Chapter 37
Charles had finally made it out of the mountain and made his way south from there. Just like the stone turtle said, Charles had managed to find a large stone structure with a dome roof. He could see holes in the roof of the structure with vines and plants growing all over the building. “This must be it, finally, I can’t wait to get these things so I can get home and see my family and friends again. Charles made his way to the entrance of the temple. It wasn’t all that impressive, the doorway was long gone so Charles just walked in. the area inside was indeed large, the floor was stone and the holes in the roof allowed the sun to shine in providing light so Charles could see. There was a body of water, like a river, circling the room.
He made his way near the center of the massive room where he saw some depictions in the floor. There were five pedestals in a circle surrounding the depictions. They were of the five elements of nature with strange symbols just underneath them. Charles looked back up and straight ahead where he saw something he didn’t expect at the back of the room. Five weapons resting on five other pedestals, only thicker and wider to hold each one. He cocked an eyebrow at this. He moved closer to get a better look.
From where he was he could make out some characters on each of them. One weapon was a three bladed scythe. The shaft was 7ft. long, the top blade was 4ft. long, the middle was 3ft. and the bottom was 2ft. long. All three blades appeared to be made of obsidian. At the base of each blade was a Japanese symbol for earth in red markings.
Another weapon was a Szabla style sword measuring 3ft. from the tip to the hand guard. The blade itself was curved slightly, colored silver, and had the symbol for wind in the same language in light blue.
The next one Charles saw was a massive two handed sword measuring in at 7ft from tip to hand guard and 2 Ft wide. The blade was black and had cracks of molten rock in it. On the had guard was the symbol for fire in gold.
The next he saw was a dual set of nunchackus measuring in at 1ft per section colored silver and held together by black arcs of lightning. At the base of each were the symbol for lightning.
The last weapon was a 6ft. long staff made of ice with a white steel piece at the center with the symbol for water on one side and ice on the other in royal blue.
Charles marveled at the weapons before him. “Whoa, these are the elements of life? I certainly wasn’t expecting this, but how am I supposed to make use of all five of them? Great, well, I came here to find them, and find them I did. Maybe they combine into one somehow.” Charles began his approach to the weapons. He reached out to grab the staff first, but suddenly, they all started sparking with their respective elements. Charles quickly retracted his hand and backed off from them. The glow they emitted was getting too bright and Charles had to shield his eyes.
Once the light faded, Charles removed his hands from his eyes and was once again surprised at what he was seeing. “Whoa, what the…..” Standing before him now were five alicorns.
From left to right the first he noticed had black eyes, a white coat, a flaming mane and tail made of fire, had the enlightened character on his flank, the symbol for fire on his forehead just below his horn, and the number 4 on his chest. All in black. He was wearing chainmail armor with a chestplate, greaves, and a hood. “I am Flashpoint.” The alicorn introduced himself.
The next had brown eyes, a white coat, a long brown mane and tail that seemed to constantly have dirt and rocks rolling off him as they hung low. He had holes in his hooves, one on each, the same mark on his flank as the first, had the character for earth on his forehead, and the number 3 printed on his chest. He was wearing the same kind of armor as the first. “I am Dust.”
The third had icy blue eyes, a white coat, and his mane and tail were silver and had sparks of electricity running through them. A few sparks were also seen once in a while going off around his body. He had the same symbol as the others on his flank, the symbol for lightning and the number 5 on his chest. This one’s armor was the same as well. “I am Voltage.”
The fourth had solid sea green eyes, also a white coat, and his mane and tail flowed like the princesses but looked like it was made of water as it moved. This one also had the same symbol for enlightened on its flank, the symbols for water, ice, and steam running down its forehead and the number 2 on its chest. This one also shared the same armor as the others. “I am Tidal Wave.” This one had a female voice.
Finally, the last had the same armor and mark on its flank. It had a white coat, silver eyes, a long grey mane and tail with silver streaks, the symbol for wind on its forehead, and the number 1 on its chest. “And I am Aeros.” This one also spoke with a female voice.
The one who introduced herself as Tidal Wave stepped forward. “We are the enlightened five, representatives of the elements of life. Who are you to come here seeking such power?”
Charles was stunned, these five alicorns that appeared out of nowhere, standing just as tall as the princesses were all looking right at him. “Uh…….”
The one identified as Flash point stepped forward. “Ooh, never seen anything like this before, what do you think it is?”
Dust came up with Flash point. “I do not know, such a creature has never been seen in this world before.”
The one called Voltage then spoke. “Can it speak? It looks like some kind of monkey with wings.”
“Who cares what it is, I say we have some fun with it, we haven’t had anything to do in centuries.” Flashpoint spoke as he eyed Charles.
Aeros then spoke. “Flash, whatever this thing is, it was able to awaken us, it must be intelligent and hold some power within it to do so.”
Dust then spoke to address Charles. “Tell us creature, can you speak?”
Charles was finally able to get over his initial shock as he began his introduction. “Um, hello there, my name is Charles, my species is known as human.”
Tidal wave then came in. “So it can speak. Tell us, why have you come here…..human?”
“I came here seeking the power of the elements of life, there is a great threat coming to Equestria, I have come here at the request of both the old king and queen, as well as Princess Celestia and Luna to find such power that I may help to defend the land from whatever this threat is.”
Voltage chimed in. “HA HAH, did you hear that, this could be the chance we’ve been waiting for to finally get out of here, we might also get to see some action.”
Flashpoint agreed. “All right, I say we take this opportunity and get out of here.”
Dust cut in. “Hold on, have you forgotten, as much as I would like to no longer be stuck here like the rest of you, we cannot simply ally ourselves with this creature.”
Aeros then came in. “Yes, how do we know he speaks the truth. And besides, whether he speaks the truth or not, he must prove himself worthy of our power. We must give him the test.”
Charles tried to defend himself. “I do speak the truth, I swore my loyalty to Celestia and Luna, if you are supposed to be guardians, then lend me your strength so I can defend my new home from whatever this danger is.”
“I’m sorry, but we must see if you can handle our power first before we join you.” Tidal Wave pointed out.
“Come forward human, I wish to see something in your mind.” Aeros practically commanded.
“My mind, what do you mean?” Charles asked with a cocked eyebrow.
“I want to make sure you speak the truth of what you say about serving the sun and moon goddesses. Fear not, I will not look at anything private that you do not wish me to see.”
Charles stepped closer to Aeros. She lowered her head and placed the tip of her horn on Charles’s forehead. A kind of wind emitted from her horn as she began her spell. Charles felt a cool breeze cover his entire form and felt Aeros enter his mind. After about a minute, Aeros cancelled her spell and pulled back. “So, you are from another world and have seen much hardship. However, you found a new home in Equestria and made a better life for yourself. You speak the truth about serving the princesses.”
“I told you.”
Dust cut in. “That does not change the fact that you must first pass our test to make sure you can handle our power. You must fight each of us in one on one combat to prove your worth.”
Flashpoint interjected. “Oh come on, I’m bored here, what if he fails, who knows how long it will be before someone else comes along. Can’t we just assume he can do it and get out of here?”
Voltage agreed. “Yeah, there’s nothing to do here but sit around.”
Aeros interjected. “Enough! We cannot simply join him just because we are……bored here. He must prove himself worthy of our power, if he passes, then we will join him and we can leave here.”
“Fine.” Flashpoint and Voltage agreed.
“I accept, if it means getting the power to protect my home, then so be it, I will not fail, I can’t fail, there is just too much riding on this.” Charles stated.
“All right then, I’m up first, I’ve been itching for some action for ages.” Flashpoint said as he stepped forward. “All right, Charles was it, don’t think I’ll go easy on you just cause I want you to win so we can leave this place.”
Charles removed his backpack, got his staff out and formed his twin swords. “I wouldn’t have it any other way, it would be an insult if you held back.”
Flashpoint summoned the massive sword Charles saw earlier with the black blade and molten cracks. It seemed to be wrapped in flames as it floated next to Flashpoint. “I hope you can make this interesting for me.” Flash then lunged forward with his sword raised. Charles crossed his swords overhead to block. The sword came down with such force, Charles was forced to one knee and a small crater formed around him. Charles strained as he tried to push up. He managed to start standing as he pushed.
Eventualy, he managed to force the sword up as he uncrossed his swords. He went for a horizontal strike but Flash blocked it. Charles swung with his other sword and Flash managed to push Charles’s firs sword and block the other. He forced Charles’s sword to the ground and took a swipe. Charles ducked and jumped back a bit. Charles charged forth and went for a double strike. Flash blocked with his sword. Their blades now locked, they looked at each other in the eye. Flash grew a grin. His body started glowing red. Not sure what this could mean, but not taking any chances, Charles quickly jumped back and away from Flashpoint.
Just as he did, a large fiery explosion went off, Charles was in mid jump when it hit and sent Charles hurtling in the air. He managed to use his wings to recover in the air. He was stunned for a second and looked at what happened. It was just in time to see Flash flying at him with his sword at the ready. Charles managed to use his swords to block a side strike, but the force sent him back again. Flashpoint came again, Charles countered and swung, but Flashpoint countered himself. They flew around in the air trading blow for blow and counter for counter as they flew.
The other enlightened five just watched. “COME ON HUMAN, YOU CAN DO IT!” Voltage cheered. The others looked at him in confusion. “What?”
Flash heard this and was a little surprised that Voltage was cheering for the human and not him, he turned his head to look at Voltage on the ground. “HEY, WHO’S SIDE ARE YOU ON!?”Charles took this opportunity to land a blow. He forced the sword out of the way and landed a strike with his left sword with a down strike, catching Flash in the neck. “GAH!” Flash cried out. He backed up a little and raised a hoof to his injury. A bit of fire was eminating from the cut. “Not bad.” He complimented.
They went right back to countering and trading blows as they flew about. At one point, they had their blades locked again. Flash pushed with all his might and forced Charles back, his horn began to burn and he fired a stream of flames. Charles quickly flew out of the way and now had a stream of fire following him. Flashpoint tried to get a beat on him as he hovered in place. Charles was just flying in circles looking for an opportunity to strike. He was then struck with an idea. He formed his staff and stopped in place, he started twirling his staff and created a wind like when he fought that dragon, he was able to push back the stream of flames a bit but wasn’t sure what to do then. He got the same idea as before. He let the fire draw closer and dove down to the ground with his swords acting like a drill.
“Ah geeze, did I fry him already?” Flashpoint asked.
“Clever using Flash’s fire as a cover like that.” Dust complimented quietly to the others.
“Great, well that was a disappointment.” Flashpoint said as he came in for a landing. “Guess we’ll have to…”
Before he could finish, Charles suddenly popped out of the ground behind Flashpoint, Flash only had a second to look behind him to see Charles’s Swords swipe at his neck.
“Good work human.” Flash said before turning into pure fire. The fire became a stream as it flew to one of the pedestals at the center of the room where it formed a ball of fire with a ring around it.
“Well done Charles.” Complimented Aeros.
Charles looked a little confused. “What just happened.”
Tidalwave informed. “Whenever you beat one of us, we will take on a pure form of the element we represent and take a place at the pedestals there. Once all five of us have been defeated, you must step into the center and our power will flow into you, bonding us to you.”
“I see, so who’s next?”
Dust stepped forward. “I am. I will not be so easily defeated.”
“All right then, round two.” Charles readied himself as Dust summoned the scythe he saw earlier.
Charles made the first move. He jumped up and brought his swords down, Dust used the shaft of his scythe to block. Dust flung his weapon up to push Charles back. Dust took a swipe with his scythe, nearly catching Charles in the stomach. Dust took swipe after swipe, as Charles blocked and dodged. Charles was having trouble finding an opening to take a swing. Without warning, once he took a step back, he fell over. “Whoa!” Dust took Charles’s spill to swing down for a vertical strike. Charles blocked it with his swords and got back up. He noticed the ground where he stepped turned to sand.
Charles managed to get back up and continue parrying, he was still on the defense as he was being pushed back. Another step back and Charles fell back again. Dust went for another strike and Charles was just barely able to block it. “What’s going on here?” He got no answer. “All right, fine.”
Charles managed to finally make an opening and took to the air. “You think your safe in the air?” Dust reared up and fired a ball of mud from the hole in his front left hoof. Charles saw it coming and used his sword to slice at it. As soon as he did, it exploded. The force sent him flying backwards. “GAH!” He started falling but managed to recover. “What the hell!” Dust stomped his hooves on the ground, they seemed to meld with it and large bulges started to form .
Soon, giant stone hands erupted from the ground and started reaching out for him in the air. Charles flew frantically and slicing at them as they grabbed for him. They just kept coming. One shot up from the ground and came up behind him. It grabbed him and held tight. “AAHHHH!” Charles screamed in pain as it started squeezing him. Charles tried to think of a way out. He began to try and focus his magic. In a white flash, Charles teleported out of the grasp of the stone hand. He reappeared off to the side of Dust away from him as he was on the ground panting. Dust wasted no time. He pulled his hooves up out of the ground and began firing a volley of mud bombs at Charles.
He saw it coming and quickly put up a white barrier to shield himself as he held up his arms in front of his face as he held his swords backhanded. The mud bombs made contact with his shield and exploded. Charles waited for a break in the assault to make a move. In one quick movement, he dismissed his shield, jumped up into the air just in time to avoid a few of the bombs, and dove at Dust as fast as he could with one sword ready to strike. Dust saw him coming. He blocked one of Charles’s swords with his scythe, but Charles managed to use his other sword to impale Dust in the chest, at the same time, Dust formed a rock spike that caught Charles on the side and scrapped him, leaving a small gash with a bit of blood coming out. “Bravo, you are more skilled than I gave you credit for Charles.”
Charles pulled back his sword and backed up from dust, he fell to his knees as he clutched to his injury. Dust’s body soon turned into a group of rocks that spread out into a small bubble, they regrouped and flew to the area with the pedestals and formed a single perfectly round rock with a few cracks in it and a few pebbles circling around it.
Charles looked back at his injury, it wasn’t too bad, but it ripped his black shirt. The two battles had left him a little tired, but he had three more to go. He had to keep going. “All right, who’s next?” Charles declared as he stood up and faced the remaining three alicorns.
“Looks like I’m up.” Voltage said as he stepped forward and summoned the pairs of nunchakus in a flash of electricity, the aura around them seemed wild as it sparked and surged. “You may be fast, but no way you can keep up with me, and though I’m hoping you win like the rest of us so we can get out of this place, I won’t be holding back.”
Charles readied himself. “All right Voltage, round three, bring it on.”
“That’s what I like to hear. If you win, we’ll get along just great.” Voltage made the first move, he began spinning and swiping his nunchackus like crazy and really fast. Charles was barely able to keep up as he managed to block and dodge the attacks that were coming at him. Unfortunately, Voltage managed to land a hit on Charles side. He recoiled and that gave Voltage the chance to begin an unrelenting assault. Charles got hit repeatedly and in quick succession in the face, on the side and in the arms. The last strike Voltage landed was a straight swing up with his weapon, landing a hit just under his jaw.
Charles was sent flying backwards and landed on his back and rolled a bit. His swords lay just in front of him. He coughed a bit and spat out a bit of blood. He pushed himself back up and looked at Voltage just standing there. “Come on Human, get up, I’m not about to strike you while your down. You want our help, earn it, prove to us you can handle what we have.”
Charles pushed himself up and picked up his swords. He took on a ready stance. Voltage charged, Charles swiped his left sword down, creating a crescent wave of white energy flying at voltage. This caught him off guard, but was able to side step it. “Now that’s more like it, let’s see how you handle a little lightning.” He said with a smile. His horn began to spark and surge with electricity. Charles quickly put up a shield to protect himself.
A large bolt of lightning shot forth from Voltage. Charles strained to keep his shield up. Voltage ceased the bolt and charged. Charles charged forth as well. Voltage took a swipe with one nunchacku and Charles dodged left, Voltage took a horrizantal strike and Charles ducked, Charles used his right sword to swing diagonal and Voltage side stepped it. Voltage then went for a swing with his left nunchacku, Charles used his right sword and allowed the arc lightning holding the two together around his sword. Charles flung it back and managed to get it out of Voltages magic grasp. Charles swung his left sword down and Voltage jumped back. He managed to use his magic to call the nunchaku he lost back to him.
Charles saw Voltage charging up his horn again. It was then he had an idea. It probably wouldn’t work, given the fact its lightning from an alicorn, but still. Charles reformed his staff and quickly stuck one end in the ground just as Voltage launched a bolt of lightning. Charles quickly released his staff and, just like he had hoped, the lightning was drawn to his staff and went into the ground. “HAH, it worked.” Charles cheered.
“Clever, you found a way around my lightning.” Charles took his staff back up. The two charged at each other again, Charles kept his staff as is. Charles was able to defend from Voltage’s attacks with his staff and was able to start making some head way. during the encounter, Voltage swung his left nunchacku and Charles let it wrap around his staff. Voltage swung the other and Charles let that wrap around his staff as well. Charles managed to fling both away and began an assault on his own once Voltage no longer had his weapons. Charles swung and spun his staff quickly and repeatedly, landing blows on Voltage’s head and chest. Eventually, Charles finally knocked Voltage down and had him on the ground panting.
“Well…..done….go ahead…..and finish …..it.” Voltage said with a smile.
Charles formed his swords and made the killing blow by driving one sword into Voltage’s neck. Voltages body exploded into electricity as a mass, then surged forth and formed an orb of pure lightning with a sparking circle around it at the pedestals. Charles was now breathing heavily as he was feeling a bit more tired and sore from the hits he endured. “Huh…..huh…..ok……who’s next?”
“Guess I’m up now.” Tidal wave came forth, her horn lit up with a blue color and the aura around it moved like water. The staff of ice appeared. “You are doing very well so far, but don’t get cocky, arrogance can lead to defeat.”
“Don’t worry about that, I’m not the arrogant sort.” Charles smirked. Still breathing a little heavy.
Tidal Wave smiled. “Good, now let’s see how you fare against me.” This one took hold of the staff with her forelegs and stood up on her hind legs. She twirled it around to show off a little and readied herself for a fight. Charles readied his swords. Tidal Wave whipped the staff and the front end suddenly turned into water. The water whip was coming right at him. He figured slicing it wouldn’t do any good, so he formed his shield again. It was a bit more of a strain for him when the water whip made contact, he was starting to get low on his magic reserves.
Charles quickly dropped his shield and took to the air. Tidal Wave ceased her assault and followed suit. She began firing globs of water at Charles. They exploded in mid-air and created a smoke screen of steam. The heat was scorching as Charles could feel it whenever one exploded near him. He began flying backwards and used his energy crescent blades to slice up the water blobs before they got close but a few got past them. A few kept exploding close but not enough to hurt him.
He aimed for Tidal wave with a few strikes but she was able to easily dodge them as she flew. She tried using the water whip to grab him as they flew. Charles managed to slice it before it touched him but it didn’t stop it. He had to keep slicing and swinging to keep it at bay. Eventually, it grabbed his leg and Tidal Wave whipped him down, slamming him to the ground hard, creating a small crater around him. Charles groaned in pain. “Oooohhh.” He managed to push himself up, but with a little difficulty.
Tidal Wave came to a landing in front of the crater. She still held the staff in her foreleg , but was standing on her other three. “Come now, are you giving up already? A shame.”
Charles looked up at her and glared. “I’ll give up when I’m good and dead.” Charles quickly took a swipe at her and managed to nick her in the leg. He was standing tall now.
“Ooh, someone found their second wind.”
“I’m not about…..to give up…..on those….I love. Too much….depends on me……succeeding.” He panted out.
“That is most admirable, but you still need to beat all five of us.” Charles went for it. He started swinging his swords madly at Tidal Wave, but she managed to block each of his strikes. He was pushing her back though, as if he were in a fit of rage, Charles continued. Tidal Wave was starting to feel as though he would break through her defenses. She quickly jumped back and fired a water blob at the ground in front of Charles. The explosion created a massive smoke screen of steam. The explosion caused Charles to back step some, and now the heat was making him start to sweat.
He looked around for any sign of Tidal wave. He saw a silhouette in the steam, he took a swipe with his left sord but hit nothing, the shadow was gone. “You’re cause may be noble, but as we said, you must prove yourself to us before you can wield our power.” Tidal Wave said as she was nowhere to be seen.
Charles looked and couldn’t find her anywhere. A ball of water hit him in the back and exploded into steam. “GAH!” Charles lurched forward at the impact. He quickly turned around and saw nothing. Another hit from his right. The steam burned his skin and caused him pain. “GAAAAHHHH!” He quickly regained his stance and swiped his right sword at where it came from, but again hit nothing. “Where are you? Quit hiding like a coward!”
“A coward am I, this is merely a tactic. Perhaps you are not the warrior we thought you were if you are calling me a coward for imploying such a maneuver.”
Charles was hit again from the other side on his mid-section on his left. “AHH! DAMNIT!” “Calm down! Think, you can’t see her, she’s using this smoke screen as a cover. If you can’t see her, maybe you can hear her.” Charles calmed himself down, he took a deep breath in and exhaled. He closed his eyes and opened his senses. “Where are you?” He calmly asked himself. He listened for hoof steps. For anything. He heard something on his right, he quickly moved and jabbed both swords forward. He was met with the sound of his swords piercing a metal chest piece. He opened his eyes and the steam cleared away.
He saw tidal Wave standing there smiling at him. “Well done, you won.” Her whole body turned to water and flowed to the pedestals, an orb of water with a ring around it floated above another pedestal. Charles eyed the pedestals, he fell to his knees as he breathed heavily, using his left sword to keep him up. He then looked over to Aeros.
“Well done, you have shown great determination and skill. You have beaten four of us, now only I remain. Defeat me, and we shall give you our power."
Charles stood up and pointed his left sword at her. “Lets…..get this…..over with. I have…..a family….waiting for me.”
“Then for your sake, and theirs, I hope you can win. Though given how tired you seem, it may not be likely.”
“I will……win. I have to……failure…….is not an option.”
“Very well then. Let us finish this.” Aeros summoned her sword, it was the curved sword Charles saw earlier. Before Charles could make a move, Aeros made the first. She held the sword out pointing at Charles, she began twirling it around and managed to create a whirlwind.
It shot forth at Charles and he was soon enveloped by wind. “Whoa WHOA!” Charles found himself at the center of a tornado. Blades of air started circling around him. He was having trouble getting his bearings and trying to correct himself, but the wind was too violent. The blades started slicing at him, cutting his clothes and leaving gashes across his arms and legs and a few on his sides. After a while, the wind stopped and Charles fell to the ground with a loud thud.
He was covered in cuts that were bleeding a bit. “Well, ready to give up yet?”
At this point, Charles’s black coat and clothes were shredded and his body was covered in bleeding cuts. Charles started weakly as he tried to get up. “Not…..a……CHANCE!” On the last word, he launched forward and started swinging his swords wildly at Aeros. She blocked and dodged his swings. She managesd to start countering back but Charles was able to still block her attacks as well. Their blades locked and Aeros pushed Charles back. She swiped her sword and made a blade of air fly at Charles. He managed to avoid it just enough to where it caught him on his left arm. “GAH!”
She sent another his way and Charles manages to duck and avoid it. Another came at him and Charles used his magic shield to try and block it. Unfortunatly, his magic was weak now, the blade smashed right through his shield and it just threw it off course, catching Charles in his right arm. “AH, Jeeze!” Charles tried sending a series of his own energy slashes at Aeros, she manages to dodge or block them. She started twirling her sword again to create the whirlwind. Charles couldn’t lose, he figured if he went through that whirlwind again, it could be the end of him. He channeled all the strength he had.
He spread his wings, put his swords tip to tip in front of him, sped off as fast as he could, his body glowing white. He flew through the air as the wind came at him. Charles quickly began his spinning forming his own wind. He clashed with the wind from Aeros and pushed with all his might. He was slowly gaining ground. “GGRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!” With a loud cry, he gave one final push and forced his way through the wind and made it to Aeros. His swords pierced her armor and through her chest.
The wind had stopped. Charles looked up at Aeros as she smiled at him. “Well done, you have proven yourself worthy.” She exploded into wind which threw Charles back. The wind blew over Charles and took its place as an orb of wind with a ring. Charles rolled over with a grunt. “Ugh.” He looked at the pedestals and saw all five had the elements there. He smiled weakly. He pushed himself up and limped over to them. Each step was a struggle, every inch only meant more pain for him. His cuts were bleeding, his body was sore and exhausted. His energy was spent. He got closer and closer.
He started to feel light headed as he got closer to the circle. “No….I……have to…..get there. Every pony……is counting…..on me. I…..have…….to…….make…….it.” Charles collapsed just outside the circle, unconscious, his life slowly ebbing away.
“Ah dang it. He’s dying. What now?” Flashpoint asked.
“We can’t just let him die, he won the test fair and square.” Voltage spoke.
“Agreed, he has proven himself and defeated each of us in combat.” Dust agreed.
“If his body is dying, he will need a new one.” Tidal Wave suggested.
“Very well, we shall use our power and grant him new life.” Aeros chimed in.
The rings around each of the orbs came to life as they moved. The lighting ring grabbed Charles’s left arm. The fire grabbed his right. The earth grabbed his left leg while the water grabbed his right. The wind grabbed him by his mid-section and they each lifted him up and placed him in the center. Once there, the rings returned and the orbs began to glow with their colors. The orbs then started to lift up and swirl around Charles’s form. They picked up speed as they spun around. Soon, they streamed into him and lit his body up in a bright white glow.
Charles stirred from his sleep, a feeling of grogginess over swept him as he opened his eyes. “Ooohh, what hit me. Wait……how come I don’t feel pain. I was beaten pretty bad earlier.” Charles pushed himself up from the ground and moved to place his hand on his head, as he did, something black came into his view. He stopped. “What the?” He found he was able to move it around. “What…..is that……mine?” Charles had a hoof instead of a hand. “YAAAHHHHH!” Charles screamed as he waved it up and down as if that would do any good while he stood up. He flailed his arms around as he fell backwards and landed on the ground. “OOf, WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ONT HERE!?” Charles looked at his arms and saw two limbs covered in black fur with hooves at the end. “What in the name of Celestia is going on here?!”
He rolled over and tried to stand on his legs, but was wobbly and fell back down on his belly. “Whoa! What happened to me?” Charles picked himself back up and finally decided to take a good look at himself. “Ok, calm down, just asses what’s going on here.” He looked himself up and down. “Ok, black fur, hooves….” He looked to his side and saw he still had his wings and they were still black. “I still have my wings, thank Celestia.” Charles then raised his new hoof and felt his forehead. “What is this? I have a horn too?” Charles had a horn sticking out of his head. “Have I been turned into an alicorn?”
“You have.” A female voice rang out.
“Who’s there!?” Charles cried out as he tried to stand, only to fall back down, not used to his new four legs.
“Aeros, that’s who.” The voice spoke out.
“Aeros, where are you?”
“Look on your back.” Dust’s voice came out. Charles complied and looked on his back. He saw his staff resing on his back but it was different. There were five small crystal orbs imbedded in it along the middle, each giving off a glow similar to the five elements. He was able to grasp the staff with his foreleg and held it in front of him.
“Um, hello?”
“Hey, you’re awake, great.” Flashpoint’s voice was heard.
“Ok, what the buck is going on here?”
Tidal Wave’s voice answered. “Your body was dying, we had to do something. And did you really just say buck?”
“Yes I did, but never mind that, what happened to me?”
Dust answered again. “As Tidal Wave said, your body was dying, we had to do something, so we gave you a new one, we made you an alicorn like us.”
“Is this a problem?” Aeros asked.
“Well I……” Charles stopped, he thought about it for a while. “Well, I.....I don’t know, I guess this is ok, I never really was human, I’m not sure what I could call myself before. But now…..”
“Yes?” Flashpoint asked.
“You know what……THIS IS PERFECT! Sure it will take some getting used to, but now I can actually feel like I truly belong. Despite how my new family liked me for who I was, I still never really felt like I fit in, but now, HA HA…….wait…..my family, and my friends. Oh boy, this is going to take some explaining to do on how I changed species.”
“So you are ok with this?” Asked Dust.
Charles smiled down at his staff. “I am, thank you guys. This is wonderful, but I’m still going to need to get used to walking on all fours, and holding things with these hooves.”
Tidal wave spoke up. “If you wish to get a better look at yourself, you can use the ice staff to create an ice mirror. Just summon it with your mind and the staff you hold will become it.”
“Ok, sure.” Charles closed his eyes and thought of the staff. Sure enough, his staff changed to the ice staff. “Nice, now what?”
“Just think of creating a reflective wall of ice.”
Charles used his magic to hold up the staff and used it to do so, he slammed one end to the ground and a wall of ice emerged. “Cool. All right, let’s get a good look at me.” Charles placed the staff back on his back and walked up to the ice wall, he was a little wobbly as he did. “Whoa.” His entire coat was black, he had a white mane and tail. His mane came down over his forehead a little with his horn sticking out of it. He turned to his side to reveal a mark on his flank, it was the same mark the enlightened five had on their flanks, but his was in red. “Nice mark. Ok, now I just need to get walking down, not too hard so far. Then again, I am really anxious to get home, I can always fly there……AH, but it’s still too far. I’ll have to go on hoof still when my wings get tired.”
Voltage’s voice then came in. “No worries, my power can help with that. With my speed in flight, you’ll be home in no time.”
“Really?” Charles asked excitedly.
“Sure, just switch to the nunchackus and my lighting power will be yours.”
Charles then used his mind to call them forth and the ice staff switched to the pair of nunchackus on his back. “Cool, so now what?”
“Just let the lightning surge through your body and fill up your wings.”
Before doing so, Charles found his bag and managed to place it on his back with his magic without moving. Charles then spread out his wings and they began to spark with electricity, his whole body began to spark as well. “All right, here goes.” Charles shot up into the air almost in an instant, he managed to shoot through one of the holes in the roof and was now high up in the sky. “WOW, HA HA, this is great. Ok, now to head for home.” Charles managed to create a sonic boom instantly as he took off and headed back north for home.
“WOOOOOOOOOO, THIS IS INCREDIBLE!” He cheered as he sped through the air. If you were to look up at the right time as he passed, you would only see a white line of energy suddenly appear for a second then vanish. “Wait till the girls get a load of me now! WOO HOOO!”
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