//------------------------------// // The Element of Magic (Part 3 of 5) // Story: The Rainboom Thieves // by KingJoltik //------------------------------// Both of the ponies’ horns began to shine. They both readied their battle stances, ready to fight. For the next few minutes, the two ponies just stared each other down. Celestia’s face began to fill with anger while Twilight’s put a huge grin on her face. Then it began… Both horns shined as beams blasted out of both of their horns. The beams clashed as the light from the beams became brighter and brighter. The light from the beams shined so much it became like a pillar ascending above the Everfree Forest. “Grr...not bad Twilight Sparkle.” said Celestia as she poured more and more magic into her beam. “However, you won’t win this time!” “Don’t underestimate me! I’m just getting started.” As both beams continued to clash, the column light became taller and taller until it went into the sky. Everypony of Equestria could see the light as it ascended beyond the sky. “Just...just what is that Princess Cadance?” asked Sunset Shimmer, pointing to the pillar of light. Cadance went to window and said, “That...that must be Celestia and Twilight fighting each other.” “No way...are you saying that unicorn is able to conjure that much magic? Enough to fight Princess Celestia?!” said Sunset in shock. “I know...but...Twilight is the bearer of Harmony. This alone gives her tremendous power.” Sunset’s eyes began to tear up, “Does that mean...Twilight’s gonna kill Princess Celestia?!” “No...Twilight won’t kill. Even when I met her again, I could still see it...” “See what?” “Even though she’s gone through some horrible things that I don’t about it...I could still see it...she still has a good heart...” “I don’t know...this Twilight Sparkle just sounds like trouble to me...” Back at the battle, Celestia was beginning to win. Her beam began to overwhelm Twilight as Twilight started to put one of knees to the ground. ‘No!’ she thought, ‘I can’t...I can’t lose here...no...no...no...’ “Submit Twilight Sparkle! Submit!” yelled Celestia. “I won’t let you destroy the hope I have been searching for all these centuries!” Twilight’s first knee hit the ground. Her vision started to get fuzzy. She could feel the power of Celestia as her beam was beating her more and more. Their clash of beams slowly came closer and closer to Twilight. At that moment, Twilight’s mind began to drift. ‘Why?’ she thought, ‘Why is this happening? I...I beat her before...why am I losing? If I lose...it’s all over...no...I...I...I can’t...I can’t let that happen...why am I losing? Why am I losing?’ Twilight’s life began to flash before her eyes. She could see it all. When she saw Celestia raise the sun, studying day after day, running away from home, she could see it all. Then, those long years of drifting around, trying to find her purpose in life until she finally found it. Her friends, the rest of her memories were all about her friends. ‘Everypony...’ thought Twilight, ‘Fluttershy, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Scootaloo...I...I...I have to...I have to return to them. I...I...I have to get back to them!’ Twilight then began to get up, her knee got off the ground. Celestia’s eyes grew as she saw Twilight slowly get up. The clash of beams started to return to a standstill. “No...how can you...” said Celestia in shock. ‘My friends...’ thought Twilight. ‘I must return to them...and...if I want to get back to them...I...I...I have to win! It doesn’t matter unless...It won’t matter unless I win!’ “I HAVE TO WIN!” yelled Twilight. “I...I WON’T LOSE!” At that moment, the elements inside the bag began to levitate out of Twilight’s bag as if they had a mind of their own. ‘The elements...they activated themselves...’ thought Celestia as she saw the elements levitate. She noticed that Twilight didn’t see the elements flying over her. ‘She hasn’t noticed...why?’ The elements then began to shine an even brighter light than the clash of beams. Then, the elements called out to their owners. In Ponyville... “Augh!” yelled Rarity as she fell onto the floor. “Sis? Are you okay?” asked Sweetie Belle. “I don’t know...” said Rarity as she struggled to get up, “It felt like...like a friend was calling for me...” “A friend?” In the grassy plains outside of Ponyville... “Don’t worry Mr. Bear.” said Fluttershy, “This will give you plenty of honey.” Fluttershy gave the bear a glass filled with honey as she felt a sudden pain strike her body, “OH!” she yelped as she fell to the ground. “Ohhhh...what was that? Was that Twilight?” At Sweet Apple Acres... “Sis! You okay?” yelled Big Macintosh. “I...I don’t know Big Mac...it felt like...something was calling me...something familiar...” “Familiar?” On a road in the middle of nowhere... “Sis!” screamed Scootaloo as Rainbow fell to the ground. “Pinkie! Sis is...Pinkie!” Scootaloo began to panic as both ponies she was traveling with fell to the ground. “AAAAaaaahhhh! What’s going on?!” “Ugh...” moaned Rainbow. “Twilight? Are you...calling me?” “This feeling...” groaned Pinkie. “It sure doesn’t feel happy...” The elements began to connect to their owners. There, as the connection began to get stronger and stronger, the power of the elements poured into Twilight. Twilight’s beam then began to overpower Celestia. “No...no!” yelled Celestia as she saw herself beginning to lose the battle. “I can’t lose...if I do...Equestria will be doomed!” Celestia then began to pour more and more magic into her horn. She began to push Twilight back, “That’s right...I won’t lose Twilight!” “Don’t think you’ve won yet!” yelled Twilight. “I can feel them...I can feel my friends helping me! I won’t lose to you!” “No! This ends here Twilight!” screamed Celestia. “I won’t let you seal the elements! They’re needed to protect Equestria!” “Forget it! I’m going to win this Celestia!” said Twilight with a huge smile. “You’ll never beat me and my friends!” As the two beams went to a standstill again, the ponies kept pouring more and more magic into the beams. They kept trying to gain ground, both trying to beat each other. Then, something in the sky began to shine. A light appeared in the sky, shining as bright as the sun. As the light began to shine even brighter, the light went out. The light looked as if it devoured by darkness itself. The darkness covered the light and then the darkness descended. As the two ponies’ battle raged on, the darkness suddenly descended onto their battle. The darkness fell onto the beams, destroying the beams instantly. Both ponies then went flying, slamming into walls. “AUGH!” “UGH!” they yelled in pain as they fell to the ground. “Ugh...what happened?” groaned Twilight. “I can explain that.” said a voice inside the darkness that had descended. Then the darkness became smoke that slowly dissolved away. “Though I must thank you little pony.” “What...who are you? Why are you thanking me?” “You weakened Celestia little pony, that alone deserves praise.” said the voice as the smoke disappeared, showing her true form. “No...it can’t be...” said Celestia as she tried to get up. “Who are you?” asked Twilight. “Who am I?” said the voice with a huge smile. “I am Nightmare Moon!”