“I cannot be killed, you pathetic retch!” Destruction roared, Slamming his fist into the group. The impact caused the ground to ripple like water, nearly shattering the mountain itself. Destruction rose his fist, showing a crater the size of Ponyville, He smiled expecting to see only red slpater and possibly some fur, but there was nothing at the bottom.
“Hey big fella!” Battleaxe called out, mockingly waving at Destruction. “l think you missed! Boy we sure are lucky to have ponies like Princess Luna and Princess Cadence to teleport us to safety if anything that’s trying to kill us telegraphs an attack.”
“You have the flaw of the original bearer of your element, Battleaxe…” Destruction said disappearing from sight and reappearing behind them. “The flaw of ARROGANCE!” he rose his hand once again to strike.
“Mother of Celestia…” Battleaxe said turning to face destruction for a brief moment. “Now would be a good time to teleport again!”
The alicorns horns began to glow and in a flash they were gone. Destruction froze mid attack, staring at where the group once was. He remained frozen in that position, only his eyes shifting from side to side. Then a small smile came across his face and swung into empty space. At that moment the group reappeared right in front of Destruction’s hand. The bubble shield surrounding the group shattered the moment he made contact with it.
The group was sent flying in every direction, all of them making contact with building still standing or the ground. After a few moments the groups began to regroup themselves. Greatsword looked towards the massive creature and grunted. “I don’t think he killed any of us…” he said looking to Princess Cadence, Rarity, Applejack, Event Horizon, Patches and Spike. “But he managed to separate us.”
“Well I recon we need ta get back to ‘um.” Apple Jack said adjusting her hat. “If ya don’t mind me askin’ Princess, could ya teleport us ta the others.”
“Of course Applejack,” Princess Cadence said with her horn beginning to glow. “We will be reunited with everypony momentarily.”
“NO!” Greatsword said rushing to Princess Cadence, placing his hoof over her horn. “If we use any kind of magic Destruction will be able to detect us, it’s the only way he’d know where we would reappear, and he’ll see us if we take flight…”
“Then what do we do?” Spike asked.
Greatsword looked to Destruction and let out a heavy sigh, “No wings…” he said, shaking his head. “No magic…”
“Ok everypony…” Battleaxe said, holding his head. “Say something if you’re not dead…”
With heavy grumbles, Big Mac, Carmel, Pinkie Pie, Long Shot and Rainbow Dash called out to him. All of them rising slowly, brushing off the dust from one another. They looked around for the others, but after several moments some of the group became worried.
“Battleaxe…” Carmel said. “Are the others…”
“No.” Battleaxe said quickly. “We’re just separated, that’s all.”
“Can you use your magic to get us back to the others?” Long Shot asked. “You know like your new marefriend?”
“First off…” Battleaxe said raising his hoof. “I’m the best when it comes to offensive spells and I’m pretty damn good at defensive ones too… but I never really learned any benign spells more advanced than levitation, and I think that Destruction would pick up on any magic we use…”
“So we take flight?” Rainbow said unveiling her wings.
“No.” Battleaxe said, placing his hoof on her shoulder. “We have too many land locked ponies, so we walk.”
“Oh this is gonna be super-duper fun!” Pinkie said bouncing around. “What are we gonna talk about huh? Oh I’m SO excited to start-”
Battleaxe’s hoof covered Pinkie’s mouth, “we walk QUIETLY… like ninjas.”
“Oh I LOVE ninjas!” Pinkie exclaimed. “I remember this one time me, Spike and Twilight broke into-”
“Ninja…” Battleaxe repeated, shaking his head. Pinkie nodded and after a few seconds they began to make their way to others.
“DAD!” Scootaloo called out. “DAD-”
Before she could finish, she was drug into the shadows. She struggled in the individuals grasp, but it was too strong. A tear formed in her eye, ‘was this it?’ she thought, ‘is this how it all ends?’ Memories of her past flooded her thoughts, her mother, her friends, her father.
She continued to struggle, still thinking it was the end, but then a realization came to her. the hold the creature had her in was mesteriously comforting, like it was trying to take her fear away, sure it was covering her mouth, but it didn’t feel like it was trying to hurt her. Then another sensation, a heartbeat, slow and steady was pounding in her back, shadow fiends didn’t have hearts, or at least she thought that. She finally gathered the courage to open her eyes to see Warhammer was the one who had taken her. Releived, she tried to say something only to be shushed once again by him. She wondered why, until he pointed behind her, large group of shadow fiends not far from them, looking for survivors. He motioned her to remain quiet and stay behind him. Scootaloo nodded and did as she was asked, but to her surprise, Warhammer did not engage the enemy. He just kept her behind him until the fiends were out of sight. Once they were finally gone, Warhammer turned to her.
“Do you think they saw us?” he asked quietly.
“No…” she replied, “but… why didn’t you go after those shadow fiends? You could have killed them in no time.”
“They were only scouts…” Warhammer said looking in the direction the fiends went off in. “War does not just require one’s body to be strong, it requires a strong mind as well.”
She nodded and peeked around the corner to see if anymore shadow fiends were coming. Once she saw that nothing else was coming she turned to Warhammer. “Did you see anypony else?” she asked. “You’re the first one I’ve seen sense we got wacked.”
“I’m afraid you are the first one I’ve seen as well,” Warhammer replied, “but that doesn’t mean that we won’t see anypony else soon.”
At that moment, the shadow fiends that passed them not long ago were blasted past them. The two looked to the direction they flew from and saw a single outline in the light.
“And everypony thinks I’m just another pretty face…” Princess Luna said smiling, her horn still glowing brightly. As Luna turned around Scootaloo fell over herself, causing a sudden startling thud. Princess Luna quickly turned around, her horn glowing furiously, ready to attack again. “Who goes there?” She growled, “no matter who you are I shall cast you down… in the name of my sister!”
“Luna!” Warhammer said quickly. “It’s me, me and Scootaloo…”
“Warhammer!” she said relieved. “You have no idea how glad I am to see you!” she ran to him and embraced him, “after we became separated… I… I…” she wiped away a tear, “I thought the worst…”
“Thoughts like that shouldn’t cross your mind, Luna,” Warhammer replied, “are you alone or are others with you?”
“There are others Warhammer,” Princess Luna said, “I found Derpy Hooves and Twilight Sparkle not long after we were separated.”
“Excellent, we begin will reform the group,” Warhammer said, “starting with us.”
“Warhammer…” Luna said somberly, “I don’t think Derpy will make it, she got attacked by several shadow fiends right before Twilight and I found her…”
“Where is she?” Warhammer asked.
“Not far from here,” Luna said pointing in the direction she came from. “I went to look for help, and I am truly fortunate that I found you.”
“Why did they send you?” Scootaloo asked. “I mean you’re pregnant, couldn’t Twilight look for help while you stayed to watch over her?”
“Scootaloo,” Princess Luna replied, “I went to look for help because Twilight’s condition isn’t much better than Derpy’s.”
“Then we have already wasted too much time,” Warhammer said. “Take us to them Luna, they need us now.”
“This is taking forever!” Rainbow said to the group, “can I fly at least?”
“And leave the rest of us behind?” Battleaxe responded. “I know you’ve read enough Daring Do to know that it’s never a good idea to go alone.”
“But she always gets out of it.” Rainbow said back.
“This isn’t a story Rainbow,” Long Shot said. “This is real, and you need to stay with us in case things get worse.”
“And how could they get worse?” she asked. “For all we know we just might be the only ponies left alive in all Equestria.”
“YOU could be dead,” Long Shot replied. “Now stay with us and stay safe.”
Rainbow looked around to the others then threw her hooves in the air; “Fine…” she grumbled and continued to walk with the rest of them.
Greatsword motioned for everypony to stop and looked around the corner of a collapsed building. What he saw took him back momentarily, the streets were full of bodies shadow fiends and pony alike. However there was nothing alive, he turned to face the others and motioned them to continue to move. While they made their way across the lifeless streets Princess Cadence tripped over herself, but before she landed she was caught by Greatsword.
She looked to her hooves and saw the body of the royal guard that she had stumbled over. She panicked in Greatsword’s forelegs but he did his best to calm her down. “It’s ok…” he said holding her gently, “its ok…”
“NO!” she crie. “It’s NOT ok! My husband and aunt are dead, we don’t even know if the others are alive… how can you tell me it’s OK?!”
“You’re right…” Greatsword said. “I have no right to tell you that everything will be ok.”
Princess Cadence looked to Greatsword, “Wha-what?” she asked, tears flowing from her eyes.
“I have no right to tell you everything will be ok,” Greatsword repeated, “but we need you to stay focoued more than ever now…I need you now.”
Princess Cadence and Greatsword froze there for several moments. Then without warning, she leaned into him. Slowly, she drew closer and closer to Greatsword’s face, when she was just inches away she came back to her senses. She looked back to the baffled stallion before her then to the other equally dumbstruck ponies around them. Princess Cadence then cried sorrowfully into the dark sky, burying her head into Greatsword’s chest.
“I’m sorry Greatsword!” she cried, “I shouldn’t have, I-I…” she tried to find the words to express herself but the words wouldn’t come. “Oh please forgive me!”
“I understand, my lady…” Greatsword said gently rubbing her back, “and I’m here for you.”
“I can’t believe myself…” she said sniffing. “Shining Armor died not even an hour ago and already I’m almost kissing another stallion that I’ve considered a friend for so long…” she looked up to Greatsword with teary eyes. “What’s wrong with me?”
“Everypony has their way of coping, Cadie,” Greatsword said reassuringly, “and you don’t know, Shining Armor might still be alive.”
“That wouldn’t make what I just did any better, Greatsword…” Princess Cadence said lowering her head, “I’m a horrible wife…”
“No you’re not… You love your husband,” he looked to the foal on her side, “and you love your son.”
“I know I have no place in your conversation, but don’t you two think that we should get going?” Rarity said motioning to her side of the street.
The two looked over to the others and hastily made their way across the street. The moment they crossed Princess Cadence stopped Greatsword. “Greatsword…” she said. “If Shining Armor is still alive…”
“Not a word…” he said nodding. “Come on, let’s catch up with the others.”
“Are we any closer Luna?” Warhammer asked. “Where are they?”
“Just over here,” Luna said pointing to a collapsed building. “We found shelter in the rubble of this home.”
The three made their way to the building where Derpy and Twilight were hidden. Once there Luna opened the door Warhammer and Scootaloo stepped in and saw the other two. Both of Derpy’s wings were broken to the point where they looked like feathery lumps on her back. They turned their attention to Twilight her horn was split down the center.
“Mother of Celestia…” Warhammer said, walking towards the wounded, “have you tried to heal them?”
“Yes…” Luna said disappointedly, “but my sister…” she paused for a moment, trying to fight back tears. “My sister was the one who knew all the healing spells…”
“I feel so useless…” Twilight said reaching for her broken horn. “I’ve never been unable to use my magic…”
“You are far from useless, Twilight.” Warhammer said reassuringly, looking around the shattered home. “Now let me see what I can do for you and Derpy.”
“I thought you only knew how to fight.” Scootaloo said slightly surprised.
“If one has the means to inflict massive damage on another, don’t you think that that one should also know how to mend it to an extent?” Warhammer said grapping a few things from around the house.
“I guess you’re right.” Scootaloo said, watching him wrap Twilight’s horn back together. While he began to work on Derpy, she looked over to Princess Luna, who was looking deeply at Warhammer. “He can do just about anything,” she said to get her attention, “can’t he?”
“He certainly is a miracle worker…” Princess Luna said before looking to Warhammer again. “My miracle…”
“I think I see somepony!” Carmel called out to his group; he peered deeper into the city. “Is… is that…”
“Eeyup!” Big Mac said happily.
“APPLEJACK!” Carmel exclaimed, “Applejack over here!”
Applejack looked over to the direction of the call, once she noticed who it was she made a mad dash for Carmel. Him doing the same thing, the two collided with one another in a lover’s embrace.
“I can’t believe it!” Carmel said before kissing her. “I’m so happy to see you again!”
“I’m happy too, sugar cube.” Applejack replied resting her head on his chest.
The two groups made their way into one of the few still standing building where they continued their reunion. It was there that Rainbow Dash saw out of the corner of her eye a limping pony. “EVENT!” she yelled rushing past everypony and wrapping him in her hooves, “You’re alive!”
“LEG! LEG! LEG!” Event cried painfully in Rainbow’s embrace.
“Oh…” Rainbow said releasing him, “sorry about that…”
“It’s fine…” Event said reaching for his leg, “Pain’s the body’s way of telling you that you’re alive…” he smiled momentarily, “and that life sucks.”
“Long Shot…” Patches said kissing his cheek. “I thought I lost you…”
“You should know I’m tough to kill.” Long Shot said smiling.
“BRO!” Battleaxe said making his way to Greatsword. “Good to see that you’re actually staying alive.”
“And it’s good to see that after all this you still have your sense of humor…” Greatsword said patting him on the back.
“Wow we’re all back together!” Pinkie exclaimed. “You know what this calls for?” everypony covered their faces with their hooves.
“A party?” Battleaxe asked sarcastically.
“Nope!” Pinkie said to the astonishment of the group. “We need an assessment of everypony here and we need to find out who’s still missing!”
“That was one of the smartest things I have ever heard come out of that pony’s mouth…” Battleaxe said his mouth still wide open.
“I can hardly believe that I’m saying this…” Greatsword said shaking his head. “But Pinkie’s right… we need to figure out amongst us who’s still out there.” He turned his attention to Battleaxe. “Have you seen Warhammer?”
“No…” Battleaxe said. “Little bro’s still out there, but I think he’ll be fine, I’m more concerned with the other missing ponies.”
“Twilight, Derpy, Scootaloo and Fluttershy aren’t accounted for, sir.” Carmel said looking to Greatsword.
“And neither is Aunt Luna…” Princess Cadence added, her voice growing more concerned. “I hope they’re alright…”
“As long as they are in a group they should be fine,” Greatsword said. “Now that were back together, we can all focus on the main objective…”
“Taking down Destruction?” Rainbow dash said excitedly. “Because I’m ready to give that guy a new-”
“No…” Greatsword replied, cutting her off.
“Then what IS our main objective or whatever you call it?” Rainbow asked.
“Find the missing; reassemble the Elements of Honor…” Greatsword said before looking off into the distance. “Then killing that bastard once and for all…”