Colours of Dusk

by AlphatheGriffin17

Best Laid Plans

Once again, they were gathered around the map. It was certainly a bit crowded, with all twenty-one of them present, but they made do with the space they had. This time, it was with the welcome presence of those who weren't in attendance previously, namely the princesses. Celestia and Luna had taken the lead on the matter, something that Twilight was silently grateful for.

Something she wasn't grateful for was Samore. The changeling princess kept looking at her oddly, along with Celestia. She always looked away whenever Twilight noticed and didn't even look embarrassed about it. Was it something else she disapproved of that she didn't regard as being a proper princess? Twilight didn't know, but she tried not to let it distract her. Celestia was speaking and her full attention was needed.

"Friends and allies. New faces and familiar, welcome," she said. "I would first of all like to apologise for my previous state and for the absence of myself and my sister in your initial arrival. Our enemy is cunning and has managed to outmatch us at every turn. He has destroyed homes and cut lives cruelly short. This can't be allowed to continue. Fallen Soul and his minions must be stopped."

"We have been informed of various revelations in our absence," Luna continued. "We know where he is hiding and thanks to the efforts of those gathered here, we believe we have devised a strategy which should help us to turn the tide. While we share what we have conceived, however, it would be best for us all to also share and review what knowledge we have already gleaned of our foes." Luna levitated a small black pointer figurine from the side of the table and placed it upon the northern section of the map, just south of where the Crystal Empire had once stood. "First, there is Fallen himself. We know he is approaching from the North, his sights on Canterlot. However, there is enough to indicate he will pass through Ponyville first. This is where we will meet him."

"Princess, you can't seriously plan to battle him in the town!" Rarity cried. "Those are pony's homes and lives, not the least of which our own!"

"We won't be fighting him in Ponyville, but a general evacuation has already begun," said Celestia. "Las Pegasus is prepared to accept them. Tourist season has passed, so their many hotels will serve to house them until the danger has passed. Some smaller settlements westwards will do the same. Canterlot citizens have also been evacuated to the shelters in the caves too. The Guards have things underway already."

"Thanks, princess." Applejack frowned. "Wish I coulda been there ta see ma family off."

"They will be kept safe, don't worry," said Celestia. "I'm sorry the circumstances aren't more ideal, but it's necessary for what we have planned."

"So what is the plan?" asked Shining.

Luna took up speaking. "We know what Fallen Soul is after. He seeks to acquire Samore. So we will lure him and his allies to a location that is familiar to us, which can be secured and fortified for our purposes. The location itself also resides in an area which will offer some natural barriers and defences for us too." She pointed with her hoof. "Our old castle in the Everfree Forest."

"Samore will be sequestered in the lowest part of the castle," Celestia continued. "No matter what, it is imperative that we keep her out of Fallen's hooves. If he acquires her and harnesses the power of Lust, he will be able to force us to surrender utterly. He will truly be unstoppable."

"Aren't we missing something obvious? If we have this power now, why don't we just use it against Fallen?" asked Ember.

"It is not mere power that resides inside me," answered Samore. "Lust is a living entity and she would like nothing more than to be free. She is beholden to no one. I contain her, but I don't control her. The more her power is tapped into, the closer she gets to freedom and I refuse to let that happen. On that note, this plan carries great risk as it is, Celestia. You place a great deal of faith in those who have already failed against him."

"Um, excuse me?" Fluttershy looked nervous, but she held a firm expression. "That's really rude of you to say so, especially when we're all here."

Samore blinked in surprise, glancing about uncertainly. No one came to her defence, not even Thorax. She fixed her eyes on him and he pawed the ground nervously.

"It um… i-it was a little bit," he muttered quietly.

"We were caught off-guard last time, Samore," put in Twilight. "But my friends will be ready for them this time. We've beaten plenty of threats like this before, including the invasion your mother led. We'll do the same again."

The changeling's face flushed. Perhaps Twilight had gone a little far mentioning the invasion, but she wasn't in the mood for Samore's attitude. Not where those dearest to her were concerned. Fortunately, Samore didn't try to argue again.

"I believe that issue has now been addressed," said Celestia with a slight smile.

Gilda spoke up. "Actually, there's something else. I'm ready and raring to kick their flanks, but isn't still risky having Samore there anyway? Maybe we could swap her out with Thorax or something, draw him off."

Celestia shook her head. "That wouldn't work. With their powers to call on, Fallen will have become attuned to the Beasts, particularly the only one not under his control. He will find Samore, no matter where we hide her."

"N-Not to mention they have a changeling with them too," added Thorax. "Changelings a-always know if other changelings are in disguise."

"Alright, I get it. Just a suggestion," she grumbled.

Pinkie beamed at her. "A pretty good one though!"

"Don't patronise me."

"I will also state right now that I don't expect any of you to face Fallen himself," added Celestia. "That task will be left to me and my sister, since we are among the few who have a chance to match him."

"You can count me in for that as well," said Cadence. "After maiming my husband, destroying the Empire and displacing my subjects, he has a lot to answer for."

"Me too and not just for what he's done to Shining and Cadence," added Twilight. "If I'm going to be an alicorn princess, I'm going to use that authority and power to fight back. I'm not going to let Fallen scare me and I'm certainly not letting him hurt anypony else."

"Then we will be glad to have you both at our sides," said Luna. "Equestria's princesses will stand together against this threat."

Celestia said nothing, but she studied Twilight closely. Twilight returned her gaze and the pair exchanged a nod. This was something to be talked about later.

"I know it's not my place to say, but none of you do anything reckless," said Shining. "The last thing any of us or even Equestria needs is to lose you all to Fallen."

Luna adopted a determined expression. "Fear not, Shining Armour. My sister and I are formidable combatants, not to mention Twilight and Cadence are very skilled in their own rights. It will be Fallen's greatest regret that he provoked the ire of all four of us."

"Especially yours, my stars and moon," said Sombra. "I recall vividly how impassioned your anger is."

"And you would do well to remember. But don't fret, my king." She threw him a look. "The passions you ignite in me are far more pleasant."

He returned her grin. "I quite agree."

"Hey, flirt later, plan now!" interrupted Gilda.

The pair stopped, but didn't look the slightest bit embarrassed or ashamed.

"So you guys are dealing with Fallen. Do we know if he's bringing his buddies along like last time?" asked Pinkie. "I know he's the big bad, but they've hurt plenty of ponies and other beings too. They need to be taught a lesson."

"It's very likely, if only to divide our attentions between them," said Celestia. "Can I rely on all of you to face off against them?"

The wielders of the Elements of Harmony, along with their newfound allies and friends, all nodded. Celestia returned them.

"Good. I realise that I'm asking a great deal of you, but you've all proven capable in the face of adversity. I'm confident you will do so again. But let us take a moment to review the enemy," she suggested.

They began relaying the information they'd gathered on their foes. When the subject came to Tube and his former status as a staff member at Canterlot University, Trixie spoke up to Celestia.

"Sheesh, and you let a guy like that just walk around campus?" Trixie asked, her question directed at Celestia.

"While the university and its neighbouring school are mine in name, my other duties prevent me from involving myself much in their day-to-day affairs," the princess explained. "I recall Doctor Tube's name did appear before me on more than one occasion, usually in regards to a particularly outrageous piece of 'research' or one of his more controversial experiments. However, I always left the decision of how to handle such matters to the university's heads. Up until his ultimate defection, Tube had never done anything which could be labelled as criminal."

"That we know of," Luna added grimly. "In hindsight, his sociopathic tendencies should have been rather clear, especially to his superiors at the time. If he is capable of maintaining such subterfuge, I advise caution. That kind of mind can be dangerous."

"Yeah, like we hadn't seen enough of that already," said Trixie. "He's already made giant robots, a cyborg and mutated a thestral to make her stronger and faster."

"He'll pay. They all will," growled Ember. "Especially the bat."

"Ember-"

"Spike, if you're about to tell me again that she's not all that bad, you're going to regret it."

"I'm telling you, there's more to it!" he insisted. "I really think life just dealt her a bad hoof!"

"Oh yeah?" she challenged. "And where's your evidence for that?"

Spike blanched and looked up across the table, giving Luna a strange look, as though silently asking for aid. The Night Princess caught his gaze and stared back for a few long moments before sighing.

"Thestrals have always preferred the night, and as such have long been associated with me and my dominion over it," she began. "That many of the Lunar Guard are thestrals themselves only reinforces this perception. When I became Nightmare Moon and was subsequently banished, however, I understand the thestral ponies in turn became a convenient target of hatred by Equestria's populace at large." She looked to her elder sister for confirmation.

"They did," Celestia confirmed sadly, raising a hoof to her forehead. "Without question, one of my greatest failures as a ruler. For much of the past thousand years, thestrals have been widespread victims of fear and prejudice in Equestria, generally living in small communities near or outside our borders. I have done all I can to forbid and discourage such mistreatment, but there is still only so much I can do to personally curb that kind of behaviour amongst our subjects. It has not been nearly so bad for them now as in the first few decades following the incident, but even so… It is only as of the past few years that these fears have begun to lift, as thestrals are gradually being accepted by the public once more. A change brought about primarily due to your efforts, sister."

"Indeed." Luna took on a sullen expression. "Though the thestrals' current plight is still due, at least in part, to my own past actions…" She returned her gaze to Spike. "Regardless, I can certainly understand why this Selena may feel as though she has been forced into a life of violence in order to overcome such mistreatment. I can even empathise. However, that does not excuse her current actions. Lives have been lost because of her, Spike. That is something we cannot overlook, especially if she shows no remorse for it."

Spike opened his mouth as if to argue, but held himself back. In the end he simply nodded and looked away, leaning back from the table slightly. Both Rarity and Ember looked like they wanted to say something to him, but neither knew exactly what.

"Let's not worry about that for now. What about these twins, Snick and Slash?" asked Shining. "Do we know anything about these two, other than their names and strange choice of clothing?"

"Very little," Celestia said in response. "We've not had the time to check the archives for any criminals or other outstanding ponies who match their descriptions. Given that we know nothing of their appearances beneath their masks, we aren't likely to find anything even if we did. Based on their apparent attire and combat proficiency, however, it's likely that they are mercenaries, possibly assassins. Such professions are more common in larger cities with larger criminal underworlds. If that is the case, depending on their degree of professional skill, the names 'Snick and Slash' themselves may be mere monikers to conceal their true identities."

Rainbow raised an eyebrow. "...yeah, I'm gonna go ahead and not ask how you know so much about this stuff."

Celestia merely shrugged. "Unfortunately, it's quite difficult to rule a nation for as long as I have without picking up on a few things. I've never stooped to using such 'services' myself, but the knowledge has at least been useful, on occasion."

"Right. Anyways," Shining pressed, clearly a bit uncomfortable with the topic. "So their identities are basically unknown. At least Pinkie and Zecora have given us accounts of their fighting styles so we have a general idea of what to expect from them. Better than nothing."

"I was curious about this Osteo," said Sombra. "Celestia, Applejack mentioned that he spoke of something known as the 'Way of the Beast'. Does this mean anything to you?"

Celestia's reaction was immediate. She closed her eyes and lifted both hooves to her forehead, as though fending off a headache.

"Oh, no…"

"You know something then, sister?" Luna asked pointedly.

"Yes, I suppose I do." Celestia sounded more exasperated than anything else as she lowered her hooves and regarded all of them. "I believe I know now who this Osteo is. Or at least, I have a very strong suspicion."

"Then by all means, share."

Celestia shook her head again before continuing. "'The Way of the Beast' is a term I am, unfortunately, familiar with. In the days when the Demon Beasts freely roamed the land, there were… certain individuals, shall we say, who did not fear them so much as revere them. Individuals who saw the Beasts not for the terrible, living forces of nature that they are, but as divine entities. Heralds of destruction. Gods, or the avatars of gods, you might even say. Over time, these scattered individuals would find each other and come together, forming a doctrine which they called…"

"The Way of the Beast," Twilight finished.

Celestia nodded. "Precisely."

"Are you serious? There was a cult of ponies who worshipped those things?!" Rainbow guffawed. "That's… but… we've seen Wrath, he's a monster, plain as day!" She looked around the table for support, her fellow Elements nodding in agreement. "Why would anypony want to worship something like that? How could anyone look at one of those things and think it's some kind of god?!"

"Quite easily, as it happened," Celestia answered simply. "Misguided or not, when forced to witness overwhelming, seemingly-unstoppable power as was wielded by the Beasts, it wasn't uncommon for some to associate that power with a divine presence or purpose. Those who practised the Way of the Beast believed, to put it simply, in survival of the fittest. They believed that the nature of life, of the world, was meant to be a constant conflict. Day after day of struggle and toil, with the strong always rising to prevail and stand over the weak."

"That sounds rather uncomfortably like the nonsense Fallen was spouting at us," Rarity piped in.

"Quite so. The worst part, however, was that practitioners of the Way of the Beast believed that the Demon Beasts were the living, breathing representations of this way of life. To them, the Beasts were entities embodying aspects of the strength needed to survive and thrive in a world of conflict. Thus, they were treated as gods, divine figures to be prayed to for strength." Her scowl deepened. "Fortunately, the practice was never particularly widespread. Most saw the Beasts for what they were, as roving titanic monsters. Others were driven away from the doctrine when they realised that praying to the Beasts would in no way spare them from an attack by one. But there were always some. Even after the Beasts were ultimately defeated and sealed away, the Way of the Beast did not die out. Not immediately." She shifted uncomfortably on her cushion as she looked up, remembering. "I was still very young when they were a problem. Ironically, many who worshipped the Beasts accepted their defeat, citing 'the weak fall, the strong prevail'. But there were more fanatical sects which claimed we'd defied the natural order, committed sacrilege. Some threatened more extreme acts of violence in the Beasts' name. There were even rumours that some of these sects went so far as to delve into dark rituals and forbidden magics, altering their own bodies in order to become better capable of the violence they sought. Over time though, such troublesome sects were eventually… dealt with."

She didn't elaborate, nor did anyone seated around the table ask her to.

"As time went on and the Beasts faded from memory, the Way of the Beast, too, gradually fell away into obscurity." The princess looked back down at all of them. "I have not heard the term used since I was young. I'd thought the practice had vanished entirely, as it should have. But if this Osteo claims to be a follower of it, and wields such strange abilities, then it seems at least one sect managed to survive in secret, and continued to pass down its teachings and practises through the centuries."

There was a long silence in the wake of Celestia's tale, everyone at the table shooting each other with uncomfortable looks.

"Sooo… he's a super-strong, fighting-obsessed, crazy cultist," Trixie deadpanned.

"Sounds like that's the gist of it," Applejack answered blandly, her knit brow and sour look making it clear exactly what she thought of the revelation.

"Great. That's great. Totally great." Trixie groaned and put her head in her hooves. "I swear, these guys just keep getting worse and worse…"

"If they studied their own kind of magic, that would also account for his bone-shifting abilities," said Twilight. She frowned thoughtfully. "That reminds me. Dusk, I wanted to ask you something about Grace. When you faced him in Ponyville, did anything about him seem different, in comparison to his puppets? Besides the fact that he talked, I mean."

Dusk wasn't sure what the purpose of the question was, but nevertheless gave it serious thought. Everything Grace had said and done, both before and after the accidental reveal of what he was beneath the cloak. The weapons which had conspicuously appeared and then vanished from his forelegs whenever he attacked, the way his limbs had detached from and hovered around the main body, the unnervingly calm and even-toned way the pony always spoke even as he mocked his efforts or made grandiose gestures, the way he managed to emote, faintly and uncannily, yet still in stark contrast to the utterly expressionless puppets he'd commanded…

"There was something, yes," he said tentatively. "He was able to make expressions. Do things like smile, frown, laugh. It was always subdued and hard to see but, for the most part, it seemed genuine. Then his voice was usually flat and calm, but it still had inflections sometimes, usually when he became upset."

Twilight nodded to herself, like she'd just confirmed something. "Celestia," she then said. "The library in my old room hasn't been touched, right? Everything in the section on 7th Century Discoveries should still be where it was?"

"I believe so, yes, unless they've been disturbed by recent events," Celestia answered, clearly confused. "Why-"

Twilight horn began glowing just before she suddenly vanished in a burst of magenta light, leaving everyone at the table stunned by her abrupt departure. Nearly a minute of awkward silence passed as they all waited to see if and when she would return.

Ember coughed lightly. "...so are we waiting for her to come back, or-"

Another bright magenta flash cut her off, and Twilight was back where she'd been seated, this time cradling a large book in her hooves.

"Found it!" she declared as she opened the book on the table and began frantically flipping through the pages.

"Twilight, what is the meaning of this?" Luna asked.

"The seventh and eighth centuries post-unification. Dubbed 'The Golden Age of Magic'," Twilight answered automatically while she rapidly scanned page after page of text. "What Dusk said reminded me of something I once read. It's just a hunch, but… here!"

She stopped and spun the book around for all of them to see, revealing one page covered in text and alchemical diagrams alongside a detailed, full-page illustration of a round and bulky bipedal figure, with extremely thick limbs, large fingered-hands, and no discernible feet. At the centre of the figure's chest, the frozen image of some manner of flame was depicted.

"The golem-creation spell?" Celestia wondered aloud, before her eyes widened. "I see…"

"G-golem?" came the sound of Fluttershy's mumbled voice. She squeaked when everyone turned to look at her. "S-sorry. I just… remembered. The golems in Golem Gorge. Dusk, Pinkie and I went there once, t-to help Zecora…"

"Right, those were natural golems," Twilight explained. "Elemental spirits inhabiting bodies composed of basic environmental matter. Stone, wood, water, sometimes even air or fire. In the seventh century though, there were unicorn mages devising new spells left, right, and centre. One group of unicorns decided to see if they could invent a spell that would let them create their own artificial golems, to serve as free manual labour. In the end, they were successful… sort of."

"Correct." Celestia exchanged a careful look with Twilight, who nodded at her to continue. "I remember the controversy which surrounded this particular spell. In order to cast it, one had to first compose a vessel to serve as a 'heart', and then construct a suitable body around that heart. Most often these bodies were made from clay, but some opted to use wood or carved stone, even metal. Then, the caster would perform the spell to imbue the artificial heart with a living essence, granting the construct a facsimile of life. From that point onward, the golem would act as an autonomous servant, obeying the word of the one who created it."

"Okay… neat. What does this have to do with Grace, exactly?" Rainbow asked impatiently.

"The side effects," Twilight answered, not even acknowledging Rainbow's tone. "According to various accounts, golems that were created using this spell would sometimes exhibit faint traces of personality, reflective of whoever created them. Some, particularly the ones that had existed for a long time, would even start to show signs of independent will and thought, capable of moving and acting on their own volition."

Dusk's thoughts suddenly became a whirl at the implication Twilight was getting at. "Twilight, are you trying to say what I think you are? That Grace might be some kind of golem?"

"I-!" she began excitedly, but then stopped, and frowned. "I… I'm not sure. It sounds completely ridiculous, saying it out loud, but… I can't think of any other explanation for how a puppet would be able to walk, talk, and fight on its own accord, otherwise. But even then, to develop so much free autonomy would be…" she trailed off.

"Well, if Grace really is some kind of weird puppet-golem-pony-thing, then somepony would have had to make him too, right?" Spike asked. "That would be the real Grace, wouldn't it? Maybe he's hovering around somewhere in Fallen's base?"

Twilight didn't answer, instead humming in thought.

"What I would like to know is why I have never heard of this spell before," Trixie huffed. "The Great and Powerful Trixie would have much enjoyed having her own serv- I mean, stage-hoof. One that didn't need to eat. Or talk. Or get paid."

"The reason for that, Trixie, is that this spell never saw use beyond the century of its conception," Celestia told her. "After the spell was publicised, unicorns all over Equestria began creating and using golem servants for the next couple of decades, until the spell's most disastrous side effect started to become apparent. Life energy was needed to fuel the golems, you see. And life cannot be created from nothing, not the way this spell went about it. Rather than attempt the extraordinarily difficult task of sparking new life within an inanimate shell, the spell instead took a piece of the caster's own life essence, their very aura and soul, and transplanted it into the golem's heart. That is why golems would, over time, show traces of their owners' personalities."

"That doesn't sound so bad," Pinkie said brightly. "Unless taking out a piece of your soul is, like, super painful. Which I guess it might be? Dunno, haven't tried it. Who knows what could happen. Like going bald or pale or even losing a nose!"

"It was less the act itself, and more the consequences which came as a result," Celestia went on. "Our understanding of the soul and its properties is still very limited, even after all of this time, but we do know that it prefers to be one whole piece, and dividing it is not without consequences. Unicorns who performed this spell would, over time, begin experiencing ever-increasing amounts of lethargy and apathy. In addition, it quickly became apparent that those who created their own golems experienced shortened lifespans. Exponentially shorter, in the cases of those who went so far as to create multiple. Furthermore, after a golem's creator perished, the golem itself would always immediately go berserk unless measures were taken beforehoof to contain and destroy it. Many theories were generated as to why this happened, but none knew for certain. Because of the cost to the caster's own life and the danger which artificial golems would pose later on, the spell was banned and declared a forbidden practice at the turn of the 8th century."

Everyone was silent again, processing everything they'd just heard. It was ultimately broken by Dusk.

"So if this heart is what's animating him, could that present a weakness of sorts?" he asked.

"I would say so. You'd still have to expose it though and I doubt he would make it that easy," said Twilight.

"Regardless," said Celestia, "this has certainly given us some insight into our enemies. Bear it in mind if you encounter them. Anything could prove useful, even the most miniscule of details. However, I should note that not all of you will be joining us in Ponyville and battling there. A small group of you will be diverted to Dragon's Lair island." She indicated it on the map. "We know that Fallen has to be keeping the Beast hosts there to draw on their power. Your mission will be to infiltrate their hideout and disrupt this connection."

"That particular task will be left to myself," said Sombra. "With my own crystal magic, I can transform his transmitters into a different composition than their current one. It will be sufficient to disrupt his connection to them and should weaken him whilst also keeping the hosts contained until the Beasts can be fully sealed away again. However, I would appreciate any who would volunteer to join me. About half a dozen should be sufficient. We don't want to draw too much attention, nor minimise the efforts of those defending Samore."

"Well, we both know how useless you are without me," said Trixie. "I've taken the time to prepare some more hard-hitting fireworks. I'll ensure our little sideshow brings the whole house down."

"I will come as well," added Doom. "I would relish the chance to destroy the very heart of their foetid plans."

"I'm going too," said Ember. "When we were reading up on the place, we found out about a passage near the base of the mountain. Only a dragon can open it, so I can give us a way in. Plus, like Doom here said, this looks like the best way to hurt Fallen and make him pay for what he's done."

"And there was a map inside too," added Thorax. "I-It used to be a diamond dog mine and I memorised it. We'll bring it along just in case, but changeling hives are pretty much the same so I can help you find your way around."

Until now, Dusk had remained quiet. Despite the assurances of his friends and what Discord had told them, it was still partly his fault that Ray had been captured. The thought resurfaced that if he'd just told Ray much sooner at least, he could have known what to expect. The stallion had done a great deal for him, saved him both directly and indirectly. It made his decision much easier.

"I volunteer as well," he announced.

Every head turned to look at him in shock. Sombra had to take a moment to collect himself.

"This is surprising, Dusk," he said. "I would have thought you would want to stay here."

"My friend is in trouble and this is a chance to get him back. If the Elements don't work against Fallen anyway, then my being here isn't necessarily essential. If I can help to save Ray, then I will."

"Dusky, we already said we don't blame you for what happened," said Pinkie. "Don't feel like you have to make up for that."

"I'm not abandoning him, Pinkie," he said firmly. "I'm not doing this because I feel guilty, but because he's one of my best friends and he needs me."

He could tell the girls still had some reservations. Twilight looked especially apprehensive and she spoke when he looked at her.

"It'll be dangerous though," she said quietly. "If something happens to you, I…"

He managed a smile. "As opposed to you, fighting against an alicorn with demonic powers at his beck and call?"

"Yeah, I guess I can't really talk there," she said with a slight laugh. "It's your decision, Dusk and I understand why. Just… just be careful."

"The same to all of you," he replied.

"I'm happy to have you along, Dusk. That goes for all of you," Sombra added to his volunteers. "Our task is by no means easy, but when we succeed, our enemy will be brought that much closer to his end."

"Hey, what about the tablet?" asked Spike. "You finished translating it. Maybe that has something else that can help against the Beasts."

"I'm afraid that it may not be as helpful as I had hoped," said Sombra. "Though my translations are complete, the tablet itself is not. There are vague references to the other Beasts, but nothing that Celestia could not tell us in much greater detail. The only part that stood out was the mention of those Seeds of Harmony, but the Elements have proven themselves lacking."

"The tablet specifically mentioned seeds?" asked Celestia.

Sombra nodded. "As best as I could translate it, yes. Does that mean anything?"

Celestia and Luna exchanged a look. For a few moments, they seemed to silently debate whether or not to reveal something of importance. In the end, they arrived at a decision.

"There may be something," said Luna. "The Elements are not a creation of myself and my sister. Rather, we found them at the Tree of Harmony."

"Tree of Harmony?" repeated Twilight. "I've never even heard of it. Another secret?"

"One that was kept for good reason," replied Luna, responding to Twilight's accusing tone. "While the Elements are powerful, we didn't know what kind of effect it would have on them if the Tree became known to potential foes and was targeted. We were careful to avoid any direct reference to it and had our original castle built above the cave where it is hidden, just in case."

"But after the banishment of my sister and when Fallen burned down the castle," continued Celestia, "I simply couldn't bear to remain there or see it rebuilt. I still kept a close eye on the Tree, but removing the Elements seemed to have no adverse effect on it. Not even after a thousand years. Because only myself and Luna knew of its existence, I believed it was secure enough to leave it relatively undisturbed."

"So if we go find the Tree, maybe there's somethin' there that can help," said Applejack. "Like these Seeds maybe, if the Elements are like the Tree's fruit. Or maybe the Seeds are inside the Elements, like an apple's."

"I think it would be unwise to smash the Elements open on the off-chance they might have something inside them," pointed out Strongheart.

"Plus if the princesses already got the Elements from the Tree and they couldn't stop Fallen, what are these Seeds gonna do? If there actually are any Seeds," added Rainbow.

"And regardless, the Beasts aren't the main problem right now. Fallen is and that's because he's using their power," put in Shining. "We already have a plan to stop that. So long as their energies are kept contained inside the crystals, Celestia can use the same spell she did on Wrath to lock them away again. We can deal with the Beasts themselves later."

"But what if there's a chance the Seeds could do something more against the Beasts than just lock them away inside poor beings," said Fluttershy. "If we find out what they are, we could help Ray and get that horrible Wrath out of his head."

"That's assuming that the Seeds will do so, not to mention assuming they are literal things," said Sombra. "The wording of the tablet was unclear at best and without the rest of it, I have no way to ascertain with absolute certainty. We can't afford to rely on vagueness at a time like this."

"It might be worth bringing the Elements to the Tree anyway, since we're going to be there regardless," suggested Cadence. "We already know they don't work against Fallen or the Beasts with their powers combined as they are. If we return them to the Tree and something happens, then great. If not, at least we know where they are and can take them back if we need to."

After a brief moment of discussion, the idea was agreed to. Celestia took out the original box she'd kept them in and the wielders removed the necklaces and crown in the case of Twilight. Dusk felt a little bit reluctant to part with Unity. He could tell the others did with their Elements too. But they wouldn't do them much good right now and at least they were still secure.

"Then we are almost ready," she declared. "All that remains now is to prepare ourselves for battle. Follow me to the armoury."

The group filed out of the planning room, trailing behind Celestia. She took them down a set of stairs, deeper into the castle.

"This feels like a step-up," said Rainbow.

"But we're going down, silly!" replied Pinkie, sliding down the bannister. "Weeee!"

Rainbow rolled her eyes. "I mean, we've never had armour and stuff for any of our other fights."

"We weren't really in a position to acquire any," said Dusk. "The Elements were all we needed for Discord and the changelings took us by surprise. We simply had to make do."

"Something which we've seen fit to rectify," said Luna. "On the off-chance we encountered a more substantial threat that the Elements alone were not able solve, it was deemed prudent to have something prepared for you."

"I've made my own contribution recently," said Cadence. "Unfortunately, the contents of Sombra's vault were mostly destroyed when Fallen attacked. However, I did send a few noteworthy items here after some restorations were done on them. Everyone else should be able to make use of them."

The first door they entered was into a room full of armour and weapons for the Royal Guard. The golden shine of Celestia's Sun Guard and the lustrous dark silver of Luna's Shadow Guard. Weapons ranging from crossbows to spears to leg-mounted blades decorated the walls. But Celestia led them past these to another door at the back, one that was opened by her horn.

A breath-taking sight awaited them. Several sets of pristine, well-kept armour gleamed back at them. Seven of the sets were quite distinctive, decorated with the colours and cutie marks for each of the Element wielders.

"We had these fashioned not long after the Changeling Skirmish," Celestia explained. "They are made of mythril, taken from the Crystal Caves during their excavation to create the shelters. They will protect you from all but the most devastating of blows, whilst also being lightweight enough that your movements won't be inhibited."

"We also have some unique weapons fashioned for you," added Luna. "Hopefully, you won't have to use them but it pays to be prepared."

"Check this out!" Rainbow ran a hoof over her set, along with a pair of rainbow wing blades. "Oh yeah, they'd better watch out!"

"Elegant, refined…" Rarity gave the fan blade from her set some experimental swings. "And simple. Lovely!"

"Now, this here's some fancy stuff." Applejack tested the weight of the large hammer with her accompaniment. "This is gonna knock some heads."

"Hey, these look nifty!" Pinkie swung a set of bolas and examined her armour. "Hey, look at all these pouches! I can fit plenty of fun surprises in these."

"O-Oh my…" Fluttershy looked warily at a pair of bracelets. "These um… they're not dangerous, are they?"

"No, Fluttershy. I had these made for you, using my own magic contained in the crystals, along with Shining Armour's." Cadence indicated a bracelet inset with a blue butterfly and purple one respectively. "The blue one projects a restorative beam at whatever you point it at. The other provides a small, personal shield around you and whatever's nearest to you."

"Yeah, we figured you weren't exactly one for a fight but these should help protect others," put in Shining.

Fluttershy looked relieved. "That sounds better. Thank you."

"Hey check it out! Dragon armour!" Spike picked up the chest piece of his set and held it up against himself. "What do you think, Ember? Bet I'll look pretty tough with this."

"Yeah… I-I mean, it's not just meant for show," she said quickly, her cheeks flushed. "Come on, I'll give you a hand with it."

"We had these staffs prepared for the two of you." Luna levitated them to Cadence and Twilight. "We made a recent addition to the gem in yours, Cadence. Some shards of the Crystal Heart were carried with us when we rescued the crystal ponies. They have been fashioned into this and though it won't be the same, it should help you call upon the remnants of its power."

Cadence took it gently. She gazed at where Luna indicated, seeing the shards glint at the top of the staff. She clutched it closely to her and placed her hoof on Luna's with a thankful smile. Shining kissed his wife's cheek while he retrieved his own shield and axe.

Twilight's staff was finely crafted from brass that looked like gold. The topper was a horseshoe shape, with a gem shaped like her cutie mark. The base was sharp, as was Cadence's. She didn't need to ask what that was for.

Dusk's weapon was a rapier blade, his cutie mark decorating the end of the handle. He looked to Sombra, who nodded when he unsheathed it and gave it a few swings.

"It becomes you well, my young friend," he said.

"Not too well, I hope." Dusk looked at the sword regretfully. "I never liked this much."

"It's a necessity. Accept it and don't whine about it," growled Doom. "And you can keep your tawdry trinkets. I have no need of weapons. I am a weapon."

Gilda suppressed a laugh. "Sure you are, dude."

"Unfortunately, we couldn't prepare custom sets for all of you." Celestia looked to Gilda, Trixie, Thorax, Doom, Zecora and Strongheart. "We didn't expect your involvement."

"However, you may find these useful." Cadence levitated some flat crests to them. "From Sombra's Vault. This is crystal mythril. Press these to your chests and they'll mould into armour that best fits you."

With a little reluctance on some of their parts, they did as she instructed. Like she said, reinforced crystal spread across their bodies and formed into armour. It featured most prominently around their legs and bodies. Gilda had a protective layer on her wings that also sharpened at the tips and they all seemed quite satisfied with the results.

"Wow, it's so light!" exclaimed Thorax. "When changelings usually wear armour, it's formed from hardened resin that we spit onto our bodies. This feels much better."

"And less gross," added Gilda. She flexed her wings. "Yeah, not too bad."

"This certainly won't inhibit my speed," said Strongheart while stretching her legs. "It's a bit flashy for my tastes but as long as it protects me."

"This is the perfect amount of flashy!" declared Trixie. "From show magician to battlemage. Behold, the Grand and Magnificent Trixie!"

"I believe I shall be served well, protected by this crystal shell," said Zecora.

Doom only huffed. He'd taken a set almost grudgingly and kept quiet on his thoughts.

Celestia then prompted them to take a pick of whatever weapon they liked. Strongheart took a mace, while Trixie fitted herself with a pair of hoof daggers. Gilda grabbed a spear, Thorax taking a leg mounted crossbow. Zecora declined a weapon, as did Doom and Ember, the latter saying her own claws were enough. Spike expressed the same sentiments.

Meanwhile, the royal sisters took up a set of weapons they hadn't felt the need to wield for a long time. For Celestia, a golden halberd decorated with the image of the sun at its head named Solar Flare. Luna reacquainted herself with her twin scythes, Waning and Waxing Crescent. The pair exchanged a grim look with each other. Regret, resolve and a little bit of fear passed between them silently before turning to their assembled force.

"Make yourselves ready quickly," said Celestia. "Our enemies draw closer with every passing moment and we will meet them with an appropriate greeting."

---

They must have looked quite a sight, walking out of the armoury. The princesses at the head, the wielders of the Elements and an array of allies, comprised of all manner of beings. Though their purpose was far from pleasant, it was a testament to their willingness to stand together, despite their backgrounds and differences.

Despite the relative lightness of his weapon and armour, it still weighed heavily on Dusk. Once again, he had to fight and now, he actually looked the part of a soldier. He wasn't sure if he liked it.

"It's never easy." Shining must have sensed his unease and looked at him with sympathy. "When you have to put this stuff on. But remember the reasons why you're doing it and you can't go wrong."

"Exactly," put in Spike. "Look at it like this: in a few hours, we'll have Ray back, Fallen's gonna be sent packing and we're gonna celebrate."

"Indeed we will," said Sombra. "Perhaps another round of drinks are called for, to mark the reunion of the Dusketeers."

"And to mark the passing of our fallen comrade," said Dusk. It didn't make his apprehension vanish, but he felt a little better. "I'll hold you all to that."

"It's a promise." Shining paused in their walk to draw his axe and hold it before him. "All for one…"

"… and one for all," the other three chorused, placing their weapons atop his (or claws in Spike's case) before raising them up as one.

They re-entered the throne room. Sombra's team separated from the group, with Luna approaching to teleport them to the island. Celestia and the Ponyville group remained to watch them go, the two parties facing each other to offer farewells.

"H-Hey Ember…" Spike approached, fiddling with his claws. "Be careful, okay? You still gotta show me more dragon customs."

"Same to you." She hesitated for a moment, then kissed his cheek again. "I'm… I'm glad I met you, Spike."

Spike looked back at her, stole himself and returned the gesture. "You too…"

"H-Hey! I didn't say you could…!" She touched her cheek, blushing up a storm. "W-Well… I'll allow it. Just this once!"

Gilda, Strongheart and Zecora faced towards Doom and Trixie. The zebra inclined her head to both of them.

"Though perhaps you didn't have the best of starts, I'm happy to have seen you both play better parts," she said. "I wish you both the best of luck to stop these fiends running amok."

"As do I. You have great strength, despite your fears. I'm happy to know you and call you a friend," said Strongheart to Trixie. To Doom, she said, "I'm still not sure what to make of you. You have much anger, but also pain. I hope you find some measure of peace."

Doom snorted. "What need have I for peace? A fragile concept, at best."

"Don't mind him, he's always like that," said Trixie. "I'm glad to know both of you too. Maybe next time I'm in Appleloosa, you can come see my show?"

"I'll be waiting in the front row!" promised Strongheart.

They waited to see if Gilda had anything to add. The griffin regarded them both steadily, before speaking in a blunt tone.

"You're alright, I guess," she shrugged. "Don't die."

Both Trixie and Doom decided to interpret this as Gilda's version of a tearful embrace and simply nodded in return.

The Element wielders were offering a collective hug to their one, wayward companion. It was fair to say there wasn't a single dry eye among them.

"Y'all keep yerself safe, Dusk," said Applejack. "Don't do anythin' stupid."

"Or at least nothing we wouldn't do," added Rainbow.

"That doesn't leave me many options," he replied. He focused on Fluttershy. "I promise, I'll bring him back."

"M-Make sure you do too," she whispered.

"What she said!" Pinkie gave him another tight hug, holding back sobs. "You're both getting the biggest 'welcome back to Ponyville' party and that's that!"

"I wouldn't have it any other way." Dusk was released by Pinkie, only to get another hug and long kiss from Twilight. "Miss Sparkle…"

"Not 'miss' for too much longer," she replied. "And you'd better come back. I almost lost my brother and sister-in-law. I'd better not lose my fiancé or I'll never forgive you."

"Of course. Fallen and his cohorts can only kill me. I know to expect much worse from your ire." He kissed her again. "I love you."

"And I love you." She pressed her face into his shoulder. "Come back to me."

"Don't worry, everypony," said Thorax. "I-I'll look after him, make sure he comes back."

"That goes for you too," said Fluttershy. "When you rescue Ray, we can have a lovely tea party and I'll introduce you properly."

Thorax beamed. "I-I'd love that! I've never had tea before."

"Then I'll make sure to pick out a good one." She flew up, hugged Thorax and kissed his cheek. "You're the loveliest changeling I've ever met. Thank you, Thorax."

The changeling looked stunned at the gesture, but was grinning like a loon in seconds. But his grin turned to surprise when Samore approached him.

"Y-Your highness." He bowed to her. "I'm sorry, I-I should have asked your permission before I volunteered."

"Yes, you should have." She gave him that same look Dusk had seen her do with Twilight earlier. "But I give you leave regardless, dro… Thorax. Do your duty to the Swarm."

"I-I will, your highness!" he vowed. "Thank you!"

"Yes. Well…" Samore looked like she wasn't completely certain of what she'd just done, but didn't say anything else.

Meanwhile, two former ponies of darkness regarded each other closely. The expressions on both Sombra and Luna were unreadable. His eyes passed over her armoured form and he smiled.

"You look fit for battle, my stars and moon," he said. "I would be surprised if our enemy doesn't simply turn and flee at the sight of you."

"Quite so." Luna seemed to consider something, then stepped up. "Sombra. Marry me."

He blinked several times at this. "I… well, of course, Luna. We need only wait until-"

"No. No more waiting. Marry me, here and now. We have waited for a thousand years and I refuse to be parted before we have what was denied to us so long ago." She looked away briefly. "If you would have me, of course."

Sombra was only quiet for a few moments. They had an officiate and plenty of witnesses to the occasion. Yes, it was peculiar but given the circumstances…

"So long as you will have me," he answered.

Luna gasped. She smiled. Then, she grinned. So did Sombra. She caught her sister's eye. Celestia looked just as surprised, but offered no objection. She moved to stand between them. Cadence was quickly selected as Luna's mare of honour, much to the love alicorn's glee whilst Dusk was chosen as Sombra's best stallion.

"Friends and allies, from far and wide," Celestia began. "We are gathered here today to witness the union of this mare and this stallion. Luna, do you take Sombra to be your beloved-?"

"I do, yes, yes!" she cheered at once.

"Sombra, do you take Luna as your wife? To have and to hold, for as long as you shall live?"

"With all that I am, I do," he answered.

"Then by the power invested in me, as Princess of Equestria, I hereby pronounce you husband and wife! You may now kiss the…"

She trailed off when they started kissing at the word 'wife'. Scattered applause came out from those present and Pinkie even managed to throw some confetti.

"There," said Luna when they parted. "Now, as your wife, I command you to make all efforts to return alive and unharmed. If you don't, those responsible shall be hurled into the heart of a star and you will be destined for the couch."

"With a command such as this, I consider it my proud duty as a warrior and as your husband to fulfil it." He kissed her again and they pressed their horns against each other. "I love you, my Luna."

"As I love you, my Sombra." Luna caught Dusk's eye. "I'm sure my sister would be willing to do the same for you and Twilight, if you wish."

The engaged couple shared a look. At the same time, they declined.

"I consider it an incentive for him to return and complete," said Twilight. "Not that he needs one but even so."

"I feel the same way, though I thank you for offering, Luna." Dusk hugged her too. "Thank you. For everything."

"And you as well, my best friend," she murmured. She nuzzled his cheek and smiled. "I've never been more proud of you. Fight well, Dusk Noir."

He inclined his head to her, then went to stand with Sombra, Doom, Trixie, Ember and Thorax. Luna's horn glowed and surrounded them in brilliant midnight blue. There was a flash and they were gone. Wasting no time, Celestia engulfed her group in her golden aura and they vanished too, leaving an empty throne room behind.

Comments

[Auto-Buscus]

Let’s freaking go!!! It’s go time!

A lot of pleasant surprises in this chapter. And some new information.

A lot of emotions being thrown around here. A lot of great characters risking their lives to stop this evil.

Let’s hope Samore is able to stay out of Fallen’s clutches (I’m guessing she will get caught).

Also, surprise Luna and Sombra wedding. This series is awesome!

I’m rearing to go for tomorrow’s chapter. Ready to see a rematch with Dusk and Grace. As well as the princesses taking on Fallen.

So much to react to in this chapter I can’t even remember it all. lol

[Stellar_]

Man, everyones getting married huh

[AlphatheGriffin17]

11475031
Well, two sets of people certainly xD