//------------------------------// // Cease To Exist // Story: An Earthbound Journey // by ShadeJak //------------------------------// “Magnificent, isn’t it?” a familiar voice said from behind the six, causing them to turn around. Towering over them at about twice their height was a black, spiderlike creature. Its body appeared to be made of crystal and metal, with eight spindly, jointed legs ending in sharp claws; its four eyes glowing a bright red as it glared down at them. Suddenly, its back split open, revealing a glass dome covering a cockpit of some sort that revealed it to be some kind of mechanical walker vehicle, and they immediately recognized the pony within. “Trixie!” Twilight said, glaring up at her. “Surprised? So good of you to finally show up! Trixie welcomes you here!” the showmare now wore a hooded black cloak, with the Alicorn Amulet fastened around her neck once more. Her coat appeared to be noticeably paler, and her mane was now disheveled, giving the showmare a more crazed look to match the sinister grin on her face. “Your crystal fashion sense pales in comparison to Trixie’s greatness, but she’ll still give you credit for trying,” she said with a hoofwave as the spider-mech took a few steps toward them, backing them closer to the black crystal heart behind them. “So you have finally looked upon King Sombra, and what he’s now become?” she asked smugly. “But why is he in that thing?” Twilight asked. “Because he no longer wields the power of dark magic, Twilight! He has become the embodiment of it! His soul became one with the very power he once harnessed, which allowed his horn to contain enough of him to be extracted and placed in there to revive him! However, even such a state is not without its limits! He cannot control it on his own, so he requires an emissary, a talented right hoof to carry out his will, and who better then Trixie herself?” Trixie asked with a laugh. “You’re sick, Trixie! Ya gone an’ sold out to Sombra for more power?” Applejack asked in disgust. “Seriously that’s messed up in so many ways!” Rainbow snapped, glaring at the showmare. “Pfft! Trixie merely followed Sombra’s whispers as they came to her, and now she's here! No level of wisdom from the princesses themselves could have anticipated it! But your persistence has finally paid off, for you now have front-row seats to the greatest show in Equestria; the return of the Shadow King of the Crystal Empire!” Trixie replied, her eyes and the Alicorn Amulet briefly flashing red. “Not if we have anything to say about it!” Rainbow shouted as she and her friends took a fighting stance. Trixie let out a crazed laugh, her spider-mech crouching down and leaping over them, landing in front of the black crystal heart. “Very well! Prepare yourselves, foals, because the Great and Heavily-Armed Trixie means business!” she declared as the six ponies turned to face her. Trixie’s horn glowed with a bright red magic and appropriately flashy, over-the-top battle music began to blare from the spider-mech. The phantom image of Sombra’s face snarled and its eyes glowed brighter, and a beam of dark magic fired from the black crystal heart, knocking the six of them back. “Whoa… guy packs a wallop!” Applejack said, standing herself up. “I’ll take care of him!” Rainbow said, flying up into the air and doing several spins before swooping down, attempting to impact with the black crystal heart. Right before she could reach it, however, she crashed into something clear that shimmered from her impact, causing the sonic rainboom she’d intended to create to redirect and come at her friends. Thinking quickly, Twilight conjured up a temporary barrier that absorbed the shockwave, Rainbow herself falling and tumbling across the ground seconds after. “Ha! Nothing can pierce King Sombra’s barrier! He is invincible to your pathetic efforts!” Trixie declared with a laugh. “We’ll see about that!” Twilight shouted, summoning a starstorm spell and raining down bolts of magic on Sombra and Trixie. Twilight soon gained a worried look on her face as the magic bolts that landed on Sombra’s barrier immediately redirected back at them. “LOOK OUT!” Twilight cried out, her friends jumping out of the way and barely avoiding the stray blasts as they exploded all around them, nearly sending them off the edge of the platform. Out of the corner of her eye, Twilight noticed the magical blasts that had targeted Trixie hit their mark, blasting her spider-mech backward and causing her to tumble over. “Wait… so you’re still vulnerable, aren’t you?” the unicorn asked, smirking at the showmare with newfound resolve. “Try it, foa—” Before Trixie could finish, Rarity fired several bolts of magic at her, driving the spider-mech further towards the edge. Trixie growled angrily. “You’re going to pay for that!” she yelled, her horn glowing and the spider-mech immediately reared up, crimson magical energy gathering on the tips of its front legs and discharging it in the form of a focused beam at them, but Twilight quickly countered with another magic barrier. As soon as she did, however, the spider-mech charged forward, swinging its front legs in a swatting motion and sending Twilight flying off the edge of the platform. “Twilight!” Rainbow shouted, flying after her friend and catching her quickly. On the platform, Sombra grinned as he watched the battle before him, licking his lips in anticipation while his trusted servant cornered Fluttershy and Rarity. “Hey, Trixie!” Applejack shouted, prompting Trixie to pause just long enough for Pinkie Pie to fire a cupcake at the dome with her party cannon, blinding Trixie while Applejack immediately charged forward, leaped into the air, and delivered a crisp buck that caused the spider-mech to topple over and roll backward, crashing into the pedestal that the black crystal heart sat upon. Trixie grunted in frustration as the spider-mech used its front legs to wipe the cake mix off of the glass dome, the showmare within glaring lividly at the six ponies. Her horn glowing, a thick green gas burst from the spider-mech, its foul smell causing the six ponies to recoil in disgust and allowing Sombra an opportunity to fire another blast of magic at them, sending them further towards the edge of the platform. “Such great participation, but it’s time to cut your roles in this grand performance!” Trixie declared, her horn glowing again as the spider-mech rose off the ground, discharging a series of magical blasts that began raining continuously down upon them. Twilight struggled to hold up a magic barrier as long as she could, but the continued abuse was proving to be too much for it. “Wait, where’s Rainbow?” Fluttershy wondered aloud, before noticing a blur of motion behind Trixie, flying towards her at tremendous speed. With all her might, Rainbow slammed into the spider-mech in a fantastic explosion of color, sending it crashing to the ground in a heap as she rebounded off of it and rejoined her friends. “Don’t count us out yet!” Rainbow said with a grin as the six ponies began to approach Trixie, who grit her teeth in anger for a moment, but then suddenly burst out laughing as the spider-mech struggled to stand up, backing away from them. “You think you’ve won? You’re more clueless then Trixie had thought if you expect to defeat King Sombra without having witnessed his full power!” she said, grinning. “If you were to gaze upon what he has become, you’d be so overcome with fear you’d never be able to stand up to him! Allow Trixie to shut down the mana flow to the black crystal heart, and prepare to be amazed!” she shouted, her horn glowing brighter then ever as numerous tubes feeding into the black crystal heart shattered apart, the crystal structure it sat upon crumbling away as Sombra’s expression faded into a pair of glaring green eyes, purple smoke trailing from them as cracks began to form around his crystal vessel. The beating sound began to grow louder and and more rapid, Sombra’s eyes growing wider as a mouth formed between them, letting out a ferocious scream before the heart shattered to pieces and a thick cloud of black smoke erupted from it, engulfing everything in sight. ~ Dead silence. Pitch blackness everywhere. The six ponies felt themselves adrift in a sea of darkness. A deep, raspy breath, faint at first but growing louder by the second could suddenly be heard as traces of red mist began to swirl around them, taking shape seconds later. Fluttershy screamed at the horrible visage that appeared before them. The others stood rigid with fear, unable to turn their eyes away. Even Pinkie Pie looked absolutely terrified. Before them was a distorted image of King Sombra’s face, formed from glowing red mists, its features stretching and undulating, locked in a horrible, agonized scream. His eyes were now empty black sockets, bleeding some foul mist from them as though what had once been there was violently gouged out. As it dissipated and reformed, more faces would briefly form from it before receding into the nightmarish apparition. “So, are you frightened?” Trixie asked within the darkness, her spider-mech suddenly appearing and drifting before them. “Even Trixie admits to the chills she is experiencing from such horror! This is the ultimate price King Sombra has paid for his power! His very mind has been destroyed by his own dark magic leaving him incapable of feeling anything but fear and hatred!" the showmare declared with a laugh. “And soon, you, too, will be consumed by it as well! Yes, Trixie is no longer of the assistant role she briefly had to hold, but now the one who shall witness your end!” “No!” Twilight cried out, firing a starstorm but Trixie immediately vanished back into the shadows. The attack flew harmlessly through Sombra as though he were merely a phantom, causing Twilight to stare agape in utter horror. “It can’t go like this!” Rainbow shouted, attempting to fly but was stopped by a distorted, pained wail from the undulating image of Sombra. A wave of dark magic suddenly erupted from its mouth as it stretched impossibly wide, blasting the six of them and causing them to cry out in pain, an indescribable wave of agony overwhelming them. “We can’t go down now! We gotta fight back!” Applejack shouted, struggling against the pain she was suffering. “What d-do we do?” Fluttershy pleaded, fighting off tears from the pain as the dark magic crackled around her body. “I… I don’t know…” Pinkie said softly, her mane suddenly going flat as she squeezed her eyes shut in a desperate attempt to fight the stinging pain from Sombra’s attack. “Th-the Elements!” Twilight gasped. “We… have to activate them!” she said, her horn glowing as she attempted to magically charge them, but nothing happened. Struggling, she tried again, but was once more met with no results. “It’s not working, Twilight!” Rarity protested. “Now what will we do?” “Yes… what will you foals do?” Trixie’s voice asked from somewhere within the blackness. “Look at you six! Waiting to be burned out of existence by Sombra’s uncontrollable power as you try to make your Elements respond when you’re already on the brink of despair! There’s nopony here to help you! Nopony to hear your screams as you die slowly!” the showmare’s voice declared with a laugh. “If it’s any consolation, this is all about to come to its dramatic conclusion! Go ahead, may as well take your final bows and prayers while you can!” Suddenly, Sombra’s image split apart, his power becoming even more destructive. Two screaming images of the former king swirled around the six ponies, criss-crossing into eachother for a second as another horrible wave of dark magic erupted from it, striking them again. “It’s… no use…” Twilight said, the new wave of pain interrupting her magic. “Wait… my telepathy spell I used to reach you!” Rarity said, her ears perking. “Twilight… help me!” she said. “Maybe… we can still reach out to our friends back home… Celestia… our families…” she said, thoughts of her little sister giving her strength through the agonizing pain her body was experiencing. “It’s worth a shot… if we can reach out to them, maybe… just maybe…” Twilight said, glancing at her friends’ Elements. Drifting towards Rarity, Twilight held her tight; and seconds after, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie joined, closing their eyes as Rarity focused her spell, aided by Twilight’s magic. ~ Out in the San Palomino desert, in the town of Appleloosa, Braeburn and Big Mac froze in place, both having sworn they heard Applejack’s voice calling out to them. “Applejack…?” the large red stallion asked. “You just… hear that?” Braeburn asked. “My gosh… it sounds like she’s… hurting!” He took off his hat, a downcast look on his face. “But what can we do?” Big Mac approached his cousin, placing his large hoof on his shoulder. The two closed their eyes, bowing their heads and praying that Applejack and her friends would be safe. ~ “What the…?” Applejack wondered as she saw the gem on her necklace begin to glow brightly, causing her friends to drift back from her. Applejack felt a sudden surge of power course through her, and a powerful beam of light erupted from the Element, firing into the ghostly image of Sombra. And it hit. Bright magical energy exploded when it impacted the shadow king’s spectral form, causing it scream out in pain. “It hurt him…?” Rainbow asked, staring in amazement. “It hurt him!” she shouted. At that moment, however, the undulating form of Sombra began to twist and split apart at a rapid pace, its power growing even more unstable as it split into hundreds of screaming images of him, beginning to swirl around the six ponies in a cacophony of tormented cries and enraged screams. “Come on! We gotta do this again! I think it’s working!” Rainbow said. “My… slaves…!” the terrible voice of Sombra cried out, the voice echoing all around them as another blast of dark magic erupted from one of the faces, subjecting the six to another wave of intense pain. “We gotta try! Hold on tight, girls!” Twilight ordered, using her magic to pull them together. “Whatever you do, don’t let go, no matter what!” “Okey-dokey!” Pinkie said, the new spot of hope having brought her spirits back up as they closed their eyes again, once more sending their pleas out across time and space to reach the lives they had touched. ~ Vinyl Scratch eagerly awaited Octavia’s arrival as she sat at a high-rise diner in Manehattan. Her face lit up as the cellist approached with her cello case in her teeth. Licking her lips eagerly as she’d not ordered anything yet, Vinyl suddenly paused and looked up at the sky. “Something wrong, Vinyl?” Octavia asked as she sat down with her. “Dunno… just feel like… remember those ponies who helped us out?” the deejay asked. “I dunno why but my gut tells me they’re in serious trouble…” “Here,” Octavia replied, putting her hoof around her marefriend and holding her close. “I say… are you alright?” Fancy Pants’ voice suddenly asked. “Did you… by any chance feel it, too?” “Did you…?” Vinyl asked, looking over at the businesspony and Fleur who stood at his side. “Rarity…” Fleur muttered, a worried look forming on her face as she suddenly sensed a voice in her head as well. “Yes… I heard it! Miss Rarity’s voice!” Fancy Pants said, ignoring the stares the four of them were getting. “Oh dear… I hope she’s alright… I’d experienced the power of what they were facing and it worries me, so…” “You’re not alone.” Vinyl said, a serious look on her face as she fought back tears of worry. “The best we can do, I imagine… is pray for their safety as best we can,” the pony socialite said, trying to fight off the worried look on his face. The deejay nodded and closed her eyes, gesturing that he and Fleur join her and Octavia in praying that the pony who had been so good to them, who had selflessly taken part in helping them would be safe… ~ “My element!” Rarity said, noticing a brilliant glow forming from the diamond-shaped gem on her necklace that grew brighter and brighter. Suddenly, a beam of magic similar to the one that had come from Applejack’s necklace fired from it, striking the image of Sombra, causing it to cry out in pain as bright magical energy crackled around the warped faces. “No… escape…!” Sombra’s voice cried out from seemingly all around and Twilight hurriedly summoned a magic barrier to protect her friends from the next attack. “That was close! We have to get this next prayer out! I think we’re seriously onto something here!” the unicorn said as she and her friends closed their eyes, focusing on reaching others whom they hoped could help them… ~ Within the flutterpony village, the once-timid creatures now happily socialized with one-another, all of them happier then they had ever been. Their leader paused, however, and suddenly the others did as well. “Did… anypony feel that?” Rose Dust asked, worry on her face. “Flutterhulk hear party pony’s voice…” the towering flutterpony said, stomping over and nuzzling the flutterpony leader. “Y-yes… I did, too…” “I think we all did,” Lily, the flutterpony that had introduced their visitors, said, looking back at the other worried flutterponies. “Do you think she’s…?” “In danger… I can feel it,” Rose Dust said, glancing at the party decorations that Pinkie Pie had let them keep. Unsure of what else to do, she closed her eyes, the other flutterponies getting the same idea as they all, as one, prayed for the safety of the eccentric pink party pony who had opened the world up to them with a joyful song and the most wonderful party they’d ever experienced… ~ Pinkie Pie smiled widely as she felt a warmth come from her necklace, and her Element shined brightly. “Looky! Looky! My Element! It’s lighting up!” she said with a joyful squeal as she watched a bright beam of light burst from it, striking the horrific visage that surrounded them. Sombra’s cries of pain and rage grew more erratic, twisting and reforming, growing and receding as it screamed out in agony. "IT... HURTS!!!” his voice bellowed out, seemingly all around them as it grew more shrill and distorted. “STOP!!!” the voice roared, and several blasts of dark magic emitted from a larger face’s vacant eye sockets, blasting the six before Twilight could summon a barrier, and another face’s mouth stretched downward, another wave of dark magic bursting from it and blasting the group apart. “No! Stay together!” Twilight ordered, attempting to overcome the horrible pain wracking her body as she attempted to use her magic to pull them back towards one-another. “Come on! He’s weakening, I know he is!” she yelled as they embraced eachother again, focusing their hopes into another prayer to send to their friends. ~ Relaxing comfortably atop Fluttershy’s cottage, Discord was suddenly awoken by the sounds of chirping, squeaking, and other animal sounds. Rubbing his eyes, the god of chaos looked down and saw all of Fluttershy’s animals staring up at him. “What?” he asked, annoyed. “I already fed you!” he protested, but suddenly paused. Did he just hear Fluttershy’s voice? She sounded frightened… “What does it matter?” he asked the animals. “Of course you’re worried about her!” he said, trying to fight off the unease even he could not help but feel… the worry that his only friend, the one who had taught him the value of friendship by showing him kindness, could perish. “Ohhhh fine,” Discord grumbled, attempting to keep a bold face in front of the animals as he vanished from the roof and reappeared in front of them, sitting down as Angel hopped towards him, looking more frightened then any of the others. “But not a word of this to her!” the draconequus warned as he and the scared animals sat together quietly, silently praying for Fluttershy’s safety. ~ “Oh my!” Fluttershy said as she saw her Element glow brightly, emitting another powerful beam of fantastic light that this time seemed to spread out and striking the horrible screaming faces of Sombra all at once. Terrible, eldritch screams echoed all around them now, the faces of Sombra all twisting in agony as they grew more hazy. “STOP! STOP! STOP! STOP! STOP! STOP! STOP! STOP! STOP! STOP! STOP! STOP!" hundreds of screaming voices echoed in a horrible, jumbled mass as the image of Sombra released numerous waves of painful dark magic upon the six ponies it surrounded. Screaming out in pain from each brutal onslaught of malevolent power, the six held on to one-another as tightly as they could, squeezing their eyes shut as they struggled to keep focusing their thoughts, their hopes, their wish to save their world out to anypony who could hear them… ~ In the floating city of Cloudsdale, the Wonderbolts and the weatherponies who had aided them landed together, watching the storm they’d gathered reduce their attackers and keep their home safe for a little while longer. “That should hold ‘em for now,” Spitfire said softly. “It’s the best we can do at this point.” A blue weatherpony stallion with a dark prismatic mane suddenly paused, nearly collapsing. “Rainbow Blitz? You alright?” Soarin asked, getting Spitfire and the other Wonderbolts’ attention as well. “Dashie… I can feel it… I heard her voice!” Blitz said, dread building in his stomach over his daughter’s safety. Spitfire suddenly paused as well, Rainbow’s pleas for help entering her mind, too. “I heard it, too… whatever she’s up against, I know it’s crazy but I can sense it… it’s something awful,” the Wonderbolt captain said. “She’s so brave, though.” “Just like her mom was. I know she’d be so proud of her,” Blitz said. “But… I don’t want to lose her, too.” Spitfire walked over and placed her hoof on the pegasus’ shoulder, the other wonderbolts, hearing Rainbow’s voice then as well, approached them, and all of them quietly held eachother, praying for the spirited young pegasus’ safety. Down below in Ponyville, reclining in a tree, Gilda shuddered suddenly, her eyes widening as she thought she heard Rainbow’s voice crying out to her. “Dash?” she asked out loud, causing her griffon friends whom she’d brought with her to stare at her. “What? Did I say you can stare at me? I’m just… thinkin’, alright?” the griffoness snarled. “Get lost! I need to be...” She grit her teeth, growling at them. “I… need to be by myself for a moment!” Nodding and not wanting to incur her wrath, the other griffons flew off to find something else to do. Alone, Gilda’s fierce expression slowly became more and more downcast as she closed her eyes tightly. She couldn’t let anyone see the single tear that shed from her eyes as she processed what she’d heard in her mind. “Dash… don’t… don’t die on me… you’re way too cool for this!” she said softly, praying for her former friend, the one pony she’d come to respect even just a little, hoping she would be safe. ~ “Awesome!” Rainbow cheered as her Element shone brightly, a powerful blast of light erupting from it and spreading across the swirling red mists that had given Sombra form. The ghastly image of Sombra screamed out, louder then before as the surge of positive emotion and hope burned through his being. “No….. NO!!!” Sombra screamed, emitting a terrible shriek of pain as more blasts of dark magic erupted from him, threatening to strike down the six brave ponies who still stood opposing his destructive power. Twilight quickly summoned her barrier, but she knew her power was fading from the ferocious assault of destructive magic tearing through the barrier. They had to stay strong! All of Equestria counted on the six of them, now! “We can do this! I know we can!” Twilight said, she and her friends praying harder, reaching out to find others who could hear them, and give them the strength they needed. ~ Within the halls of the crystal palace, Cadance and Shining Armor could see that Sombra’s forces had slowly weakened. “They’re starting to fall back,” Shining said with a smile, hoping it would be enough to win the day. “That’s wonderful to know,” Cadance said, approaching and nuzzling her husband. Their joy was cut short, however, when a voice cried out to them; one they recognized immediately. “Twilight!” both shouted in unison, before looking at one-another. “You…” Cadance began. “…heard it, too?” Spike asked, approaching the two ponies. “She’s… somewhere bad. She needs help!” Shining said as Spike began pacing about frantically. “I feel so worthless not being able to be there for her!” the dragon protested. “Maybe we can help,” Cadance said, approaching her husband. “The best we can do, I think, right now… is we can pray for her and her friends. Maybe… if she could reach us, we could reach her?” she asked, looking at Shining and Spike. Spike nodded, not sure what else to do, but it was something; anything that could help his closest friend in any way. The two ponies quietly embraced one-another; Spike joining soon after, and all three closed their eyes and hoping their prayers could reach Twilight and her friends. Not much further away, within the deserted caverns below the northlands, Dr. Whooves waited impatiently, growing worried with each passing moment. “Oh dear… there’s not much time left!” the Doctor said nervously. Princess Celestia paced about, worried for her faithful student and her friends. At that moment, a voice cried out for help in her mind, freezing her on her tracks. Looking beside her, she could see that Luna had heard the same thing. “Sister…?” Luna asked softly. “Oh, dear Luna… I heard it,” Celestia replied, closing her eyes and trying to avoid shedding tears in front of her sister and subjects. “Princess!” Apple Bloom cried out, rushing over to them with her friends; all of them just as frightened as she looked. “Ah heard mah sister!” “Mine, too!” Sweetie Belle said. “And Rainbow… I heard her! I know I did!” Scootaloo insisted. “Do… do you think they’re okay?” Apple Bloom asked. Celestia leaned down and gently nuzzled the filly. “I… I want to believe they will be,” the Princess said softly. “W-what’ll… what’ll happen to them?” Sweetie Belle asked. “Rainbow Dash… she can’t lose! She never loses!” Scootaloo said, fighting back tears as well. “Whatever's happening to them right now,” Celestia said. “All we can do is pray for their safety, and we hope that they can win. Perhaps… they may even hear us,” she said softly. Luna silently approached her sister and sat down, Celestia doing the same as the three fillies snuggled up to them, trying to fight off their fears. Whooves looked down at them and, after a pause, approached as well, joining them. Together, they sent out a silent prayer for the six friends who stood so bravely against the tyrant who threatened their world. ~ Twilight felt it. The gem on her tiara glowed brightly and a brilliant beam of light shone out of it, in the shape of a star as it shot forth and blasted the terrifying being that Sombra had become. Sombra screamed out in pain, and suddenly magical energy began to crackle around the shifting forms that represented him, and they began to split apart again, this time forming into thousands… millions of screaming, snarling, crying visages of the terrible shadow king, a horrible, frightening wail emitting from them as they now swirled violently around the six ponies as though they were caught in the center of a nightmarish maelstrom. “He’s still alive… barely!” Twilight said, managing a smile. “I don’t think he’ll take much more! We have to try, once more!” she ordered, struggling to hold up her barrier as they were again assaulted by terrible waves of dark magic that now fired upon them endlessly. As they held one-another in a tight embrace, they sought to hold their thoughts together, pleading for help. “Please… somepony…!” Rarity cried out, trying harder, but sensing nothing. “Somepony… there’s gotta be somepony left…!” Applejack pleaded. “Somepony, please! I… I can’t think of anyone else!” Twilight said, tears forming in her eyes. “Please! Anyone! Help us!” Fluttershy cried out, tears now in her eyes as well. Nothing… At that moment, they felt truly terrified; for they knew their desperate cries had been absorbed by the darkness… “Oh no,” Twilight said softly, her voice trembling. “Th-there’s nopony else…” Her barrier suddenly began to fade. “No! We’re not going out like this!” Rainbow shouted. “I’m no quitter, not now, not ever! There has to be somepony out there who we can still reach! Who can still give us the power to win! We have to try!” “It’s certainly worth a shot!” Rarity said. “I’m all for it!” Pinkie Pie said with a smile. “You’re right! We can’t give up!” Fluttershy replied. “No matter what, so long as we can keep fightin’ we keep tryin!” Applejack said. “Well then, girls. If this is gonna be our last chance, then let’s take it!” Twilight said. Each of them, one by one, closed their eyes, focusing everything they had now, a last, desperate prayer for help to reach someone, anyone out there who might still hear them… ~ Someone did. In a distant world, far from Equestria, she felt them. The friends she had never met, but had known her whole life needed her now, and she would not abandon them. Closing her eyes, she prayed for their safety… ~ The six Elements of Harmony all suddenly began to glow brightly, all of them at once; their respective owners staring down at them in amazement. ~ She prayed harder, for the safety of these six brave ponies who had been through so much but had always come out on top in the end… ~ The Elements shined even brighter, light emanating from the six and driving back the howling abyss that surrounded them. ~ She prayed harder, for she had introduced them to an entire world, who had in turn taken them as their friends and shared their adventures together… ~ A brilliant rainbow of light surrounded the six ponies, glowing brighter and brighter, dissolving the continuous blasts of evil magic that rained down upon them before it could reach them… ~ Lauren prayed with all her heart for their victory! ~ The rainbow grew brighter, and flew out in a magnificent flash, arching down and striking the nightmarish storm of hatred and fear that surrounded it. The swirling forms all suddenly froze in place, light shining from its many vacant eyes and mouths as a terrifying cacophany of tortured screams emitted from them while they drifted about in random directions. “No! Impossible! How?!” Trixie demanded, suddenly appearing before the six friends and looking around in fear as the devastated form of King Sombra twisted about in agony. “It’s over, Trixie! I don’t think this place is going to last much longer!" Twilight said. "Come with us! We’ll get you out of here!” “HA!” Trixie scoffed. “As if Trixie would have any desire to go anywhere with you!” she sneered. “Know this, it may appear as though Trixie is fleeing, but she is far too great and powerful for such cowardice! She is merely escaping to some place you foals shall never find her, where she can plan a brilliant chance to show you all up when you least expect it!” she declared with a laugh. “Admit it! Even with this victory, none of you can hope to ever compete with my flair! You have not seen the last of me, the Great… and Powerful…. TRRRRRIXIE!” the showmare shouted, making her spider-mech take a bow before setting off a burst of smoke in front of herself. As it cleared, the six could see the Trixie in her spider-mech flying off as fast as she could before vanishing in a flash of light. “We'd better get outta here!” Rainbow said, looking towards Twilight with a look of worry. “Right! On it!” Twilight said, using what strength she had left to teleport them away, to the mouth of the entrance leading to where Sombra had once been contained. Immediately a great mass of black, wreathed in swirling red energy, crackling with bright white magical power tore the wall asunder and annihilated it completely, prompting the six ponies to flee down the path as fast as they could, pursued by the tyrant’s destructive death throes. Rushing down the stairs and reaching the waiting time machine, Rainbow quickly pressed the switch, opening the capsule’s door. Immediately it began to glow, brighter and brighter. “It’s about to leave! Come on! Everypony inside!” she shouted, her friends rushing over and piling in as fast as they could while the wave of blackness advanced on them, destroying all in its path. “We gotta get out now! Button. Button! BUTTON!” Twilight said frantically, looking at the controls. “Right here!” Pinkie said, slapping her hoof on the green button. As she did, the six ponies’ crystal coats faded away, and a bright light engulfed the machine just as the terrible black mass surrounded it in its last effort to destroy it. Before it could reach it, the machine and the six friends inside vanished, and the swirling red within the black mass formed King Sombra’s agonized, screaming face one last time as bright cracks formed around it; exploding in a brilliant flash of light and bringing the final, ultimate end to the shadow tyrant and the reign of terror he had threatened upon the world.