The Crusaders lined up, they had prepared for this for the past two years. All their preparation, all their training leading up to this one final battle. Tail Wind prepared the detonator, linking all the bombs in so that one press on the lever and all of them would explode.
They stood outside the entrance they were going to use. The three young Crusaders checking over each others weapons and armour one final time, using their abilities to check the tunnel to be sure their entry would be undetected. Finally, Meteor Storm joined them, checking over his armour he told Tail Wind to begin his final preparations. A minute passed of them all standing, waiting, like coiled snakes ready to strike.
"Do it." Storm commanded. Tail Wind pressed the detonator then hurried to the side of the entrance with the others. After a few seconds they heard the explosions in the distance and felt the ground shiver underneath them. "Move in." Storm said quietly, tapping Apple Bloom on the shoulder. Apple Bloom ran around the corner quickly checking a few corners before moving to a position at the side of the tunnel, being followed by the rest of the Crusaders. "Set it up, Sweetie." Storm whispered to the white mare. Sweetie Belle's horn glowed, small tendrils of light touching the centre of each of her comrades foreheads.
"Done." She thought, projecting her thoughts to the others.
"Well done Sweetie Belle, you've improved the spell." The blue stallion commented before getting down to business. "Moon Shadow will be in the central chamber, it's likely to be the largest so he can have the most protection. All the tunnels meet there so we just keep going forward and down and we'll reach it." Storm said, setting off quickly and quietly down the tunnel, the others following, keeping to the shadows.
Silent Runner was a Vampire. He had been for nearly one hundred years, he'd grown used to the dark of night, a fact helped by his newly enhanced night vision. He had been a painter before, he'd been painting a beautiful young mare when one night he'd gone to sleep and woken up with a large black stallion with yellow eyes standing over him, biting his neck. He'd then passed out. He woke up later with the same pony in a cave. The pony explained that he was now a Vampire, that he'd given him a gift. He had to leave his old life behind, so he picked a new name.
Now that same pony, the one he called master or on occasion father, had ordered him and two of his new brothers to secure the western entrance tunnel. They had set themselves up nicely in an old armoury, plenty of weapons and armour, no-one was going to get passed them. A few hours ago they had heard a loud rumble and the earth beneath their hooves shook. Thinking they were under attack they had decided to check it out.
Silent Runner was putting on his armour, he always had trouble putting his Croupiere on. One of his brothers was picking up their weapons. Just as he was about to walk over and get his weapon a yellow blur appeared between him and his brother, who was also going to get his weapon. Not more than a second after a line of fire traced itself along his throat, he tried to scream in pain but that only increased the pain, and resulted in a gurgle. He was forced to watch as the yellow blur, which resolved itself into a pony jumped onto his brothers back and separated his head from his body with a bladed shoe. A few seconds later Silent Runner felt a twinge in the back of his neck, saw the tip of a sword protrude through his neck and his world went black. He fell to the floor, not as a pony, but as a pile of ash.
The Crusaders exited the tunnel into a chamber with three Vampires preparing to fight putting on armour and picking up weapons. They wasted no time, Apple Bloom ran forward silently, jumping and slashing she cut the throats of two of the Vampires, jumping on the last Vampire's back and driving her hoof through it's neck. Sweetie Belle drew her swords and finished the other two with a stab to the neck, before they could react.
"Good work, lets keep moving." Tail said, he carried on through the room with Storm and Scootaloo, the pair of mares joining them not long after. Together the five Crusaders glided down the tunnel towards another larger chamber. Their hooves making almost no noise as they jogged, sticking to the sides of the cave where the shadows were darkest.
Scootaloo and Tail Wind entered first, gliding on silent wings through the entrance before flapping once and ascending to the ceiling. "Your clear." Scootaloo thought to the others waiting outside. They began to enter one at a time, quickly moving around the sides of the room to make space for the next to enter. Once they were all inside they moved slowly and quietly to the far side of the room checking to make sure there were no Vampires hiding and waiting to ambush them.
Apple Bloom poked her head around the door, quickly pulling it back a few seconds later. "Alright, looks like this here is the last tunnel before a major chamber. There's guards on the door facing us." The Earth pony reported to the others.
"Okay, Scootaloo, Tail Wind. Use your feathers to destroy them and secure the door. When you've done that, we'll move up and we'll use our sensory abilities to plan our next move." Storm ordered. Scootaloo nodded, taking off lightly. Making as little noise as possible she lined up with Tail Wind preparing to launch herself and the metal feathers attached to her wings.
"Ready." She thought to Tail as she finished her preparations.
"On my go." Tail replied. "3. 2. 1. Go." Both Pegasi jumped forward, turning sideways so they could both pass through the door at the same time, they flicked their wings launching a pair of feathers at each of their targets before they could react. landing quietly on the former Vampires positions they pressed themselves to the wall, hiding in the shadows once more. "Clear, move up"
The three Crusaders hiding around the corner came out running on silent hooves up to the door and took up positions on either side of it. Apple Bloom was the first to check the next chamber as the Pegasi would have trouble sensing anything with the door closed. She closed her eyes, forcing herself to feel the vibrations of the earth beneath her hooves. On the other side of the door Apple Bloom could feel many vibrations, a feeling that indicated many pairs of hooves moving about. There were also a few spots where the vibrations were reflected back, indicating something stood still. She reported her findings to the group.
"Well, it sounds like we have a few Golems on the other side of the door." Storm commented before his horn began to glow slightly while he sensed the area on the other side of the door. "Yep, definately got Golems out there. We'll wait for the Vampires to leave then we'll move in and take the Golems out." He said.
"How?" Sweetie asked, looking and sounding worried.
"They are the same as normal ponies. They're just made of stone." The stallion responded, settling down for the wait. "We'll just sneak around them."
It took the vampires twenty minutes to organise themselves, and leave to join the growing battle. Three times the Crusaders had to move quickly in order to hide and avoid a group of vampires sent to secure a section of tunnel the Crusaders had cleared or passed by. Once all the Vampires that were going to leave had done so, the Crusaders slipped in through the door, moving in the dark around the edge of the room.
Six Vampires had stayed behind along with three Golems to guard the room. Two were sitting in the centre of the room checking armour and generally preparing for a battle, they appeared to be preparing the room to fall back to if their main force was defeated. The other four Vampires were guarding two doors leading deeper into the cave complex, while the Golems were patrolling the room.
"I expected some resistance but this seems a little high. We must be close to the centre now. We can't fight this lot, too many in too confined an area. Lets just pass through and carry on." Storm said.
"Got it. Which door are we taking?" Scootaloo asked looking at the two guarded doors from around the stalagmite she was using for cover.
"Moon Shadow will stay out of the fight as much as possible. He'll likely only join it to fight Samael. He'll be somewhere he can see the fight but will still be away from most of it." Tail informed them, pointing to the door on the left. "There. It looks like it leads deeper but to a higher level of the chamber. He'll probably have a room where he can look over the main chamber."
"Yeah, he'd enjoy being able to look out over his army." Storm thought-spoke. “No matter what we’ll have to fight at least two Vampires. Unless...” The teal stallion trailed off, looking on the ground to see a stone. Picking it up he tested it’s weight, bouncing it on the bottom of his hoof a few times. He then stopped, wound up, and threw the stone. It bounced off the wall between the Vampires guarding the door they needed to go down and a small access tunnel to their right barely big enough for a pony to fit through.
“What was that?!” The closest Vampire snapped, turning to face the disturbance.
“Sounded like it came from that tunnel.” The other said walking next to his companion.
“What should we do? The Golems can’t fit through there.” The first asked, glancing at the second.
“Well we can’t just ignore it. We’re under attack, we can’t let them take this chamber.” The second reminded him. “We’ll have to check it out ourselves.”
“Fine, but you’re going first.” The Vampires looked at the tunnel. Not noticing the shadows moving behind them, the first trotted into the tunnel. “Well? Anything in there?”
“Two things if you join him.” Tail thought to the others.
“No, I don’t see- OW!” The Stallion called before a dull thud and his exclamation of pain. Storm, from his place in the shadows had thrown another stone that had hit the Vampire.
“I’m coming, hold on!” The first Vampire called charging into the tunnel.
“Now while they're distracted.” Storm commanded. The other Crusaders looking around quickly to make sure nopony was looking darted between bunks and cabinets to the door.
“Why didn’t we destroy those two?” Scootaloo asked. Creeping along the tunnel the Crusaders could see, through small portholes in the wall, a massive subterranean battle. Two factions of Vampire, distinguishable only by the colour of their eyes. In the centre and moving rapidly towards them was a single Vampire, larger than the others, his eyes glowing a slightly brighter yellow. “Is that Samael?” The young pegasus whispered.
“Yes.” Meteor Storm replied, using the mind link. “Moon Shadow looks similar but he’s much more powerful. Samael is just really determined.” As he talked Samael slew three Vampires using a blood red sword, whether it was naturally that colour or it was the blood covering it was impossible to determine. “We didn’t destroy those two because it was unnecessary.” Storm told her. “It would also be counter-productive. Those Vampires will be missed eventually and an alarm raised after a while. If Sam’s Vampires attack there I don’t want to be flanked before we get a shot at their leaders.” Scootaloo made an affirmative nod of her head. It didn’t take them long after that to reach the next chamber.
From the entrance they could see it lead out onto a balcony that overlooked the main chamber of the cave system. In the centre of the balcony facing away from them was a high backed throne, made of ebony and decorated with white marble.
“What’s that?” Scootaloo asked, pointing to a pair of shrines.
“Just Moon Shadows personal shrine to Nightmare Moon.” Tail told her dismissively.
“Then why are there two?” Sweetie asked, pointing to the second shrine.
“Two?” Storm asked, turning from the throne and balcony to look at them. Squinting to see better, he saw that the second wasn’t a shrine to Nightmare Moon, but to the ones Moon Shadow had personally killed or turned.
He could see a gold band, designed to go around the hoof of a mare, it had a few diamonds and sapphires embedded in it’s face. Upon seeing this the air around him became hot, he became much more agitated and beginning to fidget slightly. “He’ll pay for this. I’ll make him pay. He’ll pay. I’ll make him pay.” The stallion began to repeat, over and over again in his head. If it weren’t for the mind link spell they wouldn’t have heard him.
“Storm snap out of it. You’ll get your chance but only if you calm down.” Tail admonished. Directing his attention to the other Crusaders he said. “The Gold band belonged to someone close to him. Check how many Vampires are out there and make sure Moon Shadow is there.” Snapping a quick salute Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom took off to the other side of the room. moving silently as they crossed the room.
On the balcony there were three Vampires. All of them larger than the average, but one stood above them all. He was black as the void save for his eyes which were a deep, hypnotizing shade of crimson and glowed like lanterns in the night. He stood half again the height of the two mares, he may have been even taller than Big Macintosh. The other two while smaller were still tall and stood up to the largests shoulders. They were facing away from the balcony, watching the battle. one of the smaller spoke, his voice a deep baritone. “Why do we not join the battle, Moon Shadow? We could easily drive them out if we did.”
From their vantage point the five observers could see the large yellow eyed vampire moving quickly closer cutting down any that got in his way. A few seconds later a Vampire with yellow eyes jumped up to the ledge. He lept forward, bat-like wings sheathed in metal and a sword extended from a vambrace attached to his right forehoof. He’d covered about half the distance when he flew straight into a sword, held perpendicular to the floor in a magical levitation field, splitting himself in half.
The Vampire to Moon Shadow’s left returned his sword to its sheath, it’s twins not having moved. Deciding they’d seen enough, the Crusaders moved back from the balcony and relayed what they saw to the others. “Then we just have to sit back and watch the fight. Samael is quite impatient.” Tail Wind commented, turning to the balcony.
A group of six Vampires jumped onto the balcony, landing quietly in a V formation in front of Moon Shadow and his bodyguards. The one at the front was as big as Moon Shadow, the only difference between them being the colour of their eyes, the new Vampire’s eyes being yellow. Samael had finally arrived.
Moon Shadow waved dismissively at the other group. “Destroy them.” He said in a bored tone, sitting on his throne to watch the fight. The bodyguards leaped forwards striking the two ponies closest to Samael. The Earth Pony striking with bladed hooves, and the Unicorn levitating all four swords and swirling them around him, like a slow moving, razor sharp tornado. Two charged the Unicorn from opposite sides attempting to split his concentration. The Unicorn yawned, jumped and sent his blades into the back of their necks pausing for a second as he landed he then ripped the blades through the side of their necks and into a third trying to attack the Earth Pony.
The Earth Pony was using himself as a battering ram, charging a Vampire knocking him to the ground before he trampled him, cutting him to pieces with the blades on his shoes. He’d done that to one already but the one he was fighting was smarter and had quicker reflexes, when he’d gone to charge the other Vampire had just sidestepped and the Earth pony had nearly run off the edge. Now he was using a different tactic, moving quickly around the other Vampire and delivering quick jabs with his bladed hooves to the pegasus’s wings to remove his flight advantage. Until he was surprised by an Earth pony charging him and knocking him to the side. The Pegasus, seeing his chance, opened his bat-like wings and flapped launching himself up above the fight.
The two Earth ponies squared off against each other. Samael’s was smaller and using the bladed vambraces usually used by Pegasi, while Moon Shadow’s was larger, preferring to use his brute strength to cripple his enemy with small aid lended by the blades on his shoes.
The larger stuck first lunging, putting his considerable weight behind the blow to add a little more damage. The other Earth pony turned to the side dodging the attack and slashing along the others side, opening up a large gash. Moon Shadow’s Earth pony hissed in pain clutching his side. He heard a commotion behind him and hoped his brother would be alright, but couldn’t spare the time to check as the other Earth pony was already on top of him, slashing with his swords and beating him with his hooves. The larger Earth pony was forced on the defensive, dodging attacks and blocking the ones he couldn’t, being forced back further every second. When he had his back against the railing preventing anypony from accidently walking off the edge the other pony paused, savoring his victory.
He didn’t see the swords as they surrounded him, nor hear when they began to move but he did feel them as two slipped between his ribs tearing into his organs another blocking his swords that were aimed for the other Earth ponies neck, the final sword stabbing into his neck, and slicing his head off.
The Unicorn stood behind him his horn glowing as he returned two of his swords to their sheaths, floating the other pair in front of himself. He extended a hoof silently to help his brother up. Then choked and fell to the floor, his neck having been slit by one of his own swords. The other, still floating in the air dove for the Earth pony, sliding into his forehead. He froze for a second before he crumpled to the floor. Samael smiled. “Don’t you have any tougher fighters? I honestly expected more Moony, This might not even have been worth the bother of coming here.” he remarked, turning to the pony on the throne. Moon Shadow had not moved from his bored slouch on his throne. He had regarded the entire fight with little more than a raised eyebrow.
“Well if you insist. I will provide you with a greater challenge. You might even entertain me for a few seconds.” He said as he got up from his seat and walked down, forming a pair of swords out of his magic.
“Clash of the titans.” Scootaloo thought to the others.
Samael smiled, his horn glowing as he raised his sword. “You shouldn’t underestimate my strength Moony.” he said as he lowered himself, bending his knees slightly prepared to dodge or lunge. Moon Shadow stopped in front of him, his swords floating before him waiting for an attack, the larger Vampire not bothering to adopt a combat stance.
“I think I may be overestimating your abilities actually.” Moon Shadow replied in a bored tone. Moon Shadow struck first swinging his blades from different directions one aiming at Samael’s neck while the other went low to cut at his legs.
Seeing the blade coming for his neck he ducked, but not low enough as the blade still cuts deep into the back of his neck. Not seeing the blade coming from the other side he didn’t try to dodge it, the blade sinking deep into the flesh of his right leg. Moon Shadow’s attack left him defenseless and Samael struck out, however the sword impacting his leg threw his aim off and he only succeeded in cutting Moon Shadows cheek.
Moon Shadow touched his cheek, looking at the blood on his hoof. “Pathetic. I’ve had worse from my sons when we’ve spared.” He said, swinging his free sword around again to stab into Samael’s chest. Samael ducked and rolled to the side not taking more than a cut to his fur as he did so. He swung his sword around slashing at Moon Shadows neck, pulling the sword from his leg he sent it straight at Moon shadows chest. Moon shadow caught his blade just as it cut his skin, he didn’t receive more than a paper cut from the wound. Bringing his other sword up, he deflected Samael’s sword away from his neck, but he couldn’t deflect it properly and it sunk deep into his left shoulder.
Roaring with rage and pain Moon Shadow swung both his swords at Samael’s left side. Both swords struck deep into Samaels shoulder leaving long, deep gashes as Moon Shadow withdrew them. Samael seeing that Moon Shadow was defenseless again stabbed towards his chest with his sword. One of Moon Shadows swords deflected the blade just as it reached him causing a long but shallow cut across his chest. Samael, his right leg not able to hold him up any longer, falls to his right. He sends a blast of ice at Moon Shadow to distract him before turning his magic on his leg.
Moon Shadow got struck by the ice, but used his own magic to remove it before it could do much more than hit him. Samael formed a boot of ice surrounding the cut, freezing the gash and supporting his leg, allowing him to stand once more. Before he could stand though, Moon shadow swung a sword across his side opening a deep gash the length of his body. Samael desperately stabbed upwards towards Moon Shadow’s chin. The blow landed a deep gash along Moon Shadows neck. He knocked the sword away from Samael’s magical grasp with one of his own and a strong kick to his horn. Moon Shadow raised his sword above his head. “Time to finish this. Once and for all.” He said in his deep whispering voice. He plunged the sword down, into Samael’s neck separating it from his head. Moon Shadow turned from the pile of dust on the floor and returned to his throne.
“That was a pretty awesome fight.” Scootaloo thought to the other Crusaders. They had been able to watch the entire fight from their hiding place at the right side of the partial wall that separated the two rooms.
“Yeah, they sure gave each other a beating.” Apple Bloom agreed.
“Good, that’ll make Moon Shadow weaker. Much easier to fight.” Storm thought to the others. “It’s time we ended this. It’s time we ended this Crusade.” Storm said, allowing his face to be consumed by fire as he called on the dragon blood that enhanced his pyromancy. Tail Wind joined him opening his wings slightly, preparing to use the blades on their edges or the silver feathers. Scootaloo also stepped forwards flicking the blades hidden in the vambraces out. Apple Bloom checked her shoes over before stepping forward. Sweetie Belle drew her swords, checking their edges and bringing a few spells to the front of her mind, she stepped forwards ready to fight to the death to protect her friends, her family and the whole of equestria. They all were.
They stepped forwards all of them together. The two pegasi taking off to land quietly above the throne. Sweetie Belle stopped behind the throne holding her blades ready on either side. Storm and Apple Bloom walked around the throne to confront Moon Shadow.
“You have caused much grief Moon Shadow. You have killed many and lived far too long. We are here to rectify the mistake that has been your extended life.” Storm said, his voice like the roar of a forge. Apple Bloom stood by his side ready for the fight.
“Ugh, not you lot, I can’t be bothered with this charade. Just leave before I get mad.” He said, his tone bored. He lit his horn and froze some of the small cuts on his chest.
“Your mistake.” Apple Bloom said. “Now!” She called. Sweetie Belle, hearing the call swung her swords around the side of the throne at roughly the height she thought Moon Shadows head would be. Tail Wind and Scootaloo both fired the bladed silver feathers on their wings at the top of his head. Moon Shadow launched himself forwards dodging the feathers, but was unable to dodge Sweetie Belle’s swords totally, gaining large gashes on both sides of his body. He raised his swords as he flew towards Storm, pointing them straight at the other stallions chest.
Storm attempted to dodge but couldn’t move fast enough the blade slicing and cutting his chest plate off, leaving a deep long cut on his chest. Apple Bloom struck out at his legs cutting deep into his right rear leg as he landed. Hissing in pain, Moon Shadow sent a blast of ice at the young Earth pony. Storm recovering from his wound heated the ice so it was little more than cold water hitting her in the face, causing her to pause for a second while she cleared her vision. Scootaloo took off launching herself at Moon Shadow, turning to allow the bladed edge of her wing to strike the Vampire. Moon Shadow sidestepped the attack bucking Scootaloo as she passed sending her crashing into Apple Bloom, injuring her wing as it hit the Earth pony’s armoured hide.Tail Wind, not moving from his perch as Scootaloo had, launched three feathers at the Vampire, who caught them in his magic, sending them straight back at Tail and forcing him to barrel roll to the side, unfurling his wings to prevent himself from falling. Sweetie Belle started spinning her swords like the blade of a circular saw, she sent both at Moon Shadow. He tried to block but because they were spinning succeeded in doing nothing, many cuts being opened on his side and back.
Moon Shadow, angered beyond belief that they were winning, that they had the nerve to attack him in his own home, sent his blade at Meteor Storm. Storm deflected the sword with a shield before leaping forward and slamming his hooves down on Moon Shadows head. The Vampire’s head hit the floor with the force of the punch. He rolled quickly away shaking his head to clear the dizziness and ringing in his ears. He saw Storm charging him and prepared for one of the unicorns specialities: hoof to hoof combat. Storm stopped in front of the Vampire transfering his speed into a punishing uppercut, that Moon shadow deflected with a weak shield, designed to last a few seconds and deflect a blow. Storm recovered quickly and began to pepper Moon with blows, Moon shadow dodging some but deflecting most with his shields.
Storm stumbled as a particularly powerful blow was deflected by a shield, he was off balance leaving an opening that Moon Shadow took advantage of. Storm was pushed to the right with the force of his blow, leaving his ribs exposed to the Vampire, wasting no time, his forelegs moving like pistons, Moon Shadow punched Storm in the chest, accompanied by the sickening crack of breaking bones. The large pony followed this up with an uppercut to the gut, knocking the wind out of Storm and ended by pushing the Unicorn away.
Scootaloo, recovering from her last attack, flicked out the swords mounted on her forelegs as she took off and aimed herself at Moon Shadow, diving in to slice at him when Storm stumbled backwards. Moon Shadow caught the movement out of the corner of his eye and turned just in time to catch Scootaloo’s hooves in his own; He smiled at her before sharply twisting the right ankle, breaking it and throwing her to the left into Storm where they tumbled across the floor together. Seeing his opening Tail Wind kicks off a nearby wall accelerating himself, wings spread, bladed edge glinting, straight at Moon Shadow. Moon Shadow growled having to duck and roll to dodge the attack, receiving yet another cut across his side. He jumped backwards into the shadows where none could see him.
The Crusaders formed a semicircle around the area he had been. “You can’t hide Moon Shadow. We know you’re there.” Storm called into the darkness.
A figure shifted in the darkness. It took a step forwards, a black hoof appearing out of the darkness quickly followed by another until a pony, black as night with eyes the colour of blood. “Then how do you explain this Stormy?” He said, causing the Crusaders to jump and wheel around to see their enemy stood on the other side of the room.
Had he been thinking clearly, Storm would have noticed that Moon Shadow couldn’t have got over there without someone seeing, the patch of shadow he was hiding in had no unbroken line to that side of the room and Moon Shadow was big enough to be noticed in the light. He couldn’t teleport and even if he could there was no flash of magic to indicate a teleportation. Storm, however, was not thinking clearly, he was angry. Kicking against the floor he traveled at an incredible clip across the room. “No one calls me that!” He yelled. When he was a second away from attacking Moon Shadow disappeared.
A pained scream behind him alerted Storm to Moon Shadows reappearance. He turned around to see Apple Bloom, her chest plate on the floor, with a massive cut across her back. Moon Shadow stood over her, sword dripping in her blood held in the fell grasp of his magic. He brought the sword to his tongue sliding it across, collecting some of the blood. “Delicious.” He said before he launched himself at Tail Wind. He was too close and moving too fast for the pegasus to react and they went tumbling across the floor, Moon Shadow focusing his blows on Tail Wind’s, still armoured, wings. There was the screech of metal rubbing against metal, the crack of bone splitting and the scream of an injured stallion as Moon shadow brought his hoof down a final time to launch himself back into the shadows.
“Apple Bloom!” Sweetie shouted, running to the young Earth pony, horn alight and spells running through her mind. As she reached the young pony though, Moon Shadow jumped from the shadows to Sweetie Belle’s right, forcing her to turn to shield herself from an attack that never came. Moon Shadow disappeared, Sweetie’s eyes widening as she realised the mistake she made. The real Moon Shadow stepped out of the darkness behind her, slashing his sword across the back of her legs as he jumped past her and stabbed his sword into Storm’s rear left leg, twisting it as he pulled it out, not breaking his stride while he ran between the shadow he had been hiding in and another on the other side of the room.
“Everyone! To the centre! Form a circle!” Tail Wind shouted, he and Scootaloo helping the injured Earth pony and unicorn mares. Tail staunched the bleeding of both mares wounds, putting small pieces of metal in Sweetie’s rear leg braces, locking them and turning them into splints.
“Can you stand?” He asked. Apple Bloom gritted her teeth and rose laboriously on her hooves.
“It hurts, but yes.” She replied.
Sweetie Belle tried but the combination of the wound and her locked armour prevented her from moving from her position. Tail and Apple Bloom stood behind her, Scootaloo covering them, raised her from her side onto her hooves like they were righting a stack of chairs. “Can you walk like that Sweetie?” Tail asked worriedly. Behind Tail Wind, Storm was going berserk. Blasting every shadow in range with fire, receiving many more cuts from the Vampires sword, that he seemed to be completely ignoring. Sweetie took a step forward then lifted one of her rear legs and awkwardly moved it forward.
“Not very easy and I won’t be winning any races anytime soon, but I can.” She affirmed, nodding.
“Good.”Tail said.
Storm fell back into the centre of the room, horn glowing the flames that made up his face had spread now making up his entire torso too. “Form a circle.” He said. ‘I have a plan’ He sent over the mental link, that was still up but until that point had gone forgotten. The others complied with his order quickly forming a circle and watching, waiting for Moon Shadow to make his move.
The dark stallion blasted out of the shadows, flying on course to pass between Storm and Tail Wind. Storm turned quickly on his uninjured leg holding up a gemstone between himself and the Vampire. There was a bright flash and Moon Shadow cried out in pain, his body flying into the middle of the circle of ponies.
Moon Shadow landed on his hooves, large stretches of his fur had been burned off, the edges smoking slightly. He was covered in cuts, some deep others shallow, all looked painful. His red eyes searched for a pair of theirs, searched to control one of them and force them to fight for him. But they knew better than to allow eye contact keeping their eyes low. Tail bucked him in the side, disrupting the moment of silence. Scootaloo flicked her good wing forward launching a trio of feathers into his legs. Apple Bloom, whom the Vampire was now facing, Use the strength she had built up over years of working on the farm to use. Even injured her buck was more formidable than most, and she hit him right in the face with all the strength she could muster, breaking his nose badly. Sweetie Belle brought her twin swords around behind him cutting deep into his legs as he stumbled backwards, forcing him to sit down in the centre of them again.
Storm stepped up, standing a few feet from the Vampire, his horn aglow. He built up a vast amount of power forcing it into his horn as he began to cast a spell. “YOU WILL BURN!” He roared, the flames growing as he released the spell. A ball of fire and light, centred on Moon Shadow, grew before condensing, growing hotter and brighter the more it did so. Tail Wind, who had been helping Scootaloo and Apple Bloom, started to fire feathers into the ball. Storm cut the spell off dropping to the floor due to the energy used. Moon Shadow stood, smoking, his hide covered in deep cuts and a few feathers, partially melted into the skin along his side.
Sweetie Belle stepped forwards, swinging one of her swords over her head and brought it down with a cry into the large Vampires neck, again, and again. She hacked at his neck until his head dropped to the floor and his body dissolved into ash.
“It’s done.” She said not quite believing it. “We’ve won. He’s been destroyed. We’ve done it Storm!” She cried looking to the stallion. “Storm? You can drop the flames now.”
Storm stood, his body covered in flames, his face formed of fire. “You. Will. All. Burn!” He yelled, loosing a torrent of fire at the other Crusaders. Sweetie, thinking quickly, raised a shield weaving fire resistance into it as she extended it around the others.
“What’s going on? Why is he attacking us?” She asked Tail Wind, scared out of her mind.
Tail Wind sighed, hanging his head. “He told you about his pyromancy right? Well, it allows him to use more powerful spells than other spellcasters but his strongest can still take parts of his mind when he casts them. The spell he used was more powerful than anything I have ever seen before. He’s gone now, he may return eventually but I can’t let him out of here like that.” He said turning to the others. “Run, when he stops attacking drop the shield and run. I’ll subdue him and bring him to the surface, then I’ll start treating him in ‘the candle’.”He said, turning to where Storm had been and lowered into a combat stance.
“I’m not leaving you here to fight him alone!” Scootaloo shouted.
“That wasn’t a request Scootaloo! It was an order from your superior. Retreat to the cave mouth and await further instruction.” He said angrily.
“No, Tail I can’t just leave you.”
“You can and will. Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle retreat to the cave mouth and take Scootaloo with you.” He said, the others nodding solemnly taking the younger pegasus and pulling her away from Tail and the danger. When Storm could not keep the fire burning any longer and had to stop, Sweetie dropped the shield and, pulling Scootaloo behind her, fled down the tunnels that led to the safety of the world outside.
Tail Wind sighed as he walked up to Storm who was panting from exhaustion on the floor. “You know you shouldn’t cast such powerful spells, small wounds great in number can still bring low even the mightiest of foe.” he said. Storm attempted to rise, Tail kicked his horn. “You told me that. That’s how you convinced me to learn how to use the Steel Wings and the feathers. They’re not the most powerful of weapons but I can use my speed to cause much more damage that’s harder to dodge than one big swing with the big sword I used to use.” He said, kicking Storm in the stomach as he tried to rise again.
“Burn. Burn in the fires of your hate and rage.” Storm groaned from his position in the floor.
“So why did you feel the need to use a spell so powerful that you sacrificed your mind to finish it. We were winning, we could have done it without any of your magic at all. Well, I’ll ask you again when you’re capable of stringing two thoughts not directly related to fire, hate and anger together.” Tail sighed again preparing to cover Storm’s horn, tie him up and drag him to the surface.
Storm knocked away the metal sheath. “I did it... because I’m... doing something that’s... never been done before. I’m... purging the dragon blood...from my body.” He said struggling to maintain his control. His face gradually lost it’s flickering appearance very slowly returning to it’s usual shade of teal.
“What will happen when you do? Why are you doing it?” Tail Wind asked thoroughly confused.
“It’s never been... done before, I have no clue.” Storm struggled. “We’ve won there is no point in me having these abilities anymore. I went too far and... now this is the only way-hngh.. for me to stay sane.” The flames across his back and body died down, just his mouth was left.
“Do you have to do it now? Can’t you wait until we get somewhere safer?” Tail asked.
“I can’t hold the... flames in my mind back... for long. This will eliminate the... insanity I accidently called... I’ll lose my fire magic but I don’t want it anyway. Sorry brother, but shut up it’s taking me a lot of concentration to maintain this control.” He said his face screwed up in pain.
Instead of dying out like the other fires had done the flames of his mouth extended, pouring out of his mouth and onto the floor, forming a pool. When this was done he collapsed again, Tail Wind rushing over to his side. “Stay back. I think I’ve found out why no one ever-ack!” He cried as he clutched at his chest, the pool on the floor glowing brighter.
"I'm never getting that drink you owe me am I?" Tail asked.
"I'm sorry Tail Wind. Goodbye, my brother." Storm said, reaching his hoof out weakly to the Pegasus. Tail wind gripped it firmly, locking their ankles together and smiling sadly at his leader, mentor and his most loyal friend.
Sweetie Belle exited the cave and kept running up to the top of a nearby hill. She stood facing the cave. All three of them together stood looking down at the cave.
“How long do you think it’ll take him?” Scootaloo asked the other two, her tone and actions indicating worry. She was flicking her wings, causing the metal feathers to rustle and jangle together.
“Ah don’t know, shouldn’t be long now. Calm down Scoots, he’ll be fine. He can fight better than you can and you know you could get out of a cave like that.” Apple Bloom consoled, placing a hoof on her friends shoulder. “Besides, that’s getting real annoying.” she added.
“Okay.” she said standing still once more. A minute passed before the Crusaders felt and heard a low rumbling in the earth.
“I’m feeling a massive amount of magic.” Sweetie Belle said. “It’s coming from inside the cave. It’s Storm?” A few seconds after she said that, the earth that separated the cave from the sky began to rise, like their was a massive balloon under it and somepony was blowing it up. It grew and grew, rocks cracking and falling, fire bursting out of fissures. Then,less than a second after it started, the whole thing collapsed, rocks and dust mixed with fire shooting out the sides and from the tunnels they’d just escaped from, turning them into naturally formed cannons.
Sweetie Belle threw up a shield around herself and her friends, quickly moulding it so it parted the dirt and rock while they passed.“What’s happening?” Scootaloo asked, very scared for the two Crusaders who weren’t with them.
“We’re in the middle of an explosion.” Sweetie Belle said concentrating as much as she could to prevent them being swept away by the blast. A small tear leaking from the corner of her eye at the thought of the other Crusaders.