Vex Mortis

by Weavers of Dreams

-4- A New Age Dawning

"Tallyho," Rarity shouted from her perch upon Pinkie's back, waving a hoof in the air as though she were leading a regiment. Pinkie just giggled at the posh mare's childish antics.

"I just knew you would enjoy the ride," Pinkie said, leaping over a rock.

Rarity cried out in alarm and clung to the mail hood tightly. "Not as though I have much choice. My legs are short and I don't have wings. I would start to... ugh, sweat if I were to run along with you two. That would just ruin my uniform."

Fluttershy kept pace with Pinkie Pie by flying just overhead, where she could catch rarity should she fall. Poor thing didn't have the strongest of bones. "Be careful Pinkie, you know Rarity has a condition."

"Don't worry so much, Fluttershy," Pinkie said aloofly, "Rare's got good balance from all those martial art lessons."

Rarity couldn't help but smile in pride. "It's true."

As they came over a hillside on the outskirts of town, further in land, they paused a moment to look at their destination. A clear field surrounded by grassy hills, with a stone pool in it's center, the crystal-clear water reflected the starlight beautifully. Surrounding the pond were numerous figure carrying what looked like colorful lamps, and someone was standing on the stepping stones in the center of the pond.

"Oh, my," Rarity said with wide eyes. "What do you suppose they're doing that requires all the Elements?"

Pinkie shrugged, almost dislodging Rarity in the process. "One way to find out. Com'on everypony, let's get down their."

Rarity rolled her eyes. "Really, Pinkie? Everypony? What a simply dreadful pun. I suppose everydonkey, or everysphinx is next?"

"Yep," Pinkie said with an enthusiastic nod as she started down the hill at a brisk pace, Fluttershy at her side.

By the time they reached the pool, they could see the figure in the center was Applejack, wearing her element and a determined expression.

"Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rarity," Twilight called out, emerging from the crowd with an excited smile. She flapped her wings to shoo some guards away. She walked up and gave each of her friends a welcoming hug; she was noticeably taller than Rarity, but still slightly shorter than fluttershy, thanks to her newfound alicornhood that was slowly causing her to grow past the size of the unicorn she had been before. "About time you got here. We've got everything set up and Applejack is ready to go, just need you three, and Rainbow Dash, whenever she gets here, to go stand in the center with her."

"Uuum, why?" Pinkie asked, waving at Applejack, who smiled and waved back in a friendly manner.

"Because it is very important to the Equestrias that you do so," Twilight said hurriedly, gesturing for them to move along with a wing.

Upon seeing the three bearers, the crowd, mostly guards, headed for the hills in a dignified manner, carrying one colorful lantern each. The brilliant colors mesmerized Pinkie for a moment, but a tap on the back of the head from Rarity brought her back to reality. Rarity slid off the shield and onto the ground with a small grunt, prompting Fluttershy to rush to her side.

"Are you okay, Rarity?" she asked worriedly.

"Yes-yes, dearie," Rarity said dusting off her uniform and smiling. "Can't a lady do a few things on her own without someone thinking she's going to shatter?"

"You, Rarity Belle, could shatter," Fluttershy scolded her with a glare. Rarity flinched at it. Fluttershy immediately softened and gave her a hug. "I'm sorry, Rarity, I just don't want to see one of my friends hurt."

"I know, Fluttershy," Rarity said softly, pushing herself away. "This dreadful glass-bone has made life absolutely horrid. I can't even find a nice stallion for fear of my bones shattering on the wedding night. Ooooh. It's so frustrating to think I might never indulge my urges."

A red-faced Shining just so happened to be standing only a few steps away next to his Pegasus wife Cadance. "Uuuh, well, that really is too bad, Rarity, but, um, yeah, we've got work to do right now."

"Oh, don't be so embarrassed, Shiny," Cadance said, wrapping a wing around his barrel and giving him a kiss. They both stood about the same height, him being a unicorn stallion, and somewhat taller than average as well. "Mares stress over these things too, you know. Don't know what I would do if I didn't have you every night... when you're not on duty that is."

Celestia chuckled. "Now, Cadance, you know I try my best to let him off work in time for your escapades." The mares began chuckling at Shining's growing discomfort.

Twilight rolled her eyes in good humor. "Okay, that's enough. Just get into the center and..."

WHAM!

Everyone yelped in shock as Nightmare Storm landed right beside Twilight, growling and baring her teeth like a vicious beast. The element about her neck making sure she didn't hit her desired target on impact. She didn't really scare anyone, but she attempted to intimidate them anyway.

"Hello, foals," she snapped, her golden fangs dripping with saliva. She turned to Shining Armor and Cadance and smiled wickedly. "Well, if it isn't the previous bearers. Tell me, Shining, do you miss me? Loyalty?"

"Yes, in fact," Shining said with a find smile, drawing quire looks from all present. "I miss the fact you were tool at my service."

Nightmare Storm roared and made as if to lunge, but the element electrocuted her, keeping her in place. "Aaaugh. What about you Cadance? Bearer of Laughter and Generosity? Do you miss those things I used to say? About your precious Shining's most intimate desires for you?"

Cadance cocked her eyes humorously. "If anything you helped him be a very confident, if not a dominatingly hot, stallion in the bedroom."

Nightmare Storm drove her hooves into the dirt and spat in rage. "Stop twisting the events. I sent you running in tears. I made Shining weep when he thought he lost you forever. Multiple times. You stupid ponies, I will end..."

Silence. No matter how many times they saw it, everyone was still shocked. Pinkie Pie had stepped up to the Nightmare and threw her legs about her neck in hug. The Nightmare froze in the embrace, eyes wide. Then she frowned, eyes watering, then tears began to flow and she sat down to return the embrace. Pinkie patted her comfortingly.

"There-there, Stormy," she said gently, "there's no need to get so upset. You know we appreciate you, even if you're a monster. You've helped us so much, along with the others. Let Rainbow Dash come back, you need some time to rest."

The nightmare sniffed and used a hoof to wipe her eyes. "Thank you, Pinkie Pie."

With that, she shattered, the excess mass turned to dust, and leaving behind a very bedraggled Rainbow Dash. She groaned and put a hoof to her forehead in confusion. "Ugh, she really went overboard tonight."

Pinkie giggled and ruffled the mare's mane. Rainbow Dash actually stood a little taller than her(puberty had been extremely generous for her). "Silly, that's what you get for summoning your Nightmare in the middle of the night."

Dash chuckled and patted Pinkie's shoulder. "So, what are we doing here exactly?"

Without much explanation, Twilight finally managed to get all of the current element bearers to stand on the stepping stones in the center of the pool. Then the Two Sisters, Twilight and Shining took up positions at all four corners, while Cadance took a lantern of her own and fly up above the five mares in the center. It was hen that the five mares noticed that the guards that had left all stood on the hilltops, evenly spaced apart with their lanterns, facing into the valley. You didn't have to be a unicorn to sense the magic, or a pegasus to notice the air, or an earth pony to feel the ground.

All three alicorns and the one unicorn began chanting in unison.

Above, below, and in-between,

Show and expand potential unseen,

All the lanterns began to glow brighter as the magic, air, and ground hummed with intensity. Fluttershy began to shake nervously.

Grant strength, light, and grace,

So that no one is out of place,

"W-what are you doing?" Fluttershy asked, curling up into a ball. The noise was almost drowning out the voices now.

From one to another burn,

Days pass away to another in turn,

Applejack and the other four placed a comforting hoof on Fluttershy's shoulder to help keep her brave.

Give breath to strength and light

Give strength to breath and light,

Give light to strength and breath,

Grant power as an overflowing wreath.

The humming intensified, and the water about the stepping stones began to rise in a torrent of ten thousand individual droplets. Electricity cracked between the droplets as they began to swirl around the five mares. Shining and the alicorns smiled as they watched the scene, their horns glowing brightly. Then the elements about the five mare's necks began to glow, and looks of hope intensified along with the humming. Then something went wrong.

"Celestia, Luna, we have a situation."

All eyes turned to see a slightly scorched General Derpy flying towards them, her good eye squinting as though something were stuck in it. The three alicorns gasped in horror, then gasped again, harder this time, when they saw Dinky was riding on her mom's back, smiling without a care in the world.

"Get out of here," Celestia shouted at her general in terror.

But it was too late, the magic had been disrupted. There was a blinding flash and the entire valley lit up like day. The lanterns all shattered as they burst into flames from an overload, shocking their bearers. In an instant, the valley was silent, and where there had once been a pool full of water, there was a scorched crater.