The Elements of Virtue

by Rakoon1

Facing the Darkness

At the throne room of the Light Castle, everyone was reunited, including the Generals of Order. Twilight was beside Star Swirl and said to everyone:

“Okay, everypony, Star, Star Swirl and I managed to complete the spell. It will completely allow us to banish the Pony of Shadows into the Limbo.”

“All right!” Blue exclaimed. “That’s my Twily!”

“Yeah, Twilight, you’re the best!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed. “I can’t wait for me to do a Post-Defeat-the-Pony-of-Shadows party. It will be great!”

“What about the price to use the spell?” Mistmane asked.

“Yeah, last time, it completely drained our energy and that was with Ponehenge’s magic helping” Flash Magnus said.

“With Princess Twilight and young Star Knight’s help, I was able to find a way to deal with that issue” Star Swirl replied. “We can sacrifice one set of Elements to use the spell. That way, we don’t have to sacrifice anyone to defeat the Pony of Shadows.”

“That sounds right…” Mirror Coat commented.

“But which Elements are we going to sacrifice?” Blue asked.

“Star Swirl and I have already discussed it” Twilight said. “It will be… the Elements of Harmony.”

“What?” Star and his friends asked.

“But, mom… you and your friends have used the Elements of Harmony to protect the Pony World for years” Star said. “Are you sure of that?”

“The Elements of Harmony have served us well, but… times change” Twilight replied to his son and all the other teens. “It’s time for your generation to step up. And you six seem to have a much greater connection to your Elements than we have with ours.”

“Twilight is right” Applejack said. “We can’t be dah heroes forever.”

“Well, maybe you can’t, AJ” Rainbow replied. “But… we can still be heroes without the Elements.”

“I second that” Rarity said, with Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy nodded.

“Wow… thanks, guys” Star said.

“Okay, let’s get into more serious business” Star Swirl said.

“How are we going to use the spell?” Gunter asked.

“Yeah, we never… used the Elements with other Elements” Fluttershy. “How are we going to combine their powers?”

“The Elements are attuned to you and since the Elements of Harmony come from the Elements of Virtue, we must use their magic in pairs” Star Swirl replied.

“No problem” Rainbow Dash replied, as she positioned herself beside Gunter. “We're used to banishing evil before breakfast.”

And she bumped her hoof with Gunter’s talon.

“And it'll be an honor tah save Equestria an’ dah Pony World with y'all” Applajack said, as she sided with her nephew.

The others also sided with their respective pair: Fluttershy with Gleaming, Rarity with Moonlight and Pinkie Pie with Dusk.

“And we’re also coming with you” Flash Magnus said, with Mistmane and Rockhoof (who had been able to acquire a new shovel).

“Yeah, we’re going to need somebody to protect you while you perform the spell” Rockhoof said.

“Not only that, but I can add my magic, along with Star Swirl’s, to make the spell even stronger” Mistmane said.

“I just wished I could come to” Galena said to Moonlight.

“Me too, Galena, but it’s for the better if only us go” she replied to her best friend, while they shared a hug. “I just really hope Star knows what he's doing...”

“I also hope that” Star said, while approaching Moonlight. “Moonlight, I’m… really sorry for what happened. I now understand what you’re feeling. I should have seen that…”

But Moonlight stopped him from talking by placing a hoof over his lips.

“I understand” she told him with a smile. “You’re in so much pressure. You need to do what must be done to protect this world.”

Star smiled and replied:

“Thank you, Moonlight.”

And the two shared a big hug.

Twilight turned to Blue and the other Generals.

“We’ll be back soon” she told them.

“I know you will” Blue said, while caressing her face. “I have no doubt of that.”

“And in the meantime, you can be sure, Your Highness, that we’ll keep the Light Kingdom safe” Golden Paladin said, as he and the others bowed before her.

“Thank you, guys, that means a lot to me” Twilight replied.

“Very well, it is time” Star Swirl declared. “Let’s do this.”

They all nodded and then Twilight, Star and Star Swirl used a teleportation spell that teleported everyone who were going to face the Pony of Shadows away. They reappeared at the entrance of the hideout once used by the Lord of Chaos.

“I never expected to return here…” Moonlight said, as they got in. “It’s even creepier than before.”

“It’s okay, dear, we’re here with you” Fluttershy said to her daughter, while going for a hug to her.

“Indeed there’s an immense dark energy in the air” Mistmane said. “The Pony of Shadows must have twisted this place even to his purposes. Because of the Element of Beauty, you are more sensitive to it, young Moonlight.”

They arrived to the place where the Lord of Chaos would summon the Demonic Statue and they heard an evil chuckle echoing.

“Prepare yourselves” Star Swirl said to his companions. “He is here.”

Star Swirl then directed to the Pony of Shadows with a high voice:

“Stygian! Show yourself and face us!”

An evil laugh was heard echoing through the place. The ground beneath them started to crack and crumbled, causing the ponies to fall down. When they ended falling, they saw they were now in an hidden room with pillars and arches, with the statue of an equine with bat wings.

“I… don’t remember this room being here” Moonlight said.

They heard the Pony of Shadows laughing again and then solidified shadows started to appear. Reacting to that, Star Swirl created a barrier around everyone. It was then that the Pony of Shadows appeared from the shadows, saying, while circling the heroes:

“Welcome to the Well of Shade! This place was where creatures like Arimaspi and Cyclops were created. When you turned your backs on me, I discovered this place. The darkness spoke to me of a power beyond any I could imagine, and I listened. The shadow and I became one. Soon, all of the realm will be the same. Then all ponies will feel the despair I did when you cast me out!”

“We did what we had to do” Star Swirl replied. “You tried to steal our powers for yourself.”

“No!” the Pony of Shadows shouted, facing Star Swirl. “It was you who were selfish! And now you will pay!”

Charging his horn with dark energy, he fired a beam of magic against Star Swirl’s barrier. Despite the old wizard was able to hold it, it created cracks on it. It was then that Dusk started having a great headache, as if someone was screaming to his ears. Noticing that, Star asked:

“Dusk, what happen?”

“I don’t know…” he said. “I think it must be my Element of Hope. It allows me to feel despair… I can’t sense a big amount of it… coming from him.”

He pointed to the Pony of Shadows.

“Are you still sure what we’re doing is the only solution?” Moonlight asked Star, after hearing what Dusk said.

That really caused Star to consider what they were doing.

“Ready?” Star Swirl asked to the wearers of the Elements. “Open the portal...”

With one more attack, the Pony of Shadows shattered Star Swirl’s barrier.

"Now feel my power of darkness!" the Pony of Shadows shouted, as he summoned the Elements of Chaos.

“...Now!” the old wizard shouted.

The five pairs hold their hooves (talon in Gunter’s case), causing their elements to glow and elevate them in the air. Twilight made her element to glow as well and, combining her magic, with Star Swil’s, Mistmane’s and the others’, they created a rainbow that opened behind the Pony of Shadows a portal to the Limbo that started to suck him. He tried to evade it, but the heroes shot a big rainbow beam from their combined magic that started to push him towards the portal. They were able to make half of him to cross, but the Pony of Shadows did everything he could to hold on.

“No!” he exclaimed, while holding himself at the portal. “You will not trap me again!”

Channeling the power of the Elements of Chaos, he started to fight back the rainbow beam.

“Star Knight!” Star Swirl called. “Push him in!”

Star prepared his Element of Sorcery, which started to glow. But when he was about to shoot his magic, he saw something appear on the Pony of Shadows’ chest… or rather someone. It was the head of a pony who was reabsorbed by the Pony of Shadows.

“There's... a pony in there” he said.

Without hesitating, Star took flight and dived in the darkness of the Pony of Shadows. Inside, Star was able to walk, using his horn to make some light so he could see the way. It was then that he found the pony he had seen. He was a unicorn with a medium gray coat with a cloak that covered his Cutie Mark, moderate cerulean and arctic blue mane and brilliant azure eyes. He was just sitting there, with his back at Star. It didn’t take that much for Star to know who he was.

“Are you... Stygian?

“I was, once” he replied. “Until my friends betrayed me.”

“But Star Swirl says you betrayed them” Star said, as Stygian got up and turned to him. “You wanted their magic...”

“No!” Stygian replied. “I wanted their respect. I brought them together. I planned strategy, and I read all I could about the beasts we faced. But I didn't have magic or strength, so nopony ever noticed me.”

Turning his back, he moved away a few steps.

“I went to Ponhenge to make my own copies of the artifacts” he continued. “With them, I thought I could be a Pillar, too, and stand by their side in battle. I never wanted to steal their power.”

The conversation between Stygian and Star was being heard by everyone through the Elements, causing Star Swirl and the other Pillars to get shocked by that revelation.

“But instead of sharing and letting me help, my friends threw me out” Stygian said, turning to Star and advancing, causing the colt to retreat, all while his voice started to get deep and turn into a growl, shadows started to surround his body and his eyes turned just like the Pony of Shadows’. “So I became stronger than any of them! The darkness welcomed me when no pony would, and I will do what I must to protect it! To serve my master, the Lord of Chaos!”

“This is all a misunderstanding!” Star exclaimed. “If the Pillars knew how you felt, I'm sure they wouldn't have turned their backs on you. The shadow isn't who you really are. The will of the Lord of Chaos is not yours. Let me help you be Stygian again.”

“Even if my friends did still care, what makes you think you have the power to help me?” Stygian asked.

“Because it's what he does” a voice said, causing Stygian’s eyes to return to what they were.

The voice belonged to Moonlight who had followed Star.

“My situation was a little different than yours, but I also found myself under the influence of the darkness” she said, while getting to her coltfriend’s side and taking his hoof. “I did terrible things, but Star never gave up on me. He helped me change, he helped me return to be who I was. If there's one pony in all Pony Reality that can save someone from themselves, it's him.”

That caused Star to give his marefriend and big smile.

“I... I want to believe you...” Stygian said, only to have the darkness trying to influence him again, turning his eyes again and turning his voice into a growl. “But the darkness will not be stopped!”

He made wings of shadow to appear, pushing both Star and Moonlight against the floor. But Star, determined, casted a rope of light that caught his hoof and he flew out of the Pony of Shadows’ body, followed by Moonlight who went to her place beside Rarity. While pushing the rope of light, Star told:

“Fight the darkness, Stygian! You don't need it anymore! Revenge isn't what you want! Friendship is!”

Stygian immerged from the Pony of Shadows, while being pushed out by Star. But the darkness wouldn’t let him go, trying to keep him inside, what caused Star to be pushed as well, with him using his wings to stay in place in the middle of the air. The power of the Elements of Chaos increased as well, as they ressonated even more.

“Star!” Twilight called, with her casting a rope of light that caught Stygian other hoof.

But the Pony of Shadows was determined to keep Stygian, all while fighting to not be sent through the portal.

“The shadow won't let go of him” Star said to everyone. “He wants to stop, but he can't do it alone.”

“Then we must help him!” Star Swirl declared.

He and Mistmane casted ropes of light as well and the same went for the Elements holders who casted ropes of light thought the jewels. All of them tried to push Stygian out of the Pony of Shadows who kept struggling to keep his host inside. However, he was not strong enough and Stygian was taken out of him. That distracted him long enough for the Elements of Chaos to lose power and be overwhelmed by the other Elements, causing them to crack and shatter. With anything else to keep him there, the Pony of Shadows ended up being completely sucked by the portal, along with the Elements of Chaos, which Star closed. All that created an explosion of light that erupted to the sky and dissipated the shadows that were gathering, allowing the moonlight to pass through.

With the battle ended, they came out of the Well of Shade and then the hideout. As they got out, Rainbow Dash exclaimed:

“Yeah! Oh, it felt sooooo good to do that again!”

“I know!” Gunter said. “I’ve never saved the Pony World before, but it really was something else.”

“I can agree with that” Jonagold said.

“Me too” Applejack said.

“Me three!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed. “Friendship power rush! Whoo!”

And she jumped and tackled Applejack happily.

“The Elements!” Rarity exclaimed, noticing they still got them. “They didn't disappear!”

“Maybe because we used them for healing magic instead of banishing?” Fluttershy suggested.

“Look!” Gleaming said, pointing.

Star Swirl was getting out of the hideout with Stygian, supporting him because of how weak he was still feeling. After they got out, Star Swirl told him:

“Long ago, you needed our help, Stygian. But instead of listening, we turned our backs on you. Pride clouded my judgment. I owe you an apology.”

Turning then to Star, he said:

“Thank you for helping us see the errors of our ways, young Star Knight. It seems I never accounted for the Magic of Friendship.”

“Thank you, Star Swirl” Star replied. “But the truth is I also needed a little help to remind of what is important when facing a villain.”

His eyes went to Moonlight who nodded to him. After that, the Cutie Marks (and talons) of all the holders of the Elements of Harmony and Virtue glowed again, meaning their mission was over. Moonlight then turned to Star Swirl and asked, in a slight teasing way:

“Soooo... apparently a conversation stopped the Pony of Shadows, right?”

That caused Star Swirl to release a chuckle and then say:

“Something tells me I will be making a lot of apologies today.”

Comments

[Rakoon1]

I added a few more details to the chapter about the Elements of Chaos which I forgot to put.