//------------------------------//
// Swarm 
// Story: The Equestrian Wind Mage Season 2.5 
// by LordSiravant 
//------------------------------//

Swarm

Palace of Darkness, the Dark World…

King Dethl, that loathsome tyrant, sat upon its throne, brooding quietly. Its mind was currently consumed by thoughts concerning a certain sextet of ponies and the magical artifacts they no longer carried, but now outright embodied.

Dethl had sorely underestimated the Elements of Harmony.

When it had learned that they had not only defeated Ganondorf, but resurrected and promptly thoroughly destroyed Demise himself, thus ensuring that Ganon could never return, Dethl had felt many conflicting emotions. Relief, for one; Ganondorf was no longer a threat to Majora's plans. Another was satisfaction; to know that the one being it hated more than the Hero of Legend's enduring legacy had finally been destroyed for good allowed the new Demon King to settle into its throne more comfortably. But then there was the last emotion, an emotion Dethl did not enjoy experiencing; worry.

If they could destroy Demise, then feasibly, should they be turned against Dethl, they could destroy it too.

Dethl's massive claws grated against the arms of its throne. It was an odd sight, to be sure; a spherical beast that lacked any humanoid characteristics sitting on a throne meant for a humanoid, but Dethl did not care. This throne, regardless, and the power it granted to whoever earned the right to sit upon it, was the Nightmare's now. Still, the fact that these puny, hideously bright-colored pack animals were a lot stronger than it, and even Majora himself, had anticipated irritated the Demon King immensely.

Still, Majora had gained a number of new assets from this world to use to their advantage. Dethl still did not like King Sombra, but he at least had redeemed himself somewhat in the eyes of his peers, what with his skillful management of his branch of the Church. And Grogar had insisted that Sombra, being his apprentice, still had his uses, and that the demonic ram always had more to teach him.

Abruptly, the doors of the throne room opened outward, and Dethl's singular eye glanced up at the intruder.

Speak of the devil.

Grogar trotted towards Dethl's throne and stopped a few feet from it. He did not bow; no one but Majora was above the Dark Lord of Tambelon, and Dethl was willing to acknowledge the Child of Krastos as its equal, so it did not dwell upon this.

"What is it, Grogar?" Dethl growled.

"I see that you are troubled as of late, Dethl," Grogar plainly spoke. "No doubt you are beginning to understand just how powerful the Elements of Harmony really are."

"Answer our question," Dethl snapped impatiently.

Grogar was not intimidated by Dethl's foul mood. With a smirk, he said, "You and I both know the Elements and their bearers pose a threat to our plans. Majora may have underestimated them, but you and I know better."

"What point are you trying to make?"

Grogar's grin widened. "The point I'm trying to make is this: I know how we can remove the Elements as a threat. I know how we can cut their power off at the source, disabling them once and for all."

Now THAT caught Dethl's attention.

"Tell us."

"Deep in the Everfree Forest, though I know not the precise location, lies a particular tree," Grogar explained. "It is the living manifestation of the Everfree's sentience, the very heart of the forest. Some call it Gaia, but to most Equestrians, it goes by another name; the Tree of Harmony."

"And what does this tree have to do with the Elements?" Dethl demanded.

"Isn't it obvious, my cyclopean friend? The Tree of Harmony is the source of the Elements' power. They sprouted from its very branches."

Dethl's eye widened as realization dawned upon it. "Kill the tree…"

"Kill the Elements," Grogar finished smugly.

If it had a mouth, Dethl would have grinned. "Ah…We think we know who is best for this little job."

"I was thinking the same thing," Grogar smirked. "Time to requisition Iemanis for one of his hives, I think."

XXXXXX

One week later…

Rover, Alpha of the Rockjaw Diamond Dogs, folded his arms and grinned as he looked upon the mountain of gems he and his packmates had harvested. Ever since the marshmallow pony had voluntarily begun helping them find gems a few days a week, their hoard had grown far faster than it ever had before. Looking at the wealth of his people made Rover feel giddy as a newborn pup, and he had to resist the urge to jump on it as though it were a pile of leaves, mostly because they definitely weren't leaves and thus would probably hurt quite a bit.

And then there was the massive diamond they had discovered three days ago, with the marshmallow pony's help. Rover snickered; her horn had been so drawn to the massive gem that she had actually smacked her face into the wall, despite the gem being nearly fifteen feet behind it. The look of horror on her dirt-stained face had been priceless. Once the gigantic diamond had been dug out, Rover had immediately declared it the crown jewel of the Rockjaws, and placed it, again with the unicorn's help, into a large chandelier that hung from the main chamber of the mines. The marshmallow pony had even acknowledged later that it was the largest diamond ever discovered, and that it was his right to keep it.

The Diamond Dog turned around and regarded the Great Star, as his pack had taken to calling it, fondly. The diamond was the centerpiece of the golden chandelier, with four torches branching out of the golden ring attached to the Great Star, each containing a magic light that never went out, always bathing the main chamber in multicolored hues. Rover smiled; it really was beautiful. And even better, it was unique. No other Diamond Dog pack had something like this, and it filled the Alpha's heart with pride.

Abruptly, his stomach chose this moment to remind him that it was empty.

Rover grunted, irritated by the spoiled moment, and muttered to himself, "Time for a hunt."

Rover quickly rounded up his Betas, Spot and Fido, and a few other Dogs that were particularly good at hunting and left their mines in search of prey to bring back for the rest of their pack. A manticore sounded like a good idea; plenty of good meat that could feed the whole pack for several days. Though they would take whatever they could get, and indeed some of them preferred other meats. Spot really liked cockatrice, and Fido, oddly enough, was rather partial to rotisserie parasprites. Rover chose not to dwell any further on this as he and his packmates hunted through the thick forest, carrying hunting spears and a few crudely-made bows.

However, after a while, the Dogs began to realize something was a bit off. The forest was completely silent, and an unexplainable sense of foreboding hung in the air. Gripping his spear more tightly, Rover whispered, "Something's wrong. Be wary. This might not be a hunt anymore."

His fellow Dogs glanced worriedly at one another before following their Alpha deeper into the Everfree. The air was still and silent, and they had yet to see a single animal.

Until a huge shape abruptly burst from the trees, knocking several Diamond Dogs over. The beast landed on Rover, pinning him beneath its claws. Rover shook his head and looked up to see a chimera staring him down. It apparently looked surprised to see them as it didn't try to eat him on the spot. Instead, it lowered its goat's head, and the thing hissed, "Run."

And then it bounded back into the forest before the Dogs could recover. Rover lay there, stunned. "What…just happened?"

"Boss, are you alright?!" Fido cried, hoisting Rover to his feet.

Rover shook his head and brushed the dust off his vest. "Aye. But that chimera…It told us to run. Almost like something was chasing it…"

"What in the world could spook a chimera?!" Spot declared.

"I don't know," Rover answered grimly. "But I don't think we should stay to find out."

"Uh…I think we're too late," one of the hunters shakily uttered.

All of them suddenly heard a distinct scratching sound, and it was steadily increasing in volume as the cause of it neared.

It was a sound Rover immediately recognized, and when he saw the multitude of large, bulbous yellow eyes emerge from the darkness of the forest, he uttered one thing before ordering his pack to run like Tartarus.

"Gohma…"

XXXXXX

Rover and his hunters ran back to their mines as fast as their legs could carry them, and as soon as they were inside, Rover cried, "Sound the alarm! Tell all our Dogs to ready for battle!"

Terrified and confused, Fido cried, "W-what were those things, Boss?!"

"Monsters not of our world," he grimly explained. "Devourers of all in their path. Changeling-eaters. They are the Gohma. And if they followed us here, we need to be ready for them!"

Rover turned back towards the mouth of their cave. "Where are you going?!" Spot yelped.

"Getting help! Do what I said!"

As Rover ran back out into the forest, Fido and Spot share a worried glance.

XXXXXX

Rover ran like his tail was on fire, following the path he knew led to the ponies' town. He didn't like going to them for help again, but they had helped his pack in the past. And of course, the marshmallow pony still helped them. He needed to find her. The only problem was, he had no idea where she lived. He only hoped that if he couldn't find her, some of her packmates would help.

Finally he broke through the trees and found himself in the Equestrian town of Ponyville. Several ponies looked surprised to see him, but he paid them no mind as he ran into the middle of town, looking around frantically. Unfortunately, though he didn't see the marshmallow pony, he did see plenty of other ponies and a number of monsters, including, to his displeasure, Darknuts. Eventually, however, somepony finally approached him with trepidation and asked, "Um…can I help you, sir?"

Rover snapped his head down to see a female Earth pony with a peach-colored coat and a curly orange mane with a Cutie Mark depicting three carrots flashing him a nervous, but well-meaning smile.

"Where is marshmallow pony?!" Rover cried, waving his arms. "I need marshmallow pony!"

"M-Marshmallow Pony? I'm afraid I don't know anypony by that name."

Rover smacked his paw against his forehead. "White pony! Purple hair! Whines a lot! Hates dirt!" Rover explained in exasperation.

The pony blinked in realization. "Oh! You mean Rarity? She's over at Carousel Boutique!" she informed him, pointing a hoof towards a tall building with lots of white and purple.

Rover immediately bolted towards the boutique, leaving Carrot Top to irritably mutter, "You're welcome."

Now, Diamond Dogs are not known for their manners. In fact, common manners are an utterly foreign concept to them. Thus, Rover had no qualms about smashing in the door of the boutique with a loud BANG, eliciting a shriek of surprise that immediately grated against the Alpha's ears. Yep, she was here alright.

"What on earth is the matter with…" Rarity yelled as she trotted in from another room, stopping short as she recognized her rather rude visitor. "Wha? Rover?"

So relieved was he to see her that he just tumbled over his words without much care. "Help! Dogs under attack! Monsters in Everfree! Need more fighters!"

Shaking her head to ward off her surprise, Rarity held up a hoof. "Hold on there, darling! Slow down! What's going on, and why did you smash in the door of my boutique?!"

Rover facepalmed again. Ow, that's starting to hurt.

"We were hunting in the woods, but we found Gohma instead!" Rover cried.

Rarity's heart skipped a beat as she heard that horrifically-familiar name. "What?! Gohma…in the Everfree?!"

Rover furiously nodded his head, anxious to get moving.

Ignoring her broken door, Rarity rushed past him outside. "Come on! We need to find Vaati and Twilight!"

Rover dutifully followed the marshmallow pony as she ran towards a giant tree with windows and a door. Without bothering to knock, Rarity threw open the door and cried, "Twilight! Are you in here?!"

"Wha?!" Twilight cried, dropping a book she had been reading in surprise. "Rarity! Is…is that Rover with you?"

"Twilight, Rover here has just informed me of a Gohma infestation in the Everfree Forest!"

Twilight was out of her chair in an instant. "What?!"

Taking a breath to calm herself, Twilight fell into the leadership role she had become accustomed to. "Alright, Rarity, I want you and Rover to go tell Mayor Mare to call an emergency town meeting, while I go get Vaati. Hurry now!"

Rarity nodded before rushing back out the door, heading back towards the center of town, with Rover following behind. By now he was panting; all this running was taking a lot out of him. Rarity led him over to a larger building and threw the door open none too gently. Rarity rushed right over to Mayor Mare's desk and cried, "Miss Mayor! Please call a town meeting at once! A Gohma infestation has been discovered in the Everfree Forest and the Diamond Dogs need help protecting themselves!"

Mayor Mare seemed abruptly taken aback by this. "A Gohma what-now?"

Rarity facepalmed. Of course; she doesn't have a clue what they are.

"Look, we don't have a lot of time! All I can tell you is that the Gohma are like parasprites, only worse. Far worse. They're a threat to Ponyville too, so we have to call everypony together to figure out a plan of attack!"

While she still didn't have a clear-cut idea on what these 'Gohma' were, if one of the Elements of Harmony deemed them a serious threat, it was her job as mayor to take action. "Alright, I'll call the meeting. Do Twilight and Vaati know about this?"

"Yes," Rarity answered. "They'll be there, and we'll all explain everything."

XXXXXX

Ten minutes later…

Every monster and pony in Ponyville was now gathered in front of Town Hall, where the Mayor, Vaati, the Mane Six, and a fidgeting Rover were standing at the podium.

"I have called this emergency town meeting on behalf of our resident Elements of Harmony and the leader of the local Diamond Dog tribe," Mayor Mare began. "I now call Vaati to the stage, who will explain everything you need to know."

The Mayor stepped aside, allowing Vaati to address the crowd. "Alright, since time is of the essence, I'll keep this brief," Vaati declared. "The Diamond Dogs have discovered that the Gohma have taken up residence somewhere in the Everfree Forest."

While the ponies all looked confused, the monsters all shared shocked, horrified looks.

"For those of you who don't know, the Gohma are a race of arachnids that function much like the Changelings, being a hive mind with a queen at the center. Their breeding and eating habits are about as extreme as, if not more so than parasprites, devouring all in their path. A single queen can produce thousands of offspring in a matter of weeks. I don't know how long this hive has been here, but it must be stamped out immediately before they grow strong enough to assault Ponyville itself."

The crowd murmured in worry at this news.

"As such, I need everyone who can fight to suit up and ready themselves. Because after we help the Diamond Dogs defend their territory, we're going to hunt down and destroy that hive. Get back here as soon as you can; we move out in one hour."

The crowd immediately dispersed, many of whom were overcome by shock that Ganon had not been defeated more than two weeks ago and they were already being called back into battle again. Vaati noticed Rover fidgeting anxiously and bit back a snide remark. It was obvious he was worried about his pack, and it was something the sorcerer could sympathize with.

"Are your packmates good fighters?" Vaati asked.

"Of course they are!" Rover indignantly snapped.

"Do you trust them to hold their own until we get there?"

"I trust my pack with my life," Rover replied.

"Then calm yourself," Vaati advised. "If your pack is smart enough to fight inside your mines, they'll be able to force the Gohma into a bottleneck and prevent them from taking advantage of their superior numbers."

Rover knew the strange one was right, but it didn't stop him from worrying all the same. He knew each and every one of them; knew their names, their habits, their personalities. They were his pack, his family, and they were in danger.

As these thoughts were running through Rover's mind, Vaati turned to Twilight and asked, "Did you send a letter to the Princesses like I asked?"

"I did, but I haven't gotten a reply yet," Twilight answered grimly.

Vaati then happened to glance up. "Well, I think we're about to."

Rover and Twilight followed his gaze just in time to see both Celestia and Luna soaring towards them, each clad in battle armor and wielding their signature weapons.

Accompanying them were all the members of the Royal Guard, both Day and Night, as well as the Wonderbolts, decked out in their signature suits. Rainbow quietly noted with disappointment that her mother was not among them, as she was still in the middle of her final book tour with Ahuizotl over in Las Pegasus.

Rover couldn't suppress the sudden grin. A part of him couldn't help but be honored that the Equestrian Princesses themselves were coming to the aid of his people.

As the Princesses and their personal guard touched down in the town square, Vaati and the Mane Six strode purposefully up to them. "You know, when we said that we needed reinforcements," Vaati said, "we weren't exactly asking you to come yourselves. Not that we don't appreciate it."

"It's time for Luna and I to once again take a more proactive role in defending Equestria," Celestia replied. "Before the Elements went into hibernation, we were the ones who primarily defended Equestria from its enemies. If what you told me of the Gohma is true, then they are a serious enough threat to warrant our personal attention."

Luna gave Vaati a quick peck on the cheek before adding, "There is another reason, too; if the Gohma are in the Everfree, then the Tree of Harmony itself could be in danger, not just Ponyville or the Diamond Dogs."

Vaati's brow furrowed. "The Tree of Harmony? Never heard of it."

"Few records of it exist," Celestia explained. "All of which are contained in the restricted section of our personal library. The Tree of Harmony is the source of the Elements of Harmony, as well as the very embodiment of the Everfree's will. It was the Tree of Harmony that sent all the predators of the Everfree to help break the Siege of the Crystal Empire. I fear that the Gohma taking residence there is no unhappy coincidence; they are there for a reason."

"To attack the Tree of Harmony?" Twilight asked, eyes wide.

Luna nodded. "If they manage to find and destroy it, the results will prove disastrous to Equestria…and fatal to you."

Luna's grim gaze centered on Twilight and her friends.

"W-wha…what do you mean, f-fatal to us?" Fluttershy stammered.

"As the living embodiments of the Elements themselves," Celestia spoke up, "if the Tree of Harmony is killed, the Elements' power will be destroyed, which…will kill you too."

All of the Mane Six visibly paled at this horrifying revelation. Looking away, Vaati folded his arms. "Yes…that has to be why they're here. They've been sent to kill the Tree of Harmony. And now that Ganon's dead, and this time for good, that leaves only one possible culprit."

Everyone's eyes darkened, knowing of whom he spoke.

"Majora," Luna voiced out loud.

"However," Vaati interrupted, "there is a silver lining to this ugly news; it means that Majora feels genuinely threatened by the Elements. While it's doubtful they have the power to harm him directly, after what I saw them do to Ganon and Demise, there's no doubt in my mind that we can use them against his stronger servants."

Twilight's eyes darted between each of her friends. "C'mon, girls. Let's get ready for this."

The Mane Six each went off towards their respective homes to gather their weapons, leaving Vaati and Rover alone with the Princesses and their guards. Soon enough, other ponies and monsters began to trickle back into the town square, armed and ready to go. None of them were expecting Celestia and Luna to be there, and hurriedly bowed whenever they saw them.

"The first order of business is helping to defend the Rockjaws' mines, correct?" Celestia asked.

Vaati and Rover both nodded.

"It's a shame Chrysalis is going to miss the party," Vaati chuckled.

"Perhaps not," Celestia remarked. "The Changeling liaison in Canterlot has already informed her of the situation, and even now she and her hive are on their way to join us. They're quite eager for another round with the Gohma. We cannot wait for them, as they do have a long way to fly, but by the time we start searching for the Gohma's lair, perhaps they'll be there in time to aid us."

Vaati scoffed. "Ponies, monsters, Diamond Dogs, Changelings, myself, the Elements, AND the Princesses? The Gohma don't stand a snowball's chance in Death Mountain."

"Indeed," Luna replied, sharing his smirk. "Our concern isn't whether we can defeat them, but whether we can defeat them before they cause serious damage."

Within half an hour, the entire town square was filled with ponies and monsters, all of whom were armed and ready for battle. All of them looked expectantly at their respective leaders, trusting their judgment without fear. Seeing that everyone was present, Celestia cleared her throat. "Alright! This is what we're going to do! I want the Darknuts, the Moblins, and half of the Ponyville militia to accompany myself and my Day Guard as we protect the Diamond Dog Mines! Rover, you come with me. Vaati, take Luna, her Night Guards, your friends, and everyone else to the Tree of Harmony and protect it at all costs. In the meantime, the Wonderbolts will all scout out the Everfree and see if they can find where the Gohma lair is."

"One thing I would like to mention is this," Vaati addressed the crowd. "Most Gohma individually, especially the larvae, are weak, and aren't good for much other than cannon fodder. You may, however, encounter trouble with the more developed strains, such as the soldiers and Armogohmas. Remember that the weakness of every Gohma is their large eye. Our primary goal, once we locate the hive, is to kill the queen. Without her, the hive will turn on itself and we'll no longer have to worry about them. Understand?"

Everyone nodded at this. Vaati glanced at all his companions before summoning his trademark sword. "Let's go."

XXXXXX

Celestia's forces…

As she flew overhead of her forces, Celestia's keen eyes caught the sight of a large host of…something smashing their way through the forest, creating a hideous cacophony of scratching sounds that grated against the ears. As trees were felled, Celestia could see a pair of giant spiders, each with a massive eyeball glaring out the back of their heads, scuttling towards the mines. Below them, hordes of alien creatures swarmed.

And yet…something about this seemed off to the sun goddess. A part of her had expected the enemy force to be, well…larger. But then she shook the thought aside, reasoning that the Gohma were likely diverting most of their attention towards either defending their hive or assaulting the Tree of Harmony. Either way, she hoped this would be relatively quick.

Unfortunately, she knew that she would have to, once again, keep her powers in check here, so as to not cause collateral damage to her troops, allies, and the forest alike. This worried her, as the last time she had tried to rein in her powers to protect innocent lives, Chrysalis had quickly overpowered her.

Celestia shook these grim thoughts aside as she led her forces towards Rambling Rock Ridge, where she knew the Rockjaws' territory to be. From there, they followed Rover over to the main entrance to the mines, which was hidden from sight in a cave surrounded by dense shrubbery. Rover's two Betas stood guard outside, each clad in their crudely-beaten armor plate. Their eyes widened at the sight of Rover arriving with Princess Celestia and a sizable host of ponies and monsters.

"You weren't kidding about getting reinforcements," Spot muttered just loud enough for his Alpha to hear.

"Tell your people to ready themselves," Celestia commanded in a business-like tone that brooked no argument. "The Gohma are mere minutes away now."

She spoke the truth; within two minutes, the hideous scraping noise the Gohma were known to make grew loud enough for them to hear. Countless glowing eyes emerged from the darkness of the forest, glaring unblinkingly at their assembled enemies. Rover gritted his teeth and held out his hand.

"Mace!" he cried.

Fido promptly tossed Rover's weapon over to him, and the Diamond Dog Alpha raised it over his head as the Gohma horde burst out of the trees. "Dogs…ATTACK!"

XXXXXX

Luna's forces…

Luna led Vaati and their forces to where she knew the Tree of Harmony to be, and as soon as they arrived, they found themselves in the middle of an already-raging battle. Gaia, in an attempt to defend itself, had once again summoned all the beasts of the Everfree to its aid. Hundreds of manticores, chimeras, Timberwolves, cragadiles, and even a sizable swarm of parasprites all desperately tried to fend off a massive army of Gohma. Countless hundreds of the parasitic arachnids lay dead all around the clearing, but their huge numbers had taken their toll on the Everfree predators. Dozens of them, their corpses bloodied and torn, were scattered among the sea of slain Gohma. More and more Gohma were pouring out from the trees directly opposite from where Luna's troops had come in from. Vaati and the Night Princess shared one glance before Luna smirked flirtatiously. "You know, a part of me has always wanted to fight alongside you in battle."

Vaati returned her grin. "Well I hope I don't disappoint."

Luna's wings flared out as she readied her sword. "Go! Protect the Tree!"

As one, the ranks of ponies, Wizzrobes, Keatons, Floormasters, and the occasional Stalfos surged forward with a rousing chorus of battle cries. Numerous Gohma turned to face them, chittering and hissing their own battle roars. Seeing the reinforcements, the Everfree beasts redoubled their efforts, slashing with gore-encrusted claws and biting with razor-sharp, blood-soaked teeth. Over the din of battle, Twilight tried to keep her friends close. "C'mon!" she cried. "We have to get to the Tree!"

"Stay close, y'all!" Applejack advised, kicking away an attacking Larva.

Another Larva leapt at Fluttershy, its claws outstretched as it chirped. It was abruptly blown back by an energy beam from Rarity. Soon they pushed their way past the fighting monsters and reached the Tree. "This is the Tree of Harmony?" Rainbow asked out loud, looking it over.

It wasn't like any tree they had seen before. It was made of crystal, not wood. Six large branches jutted out from the trunk, each of which ended with a large bulge that contained an indentation shaped like the Elements. The symbols of the sun and moon were emblazoned on the trunk.

"Check it out!" Rainbow cried. "The symbols match our Cutie Marks!"

Twilight let out a shaky breath. "We were destined from the beginning for our role…"

The thought was humbling for all of them, to know that their friendship was truly the will of Mother Faust herself. They were the centerpiece of her divine plan.

"I was never one to believe in a thing like destiny," Rarity whispered, awestruck. "But this…I…I don't even know what to say."

"That's fine 'n dandy, y'all," Applejack spoke up. "But there's kinduva battle goin' on out there."

That reminder shook them out of their reverie. "Applejack's right, girls," Twilight agreed. "We need to protect the Tree of Harmony at all costs! The fate of Equestria, and our very lives depend on it!"

"Need some help?"

The six of them abruptly looked up to see some familiar ponies jumping down to join them.

"Three Leaf?" Twilight marveled. "Gladstone? Roneo? Starlet?"

Three Leaf smiled, tilting her head a bit, which caused her Darknut-forged armor to clank a bit. "Of course! We owe you and Gaia so much, it'd be wrong of us not to chip in!"

"Six uglies at ten o'clock!" Rainbow cried, pointing behind the Sunnytown ponies, causing them to turn and see four Gohma Larvae and two Pincer Gohma skittering past the battlefield into the hidden grove, glaring with those unblinking yellow eyes.

"Let's get 'em!" Pinkie declared, waving her axe.

Twilight acted first, sending an energy beam at the first Pincer, which unfortunately had the good sense to deflect with its larger claw. Unfortunately for the Gohma, the strength of Twilight's magic promptly blew said claw to bits. The Gohma soldier screeched horribly, scuttling back a few feet as its comrades sprang forward. One of the Larvae was thrown back by a crossbow bolt to the eye courtesy of Fluttershy, while another was slain by a hail of Rarity's diamonds. The second soldier struck at Three Leaf, only to get smashed to a gruesome pulp by Gladstone's sledgehammer, for his time spent with the Darknuts had awakened his skill and love for blacksmithing. The last two Larvae double-teamed Pinkie Pie, but her skills with her axe served her well at dispatching the arachnid horrors. A spear thrust from Rainbow put an end to the wounded Gohma soldier.

Meanwhile, Vaati and Luna formed an unstoppable team, wading through the Gohma host with murderous efficiency. Their combined melee and magic attacks would take out several Gohma at a time, and beneath them lay Gohma corpses torn asunder, piled ever higher like shingle in a storm. Vaati's golden claws lashed out again, sundering the body of a Larva that had been leaping towards Luna's exposed back. She didn't even notice this rescue and continued slashing and slicing any Gohma that dared come near. Her hair and armor splattered with globs of Gohma blood, Luna turned towards the great demon eye and flashed a snarling grin.

"A good fight!" she declared.

Crushing a Pincer Gohma beneath a giant fist, Vaati matched her gaze and boomed, "Speak for yourself! These things are pathetic! HAH!"

However, no sooner had those words left his mouth when another voice made itself known, one just as loud and demonic as Vaati's own.

"Heh…heheh…ahahahaha! GRAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

All combat abruptly stopped, the surviving Gohma withdrawing from the battle and backing up against the tree-line. Ponies, monsters, and beasts alike steeled themselves for the unknown as the telltale sound of crashing trees, thrown aside by numerous mighty shapes, assaulted their ears.



"What is this?" Luna whispered.

"I don't know," Vaati answered grimly. "Something's not right…"

"I was waiting for you to make your dramatic entrance, Vaati the Wind Mage!" a terrible voice thundered from within the dark forest. "Ever the show-off, heheheheheh!"

And then the impossible happened; the Gohma horde as one seemed to straighten, standing taller, almost prouder.

And then they sang, their twisted voices creating a hideous-yet-beautiful chorus of wicked intent.

"Sata futalisk!

Sulde Iemanis!

Rasa futalisk!

Raaaah!"

The ground began to shake.

"O Gohma!

O Gohma!"

The treeline began to shake as the gigantic, unknown shapes barreled closer to them.

"O Gohma!

Oooo Goooohma!

Sulde Iemanis!

Metes Iemanis!"

Vaati's eyes widened. "Golden Goddesses above…"

"Rasa!"

A massive eye opened in the murk of the Everfree, glaring evilly at its opponents.

"RASA!"

And then something exploded out from the forest, throwing aside numerous large trees like mere branches of kindling.

No less than ten Armogohmas stood ready for battle, along with a fresh horde of Gohma Larvae and Soldiers. But it was the thing leading them that made Vaati's blood run cold. It had a Gohma-like body, but its exoskeleton, unique of all Gohma, was a pale, sandy yellow. It stood on eight legs like a spider, but it was far greater than any Armogohma. Its front pair of legs tapered to widened edges like two halves of a shield. The second pair of legs ended with two large claws perfect for slashing and bludgeoning alike. Its eye also did not look like those of the average Gohma, but was instead more human-like, with a white eyeball and a blood-red pupil. The wicked voice had come from the strange Gohma-like beast, and it laughed again.

Vaati paled ever so slightly. "Iemanis…"

The strange Gohma snickered. "Not quite, worm. As if I, the God of the Gohma, would endanger myself so! This is my avatar, my Gohma King! And it is I that leads this swarm, not a mere queen. Your search for the hive is a wild goose chase! A trap to divert your forces away from the defense of your miserable little town! Half of my swarm stands behind me! The other has been split in two; one to distract the Sun Princess…"

Luna gasped in horror as Vaati finished, shocked, "…the other to attack Ponyville."

Iemanis laughed again. "Right you are, fool! And now you are faced with a choice; flee to Ponyville and condemn the Tree of Harmony to death, or sacrifice the lives of your unprotected children to fight a battle you cannot possibly win?"

Luna's mouth hung open in shock. "Dear Mother…they set us up."

The Gohma King clacked his claws together. "Time to choose, worms!" Iemanis roared.

As one, the Gohma army stormed forward, though Iemanis chose to remain behind for the time being, observing the battle. The defenders braced themselves, and the Gohma swarm smashed into their lines with fierce, mindless brutality carried forth by the will of the Gohma King.

The whole time, Rarity and Applejack were panicking.

"Oh, sweet Mother Faust…" Rarity whispered before screaming, "Sweetie Belle!"

"Applebloom's in danger!" Applejack yelled, rushing back towards the stairway that led into the grove.

"Applejack, wait!" Twilight cried.

"Twilight, mah family is in danger! Ah can't just buckin' stand bah 'n do nothin'!"

"The Tree of Harmony's in danger too!" Rainbow pointed out urgently. "And if these Gohma freaks manage to kill it, all of us are dead, and Equestria is screwed!"

Horrifically torn, Applejack began whirling about frantically, hyperventilating and at a loss for what to do. As Vaati slashed with claws and struck with magic, he turned towards Luna and roared, "Luna! Warn Celestia! NOW!"

As soon as the words left his mouth, an Armogohma slammed into the demon eye, the rush of air as the two titans blew her aside forcing Luna back. Luna whipped her head towards the waiting Iemanis, glaring at the fiend before her horn glowed as she linked her mind with her sister's.

XXXXXX

Celestia's horn abruptly fizzled out from roasting a group of Gohma as she heard her sister's voice in her mind.

"Celie! Celie, it's a trap! Ponyville is one of the Gohma's major targets!"

At those words, Celestia's heart nearly stopped. Ponyville was undefended. Only a handful of adults watching over the foals remained there. If the Gohma reached them, it would be a bloodbath. She was abruptly driven out of her thoughts as an energy beam from one of the Armogohmas struck her point-blank in the chest, knocking her out of the air. With a pained grunt, she landed hard on the ground, her body smoking from the blast. The gigantic spider thundered through the fighting hordes of Gohma, Diamond Dogs, and other warriors, intent on its target. Celestia shook her head and looked up at the monster as it loomed over her. She glared as it lifted one of its legs, preparing to crush her flat. Suddenly Celestia's horn flared brighter than ever before as she sent a massive blast of solar fire at the Armogohma. The beam burned a hole straight through the Armogohma's head, and the monster collapsed before her, the very ground shaking beneath its dead weight.

Celestia stood up, and without looking away from the dead Armogohma, she shouted, "Captain, find the Wonderbolts, call them back! Help the Diamond Dogs deal with the Gohma here! I am needed in Ponyville!"

The Royal Captain didn't even have time to question his ruler's judgment before Celestia was off, racing towards Ponyville as fast as she could and leaving a trail of fire in her wake.

XXXXXX

Ponyville, schoolhouse…

"Alright, class, please turn to page 182," Cheerilee said to her class, trying to maintain a cheerful attitude despite knowing a majority of the parents of her students were off in the Everfree, fighting an army of evil monsters.

The classroom of foals all dutifully opened their math textbooks, though their minds weren't really on the subject either. Cheerilee could tell; as a teacher, she was rather observant. But it was her duty to teach the next generation of Equestrians, no matter what.

"Now, today we will be discussing the PEMDAS method," Cheerilee spoke. "Aka, parentheses, exponents, multiplication, division, addition, subtraction."

Diamond Tiara sighed as she rested her head in her remaining flesh and blood hoof, tuning out the lesson little by little. She had always hated math in particular, as she had never thought it would be any use to her in her adult life.

Her adult life…

Yeah, right, she thought bitterly. What adult life? I'm a cripple. I'll never have a job, I'll never get married, and I'll never get to be a socialite like Mom and Dad.

Her eyes trailed down to the crude prosthetic attached to her other stump of an arm. All because some kind of monster decided to make me its plaything.

She could feel the concerned eyes of Sweetie Belle boring into her back. That was the only one out of the three of them that had been willing to completely forgive Diamond for the…incident, as they referred to it as. Applebloom and Scootaloo tolerated her presence, but neither of them spoke to her unless she spoke to them first. Sweetie just didn't have it in her to maintain grudges like the other two. As far as she was concerned, Diamond felt it would have just been easier if none of them ever spoke to her again.

Because even if she had been possessed at the time, she had tried to kill somepony. The fallout had left her with a missing arm, a missing leg, and a missing mom.

Her crimes had ruined her parents' marriage. Her mother didn't want anything further to do with her own daughter just because her reputation was more important than her family. Filthy Rich finally saw how shallow she really was, and a divorce followed quickly, with Diamond's mother leaving for Canterlot and cutting off all contact with her family. Diamond had cried over this for weeks, eventually leading to Sweetie Belle extending a hoof in friendship.

Many times she had been told that Discord could easily fix her up. He could give her back her arm and leg. She knew that very well, and though it was tempting, she knew that it had been a consequence of her own actions, regardless of the circumstances. It was her fault the monster had taken her in so easily, that three children just like her had almost died, and that her family had broken apart. All hers.

Diamond sighed in melancholy as her eyes darted towards the window she sat next to.

And that was when she saw the hordes of one-eyed monsters crawling out of the Everfree Forest, swarming over the defensive walls and barriers with little resistance. Diamond gasped in horror and pointed towards the window as she cried, "Miss Cheerilee! Miss Cheerilee! Look outside!"

Cheerilee, startled by the outburst, instinctively looked towards the windows, along with several other students, and when they saw the approaching swarm of Gohma, Cheerilee screamed, "Everypony get away from the windows!"

Foals and fillies screamed in fright as they scrambled away from the windows, some knocking over their desks in their haste. Cheerilee rushed over and locked the door and drew the curtains over all the windows. "Everypony stay together and be as quiet as possible!" the teacher hissed urgently.

Scootaloo's heart was pounding in her chest. "Gohma…here?" she whispered in horror.

Almost as soon as those words left her lips, the sounds of multiple bodies latching onto the schoolhouse and climbing up the walls assaulted their ears. Many of the students whimpered as they held onto one another, tears of fright springing from their eyes. Silver Spoon cried as she hugged Diamond tightly, fearing for her life. Watching as numerous misshapen shadows crawled over the windows towards the roof, Sweetie Belle whispered, "What do we do? There's too many of them, and we haven't even finished learning basic fighting skills yet!"

"Pray they don't realize we're inside," Applebloom muttered somberly.

Suddenly the Gohma all stopped moving, ceasing their discordant scraping noises. If they listened carefully, the ponies could hear some of the monsters chittering at one another. All of them held their breath, silently praying to Mother Faust that they would go away.

Then something slammed against the schoolhouse door with a resounding bang, and several fillies screamed. As though they had been waiting for confirmation, the other Gohma Larvae immediately began tearing at the walls of the schoolhouse and slamming their bodies against the windows, eager to get inside.

"I want my mommy!" Dinky Hooves bawled in terror.

"Shh, shh!" Cheerilee tried to soothe as she held Dinky and several other foals close. "I won't let them hurt you!"

And then her heart stopped cold as one of the windows shattered.

XXXXXX

Sugarcube Corner…

Mr. Cake watched as his loving wife looked after their two young foals, Pound and Pumpkin before sighing in worry. He was worried about Pinkie. He knew he shouldn't have been; she had shown time and again she was more than capable of taking care of herself, especially in Equestria-may-or-may-not-be-doomed scenarios like this. But she was still family, and very much like a daughter to him before his biological children had come around.

He was abruptly pulled out of his thoughts by someone banging once on the door. His wife jumped along with him, and the two babies looked worried, as though they knew something was wrong. Furrowing his brow in concern, Mr. Cake said, "Honey, wait up here with the kids. I'll go downstairs and see who it is."

"Okay, dear," Mrs. Cake replied before returning to attempting to play with the twins.

However, Pound and Pumpkin had lost interest and were both reaching towards their father as he turned and left. "Da!" Pound whimpered. "Dada!"

Mr. Cake was about halfway down the stairs when something banged on the door again, this time much harder. "Just a minute!" Mr. Cake called out as he reached the bottom.

As if in answer, the door was suddenly smashed in with a terrible crash. Mr. Cake stumbled back with a yelp as his "guest" entered the store; a Pincer Gohma, glaring right at him with its single, predominant eye. Mr. Cake's eyes widened as the Gohma snapped its claws threateningly, hissing hungrily. From upstairs came the wailing voices of Pound and Pumpkin, scared by the loud noises. The Gohma glanced up the stairs as it heard this, hissing menacingly as it started stalking towards the staircase.

And then all sense of self-preservation left Mr. Cake's otherwise-timid mind.

The pastry chef abruptly got between the Gohma soldier and the staircase, glaring at it. "Honey, lock the door, take the kids, and hide!" he cried towards his wife.

"W-what?!" Mrs. Cake's muffled voice responded in confusion.

"Do as I said! Please!" Mr. Cake yelled urgently before turning his attention back towards the angry arachnid. "Stay. Away. From! My! FAMILY!"

The Pincer Gohma screeched, raised its claws, and charged.

Upstairs, Mrs. Cake suddenly heard the sounds of fighting downstairs. Chairs and tables were smashed repeatedly, interspersed with the enraged screeches and hisses of some unknown beast and her husband's grunts and shouts. "Carrot…" she breathed in horror.

Pound and Pumpkin's wails shook her out of her panic and reminded her of the situation. The baker hurriedly picked up Pound and carried him over to the big chest, setting him down so she could open the chest. Pound kept crying, wailing for his father as his mother put him in the chest. Suddenly a particularly loud crash sounded from downstairs, punctuated by a furious shriek and her husband yelling, "YOU WILL NOT HURT MY FAMILY!"

Mrs. Cake whimpered to herself as she brought Pumpkin over to the chest and put her inside with her brother. "Shush, dears," she whispered. "Daddy said we have to hide. You have to be quiet. You have to be quiet."

The twins quieted down to tearful blubbers, and Mrs. Cake rushed over and locked the door. She then quietly closed the lid of the chest just enough that the foals still had a source of air before hiding in the closet. Now the fighting became muffled, and Mrs. Cake whimpered fearfully at the sounds, silently praying to Mother Faust that her husband would be alright.

XXXXXX

Celestia soon reached the outskirts of Ponyville, and immediately saw the town overrun with Gohma. The monstrous arachnids were relentlessly tearing into buildings and houses, intent on getting inside and murdering any defenseless pony they found. Her eyes darted towards the schoolhouse, where she heard the sound of multiple children screaming as the Gohma assaulted their school.

Gritting her teeth, her mane and tail flared out, losing their colors in favor of a raging flame. The Goddess of the Sun unleashed her divine fury upon the monsters still approaching the school, incinerating them in solar fire. This immediately caught their attention, and a majority of the Gohma abandoned the school and turned their attention towards Celestia instead.

The Larvae chirped and leaped, and the Pincers hissed and charged.

And then Celestia was a blur of motion, moving far faster than the Gohma. Her golden halberd slashed left, right, up and down, in wide, spiraling arcs, and with each stroke a Gohma fell, splashing green blood as their bodies split in two. Every so often, a beam of fire lanced out of her horn, annihilating an approaching soldier and leaving nothing but a smoldering husk. Celestia continued her deadly dance as more and more Gohma advanced on her. Unfortunately not all of the Gohma were distracted by their new enemy, and continued their assault on the rest of the town.

Though Celestia had attracted the attention of most of the Gohma, a single Pincer smashed down the schoolhouse door and barged inside. Many of the terrified children screamed at the grotesque appearance of the Gohma soldier. This, however, served only to antagonize the monster further, and it screeched at them, snapping its claws as it scuttled forward.

"S-stay back!" Cheerilee suddenly cried, putting herself between her students and the Gohma. "I'm warning you! STAY BACK!"

The foals gawked at Cheerilee in amazement as she defended them against the hideous monster. "These students are under my care, and I will not let you hurt them! STAY! BACK!"

The Pincer snarled and charged forward.

And then it was stopped short by a desk thrown at its face.

The Gohma screeched as it stumbled back from the splintering wood smashing into its carapace. But it quickly recovered and began moving once more towards the foals.

And then Cheerilee threw another desk at it, and another. "Get! Away! GET AWAY!"

However, this did little to hamper the Gohma, which just shielded itself with its larger pincer as it continued to advance towards its prey. Realizing the monster had every intention of harming her students, Cheerilee seized a broken chair leg in her teeth, jabbing the broken, sharp end at the Pincer Gohma. The Gohma snarled and leaped at the teacher.

Cheerilee fell backward as the soldier crashed over top her.

Broken bits of wood splintered everywhere.

The children screamed.

The Gohma screeched.

And all went quiet.

Slowly, the crowd of students lifted their heads out of their hooves, ignoring the flashes and explosions of light outside, and all of them turned their heads towards the unmoving body of the Pincer Gohma. Scootaloo led the way as they collectively inched towards the body.

"M-Miss Cheerilee?" Scootaloo whispered.

The Gohma soldier's body abruptly shifted. The sound it produced was quiet, but it might as well have been a sonic boom to the kids, who all scrambled back with cries of terror. All they could do was watch as the monster's body lifted into the air…

…and fell limply aside, the broken chair leg lodged firmly in the center of its eye, revealing a lightly-bruised Cheerilee, breathing heavily.

"MISS CHEERILEE!" the students collectively screamed in joy, glomping her.

Cheerilee laughed breathlessly as she hugged her charges. "It's okay," she chuckled, kissing Diamond's forehead. "I'm alright. Everything's alright."

XXXXXX

The charred corpse of a Larva was crushed beneath Celestia's hooves as she drove her lance into the body of a soldier. Hundreds of dead Gohma surrounded Celestia as she fought, her teeth gritted in a battle-crazed snarl. However, the demands of battle were beginning to take their toll; the beams of fire weren't as intense as before, and her lance felt much heavier in her magical grip. She was getting tired, and there were still plenty of Gohma left to fight.

How? Celestia thought bitterly to herself as she continued to slaughter the endless swarms of Gohma. How could I let such a threat gain such strength right under my nose?

And then her world was consumed by unimaginable pain.

She screamed involuntarily, and the next thing she knew, she was crashing painfully to the ground. A new spike of pain exploded out of her right wing as she felt the bones in it snap under her body. She had been careless; heavy thumps indicated the arrival of the assailant; an Armogohma, the eye on its back still glowing from the beam it had shot at the Princess.

Celestia's vision became blurry as she barely made out the Armogohma scuttling purposefully towards her, its massive frame towering over her own. All around her, the remaining Gohma hordes closed in, surrounding her on all sides. Celestia weakly shook her head, her vision clearing enough for her to see her discarded weapon lying nearby. Gritting her teeth, she tried to focus, her magical aura weakly encasing the handle of her lance. However, the pain made it difficult to concentrate, and she could do little more than shake the lance a bit.

As if they knew what this meant, a Gohma soldier planted itself directly over her spear, pinning it to the ground under its body. Celestia released a shuddering breath as the Armogohma loomed menacingly over her.

So…this is how it ends for me.

The Armogohma raised one leg high into the air, preparing to stab it into her body. Celestia lifted her head as much as she could, and glared at the monster.

Luna…Twilight…forgive me…I have failed you…

And then, from out of nowhere came a beam of green energy, which sliced through the Armogohma's raised leg like a hot knife through butter. Celestia blinked in surprise as the severed leg fell to the ground, barely missing her.

The Armogohma screeched in pain as dozens of other green beams lanced into it, slicing the gigantic spider to ribbons. And then more pounded into the swarms of Gohma, and the soldiers turned towards the sky and returned fire. Celestia couldn't help but smile, finding grim humor in the irony of it all.

She saw a familiar, lanky figure touch down not far from her before it derisively said, "Well, well, well. Fate really does have quite the sense of humor, does it not?"

Celestia scoffed. "Good to see you too, Queen Chrysalis."

XXXXXX

Near the Tree of Harmony…

Slowly but surely, the battle was starting to go poorly for the defenders of the Tree of Harmony. Vaati and Luna were both starting to tire from the grueling rigors of combat. Ponies, monsters, and countless more Gohma littered the battlefield, and many found themselves tripping over bodies as they advanced and withdrew as the two armies pushed against one another. The hydra grappled with one Armogohma, one of its heads having been completely vaporized by the gigantic arachnid. A manticore and chimera double-teamed another Armogohma, and three others lumbered unhindered across the clearing, trampling friend and foe alike underfoot. One was now headed straight for the Tree.

The Mane Six and the Sunnytown ponies braced themselves as they witnessed the Armogohma bearing down on their position. Exhausted though they were, they dared not falter in the face of their enemies. "Remember, girls," Twilight called out. "We've fought these things before and come out on top! Rarity, you and I will pull its legs out from under it! Fluttershy, put a bolt in that eye before it can recover! Let's do this!"

The Armogohma roared as it scuttled into the gorge. Without further ado, Twilight and Rarity's horns lit up with their respective auras, which then glowed around each of the Armogohma's legs. Before the Armogohma could register this, all eight of its legs were swept out from under it, and the monstrous arachnid fell to the ground, shaking the very earth beneath its bulk. Fluttershy flew up over the beast, taking aim at the large eye on its back. Her aim was true, and one sharp "thwip" later, the monster screeched in agony before it stilled.

The Sunnytown ponies were utterly silent as they witnessed the flawless teamwork the Mane Six had demonstrated, before Three Leaf managed to utter, "You're amazing."

Rainbow couldn't help but grin as she struck a smug pose. "Yeah, we know," she said.

Through his connection to the consciousness of every Gohma in his swarm, Iemanis could see exactly what was happening on all fronts.

And he did not like what he saw.

The cursed Changelings had arrived before he could successfully destroy Celestia and raze Ponyville to the ground. The Diamond Dogs and their allies were nearly finished mopping up his forces that had besieged them, and Vaati and his loathsome friends' resistance was holding stubbornly fast, even with the reinforcements the Gohma God had brought with him. It would not be long before the Changelings and Diamond Dogs raced to the scene to reinforce his own enemies.

We are supposed to be perfect. We are Gohma. We are legion.

Fed up with the Equestrians' continued resistance, Iemanis roared, slamming his bladed claws together in preparation for the coming bloodshed.

"Fools! I will eliminate the Tree of Harmony myself!" he bellowed, and the Gohma King strode forth, entering the battle at last, and immediately proved himself to be a most terrible foe.

His eye glowed, and then he swung his body about in an arc as a bright blue, thin, scorching laser sprang from his pupil, devastating all it touched. A chorus of agonized screams and deathly howls rose up, and it chilled Vaati, Luna, and all who heard it to their very cores. A manticore snarled as it bore down on the Gohma King, but it was deftly batted aside with ease by one swat of Iemanis's claw, caving in its ribcage with a sickening crunch. The manticore did not get up again.

Iemanis laughed, rising over the rancor of battle. Pony and monster alike dared to confront the King, but they were puny before him. Magic spells, spears, and arrows were all thrown at the eye, but the shield legs snapped together, easily deflecting them all.

And then his two clawed legs lashed out like sweeping clubs, cutting into the group of defenders with merciless brutality. The luckier ones were knocked to the floor, groaning in pain. Many more were far less fortunate. Pokey Pierce had been caught in the throat by the beam, a deep scorch march cutting deep into his neck. His body lay not far from that of Allie Way, who had fallen from the sizzling gouge in her chest. Blues, one of Ponyville's beloved musicians, bludgeoned to death by Iemanis's sweeping arms. As were Boxxy Brown, and Rainbowshine. Shoeshine. Silverspeed.

The sight of their fallen bodies filled Vaati with raw fury. He had known them. Not well, admittedly, but he had lived in Ponyville long enough to at least know the names of most of the ponies that lived there. It wasn't fair. The death. The destruction. When would it end?!

The Mane Six and the Sunnytown ponies collectively paled as a new shape emerged, leering over the gorge. Its twisted frame cast a jagged shadow over the tiny ponies. Iemanis laughed again.

"Can you not see it?" the Gohma King boasted. "Do you still not understand? You are the insects here! You cannot win! Now…burn!"

The Gohma God's avatar's blazed blue, and Twilight braced herself, readying a shield spell that she prayed would hold against whatever was coming.

Suddenly, Iemanis felt something seize him by both claws right before his assailant swung the Gohma King's body over its head, slamming him into the dirt. Iemanis's claws flailed about in the air for a moment until the monstrous crab-spider hybrid righted himself and glared at his attacker.

"Wretched sorcerer!" Iemanis spat. "Your interference is growing irksome!"

"Did you really think I'd just stand by and let you threaten my home and my friends?" Vaati shot back contemptuously. "I took you to be smarter than that, oh great God of the Gohma."

Iemanis raised his claws threateningly. "Your father should have crushed you beneath his heel the day you were born!"

Vaati had not been expecting that response. "What…?"

"I shall gladly do it for him!"



Still in a state of shock and confusion, Vaati was barely able to react in time to catch the Gohma King's arm mid-swing and twist it away from him. With his other hand, Vaati attempted to punch Iemanis directly in the eye, but the clenched, golden claws were stymied by the stone-like wall of the Gohma King's shield-legs. The moment those legs separated, Vaati was struck by the white-hot laser of Iemanis's eye, burning into his shadowy skin. Vaati howled with pain as he retreated. Iemanis let up his assault before charging at Vaati with a mad roar.

The two titans clashed arms with a thunderous clap, each attempting to dominate the other through physical force. They were pretty evenly matched, coming to a standstill in the middle of the raging battlefield. Pony, monster, and Gohma alike scrambled to avoid their thrashing bodies as they threw their weighty bulks against each other a second time. Vaati slashed and clawed, Iemanis pummeled and stabbed. Their blood splashed on the ground, sizzling into the earth.

Vaati's eye glowed red, and Iemanis's shield-legs clamped together right before Vaati's eye beam slammed into it. Drawing upon his newly-acquired Triforce of Power, Vaati steadily kept it up, able to hold it for far longer than he could before, and use up far less energy in the process.

But it wasn't enough.

As Vaati kept going, the Gohma King's claws reached out and stabbed deep into Vaati's sides, cutting his attack short with a pained cry. With a hideous roar, Iemanis threw Vaati over his head, and the Wind Mage tumbled to the ground. However, he was not out just yet; the fact he was still in his demon form was testament to that. Vaati rose back into the air, the wind whipping dangerously around his body.

"Now we end this," Vaati growled resolutely.

"That we do," Iemanis snarled.

But before either of them could make their next move, a green energy beam struck Iemanis from behind, staggering him momentarily.

"IEMANIS!" Queen Chrysalis roared as she and her Changeling host arrived at the scene.

Iemanis whirled around to meet her glare.

"You filthy parody of my greatness!" he howled. "Die!"

The Gohma King's eye began to glow again, when suddenly the wind began to whirl around his body. "What?!" Iemanis snarled as the wind picked up.

Within seconds, the wind became a howling tornado, and all combatants had to back away significantly to avoid being pulled in by the unnatural gales. Caught within its center, the Gohma King's body began to rise into the air, his segmented limbs flailing helplessly about as Iemanis screamed in impotent fury.

Down below, Vaati expertly controlled his tornado, glaring at the struggling silhouette of the Gohma King inside the cyclone. With a dramatic flourish of his arm, dozens of Razor Wind spells emerged from the cyclone. However, Iemanis saw these coming and snapped his shield-legs together, covering his eye completely. The magical wind blades slashed against his carapace, but they could not pierce it. Vaati cursed; Iemanis could possibly survive this attack.

And then another spell flew into the tornado in the form of a stream of emerald flames igniting from the horn of Queen Chrysalis. The flames whirled through the cyclone, turning it into a green cone of death. The very air was on fire, and within this magnificent display of magic, the body of Iemanis's avatar was being cooked alive by the intense heat.

One minute passed. Two. Three.

And at last, Vaati released his hold on the wind, and the burning cyclone dissipated, revealing the charred body of the Gohma King, which fell from the sky and landed in the dirt, smoldering black.

Immediately, the still-surviving Gohma went wild, mindlessly attacking whatever they saw first, be it friend or foe. Without any will to keep them in order, the last of the Gohma were quickly dispatched.

After a long and grueling fight, the Battle of the Everfree was finally over.

XXXXXX

Sugarcube Corner…

The crashing noises had finally stopped several minutes ago, but Mrs. Cake took several minutes to muster enough courage to leave the nursery. She slowly tip-toed towards the stairs.

"Carrot…?" she weakly called out. "Honey, can you hear me?"

There was no response from her husband. She was near the stairs now. She gulped nervously, and called out a little louder, "Carrot?"

After she received no response, she nervously came up to the stairs and slowly descended them, coming into a scene of chaos. The ground floor was a total wreck. Tables had been smashed, chairs shattered, and the front door had been smashed in. The first thing she saw was the giant, greenish-grey crab lying dead under a bunch of broken tables. The second…

She screamed in horror, rushing over to the bloodied body of her beloved husband. "CARROT! NO! NO-HO-HO-HO-HOOOOOO!"

XXXXXX

The next day…

It had been a long day for everyone. Those whom had lost family and friends in the battle were currently attending the mass funeral of their loved ones. Everyone else, monster, pony, Diamond Dog, and Changeling alike focused on throwing the many thousands of dead Gohma into a series of funeral pyres somewhere in the Everfree.

Vaati witnessed none of this. He was currently holed up in the Palace of Winds, staring vacantly out the window of the tallest tower in the Palace. He had been standing there since he had woken up. He was so wrapped up in his bitter thoughts that he did not notice the arrival of somepony behind him.

"Are you well, Vaati?" came the voice of Luna.

Vaati sighed and looked up. "I watched several ponies I know die, and this time there's no way to bring them back. We just laid Ganon in his grave, and already Majora's started making his move."

Luna trotted to Vaati's side, a concerned look on her face. "You knew, Vaati…we all knew that it wasn't over. Ganon may have been defeated, but the servants of Majora are still out there."

"I know!" Vaati yelled abruptly. Catching himself, he said more quietly. "I know. But…it's too soon. Too soon…!"

Luna sighed sadly. "There's nothing I can do or say to make things better. 'Tis unnatural to interfere with the cycle of life and death beyond what our mother might will of us. But no matter what happens, we will get through it. Together."

Vaati and Luna looked deeply into each other's eyes before they both looked outside once more, Luna leaning her head against Vaati's shoulder.

"Iemanis…" Vaati suddenly said, his voice uncertain. "He said something about my father."

Luna looked up at him, surprised. "What did he say?"

Vaati was quiet for several moments, his mouth opening and closing as he thought grimly about this. "He said…my father should have killed me the day I was born."

Luna's eyes widened. Unbidden, a flash of memory hit her consciousness. A giant, green eye. A twisted, multilayered laugh.

Tell the Wind Mage hello for us! GWO HOH HOH HOH HOH!

Luna shuddered at this, glancing at Vaati's face again as he stared out the window. A deep, primal feeling swelled in her chest as she gazed into those crimson eyes. There was only one word with which she could describe it; love.

She swore to herself at that moment that, no matter what happened, the demon of dreams would fall. By her hoof or by another's, the Demon King would fall.