• Published 18th Dec 2013
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The Equestrian Wind Mage: Season 2 - LordSiravant



Ganon has now come to Equestria. And as Vaati and the Mane 6 race to stop him, an even greater evil plots from the shadows.

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Episode 11: Reclamation of Loyalty Part 1

Episode 11: Reclamation of Loyalty Part 1 – Storms On The Horizon

Canterlot Castle, Ganon's Throne Room

"What do you mean, you lost the battle?" Ganondorf snarled, his fingers grating against the arms of his throne as he glared down at the Wizzrobe that had been granted the unfortunate honor of relaying the bad news. "Your task was simple. Capture the Equestrian town and the Palace of Winds. And you mean not only to tell me that my army was defeated, but that Phantom Ganon and Mothula were both slain, and there wasn't a single Equestrian life lost?!"

"Um…yes?" the Wizzrobe shakily whimpered.

One enraged yell and an explosive ball of energy later, there was nothing left of the hapless Wizzrobe save for a black, smoldering smudge on the floor where it had once stood. His rage still boiling, Ganondorf stood from his throne and strode over to the balcony that overlooked the city, silently fuming to himself.

How? Ganondorf furiously asked himself. How can these miserable, strangely-colored equines, these ponies, possibly be so resilient?!

The Dark Lord growled with discontent. I underestimated them. Deeply.

"My Lord!" came a voice from behind him.

Ganondorf did not even turn around to acknowledge the speaker, but the voice carried the distinct high-pitched, scratchy tone characteristic of Wizzrobes. "What?" Ganondorf growled.

The Wizzrobe flinched at Ganondorf's harsh, angry tone, and took notice of the smoking black mark on the floor that reeked of burned fabric and charred flesh. Well, I guess we know what happened to Rhastabel, the Wizzrobe thought before it spoke its piece. "W-we found something, M-Master. Something t-that might interest you."

"Speak quickly!" Ganondorf snapped. "My patience is thin!"

The Wizzrobe gulped and replied, "We f-found a map of E-Equestria, sire. One t-that has apparently b-been recently updated. A particular neighboring kingdom caught our interest, a-and we Wizzrobes set about researching it. U-up in the far north, t-there is a place c-called the Crystal Empire. It apparently was o-once ruled by a unicorn tyrant who banished this Crystal E-Empire to the void for a thousand years w-when the Equestrian Princesses d-defeated him. The E-Empire has recently returned, a-and this tyrant along with it, b-but it seems he was destroyed by a-an artifact called the Crystal Heart, which appears to b-be some sort of protection for the Empire. F-from what we have gathered, i-it's little more than a city-state b-by now, and furthermore is essentially a v-vassal state t-to the Equestrian throne, since the Princesses' niece, who is apparently also an alicorn, currently rules it."

As the Wizzrobe spoke, Ganondorf's anger was replaced by curiosity, and as it finished, something clicked in the King of Darkness's mind.

"The Princesses are there," he declared, turning around to face his minion. "There's no doubt of it; that's where the cowards are hiding. Bring me this map at once!"

The Wizzrobe fished a paper out of its robes and unfurled it. "I had a feeling you would ask, sire," it said, handing it over to its master.

Ganondorf scrutinized the Equestrian map, and quickly found the location of the Crystal Empire up north. It sat close to the Crystal Mountains, and was separated from the rest of Equestria by over a hundred miles of frozen, snow-covered wasteland. "Yes," Ganondorf murmured as he inspected it, the gears in his devious mind turning as he processed this new information. "It makes perfect sense. It's remote, it's isolated, and it's well-defended."

Ganondorf grinned menacingly. "And the best part is, all three of the alicorn Princesses will be there. Which means I will not have to hunt them down individually. When the Crystal Empire falls, all of Equestria will crumble with it at the knowledge that their rulers are now my helpless prisoners."

Ganondorf looked up at the waiting Wizzrobe, who was nervously twiddling its thumbs. "Inform the troops to make ready!" he barked. "We march on the Crystal Empire come morning!"

The Wizzrobe quickly saluted. "It will be done, sir!" it squeaked, eager to leave its master's terrifying presence.

After the Wizzrobe had left, Ganondorf turned and glanced towards the moon, allowing its soft rays to spill across his dark-skinned face. He sighed heavily; he needed rest. Even the wielder of the Triforce of Power occasionally required sleep, for even that wondrous fragment of Din's holy power could not eliminate that mortal need.

Ganondorf strode through the lofty halls of Canterlot Castle, occasionally passing by a monster on patrol, which would instantly salute, often with a fearful look, at his presence. Ganondorf paid them no mind; all that he cared about was a peaceful slumber so that he may brood in quiet. Unfortunately, the only bedding he could currently make use of was the mattresses the Princesses used for their bedchambers, which merely sat on the floor and did not stand on legs like a king's bed should have. Still, it would do for now, until his servants could fashion a bed fit for a king of his stature.

All too soon he arrived at the Princesses' former bedchamber and locked the door behind him. He would not tolerate any interruptions tonight. Silently, he undid his cape and unfastened his armor, leaving him in just his leggings. The weary Dark Lord hung his apparel on the hangers that the Princesses had used for their own purposes before settling down on what he assumed had once been Princess Luna's bed. Ganondorf pulled the covers around himself and released a growling sigh before slowly falling asleep.

XXXXXX

The World of Dreams…

Princess Luna, ever vigilant in her watch over the night, started as an unexpected dreamer joined in with the multitude of other dreamers whose subconscious floated in the expansive void between dreams. She could not believe it; Ganon was asleep and dreaming.

After so many days, Luna had begun wondering if Ganon ever slept at all. But now that it seemed he did, this now presented a golden opportunity for her; to enter the unprotected mind of her enemy and see what it was he knew. Perhaps she could even…

NO.

Luna caught herself immediately before that last thought could finish. I am not Sombra, she reminded herself sternly. I will not stoop to his level. But still, I must gain an insight into the foe to whom we are opposed.

Without further ado, Luna flew over to Ganon's dream bubble and immersed herself in the subconscious world of the King of Darkness.

What she was not expecting was to find herself in a roiling black storm cloud. Red lightning flashed all around her, the thunder booming in her ears. But she could tell that this was no mere storm; it didn't even feel like it was part of the dream, and yet it was undoubtedly a part of Ganon's consciousness. And just being inside this unnatural storm filled Luna with a dark, worried feeling. She could outright feel the intense rage and all-consuming hatred being exuded by the storm, as though it were a living, breathing entity born of the deepest, darkest depths of malevolence. The lightning began striking ever closer to the Princess of the Night, and Luna realized she had two choices; retreat and abandon this one chance to see into Ganon's mind, or fight her way through this twisted storm of rage.

With a determined snort, Luna flew through the crushing blackness, lithely avoiding the crimson bolts of lightning that seemed determined to zap her right out of the sky. The further she persevered, the more violent this storm became, and the foreign feeling of hatred and lust for power ever intensified. The wind swirled around her, threatening to blow her off-course, but she held on. Soon it was not just the explosions of thunder or the howling winds that assaulted her ears; now she was certain she could hear a voice interlayered with the roaring winds, a constant bellow of rage, as though the storm itself were expressing outrage at its inability to hinder her.

Suddenly, Luna burst through a break in the storm, and all immediately fell quiet. The oppressive atmosphere of hatred and malice evaporated instantly, and Luna found that she was now hovering over a vast ocean. A small island adorned with a single, lonely tower stood sentinel in the very center of the expanse of liquid blue, and all around the area, the storm roiled ceaselessly beyond.

The whole thing confused Luna immensely. This isn't a mere dream, she surmised cautiously. What is this, then? Where am I?

Knowing that the answer to these questions likely awaited her in the lonely tower, Luna flew over to it and touched down on the balcony at the top floor, ready for anything.

"I can feel his rage even more than usual," a familiar voice abruptly spoke. "You've got guts, braving that storm to reach here, Princess of the Night."

Luna looked ahead to see a red-haired man clad in swirling black robes adorned with numerous golden patterns slowly turn to face her.

"Ganondorf," she said darkly, readying for a fight.

To her surprise, Ganondorf merely raised a hand in a gesture of peace. "Not the Ganondorf you know, my dear Princess."

Luna's brow furrowed in surprise as she stopped to consider the subtle differences between the Dark Lord and the man now standing before her. For instance, he looked much older, his face marred by wrinkles borne of age and weariness at the world. His facial features were hard, but not cruel, and his eyes were not poison yellow, but a hazel-nut brown. In short, he looked far older and much less evil than his waking counterpart.

"I-I don't understand," Luna breathed in confusion. "This is no dream. Where are we?"

Ganondorf smiled thinly. "I welcome you, Princess Luna, to my fortress of solitude. The last vestige of my true self before evil consumed my body and soul and forever bound me to a curse not even of my own making."

"Your true self?" Luna repeated. "So this realm exists apart from normal dreams?"

"You could say that," Ganondorf answered. "I am forced to share my subconscious with another, and he does not dream. Thus, I cannot properly dream either. In the few times I am granted rest, I am consigned to wander this tower, alone with my thoughts, with nothing to do but watch that storm constrict ever more with each passing reincarnation, a sign that Ganondorf is slipping away, further consumed by the aspect of Ganon."

Both he and Luna looked out the window at the distant wall of black over the horizon. "So that thing out there…that is no storm, it is a living entity," Luna spoke.

"Indeed," Ganondorf answered. "Since you are not of my world, you will likely have not heard this story apart from the snippets the sorcerer has likely told you."

Luna blinked. "I admit, my knowledge of your origins is limited."

"Come, let us walk together," Ganondorf bade, gesturing towards the door. "I will tell you all there is to know."

Luna hesitated a moment, but finally relented and followed Ganondorf outside. The two of them walked side-by-side, taking in the peaceful sounds and smells of the ocean as Ganondorf began.

"Centuries before I was born, a great Demon King was defeated in battle by a hero among men. Demise vowed that his hatred would never perish, and that he would continue to menace the bloodlines of the guardian deities that had lowered themselves to mortal forms in order to protect the land through a curse that would give rise to an incarnation of his will and malice. I became that vessel for his hatred. When I was born, even in my childhood, I felt a foreign resentment burning within me, but I dismissed it merely as discontent with the treatment of my people, the Gerudo. I was the first male born to their tribe in a hundred years, and thus I was crowned their king. It was hoped that I would lead the Gerudo out of the time of darkness and bring prosperity back into their lives.

"You see, we Gerudo were forced to live in the barren deserts of the south, where there is little food or water, for we were driven from our homeland by the arrogant and vain Hylians during their petty War of Unification. Being as the Gerudo wished to remain independent of Hylian machinations, we inadvertently chose the wrong side, and we paid for it. Our people were reduced to thievery and prostitution to make ends meet, and the Hylians detested us all the more for it, detesting us for the life they had reduced us to!

"The harsh winds of the desert were cruel to my people. During the day, the winds stirred the sands and burned our skin like fire. When night came, a chill like no other nipped at our bodies, carrying with it the souls of our young and elderly, who could not survive such extreme weather. We were a starving people, and I was determined to save them by striking back at the Hylian usurpers and claiming their sacred Triforce for my own. With its divine power, I would undo the damage the Hylians had wrought and restore the Gerudo's honor and well-being.

"But it was not to be. The older I grew, the more that desire for vengeance took a darker turn. I did not know it then, but Demise's will was beginning to manifest within me, twisting my desires and dreams to suit his savage lust for power and destruction. When I touched the Triforce, and it split apart and left me with only Power to call my own, in that moment, I was lost to the hatred of Demise, reduced to little more than a lingering shadow of his malice, no longer in control of my own thoughts and actions, driven only by a burning need to conquer, to pillage, to burn.

"Ganondorf and Ganon are not one and the same, Princess. I was once my own person, but as time goes on, Ganon further consumes my being. You see, Ganon essentially is Demise."

As Luna took all of this in, she glanced once more at the storm. "And those clouds…?"

Ganondorf glanced at them as well. "Yes…those clouds of darkness are all that is left of Demise's hatred. With each passing year, it grows ever closer. It will not be long; soon, this entire fortress, and thus myself, will be devoured by the will of Demise. It is a fate I would not have wished upon my very worst enemies. Even the eternal release of death is beyond my reach, for whenever I am struck down, my soul is whisked away by Demise's essence to await the time in which I am reborn."

"I am sorry for the cruel hand fate has dealt you," Luna apologized, finding herself sympathizing with someone she had initially thought to be as vile and cruel as King Sombra. "I…know somewhat what it is like."

"Do not feel pity for me, Princess," Ganondorf replied. "My people suffered the ultimate consequences of my descent into madness and legend. It was they who were imprisoned in the Arbiter's Grounds, a prison blasphemously built over the Spirit Temple, and left there to die by the Hylians. It was they who were exterminated as a people in the futile attempt to prevent my return. To live every day under the control of the bastard who damned your people to death and ruin is the cruelest of ironies, and it is a nightmare from which I cannot wake."

Luna truly did not know what to say. She had not realized that there could be more to the King of Darkness than he let on, and to know what he had been forced to endure, what he was still being forced to endure…

She had thought her own backstory was tragic, but she had merely fallen out of jealousy towards her sister's popularity. He had fallen because of circumstances outside his control in his quest to save his people, and his efforts ultimately cost him everything.

"…It is not fair that you are cursed with such an existence," Luna finally said. "I cannot permit it to continue. The Elements of Harmony are powerful…if the Triforce of Power does not resist, they could free you. I know it. They freed me from the spell of Nightmare Moon; surely they can purge Demise from your soul."

Ganondorf quietly considered this. "It would be difficult. I would have to be worn down first, and the Wind Mage has not been able to keep up with me long enough to do so. I have no control over myself when I am awake; I cannot help you in any way when the final confrontation inevitably occurs."

Luna glanced once more towards the ocean. "I believe in them."

Ganondorf smiled. "Then perhaps this old man can keep a little hope in his heart after all."

Then that smile fell. "I must warn you though, Princess. I have discovered the location of the Crystal Empire and deduced that you are there. My forces will march on it tomorrow. I suggest you ready yourselves in any way you can. That is all the aid I can offer you."

Luna's heart constricted as she realized that the inevitable moment had come. "Then ready we shall," she answered. "We will fight, and though we will be enemies once more when we awaken, I will not condemn you to this existence any longer if I can help it. The Elements will free you, and I swear by our dear mother that Demise will be destroyed once and for all!"

Ganondorf could not help but feel pride for these mighty, virtuous people. "There is strength within you and your people," he commended. "Your hearts are strong, and you possess wisdom and kindness that my world sorely lacks. If anyone can put an end to the Golden Trio Cycle, it is the protectors of Equestria."

Luna opened her mouth to reply, but was abruptly interrupted by a sudden rumble. Both of them looked up at the storm, which had seemingly intensified and was attempting to push its way further in.

"I think now would be a good time to depart," Ganondorf grimly advised. "It would seem Demise feels you have overstayed your welcome."

Luna nodded and unfurled her wings. "A Princess of Equestria is bound by her word. I promise we will help you find peace."

Ganondorf bowed his head. "Now fly, Luna of the Moonlit Stars. And may the way of the Triforce light your path."

Luna nodded with finality before she took to the skies and headed back into the storm of Demise. The Demon King's hatred made manifest relentlessly struck at her with hurricane winds and bolts of red lightning, but Luna overcame these terrible obstacles and quickly escaped the tainted dreamscape.

XXXXXX

Crystal Empire

Luna heaved a sigh as Celestia, Cadance, and Shining Armor all joined her at the round table, all of whom looked very tired and irate about being awakened in the dead of night. Still, they all knew Luna would have to have a good reason for this, so they all held back their complaints.

"What's this about, Luna?" Celestia asked with a yawn. "Did something happen in the dreamscape?"

Luna nodded. "Yes, my sister. I bore witness to the dreamscape of the King of Darkness, and I have learned much about what we are up against."

"So Ganon actually does sleep?" Shining marveled. "You could have done more, Princess. Perhaps you could have used dream magic to…"

"Do not suggest such a vile course of action to me ever again, Prince Armor," Luna angrily snapped. "Sombra utilized that horrible power time and again before we overthrew him. I refuse to stoop to that monster's level."

Shining went dead silent out of fear and shame.

"What did you learn about him, Aunt Luna?" Cadance asked, hoping to deflate Luna's anger by returning to the subject at hand.

"I learned that there is far more to him than meets the eye," Luna explained, eliciting varied expressions of surprise and confusion. "Ganondorf, for that is his true name, was destined for evil long before he was even born, for his existence is owed to the curse of the Golden Trio Cycle, forced upon him by the dying wish of the Demon King Demise. Ganondorf is compelled to seek power and commit acts of evil by Demise's hatred, which exists as a part of him similarly to how Nightmare Moon existed within me. He is not even in control of his own actions anymore, and the part of him that remains Ganondorf is so tired, Celie. Tired of being alive, of being an instrument of revenge for a demon long since dead, of being unable to join his people in death so long as Demise's hatred burns within his soul. I pity him, and I want to help him."

"I don't see how we can," Shining interrupted. "I mean, if what you're saying is true, then this Demise character has had Ganon under his control for possibly thousands of years. How could we possibly separate the two after so long?"

"The Elements of Harmony," Celestia answered. "Remember that Luna too was bound to the twisted soul of the Nightmare for a thousand years, and yet they succeeded in sundering the Nightmare's power and returning my sister to normal. Surely the Elements could do the same to Ganon if he is too weary to protect himself with his Triforce of Power."

Cadance shook her head. "I don't know. I mean, I see what you're getting at, but Aunt Luna wasn't always bound to the Nightmare. It sounds to me like Ganon's been bound to Demise since he was born. He's the whole reason Ganon's alive in the first place. If the Elements were to destroy Demise's remaining essence…what would happen to Ganondorf? They…well, it's very possible that would kill him."

Luna smiled sadly. "And he could not ask for better."

Realizing what she meant by that, the others fell quiet as they considered this.

"That is not all I have to say, though," Luna continued. "Ganondorf warned me shortly before Demise forced me out that he knows we're here in the Crystal Empire, and that he is approaching with his armies to capture us. While he cannot control himself in the waking world, he at least aided us with his warning."

Celestia sighed. "I suppose it was inevitable."

"We'll need to beef up our defenses," Shining said. "We've gotten a massive surge of refugees. I suggest we indoctrinate them into the royal army and start training immediately. With all of us fighting, and with the aid of the Helmaroc King and the other monsters, I think we'd be able to hold out in the event of an attack."

Celestia was silent, her mind warring with itself. She hated war, and for so long she had dealt with the forces of evil on her own terms rather than risk the lives of her ponies. But that time of peace had come and gone. Ponykind no longer knew the horrors of war because of her own actions, and soon they would have no choice but to learn it all over again for the sake of survival. It wasn't fair.

"I…I loathe it, but I agree, Shining," Celestia finally said glumly. "I cannot be counted on to protect my little ponies anymore. They must learn to defend themselves, to fight their own battles, and find their own inner strength. We are at war, and Equestria must have an army. Rest while we can, for tomorrow, Equestria will again learn the art of war."

XXXXXX

Rarity was having the time of her life performing for the prestigious Canterlot Talent Festival. She had pulled out all the stops on her costume, a fancy, bejeweled dress. Her friends were sitting in the front row of seats, eagerly watching her. But just as the best part was starting, the unthinkable happened; Rarity caught a snag on her dress, tripped, and with an ungraceful yelp, fell to the floor. The entire audience gasped with shock at the display. As Rarity shook her head and realized what happened with dawning horror, she suddenly heard the crowd begin to boo her.

Rarity's breath hitched in her throat as she heard the crowd's displeasure, and soon jeers and insults joined the multitude of boos and hisses.

"Boo, you stink!"

"Get off the stage, ya ugly mule!"

"Sweet Faust, that dress is ugly as sin! No wonder she fell!"

"I wasted my bits on THIS?!"

The ugly taunts bit into Rarity like dozens of stinging bees, and she quivered on the ground as she looked towards her friends for support…

…only to see them walking out of the theater with disappointed frowns, not even sparing her a second glance as they left her alone with the crowd of angry ponies as they insulted her looks, her talent, her dress, and everything she valued in herself. And the humiliated fashionista could do nothing but lie on the cold hardwood floor of the stage and cry helplessly, her tears smudging her makeup all over her cheeks.

"I-I'm so pathetic…" she whimpered to herself.

And then the first tomato hit her, clipping her exposed shoulder and causing her to gasp in horror at the red juice and bits of pulp staining her dress. And even as she raised her head to look at it, another tomato splattered against her chest. She shakily stood, overcome by despair and humiliation as she saw more tomatoes flying at her. She raised her hooves to defend herself, but was unable to stop the tomato that hit her directly in the face, knocking her back to the ground.

She dared not get up again, bawling her eyes out in shame as tomatoes fell around her and the crowd's cruel jeers rang in her ears.

XXXXXX

Mad Buffalo Saloon, Appleloosa

Rainbow Dash twisted fitfully in her sleep as visions assaulted her subconscious. She could see clouds, pegasi fleeing or attempting to fight the multiple Wizzrobes relentlessly trying to corral them, and finally all of her fellow pegasi being herded in chains into a stone tower she definitely did not recognize. Finally, she caught sight of a much taller Wizzrobe who wore a metal mask and thick robes of golden silk, a leader figure of sorts. A set of keys hung from a red sash tied around the Wizzrobe's waist, likely to whatever cells her fellow pegasi were being forced into.

The Element of Loyalty was reaching out from the grasp of the golden Wizzrobe, and Rainbow quickly realized where her Element now was.

Cloudsdale.

She needed to let the others know right away, and so she willed herself to wake up and drag herself out of bed. She opened the door to the hallway and began heading towards Twilight's room when she suddenly heard something coming from Rarity's room as she passed by and paused. Rainbow's eyebrows flew up in realization as she remembered.

Rarity…she's having her nightmare!

Deciding that the news of her Element's location could wait, Rainbow pushed open the door to Rarity's room and found the fashionista curled up in her bed in the fetal position as she cried in her sleep. Rainbow immediately rushed to her side and began nudging her shoulder.

"Rarity? Wake up! C'mon, Rares!" Rainbow whispered, shaking Rarity's shoulder with increasing intensity until her friend's eyes abruptly flew open as she gasped.

"Ah! W-what…?" she whimpered as the world slowly came into focus.

"Shh, it's okay, Rarity," Rainbow soothingly said, rubbing her friend's shoulder. "You were having a nightmare."

Rarity shivered as she recalled the experience. "I-it was so horrible. Oh, darling, I don't ever want to experience something like that again."

Rainbow hugged her and said, "Don't worry, I think it's just a one-time thing. It's over now."

As Rainbow turned to go, Rarity held up a hoof and cried, "Wait! I-I don't want to be alone right now. C-could you…um…"

Rainbow smiled. "Sure, I'll stay with you."

Rarity returned her smile. "Thank you, dear."

Rarity scooched over to allow room for Rainbow as she climbed into bed and burrowed under the covers. The warmth of her friend's body quickly eased Rarity's mind, and within moments she had fallen back asleep. Rainbow smiled as she prepared to reenter the realm of dreams when she suddenly heard a familiar voice.

"Got room for a couple more, sugarcube?"

Rainbow looked over her shoulder to see the rest of her friends in the room too, all with soft smiles on their faces. Rainbow opened her mouth to question how they had known, but quickly decided that it didn't matter and sighed dramatically, though with a wide smile on her face. "Oh, get in here."

Though it was a bit of a tight fit, the rest of the Mane Six piled onto Rarity's bed, being careful not to awaken Rarity as she was buried under a pile of friends.

XXXXXX

"Gwo hoh hoh hoh," Dethl laughed as it detached itself from Rarity's subconscious.

That had been enjoyable. Dethl had decided to play things a little different this time, forgoing violence in favor of utter humiliation and betrayal, things that certainly proved a far more effective fuel for its nightmare influence when dealing with someone like Rarity. It also laughed at its own ingenuity. As it had expected, Princess Luna was unable to resist poking into Ganon's mind once the Demon King of Nightmares had planted the desire for sleep in his mind, just barely avoiding the attention of the last fragment of Demise boiling in the Dark Lord's subconscious. It had waited until she had entered Ganon's dreams before making its own move, and by the look of it, she had either left the world of dreams entirely or was still inside Ganon's dream. It did not matter, in the end; Dethl had gotten what it came for.

"Three down, three to go," Dethl spoke to itself with a wicked chuckle.

Dethl's laughter died down as it felt a familiar presence join it in the dream world.

And he was NOT happy.

The child…curse her! Majora raged. She dared to defy me! And then, she and her wretched friends actually DESTROYED ONE OF MY AVATARS!

Dethl's eye widened in shock. "That little whelp of a pegasus did WHAT?!"

She has chosen to defy us to the bitter end, Majora snarled. My plans for her have failed.

"What will you do then, oh Great One?" Dethl inquired.

Majora's anger slowly morphed into grim determination. I will simply have to seek out others who will be more…receptive to our cause. They are out there, those who do not conform to the standards set upon them by Equestrian society. Those who are bitter…those who are misguided…these hearts can be so easily tempted. Then they can spread my message further across all corners of this world. Now, tell me of your progress.

"We have just finished our little one-on-one with the Element of Generosity," Dethl answered smugly. "She represents Generosity, but her fatal flaw is ironically her own vanity and obsession with appearances. Almost like an Equestrian lovechild of Ghirahim and Lady Veran."

Ghirahim failed in his mission as well, as it so happens, Majora sourly reported. The fool inadvertently tipped Ahuizotl off to our plans for him, and he escaped with an Equestrian he had long claimed to be his nemesis but truly proved to be otherwise. If you find an opportunity to dispose of them, do so, but remember to avoid the Lunar Princess at all costs.

"…and what of the rest of our plans?" Dethl asked. "What news?"

Preparations are being made as we speak. Though this will not happen for some time yet, I plan for General Onox to travel to the Dragon Kingdom and take control of it in preparation for the coming war. We will definitely need them in order to strike at the Crystal Empire. Now that Sombra is revived, I am sending him to his new base of operations in the Tenochtitlan Valley, where, as Head Priest of the Equestrian branch of the Church, he will seek out any other tribes in the region and convert them, as well as organize a host of Disciples to spread my influence across the land, while Yuga does the same in Hyrule. Finally, I have discovered the existence of an Equestrian demon who may prove to be a valuable ally, for it seems he has his own army of monsters at his command. He and his kingdom are currently imprisoned in the dark void between realms, but there is a way to break that seal. I am assigning the task of releasing and gaining the allegiance of this demon to Veran. She has always had a favorable way with words.

Dethl's eye narrowed in suspicion and curiosity. "And the name of this demon?"

Grogar the Necromancer. King Sombra's mentor.

XXXXXX

The next morning

Rarity slowly awoke as she felt a strange pressure on her body, one that was expanding and deflating in a steady rhythm. Blinking in confusion, she looked to see that all of her friends were piled together in her bed, still asleep. She then recalled the events of last night and smiled as she realized that her friends were indeed there for her, and always would be.

She let it be for a while until Rainbow shifted in her sleep, the movement causing the others to slowly wake up. "Unh…?" Twilight mumbled, rubbing her eyes. "What time's it?"

"11:30," someone replied. "And you ponies say I sleep like a rock."

Twilight looked over her shoulder to see Vaati standing at the doorway with his arms folded. "No, we don't say that. You sleep like the dead."

Vaati's eyes narrowed. "Hilarious. Now get ready and come downstairs. The others are waiting for you."

XXXXXX

After the Mane Six had disentangled themselves, they proceeded to head downstairs, where the Wind Mage and their non-pony allies all sat at a large round card table. Chrysalis looked on with an impatient expression as she drank a small shot of Red Potion to replenish the magical strength she had spent in yesterday's battle with the Gohma, Rover was busily grooming himself as a dog would, and Zecora was in the middle of meditating. Vaati looked up as he heard their footsteps and said, "About time you got down here. We poked around a little bit and found some food and supplies in the kitchen that the townspeople left behind. Whichever one of you is the best cook, get some breakfast started."

"I'll do it!" Pinkie chirped, bouncing cheerfully past them over to the saloon's kitchen area. "Who's up for some pancakes?!"

"Ah think Ah'll go help her," Applejack volunteered, following Pinkie. "Hopefully they got summa our apples still in the back."

The rest of the Mane Six joined the others at the card table.

"So, what is the plan, my good friend?" Zecora asked. "I hope we are not currently at a dead end."

"Last night, I found out where my Element's being kept," Rainbow informed them. "It's up in Cloudsdale, and it looks like all the pegasi that live there have been rounded up and put in some kind of prison tower by a bunch of Wizzrobes. One of them has my Element."

"He gave an Element of Harmony to a lowly Wizzrobe?" Vaati exclaimed. "What in the world…?"

"He looked different from the others," Rainbow offered. "He was taller, and his robes were gold. He was also wearing some kind of mask instead of a hat. Maybe that means something."

Vaati's eyes widened at the description. "…now it does make sense."

"You know who this Wizzrobe in question is?" Twilight asked.

"Yes, I do," Vaati replied grimly. "The most powerful Wizzrobe of them all, the head of their ancient order…Shanzom the Golden."

"Pfft," Rainbow scoffed, waving a hoof in dismissal. "So what? We can take 'em! Didn't you make that wish to become the most powerful sorcerer in the world or something like that?"

"The most powerful sorcerer alive," Vaati corrected. "Shanzom was dead at the time I made that wish. I curse the way I worded that wish, as it left me vulnerable to the possibility of stronger sorcerers coming later, whether by birth or resurrection."

"Is that why Ganon is more powerful than you?" Chrysalis asked.

"No, that's because the Wishing Cap I stole just didn't have the same strength as the Triforce. It was crafted by a Minish sage; no item forged from the mortal world can ever compare to the power of the gods, even if the Triforce is just a tiny fragment of their collective power."

"Are you saying this Shanzom fellow is stronger than you as well?" Rarity inquired worriedly.

Vaati shook his head. "Stronger? No. But I'm certain he can match my abilities as they are blow for blow. That's not to mention the multitudes of lesser Wizzrobes at his command."

Twilight shuddered. "Are we going to have another battle on our hooves?"

"No, I don't think so," Rainbow answered. "Shanzom has the keys to their cells. We're gonna have to defeat him first before we free the pegasi."

"Looks like it will be just us against the Wizzrobes this time, then," Vaati surmised. "Which thankfully means none of the other pegasi will be endangered."

"And what are the weaknesses of these Wizzrobes?" Chrysalis demanded.

"Your people have fought them before, in Canterlot," Vaati said. "They're powerful magic-users, but they're terrible at close-quarter combat. And, they can't take a physical hit worth a damn."

"So our best bet is to get up close and personal with 'em?" Rainbow asked with a grin. "Sounds like my kind of fight!"

"Speaking of fighting," Twilight spoke up. "Before we move on to Cloudsdale, there's the matter of your training exercises, Vaati."

"Buck," the mage muttered under his breath and his shoulders drooped.

"Language, mister," Twilight admonished as she brought out her schedule, causing Vaati to roll his eyes. "First, we're going to need to build up your muscles."

"Welp, no dumbbells to be found here, so I guess that's out of the question," Vaati quickly said. "Too bad."

Twilight flashed a smirk as she levitated two chairs and transfigured them into a set of dumbbells of varying weight.

"Buck," Vaati hissed again.

"Do I need to wash that mouth out with soap?" Twilight chided irritably.

"You're not my mother," Vaati snorted.

"Somepony's gotta be, since you always act like such a child," Twilight responded.

"For most of my existence, I was a child, Twilight," Vaati reminded.

"Which only proves my point further!"

Realizing she was right, Vaati facepalmed. "Urgh…shouldn't have said that…"

The others struggled not to laugh at this, but multiple sniggers could still be heard. "Quiet, all of you," Vaati snapped, giving all his compatriots the stink-eye. "Let's just get back to the subject at hand."

"Glad you're coming around, Vaati," Twilight smiled.

"Let's just get this over with," Vaati growled. "What's your plan?"

"While breakfast is being made, you're going to be lifting weights," Twilight said. "We'll start with the five-pound barbells. Pick 'em up and get cracking, mister!"

Glaring all the while, Vaati picked up the five-pound weights and held them at his sides. "How many times must I do this demeaning exercise?"

"A hundred times," Twilight answered.

Vaati's eyes nearly bugged out of their sockets. "A hundred?!"

"Go on and get cracking! Those weights won't lift themselves!"

"UUUUUUUUUUUUGH," Vaati groaned as he reluctantly began.

As Vaati lifted the weights with increasing fatigue, Chrysalis couldn't help but laugh. "You're enjoying this, aren't you?" she said to Twilight.

Twilight couldn't help but crack a small smile. "…maybe a little."

By the time Applejack and Pinkie Pie returned with breakfast in hoof, Vaati's arms were incredibly sore, to the point where he could barely move them. "What have I done to deserve this torture?" the aching sorcerer complained to the heavens as he sat down with the others. "Wait…don't answer that," he added as an afterthought.

Applejack quirked an eyebrow. "What's he goin' on about?" she asked Twilight, pointing at Vaati with a hoof.

"First day of exercise," Twilight replied.

Applejack nodded. "Ahh." She then looked at Vaati, who was sitting limply in his chair, his arms dangling like wet noodles. "Now that there's just a sad display, pardner. Hearty exercise ain't gonna kill ya."

"Then why do I feel like I'm dying?"

Twilight facehoofed. "Sweet Celestia, you are such a child."

"Shut it," Vaati snapped with a glare.

"Let's just eat breakfast and give your muscles time to settle down before we move on to the next stage for today," Twilight said, reminding everyone of the breakfast in front of them.

Chrysalis and Rover both opted out, Chrysalis not requiring solid food and Rover being a carnivore and munching on jerky instead. Twilight could tell that Vaati was trying to eat as slowly as possible in order to delay his exercise as much as he could. The unicorn librarian rolled her eyes and said, "You got ten minutes to finish that before the next round starts. It's no use delaying the inevitable."

Vaati glared sourly at her and begrudgingly began eating at a normal pace.

XXXXXX

Twenty minutes later, outside

After they finished breakfast and washed their dishes, Vaati and the others headed outside. "Rainbow, I'm going to need your help with this one," Twilight spoke up.

"Sure, what do you need me to do, Twilight?" Rainbow asked, flying over to her.

"Alright, Vaati, listen up!" Twilight barked like a drill sergeant. "Your next exercise will focus on improving your reaction time and attack speed. First, go ahead and take your monster form for this one."

Vaati sighed as he grew into the large winged eye. "Alright, what next?"

"Since you'll probably take this form sometime when you fight Ganon, we'll be doing several exercises in this form," Twilight instructed. "Rainbow Dash is by far the fastest out of all of us. So Vaati, what I want you to do is try to grab Rainbow out of the air while she flies around you."

Rainbow grinned. "Aw heck, the only exercise this'll be is one in futility!"

Vaati's eye narrowed as multiple violet-black tentacles grew out of his body in preparation. "We'll see about that. Now come on!"

"Bring it on, slowpoke!" Rainbow challenged eagerly.

"Alright, go!" Twilight cried, stepping back and joining the others.

What followed was a good twenty minutes of Rainbow lithely dodging Vaati's flailing appendages, able to keep up despite no less than eight dark tendrils all trying to pluck her out of the sky. It didn't help that Rainbow constantly taunted him all the while, infuriating the sorcerer and causing him to concentrate even less.

"Exercise in futility indeed," Chrysalis smirked.

"He is letting his emotions control every move," Zecora observed. "He must overcome them to find his groove."

"You actually have a good point there, Zecora," Twilight agreed. "I didn't think of that earlier. Vaati definitely needs to learn to control his emotions."

After a few more minutes of the display, Twilight cried, "Okay, that's enough for now!"

Vaati glared at Rainbow as he retracted his tentacles, panting audibly. Though, to give him credit, Rainbow looked pretty winded too. "Don't look so glum, Vaati," Twilight said. "I wasn't expecting you to catch her the first time."

"The taunting wasn't necessary," Vaati growled between gasps.

"Actually, I think they are," Twilight countered sagely. "One reason you didn't do so well is because you let her taunting get to you. The angrier you got, the less you were able to concentrate, and the harder it became to keep up with her."

"What are you getting at?" Vaati snapped.

"Control your emotions," Twilight stressed. "Discipline your mind. That's what our next exercise will be about; disciplining your mind and learning to control your emotions. Let's come back inside; Zecora will be your tutor for this one."

Vaati sighed again as he returned to normal and followed them in.

XXXXXX

Ten minutes later

Twilight and the others went upstairs and left Zecora and Vaati alone in the saloon. Vaati sat cross-legged on the floor as Zecora instructed him. "Strength must not come just from body, but also mind. Through meditation, that inner strength you will surely find. Listen to my voice, and empty your mind; follow my rhythm and leave all thoughts behind."

Vaati closed his eyes and took a deep, slow breath as Zecora began chanting in her native tongue. He slowly emptied his mind of all his thoughts and let all aspects of his consciousness relax as Zecora's chant washed over him. This proved to be one of the easier exercises, as Vaati had experimented with meditation in the past.

Half an hour later, Zecora finally brought him out of his meditation. He had to admit, he felt a whole lot better and more relaxed. "You did well, my dear friend," Zecora congratulated. "Do it once a day; do not put it to an end."

Vaati waved a hand dismissively. "Whatever. Let's let the others know they can come down now."

Once the group reconvened downstairs, Vaati asked, "Alright, I did your silly exercises. What else is there to do now?"

"We'll rest for about an hour and eat lunch, then we'll do it all one more time, and then we'll be done for the day," Twilight informed. "Tomorrow we'll leave to go after the next Element."

Vaati sighed in defeat. I never realized heroes had it so rough.

XXXXXX

Palace of Winds, Scootaloo's bedroom

After everypony had returned to the surface, Scootaloo and her friends waited for Nigellas and Maulgrim to arrive to check up on her. Eventually they did, and when they saw the gaping hole in the wall where Scootaloo's bedroom was located, they instantly cried out her name as they rushed in.

"Sweet Din, what happened?!" Nigellas cried, kneeling down and checking Scootaloo for injuries. It was then that the Wizzrobe noticed something. "Wait…is that…what I think it is?!"

Scootaloo looked down at her flank at her brand-new Cutie Mark and nodded solemnly.

"The Hylian Shield…" Maulgrim murmured in shock, before recovering. "Tell us everything."

Scootaloo looked at her friends for support, who nodded encouragingly as she began her tale.

"That mask you made me for Nightmare Night last year…I…I don't know how, but…the real deal found out about it and possessed it somehow. It all started a few days ago, after I had a really bad nightmare, and…I saw Him."

Maulgrim's mouth dropped open in utter shock and horror. "No…no, it CAN'T be…!"

Nigellas gripped Scootaloo by the shoulders. "Kid, are you sure? Are you absolutely, positively sure?!"

Scootaloo nodded, confirming their worst fears. "Majora has found Equestria."

Several moments of stunned silence followed before Nigellas croaked, "A-and the Cutie Mark…? Where…?"

"Majora was trying to convince me to join him," Scootaloo said, looking at her mark. "He was telling me all about these 'secrets' that the Princesses were hiding from their subjects, and that they were lying to us and keeping us subdued with a false system of government centered around friendship. He was talking about how the Princesses were falsely treated as idols and worshipped, and that he was here to put a stop to it and show Equestria the truth of our world. I…" Scootaloo fought back tears at this part. "I almost believed him…if m-my friends hadn't shown up when they did…I don't know what would have happened to me. But…but they knew I was in trouble, and they put themselves in danger without a second thought to protect me. Then the mask…it turned into some kind of golem. Majora kept referring to it as his Avatar…"

"THERE WAS AN AVATAR OF MAJORA RUNNING LOOSE IN THE PALACE, AND WE DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT IT?!" Nigellas positively shrieked.

Maulgrim managed to retain his composure, but just barely. "An Avatar of Majora on its own is strong enough to match Lord Vaati's power. How did you manage to defeat it?!"

"Ruby found its weakness, and we took it by surprise," Scootaloo answered. "Right before we destroyed it, Majora taunted us one last time, saying that all we were doing was delaying the inevitable, and that his influence was already spreading. And then all of us made a promise; if he was going to threaten our friends and family, and everything else we care about, we were going to fight back, no matter what it took. And then we got these."

Nigellas and Maulgrim, who had not paid the other fillies much mind, now noticed that Applebloom and Sweetie Belle also bore the symbol of the Knights of Hyrule. "Pretty neat, huh?" Sweetie Belle asked.

The two monsters spent a minute processing all this information before Nigellas's shoulders sagged.

"Dammit, Golden Ones, they're too young for this," he muttered grimly, shaking his head. "Too young."

Applebloom furrowed her brow. "What're ya talkin' about?"

Maulgrim sighed heavily. "Those marks upon you mean that you have been chosen. Your vow caught the attention of the Golden Goddesses themselves, and now you have been branded with the mark of their sacred knights. The three of you are destined to take up arms against the forces of darkness." The Darknut shook his head. "I would not have wished this upon those so young."

"No, guys, it's fine," Sweetie Belle said. "We understand what we're getting into."

"We've come t'terms with it," Applebloom added. "If Scoots was gonna stand up to him, we were too."

"We're the only ones so far who know that he's involved in everything that's been happening lately, and we have no way to tell the Princesses about it 'cause they're too far away. I don't know when Majora's planning to strike, but we have to be ready for it when it comes."

Applebloom slowly perked up in realization. "We have one way…"

Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle's eyes widened as they remembered. "Spike!"

"This is too much," Nigellas groaned. "I'll go down and get a message sent out."

The Wizzrobe quickly left, overcome by the multiple bombshells that had been dropped. Maulgrim looked aside. "So young, and yet the flames of courage burn bright within you three. I can only hope the Goddesses bless us with time to prepare you for whatever lies ahead."

"I want to learn how to fight!" Scootaloo cried.

"Ah realize now that Ah have a gift when it comes t'carpentry," Applebloom added. "Ah wanna be an engineer! Ah wanna learn how t'build siege engines 'n battle towers!"

"And I'm gonna learn how to be as good at magic as Miss Twilight!" Sweetie Belle finished. "And one day, I wanna become an Archmage like Starswirl the Bearded!"

"And now we're gonna be…" Scootaloo said.

"CELESTIA'S ROYAL CRUSADERS!" they all cried in unison.

Maulgrim felt pride in his heart for these three fillies, who didn't even realize how each of them evoked one of the prime aspects of the Goddesses, but also a deep sadness at the fate said Goddesses had in store for them. Watch over these young souls, oh Din of the Imperishable Flame, he silently prayed. Bless them with your guidance and protection.

Author's Note:

Sorry if this seemed more like filler than anything else, but there's a whole lot going on outside of the main quest here. Mm, yes, I got big plans in store for our Crusaders. And at last, we see the truth of Ganon's existence. (not that we didn't know already)

Next time, we reach Cloudsdale, where another Element and some new companions await!