//------------------------------// // Chapter 11: Back to the Future // Story: My Little Pony: The Element of Time // by Thunderwing250 //------------------------------// Back in present time, Xenxus arrived at the great city of Seaddle. Though a few disctricts were bustling, most of the city was slumbering peacefully. None of this mattered to Xenxus. Flying over to the active districts in the city, Xenxus unleashed his magic in a bright, electric pulse, cutting power as well as unicorn magic for a short period. As ponies panicked, Xenxus slammed onto the surface, scaring ponies off the streets. Others who had awoken to the disturbance screamed in terror. “Yes, run little ponies, run!” Xenxus cackled. He took flight, circling the city as more and more ponies fled to shelter. Xenxus watched with glee, picking out faces from the crowd, eager to watch their fear. Suddenly, one colt tripped, knocking himself to the ground. Laughing, Xenxus, flew down and landed heavily, cracking the ground before him. The colt's mother cried out with terror. “Boo!” Xenxus spooked. The monstrous alicorn's cruel tease came to an abrupt halt as a black blur jumped him from behind. Timeaus grabbed Xenxus's wing roughly in his mouth and threw him violently down the street. He stood, a buffer, between the fleeing ponies, the downed colt, and Xenxus. “Run, young one,” he said to the colt. As the colt stared up in shocked awe, his mother galloped over to grab him, and looked up at the alicorn with watery eyes. “Thank you, your majesty,” she said, and she hurriedly dragged her son away to take shelter. Timaeus was a little startled by her words. Though it was a kind gesture, Timaeus knew that he would’ve been better off addressed as just a good samaritan. As the ponies fled to shelter, Xenxus heaved himself up off the ground and looked at Timaeus with fury. “YOU AGAIN! What does it take for you guardians to die?!” Xenxus shouted, charging at the dark alicorn, horn lowered. Timaeus frowned and shot magic to knock Xenxus away, but failed due to speed. Xenxus hit him like a meteor. Timaeus was knocked into a building, but kicked out before Xenxus could get a hold of him in his jaws, sending the pale alicorn crashing into another building just before the impact. Xenxus slid through stores that exploded in his wake. Hurriedly, Timaeus got to his hooves and hurried to follow him. Xenxus wasn’t there. He disappeared without a trace. Timaeus frowned to himself. Xenxus was hurt, so he couldn't have gotten far. He was probably still hiding in the city. He raised his ears high and looked around. He could barely see a thing, and the sounds of crumbling concrete and scared ponies overwhelmed him. “Like a bat in a dark cave. Impressive,” Timaeus whispered. Year ago, deep in the submerged Tower, Twilight and her friends entered a mysterious chamber at the end of the tunnel revealed by the mirror. At the back of the chamber, a sarcophagus that had the hourglass symbol above it stood, a cold mist wafting around it. Twilight excitedly ran over to it, but as she reached it, her body glowed with magic, levitating her. “EEEK! Did a ghost get Twilight?!” Pinkie shrieked. Twilight’s friends held each other tightly and Twilight began speaking an unknown language. “Twilight?!” Applejack called worriedly. To their surprise, the sarcophagus slid open on its own and, glowing in front of them, was the Element of Time. Its light shone into Twilight's eyes and a golden glow overwhelmed her for just a few seconds before all magic faded down, except for the Element itself. Twilight fell to the ground and rubbed her head before she noticed the Element, glowing gently before her. Her friends rushed over. “What happened?” Fluttershy asked. “I know why the Element of Time hid down here. It’s as if it told me all its secrets of Equestria and the purpose of its existence,” Twilight said. “Hold on there! You mean the Element spoke to you?” Applejack asked curiously. “How can an object talk to you?” Rarity asked. “If I remember correctly, the Archivist told m, that the Elements were known to have a consciousness of their own. With all of us together, I think it sees us as its second guardians,” Twilight replied. “Did it say how to stop Xenxus?” Rainbow Dash asked. “Yeah.” Twilight turned to face her friends. “The Element of Time told me the “Fossilization Spell” is what defeats Xenxus. If we use the Element of Time, we will defeat Xenxus.” “Then let’s hurry back,” Applejack said. When Twilight removed the Element of Time, the ground began to rumble and shake, causing rocks from the ceiling to crack and crash onto the floor. Rainbow Dash darted out of the way and then grabbed the shaking Fluttershy to heave her out the door. “C'mon, everyone, run! Run!” Rainbow shouted. She didn't have to tell them twice. They dashed out the door and back through to the entryway as the room shuddered and crashed shut behind them, sealing itself from the world. Hurrying with the Element of Time, Twilight and her friends made it out of the Castle and ran as fast as they could back to Canterlot, which was newly built at the time. As they ran beyond the Castle’s borders the Element of Time blinked, signaling Timaeus. He felt it in his mind. Timaeus smiled with relief. He reached out to The Archivist and Doctor Hooves. “They found it,” Timaeus spoke telepathically. From his hiding place just blocks away, Xenxus sensed the Elements’ presence as well. He rose up in a fury. “No! I will murder that filthy pony!” he yelled out in rage. “Leave Twilight Sparkle and her friends alone. Your fight is with me!” Timaeus yelled. “Protecting the Princess won’t get you anywhere, Master of Time. Once I’m done with you, I’ll deal with them, slowly and painfully.” Xenxus sneered. “You may try,” Timaeus replied. Xenxus couldn't contain his frustration. Bursting through the rubble of a collapsed store, he dove at the black alicorn. Timaeus's set his horn ablaze and his fire spread like an unstoppable force of nature. Xenxus snarled, dodging the magic as it singed his wings, and flew flew towards a darker part of Seaddle. Timaeus followed and landed cautiously, observing the area. “You cannot hide forever, Xenxus,” Timaeus said. Xenxus ducked out of sight, panting to regain his breath. “If there’s one thing I remember, you cannot withstand the heat of the fire. And I know you hate the light,” Timaeus said somewhat smugly. “Don’t you lecture me, Master of Time, I’m here to get my vengeance on Equestria after what had occurred centuries ago. You know it quite well!” Xenxus replied. “Indeed, I do. However, that does not give you the right to take out your issues on these innocent ponies. In addition, you are an absconder. How you escaped, I have no idea, but I can assure you that we will take you down,” Timaeus responded. Xenxus scoffed. “Oh, Timaeus… You have no idea what’s coming. You may have defeated us, but now, I can assure you, this time, not only will we defeat you, we will drag all of Equestria to the depths,” he snarled. “YOUR FIGHT IS WITH US! NOT WITH THE EQUINES! NOW COME OUT, DEMON, AND PROVE YOUR MIGHT!” Timaeus bellowed. Xenxus blasted through a wall, knocking Timaeus down on the ground. Xenxus's hooves charged with energy, but before he could strike, Timaeus kicked Xenxus in the face, sending him through another building. As the fight between the alicorns continued, Twilight and her friends arrived at the newly built Canterlot, heavily guarded. “Okay, everypony, just follow me very closely,” Twilight said. “The Element gave me a path to follow. We're almost home.” With the young Celestia asleep, Twilight and her friends slowly sneaked past the guards, making their way into the Castle. Once inside, they journeyed below the Castle to find the a strange mirror set up alongside many other interesting relics. Twilight led them to it. “Here, this mirror can travel across worlds," Twilight said. “We go through here and we're back where we started.” “How do you--? Wait, let me guess, the Element told you?” Rainbow Dash asked. “Yeah,” Twilight replied. “Don't worry, it got us this far, hasn't it?” Suddenly, hoofsteps on the hard floors startled them. “Who goes their?” a guard called out. Pinkie Pie, knowing that trouble was approaching, pushed all her friends through the mirror. “Don’t talk, just go through!” she yelled, and they all disappeared.