Starswirl's Return

by Harratot33

Chapter 3 - Starlight's Foundering

"If we're gonna die," said Twilight. "I don't want it to be in here. I'd rather perish fighting than starve to death in this place!"

"I agree," Shining Armour nodded, clutching a sleeping Flurry Heart tightly in his hoofs. "Besides, it'd be very noble and patriotic of us to go out in the Crystal Empire." He said to Cadance.

"If we go back, we'll surely be killed by Spatium; but I suppose that is much better than dying as a result of starvation or boredom in here," Discord expressed. Fluttershy agreed.

"It's...I guess it's decided, then," Twilight sobbed.

"Come on, Shining Armour," Cadance put a hoof on her husband's flank, using her magic to pick Flurry Heart up. "Let's go home." Normally, such a moment would be a happy one; Cadance and Shining Armour were always overjoyed to return to their peace-filled homeland following royal business. Not this time; yes, it would be feel far great than being trapped in the archives like convicts, but no, it was not going to be easy to return at all!

"Okay," Starlight Glimmer and Trixie hurried up to the rest of the group. "I think we've done it, but don't blame me if I'm wrong!"

"Done what, Starlight?" Twilight questioned with intense agog.

"I believe the spell listed in Starburst's book was incorrectly reproduced. If my instincts aren't failing me, this new version of the spell me and Trixie have been working on will be!"

"There's no harm in trying," Twilight said, but everypony could see her face was filled with uncertainty. "Let's do it!" Her and Cadance stood hoof-in-hoof once again, and recited the duo's newly-founded versions of the incantations. Their eyes became silver once more, and the magic that spouted sporadically from their horns was as varied in colour as Rainbow Dash's mane. But then...there was nothing. Twilight and Cadance's physicality went back to just the way it had been prior to their endeavour (signs of hopelessness and all!).

"Of course, we admire you're effort and commitment," Cadance said to Starlight Glimmer and her best friend. "But this spell is either simply unfixable or simply too complicated for either one of us to successfully carry out." Flurry Heart began to cry. Cadance and her husband went to console her.

"Do you think she's hungry?" The latter asked.

"I don't think so...we gave her everything we could salvage from around here not too long ago."

"I think all of us here could conceivably cry given our current situation," Discord mourned. It was the very first time he had been completely serious since Spatium's invasion! "But I suppose Flurry Heart is far too small to even begin to comprehend the sheer harshness of our present situation." Cadance scrutinised her daughter.

"Maybe she can," she mused out loud. "There has to be a reason she was born an allicorn." There was. Nopony knew it yet.

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True to their word, the group journeyed back to the Crystal Empire shortly afterwards. Every single one was convinced it was an act of suicide, but also one of nobility. What they found there was Stellas Spatium and his army, still awaiting their arrival.

"At long last!" Spatium was shocked at such an unexpected act. "Let's finish it!" He raised his head high to shoot magic at the group, while his slaves ran into the Empire equipped with their weapons.

"TEAR IT DOWN!!" Spatium bellowed. "EVERY INCH OF EVERY BUILDING IS TO RE-BUILT IN MY IMAGE!"

I'm ready, Twilight acknowledged in her mind. Whatever's going to happen I'm ready. I have no choice but to be ready. Well, Twilight Sparkle certainly was not ready for what happened next! Instead of dying nobly as she had anticipated, she and everypony else remained unscathed. How?? Tirek had regained consciousness some time ago; Spatium and his demon-like followers had failed to notice this, and Tirek—determined for it to remain that way—had patiently waited for his strength to return. Then, be it wise or foolish, he knew he had to take Spatium on a second time! His ideology was akin to everypony else's: better to die with honour than to die having not taken the chance eliminate evil.

"EVERYPONY GET AS FAR AWAY FROM HERE AS YOU CAN! I'LL CATCH YOU UP!" Tirek knew he could not simply just kill Spatium, but perhaps he could weaken him. Now, this small sample of speech spoken by the infamous Lord Tirek caught everypony off-guard. Catch up with us? Fluttershy thought. He's hardly uttered a single sentence since he joined forces with us. It was this that prompted the group to do just as he said. Narrowly escaping the many servants, they swiftly fled to the far side of the Empire.

"It'll take them ages to reach here!" Shining Armour panted.

"What in Equestria is Tirek doing?!" Trixie was dumbfounded.

"I genuinely wish I knew!" Starlight replied. "Taking on Stellas Spatium just like that?! Being nice to us?! He's acting more crazy than the Apple family during apple buck season!" It was not too long before Tirek caught up with everypony. He was badly hurt—barriers separating good skin from bad were present on his face in the form of several scars. A single drop of blood was trickling from underneath his eye like a tear.

"Tirek, I was made aware by our last encounter that you are not the most trustworthy or intelligent of beings, but to actually take on Stellas Spatium himself in hand-to-hand combat..." Discord began, but then he caught the centaur's eye.

"Everypony please listen, and do not interrupt me under any circumstances! I am sorry for being so ungrateful to you all. Now, I cannot say that I agree with your peaceful methods and tactics, but I must say that over the past several days I have come to admire your determination, your skills, and perhaps most importantly, your patience and undeniably witty plans. I have never had the fortune of possessing any of those traits, and maybe that's why I never win in the end!" There was a pause.

"What are you saying?" Shining Armour asked.

"You have all helped me escape enslavement and potential death," Tirek said mawkishly. "I...I suppose it is only fair I return the favour." Everypony else in the group became instantly intrigued. What in Equestria did he mean? "Well...I'll tell you. The pony who can help you all, Starswirl the Bearded, he's not dead!"