Celestia sat on her throne. She was wary. In front of her stood three magus. One was the criminal Starlight Glimmer. The other was an orange donkey with a headpiece made to look like horns. The last was familiar yet unfamiliar at the same time.
She spoke “I am leery of letting you work with Efreet, Starlight Glimmer. You are still under probation. But as it stands there is no choice. I need you and the wizard court to work together to cure Twilight Sparkle of her madness.”
Efreet spoke in a deep sonorous voice “Do not worry yourself, princess, I will keep a close eye on her. Now I believe miss Clever here has an idea how we can proceed.”
The unfamiliar/familiar pony spoke “Trixie the Great and Powerful believes that the black city in the sky is the key to banishing Quexolthuggua. We will need to have assistance from a Pegasus.”
Celestia put her hoof to her chin in thought. She then smiled “very well Clover the Clever. I believe you are acquainted with the town of Ponyville? Well go there and find Rainbow Dash. I am sending Private Lightning Dust with you. From there you will be brought to the old castle in the Everfree. Efreet and his team will meet you there. Oh and please do visit a while after the mission. It's been many years since we last talked.”
Trixie nodded and walked out with Starlight neither noticed Efreet vanish in fire and smoke.
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Twilight Sparkle stood in the empty void. A masculine voice spoke “Ah I have been waiting for your ascension. You finally achieved what no Alicorn has done before.”
“Who are you?”
A bearded stallion walked out of the darkness. His gray fur was unmistakable.
“Starswirl the Bearded!”
Another voice spoke “Sparkle stand back. He is a dangerous entity.”
Starswirl chuckled then frowned as he saw a grey stallion with a black and white mane with a devilish looking beard and golden yellow eyes.
He spoke “How did an filthy mud pony get here?”
The stalwart stallion smiled “Twilight meet Discord. The real Discord. Also known as Starswirl the Bearded. And to answer I am not a pony.”
The stallion’s body vanished revealing a very tall very muscular minotaur.
A zebra appeared “Showy as ever Blackmane. But I am afraid Young Twilight will need more information.”
“I cannot believe what I am seeing A bloodthirsty barbarian able to use magic. And a filthy Zebra who has no right to talk to her superior.”
Twilight backed away only to bump into another grey stallion. This one had midnight black hair and a crystal horn imbedded in his skull.
The newcomer spoke “Why did you reveal yourself? What does miss Sparkle have to do with you?”
Starswirl laughed darkly “I have been waiting many ages for the black city to appear. My prison once. Now it's keeper, Quexolthuggua, is free and feasting on chaos. Now why don't you and the rest of you freaks leave.”
Starswirl blasted Blackmane in the chest only to see the impact harmlessly dissipate.
A screech broke through the void and a Raven gryphon slashed into Starswirl.
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Trixie arrived in Ponyville. She looked around noticing many things. The first being the now jagged and cracked Friendship castle. The second being a mint green mare playing a harp back to back with a grey mare who was playing a cello and a yellow mare playing a violin. All around them were the remains of many nightmarish creatures. The final thing she noticed was the sprawling black city floating in the sky.
A black armored mare walked up to them causing Trixie to shrink back and Lighting Dust to get into a fighting stance.
Starlight Glimmer spoke “Don't worry this is Princess Arachnia. She is our guide through the forest.”
Arachnia spoke melodically “Yes and if we want to avoid wasting time that would be swell.”
Rainbow Dash landed limply near them “It's a bit late for that the fifth wave is here and they brought a giant. Oh hi Lightning didn't see you there. Trixie.”
“Rainbow.”
Arachnia grimaced “great now that introductions are out of the way time to move.”
The four swiftly got into an ally. A massive club like appendage slammed through a building. They looked up into the soulless eyes of an Eldritch horror. Only to see a huge burst of sound shatter it's head.
They saw Vinyl Scratch floating through the air on a wub powered turntable. They ducked as a bunch of flying fiends with rat shaped faces ending in proboscis swarmed overhead. Only to fall with carrots sticking out of them.
Carrot Top walked into view along with the town Candy maker, Bon Bon. Both wore sunglasses and a strange contraption on their left forehoof.
Bon Bon spoke “We got this area clear Agent Mystery. You best get them to Efreet immediately before things get too chaotic here.”
Arachnia placed her horn against the supposed dead end revealing a swirling portal she walked through it. Trixie, Starlight, Rainbow, and Lightning entered soon after. They appeared outside Fluttershy’s cottage. The portal closed behind them.
Arachnia spoke “we best hurry before it gets dark. Follow me.”
Rainbow spoke “So we are not going to talk about what we just witnessed?”
“Trixie has seen much stranger things in Trixie's lifetime.”
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Twilight watched in fear as Blackmane swung his battle ax lopping off one of Starswirl’s legs. The leg then transformed into a horde of angry goblins. Starswirl laughed as he regrew his leg.
Blackmane jumped back as a fire bolt exploded near him. He then waved his hand and a shield surrounded the Zebra as she threw a potion at a massive troll that had formed from Starswirl's head.
Starswirl cackled “you peons cannot beat me I am a God.”
Twilight spoke “If you explain yourself. How can you be Starswirl the Bearded and Discord. When you do not look like the draconequus?”
Blackmane and the three others quickly regrouped. As Starswirl began lecturing.
“How, you ask? Oh the simplicity of it is I created the Draconequus from some simple Ponies who lived in dream valley. However the only one that survived my experiment was one I imbued with my flesh. By cutting my hoof open and some of my horn I created him. Experiment D1sc04d. I then convinced that naive child Celestia that the draconequus were dangerous and assisted her and Luna with their extermination. D1 was smarter than the others and escaped. He hunted me down and killed me. But I had already achieved ascension. Quexolthuggua and I made a deal. She gave me power if I gave her a vessel. Using my wiles I tricked King Sombra into studying the same book you have. His ascension was unsuccessful but he did manage to trick Luna into Nightmare Moon. Quexolthuggua now had a vessel. But D1 had one last trick up his sleeve even though I had petrified him he showed Celestia how to take control of the Elements of Harmony. Don't think I don't see you over there Slave.”
Starswirl conjured up an energy spear and launched it at the Zebra. She was slow on the uptake and was about to get impaled when Blackmane caught it in his hand and dissipated the magic.
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Luna looked upon the pyramid of the moon she grimaced before teleporting Spitfire away. “So Agent Platinum do you sense something wrong with this pyramid?”
Rarity nodded “it feels like necrosis magic. But I thought we killed the necromancer.”
Daring Doo spoke “you may have killed the necromancer but she was only one of seven. The others should be around.”
A dark voice that sounded distorted,like several vocal cords fused together, spoke “of that you are correct”
Six necrotic mares walked out. Their bodies looked as though they had used the dead adventurers as reagents.
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Trixie looked around the massive cave complex that made up the protectors of harmony’s base. It was under the old castle of the pony sisters. She smiled only to leap back as a mint green mare with a light pink and light green, going towards white, mane slammed into her.
The mare licked her face happily. Trixie spluttered “Ahk, Minty, what is wrong with you?”
Minty cocked her head curiously and barked before running around Trixie happily.
A blue mare walked in her cutie mark was of a screw and a ball. Trixie’s eyes widened before she rushed her and wrapped her forelegs around her. The mare was slightly startled before smiling as she recognized Trixie.
“Hello luv. Sorry about Minty, she and I switched personalities.”
Trixie smiled “I am just glad you are back Mom.”
“I’m glad to be back luv. Now let’s go see what the Agents of Harmony have planned.
They Walked in on a conversation the nine were having.
A deep sonorous voice “What is that fool Blackmane thinking assaulting Starswirl like that. Does he not care for Twilight Sparkle’s safety?”
A watery voice responded “Calm yourself Ganessha. Blackmane and his Cultisstss are serving as a desstraction for Clover the Clever to desstroy the Temple to Quexolthuggua’
An Eponish voice spoke next “Ach wy du we care. Blackmane and ‘is cult are a pain in the moors.”
As they entered they saw a large rhinoceros speak “Regardless of the Blackmanes we still await Clover and her team.”
Trixie spoke “Trixie is right here. My team is ready. All we await for is the plan.”
A gorilla spoke next “How long have you been here?”
“Long enough. Efreet what is the plan?”
“You and your team will fly up to the black city. Quexolthuggua’s temple is hard to miss. It’s the giant monolith in the center of the black city.”
Trixie walked out of the meeting room as a voice yelled over the com crystal. “The agent’s of SMILE are requesting backup. Ponyville is overrun and Canterlot is being besieged. The Princesses are down I repeat the princesses are down.”
Minty barked quizzically and looked back at Trixie who had paled.
Starlight grabbed Trixie in her telekinesis and dragged her off. “We best hurry.”
Rainbow dash stood in Wonderbolt Battlegarb along with Lightning Dust. Both were hitched to a chariot equipped with magi-turrets powered by a glowing crystal. Trixie boarded along with Starlight and a wounded Daring Do. She watched as the Wonderbolts led by Soarin formed up.
Soarin barked “I’m not going to sugarcoat it team. We are a distraction so Privates Rainbow Dash and Lightning Dust can land in the black city. Many may not survive today. If you are afraid leave now. Even the slightest distraction will cost us time we do not have.” Several Wonderbolts flew off. “Alright let’s move out. All team leaders check in.”
“Red leader Dawn Thunder checking in I am in charge of both Green leader and Blue Leader.”
“Gold Leader Stormy Breeze checking in.”
“Orange leader Winter Gust checking in.”
“Black Leader Meteor Shower checking in” A team of Bat Ponies flew alongside them.
Soarin spoke “Glad to have backup from Luna’s Dreamguard
“Glad to be of help Yellow leader.”
The teams shot towards the black city. As they neared the edge a black swarm set upon them. Dawn Thunder and his teams were immediately surrounded Rainbow watched as Dawn Thunder spiraled out of control, smashing through one of the ruins unmoving. Starlight opened fire with the carriage turrets.
Trixie spoke “Speed up please or the next casualty will be us.”
“Trixie these are our fellow ponies how can you be so cold?”
“They knew what they were getting into. We must hurry. The longer this city stays in this dimension the stronger these foul creatures will get.”
They neared the Monolith and landed. Starlight climbed out along with Daring Do and Trixie. A suicide bug launched at them and blew up the carriage. Starlight sighed and lowered the shield she had conjured around them. They entered the temple. Rainbow and Lightning both followed along with, Ebony Dagger, one of the Dreamguard.