//------------------------------// // Chapter 13: Battlefield Seaddle // Story: My Little Pony: The Element of Time // by Thunderwing250 //------------------------------// Timaeus charged up to Xenxus, knocking him down from the tower, but he quickly regained his balance. However, his advantage ran out as power began to slowly restore itself and Xenxus was unable to unleash another burst of his negating magic so soon. As light was restored, The Archivist and Doctor Hooves glanced the area and noticed minor damages to nearby buildings. “We need to avoid destruction made by Xenxus in this city. Canterlot was enough, but if he continues this...” The Archivist looked troubled and Doctor Hooves turned. “Madame Archivist?” he said. “I sense Twilight is very near but I can’t communicate with her!” The Archivist said. Doctor Hooves tilted his head. “Xenxus’ magic was powerful enough to disable some of our powers,” Doctor Hooves replied. “Worry not, I already told her,” Timaeus, speaking telepathically to both The Archivist and Doctor Hooves. “Then we must continue to buy time until they arrive,” Doctor Hooves said. “She better find us fast, because we won’t be able to hold Xenxus off for too long.” She sighed. Timaeus sensed the Archivist’s feelings, and even he had to agree. Xenxus was not showing any mercy this time, but unleashing all his might on the ponies, even if that meant tearing down every single city. Determined to stop him, they continued to use whatever magic they had left slowing down Xenxus’ progress. Suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere, a purple and pink streak blazed through the sky as Twilight charged to Xenxus. Her horn lit up and she shot magic at him fiercely. He sped to the side, and the magic barely grazed him, but before he could gloat, he realized he was badly hurt on his wing. “Impossible!” he whispered. “Twilight!” The Archivist called out. Immediately, they realized something glowing from her pack. Xenxus’, even with his half blind eyes, noticed the brightness as it blinked. Down below, Princess Celestia, Spike, and the rest of Twilight’s friends arrived and hurried to The Archivist and Doctor Hooves. Xenxus finally concluded that he was at a major disadvantage. Unable to unleash his cancellation spell and weakened from all the fighting, he used whatever power he had left to attack Twilight. Celestia wouldn't stand for it. Through the dark, her magic shone like a beacon as she drew up a mighty spell before her. Timaeus smiled to himself and lit his horn up with energy and shot it forward, joining it with Celestia's. The Archivist stepped up and added her power as well. Their magic fused, Celestia threw it with tremendous force at Xenxus. With a massive impact, was struck and slammed to the ground, where he lay, dazed for long enough for Twlight to draw back to catch her breath. She flew downward to her friends. “Spike? I thought I told you to stay in Ponyville,” she said. “No way, Twilight. We're all worried about you,” Spike replied. “Maybe we're not really strong enough to be in this fight, but there's no way we all wouldn't wanna be here to cheer you on. Plus, I can't wait to see you stop the grin off that gross monster's face!” Twilight could only be speechless and hide her tears of happiness as her friends all agreed. They were interrupted, though, by a mighty roar as Xenxus got to his hooves. “I… WILL… STOP… YOU!!!!” he raged out. Suddenly, Princess Celestia used her magic against, him knocking him to the a nearby hillside. “I will not let you harm my subjects, you monster! Not only them, but for my sister, I will strike you down, you demon!” she yelled. Xenxus found this attitude of Princess Celestia quite unsuspecting, yet he continued to fight, only to be knocked down again by Timaeus. Princess Celestia charged towards him, horn lowered, but was blocked off by Timaeus. “Out of my way. This demon attacked my sister and my subjects. He must pay for what he did,” Princess Celestia asserted. “Princess Please, he's baiting you! He wants you to unleash the same rage your sister went through when she became Nightmare Moon. He draws power from your negative emotions.” In that moment, everypony knew what Xenxus was on Equestria for. The truth was finally revealed that he wanted the kingdom to turn against itself, by baiting the rulers to unleash their dark side. Princess Celestia then realized her sister's nightmare was to unleash Nightmare Moon and to use her to fight, devastating the kingdom. Xenxus stood back up, sneering. “Oh yes, it's true,” he said. “But you're almost too far gone, aren't you? You can't even focus! You want to kill me yourself? I suppose it's the only way to stop me from tearing your sister apart!” He spread his wings and Princess Celestia immediately charged towards him. She slammed into him, but then was knocked away by Xenxus’ powerful wings and he pounced her, biting her. She cried out but knocked him back with her horn. He stumbled away, but licked his lips. He had drained enough of her magic, like a vampire, to leave her weakened. “PRINCESS CELESTIA!!!” Twilight and her friends quickly ran over to assist the downed Princess. Xenxus turned to Timaeus. “What will your pathetic queen say now, filth?” he laughed. Timaeus charged in, but before Xenxus could knock him away with his wing the Archivist used her last bit of magic to hit him in the face. Knocking him into a rock, a cloud of of smoke and debris blinded the ponies for a short period. As the dust continued to billow, Twilight called to her mentor. Trying to get up, she looked up to Twilight. “Twilight. He's right. Don't give in to... anger... Stop... him...” Princess Celestia fainted in exhaustion. Twilight’s eyes widened. She could only feel sorrow, yet rage. Suddenly, the Element of Time, still inside her pack began to blink. “What’s it doing, Twilight?” Pinkie Pie asked. Twilight opened her pack and the Element began to float into the air, above Twilight and her friends. “NO!!! THE ELEMENT OF TIME!!!” Xenxus yelled out. Twilight turned. “You'll pay, Xenxus,” she said. She leaped at him and he rocketed upwards into the sky. She followed, shooting magic at him in fury. He sneered and dodged, and even though his magic was drained from so much fighting, she still couldn't hit him. He twirled in midair and slapped her down with his tail, and she crashed to the ground. Her friends made to race to her side, but she shot up into the air again. Celestia's words echoed in her mind, though. Twilight took a deep breath in the clean, sky air and tried to calm down. Yes, she was angry, but what she really needed was to be smart. Xenxus came at her, putting her on the defensive, but she dodged out of the way, staying on the side of his body with the punctured wing. He was much slower, there, and the wind whistled through the membrane. Watching from below, Fluttershy cradled Celestia's head as Rarity used her magic to help bandage her wounds. They weren't deep, but she was bleeding a little. “We gotta help Twilight out!” Rainbow Dash yelled. “The battle's too fast,” The Archivist snapped. “And most of us can't even get up there.” “What about you, huh?" Rainbow Dash demanded of Timaeus. “Aren't you a god or something? Help her out, for cryin' out loud!” “I am not a god,” he corrected. “I am afraid of hitting Twilight with any projectiles. However--" He was about to continue, but he felt Twilight begin to speak in his mind. “Timaeus. I need you to distract him. Just for a moment. The Element said fire would work.” The alicorn's eyes widened. He smiled a little. He summoned a ball of flame at the tip of his horn and then a second one, which he could hold in his hoof. He passed it to Rainbow Dash. “It won't burn until you throw it,” he said. “Come with me. Your Princess has an idea.” “She's not my princess, she's my friend,” Rainbow said with a frown. “I'm with you." As Twilight danced in the air, rather suddenly, a light caught her eye, but she stayed staring at Xenxus. He faltered for just a moment. Twilight shot him in the other wing and he roared and raced towards her. He missed his mark by just a fraction as Rainbow Dash whipped her fireball at his head. The wind from his wings sent her twirling and, to her horror, the Element of Time plummeted from her bag. The shimmering caught Spike's eye and he raced to catch it, having to dive along the ground to do so. “I got got!” he called out. Xenxus saw him at the same time as Twilight did, and he dove down to the ground. Hurriedly, Applejack and Pinkie Pie stood with him protectively and Rainbow Dash raced downwards to meet them. “Give that to me, you slimy reptile,” Xenxus snared. Spike could only freeze in terror as his eyes locked on Xenxus’ eyes. “SPIKE, RUN!” Twilight yelled as she tried to right herself. “Let’s see how much you care for him,” Xenxus whispered, and he raced ahead and knocked the ponies aside and sent Spike tumbling down the cliff. Luckily Rainbow Dash appeared to save Spike and flew to meet Twilight as she landed on the top of the hill to face Xenxus. From behind, the rest of her friends appeared by her side. Xenxus was deeply surprised. “This fellowship is strong, but not strong enough to beat me.” “Sorry, you ugly goon. As Twilight's friends, we’ll always be there for her to fight alongside her,” Rainbow Dash spoke. “We don't need rage to beat you,” Twilight said with a smile. Her body began to glow, as did those of her friends, and a full spectrum of colours emerged. To the pale alicorn's surprise, they emerged from the light glowing and transformed to utilize their Rainbow Power. He frowned and bared his fangs. “You fools, don’t lecture me about friendship. A bond between friends dies away sooner or later, but the bond between siblings is invincible. I’m doing this in honor of my brothers.” Xenxus growled as he charged at them. The Element of Time glowed and with the combined force of the Rainbow Powers, a bright light struck Xenxus head on, creating a radiant explosion from on top of the hill. The light lit up the skies of Seaddle like a bomb exploding and almost to a point of blinding ponies. After a few seconds, the light faded. Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rarity, Spike, and the rest looked and noticed Xenxus was turned to stone on the spot, frozen as he charged towards them. Suddenly, they looked and noticed Twilight continued to glow until her lower body began to harden into stone.