//------------------------------// // Chapter 16: The New Emperor?! Discovering the Jade Passage // Story: My Final Pony Fantasy II // by Vimtrust5 //------------------------------// Castle Fynn A flash of light appeared, startling everyone present in the Grand Hall. From the light emerged our heroes, Twilight Sparkle, Cadence, Fluttershy, Spike, Firion, Maria, Guy, Ricard and Flurry Heart. "Oh, my goodness!" said Princess Hilda. "You're all safe!" Gordon cried in happiness. "Ye did it! Ye did it!" said Leila. Our heroes all opened their eyes and found themselves in front of the royal couple as well as an entire group of happy citizens. Flurry Heart cooed, her eyes wide with wonder. "Oh, my little baby...!" Princess Cadence cried, cuddling little Flurry Heart. "I'm so glad..." The baby alicorn giggled happily, knowing her mother was always there. "You've all done well," Hilda congratulated. "And that includes you, my little ponies. You've defeated the Emperor and saved our world which was once bound in darkness. But now the light of peace shines once more." "So this Flurry," said Guy. "It's alright, he won't hurt you." Hilda chuckled at the scene. "What an adorable filly." Flurry again cooed and smiled. Gordon, too, chuckled and smiled. Hilda then addressed our heroes. "Firion, Maria, Guy, Ricard, Twilight, Cadence, Fluttershy, Spike... What more could we ask of you? The tales of your bravery will be handed down for generations. Now, let us celebrate! Many have come hoping to catch a glimpse of the heroes who brought down the Emperor... I wouldn't want to disappoint them." The humans began their dance much to the enjoyment of the Equestrians. Oh, how I wish Shining Armor was here, Cadence thought to herself, observing the waltz. She turned to see Twilight's smile slowly morphing into a frown as the purple alicorn lowed her head. "Twilight? What's the matter?" she asked. The purple alicorn didn't speak, but her fellow ponies likely knew what troubled her friend. "It's about what that horrible Emperor said, isn't it?" asked Fluttershy. Twilight looked to her friends and nodded sadly. She lifted her head back up and smiled again, as she saw her friends join in the dance. *music stops* The happy mood, however, died the moment a wounded soldier limped into the throne room. "Y-Your Highnesses...!" he said. "Terrible news... The Dark Knight... a man called Leon... has crowned himself Emperor of Palamecia...!" Maria's eyes widened. "Did you just say Leon?!" "No..." Firion uttered in disbelief. Guy couldn't believe it either. "Leon is... Dark Knight...?" "M-Maria's brother... really was working for the Emperor...?" Cadence gasped. So it's true... Maria thought, her eyes tearing up. At that moment, the soldier collapsed on the floor, losing his life. Shortly after the shocking news was delivered, our heroes discussed their next course of action, hoping to resolve the war against the Empire once and for all. "I knew there was something I forgot about the Empire," said Twilight. "You mean...?" asked Maria. Twilight nodded as she and the others turned to Hilda. The human princess looked troubled. "Leon? The Dark Knight? But I thought he was your friend," she said. "Your brother." Maria placed her hand over her heart. "I'll go to him. I'll make him understand... He must be acting under the Emperor's spell. I know it!" "But how can he be under a spell of the Emperor's dead?" Twilight argued. "I... I don't know. But I have to face him! I must!" Hilda agreed. "If he truly has ascended to the throne, there's only one place he could be: Castle Palamecia. However, it cannot be approached by foot, for it is situated high in the mountains." "How do we reach Palamecia if not by foot?" Firion asked. Suddenly, Twilight's eyes lit up. "I've got it! Paul!" "Paul?" asked Firion. "That's it!" Leila added. "I was thinkin' the very same! Paul's always been boastin' about how he broke into the castle. Ye might as well pay 'im a visit." "I agree," said Gordon. Before the group left, Twilight looked to Cadence still holding her child. Knowing that her niece was safe at last and not wanting to take risks, she trotted over to her sister-in-law. "Cadence," she spoke. "You don't need to say anything," the pink alicorn replied. "I'll stay here with Flurry. Just be very careful." Twilight nodded. She leaned toward Cadence and placed her hoof around her shoulder. Rejoining the others, Twilight exited the Grand Hall. Fynn As our heroes left the castle, they went into Paul's house. Despite the Emperor's defeat, Paul did not look pleased. "I don't believe this," he sighed angrily. "Just when we get the Emperor our of our hair, now we got this Dark Knight to deal with?" "That's the reason we're here. You broke into Palamecia several times, right? How?" "Glad you asked. You know how I did it? I just used a kite to glide onto the castle roof." The team was dumbstruck. "A kite...?" FIrion said in disbelief. "Well, this wasn't a waste of time," Twilight said sarcastically. "Yeah, I figured you'd say something like that," Paul answered. "There is another way you can break into the castle though." The ponies' ears perked up. "There is?" asked Spike. "Yeah... But you'll probably need to hear his story first." Paul pointed in the direction of the bedroom and led them to an unexpected guest. "Cid!" Sure enough, it was the pilot of the airship they had used several times throughout their journey. Though he was glad to see our heroes, he was visibly wounded. "What happened...?" The wounded pilot groaned. "The Cyclone got me in Paloom... My old bones aren't acting as I want them to." He limped slowly toward the bed, dragging his leg and set himself on the bed. "Cid okay?" asked Guy. *music fades out* "No... I'm sorry to have you all see me in this pathetic state now, but my airship's as perfect as she ever was. Not a single scratch on her," he said, chuckling weakly. "Now, listen... I'll let you use her until I get better. Got that? Take good care of her... Urgh..." "Cid! No, don't--!" said Firion, but it was too late, for Cid had ceased to move and breathe. He lay lifeless as our heroes gasped; tears flowing from the Equestrians' eyes. The party closed their eyes and placed their hands, hooves, and claws over their hearts in respect. Paul, too, was affected by the pilot's passing. "That was his dying wish, don't you see? Ever since he realized he was dying, he's been meaning to give his airship to you guys. He really loved his airship; it meant everything to him. You've gotta understand how he felt when he breathed his last words!" "We understand," said Maria. "We'll take the airship and fly towards that castle!" Twilight declared. "Maria?" asked Cadence. "I know. My brother has just revealed himself as the Dark Knight. I... I must go with you. If he really is Leon, I have to face him." "The same goes for me," said Firion. "Me, too," Guy agreed. "We have to stop him and the Empire," said Ricard. "And don't you worry about him," Paul said, regarding the departed Cid. "I'll see that he gets a decent burial..." "Thank you," said Maria. After gathering more supplies for their journey, the group left the city of Fynn and headed straight for Poft, fighting off several monsters along the way each stronger than the ones they had faced before. As soon as they reached Poft, they found it in shambles much like the other cities destroyed by the Cyclone. The only survivors were a few of Cid's crewmen. When they learned of their boss' final wish, the crew immediately let our heroes onboard the airship. The vessel launched off the ground and headed east for Castle Palamecia. "If I remember correctly, there was a large castle on the mountains where we went into that Coliseum, wasn't it?" asked Twilight. "It must be Castle Palamecia," Firion said. "There it is!" said Ricard. "Leon..." Maria said to herself. Firion glanced at his childhood friends, letting them know that even though he would prefer not to fight Leon, the fact was that he still took over the Empire and planned to take over the world as did his predecessor and he had to be stopped. Castle Palamecia Our heroes had never thought that their quest would continue even after Mateus' demise. However, fate stepped in and answered them wrong. They knew that the minute the Dark Knight's identity was revealed. Only of them had thought that it would be Maria's brother: Maria herself. As the crewmen lowered the airship and wished our heroes luck, the group broke into the seventh floor and headed straight for the door at the end of the long corridor. There, they found three ponies chained to the floor, just like in the fortress at the center of the Cyclone. "Mayor!! Mr. and Mrs. Cake!!" "Princess Twilight!" "What happened?!" "We've been captured by these... these... things and the next thing I knew, everypony else was here with me." Twilight flared her horn and teleported the prisoners to Castle Fynn. She and the others went to inspect the emblem of the Empire only to learn that they were standing on a trap door, dropping them all the way to the ground floor of the castle. Each of the heroes groaned in pain, struggling to get back up after the fall. Maria opened her eyes and found Twilight on Firion's midsection. "Firion! Twilight! Wake up," she said. Twilight was the first to regain consciousness and found herself on Firion. "Oh," she said. "Deja vu." She got up off of the young man as he began to wake up. The others soon followed and as they surveyed their surroundings. They found themselves near a Crystal Pony, who was chained to the familiar pattern on the floor like the others. Twilight freed her by teleporting her to Mysidia. Our heroes came across several more ponies and teleported them to Fynn. When our heroes entered a room on the left, they found three young fillies chained to the floor; two of them the Equestrians recognized. "Sweetie Belle! Scootaloo!" said Spike. "Twilight! Fluttershy! Spike!" "Friends of yours?" asked Ricard. "Sweetie Belle is our friend Rarity's little sister, and Scootaloo looks up to Rainbow Dash." "Twist, right?" The young bespectacled earth pony nodded. As soon as they were freed from their chains, the little foals all embraced the mares and dragon. "Now, hold still. I'm sending you all to Castle Fynn until everything's settled here." "But, Twilight..." "I can't guarantee your safety if those monsters are going to attack Equestria again. Besides, Rarity and Rainbow Dash will kill me if anything happens to you." The children sighed in defeat, knowing that Twilight was right. And with that, the alicorn flared her horn and teleported them to safety. She and the others continued their trek through the castle, freeing more Crystal Ponies and Ponyville citizens while facing several imperial guards and monsters. On the third floor, more Ponyville ponies were chained in a section surrounded by several arranged pillars, guarded by two generals. Doing away with the soldiers with ease, our heroes freed the ponies and sent them to Mysidia. Resuming their journey upwards, our heroes obtained a Thunder Spear for Ricard, went back to the opposite direction, down the other corridor and up to the fourth level where they obtained several staves, Sleepgrass and Saint's Spirit. Going up the stairs on the northeast, they went straight for the stairway taking them up another level and acquring a Sun Blade. They went down the path that led them up into the seventh floor and into a room where they grabbed three Elixirs. "Just what we needed," Twilight smiled. The group went back the way they came on the fifth floor, and found themselves running through closed-in corridors and fought against two Devil Blooms and two floating skulls. The team finally reached the eight floor, rescued two Ponyville residents, went into the throne room and confronted the Dark Knight who had antagonized them for so long. "I knew you'd come, Firion. And I see you've brought your new friends with you." "Leon, why?" asked the young warrior in disbelief. "Why are you doing this?!" Maria, eyes glistening with tears, spoke up. "Please stop, Leon! Why do you have to cross swords with your friend?!" "Let me ask you one thing: what conquers the world? The answer is power. I am the new leader of this Empire now, and I will not let go of it!" Leon declared, his helmet glowing dark red. "Even if you have to fight your friends and your own sister?!" Twilight shouted. "You think you can defeat me?" Leon laughed as he rose from the throne and approached our heroes. "Come! Let's--" Suddenly, a dark figure appeared on the throne frightening everyone. This figure had a skull-like face, razor-sharp teeth, and multiple snakes on his head like the Gorgons Twilight read about. It was covered with spines and wore a dark cape or cloak, had clawed hands and in one of those hands was a five-pronged scepter; the one thing this being did not possess was a lower half. Leon turned around and exclaimed. "W-What's that...?!" asked Fluttershy. "Delusions of grandeur do not become you, Leon," it spoke in a ghastly voice, but with a familiar haughty tone. One that everyone knew well. "Can it be...?" Firion pondered, his heart filled with dread. "It can't be...!" said Ricard. "N-No...!" Maria gasped. "Impossible...!" said Guy taking a step back. Fluttershy couldn't find anything to say; she and Spike could only shake in terror. "M-M-Mateus?!" Twilight cried. "H-How... Why are you here?!" "I have returned from the depths of Hell with the ultimate power." He then leered at Leon. "Though I find the thought of you as emperor deliciously absurd, it ends now. This world can only have one Emperor, and I am he!" Leon scoffed. "What can a ghost do? The Empire is mine!" The fiend answered by summoning blue flames surrounding him and our heroes. "You pathetic fool. I have no interest in Palamecia anymore. I shall kill all living souls and destroy this world! And then, Twilight Sparkle, Equestria! You and your kind will all join the others soon! HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!" Twilight attempted to quell the flames. "Fool! Have you forgotten that you had nearly wasted your magic spells fighting off all your enemies to get here? As well as rescuing your fellow Equestians? Ha! You are all no match for the Emperor of Hell!" "Destroy... the world...?" Leon questioned. "And I'll be needing someone special..." The Emperor's evil eyes flashed brightly as he raised his hand swiftly and in a quick flash, a certain baby alicorn appeared right before their very eyes! "Flurry Heart!" Twilight screamed. "H-How...?!" Firion questioned. "You'll have plenty of time wondering how where you and your friends are going," he said, moving the blue flames closer to our heroes. Ricard could no longer stand by. "Everyone! You must flee this place, now! Take the wyvern!" "What are you doing, Ricard?" said Firion. "As for you," he said glaring at the Emperor, "I'm taking you back where you belong! You may a little trouble spilling the blood of Ricard Highwind, last of the dragoons!" "You worthless insect!" "May the spirits of the dragoons lend me their strength..." he prayed. "Ricard!" Maria cried. "Don't!" Spike called. It was too late, the wyvern crashed into the throne room and took everyone except Ricard away from the castle and back to Fynn. As they escaped, they noticed the ground shaking as the castle began to crumble. Where Castle Palamecia once stood was now a terrifying palace none had ever seen, until that moment. It couldn't be, Leon thought to himself, removing his helmet. Castle Fynn "What happened, everyone?" asked Hilda. "Where's Flurry?!" asked Cadence. "One minute, I was cuddling her, and the next, she disappeared." They then noticed Leon and glared at him. He could only turn away in shame. "You!" Hilda exclaimed. "The Dark Knight!" Cadence cried. "You did this, didn't you?! Where is my child?!" Leon didn't answer. "Answer me!" "Cadence..." Twilight spoke up. The pink alicorn's features softened when she heard her voice. "I hate to admit this, but it wasn't Leon who took her..." "Tell me what happened!" Hilda demanded. "It... It was him!" said Twilight. "The Emperor... he has returned," said Firion grimly. "The Emperor?" said Prince Gordon. His eyes widened. "You don't mean...?" "Emperor Mateus," Twilight confirmed. "He came back. He captured Flurry again and now he's out to destroy everything!" Cadence gasped in horror. "Ricard the dragoon," Maria said forlornly. "He sacrificed himself to save us." At that point, tears started to stream down the poor girl's cheeks. "Josef, Minwu, Cid, and now Ricard... They're all dead. I... I can't take this anymore!" Maria broke down sobbing, while Guy and Fluttershy comforted her, though they couldn't stop their own tears. "But if we stop here, the Emperor will bring more deaths..." Leon said. *music stops* "Like you did, Leon?!" Twilight said venomously. "What right do you have to say that, after all the things you've done?! Brainwashing the people of Bafsk, making them build a weapon of mass destruction against their will, and trying to finish what that monster started?! And for what? Power?! Have you really forgotten your friendship with Firion and the others?! What about your sister?! Did you ever stop to think how she would feel if you were going to kill everyone she's ever loved, including your own childhood friends?! DID YOU?!" Everyone present stood still as Twilight lectured the former Dark Knight, wondering if they should stop her. "You may be Maria's brother, but you are no different than Mateus! The man who assaulted your home and killed your parents!" Leon gasped, finally realizing the consequences of his actions. "Twilight! That's enough!" Firion shouted. "But you know what he did! You, the others and I all know it! He's not innocent at all!" "Twilight, please!" Princess Cadence said. "You're scaring us." The purple alicorn gasped, turned to look at her sister-in-law. "I... I never thought I'd say something like this, but..." Twilight hesitated then opened her eyes grimly. "I'll sleep better knowing Mateus is gone for good." "Twilight..." *music starts again* "If he succeeds here, he'll escape and ravage all of Equestria. I'm going to the Emperor's stronghold and make sure he never rises again." "I think... there's somewhere we need to go first..." said Fluttershy. "Where that?" asked Guy. "We need to tell them..." The Equestrians immediately knew the answer. Firion looked over to his guilt-ridden friend. He then turned to Hilda. "Princess," he said. "Let Leon join us. Please." "WHAT?!" the Equestrians shouted in unison. "The Dark Knight? A rebel?" Hilda questioned. She paused, wondering if this was the right thing to do. "I leave the decision to you." Maria spoke next. "Leon! Let's fight the Emperor together! Please!" "Maria... Firion... Alright." Twilight sighed. "Fine... But we'll be keeping an eye on you, Leon. I don't trust you completely." With Leon in the group, our heroes boarded the airship and left Fynn once more. But before they went to Mysidia, the party decided to deliver the bad news to a certain family... Castle Deist "It's you all again!" said little Kain. "What happened to that dragoon man? He's coming back, right?" The group lowered their heads in guilt and shame; their expressions answered the boy and his mother's questions. "So... Ricard is no longer..." The party lowered their heads, confirming the news. Elina held her face in her hands, crying her heart out. "He... he was a... a noble dragoon. I'm sure he was... pleased that he could... d-die in the name of honor..." she spoke between sobs. "I'm sorry, Miss Elina," said Fluttershy. "What are you going to do now?" asked Firion. "I think... we should leave Deist behind and find a new place to live. Too many sorrowful memories..." Knowing it was for the best, the team agreed. But before she and her son were about to leave, a realization came to her. "I meant to thank you all for saving the wyvern egg and for giving me the chance to see Ricard one last time. That's why I want you to have this," she said, revealing a beautiful sword. "This was the most treasured possession of the dragoons of Deist: Excalibur." Excalibur? Twilight and Fluttershy both thought to themselves. "With Ricard gone, you should be the ones to wield this sword." Firion accepted the offer as he took the weapon off Elina's hands. The family of two had finally left the castle behind, ready to begin life anew. Leon looked to the family and his mind wondered back to the time he spent time with his friends before the Imperial attack changed everything. What was I doing? he asked himself. Our heroes left Castle Deist, boarded the airship once more and went straight for the Jade Sea east of Mysidia. As they disembarked, the group and went to examine the sea, they found themselves being transported to another area...