in the mist of battle, a unicorn must use a spell that could turn the tides of war, but this magic spell is filled with dark magic that could cause more destruction.
With the battle of the changelings winding down, it seems the army in the San Palomino Desert have suffered heavy losses to their enemy. In the final act of the war, a lone unicorn cast one final magical spell to turn the tide of the war. mustering the last bit of his magic to preform spell, he hopes this final act will eradicate the enemy. however, he is unaware of the dark magic he is conjuring up
A unicorn strained to control the amount of magic required to perform the powerful spell as he winced while his horn glowed black and green. He cracked open his eye to watch the green changeling blood slither from their lifeless bodies. It started to form a large circle with strange symbols like that in the spell book. If this didn't work, all of pony kind would be reduced to cattle for the changelings.
The battle that lead up to this point was a growling one: at the very start, the Equestrian army was ambushed by the changelings. As the battle continued, they suffered heavy losses. The hive they were sent to destroy produced changelings every second resulting in an endless army of the insectoid creatures.
He winced again as he felt the warm blood drip from his right nostril and from the corner of his mouth. The circle under him grew and started to glow as the symbols rose up from the ground and imbed themselves into his body. He felt them burn into his skin as he bit his lip to stop himself from screaming. Just a little longer, got to hold out a little longer! He thought to himself. The sky started to grow dark and filled with storm clouds as lightning shot all across the sands, the crackle of thunder echoing throughout in the sky. Four funnels started to descend from the sky as lightning swirled around them. He felt a magical surge building up inside of him and with one jerk of his head he sent the massive amount of magical energy hurdling into the clouds. A loud crackle of thunder boomed in the air before a massive pitch black lightning bolt blasted from the sky and into the unicorn's horn. Pitch black lightning swirled around his body before he fell unconscious as the army of changelings advancing on him.
One of the funnels of clouds dissipated. Standing there was a blood red stallion, his mane and tail made of flames as well as his hooves. He cracked a smile as he walked towards the changeling army, every step singeing the sand beneath him. His ember eyes moving back and forth counting all the changelings before him. He reared back breathing in a large amount of air before he exhaled and flames blasted out of his mouth towards the changeling army. Those unfortunate to move were caught in the blaze.
However, the screams coming from the flames weren't the changelings, but the sounds of torchered souls trapped within the crackling flames. The changelings inside the flames felt claws rip and tear at their skin. The flames weren't burning them, but tearing them apart. Many tried to escape the flames but felt the claws cut into their hooves keeping them inside the flames. The flames started taking the form of ponies that lunged at the changelings and began eating then alive. Their bright green blood stained the sand as the flames ripped open their chests with their razor sharp teeth and clawed hooves. Some jerked back from the changelings, tearing organs and intestines from their bodies. The changelings who hadn't been trapped by the flames shot green streams of magical energy at the stallion. As they hit his frame, he didn't flinch; he didn't even acknowledge their weak attempts. He simply watched as the flames consumed the changelings.
The second funnel had disappeared and a green gas enveloped some of the changelings. They soon started to wheeze, cough, and dry heave as their skin began to blister and spew out puss. Some fell to the ground convulsing and foaming at the mouth. A voice cackled as the gas started to swirl around the changelings before taking the shape of a dark green Pegasus. His skin seemed to be melting off his body as some slipped from open wounds revealing his bones. His skin was covered in sores and blisters that spat out black puss. His mane looked to be falling off as small strands of hair still lingered on the back of his head, and the corners of his mouth where lifted up with hooks keeping a permanent smile on his face.
He cackled again before turning into the green gas again and flying into the sky towards the changelings that had escaped him. As he passed by them, their wings melted and they fell to the ground wheezing and hacking as their skin began to melt. The cackling laughter continued as the gas flew towards the red stallion and reformed into the Pegasus, black saliva dripping from his mouth.
"You have something," The Stallion said pointing to his mouth. The Pegasus whipped the black saliva from his mouth and flung it to the ground.
"Isn't this fun!" the Pegasus yelled as he cackled again and flew into the air doing loops, his wings looked like green slime and as he flapped them, the green ooze hit the ground and began to singe the sand like acid. The stallion's ears bent back at the sound of his laughter. The Pegasus landed back on the ground and added, "It's so good to be back."
"Yes, well, you don't need to be so loud Pestilence, your laughter could wake the dead," the stallion said. Pestilence cocked his head and looked at him before laughing again.
"Come on War! You can't tell me trapped in Tartarus hasn't gotten you all giddy with excitement," he said before a beam of green energy shot past him. He turned to see more changelings advance on them.
"These creatures don't know when do give up, but I'm not complain. Their helping me get the kinks out of my joints," War said.
Pestilence turned his attention to the third funnel that had suddenly disappeared. He cackled in excitement and yelled, "Yay, sister has awoken, now we need to awaken father and we'll be ready for the show." He cackled again and formed back into the green gas and flew towards the changelings.
War watched before a stray beam of yellow magical energy flew past him and hit the ground in front of the changelings. Suddenly the ground shock and trees started to grow from the sandy wasteland. The trees suddenly bearded fruit that enticed many of the changelings with their sweet scent. One of the changelings took a pear from the tree and a vine suddenly flew out of the dense leaves and wrapped itself around the changeling's body. It pulled the changeling into the leaves and the sound of flesh being torn apart and bones being crunched came from the top of the tree as green blood slithered down the trunk. The other trees suddenly shot out vines that wrapped around changelings and pulled them into the tops of them.
"You know, offering food just for them to be food is harsh," War said with a chuckle. A unicorn walked next to him. Her tan body was covered in small tree branches protruding from her skin. Her mane was wet moss that had mushrooms growing from it.
"Well, Famine is a fickle creature that can't make up her mind on whether to feed them, of starve them," she said with a crooked smile.
"You're fickle, that's for sure," War said before the green gas returned and formed back to its physical form.
"That was awesome Famine, the way you made the trees eat them, oh can you teach me that?" Pestilence said bouncing up and down, the black puss flying into the air.
"Sorry darling, but just like your unlike talent. My talent is reserved for me," Famine said. Pestilence stopped and sighed.
"That's alright, I like the way I make them wheeze, but," Pestilence cackled before he turned to the hive that was producing more changelings and then turned to the last funnel that hadn't disappeared.
"Father hasn't awakened yet, what do we do?" Pestilence asked.
War chuckled before he turned to the raging army in front of them and said, "We continue to destroy these creatures until he wakes. And would you stop calling him father." Pestilence let out a loud, high pitched squeal before he flew up and became a massive cloud of green gas.
"We get to have fun before he awakes," Pestilence cackled before the gas flew towards the changelings.
"Should we let him handle this?" Famine asked. War shook his head.
"Where would the fun be in that? We can't let him have all the fun," War said before he started to gallop towards the large army. Famine just smiled and walked towards the battle. Inside the last funnel, a figure stirred as its blood red eyes glowed through the swirling clouds.
Celestia felt a cold chill slither down her spine causing her to tremble. She walked over to the large window and looked towards the San Palomino Desert. She felt the dark magic emitting from the desert. Please, let this feeling not be them, please. She thought.
---
A changelings fell to the ground convulsing and foaming at the mouth as Pestilence stood over them cackling. A beam of green magical energy blasted his head into green gas but it reformed as he continued to cackle, "That tickles stop that." He quickly formed into the gas again as flames consumed the changelings around him.
"Watch where you're aiming War! You nearly killed me!" Pestilence yelled. War blasted out more flames from his mouth before he turned to the gas.
"Like anypony can kill you Pestilence, you just turn to that mist and reform yourself. You're basically indestructible," War Argued.
"Would you two stop arguing, I can barely concentrate," Famine said as three changelings where being dragged towards a large jack-o-lantern. The green vines pulled them into its smiling mouth as the sound of whirling blades slicing flesh and braking bones came from inside the pumpkin before the top spat out large chunks of changelings and green blood.
Changelings suddenly charged War and piled on top of him before a massive pillar of flames shot into the air, disintegrating their bodies. War sighed, "There's no end to them, it's like they're mindless drones. The fun of killing them has gone and now it's just annoying."
"I concur, it's become more of a chore to kill them," Famine said before Pestilence reformed himself from the gas next to her and yelled, "I'm bored!"
"Then allow me to help you in what ails you," a deep, demonic voice bellowed. All three looked as they saw the final funnel fade away.
A massive shadow slithered across the sand under all the changelings and the hive. They soon where sucked down into the shadow, each changeling trying desperately to free themselves, but their bodies felt as though they were stuck in quicksand. A larger changeling flew from the top of the hive before it could be swallowed up and convened with the small group of changelings that had been able to avoid the shadow. When the changelings and hive where completely swallowed up, the shadow quickly slithered back towards where the funnel had disappeared.
The three watched as a dark figure walked towards them. The black alicorn extended its wings as blood red feathers fell from them. Its pitch black mane was filled with red spines that went down to its pitch black tail. Its long red horn had smaller red spines around it and it's glowing blood red eyes felt like it was piercing into you soul.
"That was Awesome!" Pestilence yelled. War and Famine quickly bowed to the alicorn before War quickly took his hoof and made Pestilence bow as well.
"Rise, my comrades," the alicorn said. The three rose up as Chrysalis landed a few feet away from them; anger filled her eyes as her horn glowed.
"How dare you do such travesties to my children!" Chrysalis roared. The alicorn looked at Chrysalis and a sadistic crooked smile formed on his face before he started walking towards her. The remaining changelings suddenly dived towards him. Black spikes blasted out of the alicorn's body, impaling them. The spikes pulled the changelings into the alicorn's body. Its skin rippled like stones being thrown into a pond as the changelings disappeared in his skin. Chrysalis stood there in shock at the sight, her body was frozen in fear as the alicorn stood mere inches away from her. He reached out and tapped her. She went stiff before collapsing to the ground. Her body turning to ash and blown away in the wind as he turned to the others.
"I believe it's time to pay an old friend a visit," he said with a sadistic crooked smile before he added, "But first, we must make a little detour."
Cadance Walked through the halls of the castle, each step felt like ice on her hooves. She stretched out her wings as she yawned. She walked out onto the balcony to greet the brand new day in the Crystal Empire. Her head cocked to the side as she blinked and quickly retreated back to bed room.
"Shining Armor, Shining Armor wake up," she demanded before he woke up with a snort while clearing his throat.
"What's wrong?" he asked his vision still blurry from being shaken awake.
"Come see, there's something wrong with the kingdom," Cadance said before she ran out. Shining Armor slowly got out of bed. When his hoof hit the floor he quickly retracted it as the cold chill went up his leg. We seriously need to figure out a way to warm this crystal floor. He thought before he got out of bed and walked out to the balcony. He wasn't too worried, the last time she said this: it was because somepony decided to try a new magical spell that resulted in everything being poke dotted for a few days. He placed his front hooves on the railing and looked down at the Crystal Empire that was covered in a thick green gas.
"All I see is gas," he said.
"I know, but it's green!" she protested.
"It's probably nothing, just an experiment gone wrong. Remember the poke dot incident," he reassured her. She sighed.
"You might be right. It's just stressful being in control of this empire," She said
"In this day and age, you have to be suspicious of everything darling," a female voice said with a chuckle. The two turned to see Famine and War standing in the door way.
Shining Armor quickly stood between the two and Cadance and demanded, "Who are you two? How did you get in here?"
"I'm sorry for our intrusion in you empire, however, we've come to see that alicorn behind you," The black alicorn said as he walked in as War and Famine separated and bowed.
"Who are you?" Shining Armor demanded, his horn lighting up. Suddenly a vine crashed from the ceiling and wrapped around his back legs pulling him up. Leaving him dangling in the air.
"Oh my, this one has a lot of energy in him," Famine said as she walked over to him and placed a hoof on his cheek and added, "Not bad looking either. Why not come join me?" she giggled as Shining Armor wiggled away from her grasp.
"Leave him alone!" Cadance yelled her horn glowing before she shot out a beam of magical energy. A black shadow rose up and blocked the magical energy before slithering back to the ground and towards the black alicorn.
"Now, now, we can talk like civilized creatures," he said.
"What do you want?" Cadance said, her horn still glowing and her gaze not leaving Famine.
"Since resurrected, we have a set plan. However, we need to tie lose ends before we embark on our master plan," the black alicorn said.
"So what does that have to do with us?" Cadance asked.
The black alicorn walked towards the balcony behind her and looked down at the green gas and said, "You're kingdom could interfere with our conquest of this world." Cadance looked at him in shock,
"Did you honestly think we would let you take over Equestria?" Shining Armor protested.
"That's why we're here," The black alicorn said as he turned towards her and added, "that's why I have my comrade down there taking care of everypony in the empire" the gas suddenly lifted up and shrunk before forming into a Pegasus. He flew past Cadance and next to War. She quickly looked over the railing to see all the ponies on the ground, none of them moving. She slowly stepped back, tears swelling up in her eyes.
"Can I kill her now?" Pestilence cackled.
"Hey, you've already killed the entire empire, it's my turn!" War argued.
"Come on father, let me have her," Pestilence begged. The black alicorn chuckled
"Let War and Famine have a turn," he said. Pestilence just sighed but then nodded. Cadance was stunned. They were talking about killing her, possibly Shining Armor and yet, the black alicorn treated this like a father would when showing his children the value of sharing.
"I'll take the unicorn, you can have her," Famine said as a rose bud popped out of the ground and opened before the vine unwrapped from Shining Armor's legs. He dropped onto the rose before it quickly closed.
"Shining Armor!" Cadance screamed before she shot magical energy at the rose. It bounced off and hit the ceiling.
War chuckled and said, "Don't worry, you'll soon be with him." he reared back and breathed out flames towards her. She quickly placed a magical bubble around her. The flames slammed into the bubble as her eyes widened. She watched as the ponies made from the flames clawed and gnawed at the bubble, trying to get inside. She continued to strain as the flame ponies continued their onslaught. She felt her energy dissipate before the bubble broke. She screamed as their teeth pierced into her flesh, mouths ripping her wings from their sockets, claws tearing into her eyes. Her screams turned to gurgling as blood filled her lungs. When the flames extinguished, they lifted a chard skeleton in a pool of blood.
The rose bud opened and Shining Armor stood in the middle of it, his coat made of moss, eyes glossed over, and green ooze dripping from the corner of his mouth. Famine walked over to him and stroked his chin as she chuckled, "How are you feeling darling?"
"Fine," he said blindly before adding, "my mistress." Famine just chuckled again before she walked back and the rose bud closed as it and Shining Armor disappeared in a cloud of rose peddles.
"What is your obsession with changing the opposite sex into moss slaves?" War asked.
Famine shrugged and said, "I like to be in control, mind control is the best option." She turned to the black alicorn who was surveying the dead bodies of all the crystal ponies as they sunk into their shadows.
"What was the purpose of coming here, you know as well as I do: even if the Crystal Empire had attacked us on our conquest. We could have killed them instantly. So why Death?" Famine asked.
"It was for the alicorn," Death explained. Famine cocked her head as he continued, "Since our resurrection, I'm sure Celestia feels our presents. I'm sure she's planning a counter attack and to do so, I believe she'll tire to use the four pillars against us."
"Don't talk about them!" Pestilence spat as black saliva was flung to the floor.
"When I killed the changeling queen, I saw into her memories and saw the alicorn," Death said.
"But how is she connected to the pillars?" Famine questioned.
"To summon one of the pillars, she needs a female alicorn," Death explained.
"But her sister is one, she could just use her now," War said. Death shook his head and said, "To summon that pillar, Celestia must use a pure alicorn, one that hasn't been touched by dark magic. Since being turned into Nightmare Moon, she is no longer a candidate."
"What about herself?" War questioned.
"The summoner of the pillars can't use herself as a candidate," Death said.
"Can we go now, I'm bored!" Pestilence yelled. Death just chuckled at his outburst.
"Let's go then, to once again claim this kingdom," Death said as he spread his wings and added, "and bring back our mother."
Luna shot out of her sleep, cold sweat dripping from her brow. She looked around at her room before Celestia burst through her doors.
"Luna! You saw it didn't you," Celestia said.
Luna nodded and said, "They've returned and destroyed." Luna paused as she remembered the scene unfold in her nightmare.
"We must call the elements at once, we don't have much time," Celestia said.
---
Moment later, Celestia paced back and forth mumbling to herself, "where are they, I hope they haven't already gotten to ponyville," Celestia said before the doors opened and Twilight and her friends ran in along with Big Macintosh and Sweetie belle.
"Princess! Are you alright? I brought my friends along with Applejacks brother and Rarity's sister as you requested," Twilight said.
"Good. However, I believe another must attend this meeting," Celestia said before her horn glowed bright. A bright light flashed and Discord appeared. He sat in a lazy chair while watching a Television with cheese dust covering his chest and mouth. He blinked and looked around at all the ponies around him.
"Why hello Celestia," he said as he got up and dusted off his chest before the chair and TV disappeared as he added, "I thought we agreed, Tuesdays are my time off. They're my days I catch up on my stories."
"Discord," Celestia said before she was interrupted by him continuing, "I was just about to find out if it's Movieplex's filly or Iron Mason's."
"Discord! They've returned!" Celestia said. Discord stopped and turned towards her, his expression changed as he turned towards Twilight and her friends.
"Have you told them already?" Discord asked
"No, I summoned you so I could," Celestia said. Discord nodded before Twilight interjected, "What's going on, why have us and Discord here?"
"I believe a great evil has awoken," Celestia said.
"You mean like Tirek, or Chrysalis, or even Sombra?" Rainbow Dash questioned.
Discord chuckled before he said, "Any one of those wouldn't cause Celestia this much terror, no. The Four Ponies of the Apocalypse have returned."
"Who are they?" Twilight said as she cocked her head.
"They are the four most powerful ponies ever created by my sister," Celestia said. Everypony quickly turned towards Luna before Celestia added, "No, my older sister: Aurora." Everypony looked at Celestia in shock.
"Hold it there, I thought there were only two alicorn sisters," Applejack questioned.
"Yes, we've always been told that you and Luna are the only two naturally born alicorns," Rarity said.
"Yes, however, there are actually three," Luna said.
Celestia nodded before she explained, "Originally our parents gave birth to three alicorns: Myself, Luna, and Aurora. Aurora was the eldest of the three of us and presumed to rule over all of Equestria. However, my parents felt all three of us should rule together. My sister was outraged, saying she was the eldest and should rule. Her anger caused her to create what we now call: Chaos Magic."
"But why did she create these four ponies?" Twilight asked.
"She was angered at our parents and stated that if she couldn't have Equestria, no one would. She used forbidden magic to create life. Thus, the Four Ponies of the Apocalypse where born. Created by Chaos Magic, each was given destructive magical abilities," Celestia said.
"So they can create cotton candy clouds and make paths into soap?" Rainbow Dash said before she added, "How bad can that be?"
"Speaking of which, what about your promise?" Pinkie said looking to Discord. He chuckled and snapped his fingers as a stick of cotton candy appeared in his hand before he said, "Like I promised in my last letter Pinkie." She took the cotton candy and bit into it. Her mouth filled with the fluffy strawberry flavor mixed with chocolate as it dripped from the middle of the cotton candy stick.
"So good," she said, saliva mixed with chocolate dripped from her mouth before she took another bit.
"Yes well, what you all don't know about Chaos Magic is: there are two types, Destructive and Trickster," Discord said before he snapped his fingers again and a glass appeared filling from the bottom with chocolate milk. He downed the drink and threw the class before adding, "I use the Trickster magic because, let's face it, I'm only looking for a good laugh. I never want to hurt anypony."
"Could have fooled us," Rainbow Dash said.
"Come now Rainbow, Discord didn't really hurt anypony when he changed the very fabric of reality," Fluttershy said.
"He took both our wings and nearly ended our friendship," Rainbow Dash yelled.
"Yes, however he didn't really hurt us, physically," Applejack said.
"But how did her Chaos Magic get into Discord?" Rarity questioned.
"We had no other choice to use the Elements of Harmony against Aurora. Her physical body was destroyed, but her magical properties
disappeared and must have found their way into Discord," Celestia said.
"Yes, well. When I first learned about my new powers, I also learned about their distractive capabilities," Discord said as he lowered his head and added, "My first magical outing with them resulted in me eradicating all of my friends and family. I single handily extinct the Draconequus species. After that I vowed to only use trickster magic so no one would." He felt Fluttershy hug him as she patted his head trying to cheer him up.
"So you want us to use the Elements of Harmony against them?" Twilight said.
Celestia shook her head and said, "Aurora place a spell over them so the elements won't work to dispel them. However, there is a way to stop them."
"How?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"The Four Pillars of Hope," Luna said.
"When Aurora created the four ponies, we knew we couldn't take on all of them. So my sister and I had no choice but to create warriors of our own. Each one, the complete opposite of the Ponies of the Apocalypse," Celestia said.
"So call them back to fight once again," Rainbow Dash said.
"They gave their lives to seal them away in Tartarus," Celestia said as she shook her head.
"Hold on a second, then how did these four return? Strong magic like that couldn't have broken?" Twilight asked.
"That's what I'm still unsure of. I know, before Aurora was defeated, she placed a spell on the four so when she came back, she could resurrect her generals as she called them," Luna said.
"I may be able to answer that," a stallion said as he walked in. they all looked at him before he added, "My commander, Silver Cross told me of a spell he acquired through a dream he had. It told him about four great warriors that could turn the tide of the war with the changelings. He wanted to leave it as an ace in the hole."
"Aurora must have shown him the spell, telling him that so her generals could escape," Celestia said.
"So if the Elements won't work and the four pillars are gone, what can we do?" Fluttershy said.
"The Four Pillars of Hope's physical bodies might be gone, but since the Four Ponies escaped, then the pillars spirits will be used. That's why I asked you to bring a Stallion and Filly unicorn," Celestia said as she turned her attention to Big Mac and Sweetie Belle.
"Oh no, I will not subject my little sister to such foul creatures, I'll take her place instead," Rarity said clutching her sister.
"I'm sorry Rarity, but we need a filly for this. I promise your sister will be fine," Celestia said with a warm smile. Rarity looked at her sister and hugger her tightly before she let her go as Celestia added, "We also need a Pegasus." She looked towards Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash.
"Oh, no I don't think," Fluttershy said before Discord interrupted, "I will not allow Fluttershy to face this evil." Everypony looked at him in shock before Rainbow Dash spoke up, "I'll do it."
"All that leaves is," Celestia said as she turned to Twilight and added, "I must ask so much of you yet again my fateful student. I need an alicorn and the only other candidate has been." She stopped herself as a tear rolled down her face.
"What's wrong?" Twilight asked.
"We'd hoped that Cadance would be the candidate so the burden wouldn't always fall on you. However, it seems these demonic ponies have already gotten to her," Luna said. Twilight's mouth opened as tears filled her eyes as she cried, "What about?" Luna shook her head.
"We felt Cadance, Shining Armor, and the entire Crystal Empire's aura disappear in an instant," Celestia said as she walked over and embraced Twilight. She felt Twilight scream into her coat as the tears flowed from her eyes. Everypony there felt the grief as Applejack took off her hat in respects to the dead. It felt like an eternity before Twilight was able to speak.
"What do I have to do," she asked. The pain of losing her brother and Cadance being replaced with anger towards the four who took them away from her.
---
Apple Bloom and Scootaloo walked out of Sugar Cube corner. Their mouths covered in frosting and sprinkles.
"It's a shame Sweetie Belle had to go with Rarity. She would have loved that strawberries and cream cupcake," Scootaloo said.
"Yeah, but she said it was an emergency," Apple Bloom said. She stopped when she realized her friend wasn't behind her. She turned to see Scootaloo staring at a tree. Scootaloo's nose was in the air as she smelled the sweet scent coming from the fruit in the tree.
"Scootaloo, haven't you had?" Apple Bloom said as she walked over to her. Her speech was interrupted by the scent of the fruit.
"That smells mighty nice," Apple Bloom said. Vines slithered from the top of the trees and presented the two fillies with fruit. Before the fillies could take the fruit, the vines quickly wrapped around their bodies and pulled them into the tops of the trees. Green gas forming at the base of the tree.
he fillies screamed as they dangled over a large mouth with rows of razor sharp teeth and two spider-like fangs on either side of the mouth. The vines lifted the two fillies up to the very top of the tree as a flower bloomed and they were placed onto it.
"Don't fret little ones, this flower will take you to safety," a voice said before the peddles spun like a propeller, lifted up, and flew towards the castle.
---
"Why save them?" War asked as he walked next to Famine atop a roof top.
"I can't bring myself to kill any filly or colt. However, I do make an exception to her," Famine said before she watched a mint colored unicorn with cyan mane and tail, sunglow eyes, and a cutie mark of a lyre stumbled towards the tree. She wheezed and coughed before the vines wrapped around her body and pulled her into the top of the tree before blood trickled down the tree's trunk.
"Interesting," Famine said.
"What's interesting," War asked. Famine walked to the other side of the roof top and watched as more ponies simply hacked and coughed in the green gas.
"He's only making them cough and wheeze. Why not blister and be covered in puss filled sores?" Famine questioned.
"I requested he not do that," Death said as he flew down towards them. He landed in front of them and added, "Can't rule over a kingdom of nothing."
"So we can't kill anypony?" War questioned.
A sadistic crooked smile formed on Death's face before he said, "Killing is ok, but don't go overboard and kill them all." War nodded and jumped down from the roof top.
"Please accept my apology Death, I didn't want to kill those fillies," Famine said before she was interrupted by Death holding up his hoof.
"I'm not angry sister. I understand your need to save the little ones. However, I will not make our comrades do the same. You do understand that?" Death said. Famine nodded and walked over to the edge of the roof. A vine extended from the tree and she climbed onto it. It lowered her to the ground as she jumped down and walked through the green gas. Death watched her before a cross-eyed Pegasus with a grey coat and blonde mane landed behind him.
"Hey mister, what's going on?" she asked. Death turned to her and simple walked over to her. He stared at her with his glowing blood red eyes. She slowly took a step backwards before Death lifted his hoof and tapped her. Her body collapsed to the ground before she turned to ash.
"Disgusting creature," Death said before he extended his wings and flew into the sky.
---
The large window in the castle shattered as a large flower, peddles spinning like a helicopter flew through the hall and landed a few feet away from Twilight and her friends. Apple Bloom and Scootaloo clutching to the flower.
"Apple Bloom!" Applejack screamed as she ran towards her sister and hugged her. Scootaloo opened her eyes and saw Applejack with her sister.
"What are you doing here squirt?" Rainbow Dash asked. Scootaloo's eyes filled with tears before she made one big leap towards her, crying into her shoulder. The flower that had brought them here wilted and turned to mush.
"They're already here," Luna said. Celestia ran towards the broken window. She saw ponyville incased in a thick green gas.
"We're out of time," Celestia said.
"What are we going to do now sister? The spell takes time to preform and the connection with each pony could take even more?" Luna said.
Celestia turned to her sister and said, "I don't know. That gas will make anypony sick. We have nothing left."
"I'll go," Discord spoke up.
"What!" Fluttershy said.
"That gas won't hurt me, since my chaos powers gave them life, the gas won't make me sick. I can give you enough time to perform the spell," Discord explained.
"But there's four of them and one of you," Applejack said.
Discord chuckled and said, "I beat all six of you at one time. I'm sure these four won't be a problem."
"Yeah well, none of us had godly powers like they do and I doubt your chocolate rain will do anything against them," Rainbow Dash said.
"Yes well, if you paid any attention, I did say I could use Destructive Chaos Magic as well as Trickster Chaos Magic," Discord said before he turned to Celestia and added, "Go and get the spell ready. I'll give you as much time as you need." With that he disappeared with a flash.
---
War reared back and breathed out flames towards a group of ponies in front of him. The flames consumed everypony in them.
Green gas lifted up and formed Pestilence's head as he cackled, "Isn't this fun?" War nodded before he noticed two fillies wheezing and coughing as they stumbled through town. War smiled before he reared back again and blasted flames towards them, making quick work of the two. He chuckled as he walked past the charred remains of a tiara and light blue glasses lying on the ground.
---
A white unicorn's horn glowed as records quickly lifted up and flew towards vines slowly slither towers her and another mare. Her electric blue mane coated with green slime and sun glasses lay on the ground broken, exposing her red eyes.
"Damn it Tavi! They just keep coming?" she said to the mare next to her. The mare had a light gray coat, a dark gray mane. She lifted her cello and began to wake at the vines near her while she said, "these overgrown weeds are everywhere!"
"Weeds?" Famine protested as she stepped off a vine that slithered out the door before she added, "How dare you call my precious babies." She stopped and started as the white unicorn. She was mesmerized by her.
"What?" the white unicorn asked.
"They're marvelous!" Famine said as she licked her lips and added, "I've never seen such beauty, such elegance. I've never seen such a sight. I must have them!" The unicorn looked at her in confusion before she looked at the records floating around her.
"You me my mix records? Sure, I'll even sign them for you," the unicorn gloated.
"Vinyl! This is no time to gloat. Just give her the records!" Octavia said. Vinyl nodded and floated the records towards Famine. Two vines lifted up and suddenly sliced the two records in half.
"Hey!" Vinyl yelled before she continued, "You know how long it took me to make those?"
"I'm not into this newfangled music you ponies are listening to. No, what I was referring to where those," Famine said as she pointed to Vinyl. Vinyl cocked her head before she looked behind her and then back at Famine and said, "What are you pointing to?"
"Those eyes of yours, never has a mare had such a gaze as you. I've never been so enticed by a mare like you. I must have those eyes in my collection," Famine said. The floor exploded as a large Nepenthes plant rose up, its skin see through as the two mares stood in shock. Inside where an array of eyeballs all different colors, shapes, and some still having their optical nerves attached as they floated in the juices of the plant. Famine walked over to the flower and rubbed it. It seemed to twitch at her touch as she added, "All of these beauties belong to all the different stallions I've come across that had such alluring eyes. Yours will be the first mare I add to my collection."
"Like I'd let you take my eyes willingly!" Vinyl yelled.
Famine shook her head and chuckled, "They all said the same thing." Vines came from behind Famine and slithered towards Vinyl. She levitated records around her as Octavia lifted her cello, holding it like a club as she said, "I concur, you will not be taking her eyes."
"You say that like you have a choice," Famine chuckled before the vines lunged towards them.
Twilight, Big Mac, Sweetie Belle, and Rainbow Dash stood next to the two princesses as their horns glowed and the six suddenly disappeared.
"I do hope Sweetie Belle will be ok," Rarity said before Applejack placed a hoof on her friends shoulder.
"Trust the princesses. I'm sure Luna and Celestia will make sure she's ok," Applejack said.
"Oh my," Fluttershy said as she stood near the broken window looking out towards ponyville.
"What's wrong fluttershy," Pinkie asked.
"I'm worried about everypony down there. We have no idea what these four are capable of," Fluttershy said.
"I understand sugar, but I'm sure these pillars will help, plus, Discord's down there to help. I'm sure they'll be safe," Applejack said.
"I don't know about that, those trees might get to the ponies before they could do anything about it," Scootaloo said. Rarity, Applejack, Fluttershy, and Pinkie all looked at the filly.
"What do you mean?" Rarity asked.
"Well, before we got here, we saw a tree with some very sweet smelling fruit. When we went to take some, the tree grabbed us and hung us over a mouth," Apple Bloom said.
"Yeah, with sharp teeth and spider fangs. I wasn't scared though," Scootaloo said.
"What! You screamed louder then me!" Apple Bloom protested.
"No I didn't!" Scootaloo argued.
"Yeah, yay did," Apple Bloom said.
"Alright girls, quit this fighting and just tell us how you got free?" Applejack said.
"Well, the tree placed us on the giant flower as a voice told us we'd be sent to safety," Apple Bloom said.
---
Twilight opened her eyes as she saw they were in the castle of the two alicorn sisters. Luna and Celestia quickly walked towards a large wall with strange symbols on it.
"We don't have much time," Luna said before their horn lit up and the entire wall suddenly disappeared. Twilight, Big Mac, Sweetie Belle, and Rainbow Dash all followed the two princesses. Inside was a large room with five floating platforms. Sweetie Belle looked down at the empty abyss under the platforms before she felt herself being lifted up. She looked around as she saw Big Mac be lifted up as well. Twilight and Rainbow Dash both flew next to them. Sweetie Belle was placed on one of the platforms with a grain inscribed onto it. Big Mac was placed on another with the six Elements inscribed in it. Rainbow Dash was instructed to stand on the platform with what looked like a staff with wings and two snakes slithered around it. Twilight stood on the platform with a sprouting tree on it, in the middle looked like a filly being cradled by the branches of the tree. The two sisters stood on the platform in the middle.
"You all must empty your minds and let the spirits of the four pillars envelop your bodies. They will change your appearance to theirs in order to connect with you," Celestia said. The four nodded and the two princess's horns lit up. Their eyes glowing as the four felt their magical powers filling their bodies. Twilight, Big Mac, Sweetie Belle, and Rainbow Dash lifted up as their eyes also glowed. Four shimmering lights flew from the abyss and began to spin around them.
---
Records flew through the air like discuses towards the vines, slicing them as green goo oozed from their severed limbs. Octavia swung her cello at every vine that got close, the hard oak wood holding up quite nicely. A vine slithered on the ground undetected and wrapped itself around Vinyl's back legs and pulled her towards the Nepenthes. Octavia dropped her cello and grabbed Vinyl's hooves and began a tug-o-war with the plant. After a few moments, Famine's right eye twitched before she sighed, "Oh for buck's sake."
A large mushroom popped up under Octavia sending her into the air. Four Venus Fly Traps sprung from the ground. Their pod like heads with large rows of razor sharp teeth, green ooze dripping from their mouths lunged towards Octavia. She screamed as their teeth ripped into her flesh, tearing off chunks of skin, muscles, and tendons.
Each one suddenly grabbed one of her hooves and tore her into four pieces before devouring each piece. Vinyl sat there in shock at the sight before the vine quickly flung her into the large Nepenthes. The liquid inside bubbled before she felt a burning pain envelop her entire body. She screamed letting the liquid into her mouth. Before long she was nothing more than a floating, lifeless mare. Her skin started to melt off, soon her muscles and even her bones melted until there was nothing left but her red eyes floating in the liquid with the others.
"You're my new favorite," Famine said before something went through her body. A magical essence that made her quickly ran out of the home and down the streets of ponyville. As she ran down the street, the green gas quickly shrunk as it formed into Pestilence who flew next to her.
"You felt that too?" he asked.
Famine nodded and said, "It's her, its mother!" War soon galloped next to them.
"Does this mean Death was successful in releasing her?" War questioned
"I hope so, I've missed her so much," Pestilence said before he saw a figure in the distance and added, "Look!" the other two saw it and quickened their pace. Pestilence flew ahead and outstretched his hooves.
"Mother!" he shouted. The figure turned and quickly hugged him. Pestilence looked up at Discord who wore a large dress and powdered wig.
"Oh my boy, how I've missed you." Discord said in a cracked female voice. Pestilence quickly turned into gas and flew towards the other two and reformed.
"You're not our Mother!" Pestilence protected.
"Physically, No, but her powers are within me so technically I kind of am," Discord said as he snapped his fingers and the dress and wig disappeared.
"Who are you," War demanded.
"He is our mother's prison," Death said as he flew down next to Famine.
Discord chuckled and said, "That's one way of looking at it, but I feel I'm more of a hotel she can never leave. You know: like that one song." He started humming it as he waved his hands around like he was conducting a choir.
"How do we release her?" Pestilence asked franticly.
"We kill this creature and take her essence from it," Death said.
War chuckled before he said, "Fine by me." Vines rose up from the ground around Famine. Black saliva dripped from Pestilence's mouth and fell to the ground as it singed the ground. Flames sparked in Wars mouth as he smiled. Discord stopped humming and shook his head.
"I guess the fun and games are over," Discord said before he lifted his lions paw and flames erupted in it as he added, "I'll send you all back to the darkest pits of Tartarus where you came from."
War reared back and blasted flames from his mouth. Discord smug smiled formed before he held up his griffin claw as the flames parted ways and hit two cottages behind him, erupting in flames. Vines jetted from the ground under discord and wrapped around his body. They soon erupted into blue flames before they froze solid and shattered. Pestilence formed into the green gas and became a giant green twister around Discord, all the while cackling. When the twister dissipated, Discord stood there, arms folded and his eyebrow raised.
"What did that accomplished?" he asked.
Pestilence reformed himself and said, "Why aren't you ill? Wheezing? Covered in puss filled blisters?"
"Your gas won't affect him. Our mother's magic keeps him safe from it. War's flames won't consume him, he can predict what Famine's plants will do and my touch won't do a thing, but if we can weaken him. We might be able to release our mother," Death said.
"Then let's do it!" Pestilence said before he formed back into gas and coated the entire town in thick green mist. Before anything else happens. Discord thought as he snapped his fingers.
---
Ponies appeared in the castle around Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo. They all looked around before Pinkie giggled, "Looky, looky it's a party." She suddenly pulled from thin air her party cannon and fired it. The castle was suddenly filled with streamers, balloons, and glitter.
"Pinkie how did you?" Rarity said before the pink pony giggled.
"I never leave home without my party cannon," Pinkie said with a smile. Some of the ponies where wheezing and coughing, but soon started to breath normally as their illness seemed to disappear. The castle shook before Fluttershy looked out the broken window to see a massive tower of flames shoot into the sky.
---
War galloped towards Discord and slammed his front hooves to the ground as flames shot from his mouth towards him. Discord summoned blue flames in his lions paw and shot it towards the flames. The two collided and exploded in a mixture of red and blue flames before the massive fire ball froze and slammed to the ground. Discord quickly spun around and slammed his serpent tail into the large ice ball and sent it flying towards War who jumped out of the way. Famine summoned vines that whipped the ice to throw it into the air. It landed behind her with a massive thud before more vines sprung up from the ground and darted towards Discord. They formed pod like heads with razor sharp teeth. Flames formed in both Discords' hand and his torso spun like a propeller as fire balls blasted towards the vines, colliding with them. The sound of screams like lobsters being placed in boiling water echoed throughout the town.
Discord quickly rose up to the ground as shadows rose up and tried to grab him. He looked at them before he looked back at Death as they slithered back underneath him. Discord felt something wrap around his right leg and suddenly was flung down to the ground. The vine around his leg picked him back up and spun him around. Each time he slammed through walls of cottages before the vine let him go and he crashed into a cottage.
"War! Now!" Famine shouted before War reared back and blasted flames towards the cottage which exploded in a massive fire ball.
"Did we get him?" Pestilence asked.
War turned to him and said, "We must've. Not even mothers Chaos Magic could deal with that." When he turned back, Discord shot out of the flames and punched War. War felt the lions paw on the side of his face as blood oozed from his nose and mouth as two of his teeth where dislodged from his gums. War was sent flying back and into Pestilence who changed into gas. War went through the gas and into Famine. Both were sent flying into a cottage behind them.
Discord's fur was matted and smoke was coming from it. His skin was torn, bruised and his right arm was dislocated. He breathed heavily as he tasted the blood dripping from the corner of his mouth. Using the Destructive Chaos Magic was taking more out of him then he thought. He quickly flew high once again as a slender shadow with a basketball sized head and two thin arms with four inch claws rose up and slashed at him. He felt the claws cut into his right leg before he could get high enough from the shadow. He looked at the shadow before he looked up to see Pestilence drop kick him in the stomach. He fell to the ground as War ran out of the cottage towards Discord. He slammed his front hooves to the ground and blasted flames towards him. Discord was about to move when a shadow slithered around him keeping him in place. Discord winced, waiting for the flames to reach him. Six orbs flew towards the flames and collided with them making a massive cross rise up in the sky.
War watched the golden cross scattered into six orbs that flew towards a silver stallion with a white mane. His eyes where pure white and it seemed his hooves had two tinny golden wings on each one. The orbs changed into a neckless with eight talismans on it. Each talisman had a symbol of one of the Elements of Harmony on it.
"War, how long as it been my friend," the silver Stallion asked.
War snarled at him as he yelled, "I'm no friend of yours Harmony!"
"Harmony!?" Pestilence questioned before he added, "Then that means!" he looked to see a blue mist slowly creep around them as it twisted around and formed into a Pegasus. Her coat was dark blue with ice crystals protruding out her skin. Her mane, tail and wings where nothing but fog. Around her mouth was a half gas mask with dual cartridge respirators. Each time she breathed out, white smoked bellowed out of the respirators.
"Purify," Pestilence spat as he lowered his body to the ground and lunged towards her, changing into gas. Purify changed into blue mist and the two swirled around in the air.
Famine watched in shock before a filly unicorn jumped up in front of her and shouted, "Hi Famine!" she jetted back at the sudden out burst from the filly.
"Plentiful?" Famine said in shock.
The filly giggled before she said, "That's my name, don't wear it out." She snorted and laughed again. The Filly's coat was green with what looked like bee hives in it as it dripped honey onto the ground. Her mane looked like porcupine spines, each leg was different. One was a hoof, another was a bear's paw, another a crocodile's claw, and the final on was a hairy spider's leg. Her horn had a pattern of a bumblebee and every time she blinked her eyes would change color.
Death watched as each one of his comrades where attacked by a Pillar of Hope, but soon a sadistic crooked smile formed on his face as he said, "We have an opportunity to wipeout the Pillars of Hope!"
"Oh really?" a female voice questioned. Death's eyes widened as he turned to watch a white alicorn float down to the ground a few feet away from him. Her golden mane and tail flowing in the wind as she folded her wings on her sides as golden feathers floated to the ground.
Death's smile turned to a scowl as he yelled, "How can you be here Life? We took care of the only alicorn in this damn kingdom! So how?"
"Because," Life chuckled before she added, "There was another alicorn the princesses could use." Death's mouth hung open. He had only known of the third alicorn at the Crystal Empire but he never knew of a fourth.
"Fine, a minor setback," Death said as he collected himself. His shadow rose up and split into long tendrils with snake like heads at the end of them, each with glowing blood red eyes. They soon lunged towards Life.
Vines rose up from the ground and tried to wrap themselves around Plentiful who was hopping around them, giggling the whole time. Damn it, Stand still! Famine thought. A tree rose up in front of Plentiful before vines slithered down its trunk. Plentiful giggled before something slammed into the tree trunk, uprooting it, and toppling it. Shrieks came from the tree as vines rose up before they fell to the ground, lifeless. The thing that hit the tree jumped away from it and landed next to Plentiful. It had porcupine spines on its back, yet its physic resembled a bear. It stood seven feet tall; each hand had three fingers with eight inch claws on each. It roared into the air before Plentiful caressed its leg. The porcupine bear looked down and nuzzled Plentiful as she giggled.
"How dare you do that to my child!" Famine spat before Venus Fly Traps rose up around Plentiful and the creature. The porcupine bear grabbed Plentiful and suddenly curled up into a ball and began to spin, shooting spines. The spines pierced into the Venus Fly Traps. The screams like lobsters being put in boiling water echoed before they fell to the ground. The porcupine bear stopped spinning and stood up before it gently placed Plentiful on the ground. Plentiful scrunched up her nose and started sneezing from the fur in her nose. Famine snarled before a Jack-O-Lantern rose up from the ground. Vines shot out of its smiling mouth and wrapped around the porcupine bear.
The creature began to flail as it tried to slash at the vines, but some had wrapped around its arms. Plentiful giggled, "This is so much fun!" the space next to her rippled like a stone being thrown into a pond. Suddenly a rhino ran out of the ripple. It had three horns, four eyes on each side of its head, and eight hairy spider legs. It charged towards the pumpkin and as its horns pierced into the pumpkins flesh it lifted it into the air and then smashed it to the ground. The vines around the porcupine bear fell limp as it slashed at the vines to freed itself.
"Enough of this!" Famine shouted as thousands of rose buds popped out of the ground behind her. They opened revealing all the earth ponies, unicorns, and pegasi she had transforms into the moss zombies. Their coats where moss, eyes glazed over, and green ooze dripped from the corners of their mouths. Famine lifted up her hoof and shouted, "Annihilate her!"
"Yes, my mistress," they all said in unison before they ran off their rose buds towards Plentiful. The porcupine bear and rhino charged towards the massive army. Plentiful giggled as the ground around her ripple and large ant hills rose up. Pony size ants climbed out from the ground, their exoskeleton were gray with black spines coving them. Each leg had black spines on it with three inch claws on their feet, and large five inch pinchers in front of their mouths. They joined the porcupine bear and rhino and attacked the large moss zombie army. The pegasi took to the air before the sky rippled and two headed condors with four wings and eight inch claws on each foot flew from the ripples and attacked the pegasi. The sky was riddled with pegasi and condors slamming into each other.
An ant grabbed one of the earth ponies in its pinchers and cut it in half. Each half of the stallion sunk into the ground before the ant was attacked by greens beams of magical energy from the unicorns. The rhino charged through the massive army, some of the earth ponies bodies being pierced by its spider legs. A stallion was impaled by its horn and hung lifeless on it as it continued its charge. The porcupine bear slashed at each stallion, its claws covered in the green slime. Green beams of magical energy hit its back as it fell to the ground, its back singed by the energy. The unicorns turned their attention to the condors as they let lose a barrage of green beams of magical energy. Soon the condors fell to the ground like rain.
"Oh no," Plentiful said before a ripple appeared under her. She rose up from the ground as a massive tortoise rose up from the ripple under her. She jumped down from its shell and giggled, "Ok, do your thing." The tortoise shell glowed and when one of the unicorns blasted magical energy towards the rhino. A blue turtle shell appeared and blocked the magic. Ants soon converged on the unicorns and began to us their massive pinchers to cut each unicorn in half. Their moss bodies sunk into the ground. The rhino continued its charge; each beam of energy was met with the blue turtle shell. The porcupine bear got back up and began attacking the earth ponies and unicorns around it. Its massive claws pierced and cut into their moss coats. The unicorns shot magical energy at the porcupine bear, but the turtle shells appeared around the porcupine bear and blocked the energy beams.
The pegasi soon converged over the tortoise and dive bombed towards it. A blue turtle shell appeared above the tortoise and blocked their attempts. More ripples appeared in the sky as large, pony size yellow jacket wasps flew from the ripples. The sky filled with their buzzing wings as they flew at the pegasi. Their abdomens folded forwards as their stingers shot from them. Some of the pegasi where impaled by the stingers and began to fall to the ground. The Wasps abdomens convulsed before more stingers appeared at the ends of their abdomens and they began their onslaught again.
Famine watched as all her moss zombies she had acquired suddenly where being wiped out. Plentiful giggled as the last stallion was crushed by the rhino. Soon the ants crawled back to their ant hills that sunk back into the ripples, the rhino charged back into another ripple as the wasps flew into a ripple in the sky. The tortoise sunk into a ripple under it as the porcupine bear walked over to Plentiful. She patted him on the head and said, "That'll do." The porcupine bear nodded and walked into a ripple next to her.
Plentiful hopped towards Famine who was dumbfounded at the sight. Plentiful hopped in place in front of her and giggled, "Did I win?" Famine looked at the filly, rage filling her body as she closed her eyes and gridded her teeth. Plentiful stopped jumping and stared at her.
"What's wrong? Aren't you having fun?" Plentiful asked as she placed a hoof on Famine's leg. With her touch, Famine pulled her leg from her and smacked Plentiful across the face with her hoof. Plentiful stepped back from Famine. She rubbed her cheek as she started at Famine. Her eyes swelled up with tears before she started crying. Ripples appeared all around Famine before creatures lunged from them and began attacking her. She felt their claws rip into her skin, their teeth tearing into her mussels. She felt a crab claw latch onto her horn and felt it break her horn from her skull. Her screams turned to gurgling as blood filled her lungs.
Plentiful felt something nudge her, she wiped away her tears and saw a pony size crab standing in front of her. It moved one of its claws over her head and placed a single rose in her hair. Plentiful felt the rose and giggled, "Thank you." the cab razed its claws and hopped up and down in joy before it and the rest of the creatures went back into the ripples.
Plentiful walked over to where the creatures had attacked Famine. There was nothing left put a single tree branch. Plentiful levitated the branch and examined it before she noticed a small seed on it. She plucked the seed from the breach and dug a small hole and placed the seed in it before she covered it back with dirt.
"I'll be waiting to play again," Plentiful said before she walked away.
Flames and a golden cross rose up into the sky before both dissipated. Six orbs flew towards Harmony as he smiled. War snarled before he charged at him. War lunged for Harmony who just side stepped him. War skidded on the ground, leaving scorch marks before he galloped toward him again. He tried to hit Harmony, but Harmony just continued to dodge each attack. War jumped back and blasted flames towards him. The orbs around Harmony flew towards the flames and collided making a large cross rise into the sky.
“Is that all you have to offer War?” Harmony said.
War grinded his teeth as he yelled, “Shut it!” he reared back and blasted a massive amount of flames towards Harmony who smiled. So predictable. Never once realizing his anger is clouding his judgment. Harmony thought as he watched the cross rise up into the sky again.
“Enough of this!” War spat before he slammed his front hooves to the ground. Flames shot out of the ground and started to form into monstrous stallions. They were made out of flames, their fore-hooves had three five inch claws, and their mouths where filled with dagger like teeth.
“Incinerate him!” War shouted. The stallions reared up and roared before they galloped towards Harmony. Harmony simply smiled as the talismans floated in front of him and changed shape into six golden ponies: Two earth ponies, two pegasi, one unicorn, and one alicorn. The ponies charged towards the army of stallions.
One of the earth ponies stopped a few feet away from the flame stallions and lifted her hat up and smiled. She lunged at one of the stallions close to her and punched it, making the stallion flew into another. The pony stood up on two hooves and pointer her front hoover towards the two stallions. Her hooves where hollow and started to gather blue magical energy.
The energy shot from her hooves and hit the flame stallions casing them to explode. She soon pointed her hooves in opposite directions towards the group of stallions around her and began shooting the blue balls of energy at each stallion making them explode. She went back down on all fours and bucked two of the stallions that where behind her as blue energy gathered in her back hooves as well. She shot out the blue energy at the two stallions. They flew through the air before exploding. She held onto her hat as the shock wave flew past her. She smiled before she galloped towards another group of stallions.
The other earth pony hopped around each flame stallion. Every time they attacked her, it felt like they fazed right through her body. Two stallions lunged at her, but fazed right through her body and collided in the air. She giggled before she turned towards the stallions and took in a deep breath and screamed, sending a massive shock wave of sound towards them. Each stallion hit by the shock wave exploded into confetti. Two stallions snuck up from behind her and lunged towards her. When they came in contact with her, they suddenly changed into balloons that floated into the sky. She turned to see the balloons and giggled as she hopped towards more stallions. Two more stallions lunged towards her and as they made contact with her she seemed to just disappear. The sound of squeak like laughter was heard at their feet. They looked down to see thousands of ant size ponies jumping around them. They soon started climbing their legs and jumped on the stallion’s bodies before the small ponies glowed and exploded. A massive eruption of explosions filled the battle field before a normal sized pony hopped out of the smoke giggle before she hopped towards more of the stallions
A Pegasus darted through the air before dive bombing towards a group of flame stallions. A massive mushroom cloud erupted before the Pegasus flew towards more of the stallions. Her wings sliced at every stallion’s body she flew past. She landed to the ground and as she posed the stallions behind her exploded. She looked towards the other stallions and licked her lips before she flew towards them. This time she punched and kicked the stallions into the air before she flew up and sliced them with her wings. Each stallion exploded before she hovered above another group of stallions. She began to spin like a twister before her feathers flew from her wings and pierced into each stallion’s bodies. She stopped her spin and connected both her front hooves together before the feathers on the stallions glowed. The stallions suddenly disappeared and as they did, the Pegasus flew to the ground and slammed her right hoof to the ground. The stallions suddenly appeared in the sky and where slammed down into the ground before they all exploded. The Pegasus extended her wings before her feather. flew from the smoke and reconnected to her wings. She smiled before she flew towards another group of stallions.
The other Pegasus stood in the middle of a group of flame stallions. Her body shacking before she took a deep breath. Her body glowed and transformed into a massive Tyrannosaurus Rex. She roared into the air before she whipped her tail around. With each stallion she hit, she flung them into the air before they exploded. She then glowed again and changed into a bull and charged towards more of the stallions. She flung each stallion she gored into the air. She glowed again and changed into a gorilla. She grabbed five of the stallions and flung them into the air before changing into a pony size spider and shooting webs around her.
Each stallion caught in her web was pulled closer to her and wrapped together before she changed into a humming bird and flew into the air. The stallions she flung into the air landed in the pile of stallions stuck in the web. She glowed again and changed into a humpback whale before falling to the ground and crushing the stallions under her. She quickly changed into a hawk and flew towards more stallions.
The unicorn and alicorn ran side by side towards a group of flame stallions. The unicorn glowed before changing into two five inch daggers. The alicorn took a dagger in each hoof and she suddenly disappeared. The stallions looked around before two of them had their throats slit as flames jettisoned from the cuts before they fell to the ground in a pile of ash. Three more stallions feel victim with similar cuts. The alicorn appeared above the stallions and threw the two daggers before they changed to thousands of daggers. They fell like rain as they pierced into the stallions flame bodies before they exploded. All the daggers disappeared except for two that changed back into the unicorn. The alicorn flew towards her and glowed before changing into a sword with small wings on each side of its handle. The unicorn took the sword and golden wings appeared on her back. She darted towards another group of stallions; the wings increasing her speed. She sliced at each stallion before they exploded. She continued to slice at each stallion before she flung the sword towards another stallion. The stallion side stepped the sword before the sword changed back to the alicorn and a light darted towards her and split in two before daggers appeared in her hooves. The alicorn slit the stallion’s throat before it exploded.
Moments later, all the flame stallions where gone, leaving behind scorch marks on the ground. The six ponies changed back into orbs and flew back around Harmony. They floated round his body as he chuckled, “I do believe that’s check mate.” War’s mane roared in flames as he galloped towards Harmony. His eyes filled with rage as he slammed his hooves to the ground and flames exploded from his mouth towards Harmony.
“You’ll never learn my friend,” Harmony said before the orbs flew towards the flames and collided as the golden cross rose up. War galloped towards Harmony as the cross dissipated.
“I refuse to be defeated by you again!” War screamed. Harmony shook his head.
“I didn’t defeat you War. You defeated yourself,” Harmony said as small crosses pierced into War’s body. His gallop turned to a trot and soon he walked towards Harmony. Lava dripping from the wounds as he spat out lava from his mouth.
“H-how,” War questioned before he coughed out more lava.
“You let anger and rage cloud your judgment. Your lust for battle has taken you down the path of destruction. Peace and tranquility could have granted you a victory,” Harmony said. War chuckled before he coughed up more lava, his back legs becoming igneous.
“I might have been defeated, but you know as well as I do: my legacy lives in the hearts of all ponies. War is inevitable to create peace and you can’t deny it,” War spat before completely becoming igneous. His body cracked collapsed into ash.
“You may be right, but peace will always win in the end,” Harmony said before he bowed to his dead adversary and walked away.
Green gas and blue mist swirled in the air before the green gas fell to the ground and reformed into Pestilence. The blue mist reformed into Purify as she landed a few feet away from him. White smoke coming out her mask as she breathed out. Pestilence’s head twitched before he roared, “Die already!” he reformed into the green gas and flew towards her. Purify formed back into the blue mist and the two swirled and twisted in the air again before the green gas flew away from the other and reformed back into Pestilence. He looked around for Purify and just as he turned to his left, Purify’s right fore-hoof smashed into his check. He was sent flying towards one of the houses. He quickly changed into gas as he flew through the structure. The home’s wood rotted, the hay roof turned to mulch. Purify changed back into mist and flew through the home. The entire house froze sold before cracking and crumbling to the ground.
Pestilence reformed himself and suddenly changed back into gas as Purify tried to hit him again. She flew through the gas and flopped to the ground. Blisters started to form on her body before they froze and fell off.
“Why can’t you just die?!” Pestilence screamed as he reformed himself. Purify stood up and white smoke came from her mask. Pestilence’s head twitched again before he yelled, “Say something! Anything!” Purify said nothing and galloped towards him. Pestilence changed into green gas and it took the shape of a large green serpent. Purify changed into mist and took the form of a giant blue sphinx. The two collided in a massive cloud of green and blue.
The gas and mist engulfed part of ponyville, the grass turned brown as black liquid oozed from the ground; trees began to rot as leaves fell from the dead branches. The wood on the houses started to rot while the hay rooftops molded and turned blackish green before ice coved the ground. The trees froze and shattered into shards of ice, and the homes became blocks of lice that shattered to pieces. When the smoke cleared, Pestilence and Purify stood in the middle of a frozen tundra that was once a part of ponyville. Both where breathing heavily as small spirts of white smoke came from Purify’s mask. Pestilence winced as his back legs turned to into gas but then reformed back.
“Looks like we’ve used up too much power and can’t reform into our mist state,” Pestilence said before his head twitched. Purify took a deep breath and white smoke flew from her mask before she extended her wings made from fog. Pestilence did the same as the slime that made up his wings dripped to the ground and began to melt the ice under him before he added, “Guess We’ll be doing this the old fashion way.”
The two stood feet away from each other, waiting for the other to make a move. A home that was still frozen began to crack and when it crumbled to the ground the two darted towards each other. Both collided in a flurry of hooves. Purify’s right hoof slammed into Pestilence chest, Pestilence’s hoof connected into Purify’s right eye. The two continued to fling hooves at one another. Black liquid fell and began to melt the ice below as blue liquid fell and crated ice glaciers on the ground. Purify’s right hoof and Pestilence’s left hoof collided in the air sending a shock wave that cracked the ice on the ground before both flew towards the ground. Purify’s left eye had begun to swell and blue liquid seem to drip from the breathing holes of her mask. When they hit the ground, small glaciers rose up from the ground. One of the hooks holding Pestilence’s mouth in a permeant smile had come lose so now part of his mouth was hanging like lose skin. Black liquid oozed from his nose and as it hit the ground it melted the ice like acid.
Pestilence reared back and threw up black liquid that smelled of rotting flesh towards Purify. She used her wings like propellers and slid on the ice to avoid the liquid. It shot past her; she felt the heat from it as it landed on the ground and melted the ice, then the ground under it. Pestilence flew up into the air and spun like a twister and as he did, the blisters on his body spat out the same black substance he had just threw up. Purify skated around on the ice avoiding the acid like rain. Pestilence stopped his spin and fell to the ground; he began to stumble as his eyes rolled around in their sockets. He shook his head to stop the world from spinning as Purify stopped as her hoof hit dirt. She looked around and saw the acid like substance had nearly melted the ice around them and exposed the dead earth under it. Pestilence started to cackle as his skin started to change into the black liquid and singed the ground under him.
“I’ll finish this once and for all!” he shouted before his entire body formed into the black liquid and lunged itself towards her. Purify sighed as white smoke flew from her mask. She reached up and removed the strap from the back of her head to remove her gas mask. She opened her toothless mouth as white smoke started to crawl out of it. The air around her grew colder as she reared back, sucking in a massive amount of air and when she exhaled. The white smoke bellowed out of her mouth towards the green liquid. When the two collided the liquid started to be covered in ice as it froze. Pestilence’s head formed out of the green liquid screaming, trying to escape the frozen prison crawling towards his head. In seconds he was nothing more than a large ice sculpture. It began to crack and it shattered to the ground as Purify placed her mask back over her mouth. She formed into blue mist and flew into the sky.
Shadows slithered on the ground towards Life and formed into snake like vines and lunged towards her. Her horn glowed bright as the shadows screeched and slithered back towards Death.
“You’re so predictable my friend,” Life chuckled. Death gritted his teeth before his shadow rose up from the ground and took the shape of a massive skeleton pony. It suddenly changed into a massive tsunami of shadows that engulfed her. Light started to protrude from the shadows before it exploded. Life stood there smiling before she added, “All these years have made you rusty my friend.”
“Shut up!” Death yelled as the fragments of the shadows slithered back towards him. His horn glowed and shot a beam of dark magic towards her. Life’s horn glowed and blasting magic towards him. The two beams collided in the air and swirling in a large ball of black and white before exploding, leaving behind a massive crater. Both stood on either end of the crater before they flew towards one another. Death’s magic creating a scythe with three blades on it and a dagger at the base. Life’s magic creating a halberd with a cinder block shaped hammer at the base. Both weapons collided creating a shock wave.
Death flew back and swung his scythe. The three blades detached from the staff and flew towards Life. She swatted them away with her halberd before she flipped it and used the hammer at the base to block Death.
“How long has it been since we were this close together Death? What happened to all that charisma you had?” Life questioned. Death said nothing as he pushed her away and the scythe’s blades jettisoned up and reconnected with the staff. Life simply chuckled and added, “What happened to our dance you called: The Ballad of Life and Death?” Death snarled as he flew towards her once again. Both their weapons colliding in the air making another shock wave as both where sent flying away from each other. Death again swung his scythe sending the three blades whirling towards her. Life just sighed as she raised her halberd, ready to deflect them once again. Death’s horn glowed as he shot magical energy at the blades, changing three into millions of whirling blades. Life’s smile never left her face as she swung at one of the blades. It splattered like water as it made contact.
Her smile dissipated as she frantically swung her weapon. Each blade she hit splattered like the first. One of the blades pierced into her right side as she let out a scream of pain. Another flew past her, cutting her right leg, and the other cut her cheek as it flew past. The rest of them exploded into a black fog as Life’s horn lit up, trying to dissipate the fog. She felt a sharp pain come from her back as the dagger from the base of Death’s staff ripped into her flesh. She was suddenly thrown from the fog to the ground.
Death stood over her, a sadistic crooked smile forming on his face as the staff was ripped from her flesh making her let our another scream. The three blades reconnected to the staff as Death laughed, “The Ballad of Life and Death is over. Now, we have a new chapter: The Requiem of Death.” He lifted up his scythe, but before he could swing it towards her. Discord’s lion paw coated in flames smashed into the right side of his face. Sending him flying into a house.
“You honestly need to think up some better names then that,” Discord said before he looked down at Life and extended his lion’s paw. She took it in her hoof and was help up. Discord snapped his fingers and her wounds where healed in an instant.
“Thank you,” she said.
“Not a problem, just repaying a debt,” Discord said.
Life nodded before she said, “I suggest you leave the rest to me. If he were to release the creature inside of you, all of pony kind would be lost.” Discord nodded and disappeared.
---
Discord reappeared in the castle with a crash before he stood up, holding his griffin arm. His fur still mangled and body covered in cuts and bruises.
“Oh my goodness,” Fluttershy said before she picked up the first aid kit in her mouth and raced over towards him. Discord chuckled.
“No worries, just some,” Discord said before he collapsed to the ground unconscious.
---
Life turned to the house Death had been sent flying into as it exploded in a massive twister of black magical energy as he screamed, “Enough of this!” his shadow rose up and split into three before all three took the shape of a slender body with two skinny arms with claws at the ends of them and a basketball shaped head. They fell into the ground as the shadows slithered towards her. She quickly flew up into the sky, but two arms extended from the shadows and their claws pierced into her sides before they flung her to the ground.
She slammed into the ground before she was pulled towards the shadow creature. Another rose up from the ground as it combined both its claws into one large buzz saw that began to spin. It stuck it close to the ground as she was pulled closer towards it. Her horn glowed, ready to teleport away when the third shadow creature sprung up from the ground and wrapped itself around her body. The lower half of its head opened like a mouth before it bit into the back of her neck. She screamed in pain, her horn losing its glow. She tried to get free from her bindings, but it constricted tighter around her body as the other pulled her closer to the buzz saw.
A blue mist shot past Life and the three shadow creatures as the three creatures suddenly froze solid. The mist reformed as purify stood a few feet away from Death. White mist escaping the vents of her mask. Life was able to shatter the shadow creature that blinded her as she stood up and saw Plentiful hopping towards her.
“Don’t interfere!” Death yelled before she shot a beam of black magical energy at Purify. Six orbs flew past her and collided with the beam as a golden cross rose up into the sky.
“You do know I could have formed into mist to avoid that,” Purify said. Her voice muffled by her mask.
Harmony chuckled, “I know, but I thought I’d save you the trouble.” The cross dissipated and the six orbs flew back around his neck and formed into talismans.
“No.” Death said at the sight of the four ponies in front of him. He couldn’t sense his comrades anymore. Their magical auras had disappeared. He snarled as he screamed, “I won’t let our previous battle repeat itself!” he slammed his front hooves to the ground as his shadow grew to a massive size on the ground around him. Ponies made from the shadow rose with glowing blood red eye, their mouths opened as black liquid dripped from their red dagger like teeth. Life and Plentiful both took their spots next to Purify and Harmony. A ripple appeared next to Plentiful as the porcupine bear walked out of the ripple and roared into the air. The six talismans turned into orbs before they all took the shape of ponies once again. One of the pegasi changed into a wolf while the other extended her wings ready to take flight. The earth pony stood up and pointed one of her hollow hooves at the creatures while the other giggled. The unicorn changed into two daggers before the alicorn took them in her hooves. Purify sighed as white smoke came out of her mask before her hooves began to change to mist. Life’s halberd lifted up next to her as she waited. Death lifted his scythe, his sadistic crooked smile forming on his face.
“KILL THEM!” he roared. The shadow ponies reared back and charged.
The shadow ponies jumped onto the earth pony that was hopping around them. She somehow appeared behind them and as they looked at the object they jumped on. They saw her head lying on the ground as a countdown in her right eye reached zero and it exploded. The ponies shrieked as small parts of their shadow skin lifted up from their bodies and began to dissipate like paper rising from a fire. The earth pony giggled before she turned and screamed at more of the shadow ponies. When the shock wave hit them, they all changed to small white rabbits that hopped away. The other earth pony shot balls of magical energy at each shadow pony that got near to her. Each one exploding as bits of their shadow skin dissipating into the air. Feathers pierced into some of the shadow ponies before they disappeared and reappeared in the sky before they were slammed into the ground. Their bodies becoming shadows on the ground and slithering back under Death. His shadow continued to produce the ponies as each one rose up and ran towards the battle field.
Eight of the shadow ponies where suddenly decapitated as the alicorn appeared, clutching a dagger in each of her hooves. The ponies splattered to the ground. The Pegasus that changed into a wolf changed again into a gorilla as she smashed and slammed each shadow pony around her. Harmony bucked one of the shadow ponies that got near him into the air as a Pegasus flew past it and sliced it in half with her wings. Each half fell to the ground and splattered.
The porcupine bear swiped at each pony around it. Another ripple appeared as a nine foot crab came from it. One of its claws was about half the size of it while the other was pony size. Its body began to spin like a top as it legs stayed planted on the ground and when it suddenly stopped. Its arm with the larger claw extended like a bungee cord towards one of the shadow ponies. Its claw clamped down on the pony and its arm retracted before the crab slammed it to the ground. Ripples appeared on the ground, but nothing came out. When shadow ponies ran in the area where the ripples had appeared, parts of the ground opened like circular doors as pony size spiders jumped out of the ground. Their bodies where spider like but their heads where cat like with spider like fangs on each side of the cats mouth The spider cats dragged the ponies into the ground before shadows slithered from the ground towards Death.
Blue mist slithered past each shadow pony as they froze solid before shattering to small pieces. The mist reformed into Purify as she took of her mask and breathed out white smoke towards more of the shadow ponies. They all froze and shattered before she placed her mask back on and changed back into mist.
Life pierced the spear part of her halberd into the chest of a shadow pony before it splattered into black liquid and slithered back to Death. Death’s shadow continued to create the shadow ponies like a factory. When one was defeated, three more took its place, but he knew that this wouldn’t last. He needed to create something that could defeat them once and for all. His shadow suddenly extended even further and began to rise. It rose up to a massive monster. The creatures pitch black skin seemed to shine in the dusk sun light. It was two hundred and fifty feet long from its large round head to its arrow tipped tail with red spines going down its back. Black wings folded on each side of its body. Each leg had spines going down to its claws. The bottom half of its head opened as it roared. The sound of a leather object going down a stringed instrument echoed. It raised its right claw and was about to stomp onto Plentiful. The porcupine bear quickly grabbed Plentiful and threw her before the claw came down and crushed it. Plentiful flopped on the ground before she quickly got up and saw the massive claw lift up and raced to the crater. She looked down to see the porcupine bear lying in the middle of the hole, not moving. She slid down the side and quickly ran to its side.
“Come on, stop playing and get up,” she begged. She nudged the porcupine bear’s arm, but it just fell to the ground lifeless. Tears swelled up in her eyes and she collapsed into the fur. She screamed into its fur as a massive ripple appeared behind the creature. Death watched as a massive beam of green energy blasted from the ripple and hit the massive shadow creature. The creature roared in pain as if fell to the ground. Steam coming from its skin as a massive creature came from the ripple. It was four stories high and three hundred feet tall. It was covered in yellow lizard scales with green spines going from its triangle shaped head with four cat like eyes on each side to its tail that’s tip was shaped like a ball with spikes around it. Each leg was connected to green hook like claws. On each side were spider legs folded close to its ribs. It walked out of the ripple like a komodo dragon. When it was fully out of the ripple it dipped its head down, then raised it and roared. The bottom of the creature’s mouth split in two, exposing the long rows of jagged arrow shaped teeth as the two corners of the top half had long saber teeth.
The shadow creature stood up on its hind legs and roared before it fell to all fours and raced towards the creature who shot out green slim at it. The shadow creature extended its wings and flew into the air to avoid the slim. The slim hit a building and started to disintegrate the building. The shadow creature’s left hand started to morph into cannon with red lining as four smaller cannons were on top of it. The smaller cannons rapidly fired small spheres of white energy at the creature that used its spider legs to quickly avoid the spheres, while firing light green beams of energy at it. The shadow creature flew from side to side to avoid the attacks as the larger cannon shot a large sphere of energy at the creature as it jumped into the air and shot slim at it. The shadow creature moved when suddenly the bright green beam of energy pierced into it's right wing. It roared in pain as it fell to the ground.
The shadow creature slammed into the ground as the other creature roared and advanced towards where the shadow creature had fallen. The shadow creature got back up as its cannon hand changed back into a claw as it shot out a beam of white energy. The creature used its spider legs again to jump over the beam as it passed under it and destroyed another building. The shadow creature’s right wing had been completely obliterated as black blood dripped from the last part of the wing that was still attached to its back. The creature shot out its red tentacle tongue, but the shadow creature side stepped the tongue as it latched onto a building. The creature retracted its tongue along with the building as it slammed into the back of the shadow creature’s head, knocking it to the ground. The creature’s tongue wrapped around the shadow creature’s head and flung it into the air before slamming it into the ground. It lifted it again and whipped its head around and let go. The shadow creature slammed into the ground and bounced up into the air and slammed into the ground like a stone skipping on the surface of the water for about three miles before stopping. The creature roared as it pushed its self into the air with its spider legs; it landed on top of the shadow creature as it started piercing its spider legs into the flesh of the shadow creature
The shadow creature roared in pain before its claw quickly rose up and grabbed the creature’s neck and threw it to the side. The creature fell to the ground as the shadow creature stood up. It was met with the creatures tongue as It wrapped around the shadow creatures right shoulder and was flung towards the creature’s mouth. It clamped down with its rows of arrow teeth piercing into the shadow creature’s flesh. The creature tried to escape the lizard’s grasp as the spikes around it ball tipped tail started to blink. Suddenly the blinking lights quickly went up each spine towards the mouth before a green beam shot out of the shadow creatures back as it screamed and splattered into a massive wave of black liquid. The creature roared into the air before it walked into a ripple and disappeared. Death’s mouth hung open in shock. His shadow ponies had been destroyed and his creature was just destroyed. His mind raced trying to comprehend what had just happened.
Suddenly arrows of light pierced into Death’s body and he screamed in pain. Life floated down as her horn glowed. He winced in pain as he looked up at Life; her face seemed to show sadness.
“What are you sad about,” Death spat.
“I truly wish you’d see the error of your ways and stop this madness,” Life said as she sighed.
Death chuckled then laughed before he said, “Madness! I was made from madness! I am the harbinger of death! I am Death! I will never be stopped.” His body began to dissipate and rise up into the air like ashes. His body dissipated into ash as it flew into the air. Life shook her head as she turned to Purify who reformed herself from the mist. Harmony had Plentiful on his back. Her tears stained her fur under her eyes.
“I think it’s time we went home,” Life said. The four changed into golden orbs and flew towards the castle in the Everfree forest.
Four orbs appeared in the chamber where Luna and Celestia lay on a platform in the middle of four other platforms. Each orb flew to a platform floating around it. Sweetie Belle flopped onto the platform with a grain inscribed into it. Rainbow Dash fell onto the platform with what looked like a staff with wings and two snakes slithered around it. Big Mac fell on another with the six Elements inscribed in it. Twilight appeared as she stood on the platform with a sprouting tree on it, in the middle looked like a filly being cradled by the branches of the tree.
“Thank you young ones for helping us save this world we love so much,” Life’s voice said. Twilight looked at the orb that was hover over her as Sweetie Belle stood up and an orb flew around her giggling and Plentiful said, “Yeah, it was fun to see Equestria again!”
“We however, have one more thing we must do,” Harmony’s voice said as an orb floated above Big Mac. The four orbs suddenly spun around the two princesses as they glowed brighter and brighter. Rainbow Dash stood up and watched as the bright light shot into the sky and dissipated. Luna and Celestia stood up and shock their heads as Celestia looked up to the sky and said, “Thank you.”
“What happened?” Twilight asked.
“We exhausted all of our magic to summon the spirits of the Four Pillars of Hope, we became helpless. So, they gave us the rest of their magic to help us, however,” Celestia as she lowered her head.
“To do so, they now can’t be summoned back,” Big Mac spoke up. Celestia looked up at him and nodded.
“They now are able to ascend to the afterlife,” Luna said.
---
Hours later, Celestia, Luna, Twilight, Big Mac, Rainbow Dash, and Sweetie Belle all where teleported into the castle. They saw all the ponies around them and a smile seemed to form on Celestia’s face. Discord sat against a wall, his griffin arm in a sling and bandages covering his body.
“My fellow subject, these last few days have been harsh. We’ve lost friends, family, love ones, and we’ve also lost our friends to the north. The Crystal Empire has been wiped out. No pony there survived the attack. However, we should not let our grieving take over our lives. We can honor all the fallen by living for tomorrow. Those who died gave us a wonderful gift: the gift of seeing another day. The road ahead is long and harsh as we rebuild our kingdom, but I have faith that we will become stronger than before,” Celestia said. She looked at the four next to her before she added, “Equestria will continue to thrive!”