It should’ve been Twilight’s biggest moment: learning that the Pillars of Equestria - and most importantly, her idol, Starswirl the Bearded - were capable of being brought back.
Well, the explanation was a little more jumbled than that - not helped by three days of cross-referencing journals and maps and a bunch of other stuff that left Spike with a massive headache - but the gist of it was…
“You can save the most legendary ponies of all time,” Sunburst summed up.
Only Phoenix’s grimace could keep Spike from feeling happy for his sister/boss. “Are we sure about this?” she asked. “Opening portals between worlds doesn’t tend to work out really well. Remember Sunset Shimmer?”
“Or me?” Starlight agreed. “Are you sure this is safe?”
“Starswirl wrote the spell you used,” Twilight pointed out to Starlight. “And if he’d been there, he could’ve stopped it. Equestria will be safer with him in it. We have to save him!”
Phoenix kept shifting with worry. “B-But… they went in there to contain a great evil.”
“That’s right,” Star noted. “The Pony of Shadows. “If he’s still in there…”
“There’s no way Starswirl would let a beast like that live for very long,” Twilight said confidently. “I’m sure he and the other Pillars found a way to beat it while in Limbo.” She spread her notes out. “Now, if I’m right, we need to find items that are connected to Starswirl and his team - the Pillars of Equestria - and bring them to where they disappeared. The power within their artifacts should be enough to summon them back.”
The magic came to her aid, revealing several artifacts. One of which made Diamondback gasp in delight.
“I have that!” she said gleefully, pointing to Flash Magnus’ shield.
“Really?!” Twilight asked in excitement, completely missing Phoenix looking away.
“Some of my diamond dogs brought it with them when I recruited them,” Diamondback claimed, scurrying off. “One moment… Shiva?!” She whistled. “MYSTY? WHERE ARE YOUR TREASURES, MY FRIENDS!?”
As the others similarly ran off to collect the other artifacts, Spike noticed Phoenix growing pale under her scars.
“Phi?” Spike asked, gently touching her side. “You okay?”
Phoenix glanced at Spike with worry. “Spike,” she asked. “Do you know how long dragons can live for?”
Spike paused. “I, uh… I imagine a long time.”
“A very long time,” Phoenix said. “And… sometimes… they’ll make a lot of mistakes.”
“But you’ve grown since those mistakes,” Spike noted. “You’re better than you were before.”
Phoenix gave him a sad look. “You didn’t know me when I was younger,” she said, gazing down at her scars. “Before I got these.” She looked up at him. “If you did know me… what I’ve done… would you still be friends with me?”
Spike wanted to say ‘yes’ right out the gate. But there was something about her stare of despair; the way she was hunched over.
“Phoenix…” he asked, worriedly. “What did you do?”
Phoenix looked like she was choking on her answer. Before she could force it out, however… Twilight banged open the door.
“Spike, what are you waiting for?” she demanded. “Starswirl the Bearded is waiting! Come on!”
Reluctantly, Spike ran after Twilight, leaving Phoenix stewing in her thoughts about whatever dark past she had left behind.
##
A short while later, the ponies and dragons had gathered at Ponhenge, where apparently, the Pillars of Equestria had made their last stand containing the Pony of Shadows within Limbo.
“I can’t believe I’m going to meet Starswirl the Bearded,” Twilight gushed. “You know, outside of my dreams.”
“I can’t believe you’re going through with this,” Starlight noted.
“What’s not to believe about saving the most legendary ponies of all time from a thousand-year prison?” Sunburst asked.
“You ever hear that phrase, ‘never meet your heroes’?” Phoenix asked.
Jackknife laughed. “I like that one; never meet em because they’re people, and people are…”
“Jack!” Star barked, though she did give the area a worried look. “I won’t deny… it’d be nice to see Flash Magnus again…”
Twilight gaped. “YOU KNEW FLASH MAGNUS?”
Star backed up. “I… Luna did mention that Starswirl was her teacher, remember? And she had me before Nightmare Moon?” She shrugged. “So, yeah, he was in my life. Not for very long, though; he and the other Pillars vanished when I was still figuring out how to talk.”
“So, you must be as eager as we are to see him again,” Twilight concluded.
“I mean, yeah, but…” Wing glanced around again. “I don’t like the feel of this place.”
“Exactly,” Starlight agreed. “Maybe we shouldn’t mess with whatever they did.”
Twilight ran up to them. “Star Wing. Starlight,” she said, as patiently as she could. “Starswirl the Bearded is the greatest. Wizard. Who ever. Lived. The chance to have him back in Equestria is worth the risk.”
“And besides,” Sunburst added. “Magic has come a long way since their day. Whatever they did, we’ll be able to help.”
“I hope so,” Diamondback noted, placing the shield among the other items. “Otherwise, we dug this out of Myst’s treasury for nothing.”
Phoenix flinched again. Spike noticed she looked like she wanted to run for it. He went to her side.
“Phoenix,” he hissed desperately. “Please. What did you do?”
“I…” Phoenix looked at Twilight as she eagerly began her magic. “I…”
But then with a massive BOOM, the piles of stone were broken open… and the Pillars of Harmony stood before them. Alive and in the flesh.
“What…” Starswirl mumbled, staggering off his pedestal. “What has happened?”
“It worked!” Twilight cheered. “We brought you back!”
“To where?” Starswirl asked, looking around. Before Twilight could explain, his eyes alighted on Phoenix. And a look of pure hatred crossed his face. “You!”
Phoenix backed up under his glare. Spike hesitantly got between them, but looked to Phoenix again.
“Phoenix!” he insisted, as Starswirl turned to Twilight.
“I don’t know what that despicable dragon told you,” he said. “But you must undo what you’ve done!”
Twilight was thunderstruck. “What? Why?”
“You shouldn’t have brought us back!” Starswirl claimed. “You can’t bring ‘only’ us back!”
Right on cue, a shadow fell over everyone. A great black stallion, made of pure shadow energy laughed evilly before them.
Star fell backward, her eyes wide in horror. “T-The… Pony of Shadows…” she whispered in horror.
The Pony of Shadows glanced at her in intrigue. “Ah, Luna’s foal,” He mused. “How has your mother done with my power?”
“Star Wing?” Flash Magnus mumbled, still disoriented, but quickly regaining his senses. He jumped between the Shadow Pony and Star. “BACK! AWAY FROM HER, YOU FIEND!”
The Pony of Shadows laughed. “What can you possibly accomplish, Flash? Your pitiful attempt to imprison me failed. And with the fractions of my power planted in the likes of Luna and Sombra…”
“You mean the guys we beat?” Jackknife asked with a defiant smirk.
The Pony stopped, turning to him. “And just what are you, sea serpent?”
Spike and his friends gathered beside Twilight and her friends. “We’re the ones that stopped Sombra and brought Luna back from the brink,” Spike said. “And if you messed with the Pillars, you messed with us.”
The Pony of Shadows glared at them, before glancing at Phoenix. His grin returned. “I’m surprised you’d let ‘that’ be one of your successors, Starswirl,” He noted. “After what she did.”
“She is no friend of ours!” Starswirl snapped.
Twilight blinked. “No friend?” She looked to Phoenix. “Phoenix, what is he…?”
But in that moment, the Pony of Shadows struck. Blasting Starswirl’s journal and sending the group tumbling, he rose into the air.
“Without the power of Ponhenge, your banishing spell is useless. And once I extinguish the light and hope of this miserable world…” He grinned at Phoenix and Star. “I’ll have invitations for you both to serve at my side.”
Star raised an eyebrow. “Like… as a concubine or something? Sorry, but I think I’m a little too young for you.”
Spike rolled his eyes, but before anyone could make a remark about that, the Pony of Shadows vanished with a whoosh of his wings. Starswirl desperately fired a spell at him, but it was too late.
“Dangit,” Rainbow Dash grumbled. “Where’d he go?”
“That is a riddle we must unravel,” Somnabula said. “And quickly.”
“First, we must attend to a more important matter,” Starswirl said, turning his horn on Phoenix.
“Whoa-whoa, hang on!” Wing insisted, jumping between him and Phoenix. “What is going on? What has Phoenix done?”
“You haven’t told them, have you ‘beast?’” Starswirl snapped up at Phoenix. “This dragon attacked Equestria in it’s heyday. She tried to enslave the princesses as foals.”
Spike felt like a lead weight had been dropped into his heart. He slowly turned to look at Phoenix, who was looking away in utter shame.
“No way,” Jackknife said. “No way! Phi, tell me he’s joking!”
“Starswirl doesn’t joke,” Flash replied grimly. “I lost my shield to that monster. I always knew she was evil, but manipulating you all into bringing back the Pony of Shadows?”
“NO!” Phoenix cried out. “No! I didn’t!”
“Don’t lie to me, dragon!” Starswirl snapped. “You were always a vindictive, spiteful creature. After we stopped you from enslaving the princesses, you were consumed with rage. You attacked Flash Magnus, and stole his shield. Why shouldn’t we believe you now manipulated these poor souls into unleashing the greatest evil upon this land?”
Phoenix looked desperately to Twilight, but Twilight was stepping back, guilt and fear silencing her.
Jackknife, however, was not as easily cowed. “Don’t blame her for this,” he said, standing loyally by Phoenix’s side. “Twilight Sparkle’s let you loose on her own volition. She said having you back was worth any risk.”
“And now you try to blame ponies for your mishaps?” Starswirl dismissed. “Truly, you are without honor! Once a villain, always a villain!”
The words hit Phoenix like a rampaging buffalo. Lowering her head, Phoenix turned and fled.
“Phoenix!” Spike cried out.
“I got her!” Swift said, racing after her.
Spike briefly looked back at Twilight. “Twilight… tell him!”
But Twilight could only look between them with fear. And Starswirl beat her to it.
“Don’t let these beasts fool you, young mage,” Starswirl claimed. “Whatever they have threatened or bribed you with, we will stop their plans. Them, and this Pony of Shadows.”
Star, however, stared at both of them with utter disgust. “You are blind, old man,” she growled, “Blind!”
“Wait a minute…” Flash tried to say.
But Star spread her wings and took flight. Similarly, the other dragons turned on their heels, Diamondback gazing at the Pillars with disappointment, while Jackknife leered at them with hatred. Spike silently gazed at Twilight, yearning for her to tell the truth.
“Please…” Spike whispered.
But the fear of having to tell her hero - her role model - that she had unleashed the Pony of Shadows of her own volition seemed to silence Twilight’s protests, and she could only gaze morosely at Spike before looking away.
Spike lowered his head in disappointment, before following after his friends.
##
The dragons found Phoenix sobbing in a ditch, Swift hesitantly trying to comfort her.
“Pompous gray flank-hole,” Jackknife was spitting. “What did he know about anything?”
“And to think he was the greatest wizard of our time,” Diamondback mused.
“I always wondered if he could’ve helped Luna,” Star muttered. “Guess not.”
Spike, however, made tracks for Phoenix.
“Phoenix,” he said firmly. “What was he talking about? What did you do?”
Jackknife was scandalized. “Spike, you can’t have believed that speciesist prick! He didn’t know what he was talking about!”
Phoenix sobbed harder. “But he did.”
Jackknife blinked. “W-What?”
Diamondback gently settled next to Phoenix, lifting her up and wiping away her tears. “Talk to us, darling,” she whispered. “You’re among friends. We won’t judge you.”
Phoenix took a shaky breath, trying to steady herself. But with everyone looking at her expectantly, she finally sighed and confessed.
“I was a young dragoness back then,” she said. “Impulsive. Hot-tempered. Eager to make my mark on the world.” She gazed at Swift. “My… father was experimental. He had phoenix eggs, and he had kidnapped a few unicorns. Made them use their magic to transfer the phoenix flames over to my egg.” She looked up. “He considered me the most precious treasure of his entire horde; a dragon born with phoenix flames. He said I’d be unstoppable. And I was.” She gazed up and away. “For most of my life back then, I was his weapon. His greatest and most powerful tool of destruction. I battled other dragons. I battled kirin. I battled minotaurs.” She grimaced. “In time, I even fought my own father. I thought I was unstoppable. That I could do whatever I wanted.” She gazed back at where the Pillars had been. “Then they gave me my first taste of defeat.”
Star blinked at her. “No way…” she muttered. “You attacked Equestria?”
“Like I said,” Phoenix said shamefully. “I was high on life. Drunk on power. I thought I could do anything I wanted. And when they used their magic to take away the boost the phoenix eggs had given me… showed me that my power had limits… I got angry. I hated the feeling of losing. I went on rampages. I drew Flash Magnus out… and when I still couldn’t beat him, I stole his shield. Out of sheer pettiness. I took my anger out on everyone and everything I could. And in doing so, I completely missed the lesson that my fight with the Pillars should have taught me.”
Diamondback gazed at her scars. “So the diamond dogs had to teach you again,” she noted.
“It was a painful lesson,” Phoenix admitted. “One that stuck.” She clenched her fist. “Being with you guys… it’s made me want to be different. It’s made me want to be better.” She gave where the Pillars had been a sad look. “But I can’t expect them to see that. Not when they saw the worst side of me. Experienced my evil first hand.”
Spike gripped her claw. “We experienced Discord’s evil first hand,” he noted. “But he turned out for the better as well.”
“After losing his power,” Phoenix noted.
“He’s been earning it back,” Spike refuted. “You can do the same.” He pulled her to her feet. “Let them see that you’re not that dragon they fought. Show them that you changed. It’s one thing to say it…”
“It’s another thing to show it,” Swift agreed, watching as a familiar winged form touched down before them.
Gabby offered Swift the armor. “Hawk found it,” she said happily. “Wouldn’t say how she got it, but she did it.” She paused, glancing back. “I don’t suppose you’re going to need it for whatever’s going on in Hollow Shades, do you?”
The other dragons perked up. “Hollow Shades?” Star asked.
“Yeah,” Gabby said. “There’s some kind of dark energy swirling around there. I didn’t want to get too close - it looked pretty scary. But you guys eat scary for breakfast, don’t you?”
Star grinned at Phoenix. “Yeah,” she noted, offering a hand to Phoenix. “And it’s about time for a meal, don’t you think?”
Phoenix looked up at Star in surprise, but as she saw the others grinning, she managed her own smirk as well. “Let’s find out,” she replied.
##
The dragons found the Well of Shades. Just as Gabby mentioned, it was oozing with shadowy energy.
The dragons stood tall and together, though Phoenix took the lead. “Shadow Pony! Show yourself!”
With an evil laugh, the ground cracked beneath them. Swift, Diamondback, Phoenix and Star took to the air, quickly grabbing Spike and Jackknife before they could fall into darkness.
With another evil laugh, the Pony of Shadows rose up to regard the dragons.
“Welcome to the Well of Shades,” he declared, before looking to Phoenix and Star again. “You know, I found this place when I was at the bottom of my life. I was friendless, homeless… nothing was left for me in life. Then I discovered this place!” He turned around, regarding the place like a home. “The darkness spoke to me, of a power beyond any I could imagine, and I listened. The shadow and I became one. Soon, all of the realm will be the same. Then all ponies will feel the despair I did.” He sniffed, and his grin widened. “The same despair all of you feel.”
Star growled. “We’re nothing like you!”
“Do you really think that?” the Shadow Pony asked, sidling towards her. “I can sense your pain, Daughter of Luna. Hated and reviled, all because your mother chose to adopt the dark. Yes, she didn’t see it’s full potential, but I imagine she learned. And you suffered for it, didn’t you?”
Star snorted. “A few meager insults. Nothing I couldn’t handle?”
The Pony of Shadows smirked. “Is that what you call being banished from your own kingdom? Cast out just because of how you were born?”
“Leave her alone!” Phoenix insisted.
“And what of you, Blazing Phoenix?” The Shadow Pony asked, seamlessly turning to her. “You know of the pain the Pillars can bring. You experienced it personally when they took your Phoenix power.”
Phoenix winced in pain, but when she looked up, her gaze was defiant. “And they were right to do so. I was a menace. I was evil.”
The Pony of Shadows snarled. “No, they were SELFISH! THEY MUST PAY!” His shadow energy began to convalesce, but Phoenix stood tall against it.
“No,” she growled. “You blind yourself with darkness. It’s time for you to see… THE LIGHT!”
With a great effort, she unleashed a whirlwind of flames. While it wasn’t the same as Phoenix fire, it did force the Pony of Shadows back.
Spike, Star and Diamondback joined, unleashing three more pillars of flames. Even Jackknife and Swift got in on it, hoisting up flamethrowers found in Diamondback’s treasury and adding their own flames to the mix.
And as the light from the flames fought against the darkness, Spike saw, out of the corner of his eye, the Pillars and the Mane Six arrive.
Gasps and exclamations of shock emanated, but Spike forced himself to concentrate on the Pony of Shadows, who desperately fought against the flames and light.
Despite their attempt, the shadows would not fade. And as the Pony of Shadows snarled, he began to push back.
“Guys, I don’t think this is working!” Swift warned, starting to fall back.
“Spike, get out of there!” Twilight pleaded.
Spike looked, however, to Phoenix, who still stood in place, fighting against the shadows even as they began to overtake her flames.
“Phi, we need help!” Star insisted.
“You go!” Phoenix replied.
“No! You’re our friend, we can’t leave you!” Spike pleaded .
Phoenix gazed at Spike with tears in her eyes. “I’m not the dragon that I was when Starswirl and this Pony lived.” She looked back. “I won’t run. I won’t turn my back on people who need me! And if I die…” she lowered her head. “It’s not like anything important was lost.”
Twilight backed up, tears in her own eyes. “Phoenix…”
“This… how can this be?” Starswirl muttered. “The dragon I knew would never have shown such self-sacrifice.”
“Because she has changed,” Twilight said, her sadness at Phoenix’s sacrifice overpowering her hero-worship. “She’s not the dragon you knew.”
“What?” Starswirl turned to her. “But… she manipulated you…”
“No,” Twilight said bravely. “I did it myself. I was so excited to have you back, that I didn’t think about the Pony of Shadows.” She looked down. “Him being back… it’s all my fault.” Her eyes narrowed in determination. “And I have to fix it!”
She jumped down and ran to Phoenix’s side, adding her magic to Phoenix’s flames. Though the Pony of Shadows barked at the addition of her magic, he wasn’t forced back.
Not until Starswirl’s own eyes narrowed in determination, and he jumped down and joined Phoenix as well.
One by one, the Pillars and the Mane Six joined the Drake Six. And as the literal calvary came in, the dragons - reinvigorated - resumed their assault.
“Don’t worry,” Starswirl claimed, as he waved his horn, and a portal formed behind the Pony of Shadows. “We have a plan.”
“NO!” The Pony of Shadows wailed. “You will not trap me again!”
As he fought and struggled against their combined attack… they saw a smaller pony struggling from within the shadows.
“Wait!” Twilight yelled. “There’s someone in there!”
Starlight rushed forward. “I’ve got him!” she claimed.
“Me too!” Twilight said.
“Hey, don’t leave me!” Star added.
As all three rushed into the shadows, pulling at the unicorn within, Starswirl gazed at the struggle in shock. Shock that turned to shame.
“Stygian…” he muttered.
“Who?” Spike asked.
“He was… the one that brought us together,” Starswirl mumbled, as Star, Twilight and Starlight struggled to help him. “All this time, I thought that he had betrayed us. That he wanted our power for himself.”
“I… help…” Stygian cried out as Star, Twilight and Starlight tried to pull him free.
“The shadow won’t let go of him,” Twilight claimed. “He wants to stop, but he can’t do it alone.”
“That don’t sound like someone looking to betray ya,” Jackknife noted.
“Indeed,” Starswirl said, looking at Phoenix, before his eyes narrowed. “Then we must help him!”
With an extra burst of magic, lassos of light encircled Stygian, and together, they pulled him free, before an extra blast of magic-empowered flames forced the Shadow beast back into the portal, which shut with a pop.
Everyone collapsed from exhaustion, though tired whoops and cheers of victory managed to break the silence.
Starswirl slowly raised, gazing at Stygian and Phoenix with a new expression.
“Long ago,” Starswirl said. “You needed our help, Stygian. But instead of listening, we turned our backs on you. Pride clouded my judgment…” he looked to Phoenix. “Wrath blinded my vision.”
Twilight stepped forward. “And I let desire for his respect silence me when I should’ve shown loyalty.” She lowered his head. “We both owe you an apology, Phoenix.”
“No,” Phoenix said, pulling herself to a sitting position, but looking to Starswirl. “You owe me nothing, Starswirl.” She gazed at him with eyes filled with remorse. “What I did when I was younger… it was unforgivable. I’ve suffered for it, and rightly so.” She indicated her scars. “But my suffering shouldn’t force you to forgive me. I should earn it; through the good deeds I do.” She looked back at Stygian. “Though… I won’t deny… I hope that what has happened here… at least was a start.”
Starswirl hummed, gazing on Stygian with thought. “I’d say it was more than a start.” With a nod of respect, he turned to Stygian, speaking quietly to him along with the other Pillars.
“Well,” Jackknife said, heading next to Phoenix. “Whatever he decides… whatever ya did… yer alright in my book, Phi.”
“Oh yeah,” Spike said, joining him and the others as they embraced, Phoenix smiling gently as she hugged them.