//------------------------------//
// Skirmish at Midnight Castle 
// Story: MLP: Journey Across Time 
// by B. J. Williams 
//------------------------------//

	Basil had searched for information on the Heriotza; he knew now they were real. But his searching led him nowhere. So, then he remembered something. He didn't want to do it but he had no choice. So, he swallowed his pride and went to Midnight Castle to get the information necessary from Tirac. Basil knew that he knew what the death guard is. Well, he got the info needed but he wished he didn't at the same time.
Some moments later, the main six advanced to Midnight Castle as well. When, they arrived they saw a small island. On top of it was a large dark castle with five towers near the top. It was storming out too although there was no rain.
"Is… this…" Fluttershy asked. Thunder boomed. Flutteshy got frightened.
"This is Midnight Castle." Twilight said. "Inside is the element of Scorn and Tirac is in there too."
"I'm a little nervous myself." Rainbow Dash said. "Because I faced Tirac before, his reputation precedes him. But we need to do what we need to do." Thunder rolled and lightning struck the nearby cliff near them.
"So, you have arrived at last." Tirac's voice said. A gray platform appeared before them. "I've been expecting you."
"How do you know that?"
"Because, I have one of the elements of chaos and you are looking for the elements of chaos. So, it would be logical that you would come here. Now, you must step on this platform."
"I don't think so."
"If you want to enter my castle, you must step on this platform." Twilight scanned it over with her magic. She detected powerful magic. "Do I have to use my dragons to push you on?" Then, three dragons appeared behind them, grabbed the ponies and put them on the platform.
"What are do…" Then, the ponies disappeared. They reappeared inside the castle.
"Where are we?" Pinkie Pie asked terrified. They looked around them. They noticed they were in a shadowed room. Behind them was a set of blood red set of wooden double doors.
"Now, to shed a little light on where you are." Tirac said. He snapped his fingers. Then, the torches on the wall lit up the room somewhat. They revealed that the room they were in resembled that of a throne room.
"This isn't looking good." Twilight said. Then, they heard stomping. "That definitely doesn't sound good." Then, who would step into the light, the fearful and intimidating centaur, Tirac.
"It's about time you got here." Tirac said.
"Tirac." Twilight said.
"Ah, so you remember me. I remember you as well. And I know what you have come for." Using his magic, a blood red box came into his hand. He opened the box. "The element of scorn." In the box, lay the element of scorn, the glowing dark green orb with dark energy radiating from it. He closed the box. "I will allow you to take it away; it is better safe in my hands."
"No it won't. You plan to use it for evil purposes."
"Do you think I'm that stupid to use it? The element of scorn is the most powerful of the elements of chaos. The dark equivalent of the element of magic."
"Wait, how is scorn the opposite of magic?"
"The magical feeling that you get when you are around your friends and family, the magical feeling is love."
"Well, if you don't plan on using it," Applejack brought up. "Then, why bother keeping it."
"There are more evil villains than me. But I have a feeling that you will be meeting me again earlier than this age." And he turned to Applejack. "And you, this will not be the last time that you and I will cross blades. But enough talk," Then, he mythril halberd appeared. "If you want the element of scorn from me, you will have to fight for it." The ponies armed themselves. "This is a fair fight because I can take you all on."


[Cue "Otherworld" from FFX.]

He had launched a huge fire arch at all six of the ponies; the ponies couldn't dodge the fire. Some of the ponies got singed fur, and the others got torched manes. Nonetheless, all of the ponies got first degree burns. Then, he leaped into the middle of the group stomping down. As he landed he cause a tremor knocking the six away from him. "I dare you to fight me. Bring it on."
Applejack retrieved her rifle and fired a shot at Tirac, but he noticed the incoming projectile and he blocked it away in a way that it would hit Fluttershy in the shoulder. She yelped in pain. Rarity fired an arrow from her crossbow at Tirac; he dodged and the arrow missed Applejack barely.
"Sorry, Applejack." Rarity said.
"It's okay." Applejack replied. "Rarity can you help with Fluttershy?"
"Okay." Rarity galloped over to Fluttershy. "Fluttershy, are you okay?"
"It hurts so bad." Fluttershy said. "Damn it." Pinkie Pie charged at Tirac forgetting that he had ezuste gems in his gauntlets. Tirac predicted Pinkie Pie's attack. And when, Pinkie was near him without even looking. He grabbed Pinkie and threw her at Applejack.
"Oh crap." She thought before being hit by Pinkie Pie.
"Is that the best you got?" Tirac asked. "Or must I go harder to make you work harder?" Rainbow Dash charged at him when he wasn't looking. She did strike a hit but was grabbed by Tirac. "Lucky Shot."
He crossed his halberd with Rainbow's cross spear. After a few perrys, he was able to disarm Rainbow Dash. He began to choke her with his left hand and began to punching her in the gut with the other hand in his studded gauntlets. He let go of Rainbow Dash, then immediately punched her in the face sending her flying and hitting Rarity.
"Pinkie, we need to move." Tirac went to Applejack. Tirac advanced toward the two mares on the ground.
"So you like to move, do ya?" He reared up near the two of them. "I can fix that." He stomped down and broke one of Applejack and Pinkie's rear legs. One can easily hear the bone  cracking from the intense pressure. The two earth mares were in immense pain.
"Leave them alone, Tirac!" Twilight shouted.
"So, you dare face me? I will probably enjoy this." They sent magic energy toward each other blocking each other's hits. Fluttershy went to Applejack.
"Applejack, are you okay?" she asked.
"My leg." Applejack said. "He broke my leg."
"He broke mine too." Pinkie Pie added. Fluttershy tried to help the two mares. Tirac and Twilight Sparkle clashed blades with each other. But later, Tirac disarmed Twilight and the sword went into the air. She was on her back looking up at him.
"I'm impressed you have the nerve to fight me." Tirac said to Twilight pointing his halberd at Twilight. "However, you made the biggest mistake by coming..." Then, Twilight's sword landed. It pointed toward her, stuck in the ground between her legs. Tirac frowned. "Gee, that ain't suggestive is it?" he stated with sarcasm.
"If we don't get out of here soon, we're all dead." Rainbow Dash stated. Then, she got an idea. She grabbed one of Applejack's flashbangs and threw it at Tirac. It landed at Tirac's front hooves. He looked down and it went off.
"AAGH! MY EYES!" Tirac shouted.
"Twilight, grab the element." Twilight grabbed the element. Fluttershy picked up Twilight's sword. Rainbow Dash picked up Applejack and Rarity picked up Pinkie Pie. Then, the six of them bolted and fled the room.
"YOU WON'T GET AWAY THAT EASILY!" The six ponies reached the roof of the castle. They found a chariot there on the roof. Twilight used her magic to lift Applejack and Pinkie into the chariot. Rarity put a splint on their legs. The two flinched when it was applied.
"Not so tight." Pinkie said.
"I'm sorry." Rarity replied. "We need to use this splint until your legs can be healed." Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash toke the reigns of the chariot. They, as the pegasi, would move the chariot forward. Everyone got in.
"Well, we got the last of the elements." Twilight said. "Now, all we to do is unite it with the other elements and destroy them." Then she said until her breath, "This is a bittersweet moment." The chariot took off.
"But hey," Applejack said. "It could be worse." Then, at that moment a boom came from the wall behind them occurred. Then, Tirac came out on a black chariot with yellow-tipped spikes. It was being pulled by four dragons. "You got to be kidding me."
"You think you could get away that easily?" Tirac stated.
"Step on it." Rarity said. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy flew as fast as possible. Tirac fired magic at the ponies' chariot and Twilight was blocking it. Tirac eventually caught up with the ponies' chariot; he pulled out his halberd. Twilight brought out her sword. She jumped onto Tirac's chariot and the two crossed blades. They conversed after a while of fighting.
"Let me ask you something?" Tirac asked Twilight. "Why do you want the elements so badly?"
"We planned to destroy the elements of chaos."
"You fool, do you not realized the elements of chaos cannot be destroyed? Of course, Princess Celestia didn't know that either."
"Wait, you knew Princess Celestia?"
"I did know her. But at the time I knew her I was still a unicorn."
"I thought you were always a centaur."
"I became a centaur after screwing around with my genetics."
"Why do you want it so badly? Don't you plan to use the element of scorn to conquer the world."
"Like I said, I will eventually conquer the world. But I have alternate reasons for keeping the element of scorn."
"To power you up."
"My true motive for that is keeping them away from the Heriotza. Of course, Basil already told you that."
"Wait, Basil?" Tirac at first was surprised.
"So, he hasn't told you."
"We never got a chance to talk."
"I will tell you now. The Heriotza want to use the elements to destroy this world and build a new one." Twilight jumped away from Tirac's chariot and used her sword to smash the thing holding the chariot to the dragons. The chariot began to break apart.
"THIS ISN'T OVER YET PONIES!" Tirac shouted as he teleported away from the scene. Afterwards, his chariot completely fell apart. Twilight breathed heavily.


[Music Fades]

"I think we're safe now." The ponies landed in the Everfree Forest so they could rest. Applejack and Pinkie Pie were able to walk again after resting and with Carbuncle healing their legs. "Wow. That a difficult fight."
"Yeah, at least we made it out with the element." Rainbow Dash said. "As soon as we heal up, let's head back to Coltabasso and return home." But as she send that a messenger pony came into the area.
"There you are." said the messenger. "I've been looking all over for you."
"What's up?"
"Something terrible has happened. Basil he tried to assassinate Nislatrom." This came as a shock to the ponies.
"No. No. It can't be true." Twilight said.
"Nislatrom said that Basil wanted to take the elements for himself for his greedy purposes. Nislatrom has fled to Ponimonium Plains with the other five elements; Basil is pursuing him as we speak."
"We need to head there now!" Rainbow Dash said. "We need to hurry."
"Basil? Betrayed us?" Twilight said to herself. "It can't be true." Her eyes began to water. "That's impossible." Twilight and the others rushed to Ponimonium Plains. But they were so focused on the task at hoof; they didn't know that some of the information didn't add up.