Chapter XXIV
The Spark
===============
“You have failed, Cosmo,” said Luna, as she advanced down the stairs with the others in her wake. “Despite your attempts, we have the Elements of Harmony. History repeats itself, brother. The Elements were your undoing once, and they shall be again.”
King Cosmo's eyes blazed as he loosed a peal of laughter. “So, your strategy was to gamble the lives of everypony loyal to you on a false hope? It is just as I predicted. However, I anticipated that it could have been a ruse for a more operable stratagem. It seems that I was mistaken.”
The King narrowed his eyes as an ancient sneer of contempt twisted his visage. “You are far more desperate than I expected. Have you not forgotten those words spoken to us so many years ago? 'Once the Elements have chosen new wielders, they will forever forsake their predecessors.'”
“Do not listen to him, everypony!” said Luna as she glared at him. “Get in position. The Elements were created to keep balance and peace in Equestria. They will not brook my brother's cruelty to continue any longer!”
“Twilight? Is – is that you?” said Rarity when she noticed Miasma at the King's side.
Pinkie nodded grimly. “That's her, all right.”
“We've come to save you, Twilight!” said Fluttershy, as the ponies took positions at Luna's side near the room's centre.
“You should be more concerned with saving yourselves,” said Miasma with a venomous grin. “Master... please, allow me to expunge this slime from existence!” Her horn began to crackle with wild magic. “I have waited far too long to taste their blood.”
“Twi, listen to yourself!” said Applejack. “Please! This ain't who you are!”
“Twilight? Twilight was weak,” said Miasma, as dark purple magic coalesced around her like a cloud of noxious fumes. “My King allowed me to rid myself of that weakness. Thanks to his generosity, I am now invincible.” The bleak aura surrounding her continued to grow as she spoke. “Long have I yearned to fulfill my mission. I will take great pleasure in breaking you, one by one.”
“Stay your hoof, Miasma,” said Cosmo, briefly flicking a glance at her. “Your time will come. Let them have their fun. What good is slaying an enemy if all their hope has not been crushed?”
“Now is our chance!” said Luna.
Pinkie, Fluttershy, Rarity, and Applejack turned their heads toward her and nodded. All five closed their eyes and began to concentrate. Laughter, Kindness, Generosity, Honesty, Loyalty, and Magic were united, and shone as one. Luna felt herself float into the air as the Elements emitted an intense white glow. When she felt the time was right, she unleashed the gathered power toward him. After a few seconds, she fell to the ground along with the others as the glow faded and the magical assault fizzled into nothingness.
Cosmo tossed his head back and laughed. “You have failed, Luna! I have enjoyed this little game, but now your role in it has come to an end.”
Luna pawed the ground and flared her wings. “We do not need the Elements to defeat you.”
Cosmo sneered. “I must respectfully disagree. Everything all of you have done in this war has been in accordance with my will. You are far too predictable, sister. By allowing you to conduct this laughable resistance, you have effectively rounded up each and every pony who is bold and foolish enough to oppose my divine rule. Once they have been wiped out, all of Equestria will fall at my hooves. What's more, you were kind enough to remove the barrier that was preventing me from procuring the Elements of Harmony.” He flared his wings and his horn began to shimmer with magic. “Your failure is absolute! None can challenge my power, and with the Elements in my possession, nopony ever will! I will rule this kingdom forever!”
“Enough!” Luna's horn surged with white lightning. “I will not back down, not anymore. Your rule is at an end!”
Cosmo glanced at Miasma, who stood in place and quivered with fury. “This has gone on long enough. Luna is mine. I leave the rest to deal with as you see fit.”
“At once, my King!” said Miasma with fiendish glee, as she stalked toward the ponies.
“I must admit, I am surprised that you still wished to challenge me,” said Cosmo as he slowly ascended. “You know as well as I that you are no match for me. I am not normally one to grant requests, but you are begging for death!”
Luna took off high into the air, and having nearly reached the ceiling, looked down at Cosmo, who continued his gradual upward drift. Power coursed through her body; white lightning danced around her as her magic swirled like a cloud. Cosmo continued to grin as he drew level with her in the air. He closed his eyes and spread his limbs wide. The entire room began to shimmer before Luna's eyes.
“Now,” rumbled the King, “you will experience the ultimate power in all of Equestria!”
As Cosmo spoke, the room swam out of focus in Luna's vision, giving way to the appearance of outer space. Luna looked around in shock, as the only things she could see were countless stars, an enormous sun overhead, and a moon far below the floor, which was now a translucent platform emanating a strange white smoke. She was so absorbed in the disorienting change, that she narrowly avoided a pony-sized meteor that sped toward her.
“The stars themselves come to my aid!” said Cosmo with a gleam in his eye.
Luna glared at him. “What have you done?”
Cosmo laughed hysterically as he surrounded himself with a whirlwind of multicoloured energy. Sparks flew wildly from his horn. Luna caught a subtle gleam in his eye. A split second later, the King hurtled toward her at blinding speed. His energy streaked behind him like the tail of a blazing comet. Cosmo drove his forehooves into Luna's chest, the speed of his attack too great for her to avoid. She grunted in pain and barely raised her hooves in time to deflect the follow-up swing by Cosmo.
The two alicorns continued to exchange a rapid flurry of punches and kicks, seemingly forgetting their magical abilities. Despite this, whirling energy eddied around them in a deadly maelstrom of many colours. Their hooves became blurs as their power enhanced their speed.
The King landed a blow on Luna's muzzle, but she struck back and hit him squarely in the chest. They both snorted in pain and lashed out again. Luna was astounded to find herself matching her brother almost blow for blow.
Cosmo abruptly broke away from their combat, and hovered a score of feet away from her. His tricolour aura pulsed around him ominously. Luna did the same as her brother, but she knew it was too late when saw his magic forming into a trident, which sped toward her. Her eyes widened, and she veered hard left to narrowly avoid it as it whizzed by.
As she tumbled in midair, she formed her aura into a slender rapier. She thrust it at Cosmo, who recalled his trident and parried. Cosmo gave her a feral grin and aimed a series of jabs at her. Bright sparks flew in all directions as her nimble weapon deflected each blow.
Cosmo narrowed his eyes in frustration. “I should never have taught you how to do that.”
He brought his weapon around and swung at her again. Luna parried once more and went in for a riposte, but Cosmo broke his trident into three short swords. One parried her attack, and the other two sped toward her. Luna weaved between the two enchanted blades and pulled her rapier back in anticipation of her brother's next assault. As she drew close, another meteor whizzed straight at her. Calling upon her already strained power, she fired a blast of lightning at it. It exploded within mere inches of her face.
Her heart raced as more meteors came at her from all sides. Veins pulsed on her temples as she used her rapier to contend with Cosmo's three blades, her magic to blast meteors, and every flying trick she knew to avoid the rest.
“You cannot last forever, dear sister!” said Cosmo, his eyes ablaze with glee. “Sooner or later, you will make a mistake, and then you will rest in pieces!”
Luna's eyes widened as a sword danced toward her neck. She twisted her head painfully to avoid the blow, and the weapon nicked her cheek. Wiping away blood, she recalled her rapier and reshaped it into a shield. She gave a determined snort and barreled toward the King, the shield absorbing any intervening attacks.
Cosmo grunted as he concentrated the energy from his swords into an energy beam, which he directed at the oncoming shield. The two colossal sources of energy met and created a blinding cascade of energy in midair. Their power surged as each struggled to overpower the other. Loose magic shot in all directions as the magic duel grew in intensity. When Cosmo realized he was not gaining much of an edge, he drew off his attack and transformed himself into a mist the colour of his mane.
The vapour-like form swirled around Luna's shield and rematerialized directly in front of her. He gathered his power and fired a swath of lightning. Luna screamed in pain as it ruthlessly danced across her body. His grin broadened as he increased the power of his attack, until he noticed Luna's shield returning to her. Cosmo gasped and folded his wings. He dropped a few dozen feet, only narrowly avoiding decapitation, before flaring them again, and flying back to his sister's altitude.
Luna looked at him grimly, recalled her shield's energies, transformed herself into a mist similar to what Cosmo had done, and shot toward him. Cosmo chuckled as he re-assumed his mist form and met her. The clouds collided in a shower of sparks and rebounded off each other before clashing again. Both ponies bounced through the air, smashing into each other over and over in a shower of blinding light.
* * *
Pinkie, Fluttershy, Applejack, and Rarity looked down in shock as they saw the floor dissolve before them, shifting their hooves uneasily upon the white mist that replaced the stone.
“What in Equestria is happening?” said Rarity shrilly, as she looked around and saw that nothing of the room apart from the statue of the King and his throne remained.
Miasma chuckled. “Now you are at last beginning to realize the true power of King Cosmo! It is time. Fight me.”
“Twilight,” said a wide-eyed Fluttershy as she slowly approached Miasma. “We couldn't possibly fight you. You're our friend. Remember us, please! Help us stop Cosmo, together!”
“I – said – fight – me!” Miasma ground out every syllable between clenched teeth. Letting out a sort of half-scream, Miasma blasted Fluttershy with dark lightning bolts, sending her crashing into thin air where the room's wall once stood. The others looked on, mouths agape, as Fluttershy struggled to stand back up, bawling as she did so. Miasma continued her purposeful advance toward the others. Sparks continued to fly from her horn as Luna and King Cosmo dueled overhead.
“If you wish to deny me the pleasure of vanquishing you in combat, so be it.” Miasma lunged toward Applejack, her horn aglow. “I'll make sure you die slowly.”
A split second before Miasma's horn made contact with its target, Rarity intercepted the slash with her own horn, electing a sharp laugh from Miasma. She began to relentlessly swipe at Rarity with her horn. To Rarity's surprise, she managed to parry Miasma's attacks, unsure if it was through sheer luck or her own prowess. Fear gripped her heart as she steadily lost ground to Miasma, who advanced methodically and purposefully.
Miasma's lantern-like eyes darted to her right. “You stay out of this, worm. Your time will come soon enough!” She fired a burst of dark lightning at Pinkie, who was attempting to blindside her.
Pinkie cried out and collapsed as Miasma's attack scored a direct hit. The lightning made her hair stand on end as it played across her body. Rarity cried out and lunged toward Miasma, slashing at her neck, but Miasma brought her head down and parried the slash. She then pressed forward, driving Rarity back. Rarity stumbled backward and fell flat on her flank. Miasma stood over her and raised her horn in preparation to eviscerate her. Before she could strike, Applejack charged forward and drove her hind legs into Miasma's side. The blow sent her soaring across the room.
“Y'all alright?” said Applejack as she stood over them like a mare protecting her foals.
“I... think so,” said Pinkie as she staggered back to her hooves.
The four ponies looked toward Miasma, who picked herself up and stared at them with contempt.
“I – I can't do this!” said Fluttershy as she averted her eyes from Miasma's piercing glare.
“We must,” said Rarity, struggling to keep herself from choking up. “Not only for our safety, but the safety of all of Equestria!”
“It's still Twi inside, I just know it!” said Applejack desperately. “We can't just kill her!”
“Remember what Luna said?” said Pinkie breathlessly. “Maybe Twilight can be saved, like I was!”
“A touching thought, but a futile one,” said Miasma, who now stood a few feet away from them. “Do not have false hope. I can destroy you any time I see fit, but my master never said I couldn't have any fun first... I shall savour this moment.”
“Listen to yourself, Twilight, please!” said Rarity, her legs threatening to buckle beneath her. “Stop this madness! If we work together, we can help Luna defeat Cosmo once and for all! We can end this!”
“And end this I shall,” said Miasma. Her horn crackled with lightning. “The remnants of your army no doubt lie smeared and broken across the fields beneath Canterlot. You four and Luna shall soon join Twilight and Rainbow Dash among the dead, and the Elements will belong to their rightful King. Our victory will be absolute!”
Miasma's horn emitted forked lightning. Its deadly bolts shot toward all four ponies at once. Rarity raised her horn like a lightning rod and drew the magic into it. She cried out in pain as Miasma's attack intensified. Most of the magic struck her instead of her friends. As if energized by Rarity's suffering, Miasma increased the power of her assault until Rarity sank to her knees.
Pinkie and Applejack looked at each other and nodded resolutely, then galloped toward Miasma at full speed. Sneering, Miasma diverted some of her lightning at them, catching them in its paralyzing grip. Laughing to herself, Miasma kept up the attack, none of its victims unable to move or retaliate.
“Now you realize the hopelessness of it all,” said Miasma as power coursed through her. “Writhe in agony as I –”
A loud scream pierced the air as Fluttershy dove toward her headfirst from behind. Her head collided with Miasma's back hard enough to smash her into the ground. The stream of lightning fizzled as her concentration broke.
“Twilight... I'm so sorry...” said Fluttershy as she backed away from her fallen foe.
Miasma staggered back to her hooves and spat out blood. Her rage seethed palpably. “Four against one...” she said patronizingly. “You should've brought more friends.”
“Twi...” said Applejack, on the verge of sobbing. “Somepony once told me that if we all stick together and harness the power of friendship... anything is possible.” She winced as she saw magic gather once more on Miasma's horn. “That pony... was you, Twi.”
“Save your breath,” said Miasma. “It's time we play a little game. The rules are simple: anypony who survives has the privilege of dying by my hoof.”
Everypony collectively gasped as they saw Miasma's dark purple magic envelop the statue of King Cosmo at the room's centre. After a few seconds, it began to move. Its motions were only slight at first, but before long, the enormous simulacrum headed straight toward them, its eyes emitting a bright red glow. Miasma threw her head back and laughed hysterically as the statue continued its approach.
* * *
As the statue came to life below, Cosmo resumed his normal form after rebounding yet again from a direct clash with Luna's mist form. “You cannot keep this up forever, sister!”
“You do not frighten me anymore, Cosmo!” said Luna defiantly. “You will meet justice soon enough!”
“On the contrary, I sense a great deal of doubt within you,” said Cosmo, bearing down on her with his words. “You have anger, you have hate, you have fear. You have reached the conclusion that becoming Nightmare Moon once more is your only possible escape. Become that vessel of hatred once more. Give in to your fear!”
“I would rather die than become that – that monster again!” spat Luna.
“So be it,” said Cosmo as he ignited his horn.
Luna followed suit just in time to stop a quick slash of his horn with her own. King Cosmo's eyes blazed as he rushed forward in a blur and aimed a series of swipes at her. Sweat matted Luna's coat as she barely parried the assault. Clangs filled the air as their blazing horns rang off one an other.
With her vitality being sapped by the King's attacks, she realized she could not hold out for much longer. Try as she might, she could not muster the strength to mount a counteroffensive, while Cosmo seemed tireless. Gathering as much of her magic as she could spare, she loosed an arcane shout as she projected a dark mist at the King. Her blood ran cold as Cosmo's horn absorbed the mist like a sponge.
Cosmo hovered in place and gestured with a forehoof. “As fun as this has been, little sister, I cordially invite you to look around. What do you see?”
Luna frantically scanned the sky around her and noticed several stars that appeared to have entered the room, and were not part of Cosmo's illusion of outer space. Her eyes widened as the saw them collapse on themselves before exploding. She flew as high as she could, narrowly escaping the blast.
“Now... prepare to be torn limb from limb!” said Cosmo as the gashes in the sky where the stars had been turned into tiny black holes. Their gravitational pull tugged at her with an iron grip.
Cosmo hovered in place as he summoned another shower of meteors, which hurtled toward Luna. Despite juking downward, the first projectile grazed by her. With her maneuverability cut by the wild gravity, Luna began to blast the meteors from the sky, destroying as many as she could before they smashed into her.
“How long can you survive, Luna?” Cosmo laughed. “I have not had this much fun in centuries!”
As if to underscore his words, a meteor struck Luna in the stomach, winding her. She spun out of control and frantically flapped her wings as she drew dangerously close to a black hole. Her eyes widened when another meteor zoomed toward her face. With no energy to spare, she banked hard right to avoid it. The meteor slammed into the black hole and caused it to close. Grinning, she flew as close to each black hole as she could without being sucked in, breaking her trajectory at the last possible second, sending any pursuing meteors into them. She systematically closed them until none remained.
The King expelled a puff of steam from his nostrils. “Very clever, but you have merely delayed your fate. You, like all others, will serve me or suffer the same fate as Ponyville, Cloudsdale, and Celestia!”
* * *
The statue of King Cosmo bore down on Pinkie, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Applejack. It thrust a stone hoof toward them with surprising speed as it drew near. Pinkie ducked and rolled to the side, then sprung back to her hooves and charged toward its leg. She kicked it as hard as she could before jumping off. Her hoof clacked loudly upon the stone, inflicting no visible damage. Rarity loosed a burst of magic toward it, but the statue raised a forehoof and swatted it as if it were an insect. Applejack darted through a flurry of hoof strikes and bucked one of its hind legs with everything she had, but the attack caused little more than a small chip in the solid stone.
“The King taught me this one personally,” said Miasma. “I'm glad you're enjoying it.”
“How in the hay do we stop this thing?” said Applejack as she backed away from the advancing statue.
“We can't!” squeaked Fluttershy. “It's going to flatten us!”
“Flatten...” said Rarity as she looked at the statue's eyes. “Like that Ursa! Cover me, everypony!”
“What in Equestria is she on about?” said Applejack as she charged toward the statue.
“Dunno, but I trust her!” said Pinkie as she joined Applejack.
Applejack nodded. Both mares attacked the statue from each side, narrowly avoiding its stony punches. While their attacks were ineffective against the simulacrum, they bought Rarity the time she needed. Concentrating with all her might, she unleashed a burst of magic directly between the statue's eyes, much like she had done with the Ursa Major so long ago. The statue stumbled backward. Grinning, Rarity kept up her attack. Miasma gasped when the red glow faded from its eyes and it toppled over, shattering asunder when it hit the floor.
“Oh, Rarity, you did it!” said Fluttershy, hugging her tightly.
“Do no celebrate too soon,” said Miasma. “I think I've toyed with you for long enough. Now you will meet your fate!”
Veiling herself in dark magic, Miasma slipped into the shadows and struck at Rarity with her horn. Rarity deflected the first few attacks, but soon stumbled backward against the onslaught of her nearly invisible foe. Miasma reappeared, standing over Rarity, and struck her with lightning. Rarity writhed in pain. As soon as the others rushed to Rarity's aid, Miasma disappeared again, reappearing a score of feet away from them. One by one, Miasma unleashed her lightning on her foes until all four lay in broken heaps on the floor, barely able to twitch.
“A pity that this could not have lasted longer...” said Miasma with feigned regret as she prepared to deliver the final blow.
* * *
“I will not be touched by rabble such as you!” said King Cosmo as he harnessed all of his power and launched it toward Luna.
Luna called upon all her remaining magic and met Cosmo's attack head-on. The two beams collided in an almost blinding shower of wild magic. Luna's kept Cosmo's at bay for only moments before his completely enveloped hers, the white energy devoured by the three colours of the King's attack. Luna cried out as Cosmo's beam hit her squarely, consuming her body in a swath of deadly colour. Cosmo laughed triumphantly as his attack ceased and Luna's singed body plummeted to the ground, landing beside her four fallen comrades.
“Excellent!” said Cosmo as he admired Miasma's handiwork. “You have served me well, Miasma. Now, at long last, the end of Luna's rebellion is at hoof!”
A seam appeared in the side of the starry blackness as the throne room doors burst open. Everypony looked at the entrance. Scootaloo stood in the doorway.
Covered in welts and bruises, and with her wings flared, Scootaloo defiantly advanced toward them. “I won't let you win, Cosmo!”
Cosmo nearly doubled over with laughter. “So, the cavalry has arrived! In your hour of most dire need, the last pony in Equestria capable of helping you – a lame pegasus filly – has risen to the challenge against the greatest pony who ever lived!”
Miasma turned her eerie gaze toward Scootaloo. “Sire, how did this... thing get in here?”
“She was supposed to be languishing in the dungeon,” said Cosmo, his eyes narrowing. “It is clear that Bastion has betrayed me. No matter, he has served his purpose. Once I have finished disposing of this filth, his head will adorn a pike right next to Luna's!”
Scootaloo galloped forward. “Shut up, Cosmo! I'm not afraid of you!”
“Silence!” said Cosmo, his eyes scorching her. “Your time will come soon enough. But first, you shall witness the demise of Princess Luna, your friends, and the end of the vaunted justice that they represent.” His eyes began to glitter with fiendish glee. “Behold, the absolute triumph of Cosmo, the one true King of Equestria. My foes lay broken beneath my hooves; their defeat is absolute. They have been but mere actors in the great play of this war upon the stage of Equestria! They have followed my script from act one until now, the final scene. The era of King Cosmo shall begin anew! Now, young foal, all who you knew and held dear shall perish along with Luna and her ilk!” He turned to Luna. “You have fought well, sister, but only I can live forever...”
As the King finished speaking, he struck the five fallen ponies with multicoloured lightning. Scootaloo skidded to a halt a few feet away from them. Her eyes filled with tears as she felt herself paralyzed by the effects of Cosmo's attack. Cosmo descended to Miasma's side as his attack continued, eliciting a chorus of screams from his victims.
Scootaloo quaked in place. “No... I can't give up... not now... not ever! I promised Rainbow Dash! I promised my friends! DO YOU HEAR ME, COSMO! I'LL NEVER GIVE UP! NEVER!”
The necklace of Loyalty began to glow, and rose from Luna's neck. It rushed in front of Cosmo's attack and deflected it, sending lightning bolts flying in all directions. None touched Scootaloo or the others. A moment later, it hurtled toward Scootaloo and fastened itself around her neck. She blinked in surprise as she began to share the necklace's bright red glow. The necklaces of Kindness, Generosity, Honesty, and Laughter began to glow as well. Pinkie, Fluttershy, Applejack, and Rarity all stood back up, gawking at her.
“What is this?” said a wide-eyed Cosmo. “You wield the Element of Loyalty? Impossible! Its wielder was Rainbow Dash, and she is long dead! Do you hear me? RAINBOW DASH IS DEAD!”
“Rainbow Dash will never truly die,” said Scootaloo. “As long as she continues to live in her friends' hearts. In my heart!”
“Quickly, Miasma! Destroy them at once!” said Cosmo, as he took an involuntary step back. Desperation had manifested in his voice.
The five Elements' glow intensified. Miasma marched toward Scootaloo, her eyes full of death. She raised her horn over Scootaloo's neck, preparing to swing it like an executioner's axe. As she lowered it, the Elements' light surged at her. Her lantern-like eyes were momentarily replaced by ordinary purple ones.
Miasma staggered backward. “What is happening to me?”
Before anypony could answer, the unicorn lost consciousness. When she awoke, she found herself floating in a vast, empty white space.
“Where am I?” Her voice echoed strangely in the void.
A dark purple unicorn with bright white eyes floated next to her. “You are in your subconscious.”
“You – you're the one responsible for all the evil things I've done!”
“You brought this upon yourself, Twilight Sparkle!” spat Miasma.
Twilight gawked at her. “What's happening? How did I end up here?”
Miasma shook her head and gritted her teeth. “I don't know. You're supposed to be dead.”
“Somehow... it feels like I've always been here...” said Twilight. “Just... trapped. I've seen and felt everything that's happened, but I've only been able to watch helplessly, as if I were imprisoned in my own mind.” Her eyes narrowed. “But no more, Miasma! I'm putting an end to you and all the evil you've wrought!”
Miasma's laugh echoed into space. “Destroy me? You cannot destroy me! King Cosmo forged me from the evil inside of you!”
“It's a lie! I'm not evil, and I will never kowtow to a madpony like Cosmo!”
“A lie, you say?” said Miasma, her voice dripping with sarcastic venom. “Then how come you murdered Celestia? It was by your hoof, and your hoof alone that she perished! If you are truly as pure as you claim, then Celestia would have killed the King, preventing this whole war! You allowed your infatuation and your blindness to corrupt your very soul!” Her eyes bored into Twilight's. “There is nopony to blame for this but yourself! Now curl up and die like you were supposed to! This body belongs to his majesty, the King!”
“She – she's right...” Twilight muttered to herself. Her eyes welled with tears as she looked away. “It's... all my fault...” She felt as if she were being crushed by a giant unseen hand. “What have I done? I've destroyed the world as we know it!”
“Don't tell yourself, that, sugarcube!”
“Applejack? Applejack, is that you?”
Miasma blanched. “How did she get here?”
“Look, Twi,” said Applejack as she floated next to her. “Stay true to yourself! You only did what you did because you believed it was the right thing to do! Cosmo tricked you and used you like a pawn in his little game!” She defiantly stared at Miasma. “You're a good pony, and don't you ever forget it! Miasma is not who you are!”
“Applejack, I –”
Rarity appeared at her side with a loud pop. “Twilight!” she said sharply. “You simply can't believe what this – this creature is saying! She is nothing more than what King Cosmo wants you to believe. You're better than that. The love you've shown not only to us, your friends, but to everypony, is evidence enough of that!” She huffed at Miasma with contempt. “Now, use that love! Vanquish this monstrosity once and for all!”
“Your powers are as weak as your words!” said Miasma. “I am in control. This is my body, my mind! It belongs to me and the King!”
“Now wait just a minute!” said the stern voice of Fluttershy as she appeared above Twilight's head. “Twilight has always been there for us, through thick and through thin. She puts aside her own desires just to help her friends.” She landed and stood next to Twilight, her wings flared. “Now we'll return the favour. You think us weak and helpless, but together, as friends, we can beat you!”
Miasma pawed the ground and her ears flattened. “Boldly stated. But my powers, like that of my King's, are absolute!”
“Absolute? As if,” said Pinkie, joining the others next to Twilight. “The joy that Twilight has brought not just to me, but to everypony in Ponyville, is all the proof I need to know all you're doing is trying to make her forget who she really is!” She turned to Twilight and looked directly into her tearful purple eyes. “Don't you ever forget who you are! The laughter and happiness you've brought all of us should never be forgotten!”
“But... how can I face you again?” said Twilight, looking away. “The things I've done are unforgivable. The murders I'm responsible for – the razing of Ponyville! I should be executed for my crimes.”
“No, Twilight,” said Rarity, propping up Twilight's muzzle and gazing directly into her eyes. “We're your friends. You've taught all of us what friendship really means.”
“You remember what happened that night we got connected with the Elements, don't ya?” said Applejack, giving Twilight a tight hug. “Luna did some horrible things as Nightmare Moon, and after the Elements redeemed her, Celestia forgave her. Everything you've done is because of Cosmo, not you. We forgive you.”
“Anypony could've been tricked by the King,” said Pinkie. “Look at what he made me do to poor Dashie...”
“We'll stand by you, no matter what!” said Fluttershy. “You're a great pony, and an even greater friend. Anypony who tries to tell you otherwise will have to answer to me!”
Rarity stomped the ground with a forehoof as she stepped forward. “And all of us!”
Twilight perked up and looked at Miasma. “They're – they're right! Begone, Miasma! You are not welcome here!”
Twilight fired a beam of bright white light at Miasma, who countered with a dark purple beam of her own. Miasma's attack quickly devoured hers, but each of her friends rested a hoof on her back.
“We're with you, sugarcube,” said Applejack calmly.
Twilight's beam increased in power, but was still incapable of matching Miasma's.
“Don't be scared,” said Pinkie. “You can beat Cosmo if you put your mind to it!”
“We're with you, Twilight!” said Fluttershy.
“Until the bitter end!” said Rarity.
As Rarity spoke, Twilight's beam became so powerful, it seemed to overwhelm Miasma's defenses.
“You fools!” said Miasma. “I am the embodiment of the King's will! I am invincible!”
Miasma's beam sliced through Twilight's effortlessly and headed straight toward her and her friends. A split second before it devoured them all, another pony appeared, shattering Miasma's attack. It was Scootaloo.
“Twilight...” said Scootaloo, staring at her. “Stay true to yourself, no matter what. Stand up to the King. I know it seems impossible, but trust me. Fight him until your dying breath! I promised Rainbow Dash that I would. No matter how powerful he is, I will fight him. Fight him too! You have the power! Use it now – destroy Miasma!”
“I – I can do this!” said Twilight as her horn sparked with magic.
“Try me,” said Miasma. “This will be your end!”
Twilight fired a narrow beam of light toward Miasma. It connected directly.
“What?” said Miasma in alarm, emitting the same light from various parts of her body, as if she had begun to split at the seams. “No! This can't be happening! I am Miasma! My power is eternal!”
“BEGONE!” shouted Twilight as the light completely engulfed Miasma.
Miasma screamed and exploded, the light from the blast momentarily blinding Twilight. When she could see again, she found herself standing before her four friends. The Elements of Harmony around their necks still glowed.
“I said destroy them, Miasma!” said King Cosmo from behind her. “At once!”
“No...” said Twilight without looking at him.
“What?” said Cosmo. “You dare disobey your King? Destroy them! We both know who owns your soul!”
“Miasma?” Twilight turned to face him, a bright twinkle in her eyes. “Miasma is dead.” As Twilight spoke, Luna slowly got up, and the tiara of Magic flew off her head and landed atop Twilight's. “There is only Twilight Sparkle!”
“Impossible!” said Cosmo as Twilight's eyes began to glow white, along with the tiara.
It was then that King Cosmo realized his folly. Before him stood the six Elements of Harmony, their all-too familiar energies uniting once more, just as he and his sisters had harnessed them so many eons ago. The rising pillar of rainbow light that had crushed the likes of Discord and Nightmare Moon now towered above him – a harbinger of his own doom. Despite all his carefully laid plans and webs of fear and treachery, all his stratagems and the war he had so meticulously engineered, the unstoppable cascade of Harmony's power came crashing down upon him. From the foes he had deemed defeated, the eternal force of all that was good in the world hurtled toward King Cosmo.
He yelled and struck out with all of his power. The tricoloured energy beam collided with the Elements' rainbow. Gritting his teeth, Cosmo fought with all his might, but the Elements of Harmony quickly overwhelmed him. Before long, the rainbow tornado had utterly enveloped the King. He could not move. He continued to struggle against its ever tightening grasp, but his efforts proved fruitless. The King felt a sudden sharp pain blossom in his chest. He looked down and his mouth fell open in a combination of agony and disbelief. He saw Luna, her horn piercing him up to its hilt.
Luna withdrew her horn and pulled back before the tornado exploded in a blinding flash of light. When the room swam back into focus, the strange outer space appearance had faded, its walls and floor reverting to their normal state, and upon the floor at the feet of his elabourate throne lay King Cosmo, coughing up blood. His crown lay shattered at his hooves. His mane had changed to the short, scraggly green mess Greyhoof had worn. Luna approached him and looked into his eyes. The once ever-present fire in them had been doused, replaced by a dull, cold orange. Exhaling one last time, Cosmo closed his eyes and grew still as the final vestiges of life left his body.
“I'm sorry...” said Luna quietly. She sank to her knees. “I'm so sorry for everything!” She wailed and buried her face in her forehooves, sobbing uncontrollably. “Everypony, please, forgive me. It should have been me and not the thousands of innocents who paid the price for my mistakes!”
“Princess...” said Twilight, kneeling beside her. “Nopony was above being deceived by him, not even you. We will stand by you and help rebuild Equestria, no matter what. I promise.”
Luna looked into her eyes. “Thank you... thank you, everypony, for everything!” She lunged forward and hugged Twilight, collapsing into her warm embrace.