Everyone spawned into the scene. Celestia, Luna, Cadance, the Mane Six, Shining Armor, tons of guards. Right in front of the scene that just occurred. Cadance the princess of love and leader of the Crystal Empire stood next to her husband, Twilight's older brother, Shining Armor. They looked at the destruction that had occurred, and took a glaring look at the destroyed bodies of ponies, with ashes flying into the sky. Including that, the two kids' parents were also in that predicament as the fire blast had sent the bodies into ashes.
They flowed away into the sky as the rest of smoke did so as well, creating a sun-blocking effect on Ponyville, blocking out view of everything in the sky but black darkness. The only light provided was the fires lit up on burning houses. The light dissipated as the scene continued.
Hammerhoof rushed over to the fallen man's body, while some guards looked to evacuate the filly and colt. Although, they had to use force as the two both erupted into sadness and anger at the realization that their parents were gone both mentally and physically now. They wouldn't even be able to have a proper funeral for their parents.
Celestia, filled up with hateful emotion kept her emotions in check while looking at one of the guards escorting them away; she nodded and looked to the two little ponies.
"I'm so sorry," Celestia said, a small tear rolling down her eyes. Celestia saw the broken chords in the two children as they were forced away. All sensible thought was removed as emotions swept over; they had learned the feeling of loss, the feeling of abandonment, and above all, the feeling of loneliness.
The Mane Six followed suit with Hammerhoof and also scurried to the man's body, which sizzled and smoked to the core. Celestia looked at the burns marks on the pavement and came to realization, also with her sister, that the man had protected the two children from being burnt alive. He gave his life to save ponies, who for all intensive purposes would never remember him besides being the town's monster; however would a monster truly risk his or her life for animals that only view them as such? To hold humanity and kindness to risk the one thing that everything values above all else: life.
Fluttershy rushed to feel fro a pulse, among the degrading skin and scorched hunk of flesh.
Tears welled up in her eyes as she slowly shook her head, "he's gone," she slowly worded out to everyone. Silence ensued, with Luna continuing to vent up in rage at the culprit who then made his move.
"He was a weak man, and you ponies are even weaker; he sacrificed himself for useless ponies. And Sun Butt and Moon face were just a little too late," he playfully laughed along, brining a joyful tear to his eye. "And you, the little bugger who was his friend," Hammerhoof looked up to the dragon as he said this, while everyone else also looked on, "you believed for a few seconds I came here for a valid reason didn't you. To avenge my daughter and to bring her back?" Hammerhoof just stared on, feeling vented up anger at the beast's next words.
"I never came here for a daughter, which I don't have; I came here to get rid of pesky little ponies like yourself. You're all scum of the earth--" Before he could finish a powerful blast hit his core, sending him back a few feet as everyone looked to see Luna charging up another blast.
"You have killed our subjects and ruined this town! You have killed our friend and humiliated another, and you have rid ponies of their only family!" Her voice began to boom, "We will kill you!" and with that the canterlot voice boomed over the town, momentarily removing the darkness from the sky. Everyone found purpose to the princess's words and lined up to execute them, all having stern angry faces on them. Fluttershy especially held a vengeful face.
Aldon, adorned in battle armor stood in darkness, addressing a creature he held dear as a recently made friend. The Demon known as Deus Occidere. He was a monstrous beast of unimaginable power. He has helped to fuel Aldon since his birth and has served as a loyal friend recently instead of fueling rage has sought to tune it to specific targets. He has left the plane of the living before gods were born, but he is perhaps the most fearsome of looking creatures. He dwarfs the largest of Dragons. Flames adorn his head's king-like thorns. He has a dragon's skull mixed with a human's features in demon skin. A mix of three horrors and monsters. He holds a mighty tail to stabilize his massive bipedal form; however that is all when he feels like being normal. For reasons sake he takes on the form of a demonized human when conversing with Aldon. Simple blood tattoos and body flames are what he has in that friendly form and he uses it to properly converse with his friend. The demon Deus Occidere is in fact scared of Aldon. He may be the most fearsome demon, but Aldon is the most powerful.
"Hello Aldon," the demon said while giving a light smile. A change of face from the battle hardened chanting one Aldon knew from his previous life.
"Hello Deus, it's been a while to say the least." The demon nodded, creating two seats for the two to sit on.
"You seem to have injured yourself quite badly," The demon said as the two sat down while a makeshift television screen of magic spawned in front of the two seats. On the screen it showed a third-person perspective of his lifeless body; everything occurring around him.
"I believe the correct words are, I am dead." The demon lightly chuckled to that.
"Oh yes, I suppose that is true. Although I could say otherwise. You realize you were not meant to die. That necklace prevented you from releasing your power and allowing my presence, but since your body is no longer in a vitalitial state, I am allowed to exist and speak to you."
"Even if I wanted to, I could not take off that piece of jewelry. It was like it was attached to my skin and would refuse to budge of come off."
"Well, it is perhaps all up to them then," the demon said, leaving a trail of tension in the silence of the magical screen before them. The ponies all attacking the dragon while it sequentially takes them down one by one, as it practically impervious, however the princesses all putting up the greatest fight, with the Mane Six close behind. Aldon even saw a ferocious side of Fluttershy he thought was almost impossible.
"So, what should I do now then?" Aldon asked the demon, who enjoyed the fighting between the two forces.
"Well that's up to you; you're technically still alive, but that necklace needs to be removed. Additionally you could just pass onto the realm of the dead. I was there a few times, but it wasn't for me. A lot of old timers there, who didn't take kindly to me."
"Well, I can't really do anything until one of them takes it off, or it gets destroyed then?"
"Pretty much," the demon replied. "I can't believe they had something like that; to deny you your powers completely."
"Well no, my dragon's blood still acted accordingly, although that's not really magical at all. It was the only thing that gave me the strength to take that beast on. I can't remember though, but I think I remember that dragon." Aldon pondered on his vacant chin. The battle continued to rage on, with Luna leading the charge with ferocity and apparent rage for harm to her subjects. Aldon was definitely mad at the beast and his cowardly ways, but it was beyond his power now.
The demon thought to himself, pondering on the possibility of Aldon to break out on his own; he would also have to break the news eventually. Perhaps for the greater good it was best to do it then.
"I have something to discuss with you," the tension in the room rose exponentially as the demon spoke his next words. "When you departed from that world they all died," the demon said, gaining the attention of the man.
"Her own brother killed them. I--I couldn't even save them I suppose. My death served as nothing--" Aldon began to rant in anger as emotions set in. His friends all perished? He couldn't stop their deaths. They all died in vain of his mandatory sacrifice. At least they could've been spared, or have escaped, but he was even denied that when he was stripped of ever seeing them again.
"Not just your friends Aldon; 'Everyone' died." The demon's words sunk in and Aldon learned of the truth.
All of the ponies had managed to push the dragon out of the city into the field, granting them more maneuverability, and less continued damage to the town and any inhabitants still trapped there. Hundreds of ponies were now on assault against the dragon, making sure to keep it down and under constant attack. Pegasi from the skies bombarded it with spears and launched projectiles. Earth Ponies held the defense for Unicorns who led the main barrage against the beast. The Mane Six and the Princesses acted on their own terms engaging the beast directly and gaining its main attention.
"Keep firing everypony!" Shining Armor shouted to the ponies, "we will take down this beast and take vengeance against all it has done!" The ponies all chanted as more bolts struck into the beast who gain strength through pain. The princesses had started to notice it, but thought it was simple adrenaline and hysterical strength kicking in as a creature was surrounded and out of options, but in fact it was something different. Each time the scales were removed they grew back stronger and more durable, while the beast's magical fire continued to spew and at greater and greater rates.
"You're all such little pests," the dragon roared as more scales oozed off from the high-powered magical beams from unicorns groups, while debris was being hailed on the open spots.
"You hurt the ponies of this town; our subjects!" Celestia roared back, teaming up with Luna to provide an additional blast to the dragon, yet still slightly increasing his growing strength.
"Your subjects Sun Butt? Aren't they your sisters too, or wait, I think I remember what happened!" The dragon played off, irritating the two and bringing Luna to an even higher tension towards the beast.
"Thou shalt be struck from these lands you cur!" Luna ramped up for a close and personal attack as she launched off as a jet on an aircraft carrier towards the dragon, with Rainbow Dash joining her by her. As a duo they both gave a mighty kick to the dragon's scales ignoring any pain they might've gotten only to relish in the creatures wincing as scales shed off to reveal vulnerable hided skin.
The dragon swatted more and more pegasi out of the skies by maneuvering its wings and striking them with mighty slaps to their bodies, sending them in showers to the ground, or so he would think as they were caught before impact by fellow brethren. Pinkie Pie and Applejack were literally striking scales off at the beast's legs just as Hammerhoof did, but when in unison a larger area was affected and even more damage dealt, however the more the dragon took, the stronger it became. How would one crush suns? To pulverize them into oblivion?
You wouldn't do it in the frontal assault, you would do it in a slithery, cunning way, such as stealing its power. That in fact is what the dragon was doing.
Pegasi slowly began to fall from the skies as the ponies realized their mistake. All of the magic they used to bombard and damage the beast was simply fueling it and making it stronger. Like Tirek, it stole energy from others, however the dragon didn't seek out to destroy all life so in effect no one could sense the energy it was taking until all realized they were drained too quickly for it to be normal.
Sweat began to beat down the unicorns brows, with panting ensuing. Shining Armor too, along with Princess Cadance began to feel the effects. After the couple, Twilight did as well, followed by all of the Pegasi, who landed out of exhaustion. Afterwards, Rarity and Rainbow Dash could be seen supporting each other up. Even the Earth Ponies began to succumb to the draining effects of the beast.
"So, the insects finally learn do they?" The dragon laughs to it and watches as the two princesses, too drowning to their own exhaustion, struggle to stay up. "To destroy suns, you must not go on a direct approach," the beast stated, "but attack from within at the core. To steal its energy and make it your own, just as I have done to all of you." As if struck with blades, all of the ponies were barely able to stand as it continued. Some prematurely began to faint from lack of magical power to keep them awake. Slowly one by one, the unicorns began to suffer the forced sleep as they collapsed to the ground in exhaustion and had their eyes forcefully closed.
"What have you done?" Luna screamed, slightly coughing from combined exhaustion and pain from the lack of magic.
"Sister, I am so sorry, I couldn't even sense it until it was almost too late. He's been sapping us dry this whole time," Celestia stated, in the same state as Luna.
The Mane six all gathered, trying to support each other from falling unconscious. Applejack spoke first within the group, "Ah can't believe, he's just like Lord Tirek," the apple mare stated.
"No, Tirek wanted to destroy everypony and steal all of the magic of Equestria, this dragon isn't doing it at all." Twilight's words sunk into all of the mare's skulls.
"So what do we do?" Fluttershy asked, still enraged at the beast, but lacking complete energy to do much but barely stand as more of it was taken away.
"Yeah, that fiend ruined my shop!" The designer screamed lowly, lacking energy to do much else, "also look at everypony else and the town. Twilight dear, do you know what we can do?"
"I would say use the Elements," Rainbow chimed in.
"I would too Rainbow, but we don't have them right now," Twilight stated. Pinkie, surprisingly was silent, which would shock all of the ponies if not for the situation.
"I think something big is coming," the party pony stated. Of course, if something was then everypony would know, but the ponies simply surmised that the dragon was going to rain with more chaos and destruction.
"Why would you do all of this?" Celestia boomed, still heavily enraged and angered at the beast's actions, which gave her renewed strength.
"Cadance!" Shining armor cried as the princess of love fell unconscious, with Shining Armor following.
"Why would I do this?" The dragon asked himself, "I suppose it's fun to destroy insects. To see them scurry in fear and pop under my feet." The sadistic dragon boomed with laughter. He was truly a monster. However, all of his words were heard by everyone of the town as they had gathered around the beast at a safe, but still meaningful distance, all shocked at the scene of all of the ponies exhausted and mostly beaten.
Hammerhoof began to walk towards the crowd shocked. He was away tending to his friend, and removing his 'dog-tag-alike,' or the necklace. He rushed over to the two princesses, "your majesties!" He moved to support both of them, each on one side. They nodded in thanks to the help.
"What's happened? I was tending to Aldon's body and took this off to remember him by," showing the magical necklace.
"He's drained us Hammerhoof," Celestia said, as Hammerhoof could begin to feel his strength waver as well, but stood strong.
In the crowd, Spike cried for Twilight, with Owlicious on his back. All the ponies cried out in a mix of emotions at the dragon and their princesses. They wanted them to keep fighting and to defeat the dragon.
"Everypony please!" one pony called out. "Don't give up!"
"Princess!" The ponies seemingly called out to Celestia, "don't give up! That beast needs to pay," another bystander yelled. However, as much as their encouragement brought fuel to their cause, there was no oxygen to bring it to life as the princesses and all of the remaining ponies awake were no match for the beast's draining powers.
"I think after I'm done with all of you," the dragon began, "I'll play with your subjects. Maybe use them as toothpicks. I'm sure you would appreciate me putting them to good use," the dragon said. The ponies had seemingly lost. Their gods, the regal sisters had underestimated the beast before them and in fact have lost; all of the ponies had lost to the beast's abilities and strength. Celestia felt not only ashamed, but guilty for what she thought was going to occur.
"Actually, I think I'll start now. My teeth need a good cleaning," the dragon said as he began to walk towards the crowd, with all of them going in panic and beginning to run and scurry, until a booming voice was heard; a mighty roar from the town. The dragon stopped in his walk to look towards it, having his pupils slightly dilate back as another of the roars were heard.
Minutes Earlier in Ponyville; Near Aldon's body.
Aldon's body laid limp as Hammerhoof looked over his friend. "You sacrificed yourself for inconsiderate louts and then saved these children," the pony said. He looked at the defeated flesh which was his breathing friend a little while ago. Blasts were heard from the field outside the town. Spikes of fire and ash paraded in the direction of the battle.
"I promise, that you won't be remembered as a monster," the pony said. "But as a hero." Hammerhoof had felt loss before, and after feeling it in the most savage way, it rarely makes one cry, but Hammerhoof did have a small tear fall for his comrade's death. He saw the encrusted necklace, "I think I'll use this as a momento. Something to remember you by. You won't mind will you?" Hammerhoof asked.
"You're a good sport with things," the pony spoke to no one, "I'm sure the princesses wouldn't mind erecting a statue for you; after all, you did save a lot of ponies. Don't worry though, if not I'll make sure cadets in the royal guard remember your name. In fact every soldier will, as an example of what to do as one. To save ponies' lives even in sacrifice of your own." Hammerhoof slowly got up.
"You will be remembered brother," the pony stated as he began to walk away with the necklace in his hooves. "You will be remembered as a hero."
Another roar thundered in the sky as everyone stopped dead in their tracks. For the true battle was coming on the horizon.
"So, you've finally come out then," Sun Crusher whispered to himself.
"Sister, what do you think--" Luna started to ask as Celestia simply thought to herself.
"The necklace; Is he still among us? Or is it something else entirely?"