Once again, in the castle of Canterlot, would happen the long-awaited Great Galloping Gala. Everything was ready for the big event and, as soon as night fell, the guests began to arrive, with the mares wearing beautiful dresses and the stallions with their stylish tuxedos.
Princess Celestia and Princess Luna were at that moment receiving the guests who, upon arriving on the edge of them, made them bows.
"Their Excellencies, Golden Paladin, the General of Peace, and Heartbeat, the General of Affection" the courtier announced.
And then Golden Paladin and Heartbeat emerged, both radiating their light. Golden Paladin was wearing his usual golden armor, while Heartbeat had a pink dress and her mane was combed in a different way than the usual.
"Welcome to our home" Celestia greeted, while Golden Paladin and Heartbeat were approaching.
"Thank you so much, your Majesties" Golden Paladin greeted, while he and Heartbeat made a bow.
"I must say that I thought you would come with your siblings" Luna confessed. "Melody, Purple Smoke and Leaf Mane have arrived already."
"Unfortunately, I had a mission to convince a certain filly to come" Golden Paladin answered in his cordial tone, turning then to Heartbeat that didn't seem too pleased.
"I don't know how you made it" she grunted. "I like balls and all that, but it's always the same thing."
"Well, I'm sure something will happen that will break the monotony" Celestia replied with a smile. "It had happened a few times."
"Well, we're going to not block the way" Golden Paladin said. "By the way, Princess Twilight and Prince Blue Sword will arrive soon."
"Good" Celestia said. "This gala would not be the same without my most faithful student."
The two generals made a last bow and then they went to the ballroom.
It didn't take long until they hear again the courtier saying:
"Their Highness, Princess Cadance and Prince Shining Armor, accompanied by their daughter, Princess Gleaming Shield."
And it was then that Shining Armor and Cadance approached. Shining Armor brought his black tuxedo while Cadance brought her dress with encrusted crystals and with her mane combed with the traditional ceremonial headdress. On top of Shining Armor’s backs was the small Gleaming Shield, with little more than a year. She was awake and looking at the surroundings with great fascination.
"Cadance, Shining Armor, I'm glad to see you here" Celestia said.
"We wouldn't miss the Great Galloping Gala for nothing" Cadance replied.
"Yes, I even agreed to wear this uncomfortable outfit" Shining said. "I was to bring my armor, but Cadance insisted that I should dress myself formally."
Celestia gave a few laughs and then said:
"I'm sure you wouldn't feel a stranger. After all, Golden Paladin has arrived and he is with his armor. "
Shining Armor turned to Cadance and told her:
"You see? I told you it wasn't going to make any difference if I used the armor or not."
"Oh, Shining, Golden Paladin is the General of Peace" she replied. "It's natural that he's come up with his armor."
"I hope you have a lot of fun" Luna said. "We got the three funniest of the Generals of Order. I can assure you that there will be no hassles."
"Good" Cadance said. "We have had a few complicated and extremely busy days. Aunt Celestia, Aunt Luna, could request one of your maids to take care of Gleaming Shield?"
"Of course" Celestia replied. "I already sent prepare two rooms: one for you two and another to Twilight and the Blue Sword. In addition to that, I already had charged one of the maids to take care of Star Knight. I bet she won't mind also take care of Gleaming Shield."
It was then that the maid who Celestia was talking about arrived and the Princess of the Sun told her:
"I wonder if you could take care of Princess Gleaming Shield, besides Prince Star Knight?"
"Certainly, Princess" the maid replied, bowing her head.
"Thank you" Celestia thanked.
After Shining and Cadance say goodbye to Gleaming Shield, she was taken by the maid. The couple then drove up to the ballroom. Not last long until the courtier say:
“Their Highness, Princess Twilight Sparkle and Prince Blue Sword, along with their son, Prince Star Knight.
So Twilight and Blue got in and approach to Celestia and Luna. Blue was wearing a white tuxedo, while Twilight was wearing a beautiful dress with encrusted star seeds that made her shine more light than usual. Her mane was neatly combed, and, as Cadance had crystals, she had star seeds. Twilight brought a foal chair that floated magically where there was the little Star Knight, Twilight and Blue’s son.
"My dear Twilight, I'm glad you're here" Celestia said. "You too, Blue Sword. And I see you brought the little Star Knight with you."
"I couldn't part with him" Twilight said. "I can't stand the idea of being so far away from my beloved son."
"I told her she didn't need to worry about" Blue said. "After all, Star is in greater security in the Light Kingdom."
"It's understandable" Celestia said, with a smile. "Mothers like having their children around. Shining and Cadance also brought Gleaming Shield."
"Our maid is ready for the Star Knight" Luna said.
And then she showed up and, although a little tempted to not do it, Twilight ended up handing over the baby pony, but only after Blue had insisted. After this, they all went to the ballroom.
There was a lot of fun, with all the dancing, laughing and chatting. Twilight's friends were there, too, since that time, things were a little different, since that incident that happened on another gala.
The gala itself was quite different, being now more cheerful. It is clear that Pinkie Pie gave it her personal touch, but it was essentially Melody, Purple Smoke and Heartbeat that made the things happy. Melody was, of course, who was in charge of the music, entertaining everypony with her wonderful voice. Purple Smoke wore his ability to talent imitation to compete with his sister’s voice, something that amused the ponies. Heartbeat, for her part, struggled for the gala not becoming so boring as she thought it would be.
Everything was going so well when suddenly something happened. A thunder was heard with an immense force that caused a huge silence in the ballroom.
"That was weird" Purple Smoke said, while he and Melody were approaching their siblings who were next to Twilight, Blue, Shining and Cadance. "I didn't think it was supposed to rain today."
"And it wasn't" Leaf Mane said. "I made sure of that."
"I don't know why you are so worried" Blue said. "It's just a storm. It happens."
"Blue is right" Shining said. "Sometimes, even the pegasus can lose the control of the weather."
"No" Golden Paladin said. "That thunder wasn’t natural. Something triggered it. Something powerful."
It was then that Heartbeat seemed to be very uncomfortable.
"Oh no" she said.
"What's wrong?" Golden Paladin asked.
"I can feel it" Heartbeat said, breathing a little heavy. "It's cold... very cold. It’s him. It can only be him."
"But he who?" Applejack asked, while she and the others were in sight.
The answer came with an evil laugh. It was the most evil and cruel laughter they already had heard, able to freeze the sun.
"I guess my surprise was discovered" a voice that echoed everywhere said.
Everypony was petrified when they heard that voice. They knew it and terribly well.
"It can't be..." Twilight said, very nervous. "But it’s... "
But she didn’t over, because the window glass broke, causing a lot of ponies to scream, and then shadows entered, ascending into the air and building up, with some red eyes appearing in the middle of them and then a figure left them and that turned out to be the Lord of Chaos.
"It's me!" he exclaimed, laughing.
"Lord of Chaos" Golden Paladin said.
When they saw him, Shining and Blue placed themselves in front of their respective wives to protect them.
"Why so surprised?" he asked. "Did you thing that pile of pure light would stop me forever? Well, news for you, something that you, pseudo-Generals of Order should know: I am eternal! And now, you, happy little ponies, will pay for everything you did to me."
"That's what you think, chuckles" Rainbow said, flying. "We beat you twice, and we can still make it a third."
"Such courage" the Lord of Chaos commented to Rainbow Dash. "Or is it ignorance? Maybe stupidity?"
"Well you..." Rainbow Dash started, wanting to go against the Lord of Chaos, only to be stopped by Applejack that held her tail.
"Calm down, gal, ya don't want tah make things worse than they already are" Applejack said.
"Let's cut to the chase and let all these... foalish, as you ponies would say" the Lord of Chaos said.
"What do you want?" Celestia asked, arriving with her sister.
"Isn't it obvious?" the Lord of Chaos asked. "I want everything."
"Including my star seed, isn't it?" Twilight asked back.
"Very clever, princess" the Lord of Chaos praised. "That's one of the things I most admire about you."
"Don't you dare touch my wife" Blue said.
"That is also my sister" Shining added.
"You don't have to worry about, your Highnesses" Melody said.
"Melody is right... this time" Purple Smoke said. "Our master’s magic prevents the original star seed original of being removed by the Lord of Chaos. The only beings capable of do it is Sombra and Fire Punch and one is dead and the other is in jail, and without his horn."
But then the Lord of Chaos started laughing, something that confused everypony.
"Do you really think I'm here because of that seed?" he asked. "Please, I have much more important things to do."
"Without the seed, you don't control anything" Golden Paladin said.
"Au contraire, mon ami" he said. "I control everything."
He snapped his fingers and then two big bubbles appeared. Everypony was stunned when they saw what were inside of them...
"Gleaming Shield!" Cadance called.
“Star Knight!"Twilight called.
It was true. The two young infants were trapped in the bubbles, sleeping.
"Release our kids, you scumbag!" Blue yelled.
"Sure" the Lord of Chaos said. "As soon as you give me what I want. They are the trade."
"And how do we know that you are not fooling us?" Shining asked.
"If there's something I'm proud of is my integrity" the Lord of Chaos replied. "I always keep my promises."
"We will retrieve our kids, but you will have nothing" Blue said.
"I give you my star seed if you release them" Twilight said.
"Twily, no!" They all said at the same time.
"If this serves to save Star and Gleaming, then I won't hesitate" Twilight said. "Their life is more precious."
"Princess, we don’t advise you to do this" Golden Paladin said. "If you do, the Lord of Chaos will rule this world."
"Of course I will" the Lord of Chaos said. "But I don't need that disgusting star seed."
"What?" Twilight asked.
"When you beat me with all that humiliating, I decided that it's much better to conquer than to dominate" the Lord of Chaos said. "Why transform light into darkness, when I can simply destroy it? It will be very useful. Not to mention it will give me more pleasure. So, I want only one thing and the brats are yours. I want the key of Tartarus."
That made the Generals of the Order, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna stay without reaction.
"The key of what?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"I'm sure it must be something important" Rarity said.
"Uh, uh, let me guess" Pinkie Pie said. "What can it open? A door? A drawer? Oh, I know! A treasure chest."
"I'm afraid not, Pinkie Pie" Melody said. "Something a lot worse."
"The key to Tartarus opens..." Heartbeat started. "Well, opens Tartarus."
"Wait, ya mean, Tartarus, as in Tartarus?" Applejack asked.
"The super duper scary place where all the great and scary bad guys are and that is guarded by a big and scary three-headed dog?" Pinkie Pie asked.
"That’s right" Heartbeat replied.
"And the key is the essential instrument to its absolute control" Leaf Mane said.
"Whoever has the key controls Tartarus" Purple Smoke said. "And everything that is inside of it."
"Because the key unlocks not only the gates, but also all the cells and much more" Golden Paladin concluded.
"So he wants the key..." Cadance started.
"To release all the villains that have already been captured" Celestia said.
"Not only the ones Princess Celestia and Princess Luna captured, but also those that I and my brothers and sisters defeated" Golden Paladin said. "Old threats that we vow to guard and keep from coming back to haunt this land."
"Yes, an excellent objective, but futile" the Lord of Chaos replied. "Now, give me the key right now."
"But we don't have the key" Twilight said. "How can we give you something that we don't have?"
"Of course you don’t have it, princess" said the Lord of Chaos. "How could you have something too important to the maintenance of peace throughout the world? Something like that can only be in possession... "
"Of the General of Peace" Golden Paladin replied, making everypony look at him. "In other words, me."
He then invoked the key that was rotating in the air at his edge.
"Golden Paladin, you can't" Purple Smoke said.
"Think of all the villains that will be released" Melody said. "It will be a disaster."
"Maybe..." Golden Paladin said, who looked to the young infants and his princess. "But we have a duty and we should stick to it."
And so he made the key address to the Lord of Chaos and then the magic aura that surrounded it became dark and it landed in the Lord of Chaos’ hand.
"Finally" he said. "The key of Tartarus is mine now. Thank you, Goldy. It was very generous."
"Now let the little ones go" the General of Peace demanded.
"Whatever you want" the Lord of Chaos replied.
He snapped his fingers and the bubbles burst, making the young infants begin to fall. Shining and Blue managed to catch them with their magic. Twilight and Cadance then went to their respective children to embrace them.
"As you can see, I keep my promises" the Lord of Chaos said. "However, it would have been smarter if you hadn't given up key."
"You can have the key, but you can’t get in Tartarus without pass through Cerberus" Golden Paladin said. "And trust me when I say that he won’t let you come in."
"Yes, your puppy may be a problem" the Lord of Chaos said. "I'm glad that I have a plan."
He raised his hand and then black roots emerged from the ground, right below Melody, and they rose her up in the air, grabbing her.
"Hey, put me down right away!" She exclaimed. "You're ruining my best dress!"
"Oh no!" Rarity exclaimed.
"Yes, it's horrible" Applejack said. "Tha Lord of Chaos has the General of Music."
"It's not that" Rarity said. "That's really a wonderful dress and that thing with thorns is ripping it."
That made everypony look at her and he giggled nervously and said:
"What is not at all the most important thing right now."
"Stop it!" Golden Paladin exclaimed to his other siblings.
Everypony began to carry their horns, but the Lord of Chaos pointed them his palm and launched waves of energy that launched everypony against the floor. When they came back up, the Lord of Chaos and Melody had disappeared.
"Oh no" Golden Paladin said. "This is bad."
"What's wrong?" Twilight asked. "Why did he took Melody?"
"To go through Cerberus" Heartbeat answered.
"But how a singer can tame a beast that size?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"Well, if you excuse me, I think I know why" Fluttershy said shyly. "Sometimes, the large animals can be soothed by music. My friend bear likes to sleep at the sound of a lullaby music."
"She's right" Golden Paladin said. "Cerberus sleeps as soon as he begin to hear music. It’s his only weakness. The Lord of Chaos knows it and intends to use Melody to pass through my dog and, with the key, he can disable all other protections. I have to go there as soon as possible."
He turned to the other Generals and told them:
"You stay here. The Lord of Chaos is not to be trusted. He can attack Canterlot, while he’s trying to take Tartarus."
They waved and then Golden Paladin called to the air:
"Mirror Coat!"
Then the mirror of polished metal blue that served as a portal to Mirror Coat appeared and it happened that he appear again. See everything around them, he said:
"I know I'm the General of Knowledge and all that, but I have to ask. What the hell happened here?"
"I will explain later" Golden Paladin said, advancing to the gate. "There's no time now. We're going to Tartarus. "
"Whatever" Mirror Coat said.
He and Golden Paladin went through the gate, appearing in front of the cave where the entrance to Tartarus was. The two rushed in, but then they met Melody sitting on the floor, tied with Cerberus who was sleeping beside her.
"Melody!" Golden Paladin called, advancing to his sister, followed by Mirror Coat.
When arriving to her, Golden took the gag out of her mouth and she said:
"Sorry, Golden Paladin, but he forced me to sing to Cerberus."
"It's okay" Golden Paladin said, as he loosened Melody from the strings. "He can be very persuasive."
After having released, the ground began to shake and the cave walls began to crack.
"What's wrong?" Melody asked.
Golden Paladin knew very well what was happening.
"We have to get out of here... Now!"
He turned to his three-headed dog and told him:
"Sorry, old friend, but I have to wake you up."
And then he kicked in the middle head of Cerberus and he and the other two heads aroused in abruptly, with the body up, ready to attack. But then he saw that had been his owner.
"Come on, boy. Out."
The three ponies and the Cerberus ran out of the cave and, barely reached the exit, they looked up and saw the top of the mountain where the cave were crumbling. It was then that a huge dark tower left, seated under a huge chunk of land, rose in the air. It was then that, in front of the entrance, appeared the Lord of Chaos that asked Golden Paladin:
"Do you like the change I made to your small prison? All that yellow you had was giving me headaches. "
But he did not respond, but his glares to the Lord of Chaos were intense. He then lifted her head and said:
"This is now for all the ponies of Equestria, Crystal Empire and Light Kingdom."
His voice echoed everywhere, with all the ponies hearing it. He continued:
"Tartarus is mine now. All the villains that are here will return to active duty. This world will be mine, all mine. And I'm going to conquer it the way you choose: the most painful and destructive one. "
And then he gave his evil laugh.
"Until our next meeting."
And so the tower and the Lord of Chaos disappeared.