//------------------------------//
// Chapter 18: Beware the Shadow! 
// Story: Road to the End 
// by JusSonic 
//------------------------------//


Chapter 18: Beware the Shadow!


Meanwhile at this moment, we focus on the Room That Never Was, where the thirteen members of the Apocalypse Ponies were stationed here once again, with the addition of Merluck, and even another surprise, Grimmore by his inferno portal window . It looked like there was a major discussion going on and the main subject in itself was the conditions happening in Ponyville. But more so than that, the journey Twilight's little band is going, especially since the traveling heroes are on what is the last item for them to pick up and save Sweet Apple Acres. The heroes had already defeated the last of the Demon Lords as well. The magical portal showed the ones in the room of what's happened up to this crucial point.

"How is it that one pony alone can cause such trouble for us?" Deadly Rager asked off in seeing that Twilight Sparkle has outdone herself once again here.

"Hehehehe, yah, especially since she's escaped nearly every beasties that were either guarding or imprisoned to either kill or make them be lunch." Psycho Pie responded off in making the situation sound funny when one thinks about it, Twilight's little travel party escaped from being killed and eaten, it's just something out of the ordinary.

"I believe they get so overly obsessive over such items is beyond my understanding." Crarity remotely issued in not caring about the stuff the traveling heroes are doing, since they are nothing of priceless objects in her eyes.

"Says the mare that likes to have all valuables and never share!" R. Chaos remarked off to tease her fellow member that the last pony to talk about being 'overly obsessive' over things is Crarity herself.

"Ah'll share my fortune wit' y'all!" Liarjack spoke off to say, which was more in clear a lie.

"I don't want fortune; I only wanna see pain and suffering!" Fluttercruel snapped off to issue what she would have wanted to see, Twilight's party getting severally beaten to meet a cruel end, and that was impossible at this point.

"Unfortunately, once they've gotten the last ingredient, the spell over the Apple Farm will return to normal along with everything else robbed of the iron protein." Ms. Moon spoke in sorrow in seeing that if the group in the End of Equestria succeeds, then the farm will return to normal.

"I wish that Hydra could have finished Twilight Sparkle off, but she had to go and bring a MOUNTAIN down to crush it!" Wilco snapped off in being upset in seeing that Twilight had even managed to stop the invisible Hydra of the End of Equatria, no normal pony could have done the deed. "And worst yet, she and her friends has defeated and banished the Demon Lords, the toughest in the End of Equestria!"

"Hugh, looks like we're on a losing streak again," Suffocator Jill sighed to lie back in her throne in seeing that it's their lost here.

"Yeah, they've beaten everything & helped cure & befriend the locales, not to mention defeat the witch that their ancestors were a prey to long ago." Starven Fran spoke off in recalling the other events that have played out the travelers, from Cannibals cure from a curse idol & the spot where they meet some locale Grundles, even defeated Somnambula that stole the ponies of long ago's youth, only to lose again; it's unbearable. "They also got new Guardians and beaten the Demon Lords too."

"I have to say, Sparkle's party that was small certainly have grown big. Wouldn't you agree Trix?" Warring Malice responded in finding this sorta action to be all 'too' into how one Element Bearer got through so much without the other five.

"Well I ugh…" Trix was about to respond to this, only to be cut off.

"Can't be helped that her love interest sent his two stooges to bring Twilight back if all else fails, ruining Boris's different love interest. Who knew they be a pain to keep up the act of being their friend?" Merluck spoke from leaning near one of the tower thrones in quoting something here about his sister's love, Boris, sent Dumbledore & Bocloix to watch & bring Twilight back safely, has gotten out of hand now. "Bad enough it causes Tso Lan to get on our flanks about it!"

"Now Merluck, I…" Trix was about to object to what her brother said while trying to hid some red shade on her face.

"Relax, I suggested that plan to Boris, so I never expected Trix's followers to be helpful in being so deceptive to deceive even themselves. That's really something there." Warring Malice shrug off in taking most of the blame in seeing what she's done seems to have causes more issues then they ever imagined could happen.

"Enough of this idle chatter; we must discuss our top objective." The Superior interrupts this petty argument to return their focus at what they need do now. "Twilight Sparkle, Ben Mare, even the little one Nyx, have grown stronger than expected." He's seen how powerful those mentioned three have gotten after braving through all of the End of Equestria's borders of horrors to be like the backyard to Tartarus.

"Especially when the reincarnation of Nightmare Moon learn to make herself grow big, caught us by surprise." Wilco issued about how many were not expecting the little filly of the evil know as Nightmare Moon to show a trick to make herself bigger, stronger, and more potent of a threat when in battles from now on. "She even stood up and defeated her so-called father Tso Lan, not turning to the dark side!"

"Surprise indeed ! Oh, anypony want my special cupcakes then?" Psycho Pie responded at first, before suddenly wanting to offer a cupcake. For any, they just would be best to not take a cupcake from this psychopath.

"Sure, an' Ah already knew about 'de surprise fro' 'de start!" Liarjack spoke off to say one of her lies at this moment.

"Did not; Ugh, we should have acted when we had the chance!" R. Chaos snapped against Liarjack's lies while stating how the order should have gone after Twilight's group from the beginning.

"Maybe if you weren't so pushy, I could have done this!" Fluttercruel snapped off to argue that she could have been picked if R. Chaos didn't cause so much to not be selected.

"I simply would have loved to take every single gem in that area, anything valuable would have been mine." Crarity spoke to polish a newly found gem for her to marvel at while not paying any attention to the atmosphere.

"Apparently you all fail to see the bigger picture." The Superior cuts in between his members having a chat to rest his sleeve cloths over his chin. "Twilight Sparkle's group must not return with those ingredients." He stated that for the time being, they cannot let the heroes bring back what may fix the problem that the group wanted to cause.

"Agreed, Superior," Ms. Moon nods in being humbly agreeable to her leader on that idea.

"So do you send in one of us or get Trix's lover to stop Twilight, father?" Merluck smirked to issue the task being them or getting Boris to handle it while making another tease joke about Boris & Trix being in love.

"Merluck; Will you stop with the teasing!" Trix snapped in almost looking a bit more shade of red, why must her brother always bring up that subject, it's a bit embarrassing.

"Hmph-Hmph-Hmph-Hmph, Ha-ha-ha-ha-hah…." Suddenly, Grimmore started to laugh in the middle of this serious discussion.

"And what's so funny?" Deadly Rager asked in finding the moment of laughter a bit….rude, even if from a Demon godlike being.

"That you all can't stand the defeat, so now you want to end it all right here. Correct?" Grimmore spoke from where he rested in his thrown to point out; the time to end the heroes before they escape is near.

"Why not ask your Number 13 agent to strike those heroes?" Starven Fran asked off in why this Overlord King can't make his Equestrian Eliminator do the deed for them.

"As much as that 'would' be something to see, I think I'll pass." Grimmore shrug off his shoulders in finding that such a task seems hardly an effort. "I have a more….'unique' term to make matters interesting." He made a sly expression when he spoke of having something a bit more in mind to deal with the problem.

"Make things interesting?" Suffocator Jill repeated confused, what was the Dark Elf planning that sounded so mysterious?

"Now what would the mighty Overlord King plan to stop Twilight & her party?" Warring asked off in being a bit interested in how Grimmore is gonna do something for a change. "Gonna send in your troops, a whole army, those special Elite Warriors? Give us something to know." The pony of war wanted some detail information about what's to be expected here.

"Oh, it won't be any of them, the idea I have is a little more….'in' the End of Equestria that no one would ever believe to exist." Grimmore smiled in issuing that what he has plan is to unleash something not from Tartarus, but from the End of Equestria instead.

"And just what do you mean by if it ever existed?" Wilco asked off a bit puzzled in hearing this strange claim all of a sudden that got their interest now.

"Just stick around to watch, I promise you all, it will be very…Entertaining to see…" Grimmore spoke with his wicked smile growing to show a hidden agenda that what he'll perform, will be something 'worth' entertaining…if you’re a villain. "Hugh-hahahahahaaahh…" With a wicked cackle from his voice, Grimmore's inferno portal vanished from within the chamber of the thirteen members.

"Father, what is Grimmore planning?" Trix asked her father in having a worried feeling that whatever the Dark Elf is gonna do, it will be something worth noting over that such a powerful villain going active maybe going over the edge here.

"Something that will surprise us truly and I for one…." The Superior spoke to his daughter in almost having a hide smile under his hood, "Can hardly wait." The high rank member of the order responded in feeling that whatever Grimmore shall pull off will be worth observing to them.

"Then let’s keep watching & see what the mighty Dark Elf of Tartarus can do. It's sure to be something after the Lorcan War that he became active." Merluck responded in thinking that if anything, it's been almost ages since Grimmore pulled something so big since that time the Scarred Ruler: Lorcan, made his last stand against Equestria's ponies with an army of dragons to the dark power that created Psycho Steel the Destructible. 

The members agreed to sit back and view things from their magical portal that will show them everything. Whatever shall happen to Twilight's group in the End of Equestria, whatever Grimmore's got plan, the land may live up to its name….and 'END' the heroes' journey.

--------------------

Tao's group is checking out Twilight's progress. The mare is safe and is on her way home with her family and friends right now, so things should be fine from here on in, right?

"So far, so good," Dragon Kick said with a nod of approval

Tao nods. He pauses then spoke without turning around, "Still stalking on me as usual?"

The Equestrian Eliminator lands on the ground. Mighty Heart clench his hooves tight, making the masked agent smirks while taunting, "Nice bodyguard you have."

Mighty glare at the Equestrian Eliminator who could be Starlight, snapping, "If you harm my sensei -"

"If that was my intention, I would have done it when we first met."

Tao smile, saying, "Wise choice, indeed; so, tell me, I presume Grimmore is becoming aware of my existence and quest?"

"Indeed, it is." The Equestrian Eliminator said with a nod.

"I supposed you are here to kill me."

"Perhaps, or let us say, I have one gift for you to deal with."

"What will that be?" Dragon Kick ask sthe Equestrian Eliminator puzzled. The villain already has given some of the Guardians to Tao. What else is there left to give the Mystic Pony?

"Ever since Twilight and her family defeated all of the eight Demon Lords, their servants and pets, Grimmore decided to send his beast to deal with them at once. A beast had not been awakened for a long time." The Equestrian Eliminator explains grimly to the group. He knows this because the masked pony was there when Grimmore has told the Apocalypse Ponies his plan so he decided to give a warning ahead of time.

Jade scoff, "Yeah, like a monster is gonna scare me. Dragon Kick is going to give him some flank whooping!"

Jade stood up with two legs while her left hoof is faced in front of her and right is on top. The filly yell excitedly as she charge ahead. She jump up and is about to kick the Equestrian Eliminator. He quickly moves to his left then grab her tail. Jade looked shocked. As the Equestrian Eliminator glare at her, she smiled uneasily.

"I meant to do that." Jade said to the Equestrian Eliminator sheepishly.

The Equestrian Eliminator threw her to Mighty Heart who quickly caught her with his two hooves. The agent spoke on, "True attack does not rely on imitation, but hardship, endurance and determination. That is how I survived in Tarturus. Your martial arts require war and battle experience to sharpen your skills."

Dragon Kick nods, speaking, "True but martial arts re more than just war, if you had reconsidered it."

They both glared at each other. Before the Equestrian Eliminator or Dragon Kick could do anything, Tao place his hooves on each side, saying sternly, "That's enough. If what Starlight speak is true, Grimmore may try to attack Twilight and her family by means of anything to ensure their defeats and failures."

Mighty nods while asking, "So we must be aware of anything suspicious?"

"Of all the bad guys, why do we even let Grimmore live in the first place?" Dragon Kick asks with a groan of disbelief; If the Mystic Ponies would've destroyed Grimmore in the first place...

Tao hits Dragon Kick scolding, "Grimmore was once an ordinary elf became so obsessed with knowledge in magic and weapons of darkness, creating him to become a very powerful and immortal warlord for more than thousand years. It took great numbers, strengths and wisdom of Acolytes and Warriors to defeat that Demon. But we're lucky; we are able to banish him for more than a thousand years. This buy us more time to defeat him. Don't tell me, you forgotten that."

Dragon Kick groan while feeling his head where Tao has hit him, "No, I had not. I was hoping to forget it."

"So, we should check on Twilight and others?" Jade ask her group in concern. They should be warned of what's to come.

"We better," Mighty said in agreement. Something must be done.

The Equestrian Eliminator however stops the group from leaving as he spoke, "Hold it, hermit. If you ever tried to do something foolishly like destroying Grimmore's pet, the result will be the same as to what happened to Pinkamena's foolish and reckless tactic."

"Wait! Golden Heart's sister is the reason of how Ponyville got low foods?" Jade ask in surprise. This made the Equestrian Eliminator nod at this. "That's so awesome. Going and killing a Dark Elf's stupid army is so cool."

"No! It's not. That would only make him angry. In fact, what Golden Heart and Pinkamena doing is very stupid and reckless." Dragon Kick said sternly to Jade. Golden Heart and Pinkamena's foolish action is what put Ponyville in their predicament in the first place. "In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if they were the ones who send that robot that Tao spoke of about before!"

"On the contrary, this might convince our leaders." Tao said, much to the others in his group's surprise.

"Sensei, are you certain?" Mighty ask Tao, wondering if the old pony is right about what he just said.

Tao smile as he adds, "Certain nothing. Come, we must keep an eye out for any sign of Grimmore's pet. If he does shows up, we must ensure that Twilight and her family escapes first before we have a 'surprise' for him."

Jade giggles in delight, "Can't wait to see the major look on that Overlord's face."

"Wait. Tell me, hermit. Why would Twilight risk everything to save that Demon? And more importantly, why do you have faith in them, especially her?" The Equestrian Eliminator asks Tao, the 'Demon' is referred to Nyx herself. "One more thing: who are you? You're no ordinary Earth Pony, including this family of yours. I saw you fall to your doom during the battle against Shendu."

Mighty gulp nervously, "Did he study us?"

"I think he did." Dragon Kick said in concern. If the Equestrian Eliminator had indeed studied the group for some reason, he could give the information about to Grimmore or worst!

"Who are you calling Demon, pal?! That's a pony and her name is Nyx!" Jade exclaims, annoyed by what the Equestrian Eliminator just called Nyx.

"Since the day Twilight took Nyx in, her loving relationship and bonding with her daughter grew stronger, closer and meaningful, Twilight will do anything to protect her until one day, she would grow older and stronger. I have faith in Twilight, for she has something to play a part in the 'Elements Prophecy'." Tao said mysteriously.

"Elements Prophecy," The Equestrian Eliminator asks Tao in surprise. He has heard of that prophecy but never gave it anymore thought...until now.

"You'll soon know more about it, my friend. We are the legends that speak of 'protection of harmony and peace'. We are the Equestria's guardians and protectors. We bring balance to the world. Twilight and her friends is the worthy to be the Elements of Harmony. They are the symbols of 'hope', 'faith' and 'miracle'. This is one of my early missions and study since the return of Nightmare Moon, and Princess Celestia chose her to be her successor. And I know she made the right decision of that."

"I see...... Perhaps, Twilight is not truly fool or arrogant than I thought and realize. She's quite intelligent, tenacious and determined to protect what she believed in. No wonder, she's been chosen as an Alicorn; Impressive."

"Indeed it is. I doubt you would change your allegiance that early." Tao said sternly, knowing that it won't be easy for the Equestrian Eliminator to change sides...not yet. "But healing and restoring your true self takes time. I would not force you to go in the battlefield nor making a decision early, dear boy; But I rather you to understand of Twilight Sparkle, who is your true connection and your hope."

"Perhaps; I doubt you would stop me to understand and realize my origin." The Equestrian Eliminator said with a sigh.

Tao smile, patting the stallion on the back while saying, "You're learning. Well thoughtful. Do not worry about your Peryton, Ramrace and Body Eye, we would take good care of them until you return and ask for their assistance."

The Equestrian Eliminator raised his eye-brow at Tao, speaking, "So you knew I would return for them, didn't you? Why? Why didn't you stop me and get the rest of rings?"

"I believe in hope; A hope that one day that you would break free from Grimmore's control. Of course, while we maybe the opposite of our forces, the guardians may prove to be intelligent than you realize. They are living sentiment beings. You can't fool the old hermit easily."

"I see; Very well. I'll be watching Twilight's process. But be warned, hermit, Grimmore will appear anytime, so be prepared for his arrival. He will not be pleased of your quest and hobby."

Jade huff arrogantly, "Let him try that."

Dragon Kick and Mighty scolds, "Jade!" Now is not the time to be arrogant and/or foolish!

"For a little pony, you're quite stubborn as a mule. I wish you survive well." The Equestrian Eliminator remarks to Jade in amusement. Turning to Tao, he adds, "Maybe one day, I would like to know more about your true identity."

Tao smile as he spoke, "You are welcome to watch the event of Ponyville. The part of ending is approaching."

"Maybe......."

The Equestrian Eliminator went back to the shadow and disappears. Jade, upset by what he called her, scowls, "He did not call me a mule!"

"Never mind that. We must be aware of our enemy's movement." Tao said seriously, knowing that Grimmore is about to make his next move soon.

"Yes, uncle," Dragon Kick said with a serious nod. Whatever Grimmore is up to, could destroy Twilight and her friends unless something is seriously done.

"I suggest we start keeping an eye on for Twilight and her family." Mighty said, knowing that Twilight's group has disappeared from the group's view during the conversion.

"Yes. Time is running out. We must make haste for Twilight and her family. Once the journey is done, I would like to give piece of a mind to those two troublemakers for the mess they had made!" Tao exclaims, knowing of two certain ponies whose will need a good speaking to, AKA Golden Heart and Pinkamena Diane Pie!

Jade groan, "I had the feeling that he's going to say that."

"Golden Heart, I understand that he wants to help. But his sister, why is she so reckless and irresponsible of protecting the world?" Dragon Kick asks, not sure about Pinkamena.

"I think it’s best not to question, but answer later, Dragon Kick," Mighty said to Dragon Kick in precaution.

"Come, we must make haste. I sense great darkness approaching here." Tao said, sensing darkness is coming right now...

---------------

Now the scene opens to where we left Twilight's group in the Cutlass Fields, where they've overcome another trail to obtain the Sacred Fire the final ingredient and defeats Tso Lan. At long last, the gang have collected all the ingredients: the Raspy Footlong Cucumber, the Flower of Eternity, the Tasteless Diamond, the Anti-Evil Roots, the Golden Nugget of the End's Center, the Colored Icicle, the Lover's Tears, the Glow Leaves, the Giant Rabbit's Foot, the Magical Fable Dust, the Glowing Mites and the Sacred Fire, they were all collected. Now the only task remaining for the group, is to head on home to Ponyville, get Zecora the requested stuff, and the Apples' Farm is saved.

"Okay, everypony ready." Twilight responded to those with her group if they are ready to head home.

"Ah'm ready here," Tough spoke from sitting by the driver spot of their cart to head home.

"Me too," Spike waved off in being in the cart, waiting and willing here.

"Me three here," Phobos waved off near Spike to make a playful joke about being the third to respond.

"Me four," Dumbledore popped above Phobos in issuing him as the fourth member with the travelers.

"Me five," Bocolix also popped next to Dumbledore in issuing that he's the fifth of the gang ready here.

"Me Six; Heheh…" Nyx responded with a giggle in being the sixth little addition here.

"How about yew Justin; An' of course, yew too Rabbitchu," Tough Apple turns to the Machines of War in seeing if the two are ready here.

"Mwoorrughhh," Justin the MechBull made a loud calling noise in responding to the question.

"Chuuuu…." Rabbitchu stood up on the MechBull to happily wave off in being here.

"Guess that's all of us Twilight." Ben smiled towards Twilight in seeing that everyone is accounted and present now.

"Good, I have to say, after everything we've been through, it'll be nice to leave this place & be back home…with our friends." Twilight sighed in feeling like it's been such a long journey to this place; she's looking forward to going home now.

"I couldn't agree with you more, my love." Ben came behind Twilight to lean his head towards the mare that he loves, the girl smiled to close her eyes to enjoy this moment of peaceful joy.

"Oh boy, more love sap!" Phobos groans in seeing this sorta thing was going on.

"Ssshh," Spike hushed Phobos to not ruin this; those two deserve it after so much has happened.

"Hay, time's wasting, we got mah family's farm 'ta save!" Tough Apple interrupted Twilight & Ben's time to issue their schedule, it's been almost a week or so, they gotta help restore the farm.

"Alright everypony, settle in." Twilight instructed when she and Ben got on the cart to prepare their next trip plans. "Here we go, next stop…..Ponyville!" Twilight responded in powering up her magic horn with a magical glow, ready to instantly teleport them all…home.

The moment where Twilight's horn glowed seem like the happiest moment where the gang will be back home, safe and sound, with friends & family welcoming back with open joys. But of course, that moment came crashing down when Twilight's magical aura cover horn faded away in an instant, like it broke from its focus.

"Hugh?" Twilight yelped in surprise by this unusual action; that never happened to her before. 

"Whah," The Enforcers yelped in noticing this, so did the others in not getting…what happened here?

Now the new princess had to try to focus again, her horn glowed, but it almost seems to repeat that cycle. Every time Twilight wanted to teleport them home, the magic disburse itself, almost like it couldn't even perform the requested task.

"Okay Twilight, real funny, but quit horsing around. No pun intended, you see. But we wanna go home now." Phobos spoke off in not finding this delay stuff any funny; the group wanna get going back to Ponyville already. "Unless there's that stuff around that keeps unicorns and Alicorns from using their magic..."

"I don't see any. I'm….urrrgh…trying." Twilight struggled once more, only for her horn's magic to disappear again, to which she signed in defeat. "But for some reason, the teleportation spell isn't working even if there's none of that stuff around!" The girl responded that she's unable to make her magic teleport them out of the End of Equestria.

"But then how do we get home?" Nyx asked off in how else can the group get back home now.

"Well, we could help by using…" Dumbledore was about to make a suggestion here until...

"Wooh-wooh, don't mention 'that' to them!" Bocolix covered his friend's mouth to not have him speak that.

"What are you two talking about?" Ben responded in seeing the Enforcers act a bit strangely all so suddenly.

"Um, could you give us a moment?" Bocolix responded to Ben before he dragged Dumbledore with him off the cart.

Soon the Enforcers were hiding behind the cart while the others were lost and confused. What were these puzzling guys gonna talk about now?

"What's with you, this is the moment to get us all and Twilight out of here." Dumbledore silently spoke off in not seeing the issue here about not taking this chance to help bring Twilight & the others back with them.

"You were gonna mention the Magic Gate Spell, weren't you?" Bocolix snapped silently about what his pal was gonna say all to suddenly of what option that they had if not a teleportation spell.

"Yeah, so what's the point, it's easier than just teleporting across a few miles!" Dumbledore saw nothing wrong in using a spell that's far better for travel then teleporting.

"Yeah, but if they learn that, and learn how to figure out the spell, it could lead them to Safe Haven!" Bocolix issued that for a fact, that spell is also connected to their secret villa hideaway, they use it, then Twilight or Ben could try to discover it and find the escaped Brotherhood members.

"But the boss said to get Twilight back safely and we're too far to just travel by foot or fly, right?" Dumbledore responded that they are so far ahead, it be hard to get back by land or air travel.

"I suppose, they have to carry all that stuff and it be tiring to stop and rest each minute." Bocolix sighed in seeing a point, if the two did go by air, they use magic and they exhaust themselves from overworking in flying and carrying lots of things.

"So we're in agreement. A Magic Gate Spell it is then!" Dumbledore smiled in seeing that his point is made very clear here, and they have to do so or Boris will be even madder.

"Yeah, let’s just make one for Ponyville, at least that way, we don't screw up too much." Bocolix sigh in defeat, they'll use that spell in one clear focus target so nopony can learn it's also connected to their secret hideaway.

"Are yew two done yammering?" Tough Apple interrupts the Enforcers behind the cart with their secret chatter; they got to get going here sooner or later.

"Yeah, we just thought up of using our own unique spell for travel purposes." Dumbledore responded to when the two flew over to the front in stating a plan that they hatched.

"Yeah, we're gonna use a Magic Gate Spell to get us from here to your home." Bocolix responded that they'll create a magic gate to get them through the area and back home in a split second.

"Hugh, didn't Boris the Red Devil use something like that before & some of his Brotherhood members?" Phobos rubbed his head in recalling an event where Boris, the evil Red Devil & Lorcan's former Brotherhood gang used such a spell to travel much faster than by teleportation.

"Ease up Phobos, not every villain can know that spell, like these two here know it & they seem pretty okay." Nyx responded to have her pet pal ease up, she's sure that Dumbledore & Bocolix were nice since they offered to use a tricky spell used by villains that they've seen in the past, but that don't mean anybody that uses a Magic Gate Spell is evil, right?

"Eh-heh-heh, heh," The two Enforcers chuckled nervously, Nyx said that they were okay, and last time, this little filly gave them the Stare that freaked them to blab out everything Boris did to Ben during the Demon Pony incident to being banished while as their old selves: Dum Dum & Boxco.

"Then what are you guys waiting for, open us a gate here." Spike responded off in wanting these two Alicorns to hurry up and give them a way out of here.

"Ri-right," Dumbledore slowly nodded in snapping his attention out of his daydream moment of distraction.

"Of course," Bocolix also came back to the reality in knowing that the two gotta make this work, it just has to for them.

"OPEN!" The Enforcers hollered out in soon using their horns together to create, a magical white & purple swirling portal gate to appear out of nowhere At the moment, the Magical Warp Gate looked very stable, to which the group in Twilight's party's impressed, maybe they can get out of here by this little spell. But then something happened, the gate started to act weirdly to the moment it vanished from sight. "Hugh!" Dumbledore & Bocolix responded puzzled and confused, that never happened before when they used it from time to time.

"Um, fellas, wha happened?" Tough Apple asked off in what just happened that their next way to leave just disappeared on them.

"I don't know, we couldn't have messed up such a simple spell to get across anyplace so badly!" Dumbledore responded in being completely lost over what's happened was beyond his understanding.

"Yeah, we may not be as good as other Alicorns, but we basically gotten some spells down alright." Bocolix explained that while the two may seem like a couple of goof-headed goofballs, they've study to understand how to perform magic.

"Then what could be affecting spells to have us leave here? Is it this place?" Ben spoke off the very thought in what could be affecting any spell that's main focus; is them leaving.

"Everypony said no pony ever returned from the End of Equestria, being unable to teleport could have been a possibility." Twilight spoke off in stating from thinking this over about how nopony that ever came to this area that was too dangerous and none never came back. "But it feels like it's only happening now that something is messy up our magic to travel out of here!" The girl thinks something was acting up, cause this never happened earlier when they were just starting to come into the End of Equestria, so why now of all times?

"Hey, maybe there's a storm brewing & it's messing' wit' them magic signal things." Tough Apple responded off to say while his focus seems to be up in the skies.

"Why would you say something like that?" Spike asked off in thinking that was a little silly to say.

"Cause its true; Looky up there, above us," Tough responded in wanting everyone to pay close attention to what's happening over their heads.

Above the group, a strange swirling of dark clouds was looking a bit ominous to them and from it not being natural made anypony feel the urge to be very worry.

"Great, what else can happen when we're close to leaving this miserable place?" Phobos groans to make a new complaint when they were almost gonna leave, something happens, so what else will be new.

Suddenly without warning, purple lighting came from above that struck a tower area far from the gang. That tower area was completely dissipated in one shot that completely surprised them to shield their eyes from the flash work of that large implosive explosion. One thing was gonna be very clear, after seeing that, this storm was definitely not of any ordinary storms, not even in the End of Equestria; something else was afoot here.

And what would make the scenery just as terrifying if not for the background music being heard to which Nyx noted, "Oh no! That sounds like 'Universal Dilemma' from Star Ocean: The Last Hope, the extended part. And even breaking that Fourth Wall, it sounds seriously bad!" Nyx broke the Fourth Wall in warning the others of this in a weird and scary way, mostly the last part.

"HAH-HAH-HAH-HAH, Hahaaaaahhh…..oh how long it's been, little ponies," An wickedly evil voice spoke from within the clouds themselves while the swirling clouds and flashing lighting sparkled within the center of the storm.

"That voice is…" Spike yelped up in almost recognizing the voice as if it was something that he could not forget.

"The Superior," Phobos asked off in thinking the voice kinda sounded like the guy they fought in the human world, but….

"No….I thinks it's…" Spike shook his head off, it was not the voice of the Superior, the sound was almost familiar, but this voice…the baby dragon knew right away, "Grimmore!" That was it, the voice belong to the godlike Demon imprisoned in Tartarus, the Overlord King, the Dark Elf himself the gang have only seen his appearance once longs ways back; the terrifying & unknowing creature that is…Grimmore.

"I had to ask, didn't I?" Phobos groans to see that he ended up getting a really, REALLY bad response to his answer, and of any of them, a villain that is said to be just as scary as any other, next to the Superior, or someone almost close.

"Hmph-hmph-hmph-hmph-hmph….I'm impressed you remember my voice, little Dragon." The voice of Grimmore spoke while the clouds swirl around ever still to the point where they slowly turn a darker shade of violet without so much as this being any ordinary storm spell being cast, but manipulated by the Overlord King of Tartarus.

"How could I forget that voice after what you did to me," Spike snapped with stern eyes in never forgetting the guy after what he did during his older brother's loose reign in Equestria, no pony could ever forget that memory, especially when the baby Dragon almost died.

"And which do you prefer? The one where you were killed by a Magical Kamikaze Spell that even powerful Dragons can't survive from or…" Grimmore's voice spoke from above the spiraling storm clouds forming while he brought up topics that have happened around Spike during his brother's final battle, "When you were used as a little tool to execute your brother, after feeling the power of the Triforce that I've copied from the original source." Many recalled those events, about Grimmore using Spike to attack Lorcan with a power of the Triforce too much to not unleash its fury and even a creation of darkness that took the baby Dragon to self-destruct to finish them both off.

"Grimmore, don't you dare try to play mind games with Spike!" Twilight stood in protecting Spike from the evil lord that rules Tartarus.

"Right, are you just hiding in the clouds to just frighten us? Well it isn't working!" Ben snapped off to issue that the group is not so easily intimidated by this powerful godly foe of demons.

"It isn't?" Dumbledore & Bocolix responded while hugging the other in fear, truth be told, even 'they' have heard tales of Grimmore being trapped in Tartarus.

Soon within the skies begin to act stranger than strange as they swirl around to take a form and shape. And soon hovering above was what looked like a darken cloud version of Grimmore, sitting in his throne, his right hand being used to rest his leaning head. Even if it's only the image form of the Dark Elf, this guy was looking down on the gang as if they were nothing but ants of interest.

"Hmmm…" Grimmore hummed to himself in seeing & studying the group, and from his eyes, could see some hidden color aura of those like Twilight Sparkle, Ben Mare, Nyx, and a bit from Spike along with Phobos that show how much their magical strength has gone up, course there was Dumbldedore & Bocolix, but he didn't seem bothered by the extras. "Yes, you've little lot of grown quite much since last I've seen you during Lorcan's little invasion." The cloud form of Grimmore spoke while thunder and lightning clashed around his area, as he can tell that some of the group here have indeed , become stronger since the last time he saw them. "It was fun to watch the entertainment, just before I grew bored and…cut the string of one player that outlived his use." The Overlord King smiled with a cocky remark about how he remembers how much pleasure he enjoyed the entertainment from Lorcan's little war…before he decided to cut loose with the Scarred Ruler at the time.

"That's my BROTHER you're insulting! And you were mostly the Cause of him believing to accept your gift for revenge!" Spike shouted off loudly in knowing that while it was the baby Dragon's father that pushed Lorcan to being evil, Grimmore was just another aid that made his brother go down the wrong path that finished him off.

"Yeah, you played Lorcan like he was a toy." Nyx snapped off against this really evil creature in the clouds.

"A busted toy from the beginning actually," Phobos silently whispered in still having some bad issues with Lorcan.

"Phobos," Spike & Nyx snapped to look at the sheepish Moon Dragon for even saying that now in front of a serious adversary.

"Um guys, scary elf cloud-shape boogie in 'de skies staring at us?" Tough reminded the group that now isn't the time to fight against themselves; they got an enemy watching over them here.

"What is it you're plotting Grimmore?" Twilight sternly asked in what this Dark Elf was planning now, could he be the cause of why the gang can't teleport out of here?

"Now why would I go and spoil the surprise, Princess Twilight Sparkle?" Grimmore smiled off to wave his left hand casually in feeling that telling what he's up to, would spoil everything, now wouldn't it?

"So you're here to stop us from our quested journey? Is that it!" Ben snapped off in preparing his Master Sword, his Hylian Shield & the Hero's Bow, fully well-armed against such a strong opponent should they fight now.

"Perhaps…or….perhaps not," Grimmore slowly responded in not seeming the 'least' bit intimidated by the group below preparing to fight, in fact, from his view, they hardly are enough to even face him.

"Um, I'm confused. Is he wanting to stop us?" Dumbledore spoke from feeling a bit nervous in seeing that the group got a really scary case to deal with.

"Yeah, if he was, why would he say he isn't?" Bocolix responded confused, this was one enemy that looked scarier than Boris or Merluck, so why was he insisting he might not stop them?

"You lot have done what not many brave souls could do, surviving the End of Equestria, and what irony, you've reach the end of its continent." Grimmore playful waved off his left hand in seeing the land before him, not many could survive such a ruined place, but this lot has, "Why you even defeated the Demon Lords, which some say was rarely done before. So I like to entertain myself…with a little preposition that you can't refuse." He issued that he wants to offer something, to which the heroes can't refuse.

"And what would that be?" Twilight sternly raised an eyebrow in whatever could Grimmore be planning here.

"Simple. If you can escape to the outside border of the End of Equestria, then you'll be free to use magic to get yourselves back home, all the more sweeter." Grimmore twinkled his left hand's fingers to marvel at them while explaining how what he's offering the group, is a chance to return home safely.

"And why do I get the feeling it's not as 'simple' as you make it sound." Ben sternly raised an eyebrow to not trust this guy, after all, he used Copy Gems to stab his Triforce to copy it's power , course he was never injured so badly, but the stuff smarted like a needle poke.

"Hmph-hmph, how correct you are to observe the issue." Grimmore chuckled darkly under his breath in hearing what Ben was issuing towards him. "The condition is that you must make it out before 'that' which I shall release takes away your freedom to escape. And it really will be the end for you." The Dark Elf in the form of clouds explained his basic rule for the group to escape this ruin land before what he unleashes gets them.

"Great, just what we wanted 'ta know!" Tough remotely rolled his eyes to sarcastically issue how the gang got themselves something troubling on their shoulders.

"Just think of this as a race, reach the finish line that is the border out of the End of Equestria and you can magically teleport back to your home." Grimmore smiled ever still to simply point out how this setting the challenge will work best for the heroes and to his amusement. 

"So we have to race your guy to the finish line or what?" Phobos asked off rudely in getting what they gotta do, beat whoever they are pit against and they've home free, simple right?

"Hmmm-hmmm…hardly," Grimmore suddenly closed his eyes to let off a fiendish chuckle before narrowing his eyes below the group to explain more of the 'condition' to be set. "It's you that want to reach it, for the one opposing you, will actually…'want' you and you have to be ahead or risk falling into a grasp which no matter how strong you are, you won't ever get out from." From that much explanation, it's clear: the gang must stay ahead to never get drag behind to reach their exit goal, or they'll never have another chance.

"That…should very bad." Nyx responded a bit in worry in starting to think that such a suggestion of what the group must perform might be the most difficult, this is Grimmore the group is talking about.

"So who are we going against, one of your guys?" Spike snapped off to ask if this Overlord King of Tartarus has one of his army guys be their pursuers.

"We've already conquered this land's terror and all the hostile foes. So facing another won't make us flinch." Ben issued off with a serious face that after overcoming much of the End of Equestria & it's hostilities, they aren't gonna lose to something Grimmore has cooked up.

"Sorry to say, but that's where you're wrong." Grimmore suddenly issued this off with a hidden sly expression on his face upon his clouded form. "The End of Equestria is just as others say the backyard to Tartarus. And the creatures I rule are just as terrifying as the enemies you've almost couldn't handle." Hearing this made the gang either get a bit worried, nervous, or just a bit annoyed that this guy was really putting his head in the colds to brag this out, literally even. "So as such, I will bring forth a creature of this land to do the bidding for me." The titan of power responded to slowly rise himself upwards from his head leaning on his right hand, about to prepare in bringing forth…a final foe.

"And what creature would that be?" Twilight asked off in wanting to know just what kinda enemy Grimmore will set loose to stop them.

"Observe to learn fear of why I am a far powerful force to fear as much as you fear the one called the Superior & his order." Grimmore responded to Twilight's claim with his own resolve of evil to be so terrifying, that even the gang's last strongest foe; The Superior is but another stepping stone.

Soon Grimmore's right clouded hand was blazing into an inferno state, as it was slowly reaching down to the ground. Loud noises sounded off, like a meteor falling from the skies to pierce the sound barrier and the size was that of a mountain, no a city, no….almost an island. Ben suddenly felt something, his Triforce was acting up, and when he looked up, he saw the inferno claw's palm glow the same power , the power that Grimmore has acquired.

"Hear me, creature made from the ashes of victims that have fallen within this land. That which was created by trolls and then slain to fuel your very being," Grimmore spoke from preparing some dark form of godly magic of summoning when his inferno hand was reaching the near ground.

Things begin to shake as the land's landscape started to dry out of any life left, rocks beneath the ground quaked and spike towers, even mountains and canyons slowly begin to break little by little. The gang was starting to witness for the first time since the Lorcan War Invasion, the first inner depths…of Grimmore's power . And it's only while he's still sealed, imagining him being free is far worse.

"You that was once an existence shall now undergo a transcendence." Grimmore hollered out his voice across the four corners of the End of Equestria, as a spell circle spiral from where his inferno claw was about to touch the ground. "Become what you were meant to be, serve under your 'New' Master and do my bidding ." The entire realm itself was unleashing hurricanes & tornados, the quaking never ending, as the scene focuses towards… "Be revived….The SHADOW!" Grimmore slowly roared out with wide-eyes of demand of all that is evil to bring forth a creature of untold dangers.

"KURPOOWWWFRUUVVMMMM…" Now the giant claw of inferno palm-smashed itself right into the ground that caused a grander quake that shook while a spell circle glowed around it. At the moment, both things vanished without a second warning, leaving nothing but a magma pit of lava and burning flames scattered around. The group saw Grimmore's clouded hand return to his cloud form, and everything around seem to quiet down….or was it only the calm before the greater storm to arrive.

Soon everyone saw the dark clouds, the fires and ashes were rising up in forming some giant supernatural monster that could rival a mountain size, maybe even further. It wasn't long until suddenly, the formation was complete , and soon rose up a giant demonic monster whose entire body is comprised of darkness and fire and ashes, and has 2 sharp red eyes, but no face. And even when the eyes are seen, unless the mouth is open, the mouth is red like the eyes, almost like a Demonic fire that makes the creature live, "GRURGRRUAAARRUGHHH!" The new beast let off a growling call in feeling its existence has been made, this was the one called: The Shadow!

"BY 'DE PITS O' TARTARUS; LOOK AT 'DAT THING?" Tough screamed out in nearly having his eyeballs blog out in sheer shock in what they are witnessing. The others were almost too stupefied to make any moves, the Enforcers were gasping with white eye expressions in seeing this; everyone couldn't believe what was called forth.

Grimmore smiled in seeing the little expressions from the heroes, what a treat it was. "If I were you, I act like ants and scurry on over to your home as fast as can be." The Dark Elf responded from when The Shadow was standing up tall before its master, awaiting to be unleashed like a dog on a collar leash.

The others were so much in in shock that they could only stare, they've faced great threats, but those that are sensing the pure magical level strength from both Grimmore & the Shadow was….too wide a gap to tell if they could face.

"Nothing to say, hmph-hmph, as expected." Grimmore smiled to let off a light chuckle in seeing how much the gang have nothing to say now after all that talk claim of not being afraid. "If you think the Superior was someone to fear then let's reminisce of why you're lucky to be alive while I'm not truly before you. Shall we?" The Dark Elf smirked ever fiendishly that if the group were instead facing Grimmore, their chances of living are very low and they are lucky cause he's still trapped in Tartarus, but even still…his powers know no limit.

"Get in the cart, Tough; get ready to move…." Ben whispered with his teeth gritted so hard to instruct his friend to have their mode of transportation made a run for it.

"R-r-r, right-o…" Tough Apple responded a bit in trying to keep himself together, but it wasn't easy, especially with their situation.

"Well, time for the entertainment to begin now…" Grimmore spoke off before his eyes slowly narrow towards his new servant; The Shadow, "Now do enjoy 'The' Shadow, and like I said….you get caught…it's game over." The Dark Elf spoke towards the gang in explaining they best hurry and leave while their chances are good, or else….they'll never see home again.

"Everypony, quickly fasten yourselves, hurry." Twilight silently issued this order which no pony argued, they have to go; NOW.

"Now…" Grimmore slowly drifted his eyes and slowly brought his right clouded hand up, to point forward. "Start running. Time is ticking….to your fate." The terrifying Overlord King issued in what this group should do now, flea, for the clock ticks and their decided fate to escape to live or be trapped to die…rest solely on their act. "You may play with them now, my servant." Grimmore turns to The Shadow in instructing the monstrous beast, to have some 'fun' with the others.

"Roooaarrrrrruugghhhh," The Shadow turned from its new master towards those below and let off a roaring howl from its Demonic voice that quake even the skies.

"RUUUUUUUUN AAAAAAAAA-WAAAAAAAY," Tough Apple screamed at the longest his vocals have ever done before everyone was in the cart to whip the lines for them to get outta here.

"Yaaaaaahhhhhh," The Enforcers screamed out in pure terror to hold the other in seeing a beast approach them.

"MWRUUAARRUGHHHH!/CHUUUUUUU!" Justin & Rabbitchu soon were pulling the cart with the MechBull getting super-charged by the little yellow rabbit/weasel empowering it with lots and lots of voltage juice.

"GRUAARRRUUGHHHHHH," Soon 'The Shadow' let off a loud holler roar in shifting it's form towards the fleeing heroes as it was moving across the land with speed that was of the ever skies moving faster than the ones on the ground.

"MWUHA-HAH-Hah-Hah-Hah-Haaaauuughhh…." Soon Grimmore's imagine within the clouds was getting covered by more thunderous clouds before his presence disappeared with only his evil laughter echoing across all.

Now true terror was unleashed from where now the heroes are now trying to get themselves out of here by foot, and with a rampaging monster that will chase them. And then the music suddenly shifted towards "Hour Of Judgment" from Star Ocean: The Last Hope, extensive version to settle the mood (even when the scene of what is happening shifts later here). Now the bigger question remains for us to wonder: HOW ARE THE GANG GONNA SURVIVE THIS!!

-------------------------------------

Back in Equestria within Canterlot Palace, the Royal Sisters were discussing matters until….

"Ugh…." Celestia held her head in feeling unwell at this moment.

"Sister, did you feel that?" Luna asked what troubled her sister while also sensing….a terrible power unleashed.

"Yes, a great & dark power has just moved." Celestia nods to Luna, she feels something, a powerful foe has just begun to act now.

"Is it the one called the Superior?" Luna asked her sister if this was the work of the last foe Twilight's little band that went to the Human World version met before.

"No, far from it, it's….Grimmore's work." Celestia shook her head with a serious face, this terrible power that the Alicorns feel belongs to the Dark Elf that rules Tartarus.

"Now, but what could he do at this…" Luna responded surprised, why is Grimmore acting, he usual like to observe & does little acts, but to perform something bigger would mean….

"He's done something when Twilight & Ben are in the End of Equestria." Celestia issued out in notifying the cause of the meaning of why the Overlord King is going more out then usual and it's not good.

"This bolds not well, the last time he acted was with Lorcan. To now act again is never a good sign." Luna spoke with much concern and worry, the last time Grimmore displayed his power , poor Lorcan was a victim of the Dark Elf's plot, now Twilight's group is about to face a portion of the Overlord King's might.

----------

At this time, Lorcan was outside a balcony, gripping his claws on the rail while he still hid under his cloak. He felt something as he rested his left claw over where his scarred eye is in feeling it burn, as if alerting him.

"Grimmore…you're going after the others? Curses," Lorcan growled to groan in feeling himself aching all over in feeling the great & terrible power of something he's familiar with. "Spike, my brother…please….you has to escape before the Dark Elf catches one in his clutches. Please…" The guy in the hood asked off in praying that his brother to escape from what is about to come for the baby Dragon.

Lorcan grips the rail so hard that he leaves claw marks in its wake.

"Hurry back." Lorcan's voice issued off from a distance of his presence, wishing for his brother to safely return.

---------

Even where Golden Heart & Pinkamena were performing some acts, what's happening outside of Equestria, does not go unnoticed to them either.

Pinkamena was reading as she smiles brightly and says, "Tao's alive."

"I see." Golden Heart said with a smile. Looks like Tao has lived after all. But then Pinkamena yelps a bit. Something's wrong.

"Eeeek; this music in the background; He's acting!" Pinkamena responded in a strange random action that puzzled us at the moment.

"I sense it sis, Grimmore." Golden Heart narrow his eyes towards a direction, sensing the power that the siblings can sense was the Overlord King of Tartarus; Grimmore.

"Not good, I can already guess Twilight's band have the ingredients, but now that guy's gonna interfere." Pinkamena responded in feeling this situation isn't good, the villains trying to attack when their friends are about done on their journey.

"Last time he acted, he practically ended up finishing two Dragons off." Golden Heart responded in recalling how Grimmore used Spike to finish Lorcan, the Scarred Ruler was weaken before his defeat to where a rogue darkness machine self-destructed to kill the baby Dragon.

"All we can do is trust they'll come through now." Pinkamena responded in feeling they'll have to wait to see what happens next.

"I truly hope so." Golden Heart responded with a serious tone, for what happens now will depend on everything in the future.

-----------

As Twilight's friends were performing some help with veggie shortage, Pinkie Pie ended up acting all weirdly. Up to the point where she went inside out with her hooves and head, and soon started to roll in a ball and spin off, performing a pinball game around Ponyville before stopping in bashing against the Mayor's Office.

"Oh my, Pinkie Pie, what's wrong darling?" Rarity spoke to help her pink friend up from whatever got into her.

"My Pinkie Senses are going wild!" Pinkie Pie responded off about what happened to her.

"Gee, you don't say." Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes in pretty much guessing what happened was the result of such things.

"I don't know, but it's a warning of a huge scary thing and event about to unfold somewhere and it might involve our friends!" Pinkie Pie shook her head in responding that something seriously bad was about to happen with Twilight's group and where they are.

"Oh dear, what could it be?" Fluttershy gasped in surprise, that doesn't sound good at all.

"Ah don't know partners, but it doesn't sound pleasant." Applejack spoke with a serious tone, the dangerous were bad enough, but if there's something worst….

"Pleasant nothing, that evil music being heard is what makes me think something terrible is gonna start !" Pinkie Pie responded in issuing this fact that was completely leaving the others puzzled.

"Okay, that's creepy. Random, but creepy," Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow in finding that act kinda creeping her out.

"Oh no, will they make it back?" Rarity feared the worst if they truly won't see their friends, and after having such high hopes.

"I really hope they do." Fluttershy responded in fearing with concerns, she doesn't want to never see those she cares for ever again.

"We can only pray, mah friends, we can only pray." Applejack responded off with a stern tone, she doesn't like this situation one bit. But for now, the Mane Five have to believe that they'll see their friends & help save the Apples' Farm.

-------------

he sudden shift sense of the balance of good & evil was tipped, and no later from off a cliff area in the End of Equestria, did the Mystic Ponies of Tao, Dragon Kick, Jade Adventure, even Mighty Heart appeared by magic. They ended up witnessing something very big, very black, and also…very bad rising up for nearly every point of the End of Equestria to bear witness; the rise of 'The Shadow'. Just seeing the giant demonic monster whose entire body is comprised of darkness & fire & ashes, & with two sharp red eyes, but no face, unless the mouth is opened to look red, almost like a demonic fire of the living creature.

"AIIIIYAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH," Tao cried out so loud in witnessing a behemoth the size of a country. This must be what the Equestrian Eliminator was warning him and his group about!

"Bwaaughhhh," Dragon Kick yelled out with his eyes wide in seeing such a giant foe.

"Whaaaughhh," Jade also screamed out in seeing something that scary for a child her age and she's over the age of adults.

"Huuuughh…" Mighty gasped in staring at such a creature, almost…petrified at its presence.

Soon the monstrous creature was unable to register the Mystic Ponies as it had 'others' in mind: Twilight's fleeing group that were trying to escape.

"Ohhhh….I have…the Willies!" Tao spoke off in showing that his body was shaking from a nervous system.

"Uncle Tao, tell me that isn't what I think it is. Ow!" Dragon Kick asked off in wanting to be relieved of what he didn't wish to know was true….only for Tao to whack his forehead.

"What do you think it is? Tooth-fairy," Tao remotely stated about what else this creature is in a rhetorical sense of the matter.

"Okay, I'm a little lost here. Just what 'is' that thing?" Jade asked off in not recalling ever hearing or seeing such a creature like the Shadow before.

"A great evil of long ago….The Shadow!" Tao registered with a stern expression, as his gaze eyes shifted to his family in how he sees what this creature is.

"The what?"

"The Shadow...a terrible creature that was once one of the Demon Lords' servants as it roams around, making the land what it is together...and with what's happening. It could do so again!"

"But how could such a creature be revived now, Sensei? Who could have performed a revival spell this powerful, so efficiently without aid or assistance of more casters?" Mighty asked his sensei about where the Shadow came into the picture, and who may have caused it to reappear again. The Demon Lords are trapped in the Realm of Demons now so who else could be responsible?

"That person is none other than; the Overlord King, Grimmore. He gave me the Willies; he has revved a creature of unbelievable magical level of power ." Tao explained out in being very strict in his seriousness, that the Dark Elf is the cause of this. "It appears Starlight was correct in telling us what his master was doing."

"But Tao, Grimmore should not be able to even stretch his powers this far! Ow!" Dragon Kick was stating how that shouldn't even be possible for a prisoner of Tartarus, but got another serving of some whacks to the forehead by Tao.

"Were you listening? Nooo.... Then maybe, you forget what happened during Lorcan's Invasion?" Tao sternly addressed for his nephew to register the matter of what happened long ago when Lorcan had his final battle with Equestria's pony forces. "Grimmore sieged a moment to acquire power, power great enough that only he alone, managed to duplicate it…as a copy." Tao explained about how Grimmore used that war to obtain a large portion of Ben's gifted ability to have as his own, even if not the original.

"Wait, you mean the Triforce from Ben Mare?" Jade asked off in recalling that old fight the Mane Six & Spike went through that was life or death.

"A power such as that, 'would' indeed makes sense." Mighty exclaimed in nodding in understanding what his teacher was telling them. "And just a copy of such a power would give anyone such ability." A copy or the real thing, the Triforce is such that it could be most dangerous in the wrong set of hands.

"And for a Demon whose more godhood equals a very bad day." Dragon Kick thought over with a serious face in not liking this bit of news.

"But Ben is stronger now too, right? After all, he's already unlocked some abilities & cool gear?" Jade spoke in thinking Ben Mare was gonna be fine, he's slowly unlocking that power of his, even got a sword, shilled & bow with arrows to prove that stuff. "Hay, Ben and his friends took on the Demon Lords themselves, living to tell about it!"

"Jade, even so, Grimmore is using the power that he copied & stole from Ben to use against them, that's just raw material. Ow-ow!" Dragon Kick tried to explain this to his niece, only for Tao to give him two more whack jobs on his head suddenly.

"You do not hear yourself sometimes, there is more to this than that!" Tao sternly issued off in what Dragon Kick pointed out, was not the entire thing. "Grimmore plans to expand that power coping even the copy to help him underdeveloped stronger copies." Tao explained that what the Dark Elf is doing is making more of the Triforce’s unimaginable power. "He has already figured out how to create others like the Triforce, that he's presenting his own army with new elite soldiers, and soon, he'll unveil greater ones until finally….he makes the perfect replica to increase his own….beyond imagining." What this old pony is saying is that soon Grimmore's entire forces will be so strong, that unless someone stronger comes along, nothing can stop that which holds a multitude of power in their clutches.

"And this display, it's just…gulp…the basics, of his power ! Dragon Kick, was he that strong when you fought him?" Jade responded to stare off in where the Shadow was going, fearing that if Grimmore could do something like this, then was her uncle Dragon Kick serious about being 'lucky' to survive the Dark Elf when he met him.

"Unfortunately, I'm afraid not, I was 'really' lucky last time. This time…" Dragon Kick spoke from feeling a sudden surge of worry, caution, and concern in seeing, an old foe like Grimmore is not what he use to be. "He maybe too strong with his Dark Magic that even Mystic Ponies might not be enough. And Grimmore was already crazy powerful before this. Ow-Ow-Ow," Course during this explanation, he ends up getting three whack jobs from Tao on his forehead.

"Do not sell all of us short now!" Tao scolded his nephew for believing that not even all of the Mystic Ponies could win a battle against Grimmore as he's slowly rising up stronger heights then before. "While this was not a part of our planning, we must hope that Twilight's group escapes from the Shadow!" Tao explained that this was an event that was not foreseen or prepare Twilight's group of the danger.

"But what's wrong with us fighting that big bad Shadow thing to help them escape?" Jade asked in liking to know, only for Tao to give her a look that made her mope a bit. "I know, I know, we are not to interfered, but to watch. But it'll almost lead to the Hydra if we don't act!" The girl issued how that if they don't help when this obstacle is too much for Twilight's group to handle, they may just die for real & Tao already helped out once already. "Plus, I thought we agree to do something like this, right?"

"Sensei, unless the Shadow is stopped, what will happen to the End of Equestria? Now with all evil signs weaken to begin its recovery." Mighty asked Tao in knowing a lot of evil such as the Demon Lords & their evil servants & creatures are now gone, but while the land can recover, what's to say that recovery may be harmed by the Shadow's involvement?

"The Shadow is a problem we will have to solve…later." Tao addressed off to say in trying to get himself under control of the situation. "For now, making sure Twilight Sparkle & friends make it out of this land is more important. One More Thing…." He spoke in having the answer they need to be watchful on while having another thing to say.

"What is it?" Dragon asked in wondering what his uncle wants to tell them.

"Do not let the beast touch you, unless you cast a strong barrier coating spell over the body, what else?" Tao spoke off to blankly say the simple answer in which case, don't let the Shadow touch them, or it'll be over.

"Heheh, course it would be that." Jade lightly chuckled in hearing this claim under such conditions, course it would be something like that.

"Then we best be on our way!" Mighty responded in staring how far ahead the Shadow is as it's targets are the heroes trying to escape, with the ingredients in tow.

Soon the Mystic Ponies vanish in their own portals, and what they'll do from there, is anyone's guess under these dire situations.

------------

"Ha ha ha ha; and they say that nothing's good on TV nowadays!" Psycho Pie laughs. She and the rest of the Apocalypse Pones are watching what's happening to Twilight's group by their magic view portal.

"Yes, maybe now the mare will regret going." Wilco said with an evil grin behind his hood.

"Ha ha ha; they're going to suffer!" Fluttercruel laughs evilly.

Merluck laughs in amusement but saw that Trix isn't happy. He spoke up, "Oh calm down, sis. It will be over soon."

"But this might be too much! My own followers Dumbledore & Bocolix are still with the group and they can't even escape by Magic Warp Gate Spells." Trix points out to Merluck in worry. It's true. Dumbledore and Bocolix are still with Twilight's group and they would be killed unless those two are saved!

The Superior remarks this to his daughter, "In such matters my daughter, sacrifices must be done, for the greater cause of our goal." 

That comment leave Trixie unable to counter that while she and everyone in the room watch what will become the fate of Twilight Sparkle and traveling allies.

---------------------

Now the scene focuses back towards the End of Equestria, just as the music in the background seems to have ended. However, the music in the background now was changed to 'Maelstrom's Clutches' from Star Ocean: The Last Hope (extended version), in what was going to happen now. But during the moment, the entire realm that was the End of Equestria began to shake in terror and fear, all the areas around were crumbling from a terrible event playing in the realm. From the desserts to mountains, even the creepy castle, all began to nearly break away as if things were ending. Even the peaceful creatures living in the Lake of Eternal yelped in sensing the approaching danger to scurry to hid in the area. 

At this moment, we end up seeing the entire landscape was rumbling non-stop as Justin the MechBull was rushing out at super-charged speed with the gang in the gang. And right behind them, The Shadow was pursuing them in the race to escape the End of Equestria & not be caught by the creature Grimmore had brought into existence. At the very least, Ben, Twilight, Nyx in her Battle Form all fired their magical attacks & Sword Beams, even the Enforcers offered aid while Spike & Phobos tried to fire off their flame attacks. Everything was soon made contact with The Shadow, but the creature was not phase, not even caring, like it was all…nothing.

"CAN'T WE GO ANY FASTEEEEEER," Phobos yelled out in wanting this cart to move faster or be at risk of getting taken away by the Shadow.

"AH'M GIVING IT ALL SHE'S GOT! AH MEAN HIM! AH MEAN IT! AH MEAN…THEM! DAAAAAUGH…..AH CAN'T THINK STRAIGHT UNDER PRESSURE!" Tough Apple shouted out back in remarking the fact while getting all confused over what's happening here.

"It looks like everything is a falling apart! And it's all cause of what's happening with us now!" Spike slapped his forehead in not believing this, this was supposed to be their moment to return home, and now they get stuck with running for their very lives.

"ROOOUURRUUAARRRUGHHHH," The Shadow roared in pursuing the prey before it as its smoky structure was moving to almost enshadow the group.

"To think, we're facing something Grimmore released on us, I can't tell if he's playing or toying with us!" Nyx responded in finding this sorta situation that the Dark Elf unleashed was either to mess with them with this race for their lives or just to have a good run of entertainment.

"A bit of both, to think he end up bringing whatever this was up and now if we get caught, it's over." Ben shook his head in disbelief, they really gotten themselves in a deep fried pickle now.

"I've only heard about the creature called: 'The Shadow' as some monstrous creature long forgotten from days long ago. To think we would be seeing it." Twilight responded to gaze back at the giant monstrosity that was almost towering over them, to think such a fearsome beast lie beneath the End of Equestria, none of them saw it coming.

"We'll all die if that thing catches us! Should we split up?" Bocolix responded in seeing this wasn't looking good, what can the gang do to survive this?

"You kidding, we can't leave our pals behind, that thing looks serious!" Dumbledore insisted that if they leave, even if they survive, Boris would have their heads for leaving Twilight.

"Maybe one of my new weapons can stop that thing." Ben responded in checking what he's got that can help as he pulled it out for him to grasp.

"The Hero's Bow," The Enforcers, Spike & Phobos responded in seeing Ben bring out his new bow for all to witness it.

"Which are you gonna try?" Spike asked off in what arrow Ben was gonna use.

"Yeah, you got a shot of three elements." Phobos reminded Ben of what types of arrows with elements that he can use.

"Maybe a Fire Arrow could burn it." Dumbledore suggested in what can be used to help harm the beast.

"Nah, a Lightning Arrow might work to paralyze it." Bocolix waved off that idea to suggest a different method.

"Neither, I'll use the Light Arrow and see if it can at least hurt the thing." Ben responded that he'll use the one that can most likely harm a creature of evil.

"But Ah thought yer sword's beam thing wasn't able 'ta hurt it." Tough responded off in seeing that the Shadow was not phase from the range magical attacks Ben used from the Master Sword.

"It may need to be weakened by a strong holy power before the sword can do anything." Twilight spoke in thinking a theory in what can be used best of the two different weapons Ben now holds.

"Okay father, try it and see." Nyx nods in agreement while wanting her father to fire away.

"Here goes," Ben spoke in pulling the arrow back with his bow, as s glowing magical aura was shown, like it was charging the object of what Ben wishes to use.

Soon Ben fired off that arrow of light as it soon traveled to impact on the towering beast of shadow by the chest point.

"GRUUUOORRRAARRRRUGHHHH…" The Shadow let off a cry to hold it's chest from feeling where that Light Arrow impacted it.

"It got him!" Phobos cheered forth with a smile that the enemy was slowing down, that's a good thing to see, right?

"ROOOOHURAARRRRRUUGHHH," Suddenly, The Shadow let off a roaring tone of anger as it was not happy in what was done to it. "BASHHFRUPVHMM…" Then from a smash from its right hand against the ground, cause everything within the landscape, to shift and break apart.

"WOOHHHH-Ooohhhhhhhhh-aaaaahhhh," The gang was suddenly launched off the ground and into the air with only a few broken stepping stones for the gang to try to get footing to keep running.

"Da-Da-Da-ag-ag-ag-Gu-Gu-Gu-Gu-um-um……" Tough Apple was yelping from his lips against each step they landed on before touching the solid ground that was almost like traveling up or down stairs when on wheels.

"That plan didn't work so well!" Bocolix spoke off to get himself together in what happened to them.

"Yeah, it only made it madder!" Dumbledore responded to take into account that the gang made the shadow creature very mad.

"And now it looks ticked to want us more! Look!" Spike issued off with a fearful expression to point out something.

Suddenly behind the group, The Shadow that was dragging at first; suddenly picked up a bit more speed to continue its pursuit of the fleeing travelers.

"It's picking up speed!" Nyx yelped off in surprise, the Shadow was really trying to catch up to them now.

"Grimmore really sent us a troubling opponent to face." Ben sighed in really hating to say this, but the powerful enemy in Tartarus really let loose an opponent that's hard to deal with.

"Twilight, how closer are we out o' de border to 'dis place?" Tough Apple yelled from where he's driving in wondering how much they need to pass to get out of this terrible area.

"By the speed we're going, almost half a full week." Twilight responded in seeing how the heroes are at max speed and that's how much they still have to travel by now.

"I don't even think half a day will help us, that things moving too quickly!" Spike yelped in noticing that with the Shadow's speed in chasing them, they need to pick up the pace, pronto.

"We need more SPEED! Can't those machines give it anymore?" Phobos responded off in thinking that the gang has to get going, so how is it the two machines pulling them can't go even further.

"Ah can't! Push too hard an' 'de little fellas burn their systems & then we're deep fried." Tough Apple responded that Justin & Rabbitchu are doing their best, anymore and they'll really be in trouble.

"I have a plan; we need some ponies that can step out to help pull us to out run the creature." Twilight exclaimed in suggesting a course of action by getting more runners to help them increase the speed they need to outrun their shadowy pursuer.

"Who would do that?" Nyx asked her mother in who they have that could do just that.

"I think I got a plan." Ben responded to turn in facing where the Enforcers are in the cart. "You two, are you pretty fast fliers." The guy asked if the two new Alicorns were pretty much fast when it comes to flying.

"Well yeah, sure we are. We like to test or speed & strengths." Dumbledore responded off that the two Enforcers have done something in wanting to see who was better.

"We're Alicorns, so we race to see who's faster, stronger, more magical, even better looking." Bocolix issued off what the two do to test the other out in their obstacles.

"Brains however, might not be their strong points." Phobos whispered out to the others in seeing that these two might be tough, but smarts seem to have skip them even as alicorns.

"Sssshhhh," Nyx hushed her friend to not be rude, especially when their lives are on the line.

"Listen, if we're going to survive, we need your help, we'll tie you with magical rope so you can pull as hard as you can while not breaking off from us." Ben instructed to Bocolix and Dumbledore in how they'll use a special rope to give enough pull force to their cart so the group won't get separated.

"But….but…." Dumbledore & Bocolix were feeling a bit unsure if they themselves were gonna be the key players to their entire survival of escaping from the Shadow, they themselves feel like nothing but fakes.

"Please, if we can pick up enough speed to outrun the Shadow, we can get to the outer borders to teleport us to safety." Twilight insisted that these two try to understand, even if it's not a lot, a little can go a long way to help them out.

The Enforcers were now in deep thought over their situation. When Dumbledore & Bocolix were just plain old Dum Dum & Boxco, they only managed to do things right, only to do something in messing up or that they were nothing but muscle for Boris since their colt years, their thinking thoughts matter little to the guy they listen to. Even while in the form of Alicorns, the two stooges have grown in power than before as the now known Enforcers, yet why did it feel like the true strength…came from helping others than bully others for supremacy.

"Okay, we may not be the best at being heroes." Bocolix responded with a little smile in seeing what was happening here, to now go from foolish losers & bullies to maybe…just maybe, something more in growing up.

"Or being smart, but we'll try…for our friends." Dumbledore smiled to look to his pal, seeing if others wanted to truly give them a chance, even beliefs, than perhaps for those that are their friends, they'll give the heroic part a good old try.

Now Dumbledore & Bocolix leaped out with magical ropes around their waist as the two join the MechBull to start flying fast to give everything they got.

"Hay ye'll, it's working!" Tough Apple responded in noticing that they are suddenly getting faster now. "We're going faster!" Responded off in seeing they were going much faster than before, that's a good sign.

"But it's still behind us!" Spike yelped out in noticing, their pursuer was still coming even at this speed.

"ROOOUURRARRRRRUGHHHH," The Shadow roared out in vastly accelerating its motion to catch the fleeing preys. "Froopfruvhhmmm…." Suddenly, from a wave of its left hand, sent a wind current like a hurricane force.

"Waaaaaaaaughhhh……" The others screamed from the powerful wind force that seemed to almost lift them off the ground, but Twilight & Nyx used their magic to keep them stable so to not lose momentum in keeping their speed course or falling behind.

"Mother, how much more have we've pass?" Adult Nyx asked off in wondering how much more do they still need to get by now.

"There's Castle Nowhere & the Shifting Sands, we're about three to two days worth at our top speed." Twilight pointed from noticing from a distance, the areas where they came across way earlier.

"Come on fellas! Work them tails to 'de bone!" Tough shouted off to those running or flying to pick up the pace, they gotta win the race or die trying.

"Easy for you to say," Bocolix remarked off to say this to Tough of where he sat during this.

"We're doing all the pulling!" Dumbledore issued off about the Enforcers doing more pulling to help them get away from the beast.

"Just do it or we're dead meat!" Tough snapped off to make the Enforcers pipe down and to just continue to give it their all, which they groan under their breath.

"Chhhuuuuu," Rabbitchu was trying to give more electric power to Justin with all its energy from going out for so long.

"MWRUUARRGUHHHH," Justin the MechBull was really pushing its gears to the limit, it was almost starting to turn red, but not from anger.

Now the gang was picking up some speed to keep a better distance from their pursuer. The Shadow however noticed this before picking up its own pace like it was nothing to catch its prey.

"It's still not enough!" Twilight issued off in seeing their speed level isn't helping them getaway fast enough.

"Any other ideas Twilight, we'll need plenty of juice to speed up?" Ben asked if the smart pony has any ideas on how to keep a distance from The Shadow.

"Try throwing out some of our supplies. Everything BUT the ingredients, it'll lighten our weight." Twilight instructed those around to get everything

Soon the group was tossing their food supplies, a few camping gears the stuff that they won't miss to help increase their speed. So far, that was working; they themselves just had to do this until they ran out of things to throw away. Course the Shadow was still after them, so Phobos looked around with fear before smiling at what he found and was about to toss it out until...

"Phobos; Mom said NOT to throw out the ingredients!!" Nyx sternly snapped at seeing Phobos almost throw out the bag holding what they risk their lives to gather to save the Apples' Farm.

"Sorry, fear of death made me forget." Phobos shrugs off to say, the whole survival thing has really stress him out to not think. "How about those magic guardians we picked up that's around Twilight's neck." The guy asked off about something else they can throw out, however…

"No, those are too important to lose either!" Nyx snapped off to say, the group won't get rid of what they've also got as souvenirs, if they themselves did, the creatures from within would get loose without a master to command them.

"Well gee; can we make up the mind then?" Phobos rolled his eyes to see that he got on Nyx's bad side, they can't lose stuff that are important for a mission and what can't be left to be used for evil.

"We're picking up more speed now." Ben issued in seeing they've gotten a bit more faster than before, that's good enough for the moment.

"Hoot," Owlowiscious responded off in hearing this to respond.

"Us, that's who…oh, really!" Ben responded to say, only to realize what the owl was doing even now.

"Arrf-Arrff," Koga barked off during the commotion.

"We still need to increase speed; we need some other pony to try to help those two Enforcers pull us!" Twilight responded off in seeing that the group may need others to get out and pull their vehicle to outrun the Shadow.

"How about me and Phobos go, he can fly and I got my Flame Steps to help me speed off pretty quick." Spike suggested that the two dragons with the gang can be of help to them.

"Spike, are you sure?" Twilight asked with concern if Spike was up to this task, it'll be hard, but….

"Yeah, I won't let us die here." Spike nods with a determined face that said plenty to Twilight's worries. "You ready Phobos!" He turned in wanting to know if the Moon Dragon was gonna help out now.

"Gee, between sitting here to be afraid of shadowy guy chasing us to running for my life while pulling this cart? I say…." Phobos spoke in pretending to think about their situation, just before he gave off an answer. "LET ME RUN FAST AND GET US OUTTA HERE!" Yep, the guy screamed to quickly tie rope around his belly, he wants them to escape quickly without any waste.

"Guess that's a yes." Ben shrug off his shoulders in stating what kinda answer that the others got out of Phobos.

Soon Spike & Phobos leaped out to join the Enforcers and the MechBull to pull them. Now the Dragons boost in speed was helping to make the cart going even faster now, they were picking up extra bits of speed now.

"Looky there, we are really going fast here!" Tough Apple smiled off to issue in what they're doing is really helping out now.

"Hugh…hugh….how much…more?" Dumbledore spoke from almost losing his breath during the continue fleeing work from their wings.

"Hugh….are we almost there," Bocolix spoke off from a loss of breath while not calling it quits, but like to know if they are almost there.

"We've still got more to cover, but at this rate, we're almost going to escape." Twilight spoke in looking at the map to their area now, they are very close to escaping the End of Equestria now.

"ROOUUARRRRGUHHH," The Shadow roared from being a bit behind the increasing fast group trying to get away from it.

"And I think he's not looking to please to see us go, mother!" Nyx spoke from looking behind in seeing the chaser was not going to call it quits yet.

"Ben, can you possibly try firing those Light Arrows directly for the eyes." Twilight requested to her love if he could try to fire another of his arrows with the light element to aim near the creature's eyes.

"Sure, but can that be enough to stop him?" Ben shrugs off to say that he could do it, but would that help slow The Shadow down enough?

"Possibly enough to slow him down; Once distracted, I need you to help the others in pulling us." Twilight explained in what she has that can help, blind the beast & have Ben use his Triforce power to give them their final speed boost to the max. "Nyx, I'm going to need you to help me combine our magic to not only makes us go faster, but to sense when we're outside the End of Equestria's borders to help instantly get us home." The new princess instructed in what she and her daughter will be doing to make sure they can reach the outside border to escape & get home without being chased anymore.

"Alright, I'll do my best." Nyx nods in hearing the plan, she won't let her mother down in the task.

"As will I, cause here come the Shadow now!" Ben nods in determination as he sees the creature coming at them from behind again.

"GRUUOOORRRUGHHH," The Shadow growled to raise up it's right smoky hand to almost grasp the gang until…. "Powwfrup…Baangfrupvhmm…." Ben fired a Light Arrow from the Hero's Bow that had two arrows and they both pierce the creature's firry eyes. "GRUARRRRUGHH-ARRRRRGUHH…" At that moment, The Shadow stopped to feel pain in being temporally blinded now.

"Now's my chance," Ben wrapped around a magic rope, and jumped forward in front of the MechBull with the Enforcers & the two Dragons, "Triforce-Charger!" Once he called this out, Ben's body glows with the golden aura and surrounding himself by floating triangle forms.

"Poowwfruvhmmmm…." At that moment, the Triforce mark glowed around Ben and those that would run with him, to pick up the moment to run at speeds in the blink of an eye. "WOOOOHHUUAAAAUGHHH…" Those in the cart were almost holding onto the rails or rope lines in feeling they are gonna break sound barrier and make a sonic-boom soon.

"Wooh….we're really going fast now!" Spike yelled out from within the force of their inherence speed pressure.

"Awehahahahahah-Sohohohohohme," Phobos spoke out in trying to talk, but his mouth was flapping around from the wind force.

"Yeeeeeeehaaaaahhhh!/Whooopppeeeee!" Tough & the Enforcers cheered from feeling this was a big turn around for them now, they are truly gonna get out.

"I can almost sense it, we're a few more miles away from finally getting near the exit border." Nyx spoke in alerting her mother that they are almost out of the End of Equestria, especially from seeing Bunny Rabbit Rock, A.K.A. Skunk Rock where they came across before.

"Yes, I can almost fell the magic returning…we can make it now." Twilight spoke in almost feeling that the gang can finally use their magic to get themselves back home now.

However, situations like that were not as easy, especially with what was chasing the gang, "GRUUUOOOARRRRRUUGGHH-ARRRRGUH!" The Shadow recovered from its blindness, pulled off a speed bullet of blasting across the landscape before letting the prey escape. "POOOOWCRASSSHHH-Bashhhfrupvhmmm…." But then a massive smash from its fist together impacted the ground caused the gigantic quake that broke off almost like the entire content.

"WAAAAUUUGHHH….." The gang was thrown up from being blasted off the ground again, this time without anything to run on and was trapped in a spinning formation.

"No, just a few more inches!" Twilight cried out in seeing how the gang are so close now, they can't let it end like this.

"It's approaching!" Nyx cried out from noticing that the Shadow is really coming at them.

"GRUUARRUUAARRRRGHHHH," The Shadow roared in approaching the group that it's finally caught.

"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAUUGHHHH," Tough, Spike, Phobos, Dumbledore & Bocolix suddenly were screaming with wide mouths and wide eyes, this looks to be it; the end.

The scenery was slowing down as the gang was thrown in the air with The Shadow opening its mouth to look like it's gonna swallow the spinning out of control group spinning forward, but not much.

"Urrgh….one chance, hope this works…." Ben suddenly brought forth his Master Sword to stick it far ahead of him with one hope left….

At the moment, when the sword's edge reaches a point, an invisible magical line was seen below to which Twilight sensed it.

"We're near the border's outer reach; we've stuck a portion of us out; that should do it." Twilight responded in seeing from Ben's sword, like in a race, it made it to the finish line; meaning they've reached the outskirts that lead into the End of Equestria.

"Hurry mother, the Shadow is approaching" Nyx cried out in noticing that the beast was now about to close in on them.

"Here goes….." Twilight was concentrating with all her might with her horn & Nyx's horn glowing with all they got now.

"GRUUARROOOUURRARRUGHH…" The Shadow dropped its mouth to about to capture the targets…. But then suddenly, the gang's entire presence vanished before the shadowy beast could swallow them; they've escaped, they've managed to make it out alive. "ROOOUURRARRRRUUURRRGHHHHHH…" The Shadow roared out in fury, the prey he was given have escaped the End of Equestria and of its wrath. It was also around here that the music in the background slowly began to fade from coming to a close.

From afar in watching the Shadow let out its rage, the Equestrian Eliminator watched behind some shadows of a rocky cliff. He sees that Twilight's group has managed to do the impossible; they have entered and escape the End of Equestria.

"So you watched what has happened?" A voice spoke that a creature was walking up to approach the Equestrian Eliminator without causing him to react in noticing…it was an ally of evil that came. A sinister black coated Alicorn like pony with blood red eyes, a black goatee, a long black tail, along black hair and bat wings instead of the usual Pegasus wings. His cutie mark looks like the Eye of Sauron from the Lord of the Rings series. This was Fafnir, the creature that is currently serving the Superior at this time.

"Fafnir, what are you doing here?" Number 13 asked off from not looking to see who was here near him.

"I came to see how things would go, and I must say to believe some random group of heroes escaped this awful place….is puzzling indeed ." Fafnir responded off in issuing that he wanted to see how the events were going, only to be left surprised that Twilight's group managed to getaway in time with their lives intact.

"Then just take this." The Equestrian Eliminator turned around slightly to use his magic to make a magic scroll float over for the other villain to catch it. "A report on what has been done by Twilight Sparkle's group, how much their strength has grown, and what they now have in their possession." The agent of Grimmore responded that from that magic scroll, all information of those he spied on is listed.

"I see, very well, I shall give this to the Superior. And what of you," Fafnir responded in accepting this before asking what this masked unicorn will do now.

"I must return to my lord, await orders from him & those within Tartarus to continue watching over the ponies." Equestrian Eliminator responded that he'll leave to return to Tartarus before leaving to probably continue to spy on the ponies for his lord & master.

"I see; well good luck with that. I've got my own agendas to deal with, but the Superior will at least like the report." Fafnir responded in understanding the issue before planning himself to get going now, "Fare-thee-well." With that, the villain vanished in his own magical portal of bursting flames to wherever he wanted to go to.

Once that character was gone, did the lone masked unicorn looked out to the Shadow letting out loud roars at its lost before turning to leave the scene to do anything it wants after being created.

"Surviving that which even Lord Grimmore unleashed is a very rare feat for you, Twilight Sparkle." The Equestrian Eliminator responded in acknowledging that to survive a great ordeal from the Overlord King of Tartarus is no small feat to be done. "But you should watch yourself more carefully, for if there is a next time, I may just be an enemy than an ally." With that much spoken and done with, the masked pony turns into a shadow to disappear with the other shadows.

Things in what awaits all heroes, from the Superior, Grimmore, the Shadow, Fafnir, and even the Equestrian Eliminator. So many questions are left in the dark in how the good ponies of Equestria shall deal with such powerful forces…the next time.

The Shadow roars angrily. He was considering invading Equestria for revenge when a voice stops the creature.

"Hey!" The Shadow turned and saw Dragon Kick. He glare at him as the pony sticks his tongue out. "Catch me if you can!"

Dragon Kick quickly run off before Shadow roar angrily. He starts chasing Dragon Kick with his mouth opening to attack. Mighty Heart roars angrily as he jump from the cliff and smack the Shadow down. Mighty quickly grab the Shadow with his hooves and yells out, "Mighty Hooves!"

Mighty's hooves glow in golden light as it grew bigger, bulkier and muscular as he held tight onto the Shadow. He squeeze tightly on the Shadow very hard before he himself let go. Mighty quickly gave big punches on Shadow as hard as he can for a few times. He then gave hard punch to his face. The Shadow received major injuries as he turns to the front.

Dragon Kick jump and kick on the Shadow before he starts punching on the monster's face for a few times. Dragon Kick punches the monster's face to Mighty Heart, who punches him back to Dragon Kick. Both of them continue to punch on the monster as hard as they can.

"Dragon Kick; Mighty Heart; Incantation Spell Time," Jade calls out from nearby.

Dragon Kick and Mighty Heart nodded. They both quickly stepped away and disappear in sight from the Shadow. The Shadow itself looks confused. He then heard a noise as well as looking at his body. The Shadow looks for the source of the noise. He then looked up and saw Tao stirring a stew with green color of soup and combining some of vegetables while Mighty held and swing the lantern, Dragon Kick bang the drum as many times, Jade held two bags while going around her family.

Tao, Dragon Kick, Jade and Mighty chant, "Yu Mo Gwai Gwaai Fai Di Zao! Yu Mo Gwai Gwaai Fai Di Zao! Yu Mo Gwai Gwaai Fai Di Zao!"

The Shadow looks shocked and scared. Tao placed the chili on the stew and it puff of smoke. A big rectangle-like golden light comes out from the stew and fire right at the Shadow which scream loudly and painfully. The Shadow itself incinerate into ashes; All the last thing that Tao and his family seen is a burned mark.

"That was easy?" Mighty ask in amazement. The Shadow fell like that after a while of chasing Twilight and her group.

Tao scoff, "Shadow is nothing to compare to my battle against the Demon Lords since thousand years ago and present."

"Well, it's over right? I can bet the Mystic Council will be pleased of the result." Jade said hopefully. Once the Mystic Council hears of the progress, at least that's enough to convince them, right?

"Indeed , it is." Dragon Kick said while patting Jade on the back. Looks like it's over...right?

Suddenly, the clouds above the End of Equestria started to become….ominously strange.

"Ohhh….the Willies," Tao spoke in feeling himself get the shivers, something was not right. There was 'evil' & 'darkness' in the air.

"MWuhahahaha-haaaah, look at what is happening now!" Spoke an evilly diabolical voice within the air that could send shivers down other folks’ spines.

"Bwaaahhhh; Oh no, please tell me it isn't…" Dragon Kick cried out in looking around and then upwards in being horrified, that voice couldn't belong to...

"Oh, but it is…." Suddenly, taking in the form of clouds again was the Overlord King; Grimmore as he appeared in a sitting form like before. "How amusing, you Mystics usually don't interfere much, but this adventure has been an interesting moment." He spoke from having his right hand rest his chin, finding how Tao's group has done a few extra activeness than the usual Mystic Ponies would do.

"Wooh and I thought bad guys put their heads in the clouds too much with their egos." Jade spoke in being surprised to see this Grimmore guy for the first time.

"Geh-taguugh, Jade, don't intimidate him!" Dragon Kick yelped off in seeing that his niece was doing something really bad & dangerous, insulting a major villain is not a good idea.

"To imagine, the Dark Elf would appear before us now under such a situation." Mighty spoke in having his eyes focus seriously on the enemy above them, this did not bold well.

"Aieeeeyaaaaaah; we are not prepared for this!" Tao cried out to hold his head, to have the godly Demon sealed in Tartarus appear now without being prepared is like jumping off a cliff to below a spiky canyon. Granted, the Equestrian Eliminator told them that this would happen but they were busy preparing for the Shadow that they didn't have time to prepare for Grimmore.

"Well Dragon Kick, how long has it been since I've seen you and your old uncle, Tao?" Grimmore remarkably issued in seeing those he recalls from the past long time ago, before he was possibly even imprisoned. "Ah yes, back long ago, to a time where even Smaug the Great was once performing his actions." He showed a sly smirk in remembering such old events; the day ponies saw Smaug The Great attack the Flutter Ponies by summoning Discord, and other events possibly from the Three Tribes, etc.

"What do you want with us?" Dragon Kick asked off a bit baffled, shocked, but still tried to be serious in what this Dark Elf wanted with them all of a sudden.

"Oh nothing at all, just to see those I haven't check in for so long. And I see you both have some new…company, in your group." Grimmore spoke off in sounding so very sure of himself, even if the clouds were not the real eyes, they stared at Mighty Heart that swallowed hard at this while Jade Adventure didn't seem to have felt such a powerful level threat reading, being still so young.

"Yeah, well get ready, cause we just put the stop to the Demon Lords & made sure Twilight's group escaped." Jade declared off in sounding cocky in telling this fact like it is to the Dark Elf guy. "Course, it would have been better if we were more 'active' with those that really beat those eight Demons, but eh, them's the rules?" The young Mystic Pony remotely spoke that last claim not so loud since the fact remained they 'mostly' watched while Twilight's group won those battles & escaped.

"My, so this is the niece that gives you a wild time, Dragon Kick. She certainly has spunk, to not be afraid." Grimmore spoke with a small inner chuckle in watching the display of Jade Adventure, she must certainly be a handful for Dragon Kick to keep under control in dangerous situations.

"Please Jade; don't try to push your luck any further." Dragon Kick spoke to try to keep his niece from making matters any worse than they already are.

"Why do you try to appear before us now, unless you've come to brag?" Tao sternly spoke to glare at the Overlord King of Tartarus, something of this meeting of old foes just doesn't sink right, especially when a powerful Demon god is staring right under you from above the clouds.

"Oh, I'll tell you why." Grimmore slowly spoke in feeling like he'll talk, but because he wants to and to smear it in these fools' faces. "The age where Equestria shall enter a new era as the contestants of old & new partake and only those that last long can try to overcome the difficulty." He explained in already knowing of what is to soon come and it can't be stopped. "After all, my side & that organization will begin to slowly unleash their might, soon enough." Hearing this part almost made a lot of the others fell over with some concerns.

"So then the situation with the Apple Acres was indeed cause by an unnatural spell, just as Tao told me to look into." Mighty spoke in realizing that when he looked over at what happened to the Apple's farm, that a spell was used to ruin the crop field, the organization Grimmore spoke, the Apocalypse Ponies must have been behind that.

"Bring on buster, we're not scared!" Jade shook off her left hoof in challenging this major dark elf villain to bring out his worst, they'll handle it.

"Oh really; Hmph-hmph-hmph, hmph-hmph-hmph-hmph...sniff…." Grimmore raised an eyebrow to begin to chuckle wickedly before taking a moment to exhale here. "Then perhaps a 'little' demonstration is in order." He spoke from opening his eyes to gaze at the ones that wish to challenge him so showing off a bit may serve as a reminder.

"No, no, no, no! No demonstration!" Dragon Kick yelped to panic to wave up his hooves to say they don't want that, it's a mistake, a BIG one.

"Now you should know better, Kick. When someone asks for something," Grimmore slowly spoke in slowly moving his right hand outward over his cloud thrown image. "I deliver the goods!" The Dark Elf responded with a very suspicious gleam that from focusing on the eyes showed he had something diabolical plan in what he'll unleash here. Two words: Uh oh!

Suddenly, the ground begins to show strange white light escaping from beneath its surface.

"AIIIIYAAAAAAH; He's Going To Blow Up The Ground We Stand On!" Tao shouted out so loud over the rumbling ground beneath them in seeing what was going to happen.

"Gaaugh," Dragon Kick yelped off in seeing this and he had to quickly begin to run.

"Five….four…" Grimmore began a slow countdown while taking in the display ever slowly to revel in it's performance.

"Waaaughhh…" Jade yelped from being picked up by Dragon Kick, as he, Mighty & Tao were making a split to get away over to the area that was not showing any lighting up.

"Three…..two…" Grimmore counted down in watching the act below before he soon…. "One," He reached the final end of his count, so it's time to show….his powerful might as a Demon god.

"Oh no…" Mighty responded to where he quickly grabbed Tao as the two along with Dragon Kick & Jade were mere feet away to reach their safe destination while looking back at what's to come.

"Gigantic Aftershock Wave," Grimmore announced off loudly enough to lift his right hand up to unleash a truly shocking display.

"KABOOOMFRRUVHMMM…" Then without warning, behind the Mystic Ponies, a giant explosion erupts underneath the area where the light escaped from about to inflict a great amount of damage if it reaches the escapees.

"Bad Day, Bad Day, Bad Day, Bad Day, BAD DAAAAAAAY!" Dragon Kick was screaming out while he and everyone else was running, or choosing to fly or levitate, whichever, cause this attack was catching up to them BIG TIME!

"PLOWWFUVVHHHMMM…./Bammfrvuhmmmm!" Soon Mighty Heart & Dragon Kick managed to dash with enough strength to step out of the exploding area they were in but saw the large white explosion that blew nearly the entire area up to crumble. Soon the display began to slowly fade, showing what was a normal flat-land to be a rubble of smoking & crumbling waste-field that could have taken them out. Tao & Jade got off from being carried to study this transaction, truly that is what a hero needs to watch out for, a villain that packs a lot of power too dangerous to be left alone (& by alone, we mean to bring an army to fight just one foe).

"Hoooooh, to disrupt the planet's geomagnetic field; with a shift upwards motion of the hand, he created a massive atomic explosion that has the potential to cause an almost endless crater in the desired area." Tao gasped in sheer shock in seeing this kind of power even level an entire field so big, wide and large, it would take much power to pull it off, and this was very serious scary stuff.

"To think he could cause this, even while still imprisoned in Tartarus. And his use of 'small’ could only mean it wasn't going to be any larger than what he wanted to use on us." Mighty explained from witnessing this feat himself, if Grimmore wanted to, he could have done more than this 'small' display and that's frightening to even picture such a possibility.

"Um, I think I'm beginning to see why you never liked his tricks, Dragon Kick." Jade gulped from looking back a bit worried & concern in why her uncle Dragon Kick found the Dark Elf, Grimmore, such an opponent he never liked, trick question is, what even IS there to like such a guy?

"This is bad, very bad." Dragon Kick responded in looking around to see such waste in one fell shot, "If we were even caught in that, it could almost even finish a Mystic Pony. Ow!" Just as he was saying this of terrible picturing thought, Tao whacked him on his forehead.

"You should have made sure to waaaaaarn us of such a technique coming! How did you let that slip your mind?" Tao scolded his nephew for forgetting such a powerful move that could have wasted them.

"But I didn't expect him to use a similar technique like the Exploding Wave Spell from the Forbidden Book of Spells!" Dragon Kick spoke on his defense in this situation, that spell the Overlord King performed was a spell too powerful & any regular unicorn that use that without concerns of everything around them would destroy their home & everyone else that weren't prepared for such an attack.

"Grimmore is older than us; the book was not made until thousands of years later." Tao scold the stallion for not recalling who they are dealing with here. "One More Thing, there is no spell to this day and age that has not been listed or seen performed. One More Thing, you should know to expect the unexpected. One More Thing…" Tao was goon be going on in scolding Dragon Kick for lacking these things to keep in mind.

"Um, guys…he's still here!" Jade spoke in looking a bit pale in seeing above their heads…a familiar cloud form of the Dark Elf was looking down at them.

"Hahahahahaahh…..surprise and that was only fair warning." Grimmore cackled off to remark to the Mystic Ponies about what he did was only giving a warning sign.

"You call trying to obliterating us 'fair warning'?" Dragon Kick asked off in mere disbelief that what Grimmore calls a warning, could have killed them, this Dark Elf is seriously toying with them to his own amusement.

"It's to leave my mark in giving my message to be clear as heard." Grimmore replied off in relaxing in his thrown to make his point fair. "Do not trifle in the affairs of my agents." He issued this off with a lower eye gaze in dryly saying with some annoyed wrath tone in what the Mystic Ponies were doing to one of his agents.

"Trifle; Affair; Hugh," Jade repeated those words while seeming a bit lost by such pronouncements.

"It means…a thing of little value or importance and an event or sequence of events of a specified kind. But what does he mean by of his agents?" Mighty explained the details to the young Mystic Pony, but was puzzled in what the dark elf even meant.

"Huuugh, Starlight!" Tao gasped in horror and shock, Grimmore was taking about Starlight Sparkle, A.K.A. Agent 13; the Equestrian Eliminator...who he was helping during this adventure in the End of Equestria.

"You may think I don't know what was going on, but you be sadly mistaken." Grimmore spoke off in stating this little issue for the Mystics to know, he was no fool, he saw what was happening. "You thought you could easily shift the will of an agent that I created?" He exclaimed that Tao was trying to make the masked pony agent question his background history like what he was before becoming the Equestrian Eliminator.

The scene shifts to where the Equestrian Eliminator is right now, back within Tartarus, but he feels strange….his eyes behind the mask shift colors & his magic seem more unusual than before.

"You thought wrong, even know, the heart & soul of the Equestrian Eliminator begins to mix from my own shroud of darkness." Grimmore spoke with these words as the image of Agent 13 was shown a dark violet aura over his body, and his eyes seem to glimmer a crimson red for a brief moment before fading away. "He shall live under my will, my law, MY Rule! Until…his purpose has come to an end." The Dark Elf declared in what shall be the fate of those that serve him, even a pony that could be the decease younger brother of Twilight Sparkle.

At this moment, the scene returns to Tao's group staring up against the mighty Dark Elf, hard to know if they'll fight or not, but this feels like the battle could take up nearly all of the End of Equestria before things settle down.

"So fairway and let this fearful encounter remind you & your other Mystic friends…." Grimmore spoke in feeling like he's enjoying to see Tao's group squirm in seeing they have meant a match they can't compete against. "That my time of freedom grows ever closer, with each day, my power grows, and soon….there will be both an end, and a beginning from my return." That message alone showed that from the cloud version of Grimmore's eyes issue that his freedom grows nearer & truly when it happens, all of Tartarus will break loose cause that's what will happen. "Mwuhahahaha-HAHAHAHAAAAAUGHHH…" Soon the cloud form of the Overlord King began to fade & scatter, but Grimmore's wickedly evil cackle could still be heard even as the skies were clear: this just proves how serious the situation is becoming.

"Boy, now this really strikes as an out for us." Jade spoke off in seeing how much of a terrible foe that the ponies got on their hands, or hooves for a pony, the Dark Elf that rules Tartarus seems like a majorly big threat, right next to the Superior.

"Sensei, could what Grimmore say be true? That the Equestrian Eliminator is still under his control?" Mighty Heart asked his teacher if the masked pony agent that has trail Twilight's group, still has difficulty escaping the Dark Elf's control.

"Whether he is or isn't, so long as Starlight has second guessing, that will weaken the darkness that binds his heart." Tao wisely explained the matter in how the deceived Starlight that continues to believe he's the Equestrian Eliminator can believe he was another pony before an agent of Grimmore. "But the only one that may truly set him free, maybe of Twilight Sparkle." The old pony declared out that if anypony can help the Equestrian Eliminator be who he once was as Starlight, it maybe Twilight Sparkle when the time truly does come for them to meet, face to face, and more clearly too.

"Which means that Grimmore or even the Superior will make a big move," Dragon Kick spoke in understanding what will soon happen, either Grimmore or even the Superior, is gonna make a big move that will leave a big mark in Equestria's history books. "And when they do, we can only hope that Starlight can realize who he truly is." He sighed in feeling that when such a big matter does occur, the agent under Grimmore's will can choose what to forever be, a servant to an evil dark elf or be a free stallion that longs to be loved by love ones.

Silence fell over the gang after that, for they know that as Mystic Ponies, they are to watch & guild others down the 'right' path. And very soon, when a battle too big to avoid arrives, the Mystic Ponies may have to break that rule. But for now, they have 'other' matters to attend to.

Of course, when it involves the treaty...