Season 10: Dawn of a new generation of Harmony

by xombiekilla

Chapter twenty-five: Fighting for the crystal heart.

"You don't like it when the tables are turned, do you?" With a warcry, Hero hurled the giant Tainted onto the ground as he slid back towards the queen.

"What're you doing? He can't be that difficult to smash. Get back over there and crush his bones to powder!"

The brute was scared but still charged toward Hero, knowing the risks. "Okay then, let's finish this." Hero then formed a second blade in his other hoof; it looked transparent. This blade held the shape of the edge of the harmony blade but was a solid red color, matching the color of his new form. That red static coursing through his body was also running through his weapons. The hair of his mane was up in all directions from the shift in the aura.

"Hero.." Cadence said, looking at what he became. "That's some willpower to keep fighting. Yeah, we can do this."

Hero then rushed towards the giant Tainted to slash at him as he held his club in front of him like a makeshift shield. In one fell slash, both blades cleaved right through his club. "You're mine!" Suddenly, a flurry of red-colored slashes met the forlorn giant as he was flung into the air effortlessly. He was juggled by Hero's upward strikes, then thrown down hard as he slammed into the ground, stunned and ready to finish.

"Woah... That's cool." Rainbow said under her breath. Seeing Hero fight with such grace and balance while delivering a barrage of double slashes was like watching poetry in motion for Rainbow.

"Let's keep the other one distracted, Darlings. Hero's got his hooves full right now." Rarity summoned her crystals to shoot at the other giant, cracking his armor slightly, "Just trying to adopt Applejack's idea into play. This is effective." Starlight shot her magic at his eyes to blind him as he covered them to shield them. Fluttershy then used her shield to defend Applejack as she was still knocked out and vulnerable. Rainbow then sped towards the blinded giant to create a tornado around him to spin him around as he fell back. Pinkie, Celestia, and Luna decided to help protect Applejack with Fluttershy.

"It would seem that your plan is failing, Chrysalis." Mean Twilight said with a shake of her head, "Most disappointing, indeed."

"S-Shut up, Mean! I never asked you for your garbage opinion." The queen snapped at Mean Twilight, who just glared at her smugly.

"Mean's right, Chrysalis. Just give it up. With friendship on our side, you cannot win this." Twilight said as she briefly addressed Chrysalis before focusing on her other self.

"So then, I suppose my job here is pretty much completed. Hero is already showing signs of pure strength, very good. I bid you all farewell; we will see each other again, Twilight Sparkle." Mean Twilight chuckled as she summoned a pillar of darkness and was backed into it to teleport away.

"No! Wait! Stop! Come back!" Twilight reached her left forehoof to see Mean Twilight vanishing into the dark obelisk as the pillar vanished, "Mean Twilight... why are you even here? I'll have to research Yami and his vessels more." Twilight was looking towards Hero as she saw him using a volley of melee strikes on him to finish him off, then finally slamming down the giant brute to split open his armor completely.

Dazed and vulnerable, Hero slashed through the brute once exposed to divide his body into several pieces before each piece dissolved into nothingness as its heart rose. "That was all he could do. Now then, let's get this over with; come here!" Hero then rushed over to the second brute and struck in the spots. Rarity created a crystal shower attack. Rainbow then used her speed to generate another cyclone to toss that brute into the air as Hero jumped up to reach him.

"This is not looking too good. I might have to retreat without Grubber if he's not back by now," the queen muttered. Just as the second brute dealt with the last attack, his body gave out as he vanished like the other did, his heart rising. Then, Grubber finally came back in, holding onto one of the Crystal guard's necks with his hand, that guard's spear in his other hand.

"Phew. They sure do have a lot of stamina. But they were no match for me. Oh ho, there was a party here, and I wasn't invited? How rude." Grubber said, holding one soldier hostage and rushing to Chrysalis's side.

"You took your time, you know."

"Yeah. They're pretty good runners, though. I'll give them that much. After I sent out my Tainted, they ran away all scared-like."

"The looks of despair on their faces must have been priceless, huh?"

"It was." Grubber and Chrysalis cackled evilly as they glared at Twilight and the other alicorns. Cadence then stepped forth angrily.

"Enough of this, Chrysalis. You got what you wanted; now release my Soldier and leave my Kingdom immediately! And take your Tainted with you, too."

"Ah ah ah, Cadence. We cannot leave now. I've got so much power flowing through me that I believe I'll claim this castle as my own. Yes, it has been far too long since I've had a castle. You might call yourself a queen, but I've been doing this longer than you have, my dear."

"I said leave, now!"

"Or we'll make you leave, Chrysalis," Shining said to strengthen Cadence's point. Everyone else then took their stances right alongside Cadence and Shining.

"Oh really? I couldn't do much when I was searching for power. And now that I have this, I feel way stronger than anything that bell ever did for me. That power was honestly divided between myself, Tirek, and Cozy. Now it's all gone to me. Do I detect fear in those eyes, Cadence?"

"No. You're mistaken. I'm not scared, not what I have my friends here to help me."

"A brave sentiment from one who adopts the title of queen, but never the backbone or resolve of one."

"She's right. We're here for her. I just met her today, but that doesn't change anything. I'll still fight to protect her, just as I would for everyone else here." Hero said as he reverted to his regular form Exerting a lot of energy from that transformation while he and Chrysalis were at a standoff.

"Hero, right? You've got backbone. It's much more than anything I've ever seen from Cadence. Shame that you're not on my side. I do see a lot of potential in you. Much more than anything they could ever give you."

"No thanks. I'd rather be on the side where I have genuine friends. Thank you very much."

"Hmph. What a waste of potential, then. Such a pity. Grubber. Let's leave this castle to her anyway." Grubber looked flabbergasted.

"But uh, are you sure about that, your highness? This place can be yours, you know."

"Yes. I want her to know I can always return here at any point, to show her that she'll never be safe from me. I want Cadence to know genuine unease and fear."

"Yes, Your Highness. So then, what do I do with this guy?" Grubber gestured to the guard in his hand.

"Leave him. He's useless to us now that I've got what I want." Chrysalis summoned a ring of green flames to corral herself and Grubber, "We'll see each other again, Cadenza. Make no mistake of that."

"Okay then. Here. You guys can have the extra luggage; we don't need him anymore." They both laughed as they vanished after Grubber tossed the defeated and likely embarrassed Soldier towards Shining as he caught him with his magic.

"I-I'm sorry, Your Highness. I wasn't strong enough to fight them off." The Soldier said as he kneeled in respect and shame.

"Never you mind that, Soldier. You did your best. You weren't going to be a match for those two, anyway. I'm just glad you're safe." Shining's words helped immensely comfort the Soldier as he stood up, saluted, and walked back out of the Crystal Heart Chamber.

"The Tainted also seems to be gone, but to be sure, I'll power the heart back up again. Even if Chrysalis returns, I'll do my best to make things as difficult for her as possible." Cadence then began to charge up the heart back to its full strength.

"That's good. We'll gladly help you, Cadence, if any more trouble arises." Twilight declared happily.

"Yeah. I will." Hero said with confidence.

"So that transformation you just did, Hero; what did it feel like?" Twilight asked him.

"Like... like an overwhelming amount of courage building up inside of your body before erupting out." Hero replied while explaining to her.

"Then, I think we'll call that Valor Form. That appears to be fitting." Twilight said gleefully to Hero who nodded in agreement.

"So that's what Rarity meant by when she said that my outfit is capable of special powers." Hero said to himself realizing now what she meant before looking at Cadence.

"Thank you all for your love and support for my Kingdom here. Now, let's focus on enjoying what's left of tonight. That'll be nice." Cadence said as she finished charging the heart; its power unleashed a wave of love magic to turn everyone in the room into crystal ponies. Everyone was examining their bodies with glee.

"So, this was what you meant by crystal pony. This is pretty cool." Hero inspected his own body.

"Isn't it? Now, how about we all have a little celebration for successfully defending The Crystal Empire?" Cadence declared with the utmost joy.

---

A pillar of darkness forms in The Thirteenth Spire; Mean Twilight walks out of it as it disappears to see Lord Yami standing at the edge of a vast and barren terrain, deep in contemplation. "So then, you have returned? How did your assignment go for you?"

"Fortuitously. Hero has shown more of his power; this is helpful to your plans, right?"

"Indeed it is, dear Mean Twilight. That boy holds much promise, indeed. Astounding to see that he holds such strength even through the loss he's suffered."

"Oh yeah, his home was destroyed. What a pity. He must be getting his strength from grief or something else entirely."

"So it would seem. Someone as remarkable as this would be a prime candidate to be one of my vessels."

"Slight problem with that. He's a goody-goody, four hooves. He wouldn't dare fall into the darkness to become like one of us."

"Then we shall guide him once he is most vulnerable. I'll take what I put in him if I cannot have him. His darkness would be sufficient to cultivate into its unique vessel."

"But wouldn't splitting up the light and darkness of somebody damage them beyond repair? Not that I care in particular."

"It might. But Hero is a special case; this I know for sure. It'll take much more than a sharp self-divide to defeat someone like him."

"Right then. Lesser beings cannot handle being fractured like that. It turns what light they have left into darkness. Isn't that interesting?"

"Yes. Hero's heart is extraordinary; none other have been quite like his."

"So, who's going to test him next? Certainly not that queen of fabrications. She had more power than when she got Grogar's Bell."

"Hardly. Although not directly affiliated, she will still play a great role in my plans without even realizing it. She believes that she's fighting for both vengeance and herself. This is only a farce; I was the one that released her from her stone prison."

"Yes. I'm aware of that. Why, might I ask?"

"Multiple reasons. It was I who also bestowed the gift of the Tainted to her as well. Without that gift, she could do nothing for herself. The only real power she's got is what I gave her, which I could take away if she gets any smart ideas."

"So she's just a pawn to you, hmm? Don't worry; I feel the same way about her, too. And when she's finally gone, good riddance to that blabbermouth."

"You're a cold and calculating individual, did you know that? Not that there's anything wrong with that."

"There shouldn't be. So you've found who to test him with next?"

"I have. All Hero must do now is go over there to fight the Tainted that will inevitably be there."

Comments

[xombiekilla]

I'm serious. Why is this story getting so much hate? For what reason? Is that really necessary? Nobody owes me an explanation, I know. But it would be nice to have some clarity.

It just goes to sadly show that people really don't appreciate hard work and effort into stories anymore. Such a shame. If they think that this'll make me quit, then they've got another thing coming.

This is why the best potential is usually never realized, because many people who look down on you and smite your work likely without even giving it a fair read. This is what causes potentially good authors to want to quit entirely. And I do not blame them.

This reminds me of that episode with Rarity and Applejack when Applejack insulted Rarity's work so she set out to make a point by saying that it's better to be more considerate of others.

https://youtu.be/aOJqIgRR0Hk This scene to be more exact.