12 hours earlier, the Harmonic Heroes, save Skywalker who was still in the other World, were summoned to Canterlot Castle by Celestia herself, as she had a emergency. Arriving at the Castle, the princess started to explain immediately. She told them that she had a terrible vision, and that they haven't much time.
"A long time ago, Tirek and his brother Scorpan came here from a distant land, intent on stealing Equestrian magic. But Scorpan soon came to appreciate the ways of Equestria, even befriending a young unicorn.", The ruler of the sun explained, Griffifth correctly guessed that Star Swirl was said unicorn. "Scorpan urged his brother to abandon their plans. When Tirek refused, Scorpan alerted us to Tirek's intentions. Scorpan returned to his own land, and Tirek was sent to Tartarus for his crimes. But it appears he has found a way to escape."
Celestia theorized that when Cerberus left his post at the gates was the moment Tirek had escaped. "But that was a long time ago. Why is he just now starting to steal magic?", Twilight wondered but neither of the three princesses knew the answer. It could be that his time in Tartarus left him very weak, or that he was part of something far bigger and dangerous. "But with each passing moment, he grows stronger still. And I know just the person who can stop him.", Cadance said, her aunts nodded. "Discord.", the three said.
That everybody was shocked, was an understatement.
Back at Ponyville, the gang had gathered at the Guy's House to discussed the princesses plan. "Welp... Celestia has gone crazy.", McGrath muttered as he sipped his coffee, with Rarity resting her head on his lap. Griffifth looked slightly offended by that comment, but he had to agree on that.
"I don't think it's that big of a surprise. He can be very helpful.", Fluttershy said, the only one willing to defend the spirit of Chaos, "He can sense when there's a magical imbalance. The next time Tirek steals magic, Discord will be able to track him down!", she continued to explain, they had to admit that skill would be useful to track Tirek down.
"I still can't believe we had to give back the Elements.", Rainbow said, taking a sip from her own drink. "It was either that or let the Tree of Harmony die.", Sutakira commented, sitting a little too close to AJ for Big Mac's liking. "But Jason was right. Even without the Elements, our friendship is as strong as ever.", Fluttershy added.
McGrath just hoped another of their 'friend' never makes them sorry they had to give them up. "Oh, you're talking about me, I presume?", they heard the voice of Discord, making the brunette groan, as the owner of the voice appeared in a poof. "What are you even doing here, Discord?", Rainbow asked.
"Oh, just grabbing a little snack before I head off on my extremely important mission. I suppose you all know that I've been tasked to capture a certain escapee.", Discord said cheerfully, as he munched on some cookies. "Don't you have a creepy magic-stealin' villain to track down?", AJ asked annoyed, the spirit of chaos nodded before commenting that they hadn't managed to opened the little chest yet. "It got me thinking, what if what's locked inside is something that could help you guys recover your Elements? I only bring it up because...", but the spirit was cut off, none of them save Fluttershy wanted to hear his reasoning.
"... Well in any case, I suppose now is as good a time as any to make my exit.", Discord said disappointed, as he floated to the door, not bothering to teleport. Outside, he couldn't help but think back on his decision to reform. He really tried, but he hadn't gained the trust of
anyone.
He was suddenly brought out of his train of thought by Fluttershy calling his name. "Discord wait!", the shy mare said, as he held out a small box. "Jason wanted to give you to have this. He is going to make one for all of us, but your's was the first he finished.", she explained as the spirit opened the box.
Inside was a red and green star-shaped charm, Discord removed it from the box holding it in his claw. "Jason told me, somewhere out there,
there's this tree with star-shaped fruit and the fruit represents an unbreakable connection. So as long as you and your friends carry good luck charms shaped like it, nothing can ever drive you apart. You'll always find your way back to each other.", Fluttershy explained, he didn't say it, but she knew Discord was happy with the present Skywalker had given him.
"We're still on for tea later, right, Fluttershy?", Discord asked, not taking his eyes of the charm. The shy mare told him she wouldn't miss it. "Well, I'll bring the cucumber sandwiches!...", he said with a smile before he disappears in a puff of smoke.
Back inside, the gang was discussing how 'reformed' Discord is more obnoxious than the 'before-he-was-reformed' Discord.
"But he could be right, couldn't he? What if there is something important in that chest?", Fluttershy said, entering the room as they drew there eyes back to the box.
Meanwhile a thousand miles away, Tirek was quite busy draining the population of a small town of their powers. But he was suddenly trapped
by chains, forcing him to the ground. "Tirek, I presume?", Discord asked, Tirek was shocked that Discord was free.
"Discord. You're free? I must commend you on your escape.", Tirek said smoothly, but Discord wasn't having any of it. "Oh, I should have known you would want to have Equestria all to yourself.", he muttered as the chains pulled him back up.
"Oh, I'm not doing this for me." Discord said, striking a pose similar as Skywalker usual does when he gives a speech, "I'm doing it for my friends. Though just between the two of us, it's mostly for Jason and Fluttershy.", he added with a wink.
Tirek was shocked, asking if he had become friends with ponies, which Discord gleefully confirmed. But suddenly red arcs of lighting struck Discord from behind, slamming him into the ground. The chains disappears from Tirek as the one who attacked slams his boot down on Discord's head. "I am disappointed in you, Discord.", a familiar man said from under his hood. Discord remembered the voice, it was Marc Morgenstern. "That someone with your intellect does not see this 'friendship' is but a new form of imprisonment. Clearly you've had to abandon your true nature to stay in their good graces.", the Dark Messiah said, but Discord denied this, "Oh, please, I've seen this before.", Morgenstern removed his boot from Discord's head.
"You are Discord, you are legend, you cannot fall into the same trap.", Morgenstern extended his hand, offering the spirit of chaos a hand to
get back on his feet. "Join me Discord, help Tirek to grow strong, and be rewarded with something far greater than friendship. Freedom. Once Tirek has stripped these... creatures of their power, nothing would give me greater pleasure than to see their World turned upside down. Who
better to do so than the master of chaos himself? Join us, Discord, and reclaim your greatness."
Discord was tempted for a moment, before he noticed the charm in his hand. He shook his head, no matter what this Dark Lord offered him, Discord had something far greater than freedom. "No, thank you!", Discord declared, Tirek looked shocked while Morgenstern's expression was hidden under his hood, "No matter how much the others dislike me, Jason and Fluttershy are counting on me. They would give their life for me, and I will do the same for them!", he said.
"So be it.", Morgenstern simply said as he launched a stream of red lightning from his finger tips at the spirit, who absorbed the blast
momentarily, but was overwhelmed as pain surged through his body.
Late that night, at Ponyville, Twilight exits the train, she walks towards her house as she hears a voice, "You weren't gone very long."
Twilight turns around and sees Sutakira walking out of the direction of Sweet Apple Acres, "Does that mean everything's okay?", he asked, she confirming that everything was okay with a nervous chuckle. "You should be going to bed. Sun's not up yet.", the blue haired guys
said as he gave her a wave before walking away.
Later that day, Griffifth and Fluttershy were walking around. The shy mare said that she was worried about Skywalker, and the blond agreed. Suddenly Twilight crashes into Griffifth, knocking him down. "Sorry! I must have caught a particularly strong breeze... or something.", she muttered as Fluttershy helped the blond guy up.
Rainbow floated over to them, noting that it must have been a 'or something', because there wasn't any breeze up there. Twilight told them that she didn't know what happened, but she don't really have time to figure it out right now. "Tirek may still be a threat. We need to tell everypony to remain inside.", the lavender mare said.
After warning everyone to stay inside, the gang had meet up on the Main Square which was now completely deserted. "I'm sure Discord will catch Tirek soon.", Fluttershy said worriedly, but the others warn't worried at all, Rainbow notted that she bet he takes his sweet time.Suddenly a puff of smoke appeared, as a very wounded Discord fell to the ground, scorch marks adorned his entire body and some smoke still even came out of them.
A thunder crash strikes the ground and Tirek appeared, standing over Discord. Putting two and two together,they correctly guessed that this must be Tirek. "We will make you pay for this!", Fluttershy said as all eleven of them stood ready for battle. "Come and try.", Tirek said as he tried to take their powers but they managed to dodge. Knowing about his power absorption, the melee fighters stayed in the back as those with projectiles took the fight to Tirek.
Twilight, McGrath, Rarity, Phoenix and Sutakire each launched as many of their own energy based attacks, trying to keep a distance from him, Which make a massive explosion. They couldn't see it, but Tirek sneaks up and drains the power of a few of the melee fighters of the Harmonic Heroes.
Keeping their distance, they tried to drive him back, but the increased power allowed him to doge them easily. One by on he picked them of and just when he was about to strip McGrath but Rarity pushed him out of the way, becoming his next victim.
"How dare you...", McGrath said in complete shock as his girlfriend fall down to the floor, with only him and Twilight left standing, "That's my RARITY!!", he shouted as he transformed into his super form, launching a swift punch in Tirek's gut. Super McGrath upper fist Tirek into the air, teleporting above him, delivering a heavy hammer punch, sending Tirek into the ground.
Super McGrath continues his anger fuel beatdown on Tirek. Despite powering up and landing a solid punch to McGrath's face, Tirek is outclassed in every way. Super McGrath laughs as an enraged Tirek jumps at him in anger as he charged his attack, launching a concentrated beam of magic at McGrath who counters with an energy blast of his own.
The two beams clash in mid air, creating a large explosion, in the confusion Tirek charged at him, able to drain McGrath's power, forcing him to transform back into his base self. Now only Twilight was left standing, as the enemy walked over to her, he tried to take Twilight Sparkle's magic, but she managed to cast a teleporting spell in quick succession, dodging all his attempts to steal her magic. "Now I understand what your fellow princesses have done!"
Tirek attacks Twilight with a jet of green light, which she counters with a cord of red light. As both spells collide producing a heating dripping magma effect. Tirek attempts several times to direct his curse, with lightning-like tendrils popping off from the main beam.
Tirek slashes his hand to break the connection and with his right hand, quickly breathes fire. The fire transfigures into the form of a serpent immediately and realizes the presence of Twilight, rearing and striking down with exposed fangs and a completely opened jaw in an attempt to devour her. Twilight backs up and slashes at the creature with her hand in a flick like movement, dispelling the flames, she then gathers the flames for herself whirling them into a fiery ring like mass, and sends them hurtling towards Tirek.
Tirek likewise defends himself by pushing the fire passed and around him causing the flames to disappear. Taking this opportunity then casts a hydro-kinetic spell, where she draws the waters of the mountains so that it erupts and flows out surrounding and encasing Tirek inside an enchanted sphere of water in an attempt to drown him and finish the duel.
Twilight maintains the shape of the complex water sphere by continually sculpting and spinning it. With Tirek slashing through the water, breaking her concentration, allowing Tirek to escape from his watery prison. Tirek then casts a large, continuous torrent of darkness towards Twilight, but she holds it back with an exceedingly powerful shield spell.
In a second attack, Tirek gathers the black energy into a ball of incandescent light, which he releases with roar, sending the energy in all directions; this explosion of Dark energy knocks over Twilight and causes all the windows to shatter. The millions of tiny shards of glass start to rain down upon Tirek and with a flick of his wrist he magically diverts their path, causing them to home in on Twilight mid-way through their descent, to which she responds by transfiguring the shards into sand en route by means of a transparent, purple-white shield.
"It appears we are at an impasse. How about a trade, Twilight? Their lifes for all the Alicorn magic in Equestria.", Tirek offered, while all her friends told her not to do it. Twilight agreed, Tirek giving a victorious smirk as he absorbed the Alicorn magic as a shock wave is felt all cross the planet and a hole is ripped open in the sky. Thousands upon, thousand of those black creatures rained down from the skies, stage one was completed.
Tirek was about to finished them off, but they heard the roar of a engine as Skywalker appeared from the skies, using the Skybike to slam into Tirek, himself jumping off it with Spike. "GG, Tirek, GG.", Rainbow said weakly, as Tirek used the stolen power of Phoenix to recover the damage he had sustained, asking who the newcomer was. "My name is Skywalker, Jason Skywalker. The guy who's going to kick your ass. Now return the power you have stolen.", Skywalker declared as he took his fighting stance.
"Ah, so your the infamous Ser Skywalker? Your a lot smaller than I expected.", Tirek said but his opponent had no intention of standing down. "Do that and I will let you go. And hope we never meet again.", Skywalker warned.
Tirek burst out in laughter, "What's this? The great Ser Skywalker pleading for his life?", he laughed but with one move, the smirk was whipped off his face. "I am pleading for yours!", Skywalker shouted as with a blur, he appeared in front of Tirek, delivering a punch to the guts so hard it sends him flying into a mountain.
Suddenly he felt the Element of Unity transform from a crown to a key, they wondered if this could open the chest, but their attention was draw towards the mountain, where Tirek's roar was heard, in the distance they could see an army of Corrupted heading their way. "Go. I'll hold them off.", Skywalker said, handing Twilight the key as his friends got back on their feet. Fluttershy was about to protest, but she knew there was no other way. If anyone could buy them some time, it was Skywalker.
"Alright were counting on you, Jason!", Twilight said before the team rushed to the Guy's House, where the chest would still be.
Staring down the army of near endless horde, Skywalker charged up, his aura capable of taking a few out by itself. They charged at him, but he stood his ground, drawing out his lightsabers, delivering slash after slash, decapitating each of them who dared to come in close range to him.
Suddenly, Skywalker was grabbed by the throat by a gigantic red hand, before being slammed into the ground repeatedly, before he was throw into a wall. In mid air, he had lost his weapons, he quickly recovered as he saw Tirek approach him. "I hope you appreciate, Ser Skywalker, that everything that happens from this point is on your head. The skies will rain fire, the oceans will boil, the streets will run red with the blood of billions.", Tirek said as he slapped Skywalker back into the ground. "Only then, after your last pitiful friend is extinguished, will I end your life.", he said, standing over the young knight. He was about to deliver another punch but Skywalker caught it mid air.
"That friend won't quit so long as he or she can draw breath. None of them will.", Skywalker said as he got back on his feet, regaining ground as Tirek tried to free his fist, "Me? I've got a different problem.", he released Tirek's fist, before delivering a swift punch to the jaw, sending him once again through a mountain.
Skywalker flies after them him as he continued to talk, "I feel like I live in a World made of cardboard. Always taking care not to break something, to break someone. Never allowing myself to lose control, even for a moment, or someone could die.", he blocked another punch of Tirek, delivering a few swift once to his gust once again, "But you can take it, can't you, big man? What we have here is a rare opportunity for me to cut loose, and show you just how powerful I really am!", Skywalker said and with a single punch, sends Tirek across multiple mountains.
Tirek recovers delivering a massive punch, but Skywalker intercepts it, causing a huge shockwave. Skywalker delivers a heavy punch to Tirek's abdomen and follows up with a ferocious kick, one that sends him flying through Canterlot. Tirek stops himself mid-air, but before he can counter-attack, Skywalker attacks from behind, proceeding to kick Tirek off into a nearby forest, and then gives chase.
Tirek sends Skywalker soaring with a energy blast straight to the face. He gives chase once again and the two end up in a mountainous desert area, surrounded by large rock formations. Skywalker and Tirek charge at each other and their punches collide, sending out an Earth-shattering shock wave.
Over at the Guy's house, they had managed to outrun the Corrupted, throwing open the front door, Sutakira grabbed the box, Twilight jammed the key into it, but it would go down all the way. "I think we have to do this together!", she said, but they had no idea were Skywalker currently was.
At that time, Skywalker crashed landed into the earth, with a shoulder roll, he stared Tirek down, who was floating above them. He started to charge a green magic blast, looking back, Skywalker saw that he had only one option. He couldn't dodge this one, or his friends would be caught in this monsters attack. Channeling his power, Skywalker demonstrated his greatest display of Heat Vision yet, the two beams colliding in mid-air, struggling for dominance.
"How is this possible!? You have no magic! I have all the magic in Equestria!", Tirek shouted, unable to comprehend that this human could match all the power in Equestria. "You're wrong, Tirek! Thanks to my friends I carry within me the most powerful magic of all!", the young knight declared, as the key shattered into dust, before entering the chest. With a flash of blue light it burst open, all colors of the rainbow entered the Harmonic Heroes, restoring the powers they had lost and granting them a more powerful version of the Elements Of Harmony, they now possessed the Elements Of The Worlds. Big Mac was now the Wielder of Loyalty as Skywalker became the other Wielder of Magic.
All of them joined their power with Skywalker allowing him to over power Tirek, a large explosion destroyed the remaining Corrupted and healing the wound in the sky. Tirek was now laying defeated at their feet. Skywalker was panting heavy as he dropped to his knees, having expand nearly all of his stored Solar Power. The princesses teleported to their location, but the threat wasn't over yet.
A slow sarcastic clap was heard, looking up they saw seven figures standing on the roof. Four of them had their hoods on, obscuring their identity. The other three were, Jayden, Mizuki and Byron, who seemed to have recovered quite well. "A truly marvelous display.", the middle one said, who was apparently their leader. That voice seemed to ring something in Phoenix memories, but he couldn't quite place it. Though he wasn't the only one.
"Careful, that is the one they call Dark Messiah.", Discord warned, they nodded before they declared that they could settle this. "What a shame... and here I thought we could be friends.", the leader mocked as the other six burst out into laughter. "It seems you and your friends have defeated Tirek, son of Lily.", the leader said, looking over Skywalker, who was being held up by Rainbow. Tirek begged for help, but none of them made a move. "You were just another pawn, Tirek. I was using you from the beginning, like you were planning on doing with us. And now you are completely at their mercy. A fitting end of such a fool.", the leader declared.
Suddenly Celestia spoke up, "Wait, now I remember. That voice... Is that you, Marc Morgenstern?", the sun ruler asked, a hint of fear in her voice. "Who the hell is Marc Morgenstern?", Sutakira whispered to Pinkie, but she tilted her head. "I think that's the guy who floats menacing behind us on the cover picture.", the pink pony replied.
The leader removed his hood, revealing that indeed he was Marc Morgenstern, who according to Celestia's memory hadn't aged in all those years, nothing had changed about him, except for one thing. His normal blue eyes had gained four ripple-like pattern, with nine tomoe in the three circles closest to the pupil over the eyeballs, with a blue iris and sclera.
"Good to see you again, old friend.", Morgenstern greeted, giving a small smile to the princess, now Phoenix remembered, this was the same guy who was there when his father and sister died. Sutakira seemed to remember him too, though he couldn't place him. "Marc! Why are you doing this!? Had you not sworn to protect the Worlds? What happened to you?", Celestia asked desperately
"I have had my eyes opened, Celestia.", Morgenstern started as he looked up to the skies. "I have seen the cruelty humans inflict to others and their Worlds. I have come to the conclusion that human's are worthless. Worse than worthless, humans are vermin. How could I have associated with them? How could I have tried to be one of them? It only angered me further that the realization took this long. The age of humans has passed. And the task of ushering in a new World, a better World, falls to me.", he explained.
"Tell me... What happened to her?", Celestia asked, she couldn't believe it, another of her friends had fallen to the darkness. She could only hope that she hadn't. "You will have your answer soon. But for now, rest easy Harmonic Heroes. For there is a storm coming, and there is no escape."
Celestia was about to attack him, but the seven of them disappeared in smoke, leaving the heroes puzzled and shocked. They knew they had won the battle, but the war was just beginning.