//------------------------------// // Chapter 17: Another Attack?! Pandaemonium // Story: My Final Pony Fantasy II // by Vimtrust5 //------------------------------// The Crystal Empire The ponies were eagerly awaiting the return of their friends and family since everything that had happened, starting with the attack on the Crystal Empire and Flurry Heart's abduction. With some of their Ponyville friends missing, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Applejack had expected answers only to learn that Twilight, Fluttershy, Princess Cadence, and Spike had gone to another world to save Flurry and stop an evil Empire's bid for total domination. Rarity was still dismayed over sister's disappearance after the attack on Ponyville, while Pinkie's mane had completely deflated during the long wait, wondering if she'd ever see the Cakes or her friends again. Applejack and Rainbow Dash, though, were slowly losing their patience with the recent events and wanted to know about the others' whereabouts at that moment. All of a sudden, Pinkie Pie began to shudder uncontrollably. Her Ponyvile friends noticed this behavior, knowing that something unexpected was going to happen. Something unpredictable, even by Pinkie Pie. "Ah!" The sudden yell caught everypony's attention. "What is it, Cid?" asked Rarity. "They comin' home?" Applejack questioned. "Are Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo with them?" asked Rainbow. "The fillies you call Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo are safe at Castle Fynn, the rebel army headquarters. However..." Not liking where the subject was going, the ponies cautiously leaned closer. "Mateus has somehow returned, and is about to send more monsters here!" At that moment, several unholy portals appeared throughout the Crystal Empire, and from them emerged several demons and armored soldiers beginning their pursuit of the remaining citizens! "All hail Emperor Mateus!" declared one Death Rider, a dark armored soldier on horseback. The Crystal Ponies screamed and frantically ran away from the evil army to try and find safe places to hide but found themselves in a corner. Unwilling to let this assault continue, Princess Celestia and Luna, along with Shining Armor and the Element Bearers, prepared to retaliate. *music stops* Jade Passage Meanwhile, back in the other world... a flash of light quickly transported our heroes within a gloomy cavern with dark purple walls, light green grass and a river. Within the misty labyrinth lay several enemies including Hecteyes, abyss worms and Great Malboros. "Oh... oh, no..." said Spike. "Not those things again!" "Ugh... Just when I thought we'd seen enough of them!" Twilight agreed, never thinking of seeing another member of the Malboro family. As soon as the monsters were out of sight, our heroes went straight for the stairs and descended further into the dungeon. Once they reached the second floor, our heroes waded through the water and opened the treasure chest and obtained an Antarctic Wind, an ice-based item which was effectively a Blizzard spell. They noticed another chest further away from them and obtained a three-blade glove called the Cat Claws, but also unleashed a fearsome Blue Dragon. The winged beast roared, summoning Thunderbolt 16 almost obliterating our heroes. Leon was the only warrior to almost succumb to his wounds, but his sister was able to revive him with an advanced Life spell, almost healing him completely. Twilight cast Cure XII on the entire group, while Cadence cast Shell, protecting them from the Thunderbolt spell. Fluttershy thought to stand up to the Blue Dragon only to be knocked aside and into the water. A furious Guy charged the creature and hacked it numerous times. Firion quickly slashed the dragon with Excalibur several times, vanquishing it. As a result of the battle, Leon's life force, stamina, and endurance had increased. On the third floor, they discovered a beautiful waterfall flowing downwards like any other waterfall. With little time to admire the scenery, our heroes descended several sets of stairs, and obtained several items along the way. In one section, they acquired a Rune Axe for Guy and were forced to fight a deadly King Behemoth! Thanks to Twilight casting Blink on the party, they were able to withstand the beast's brutal attacks and brought it down quickly. They continued their trek across the cave and went down to the fourth floor basement where they acquired a Betrayal Fang, went into the room at the very back and took three treasures: an Aegis Shield, a Holy Lance, and Dragon Armor. Going back they opened the sole treasure chest near them and obtained Yoichi's Bow for Maria. But once again, another monster emerged from the chest materializing into a Red Dragon. "Not again!" Fluttershy screamed. "How many more of these things are there?!" Firion asked. With little time to ponder on that question, the group braced themselves as the dragon unleashed a powerful breath of fire almost pushing them against the wall. Guy charged the beast and dealt serious harm onto it with his new Rune Axe. Cadence cast Blizzard XIII on it, bringing the battle to an end. After defeating the adult dragon, the party went through the door on their right, found another staircase and went down into the fifth floor where they came across a large pit. On the wall next to the stairs was a plaque. It read: "The way ahead leads to a forsaken place. It exists for those who may one tread it darkened path." A shiver went up our heroes' spines as they finished reading the plaque. They knew they were getting closer, but there was a feeling of unease as their minds wondered on what they would find once they reach Pandaemonium. As for the pit... Thankfully, the heroes that were capable of flight were able to make it through and thus obtained a hi-potion, an elixir, and a Protect Ring. Using their magic, Twilight and Cadence transported our heroes to the other side. "Thank you," said Firion. The party opened the door and descended into the final floor of the Jade Passage which was consisted only of a long corridor, and small sets of stairs leading to a warp tile that would lead any who set foot on it into Pandaemonium. A Green Dragon suddenly appeared just as they were nearing the exit. Having come too far to turn back, our heroes stood their ground. With Twilight conjuring her magic shield, the group was safe from the beast's fire breath. With the Green Dragon taken care of, our heroes pressed onward. Upon reaching the warp tile that lay in the center of the area our heroes had finally found their way out of the Jade Passage as well as the door to the Castle of Hell. "So this is it." "As soon as we go in, there may be no turning back." "Are we ready?" "I know I am," said Twilight. "As am I," Cadence added. Fluttershy closed her eyes and slowly opened them, filled with determination. She gave everyone a small nod. "Leon..." said Twilight. "Hmm?" "Do you really feel remorse for everything that's happened so far?" The purple-haired youth looked away and held his right arm. "Yes... After what you've said, Princess Twilight. And as we journeyed all the way through this cave... I see now that there is more than just power for which people fight. But friendship, harmony, and peace... You were right..." Leon's friends looked to him. "I intend to redeem myself, as well as save our worlds before that demon gets a chance to set foot in Equestria..." Finally acknowledging Leon, Twilight flew upward and placed her hoof on his shoulder and gave him a welcoming nod. They all stepped onto the tile, ready to save Flurry Heart and stop Emperor Mateus once and for all. An orb of darkness surrounded them and zapped our heroes teleporting them into... Pandaemonium As the heroes expected, the interior of the castle was foreboding. The walls and partitions consisted of purple hexagon patterns, giving off an otherworldly vibe. Then again, this was the Castle of Hell itself. Our heroes felt a shiver run up their spines as they felt an evil aura emanating from somewhere in the castle. They knew that the only way to find the source was to trek through the castle, while overcoming any obstacles that would stand in their way. They all looked at one another and ventured forth. Running along the square tiles on the crystallized floor, our heroes followed the long path and went up the stairs to find themselves on the second floor. There, they encountered two cat-like creatures called Coeurls and a Lamia Queen much like the one who impersonated Princess Hilda. Doing away with the monsters quickly, the party continued onward and grabbed an ether at the end of the nearest stairs. Climbing back down those stairs, they descended another staircase and followed the path up to another warp tile. They stood on the tile and teleported to the third level. "This place just keeps getting stranger and stranger," Twilight deduced as she and the rest observed that the tile was in between two crystals being energized with evil energy. They pressed on, fighting more Coeurls, Lamias, and Mythril Golems along the way. Several Death Riders were guarding the tile that led to the fourth floor and were much more powerful than any of the imperial soldiers they had encountered. Though the combined strength of the Death Riders was formidable, the Equestrians and the rebels prevailed as Leon, Firion, Twilight, and Maria finished them with their magic, bow, and sword, and thus they were awarded with an increase in magical and physical capabilities. The group stepped on to the tile, taking them to the fourth floor where they came across four archways aligned in a single row. "Oh, please don't tell me this place has trap rooms, too!" said an exasperated Twilight. "We have to press on, Twilight," said Maria. "Mateus and Flurry are somewhere beyond those doors," Cadence added. The others agreed. Knowing her sister-in-law was right, Twilight suggested that they split up until they reach the fifth floor. Twilight suggested that Fluttershy, Leon and Guy follow her while Firion lead Cadence, Maria, and Spike. As they opened the chest, an unexpected adversary appeared before their eyes: that of an undead Count Borghen. "You!" Twilight exclaimed, not expecting to see the traitorous "noble" again. Fluttershy's eyes narrowed as she glared at the traitor in front of them. "You killed JOSEF, YOU MURDERER!!" the yellow pegasus cried, her eyes burning with sorrow and anger. "Nice to see you again," Leon sneered. "Ponies...! Must... Die...!" the undead Borghen cried. Fortunately, even as a reanimated corpse, the count was still a weakling for as Guy hacked him with his Rune Axe and Twilight blasted him with her magic, he was no match for the heroes. *music stops* With the wicked Borghen defeated, the party obtained Genji Gloves and moved forth and opened another treasure chest, this one containing Masamune, another familiar blade to the ponies. only to come face-to-face with a multiple headed dragon blocking the way to the fifth floor. Twilight and Fluttershy gasped for they had fought a similar creature... twice! Its skin tone was different, but there was a terrifying resemblance to the one they faced. "It... it couldn't be...!" said Twilight. Fluttershy shook with fright. "Fear my name, mortals! For I am... TIAMAT!!" "NO! THAT ISN'T POSSIBLE!!" The heroes stood their ground; Twilight cast Protect XI on the party while Leon cast Shell VI. Guy then attacked the dragon with his axe causing moderate-to-great damage. Recalling their battles against the other Tiamat, Fluttershy advised Twilight not to use any offensive magic and keep everyone safe. The battle raged on as Tiamat cast the spell of Blaze XVI on the party, bringing Leon to his knees while everyone else barely alive. Twilight looked at Fluttershy as she made her next decision. She flew up in the air and cast Ultima once more. Tiamat was engulfed in a ray of light and was nearly blown away by the explosions from the spell. Guy then charged and swiped his axe vertically across the beast's chest. The dragon roared in anguish as it thrashed about and disintegrated. With Tiamat gone, the team acquired a Genji Helmet, ventured towards the fifth floor and encountered several beast demons and devil blossoms. The former creatures bore a striking resemblance to Gottos whom they defeated to free the city of Fynn from imperial control. Although they didn't find anything that would lead them to a warp tile, the party was still optimistic, knowing that the others would surely find a way. Meanwhile, Firion's group went through the corridor, climbed up several stairs and opened a treasure chest that unleashed a terrifying insect-like demon named Beelzebub. Maria quickly fired several arrows with bow, doing moderate damage to the monster. Cadence fired a powerful beam and sent it to the ground. "Fire XIII!" said Firion. To his shock, the demon absorbed the magic, healing its injuries. "No!" "We can't give up!" said Spike as he attempted to claw at the beast to little effect. Maria cast Blizzard XIII on the beast but found it to be resistant to Ice magic. Cadence cast Thunder XIII and greatly damaged it. Upon Beelzebub's defeat, Firion acquired the Genji Armor. He and his group then went back out the door, opened the next, went through several doors and archways when they found a treasure chest in the very center of the room. Opening it, they unknowingly released a winged purple-skinned demon called Astaroth. Cadence quickly cast Holy IX against the demon. Firion struck twice and sent it down to the ground where it vanished. With Astaroth defeated, they obtained a ribbon which helped boost the wearer's defense a little. Moving on, they went down the stairs on the left and found a warp tile taking them above the room with the four doors. Twilight's team went through the path as Firion's group and met up with them near the warp tile. They then proceeded to step on the tile between the two crystal columns. The chamber of the Emperor was only a few floors away; the evil aura they felt was growing stronger. On the fifth floor, the party obtained Sage's Wisdom from the only chest and moved up the stairs. Upon using the item, Maria's intelligence increased. As soon as the reached the area with the warp tile that would take them up to the next level, they encountered a large armored giant wielding a dangerous sword that could easily cut its opponents in half. Fluttershy and Spike gulped. "Is there anyway we can sneak past this... this thing?" the dragon asked. The giant stepped forward shaking the ground. It stood in a battle stance with no intentions of letting the intruders pass. "I don't think we have a choice," said Firion, drawing his sword. "We must defeat this Iron Giant," Leon added. "We have to save Flurry Heart!" Cadence declared. Twilight immediately cast Protect XII on her friends as Leon charged at the giant but did little damage as the giant's armor endured the attack. Seeing this, Maria cast Blizzard XIII on the creature. The Iron Giant stumbled backwards, but it was still standing; it raised its sword and swiped once almost slicing the party's hair. Luckily, they managed to dodge the attack jumping backwards while the ponies flew upwards, carrying Spike. Twilight fired a magical beam at the giant, bringing it down to one knee. At that moment Cadence cast Thunder XIII, greatly injuring their armored foe. *music stops* The giant's body began to convulse until suddenly it stopped; it began to vanish leaving behind its armor, several pieces falling to the floor. As soon as the last piece fell, the armor completely vanished. With the Iron Giant defeated, our heroes moved on and stepped onto the warp tile. On the sixth floor, the group went through the waves of demons and stepped onto the next tile. When they reached the next level, it was no more than a wide open space, leaving them little-to-no difficulty in reaching the last warp tile. As they stepped on the tile, the heroes found themselves on the final level of the fortress. There, the party stood before the source of the evil aura: the revived Emperor Mateus, who planned to rule all worlds. "Ah, the rebel insects have arrived. And their little pony and dragon friends, as well!" said Mateus. "Let my daughter go, NOW!" Cadence commanded. The Emperor chuckled wickedly. "I think not. I must commend you, though. You have all braved the bowels of the underworld to reach me. But the hand of man, which deals in false justice and forsaken love, and the hoof of the pony, spreading misguided ideals such as the magic of friendship, can never hope to defeat the lord master of Hell itself!" "'Misguided?'" Cadence exclaimed. "That's where you're wrong, Emperor!" said Firion. "You're not destroying this world or ours!" Twilight declared. Once again, Mateus laughed evilly. "How naive, Twilight Sparkle. Even now my army has invaded the Crystal Empire once more, and will stop at nothing until my arrival!" "Not if we defeat you first!" said Firion. The Emperor roared in response, preparing himself for battle. "Prepare to die!" Our heroes stood their ground; the humans drew their weapons and the Equestrians went into their battle stances. Twilight flew up in the air and fired a strong magical beam from her horn unto the evil spirit, but the Emperor only suffered moderate damage from the attack. Firion quickly slashed the Emperor with Excalibur five times, bringing him great harm. Guy charged Mateus only to be knocked away. Fluttershy saw this and attempted an assault as well, only to find herself in the being's grasp. As the wicked being slowly crushed her, his wounds almost healed. "All who oppose me shall be put to death!" "No!" Maria shouted, firing an arrow. Despite the minimal harm it brought, it was enough to distract the demon and release the yellow pegasus. Now knowing that the Emperor's physical attacks drained his enemies' health, the party did their best to evade the attacks. This did not deter him, however, for he had cast the spell Slow XVI on Maria decreasing her speed greatly. Seeing this, Firion quickly cast Haste, curing his friend. Leon charged and attacked with his blade. Firion struck at Mateus with Excalibur causing a great deal of harm. Cadence then cast Thunder XIII which dealt a moderate blow. Mateus, however, was furious that the humans and Equestrians were able to endure and avoid his attacks. "I am through playing with you creatures!" It was then that the Emperor cast his most powerful spell: Starfall. Somewhere above several comets fell upon the party, followed by a giant meteor. Despite the protective spell cast on them, everyone felt the blow and flinched. "It's not over yet!" Twilight shouted. "We can still do this!" Spike declared. Fluttershy agreed as did the humans. Mateus chuckled. "Fools. What hope have you against the Emperor of Hell?" Just then, something amazing happened: the heroes' bodies began to glow a warm blue light. "What?!" Mateus cried. "What is happening?!" Twilight fired her magic upon the evil entity and paralyzed him. "What... sorcery... is... this...?!" he cried in anguish. Just then, a powerful light appeared in front of Firion; it took the shape of a blood-red sword with a bell-shaped hilt and a centerpiece shaped like a skull and crossbones. "The Blood Sword?!" the Emperor cried. "I thought my underlings had it destroyed!" "It looks like you were wrong, Mateus," said Twilight, glaring at him. "Now it's time to pay for your actions!" Mateus growled and gritted his teeth. "For all lives Emperor took..." Guy declared. "For everyone who suffered because of your cruelty..." Fluttershy added. "For the families you've destroyed..." said Maria. "For taking away my daughter and subjects..." said Cadence. "For turning me against my sister and friends..." Leon glared. "For all of Equestria..." said Spike. "For the sake of this world..." said Twilight. "And for everything that's happened," said Firion, taking the Blood Sword. "This is the end!" He ran the blade straight through the Emperor's heart. Five seconds later, the youth withdrew his blade, leaving the fallen Mateus weakened and shocked. *music stops* "Im... Impossible..." he uttered while he shook violently. "Defeated by mere insects... like you... Not once, but twice...?! Who... are... you...?" The villain clutched his head screaming. "UNGAAHHHH!!!" And with that death cry, the wicked entity began to disappear almost completely until there was nothing left. Emperor Mateus was no more. The orb holding Flurry inside shattered upon the entity's demise; Cadence flew and caught the child. "My baby!" she sobbed. "Everyone! Let's get out of here!" The group agreed. They all held each other's hands/hooves/claws as Twilight teleported them out of the castle... Meanwhile, in the Crystal Empire... As the Princesses and the remaining forces struggled against the demonic army, something unexpected had happened. The demons screamed in pain, clutching their chests as they began to crumble into dust and fade away. One-by-one, the monsters howled as they faded into nothingness, leaving their would-be victims alive. One such creature, the same wizard that had stolen the Blood Sword from Paul, had realized that sending the weapon into Panedaemonium was his master's--and the entire demon army's--undoing before turning into dust. "Wh... What happened?" asked Rarity. "I think... I think they've won," said an exhausted Celestia.