a sarcastic wave and salute to top it off.
Star Swirl lit his horn and ripped a tear in the world. On the other side was a large fortress suspended in the anther surrounded by legions of nobodies of various shapes and forms. A triumphant smirk on his face he stepped through the tear across a long catwalk while the nobodies all bowed at his hooves.
With staff in magical grip he closed the portal. The rubble was still there almost untouched by any kind.
“Yeowch! What the heck happened?” Pete grumbled as he rose from part of the rubble. He had been trying to break into another door only for the whole building to collapse. If he wasn’t a tough guy like he was it could have hurt.
“Jeez Louise… I ain’t cleaning this mess up that’s fer sure. Oh no… now I gotta tell Maleficent what happened to tall, dark, and gruesome. Crud…” Pete opened a portal of darkness stumbling through as he clutched the bruises on his arms and side. Though as he was leaving he noticed the small goblin guy, Creeper, he was certain lying unconscious nearby. He dragged him in with him.
Maleficent was standing by almost as if waiting for him. Though her back was turned and her gaze effectively focused on the glass orb in front of her. Pete stepped up careful not to stumble or look anymore foolish than he did at the moment.
“Uh… your eminence-y.” He grumbled out keeping it low enough not to be heard. He really didn’t know what else to call her at the moment and buttering her up at least meant the least amount of consequences later. “I’m back… in one piece.”
“Oh you survived. Thought I was going to have to search for a new peon. Isn’t that right Diablo?” Maleficent carefully crooned as her raven landed upon her staff looking frightfully sinister. It let out a screeching caw before flying back up to the rafters. “No matter. As far as I’m concerned this mission has been a success. Have you seen how many keyblade wielders there were so far?”
“Yeah. Over half a dozen. All of them petite puny ponies. Though they do pack a wallop.” Pete admitted as he rubbed over the sores that he received.
“A keyblade’s power to be sure. And what of you Horned King. Easy prey, were they not?” Maleficent chuckled as she ran a hand over the gem of her staff.
Out of the haze of darkness in the glass orb was the remnant spirit of the Horned King. Diminished but still alive in some form it growled in place clearly unhappy with what occurred.
“The Cauldron was mine! How did a pack of colorful ponies do something like this to me!” Horned King roared as he thrashed around within the confines of the glass orb.
“Calm yourself. Cortez is building you a new body as we speak. I can’t have you sitting there like a useless paper weight. But now you see, don’t you? A keyblade wielder is more dangerous than any for you face. They cut through our darkness like paper and you now know. We need strength in numbers. So… do you agree… or shall I shatter you and erase your wasteful mistake?” Maleficent cruelly smirked as she placed the tip of her staff against the orb ready to tip it over.
“No!” Horned King shouted before he rested into place. “I shall agree. So long as I remain somewhat autonomous in my personal goals.”
“And that is all I ask. You shall empower our small army then to more glorious heights. You may keep your world under your own thumb so long as you assist me in my own goals.” Maleficent smiles as she removed her staff and stepped forward.
“And that is?” Horned King questioned as he grumbled and waited.
“Kingdom Hearts. That is what I am after. The heart of all worlds.” Maleficent admitted as she tapped her staff.
All the braziers lit up in green flames as several figures stood up around the orb. Cortex and Malefor stood around the orb stepping out of their respective shadow. Bagular stepped up as well.
The old man dressed in blue armor that covered his entire body let out a dry laugh. If they didn’t know better his laugh sounded mechanical. It was ignored as several other figures stepped out in the arena surrounding them. All different shapes and sizes each working towards their unified goal.
Pete merely chuckled as their plans started to move forward with an army of beings standing around from multiple worlds all wielding darkness in their hearts. He then remembered he was still carrying the little goblin guy and forced some of the White Mushroom heartless to carry him off for healing.
There it was. The Cauldron floated along before washing up on the shore of the lake. It was empty once again and we stood there shocked that nothing remained within.
I attacked it with my keyblade only to reverberate against the shell making me shake in place as if I was living through an earthquake. Vinyl and Fresh managed to stop me with their magic making me so glad that their magic was so versatile.
“Thanks. Guess that plan is out then.” I muttered the last part returning my keyblade back to its pocket dimension space or wherever it was kept. I didn’t have a keychain ring and while I didn’t doubt it came from my heart; that place was crowded enough at the moment.
“What now?” Vinyl came up clearly uncertain of what to do. In fact, nopony seemed to know what to do. The people of our group were still reflecting from their loss and his sacrifice.
“Honestly… I don’t know. We can’t leave this thing here and we can’t destroy it. If we bring it with us then we are setting ourselves up for a similar invasion of undead. With the same price necessary to stop it…” I cut off myself near the end too little too late.
Everypony looked mortified and a bit worried at how much trouble one Cauldron could have on an entire world. Still we needed to figure something out. Redheart was busy tending to Taran when we heard her yelling.
“Incoming! Something’s here!” Redheart shouted as I rushed to the edge of the lake with everypony that had a weapon.
Billowing storm clouds floated across the skies, lowering to our level as if to meet us eye to eye. Taran stepped forward as well making certain that he would meet it first though I silently didn’t approve.
“Well, well, well what have we here? It seems that you’ve kept this Cauldron safe, haven’t you?” Orddu called out as the three witches from the marsh appeared almost ethereally from said cloud.
“What do you want then? We’ve made a deal already!” Taran yelled out frustration laced his voice and threatened to burst open to tears it seemed.
“Perhaps but you have no use for the Cauldron in the first place. So we propose a trade. You, boy who so desperately wants to be a knight, should you bequeath the Cauldron back then this sword, the sword of the first king of Prydain, shall be yours once more. Take it in your grasp and you shall become the knight you were always meant to be.” Orddu announced as the sword fell from on high floating daintily before Taran. His eyes focused on the blade and his hand reached for it.
Vinyl attempted to step up and stop him but I placed my hoof on her shoulder and pulled her back. I shook my head which she grimaced at. This was his decision and we shouldn’t make it for him or try to dictate it for him.
Taran reached for the hilt… only to curl his fingers back. His frown overturned any desire to choose the blade.
“No… I don’t deserve to be a knight. I haven’t proven anything except for my brashness and ineptitude at swordplay. I know the sword fought my battles for me. No… I want my friend back.” Taran announced standing boldly against Orddu.
“A life taken by the Cauldron is not so easily brought back and it is not feasible to raise the dead as such.” Orddu waves it off.
“Now see here madam! Are you saying that you have no power to do such things!” Fflewddur yelled out which caused all three of the witches to glare directly into him. I pulled out my keyblade and stepped in front of him just in case… though that didn’t stop him from voicing his opinion. “You have no power! Charlatans the lot of you!”
“How dare you! We shall show you just whom you are messing with!” Orddu, Orwen and Orgoch all screamed as they poured their magic into the Cauldron itself.
A burst of light exuded from the depths as the small dog man slowly descended from on high. Taran rushed over as did everyone else to welcome him back to the land of the living. I didn’t.
I still had something that Merlin entrusted to me to use. I flew up before the witches could disappear since it was the last time I would probably see them.
“Hold up!” I urged them as the three stared at me. Their piercing gaze made it evident that they weren’t in the mood for chitchat. “I’ve come to bargain.”
I held out the small locket and a scroll. They eyed the items in slight interest.
“And these are…?” Orwen spoke up first clearly more interested then the other two.
“Merlin made these. I think you may like the bargain.” I stated with no level of certainty.
“And what do you wish to bargain for. Certainly they seem useful but there is nothing we have for trinkets like that.” Orddu waves it off clearly fishing for something better.
“The sword.” I bluntly informed. She glared at me as well but with the Cauldron back in their possession they weighed their options.
“Fine. We have made a bargain.” Orddu growled out as the sword landed in my outstretched hoof.
The three witches flew off creating a tornado with their magic with the Cauldron, locket and scroll in their possession. I flew back down to the group who noticed what I did.
“Taran, get over here.”
Taran stepped before me clearly uncertain of what I wanted. I was unsure of this as well but this was something I had always had when I was a child. Something my parents had given to me.
“When I was younger… my parents allowed me the freedom of choice. The freedom to make a decision on what I wanted to do. You, you are still a child to me. But you’re growing older and eventually you’ll have to decide what you want to do. So… I’m handing you this sword. This is in no part a guarantee you will be a knight or if you even want to be anymore. This is merely an… option. An avenue for you to travel if you so wish to. I will not decide for you. They will not decide for you. No one but you can decide what you do for you.”
The sword lay gently in his outstretched hands still kept within its scabbard. He moved his mouth like a fish but produced nothing but babble. I flapped my wings and knocked him on the forehead gently.
“Ow! What was that for!?” Taran rubbed the small bruise that had formed.
“Wake you up from daydreaming once again. Gotta work on that if you want to succeed later on in life.”
“Right… I… I don’t think I’m ready for this.” Taran admitted.
“No one is. So guess what? You decide what happens next so long as you keep this sword. Even if you do nothing with it but mantle it above a fireplace it is still going to be your choice.”
“Okay… thanks Gray.” Taran smiled.
The sword began to glow and floated out of his grasp. I grabbed Vinyl who I had realized was playing with her new keyblade finally.
“Your turn!” I shouted as she yelled into my grasp and the keyhole appeared above our heads.
We all saw into the infinite vastness that was the heart of Prydain. Weak but still kicking Vinyl pointes the tip of her blade up into the void and a beam of light fired out. The keyhole sealed and a locking sound echoed out into the emptiness of the lake as we all stood triumphant over saving a world from extreme forms of darkness.
“What was that!?” Eilonwy shouted only for me to cover her mouth with Taran’s hand.
“Don’t worry about it. Just know the world is saved that’s all.” I chuckled as the four heroes of this world and the rest of us finally had one of those sappy laugh scenes that happen at the end of movies.
Our goodbyes were quiet and subdued with the four all traveling hand in hand for greater adventure. The seven of us flew over to our original base camp where a save portal awaited us. We returned to the Gummi Ship and warped off back to meet with Yen Sid before returning to Equestria.
“What are you playing at Merlin…?” Orddu quietly muttered to herself as she looked over the scroll and the locket.
Certainly magic coursed through the interior of the locket but she couldn’t open it. She could feel the magic coursing within. Orgoch has placed the Black Cauldron further away from them keeping anything away from the lidless soul container. Arawn, the Horned King’s true master, had had his soul bound to the molten metal when it had first been forged. No one knew but the three and they certainly hoped everyone who did was gone now.
“Open the scroll then.” Orgoch smirked as she looked it over. “We know the locket has magic but the scroll has a seal. It was the one he was supposed to deliver to us.”
“Very well I’ll do it.” Orwen sighed as she opened the scroll.
Several runic formations and sparks of magic emanated off the scroll before surrounding the Cauldron. A large black lid slammed on the top and the edges melted into one another. They could hear the spirit within screaming bloody murder before going inactive once more.
The locket opened revealing Merlin zooming out of it.
“Merlin… is this your idea of a joke?” Orddu growled out as she rounded on the old wizard.
“A joke? Certainly not. It took years just to get that seal right without destroying the necessary spells to make the lid become part of the whole. You did once ask me to do this, didn’t you?” Merlin growled back certainly not one to be cowed into backing down.
“Could of given us warning cutie!” Orwen launched herself into Merlin making him stumble as he struggled to keep his balance. He wasn’t as ready as he usually was, and neither was he prepared when she deigned to cover him in kiss marks.
“Enough Orwen. That old fool’s too gone to be romantic.” Orgoch cackled as Orwen did at least get off him.
“Regardless… I see you made new students.” Orddu quickly brought the conversation back on track.
“Good ones it seems if he got you to agree to a deal.” Merlin smiled as he fixed his glasses with his wand.
“More like took advantage of our frustration! That was a shark in sheep’s clothing if I ever saw one!” Orgoch cried out.
“You mean a wolf- “ Merlin was cut off.
“I know what I said!” Orgoch screeched back.
“Right. Anyways, the threat of the Cauldron at the very least is taken care of. Even if only for now.” Merlin sighed trying his best not to show she had busted an eardrum.
“Merlin… next time do this yourself or there will be consequences.” Orddu warned which Merlin just snorted.
“As you wish Madam!” Merlin stomped his foot before placing a finger against his nose and shooting out into the stratosphere.
“Our talks are nice, aren’t they ladies?” Orddu asked her compatriots who merely smiled and nodded as they repaired their swamp lair once again for the next hapless schmuck who came to them.
We made it back quickly with the warp function allowing our instantaneous travel amongst the stars. When we landed it was five in the morning. Four hours had passed from the moment we left to the moment we returned. It had been a few days in Prydain but the warp function once again proved that Merlin was overpowered in some sense.
We trekked back to the house just as the sound of roosters crowed in the morning sky. We decided that today was a sleeping day and while I thought that we would be in our own beds I was wrong.
As soon as I laid back every mare made their place holding onto me in a veritable pony pile palooza. I thought it would go further but instead they all fell asleep. They also made sure I couldn’t escape either.
“Damn… my limbs will be feeling like jelly again…” I muttered to the sleepy chuckles of everypony as fatigue washed over all of us.