//------------------------------// // Chapter 12- Last Stand // Story: The Beckoning of Nature // by Dragonborne Fox //------------------------------// "Sombra......they knew her weakness too?!" Asked the Shadow, whose white maw had dropped. "Yes. But not before three of them were flicked away like mere insects." Sombra answered. "Which three?" Asked the Shadow. "Earth, Wind, and Lightning. They were the most foolish. Water was knocked into the ocean, which I find rather befitting of her Element." Sombra replied. "I will go to their Palace myself. You will follow once more." Said the Shadow. "Alright." Sombra said. ---- Ponies and Q-hybrids started to scramble once more-- the Shadow was so huge he blacked out the day just by flying over towns and cities. "What is that thing?!" Shouted Time Turner. "It's scary!" Caterwauled Minuette. "This isn't good! Celestia help us!" Hollered Berry Punch. "What will we do?" Wailed Octavia and Vinyl Scratch, who clutched each other in their forelegs. "We can't see! This is bad!" Yelled a nurse-truck. "I don't think Celestia can resolve this!" Shrieked a pair of sandal-twins. "Who will help us now!?" Screamed a canvas-woman. "I don't think we're safe anymore!" Bellowed a car-man. "Oh, the looks on their faces are priceless. Spreading mass panic really is a good idea." Sombra hissed as a smile crept on his face. Purple wisps started emanating from his eyes. ---- The Elements of Nature, as well as Cadence and Ocean Flame, were on the balcony watching what looked like an approaching storm. "Holy shit! Is that the Shadow Shining Armor spoke of?!" Shouted Rekka, whose jaw dropped. "I fear it is." Cadence squeaked. "I think I see a Sombra perched on top of an oh-so-familiar face." Said Yuuki, whose hoof was over her eyes. "We have to take to the skies now! Otherwise, we won't be able to see even with our magic!" Hollered Koto, who immediately took off faster than Rainbow Dash. "She's right! We have to fly now!" Called Tenmei, who followed suit. "I have the Crystal Heart with me. But you must deal with the Shadow first!" Cadence said as she took off. The other alicorns followed suit, racing into the sky as they prepared to take the Shadow head-on. "Sombra, stay back. If you must, perch yourself on those crystal towers you always make." Said the Shadow as his white eyes darted on each of the alicorns before him. Sombra complied once more, taking a spot on a mountainside. "Look what we have here! I might as well take on my old form." Said the Shadow as his blackened wisps of darkness made his face more unicorn-like. The shadows he trailed behind quickly gathered around his black form, adding a mane, tail, and wings of pitch-black darkness. His dark hooves separated Canterlot from the ocean. "Much better! Now, shall we begin?" Smiled the Shadow as his white eyes seemed to dim. "Is it me or does he look too much like Nightmare Moon?" Asked Yuuki. "It's not just you." Answered Nagare. "I'll be generous today. I won't attack until you all have done so. Go on now, don't be shy. Take your sweet, precious time, little ponies." Smiled the Shadow, who seemed to have slightly tilted his head. "I would fire insults, but here, it's unneeded." Nagare said as his sword grew in size. He and Tenmei teamed up their weapons and attacked in unison. This was followed by Yuuki and Koto, who flung their weapons at the monstrosity before them. Then, Rekka and Nagare teamed up and did the same. It did not even faze the Shadow. As a matter of fact, he laughed as though he swapped places with Pinkie Pie. "Foul!" Bellowed the Shadow as his wings suddenly turned into hydra heads and wrapped around the Elements of Nature in such a way that not only were they helpless, they were silenced. Gagged. Soon, they were dragged screaming into the dark abyss. The only ones left were Ocean Flame and Cadence. "Oh, I'm sorry. Did I forget about you two?" Asked the Shadow as his eyes brightened again, taking note of Ocean Flame's sputtering horn. "Oh, little pony, magic is useless against me. Did you forget Shining Armor's words, or did you never hear him in the first place?" Suddenly, a vortex engulfed the purple alicorn. But it was not just any vortex. No....fire and water.....were.....mixing? "What's this?! Stop your tomfoolery at once!" Caterwauled the Shadow, who now realized what was going on. At the same time of the vortex, the trapped Elements broke free of their confinement, hoisting themselves out of the cavities where the hydra heads were. The water and fire continued swirling and merging around the mare, whose eyes were now glowing purple with fury. "YOU DO NOT TAKE MY PARENTS AWAY FROM ME!!!!" Bellowed Ocean Flame, who was now surrounded by scalding water and frozen-cold flames. With all her might, she fired the deadly mixture right at the Shadow's face. The Shadow reared up on his hind legs roaring in pain. Again and again the mixture of elements was flung at him, making him shrink more than ever before. When he was just shrunk enough to manhandle, the mixture took hold of him and dragged him over the rock that had the petrified corpses of Maki and Saki on it. "YOU DO NOT GET TO LIVE!" Hollered Ocean, whose eyes were still purple with rage. With that, the Shadow was dissolved away into his former self: Baki. He was then slammed into the rock and held there until petrification took hold of him as well, crushing his horn in the process. "OCEAN FLAME! STOP RIGHT THIS INSTANT!" Yelled the voice of her father. It snapped the purple alicorn back into reality, her aura having ceased in a mere second. "Dad! He-He hurt you!" Ocean whined, her eyes reverting to normal. "I know he did. But it does NOT excuse that behavior. For today, however, I'll let it slide." Rekka said, his wings keeping him aloft. "B-But..." Ocean started. "I know. You...did something bad. But you did it for the sake of the world, maybe even the galaxy in which our world sits." Koto said, her wings creating mist. "Really?" Asked Ocean. Both her parents nodded. "Who wants Barbequed Sombra?!" Called Yuuki, who was chasing after Sombra's fleeting shadow. Strangely, she was trailing behind Cadence, who held the Crystal Heart with her horn. "HELP!" Hissed Sombra before he was wrecked into a million pieces once more. ---- "I would never have predicted the one responsible was one of my own Royal Guards. What did you do with him after the Shadow was killed rather violently?" Asked Celestia, who had the Elements of Nature before her. "We....kinda had to thrash the information out of him. Don't worry, it involved nothing more than our hooves." Yuuki said. "So, he was stubborn?" Celestia asked, an eyebrow raised. "More than stubborn. He called us....things I refuse to mention in the Royal Court." Tenmei answered, shifting his glasses so they'd sit properly on his muzzle. "I see a baby Gryphon on your back, Yuuki. Tell me what that is about." Celestia remarked. "Gilda saved him as an egg before he hatched. She asked us to put him in our care. He's imprinted on me since. His name's Breezecatcher." Yuuki replied. "You didn't have a foal?" Celestia said, trying to hide her shock. "It's not that I wouldn't, it's that I couldn't. I am infertile, sadly." Yuuki answered. "I see. How is Ocean Flame?" Celestia asked, turning her gaze to Koto. "She received her cutie mark after she...erm....attacked the Shadow. It's an ember and water droplet crossing paths to form mist. She's been really happy about it." Koto answered with a smile. "I see. Very well, then. You can go back to your Palace now. I am sure your companions are eager to see you. And please give the Q-hybrids you have my regards." Celestia said smiling. "Will do. I hope you visit us sometime." Rekka said before he and the others teleported out of the room.