A storm was brewing above the palace. It was rather odd even for the Sentient Plane for this time of year but Ozrick Arunsune shrugged it odd looking over a peculiar knife. Vladimir McDonough was laying in the garden with birds from different realms resting on his body.
Gidget Cogsworth walked into Ozrick's chamber and smiled, "Hey Ozrick what are you up to?" she asked. Ozrick looked at the filly and smiled, "I'm just learning more about Vladimir's knife. It's quite interesting, it's abilities are beyond anything I've ever seen. It's indestructible and from what I can tell it can possibly kill and living thing in one strike," he said.
Gidget looked at the blade and shivered, "That sounds horrible…" she said. Ozrick shrugged, "It's just from my point of view," he said. Gidget looked up and eyed the sky, "Aren't you worried about the storm?" she asked. Ozrick shook his head, "I'm sure it's either Kisashi or Elustar just giving the Sentient Plane a refreshing dose of stormy weather," he said.
A bolt of violet lightning struck close to the palace and Ozrick turned towards the thunder, "Or you may be right," he said. More lightning struck around the Palace and Vladimir awoke from his nap scaring away the birds, "What's going on?" he asked.
Ozrick tossed him his knife, "Someone obviously has the gall to storm the Sentient Palace," he said grabbing his blades. Thyme had just walked through the portal from Equestria and heard the thunder, "Thyme seal the portal's!" Ozrick yelled. Thyme didn't question him and hit the seals on the portals, "Whatever's coming won't be able to open the portals unless I willing open them," she said.
Ozrick nodded and Vlad looked to him, "What should I do?" Vlad asked. Ozrick chuckled softly, "This isn't your fight. Run and hide with the girls. If anything happens escape through the portal in my workshop. That's your best chance of survival," he said. Vlad glared at Ozrick but nodded, "Fine," he said grabbing Gidget and running towards the other end of the palace.
Lightning struck the dome above the palace shattering the ceiling and down came some cloaked men and a woman with dark armor and a large black and red lined spear, "Where is the portal watcher?" she asked. Ozrick smiled, "First might I get to know the lovely rose I am about to engage against?" he said.
The men pulled their cloaks off and drew forth their swords, "You have no choice in the matter," she said. Ozrick stabbed his blade glacier into the ground and ice golems appeared around him, "Now the odds have been evened," he said smiling.
The girl snarled and lunged at Ozrick as the men, or Exion from what Ozrick could tell, fought the golems. The woman slashed across with her spear hard but Ozrick easily deflected her attack and kicked her back as he came up sending forth a wave of dark matter from his other sword Phantom.
The woman absorbed the dark matter and a dark energy bow appeared in her hands ready to fire. The golems had easily dispatched the Exion but had fallen apart by the time they tried to help their master. The woman fired her bow in rapid succession but Ozrick slapped his wrist watch and a large shield appeared and blocked the arrows.
The woman's eyes burned with a hot anger but not at Ozrick. Ozrick could see the pain in the woman's expression and clicked a button on the shield forcing it to send out a massive wall of light. The arrows were powerless against the oncoming wall and the woman was forced to roll to the side.
The woman turned to fire again from an angle but Ozrick had disappeared. A light chill ran up her spine and she turned to see the collector staring at her smiling, "Miss me?" he asked smiling. The woman paled, "I know who you are. You Tank Shield. A hero from another continent from my realm. Nightshade has been very worried," he said.
The woman sniveled and her face contorted in rage, "That is no longer my name! I am Alyra Shade!" she yelled as she pumped a massive amount into her bow sending. Ozrick frowned and looked down as the arrow was let go of, "Crap," he said. The arrow exploded between the two of them. Alyra was sent back into a pillar while Ozrick was sent flying through several walls falling under a great amount of debris.
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Vlad and Thyme looked at each other when they heard the sudden explosion an headed for Ozrick's work shop. There they found a large portal and a variety of supplies, "It seems Ozrick had a backup plan for everything," Thyme said. Vlad looked around and saw multiple barrier contraptions that Ozrick had built and looked to the portal.
Thyme and Gidget both had grabbed bags of supplies and the portal changed to the color of the Equestria Portal in the main room. Vlad pushed them both forward and set up one of the barriers keeping them near the portal. Thyme looked to Vlad, "What are you doing?!" she asked. Vlad sighed, "It may not be my fight but I know that this place is important to many people. I've seen things come and go in an instant. I figured I could actually do some good by helping all of you," he said.
Gidget whimpered, "But what if they get a hold of you knife? What if-?!" Vlad cut her off, "I'm a friend to Nightshade. Ally to Ozrick, and guardian to the innocent in my own way. If I die protecting all of you I know that my life was worth something," he said. The barrier pushed the two into the Equestrian portal and Gidget screamed, "Vlad!!!" as the portal pulled them into Equestria. Vlad smiled, "Now for the fun," he said.
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Alyra kicked debris aside and a dark aura shot from her back and Nightwalker appeared in dark robes with a large black sword slung over his back, "What of the pony Thyme?" he asked. Alyra frowned, "She was not here when I arrived…" she said. Nightwalker growled and kicked some debris breaking down a wall, "We must have the gate watcher!" he yelled.
A hand shot up from underneath the debris and Ozrick pulled himself up tripping Nightwalker. Alyra jumped and slashed at Ozrick but as she slashed a cold feeling knocked her off her feet sending her flying into the throne room.
Ozrick turned to see Vlad, "You stayed?" he asked. Vlad nodded, "I had to repay the hospitality you gave me ever since I entered the palace," he said. Ozrick smiled and picked up phantom, "Where's your other blade?" Vlad asked. Ozrick looked around and saw the hilt and shattered pieces of the blade and sighed.
Vlad looked to Nightwalker and Alyra and frowned, "The odds seem to be pretty even here," he said. Nightwalker smiled darkly, "The odds are against you Immortalis," he said with a low growl. Alyra lunged at Ozrick who deflected her strike and came around with a kick knocking her off balance.
Nightwalker charged at Vlad and brought his sword across. Vlad held his knife tightly and slid underneath Nightwalkers blade and slashed into the demons chest. Nightwalker roared in pain and back handed Vlad across the hall. Alyra was slashing and hacking at an exhausted Ozrick with all her might. Ozrick's glasses were shattered, grime and blood caked the front of his face, *Not good,* he thought barely dodging another of her strikes.
Vlad landed against the wall with his feet out and pushed off of the wall head butting Nightwalker in the stomach. Nightwalker screamed as he coughed up blood, "You insect!" he said. Vlad smiled as he balanced himself with his hands, "You underestimate your opponents," he said.
Nightwalkers eyes blazed as he sent an energy blast toward Vlad, but Vlad pushed off of the ground with his hands and kicked Nightwalker across the jaw. Nightwalkers jaw unhinged as Vlad landed on his feet and turned to slash across the demons back. Sigea's abilities weren't affecting Nightwalker which bothered Vlad greatly.
Ozrick jumped back towards Vlad and laughed, "Switch!" he yelled as Nightwalker came around with a back slash. Alyra came forward stabbing with her spear. Both warriors smiled and turned to catch their enemies strikes.
A magic beam came from behind and blasted both Alyra and Nightwalker sending them into a statue. Ozrick and Vlad turned to see Thyme and Gidget grinning happily holding up a large energy canon, "Thought you could get rid of us that easily?" Gidget said.
Vlad chuckled, "There was no doubt in my mind," he said. Gidget giggled, "So that's Nightwalker huh?" she asked. Ozrick cracked his neck, "Yes. Nightshade's complete opposite," he said. Thyme nodded, "We can't beat him," she said. Ozrick and Vlad looked to each other and smiled, "We may not be able to beat him, but we can send him running!" Ozrick said.
Gidget cheered, "Let's do it!" she said. The four cheered and stood in a line. Nightwalker appeared before Ozrick and Vlad and blasted them with his energy. Alyra came forward firing her bow. Thyme got to her desk and set up an energy barrier blocking her arrows. Gidget fired her canon at Alyra which caused a massive shockwave to shake the entire palace. Alyra was hit full on by the blast and outside the palace. The blast combined with the pressure of being pushed through several walls knocked her out.
Vlad and Ozrick both worked simultaneously fending off Nightwalkers sword and energy attacks, "I'm fed up with you heroes!" he yelled. Vlad got hit by a blast and was sent flying outside the palace dropping his knife. Gidget sped past with her canon and readied to fire at Nightwalker.
With his other arm Nightwalker punched Ozrick in the face. Gidget fired her canon as Ozrick fell to the side. The blast was released and it hit Nightwalker. Gidget focused her goggles and noticed the barrier around Nightwalker, "A valiant effort my dear but I'm fed up with ponies and there games," he said walking up to her canon while bending it.
Gidget began to tear up as Nightwalker slashed forward with his blade but Thyme flew in front of him and was hit instead, "THYME!!" Gidget cried as she was knocked down. Thyme fell next to Gidget and whimpered as blood began to poor from her back.
Ozrick saw the pegasus fall and his eyes lit with a icy fire. Nightwalker swung his blade down but Ozrick blocked the strike, "That was a mistake," he said. Nightwalker smiled, "Why? Because you have no one left o die for you?Still " he asked kicking Ozrick back. Ozrick fell back and laughed, "No. Because I have nothing left to fear," he said. Nightwalker came forward with a barrage of punches sending pulses of dark matter through Ozrick's body.
Ozrick fell to his knee as Nightwalker was about to strike again but Ozrick now had a bright aura surrounding his body. Nightwalkers blade came down but he caught it and ripped it out of Nightwalkers hand. Ozrick's mind was gone… The Collector had arrived.
The Collectors expression was dark, his eyes a burning blizzard, "Are you done? Or shall we continue?!" he snarled. Nightwalker growled and swung at The Collector. The Collector caught the punch and an energy wave rebounded between the two. Nightwalker tried to pull his hand free but The Collector's grip was terrifyingly strong.
The Collector pulled one arm back and punched Nightwalker clean in the face sending him across the room. Nightwalker tried to regain his balance but The Collector appeared behind him, "What?!" Nightwalker yelled. The Collectors eyes flashed as he kicked Nightwalker through the roof.
Nightwalker balanced himself in the air and readied an energy blast. From above Vlad
appeared, "Illigay!" he said. Vladimir's knife expanded and elongated into a massive sword, "Take this!" he yelled. Nightwalkers eyes widened as Vlad swung his sword sending forth a pale green energy wave that sapped the energy from Nightwalkers body.
Nightwalker began to fall and Vlad followed him and continuously slashed through the demons body ripping the dark energy from his body. Nightwalker summoned his sword once more and slashed forward. Vlad glared at Nightwalker, "Shotay," he muttered as his sword returned to its knife form.
Nightwalkers blade passed over Vlad as he came in close and slashed with his blade from the Nightwalkers head to toe. The demon screamed in agonizing pain as Vlad flipped him over and pulled back on his arms. Vlad pushed down on the demon and they slammed into the ground.
Nightwalker struggled to his feet, both of his arms pulled from their sockets. Turning towards a high pitched screech Nightwalker saw The Collector with Thyme and Gidget fully restored and canon ready to fire.
Nightwalker screamed in rage as the canon fired and disintegrated his entire upper body. The lower half of Nightwalkers fell to the ground with a thud. The heroes all sighed and fell to the ground panting. Vlad walked up to Ozrick and the ponies and gave a thumbs up.
Ozrick looked up completely exhausted and gave Vlad a thumbs up with a smile "We did it," he said with a soft chuckle. Vlad chuckled then grimaced as pain shot through his body. The ponies watch Vlad fall next to Ozrick and they both sighed, "I think we over did it," Thyme said wincing in pain from Nightwalkers earlier strike.
Gidget felt tears sting her eyes and she hugged Thyme, "I thought Nightwalker had… I thought you… you…" she stopped and started crying into the Thymes chest. Thyme smiled and tears fell down the side of her face, "I promise I'm not going anywhere anytime soon," she said hugging the filly back.
A portal opened and Nightshade entered the palace and immediately noticed all the damage, "W-What h-happened here?!" he screamed. The heroes heard Nightshade's screech and laughed. Nightwalker's lower half was gone and Alyra had disappeared.
Days passed and the palace was completely remodeled. Nightshade was extremely exhausted and he passed in one of the thrones. Ozrick and Vlad were both still recovering from Nightwalkers attack. Thyme and Gidget were completely healed fixing the defenses of the palace and looking for new ways to improve the palace itself.
Ozrick and Vlad both looked around and nodded, "So… I guess that means you'll be looking for a new place to hide…" Ozrick said. Vlad nodded and looked at the new looks for the palace, "Hmm.. That would be the sensible idea… But I think I prefer staying with my new found companions," he said smiling.
Ozrick looked at him incredulously, "Y-You're staying?!" he said. Vlad chuckled, "I've grown quite fond of the palace, and I couldn't leave Gidget alone with you boring lessons," he said. Vlad laughed, "Is that all?" he said raising an eyebrow. Vlad looked to the ponies at their desk, "I'm also tired of running. I've rose to this life and I'm not gonna leave. I promise," he said.
The two shook hands, "Let's cause some trouble for Nightwalker," Ozrick said. Vlad nodded, "Even to the bitter end!" he yelled. Gidget and Thyme both looked at the men and shook their heads. Nightshade saw the heroes together and smiled, "Well done. Nightwalker… here we come…" he said as he gazed into the stars.