> Sundered Universes
>  by Super Ponyman
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Chapter 1: The Portal
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Everfree Forest, Clearing)

The Everfree Forest is a mysterious place, full of monsters and ancient magic and old ruins, and these woods didn't take kindly to intruders...

Especially if you aren't from this world entirely!

In the middle of a clearing, a pony was lying unconscious, its body covered in burns and bruises.

Its fur was colored a dark purple and had hints of lavender in it. Her mane and tail was a mess of dark purple and black, bearing resemblance to flames.

This was the dark entity that inhabited the body of Princess Twilight Sparkle of another world...

The Dark Alicorn, Midnight Sparkle!

Midnight groaned and struggled to her feet, saying to herself, "Ugh... I have to remind myself to think before I leap into random portals... I've never felt this much pain in a long time. Then again, I really don't feel pain, my magic usually shields me."

Midnight looked around, she had no clue where in Equestria she was... but the trees gave the impression that this was the Everfree Forest.

Midnight tried to clear her head and remember what exactly happened and how she got here...

(Canterlot Castle, Burning Star's Universe, 3 Months Ago)

Midnight Sparkle was assaulted by a beam of light magic coming from Burning Star, then Twilight, and on and on... until everypony in the room was unleashing their power upon Midnight.

She remembered hearing, "True power is formed through Kindness, Generosity, Laughter, Loyalty, Honesty, and Magic! Now face my fire, the Fires of FRIENDSHIP!"

With that, Burning Star blasted a full power fire nova spell at Midnight, aiming to knock her backwards, which it did.

He shouted, "Now!"

a wormhole opened up and began to gravitationally pull Midnight towards it, it was going to send her to Tartarus!

Midnight looked back and smirked, "You will never catch me, If this world won't accept me as its true and rightful ruler, then I'll go somewhere else! Hehe-HAHAH-AHHA!"

Midnight fired a bolt of dark magic into the wormhole, which changed its destination to parts unknown, it looked like an empty desert on the other side.

Midnight made a mad dash for the portal, and stepped through, then it closed behind her.

Everypony stood there in shock, then somepony said three words that stumped everypony.

"Did... we win?"

The flashback ended, and Midnight stomped her hooves in glee!

She had escaped destruction yet again and had gone to another world.

But what world was she on?

Midnight took flight and flew towards the Castle of the Two Sisters, she could see the old spires on the roof, so she dashed off in search of answers.

(Castle of the Two Sisters, Throne Room)

Midnight arrived at the old and decrepit throne room of the castle and sat down on Celestia's old throne, she could still sense the old magic in the air from when Celestia banished Luna to the moon 1,000 Years ago...

Oh how she wished to send those two to their respective celestial bodies...

Midnight Sparkle smirked, "Oh yes, this will do nicely as a base of operations for me... how ironic that Celestia and Luna will be destroyed by their very student, from their original home! Haha-haaaha-ha!"

She began to tidy up using her magic, summoning paint cans and rebuilding the crumbling walls better and stronger than ever. 

She painted the walls purple, red, and black, repaired the broken windows, rebuilding them in her own stain glass image, and hung extravagant banners with her wickedly dark cutie mark from the old banner holders. 

Pretty soon, Midnight's Castle of Darkness was formed!

She took a gasp of air and said, "Perfect! My new...ish home. Can't believe Celestia and Luna left this place to rot, SO much magic to harvest here." SO MUCH! And, without any obstacles to my studies to avoid, I will be back at full power within the month!"

Midnight threw her head back in a manical laugh, shaking the very room with it.

In a way, when Sombra tried to corrupt Twilight, it was a blessing.

It brought forward enough negative energy to regenerate her body and regain enough power to strike down Celestia and Luna, granted it was a temporary defeat...

But she could defeat them now without much difficulty, and that filled her with glee.

She grinned wildly and said, "Soon, this world, the previous world and any other world, will kneel before my might! Hehehehee-Hahahaah-Haha!"

(Twilight's Castle, Garden)

Burning Star was all packed and ready to go off into Portal in front of him, which sparked with multicolored cosmic rays. 

He had many of his little inventions with him, including his Changeling Dust, Magitek Wings (for Quickfire), some bits, food and water, and three portable tents for everypony coming.

He knew Twilight would probably give him an earful for going after Midnight Sparkle without her knowing of it, but he didn't need to worry about that now.

Besides, Twilight wasn't the best at nagging him, Shadow Armor tended to do that instead. 

He thought to himself, "As long as Midnight Sparkle remained out there in the Multiverse, she was a threat. Now it is time to end this crusade against the darkness by taking her in, dead or alive."

His team would be two of the most dangerous ponies in all of Equestria, one was an old friend, the other a recent ally and elite soldier.

His old Unicorn friend Quickfire, easily identified by his black and reddish orange mask and Battle armor. He carried a giant Trotland Claymore as well as his signature Carbon-Fiber and Steel Katana, his twin crossbows and bag full of explosives and other nasty surprises sat on his back. He was stronger than Big Mac and could apparently use more of his brain than anypony living or dead.

His other companion was the Earth Pony Hill Taker, or Hiller, known as the Protopony. He was easily identified by his dark brown coat of fur and black mane and tail styled in a short military crew cut. his powers came not from magic alone, but from a mysterious and powerful virus known as the Blackhoof Virus. 

The Blackhoof Virus gave Hiller amazing and deadly powers, with many of them mainly derived from his ability to consume biomass, which was anything organic and living, to transform and mutate his body into weapons and other forms. Said weapons were constructed mostly of hardened flesh and muscle, mixed with bone and iron. these weapons included razor-sharp claws, tendrils that could ensnare his foes, heavy hitting Hammer-Hooves that could cause spikes to erupt from the ground and could crumple the strongest of armor, a gigantic guillotine-like blade that probably overcompensated for something, and a Blade-covered whip that could lash and drag his prey towards him like some character out of a video game.

Despite Burning Star's best efforts to find out how to duplicate the effects, he found nothing to replicate it, even though the Virus inhabiting Hiller was stable enough to be studied. 

Hiller explained to him that "The Virus has some sort of awareness that prevents itself from being modified by many factors, it cannot be replicated, only spread."

Burning Star stood in front of his companions and said, "Now listen up, everypony. Prince Eclipsio finally managed to pinpoint Midnight's location, when she jumped through the wormhole, she had fled to another world entirely. I can't just sit by as Midnight tears another world asunder, and neither will you two, she will most likely come back for revenge against us once she is done doing that."

Hiller grunted out, "So, I'm guessing we are going after her to unscrew any problems she makes? I'm tired of playing clean-up crew to these sorts of disasters that the world chucks at us, it will be pretty good to finally see some action outside of our world, even if it's for a little while."

Quickfire stared at the portal with his one blue eye, feeling a tad nervous for the first time in a long time. 

He said to himself, "Gah, I hope this is the right portal. I have to travel to another dimension, I've already gotten lost in Space-Time before, I would not like to do that again. Midnight must be stopped before she causes any irreversible damage to the space-time continuum."

Quickfire asked Burning Star a question, "Hey hot stuff, do you think the inhabitants of this world will be ponies, and even if they are... don't you think seeing a jet-black Alicorn, not to mention one that spews fire from his horn and can light himself on fire as well, is going to set off a massive panic?"

Burning Star nodded, "Of course it is Quickfire, I'm still going though. Maybe the inhabitants of that world will accept me as their god. Who knows?"

Hiller gave them both a deadpan stare before saying, "Really? You expect a positive reaction from the inhabitants? I know I should try to be positive here, but we all know how unknown life forms are reacted to, with fear."

Prince Eclipsio flew down from the skies and landed in front of them, eyes full of concern. He said to the trio, "There you three are, I was prepping my gift for you three so you can get back home, it's a one-time use, but it's guaranteed to work."

Eclipsio used his magic to create a few glass orbs, they were filled with some sort of black smoke.

He began to explain to the trio, "These are Distortion Orbs, they allow anypony to distort the fabric of reality and open a wormhole back to here, but there are only enough for three ponies to come back and forth. Use these wisely, warriors."

Burning Star picked up the trio of orbs and put them in his bag carefully... hoping not to shatter them.

Prince Eclipsio pulled him aside and said quietly,"I will be watching your travels through my Pool of Oversight, however I cannot communicate with you. Once you step through this portal, you cannot return home until you eliminate the threat of Midnight Sparkle, via capturing her, or possibly killing her. Only then will the orbs activate and let you return home to us. Be careful, I sense the presence of powerful warriors on that world."

Burning Star whispered to him, "Are they friendly?"

Eclipsio said in an unsure tone, "Wether they are friend or foe eludes even me, they seem to be cloaked by some sort of magic that only my sister could generate, some sort of enchantment that renders them immune to detection by beings with precognition like me..."

Hiller overheard that part of their conversation and decided to interrupt, "Then we assume they are not friendly until there is sufficient evidence that they are against Midnight. The enemy of my enemy is my friend, you two. Remember that phrase?"

Burning Star smirked, "Yeah, but if these warriors are against us, we are more than prepared to take them down!"

Quickfire smiled at Burning Star's fighting spirit, it was nice to see his friend so excited to go into battle again, he also was pretty stoked as well.

New opponents meant new experiences... 

Eclipsio looked at everypony, "Alright, any last words before you three head off?"

Hiller said to the Eclipsie Prince, "Yeah, can you get on with building me a house, living with Shadow Armor is starting to get old." Hiller walked into the portal, a steely glare in his eyes.

Burning Star said with pride, "Tell Twilight I love her, and that I'll miss her dearly!" He then jumped into the portal.

Quickfire looked back, seeing Twilight's castle and the rest of Ponyville, he sighed and said, "Eclipsio, tell Twilight that she succeeded in making me believe in her again, she can write her own story, chase her own dreams, so can everypony... tell her that her other BBBFF is going to finish this once and for all."

Quickfire slowly stepped into the portal and disappeared, then the portal closed with a flash of electricity, leaving the smell of ozone and burnt matches.

(Canterlot Castle, Celestia's Room, Other Universe)

Princess Celestia was just getting up from her slumber, blinking crud out of her eyes and stretching out her large wings. 

It was dawn, time to raise the sun into the skies above Ponyville.

She said to herself as she got up, her mane disheveled and her wings still cramped, "Ugh, I am still tired, I'll wake up when I get some breakfast."

Celestia walked out to the balcony and ignited her horn, slowly beginning to raise the sun...

When a loud bang startled her and caused the sun to raise very abruptly, sending a wave of heat across the land. 

Celestia looked out to the horizon and tried to find the source of the sound, seeing many ponies going out their doors still in their bed robes, trying to figure out what in Tartarus was going on.

Celestia looked across the horizon and saw a large blue-black vortex open up over The Everfree Forest, she looked on in awe as it stayed open for a few seconds, then closed just as fast.

Celestia got worried, something like this had never really happened yet without her knowing about it in advance. Who or what could have come to this world?

were invaders from another world here? 

Was it Discord warping out of his home realm?

She didn't know, and she didn't like it at all...

Celestia thought for a moment, she needed to know what or who came here, and she couldn't send Twilight, she had recently battled Tirek, and Celestia figured she had to take a break before she could go into her missions again. 

Celestia had an idea, she had recently assembled a secret task force to deal with problems of this magnitude.

The Guardians of the Sun, they had also recently gotten back from their own mission to Skyworld, which they collectively refused to talk about due to the embarrassment factor. 

Celestia pondered the idea for a moment, before calling a piece of parchment to her side.

"G.O.S.(Guardians of the Sun)

"Princess Celestia requires your presence in the Royal Archives, we have a situation to discuss and a possible mission for you. This is an official order, not a request, so move your flanks!"

"From, 
Princess Celestia"

She then set fire to the letter to send it to the Guardians of the Sun, and went to her dresser to get ready for the day.

She said to herself, "I pity the invaders that have arrived, my task force is the best of the best."

(Castle of Darkness, Everfree Forest)

Midnight Sparkle was in the middle of meditation in the courtyard when she heard a loud bang and saw a portal open up in the distance, roughly above the border of Sweet Apple Acres and the Everfree Forest.

She said out loud, "Damn it to Tartarus! Of all the times for those pests to arrive, it's right as I'm getting settled. Oh well, better give them a "warm welcome" when they find me, but let's give them a bit of a challenge, first."

Midnight ignited her glowing horn and caused sharp magical vines to sprout up from the ground, the infamous Pludervines, blocking off any gaps in the trees, she then put up a large dark purple shield over the castle and turned it invisible as to not draw attention.

She then smirked, "Let's give them something to entertain them for a while... hehehee!"

Midnight began to gather up the roots of the Plundervines and began to create bodies, creating fearsome Plundervine Timberwolves and sent them off towards the farmland.

She teleported back inside and laughed, "Oh I'm going to enjoy watching those little ponies struggle against my Pluderwolves, I may even finally put an end to that stupid Apple Family..."

With that, Midnight resumed her meditation, as the Plunderwolves ran through the trees towards their target...

Sweet Apple Acres! 

(Sweet Apple Acres, Edge of the Apple Orchard)

Applejack and Big Macintosh strided through their prosperous orchard, it was Zap Apple Season, and they were harvesting Zap Apples by the dozens.

Applejack bucked a tree, sending a rain of Zap Apples into a waiting basket, she wiped her forehead with her hooves, since it got very hot ever since the portal in the sky opened up. 

Applejack walked over to her brother and said, "Hey Big Mac, you need a break? A'h will take care of the rest for ya. I know you have a date tonight with your mare friend, and ya don't want to smell like sweat, do you?"

Big Mac shook his head, "Nnnope. I'm not missin this Zap Apple Season, I can take a shower when I get back to the farmhouse."

Applejack was about to respond when the two ponies suddenly heard a scream from over head.

(Equestria, other Universe)

Burning Star was falling out of the sky like a stone, he was trying to flap his wings, but they wouldn't respond.

Quickfire was trying to activate those Magitek Wings he had, but they weren't working, so he fell fast as well.

Hiller just braced for impact with the ground, and looked over at his companions and sighed. 

The trio plunged towards a barn, and crashed through the roof, compromising the barn's construction.

Hiller rushed over to the pair of ponies and turned his front hooves into large shields, blocking the falling debris and wooden beams.

Applejack arrived just in time to see the barn collapse from the impact, she shouted out, "What in tarnation is going on here?!"

Big Mac looked at the hole in the collapsed roof, "It looks like a meteor struck the barn, Sis."

She could make out a vague silhouette of an Earth Pony with a pair of Shields in his hooves, he was standing on his hind legs, and she ran into the wreckage to check on him.

She saw the Earth Pony lower his shields, which seemed to melt back into his front legs with a fleshy squelch.

Big Macintosh ran in after her and saw the trio of ponies in the dust.

One of which looked like an Alicorn!

Had Twilight fell out of the sky or something?

Burning Star got up and looked around, "Well, we made it, Where are we...?"

He then fell unconscious, along with Hiller...

Applejack and Big Mac dragged the trio out of the broken barn and took them inside.

They had not clue who they were, but they had an obligation to help ponies in need...

Even if they smashed their barn to pieces... they would have to fix that later.
> Chapter 2: Guardians of the Sun
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Canterlot Castle, Archives)

The Canterlot archives were one of the most secure spots in the entire city of Canterlot. Princess Celestia currently stood in the Star Swirl the Bearded wing, a place filled to the brim with the legendary unicorn’s accomplishments. She paced uncomfortably back and forth, pondering on the distortion above the Everfree.

Nothing like it had ever happened before. Even with Discord being loose before, he hadn’t chosen to create massive disruptions in the sky like what had just happened. But if it wasn’t Discord, then what was it?

Suddenly, through the window, a swirl of orange fire materialized in front of her into the shape of a scroll. Celestia, relieved at the quick response by her most trusted warriors, unfurled the scroll quickly.

Wassup, ‘Tia?

Celestia sighed. 

Firestorm. 

How many times did he have to call her that?

"You want us in the archives, right? Well, just give us a minute to catch our breath from the really big teleport from the Badlands. I, uh, don’t want to talk about recent events. Just hold up, alright?"

Yours truly, Firestorm--the fast, the deadly, the super hot, and the totally annoying.

Oh, and Noble Blade and Freedom Fighter, too.

A loud pop filled the room, and Celestia turned towards the source. In front of her, reeling from the teleportation spell he had used, was a unicorn in a dirty chrome suit of armor and a flowing brown cape. On his back was a shield with the royal coat of arms on it and a massive chrome broadsword. The unicorn used his exposed pale blue horn to slit open his visor vertically and the visor split to the sides to reveal a thick bright blue mane and a soft, pale blue face of distinctly average features. His deep blue eyes, however, were bright and alert.

Celestia nodded. “Good morning, Noble Blade.” She looked around the room. “I, uh, don’t mean to inquire, but where are the rest of them?”

“They’ll be along in a second or so,” Noble said with a shrug. “Firestorm had to go and pick up some donuts.”

Celestia blinked. “Donuts?”

“I didn’t want to deny him the privilege of them. We just got back from the Skyworld mission you sent us on, and he felt like he needed something to commemorate the end of it. Goodness, you should have seen the wreckage from the station.”

“Did you get the file I asked of you?” Celestia asked.

Noble Blade scratched the back of his head. “I’ll, uh, let Firestorm take care of telling you that.”

Celestia arched an eyebrow. “Why?”

Noble Blade coughed. “We misunderstood your direction to wipe the records off of Skyworld’s file. We decided to...ahem...destroy it. Firestorm, uh, decided to go all-out on it. Afterwards...I couldn’t find enough of the file to recover to bring back.” 

He then widened his eyes. “Aaaand I just told you myself instead of having Storm do it for me. Whoops.” He sighed.

“It’s understandable that you made a mistake.” Celestia sighed and offered a smile to reassure the unicorn. “While I was hoping for us to gain Skyworld’s file, it’s probably better off being left alone. Is Freedom Fighter here?” Celestia asked, giving an imperceptible nod towards the ceiling.

Noble Blade looked up, twitching his ears a little. Then he chuckled. “All right, Freedom Fighter,” he called. “Come down from there. We know you’re there, so just come down slowly, and I might be able to persuade Firestorm to share his donuts with you when he gets here.”

There was silence for a moment.

Then a dark shape dropped down from the ceiling and landed without a sound on his hind legs  between Celestia and Noble Blade. That shape settled back onto all fours and gazed at Noble Blade with a questioning look.

“I just know where you are at all times, Freedom. I have to because someone has to. We don’t have to go over this all the time.” 

Noble turned back to Celestia. “Did you know about him?”

“Honestly?” Celestia said. “Not really. I just know he has a penchant for creeping into rooms without anypony noticing.”

Freedom Fighter nodded slowly. Freedom Fighter was in a black bodysuit that covered every inch of his body, including his eyes. All over his body were an assortment of knives in all kinds of sizes and types, and at his flanks were two folded, hinged, seemingly innocuous sticks.

A voice cried, “LOOK OUT BELOW!” Through the open window in the room, in flew a pegasus holding half a dozen donuts on a long thin blade. He settled slowly to the ground holding the blade upright, then once he was on the ground he offered the donut kabob to Celestia. 

“Want some?” the pegasus asked. He was in earth-colored rags, like maroon and brown, with a dull shiny armor showing in between stitches underneath. There was another sword similar to the one in his hoof across his back, and there were two combat knives on his flank and underbelly. The pegasus himself was a shade of orange, the same shade of color as Applejack, with long wild red and orange and yellow hair on his head that stuck straight out and up and behind him like a real flame.

Celestia held up a hoof respectfully at Firestorm’s offer.

Firestorm shrugged. “Suit yourself,” he said simply. He flicked the blade upwards, and a donut flew off into the air and landed in Firestorm’s awaiting mouth, who chewed it with every hint of satisfaction.

“I didn’t want you to hold off on my summons simply because you wanted donuts, this is a serious issue here.” Celestia told Firestorm with just a hint of irritation.

“And I didn’t want to hold off on getting donuts simply because I got a summons, staying fed is a serious issue too.” Firestorm unequivocally replied with his mouth full. He swallowed the bit he had in his mouth. “Anyway, we’re all here. Whadda ya need?” he asked with a tone of simplicity.

“I called you all here because of a situation I observed in the Everfree Forest,” Celestia said, turning towards the massive window in the library wing. 

Outside was a view of the Everfree Forest, with Ponyville barely discernible in the background. “Earlier today, as I was raising the sun, a vortex above the forest startled me and made the sun rise rather abruptly.”

“I was wondering why you were so hasty, it is not summer yet." Noble Blade muttered contemplatively. 

He then widened his eyes. “Wait, did you say a vortex?”

“Like, an extraterrestrial portal that can dispense time travelers and dimensional beings? Really?" Firestorm asked in wonder, gnawing a bite of donut slowly off his sword. “We gotta deal with that?”

Freedom Fighter looked behind him at Firestorm in barely-restrained surprise.

Firestorm noticed this and asked, “What’s he looking at me for?”

“I think he’s surprised that you knew those words, is all,” Noble said jovially. He ignored the look of mock offense Firestorm levied at him and turned to Celestia. “Anything else we should know about this situation?"

“The vortex opened only for a few seconds, then closed just as quickly,” Celestia continued. “It’s my guess that whatever was in there escaped into the Everfree and is waiting there to bide their time.”

“And you want us to go in there and dispatch it before it causes untold terror and destruction to the inhabitants of this world?” Noble Blade asked.

“Correct,” Celestia said. “I don’t know why exactly, but it feels like this particular threat will be greater than any you’ve encountered before. You’ve dealt with uprisings in the fringe of Equestria’s borders. You’ve managed to prevent a civil war in the dragonlands. You led a raid upon Arimaspi Mountain to retrieve the magical Horn of Alagamora. But this time, I’m afraid you might not succeed without help.”

Noble Blade thought for just a moment, then respectfully kneeled. “Then I shall not shirk from the challenge presented. For if we do not take care of it, who will? I will fight. I shall protect this land from any intruders and shall try my hardest to eradicate that which shall cause strife in our fair land. And if we may die in this attempt, I shall die knowing I have done all in my power to serve my country.”

Behind him Firestorm and Freedom Fighter also kneeled, accepting their mission without a word.

Celestia nodded. “Then go and make this land proud to have you as its protectors.”

(Everfree Forest, Forest Depths)

A few hours later, in the heat of the day, the three Guardians entered the forest from an undetected area around the perimeter of the forest, far away from civilization. None of them had ever been inside the forest before, and so they kept their hooves on their weapons warily and looked around, searching for predators and dangerous plants. None came their way, however.

Where were they?

As the part of the forest they had entered was remote and untraveled, the journey through the uncharted parts of the forest took them the lesser part of four hours, a lot of hacking and cutting through overhanging vines, and many conversations created to simply pass the time as they ambly but steadfastly pressed into the forbidden magical foliage.

Finally, after a time period none of them measured, they reached the spot where the castle was supposed to be. But it was peculiar; the castle simply wasn’t there. It was just...empty.

“I think we made a wrong turn,” Firestorm observed dryly. “Unless the castle decided to turn invisible on all of us?”

“You know... That wouldn’t be out of the question, Firestorm." Noble Blade observed. “Remember, the portal above the Everfree had to be created by somepony with extensive magical knowledge. It’s highly likely that the pony in question came through the portal he or she created on their own, and is likely also powerful enough to put up a shield around the castle to block it from view.”

“So what do we do?” Firestorm asked, poking around the area of the castle. Then suddenly, without a warning, he disappeared.

Noble started backwards upon seeing the spot where he disappeared. “Firestorm?” he called with uncertainty.

Then all of a sudden Firestorm’s head materialized in thin air. “Hey! Check it out! There’s something around the castle after all! It’s a force field! See?” 

He suddenly made his hoof appear, then withdrew it and it disappeared. “Come on! I think I fell through!”

Noble Blade and Freedom Fighter looked at each other for just a moment, debating silently whether they should go through, then took a few steps forward and felt something cold pass through them before they emerged on the other side of the force field.



Indeed, looking up, they could see a dark purple dome encircling the entire castle. The three Guardians now stood at the foot of the castle. It loomed dark and foreboding above them, sending a whistling whisper of cold through the cracks in their separate uniforms, and striking them all with a rather unexpected bad feeling…

Purple Electricity was seen flying through the air, it was coming from the tallest spire, that was probably the thing that was sustaining the force field. It was creepy to say the least.

For the castle appeared to have been recently redecorated. Where once was broken glass in window panes, now was elaborate stained-glass windows with the shape of a dark purple Alicorn prominently featured in the center. Where once was broken-down walls, now was stronger grey bricks painted over with red and purple and black. The old vegetation had been chased away, and Plundervines now infested the surrounding area.

“What happened here?” Noble Blade mused out loud, stepping over a vine with black spikes ridden all over it. 

He immediately identified them as Plundervines, a plant that once threatened to strangle the Tree of Harmony.

Why were they growing again?

“Whatever happened here, the pony that did it had to have a really big ego to redecorate here and strengthen its defenses,” Firestorm said. “Like, bigger than mine.”

“Since when did you insist you have a big ego?” Noble asked, turning around.

“Since now,” Firestorm said, crossing his front arms in a false show of indignant bravado. “I intend on being as unpredictable as possible in my behavior.”

“That’s not a desirable quality,” Noble told him.

“I’m not exactly known for my many desirable qualities,” Firestorm pointed out. “Everyone says I need to improve myself and not be as burlesque, but I’m certain I can just ignore them. I mean, the health critics say it doesn’t matter what others say about you, so I figure I don’t need to listen to advice telling me I should be serious and warrior-like all the time. It doesn’t matter what they think of me, right?”

“There’s a difference between not caring what others think about you and not listening to constructive criticism, you know.”

“Then how do I know which is which?” Firestorm asked. “How can I differentiate?”

Before Noble could answer, Freedom Fighter held up a hoof for silence, shutting up both of them. He glared at one pony, then the other, then jerked his head at the wall of the castle nearest them.

“He’s got a point,” Noble said. “We need to infiltrate this castle. How do you want to do it, Freedom?”

Freedom Fighter pointed at Noble Blade’s sword strapped across his back, then pointed at the castle wall.

“Are you sure? Not scaling the walls or flying through the windows?”

“Well, what if the pony inside is watching those ways of entry?” Firestorm pointed out. “This way, we can be virtually unseen.”

Noble gave him an approving nod before he used his magic to draw his sword from off his back and float it over to the wall. The sword was forged out of a single piece of shiny flawless chrome metal. With a circular motion of his head, the sword, in a blue aura, sliced a perfect circle in the wall of the castle and blew itself inward. Even though it was solid stone it was cutting through, the sword sliced as easily as if he was cutting bread. The sword returned to Noble’s hoof, who held it aloft as he advanced forward. Freedom Fighter and Firestorm followed him into the castle.

As it turned out, the wall they had cut into to avoid detection was the side of the wall in the main throne room. The three Guardians of the Sun collectively looked up to admire the admittedly marvelous architecture present in the once-dilapidated old castle. The walls were all red and purple and black, a rather catchy color scheme. And the castle was remarkably well-lit with torches in their proper holders on the walls, spewing purple and black flames. But on the banners surrounding the perimeter of the castle throne room, there was the same dark purple rearing Alicorn that struck an involuntary rush of fear into the chests of every pony there. 

Freedom Fighter raised an eyebrow and gestured to the banner, then to Noble Blade.

The unicorn responded, "I don't know who it is, Freedom. it kinda looks like some sort of Demon shaped like an Alicorn..."

And they heard a chilling laugh as well in the supposedly-empty throne room, and their heads whipped to face the source.

Seated on a throne of black and purple crystal, in place of where Celestia and Luna’s thrones once were, was the Alicorn in question.

She was colored midnight purple and had a black and purple mane that flowed upwards, similar to a raging fire. She had black raven wings and a bright greenish and glowing serrated horn, as well as some sort of mask made of light that looked like winged glasses on the sides of her eyes, which had slitted pupils like a reptile. 

The Alicorn smirked, "Well... I'm a Demon, thats a new name that I've been called, Ha ha ha! You pesky little ponies dare to trespass on my land and get away with it? Either you are incredibly brave, or incredibly stupid? Maybe you are both, the hell if I know...” the Alicorn roared and hissed, her long jagged horn crackling with electricity.

Firestorm came forward, swallowing his own fear. “Well, uh, actually, that was the point, miss Mane Dye colors. We’re here from the Homeowner’s Insurance. I mean, look-” He cleared his throat, trying not to piss himself in front of somepony who made even Changelings look cute and cuddly.

He continued to speak, “You seem like a good girl. You seem nice, charming--really good at redecorating. I like the purple and black color scheme, it really fits you."

Midnight leaned back on her throne, obviously bored. 

Firestorm looked around once more. “But you’re wrong in that you own this land. Last I checked, this land belonged to…” He flipped through an invisible sheet of papers in front of him and squinted at something in front of him. “A miss Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. And also-oh, my goodness, your mortgage payments are super low. No payments at all? So, uh, I’m afraid you’re going to have to vacate this land, miss. And take your fancy drapes with you too.”

The dark purple Alicorn stood up in anger, her eyes glowing with power. “YOU'RE INSISTANCE TO MAKE ME LEAVE IS FUTILE! I AM NOT GOING TO BE EVICTED! AND I AM NOT CALLED MANE DYE! I AM MIDNIGHT SPARKLE, AND I DON’T HAVE TO PAY MORTGAGE FOR ANYTHING! ALL YOU ARE DOING IS MAKING ME MORE AGITATED THAN I ALREADY AM AT YOU THREE!”

“Look, lady, if you don’t vacate the premises within the next forty-eight hours, we’re going to have to go ahead and kill you.” Firestorm reared on his hind legs and drew both of his swords across his back simultaneously with a loud whistle. “Nothing personal, you see. It’s just that you seem like a comic book villain and we’re the ones best equipped to deal with ponies like you--corny, overpowered ponies with a dark, uh, color scheme and extraterrestrial origins. So, uh, hold still, okay?” Next to him Freedom Fighter took both of the combat sticks off of his flanks while on his hind legs, holding them out to the sides with an aggressive stance.

The dark purple Alicorn stopped for a moment, then laughed, "You call those toys Weapons?" 

She lanced a long white beam of power out of her horn and held it aloft like a sword as she stood proud and high. "Now THIS is a Weapon!" 

She reared up and screeched, “I AM MIDNIGHT SPARKLE! ALL SHALL BOW DOWN BEFORE ME AND SERVE ME, THE MASTER OF THE MULTIVERSE!”

“Wow,” Firestorm murmured to Noble Blade. “Can you get any more melodramatic?”

“I dunno,” Noble whispered back. “Maybe she tried to intimidate us?”

“I couldn’t tell, honestly.” He shrugged. “But she’s pretty loud, I’ll give her that.”

(End 1st Music) 



(Start 2nd Music)

Midnight, with an angry snarl, slammed the beam of white energy down on the ground, breaking the conversation abruptly as a ripple of stones made them all fly backwards into the opposite wall in three seperate thuds, their weapons flying out of their hooves.. Noble’s shield on his back absorbed most of the impact, but the other two Guardians slid to the ground limply and got back up slowly.

“Midnight Sparkle!” Noble roared, extending his hoof. His dropped sword skittered back to his hoof, surrounded in an aura the same color as the one surrounding his horn. He stepped forward, already shaking off the impact. “Thou art not welcome here! Cease thy activities and thy attacks against us, or we shall be forced to use dramatic action against thee!”

Midnight simply rolled her eyes, "Don't make me laugh, fool. You are outmatched and cannot harm me with simple weaponry like that. Behold my Powers!" 

Midnight raised her hooves high in the air and from beneath the stones in the ground, there crawled Plunderwolves, created from the dead vegetation underneath the castle. They crawled out of the ground like cicadas from their nests, snarling and snapping.

“Attack, my Plunderwolves!” Midnight cried. 

“ATTACK!”

Midnight then floated back to her throne and sat down, crossing her back hooves and watching the conflict.

Firestorm sighed. “Idiot,” he murmured. “That never works against us.” He picked up his swords and flicked a switch near the handle. A loud click was heard and the twin blades erupted into bars of sharpened flame flickering up the swords. He flicked them in a mock salute before rushing forward and sinking both of them into the chest of the first wolf to attack him.

Noble turned to Freedom Fighter. “Freedom! Hold them off of me. I’m going for her!”

Freedom Fighter nodded, then stooped down and picked up his combat sticks, holding one in each hoof. With a flick of his wrists, the hinged sticks doubled in length until they were a meter long each. He then conjoined one end to the other to form a long staff that he twirled expertly in front of him. And he rushed forward and smacked a wolf in the face so hard he fell with a hard slam to the ground and did not move again.

Midnight was somewhat impressed, perhaps this warrior would make a good slave to her will when she kills him and resurrects him from the dead...

Noble Blade rushed forward, slicing across the path of the wolf nearest him so he was cut cleanly in half. The wolf’s twitching vine body shuddered for just a moment, then lay still. Beside him, Firestorm spun like a tornado with his blades outstretched, setting fire to all that tried to come near. Little flecks of flame flew off and landed on the purple carpet and on the wolves, who yelped as the flame bit at them. He leaped and spun, ducked and dodged, whirled and twirled and swiped with his swords like he was a blender. And Freedom Fighter was not far behind him in terms of combat. Spinning his staff like a propeller, surrounded by wolves, he always found hits on any wolf that came near enough that tried to hit him. He snapped his hoof to the side and a thin blade shot out, then he swiped it in a vertical motion on a wolf’s jaw, splitting his head. He spun around and jammed the blade into a wolf’s eye, then slammed his staff on the back of another so hard he fell to the floor, paralyzed. The wolf looked up to see Freedom Fighter slide forward a thin blade in his staff, then jam it into his skull like a spear.

Noble Blade continued to advance on his hind legs, always moving forward no matter what the wolves did. They moved in front of him and he would sink the broadsword into their head. They attempted to blindside him and he’d whip around and slash them with a heavy cut. Finally, leaving a litter of bodies in his wake, Noble Blade stood in front of Midnight Sparkle’s throne holding his sword in his right hoof aloft. He gave a slight tilt of his head. “Midnight,” he said mildly. “My offer is still open. Leave peacefully and we will not harm you."

The Dark Alicorn smiled an evil grin, "So you beat my Plunderwolves? Hmph... then I suppose I should take the fight myself." 

Midnight conjured a dozen whipping tentacles of pure purple energy from behind her like the tongues of snapping flames in response.

Noble sighed. “Suit thyself.”

And he twisted the hilt of his sword and the entire sword, blade and hilt, suddenly exploded in a shimmering aura of humming blue energy. He flourished the sword around his body, tracing a trail of blue light in the air, then held it at a stance, ready for Midnight to launch her first attack.

Midnight launched the tendrils of purple energy at him like attacking snakes. Whipping his sword around him like the thing was weightless, Noble Blade struck all of the attacking whips one at a time before they could reach him. With each impact on the sword the purple tentacle flashed and recoiled before striking again from another angle. Noble kept the tirade up for the good part of half a minute. His movements were never off, his aim was always straight, he never moved a millimeter more than necessary to deflect the tentacled attackers.

Midnight, growling in anger, ramped up the intensity of her attacks from twelve strikes a second to sixteen, then to eighteen, until finally, at twenty strikes per second, she finally overloaded Noble’s defense.

So Noble decided to shift his tactics to attack.

Knocking aside an angry tentacle in front of his face, he parried three more attacking whips before firing a beam of dark blue energy at Midnight on her throne. Midnight, so focused on the attacking whips, was thrown back hard against her throne with a hard gasp and the attacking energy tentacles stopped abruptly.

She got up and said, "You have much more fight in you than the other rabble, let's see how many seconds longer you last."

Noble stepped forward, balancing on his hind legs. He pointed his sword at her. “I abjure thee now once, and once alone. Surrender, creature of darkness. Flee from the presence of the warriors of the princesses, and come no more against the fair citizens of Equestria.” Behind her, Firestorm and Freedom Fighter had dispatched the rest of the Plunderwolves and were observing the scene in front of the throne, their weapons put away.

Instead of surrendering, however, Midnight snickered, "Yeah, apologizing is not my real strength, so no."

Midnight threw her head back suddenly and all three Guardians were picked up in her magic aura, flailing as they tried unsuccessfully to get free. Noble strained to break her grasp, but her magic was too powerful.

Midnight snarled, “DID YOU HONESTLY THINK YOUR PUNY ATTACKS WOULD HARM ME?! YOU DID WELL AGAINST MY PLUNDERWOLVES, BUT TO ME... YOU ARE NOTHING COMPARED TO A GODDESS. I EXPECTED MORE OF YOU THREE!"

Firestorm, flailing in his own aura, said in annoyance, “Well, duh! If we thought our attacks wouldn’t hurt you, we wouldn’t have attacked you in the first place!”

“Storm, that’s not helping,” Noble interrupted him, being rotated in the air by Midnight.

“Well, don’t act like you weren’t thinking it!” Firestorm pointed out as he was also flipped upside down. “Honestly, it’s like she says these things just to sound like a comic book villain or something.”

“SHUT UP! FOR THE LOVE OF FAUST SHUT UP!” Midnight screamed. 

She continued to roar out, “I’VE HAD A LONG DAY SO FAR, AND YOU IN PARTICULAR HAVE GOTTEN UNDER MY SKIN!”

“Wait, I have?” Firestorm asked in wonder, being flipped to face Midnight once more and facing her war-ready face. “Wow. Really? I have?”

“OF COURSE YOU HAVE YOU IRRITATING CUR!"

“Yes!” He hoof-bumped the air in triumph.

With a scream of rage, an explosive blast of wrathful power, and a stomp of her hooves, Midnight Sparkle expelled the three Guardians through the rest of her castle. They blasted through walls, tore through tapestries, and finally crashed through the two wooden front doors and hit the earth with three impacts of compacted soil.

Noble looked up slowly, somewhat surprised that he wasn’t hurt, until he remembered that he had been in a magic aura for the time of his flight and therefore impervious to most outside influences so long as the unicorn in question kept up their defensive shields around him. In front of the castle, the ground itself was being ripped up like a wave of water, surrounded in an all-too familiar dark purple aura.

Noble gestured hurriedly to his fellow Guardians. “Come on! Get up! Go! Let’s go!” His friends needed no encouragement, however, for upon seeing the wave ripple towards them, they scrambled out of the impacts their bodies had made and ran away from the wall of earth running their way. Their path was cut off, however, by a massive gorge cutting around the entire perimeter of the castle. Their only path across was a raggedy rope bridge spanning the gap.

As they came near Firestorm flapped into the air and promptly flew across the wide gap. Noble Blade quickly enveloped his body in a blue aura with his horn and floated into the air. And the same aura encircled Freedom Fighter as well, floating him into the air just as the wave of soil sailed over the edge of the gorge and fell down the gorge in a shower of dirt and pebbles, collapsing the bridge as well..

The three Guardians settled down on the opposite side of the gap, catching their breath and bending over in exhaustion. The castle was now invisible to outside view once more. They panted for a little bit, then Firestorm asked indignantly, “What happened there?”

“Hm?” Noble turned to face him, leaning on his sword.

“We should have had that in the bag! We should have been able to conquer her easily! But she overpowered us! And now we can’t go back! Why?”

“Well,” Noble said, sliding his sword back across his back, “if you’re unfamiliar with the concept of thinking, I’d advise you to try it sometime. It feels good for you.”

Firestorm pouted his lip in a not-too-serious attitude. “That was ruuuude!” he whined. Behind him Freedom Fighter convulsed with silent laughter like he’d been tasered.

“Well, all the same, let’s try to think,” Noble said. “We know that she’s a being of enough power to utilize portals to other dimensions. We know that she’s an Alicorn, a incredibly powerful one at that. And we know that she wants to become the most powerful being in any universe ever. So I should have known that a simple magic blast wouldn’t do much to her.”

“So what do we do?”

“For the moment, fall back and formulate a plan to take her down. Charging at her with a sword isn’t going to cut it.” 

He turned around. The darkening skies were turning an opaque blue in the east as night came on and the half moon was being raised in the sky. “Come on. Let’s get out of the Everfree first before most of the nocturnal creatures decide to show their faces.”

The other two Guardians obediently turned and followed Noble Blade into the dark forest. As they went inside, Freedom Fighter paused and looked back at the invisible castle for just a moment.

Inside was a dark force that was threatening to kill Princess Celestia and Princess Luna in order for her to gain complete control of the entire multiverse. 

Midnight Sparkle. 

How pathetic of her for try and do that.

She didn’t know power until she was the one being forced to the ground and forced to lie still while every ambition she had fled away. That’s what real power was. Real power was the ability to conquer others, yes, but not nation by nation. One by one. It was individual, forced power that mattered to Freedom Fighter, and he had enough of it in himself to make all his enemies tremble at the mere mention of his name. And he would make Midnight tremble in fear when they met next.

Underneath the cowl he wore over his face, he made a scowl at the dark force lying inside and silently promised, if it was possible that if they weren’t able to dispel the threat, that he would be the one to kill Midnight Sparkle.

He would be the one to throttle her from behind. He would be the one to slit her throat, to bash in her skull, to cripple her and watch her crawl away weakly before he would hurl a knife into the back of her head. For she was planning to kill Celestia and Luna, and Celestia and Luna were the ones that had given him purpose, given him power, given him the reason he was who he was now. And if anyone--pony, griffon, or dragon--were to plan on killing Celestia, he would show the traitors the same amount of mercy they were planning on giving their princesses.

He heard Noble’s voice call, “Freedom Fighter? Are you coming? You seemed distracted for a moment?" The syllables snapped him out of his thought process, and he shook his head and turned around, away from the force in the castle that was so self-authoritative it had the gall to conquer entire dimensions. 

Freedom Fighter trotted away into the dark forest, his mind simmering with ideas on how to kill her. He silently thanked goodness that it was good that he couldn’t talk. And It was dark and lonely at night when the three ponies, exhausted, tired, and heavy-eyed, finally appeared at the border of the forest and an apple farm.
> Chapter 3: The Hunters Of Stars
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Sweet Apple Acres, Nearby Clearing)

Burning Star awoke to the biggest headache he ever had, worse than the time he entered a drinking contest with Hiller...

He won, mainly because the Virus in his body prevented him from getting drunk. So, he cheated Burning Star out of an easy victory by withholding that information.

The Black Alicorn got up from his leafy bed and jumped to his hooves. A cramp in his wings from sleeping on the hard rock floor.

Suddenly, he heard a grunt as he realized he just jumped on Quickfire.

The Fiery Pony got off and said, "Oh, sorry about that. Gah... my head hurts so bad, Quickfire... where are we?"

Quickfire grunted out, "Sweet Apple Acres, more specifically the den of a Timberwolf on the outskirts of the farm. Apparently, Hiller somehow dragged us in here when it got dark. He had to explain to this worlds Applejack and Big Mac that we were from another world, they asked for him to demonstrate..."

Burning Star smirked, "let me guess, he showed them his Viral Blade?"

Quickfire nodded with a slight chuckle, "Yep, and the two of them passed out on the spot. They won't remember anything about us in the morning."

Hiller just entered the den with a basket of apples on his head, he had the look of somepony who needed a drink. 

He dropped the basket and said, "Here, eat up. They won't notice these being gone, they have WAY too many Apples for their own good. You're welcome for dragging your fat flanks out here. Seriously, Burning Star, what do you eat?"

Burning Star shrugged and said, "Just about anything, King Sombra taught me to be an omnivore because there were so few plants in the Frozen North. I know a pony eating meat is a bit disgusting, but I had to in order to survive."

Burning Star pulled back his lips to show the group that he had canine teeth as well as his normal pony teeth, a sight that was rather odd.

Then again, Quickfire lived in a world where a powerful dark Alicorn was attempting to conquer their world and this one, so odd was an understatement. 

Hiller snickered, "Hey, I ain't judging. I have to consume flesh in order so generate my Virus Weapons, so the idea of consuming other living beings isn't anything new. It honestly doesn't bother me anymore, I've consumed so much biomass that I could live basically forever."

Quickfire unsheathed his Katana and pulled out a stone and began to sharpen it, the sound of scraping metal echoed inside the cave. 

Burning Star began to eat, and watched as Hiller began to chow down on the apples, his jaw dislocating to fit a good dozen or so apples in his mouth before swallowing with a gulp. 

Burning Star raised an eyebrow, "Doesn't that hurt when you mutate your body into these ungodly shapes?"

Hiller shook his head, Apple juice running down his cheek, "No. I feel no pain from my own body's mutations, hell... I could rip myself apart and reassemble myself without a scratch on me."

Burning Star shuddered at the thought of seeing that and he said, "Ok, if and when you do that, give me fair warning please?"

Quickfire looked out of the entrance to the den, seeing the moon in the sky and thinking to himself, "Midnight is out there somewhere, and she is probably preparing something big. Something to pull our universe to collide with this one... I don't like it at all. She is nigh invincible, but we can beat her, right?"

Quickfire was snapped out of his thoughts by Burning Star saying, "We leave to face Midnight as soon as the sun rises, she is much stronger in darkness. I am much stronger in the light, as the Heat of the sun can quickly heal and power me up."

Quickfire nodded and took of his bag to use as a makeshift pillow, he said, "Goodnight everypony, Burning Star... you going to take first watch?"

Burning Star nodded, and Quickfire and Hiller fell asleep.

About 2 hours later, Burning Star was sitting at the campfire, using his fire powers to create little figures of his family in the dancing flames, when suddenly his ears shot up, hearing a voice from outside. 

He quickly doused the Fire and got quiet. 

King Sombra taught him that the darkness was his ally, not enemy. He underwent a test where he was stuck in a completely dark room for 24 hours, no light at all.

The voices got closer, and Burning Star began to ignite his horn with Dark Magic, whatever or whoever it was that was out there...

Was certainly going to sh-t bricks if they walk into this cave...

The Alicorn heard the sound of life forms talking, they seemed to be arguing about something, and they were getting closer.

"And now we play the waiting game..."

Firestorm trudged through the muddy swamp they ran into while running towards the edge of the forest, he was miserable.

The fiery Pegasus whined, "Noble, are we there yet?"

Noble's eye twitched slightly, his companion had been complaining all throughout the night as they ran from the nightmare known as Midnight Sparkle... 

What kind of pit of Tartarus had she crawled out of?

She not only brushed off any attack that the trio threw at her, but she easily disposed of them as if they were a used napkin.

Noble thought to himself, "It seems we cannot beat Midnight alone, if we were able to contact Celestia for assistance, we would. But, she gave us this mission, and I am not going to call for backup, not now. It is my duty to protect Equestria, so I will."

Firestorm was now frustrated, it just started to get windy, and his clothing (while light) didn't protect him from the elements as well as Freedom Fighters did. 

For some reason, it was a very hot wind...

Noble Blade looked over at him and said, "Dont you dare say "Are we there yet?" Again! Freedom Fighter just found us some shelter, an old den of some sort. We can hold out there until daybreak... then we make a beeline for Canterlot. My magic needs to recharge, and we all need some rest after that battle."

Freedom Fighter nodded, his red eyes staring blankly towards the den. He sensed something was... off about it.

A voice in his head said, "its way too quiet in there. Something is not right, then again... this is the Everfree Forest. There really isn't anything right in these woods now is there?"

Noble Blade walked up to Freedom Fighter and stared into the den that he found, Firestorm followed after the two as they approached the entrance.

Noble ignited his horn, but no light filled the cave. He thought to himself, "What in Celestia's name? This cave should be as bright as daytime, why is it not working?"

Firestorm asked Noble, "Hey Noble, isn't your magic supposed to light up the darkness? Is your horn screwed on right?"

Noble Blade gave the Pegasus a deadpan stare, "No, Firestorm... my horn is fine. It's just... something is messing with the light in this cave. The only thing that can do that is Dark Magic... which is forbidden to practice by Celestia."

He put one hoof to his mouth and yelled, "HELLO?! Anypony home? We are warriors seeking shelter for the night. Is anypony there?"

A deep voice responded and shook the ground, "Who dares disturb my slumber? Are you friend or foe?"

Firestorm shouted into the cave, "Listen Up, Mysterious Voice, we are dirty, cold, and exhausted. We are going to rest here because if I have to walk any longer, I'm going to lose my mind. "so either you leave..." he drew his weapons, "or we make you leave!"

Noble Blade's eyes widened, "Firestorm! Think about what you just said, you are threatening an unseen life form that can somehow cancel out my magic. Doesn't that alarm you?"

Firestorm stopped and thought for a moment, then said, "It does, but whatever is in there, it can't be any worse than what we just went up against, right?"

Freedom Fighter suddenly saw a bright light coming out of the cave, it was bright orange and approaching fast.

It was a massive fire ball!

The Earth Pony tackled his two partners to the dirt as the giant fireball screamed over their heads and landed behind them. 

Firestorm turned around and saw something that sent chills down his spine, it rendered him speechless at the sight.

Behind them stood a giant pony-shaped life form. But it was composed not of fur and flesh, but it rather seemed to be completely made of fire. 

Even it's blank eyes were burning wells of blue flames that stared at the Pegasus, Unicorn, and Earth Pony like they were slices of cake.

Noble Blade drew his sword and stood his ground, Freedom Fighter extended his batons and took a defensive stance, Firestorm took to the air and prepared his weapons.

The giant fire pony laughed, "Hmph, how amusing that you believe that simple weapons can harm me. Do you not know what I am?!"

Firestorm chipped in with his typical annoyance, "A giant walking bonfire in the shape of a Trojan pony?"

Noble Blade facehoofed, "Not the time, Storm. We have no clue what this... thing is."

The giant fire Beast roared, "NO! I AM NOT A CRUDE EXCUSE FOR A DISGUISE, I AM AN IFRIT, A FIRE ELEMENTAL BORN FROM THE FIRES OF TARTARUS! WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE IN MY HOME!"

Noble Blade instinctively drew his sword and entered a battle stance, trying to appear more intimidating to the fire demon, "We were seeking shelter, and we saw your den, believing it to be uninhabited. Apparently it was not."

He said to the giant fire monster, "We are sorry to intrude upon your... home, great Ifrit, we had no intention to offend you, well at least me and my Earth Pony Friend didn't. But if you intend to attack us, then you leave us no choice but to respond in kind."

The Pegasus snorted in annoyance, "Hey! I was trying to get it to laugh a little, since he seems a bit hot headed."

Freedom Fighter rolled his eyes at the joke, but he quickly snapped back to reality as he saw the Ifrit growl menacingly, making him take a defensive stance in front of his teammates. 

Noble Blade continued to speak, "Hey, wait a minute... if you are an Ifrit, how come you aren't setting everything ablaze like Ifrits usually do? I do not know much about your kind, but i do know your species are pyromaniacs. So, what, or who are you?"

The giant fire pony smirked, "It seems that this Unicorn has a shred of knowledge as to not provoke me further. Therefore I shall spare you, for you have passed my test..."

Firestorm raised an eyebrow, "This was a test? I didn't study for a test today."

The Fire Demon snorted "I am no Ifrit. This was merely a disguise to try and scare you off... but since it didn't work, I guess I should drop my disguise."

The Fire giant extinguished, revealing a Jet Black Pony with dark blue eyes, which seemed to bore right through the Guardians of the Sun.

Noble Blade gasped, "In Celestia's name... what are you? And more importantly, who are you?"

the most interesting thing about the pony was the fact that he was An ALICORN of all things, Noble Blade and Freedom Fighter bowed, while Firestorm just sighed.

He said in a snarky voice, "Oh come on! Are they just giving out Alicornhood to anypony nowadays?! Who are you and why are you here?"

Burning Star asked the three his question, "First I got to know, who the buck are you three, and why did you decide to come to this cave of all places? You look like you fought the devil and survived, then again, maybe you did fight the Devil I am looking for..."

Noble Blade introduced himself, "I am Noble Blade, one of the Guardians of the Sun, and the Pegasus is Firestorm..."

Firestorm cut in, "I'm Firestorm--the fast, the deadly, the super hot, and the totally annoying."

Burning Star gave the Pegasus a deadpan stare, "I can see that three out of four things you just said are true... totally not hot, no you're not hot." Said the Black Alicorn, flipping his mane back, causing what appeared to be embers to scatter into the air, bringing light to the cave. 

Noble Blade told the Firey Pony calmly, "We just did fight something that seemed to come right from Tartarus itself, now care to tell us who are you?"

Burning Star bowed in respect, "I am Burning Star, the Black Alicorn of Fire. Tell me, have you seen a pony known as Midnight Sparkle? Alicorn? Dark Purple fur? completely insane? You've met anypony like that? I really need to know, like... now."

Firestorm went wide-eyed, "H-how did you know that? We didn't even tell you! Who are you?"

Burning Star smirked, "Heh... I'm somepony who is hunting her down like you are. I immediately picked up on your conversation when you walked by this cave, so... you got your flanks handed to you by Midnight, huh? I'm not surprised, you went after her with swords and other melee weapons. You were doomed from the moment you stepped foot in the place. Come in, I would love to introduce you three to my associates. You all look exhausted as well."

Noble Blade asked the Black Alicorn, "Wait a moment, how do we know this isn't a trap and you aren't working for Midnight Sparkle? Because if you are this will not end well for you, Burning Star."

Burning Star rolled his eyes and grabbed Noble Blade by the face and stared right into his eyes, his eyes filled with an eerie green light. 

He said in an outright demonic voice, "Fine, you want a example, here is an example! I have trained with one of the strongest unicorns of all time, a pony who could strike fear into the heart of Celestia and Luna, and I DO NOT FEAR THEM. But you will FEAR ME!"

Noble Blade started to shake with terror, before backing up in fear, he shakily replied, "Y-Y-You were saying you were sent here to catch her, we were sent here as well to try and convince her to leave."

Burning Star shrugged, "Yeah I figured as much that Celestia had some sort of secret task force, she seems so focused on her "Royal Duties" that it makes sense to recruit the best of her Forces. 

He continued to speak, "Oh well, seems only appropriate to introduce you to my task force, the Star Hunters, named after... me of course."

Firestorm unknowingly thought out loud, "In the name of Luna, this pony's ego is almost as large as mine."

Burning Star obviously heard that and delivered a strike to his head with his hoof, sending a wave of pain through his body and a killer headache. He said in an obviously frustrated tone, "Not nice, Pal."

Firestorm snapped back at him, "I'm don't intend to be all smiles and hugs to you, you just Attacked us, you jerk!" 

Noble Blade chimed in, "Do you have even a bit of respect and honor for other ponies other than you?"

Burning Star narrowed his eyes, "Where I grew up, honor meant nothing. So the answer to that is no, why be polite to somepony when nopony was nice to me when I was young?"

Freedom Fighter was hiding on the ceiling, but was knocked to the floor and pinned underneath some sort of flesh-like web.

It came from an Dark Brown Earth Pony with a short black mane commonly found in the military forces of Equestria. His hooves seemed to be morphed into long red fleshy tendrils.

The Earth Pony said, "Name is Hill Taker, or Hiller, but I'm called the Protopony. Don't mess with me, pal... and I won't mess with you, ok? I'm not a fan of ponies that sneak up on me."

Freedom Fighter made a gesture telling the Earth Pony to back off, and he did, the fleshy web removed itself from Freedom Fighter and he got up to his hooves.

Noble Blade advanced on Hiller, but was stopped by a Katana at his throat, it came from a armored unicorn with only one eye visible through his reddish-orange mask. 

He introduced himself, "I am Quickfire, the greatest Pony Warrior in the world, well... my world at least. I've yet to see your talents, but judging from your performance against Midnight and holding out for so long is a great example, but you all need some work if you are going to beat her." 

Firestorm lowered the Unicorn's Katana and said, "Ok. Can we not try and kill each other for two seconds? Maybe we can come to an agreement, or is that too much for you savages to handle?"

Quickfire's temper snapped and he snorted in anger, "Ok that's it I'm gonna kill him! I have a very good temper, but you aren't helping here, you crimson nuisance!"

Firestorm smirked, "I don't intend to make this any better than it is, PAL. I am not known for my politeness, it's part of my charm." putting a lot of emphasis on the last word.

Burning Star used his magic to sit Quickfire down, before saying, "I agree with Firestorm, let's talk like adults." 

So Burning Star began to tell his story, which began to cause Firestorm to fall asleep with some unease, he didn't want to be in this cave, it was too small.

He said out loud with a sudden burst of energy, "Ugh! I don't care about these pointless vacation days! Can we please get back to the action, I want to hear about some of your awesome achievements, Burning Star."

Noble Blade was taking it all in, he had never heard of Burning Star before, so he asked an obvious question, "Excuse me, Mr. Burning Star, where exactly are you from? And where is this Midnight Sparkle from?"

Burning Star began to explain, "Well I'm going to simplify this for you, since we don't have all night. You see, I come from a different universe altogether, the same universe Midnight Sparkle is from, yeah it's my bad she is here... I didn't expect her to change the destination of her wormhole travel."

Freedom Fighters eyes widened and he pointed to the Sky, Burning Star interpreted this and replied to the group. "Yes, that was the portal you saw, it was us three going after her, a pony family called the Apples patched us up, and then we GTFO as fast as we could. I am not risking freaking out the ponies of this world, it could cause world ending consequences, if you know what I mean."

Freedom Fighter started talking via sign language with Hiller, learning about his experiences in the military.

They were... odd to say the least, and terrifying to say the most. 

Firestorm was speaking with Quickfire about his life, all Quickfire said was that he was an Assassin and he knew Midnight Sparkle, that was it. This left the Pegasus's curiosity getting the better of him.

He kept pestering the assassin, "Oh come on! Show me what's under the mask, please?" He gave the unicorn the puppy dog eyes, and Quickfire rolled the single eye shown through the hole in his mask.

He said to the irritating Pegasus, "No, you aren't ready for that yet, it's too risky now, and I don't think you can take the sight of it."

Firestorm banged his hoof on the floor, then grasped it in pain when he remembered he hit solid stone, "I want the truth! You can't hide behind a mask forever, you aren't Freedom Fighter!"

The Earth Pony gave Firestorm a glare, and Firestorm said, "No offense, Freedom."

Quickfire roared at him, "You can't handle the truth, Firestorm! It would shatter your view of reality, and I would rather not show you, since it risks my identity being discovered."

Noble Blade ignored the argument and asked Burning Star, "Sooo, how you get your wings? Did you ascend like Princess Twilight? I'm curious as to how somepony as... roughish as you could gain such an honor."

Burning Star shook his head sadly, "Nope! I was born with them, however I was mocked for them. Foals called me a freak..."

Noble Blade stood back in shock, "How disgraceful! Mocking somepony different just because he has wings, you should have punished them when you had the chance, Burning Star. I can see from your Cutie Mark that you are proficient in Fire Magic, yes?"

The Black Alicorn smirked, "Well... Yes and no. While my mark indicates that I can use fire, These powers are not based off magic, they are natural-born, and run off my stamina. Pretty handy in a long fight, eh?"

Firestorm took a look at Burning Star's wings, they were black with red, yellow, and orange feathers. They seemed to radiate heat, just like the long and rough Scarlet covered mane that ran up his neck. 

Noble Blade had an idea, "Hey Burning Star, considering our interests are shared, and that we need assistance... how bout you team up with us to take down Midnight Sparkle? After all, your magic can defeat her, right?"

Burning Star nodded, "Yes it can, but I need to talk with Celestia and Luna and tell her the situation, and that I mean no harm. I do not want the entire military on my tail, right?"

Noble Blade, with uneasiness in his voice, nodded. "Fine, You seem ok, albeit a little snarky, but you better tell me about yourself more when we converse with the princess... after all, she is an Alicorn after all. Maybe you share something in common?"

Firestorm added, "Hell, maybe you can hit it off? Celestia is single you know..."

The Black Alicorn shuddered, "How bout no, Stormy. I'm not looking for a date, let alone a relationship. Duty before Dames, right?"

Noble Blade nodded, "Of course! I have sworn myself to defend this land even if I must sacrifice my own life to do it. We all have, right?"

Freedom Fighter gestured to Burning Star that he is watching him, and Burning Star gestured back.

"Come at me bro, you attack me again, I'll burn you so bad that you'll need another body to replace your charred corpse."

And so the six Stallions teleported off to Celestia's castle... now knowing that a budding friendship was starting.
> Chapter 4: Burning Star's "Greeting"
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Canterlot, Main Street)

The city of Canterlot was all around Burning Star’s view upon their all too sudden arrival in the capital city. Directly ahead of him was the Royal Castle’s doors. Behind him were Quickfire, Hiller, Firestorm and Freedom Fighter.

Beside him the strange blue knight he had met was saying, “So you’re going to simply walk in and explain to Celestia the circumstances and expect her to respond naturally? Is that thy plan?”

“Yes, it is. I'm not one to sugarcoat things, Noble.” Burning Star spoke back. “What’s your idea again?”

“The news could be presented in a, ah, not-in-your-face sort of way, maybe?” he said mildly. “Not as forcefully as thou intendest?”

The Black Alicorn raised his ears at the sound of Nobles accent, “What is up with your speech? You sound like Princess Luna when she is drunk or being humorous, or both.” Burning Star demanded.

“Oh, the, um, thees and thous?” Noble asked. He shrugged. “ ‘Tis an idiosyncrasy of mine, I’m afraid. Princess Luna taught me it. I'm guessing you are from somewhere out in the wild from your blunt speech?"

Burning Star retorted, "You've got it, That's my MO. I do not sugarcoat my words, my teacher never did. When I speak my mind, you can guarantee that it is bitter, blunt, and Bile filled."

Noble sighed, saying back to him, "You can't use that tone around Celestia and Luna."

Burning Star turned around almost instantly, The top of his head was getting warm, as was the air around him. He couldn’t take it anymore. “Wait a minute, You said Princess Celestia and Luna?” he asked lowly, a lot of irritation on the last word in that sentence. “They taught you to speak fancy, right? Is that what I'm hearing? You’ve been looking up to the princesses and you’ve been eating out of their hoof and you think that they’re absolutely perfect, right? That they’re your mommies and your mommies are perfect in each and every single way? Well mine wasn't, Noble! my mother was too fragile to deal with the stress of raising a Natural-Born Alicorn, and my dad didn't help. He thought I was a little monster, and I never really cared for him again."

Noble blinked. “I didn’t say that. What in Equestria you talking ab- “

Suddenly the black Alicorn's Mane ignited, sending Firestorm into a panic at the sight of a literal hot-headed Alicorn. “Noble Blade, allow me to say this and you listen well, They are not perfect! They’re not the kind, wise, amazing beings you put her up to be, Noble. They can hurt others fatally if they really want to! I should know! They nearly killed me when I first encountered them! Granted, it was my world... that place is different from here. But their power is unchecked, and that is a risk that Ponies deal with on a daily basis..."

“Anypony can hurt others fatally,” Noble pointed out. “But what is thy intense animosity directed towards the two?”

Quickfire sighed, getting the attention of Firestorm, "Oh boy here we go again."

Firestorm asked him, "What's going on?"

Quickfire rolled his eye, "Prepare to see why Burning Star is pretty quiet about where he's from and how he grew up. He'll go into an entire rant about it."

Burning Star calmed his fiery mane to a small plume of smoke, he looked at the ground as they walked. “Allow me to elaborate, Noble Blade. You see, I was born in a small village called Firebrand, it was pretty peaceful. Then, My village...in my own universe...was attacked by Changelings, apparently they were on a campaign into Equestria. And Princess Luna and Princess Celestia didn’t do a thing to stop them! Not a shred of help or comfort! They sent nothing to prevent it from happening, and now that’s led to me becoming the last surviving members of my tribe. They thought my village was too low a priority to allow the expenditure of the royal guard! I was so furious I personally set of The nearby Ironhoof Base ablaze to send a message to the two that I'm not a pony to be messed with. I killed every, last, guard there. I have no regrets."

Noble blinked, stunned at the sheer release of frustration from the Alicorn. “Goodness, I’m sorry to hear that. But don't you think murder is a little too far?”

“Celestia and Luna didn’t raise a hoof to help me before,” Burning Star continued, now his eyes were getting brighter. “So it’s ridiculous that we’ll be trying to help and warn them now! All they would do is send you three and us out there AGAIN to fix this problem. They are no longer the warrior Princesses. I was told as a foal that they were a proud fighting force, not... this prissy mess of politics and policies that are so wrapped up in making compromises that they can't even get Up and deal with a threat to Equestria! Where I came from, My village was ruled by the strongest pony, which was a Unicorn by the name of Stone Spike. I quickly found out about his connection to Celestia after he escaped with his family. I left his family the funds they needed to escape Equestria, but I incinerated that spineless pony for relying on her... I swore that day no pony will be safe from my wrath as long as Celestia has a connection with them."

“And do you think they were happy about what they had to do?” Noble asked, all serious now. “Did they cheerfully shrug off the plea for help? Did they relax and eat cake and shrug you off while your pleas went in vain? No, Burning Star. The Celestia I know would never do that. Sometimes rulers have to prioritize, and they feel awful when terrible things happen because of their choices. Celestia probably felt awful after she was forced to conclude her choice. Her mind starts to think of the possibilities, of, “What could I have done more to help?” But her mind’s made up because there are more immediate issues that need to be dealt with, and she has to push the issue from her mind. But it’s still there, and every time you think back on it you feel awful all over again.”

Burning Star stood firm, a venomous stare in his eyes, which were bearing down on Noble. He responded, "What makes it even worse is that when they finally learned of my past, they didn't even comfort me, they didn't even APOLOGIZE for not helping! They just shrugged it off!"

His tone grew softer. “Burning Star, believe me. I understand how it feels to have a plea go unanswered. And I agree. Celestia and Luna aren’t perfect. But OUR Celestia and Luna are also not the cold, tyrannical, ruthless, snapping, intolerable beings you insist they are.”

Burning Star grumbled, “You are a lucky stallion, sir knight. You haven't had your entire home collapse around you, Noble Blade. You know NOTHING of my trauma, no pony does. Admit it, They could be a lot better. They could have stopped Queen Chrysalis for good. They should have set her hives ablaze. They have the power, why do they not use it? They are afraid to get their precious hooves dirty, where I personally would."

“We all could be a lot better, and you especially need to work on your attitude. It's not right to be so harsh on them, especially since you're on a different world, with a different Celestia and Luna." Noble pointed out. “And they do have problems, I am free to admit. But Celestia and Luna are good enough because they’re trying hard enough, and that’s something we all need to try to be. I wish to aspire to be as good as I can as well.”

Burning Star wheeled around. “You are unbelievably naive Noble. You’re the most pure pony I’ve ever heard of! I swear you give my Shining Armor some serious competition for ignorance. Open up your eyes, Noble, and fight tooth and nail for your right to be strong."

“But I am not perfect,” Noble insisted. “I could do a lot better than the job I’m doing now.”

An idea popped into Burning Star’s mind as they walked. “Hey Noble Blade, I'm not the best judge of character, but I know leadership when I see it. Have you ever thought about taking Celestia’s place?”

Noble shifted back, startled. “What?!" he exploded in shock.

“You say you're doing the best you can. You seem benevolent enough, (albeit a little soft) Maybe...well, who knows? If Celestia and Luna don’t survive the encounter with Midnight, (which they probably won't at this rate) or if we can prove they aren’t doing such a good job, you could take the spot on the throne. Of course they would give it up without a fight, but I'm used to overthrowing oppressive governments. I've done it numerous times, How about it, Noble? Doesn’t that just appeal to you?”

Noble’s face grew hard. “No, Burning Star,” he refused. “I’m better than that. I seek not for power, but I seek to pull bad power down or usurp others. I seek not the glory and honor of the world. I only seek to hear the words, “Well and faithfully done, my servant.”

“Excuse me? You want to be a servant? That's absolutely ridiculous! All your power, and you choose to be the pawn of somepony? You just went hoof to hoof with Midnight Sparkle, and she is leaps and bounds ahead of Celestia, why squander your power to being a servant?" Burning Star asked incredulously.

“Is helping others not your standard of greatness?” Noble asked. “All great rulers must needs be servants as well. I wish to help others to the best of my ability only.”

“Oh... Oh Really?” Burning Star’s tone grew sly. “I can relate to being helpful and being a hero, but You could do that better with you seated on a throne, you know. I'm an Alicorn, the Lord of Fire, as most ponies call me. Also, you may enjoy the limelight for a change, Noble. I certainly do here."

The Black Alicorn looked around to see ponies bowing and kneeling. So, he continued, "You see? I have the power to obliterate these ponies, I just choose to let it dwell on their minds so they don't anger me."

“Where I am now is good enough for me,” Noble said, waving a hoof. “Thrones aren’t for me. I’d rather let my actions, and not my title, say who I am to others.”

Burning Star shrugged and said to himself, "Suit yourself, you ultimate doormat of doormats, but don't expect me to fall in line for your princess like you do."

They arrived at the entrance to Celestia’s throne room. Two guards barred the way inside. Upon seeing the party arrive, their spears crossed the doorway with a clink. Seeing who was there, however, including a dark black shadowy silhouette with two red eyes and a military crew cut, a decorated and battle-worn unicorn with one eye showing out of his orange mask, and an alicorn as black as the night, with a Mane as red as a blazing fire. their stances began to shiver.

Burning Star walked forward, spreading his wings. He looked upon the two guards with contempt and superiority. “Let us in, Now.” he commanded.

“Who are you to command us?” one of them asked in a deep voice.

Before Burning Star could respond with an venomous insult, Noble Blade came forward. “He’s with me. Don’t worry.”

He looked relieved. “Oh, it’s you, Noble Blade. I’m happy to see you. Do you really need to talk with Celes- “

“Yes, we wish to converse with your princess!” Burning Star interrupted. “Open the door before I burn it down!"

Noble looked at him for just a second, seeing the fires of frustration in his eyes, which were set in his already rage contorted face. He then sighed and jerked his head at the guards. “Do as he says, he unfortunately, isn't bluffing.”

Looking a little miffed, and a little scared, the two guards moved. Burning Star raised one hoof, and slammed it forwards, sending the doors swinging wide open.

(Canterlot Castle, Throne Room) 

Upon their entering the throne room, Celestia looked up in interest and surprise by the sudden bang of the doors, And what she saw jolted her backwards. There were the Guardians of the Sun, yes, but...who were those other three following them? And that black one, in the front…

Was he an Alicorn? And why was he jet black and glaring at her with poison in his eyes... 

Whoever he was, he was not friendly looking. 



The pony in question moved forwards aggressively, shoving aside Noble, who staggered back.

“Princess Celestia, I would like to have your ear for a second.” he said in a ire-infused voice. Was it Celestia’s imagination, or was smoke coming off of his head as he spoke her name? “You’re in trouble right now, Big trouble. And since you didn't get off of your butt to do your job, we have come here to tell you what is going on."

She was in trouble? Coming from this black alicorn that was marching towards her with a tone of danger in his voice? Celestia straightened in her seat, igniting her horn warily, unsure of his intent. “Pardon, Who are you?”

Burning Star ignited his horn as well, it burned with a crimson red glow and he prepared a fireball attack.

Before anyone could say anything or do anything, a voice piped up from the back. “He’s Burning Star, this is Hiller and Quickfire off to the side, they came from the portal above the Everfree, they’re tracking a pony called Midnight Sparkle, which is the threat you also called for us to go investigate, they’re the good guys (not nice ones), they’re on our side (I think) they’re super OP, now cue the leaving music,” Firestorm boredly said. He spun around with a twirl of his heel and made it three feet before he was stopped by Quickfire’s hoof across his path, stopping him abruptly.

The assassin asked him, "Where are you going. You're staying here, pal."

“That’s...actually a rather accurate and succinct summary right there, Firestorm.” Noble commented, pointing at the Pegasus as he was shoved forwards by Quickfire. Noble turned around to face Celestia. “Princess, I regret to inform thee that a mistake was made by us by infiltrating the Everfree assuming an alicorn wouldn’t be lying in wait. After an unsuccessful attempt to apprehend the threat mentioned, we decided to regroup in a cave, and we met these three.” He gestured at the new arrivals.

The word "Alicorn" snapped Celestia’s head up even more than her already-stiff position. “Alicorn?” she asked softly. “And who was that name you mentioned...Midnight...Sparkle?” she asked in horror. If that meant what she thought it meant…

“Yes, Princess,” the black alicorn of Fire said, pumping a ton of venom into the last word. “The Dark Alicorn, Midnight Sparkle, the self-proclaimed Empress of Magic. Me and my associates, Hiller and Quickfire here have been hunting her down from her escape into this dimension. She’s the dark side of your protegee Twilight Sparkle from my world. She is a culmination of Twilight's repressed negative energy, she didn't let it loose for fear you would punish her and look what happened... We now have her running amok in this world."

Noble opened his eyes a little wider. “So that dark entity we faced was a dark version of Twilight Sparkle? The princess of friendship?”

“To be more accurate, She is a conglomeration of Twilight's Magic, and her hate and anger towards you two, which corrupted her body and mind into a demonic form.” Hiller said. “And me and the others want to go ahead and warn you now, Celestia, that this dark and elusive force plans to make its move in not only this universe, but in all others universes as well.” He looked behind him. “That’s why we’re here and why we teamed up with your little posse--to defeat this Midnight Sparkle and bring peace to the multiverse. You know, general neighborly Stuff. Our worlds are very close to each other in terms of history."

Celestia’s head was spinning. All this talk of multiverses and opposite dimensions was giving her a headache. Even rulers needed clear heads. So she shook her head and said, “Very well, mister Burning Star. You can stay here in Canterlot castle for the night, and in the morning you and the Guardians of the Sun will set out to eradicate this threat from this world. Also, Burning Star, why are you so rude to me?"

Burning Star broke off from the group and went down the hall, but before he left the room he said, "Because, Celestia... I'm not a big fan of you. I'm also not in the best mood for today, I'm still mad at you, no matter what world I'm on. Good day, Celestia."

Celestia looked at him for a moment as Burning Star unfurled his massive wings, which were jet black and coated in red, orange, and yellow feathers. His horn was long and sharpened like a sword. 

He easily stood about a foot taller than the princess, and his wings made Celestia's look small...

Celestia retorted, "You are talking to a princess, Mr Burning Star, mind your tounge!"

Burning Star bared his teeth, then spoke in a voice that was all too similar to her Royal Canterlot voice, "I don't give a damn whether your a princess or not! Why should I be nice to anypony when no pony was nice to me when I was young? Hm?! Now YOU leave me alone, Celestia Aliconus!"

Burning Star stormed off, leaving fiery hoofprints in the floor. Everypony was stunned by the sheer release of rage towards an otherwise innocent soul.

(End Music Here)

Celestia asked Noble, "Why is he so mad at me? What did I do?"

Noble responded, "Its not what you did, it's what The you from his world did... he is still sore because of it."

(Castle of Darkness, Main Hall)

Midnight Sparkle was pacing up and down the hall in her purple and black castle. It wasn’t technically her castle, but she didn’t care. She had reused it for her own purposes, and that was what made it hers to use. And that annoying orange pegasus had pointed it out to her to let her know in the first place, which, she hated to admit, got her thinking about it in the first place.

"Who was that?” she wondered aloud.

She took flight now, flying in circles, “They mentioned they were Celestia’s greatest warriors, but I was able to beat them rather quickly. Huh, not so great after all.” 

She looked to the side in thought. “But they did last longer against me than most others would. Those three definitely might prove to be a pain in the rear, especially if they have Burning Star. That Alicorn is a massive threat to my plan.” 

She gritted her teeth, “Especially that Pegasus with the fire mane. What was his name, Firestorm? He is almost as annoying as Thunder Fury!”

She lazily ignited her magic and allowed it to drip out of her horn and drift around her hooves as she walked. “That one in all black... Freedom Fighter. He was definitely a surprise. I could sense he was full of anger, full of power, full of a desire to hurt others. That’s a figure of good Celestia decided to use as a warrior? That's a risky move by her, He might be a powerful foe to contend with, I admit…But he could be a powerful weapon of my own once I kill him and use his body to serve me, and me alone. Seems only fitting to kill Celestia with one of her own soldiers, have someone close to her stab her in the back just like she did to me.”

She snorted. “And then there’s that one goody-goody knight boy. Noble Blade, Oh he is a true joy, with his cheesy lines and archaic speeches. He is outmatched, by a long shot. He was powerful, I can admit, but he wasn’t filled with the resolve to hurt me. He's like my former brother, no killer instinct... makes him weak! But... I think I could use that to my advantage in the future when I fight against him and kill him.”

She pawed at the ground and sighed. “Oh, I’m talking to myself again. Why do I do that? I’m going mad, maybe. I need something to talk to. But, who would want to talk with me?" 

Her face lit up as an idea entered her head. “Actually, Let me...fix that.”

Igniting her horn to its fullest power, harnessing the dark power contained within her body, she gathered her power until she stood as the focus point of the castle’s residual dark power from Nightmare Moon’s presence, all those years before.

Until she stood at the axis of the universe.

This was the power of the dark side. The promise it made. The dark power didn’t just show her the unlimited center of the universe’s power, it made her the center. And here, at the shatterpoint of everything, she could observe the power all around her and see it drift alongside her in the air and crawl along at her hooves like low fog in the grey morning.

Cackling gleefully, she began to pick and choose little bits of dark power out of the air until she had assembled a servant of the dark. A pony that had been twisted and manipulated by the darkness inside of her. It left her exhausted, though.

The Mare in the Moon, Nightmare Moon, lived again!

With a single blow, she breathed life into the wispy shadow.

Her pure white eyes opened in a snapping instant.

“My pure and faithful servant,” she said authoritatively to the glassy figure. “Step forth and do my bidding.”

“Yes, my lady,” Nightmare Moon replied slowly. She took a step forward and bowed.

“Go to Canterlot Castle,” she whispered.

“Bring me Celestia and those three protectors of hers. I want the one in black clothing alive--and undamaged. The others you can do whatever you want with. Make me proud, my creation. Do my bidding.”

“Yes, my lady,” the figure breathed, steam coming out of her nostrils.

(Canterlot Castle, Guest Room)

Noble Blade woke up much later than usual. It was strange; he felt like he had slept much, much longer than necessary, but when he blinked and rose out of his apartment room in the castle’s chambers, the light outside was simply not there.

He checked the red alarm clock on his dresser. And he bulged his eyes, making a honking noise. The clock read one PM.

How had he slept in for so long? And more importantly, why was it still dark out? He leaped out of his bed and threw open the curtains. And there it was, the moon itself, lying there high in the night sky and not rising or falling.

The door suddenly banged open and there was Freedom Fighter, ready for battle, his eyes wide and his body stiff.

Noble wheeled around. “What happened, Freedom?”

Freedom Fighter made a frantic single jerking motion towards the main hall, then signalled for Noble to follow him.

Noble didn’t have time to put on his armor, but he did have time to summon his sword and shield from across the room and hurriedly strap it to his body as he ran down the hall. As he ran more doors flew open and out ran the Star Hunters, with Burning Star somehow already pissed off despite being awake for barely ten minutes, blinking his slightly glowing dark blue eyes in confusion as they tried to adjust to the unusual circumstances.

“Noble! This Better be good, I was having such a nice dream!” Burning Star cried. “What in Tartarus's name is going on?”

“Just follow Freedom Fighter!” Noble cried back as he managed to adjust the scabbard across his back and attach the shield to his left arm as he ran. “He probably knows what’s up!”

Left with little other choice, the Star Hunters followed the two of them to the throne room.

(Canterlot Castle, Throne Room)

It was an awful scene. Many of the Guardians were in shock, while Burning Star stood there, a gaze of pure hate on his face.

Princess Celestia, Princess of the sun, was unconscious and trapped in a dark blue bubble lying on the ground, sparking with electricity and forcing her to lie on her face on the ground. Princess Luna was held suspended in the air, struggling for breath, as a dark blue aura gripped her throat.

And the pony strangling her was none other than Nightmare Moon.

Burning Star snickered to himself, "Well. It appears that our lovely little demon has sent her first pawn, time for me to put you to bed again, Nightmare."

Noble was stunned. How could it be? How could she have come back? And wait...how was it possible for both her and Luna to be in the same room together?

Most importantly, why was Burning Star so calm? The embodiment of fear was in front of him, and he just stood there, staring her down with hate in his eyes. Completely unfazed by Nightmare Moon's presence.

That was when he noticed her appearance. She was an opaque color of blue, and had the appearance of being viewed through distorted glass, and her eyes were a solid white, but apart from that, she was Nightmare Moon in all of her terrible glory.

And then it hit him. This was only an illusion; a puppet sent to do the bidding of its master. But who--

Midnight Sparkle.

Of course! It should have been obvious to Noble to know it.

“How sweet,” she whispered to Luna, who was slowly turning an unnatural shade of pink.. “My opposite side...my alter identity...the force of good...finally dying at my own hooves.”

Burning Star shouted at the demon, "Drop her Nightmare Moon, now!"

Freedom Fighter snapped the combat sticks off his flanks and leveled a hard stare directly at the force of darkness. He conjoined them together so loudly Nightmare stopped what she was doing and looked at Freedom Fighter. An expression of amusement crossed her face.

“This is the force sent to stop me?” she laughed. “What nonsense. Now go away. I have something I need to accomplish here.”

“Asking us to go away won’t work, Nightmare,” Quickfire snapped. He drew his katana with a steely rasp. “Get ready to become Nightmare chow, ‘cause I’m going to slice you up!”

Hiller turned his front hooves into sharp claws, turning to face the Nightmare.

“That was the best you could come up with?” Hiller whispered. “Nightmare chow?”

“What else could I think of? It's late at night, and I'm tired, ok?!” Quickfire defended. “Maybe- “

SMACK

Quickfire and Hiller were suddenly thrown up to the ceiling and hit it with two hard thuds. The blue aura pinned them to the ceiling like a supermagnet. Try as he could, even Hiller couldn’t morph his way out of the prison Nightmare had all around his body.

Quickfire groaned. If they hadn’t gotten distracted, they wouldn’t have gotten blindsided by Nightmare. They hadn’t worked together!

Hiller groaned, "Well sh-t. Guess we have to enjoy the show then?"

Burning Star had enough, he just was fed up, he had the worst day in a long while.

He was dropped out of a portal and crashed into a barn. Which really hurt, by the way. He made a mental note to slug Eclipsio when he got home.

He was angry that his Ifrit disguise didn't scare off these heroes.

And worst of all, he had to take orders from CELESTIA! The same pony who he had hated since he started out on his own! 

Something in his head snapped, and The Black Alicorn glowed bright red, "THAT IS ENOUGH! TIME FOR YOU TO BURN!"

Noble Blade barely had time to put up a barrier before Burning Star screamed in rage and erupted into an inferno, his eyes blazing with blue fire and his wings wreathed in flames like a Phoenix. Within seconds, the Black Alicorn was blazing like an effigy sacrificed to a false god. 

"NIGHTMARE MOON, YOU’LL PAY FOR THAT! I ACTUALLY TOLERATE LUNA! SO BACK OFF NOW!” he roared, and opened his mouth. A stream of fire blasted out of his mouth and encircled the alicorn, coating her in a shield of flame.

Once the flames died down, however, it was revealed that Midnight had put up a shield coating her body, protecting her from the flames. Burning Star saw this in disappointment, and his flame ceased to fire at her.

“Nice try,” she gloated. “But not good enough for me, I’m afraid.”

“Stand down, Nightmare!” he roared at her, the flames on his body burning brighter still. “You and I shall be evenly matched. I've faced you before, I will succeed again. Surrender now, and I won’t kill you.”

“I have nothing to fear from a pony like you,” Nightmare replied smoothly. “A pony that decides to focus more on power than his fellow people, like in the past, perhaps, when you were the cause of death for countless of your friends and fellow villagers.”

Burning Star froze. The flames on his body subsided just a little, then reignited into its full glory.

“I can sense all of your fear emanating off of you,” she told him as she took a stance. “Oh yes...I feel it in you...your past regrets...your anger...and your desire to hurt others. Buried behind your charismatic and blunt face is your fear, For I am the manifestation of the dark, deep fears in others. You can hide nothing from me...student of Sombra. You aren’t sure what you can do now. How you feel towards your friends, your allies,” She pointed her head at Celestia, lying on the ground. “Your rulers.”

“I’m not scared of you, your magic isn't real. It's just Midnight talking through you.” Burning Star snarled, and the flames grew brighter. “You have nothing about myself I need to have released. I made peace with both the good and the bad in me, You can’t harm me. And I'm definitely not going to kneel before you, precious Midnight.”

“Oh, but I can,” Nightmare grinned, her slitted pupils narrowing. “I can hurt you worse than you can possibly imagine.”

And suddenly Burning Star saw in front of him visions, visible only to him, of darkness and destruction over all of Equestria. They circled around him like he was juggling them. Cities burning, toppling into the ocean, crumbling off of mountaintops. Ponies enslaved and led away into dark dungeons to be tortured forever by fear and pain. And Twilight...Sweet, lovable Twilight, crying out for help, and a cruel, discarding laugh as she was silenced with a blow to the head.

And the hoof that did it...looked awfully similar to his own!

This is all you, Burning Star,”Nightmare Moon’s voice echoed in his ears. “You will cause this if you continue on your path. You are out of control. You need guidance...but you are too arrogant, and too powerful to do that. The only way to stop this...is to kill yourself now, and end the visions.”

Burning Star sank to his knees, and all who noticed him gasped as he trembled and whispered, “I can’t...I can’t…"

Noble Blade stood in front of him, not noticing as Burning Star was bent over, a sickly green light was in his eyes... the mark of Dark Magic.

His presence didn’t block Nightmare’s influence. “Stand down, thou shallow puppet of Midnight." Noble commanded the Nightmare copycat. He drew his own sword and pointed it at her. It was trembling slightly.

“Point that needle away from me, boy,” Nightmare commanded him back. “Thou art barely a stallion. Thou hast not the courage to face me down.”

“I have enough of it to stand in thy presence, and enough to stand in the presence of Burning Star... even as he is wrapped in flames like a demon from Tartarus." he replied. “And that’s good enough for me.”

“And if thou shalt be called a courageous stallion,” Nightmare cooly replied, “Thou shalt know when to stand down from a fight.”

Noble twisted the hilt of his sword suddenly and hurled it blade first at the Nightmare force. Nightmare twisted her body around the path of the glowing blue sword and grabbed it by the hilt as it flew past, then spun around and hurled it back at Noble. Noble put up a shield with his magic and the sword hit the magic shield, but it penetrated its layer enough to strike him in the shoulder. Noble cried aloud, clutching his upper arm.

Nightmare then contemptuously flung him backwards at the wall, and he hit the opposite side and bounced off of it to the ground, where he stayed, struggling to rise again.

Nightmare then turned to the pony with his staff held in an attack position.

“Ah... There you are Freedom Fighter, finally showing your true colors. I was hoping to inflict more pain before you showed up, I'm glad you're here." she said simply. She dropped Luna to the ground and a bubble encircled her, trapping her. “I know you. Midnight told me all about you. You’re the pony of darkness. A warrior, waiting in the shadows...and behind your own secrets you put around yourself. I can smell the anger, and the fear coming off of you. You want to kill me. But you’re not sure if- “

Her words were silenced when Freedom Fighter, to the amazement of the ignorant Star Hunters, fired himself forward at an impossible speed and slammed his staff into the alicorn with all the force he could muster before she could say another word. Spinning his staff like a propeller, he laid half a dozen more hits on her before bringing his leg forward and kicking her so hard she flew backwards and hit the wall so hard it created a rippled crater and she slid to the ground.

And before Nightmare could move away, stunned by his speed and sudden willingness to physically hurt as opposed to using magic, he had already launched forward and pinned her to the wall by the throat with his right hoof. He then pulled her head down so her horn was horizontal to the ground, brought his left hoof into the air, and sliced it downwards like a meteor strike.

There was an explosion of bright blue light as Nightmare Moon’s horn shattered like an icicle and clattered to the ground in small shards. She let out a cry of loss and pain as she dropped to her knees, still pinned to the wall by Freedom Fighter. Burning Star shook his head and got up, his vision clear now, the shields around Hiller, Quickfire, Luna, and Celestia suddenly disappeared, and Hiller and Quickfire fell to the ground. Hiller constructed a large net with his outstretched hoof in the tendril form, stopping their descent abruptly. Everyone now was looking at the limp form of Nightmare Moon against the wall.

But Freedom Fighter didn’t stop!

He just kept on hitting her in the face, drawing his left hoof back over and over again after each hit, splattering dark blue blood all over her face with each loud blow. Nightmare tried to lift her hoof to hit him with a strike back, but Freedom Fighter simply stopped her hoof with his left, narrowing his eyes and shaking his head no at her.

With a slow, inexorable cracking noise, he clutched her hoof so hard it became alarmingly limp, and Nightmare cried aloud yet again. He threw her broken hoof at her own face, and pinned her head to the wall with his left hoof, still holding to her throat with his right. He didn’t hit her. He just pushed. And pushed. And pushed.

Hairline fractures appeared all over the surface of the fake Nightmare Moon’s head like a glass about to shatter. She yelled and squirmed and tried to break free, but even she was not strong enough to break away. With more cracking sounds, bigger cracks and spidering lines appeared all over her head.

As he drew back his hoof for one last blow, Nightmare Moon looked up at him, a pleading expression over her distorted and cracked face.

Freedom Fighter grinned so hard she could see the teeth in his mouth stretched to its utmost capacity. For the first time Nightmare Moon could remember, she felt afraid of something, rather than the other way around.

And Freedom Fighter slammed his hoof into her head like a cannonball into a cracked window.

It was a cracking sound that first hit the ears of those that listened. Then a wispy booming noise  The pieces of her flew to the sides of where she had once stood, and as they bounced aside they turned into wispy fragments, trailing smoke, and eventually disintegrated completely. There was now nothing left of her but a thin, dissipating cloud of sparkling blue dust.

Freedom Fighter looked with disgust on the remains of her for three seconds, then spat a wad of a thick liquid contemptuously at where she had stood. He turned around, and without looking at any of the others, picked up his fallen staff and disassembled it and reattached it at his flanks with a few twirls of his hooves.

Burning Star, trying to hold in a vile bile at the back of his throat and keep his bowels under control, was having second thoughts about trying to stop him if Freedom made an aggressive move on him. Even he had limits, and he was not the best when handling somepony like Freedom Fighter, his brother was a good example of his failure.

He looked at the remnants of Nightmare Moon, "That... thing... that was a mirror construct, it possesses all the abilities of the organism it is mimicking. It's a very complex Dark Magic spell that only the strongest of sorcerers can master, thankfully... I have."

Neither princess did anything. They just stood there, looking at the Guardians, then at the now-indistinguishable blue fog, then at the Star Hunters, then back at Freedom Fighter.

And then the doors banged open and right there in the doorway was Firestorm, in a full-length pair of footie pajamas and a drooping nightcap. There were bags under his eyes.

He looked at the princesses. Then at the panting, hurt warriors. Then at the burn marks and rubble in the throne room.

Finally, he mildly asked, “Did I miss something?"
> Chapter 5: The Shadow Gamble
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Castle of Darkness, Midnight's Bedchamber)

Deep in Everfree Forest was once the ruins of the castle of the Two Sisters, 

now it was the Castle of Darkness, Midnight Sparkle's fortress.

It only was occupied by Midnight herself, mainly cause she was either too scary or too dangerous. 

she pushed everypony away from her, leaving her alone to her studies and to her own maddening mind...

Despite being a dark and foreboding place, The Castle of Darkness Midnight built from the ruins of the castle of the two Sisters was actually pretty comfy. 

It was large enough to instill a sense of power, but small enough so that she wasn't constantly getting lost in her own castle. She was right at home in this new universe's castle.

If you went down the right hall coming in from the entrance, you would enter the hallway to Midnight's bedchambers, her sacred room that she spent her rest periods in. It usually was a quiet place... 

But at the moment, it wasn't. Midnight had been throwing a fit ever since her Nightmare Moon copy was shattered by that infernal Freedom Fighter.

To say Midnight was angry that she had lost was an understatement.

She was furious! 

She was outraged! 

She was sick with anger! 

All of that fury stemmed from the fact she had lost one of her precious minions to the Guardians of the Sun, somehow they beat a foe that was far passed their skill level...

Midnight snarled out loud, "Impossible! I created that construct with all the power of Nightmare Moon! How did they defeat her! How?!"

Midnight shot a blast of purple electricity at her purple crystal chair, reducing it to ashes. She then reconstructed it and then threw it across the room.

She muttered to herself, "I am not going to lose to a bunch of pathetic ponies who believe they can take me on... I need a new plan of attack. I need somepony they haven't faced before..."

A voice in Midnight's head spoke, it was an old voice that was much more kind, "Burning Star may have joined up with them, thus meaning that he could have provided information on how to beat Nightmare Moon. He went through the "Nightmare Ponyville" crisis, so a Nightmare is an easy task for him to eliminate. You should have thought of that before sending your creation after the Guardians of the Sun, Midnight."

Midnight cursed at the voice, "I do not need any of your lip! In fact, how did you get out of my mental prison?"

The voice suddenly faded away, and Midnight was left alone in her room again, still fuming.

She growled, "Gah... I need to find some pony that Burning Star has never faced before, somepony who is easily manipulated by the promise of power..."

Midnight walked out to her throne and conjured up an orb of vision, in which she could see her enemies.

Those annoying Guardians of the Sun, that insolent Burning Star, and her worst enemy, Princess Celestia.

The coward who would rather send her minions to do her dirty work than take the fight on her own.

She said to herself, "Oh Innocent Princess Celestia, I will have my revenge, my old mentor. You may have an Alicorn from my world on your side, but I will have the last laugh! Just you wait!"

Midnight began to survey Burning Star's home, searching for any signs of Dark Beings, only finding the evidence of the Shadow King wherever she found Dark Magic...

Typical stuff.

Until her demonic eyes fell upon a small unicorn stallion.



He was small, barely taller than a filly, and had a dark navy mane and tail. His horn was rather short about for a unicorn... then again, her horn was twice the size of a Unicorn's... so there really was no comparison. 

Midnight reached out with her powers in order to analyze his Magic prowess... she found that he wasn't very versatile, but his magic reserves were gigantic, almost as large as hers.

She tried to inject a little jolt into him to wake him up, but she was immediately sent flying by a wave of power that extinguished the torches in the room, she was sprawled out on the floor, a little dizzy. 

Midnight rushed back to the orb and said, "What... What was that? I've never felt so much power recoil before. Who is that pony?"

Midnight's astral presence scanned across the unicorns room, it was a small gray room.

She immediately recognized the environment as an urban one, she was correct.

It was a Manehattan apartment, and a rather crappy one at that. 

It had a single window, and a small pony shaped lamp that had the cutie Mark of her old form, Twilight Sparkle. His apartment was filthy, and the sight of dirty books and laundry made Midnight look on with pity, even she had standards.

She looked at the name on his journal, Stygian

She thought to herself, "What kind of a name is Stygian?"

She wracked her brain to try and remember who Stygian was, then found it.

Stygian was once the Pony of Shadows, a godlike dark entity that rivaled her in terms of power...

She had found the perfect weapon!

The small unicorn woke up from his slumber and Midnight turned her projection invisible, hoping not to be found.

Stygian looked around his small apartment, sensing a powerful magic presence and he said, "Hello? Is somepony there?"

Stygian ignited his horn and cast a revealing spell, he was searching for whoever was causing such a magical spike.

Midnight poured the might of her powers into her astral body, but she was found and Stygian freaked out and fired a concussive Blast of light blue magic, shattering the window and breaking the small table and countertop in his kitchen.

Midnight immediately made herself visible and grabbed the small unicorn in her magic and ripped open a portal and threw him through it.

Stygian blacked out from the sheer release of Magic as Midnight pulled him to her.

(Castle of Darkness, Throne Room)

Stygian landed rather ungracefully on the hard stone floor, skidding to a stop right at the foot of Midnight's throne, she gave him a round of applause for the slide.

"You didn't stick the landing, but your sliding made me chuckle a bit. I bet your wondering who I am, where you are, and why I called you here. I'm sure you also are wondering how I know you..."

Stygian snorted in rage, "What in Tartarus's name is wrong with you! And yes, who are you?!"

Midnight pinned Stygian to the floor with her magic, before lifting him into the air, saying, "Well, aren't you cute? You think you have any value right now? You don't, but what's inside you does. I know you, Stygian of Hollow Shades. The proposed 7th Pillar, the Dark One. Some of your various titles, Stygian. But many ponies know you as... The Pony of Shadows."

Stygian shrank back at the mention of that name, "Don't bring that up, please, miss...?"

Midnight Sparkle dropped the unicorn and said in a oddly caring tone, "I am your savior, your empress, your new mistress. I am Empress Midnight Sparkle. You have something that interests me, Stygian, also... you're kinda cute."

Stygian blushed a bit before responding to the Alicorn, now noticing who she resembled, "Wait a sec, Twilight? Is that you?"

Midnight suddenly slapped Stygian across the face, drawing blood. She roared, "I AM NOT TWILIGHT SPARKLE! NEVER CALL ME THAT AGAIN! SHE IS DEAD, ALONG WITH ANY FRIENDSHIP SHE HAD LEFT IN HER HEART!"

Stygian suddenly felt very scared, and he cast a small shield around himself, which was shattered instantly by Midnight slamming her hooves into it.

He backed up against the wall, saying in fear, "Please! Whatever you want! I don't have it anymore! The Pony of Shadows is gone, banished to Limbo! Why did you bring me here?!"

Midnight lowered her voice when she realized she was scaring him, she apologized, "I am sorry for that, I am still... sensitive to that name, please, have a seat, if you would?"

Stygian was suddenly lifted up and placed in a chair on the side of Midnight's throne, he said to the Dark Alicorn, "Why are you so... bipolar? No offense, but your making a bad first impression on me. W-What do you want from me exactly?"

Midnight Sparkle lifted Stygian to his hooves and gave him a pat on the head, saying, "I want to help you achieve your full potential, Stygian. I bet Starswirl didn't tell you this... Did you know that your magic reserves are absolutely gigantic? You have enough Magic capacity to rival Celestia. My question is this, why is it almost completely empty?"

Stygian sighed, "My body had to develop those reserves as a backup source of power when I was the Pony of Shadows... I had nearly-unlimited magic at my beck and call, but it corrupted me. When The Pillars and The Elements of Harmony freed me from the Pony of Shadows control, he wasn't completely gone. His body was destroyed, but there is a small possibility that he is still within me... I did not tell Starswirl about it, for fear he might banish me to Limbo again."

He got on his knees, "You won't do that, right?"

Midnight spoke to the small unicorn in an almost motherly tone, "No, my dear Stygian. I would never harm you, such a special pony deserved your dark powers, but you must temper them with a strong will. You did not have that all those years ago, but I can sense that you have it know. And that's what I need from you, a partner." 

Stygian raised an eyebrow in intrigue, "What do you mean? Are you just going to take advantage of my knowledge of the Pony of Shadows like everypony else has?"

Midnight shook her head and cooed in his ear, "No, my dear Stygian. I am here to offer you freedom, to help you control the Pony of Shadows, to become the greatest partner I've ever had. Ponies often say that it is lonely at the top, so I want you to stay with me, Stygian. I will care for you as if you were my child, and you will help me destroy Celestia."

Stygian went wide-eyed at the mention of that, he then shouted, "WHAT! You want me to destroy C-Celestia of all ponies? Why?"

Midnight said in a harsh tone, "Because she is the real monster, she sits in her warm palace all day, eating cake and weaving her plans to subtly tighten her grip on this land. She makes feelings like rage and hate taboo! I offer freedom to feel any feelings you want, Stygian. That and so much more..."

Stygian was shocked by the venom in Midnight's voice when she spoke about the Princess of the Sun, he said in response, "Why do you not like them so much, Empress Midnight? I understand how somepony would have a little disdain for the princesses, but full on hatred? I can't understand that."

Midnight's narrowed again, she had been planning not to hurt Stygian, but he was making her more and more angry by the second. 

And past experiences have told her that she is a little unstable when she is angry.

Stygian picked up on Midnight being angry and said, "I don't intend to offend you, Empress. But I don't see why you are so angry at Celestia. If she lied to you, then yes it would hurt a lot, but you have to forgive her at some point, right?"

Midnight Sparkle roared out, "She used me! She used Twilight as her pawn, and she probably didn't even care that I wrote to her so often! I hate her because of that! In my darkest hour, she did nothing."

Stygian was starting to feel bad for Midnight, he had always been great at finding lies and truths, and her words had been true. 

Stygian suddenly said, "Can I offer some help to you, Midnight? I can use a spell to find out what is troubling you and start helping ease you mind. Would you like that? And if I don't find anything, I'll help you out by letting you transform me into the Pony of Shadows again. Ok?"

Midnight nodded and fell asleep, as she would be to active for Stygian to get in awake, and Stygian used a inner sight spell on Midnight and tried to find the source of the insanity that was Midnight Sparkle.

(Midnight Sparkle's Mind, ???)

Stygian appeared in a dark void of some sort, he had to push past her conscious mind in order to get to her subconscious, he saw pretty much nothing he found interesting, 

aside from a section labeled "Sunset x Midnight"... but he quickly ran past that section.

He ended up inside of some sort of tree that was arranged like a library, and he immediately recognized this as the Golden Oaks Library, the former home of Twilight before Tirek destroyed it.

The Unicorn called Starlight Glimmer of his universe had caught him up on the past few events, so he knew that if he was going to get any answers, it was here.

(Midnight Sparkle's Mind, Golden Oaks Library)

He walked up to the door and knocked on it, he hollered, "Hello? Twilight?"

He heard a faint voice, "Go away... I already failed to stop Midnight, I don't need anypony else mocking me for it. Leave!"

Stygian called inside, "Twilight? It's me, it's Stygian. I want to talk with you, please let me in. You helped me, I figured I should return the favor."

Twilight Sparkle opened the door just a bit to see Stygian's small smile, and let him in. 

Stygian entered the tree-library and saw piles of magic books and tons of inscriptions on various chalkboards, he knew only one of them, the Limbo Seal.

Stygian said to Twilight, "Um... don't you think that you should try and send out some sort of mental cry to alert Celestia?"

"Twilight Sparkle" shook her head, tears visible on her cheeks, "What good will it do? Midnight has control of my body and powers, I'm trapped in her mind, there is nothing I can do, Stygian... she even blocked out my contact with her mind. So she can't hear us right now."

Stygian took a tissue from Twilight's beaten up desk and wiped her eyes, "Well... I can do something, although it goes against anything Starswirl taught me. I can help defeat Midnight Sparkle. But this plan will require her to earn my trust, which means I will become the Pony of Shadows..."

"Twilight's" spirit went wide eyed, "What! Are you crazy?! The Pony of Shadows was nearly impossible for us to defeat, and you're suggesting that we use its power to stop Midnight?"

Stygian cracked a wide smirk, "I don't intend to play to her side forever, Twilight. If I learned anything from being the Pony of Shadows, it's that you can't allow it to control you, I still have a piece of it inside me. When the time is right, I will try to free you from her mind and we can rip open a portal to Limbo and seal her there!"

"Twilight" shook her head, "If you are forgetting, I know that spell, ergo... Midnight does as well."

Stygian snorted, "Horseapples. Then I'll have to buy some time by fighting alongside her until somepony can stop her, she mentioned other ponies from our world. Who came over?"

Twilight Sparkle responded to the small unicorn, "Quickfire, one of the Masters of Nature. Hiller, the Protopony. And my co-ruler, Burning Star."

Stygian went wide eyed with glee, "Yes! That's it! Burning Star can defeat Midnight, I sensed he was partially responsible for taking her on in Canterlot and nearly destroying her. I'll talk with him later, don't worry, ok? We will both make it out of this."

With that Stygian exited Midnight's mind and reappeared in front of the Dark Alicorn, saying "You are too focused on Celestia and Canterlot, Midnight. Set your sights on a smaller target, like... Manehattan for example, yes its geographically larger, but it isn't as heavily defended."

Midnight giggled, "Brilliant idea. Manehattan is already a huge pit of negative energy, it's the perfect target and I know who will be leading the charge. You!"

Stygian's eyes shrank to pinpricks, "W-What?"

Midnight nodded and cupped Stygian's face with her hoof, "Oh yes, proving yourself to be powerful by destroying an entire city, I like your thinking, Stygian."

Stygian suddenly realized he had not thought this through completely.

She reared up, preparing to cast a spell, "Now then, are you ready to become the Pony of Shadows again?"

Stygian sighed, knowing that this was going to suck, then nodded. "Of course."

Midnight conjured up a circle of runes underneath Stygian and opened a portal to Limbo in front of them. 

She chanted, "Pony of Shadows! I resummon you to retake your former host, Stygian, servant of Empress Midnight Sparkle! Come and take your host back! Hahahha-haha-!"

A black-gray orb appeared out of the portal, and flung itself towards Stygian, who was writhing with pain as his body was again overtaken by the dark being.

When the screaming stopped and the smoke cleared, Midnight looked on with awe at her new minion.



Before her stood a massive black stallion made of pitch black smoke. His eyes were blank white slits and his horn was curved and razor sharp, so were his teeth. Smoke and shadows eminated from his hooves and other parts of his body, and large black wings emerged from his backside.

Stygian heard a familiar voice in his head, 

"Welcome back my friend. I knew you needed me, Stygian. I've always been the Hyde to your Jekyll."

Stygian responded, "I am no longer your puppet, Pony of Shadows... You have been sent into me by Midnight Sparkle."

The Pony of Shadow's mind roared back, "Wait a sec, Midnight Sparkle? I thought I felt her presence pass through dimensions, I thought we were clear when we said we didn't need any pony to be our friend! That we were our own masters!"

Stygian responded with a smug tone, "We will not be letting her rule this world. I'm in charge, and your being used for my goals! I plan to defeat her when we have the chance..."

The Pony of Shadows mentally smirked, "Well then, I guess we should introduce ourselves. So let's act natural, shall we?"

Midnight noticed the Pony of Shadows was standing still for a long time, so she asked it, "Uh... Stygian? You in there?"

The Pony of Shadows answered with a loud growling voice, "I am. Tell me, why have you summoned me, Alicorn?"

Midnight Sparkle smirked and answered in an evil voice, "I have returned you to your host in service of me, I ask of you to destroy the city called Manehattan. I wish to make an example of my powers, you would make an excellent minion!"

The Pony of Shadows lashed out in rage, shooting razor sharp arrows of darkness into the walls of the castle and barely missing Midnight's head. It said in a defiant voice, "I AM NO ONES MINION, YOU WILL PERISH FOR THAT ASSUMPTION YOU ALICORN SCUM!"

Midnight quickly put the Pony of Shadows in a shield, using a lot of her magic to restrain him, all the while the dark being thrashed about like a raging dragon.

She shouted at the dark monster, "STYGIAN! Get ahold of that thing, now!"

Stygian heard Midnight's shout and forced his body to calm down, and The Pony of Shadows stood silently... a thousand yard stare on its face. 

Midnight contacted Stygian via telepathy and said, "Thank you, you have to have a better control over that beast!"

Stygian snarled back in the Pony of Shadows voice, "I am in control! I was... just making sure all his powers were there, I... apologize for the scare Empress. It wasn't very appropriate to frighten the very being that is keeping me alive."

Midnight huffed in frustration, "Hmph. Test you powers on our enemies, not me."

The Pony of Shadows bowed before Midnight, saying, "I am at your service, your highness. But won't my attack on Manehattan cause a wild spike in magic?"

Midnight wasn't paying attention as she smirked and threw her head back in laughter that shook the rafters of the castle.

She said to herself, "Soon, Celestia. Soon I will have my Weapon that will bring darkness to your world, and any other world out there! Hehee-haah-hahahaa!"

While Midnight wasn't paying attention, Stygian silently set his plan into motion.

He said to himself, "Perfect, all I have to do now is play to her side until the time is right to strike. When that time comes, Burning Star must be ready, everypony must be ready for her wrath. This gamble better pay off..."

(Canterlot Castle, The Solar Spire)

The Solar Spire was a special place high atop the city of Canterlot, this was where Celestia could channel the full power of the sun to defend her kingdom, destroying anything with beams of pure solar energy she let loose from the sun itself!

She was up there now... it was nearly midnight, and she was looking through her telescope, watching the location of her old home, whatever or whoever this "Midnight Sparkle" is, she would be stopped.

A voice like a growl came from the roof. "I see you are also watching our enemy, Princess... it seems you aren't as dumb as I thought."

Celestia turned to the roof and saw nothing, then turned around and fell on her flanks from fear.

Standing in front of her was a pony-shaped life form, its yellow-orange eyes stared down the solar princess. It had wings of metal across his back, and it wore some sort of jacket that concealed its body.

Celestia asked the obvious question, "so we finally meet, You're the one that has been killing those gangster ponies, and dropped a body at my private residence's doorstep, who are you?"

The pony-shaped lifeform said, "I wanted to get your attention, here you are, here I am. Now I'm going to say this once, Keep your Guards off me, and I will continue to do their jobs. It's not like they can do it well anyways..."

Celestia snorted and began to ignite her horn, it was quickly grasped by the pony-like organism's front leg, cutting off the magic flow.

The masked pony said to the princess, "Also, send a message to the Guardians of the Sun... tell them I'm going after Midnight as well... I am warning you, Celestia. Stab my back, and I rip out your spine... see ya."

The pony pushed Celestia inside and dropped off the ledge and flew off into the dark streets before Celestia could get a good look at him or her.

What she did see was a carving on her balcony

"CM..."
> Chapter 6: Luna's Inquiry
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Canterlot Castle, Guest Room)

Despite what Burning Star thought of Celestia, she was nothing but civil with him. He was shocked, to say the least.

He had just yelled at the princess, called her names he didn't wish to repeat now, and then stomped off. How was he not being blasted apart?

How tolerant was this Celestia?

Despite that tolerance, He still hated her, hated her with a passion... but he kept it to himself... for now. 

Last thing he would want would be a blade through his skull courtesy of Freedom Fighter or any of the Guardians of the Sun.

Especially after seeing Freedom brutally end the life of that Nightmare Moon construct.

The room that the Princesses provided was an old servants room, fortunately, the beds were large enough to withstand the sheer size of Burning Star.

Everypony slept somewhat peacefully in their beds, dreaming of different things.

Princess Luna, being the governor of the Dream realm, missed the giant scene Burning Star made and was curious to find out about these three, and thus entered their dreams.

(Hiller's Dream, Manehattan)

Hiller stood atop the Equestrian State Building's balcony. Looking out over his home, even in a dream, was a pleasure he rarely got.

Luna appeared next to him and said, "So, this is your home, the other world's Manehattan? Seems a lot smaller than our Manehattan..."

Hiller turned around to speak to the Alicorn of Night, a hint of surprise in his voice from seeing the Night Alicorn standing behind him. "Yeah. This is Manehattan from nearly 2 decades ago... I'm having a flashback, Princess. I get these from time to time. I'm guessing you are here to chat? Find out more about the three of us since we didn't get properly introduced during our fight against that Nightmare Moon clone thing?"

Luna smiled, but spoke with a little unease in her voice, "Yes, your friends are quite powerful and since Celestia didn't get much of an explanation, I came to find out. I see you have powers, Hill Taker. Is this flashback because of your powers? You absorb life forms, you must also absorb their memory and experience as well. At least that's what I can find out from what's going on in your mind. right now."

Hiller suddenly turned around and growled, "What the hell are you doing poking around in my head?!" He created a set of his Viral Claws and pointed one of them at Luna, "No offense, Princess... but that is bucking rude!"

Luna responded as calmly as she could, trying to ignore the jagged claws protruding from Hiller's front hooves. "I am sorry, but it is my job as the guardian of dreams to protect ponies from their nightmares. And I'm guessing you're having one right now."

Hiller saw a pony jump from a window below him and start gliding with their hooves out, heading for the top of the train terminal. He had a little Earth Pony filly in a fleshy web of Tendrils on his back.

Hiller roared, "That's Mercury Blackhoof! He is the reason I'm like this! Come on, follow me after him!"

Luna asked the mutated pony, "Why should I follow you? I cannot change dreams, and If this is a flashback, then you can't do anything about it."

Hiller ignored Luna and jumped from the balcony and glided after the hooded pony, his eyes burning with hate. 

Luna saw him soar off and she flew after him, following him from a distance. Saying to herself, "I hope this doesn't end poorly for Hiller."

The pair of ponies weaved between buildings and construction sites, dodging steel girders and concrete walls, Luna dived out of the way of an apartment building, Hiller crashed through the wall and began to run through the hallway at breakneck speed. 

Luna watched in amazement as Hiller crashed wall after wall, then through the other side of the building and he landed on the roof of Grand Stable Station. 

(Grand Stable Station, Rooftop)

She watched from above as Hiller tackled the hooded pony to the ground, then was thrown off him quite violently with a cannonball kick from the hooded ponies back legs.

Luna made herself invisible and hid behind a statue, it started to rain down hard, and the skies turned red, almost as if the two ponies that were about to clash were being cheered on by some heavenly being.

She heard the hooded pony that was called Mercury Blackhoof speak, it was a dull and groaning voice. "You just don't give up, do you? You take out the best of my evolved ponies, you stop the Whitehoof Project, you ruined everything I tried to do! And yet, you still want to kill me, even though I am so much stronger than you, Hiller."

Luna heard Hiller respond in a very angry voice, sending a chill down her spine.

"I have had enough of your f--king weird, f--king rambling, sh-t! Give me my daughter, now!" 

Luna heard Mercury respond, "No. her genes are unchanged by my virus, they act as antibodies to it. If I let her go, she will destroy us!"

Hiller responded in kind, "I don't give a damn about our powers! I just want her back, now!"

Luna peered out from behind her hiding spot to see Mercury rear Up and stand on his back legs, Hiller did the same.

Mercury snarled, "Well then, let's get this over with then shall we?"

Luna watched in a combination of fear and intrigue as Mercury turned his right leg into a giant gulliotine-like blade, Hiller turned his hooves into claws, and the two lunged at each other.

Luna continued to watch the battle, Hiller stopped short and turned his hooves into large shields lined with Spikes, he parryed his opponent's Blade like how somepony would parry a sword, and spikes emerged from the shield, punching holes in Mercury's hide.

Hiller then ran up and picked Mercury, before jumping into the air and piledriving his head into the ground. The hooded pony made a sickening crunch as his body hit the 

She heard him say, "That wiped that smirk off your face now didn't it?"

Mercury retaliated by spinning like a top, cutting into Hiller, spilling blood from a large wound, it healed almost instantly. 

Mercury responded to Hiller's taunt, "Oh I'm sorry, did I hit you?"

Hiller changed up his attack and turned his right hoof into a bladed whip, which he lashed Mercury with, saying "You keep hopping around, I'm going to rip your spine out of your mouth."

Mercury responds with his own snarky comment, "You really are a crude pony, aren't you?"

Luna saw Hiller finally bring Mercury to his knees, Hiller turned his hooves into giant hammers and smashed them down on Mercury's skull. 

He said, "You should have stayed home!" Before tossing him to the edge of the rooftop.

Luna watched as Mercury and Hiller clashed again, this time with Mercury using the whip, and Hiller using the blade.

Mercury shot his whip into the side of a building, ripping a large piece off it, he yelled. "HERE, Catch!"

Hiller jumped over the chunk of concrete and glass saying, "Too slow, asshole!" And the fight resumed, both ponies showing no signs of exhaustion.

Hiller landed a series of slashes with his blade and said, "Getting rusty are we?"

He spun into Mercury like a top, nearly cleaving him in half, "B--tch! You got nothing on me!"

Eventually, Hiller once again brought Mercury to his knees, and Hiller impaled him on the massive blade, before slamming it down with a massive chop, sending his opponent flying back. He roared at his opponent, "How you like me now, you emo F--k?!"

Mercury cried out into the air, and a swarm of what Luna assumed were giant birds dive bombed Hiller. 

Then Luna saw something incredibly disturbing,

Hiller got to his knees, slammed his hooves down on the floor to brace himself, and then he just... exploded into giant spears of flesh that destroyed all the birds.

The two clashed again, with Mercury using the hammer hooves and Hiller using his Tendrils and Whip to pin his opponent down and lash him over and over.

Luna saw Mercury finally collapse to his knees, and Hiller speared him with the end of the Blades whip, before dragging him towards him.

Luna felt like she was going to be sick, Hiller then severed Mercury's front hooves, and severed them again, and severed them one more time, until they stopped regenerating.

Then Hiller turned his hooves into claws, and slashed Mercury to ribbons... spraying the surrounding area with blood, even Luna was covered in it.

She made herself visible again, and said, "So... you murdered that pony... to get your daughter back?"

Hiller responded to Luna's question, "Yeah. But he didn't stay dead, we had to lock him up, and I was locked up as well. I would do anything to be with my daughter, she is living with a new military friend of mine, Colonel Rooks." 

Luna felt her presence being demanded elsewhere, and she said to Hiller. "I was wrong, you may have the powers of a monster, but you're not a monster."

Luna took off to another ponies dreams, the dream realm of Quickfire.

(Quickfire's Dream, Castle Nevermore (Burning Star's world))

Luna arrived in Quickfire's Dream, feeling the assassin was deeply troubled by something.

She was in a massive black and red castle, it bore a symbol she never thought she would see again.

It was two sickly green eyes with a red horn, the sign of King Sombra.

Luna thought to herself, "So... King Sombra must still be alive or was resurrected. Where am I?"

Luna heard a bang from the giant obsidian doors, and turned herself invisible to hide. 

The doors finally crumbled and a single Alicorn walked in, she was staring at two unicorns at the seat of the throne room.

One of them was Quickfire, the other was King Sombra.

What Luna didn't realize about the Alicorn right away was that she was seeing Midnight Sparkle!

Midnight smirked and said, "Well, Well... I've finally found you, Sombra. How long has it been since you showed your evil face? 20 years? No matter, you aren't going to stop me!"

Luna heard King Sombra snap back, "Well, at least I still have my standards. Killing innocent ponies because you heard them speak out against you... even I'm not that heartless!"

Quickfire said to the Shadow King, "I'm ready to be sent back, can you Come?"

Sombra ignited his horn, "I can't, you have to go alone, Quickfire. I will hold her off as long as I can!"

Quickfire yelled, "No! I'm not leaving you behind Som-"

King Sombra roared, "Go! Just go!"

Luna saw Midnight charge up a spell that she thought that only Tirek could use.

The dreaded Horn Hyper Beam!

King Sombra unleashed a stream of purple lightning on Midnight, blocking her Blast and holding it back, he was looking back as Quickfire jumped through the portal and it slammed shut.

He then stopped the attack and was disintegrated by the beam.

Midnight ran over to the ritual Circle and screamed, "No! I will have the last laugh, Sombra! Quickfire will never succeed! Hahaha!"

Midnight teleported away and Luna heard the voice of Quickfire from behind her.

"Still think King Sombra is a monster, Luna? You're Dream reading skills are still great."

Luna turned around to see Quickfire watching the Dream play out as well, he had his mask off, but Luna couldn't see Quickfire's full face.

She asked him, "Who are you really? You seem way too familiar with me to just be a random mercenary. So who are you?"

Quickfire sighed, "Do you really want to know, because it may shock you."

Princess Luna shook her head, "Please. Not even the sight of a pony being brutally torn to shreds makes me wince in surprise."

Quickfire stepped into the light of the moon shining through the windows and Luna's jaw dropped.

Before her stood a white unicorn stallion with a navy blue and sky blue Mane. He had one single blue eye, the other seemed to be gouged out.

She was looking at Shining Armor!

Quickfire said to her, "You were going to find out eventually, so I decided to reveal myself to you since whatever is said here, stays here, right?"

Luna stood in shock for a good minute, before finally responding, "W-What happened to your eye?"

Quickfire shrugged, "Eh no big deal. I tried to take on Midnight Sparkle, ended up losing one of my eyes and nearly died from my wounds. the other eye is still working, though. King Sombra injected me with some of his own "super-blood" which was heavily irradiated with magic. It gave me abilities that made me stronger than any pony alive. I can easily lift 10 tons, run at nearly 50 mph, and survive wounds such as being nearly sliced in two, having my head blown to bits, even being impaled right through the heart. Why do you think Sombra was so hard to kill?"

Luna asked the Future Shining Armor, "So you're not evil?"

Quickfire smirked, "No. I am a bit of a jerk, but I have every reason to be one, after what you have seen here."

Luna sensed she was needed in another pony's dream, and she bid Quickfire goodbye. 

(Burning Star's Dream, ???)

Luna entered Burning Star's dream with great difficulty, as Alicorn dreams were notoriously hard to enter. 

When she landed down, it was just an empty void, all she could see was darkness in all directions. Apparently this was quite common for him, as Quickfire told her.

She called out, "Hello? Burning Star? I wish to speak with you... are you in here?"

Luna felt hot air on her neck, and turned around to see the jet black Alicorn's burning blue eyes in the darkness, he blended in extremely well... 

All Luna saw of him was his fire-covered Mane and bright blue eyes, which seemed to be filled with fire as well...

Luna ignited her horn into a light, but she still couldn't see him. She called out to the pair of eyes, "Listen here, Alicorn of Fire. I need to talk to you face to face, if I'm going to trust you, you have to show yourself!"

Burning Star's response was a low growl, "Leave me alone, Luna. I understand why you want to see me, you want to find out more about me, find out who I was taught by, everything. I'm guessing you didn't hear Nightmare Moon say it did you... who my teacher was."

Luna shook her head, "I was being choked, I wasn't really paying much attention to her words."

Burning Star said in a rather rash tone. "I will give you a really big hint, then."

Suddenly, Burning Star's eyes glowed bright green and purple smoke began to billow out of them. Suddenly, a red aura materialized around him, taking the shape of King Sombra

His body seemed to melt out of the shadows, Luna could not believe it.

She stammered, "Y-Y-You were the student of King Sombra? That's impossible, we sealed him away 1,000 years ago and he was blown to bits by the Crystal Heart! What's going on?!"

Burning Star responded with an icy growl, "My world's Sombra survived the Crystal Heart barely, he regrouped and trained me after finding me out in the Frozen North. The things Sombra put me through we're so gruesome and painful, it would have killed even your sister Celestia, I survived because I kept telling myself that if I keep going, I'll prove those who mocked me wrong. I'll become to most powerful sorcerer in the world. King Sombra also was a father figure to me, since well my parents were dead."

Luna suddenly watched as the facade of confidence and charisma fall to pieces in front of her, as Burning Star sunk to his knees and cried. 

He said through his tears, "I thought that I actually found a family with Sombra... but no... he was only interested in my magic. Nothing more, nothing less. He showed me that callous nature when he sent me to kill the Celestia and Luna of my world while he went after Twilight. He had no clue I was an Alicorn."

Luna backed away, but stopped when Burning Star said, "I'm lucky that the version of you and your sister from my world managed to break his hold over my mind. I was understandably angry, and I lashed out at them, blowing up the throne room of the castle in a fiery explosion. I also saved Twilight when I was running afrom you two, spearing King Sombra through the chest with my horn and flinging him out Twilight's window."

The Princess saw Burning Star begin to cry again, and put her wings around him.

"Sssh. It's alright, I'm guessing from there you decided playing the bad guy wasn't the best choice?"

Burning Star nodded, "I did... after I beat the crap out of Twilight when she cornered me at your old castle. She thought I was a unicorn, I usually hide my wings under a cloak and several invisibility spells, as to not reveal myself and start some sort of cult that worships me."

Luna chuckled at the thought of that, then said, "So why are you here, then? Midnight is off your world, why pursue her here?"

Burning Star's eyes narrowed, "Midnight is a threat to all worlds, my world, your world... everything out there in the vast Multiverse. Also, she threatened my family... no pony threatens my family and lives to tell the tale."

Princess Luna was getting real curious, but she sensed it was nearly daytime.

Burning Star blurted out, "You sense it's nearly morning, I do."

The princess raised an eyebrow, "How in Equestria do you that?"

Burning Star smirked, "Cause where I'm from, I have had to move the sun a few times when Celestia was off somewhere, or I did it just to annoy her, it's pretty easy since it is just flaming gas."

Luna giggled a bit, thinking of the sun spiraling around in the sky like an untied balloon and Celestia freaking out as Burning Star smiled, really was funny to think about, but still was a pretty serious thing controlling the sun.

Luna waved goodbye, saying "You and I must speak more about your home, it sounds interesting."

Burning Star gave the Moon Princess a salute with his left hoof, since he was dominant on that side. 

Burning Star awoke to the rising sun, smiling for the first time as the giant ball of gas climbed into the air.

He muttered to himself, "Midnight cannot beat me, if I fail... the whole of the Multiverse will as well. I am no goody goody like Noble, but I'm what this world needs right now. A strong and stubborn hero who will not stop until his task is complete."

(Canterlot Castle, Dining Hall)

Luna was getting breakfast when Burning Star walked up beside her, not even noticing her, and began to shovel whole stacks of pancakes and entire bowls of fruit onto his plate, then walked over to the table and began to chow down. 

Luna giggled at the sight of the giant Alicorn gobbling down his food, and she went to her chambers to sleep.

(Castle of Darkness, Stygian's Room)

Midnight had been kind enough to give Stygian a massive room to fit his Pony of Shadows form, and he often was found standing completely still, harnessing the magic of the castle to fill his reserves.

Midnight Sparkle meanwhile was planning her next move, she had made a few new pieces of gear for herself, including a set of dark pink and black body armor and a pair of scimitars, should she ever need to fight those pesky heroes up close. 

She had been learning all she could about the Guardians of the Sun, their fighting styles, anything she could get her hooves on.

Which was very little, Celestia has had all memories of them ever existing wiped from the Royal Archives, The Crystal Empire Library, and the Old Library in her castle.

She needed something to distract Celestia and Luna while she got Stygian to Manehattan, as such a large concentration of magic would easily be picked up by them.

She thought for a moment, then said out loud, "Yes! That's it! Fear, ponies do not act rationally while afraid. So, who or what should I conjure up?"

She browsed through the crystal orb until she saw a massive Minotaur-Centaur, she smirked.

"Oh this is true irony. Me, Midnight Sparkle formerly Twilight Sparkle, loosing Tirek upon this world again right after I beat him. But, I'm not stupid, I'll remove his magic stealing powers. Oh, and buff him up to full size! That should be a sizable distraction for Celestia!" 

Midnight Sparkle laughed, not knowing somepony was listening.

It was the same pony that carved the CM into Celestia's balcony.

That pony smirked under its mask, "Hmph. Recalling Tirek? Not if I can help it, Midnight... I'll deal with the big red bovine. The Guardians can deal with Stygian..."

With that, the masked pony flew off towards Canterlot.

Time to show the world that it doesn't take an Alicorn to beat a god...
> Chapter 7: Attack on Tirek
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Canterlot Castle, Celestia's Room)

Celestia had been sleeping very lightly since the recent attack by a copy of Nightmare Moon, and she often woke up late at night, worried that this Midnight Sparkle would send another copy her way.

If she could send a near-perfect copy of Nightmare Moon, what else could she send? Replicas of Chrysalis? King Sombra? DISCORD?!

She didn't know, and it terrified her. It shook her like how a tree shakes in a powerful storm.

there was no denying that for the first time in a long while... Celestia felt truly afraid of somepony.

She was Up now to raise the sun, as she did every morning. She groaned and slid out of bed, slowly dragging her hooves to the balcony door. 

She said to herself in a quiet voice, "What did the other world version of me do to cause Twilight to develop this... monster? What did I do to cause so much pain for him? Whatever it was, it must have been devastating for the two of them."

Celestia open the balcony door and nearly screamed in shock, barely holding back her voice.

Sitting on the balcony railing was Burning Star! His mane alight and he was chewing on a piece of cake, her cake! 

Burning Star smirked and said, "Good Morning sun butt. Nice day today, isn't it? Up to raise your glorified heat lamp into the sky?"

Celestia shouted in her Royal Canterlot Voice, "How in the name of myself did you get here!? This is my private quarters!"

Burning Star dropped his cake off the balcony in surprise, it landed with a sad squish and left a depressed look on the Alicorn of Fire's face. 

That cake was his favorite flavor Peanut Butter and Chocolate Ice Cream Cake... And Celestia just ruined it!

Burning Star snorted, "Hey! You made me drop my cake! What are you so huffy about me being here? I did your job for you, so shut it. Also, to answer your question of how did I get here? I'm an Alicorn, Celestia. I have wings, just like you. I flew down here and tested to see if your balcony door was open." He put his hoof on the handle and pushed the door in. "Why is it that no pony but me ever locks their doors at night? You risk the chance of invaders and assassins attacking you while you rest."

Celestia looked at him, now a little angry that he willingly invaded her BEDROOM, and her temper got worse as he ignited his horn, and raised the sun over the horizon, making Celestia's jaw drop.

Her eye twitched as she said in disbelief that she now had competition for raising the sun, "How did... what... how dare you raise the sun without my permission, Mr Burning Star. Why must you antagonize me so much?"

Burning Star narrowed his eyes, and got off the balcony railing before saying, "Because, oh sweet Celestia... I've got something to tell you about me, mainly why I'm angry at you."

Celestia sighed, "Ok. Please explain yourself then."

Burning Star started to walk towards Celestia in a threatening manner, causing her to back up inside. He said while walking slowly towards her, "Princess, has anypony ever tried to defeat you, or are they too scared to take you on? Hm? After all, that's how you enforce your rule, rule by fear. I once knew a pony who did the same thing..."

Celestia snapped at him, "I do not rule by fear! Why do you think I do? Who are you talking about anyways?"

Burning Star growled, "Don't play dumb Celestia! Who is the only life form in history that has been known to rule by fear and actually succeed for a long time, until you destroyed him?"

Celestia shrugged, "Uh... is it Discord?"

Burning Star laughed a deep chuckle, a grin on his face, "Hah! Let me give you a real big hint, and you will know who I'm talking about immediately."

Celestia watched as Burning Star was engulfed in a bright red light, when it faded, she gasped in horror.

Before her stood a dark gray unicorn stallion covered in silver armor with a spiked crown on his head. His normal unicorn was not a spiral shape, rather it was a red curved horn, sickly green light and purple smoke came out of his eyes and his mouth was filled with sharp teeth. 

Before her stood the Shadow King, King Sombra! 

Burning Star spoke in the kings twisted voice, "Hello again, Princess of the Sun... Yes, Celestia. We share more in common than you think. we both rule over kingdoms, we both have god like powers, and most importantly, we both rule by FEAR. You know it, I know it, and I'm sure Midnight knows it as well... in fact, she may already have somepony ready to attack you now."

King Sombra's form disappeared and Burning Star's form returned, he had a grimace on his face.

Celestia managed to get out a sentence, "You are a madpony, Burning Star. You need help, serious help."

The Fire Alicorn responded with a snarl, "No Celestia, I'm not crazy. I'm just fed up with ponies like you. I'm fed up with politics, and the Ponies that want to manipulate others, just as you have done to Twilight... that's what created Midnight FYI. YOU FAILING TO UNDERSTAND HER!"

Before Celestia could respond, the black Alicorn took off, turning away his sorrow filled face, leaving her alone on her balcony, trying to figure out what In Tartarus just happened.

Celestia sat on her flanks, thinking to herself, "Was it me, or was Burning Star... crying? What happened to him?"

(Canterlot Castle, Dining Hall)

“All right, then. Explain to me just what happened again.”

“All right, look. I was just taking a shower--”

“Thou didst willingly take a shower?”

“I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that. Anyway, I came out after this shower you insist I didn’t take and there was this sudden...thing.”

“This sudden thing?”

“This sudden thing.”

“You’re the most specific pony I’ve ever known in my life, you know that?”

“Look, it was this...weird...wobbly feeling. Like my insides and my brain were tossed in a salad bowl and I was all woozy. And I muttered “I have a bad feeling about this” to myself because it felt like something bad was about to happen.”

“So I wasn’t the only one that felt something off after all.”

“No you weren’t.”

“I also felt something off,” Quickfire interjected into the conversation between the two Guardians of the Sun capable of speech. “It...it felt like something big was about to happen. Something bad. I felt like my horn was about to crack in two. It's the same feeling I get when I sense Midnight around.”

“That’s exactly how I felt like!” Noble said, pointing at Quickfire.

“My body forced itself into a cautionary state,” Hiller said in utmost monotony, looking like he’d rather say anything else than that. “I thought something was off right about then. I had a flashback dream last night, I guess that was a warning sign to this bad feeling? I don't know, I don't know much about magic!"

It was at that moment that Burning Star flew through the window to the great hall, a great gust of warm air followed him, where the rest of the warriors were having breakfast. “Morning, What were we talking about?” Burning Star asked mildly.

“When we all woke up today we all felt really apprehensive about something,” Hiller reported. “We all felt like there was uneasiness in ourselves about something or other.”

“That's a coincidence, I felt shaky when I woke up today,” Burning Star replied. “But that’s about it. So, what's for breakfast?"

“I felt like there was something behind it,” Noble said. “I thought that something was angry, and was trying to get us to go somewhere.”

“Midnight Sparkle, it must be her." Quickfire instantly said, buttering a slice of toast. “Who else but her would toy with violent and dangerous emotions?”

“But where was the feeling coming from? I know I'm a pretty angry pony, but this was like... unfiltered rage. Like somepony had opened the gate to oblivion and let something really angry out. What could it be?" Burning Star asked Noble Blade.

“My head pointed north,” Noble said. “And when I did that, I felt certain of myself. I sincerely feel like we need to go north.”

A sharp laugh of disbelief escaped from the mouth of the Black Alicorn “That’s utter crap.” Burning Star replied to him. “Your feelings are vague and undescribable. It needs to be a feeling you can describe. If you can’t describe a feeling accurately, it’s not real. Don’t listen to false feelings. Or better yet, bury them like I do."

“Describe the taste of salt,” Noble said instantly.

Burning Star blinked. “Excuse me, What?”

“Describe to me how salt tastes like,” Noble Blade said, lifting the saltshaker on the table over to Star with a bit of his magic. “It should be easy enough for you to do it. It’s real enough, so it’s describable. Do it.”

Burning Star was thrown off by the sudden question. “Well, uh… Fine." he started out. He looked at the suspended saltshaker and tasted some by shaking some into his mouth. As he smacked the taste around in his mouth he tried to describe the taste. “It, uh...It tastes...salty--no, no, uh…” He smacked himself in the forehead and thought some more. “It’s...not sweet. It’s the opposite of sweet.”

“That tells me nothing. What is sweet?” Noble asked. “And you only told me what the taste isn’t. Tell me what the taste is.”

Burning Star felt his irritation with Noble Blade rise, but he decided to withhold his anger. “It’s, uh...granular. Granular and, uh...bitter. Yeah, bitter.”

“Bitter is yet another taste,” Noble said to him. “And you can’t describe a taste with other tastes. You can do better than that.”

“It’s a biting, sharp kind of taste, kinda like my temper now” Burning Star said, his Mane starting to emit smoke.

“Pretend I’ve never tasted salt in my life before. I don’t know what a biting or sharp taste is like. How do you describe that?”

“All right!” Burning Star threw up his hooves in disgust, his Mane now fully ablaze. “YOU HAPPY NOBLE?! You win! I can’t describe salt’s taste, but that doesn’t mean it’s not real!”

“It means that there are some things in the world that simply can’t be described properly,” Noble finished for him. “But that doesn’t mean they aren’t real.”

Burning Star glowered at him, his mane extinguished and his dark blue eyes narrowed like slits. “You’re wrong on that too, Knight. You’re using that as a basis to justify the fact that you have no solid argument against me."

“Then how come you felt it too?” Noble said equally. “You say it’s false until you have that feeling as well. Then do you continue to deny that it’s false, even though you know in your heart that your words meant nothing?”

At that moment the door to the throne room burst open and in came Burning Star’s least favorite alicorn. Celestia came down to the opposite end of the table and sat herself down, holding a hoof to her head.

“Oh, don’t tell me you had it too,” Firestorm groaned.

Celestia looked up. “Had what?”

“This weird...thing.”

“Weird thing?”

“Yeah. A weird thing.”

“Like a headache?” Celestia asked.

“Yeah! A headache! See, normally the first headache for everypony else is when I first open my mouth and start talking, but today, we all got a synchronized headache like somepony was trying to get us to notice them. You think that worked? I can’t tell, since we’re having this conversation about having us notice them, but I need to be certain.”

Now Celestia’s headache was even worse, but she sighed and said, “Yes, Firestorm. That weird feeling...I felt that too. It felt like it came from…” She turned her head to the side before locking her head in a certain direction and nodding. “It came from the north.”

“Could it The Crystal Empire? If I was Midnight Sparkle, I think taking out the largest source of light magic would be first on my list.” came Quickfire’s voice.

Everypony at the table turned to face Quickfire with looks of horror on their faces. 

The assassin shrugged, "What? I'm just saying what I think Midnight would do first. Is there a problem with that?"

Noble Blade nodded, "Yes. The fact you had that idea scares me..."

“I don’t think so. If you assume this is being sent by Midnight, we also know that she wants to hurt as many concentrated ponies as possible in a single area. And the Crystal Empire’s large, but it’s not as heavily populated as…” Noble broke off of his train of thought and widened his eyes. “As Manehatten!”

Celestia stood up. “Go, my Guardians. Go to Manehatten and stop her attacks. Take the Star Hunters with you too.”

“We were already planning on taking them,” Firestorm said, putting a hoof around Quickfire’s shoulder. “They’re our friends, after all.”

Quickfire looked up suddenly at the word friend. What? Why were they suddenly friends? They had only met by bumping into each other in a cave, friends don't work like that, right?

He was a bit rusty when it came to how to make new friends...

“I mean, why wouldn’t we take them?” Firestorm was saying. “Look, they weren’t planning on staying here in the castle anyway. Especially mister discount fire-themed name over there. He hates your guts. Like, REALLY hates your guts.” He lazily waved a hoof at Burning Star. Before Burning Star could say anything to comment on that he resumed speaking. “And they’re super powerful anyway, so why wouldn’t we make them stay when they’re so willing to go and fight Midnight? It’s not as though something’s gonna crop up while we’re gone, right?”

Burning Star silently screamed in his head, "NEVER SAY THAT! Now something is bound to crop up!"

(Canterlot Castle, Celestia's Room)

As soon as the train containing the warriors disappeared into the horizon, heading for Manehatten, Celestia, watching from her balcony, felt apprehensive about something. A sudden jolt of alarm, as if the warriors shouldn’t go. Not because they couldn’t handle the threat, but because they needed to be...somewhere else. Not in Manehatten, but somewhere else.

“Why?” she whispered. “Why would Midnight be so obvious in her presence in Manehatten?”

“A trap, perhaps? She is, or at least was Twilight Sparkle. She is pretty bright.” came an all-too familiar voice.

Celestia groaned inwardly and turned around. There he was. There was Burning Star, near Celestia’s door leading outward. He had on a nonchalant smirk on his face and his large wings flared to make himself look bigger.

“Burning Star,” Celestia said in a slightly annoyed tone. “Why are you here? Shouldn’t you be with the others?”

“Yeah, I had the same feeling you did,” Burning Star told her without looking at her. “I felt like it was pretty stupid of Midnight to be so obvious in her presence. So I made the illusionary copy of me going onto the train and I slipped away when I got the chance. Trust me, They won't know I'm gone. Not that you’d understand, you know. You’re never an opportunist. You never take the chance when you get it. You would prefer to wait it out, while Midnight is plotting something that concerns not only your world, but my world as well."

Celestia kept her outward calm look. Star was at this point just trying to antagonize her on purpose. “And you didn’t tell the others?”

“Why should I tell them? They didn’t need to know. For all they know is that I'm sitting next to Noble talking about our plan when we arrive.”

“I think that they should have,” Celestia said. “If they knew, they would have all followed you back here.”

“And I don’t want that, Celestia.” Burning Star replied. “I’m as good as all of them combined; you know it and they know it. Besides, I don’t…” He trailed off for just a second. “I don’t want them to be hurt.”

“The Star Hunters?” Celestia asked, referring to the name Star had chosen for his own group of warriors.

“Well, yeah, but also the Guardians of the Sun,” Burning Star said quickly. “They’re too invaluable to be replaced in a short amount of time. You need some ponies to act as your own little bodyguards and toys because you apparently need the extra help, and they’re the perfect ones for the job. You’d never find any others like them anywhere. Trust me, I have a bodyguard of my own at home who is just as unique, but his story is for another time."

Celestia retained her calm composure. Why was he so willing to make jabs at her for no reason? “Is that the only reason, Burning Star?”

Burning Star shook his head. “Because... well... they’re my friends. I've never gotten many chances to be a friend until recently, so I'm concerned for them."

Celestia raised an eyebrow.

“And yes, I’m including Firestorm in that mix as well,” Burning Star said with a heavy sigh. “Firestorm was right, you know. Earlier today. He said we might as well work together to do this thing, and that we need to get along together.” He let out a chuckle. “But I still don’t love him like a brother like that knight Noble Blade does.”

“You need to always love your neighbor,” Celestia said, coming over. “But that doesn’t mean you have to like them.”

Burning Star blinked. “That makes no sense, Celestia."

“You have to show sympathy and love to every pony in the world, Burning Star--even the ones we don’t necessarily like.” Celestia smiled. “For example, I think it’s a mutual agreement that you and I don’t get along very well.”

The Black Alicorn chuckled, “That goes without saying. You constantly stationing an ENTIRE SQUADRON of the Royal Guard outside my room is a testament to that. And me landing on your balcony, eating your cake and reading YOUR sun must have really annoyed you, huh?"

“But I think it’s time that we need to improve our relationship with each other,” Celestia said. She put a hoof over her heart. “How do I start to improve our relationship?”

Burning Star blinked in surprise and grinned sheepishly. This princess Celestia hadn’t done anything personally to him. The princess was willing to make the first move to reparations, even though she hadn’t technically done anything? It seemed like her behavior had rubbed off on Noble Blade. No wonder he didn’t really like the knight all that much at times. “No, no, Celestia. It’s not you that needs to apologize. It’s the Celestia on my world that needs to apologize for what she did. Do not bear her burden for yourself."

“So what can I do?” Celestia pressed.

Burning Star, realizing her close presence, moved away hurriedly. “You can start by making sure you’re not so close to me,” he snapped. “I don’t want you anywhere near my presence. My fur is black because it's coated in magic oil, you touch me, it might combust and harm you."

And he realized what he had said. He didn’t want to harm her? That was a change of pace.

And then he encountered another unexpected truth: this Celestia had nothing to change about herself to apologize to Burning Star. How could he demand for her to change and apologize when she had committed no crime like the Celestia in his own world? He couldn’t, is what he realized. But how could their damaged relationship change for the better? How could Burning Star be helped to not be angry at Celestia when Celestia hadn’t done anything to hurt him?

...He...was the one...that needed to change!

And as soon as he realized this profoundly depressing and hurtful truth, his thoughts were unexpectedly and suddenly broken as a loud, tremendous roar shattered the otherwise still air in the overcast skies in Canterlot.

Celestia looked haunted all of a sudden. That roar of rage brought back memories...painful, dark memories of being locked in a cage in the darkest pits of Tartarus by--

“Lord Tirek!?" Burning Star exclaimed, leaping a foot into the air. “I know that roar; we’ve beaten him multiple times in my own world! That centaur has been a frequent thorn in my side since I hit stallionhood."

“Multiple times?” Celestia asked hurriedly, running to the edge of her balcony and searching the city for the monster. “I thought the underworld was safe for him! He broke out of his prison multiple times? And he just doesn’t stay dead?”

“Apparently not, Celestia." Burning Star agreed, also coming to the balcony. “Nothing can contain him, not even death itself. We can make it longer for him to return, but... he is immortal just like the two of us."

The Black Alicorn thought to himself, "So Midnight sends Tirek now? She must really be scared such a heavy hitter."

A loud buzzing sound came from behind them, and they turned around hurriedly. They had just enough time to see a red laser stream, Tirek's signature Horn Hyper Beam, cut through the bottom through the edge of their balcony, near the entrance inside the castle. They had only enough time for the two of them to flap their wings and get in the air before the entire balcony collapsed and fell to the ground below.

Right below them, revealed after the balcony was out of the way, was Lord Tirek himself, a scowl on his red face. He was already almost as big as a castle turret.

“Whoa!” Burning Star cried, flapping upwards. “Where’d you come from?”

Tirek, in lieu of answering him, fired his horn at him with all the rage he could muster.

Celestia and Burning Star split aside, and the beam sailed past where they had been just a second ago. Burning Star dropped and flew like a missile at the massive red centaur, igniting into flame right before he impacted.

He roared out, "Flame Drill!"

Tirek stumbled backwards as Burning Star hit him straight in the stomach, spinning like a drill, he crashed into the outer wall of Canterlot, then reached out and picked him out in his hand like a bug on his body. Looking upon him in disgust, Tirek began to squeeze him.

Burning Star heard a voice cry, “NO!” And suddenly his slowly closing hand was forced open, surrounded in a yellow aura. There was Celestia, floating in the air, an expression of determination written across her face.

Burning Star took the opportunity to fly out of his grip and circle about close to Celestia. “All right, sunbutt! Listen to me! If we’re together he can take us both out in one swoop! I’ll take him down from the left, and you attack him from the right! Put some of that power you have to good use for a change!” And he flew off to Tirek’s left. Celestia, a little unadjusted to taking orders, followed to the right.

He said a one liner as he charged toward the massive monster, "Time to wreck the Tirek!"

Burning Star circled to face Tirek on his left and fired a long stream of flame out of his horn. He saw, to his satisfaction, that Celestia was also finally using her power to use her magic beam of her own. Caught between the two powerful alicorns, Tirek spread out his hands to the side to catch the hot beams of energy. They coalesced into balls of bright, shining, ethereal power in the palms of his hands, allowing him to fire his own blast of power first at Burning Star, then circle his head to face Celestia. The path his magic beam made through the capital city was erratic and thick.

Both of the alicorns managed to evade his magic, but at the expense of losing their attacks. Tirek was now no longer under attack by them, and he swatted at them in the air like annoying flies.

Shwing shwing shwing

Thud thud thud

And Tirek roared and clutched at his eye. Three metal feathers, as small to him as eyelashes, were embedded in the iris of his eye. Burning Star and Celestia wheeled around to face the pony that had fired them.



The pony in question was squatting atop a nearby building. The pony was in a trench coat, allowing no features of her--for it was a her, judging by the shape of her hips--to be seen apart from the unnatural yellow eyes she had, sticking out from a mask shaped like a skull. To the side, a long pair of metallic wings jutted out, shining like a sword and sharp as a spear. On her hooves were clawed boots and clawed gloves, crackling with electricity.

Burning Star looked to the side, facing Celestia. “Who the... Uh Celestia, She with you?”

Celestia looked confused. “I thought she was with you!”

The pony leaped into the air with a powerful puff of her wings and shot forward at Tirek’s face as he struggled to get the things out of his eye. Once in range she started to slash with her wings like swords at his face, causing deep gashes to be opened in his eyes and forehead and chin and cheeks. Rearing in the air and raising her crackling hooves high, she smacked them into his face with all the force she could muster. Ribbons of yellow electricity coursed all over Tirek’s body, and he stumbled, roaring in rage.

“Now, Sunbutt! Fire!” Burning Star ordered. Both of them in synchronization flew above him and blasted him hard with a takedown of yellow magic and crimson fire, causing him to put his hands over his face, stumble over himself, trip, and fall down with a tremendous shudder on the elegant streets of Canterlot, collapsing several nearby marble buildings and causing a plume of foggy debris to rise into the air.

The metal-winged pony flew high up into the air, spreading her wings with a sound similar to a sword’s scraping against a sheath, then hurled spinning to the ground.

Celestia and Burning Star landed next to Tirek’s face. It was unnervingly still. Both of them coughed from the smoky air. Atop Tirek’s face, in a look of triumph, was their unexpected ally. Both of her wings were stuck inside Tirek’s skull to the wingtip. It was her finishing blow.

“Get off of him!” Burning Star coughed in the air.

The figure let out a chuckle. “Were you the one trying to hunt down these creatures Midnight Sparkle has been sending our way? First Nightmare Moon, then this abomination? You got some balls, Burning Star." She tapped the fallen centaur’s head.

Celestia, recognizing both the voice and the appearance, snapped, “Reveal yourself, then, for you are on our side!”

The figure let out a small grumble, but looked Celestia square in the face and with a mighty squelch ripped her wings out of his head and used her blood-soaked wing to pry away the face mask she had.

It was an orange pegasus pony with yellow eyes and a long, unkempt fuschia and red mane. Her appearance looked altered surgically to appear different than she really looked, but once she started to talk Celestia knew exactly who she was. She was a nightmarish, grown-up version of a filly she knew.

“I’m looking for Midnight Sparkle,” Scootaloo said. “And that idiot Quickfire, as well. He’s got a lot of explaining to do after the mess he pulled in our universe. Ponies call me, Crimson Mane."

Burning Star stood silent, mouth agape, before he said something that got a bit of a laugh from the Sun Princess.

"I hate other timelines..."
> Chapter 8: The Secret Life of Burning Star
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Manehattan, The Apex Hotel)

Manehattan has always been rough to newcomers, it was often called "The greatest city in the world" but it was anything but great.

Manehattan was currently under siege from a crime boss and his gangs, the Darklings. They were a major problem to the police, so when Burning Star, Noble Blade and their companions showed up, suddenly the attacks stopped.

Celestia blessed the Guardians by giving them a good base of operations, the Apex Hotel, one of the most expensive (and secure) places to stay in Manehattan. When the group had arrived, they all unpacked their weapons and supplies. 

Noble Blade had noticed that Burning Star was a bit distant, almost as if he was still in a rush, but he dismissed it as being out in the public eye and the weight of the consequences if he were to set fire to the city chasing down Midnight.

Since it was 11:30 pm, the group hit the beds in their respective rooms, and tried to get the best sleep they could. They did not know what fresh monster awaited them when they woke up the next day...

Another of Midnight's minions, Stygian, the Pony of Shadows!

It was 1:00 am, Firestorm had been awakened because he had to relieve his bladder, so he was honestly shocked to see Burning Star standing near the window.

The orange Pegasus tried to sneak past him, but his plan was blown up when Burning Star said, "Firestorm. Why are you up late? Shouldn't you be getting some rest for tomorrow, as you have to investigate this crime boss. What was his name, Stygian Hyde?"

Firestorm asked the obvious question, "Where are you going? You are going to help us take down this Stygian character, right?"

Burning Star nodded, "I promise, I will be back tomorrow. I just need to go speak with Celestia about something personal... just don't start the fight without me. Ok?"

Before Firestorm could respond, the Black Alicorn flew out the window silently, and the Pegasus stood there stunned at his speed. He had reached the river in seconds, at that speed he'd probably reach Canterlot in a few hours.

Firestorm was about to head back to his room, when he suddenly tripped over a bag that was left with its contents scattered on the floor. 

He looked back at the bag, it had Burning Star's mark on it, and a large note on it saying "Do not Open!"

Firestorm couldn't restrain his curiosity, and said to himself "Alright, hot wings. Let's see what you had in your bag, shall we?"

Firestorm began to place the various books and items on his bed, during the shuffling of items, he woke Noble and Freedom from their sleep.

The two of them entered the room and Noble said, "Storm, what are you doing? *yawn, you realize what time it is right?"

Firestorm responded, "I know what time it is, but Burning Star just flew off to talk with the princess about something "Personal" or something like that. He said he would be back tomorrow morning, or was it tomorrow night? I didn't catch the last part, I was yawning."

Freedom snorted, putting his hoof to his face, so did Noble.

Noble finally answered, "Great, our big powerhouse against Midnight is gone, and now you are going through his stuff. What are you even looking for anyways?"

Firestorm answered with a smirk on his face, "Something embarrassing about him. Anything that will make him feel uneasy, like I do around him. He is so dark and brooding that it makes Freedom Fighter look cute and cuddly."

Freedom raised an eye at that, before silently chuckling at the idea that somepony could out do his dark and brooding attitude. He made a gesture to a large jar filled with green dust. 

Noble carefully picked up the jar with his magic and stared at it for a moment. 

He then said to his partners, "Im guessing curiosity is getting the better of you two like it is doing to me?"

The duo nodded, and began to quietly pick through Burning Star's Stuff. Apparently, he had a magic bag because what they found inside was impossible to fit in a normal bag.

Noble put the jar back down and Firestorm picked it up and opened the lid. He picked up a little of the powder before eating it. 

Noble's eyes bulged as he swiped the jar away from Firestorm and quietly shouted, "Are you crazy?! We have no clue what any of this stuff is! You could have eaten poison joke powder or something worse. What were you thinking?"

Firestorm felt weird for a minute, like he had gas in his stomach, then he said "Relax, Noble. Poison Joke Powder is purple-blue, not green. I learned that from Princess Celestia."

Suddenly, Firestorm was engulfed in green-yellow fire. Noble and Freedom instinctively drew their weapons, when the fire died, they couldn't believe their eyes.

Where Firestorm once stood, Celestia now stood!

Noble bowed, "Princess? Is that you?"

Firestorm, unaware of his transformation, opened his mouth, and out came Celestia's voice. "What are you talking about, Where is 'Tia?"

Firestorm then looked at his hooves, now noticing the fact that he looked like Celestia, and he began to scream before Noble put his hoof in his mouth.

Firestorm-Celestia whined, "Oh come on! No! I want to be me again!"

Flames once again engulfed Firestorm, and his orange and red body returned. 

Noble looked at the jar's label. He read aloud, "Advanced Changeling Dust"

Firestorm's eyes were wider than dinner plates, he heard the word Changeling, and he freaked out.

He said in a frantic voice, "Wait what! Does this mean I'm a Changeling now?! How could I face the princess again?! I don't want to look like that Queen Chrysalis!"

Flames once again engulfed him and he became the Changeling Queen, this earned a nervous shudder from Noble. 

Firestorm looked at his hole-ridden hooves, and whined even louder. "That just seals it! I am a Changeling! Nooooo!"

He said to Firestorm, "Calm yourself, Firestorm! Can you stop for a minute? I'm trying to figure out how it works, and you constantly transforming isn't helping!"

Firestorm reverted back to himself, "Ok, ok. What does this dust do?"

Noble Blade read the rest of the label, "Upon consumption of Changeling dust. The user takes on the Changeling's ability to shapeshift, but does not become a Changeling."

Firestorm sighed a great sigh of relief, "Thank Princess Luna."

In a cruel twist of humor, Firestorm turned into Princess Luna. He now screamed full volume in the Royal Canterlot Voice, "OH DAMN IT TO TARTARUS!"

Noble Blade sighed as Freedom began to bow before "Luna", since old habits were kicking in. 

Noble continued to read, "To activate, simply speak the name of the life form you wish to impersonate, then watch as the magic happens. As long as you have made contact with the named being, you can transform into them. WARNING: this only lasts for 2 hours until you need to reapply."

Firestorm snickered, "So, Just say their name? Well then, how about... Noble Blade!"

Noble rolled his eyes, "Firestorm, please. There is no way that dust will make you turn-"

He was cut off by Firestorm doing just that. Noble stared slack jawed as another Noble stood in front of him, smiling like a fool.

"Noble" said in a mocking voice, "I guess thou doubt the power of ye old Changeling dust?"

Freedom snorted in anger, making Firestorm revert back to his normal self. 

The real Noble ignored him as he reached into Burning Star's bag with his magic and grasped something triangle shaped, he pulled it out and examined it.

It was a Pyramid-shaped piece of crystal, colored bright red and rune etched with a language that Noble didn't know. 

What he did know was what this piece of crystal was, a data holo-crystal.

Noble said out loud, "Hey guys. I think our new partner has something to hide after all."

Freedom looked over from the left, while Firestorm, sneaked up on Noble from the right and tapped on his shoulder.

Noble wheeled around to see "Midnight Sparkle", bearing down on him. He freaked out and took a swing at her with his sword, the dark Alicorn ducked out of the way and said, "Woah, stop! It's me Noble!"

Firestorm reverted back to his normal body, earning a annoyed glare from his two partners. "Heh, sorry. This stuff is the perfect pranking material to use!"

Noble Blade placed the crystal on his large bed and tried to activate it. "Display data, please."

Nothing happened...

Firestorm stepped forwards, "Maybe it's voice activated? Everything secret seems to be voice activated. Let me try something."

Firestorm took a deep breath as he transformed into the Black Alicorn of Fire, and he said in his voice. "Display data, please."

The Crystal buzzed to life and several files were shown, one of which said "Previous Events."

Noble raised an eyebrow and muttered to "Burning Star", "Firestorm, I am starting to think maybe he kept this hidden for a reason. You know, like maybe he doesn't want others to pry into his se-"

Noble was cut off by "Burning Star" saying, "Bring up my previous events file, and search for... keywords. Firebrand, Mentor, Personal, and... Alicorn."

The Crystal hummed for a little while, then displayed a group of folders.

They read, "My Origins", "My Magic and All its Types," "My Lessons," and "My Mentor"

Freedom pointed to the "My Origins" file on the holographic projection and it opened up into several documents.

The biggest one was a document titled, "Burning Star Saga"

Then they saw what they were looking for, a photo and video folder saved to the crystal.

Noble Blade opened up another section of the documents and began to read...

"My name is Burning Star, and I am a monster. I am writing this as a way to catalog my quest for revenge against the pony who ruined my life. Celestia... she left my village to be Attacked by Changelings, and in my rage, I incinerated them along with the village. I have no home, no family, nothing more than my wings, my spells, and my wits. But that's all I need to bring down the Princess of the Sun. I must make some noise first... the nearby fort holding the Royal Guard is currently open."

"I wonder if Celestia will get my message for help when I write it in their burned bodies?"

Noble closed the document and opened another. Again finding more and more about Burning Star's frightening disregard for the lives of other ponies. 

Freedom looked over Noble's shoulder as they read, "The Ends Justify the Means."

"I am not a villain, am I? I kill without regard for the consequences and I take from the Royal Guard the lives of valuable soldiers. They weren't apart of your creed for vengeance. You killed them for no reason. No I am still doing what I think is right. No, what I know is right!"

"Mom, Dad. If you can hear me, I know you would call this too far Celestia will burn for what she did! I know I will!"

Freedom looked at a photo that was displayed on the document, it was Burning Star, kneeling in front of a gravestone.

Was he... crying?

Noble felt increasingly uncomfortable, but he pressed onwards. He opened up another document that read, "A King's Apprentice."

Now Firestorm reverted back to his normal form and started to read over Noble's shoulder as well.

"Faust must have smiled upon me. I have met a powerful unicorn, a king in fact. one that can aid me in my quest to destroy Celestia. Coincidentally, he also wishes for her demise! it scares me how much he wants me to completely destroy her. he said that he would train me for the day that I would finally take her on. I asked for his name, as he was to be my mentor and he spoke a name I haven't heard of before."

Noble froze up, suddenly feeling as if he wasn't Noble Blade, Guardian of the Sun anymore. He felt like he was a scared little foal again.

Firestorm asked him, "Noble? Are you ok? Did you find some-"

Now Firestorm froze up, unable to speak. He saw what name was written on that document, and instead of his usual erratic behavior, his mind just... stood Frozen.

Freedom Fighter looked at the name and also went stiff, unable to do anything as Noble Blade read the next line.

"His name was King Sombra

"Sombra... huh. What an interesting name. I swore I heard it in some old tale of a dark king that ruled the Crystal Empire with an Iron Hoof. Looking at this unicorn standing beside me, he was an exact match. but I must be imagining things, King Sombra surely must be dead by now. He was killed by Celestia and Luna over 1,000 years ago...

"Was this king a descendant or relative?"

Noble Blade shut the file and turned to his two greatest partners. They all shared the same expression of utter terror at the mention of "Him"

Noble, with great struggle not to scream, said to his fellow partners. "B-Burning Star was K-King S-S-Sombra's Student... Sweet Celestia that is a nightmare that I never thought possible. But King Sombra is dead?! Right?"

Firestorm pointed to the photo, "I think you should check your facts, Noble... cause here... he looks very alive."

Noble gazed on the photo of the dreaded King and Burning Star standing beside him. 

All the fear, all the dread, all the pain that the three of them ignored for a long time suddenly hit them like a speeding chariot. 

How could somepony so powerful listen to King Sombra and learn from him? 

Freedom noticed a glint of light coming out of Burning Star's bag, so he reached in and grabbed three things that all but confirmed that Burning Star had connections to that monster. 

He first pulled out a black and red cloak with a spiked crown wrapped in it.

Then he pulled out a set of body armor, it was the same armor that Sombra was wearing in the photo. But Dark red and silver with bright red highlights instead of Sombra's silver and black. 

The final nail in the coffin was the largest item in the bag, Freedom needed the help of his fellow Guardians to pull it out. It was a giant crystal war scythe, it was dark gray with a blood red blade.

It was THE Scythe of Umbra. King Sombra's signature Weapon. 

Noble pressed another file and it opened up into more recent events, Hoping not to run into more of Sombra's face.

Instead of more gut-tearing fear, he read about Burning Star's reformation. The defeat of somepony called "Sunset Shimmer", and many, many other things he had done to make up for his mistakes.

Noble finally got to the last Entry, entered about a week ago.

"It seems that the war drums never end for me. We just defeated Midnight Sparkle three months ago, and yet Eclipsio finds her energy signature on another world entirely? Does this conflict ever end? I kid of course, I am to be sent to this new world along with Quickfire and Hiller, to put an end to Midnight's destruction for good.She will not come willingly, so we may have to kill her, but I don't want to spill any more blood from this world in this new world, it has to be me to do it."

Freedom Fighter quietly disagreed with that crossed off line. He would be the one to end Midnight, not Burning Star.

Firestorm put his hoof on the scythe, it was cold, colder than the icy reaches of the Frozen North.

Noble turned to see the scythe, and attempted pick it up with his magic. It was taxing, and he could barely move it before it fell to the floor with a clatter of crystal and steel on wood. 

Noble winced and said, "I... can't lift it. Some sort of enchantment on the Weapon that prevents it from being moved with magic."

Firestorm looked at the set of armor before turning around to speak to his friends, "Listen. As much as I would love to expose Burning Star for what he is, I feel like we owe him a bit of sympathy. He went through Tartarus becoming Sombra's student, and we should not shame him."

Freedom Fighter looked at the crown and remembered what Burning Star said he saw when Nightmare Moon used her fear gaze on him.

He thought to himself, "A world wreathed in fire, with all hope destroyed. I won't let that happen, not from Midnight, not from Burning Star, not from anypony."

Firestorm heard the familiar flap of Burning Star's gigantic wings and he ran to the window and went white with fear.

Burning Star was back! And earlier than he said!

The Fiery Alicorn smirked and said, "I see you wasted no time and dived right into my personal effects. Tell me, find anything you are confused about, or are you still not convinced that I am not one to talk about the past?!"

Noble Blade sighed and hung his head, "I apologize, Burning Star. But you left your bag open and well... we wanted to find out more about you."

Burning Star gathered up his various jars and books and shoved them back into his bag. He left the scythe, Armor, and crown out for display.

Burning Star snorted in frustration, "Do any of you care for privacy? Ponies say I'm paranoid for putting locks on my things, but when your in my business, you can never be too careful." 

The earth pony looked at the armor, then looked at Burning Star. His instincts screamed to him that he should draw his fighting sticks and beat the Alicorn down for affiliating with Sombra, but his brain was smarter, and shut those instincts up.

Burning Star looked at his reflection in the shiny silver and red armor, he tried to smile, but all he saw was a fearsome grin with his sharp fangs highlighted in the reflection and his face distorted to look a lot like Sombra's ugly mug.

He turned to the group and said, "Hey, guys. You want to hear it, fine. I was the student of King Sombra, I regret becoming his student, but he helped me despite his malicious intentions." 

He ignited his horn and put on the armor, it slid seamlessly onto his neck and back, with enough space for his wings. He picked up the crown next, but he said to Noble specifically something that made the unicorn shiver.

He spoke in a wavering voice, "Noble, am I like King Sombra? He said to me once that "I will rise above him and use the dark powers I have taught you to take what you deserve. Power, complete and absolute power." am I like that, Noble Blade? Do not lie to me, do you think that I am another King Sombra? Another monster?"

Burning Star put his mentors Crown on and picked up the scythe, he stood in the bright silver armor, moonlight reflecting off it. The breastplate began to glow and Burning Star's cutie mark appeared on it.

A five pointed curved star of flames...

Noble Blade walked over to Burning Star and put his hoof on Burning Star's chest and said, "Burning Star. You cannot deny that you were trained by one of the most terrifying threats to Equestria, but you are different. You possess something that King Sombra wish he had..."

Burning Star raised an eyebrow, "Wings?"

Firestorm shook his head, "No, you wonderful idiot, you are different because throughout the entire time, you outplayed the big oaf! You are smarter than him, and I'm no psychiatrist, but the edge you had over him was the ability to choose."

Noble continued, "We read and watched all your files, yes they are dark and violent, but what stuck out to all of us was the fact that you refused to stay with him when he compromised his position as a teacher in the teacher and student relationship. He wished to end your life in favor of Twilight's life. He chose to do that, and you did the right thing and left him for Twilight."

Burning Star was suddenly caught in a surprise hug from Freedom Fighter, then Noble, then Firestorm.

The door between the two rooms opened and Quickfire and Hiller stepped out, Quickfire had his mask off but he had a patch over his missing eye. Hiller had a sleeping mask on with three red crescents on it, they resembled his cutie mark, a symbol known only to the more intellectual ponies as the Biohazard symbol. 

Hiller removed his blinders and was the first to notice before Quickfire did, who was still kind of asleep. 

He got the quartet of ponies attention with a grunt, "Why are you Up so late? Don't we have to go and find this... Stygian guy tomorrow morning?"

Burning Star smirked and said, "Yes we do, so let's get some rest, everypony."

As the six ponies returned to their rooms, a Shadow watched them from the opposite rooftop.

It was Stygian, the Pony of Shadows. 

Although he was simply Stygian right now, he could transform whenever he wished.

The dark monster manifested itself in front of the little unicorn and snarled to Stygian, 




"Well? What are you waiting for, Stygian? Blow them away! we have the chance to, why are you hesitating?!"

Stygian was still silent... before the silence was pierced by the Pony of Shadows appearing in front of him.

Stygian spoke to the dark beast, "No. we aren't ready yet, if Burning Star really is the student of King Sombra, he could help the two of us go free. Maybe?"

The Pony of Shadows roared, "No! I will not bow my hooves to another Alicorn! I hate our conjoined existence, I wish that this "Midnight Sparkle" would just Up and die. Then we can get back to swallowing the world in darkness and despair, just like we planned, RIGHT?"

Stygian sighed and said with all the courage that he had, "No. I'm in charge now. And I say that, we play by my plan until Midnight lays out her cards. Then, we strike and retrieve Twilight from her mind."

The Pony of Shadows was used to his symbiotic partner being meek and cowardly, so this sudden display of courage stunned the demon.

The Pony of Shadows growled, "This will cost you both our lives, you imbecile! Are you just going to sit and take it while those ponies let loose their wrath upon us?! You are risking our lives here! Take the simple route to freedom and kill the bastards!"

Stygian's horn glowed a dull blue, and the Pony of Shadows was sucked into his horn.

Stygian said to himself, "If that is the price I have to pay to get Midnight to see that she is fighting an uphill battle, then so be it."

Stygian looked at the moon and said in its direction, "Luna. I know you can hear me, so do me a favor and please help me now, I wish for you to send a message to Burning Star in his dream... tell him that I will surrender only to him, this could draw Midnight out to try and retake me. She will be exposed to you and your sister, and you can finally finish her off. I'll talk to you later, Lulu."

With that, Stygian turned back into the Pony of Shadows, and dashed off into the night sky.
> Chapter 9: Inner Demons
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Manehattan, Apex Hotel) 

Everypony woke up tired in the morning thanks to the info that Burning Star had dropped last night.

In the past, Burning Star was the student of the Shadow King, Sombra. He thought that meant he would become just like him... he would become a monster.

That information shook the groups view of him, now they really had a reason to fear his powers.

But Noble and the other Guardians cheered him up, and kept that demon at bay... at least for now.

Noble awoke to the sounds of Burning Star humming a tune to himself. The knight got out of his bed and slowly opened the door to see Burning Star sitting in the armchair, staring at the crown of King Sombra... a solem look on his face. 

The Black Alicorn noticed Noble and called out to him, "Noble Blade? What are you doing up? It's five in the morning, don't you need sleep like the rest of us?"

Noble approached Burning Star and asked him, "I should be asking the same question to you, Burning Star. Why are you holding King Sombra's crown and looking at it with tears in your eyes? I thought you left him because he betrayed you?"

Burning Star nodded, then wiped some mucus dripping from his nose. Noble observed his body language, he was upset and depressed, And Noble knew exactly why. 

He spoke to the Alicorn, "Did you actually care for Sombra?"

Burning Star slowly nodded, a single tear running down his cheek, "Yes I did, he was like a father to me, he helped me discover my true power, and I feel like he honestly thought I was his son... Noble, he sacrificed his life stopping Sunset Shimmer, and left me his crown and armor to fill his shoes as King. I became a king, and I hated every minute of it."

Noble now was confused, "Then what was all that talk of being on a throne was the best thing in the world?"

Burning Star snorted out, "I am no royal like Celestia, I am a warrior king. So, while my title may be a king... I have left the politics to the government. My rash acts and short temper would endanger the safety of Equestria, so I became a warrior king to not drive Equestria to ruin."

The Alicorn turned to Noble Blade and sighed, "I lied to you, I said all that stuff to change the subject away from my past. I felt like I shouldn't bore you anymore with my sob story. Are you mad at me?"

Noble laughed slightly and shook his head, "Why in Celestia's name would I be angry with you? You told me a painful part of your past and you thought I would brush it off? Burning Star, I'm not somepony who ignores strife, be it internal or external. You being King Sombra's former student is very concerning, but the fact that you chose to leave everything about him, including the chance to be king, is what makes you stronger than he will ever be."

Noble put his hooves on the crown and placed it on the desk, he continued to speak. "Leaving an opportunity like that must have torn you up more inside than any childhood torment I could imagine, but I know that you had your reasons, and I respect that."

Burning Star smiled slowly, before embracing Noble Blade in a crushing hug, "Thanks Noble, I'm glad somepony finally listened to my full story instead of bailing out because it seems so unbelievably sad."

Noble was struggling to breathe due to Burning Star's immense strength, and he gasped out, "You... are, crushing me."

Burning Star let go of the knight and he took several deep breaths of air. He then turned to the Alicorn and said, "how about this... we go out today to get to know each other, maybe that will cheer you up?"

Before Burning Star could respond, Firestorm and Freedom Fighter walked into the room. Freedom raised an eyebrow underneath his suit's mask, he was very confused as to what's going on.

Burning Star turned to the pair, "Oh good. Noble has just offered to go out to have some fun today, you two want to join?"

Firestorm shook his head, "Nah, after last nights fiasco, I need to rest. So does Mr Strong and Silent here, we will see you later."

Suddenly, Burning Star stood up quickly and went to his room, Noble followed him in, wondering what was happening as he stared into the mirror. 

Out of nowhere, Burning Star began to sing a song that was rather odd. Noble watched as the Black Alicorn sung its tune. It reminded him of a play he once saw, about a doctor who became a monster... then it hit him like a ton of bricks.



He sung out,"Its over now, I know so far. None should know the sorry tale of Sombra's side. and those who've died, no one must ever know."

Firestorm whispered to Noble, "Hey, what is he doing?"

Noble shrugged, "I don't know..." and he kept listening.

Burning Star continued, "They would only see tragedy. They wouldn't see my intent. The Shadow of Sombra's evil, would forever kill the good, that I had meant..."

"Am I a good man? Am I a mad man?"

The Rest of the group, Hiller and Quickfire, walked out of their rooms to see Burning Star singing to himself in the mirror, and they ran behind Freedom.

Freedom Fighter, along with the rest of the group, were surprised by the range of Burning Star's voice, he didn't know that this Alicorn could sing, none of them did. 

The Black Alicorn continued, "Its such a fine line, between a good man and a..."

Suddenly, everypony heard an evil laugh from the room, and The Guardians drew their weapons, so did Quickfire and Hiller.

(Quick note, the lyrics below are shared. Color will indicate who is singing. Red - Burning Star, Black - Reflection of Sombra)

"Do you really think that I would ever let you go? Do you think, I'd ever set you free?"

Noble instantly recognized that voice and shuddered, but the Alicorn in front of him stood in silence.

More dark words echoed forth from the mirror, as the shadow of Burning Star began to extend. 

"If that's so, I'm sad to say, it simply isn't so..."

The dark voice finally revealed itself, and Burning Star opened his eyes to see his worst nightmare, and it spoke the next words.

"You will never get away from ME!"

The voice was King Sombra, and now his face was in the mirror!

Noble braced himself for a battle of words, this was going to be freaky.

Burning Star sang out, "All that you are is a face in the mirror! I close my eyes, and you disappear!"

"I'm what you face, when you face in the mirror. Long as you live, I WILL STILL BE HERE!

"All that you are is the end of my nightmare, all that you are is a dying scream! After today, I will end this demon dream!"

Noble watched in horror as Sombra began to slowly emerge from the mirror, his eyes bleeding purple smoke.

"This is not a dream, my friend... and it will never end. This one is the nightmare, that GOES ON!"

"I AM HERE TO STAY no matter what you may pretend. And I'll be here long after you're gone!"

Burning Star retorted, "Soon you will DIE and my memory will hide you, you cannot choose but to lose control!"

"You cannot kill me, I live deep inside you. Each day you feel me devour your soul!

"I don't need you to survive like you need me, I'll become whole as you dance with death! And I'll rejoice as you take your final BREAAAAATH!"

Sombra bellowed out, "I WILL LIVE INSIDE YOU FOREVER!"

"NO!"

"WITH SATAN, HIMSELF BY MY SIDE!"

"NOOOO!"

"AND I'LL KNOW, THAT NOW AND FOREVER. THEY WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO SEPARATE, SOMBRA FROM STAR!"

Noble couldn't move as Sombra's Shadowy form jumped into Burning Star, causing his eyes to shift back and forth from normal blue to sickly green, his voice changing constantly.

Burning Star voice began again, "Can't you see it's, over now. It's time to die!"

"NO NOT I, ONLY YOU."

"If I die, you'll die too!"

"YOULL DIE IN ME, I'LL BE YOU!"

Noble suddenly joined in, "Damn you Sombra! leave him be!"

"CANT YOU SEE? HE IS ME!"

"Noooo! Deep inside-

"I AM YOU, YOU ARE SOMBRA!"

Burning Star suddenly stopped and forced the king from his body and collapsed, Noble suddenly started shouting, "No! Never!"

Sombra's voice responded, "Yes, FOREVER!"

Burning Star got up and said, "Celestia damn you Sombra! Take all your evil deeds and rot in Tartarus!"

Sombra started to vanish, "I'LL SEE YOU THERE, STAR..."

(Cut the song)

Noble Blade helped Burning Star to his feet and said, "Yeah, we need to get out for a walk... that was scary."

(Manehattan, Crystal Cafe)

The coffee shop was mostly empty, but not a lot of Manehatten citizens were okay with drinking later in the day, so it wasn’t unforeseen. Coffee shops got a fairly mild customer rate for being in Manehatten, however. After all, most of the ponies that visited were tourists. It wasn’t empty by any means, making it a comfortable environment for Noble Blade and Burning Star to hang out in.

The day had been mild so far. With the uncomfortable fact that Burning Star was an Alicorn, most of the ponies in his way had melted out of his path, and Noble Blade remained blissfully inconspicuous in his presence. They had gone sightseeing, had seen a few of the more interesting and eye-catching sights in the city, bought city merchandise, and had just tried to connect and talk with each other. After the disturbing song with Burning Star in the mirror, Noble had tried to get both of their minds off of the event by trying to get him to enjoy himself.

It wasn't going well... Burning Star seemed to react with the same feeling of indifference each time.

Noble thought to himself as the two sat drinking coffee, "Maybe if I put his hooves to the fire, I can get him to change his view on the world..."

For the moment, however, the two underground warriors hung out facing each other in a coffee shop doing nothing of extreme importance.

“How are you liking the city?” Noble asked him calmly.

Burning Star took a single sip of his coffee, a large Chocolate Chip Frappe the size of his horn. “It’s fine, I guess. I've seen my Manehattan, its really no different.”

“Did you ever do anything like this back in your own world?”

“Nah.” He waved it off. “I was too focused on the threats at hoof to really enjoy myself. Either that, or the fact that ponies tend to see me as some sort of god because of my wings.”

“Are you always like that?” Noble asked.

“I suppose so,” he said, setting down his drink. “Ever since Firebrand. I focused more on improving my magical prowess over my social prowess. Also, Emotions and me go together like oil and water, we do not mix well..."

Noble raised his eyebrows, “And you let yourself not forget about the event for all this time?”

“How could I?” he pointed out. “It’s not something you let go that easily. I lost my family and friends, Noble."

“But if a rope is sliding out of your hoof--if a situation is out of your control--if you hold a memory too close to you--letting go is less painful than holding on.”

“Don’t say that." Burning Star groaned, nearly becoming a snarl.

“Why shouldn’t I?”

“Because I don’t need any more ponies pointing out advice to me I don’t need. Other ponies tell me to "let go of the past" No, the past made me who I am."

“And you apparently know all that the world has to offer you? You need no improvement whatsoever? You are the epitome and paragon of absolute perfection?”

Burning Star huffed, “Noble, I’m not perfect, and neither are you. I don't want to be perfect, it would be boring really fast."

“I made no claim saying I was.”

“If we’re not perfect, what room do we have to tell each other that we’re doing something wrong?”

“Isn’t that what you do to the princesses all the time? Point out how they all stink and how they all need so much more room left to improve that they shouldn’t be proper rulers?”

Burning Star narrowed his eyes and his head began to smoke as he said in a loud enough volume to attract some stares. “NO! That’s different.”

“Explain to me why.”

Burning Star noticed the ponies staring, and waved them away with his hoof. He then continued, “If you’re in a position of power, you need more feedback than unquestioning obedience to every single little thing you do.”

Noble grunted out, “Questions are tolerated, Star. Dissent isn’t.”

“Explain to me the difference to me, then...” Star said smugly, echoing his previous words.

“Dissent is when you take a response to a question you had like a child and decide to try to overthrow the current position of power because you disagreed so hardly with the pony that knows what they’re talking about that you’re willing to abandon your common sense and your control.”

Burning Star’s smirk disappeared and he made a low growl in the back of his throat, a small fire slowly climbing up his tail. “I have not abandoned my common sense, Noble, I simply set it aside to make room for my survival instincts." he said patiently through his teeth.

“Then are you in control of your actions?”

“Of course I am. Why wouldn't I be?"

“Then do something to correct them.”

Burning Star's temper climbed as he said, “Tell me what I’m doing wrong first. Because from my view, Noble Blade, I did what I had to do to survive.”

“You act aggressively towards everypony you meet for the first time, your heart is centered on glory and power rather than love and a desire to help, you bear extreme animosity to the rulers of the land I love for an act committed in another universe and over two decades prior, your actions often contradict each other with little to no explanation, you meddle in dark magic and call it progression in your life, you solve problems with violence first and call everypony lesser than your power weak and a pushover, and you try to excuse your harmful actions whenever we try to tell you that you’re going down a path that ought not to be followed.”

Burning Star slammed his coffee cup down at their desk and stood up. There was a wild, bestial fury in his eyes, and he felt like he was about to ignite. “Don’t you dare speak another word against me, Noble. I already feel bad enough that I still had "Him" running around in my head." he snarled.

A lesser pony would have cowered before that diamond-hard gaze from Burning Star's dark blue eyes. Noble Blade, however, didn’t. “Is this your normal reaction towards other ponies giving you feedback? Do you seek no improvement, Burning Star? Or are you content to stay in your current state of willful stiffneckedness and hostility to outside help?”

Burning Star drew heavy breaths as he sat back down. He avoided looking at Noble Blade. “Yes... I... No! UGH! I’m telling you, you can sometimes make me go very close to erupting at you, Noble. I've rarely done it in public, so you know that I am MAD if that happens."

“And to tell you the truth, you make me grow very close to erupting as well,” Noble said to him back, though his face was serenely calm.

“You?” Burning Star gave a short laugh, but he stayed angry. “You haven’t exploded at me once this entire time I’ve known you. How are you so stone-faced?”

“Because I know restraint, Burning Star. Because I know better than to let my emotions show in an argument. I have that power.”

“You call not showing your power...power? What in Equestria are you talking about?” Burning Star asked in incredulity.

“Of course,” he said simply. “I thought King Sombra taught you that. Control of your power, no matter how much of it you have, is the most important aspect of having it. The strong pony is the one that can keep his head in a heated debate and not explode it every time they get offended at something another pony might say to them.”

Burning Star glared at him. “Excuse me? Control? King Sombra did not teach me to restrain my powers, he taught me how to free myself from the opinions of others by smashing them under my own words.” he said in a sinister tone.

“You’re doing it right now,” Noble gently reminded him. “And you’ve done it every time I can remember you in a conflict, be it in words or action.”

Burning Star, with immense difficulty, leaned back and let himself grow calmer. The smoke off the top of his head disappeared. He breathed a sigh through his lips and looked back at Noble with a hard glance. “But if we ever get in a fight, Mr. White Knight, I’m telling you, I’d crush you and your selfless ideals faster than anypony you know.”

“And that won’t happen because we won’t fight, Star,” he replied swiftly.

“Pity, you'd be a good warm up. I could crush Celestia in a fight, Noble. You know it, I know it, Princess Celestia knows it, and everypony else that has met me knows it. Hell, I've Beaten DAYBREAKER, an evil version of your Princess.”

“What would fighting her and beating her prove?” Noble said.

“That I’m more powerful than her, of course. That my fighting spirit burns hotter than her sun! That... I'm BETTER."

“Oh, wow. You’re belligerent and eager to fight. You must be so powerful to initiate a fight with a pony you said yourself you could easily crush.” Noble had a little hint of sarcasm in his voice.

“I am better than Celestia, Noble. You might be a good leader, but I know how to rule.”

“And you rule by terror, Burning Star.”

The comment jolted him back, sending little embers into the air as he quickly combusted and even quicker extinguished himself, "WHAT?! No I don’t! I’m not like Celestia!”

“You’re eager to fight those you don’t like personally. You make threats of harm and dismemberment to harmless guards just doing their jobs, even going so far as to doing harm when your were younger. You decide to engage in revolt against the current rulers. You were trained under a tyrant. You have little to no self control. You spread your power in a form of obscene pride everywhere you go just to prove you're better than anypony. You insist Celestia and Luna have too much power and rule on fear, but how much better than them are you, Burning Star? And the best part, you still think that your sad backstory is an excuse for your frankly inconsiderate and rude personality!"

“I--” he started, then paused. And he frowned. He was right! How much better than them was he?

“You are no kind or benevolent ruler, Burning Star. Under your rule, not a lot of ponies would flourish and sprout good fortune because you decide to object to everypony that speaks out against you.”

The words made him shake his head in anger. “I thought you were the kind Guardian of the Sun. I already have a snarky know-it-all pony that fights well back on my world. He always says that "I can't be impulsive and rash anymore." So whats with the sudden shift of message, Noble?”

“I prefer to be kind, yes. But if I must speak bluntly, I must. I’ve tried to avoid that route with you, but I fear I must use it now.”

“I wouldn’t rule by terror! I am not Sombra!” Burning Star cried wildly, sending a wave of heat through the cafe. “The ponies I’d be in control of just won’t do anything bad because I’d make their lives better!”

“Right. And their fear of losing it is what will keep them in line. And so will their fear of if you decide to come after them if they’re uncomfortable with the life you give them.”

Burning Star gaped at him. Where had this come from? Noble wasn’t normally so harsh with him.

Before the Black Alicorn could retort, Noble continued, “Celestia and Luna are not unique in their motives and methods. Star, what you have to realize is that all rulers rule by a threat. But it’s whether they use that threat that decides if they’re despots or not. Celestia and Luna do have extreme power, but they decide not to use it. They don’t inflict harsh punishments upon their subjects if they don’t acquiesce to each and every part of their agenda. That’s what King Sombra did. He enslaved his subjects and put harsh burdens upon their backs simply because he could. Not Celestia. Celestia and Luna aren’t perfect, but they’re only mortal flesh, after all. Nopony is perfect. Besides, who do we know that’s eligible to take their position?”

“Remember what I told you when we first came to Canterlot? You know exactly who is fit to rule, right?" Burning Star asked. He was trying to ignore the effect the words Noble was speaking were having on him. “It could be you, you know.”

“And you must remember the answer I gave you, Burning Star. I’m not eager to assume the responsibilities of a monarchy. Those tedious responsibilities and those boring assignments they’d heap upon me would make me wish I was only a servant of the princesses. Besides, having too much power goes to your head and makes you become inflated with pride.”

“Nopony would tell you what to do, that is a freedom ponies rarely get." Burning Star pointed out.

“Nopony tells me what to do now, and I’m not saddled with all of those tedious responsibilities like paperwork and royal complaints to the throne. All I do is I go out into the borders of Equestria and have fun with my friends in destroying a threat. It makes me feel like I’m doing something, like I’m being productive and loyal. Like I’m doing a good thing for the ponies I care about.”

“Why do you care about Celestia and Luna so much? What did they give you that makes you their number one lapdog?” Burning Star demanded all of a sudden.

“They taught me in the ways of magic, alongside my father who taught me the ways of combat,” he answered. “Like my father and me, There’s always a bond with student and teacher. You of all ponies should know that."

Noble didn't realize at the moment how literal Burning Star was taking that.

after all... Burning Star was a descendant of King Sombra's family himself!

Although Noble didn't know that... yet.

Burning Star looked at the ground. “Let’s get off this topic. It’s making me uncomfortable.”

“Why does the truth make you uncomfortable?”

Burning Star didn’t answer, he just stared blankly at Noble.

“Why is the truth hard for thee to take? Why doth it pierce thee to the center and maketh thee to lose thy temper?”

Burning Star still didn’t answer him. He was deciding to listen to what he had to say before saying anything he might be refuted by.

“I think that you simply...had the wrong mindset, and when you are compelled to readjust, you lash out and you’re afraid that you were wrong, and afraid that we will force you to be remolded into a shape you aren’t sure is better than the one you’re currently in.”

“I am not afraid! I've never been AFRAID OF ANYTHING!" Burning Star lashed out. And then he silenced himself. He was just proving Noble’s point, wasn’t he?

“I actually think you’re more afraid now than you are or were at any other point in your life. Because everything you’ve ever known has come under attack and criticism. You are also on a new world with ponies of incredible power in your midst. The question now is, Burning Star, if you’re willing to improve yourself based upon what others tell you.”

“I don’t have to listen to this.” Burning Star drained his coffee in a single gulp. “I don’t have to listen to you.”

The Black Alicorn leaned right into Noble's face, the unicorn feeling his companions hot breath on his face, "And I don't have to listen to anypony, I have lived by that code my entire life, and now you are telling me that I have to listen to you? Do you take me for a fool, Noble Blade?"

“You’re right. You don’t have to listen to me, its your choice. But if you don’t, you are a fool and will fail against Midnight Sparkle. For she not only has power, she has control of her power. You do not. She has a plan. We do not. She can harm us. We cannot. Now, more than ever, we must stand united and strong. Now more than ever we must make the effort to improve ourselves and grow, for if we don’t, we will surely fail.”

Burning Star desperately tried to redirect the conversation. “And you also need to improve in other areas, Noble."

“Tell me where I must improve, then.”

Burning Star wracked his brains. Then he said, “You need to work on your combat skills. Every time we face up against Midnight Sparkle’s minions, there’s little you can do against her. Talking with her is not going to stop her, trust me. Celestia, Luna, hell... even I have  tried to reason with her, her mind is damaged beyond repair. The only way I can get through to her is with violence... and it's the only way I've seen problems solved when it comes to power-mad godlike ponies." 

Noble corrected the Alicorn, “Maybe that’s not an individual problem. Maybe that’s an issue we all need to confront together. If Midnight Sparkle must ever be defeated, we all need to come up with a certain plan to either banish her to Limbo or kill her. But like you said, there’s little we can do against her, but it is possible to beat her. So we need to all meet together back at our hotel and come up with something effective.”

Burning Star asked the knight, “Like a trap of some sort?"

Noble Blade smiled. “Yes. Exactly. Like a trap. And once we come up with this trap, all we have to do is…”

Burning Star gave a grin back. “Spring the trap. Actually... I have a friend back on my world that could help with this... care to take some R&R on my world?"

Noble Blade shrugged, "Maybe. What did you have planned?"

Burning Star smirked, "That's for me to know, and you to find out, Noble. Heh..."
> Chapter 10 Part 1: Homecoming
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Manehattan, Apex Hotel Lobby)

Firestorm sat on the couches in the lobby of their hotel, twiddling his hooves, flipping his knife up and down, doing anything he could to pass the long hours that Noble and Burning Star had been out on the town. 

He noticed that Quickfire was heading into the bathroom...

and Firestorm couldn't take his mysterious mercenary act any longer and decided to violate the sacred privacy of the bathroom to see who in Celestia's name this guy was!

Quickfire entered the bathroom and placed his rump on the toilet. Indoor Plumbing was always a issue with him, as he was accustomed to going wherever he was camped out... so he struggled to... get it moving when he was indoors.

Firestorm silently flew through the window of the bathroom and saw Quickfire sitting on the loo, he quickly took the stall next to him. Obviously, the assassin heard the hasty shutting of the door. Firestorm cursed at his haste, "Oh damn, this was not my brightest move. Maybe... he didn't hear me?"

Firestorm appeared to be in the clear when he heard the door of Quickfire's stall open and he stepped out to the mirror over the sink, he grasped the back of his orange and black mask and began to remove it with a small hiss.

Firestorm tried to get a closer look at Quickfire's real face, only identifying that he had a light blue Mane... 

Before Quickfire slipped his mask back on and sent his back hooves to the stall door Firestorm was peering through, smacking him clean in the nose and sending his face into the toilet which activated, sending Firestorm's face into a swirl of water.

Quickfire pulled his face out of the toilet by yanking him Up by his mane before saying from behind him, "Well, if it isn't Firestorm, the super deadly, super hot, super fast, and totally annoying? Should I add the "totally deprived of manners" to that list? Wasn't enough that you wanted to know my identity and I denied it to you, you violated the sanctity of a bathroom to try and sneak a peek of me?! Have you no shame?"

Firestorm had the balls to respond to him, "Well, this would have been avoided if you told me when I opened up Burning Star's Data Crystal. I couldn't find anything relating to you in there!"

Quickfire dodged a kick from Firestorm and pinned the Pegasus against the wall with his hooves, his mask was still on, and his single blue eye glinted in the light. 

The assassin snarled, "You did what?! Why in Tartarus would you invade his privacy, he has done nothing to pry into yours. Now, he has a DAMN good reason to be mad at you three. What were you thinking you would find? Lewd photos? Bad credit reports?"

Quickfire drew his katana and placed it against the Pegasus's throat, "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't cut your throat and make you choke on your own blood?"

Firestorm smirked and tried to surprise Quickfire with something from that data crystal, "Oh by the way, did you know that Burning Star was King Sombra's student? Yep, the two were very buddy-buddy with each other back in the day. If I had known about that sooner, I would execute the poor guy immediately for associating with somepony who makes ME look nice and honorable."

Quickfire wasted no time and sliced part of Firestorm's mane off, leaving it an uneven mess, the assassin then responded with venom in his voice, "Don't do this again, or I will swing a bit lower and see if you still talk with your head chopped off."

He sheathed his sword and dragged Firestorm by his tail out of the bathroom and into the lobby, where Freedom Fighter and Hiller were sitting. Freedom saw the distressed look on his friends face and attempted to get up, but Hiller put his hoof against his chest saying, "Don't try it, Freedom. I overheard the conversation in there, Quickfire was trying to tidy himself up and Firestorm tired to invade his privacy by spying on him, this is your friends fault, and Quickfire cut off part of his mane as a warning."

Firestorm heard the last part of that sentence and reached up to find that his mane had been ruined, he cried out in anguish, "NOOOOOO! Not my mane, It took me weeks to grow this back after I lost it on our last mission." He pushed Quickfire back, "You are a monster, a mean masked monster."

Quickfire whistled and got the attention of the two, "Hello, you two. I need to talk with everypony about what we saw last night, so can you two listen up for a moment?"

The two Earth Ponies nodded, and Hiller asked with a hint of concern in his voice, "Well what is it? Spill it." 

The assassin waved off the doorman so they could have some privacy, then began to speak, "I knew he was King Sombra's student. He told me when we reunited a few months after the Firebrand Village incident. He invited me to Sombra's castle in the Frozen North beyond the Crystal Empire, appropriately named Castle Nevermore."

Freedom made a gesture asking what happened, and Quickfire continued, "What happened to me, you ask? Well I was surprised by how... civil the Shadow King was to me. When he left the room, I tried to talk Burning Star out of this... nightmarish apprenticeship and he didn't want to."

Firestorm crawled over to the couch where the rest of his companions were sitting and then asked in a shrill voice, "What?! Why would he want to stay with that monster?"

Suddenly, Noble and Burning Star entered the lobby and Burning Star cut the assassin off with his response, "Because I needed to do it, I needed to go through the horrible trials and lessons he put me through. I did it because I felt it made me stronger."

Noble added his own question with a raised eyebrow, "So you felt like that was the only way to be strong, Star? That the best lessons in life are learned through pain? Did you learn nothing from our talk in the cafe, Burning Star?"

The Black Alicorn shook his head and said in a slightly harsh tone, "I did learn something during that chat session we had. I just don't intend on applying it... yet. I think that what I have planned for the rest of the week is a lot more important and may actually help us beat Midnight Sparkle."

Noble interjected first, "Then tell me one thing, why do you insist on continuing your anger fueled life? It would be much easier to let go of the pain."

Burning Star froze up, before saying in a tone that was unnervingly casual. "Well, I figured that if the world wouldn't treat me kindly and care for me... then why should I care for anypony else?"

Noble snorted out, "Don't use that as your excuse, you can't avoid this problem forever."

Burning Star smiled and said, "Actually I can, I'm an Immortal Alicorn."

Burning Star reached into the bag on his back and pulled out a clear orb, he then spoke to it, "Let's get off this subject for the time being, Portal Home, please."

Firestorm flapped over to Noble and asked quietly, "What does he have planned? Because I don't think that leaving Manehattan now is a good idea. We haven't even found the source of that magic spike yet and this guy is just bailing on it?"

Noble tapped Burning Star on the shoulder and asked him, "My friend here brings up a good point. Weren't we supposed to be investigating the spike in dark magic?"

Burning Star turned to the group and held out a piece of paper, it had a line graph on it with the words "Dark Magic Levels" on the bottom , "Already dealt with, guys. While i was sitting in the cafe with Noble Blade here, I sent out an illusion copy of myself to survey the city, I picked up no readings of high dark magic outside of my own. I then sent him to graph the data and it turns out that whatever or whoever was causing the disturbance has completely vanished. So, its safe to assume that Manehattan is safe for now."

Quickfire asked his Black Alicorn friend, "And what happens if you made a mistake? If there really is a threat here that is hidden from you?"

Burning Star shrugged, "I don't know then, we will just have to play it by ear if that happens..."

A blue and navy portal opened in front of Burning Star, and he smiled, "Ah yes, right on time, I can always count on Spooky to pull his weight, I will teleport my stuff down here along with everypony else's stuff. Then, we head to my world. I need to talk with a few of my friends, and we all could use some R&R. Plus, The Guardians of the Sun will finally get to see what my world is like and how crazy and exotic it can be. Sounds fun, right?"

Freedom Fighter looked at the portal, it was the same color that Midnight Sparkle came through, so he thought to himself, "This better not be a trap, I don't want to deal with that madmare for a long time. She asked me to side with her because of what I am, No. Why in Celestia's name would I join her?"

Freedom Fighter made a gesture towards Noble and Noble translated it to Burning Star, "Freedom wants to know if this is a trap. He is asking cause that is the same type of portal that Midnight came out of, so it seems rather coincidental that you created the same portal. How do you do that, Burning Star?"

The Black Alicorn hadn't been paying full attention as he transported everypony's Stuff to the lobby and Hiller began to move it towards the portal. He was stopped by Firestorm saying, "Woah, Woah, Woah! Why are you just assuming that we want to come with you? I mean... the idea of exploring another world entirely is amazing and sounds like something out of a comic book, but how do you know that portal thing is safe?"

Hiller pushed the Pegasus aside and said, "Firestorm, come on, use your head. Do you really think that Burning Star would open up a portal to another world if he didn't know if it was safe or not?"

Noble chimed in, "Honestly, yes. Star is extremely reckless and impulsive, almost as much as Firestorm here."

The Pegasus responded with pride in his voice, "Thanks! I enjoy doing everything on a whim, it's what makes me, well... me."

Burning Star tried to ignore the comment, but it was evident it was bugging him as a plume of smoke rose from his head. He finally snapped, still proving Noble's point that he needed change "I don't know these spells as well as my partner ok?! I used this Distortion Orb to amplify my powers and open up a stable portal, so... I can't do it on my own."

Quickfire interrupted the conversation with a smug tone, "I know a thing or two about inter-dimensional bridge Portals, its that they can only be opened by two ponies who can bend the fabric of space-time. Aka, Burning Star with his Distortion Orb, and his associate."

Noble looked at the portal, which sparked and crackled with stardust, before saying to the Alicorn. "You are completely, one hundred percent sure that this is safe?"

Burning Star nodded, impatient to go. "Yes, Yes, Yes. It is fine. Jeez, you sound like my mother..."

Burning Star jumped into the swirling rift in dimensions, followed by Quickfire and Hiller. 

The Guardians of the Sun looked at each other, then at the portal. Noble closed his eyes and stepped into the portal, Firestorm followed after him, and Freedom Fighter last, as the portal slammed shut with a flash of light.

(Canterlot Castle, The Oversight Pool, Burning Star's world)

The six ponies felt as if they were being dragged into a tornado, before being shot out of another portal into a large stone cavern with dark basalt walls.

Noble was the first to get up, shaking his head free of the dizziness that overtook him, and trying to hold back the vomit in his throat.

Burning Star was already on his hooves, looking around before spotting his partner in opening the portal.

Firestorm felt sick to his stomach and immediately threw up, getting vomit on his outfit. He was pale as a ghost, obviously feeling the effects of dimensional transition sickness.

Noble looked to his fellow Guardians and gave them some cloth to clean up their clothes of stomach acid, then surveyed his surroundings.

There was a large pool in the center of the room, which seemed to be carved into the side of a mountain, judging by the large stalagmites and stalactites lining the walls of the cave, like the giant teeth of some sort of monster...

Another Alicorn approached him, his fur blending into the rock walls. He spoke to Noble in a voice that sounded like he was gargling rocks.

"Who are you and why have you come to my world? Answer me, now."

Noble looked up and saw that another Alicorn was standing over him.

He was similar in height to Burning Star, maybe an inch or two shorter. His fur was black, but reflected light subtly, almost like he was covered in a chrome coating. His platinum colored mane and tail flowed like water and had a metallic sheen to it.

His wings were not a normal Alicorn's wings, they were great dragon wings and were shiny black with a metallic silver webbing to them. His horn was large and began to glow white as the Alicorn lifted Noble and his friends to their hooves. His golden eyes seemed to shine like the metal they were colored like... it was peculiar to say the least.

What really shocked Noble was the Alicorn's mark upon his flank, a Solar and Lunar Eclipse...

He spoke the first words that came to mind, "While I am usually the one to be the first one to ask that, you beat me right to the punch. I am Noble Blade, Normally I would not reveal this to a unknown Alicorn, but something tells me you have been watching us, correct?"

The Shiny Black Alicorn cleared his throat and said, "Yes I have, Noble Blade, Guardian of the Sun. I must say your accomplishments are impressive to say the least, I've not seen such heroics from somepony new in a long time... good work by all of you."

Firestorm finally stopped losing his lunch and said with a ragged breath, "Who are you exactly, and why do I feel sick?"

The Alicorn bowed in respect and responded to the Pegasus's question. "Allow me to introduce myself, I am Prince Eclipsio Alicornus, younger sibling of Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, Prince of Eclipses, Surveyor of the Cosmic Reaches and Swallower of the Sun and Moon. You must be Firestorm, the Pegasus member of the Guardians of the Sun."

Burning Star was carrying the luggage of everypony out of the cave when he said, "Can we talk about all our titles in a minute? I brought them here to get familiar with my background, but we need to unpack first! Come on!"

Noble Blade bowed before Eclipsio and said with awe in his voice, "Tis an honor to meet you. We do not haveth somepony like you where we are from, art thou unique to this world?"

The Prince of Eclipses nodded and said with some pride in his voice, "I be-ith unique to this world. I know your accent, hath Luna been rubbing off on you, Knight of Celestia?"

The two ponies laughed for a while, before Quickfire cut in. "Uh, guys?" He said, a bit of annoyance in his voice. "Can we get a move on, I'd like to get my stuff organized and you three need to go meet Burning Star's friends."

Firestorm raised his eyebrow in bewilderment, "Wait, what? Who said we wanted to meet any of the crazy pony's friends? Besides you two of course... no offense?"

Quickfire and Hiller sighed simultaneously, then the assassin said, "Let's go."

(Canterlot Castle, Training Room)

Noble Blade and the Guardians of the Sun were surprised to see so many guards lining the halls to the training grounds, all three of them wondered what was going on, until Eclipsio spoke to them.

"These guards are waiting in line to have a chance to duel Burning Star's head of security, but he is currently up against somepony you may know.

Noble heard the clash of weapons and two battle cries, one he knew, the other he didn't recognize... 

When he entered the room, he saw the two combatants.

It was the former captain of the guard, Prince Shining Armor of the Crystal Empire!

He was fighting somepony Noble didn't know, but he looked all too similar to Shining in terms of body shape, but his appearance was radically different.

The other unicorn's fur was a dark gray with black undertones to it, his mane and tail were blood red and Forest Green, quite garish color choices, and his eyes were bright red and seemed to glow red along with his horn's aura of magic. 

Noble gasped as Shining staggered back from a monstrous blow from the dark unicorn, who walked over to Shining and put his serrated sword against his head.

Noble heard the voice of that pony, it sounded very similar To Shining's, but slightly deeper and growl-like. 

"Yield, Shining. I've won again. It seems no matter how much I teach you of my savage fighting style, you still can't keep up."

Shining got to his hooves and bowed, "Correct, but I'm still better than you at shield spells, Shady."

The Guardians of the Sun all looked to Eclipsio and the Eclipse Alicorn explained, "That dark unicorn there is Shadow Armor. He was an superior clone of Shining Armor created by King Sombra, since his former commander was lackluster in his abilities. However, Shadow Armor was created with free will, and when he saw how evil Sombra was..."

Noble finished Eclipsio's sentence, "He defected and joined the good guys?"

Eclipsio shook his head, "Yes and No. while Shadow Armor works alongside Burning Star and the rest of Equestria, he is a bit of a wild card sometimes, he is neither good or evil, he is what he is, a wild card fighter who broods a lot and is generally a grumpy pony."

Noble fumed for a second, he wasn't one to start fights, but to see Shining Armor's honor tarnished by this... copy made him angry.

Noble took a chance and shouted at the dark pony, "Hey Shadow Armor, He is trying his hardest, you do not fight with honor, sir."

Shadow Armor turned towards Noble, his red eyes fixed firmly on him as all the spectators, Firestorm and even Freedom Fighter shrank away from the glare of those red eyes. 

Shadow Armor snorted out a response, clearly annoyed by Noble's words. "Who in Tartarus are you? You here to criticize my way of teaching? Fine, have a go if you think your hard enough, pal."

Noble hopped down into the arena and drew his sword with his magic, saying to Shadow Armor. "Here this, Shadow Armor. I, Noble Blade, Kinght of Celestia and Proud warrior will avenge Shining Armor's honor and defeat-"

He was cut off by Shadow Armor striking him with the back of his hooves, sending Noble sprawling back. Shadow Armor created an energy sword and swung it down hard, Noble still felt the force of the blow as he parryed and countered with his sword, landing a clean slash right across Shadow Armor's side, it slowly dripped blood through the gash in his armor.

Then, something snapped in Shadow Armor. He let out a roar of primal fury as he threw the energy sword at Noble, who ducked under it as it lodged itself in the wall. Noble sidestepped out of the way as Shadow Armor charged like a raging Minotaur, his eyes bright green with purple smoke coming out of them. 

Noble instantly recognized that as Dark Magic and prepared a blast of pure Light Magic, he didn't finish it before Shadow Armor ripped a chunk of concrete out of the wall and threw it at him, eyes still ablaze with Dark Magic. 

Noble shielded himself, blocking the thrown chunk of rock, and Shadow Armor began to strike and buck the shield like a wild animal, he used every part of him to try and shatter the shield, but it didn't budge. 

Suddenly, Burning Star walked in to see Shadow Armor whacking away at Noble's shield and he called out in his own Royal Canterlot voice, "Shadow Armor, stop!"

The black knight immediately seized up, and turned to see Burning Star had returned, he kneeled and said, "My apologizes, My lord. I lost control my powers again, didn't I?"

Firestorm ran over to Burning Star and unknowingly shouted, "What is wrong with him?! He is a beast, a pure, wild beast. That is your head of security?"

Burning Star glowered, his eyes in a flinty glare, "Yes it is. And I would appreciate you not calling him that, Stormy. He has enough problems on his mind, he doesn't need more insults thrown his way."

Noble dropped his shield and spoke to Burning Star, "Is there anything else you wish to introduce to us?"

A shrill voice suddenly pierced the hall of the castle. 

"BURNING STAR, YOU LAZY ASS! WHERE ARE YOU!"

The Black Alicorn smiled sheepishly, "Heh... my wife is here."

Firestorm looked at him with a look of bewilderment, "You have a wife, What?! Wait... You have kids yet?"

Freedom smacked the Pegasus in the back of the head for being rude, then the doors burst open and the Guardians of the Sun's jaws went to the floor.

In front of them stood the Princess of Friendship, Twilight Sparkle... except she was a lot bigger than the first time they saw her at her coronation. Her mane flowed like water, similar to Celestia and Luna and Eclipsio... it had purple and pink stars set in it and it sparkled like a twilight sky. Her wings had grown larger and so had her horn, Twilight stood about as tall as Celestia would be, but Burning Star still towered above everypony they knew.

Twilight grabbed Burning Star with her magic and hissed at him, "Where did you go?! You have been gone for a week and you don't send a message telling me you're ok. I was worried sick!"

Burning Star nervously tried to change the subject, "Uh... That isn't your concern, Twilight. So, let's ignore that for now. Have you met my new friends, The Guardians of the Sun?" 

Twilight Sparkle looked at the trio of newcomers, dropped Burning Star, and hoisted them into the air with her magic. 

She began to speak to Freedom Fighter, "Who are you and why did my husband bring you to our world?"

Freedom Fighter shook his head and signed out words during his panic,

Noble cleared his throat and responded for Freedom Fighter. "Excuse me, Princess. My friend I can't speak, for he has no tongue, you know. Please put us down, I... well... we would rather not hurt you." 

Twilight Sparkle sneered, "Well, then you start talking, boy. I'm a little short on patience now, so spill the facts."

Noble Blade tried to explain in the most basic way he could, "I am Noble Blade the Unicorn, this is Firestorm the Pegasus, and this is Freedom Fighter the Earth Pony. We are the Guardians of the Sun, the secret task force of Princess Celestia. Tell me, where is our dear Princess at this moment?"

Twilight went deadly serious, and turned around dragging the Guardians in her telekinetic grip, "Celestia left me and left Canterlot for who knows where, Luna went with her. She understood that what she did to me was not easily forgiven. It's taken three months for me to even talk with her in a full conversation, so you will be listening to me and Eclipsio while you're staying here."

She continued, "I can sense the energy of Midnight Sparkle on you, especially the Earth Pony. Have you come in contact with her recently?"

Noble Blade nodded, "We have. And if it weren't for the sheer power of your husband, we would have perished to her Nightmare Moon copy."

Burning Star added in, "And Me and Sun butt beat down a Lord Tirek Copy in Canterlot."

He got various worried glances from every pony around him, he continued. "Yeah, I forgot to mention that I fought Tirek, sorta slipped my mind."

Twilight Sparkle's face turned hard, "So your way of avoiding your duty as a ruler is to run off to another world to fight monsters and capture Midnight Sparkle? Are you really that desperate, Burning Star? We have a family now, you have to be here for our kids."

Burning Star snapped back at Twilight with his Royal Canterlot voice, which shook the room. "I KNOW THAT! But I can't lose any more friends, it's better that I stay away from you and the kids when stuff like this happens. I attract violence like a magnet! You know that, I know that, every pony knows that!"

Noble was taken aback by the sudden burst of emotion, as Burning Star displayed a serious anxiety attack, small tears peppering his cheeks and his wings were fully flared in defense. 

He suddenly turned to the open window and said, "I need some time alone, I'll be in my room, don't bother me... I need to calm down."

The Black Alicorn took off, leaving Twilight and the Guardians alone. Eclipsio suddenly melted out of the shadows while saying, "If we are all done with our outbursts, the rooms for the Guardians of the Sun and Star Hunters are ready, but Noble... come with me."

Noble was released from Twilight's grasp as Eclipsio took off down the hall, and he quickly sprinted after him. 

(Canterlot Castle, Royal Archives)

Noble followed the Eclipse Alicorn into the Royal Archives, which were much larger than the ones on his world, there was a large iron gate in front of a giant door, Eclipsio was standing in front of the door tapping his hoof on the floor while waiting for the Unciorn to run across the LONG hallways of the Archives. 

Noble asked the Chrome black Alicorn, "Why did you ask for me, and not somepony like Quickfire or Hiller? Somepony Burning Star knows personally?"

The Prince chuckled, "Because you are probably the first pony in his entire life that has ever cracked that diamond hard shell on his emotions, and I would like to inform you of something that may make you think of Burning Star as less of a rude savage and more as somepony who has every right to be worried he would become Sombra."

Noble raised an eyebrow as Eclipsio used his magic to slowly pull back the iron gate that barred the entrance to another part of the Archives.

Eclipsio turned to Noble and asked him with a serious tone in his voice, "You will not tell Burning Star or anypony other than me of what I show you here, is that clear?"

Noble nodded, "You have my word, Prince Eclipsio. What could be of such secrecy that only you and I should know about it? And more importantly, you just met me, why do you immediately trust me?"

The chrome black Alicorn replied, "Ive been overseeing this universe for a great amount of time, Noble Blade. When suddenly a bright light came off your world, it was you... And you were a shining star of trust and compassion, tempered by righteous fury and a code of honor. If I didn't trust you, I would have obliterated you three on sight." He opened the great doors, revealing an ancient library that seemed to be strangely void of books. 

Instead, scrolls of various sizes and colors sat in holes on shelves, all magically preserved by the magic of the Archives.

Eclipsio flew up to a group of scrolls and pulled them out, tossing them at Noble Blade, who caught them with his magic.

He asked the Alicorn, "If I may ask, What are we looking for, My Prince? Also, what is this place?"

The Alicorn began to explain, "This is the archives of the First Alicorn. Before Celestia's battle with Nightmare Moon, The First Alicorn secretly transferred all of its knowledge to here. I stumbled upon it when I was exploring these lands, over 1,000 years ago."

Eclipsio shouted out as he picked up a dark brown scroll with the Crystal Empire's seal on it. "This thing. This scroll will explain everything about Burning Star and what his relation to the Shadow King is, this area must remain a secret... do not tell anypony of this, got that?"

Noble bowed, "I swear on my life that this place will remain secret."

Noble Blade opened the scroll and immediately went wide eyed, this thing was written in a language he didn't know!

He was about to let the Alicorn know but Eclipsio swooped down and began to read, but he said first, "Before we start, are you sure you want to know what is in these texts? The reason you can't read it is because it is written in Dark Equestrian, a language that can only be read by somepony who can use Dark Magic."

Eclipsio's eyes began to glow green, and began to read aloud.

"I am King Sombra, and this is for my student Burning Star. After running some tests on your magic levels and aura coloration I believe that I may have stumbled upon something extraordinary, so much so that it seems impossible."

"Your magic signature matches mine nearly exactly, right down to my signature red aura that your horn emits. I couldn't believe it, so I did some digging into my family and I think I've uncovered something amazing."

Noble Blade asked with eagerness in his voice, "Well? What did he uncover? Tell me, cause now I am curious."

Eclipsio continued to read, knowing what would come next.

"About 1,000 years ago, a family known as the Stars came to my doorstep asking for sanctuary from Celestia and Luna's conquest of their village. I was accepting and let them in, noticing a sick filly by the name of Dawn Star in the mothers hooves. The mother was near-death, so was the father. I couldn't let them suffer To future to find out where their child was, for he was born An ALICORN. I made sure to give the parents a painless death, and watched as the parents died in their sleep. It was the last time I shed a tear for somepony other than myself."

Noble slowly started to put the pieces together, An Alicorn filly with dead parents, King Sombra from over 1,000 years ago... wherever this writing was going it was going to be big.

Eclipsio continued to read, "I know that this child will die if I do not intervene, therefore I will adopt him as my own... my Dawn Star. I know what I must do, Celestia and Luna are banging on my black crystal fortress as we speak, I will do what I think is right. I will use my magic to seal him in a 1,000 year long hibernation, and erase all memories of me and his old life. The father he deserved, me. King Sombra of the Crystal Empire, the pony with a heart as black as night, but as big as the sea for the child, my child..."

"I pray that he awakes to a family of good ponies, for he deserves to find his purpose, as the one who will unite the Dark Magic with the Light, for he will be the strongest, wisest, and of course, most handsome heir to my father's and my throne. Dawn Star, My only son... I will always protect you with my servants, when I get free of the prison the sisters put me in, I will wait for you to come to me, and we will once again be a family. Father and son, together again... I love you my son, be strong for me when you awake."

"Signed, 
King Sombra."

Noble sank back into his chair, feeling the massive weight of the information just dumped upon his mind. He had just found out that the relationship between Sombra and Burning Star was even deeper than just a student-teacher relationship.

Burning Star was literally King Sombra's son!

The knight shakily asked the chrome black Alicorn, "I-I-Is this true? Does Burning Star know of this?"

Eclipsio nodded, "Yes it is, Noble Blade."

"Burning Star is King Sombra's son, and the heir to his throne, the is the reason he keeps himself away from everypony is because he is related to him, now you know that he is more than related to him... He doesn't know that he is Sombra's son, and telling him that may just seal his fate to become what his second father was."

Noble filled in Eclipsio's thought, "A Tyrant King and a monster..."

"The path he is on now is a dangerous one. For his Dark Magic is the key to stopping Midnight Sparkle... or all hope is lost."

Noble simply fainted, his last thought being...

"Oh I have made a grave mistake in misjudging him... oh sweet Celestia... I pray that he stays free of those dark thoughts."
> Chapter 10 Part 2: The Shadow Behind Star
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Canterlot Castle, Dining Hall)

Most of the Guardians of the Sun and Star hunters were up and getting breakfast for the day, with most of the food that morning being fruit and vegetables.

Firestorm sat next to Quickfire, despite the tension between the two because of the so called "Bathroom Incident" which the two of them refused to talk about with anypony right now. 

Hiller sat next to Freedom Fighter, the Protopony eating a giant stack of pancakes, while the bodysuit-covered Earth Pony simply munched on a few apples. 

Noble entered the room, a warm smile on his face as he said, "Good morning everypony. I don't know about you, but I slept wonderfully last night. What about the rest of you?"

Firestorm nibbled on a pineapple slice, "I slept... pretty well. The beds on this world are amazing. Did you know that they have magic sheets that promote good sleep? One of the guards here told me."

Hiller raised his cup to Firestorm, "I agree with you, my fine feathered pony friend... I never sleep well, but last night. I slept like a newborn foal."

Firestorm flapped his wings and took flight, his face absolutely livid. "It gets better, When I woke up, I noticed that a maid was in my room. She was so good looking, Noble. I may decide to stay here more often, this world is pretty cool."

Noble noticed Quickfire was slowly nodding off, so he walked over and tapped him on the shoulder, "Hey Quickfire?" He said, trying to not annoy the deadly assassin, "You look like a zombie, did you not sleep well last night?"

Quickfire sighed, and said. "No I did not, Sir Noble. I was up all night training with Freedom Fighter... I should have known that even my enhanced physique couldn't keep up with the sheer stamina of an Earth Pony. How does he stay up so late?"

Freedom Fighter patted Quickfire on the head, before making a series of gestures to Noble. Noble translated for Quickfire, "He says that you weren't too shabby yourself. He has never been in a nearly 8-hour long non-stop training session with a Unicorn. He is congratulating you, Quickfire. You should be proud that you stood for so long, by the time the sun rose, he could barely stand firm."

Quickfire weakly raised his hoof, saying "Yay... now if you excuse me, I'm going to bed. I'll see you later everypony..."

Quickfire took a few steps towards the door, before saying. "On second thought, the floor isn't that bad of a place to sleep..."

Quickfire collapsed from exhaustion and fell asleep, earning a laugh from Firestorm and A sigh from Hiller.

The Protopony snickered a bit, "Oh dear, he's done this for the fourth time this week. Don't worry, I got him."

Hiller turned his hooves into tendrils and wrapped Quickfire up like a cocoon, before heading to the door.

Suddenly, the door burst off its hinges and two blurs, one dark purple and one ash gray zipped around the breakfast table.

All three Guardians were pushed into a group and tackled to the floor by the pair of ponies.

The Ash Gray one said, "Did we get Them?"

The dark purple one rolled her eyes, "Of course we did. My calculations never fail, twin brother. you supply the brawn, and I'll supply the brains."

Eclipsio dashed into the room to see the two fillies on top of Noble Blade and his friends, almost completely out of breath, "I'm dreadfully sorry that this has happened. They got away from me, they move so fast... whew..."

Noble and his partners lifted the pair of fillies off of them, they looked no older than ten, they were both Alicorns, surprisingly.

The dark purple one was a mare, she had pink and lavender mane with little dark purple highlights. Her eyes were a bright blue and purple combination and her mark was of a five pointed star with a trail of sparkles.

The ash gray Alicorn was a stallion. He had a Pure white Mane and tail with bright red highlights in it. His  abnormal red eyes gave him away that he was an Albino, or at least partially. His mark was a purple and red octagon with little flame patterns in it.

Noble asked the two fillies, "Well well, who are you little bundles of energy?"

What followed shortly was a scream from Twilight Sparkle that echoed through the halls of the castle. 

"Ash Mane! Star Tail! Where did you two devils get off to?!"

Ash Mane asked Freedom Fighter with a begging glance, "excuse me, Big Earth Pony? Can you hide us please? Pretty please?"

Freedom couldn't resist the adorable look on the little Alicorn's face and pushed them behind his massive legs, just as the Lavender colored Alicorn burst in the room with anger nearing Burning Star levels of rage pumping through her mind.

She roared like some sort of demon right out of Tartarus, "Where are they?! They have to fix me now! This isn't funny anymore, it's weird and frankly disturbing."

Noble looked closely at Twilight and saw something that made him barely hold back a laugh.

Twilight was a Stallion, and a rather handsome one at that!

Burning Star flew in after Twilight, "Oh that was such a good joke kids, oh don't fret Twilight. It could be worse, you could have turned into a hermaphrodite... actually that would be a dream for a few of the mares in Canterlot."

The male Twilight scowled and snorted, "Fix... THIS... NOW! Or I'll fix you!"

The Black Alicorn responded, "Alright jeez." Burning Star's horn lit up and Twilight was engulfed in a green fire, when it died down she was herself again. 

The Black Alicorn giggled and turned to his two children, "Ash Mane and Star Tail, what did I tell you about using Changeling Dust on your mother?"

He looked to Noble and smirked, "I see you've met my new friends, Guardians, meet my two children. Ash Mane and Star Tail. Go on, they don't bite... much."

Firestorm flapped over to Ash Mane and developed the same smug grin at the memory of Twilight being a Stallion.

Ash Mane put out his hoof for a hoof-bump, "Name's Ash Mane, Alicorn Son of Burning Star. I'm guessing you really liked our prank huh?"

The Pegasus told the Alicorn Filly, "Yes I did, I only wish I was there to witness it firsthand, You really got your mom good. Using Changeling dust as your spell catalyst to a prank is pretty clever, Ash Mane."

Noble knelt down and ruffled the Young Alicorn Mare's mane and said, "So, your father never told us about you two. I am Noble Blade, one of the Guardians of the Sun. Burning Star brought us here from our world to relax and experience your world."

Star Tail's eyes lit up like a neon sign in Manehattan, "Did you say you're from another world?!" She said, barely containing her glee.

Noble made a short nod, "Why yes we are. Why do you ask, young one?"

Star Tail suddenly teleported away, then reappeared with a clipboard with a picture of a portal on it in one hoof, and various equations that were extremely complex on a piece of paper in the other. 

Star Tail began to speak to the three guardians, "That is just perfect! I've been passing around a theory in school that there may be other worlds out in the vast Multiverse. However, everypony always calls me a skeptic that we could have access to these worlds. Hell... the professors at my college don't even know if there is life out in the Multiverse, But you three are my first proof that there is life out there, I'm so happy that they are wrong!"

Freedom Fighter signed a few gestures to Noble, but Star Tail cut off the Unicorn, "Oh? You want to say hi? I'm guessing you use sign language because your either deaf or mute?"

Freedom Fighter made a sarcastically shocked face, getting a laugh from Burning Star. "See Freedom?" He said, a gleam of pure happiness in his eyes, "Somepony understood what you were signing out. Star Tail here is the brains of the two kids I have. She is already in college working towards her own theory of combining magic with science to develop technology to traverse Space, time, even other dimensions altogether!"

Ash Mane interrupted his father, "And I am the cool one of the pair." He said, not even trying to hide his pride. "I am the Alicorn that wants to be just like my dad. A hero and champion of ponykind, from what I can see... you three want to do that as well, hm?"

Firestorm landed in his chair and leaned back, "Yeah we're heroes! We dealt with uprisings in the fringe of Equestria’s borders. We have managed to prevent a civil war in the dragonlands. We led a raid upon Arimaspi Mountain to retrieve the magical Horn of Alagamora. I heard that your father has done some real heroics as well. I heard it from him but I would love to hear it from somepony from his home to confirm."

Ash Mane pumped his hoof in the air, "Yes of course I would tell you of my father's best moments." He turned to Burning Star and said, "Dad! I'm about to tell some of your stories! You coming?"

Burning Star smiled and flew over to his seat at the table, "Of course. Could you start with the Battle against Chrysalis in Maneami?"

As Ash Mane began to tell Firestorm and Freedom Fighter of Burning Star's, Shadow Armor's and Shining Armor's ambush by the Changeling Queen, Noble walked beside Twilight, and asked her. "Is this what Burning Star actually is? Why does he leave you and the children so often?"

Twilight sighed, "He never tells me when and why he leaves anymore, ever since I went with him to defeat a Comet Dragon and got hurt, he has left me alone to fight monsters with his friends."

Noble was shocked to hear that Twilight had gotten hurt, "Did anything get permanently damaged, My lady?"

Twilight shook her head, "I was ok. He wasn't, when he saw me fall to the ground unconscious from an Cosmic Beam attack, he just... lost it."

Noble raised an eyebrow and asked Twilight again with confusion in his voice, "What do you mean by "he lost it?" Twilight?"

Twilight Sparkle looked right at Noble and said in a chilling tone, "When I woke up, Shining Armor and Shadow Armor were taking care of my wounds, they said The Dragon was dead, That Burning Star... killed it, he tore it to shreds."

Noble's eyes bulged, "He what? Tore it to shreds? How?"

She continued, "Shadow Armor described to me that seeing him viciously strike the dragon over and over was like "watching a wild beast on a rampage, but there was this look in his eyes. A dead, green glow as he tore the dragon in half and cut off its head for good measure." Then when I tried to ask Burning Star what happened, he looked at me with a face of horror, before walking away to his chambers."

Noble noticed Burning Star was starting to teeter back and forth, almost as if he was dizzy.

The Alicorn shakily got up and stumbled forwards, saying "Guys... I don't feel good... oh boy."

Everypony gasped as the Black Alicorn passed out in front of them, and then suddenly ignited into a blaze!

The air began to grow very hot, and a heat shimmer began to emit from the Alicorn's body. 

Twilight Sparkle called to her kids, "Ash Mane! Star Tail! Get out of here, we have to fix this!"

The two fillies nodded and dashed out of the room, as Firestorm and Freedom Fighter ducked behind Twilight as she put up a shield to block the inferno that came from her husband.

Firestorm asked Twilight the obvious question, "What is happening to him? Why is he spewing more fire than a volcanic eruption?!"

Twilight replied, "I don't know, but if I would have to guess... one of his mental blocks came undone! If he is exposed to extremely strong emotions, he could lose control of his powers!" She sighed, "Really makes him hard to sleep with as well."

Noble looked at her and responded, "So what do we do? We await your orders, Twilight."

Twilight gave them a loud answer that shocked them, "You three are going to have to enter his mind and reestablish the mental block yourselves! Here take this!"

She levitated to Freedom a scroll and said, "This is the spell that you need to use! Good luck you three!"

Without warning, The Guardians were enveloped in a purple beam of light that was shot directly into Burning Star's horn, and the three blacked out.

(Burning Star's mind, ???)

The Guardians plummeted into a black void, screaming their heads off as they fell.

Firestorm grabbed both Noble and Freedom Fighter and tried desperately to slow their fall, flapping his wings as hard as he could, But they were too heavy.

Noble saw Firestorm trying this and cast a shield spell around the three, just as they crashed to a brown stone floor it what looked to be a home of some sort.

Firestorm was the first to get up and say, "Maybe next time Twilight could just teleport us into this guy's mind instead of dropping us like rocks?"

Noble deactivated his shield spell and added, "Yeah. That was rough, as much as I respect her, she needs to work on her mental transportation abilities."

Freedom got their attention and the three looked at their surroundings.

All three pairs of eyes went wide with shock.

All around them, it was ruin. there was fire everywhere, buildings were burning, houses... reduced to ashes... everywhere the three looked there was destruction.

Firestorm spoke first, trying to form a comment on this place. "Uh... Um, where are we?"

Freedom Fighter pointed to an old charred sign, it read "Canterlot"

Noble was in utter shock, he had never seen any destruction this big before. This made Skyworld look like a small blast, everything was in ruins...

Noble's response to Firestorm was one filled with dread, "Firestorm... this is Canterlot."

The unicorn looked around for any signs of life, until he spotted a bright light amongst all the red and orange fire and smoke. 

It was coming from the castle!

Noble signaled his partners towards the light, "There! The castle, surely somepony must be alive here. The citizens probably evacuated to the mountains through the castle passageways. Come on!"

With that, the three pony warriors ran full speed to the castle, taking in the views of the destruction of the fires that burned throughout the city.

(Burning Star's Mind, Canterlot Castle Throne Room)

The Guardians burst through the door of the castle, catching their breath as they had run through the obscenely hot streets of the capital, ducking through the ruined buildings.

Noble was surprised that the castle was somehow unharmed by the blaze that was engulfing the city, in fact... it looked as if it had been redecorated.

The walls were dark gray and made of stone, almost the color of ash and smoke outside. Busted pillars and crumbling flower pots showed that some sort of battle had gone down, as pretty much everything was covered in marks of magical discharge. It was very dark, and the light from outside the door barely illuminated the room.

Noble ignited his horn into a bright light and Firestorm ignited his sword to provide some more vision in the giant chamber.

Noble asked his fellow warriors, "What could have caused such total destruction? Tirek couldn't have done this much, Celestia forbid, even Two Tireks couldn't have destroyed Canterlot this completely."

Firestorm shrugged, "I don't know. But whoever and/or whatever did this, they really went the extra mile."

Freedom Fighter suddenly put out his hoof and stopped his partners. He had heard breathing, and not his own or his friends.

Noble asked the Earth Pony, "What is the matter?"

Freedom gestured to where the throne would usually be and signaled them to listen.

They all heard somepony's breath. It was deep and powerful, yet... oddly familiar.

Firestorm called out in the general direction of the throne, "Hello? Is somepony here?" He said, "You know that Canterlot is on fire, right?"

Noble Blade facehoofed, "Firestorm, please. I'm sure whoever is here is aware of the problem."

The Pegasus continued nevertheless, "Seriously? Why is freaking EVERYTHING on fire?"

The three heard a voice from the direction of the throne, it chilled them to the core.

"Because I made it so, pal."

Suddenly, all the empty torches ignited, revealing the source of the voice.

It was Burning Star?!

Noble approached the Alicorn slowly, "Burning Star? Is that you?"

The Black Alicorn smirked, "Well... I was once Burning Star, but he is dead now. Allow me to introduce myself... and take a good look at me."



The figure that looked like Burning Star stepped forward, it was indeed the Alicorn in question, but twisted and dark... much like Midnight Sparkle.

His fur was jet black, but he was covered in silver and red armor and had dark red lines running up it, pulsing like veins in the body. They ran down his torso, all the way up to his head. Which bore a silver and red spiked crown.

The Alicorn's Mane and tail was a literal inferno of dark red fire that billowed slowly, like it was being blown by an invisible wind. His feathers on his wings were also colored the same shade of dark red and were reflective, lighting up the room in an eerie, almost ethereal glow.

His eyes were noting but pools of red, and had only black dot pupils, which seemed to emit the same fire in his Mane. His gaze was like ice, as ironic as it was to say that.

The other Burning Star began to speak, "I am what Burning Star fears the most. I am the terror that he saw in his vision from Nightmare Moon. I am the true power inside of him!"

The Alicorn shouted, and his fire-Mane exploded to monstrous heights. "I... AM... DARK STAR, THE ALICORN OF DESTRUCTION! HAH-HAH-HOO-HA-HAAA!"

Noble Blade was staring at Dark Star, he sat back down upon a throne made of red and black crystal, at his side sat The Scythe of King Sombra... which seemed to glow bright red whenever the Alicorn was near it... 

Dark Star continued, "I bet you're wondering how Burning Star and me are connected? Well... I'm the reason he is the way he is. Broken, Brooding, Unhappy and Angry."

Freedom unknowingly reached for his weapons, as did the rest of the Guardians, this certainly wasn't a good guy.

Noble spoke to Dark Star, with authority in his voice, "Then you are the reason why he refuses to let go of Firebrand, aren't you? You are the reason he is angry and Celestia and Luna? It's not their actions that caused Burning Star to become what he is, it was you."

Dark Star nodded, then jokingly said, "Ding! We have a winner! I'm suprised that YOU of all ponies. YOU, a doormat for Celestia who calls himself a hero, was the only one to actually penetrate that unbelievablely strong shell on Burning Star's emotions. Good for you!"

Dark Star clapped his hooves together in a slow, sarcastic manner. 

Noble started to speak again, "If you are the one keeping this Alicorn's emotions in turmoil, Then cease your manipulation with his mind, Dark Star!"

Dark Star rolled his eyes and replied, "Or what?"

All three Guardians drew their weapons and entered a battle stance. Firestorm shouted out, "Before we kick your flanks you and drag you out by force!"

Dark Star looked at the three warriors, seeing their determined faces and strong bodies, before saying, "Finally, somepony to die of their own foolishness. I hope you provide more of a challenge than the Two Sisters did. After all... they were my first victims."

(End Song Here)

A spike of anger rose up in Noble, making him shout, "You will not harm Celestia and Luna, demon! We will defeat you here before you even get the chance."



(Begin 2nd Music here)

Dark Star's horn lit up a bright red as he picked up the massive scythe from beside his throne and raised it over his head.

He then screamed, "BURN WITH THE REST OF THE WORLD!"

Dark Star swung the scythe straight down like a hammer pounding a nail, sending a long wave of fire screaming at them. 

The guardians jumped out of the way as the fire wave smashed the door to pieces, and the three got into close combat with the Alicorn.

Dark Star fought like no pony the three of them have ever seen, he was vicious, almost animal-like. A look of pure hate on the Alicorn's face as he swung his flaming scythe around him, as if he was a whirling vortex of flames and blades. 

Freedom Fighter blocked one of the scythe slashes with his fighting sticks, the power of the strike pushing the Earth Pony backwards. Noble Blade and Firestorm used their swords to help push Dark Star back from throwing Freedom off balance and cutting him in two.

Firestorm landed a slice to the face of the Alicorn, leaving a deep cut right across his nose, his reward was a strike from Dark Star's front hooves that sent him skidding across the floor, where he stopped himself by using his swords as a pair of anchor spikes.

Dark Star parryed Noble's physical sword away and Noble did the same to his Weapon, both of them created beams of hardened kinetic energy that enveloped their horns and the two clashed, sparks flying as the two dueled horn on horn.

Noble thirsted his magic bladed horn forward, right into Dark Star's chest armor, it went through cleanly and the guardians heard an unsettling crunch as Noble pierced the rib cage of Dark Star. 

A scream came from the Alicorn of Destruction as Firestorm sent his sword right into Dark Star's wings, and Freedom swung his staff right into his face. 

The Alicorn's eyes narrowed and he roared out, "Enough of this!"

And threw Noble and his partners Off him, they all landed with little grace, their fur burned and cuts along various parts of their bodies. 

Dark Star then stood up and showed them the gashes he had from their fight. "Fun fact, you three..."

They all quickly closed up, leaving very small white lines, he said in a mocking tone, "Your magic Weapons and amazing fighting skills aren't enough to bring me down this easily. Unlike you three, my Alicornhood has rendered me unbeatable!"

Firestorm tried to stand up, but he was so exhausted from fighting, however he wheezed out his comment, "Well... this is a bit of deja vu for us. Midnight pretty much did the exact same thing that your doing!"

Dark Star growled, "But unlike her, I do not spare the lives of those I've beaten." 

He raised the massive scythe over his head, a feral look on his face.

"Have fun rotting in Tartarus, Guardians of the Sun! Goodbye!"

As Dark Star swung the scythe down, Noble used the last of his energy and unwrapped the scroll and began to read it.

A whirlwind of black wind suddenly sprang to life in the back of the room, and It began to drag Dark Star towards it!

Dark Star roared in anguish, "NO! I CANNOT BE SEALED AWAY AGAIN! YOU WILL PAY FOR THIS, GUARDIANS OF THE SUN! FOR I AM DARK STAR, THE ALICORN OF-"

A navy blue blur burst through the window, and fired its beam of magic, sending Dark Star into the whirlwind, which disappeared.

The navy pony shouted, "Thou are Dark Star, Alicorn of nothing, and you will remain like that, Demon!"

The three Guardians passed out, with the navy blue Alicorn bending over them.

(Canterlot Castle, Burning Star's Room)

All three Guardians awoke with a start immediately sprang to their hooves, albeit with a little pain, and bowed.

Noble said with pride in his voice, "Princess Luna! You have returned, and not a moment too soon."

Although Noble Blade and the other guardians realized that this wasn't THEIR Luna, they still bowed.

Princess Luna smiled, "Ah. Noble Blade, 'tis an honor to meet you. Twilight has told us about your situation, and sister and I could not hide any longer."

Firestorm asked the Alicorn of Night, "Soooo... where is Princess Celestia now?"

Luna motioned to the door, "Speaking with Twilight Sparkle, I guess thou are wondering what in my sisters name did you just experience?"

Freedom nodded, noticing that Burning Star was up and sitting on his bed, from his body language he looked miserable.

Luna brought his attention back to her, "What we have just seen is Dark Star... an entity within Burning Star that is very similar to Midnight Sparkle. Except for one crucial difference."

Firestorm continued her thought, "So, I'm guessing that Midnight desires to rule, while Dark Star desires to destroy?"

Luna smiled, "That is one way of looking at it. I recommend you get him out sometime soon, as I fear the stress is getting to him."

Noble Blade thought to himself, "I never would have known that this... Dark Star... is the reason he is like this. It's a good thing Burning Star is coming around to my advice... otherwise that monster would be on the loose. And we cannot deal with two mad Alicorns at once..."

Everypony wordlessly decided that tomorrow would be the day that they start helping Burning Star with his problems, and they went off to bed...
> Chapter 11: Bend, Don't Break
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Black Thunder Bar, Canterlot) 

The noises, the lights, and the close proximity of ponies close together made Freedom Fighter uncomfortable.

It had all been Firestorm’s idea. After he and the others had gotten out of Burning Star’s mind, Firestorm had shaken his head woozily and suggested they take some time to relax from all of the events going on around them and head to a nightclub, leaving Twilight and Luna to stay in Canterlot Castle.

“It’ll be a guy’s night out,” he had said jovially in the castle in Canterlot. “I mean, look, so far we’ve seen all of these power-hungry overlords like Midnight Sparkle, this weird copy of Nightmare Moon I missed in the throne room, and a dark energy spike in Manehatten that just disappeared all of a sudden. Then we traveled to this universe you all came from and fought a dark copy of Burning Star here in his own mind. Not to mention all of the times we’ve, like, tried to hurt each other.” He patted the top of his head, where a significant portion of his mane had been cut off, and shot an apologetic look at Quickfire. “We’ve been through a lot, and I, personally, am pooped. So let’s do some of those hearty guy bonding activities. It’ll bond us all together, right?”

Well, the intention, at least, was good. But for Freedom Fighter, being surrounded by ponies that were doing really uncomfortable things in a dark, stuffy room wasn’t his idea of doing something fun. It was a blasting loud, epileptic room with multicolored lights in the center of the room, a DJ stand in the corner, and was filled almost to the brim with other ponies who were using their wages for a thing as trivial as dancing and watching strippers. Freedom Fighter didn’t care about things like that. Dancing, drinking, sex--they were all so stupid to spend your money on. There were better things, right? But what even were they? And why wasn’t anypony paying attention to them, and was neglecting the good things for the sake of things like stimulation and bodily friction?

He casually glanced over at the center of the room, where a long, lithe half-undressed unicorn mare was lifting her hind leg slowly, slowly up along the vertical rise of a metal pole, to the enthusiastic enjoyment of the stallions in the vicinity. Freedom Fighter gritted his teeth. Why did they all take such strange pleasure in that? Ponies were all normally unclothed anyway, so why should stripping suddenly be erotic? Freedom Fighter certainly took no pleasure in it.

Then again, he normally didn’t take pleasure in most things, so why should sex be the exception?

He turned back around. He was sitting at the side bar alongside Quickfire, Hiller, Noble Blade, and Firestorm. Freedom Fighter circled his hoof on the table and imagined a way to kill everyone else in the room if it came down to a fight. He imagined ejecting a knife blade from a hidden compartment in his hoof and hurling it across the room at the DJ if she played one more of those cliche bass-drop songs and another repetitive rhythm that did nothing interesting. It annoyed him more than anything else. 

Why was it that most songs in these kinds of situations played music that talked about either parties or sex or both? Could you play something that actually brings good feelings and makes me feel happy and whole, please? Sorry about that, Freedom Fighter, it appears that there’s no such thing like that in Canterlot backstreet culture. Guess you’re going to have to grit your teeth and bear it like you do with everything else in your miserable little life.

Beside him, Quickfire, still in his combat uniform and orange mask, was talking to the others, which Freedom Fighter tried to listen to more than the annoying music in the background. Freedom Fighter also had his combat uniform still on to protect his identity. Maybe they were more alike than he thought.

“You mean to tell me that you’ve never been to a bar before?” he asked incredulously.

“Nay, sir,” Noble replied. “We have simply had all of those annoying personal details we have to take care of for only the good of all Equestria, so we never had the casual opportunity to visit one of these…” He looked over his shoulder, where a patron had fainted with a loud thud and was now lying at the foot of his stool in a puddle of spilled alcohol. “...charming places.”

“I’m telling you, you’re missing out, Guardians.” Quickfire said. “These places are great for having fun and dancing. ESPECIALLY the "Private" Dancing”

Freedom Fighter disagreed. He revised his original statement of being similar to Quickfire.

“What about getting hammered?” Firestorm asked. “I’ve never drank pure alcohol before--just a chemical we have back on our world that recreates the rush of alcohol without the nasty side effects. I don’t want to end up addicted to the stuff.”

Quickfire looked at Firestorm over Hiller’s head with a stare of hilarious disbelief, “You? Out of everypony here, I would have thought you would be the one most likely to be knocked up for fun on the weekends."

“Nah.” Firestorm shrugged a hoof near his head. “I’m okay with Sweet Apple Acres cider. I raid it out of the princess’s private cider cellar--with her permission, of course.”

“Hold up, How can you raid someone with the other’s consent?” Hiller asked curiously. “That’s not how it works. Those aren’t the rules for it. I should know, I've drained the place dry numerous times.”

Firestorm caught a glint in his eye. “I think you’ll find that I’m accustomed to bending the rules here and there.”

“Well, Sweet Apple Acres cider may be fine for you,” Quickfire said, signaling the bartender with a hoof, “but that "secret cider" pales next to some of the stuff you can find here.” He called to the bartender, “Hey, Barkeep." The barkeep pointed at himself, "Yes you! could I get a sample of some of that Manticore Pincher stuff?” He pointed at a bright turquoise bottle on display behind the bartender with the label displaying its name in large capital letters.

“I’ll get some of that too,” Hiller added to his request.

The bartender, after a questioning, incredulous look at them, reluctantly agreed, and a moment later Quickfire had in front of him a small shot glass of turquoise liquid. Quickfire threw his head back as he picked it up with his magic, and in an instant the glass was empty. Quickfire’s eye drooped to the side, and his voice was a little more muddled than usual. “See? Isss totally fine!" *hic

Noble eyed him. “Are you okay?”

“What?” Quickfire sounded lost. “Yeah, I’m fine. I’m fffiiine.”

Hiller’s glass was empty as well, but he wasn’t as muddled as Quickfire was. On the contrary, he looked completely normal.

“Did you even drink that?” Noble asked him. “Or did you dump it out after seeing him?”

“You doubting me? ‘Course I drank it.” Hiller smiled. “I’m the Protopony, man. I’m immune to the effects of alcohol."

“Well isn't that Convenient.”

“I know, right? Especially for this drink in particular. It’s apparently 50 percent proof alcohol with the diluted venom of manticores in them. I don’t think any mortal being was meant to consume this stuff.”

“I’ll pay for your drinks as well,” Quickfire told the others, though his voice was slow and slurred. “Jussssss... pick the ones you want. Get that strong stuff in yer system.” He hiccupped. “Oh, by Luna's mane, what was in that stuff?”

And he keeled over forwards and bashed his head into the counter.

Noble Blade, after checking his pulse, motioned the bartender, who was watching with detached amusement. “On second thought, k don't want to end up like that, I’ll have a cream soda.”

“Apple juice,” Firestorm added for himself.

Freedom Fighter made a few gestures.

“He says he wants milk,” Firestorm translated.

(Canterlot Backstreets)

Burning Star was leaning against the wall outside the nightclub. Canterlot was dark and posed little threat to him, but he still felt antsy and anxious. He wasn’t aware of why exactly he didn’t feel all that good, but when they had all initially entered the nightclub, he suddenly felt sick to the stomach by just looking inside and, leaning against the wall, he had asked for everyone else to go inside and he’d wait outside and catch up later.

Despite his "uncultured" upbringing, Burning Star wasn't stupid. He had street smarts and that club smelt of something disgusting.

Burning Star was now on his hind legs, his back pressed against the wall, his breathing slow as he tried to regain his stamina. He was an alicorn, yes, but even he needed to rest from time to time after multiple life-changing events.

For example, the events of traveling to another universe to track down Midnight Sparkle, meeting with the guardians of that universe, seeing his fate spelled out for him when he looked into the imitation Nightmare’s eyes, fighting another escaped red-skinned centaur demon from Tartarus (for the fifth time!), realizing that his ancient grudge towards Celestia and Luna needed to end on his own part, trying to find a dark energy spike in a populous city, having the uncomfortable truth spelled out for him again and receiving the ugly truth about himself when he talked with the most honorable--albeit blunt--knight he had ever met, traveling back to his own universe, and collapsing on the ground and fainting after being haunted by his own dark, evil, unleashed demons that even now were rushing around in his mind and chasing each other like dogs chasing their tails.

Despite the hatred he had for him, He wished that Sombra was still around. He was an expert on these things, not him...

He had found out later that it was the Guardians that had entered his mind, with the help of his wife, and had taken out the evil there with the help of Princess Luna, whom, last he had seen, had been sighted escaping into the Everfree Forest in shame. How had she managed to enter his mind, Burning Star had no idea. He had locked his mind's boarders down tighter than a drum. But regardless of his grudge against the princesses, he was at least tolerant of Luna, and the fact that she had saved his life now left him grateful to her. 

Upon thinking this he groaned and slammed his head against the wall. He was angry all of a sudden.

“Why?” he growled. Why was it that he was growling nearly everything he spoke now? “Why did she help me? Why do I have to be indebted to her? I mean... not that I hate Luna, she is a lot more likable than... ugh, the prissy Celestia. I just don't recall that I was the one who needed saving, I usually was the hero."

And then he heard a voice that he was surprised to hear. It jolted his position.

“Burning Star?”

On the sidewalk outside the nightclub, where muffled music thumped in his ears, was his wife, Twilight Sparkle.

“Oh, um, hey, Twilight,” Star nervously said, ruffling his mane. “Wh-what are you doing here? I thought you were home with the kids.”

“I left a babysitter,” Twilight said, coming over next to him. “Burning Star, why is is that this always happens? You always go off and you leave no time for us…”

“Twilight, look...I would love to spend some time with you someday. But now...now’s not the time.”

“Now’s the perfect time,” Twilight responded. “Look at yourself! You look exhausted and terrible! Don’t you want to be home in bed? Next to me?”

Burning Star shook his head and raised an eyebrow, “I’m...no, Twily. I’m here right now. With my friends. They’re inside.”

“It doesn’t look like you’re inside,” Twilight pointed out.

Burning Star didn’t answer.

“Star,” Twilight said in all seriousness, “look at me. Something’s wrong with you.”

Burning Star almost erupted into flame right then and there.

Another person saying to him that something was wrong with him? First it was Midnight’s copy of Nightmare Moon, then his talk with Celestia atop her balcony before Tirek came along, then Noble Blade’s blunt but effective talk in the coffee shop! And now his own wife?

And then he remembered Noble’s talk with him. He needed to have control of his emotions and not lash out at every single little thing that offended him, right? Otherwise, he was weak, and he was proving Noble’s point even further.

“Star, I know that other ponies have tried to get you to change before, but if nopony else will get through your head, then at least listen to your own wife!” She sounded on the verge of tears.

It broke Burning Star’s heart to hear the desperateness in her voice. So he calmed himself down with a bit of sustained effort. And he looked into Twilight’s eyes. “All right, Twilight. What’s eating at you?”

“It’s you, Star,” she said, snuggling up next to him. “You...it’s like I don’t matter to you anymore. You...you ignore me and you go off and you do your own thing whenever and on whatever you want. You don’t pay any attention to our family. You don’t stay by my side. It’s always me looking after the kids because you...you don’t put me first. Your own wife! I...I don’t know if you truly love me anymore…”

Burning Star blinked. Had he really been so inattentive to his own family? Was he really not putting his wife first before anything else in his life? Like his desire to hurt everyone that didn’t acquiesce to his wishes...or his own quest for greater power? He was missing out on more things than he thought.

Granted when you have a bunch of monstrous voices running around in your head, you tend to lose track of things.

It was disconcerting and a little threatening to him to have all of this sudden advice thrust upon him. He had gone through life thinking he was already perfect, and that because he had power to harm others he needed no improvement. True, he had gone through trials and tribulations--more than most others--but he had always assumed that he had grown stronger and closer to perfection because of them. And now he needed to improve even more?

“Please, Star...stay with me. Stay by my side and love me. I don’t know what to do without you, but...I need you.”

Burning Star’s soul ached for his wife. She was right. Husbands should do better than what he was doing at the moment. So he draped a wing over her and drew her in close. “Never,” he whispered. “I’ll never leave your side, Twilight.” And he kissed her on the lips.

Twilight gave a strange smile when he was done. “I’m counting on it.”

Burning Star opened his eyes a little wider than before upon hearing that ominous statement. He rubbed his mouth. It seemed a little numb. That same numb feeling spread across his head soon enough, and his head soon felt woozy. “Twilight...what did you…”

Twilight grinned. “I’m trying something new, Burning Star.”

It was toxin! It was a kind of solution that was making him feel like he was going to faint! Quickly, Burning Star called upon his fire powers and directed them to his bloodstream. Inside of his body, shining against his body, fire raged in his veins, burning out the toxins in his blood. Twilight watched him with a disinterested look.

After a few seconds, Burning Star’s illuminated veins died down and Burning Star stopped gritting his teeth. He faced Twilight with a terribly betrayed expression. “Twilight...how could you?"

Twilight, instead of answering, ignited her horn and slammed Burning Star against the outside wall of the nightclub, leaving a cracked crater mark. Taken by surprise, weakened by the diluted toxin, and emotionally drained by his inner torments, Burning Star was barely left with the power to ignite into flame. The top of his head sparked, but it fizzled and went out like a torch in a downpour of rain.

“I can do this, Star, simply because I can,” Twilight said, but it wasn’t Twilight’s voice. “And because you were weak...and because I want your...services.”

His head was spinning. He tried to summon his strength, but she was too strong. She could keep his powers in check like she was a metal vise, tightening and squeezing and weakening them in his brain until his brain shut down eventually as well. And he collapsed to the ground, his eyes at ground level.

Before he blacked out, he saw a flash of green where Twilight was and he saw holes in her black hoof as she let out a dark cackle.

(Canterlot Backstreets)

After the end of the nightclub’s activities, the other five warriors, each clad in their combat garb, walked out, blinking after spending their time inside for so long. Each of them had had a different perception of the event of the nightclub after it than before. Before, some of them were feeling anticipatory of a fun time. But after Quickfire getting hammered after a single shot of heavy alcohol, Noble Blade stammeringly refusing the physical advances of a promiscuous, scantily-clad mare, Firestorm getting squished together so tightly by the crowd that he had flown out of the building itself for a few minutes before shakily coming back in, and Freedom Fighter almost drawing a blade on a drunk mare that had encouraged him to try out the stripping pole, Hiller had determined that maybe nightclubs were overrated for warriors of their caliber.

As they came out, Hiller dragging Quickfire’s inert body behind them with fleshy tentacles coming out of his flank, Noble Blade looked around with a concerned expression. Exhausted by the nightclub, but alert by the fear that now gripped his stomach like an iron fist, he called out, “Burning Star? Art thou aware of our presence?”

“Is he even here?” Hiller asked, looking to the side at Noble Blade. “I don’t see him.”

“Where’d he go?” Firestorm asked, instinctively reaching up over his shoulder to where his two twin blades were. “What happened?”

A tap on Noble’s armor-covered shoulder made him turn his head, and he saw Freedom Fighter gesturing at a dent on the wall that certainly hadn’t been there before. Seeing Noble turn his head, the others turned their heads to look where he was pointing.

In the wall, where there certainly wasn’t anything before, was a cracked, indented crater.

“Holy Crap!” Hiller ran over to the crater. “You don’t think…”

“What else could happen?” Noble asked. He looked down at his hooves. Then he drew his head up. “Hiller.”

Hiller turned around. “Yes?”

“Can you track others as part of your abilities as a protopony? Whatever a protopony is?”

“I…” Hiller hesitated, then shrugged. “I dunno. I never tried it on an Alicorn."

“Do it anyway,” he commanded. “If Burning Star was somehow overpowered and taken away, Find him. His life depends on us.”

Noble’s voice had taken a change. Instead of the soft, reserved, respectful voice, his voice was now deeper. More hard. It had a commanding tone to it. Hiller, who had never heard it before, was taken aback for just a second. “Dgah, um, I...I really don’t know if I can!”

Noble turned to Freedom Fighter, almost invisible in the dark. “Examine it, Freedom. Get a lock on his position.”

Freedom Fighter crawled over to the indented crater, running his right hoof along the side of the wall, around the outside of the crater’s edge. He narrowed his eyes at the crater then, and sniffed the air. After a few deep sniffs, he picked out a stray red hair in a crack of the crater. It was blisteringly hot, but Freedom's hoof covers protected him.

Freedom Fighter narrowed his eyes even more, then sniffed it. His head then rotated on his shoulders to point south, past the streets and past the tops of the lower roofs of the far-off buildings and at the faraway plains away from Canterlot mountain and eventually into the badlands, deep south of Equestria. And he made a small growling noise in the back of his throat, straining his badly damaged vocal chords to the limit and almost making them burst and having him cough up blood.

“What is it?” Firestorm asked. It wasn’t often that Freedom Fighter growled, so for him to do it meant something serious was about to happen with him and his enemies.

Freedom Fighter pointed at Firestorm, indicating that it had something to do with him, then dipped his hoof into something invisible and mimicked putting his hoof in his mouth.

“Changeling dust?” Firestorm asked in confusion. Then he widened his eyes. “Changelings attacked him?”

Freedom Fighter nodded, grabbing at his throat as he made a deeper snarl, then he hacked and coughed and spat a viscous wad of a vile dark red liquid on the ground.

Quickfire was now starting to stir. He got up out of his fleshy entanglements and stood up on the cobblestone streets woozily. “Wh--what’d I miss?”

“Burning Star hath been abducted,” Noble said deeply, instinctively reaching a hoof over his shoulder at the sword hilt there. “And we suspect Changelings hath done it.”

“Shoot! Changelings!” Quickfire’s stance became much straighter. “Do we know where he went?”

“South.” Noble’s expression was unreadable, but his voice told much more than his face ever could. “Muster thy courage, everypony. To the badlands we must go to rescue our friend. We will find him. We will fight them. And we. Will. Get. Him. Back.”

Hiller stepped back. It wasn’t often that he got scared, in fact he thought that he was immune to fear, he has torn ponies in half and had their guts spill over him, he was pretty hard to unnerve...

But Noble’s tone was deeper and more aggressive than before, and the change from a calm and understanding tone to a deathly serious and coolly restrained preparedness to destroy was frightening.

“Lead the way,” Noble told Freedom fighter as he drew his head up. “Lead us to Burning Star.” His mouth thinned and his voice grew more tight and cold. “And to the fiends of the infernal pit that kidnapped him.”

(The Badlands, Chrysalis's Hive)

As Burning Star slowly, weakly, opened his eyes, sticky with eye crud, he was able to be perceptive enough to be aware of his surroundings, weakened as he was and tired as he was.

He was pinned up against a wall, actually. His entire body, with the exception of his head, was covered with some kind of green sticky coating plastering him to the black, craggled wall. There was a sort of sinister buzzing in his ears that he couldn’t explain right away, and the space he was in was enclosed but large, and dark enough that he couldn’t see to the end of it. A green tint covered everything in his field of vision.

“Ah, Burning Star. He finally awakes.”

And he recognized the voice. It was another one of the ones he had hoped to never hear again in all of the years he had spent fighting, and flying, and fighting again.

Queen Chrysalis.

“I wouldn’t recommend moving around much, Burning Star. You’ve been unconscious for almost three days, and that would seem to take a toll on your body. No food, water, or excrement. So be careful. I would prefer to keep you intact and unspoiled.”

But then the thought struck him; wasn’t she dead? Hadn’t he made sure of that when they had faced down Midnight Sparkle before they came to the alternate universe, where the Guardians were?

He came to consciousness better, and the details around him became clearer. Indeed, accounting for the green tint were crystals in the walls, green and pulsating, giving off little light to the chamber, which allowed him to see better. His eyes hadn’t adjusted to the dark as well as the other changelings there, however, so he wasn’t as able to see in the dark as them. For there were, in fact, more changelings in the dark cave. Burning Star’s first glance told him there were about two dozen spread out and milling around in the cave, but he knew there was obviously many more hidden and out of sight. That accounted for the buzzing sound in his ears.

And in front of him was the hive queen of them all. Tall, black, riddled with holes, and with bared fangs, with a strand of her stringy green mane in her victorious face, was Queen Chrysalis.

“Chrysalis… the bitch of the badlands..." he whispered with all of the power he could muster in his voice. His weakness gave way to anger, and that in turn gave way to power. He struggled against the green ooze sticking him to the wall, trying to ignite on fire, spread his burning wings to burst out of the ooze, and burn every last changeling to the ground. But as he tried, no matter how hard, he could not produce even an ember to fly out of his head. “Guh... Chrysalis, you bug-eyed piece of yak dung! Get me out of here now, or you’ll regret it once I break free!”

Chrysalis laughed. “Try all you want, Burning Star. We changelings aren’t so terrible at planning that we fall to the same tricks twice. We adapt. We grow stronger. We come back with a newfound plan, eager to destroy and corrupt. And that means we needed to pick up a few tricks along the way.” She ignited her serrated black horn, and it glowed a deep shade of green.

And all of a sudden Burning Star’s strength dropped out from under him like a building without any support, and he went limp and his will to ignite on fire went out. He started to breathe heavily as he limped in his sticky prison.

“Impressed?” Chrysalis asked smugly. She came closer to him. “It’s a strength draining spell we picked up after we were driven away from your power when you were fighting Midnight Sparkle--but of course you wouldn’t know that, would you?” She smiled. “And you would have known that if you had been there for your friends when they needed you, instead of chasing midnights and shadows in another universe.”

Burning Star said nothing. He was genuinely interested to see how she and her vile hive had survived. Last he had checked, in the final battle against Nightmare Moon and Daybreaker some time before (about three months ago to be exact), Chrysalis was being pursued and assaulted by Midnight Sparkle into leaving for some indeterminable location. What had happened to her?

“Oh yes, we know about your journeys, Burning Star. But you know nothing about us--how we developed a strength in the times of our weakness, rather than giving off the illusion of being strong all the time and therefore not realizing our weakness until it was too late.”

She was baiting him. She was using those flaws about him that he now had exposed like a fresh wound to the biting air. So he gritted his teeth and said nothing else.

“After you left for this other universe,” Chrysalis began, pacing back and forth in front of him slowly, “me and the other changelings I had under my control had managed to return to our own hive and rebuild our influence.”

Now was the time for the big question. “Alright, enough with your hive's backstory, Chrysalis... But what about when you were being followed and hunted by Midnight while I was fighting--”

“Daybreaker and Nightmare Moon?” Chrysalis finished. She snorted. “Pity. I thought you were smarter than that, Star. I thought you had known by now that Midnight can create hollow images of others to be used as puppets. The image your precious Midnight followed was a mirage, a puppet, a false figure. I was in disguise during those confusing events as Starlight Glimmer.”

Burning Star bit his lip and tried not to focus on the feeling in his arm leaving him as he was unable to move or wiggle under the restraints that he was in.

“And after you left, because you weren’t there for your friends, we knew it was the time to strike permanently. We kidnapped the princesses, Twilight, and the bearers of the Elements of Harmony. And we brought them to our hive for us to suck all the love from.” She leaned into his face. “Imagine that, Star. Imagine Twilight not loving you anymore. Imagine trying to gain her attention only to give you a cold, icy glare as she tells you exactly what she thinks of you. She’ll tell you how you were never there for her. About how every time she tried to hold out for you and be a good wife to you, you abandon her and put your own wants and needs above her own. Losing control, contrary to her wishes, and destroying everything in your path. Being a bad example to your own children, because they only take in what they see out of you. They’ll know only how to despise you, because you despise everyone else.” She cackled. “Who do you think you are, calling yourself a good husband to the Element of Magic? Who do you think you are, thinking that others will love you for how you abandoned your wife and children, and how you left them to fend for themselves? While you went and killed monsters in the most savage, brutal manner possible to try to give off the illusion that you’re a good husband. You are weak,Star. Weak.”

She had gone too far. Burning Star leaned forward as far as the webbing holding him to the wall would allow him to, and he bellowed, “DON’T YOU DARE TALK TO ME LIKE THAT!”

Chrysalis tilted her head. “Why shouldn’t I?” she asked in an amused tone. “What can you do to stop me? What power do you have?”

Burning Star strained against the green webbing even more, but it was to no avail. It was so tight that he couldn’t even stretch it out three inches. After a while of this he ignited his horn with the intent to crush the inside of her skull, but Chrysalis grinned malevolently, ignited her own horn, and smothered his intent with a single pulse of her own magic. Burning Star dropped back to his confines and was still.

“Weakling.” Chrysalis spat on his face. The viscous pale green liquid drooped over his eye and ran down the side of his face, making Burning Star teeter precipitously on the verge of despair. “Why shouldn’t I make you feel this way? Why shouldn’t I leave barriers uncrossed? For I am in control of you, and that means I can do anything I want to you. So shut up, you pathetic limp piece of lint, and let me talk.”

Chrysalis resumed her pace in front of him and resumed her story as well. “But because of my pride, there was another I chose not to abduct...a complication in the plans I had. Starlight Glimmer.” Her voice chomped down on the name. “She, along with a few of her other friends...and a traitor...infiltrated the hive and destroyed the source of preventing outside power from coming to the hive. But in doing so, the pony in question used her entire life energy to destroy the hive’s throne, teleport all of my hostages to safety, turn most of my subjects into turncoats, and blow my original hive to ruins.”

“Well. Good for her, seems like ponies continue to best you Queen Chrysalis.” Burning Star muttered, impressed at the remarkable magical capacity of a single unicorn. The saliva was still on his face, warm and soggy.

Chrysalis smiled. “Would you care to repeat that?” Her horn ignited again.

There was no further reply.

“I barely survived the catastrophe, but I siphoned the life energy off of my traitorous subjects to sustain me to my proper health. I took a few of my unchanged drones with me, escaped into the badlands south of Equestria, and took refuge here. And from here on, I’ve been expanding and building, laying eggs and giving birth to dozens and dozens of warriors ready to raze Equestria when the time comes.”

“What I’m wondering is why anypony would mate with you in the first place,” Burning Star snapped, still spread cross-eagle on the wall by the ooze. “And that’s assuming they can figure out how they can do it in the first place, cheese-legs. I mean, I've had a relationship with your kind in the past, and it is HARD to please a Changeling."

Chrysalis's smile disappeared into a thin line of disapproval. “Please, keep talking so I can have an excuse to hurt you more.”

“Gladly.”

Chrysalis ignited her horn again, and Burning Star felt invisible needles stick themselves into his brain and puncture his mind and stick themselves all over his head. He let loose a torn shriek of pain and anguish and hatred. Hatred at Chrysalis, and hatred at himself for being unable to do anything about it. He desperately tried to ignite into flame, trying above all else to burn away the ooze holding him to the wall. His body grew progressively warmer.

Chrysalis made the needles twist back and forth in his mind.

And Burning Star’s will dropped from the terrible pain and his body became cold again. The screaming became more hoarse and awful.

And finally Chrysalis dropped the enchantment and Burning Star slumped his head down while still being pinned to the wall by the green slime.

Chrysalis put her head close to his. “I need you, Star.” She hissed it between her teeth. “But you are putting me in a position I don’t want to be in!”

“What…” Burning Star could barely summon the strength to talk. “What...do you...need me...for?”

Chrysalis grinned. “I need your knowledge. I need you to take me and my subjects and take us to a higher state of being than we were before. I need your strength to make it so we don’t need to be dependant on love for us to be sustained. I need you to make us free, but without the pesky business of accepting and giving love.”

Burning Star looked up. His face was slumped and tired and had bags under his eyes, but within them was a fresh fire. “Never,” he promised with a wrathful glare. “I’ll never give my word to help you! You kidnap me and expect me to bend the knee to somepony who has genitalia for brains? Hah!"

“I did not ask you for your word, Burning Star,” she replied coldly. “Especially because you’ve got camel bladders where your brains should be, which is why I know that your word is nothing but hot piss in the sand.”

The simple comment made Burning Star pick his head up and made a scowl appear on his face. “You insect, Care to repeat that?” he growled.

“For such a powerful pony, you sure do have a lot of buttons for me to press.” Chrysalis shook her head. “I think you heard me well enough, Star. Your honor is nothing. Your resolve has been obliterated. Your friends are gone for good. Celestia and Luna won’t go after somepony they despise. They will not go after you, Star, the traitor, the usurper of power, the pony that spends no time with the princess of friendship, even though you’re her husband. Why bring a danger back to Equestria?”

A jolt ran through Burning Star. She was right. What reason would Celestia have to search for a pony like him? No search parties would be sent. Nopony would come for help. Except...

“Your other friends, Hiller and Quickfire...neither of them possess the ability to follow me either. You’ll stay here, rotting in this cave, until you can help me attain a higher form than this rotting, dead...cheese body.” She looked at the holes in her legs distastefully.

“But I don’t need Hiller or Quickfire to track me down,” Burning Star breathed. He knew who would come. “I’ve got other friends that can follow me. The Guardians of the Sun.”

Chrysalis tilted her head to the side. “Now who in this universe is the Guardians of the Sun?” she asked, putting on an air of suspicion.

“They aren’t in this universe at all,” Burning Star said triumphantly. “They’re new to you. You haven’t met them yet. And you will fall before them. A knight--Noble Blade. A super soldier--Freedom Fighter. And...whatever Firestorm’s supposed to be.”

Chrysalis nodded. “Thank you for allowing me the privilege of letting me know who’s coming. Congratulations, Burning Star. You betrayed your friends yet again.”

Burning Star opened his eyes a little wider. “What? No! No, I…”

Chrysalis ignited her horn with a sizzle, and she spoke in a distorted voice to all the other mindless drones in the cave in her hive mind. “Prepare for entry. Outside forces approaching from an undetermined direction at an undetermined time. Arm yourselves, and raise the alertness of the cave sentries.” Her horn stopped glowing, and she looked back at Burning Star with a triumphant grin. “You just can’t do it right, Star. Never. Haven’t you realized that by now? Everything you do, no matter what you do, every adversary you face always returns stronger and more determined to kill you.” She leaned in close to his face. “Ever since Firebrand.” She smiled cruelly. “What power have you ever had? The power to kill? The power to hate? Those mean nothing; everypony has those feelings. But learning how to harness your strength, to prevent others from hurting you back, to plan against others to lead them to their eternal destruction...that is the only power that really matters. I have power, but I don’t have to flaunt it about like you have to in order to have others fear me. And that makes you a child with a temper tantrum that erupts into flame every time somepony mocks him or makes fun of him.”

Burning Star narrowed his eyes. “Stop it,” he snarled. “Or I swear to Celestia I will kill you where you stand.”

“With what power?” Chrysalis mocked. “All the power you thought you had is now irrelevant. What’s the power you think you have that will stop me from saying whatever I want to you--my prisoner, my property, mine to do with as I see fit?” She flicked a hoof nonchalantly. “And here I was, thinking that youmatteredto others--that you had power. You have nothing now to reassure you that you are powerful and mighty. And once I gain what I want from you, Star--willingly or not--I will come after the rest of your friends and reveal the news to them, and they’ll be overwhelmed with grief and sorrow. Their love for you will dissipate from their bodies and will become mine, and they will take revenge on me, proving that their love has left them completely. And then, in that knowledge, I will obliterate them from off the face of the earth.”

She turned around to two of her red-tinted superior officers, in tight black armor and horned helmets. “Keep an eye on him. Do whatever you want to him, but remember, I want him alive.” She glared at the one on the right. “That means no maiming.”

“Of course, your majesty,” he replied, a hungry look in his eyes. “I promise not to hurt our quarry.” A green jagged pillar appeared on the underside of him, and in place of him appeared Twilight Sparkle’s innocent image. Twilight’s image grinned. “But that doesn’t mean Twilight can’t hurt him.”

Chrysalis nodded, smiling so her fangs showed. “Good. You have the right idea.”

(Badlands)



The desert was hot, and the journey was long, and the five warriors wanted nothing to do with the sand and the sun and the rocks anymore. For the space of three days, they had went into the desert to try and locate the location of Burning Star. They had brought along camping supplies, food and water, and explosives to use once they had found out where the location of him was. Freedom Fighter, being the best at tracking, led them.

But so far, the trail was empty. Hour after miserable hour they spent walking and trudging through the hot grainy sand. The sun had scoured their manes, their outfits had made them sweaty and hot, and the loads they carried were heavy. The thought was never spoken aloud, but some of them doubted if they could ever get back with Burning Star--or if they even wanted to be there.

Noble Blade didn’t care about any of that. The problems were still there, of course, but they simply bothered him less than the others because his mind was fixated on only finding and rescuing the alicorn he hadn’t even known about a few weeks prior. Even though his appearance was abrupt and hasty, it was the trials and the common goal they shared that bonded him with the alicorn. They didn’t get along very well--that much was obvious. But Noble Blade had been with worse ponies in his long career of being a member of the royal guard.

Noble would do anything to get him back, but he also knew that this would make him stronger than before, and make him easier to get along with; he could see the truth of his circumstances in his captivity, and then know what to do if something like this ever happened again.

Ahead of him, Freedom Fighter stopped abruptly, holding a hoof up in the air, and the rest of the group, taken aback by the sudden stop, halted.

“What is it, Freedom Fighter?” Quickfire asked, grabbing the hilt of his katana warily.

Freedom Fighter bent so his nose was to the ground. He circled around the spot like he was a dog, sniffing and swishing the short black tail that stuck out of his tail, then he drew his head up and tapped the spot of sand with his hoof assuredly.

“It’s underground,” Firestorm announced. He looked at Freedom Fighter. “Is there another entrance somewhere?”

Freedom Fighter shook his head yes, but then shook his head no.

“There is, but Chrysalis probably has the entrance covered there. We need to sneak in,” Firestorm said.

Freedom Fighter then mimicked a digging action.

“We have to dig,” Hiller interpreted. He morphed one of his arms into a wide-bladed shovel and sunk it in the sand with a crunch.

“I have a better idea,” Noble said. He turned to Quickfire. “Help me out here.” He ignited his horn and a large section of the ground was illuminated by a dark blue aura.

Quickfire, seeing where he was going, ignited his own horn and another portion of the ground was illuminated by his own light blue aura. “Stand back,” he warned. “It’s going to be a sandstorm here.”

The rest of them obediently stepped back and closed their eyes.

Noble and Quickfire churned the sand like it was in a windstorm. And with a roar and a whirl of tan-colored sand, a depression opened up right there in the desert, revealing a large rock covering an opening into some subterranean landscape. It was colder now, and wind whistled through the cracks in between the rock cover and the mouth of the cave.

The horns of the two unicorns stopped abruptly, and the sand in the air was dispersed all around them. The group observed the remarkable occurence with a collective fascination.

“Now. Into the cave.” Noble’s sharp voice cut through the thoughts of everyone there. He lifted the rock with his magic and indicated the direction down.

One by one, they all lowered themselves into the cold cave. When the last of them came down, Noble settled the rock back into place and the light was cut off, save only for the dark blue glow of Noble’s horn.

They were on a ledge overlooking a large black expanse some thirty feet down. Their ears were filled with a humming and buzzing sound and the clicking of pincers, confirming that they were where they needed to be. There were no changelings that they could see on the ground below, but that didn’t stop the fact that they were still there, attached to the ceiling and the walls only a few meters away, dozing in a state of rest.

“You brought the changeling dust?” Noble asked of Quickfire quietly, so as to not wake the changelings.

Quickfire nodded accordingly.

“I will go in first,” Noble said in his commanding, hard tone that left no room open to interjection. “I’ll distract them, and that’ll allow you to settle into positions to fight them.”

“Aren’t we going to do an infiltration mission?” Hiller asked quizzically.

“That was never the intent.” Noble furrowed his brow. “This shall be an extermination mission.”

“What?” Quickfire jolted back. “Waltzing into a changeling nest? That’s the height of stupidity!”

“No. I can think of something much worse,” Firestorm said.

“Well then, what’s the height of stupidity?”

“How tall are you?”

Quickfire, hidden beneath the orange mask, flushed a sudden red and did not say anything.

Hiller hissed through his teeth. “One for his side.”

Noble was still talking, drawing the attention of all who were near. “No seed or root shall escape this cleansing. I do not like killing en mass, but I also don’t want to leave a threat open to growth and regeneration for later on. If we don’t destroy them all now, we’ll only face them down in the future, killing more changelings collectively in that option, rather than wiping them all out now.”

“He makes a good point,” Hiller said. Freedom Fighter pointed at Noble and nodded his approval as well.

“So what will we do again?” Firestorm asked.

“You will disguise yourselves as changelings with the dust you have and try to act like them. Hide amongst them. Follow them. Whatever they do, do yourself. As for me…” His face showed resolution. “I shall go down myself and deal with Chrysalis. I can distract her for quite some time. That should allow you to go and get into positions to destroy them all. No matter what I do--no matter what--you will not engage the enemy until I say you can.”

“Are you going to be safe?” Hiller asked.

“I’m going to be better off in open combat than at any other point in this operation,” Noble said calmly. “I’ll sneak off to the center of the room. You take care of your disguises. When you’re ready, signal me, and we’ll begin.” And he turned around and followed the ledge to a spot right above the center of the room. It took him a few minutes to get there because the single room that made up the cave was so big.

The ledge was narrow and thin, but it was sturdy enough for Noble’s weight. He stood there, looking behind the way he had came, searching for a signal.

And below him he heard a tortured scream. It was unfamiliar because he had never heard the pain and anguish present that was now there, but Noble knew exactly who it was.

Noble gritted his teeth so hard together he was sure some of his molars would be ground into a fine powder on the edges. Burning Star was disagreeable, rude, thick headed...

but he was a friend of his regardless. And the very thought that any soul should endure prolonged anguish and torment made his heart ache.

Behind him, a small flicker of sparks illuminated the passageway, signaling that they were done and they were all in the form of changelings.

Noble responded by igniting his horn for them to see in the dark. Then he looked below him.

And he jumped down in a graceful front flip, his brown cape fluttering out behind him.

His impact on his two bent hind legs, even with a suit of armor, was so soft that the three changelings in the room initially didn’t notice the noise behind him. Noble could see the form of the poor alicorn practically bolted to the wall by a green layer of slime, leaving only his head exposed. All the muscles that covered his face had gone limp and Noble was struck with horror.

Across Burning Star's eyes were two vertical reddish scars that pulsed with energy. The rest of his chin was covered in reddish lines that also pulsed and throbbed like blood-carrying veins. 

Disappointed with the reactions, Noble cleared his throat.

And that got their attentions. The two changelings off on the sides wheeled around and jolted their heads back in initial surprise, then hurriedly went to either side of him to cut him off from escaping. The center one, larger and more dangerous than the others, slowly turned around. Noble could see her thin, shredded mane and her round black face and her long jagged horn, and knew instantly that it was Chrysalis. Across the room, plastered to the wall, Burning Star looked up and saw, to his utmost astonishment, Noble Blade.

“Queen Chrysalis,” Noble announced, sitting on his hind legs in a peaceful manner. “Thou art under arrest.”

Queen Chrysalis strode forward without the slightest hint of reluctance. “Noble Blade, I’m guessing. Don’t tell me, let me guess: This is the part where you offer me the chance to surrender.”

“It could be the part where I offer you the chance to surrender,” Noble allowed equably. “Or, if you like, it can be the part where I dismantle your exoskeleton and send you back to Canterlot in a matchbox.” He pointed a hoof over his shoulder.

“How about I’ll take option three,” Chrysalis said, and with a single gesture, the two guards encircling Noble were joined by six more from side corridors, totaling eight that were now in an octagonal shape around the knight. “That’s the one where I watch you die.”

A sudden pulse of her horn, and the changelings in the nest above his head came to life.

It was a slow clicking and a muttering at first as the first ones awoke. The hive above came alive with green and turquoise lights as eye after green eye opened and started to drop. Only a few came at first, like the opening drops of a summer rainstorm, then came many more to join them, then finally it opened in a downpour that shook the floor and left Noble’s ears ringing. Changeling after changeling fell to the ground, rolled, and stood up with bared fangs. A few of them carried spears in their front legs, and some had daggers in their teeth. Many more stayed to the ceiling with their sights set on the lone knight in the center of the room so Noble now was at the focus of a dome of changelings. Sticking to the ceiling was the four other warriors, hidden and silent amongst the other changelings.

Through it all, Noble Blade never moved a muscle.

“I’m sorry, was I not clear?” he asked mildly. “There is no option three.” He made quotation marks with his hooves as he spoke.

Chrysalis shook her head and sighed, “Do you ever tire of this pathetic banter?”

“I rarely tire at all,” Noble replied evenly. “And I honestly have no better way to pass the time while I just sit here and wait for you to either decide to surrender, or choose to die.”

“That decision was made long before I ever even met you.” Chrysalis stepped back boredly. “Kill him.”

“NO!” Burning Star cried, from on the wall.

Instantly, the octagonal box surrounding Noble Blade closed in on him--which was more trouble than it was worth, for Noble was even faster.

He had dropped to the ground like he had suddenly fainted, bringing his arm up to his sword hilt, and rolled to an upright position on his hind legs and had, with a swift swing, swiped the sword out of its scabbard and swept it in a wide arc, slicing through the changelings that had rushed him in one single action. Inside of two seconds, eight changeling bodies had slumped to the ground, and Noble Blade, entirely untouched, was there with a blazing blue sword in his right hoof and his left hoof in front of his face.

And instantly every changeling morphed into a blue or purple or red or orange unicorn and opened fire on him with their magic and rushed at him.

Noble’s horn glowed a dark blue color, and a dark blue shield erupted around his body, absorbing all of the magic blasts. At the same time, his sword suddenly flew out of his hooves of its own accord and sheared its way through all the nearest changelings. It spun around him like he had it on the end of a string, cutting through flesh and shearing through bone effortlessly. The noise it made as it cut was a sizzling sound, and pieces of changelings, some still alive, fell to the ground in cauterized pieces. It flew around the room like a missile, seeking out its targets and erupting through them and moving on to the next one. By the time his sword stopped in midair and returned to his hoof, nearly half of the changelings in the room had been torn apart by the impromptu seeking sword, and Noble Blade, entirely untouched, was standing directly in front of Queen Chrysalis.

“Chrysalis,” he said, as if unexpectedly meeting a secretly-despised friend on the street, “my offer is still open.”

The charging of magic horns stopped at once; Noble was so close to the queen she was in the line of fire.

Chrysalis snorted, though her face displayed a hidden impressive look. “Do you really think I would ever accept your offer? I've waited to annihilate this flaming demon for a long time! You will DIE!”

“I am still willing to take you in alive.” Noble’s hoof behind him took in the bloody, smoking wreckage of nearly half of her army lying on the ground. “So far, nopony has been hurt.”

Chrysalis advanced forward, trying to tower over him, even though Noble was on his hind legs. “Oh Please, I have hundreds of troops. You cannot defeat them all.”

“I don’t have to.”

“This is your chance to surrender,” Chrysalis said, indicating the trapped alicorn on the wall behind her. “Burning Star is in my grip; lay down your blade, or I will squeeze... until this cave brims over with his blood.”

“It’s not his blood that’ll brim the cave,” Noble said, narrowing his eyes. “I’m not alone.” He raised his voice. “NOW!”



And from the ceiling dropped four other warriors, landing one at a time on the cave floor. As they landed, they morphed from changelings into their normal selves. And they drew their weapons.

“NONE SHALL LIVE!” Noble thundered in the most terrible, challenging voice any of them had ever heard him use. It was deep, and it was powerful, and it shook every changeling in the cave to their core with fear as it reverberated in the souls of all who heard it. Even Chrysalis froze in a brief moment of fear.

And one second later the cave erupted into a storm of clashing metal and cries of pain.

It could barely be called a fight. While the changelings had the advantage in numbers, the Guardians of the Sun and the Star Hunters combined had significantly more training in both weaponry and in arms. So it was more like a controlled slaughter.

Hiller was spiked all over like a pufferfish. Whenever a changeling came near the spikes instantly elongated until they impaled him through like some grotesque kabob. He would raise his hooves and lances of hardened flesh shot out and ran into those in front of him, then branch off and hit others in the chests and heads and thorax. They then retracted and he absorbed the skewed bodies of the changelings into his.

Quickfire and Firestorm, despite their initial distrust and dislike of each other, were back-to-back with their own katanas. They would parry on their own side and then thrust behind them on the other side to get one the other had missed. They would swipe and cut and slash in front of them, and then one of them would crouch and the other would leap over and pierce through a changeling. Their coordination was impeccable, their timing never off, their destruction efficient, and their brotherhood solid.

Freedom Fighter was alone, but that was exactly the way he preferred it in a fight. With his two-meter long Bo Staff in his hooves, he fought with a fury that rivaled that of Burning Star’s. He was sprinting in a heavy charge to where the captive alicorn was, and if any changeling came near, he would floor them with a single blow from the staff. One time a changeling had morphed into an earth pony and leaped in front of him, but Freedom fighter met him midair in the leap and slammed his staff down on his head so hard he hit the floor in a pile of goo and did not move again. But his path was blocked by many more changelings, making it harder for him to advance further. Freedom Fighter was surrounded by them, surrounded on every side by changelings thirsty for his death. But as he began to thrust and pierce and twirl and leap and swipe and bludgeon and kill, the perimeter around him grew significantly wider as they were forced to back down from his horrific, bloody onslaught.

Noble Blade just walked forward, inexorably closing in on Chrysalis, not turning his head to the side at all. His eyes were narrowed and his upward gait was straight as he held his sword in front of his head. He wasn’t bothered by the carnage happening around him. It wasn’t distracting him in the least from his goal.

A changeling jumped from the side, intent on sinking his fangs into a gap in Noble’s armor. But he was stopped in midair by a dark blue aura as Noble caught him with his magic. With nary a look to the side Noble pulsed his horn, the changeling snapped over backwards the wrong way, and he cut off the magic and he dropped to the ground with a thud.

Four changelings with spears in the holes of their forearms appeared in a line between him and the queen and formed a barrier which no normal pony could dare to cross.

But Noble Blade wasn’t a normal pony.

With a single contemptuous swipe of his sword the changeling’s heads dropped to the floor and bounced away, and the bodies collapsed on themselves, the length of their spears sheared off.

Chrysalis narrowed her eyes at the fall of her soldiers. “I will never surrender to a pony like you. You're just like Shining Armor, naive and righteous.”

Noble smiled. “Good.”

Chrysalis ignited her horn with a mighty roar and a beam of green energy shot out, intent on vaporizing the knight where he stood and making him roast to death in his own armor. But Noble caught the beam with the edge of his sword, deflecting the laser off to the side and cutting an erratic path through the cave. After cutting through the sides of the cave, making a shower of debris and rubble avalanche down the sides and crush several changelings, Noble deflected the beam back at Chrysalis’s hooves, making her stumble back and cut off the magic.

She roared in frustration and a shower of magical green spears erupted out of her horn and came at Noble in several different directions. But like with Midnight Sparkle in her throne room, Noble Blade deflected the spears with his sword, whipping the thing around like it was weightless and catching all of the attacks with the edge of his sword and deflecting them off into the fray, where they exploded into the ground with a shower of rocks and severed limbs.

And also like with Midnight, Chrysalis was so preoccupied with the attacks she wasn’t focused enough on her defense.

Noble fired a blast of dark blue magic into her torso, throwing her back against the rock wall and eliciting a groan from her as she slumped to the ground. As she hit the floor she felt a tugging at her horn, and she tried to ignite it to gain control back, but to no effect. Noble had Chrysalis’s horn in his own magic aura, and was tugging and tugging and tugging on it and forcing it to bend and was pulling on her horn with all the force a unicorn trained in combat could possibly muster.

With a terrible cracking noise, Queen Chrysalis’s horn snapped in half.

Chrysalis grasped the top of her head and gasped loudly. Green energy crackled off the half connected to her head, and the piece that was now clinking away simply had a green mist evaporating off of it. All around her, she could not sense the contours of the room, could not sense as well the hive connection she shared with all of the unindividualized changelings that now were all littering the floor in death poses. She looked up and saw Noble Blade, his face expressionless and yet at the same time full of a terrible wrath.

Chrysalis, incredibly, chuckled and raised her hooves. “Oh, come now, Noble Blade." she managed to get out through the pain. “You’re a knight! You wouldn’t harm an unarmed mare, would you?” She stepped forward, keeping one hoof in the air as she walked with three. She felt a slight piercing feeling as she saw all of her subjects lying dead on the ground and the bloodied weapons of the warriors that had done it, but all that mattered to her was that she stay alive.

Noble nodded. “Thou art correct. I cannot bring myself to strike down an unarmed pony.”

Chrysalis grew a smile of relief as she heard the comforting words coming from the foolish and gullible knight.

Noble then suddenly ignited his horn and a dagger suddenly glowed blue and flew across the room at Chrysalis like he had thrown it underhooved. It was slow enough for her to see, but only at the last minute, and Chrysalis, instantly and instinctively, caught it in her hoof.

And then she belatedly realized the trick and looked down at the knife in shock.

Noble nodded matter-of-factly. “But now thou art armed.”

And with all the unerring skill, speed, and accuracy of a warrior, he raised himself up and hurled his chrome sword at the queen.

It was a sick squelching noise as Chrysalis was impaled to the hilt by the sword and the sword sunk deep into the cave floor, pinning her upright like a bug put on display. The six warriors left alive in the room all looked at the queen in complete surprise, who was even now allowing small gasping noises to gargle through her throat. The sword had gone through her lower torso, allowing her some moments now at the end for her to live a little longer.

Noble looked upon the queen with utter distaste for a few moments more, then turned away and walked to Burning Star.

Burning Star breathed a sigh of relief as Noble came near. “Oh, thank you! Thank you all for coming! I didn’t know if I was going to get out again!” It was strange for Burning Star to be thankful and admit his own helplessness, but he wasn’t focused on that at the moment.

Noble, however, stopped and looked directly at Burning Star. It confused him. “...Noble? Aren’t you going to...to get me out?”

“Do it yourself.”

Burning Star blinked back a jolt of surprise. “What?”

“Do it yourself.” Noble looked stern. “Prove it. Crush me. Crush me and my “selfless ideals” you apparently think I have. If your definition of power is brute physical force, prove to me that you have power, and break your bonds.”

“I…” Burning Star wasn’t sure what to say. Where was this coming from? “I...I can’t...I tried to, but I couldn’t! This stuff is impervious to fire! Please! Get me out!”

Noble only looked at him. “Why should I? Why should I release you? The world would be better off without you if you intend to keep on hurting others and make excuses and blame it on the dark force inside of you that you don’t have the power to tame. I came after you to rescue you, but if you think that being selfless is stupid and weak, then apparently I have no power to rescue you.”

Burning Star felt tears well up from behind his eyes. What was happening? Why was he doing this? Noble was his friend! What was he doing? “Noble! Noble, please! Listen to me! I...I was…” He sniffed. “I WAS WRONG! I...I...I was wrong…”

Noble listened intently, while Quickfire and Hiller stared in shock.

Had Burning Star said he was wrong?

“You were right. You...you were right all along. I was wrong about everything I said to you. I was selfish, and I was weak, and I…” He sniffed in despair. Tears were streaming down his face and collecting at his chin and dripping on the cold floor. “I didn’t have control of myself, and that made me weak. The power to hurt others...it isn’t real power. That’s weak power. You hurt others when you lose control of your own power to restrain yourself. And because of that, you’re the most powerful guard--warrior--I ever saw.” The words were pouring out of his mouth now. “You show restraint. You love others. You have compassion for your friends. You care. You...you want to be humble, and you want to improve yourself no matter how powerful you are. I need to become like you.” He sniffed again. “I...I want to become like you again…”

Noble was silent for a moment.

Then he said, “Who do you take me for, Burning Star? A pony that can be won over by words and tears and false promises? Are you saying this because you only want to be free? Or are you willing to apply what we’ve been trying to tell you to your life and earnestly become a pony that is humble, reluctant to fight, and powerful?”

“PLEASE!” Burning Star screamed, struggling against the ooze pinning him to the wall. “PLEASE, GET ME OUT! I’M BEGGING YOU! I’LL DO ANYTHING!” Why was Noble so insensitive? Why was he refusing?

“I see the flaws in you, Burning Star.” Noble was seemingly ignoring him. “I see the many, many things you need fixing with in your life. I see the dark forces you have and that you choose to use, and I see that you are bad at so much more than I can even see.”

Noble outstretched his hoof, his horn glowing, and the sword pinning Chrysalis to the ground jolted and flew back to his hoof with a resounding noise. Chrysalis, from far away, collapsed to the ground, finally dead, and Noble twisted the hilt, the sword buzzed blue, and he cut through the ooze, awfully close to Burning Star’s skin. Burning Star, wearily realizing that Noble was not intending on killing him, collapsed into Noble Blade’s hooves, his sword clattering to the floor, and Noble held and hugged the weakened prisoner tightly.

“But do you know why I released you?” Noble whispered softly in his ear. “Because I had the power to look at your flaws, and at your imperfections, and still love you anyway.”

Burning Star felt a fresh flood of tears rush out of his eyes at the significant words. That was power. That was all that really mattered.

I will become a wiser and stronger pony because of you. I will follow you to the ends of the world and back. I will do it because I know that I can do better than how I am now.

And upon hearing that, the inner demons in his head fell silent and watched with shock at his change.

All except one... one little piece of light lept out and said.

"I will be free. Dawn Star will rise..."
> Chapter 12 Part 1: Desires of a Devil
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Canterlot Castle, Main Courtyard)

Noble Blade was exhausted... so much so that he nearly fell asleep walking, the group shared his feeling of exhaustion as well... after all they had been up ALL night partying and eventually fighting Changelings, what they really needed was a day to just sleep. 

Burning Star, who surprisingly made a speedy recovery after a few hours, walked in front of them, mumbling to himself about what happened back at the hive. He was carrying Queen Chrysalis's dead body on his back, the stench of rotting Changeling filling his nostrils. 

By the time that everypony got back to the castle the sun was barely peeking over the horizon, casting a dull glow over the land. The teleportation spell that Quickfire and Noble Blade preformed was taxing, and Hiller and Freedom Fighter were helping the two unicorns along, they had shed their weapons and given them to the two Earth Ponies in order to lighten the load.

Firestorm, curious as to what exactly happened back at the hive, ran up to Burning Star and asked him, "Hey Burning Star, ive been meaning to ask, what was that emotional crumble you had back there? And more importantly, did you mean any words you said? Because that was a really sudden turnaround from your normal behavior."

Burning Star stared at the Pegasus for a minute, then responded with a question, "What do you mean, "normal behavior?" Are you implying that I made a scene to shut Noble Blade up?"

He turned and faced Firestorm, his Mane beginning to emit smoke and his eyes filled with anger. "Listen here feather brain, I mean it when I say I can change my ways, so have a little more faith in me, just like you 

Firestorm quickly backed up, very aware of where this was going, and he didn't want to ignite Burning Star's rage when the group was in no condition to contain him. He waved his hooves frantically in front of him and said, "No, No! I'm just saying that because it surprised me about how quickly you turned around and came to your epiphany. Heh-Heeeeeh..."

Firestorm continued to speak, "Also on another note, how did you regain your strength so fast?"

Burning Star's mouth curled into a smirk as he said. "Well you see, Firestorm. Alicorns have a natural healing factor that allows us to recover from injury and replenish our stamina very quickly. Plus, I was trained under King Sombra, I have to be able to survive the harshest of conditions, the strength draining spell Chrysalis was using on me would kill any of you within seconds, it was meant to incapacitate Dragons, so using it on a pony would prove fatal."

He turned back towards the rest of the group, seeing the tired and wounded warriors that fought so hard to get him back, and he said to himself. "I wish that I could have been a better friend to you all in the past, maybe I can start anew. Maybe, just maybe... it will be different now."

The large weight of Queen Chrysalis's dead body on his back was inconsequential to him, his body was used to physical work thanks to his training. 

Burning Star slowed his pace to talk with the group, "I wonder how Twilight will react when I show her that Chrysalis is dead. I mean... I might as well show her so she can see that one of our oldest enemies is finally dealt with. What do you guys think?"

Noble Blade responded with a hopeful tone, "I believe she will be glad and upset to know that we have slain the Queen of the Changelings in battle. I also believe that she will be overjoyed so see you return home relatively unharmed. I think we all will be well taken care of by the staff."

Hiller interrupted the two, "Before we start assuming that Twilight actually decides to get us care, how do you think she is going to react when Burning Star here drops the dead body of one of her greatest foes in front of her?"

Burning Star shrugged and said, "Don't know, I'll cross that bridge when I come to it."

As the group approached the doors to the castle, a squadron of the Royal Guard headed by Shadow Armor and Shining Armor ran up to them.

Shadow Armor was the first to speak, his voice filled with relief, "Burning Star! Thank Faust you're returned, Twilight was growing concerned for you... what happened to you and your friends?"

Quickfire stepped forwards and said, "We will tell you when we meet with Queen Twilight, for now, let us pass."

Shadow Armor signaled to the guards to step aside and the six warriors approached the large wood doors.

Shadow Armor and Shining noticed who Burning Star was carrying on his back and the pair of them went wide eyed with shock. Shining finally stammered out, "I-Is that Queen Chrysalis? What happened to her?"

Noble's response was deadly serious, "Yes, that is Queen Chrysalis. Fortunately, She is dead. I killed her by impaling her on my sword."

Firestorm continued Noble's thought, "We will tell you the full story inside. Come on everypony, let's go give Twilight her gift, shall we?"

With that, the guards opened the doors to the castle, and every pony went in.

(Canterlot Castle, Throne Room)

Twilight Sparkle was sitting on her throne, drinking tea when Burning Star walked in. She spit it out forcefully, seeing her husband return from what she assumed was the guys night which gone too far.

Burning Star called out to her, "Honey! I'm home."

Twilight flew over to him at blinding speed and snarled out, "BURNING STAR, Where were you?! I was worried sick that you were off on one of your little monster hunts again." She pulled him forwards with her magic, fuming with impatience, "You weren't hunting monsters again, right?"

Freedom Fighter stepped forward and bowed, as did everypony except Burning Star, who stood unmoving with the body of Queen Chrysalis on his back. 

Finally, the black Alicorn responded, "No Twilight, it was much more complicated than that. But, let me explain in simpler terms."

Burning Star began to explain, "Long Story Short, I went out to the guys night along with my fellow warriors over here." he motioned to the Guardians and Hunters. "We went to a exotic dancer nightclub, while I was standing outside thinking to myself, I was approached by an old foe of ours, Queen Chrysalis. She was wearing the disguise of you, and I fell for it and she captured and tourtured me for THREE DAYS."

Burning Star hung his head, "While I was imprisoned in her disgusting hive, she sapped me of my powers and demanded I help her achieve a higher form of being. I was humiliated, and felt hopeless. I felt as if no pony was coming to rescue me... like nopony cared about me."

Noble interrupted, "But we came to rescue him, and we ended up laying siege to Queen Chrysalis's hive. The battle ended when I drove my sword through the foul monarchs chest... and we freed your husband from his sticky prison." He motioned to the body on Burning Star's back. "If you want proof of her demise, here you go."

Twilight Sparkle backed away as The black Alicorn dropped Chrysalis's body like a bag of wet cement, it lay sprawled out on the floor, and smelled horrible.

Twilight's jaw dropped, she had never been able to fully defeat Chrysalis, and these newcomers arrive and literally and figuratively squash her like the insect she is? 

She thought to herself, "Well, that is one threat off my list. I should remember to call these three Up next time another villain decides to rear its ugly head."

Twilight announced to the group, "Well done, Guardians of the Sun. Not only did you take down one of my oldest enemies, you rescued my husband from what would be a very unpleasant fate."

Firestorm chimed in, "By the way, Twilight, I've been meaning to ask you this. Why didn't you send out anypony to look for him the morning after our guys night, hm?"

Twilight smiled sheepishly, "Well, I kinda assumed that Burning Star could take care of himself? I didn't know that Chrysalis would actually show up, she was supposed to show up later this week, if Eclipsio's predictions were correct."

Everypony immediately narrowed their eyes, and Burning Star's mane ignited as he shouted at a volume that shook the room.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN SHE SHOULD HAVE COME LATER THIS WEEK!"

Twilight just realized what she said and she immediately tried to cover that line, "I... I-I mean, who could have guessed that Queen Chrysalis could come early? Heh-Heh... I'm in trouble aren't I?"

Noble and the rest of the group had no time to react as Burning Star shoved them aside like rag dolls, grabbed Twilight in his hooves, and roared in her face. "YOU MEAN TO TELL ME THAT THIS ALL COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED IF YOU TOLD ME THAT ONE OF OUR MOST ELUSIVE ARCHENEMIES WAS GOING TO TRY AND ATTACK THIS WEEK!?"

Freedom Fighter and Hiller managed to pull Burning Star off Twilight with great difficulty, and Noble snapped back to the now blazing Alicorn, "BURNING STAR! That's enough! Do not get angry at your wife, this is not her fault."

The black Alicorn growled one last time, before extinguishing himself, he relaxed his body and said, "Do what you wish with the body, I think it's time to head back to your world, Noble. I... need some time away from my world. You coming?"

Noble nodded, "I shall return to my home, but let me talk with your wife first. Everypony, head to the dimensional portal."

Firestorm shrugged, "Eh, I was thinking the same thing, hot head. Midnight isn't going to defeat herself, somepony has to do it. I'll get my stuff."

Hiller responded, "Yeah, its about time we get back to the mission at hoof. I'll be ready within the hour."

As Burning Star and the rest exited the room, Twilight turned to Noble Blade and said, "So, what were you going to speak to me about, Noble Blade?"

Noble began, "You see Twilight, over the past one and a half weeks I've been working with Burning Star to crack the shell on his emotions. So far I've made some progress, albeit with tremendous difficulties."

Twilight Sparkle raised an eyebrow, "Wait, you managed to crack that shell of his? Your better than I thought."

Noble continued, "You know he actually does care about you right? He just is afraid to let you get hurt, to let anypony close to him get hurt... I can't understand him completely yet, but he is getting better. I assure you, he'll open up to you by the time this crisis is over."

Twilight Sparkle sighed, "I hope you are right. I don't want to have to do something I don't want to do, because it won't end well for either of us."

Noble couldn't read minds, but he knew what Twilight meant by doing something that wind end well...

That something was Divorce.

Noble put a hoof on Twilight's back and he said, "Have faith Lady Twilight, for I will treat your husbands emotional imbalance as well as I possibly can."

Noble looked to the door and saw Eclipsio was opening a portal to his home world. He also saw that everypony was ready to go, their bags packed and sealed, ready for inter-dimensional transport. 

He walked over to them, but before he was out of earshot, he said "I won't let you down Twilight Sparkle! I swear on my name, I will aid your husband in his recovery. Goodbye, and may Celestia be with you!"

Noble stepped into the portal with his things, a look of satisfaction on his face, and he was zipped off to his home world.

(Canterlot Castle, Throne Room, Guardians Universe)

Celestia and Luna were discussing with their new friend Crimson Mane about their next move on Midnight Sparkle. Crimson Mane was known by another name, a name Celestia and Luna never expected

Scootaloo. 

Scootaloo stood about half a head shorter than Luna, her face had yellow-red eyes that seemed to be more reptilian than equine, while she normally wore a mask made out of a skull, she had it off, and her long frushia and red mane hung behind her, tied in a long bushy ponytail that reached to her actual tail, giving the appearance that her mane ran all the way down her back. Her cutie mark of the CMC logo was still there, but it was much more pronounced due to her lean, curvy, and strong legs and hips.

She wore a dark brown overcoat with black gloves. These gloves were lined with electrical wire, and were capable of emitting powerful bolts of electricity when activated. 

Apparently, She was from the same timeline that Quickfire hailed from, and she had also been displaced from the time stream. She also seemed to know quite a bit about how Midnight came to power, and this knowledge proved valuable to Celestia and Luna.

The most interesting thing about her was her wings, instead of being made of flesh and feathers like a normal pair of Pegasus wings...

They were made of some sort of magic metal she called "Magitek Steel" which made them extremely strong and light enough to be used as actual wings.

Celestia began to speak to their guest, "So, care to explain what exactly Midnight's plan is, Scootaloo?"

Crimson nodded and began to speak, "Well Princess Celestia, first you have to understand why exactly Midnight is so hell-bent on destroying your kingdom."

Crimson pulled out a trio of orbs and tossed them on the floor, within seconds, a hologram sprang to life.

What Celestia and Luna saw on that hologram sent chills down their spine.

Crimson began to narrate, a tone of seriousness in her voice.

"The story of Midnight Sparkle is a confusing one, some say she rose to power by stealing the elements of harmony, some say she is a demon from Tartarus, and some even say she is a manifestation of magic itself. But the real truth is far, far, more sinister."

The image changed to a picture of one of Celestia and Luna's archenemies, King Sombra!

Crimson continued, "When Equestria faced the threat of the ancient windigos, Twilight was left helpless to defeat them, as the boasted very high resistances to standard magic, and thus she had to resort to the other side of the spectrum, Dark Magic. But Celestia and Luna, ever righteous in their ways, refused to educate her in the ways of Dark Magic. This left Twilight bitter and she turned to one of the most powerful, but dangerous unicorns in Equestria. King Sombra, who was a master of the dark arts."

Luna interjected, "That's impossible! Twilight would never listen to that monster!"

Crimson shook her head, "No. if it was for the pursuit of knowledge that could save Equestria, Twilight would go through Tartarus to achieve her goal."

She resumed her narration, "That denial of teaching spawned feelings of resentment towards Celestia in Twilight. this... frustration, along with a combination of pent Up negative feelings drew the immense power offered by dark magic to Twilight like moths to a flame. King Sombra did teach Twilight Sparkle the spells to strike down the Windigos, but she wanted to learn more about the dark arts. She was exposed, and at a moment of weakness..."

Celestia asked Crimson, "So... King Sombra created Midnight Sparkle?"

Crimson shook her head, "No, Sombra actually wanted to prevent her from coming to being, but let me finish."

She changed the picture to a news article, "DARK FRIENDSHIP!" Princess Twilight Sparkle declares war on Canterlot."

Crimson continued, "Eventually, Twilight was consumed by her fears and doubts, she was afraid that you would persecute her for using dark magic, that you would destroy her... so she became more powerful than you and Luna combined, Thus Twilight Sparkle died, and Midnight Sparkle was born!"

"King Sombra, horrified at seeing what he unintentionally created, arranged for a meeting with you two. Midnight caught word of the meeting and decided to end the major threat to her rising regime."

"Then tragedy struck, On the day of the meeting, Midnight Sparkle attacked Canterlot Castle, intent on destroying you, King Sombra managed to save many of the civilians, while you two kept her distracted. Ultimately, Midnight killed both of you."

Celestia and Luna both shed tears as they watched Midnight roar out as she disintegrated their other selves.

Luna asked, "And what became of Sombra?" 

Crimson finished, "Sombra fled north. He took with him Shining Armor, Cadence, the elements of harmony, and the CMC. He planned to send some ponies back in time to mend Twilight's fraying mind before she went too far... He succeeded in sending me and Shining back in time, but at the cost of his life."

"And that is how Empress Midnight Sparkle came to be, and she had ruled for 20 years, in that time, no pony has ever succeeded in overthrowing her... all that have attempted, have died."

The last video was of King Sombra showing a kind smile as he was blasted into oblivion, seeing the two ponies enter a swirling vortex of blue and white.

Celestia fought back tears as she said, "So my dear Twilight will become that monster if we don't stop Midnight here? Tell me it isn't so!"

Crimson sadly shook her head, "I can only hope that your warriors and Burning Star can stop her, or somepony with just as much power as her..."

Little did the trio of ponies know, that somepony was planning to stop Midnight as they spoke...

(Hollow Shades, the Well of Shades)

The town of Hollow Shades was a dark and dreary place, home to the soruce of one of the most terrifying monsters ever seen in Equestria since Nightmare Moon...

Deep within the town lay the Well of Shades, and in that unholy place sat Stygian, the Pony of Shadows!

Stygian was speaking to a group of his followers, the Pony of Shadows aura hanging behind him like some sort of demonic shade.

He spoke to his followers, a pair of colts that once followed the stage magician, the self proclaimed "Great and Powerful Trixie" around.

Snips and Snails, a pair of Unicorns that followed anypony with great power like a moth to a flame.

Stygian spoke to them, an edge of irritation in his voice, "I do not understand. I grant you the ability to accomplish fantastic feats." He shifted to his Pony of Shadows form, "Yet you still FAIL ME! Explain yourselves, cretins!"

Snails responded, "Well, you're kinda asking us to take on the equivalent of a goddess, Stygian."

Snips chimed in, "I mean what do you want us to do, kill Midnight?"

Stygian's mouth twisted into a menacing smirk, 

"Precisely."



(Lyric colors: Gray-Stygian, Black Bold-Pony of Shadows, Brown-Snips and Snails)

Stygian thought to himself, "I never thought these unicorns essential. They are crude and unspeakablely plain."

Suddenly, Stygian's mouth twisted into a evil grin, "But maybe, they show a glimmer of potential. If allied with my plan and my brain..."

Stygian suddenly jumped in front of them and he began to sing, his shadow still in the shape of the demonic monster he was hosting. That shadow mouthed the words as well...

"I know that your powers of pretention, are as wet as mermares backside.

"But thick as you are..." He grabbed Snips and shifted to his Pony of Shadows form "Pay Attention!"

He pushed the little unicorn back into his friend, "My words are matter of pride."

He walked over to Snails, who stood cross-eyed, he waved his hoof in front of him, "Its clear from your vacant expressions, the lights aren't all on upstairs."

He stared at the both of them, "But we're talking kings and successions."

He shifted back to his Pony of Shadows form, and blew the two back with his roaring words, "Even you can't be caught UNAWARES!"

He flew up to a broken ledge, and sung out. "So PREPARE for the chance of a lifetime! Be PREPARED for sensational news!"

"A shining new era, is tiptoeing nearer..."

The two young unicorns asked, "And where To we fit in?"

Stygian responded, "Just listen to teacher."

"I know it sounds sordid, but you be rewarded, when at last I am given my dues."

Stygian morphed back into his Pony of Shadows form and bellowed a loud verse, "And INJUSTICE deliciously squared!"

"BE PREPARED!!!!"

Snips and Snails managed to get to their feet, "Alright we'll be prepared... for what?"

Stygian hollered, "For the death of the queen!"

Snails responded, "What? Is she sick or something?"

Stygian facehoofed, before saying, "No fools, we're going to kill her, and Celestia too..."

Snips and Snails jumped up and danced around like morons, "Great! No queen! No queen! La-La-Laa-La-La!"

Stygian roared, "IDIOTS! There will be a King!"

The pair of unicorns looked confused, "But I thought you said..."

Stygian interrupted them, "I will be king!"

He morphed back into his Pony of Shadows form, "Stick with me, AND YOU WILL NEVER BE POWERLESS AGAIN!"

Both Snips and Snails cheered, "Woo-hoo! Yes! Long live the king!"

Suddenly, all the torches came to life, and the population of Hollow Shades called out, "LONG LIVE THE KING! LONG LIVE THE KING!"

Stygian watched with pride as the ponies began to march out of the cave, all singing in unison, "Its great that will soon be connected. By a king who be all-time adored!"

Stygian stood atop the keep in the center of town, saying "Of course, Quid Pro Quo, you're expected..."

He made a cutting motion across his neck, "To take certain duties on board."

He still sang out, almost as if he were announcing to the matching ponies clad in dark gray armor, "The future is littered with prizes, and although I'm the main addresse..."

He narrowed his eyes and almost snarled out the next line, "The point that I must emphasize is..."

He switched back to his Pony of Shadows form and yelled at a volume that split the ground, "YOU WONT GET A SCRAP WITHOUT ME!"

The Pony of Shadows took flight, many of the Pegasus roze Up with him, he bellowed. "So PREPARE for the coup of the century! Be PREPARED for the murkiest scam!"

He stopped in place and sung out, "Meticulous planning, Tenacity spanning. Decades of denial, is simply why I will."

He began to boast, sending the rest of his troops into a slowly rising hum, "Be king UNDISPUTED, RESPECTED, SALUTED, and seen for the WONDER I am!"

He smiled an evil smile and uttered his final few lines, "Yes my TEETH and AMBITIONS are bared! BE PREPARED!!!"

Suddenly, all of the town joined in, "Yes our TEETH and AMBITIONS are bared!"

The Pony of Shadows let out his final lines, "BE PREPARED!!!!"

The Pony of Shadows let out a loud, terrifying, evil laugh, "MWHAHA-HAHAH-HEHA-AHAHAAHA!

He glared off in the direction of the Castle of Darkness, roaring at the top of his lungs, "Soon enough, dearest Midnight Sparkle, you will meet your doom, and I WILL BE KING! AHAHAH-HAHAA-HAHA!"

(Cut the Song)

(Castle of Darkness, Midnight Sparkle's Room) 

Midnight Sparkle paced back and forth in her room, trying to figure out what foe to send out next...

She thought to herself, "Let's see... Let's see... what has the Celestia and Luna not faced before? More importantly, What will put those irritating Guardians and that obnoxious Burning Star in the grave the fastest? Hmm..."

She created another ball of magic, and began to lazily scroll through the villains of both worlds, she yawned as she scrolled... very bored and very underwhelmed.

This world's Villains were absolutely garbage compared to Burning Star's world!

Back on Burning Star's world, Midnight faced the Windigo Queen, Diamanda, Tantabus and the Nightmare Tribe, and freaking King Sombra, who was like the ultimate of villains...

Next to her, of course.

But regardless, despite this world sharing some history with the other, the villains were not shared, this sent Midnight into a fit of anger, and she slammed open the front door of her castle, blasting a beam of magic into the air in rage.

"For Faust's sake, is there anypony out there that has the power to challenge those little annoyances?! I don't want to send Stygian into battle yet... he is my ace, my second in command." Midnight said with a snarl, before getting an idea.

She said, "You know what? Screw it! Stygian will be sent to attack Canterlot, I'll call him from Hollow Shades, I can sense that he has built an army for me. He is more useful than I thought..." 

Dark Magic swirled around Midnight Sparkle as she spoke the words

"Pony of Shadows! I summon your dark powers to my side!"

A dark gray portal opened up, and The Pony of Shadows stepped through, his eyes aglow with bright red light.

"Midnight Sparkle, my Queen... you have summoned me to your side? What is thy wish?"

"Stygian, I wish to attack Canterlot, and you will lead the charge on the city, if you need backup, I will send a Mirror copy of somepony like Nightmare Moon to your aid. Can you handle that assignment, Stygian?"

The Pony of Shadows smiled evilly, "Of course my Queen, you wish is my command."

He said under his breath, "For now..."

With that, Stygian flew off in the direction of Canterlot, with this new development, he could kill two birds with one stone.

Take out Princess Celestia and Luna...

And secure Midnight Sparkle's trust, so she will drop her guard...

"And when she is unguarded, I will end her life in the most brutal and ironic way I can."

"By ripping her soul out, and using it as fuel for my power... grah-hah-hah-ha..." Stygian said As the Pony of Shadows flew off to his new target...

Canterlot Castle.
> Chapter 12 Part 2: Stygian Strikes
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Equestrian Skies)

Stygian always loved flying, he loved the wind rushing past the Pony of Shadows's long, black, ghost-like body and his ethereal black mane. He envied the Pegasus and Alicorn for the ability to fly so well... but that would have to take a backseat to his master plan.

Ripping apart Canterlot's defenses in order to let Midnight move in for the kill...

If she ever got moving that is!!!

The voice of the Pony of Shadows spoke to the Unicorn, who had landed his shadowy body to hide from the sun, since Celestia could see everything under the sun's light.

The voice said in a loud growl, "What are you doing Stygian? We do not need to hide from the Alicorn, the sisters would flee, screaming in terror, at a mere glimpse of us, just as the people of that small village you called home did... Hollow Shades."

Stygian replied with ire in his voice, "Well I'm hiding from the sun since Celestia can't see us in the shadows. On the subject of Hollow Shades, they were scared of me at first, until I cursed their minds to obey me and Midnight. Did I do well on that?

The Pony of Shadows's voice replied with satisfaction, "Yes, that was rather impressive. You did that all without my influence... tell me, where did you learn that spell?"

Stygian replied, his voice filled with an unnatural pride, "From a Unicorn named Starlight Glimmer, she said to me that "She needs somepony to pass on her knowledge", she was a strange unicorn... it back fired for her as I immediately used it on an artifact that she found, the Alicorn Amulet. When She returned to Twilight, was a extremely helpful mole in the Castle of Friendship. She was feeding me information, and she didn't even know it! Hah-Ha!"

The Pony of Shadows laughed, "Excellent work, my good half! Setting a pony used mind control under our own was brilliant! How did you find the Alicorn Amulet?"

Stygian mentally smirked, "Let's just say I went to the right Manehattan museum on the right day of the year..."

A large Red Earth pony was passing by, a cart of apples trailing behind him.

Stygian smiled, it was Big Macintosh! 

As the Pony of Shadows could only get so small... he could only really shrink down his shadow to the size of Big Mac for a little while before he returned to his massive form...

But that didn't mean that he couldn't mold into the cart's shadow!

So as soon as Big Macintosh went under the shady tree, Stygian's Pony of Shadow form slipped into the shadow of the cart, where he gave a near-silent evil laugh...

It wasn't quiet enough as Big Mac stopped dead and said, "Hello? Is somepony there? I jus am deliverin apples to Canterlot. If ya want one, ya are more than welcome to take one. It is jus five bits."

All Big Mac heard was the sounds of birds and the soft rustle of trees.

The large Earth Pony sighed, "I guess it was jus the wind..."

Stygian silently cursed himself for indulging in his ego, and made himself more careful as Big Mac trotted towards the capital city.

(Canterlot Castle, The Guardians Room)

Burning Star slowly came out of his bedroom the following day and wiped his eyes, which were crusty with a salty eye crud. Down the hallway, out came another pony that was a little irksome to him, and Burning Star let in a curse he had almost snapped aloud.

Firestorm was annoying to Burning Star. He was intrusive and rude and obnoxious. But the reason why he hadn’t already lashed out at him was because he remembered what Noble Blade had taught him about self-mastery. What room did Burning Star have to criticize others about being rude and intrusive when he had so many flaws of his own? But that didn’t mean that he couldn’t see it in others. Noble Blade may love him like a brother, but not Burning Star.

He already had the token annoying teammate in the form of his own brother, Thunder Fury!

Firestorm by then had already spotted him and had came nearer. “Oh, haloo, Borning Stor,” he said in a ridiculous foreign accent. “How ore jou today?”

He didn’t have time for this, he had to get ready for his inevitable showdown with Midnight Sparkle. “I was doing fine until you came along,” Burning Star grumbled, and turned away.

“Well, dat vas rude.” Firestorm flapped up into the air just for fun. “But--get zis--I won’t say the same about jou.”

“You know, Stormy” Burning Star observed, “we’re like the two ponies least likely to get along, and yet you’re still following me. I want to keep my emotions in at all times, and you just let your emotions out whenever you feel like it. You are nearly the complete antithesis of me."

“Well, we’re different in nature, but does that mean I can’t get along with you?” Firestorm turned over so he was lying on his stomach in the air. “There’s like, nothing you want to do with me. At all.”

Burning Star nodded. “We are totally different, you and I. We’re incompatible. It’s like I’m like fire, and you’re like water."

Firestorm looked disappointed. “Well, actually, I think we’re both like fire.”

“Yeah, but I’m more like a raging fire. You’re more like a…”

“A what?”

The Alicorn of Fire smirked, “A smaller...more annoying...guttural kind of spark.”

“All right, look--”

Burning Star cut him off, his voice slightly raised. “I can literally burst into flame on the spot and use the very essence of it to my whims, Firestorm! I am the master of the element of fire! And you...you, what, you can use flamethrowers and you look like your head’s ablaze. That’s it.”

Firestorm tried again to get his attention, “All right, LOOK--”

“Okay, okay, I’ll admit, you’re at least good in a fight.” Burning Star threw up his hooves in exasperation. “But is there anything about you that’s better than me?”

Firestorm asked him, “How about flying?”

Burning Star gave him an incredulous look. “Flying? Don’t you know who you’re talking to? I am the alicorn of--”

“The Alicorn of Fire, I know. But the strength of an alicorn isn’t on flight. It’s more on having all-around abilities in magic and flight and earth pony strength. There’s no particular part of an alicorn that’s stronger than the other. But my strength is on flying. What do you say? A race?”

Burning Star smiled. “A race it is, Firestorm. Come crawling back to me when you’re beaten into the ground so hard you have to dig your way out.”

“Rude much?”

Burning Star threw his hoof with all the strength he could muster to the back of his head, intending on knocking him to the ground on his face right there, but he was stopped by something hard grabbing on to his arm.

It was Firestorm, holding his hoof there in midair with his right arm. His face registered annoyance. “Look here, Burning Star. I’ve put up with you, just like you’ve put up with me. But unlike you, I’ve managed to not lose my temper at you. I’ve put up with it to make you feel good about controlling me, and to make me feel good about helping build you up. But it looks like it’s having the opposite effect on you. So let me talk to you straight to your face.”

Burning Star tried to wrestle his arm free from Firestorm’s grip, but Firestorm was too strong to allow him any wriggle room. It scared him, just a little. Burning Star was stronger than a normal pegasus. Right?

“I’m sick of being treated like crap all the time.” Firestorm was looking more serious now than he had ever been before. “I’m okay with being funny, but the moment you think I’m some kind of lesser being, just because I want to make others laugh and I don’t want to make others feel bad, then that makes me want to make you feel bad. No more of that. I’m better than that.”

“Well then, What prompted this?” Burning Star asked in wonder. He could ignore the pony holding his hoof back, if it meant he could concentrate on what was actually happening.

“You forget something about me. I’m a warrior.” Firestorm’s voice had dropped. “I fight not only for what my country needs me for, but for what I believe in. And what I believe is that you shouldn’t think of me like I’m some inferior being. Be better than that. Be my friend, Star. Don’t be my enemy. Because if you want to be my enemy, then I’ll treat you like my enemy.”

“You honestly think you can beat me if we got into a fight? I've been trained by one of the most dangerous beings on the planet.” Burning Star asked incredulously, with his hoof still being held up in the air.

“What is it with you and fights?” Firestorm exploded suddenly. “Fighting isn’t everything! I don’t have to fight you to treat you like my enemy.” He looked dead-on into Burning Star’s eyes. “I can always just abandon you. When you need my help, when your life depends on me to help you get out of a life-or-death situation, I can always just say no to you and leave you to die at the hooves of somepony far worse than you.”

It scared Burning Star to hear those words come from the mouth of Firestorm, of all ponies. He was supposed to be the ridiculous one, the comical one in the group. Could he really abandon Burning Star?

And why was it that he suddenly cared whether he did?

“But I won’t abandon you, Star,” Firestorm continued.

“Because you can’t bring the strength together to push me aside, Or because if you did... I would roast you alive like a Hearth's Warming Eve Turkey?” Burning Star guessed.

“No. It’s because I’m better than that,” Firestorm said flatly. “Because I’m not stupid enough to ignore the fact that friendship and unity is what will make me strong. But tell me, Star, do you know that? Do you know that friendship with ponies you don’t like is what makes you strong? That instead of obeying your natural inclination to hate them, you instead choose the courageous option and love them?”

Burning Star's mane began to smoke, “Who do you think you are. Noble Blade? Stop acting like you think you’re better than me.”

“We won’t know who’s better than the other until we race, now won’t we?”

It was still on. “All right, then. We’ll go out south of Canterlot mountain for the race. But, um, one question.”

“What was that?”

He winced a little bit. “Could you let go of my hoof?”

As soon as the apple cart passed into the city of Canterlot, the shadow of the cart suddenly disappeared and flew off to another obsolete corner of a building. The shadows oozed across the ground, sliding into the sides of buildings and collecting more shadow material, growing stronger and stronger. Before long, there was enough of his power restored for the Pony of Shadows to manifest himself once more in an unseen part of the city.

Without a word, with only a twist of his mind, his body split into three other copies with a squelching noise of gooey, drippy, gelatinous matter. After there were three copies of himself, those also split into two, making six copies of the Pony of Shadows, plus himself.

"Kill them all, I must speak with the princesses.” was his single command. 

The six beasts instantly split from their positions and flew through the city like fleeting memories, passing through walls and spreading throughout the city at random. All throughout the city, they erupted out of the ground from the shadows where they were and fired black, curling bolts of magic at each citizen they came across. Some of the bolts incapacitated their victims, some of them trapped their bodies in the dark shadows all over the place, and some of them even killed wherever they went.

There was a sudden pop, and Luna and Celestia appeared in the central courtyard of Canterlot. Upon seeing the massive figure of twisting shadows appear in front of their faces, even the two princesses got scared--just for a moment. Then they steeled their resolve and hardened their stances.

“Princess Celestia, we meet at last." The Pony of Shadows spoke harshly. “I have an ultimatum. I hope you consider it... for the safety of your precious ponies."

All across the city, for five copies of the pony of shadows, there was either a Guardian of the Sun or a Star Hunter on them. One of them had been slain from far away by Freedom Fighter, shooting him with an energy arrow from his collapsible bow, but there were still five of them that four of them had to deal with. Noble Blade was alone, with two of them next to each other in front of him that he was parrying bolts of energy from. Freedom Fighter, Quickfire, and Hiller were all facing down one apiece, but it was proving to be difficult for them. The battle had gone on long enough already, and they were growing exhausted.

Perceiving this, Luna asked, “What dost thou want?”

“What do I want? To show you my potential, my true powers over the Shadows.” he answered, slithering in his shadow to their side. “You would be wise to listen to me. I can help you.”

Despite being just a construct, The Pony of Shadows was immense, perhaps 12-15 feet tall!

Celestia narrowed her eyes. “Explain yourself, fiend."

“My message is simple, I wish to attack Midnight Sparkle.” he breathed, his voice was like nails on a chalkboard. “But there is nothing I can do at the moment without your help. For she holds my leash, Allow me to join your ranks, and I will gladly serve you until you destroy Midnight Sparkle and her influence is wiped from this and any other world.”

High in the skies, Burning Star and Firestorm were resting on a cloud, searching for a good route to race on, when there came a thump from underneath them. Both of them looked at each other. “That wasn’t you, was it?” Firestorm asked.

“No, of course not, my body doesn't make random thumps.” Burning Star curtly replied. “It came from Canterlot, beneath us.”

Both of them peered over the edge of their cloud to see plumes of smoke coming from off of the far-distant city. There were clashes and shouts, and they could see the illumination of flames as the pony of shadows attacked Canterlot.

“Again?! REALLY!” Burning Star groaned, rolling onto his back. “Another attack on Canterlot? I’m getting sick of this."

“So attacks on the capital city are just normal for you back where you come from?” Firestorm innocently asked him. “How were you able to get anything done?”

“I have no clue, and I don’t need to listen to this right now. Shut up and let me find out where the trouble is coming from.” Burning Star swept the city with his gaze until he came to the central circle of Canterlot. Activating his horn, he was able to narrow his vision like a pair of binoculars until he could focus on what was going on. Finally, he stopped, and he turned to Firestorm. “Bad news, Pal.”

“Oh?”

“The Pony of Shadows is down there.”

“The what now?”

Star explained, “You...you know the energy spike in Manehattan we had to get called away to investigate?”

“Yeah.”

“That’s him.”

“This is too many antagonists for me to put up with!” Firestorm flopped down on the cloud, fluffing it up and down like a pillow.

“I agree, but we will address that later. There appear to be other copies of him throughout the city,” Burning Star continued, observing the miniature set of Canterlot below him. “Our friends are holding them off for the moment, but we need to help in some way.”

“Good.” Firestorm got up and stretched his wings. “Let’s kick some booty, then. How would you want to go about doing it?”

Burning Star thought for a moment, then slowly said, “I can conjure up a Star Strike. That could destroy the principal copy of the Pony of Shadows, destroying his other copies and putting him in a coma--”

“Hang on,” Firestorm interrupted him. “What the heck’s a Star Strike?”

“It’s a meteorite strike-esque kind of attack that I came up with. Copyright Burning Star. I can strike him with all the force of a meteor from the heavens. You know the file you watched when I blew Firebrand off the face of the world?"

Firestorm nodded, "THAT was Starstrike? Is it really that destructive?"

Burning Star shrugged, "Well, yes and no. The first time I used it I was unable to control it, now that I am more mature I can concentrate it down to a more contained size."

He asked the Alicorn of Fire, "Why do you need a name for it?”

“So that I can scream it at him as I do it. You know, anime style."

“Why the heck would you do that? Screaming an attack just alerts them to whatever you’re planning on doing, and offers them a chance for a counterattack.” He pointed at himself. “I mean, look at me. Do you see me yelling out the name of every single convoluted attack I ever do? What do you think I’m in, a frickin’ comic book?”

“If the attack is powerful enough, a counterattack isn’t going to make a difference.” Burning Star mentally groaned. “And perhaps saying the name of the attack helps you keep in mind what kind of attack you’re going to do to the other guy.”

“So the more powerful the name, the more powerful the attack?”

“Well--”

“So if I were to do a Sonic Flameboom at somepony, but I call it the “Fluffy Bunny Love Tap,” then will the attack get diminished because the name’s not cool enough?”

Hold on, Back Up... Sonic Flameboom?

“In a way, it seems like it’s better that I call it the “Fluffy Bunny Love Tap,” because then when people hear how he died and they say he died because of the Fluffy Bunny Love Tap, then they’ll laugh him into an ignominious silent rage from the afterlife itself.”

“Hold on,” Burning Star said before he could say anything more. “What’s this about the Sonic Flameboom?”

“It’s a name I came up with for myself for when I break the sound barrier.”

Sound barrier? Even Burning Star required effort for that to happen, usually he ignited his wings and used them like rocket thrust, and the way Firestorm said it made it sound like he did it regularly. “You came up with a name for that? You're a Frickin’ hypocrite.”

“All right, look, there’s a difference between describing your attacks and yelling them aloud at your opponent whenever you fight because you think that’ll improve your attack!”

Burning Star snarked back, “Says the pony that makes whooshing noises whenever he swings his swords.”

Firestorm chuckled. “Touche.”

“If we could combine ourselves together, we could create an entirely new attack to demolish the Pony of Shadows right where he stands.”

“You remember what we were talking about earlier?” Firestorm asked. “About how if I really wanted to, I could always just abandon you when you need my help?”

"No! No, no, no, don’t do this, Storm! You’re better than this!" Burning Star wildly thought out loud.

“I’m not going to do it. I’m going to stick with you anyway,” Firestorm said. “Because I’m not petty enough to take revenge on a single pony that wronged me in exchange for the destruction of thousands of lives.” He grinned wickedly. “What do you want me to do?”

“I must join you,” the Pony of Shadows slithered. “Do it, and your reward shall be beyond imagining.”

“Trickster!” Luna shouted. “Thou shalt not deceive us so easily! Thou art a villain that is attacking our city for little other reason than to gain our attention!”

“Must you be so rude?” he asked. “You’re making this difficult.”

Shing shing shing

Three long spears of feathered metal flew from behind the princesses and sank into the flesh of the pony of shadows like gelatin. A figure leaped up from behind them and landed on her hind legs, spreading her wings out like a fan of metal. Crimson Mane then folded them back with a shuddering sound, and lept at the Pony of Shadows without another word, her front hooves crackling with electricity.

The Pony of Shadows shot out his arm and it elongated into a wide-bladed black sword, and swing it at Crimson Mane as she hurled at his face and begun to slash at him with her wings. She had leaped over his massive sword and had spun her wings like a massive fan in his gelatinous face. The pony of shadows roared and fired his horn in a downward strike, but Crimson Mane caught it along the edge of her metallic wings. The force, however, still pushed her down to the ground, and the Pony of Shadows raised his sword and plunged it into the earth like a stab to the heart.

From the massive puncture, deadly shadows rippled out like a shockwave, seeking out Celestia, Luna, and Crimson Mane. Celestia quickly ignited her horn and a beacon of light emanated from her forehead, incinerating any shadows that travelled along the ground. Luna ignited her own horn and took control of the rest of the shadows, forcing them to redirect into a nearby wall, which exploded in a shower of rubble. And Crimson Mane took to the air again, spreading her wings like twin swords and crackling electricity from her front hooves. The Pony of Shadows saw this and morphed the sword stuck in the ground into a massive spiking spire that redirected itself and pointed forward at all three defenders of Canterlot.

And the spire fired forward.

As it shot forward, faster than the response time of any of them, it elongated the spikes on the end, splitting off into fractals that seeked out their targets with ruthless efficiency. As they impacted against the chests of all three of them, the tips flattened so they spread all over their torsos and held them down for a finishing blow.

The pony of shadows stepped forward, ignoring the sudden glint of something orange high up in the sky. “I told you, Celestia, that you would be wise to listen to me.”

Luna snapped at the dark beast, "We do not negotiate with terrorists! Especially not somepony like you!"

The Pony of Shadows smiled, his many sharp teeth now visible in his maw. "Them your existence ends here. After you are gone, Midnight is Next!"



(Start the Song)

And the orange glint caught his sight again, and he looked up, annoyed. High above his head, something was falling at a speed that shouldn’t have been possible. It was shrieking as it hurtled downwards like a flaming meteor, but there was something helping him attain that speed.

As it came down, even faster than the Pony of Shadows should have anticipated, it shouted, “SONIC FIRESTRIKE!”

And it slammed into the upturned face of the force of darkness.

From where he struck, a massive flaming ring expanded at a diagonal angle, tearing into the ground from where it touched. The form of the black shadow disintegrated on the spot from the explosion of bright light that had just occurred, and all across Canterlot, all the forms of the Pony of Shadows had instantly disappeared as well, to the astonishment of those that were fighting them. The small form of the diminutive pony inside the Pony of Shadows form was thrown backwards at a ridiculously fast pace, and a kilometer-wide crater of roaring fire was there in place of the overwhelming force of darkness that had stood there only a few seconds before, and a giant pillar of fire visible for miles erupted from the ground.

Celestia, Luna, and Crimson Mane had been blown back from the explosion as well, and were even now getting to their hooves to prepare for whatever had landed. They were all aware of the absence of the attacking forces now; no noises came from the city except those of the flickering flames of destruction and the cries of the injured.

From the crater’s edge came forth a woozily stumbling orange pegasus with a red and orange and yellow mane. “Whoah,” he mumbled. “Yelling the name does make a stronger attack.”

“Firestorm!” Celestia cried, rushing over to her own guard and hugging him like a lost child. “What happened? Where’s Burning Star?”

“Ho dup,” he said, holding up a hoof. “Let me try to see straight for a second.” He waited for a second, then said, “Okay, I’m good now.” He took a deep breath. “Me and Burning Star were going to race in the air above Canterlot when we saw that the city was going to be attacked. We debated for a while on the schematics of naming attacks and the uselessness of using them while attacking, then Burning Star had an idea. We both ascended to a huge altitude, then we both hurtled down at a normally unattainable speed. Once he had gained enough energy for a Star Strike, he ignited his horn and poured the energy he had into my attack, and I went down with the combined power of a Sonic Flameboom and a Star Strike. I bashed the big bad baddie in the face, and, well…” He indicated his surroundings. “You can see what happened there for yourself.”

“You didn't answer the question, Where’s Burning Star?” Luna asked.

“Over Here,” came a voice, and they all turned to face the alicorn of fire, who was limply flapping in the air, his mane alight, but sputtering like a old engine. He took a deep breath, red in the face. “Hoo boy, I forgot how much that takes out of me, that took a lot of energy to move that much power to your trajectory, Firestorm.”

“It took a lot more power to collide with the frickin’ thing itself,” Firestorm replied, jerking a hoof behind his head at the flickering crater.

(End the song) 

Burning Star ignored him and flew over to the crumpled form of Stygian against the wall, he picked him up with his hooves and pointed his sharp horn against his neck. “So, Stygian. Thought you could destroy the princesses while I’m in Canterlot, eh?”

Stygian made no response. Burning Star shrugged and ignited his horn, and black fiery chains materialized out of the tip and wrapped around the limp form of Stygian like so many slithering black snakes.

Crimson Mane came over next to Firestorm. “Who are you?” the voice behind her mask asked with disbelief evident in every syllable.

Firestorm, even though he was exhausted, flicked a hoof nonchalantly, almost falling over in the process. “Oh, I’m just...frickin’ Firestorm...you know? Jusss a guy...tryin tado was right…”

Crimson Mane’s mask displayed no response, but she did tilt her head incredibly. “Do you always talk like this?”

“Of course not,” Firestorm said, clearly and legibly. He shot an annoyed glance at Crimson Mane. “Just go along with it.” He went back into his other slurred and tired voice. “IIImmm frickin’ tiiired, and I don’t wanna talk right now, And I’ll…” He intentionally toppled over onto his side, breaking his speech. “Shoot,” he muttered.

Crimson Mane turned back to Celestia. “This is your professional soldier? I see that the requirements in the past were really lenient.” she asked with disbelief, this time incredulously instead of with awe.

“What kinda stupid question is that?” Firestorm asked, still lying on the ground as stiff as a board. “What else would I look like?”

Crimson Mane shook her head, letting out a sigh.

Firestorm finally got back up onto his hooves. “Oh, uh, by the way, I didn’t catch your name. Who’re you?”

“Crimson Mane,” she curtly replied. “That’s all you have to know for now.”

Firestorm scratched his chin. “That sounds suspiciously like a pseudonym or an alias of some kind to protect an identity.”

“Oh, you want to see what’s under here?” Crimson Mane asked angrily, pulling her mask off with a swoop of her metallic-coated wing. She indicated her face violently. “Here! Get your satisfaction now, since I've heard Quickfire doesn't have the guts to show his face."

Firestorm saw the face underneath her mask and didn’t flinch. “Okaaay. So, what should I be scared of?”

“She is a futuristic version of a filly in Ponyville named Scootaloo,” Celestia gravely explained.

A moment passed. Then Firestorm raised an eyebrow. “Okay. So what? A grown-up child. That’s pretty cool. Good for you, I guess. But who’s Scootaloo? I’ve never been to Ponyville before. Why should I be shocked at that news?”

Crimson Mane exchanged glances with Celestia. “He’s honestly not shocked at all?”

“Not a bit,” Celestia confirmed.

“That’s strange,” Crimson Mane mused. “Everypony else I’ve revealed myself to has been shocked beyond belief. Guess that is a result of time travel?"

“That’s because they’ve known this Scootaloo you speak of,” Firestorm supplied. “Not me.”

“You aren’t shocked at me. That’s...actually pretty shocking,” Crimson Mane admitted. She shrugged. “Eh... Can’t win ‘em all.”

By then, the rest of the Star Hunters and the Guardians of the Sun had arrived in the central courtyard of Canterlot. Most of them were banged up and scratched in many areas. Noble’s armor was dented on his front, and the sword he held in his hoof was dripping with dark shadowy material. Quickfire’s mask was knocked off, exposing his lone dead eye. Freedom Fighter was suffering no new scratches that Celestia could see, and Hiller’s long scratches and indentations were slowly thickening over with new skin.

Noble Blade, seeing the crater, asked without any sign of strain from battle, “Firestorm? That was you, right?”

“Yeperee,” Firestorm said with every ounce of seriousness. “That was me.”

“You rhymed, nice.” Hiller commented, pressing on his shoulder to pop it back in place. It slide back with a audible squish.

“I did?” Firestorm asked, sounding genuinely surprised even though he knew it perfectly well himself. “Moi werd!”

“What was that?” Luna asked of him.

“What was what?”

“Those two last words you said.”

“My word. But pronounced in a funny way.” Firestorm twirled his hoof up in the air and waltzed extravagantly away from Princess Luna. “You know this by now, Luna. I’m a little loony.” He sidled up to Celestia. “So what do we do now?” Firestorm asked her casually.

“Well, We wait,” said Burning Star, coming over with Stygian in chains. “And we see if there’s a follow-up attack. With all our forces combined, we’re strong, but...we need more than what we have here. I’ll send out word for help via magical communication, hope that maybe Twilight of my world or even my friends in the Masters of Nature can get to your world in time, but even that may not be enough.”
> Chapter 13: The Seige of Canterlot
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Castle of Darkness, Midnight's Throne Room)

Meanwhile, out in the Everfree Forest, Midnight was plotting her attack. 

Possessing access to Twilight's photographic memory on books, she could remember pretty much any strategy she read about in history books. 

Taking a page out of The Second Equestrian Civil War, She would attack Canterlot blitzkrieg-style, overwhelming the Royal Guard with the sheer numbers of her army and her own incredible magical firepower... which was growing each day.

She had also hired a few of the other miscellaneous baddies that have given Equestria a hard time. 

Such baddies included the formidable Shadowbolts and their new leader Lightning Dust, a pack of Gryphon Mercenaries led by a Dark construct of Gilda, and even the former army of Yetis that the Storm King once commanded.

Surprisingly, when she was counting the Storm King's army, Tempest Shadow, his general, was nowhere to be found...

Where was she? Well wherever she was, she would be missing out on another chance to conquer Canterlot.

The Castle of Darkness's courtyard was was crowded with soldiers, officers and various other tools of war, she was ready to lay siege to Celestia's beloved city...

And no Hot-headed Alicorn and his aggravating friends are going to get in the way of that! 

After all, she sent Stygian to soften up Canterlot's defenses and kill the Guardians of the Sun and Burning Star.

Especially Burning Star, for he was one of the only ponies on par with her in terms of strength in magic. 

Midnight Sparkle sat lazily on her throne, she was listening loosely to the officers recite the battle plans. It was her general, a Earth Pony enhanced by her magic to grant him incredible strength. 

He read off the scroll in his hooves, "My Queen, here is the plan of attack we have proposed, we rush the gates of the city and blast them down with the magic cannons. Then, we destroy anything and everything in our way to clear a path to the castle, and you can then burst in and kill Celestia and Luna! Is this plan satisfactory, my Queen?" 

Midnight Sparkle sighed, "Oh you poor, poor officers. You realize that Celestia and Luna will see that plan coming from a mile away, right? As long as their respective celestial body hangs in the sky, we cannot surprise them. So, I have a different plan..." 

Midnight grinned wickedly, and flew into the air, "I will then fly into Canterlot and kill them myself, if I have any trouble, I'll call your army in."

The general snorted, "My queen, with all due respect, that is an extremely reckless idea, you know that these "Guardians of the Sun" and the Alicorn called "Burning Star" are in Canterlot. As you've mentioned before, Burning Star is on par with your own magical prowess, even with the sisters out of action you will still be outnumbered six to one!"

"SILENCE! YOU WILL NOT TALK BACK TO ME! I AM QUEEN-EMPRESS MIDNIGHT SPARKLE AND I WILL BE TREATED AS SUCH!" said Midnight with a roar so loud that could be heard outside, which startled the soldiers, Midnight Sparkle's mane erupted into a blaze of purple and black flames and she grabbed the general with her magic. 

She pulled him close and sneered, "I don't care about numbers, General. Six, six hundred, they still will perish at my hooves, even if I have to RIP THE CITY OUT OF THE GROUND AND THROW THEM INTO ORBIT TO SUFFOCATE AND DIE IN SPACE! AAAAAAH!"

She took a deep breath, and relaxed her body, before violently throwing the general into his other officers, knocking them over. 

She said in a tired voice, "I... apologize for that, I am exhausted from the day. I've been prepping for this battle for so long. I've been gathering magic power, enhancing my soldiers with Dark Magic, even sparring with a construct of myself..."

The officers went wide eyed, and the general said, "What was that?"

Midnight, now realizing what she just said, broke into a furious blush as she said to herself, "Wow. I just said that, yikes I'm lonely. I should get out more. Maybe this whole battle thing will solve my crippling loneliness. Worth a shot, anyways."

Midnight Sparkle regained the mad smile on her face as she pointed to the door, "Now leave me, I have to find out how Stygian is doing, and I don't need to have you complain about him as well. Go... do practice drills with the army or something, just don't be here!"

Midnight formed two giant constructs of hooves and pushed the officers and general out the door and slammed and locked it tight. 

She slumped back onto her throne and created her observation glove again, focusing it on Stygian. "Now then." she said to herself, "Let's see how my little living weapon is doing. I admit, I have my doubts about him actually failing, after all... the Pony of Shadows managed to nearly overpower Starswirl and would have annihilated him and the Pillars if I didn't step in to save his flank, so I expect to see a... complete... and total... victory..."

Her train of thought that was filled with praise came to a screeching halt as she saw something that just made her more angry than before.


The Pony of Shadows was defeated?! 

She noticed that a black Alicorn was standing over him, a smirk on his face, he was staring right at the angle where Midnight was viewing from, and he mouthed the words.

"Is the best you can do? Pitiful..."

"WHAT?! He lost?! How?!!" 

Midnight blasted the orb to pieces and thrashed about in rage. She had not only been beaten, she lost her partner Stygian, and Burning Star had the balls to rub it in her face!

She was absolutely outraged beyond compare! How did she constantly lose to this arrogant, self-centered, and frustratingly determined pain in the ass?!

A voice piped up from inside her head, the voice of Twilight Sparkle. "Give it Up, Midnight. If you surrender, they can help you, help us... to turn this rage and sorrow into joy and laughter. Doesn't that sound nice at all?"

Midnight screamed inside her head, directing her tantrum towards Twilight's voice. "SHUT UP AND GO AWAY! I don't need your pity..."

The voice died down, and Midnight was once again, alone in her anger.

That anger quickly turned to sorrow as trails of neon blue tears slowly started to run down her dark purple cheeks. 

She wailed in her lament, "Why... why did I of all villains up to now, have to get stuck fighting somepony that has not only trained underneath one of the strongest unicorns in Equestria, but he is an Alicorn as well!"

Suddenly, one of the Yetis came into the room, he was colored gray with white tips on his fur, and had bright blue eyes, upon hearing the sobbing from the throne room, he rushed in to see Midnight Sparkle crying. He said in a rough voice, "My Queen, what is the matter? What reduced you to a quivering mess?"

Midnight noticed the large beast and said in a still somber tone, "Oh... it's just a yeti trooper, hello there."

She slouched down so far she slid off her throne and onto the cold stone floor, where she said in a muffled voice, "I'm just depressed because of some cruel joke the universe has played on me. And the worst part is, I don't get why it happens to me of all ponies..."

The Yeti walked over to Midnight and lifted her back into her seat with his massive paws. He cupped her face and said, "The Universe can do that to anybody, my queen. You just have to push through it, out of curiosity, what do you mean by a "cruel joke"? I do not see any humor in your torment."

Midnight Sparkle conjured up an projection of Burning Star, it was a projection of his battle with Daybreaker and Nightmare Moon. She then spoke over the image, "This is who I'm talking about... Burning Star, The Alicorn of Fire. He is one of he most powerful warriors alive right now, trained by the Shadow King Sombra, and Master of the Fire Element. she then asked the gray-furred bear-thing,"By the way, what is your name, soldier?"

The Yeti smirked, "Well, since the elements of harmony defeated the Storm King, his logical choice for the next leader was Tempest Shadow. But, she is gone, and thus the leadership of the Yetis has fallen to me, Bluster. I'm the Storm King's nephew, his son was killed by King Sombra, that is what drove him from the Southern Kingdom all those years ago. We thought Equestria would be defenseless, which it was at first..."

Bluster shuddered, "But when the Elements of Harmony rolled in and struck down our king, rather easily I might say... and Tempest Shadow left us, I was chosen to lead the Yetis that got away from Canterlot back to the South. We were cowards, Midnight. I intend to fix that... by allying myself with you."

The big Yeti pointed at Midnight and said in a authoritative tone, "Now, look at yourself. Your Queen-Empress Midnight Sparkle, the embodiment of Pure Magic itself!" He suddenly slapped her a couple of times, "My god, PULL YOURSELF TOGETHER! You are supposed to be this all powerful force that will lead us to victory and destroy Celestia, its time for that to happen, not later, NOW."

Midnight shook some sense into herself, and said, "You're right Bluster, I am Midnight Sparkle, I've beaten the Guardians before, I can do it again! 

Midnight suddenly leaned over and kissed Bluster full on the lips, she said, "That's for your advice."

She then created a ball of concussive energy and slugged him with it. "And that's for hitting me. Now let's go, I'll show Celestia and Luna just how outmatched against me they really are!"

Midnight opened the doors to the courtyard and began to address the soldiers, "Soldiers of my army! I thank you for taking the task the invasion of Canterlot. I promise you, when this is all over and everything Celestia and Luna hold dear is destroyed, you will be rewarded greatly!"

A cry of joy came from the crowd of ponies, gryphons, and various other races. 

Midnight continued, taking flight above the army, "The reign of the Two sisters has ruled over this land for thousands of years! They have denied equality to any species but ponies. Gryphonstone lies in Poverty! the territory of Minos is restricted to any military action! Today, WE take what we were denied for too long, and we take it by FORCE!!!"

"Today, we wipe the princesses  Equestria out with our destructive forces and start it over with a clean slate, we will KILL Celestia and Luna, we will DESTROY THE GUARDIANS OF THE SUN, WE WILL CONQUER BOTH WORLDS, AND BEST OF ALL...

The crowd waited in silence as Midnight conjured up something around her, when she finished, she looked like she had merged with a nightmarish being that they hadn't seen in years.

She was clad in armor that was a combination of dark purple and hot pink highlights, she wore a helmet with six black horns, making it seem like she was wearing a crown of spikes. Upon her feathers sat metal knives that looked sharper than any sword in the world, and the wing bones were reinforced with armor as well. 

She looked like Nightmare Moon merged with King Sombra!

Midnight Sparkle roared, "I will FINALLY RULE WITH THE POWER I DESERVE! Now, Onward to victory! Go! First Canterlot will die! then the world will follow suit! Frah-HAhaha-Haha-HA!

As the army marched through the Everfree Forest, Midnight flew overhead, staring at Canterlot, which was barely on the horizon.

She said to herself, "Ohohoho, Celestia. You have no idea how much trouble you are in... no idea in the slightest."

"I'm going to enjoy KILLING you and Luna so much..."

With that, Midnight Sparkle flew at such a speed that she appeared to be a beam of dark purple light streaking across the sky, headed straight for Canterlot!

(Canterlot Castle, Dining Hall)

It was the late evening in Canterlot, Celestia had just lowered the sun to the horizon and Luna had just raised the moon to the edge of the horizon, giving a brilliant sunset effect. 

Ever since the battle in her city, she had been on high alert. Thankfully, the horrible Pony of Shadows was beaten by the Guardians and Burning Star's Hunters, once again showing real bravery and determination to defy this... Midnight Sparkle.

Celestia and Luna had tried to find out more about this demonic Alicorn outside of Crimson Mane's story, but all they knew was that she was living in their old castle... it was protected by a shield that prevented them from seeing what was going on inside it. 

When they had sent a commando unit headed by the recently appointed Commander Flash Sentry, they were sent packing by a Ursa Major made of Plundervines.

They only learned one new thing about this Midnight Sparkle, that she was not messing around at all... summoning Plundervines and creating magic-proof barriers was certainly a testament to her power. 

Hell, even beating her incredible task force, the Guardians of the Sun was reason to be afraid of her. From what she heard, her presence when at full power literally bends the fabric of reality, much like how Discord could manipulate it with his Chaos Magic.

Celestia was sitting alone in the dining hall, eating a slice of strawberry cheesecake to try and calm her nerves.

She had Shining Armor and Princess Cadence arrive earlier that day, and they were just as on edge as she was. The last thing she needed was a surprise. 

Discord, upon hearing of that reality bending part, had offered to chip in as well, his reason was... oddly funny to say the least.

She thought back to what he said, "Excuse Me?! So some wannabe evil empress is bending the fabric of reality, living in MY forest, and is going to destroy Equestria, including everypony here, including Fluttershy? Not on my watch! No, I'm the only one around here that causes chaos, not this... Midnight Sparkle pony. I'll defend my friends, especially Fluttershy."

Celestia then silently chuckled as she remembered that Discord then put on some sort of superhero suit and flew off like SuperPony from the comics. He was saying something along the line of "I'm Super Discord, the Draconequess of Steel!"

She was starting to feel a little calmer when suddenly the door to the dining hall flew open and Celestia shrieked in fright, she looked and saw that it was the last pony she wanted to talk to...

Burning Star.

He immediately grumbled out, "Oh... you're still here, did I scare you, Sunbutt?" 

If Celestia wasn't already white-furred, she would be from that scare. She responded, obvious irritation in he voice, "Well... Good evening to you too, Burning Star." 

The Black Alicorn huffed and said, "Well isn't this just great, now I have to go eat my Peanut Butter and Chocolate Ice Cream somewhere else." He flew over to the ice box that held the ice cream and took out the entire 2 gallon tub before saying with a sneer, "Let's hope you don't ruin it this time. Princess."

Celestia responded, regaining her regal composure, "Burning Star, please sit down. I'd like to speak with you, and your grumpiness and overall blunt personality isn't helping."

The Black Alicorn fumed for a second, before sighing. "Argh... Fine." He pulled up a chair so he was facing the Princess of the Sun, "So, what do you want to talk about? Oh, how about the fact that despite my sheer power that I demonstrated alongside you during our little scuffle with Tirek, the same being who almost doomed your kingdom... you refuse to give me the respect I deserve."

Celestia sighed, she had heard that Noble was making progress with cracking Burning Star's emotional shell, but she however, had no such luck. Burning Star's animosity to the crown and poltics in general was intense, she had seen some of his interactions with the Royal Guards, even the other lords that tried to talk to him he snarled and growled at.

She tried to lighten the mood by poking fun at him, "Must you always be so aggravating and stubborn? I'm trying to have a conversation with you, Lord Burning Star."

She couldn't believe that she had to call him Lord because he is Royalty of Equestria on his world. 

Apparently he was a descendant of King Da'irko, the first king of this land before Luna and her took power. Da'irko died by the hooves of his son, the pony that would eventually be known as King Sombra.

Celestia started talking, "Yes, I would like to thank you for that, in fact... what I wanted to ask you was about your reaction before the battle." She put her soft white hooves on his hard black front hooves, continuing her statement, "Whatever happened to you to make you so... how do I say it?"

Burning Star interrupted, "The word you are looking for is, "Vengeful" and/or "Hateful" yes? Most ponies tend to think that of me." He finished the sentence and swished his mane back, lighting the braziers with bright red fire instead of yellow. 

Celestia shook her head, "I prefer the term, "Hurting", I have heard from Noble Blade that you have begun to unwrap the many layers of emotional turmoil you have." She leaned in closer to him, "I would like to help as well, since your biggest gripe is with the Celestia of your world, perhaps I can provide a example of her point of view?"

Celestia saw Burning Star's mane slowly begin to emit smoke, and she quickly leaned back as she felt his hooves become hotter than boiling lava, even she had limits when it came to heat.

She then watched with great bewilderment, The Alicorn of Fire suddenly froze up and smile sheepishly, before turning away from Celestia and saying with a short huff, "Why should I open up to you? How do I know that your not going to respond the same way that my Celestia did, hm?"

Princess Celestia, summoning all her patience, spoke back to him. "Burning Star, this is a different world, I'm a different Celestia, don't automatically assume we are all the same pony. I mean, look at Firestorm. He may be sarcastic, annoying, and downright infuriating sometimes..."

Burning Star raised an eyebrow, his Mane glowing slightly. "Yeah, what's your point, sunbutt?"

The Princess decided to ignore that comment and continued, "The point, Burning Star, is that despite his quirks, he still has a big heart."

(Canterlot Castle, The Guardians Quarters)

Firestorm suddenly shot upright from his sleep saying, "Was someone talking about me having a big heart?"

He looked around for a little bit, before lying down and saying, "Guess not, time to sleep." And he fell back asleep.

(Canterlot Castle, Dining Room)

Burning Star smirked, "So you are suggesting that I, Burning Star, the Black Alicorn of Fire, ex-student of King Sombra... have a heart underneath my rough exterior? Well..."

Celestia sighed, knowing that he was probably going to deny it again.

What he said legitimately surprised her, "Well... You are absolutely right, Celestia. I do have a heart, I just don't show it in a way other ponies don't understand yet. But getting back on topic, yes... I would like to discuss my past with you. One condition though, Celestia."

The Princess asked, "What is it?"

Burning Star simply stated, a hint of unease in his voice, "Do not hurt me for what I speak about, ok?"

Celestia nodded, "That is fair, so speak your mind, and I'll listen."

Burning Star took a deep breath, and began to speak, "You see, Celestia, I was born an Alicorn, I did not ascend like Twilight or Cadence."

Celestia raised an eyebrow, that was not new to her, Alicornhood was a subject she was familiar with since she was one, but being born an Alicorn was a first...

He continued, "At first I saw it as a curse, as many of the fillies in my village were envious of my ever-growing powers over magic."

Celestia looked confused, and asked. "So where did you immense Magic come from?"

The Black Alicorn responded, "Well  You see, I didn't get into a school of magic like Twilight, I had to learn on my own, until I got my teacher. and oh my was he hard on me."

He laughed a bit, "But, look at me now. I am able to use some of the most advanced spells you can use, both in Light and Dark Magic styles. It was all thanks to my teacher, although I really hate him now."

Celestia asked the obvious question, "Who was your teacher? You mentioned a Unicorn, was it Spiral Horn the Swift? A disciple of Starswirl the Bearded?"

What he said next made Celestia shudder, "Nope, Although I did not know what his name meant when I first became his student, I do remember what his name was... The Shadow King, Sombra. I trained with him for four years, until I was able to kill in nearly every conceivable way a pony could kill."

Celestia froze up at the mention of that cursed name and put a hoof to the black pony's mouth, "W-W-wait, back up. You are saying that you were trained by one of the most dangerous villains in the history of Equestria? THE King Sombra? Surely you kid, Burning Star."

Burning Star shook his head, "Yeah, no Celestia, I'm not one for jokes. Here, I'll show you." He ignited his horn and Celestia watched as suddenly a familiar War Scythe, Crown, and Armor appeared.

It was the attire of King Sombra himself!

Celestia tried to calm the internal panic in her mind to blast this stallion for associating himself with such a vile creature, but she didn't want to hurt him, she promised.

Burning Star continued, "Eventually, Sombra and I went to the Canterlot of my world, for he had heard word of a new, young Alicorn."

Celestia leaned in, "I'm guessing he was looking for Twilight Sparkle? Why didn't he realize you were an Alicorn?" 

Burning Star responded with a chuckle, "Well funny thing about that, Thankfully, I was smart enough not to reveal my wings, or Sombra was too busy prepping himself to make Twilight his student to notice. So, I hid them underneath layer upon layer of illusion spells. When we arrived, he brainwashed me into attacking you and Luna while he went to find Twilight Sparkle."

Celestia went wide eyed, "You attacked your Celestia and Luna? How are you even free, or alive for that matter?"

Burning Star got up, "Well somepony once said that "my body is like a mountain, and just as large." He got up and flexed his wings, showing off the large but lean muscles lining them.  "I'm going off topic again, whoops... yes Thankfully,  you freed me from his control, which unintentionally pissed me off, and I used my Fire Nova Spell to blow up the throne room. So, I traveled to Ponyville and confronted King Sombra, who had found Twilight, and I saved her flanks by impaling Sombra on my horn and throwing him out the window in Twilight's bedroom."

Celestia breathed a sigh of relief... "So what did Twilight do?"

Burning Star finished up his story, "Twilight, her curiosity getting the better of her, pursued me to your old castle on my world. She confronted me and I challenged her to a magic duel, she also had no idea that I was an Alicorn. But despite displaying powers that rivaled hers, she barely beat me down, and I jumped ship to become her partner and I've been good ever since. I swear you should have seen our Duel, it was on par with your battle with Nightmare Moon..."

Celestia asked a very important question next, "Why did you come to beat Midnight? She was out of your mane, Burning Star. You could have just let her be dealt with by Me and Luna."

She leaned in closer, "What made you bend time and space to travel here to stop a foe that clearly isn't on your world anymore?"

Burning Star inhaled and said, "Because I cannot allow another tyrant to rise to power, I have seen the reign of King Sombra on another world, as well as the reign of other villains such as Chrysalis and Nightmare Moon... I could not stop the villain there, for they already had won."

He suddenly took flight as his mane and tail ignited, as his black fur erupted into a bright red hue making him look like a literal star. "I swear on the lives of my friends, I WILL stop Midnight Sparkle, I WILL bring her tyranny to an end, and if it comes to it, I WILL sacrifice my life by taking her into space and use my Supernova Attack, which will kill me as well as her..."

Celestia laughed, so did Burning Star. "In all my years of living, never have I ever heard that level of passion for good in a long time. You're starting to sound like Noble Blade."

The Alicorn of Fire smirked and conjured a guitar out of thin air. He asked Celestia, "Hey Celestia, you know I have a pretty good voice... care to sing something with me?"

Celestia raised and eyebrow, "Like what?"

Burning Star responded, "Do you know the song "Good Little Girl/Bad Little Boy" Celestia?"

The alabaster Alicorn nodded, "Of course! But, you should start first."



Burning Star nodded and began to strum, slowly and serenely.

(Red Italics - Burning Star, Yellow Italics - Celestia)

He sung, "Good little girl. Always picking a fight with me."

Celestia hummed along, hearing her the harmony of his deeper voice with her higher pitch. 

"You know that I'm bad, but your spending the night with me."

"What... do you want... of my world? You're a good little girl."

It was Celestia's turn now, and she sung out. 

"Bad little boy, that's what you're acting like."

"I really don't buy, that your that kinda guy."

Celestia got closer to Burning Star holding hooves with him as they flew into the air, hovering there.

She continued, "And, if you are, why do you want to hang out with me?"

Burning Star suddenly hissed and dropped Celestia to the floor with a laugh.

"Don't you know I'm a villain? Every night, I'm out killing. Sending everyone running like children."

He laid back in mid air, floating right above Celestia's head.

"I know why you're mad at me, I'm got demon eyes, staring right through your anatomy, into your deepest fears.

He floated right in front of Celestia's face, "Babe, I'm not from here, I'm from the Nightosphere. To me you're clear, transparent..."

"You got a thing for me girl, it's apparent." he said as he booped Celestia on the nose, causing the alabaster Alicorn to blush. 

(End song)

Celestia registered what he just said and thwacked him with her hoof, "I most certainly do not, Burning Star!"

The Alicorn of Fire had a wild smirk on his face as he said, "The blush on your face says otherwise, Princess..."

Princess Celestia fumed for a minute, then said, "That is nothing! Are you flirting with me?!"

Burning Star, landed and said in a much more cheerful tone. "Nah, I'm just playing with you. I feel better talking to a Celestia that doesn't want to incinerate me. It feels as if I've had a weight lifted off my back..."

A great boom suddenly went off as the skies lit up with dark purple light.

Celestia was thrown clean out of her chair, so was Burning Star. The second blast shook the room and caused ceiling tiles to fall, and the giant chandelier to drop.

Burning Star saw it was headed right for Celestia and blasted an explosive fireball at it, it shattered into tiny bits.

Burning Star sighed, "...only to be replaced by another weight. Are you ok, Princess Celestia?"

Celestia shook her head to clear her mind, "I am fine thanks to you, what in my name was that?"

Burning Star thought to himself, "I guess Midnight is ready for her seige, bit earlier than I expected. Fine, you give me a battle... I will give you a WAR."

Suddenly, Noble Blade, the Guardians, The Star Hunters, and Crimson Mane burst into the room, each armed and ready for battle.

Noble said in a panicked state, "Princess! She is here!! And she is M-M-MAD!"

Burning Star flew over to Noble and grabbed his face, "Oh great it's the panic induced stuttering, cool it guys."

He let go and walked to the window  as a third blast sent the group sprawling, Burning Star said "So what is the crisis of the day? Tirek back for Round 2? Somepony let loose a Dragon? Let's see what we are dealing with..."

Burning Star attempted to open the window, but it was blown out by a forth blast, letting him see the source of the explosions.

What he saw both made him smile and made him laugh...

It was Midnight Sparkle, and she was hurling balls of explosive magic at the castle wall, she had the glare of a murderer in her eyes and a grin of a madmare on her face.

Burning Star smirked and spoke in his own Royal Canterlot voice, "Well, Well, this is unexpected, I thought you would be saving yourself for the grand finale, but here you are! Finally given up Midnight, or are you really THAT confident in your magic!"

Midnight Sparkle screamed at Burning Star, "Oh my god, HOW DENSE CAN YOU BE! I'm not here to chat, I'm here to obliterate you! That is why we're enemies, we both try to kill each other!"

Princess Luna appeared dressed in full armor, and she tossed her sister her set, saying, "Prepare yourself sister! We have company!"

Celestia looked out to the edge of the city walls and saw an army, all of them under the flag of Midnight Sparkle's mark, a dark pink six pointed star of magic.

Celestia spoke to the she-Demon, "Listen Midnight, why don't we talk this over in the throne room like adults? I'm sure that we can find out whatever is troubling you."

Midnight snarled out, "Fine by me. I guess I can get your last words before I destroy you and Luna, it's only fair..."

(Canterlot Castle, Throne Room)

Everypony was at their battle stations, Shining had the Royal Guard mobilizing and ready to defend the city.

Flash Sentry had flown all the way from Cloudsdale to see Midnight, as he had once had an affair with Twilight, before all this happened...

Midnight stood in front of Celestia and Luna's throne, she looked around and saw the pair of statues of the two sisters. 

Every powerful being in Equestria was here. Discord stood by Celestia's left, Burning Star stood by Luna's right, the Guardians were off fighting in the city, under orders to "hold them off, prevent them from reaching the castle."

Midnight had some of her own personal guard in the throne room with her, it consisted mainly of the Shadowbolts, and a few Yeti Royal Guards. Celestia figured if she had her royal guard, it would be only fair to let this... thing have it's own guard to balance it out.

Midnight walked aimlessly around, looking at the banners on the walls... and she spoke. "Well then, nothing has really changed since I last saw Canterlot Castle, disregarding the holes I blasted in it, this place should be more... how do I say it, intimidating."

Celestia pounded the end of her pike on the ground, "I will not speak to you while you are like this, demon. You have the guts to walk into Canterlot and destroy the livelihoods of the thousands of ponies here? Who do you think you are anyways?"

Midnight Sparkle roared, "I am Queen Empress Midnight Sparkle, the new ruler of this world. I am also your killer, Celestia."

Flash Sentry stepped forwards and said, "Twilight, if you're there, do you remember me? Remember the good times we had?"

Flash Sentry was yanked towards Midnight by her magic and she looked him in the eye and said, "Why, yes... I do remember you Flash. Twilight's memories of you are filled with joy and pleasure, therefore, you will be spared from the annihilation of Equestria. After all, what is a ruler without somepony to enforce the law?"

She extended her wings and wrapped him in them, Shining cried out, "Flash! Don't do this! She is a monster, she is pure evil!"

Flash Sentry turned to say to him, "And who decided what is good and what is evil? You? Celestia and Luna? Where do we draw the line between what is fair and unfair, Shining Armor? From what Midnight is saying, she has every right to wage war, As long as she can handle it."

Flash Sentry stomped his hooves, "I'm sorry, but despite my loyalty to you Celestia, she is my love, and I'll stick by her... even while she is like this."

Midnight pulled him close and embraced him in one of her wings, then kissed him on the lips, earning a growl from Shining Armor.

Shining Armor had never liked her sister "Flashy boy, you made the right choice in joining me... let me tell them what I am, and what I choose to be. I'll send you back to my bedroom, and I'll show you how a QUEEN treats her lover."

Flash was suddenly engulfed in a dark purple light, and disappeared.

Midnight stepped forward and smirked, before slamming everypony to the floor with her magic, "Allow me to show you just how much I am committed to my role... and reveal to you a form that will truly break you Celestia!"

Midnight was engulfed in a purple light, when it died down Twilight Sparkle stood in her place, but she looked... different.

Her lavender eyes had been turned dark purple and leaked maroon smoke, she had her Mane back, but it was more wild, spiked up like a punk rocker. Her body had become quite shapely, with curves and a flank that was well toned. 

Celestia stammered out, "T-Twilight? How could you do this to your own teacher?"

Midnight's response was truly frightening, "No, Celestia. Twilight Sparkle died a long time ago, I am her, but better in every way."

She said in a unnervingly cheery tone, "Allow me to explain this in a way you idiots will understand!"



She began to sway her hips and sing, I'm not the damsel in distress...

She pointed at Shining and Cadence, "I'm not your girlfriend or the frightened princess.

She then swooped over Celestia, continuing to sing, "I'm not a little bird who needs your help to fly, nope!"

She turned back into Midnight Sparkle, "I'm the BAD GUY!"

She pointed to the various soldiers and Villains behind her, "All these evil villains that you see...

She used her magic and forced them to their knees, "Each of them with shaking knees, had knelt before me.

She grabbed one of the yetis, "So I'm not your teammate or your partner in crime. What am I boys?"

The various henchmen all said, "She's the bad guy...

Burning Star could only watch with both amusement and fright as Midnight swung her hips and sung her little song. Shining could not help being turned on by this... and Cadence was even getting a little wet down there as well... she had never seen this side of Twilight.

Despite her evil, She liked this commanding personality...

"Oh its magic, to watch a planet, shrivel Up and DIE!"

She created a small rock shaped like Equestria, and began to crush it until it exploded. Discord cringed at the sight of that.

"Oh its thrilling, to be a villain...

She flew over to Celestia and said to her, "I'll destroy their homes and then I'll watch them CRY!"

Her armor suddenly dropped a mask over her face and she sung in a demonic voice, "Because I'm the Bad Guy!"

(Canterlot, City Streets)

Noble Blade and The Guardians were busy fighting outside in the city again when Noble used a mind reader spell on an unconscious enemy. His face twisted into that of panic.

He called over to Freedom Fighter to take a look at the projection he created from this soldier's memories.

What he saw was Equestria in ruins and completely destroyed, "Oh my god. Midnight's not trying to take over Equestria so she can rule it, she wants to destroy it!"

Freedom said in his head, "Man, that is evil..."

Suddenly, Firestorm screamed bloody murder, "Aaaah! Get these things away from me!" As he rushed past them and went down the block, being trailed by the Shadowbolts.

He circled the block, but unfortunately slammed headfirst into the Guardians and Crimson Mane, within seconds they were surrounded.

(Canterlot Castle, Throne Room)

Meanwhile, Midnight was twirling and spinning while in that frightening Armor. 

She sung out, "Oooh ain't if fantastic? I see something I BLAST it!"

She rushed over to Burning Star, "And let me tell you WHY!"

She got rid of her armor and mask and continued, "I've always had a weakness, for barrenness and bleakness...

She flew over to the statues of the two sisters, "I'LL DESTROY YOU HOPES AND THEN I'LL WATCH YOU CRY!"

She suddenly blasted it with her magic, shattering them and shattering both sisters spirit. 

She grabbed the sisters in her magic, she looked them dead in the eyes and sung,"See I find this business rather fun! I don't need you assistance or your adulations."

Midnight tossed the sisters into the air, they were completely helpless in her grasp. "I'll VAPORIZE Equestria and bid you bye-bye!"

She suddenly glared at Luna and Celestia again, "Why? C'MON GUESS!"

The two sisters swallowed hard, admitting something they never thought "Cause, you're the bad guy?"

Midnight's face twisted into a mad grin, "Well... Girl, but you get the point."

Finally, Midnight Sparkle threw back her head and laughed a wicked laugh. "Ah-hahahah-Haha-Haaaa!"

(Cut the song)

Meanwhile, While Midnight Sparkle was evil and nasty, Burning Star couldn't happen to think that she looked pretty sexy while being evil! 

But, that would have to take a backseat as during her little song, he was quickly charging one of the most powerful spells in existence, which was first used by Tirek.

The Horn Hyper Beam!

Midnight dropped the sisters to the ground where they landed with a loud crash. She then flew into the air and said in a commanding voice, "NOW, MY LITTLE PONIES! YOU WILL ALL BE DESTROYED BY MY POW-

Suddenly, Burning Star said, "Listen here, Baby. I loved your song, i mean... great job, I'm guessing you've rehearsed that a lot. But in the words of a famous wrestler pony..." 

she was quickly hit by a beam of bright red thermal energy that sent her crashing through the wall, shattering the windows with the impact and the resulting explosion of air as it rapidly combusted to form the Horn Hyper Beam.

Midnight sailed clear over the horizon, and Discord went out to the city and snapped his eagle claw, within seconds, Midnights Army turned into a bunch of woodland creatures like rabbits and mice, he then snapped them again and they all disappeared, sending them back to Midnight's castle.

Burning Star finished his sentence, "Your time is up, my time is now."

Discord floated over to Burning Star, transforming into a war medal and pinned it to his chest, and the medal actually spoke to him, "Well done Burning Star! Bravo, everypony give this guy a round of applause."

Twelve more copies of Discord appeared and started clapping and cheering in joy, even Celestia smiled at the sight of Burning Star saving her and her kingdom from certain destruction.

Crimson Mane and the Hunters and Noble Blade and the Guardians burst into the throne room, all of them ready for battle.

Crimson Mane shouted, her metal wings flared like a set of knives, "Alright Midnight Sparkle! This is your last chance to surrender! Give..." she looked around and saw Burning Star panting from exhaustion. 

The Horn Hyper Beam may be powerful, but it expends a ton of magical energy... and his reserves were nearly empty. 

Noble Blade asked Celestia, "Um Princess? Care to explain what happened here?"

Celestia nodded and began to speak, "Well, Midnight burst in here, started singing about how evil and wicked she was, Burning Star stopped her and sent her packing with a Horn Hyper Beam attack, Discord teleported the army of Midnight away, and here we are. That clear it up for you?"

Burning Star did a hair flip, sending embers into the air. He said unknowingly out loud, "Oh yeah! I beat Midnight! all by myself! Hahaha!"

Everpony stared at him for a few seconds, before laughing a little bit as well.

Noble stepped forward and said, "Well color me surprised, I believe I was wrong about you, Burning Star. You are not always the selfish, insensitive pony I thought you were. How come you saved Celestia and Luna? I thought you hated them?"

Burning Star shrugged, "Well, I... uh, I can't believe I'm saying it. I took you advice and applied it... I let Celestia know why I was mad at her, and she was strangely ok with it. Most ponies tend to run away from me when I tell them about my past."

He continued, "Also, this isn't my world, Noble. And so, I made my decision to not hold this Celestia and Luna to the hostile behavior I have for my worlds Celestia and Luna. So, for now... I'm going to focus and behave myself around here... you deserve to see me when I'm at my full power."

He finished speaking and smirked, "Now Come on, let's get some rest..."

Firestorm chimed in, "Wait! What about Stygian?"

Burning Star rolled his eyes, "Listen Stormy boy, Stygian may have been freed, but he knows he cannot triumph against the combined might of our forces, and when he sees Midnight broken and battered by my powers... he will think twice before messing with us."

(Castle of Darkness, Throne Room)

Stygian was not a happy Pony.

Not only was he defeated yesterday, but he was also imprisoned and humiliated. 

But then Midnight rolled up to the city with the army he brought her, and the army freed him, so he was happy...

Until he became sad again by Midnight crashing through the ceiling of the castle, she looked as if she was hit by something extremely powerful.

Midnight Sparkle called out to him, "Stygian... help me. I was beaten by those idiots and Burning Star... and I'm critically wounded. Get me to my room, now..."

Stygian got up and hoisted Midnight onto his back, saying "You should have freed me yourself and we could have fought the sisters together as a team, but did you? No, now look at you, your beaten to a pulpy mess."

Midnight snarled, "Well you don't have to be such a dick about this, Stygian. Besides, I've brought home some company... he is waiting in my bedroom, and I can't keep him waiting."

The host of the Pony of Shadows sighed, "Fine. I'll take you to your room, but first I'm going to let you in on something I did find out about Burning Star."

Midnight Sparkle sighed, "What? What could have possibly found out about this irritating little pest that..."

Stygian cut her off, "He has his own Dark Side as well... I engaged in mental combat with him, and I stumbled upon this dark side of his personality. Oh sweet Faust he is evil, Burning Star must have some seriously strong willpower to keep this beast in check."

Midnight, now somehow miraculously recovering, jumped off of Stygian and asked him. "What did you say? That flame-covered Brute has his own inner demon?" 

she kissed Stygian on the head, "Oh you are the best, my little Pony of Shadows! This changes our plan though."

The host of The Pony of Shadows raised an eyebrow, "Changes it to what, exactly?"

Midnight Sparkle walked to her door and said to him, "We get this beast to come out and destroy Equestria for us, then... we arrive to destroy it and build off the ashes of the world. How does that sound?"

Stygian went wide-eyed, "Well, it sounds risky... and downright insane... but it could work. We would need somepony to distract those Guardians of the Sun and Star Hunters first. Who haven't they faced yet?"

Midnight Sparkle's face suddenly twisted into an evil smile, she knew exactly who to send for her final minion, "Stygian, go to the archives and look up this name and file. Read it and bring it to me tomorrow morning, I have something... important to do with my former coltfriend, get to it!"

Stygian asked the obvious question, "Well, what name is it?"

With a truly frightening tone, Midnight uttered the name of one of the most dangerous beings that Equestria had spawned...

"Find me... DAYBREAKER!"
> Chapter 14: In The Dark of The Night
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Castle of Darkness, Library)

The Castle of Midnight Sparkle was truly a sight to behold, with its sheer size that seemed to grow the more you looked at it.

Despite Midnight's denial that she was nothing like Twilight, the whole castle was a testament to her constant denial 

The color scheme was purple, black, and had red and hot pink accents, not a clear blue and light lavender like the Castle of Friendship. 

It was heavily inspired by older castles, having flaming braziers that spewed unnatural purple and black flames, filling the whole room with dim light, it gave the appearance that the castle was underneath a black light you would commonly see at dance parties across Equestria. 

But for the practicality factor, it was most awful. The halls were like mazes, making it easy to get lost...

the rooms were huge and full of little shadows that invaders could hide in... 

To Stygian, now storming down the hallways trying to find the library, it was his worst thing about living here.

While he could teleport everywhere like Midnight did, he found it wasteful expending magic, since he often saved his own magic reserves up in order to maintain himself as the Pony of Shadows during the heat of battle. 

Unlike Midnight, he wasn't a pony with limitless magic, although he had astronomically sized magic reserves, there were two disadvantages with his Pony of Shadows body that made it more efficient just to walk around as himself. 

One, his Pony of Shadows body was extremely costly, he remembered that a few months after he left Canterlot, he nearly killed himself from lack of energy when he found out he could turn into it again, he was in control of his power. 

Two, While The Pony of Shadows was extremely powerful, perhaps powerful enough to take on and destroy Midnight... it was not the easiest thing to move around as... both the Pony of Shadows's mind and Stygian's mind needed to work in unison to just move the damn thing. 

He once thought that, despite his energy weaknesses, he assumed the form was indestructible in every way...

Oh how he was wrong... so very wrong.

Ever since a few days ago, Burning Star figured out how to break the shell, now he can go for the chick inside.

That chick being Stygian...

The Pony of Shadows began to speak to Stygian as he walked into the library, no pony ever came here except Midnight when she was bored. 

Midnight's library was filled with thousands of books, each of which she had read within a single week. They were all from Burning Star's world, since this world had not caught up in history yet... It took Stygian a week to finish just ONE BOOK.

The dark entity spoke, "Oh do not look so glum, my boy! We finally have a chance to destroy Midnight and you're going to ignore it?! When is this plan of yours coming into play, Stygian?!"

Stygian said something that took his other half by surprise, "Ok then Partner here is what will happen if I execute my plan now, supposed We kill her, then what? We will be alone in this war."

The Pony of Shadow was about to respond but Stygian cut him off, "If you're going to suggest we take on Canterlot, then it is a fools errand, we run into Canterlot again horn ablaze, Burning Star WILL cut us down like wheat in a field! He has shown that he can wound us, I have no doubt he has any problems killing us off for good!"

The Pony of Shadows snapped back, "No! We were wearing him down! I've seen his mind, He is weak, we can kill-"

Stygian roared at a volume that would have been more suited for the being he was talking to, and it shook the room.

"NO WE CANNOT KILL HIM!"

The dark beast fell silent for once, and Stygian walked down the silent corridors of the library, searching for the file on this "Daybreaker."

Stygian wondered something, 

who in Tartarus was Daybreaker? 

Who He/She was, He/She sounded pretty strong if Midnight wanted this file to be brought to her.

Stygian remembered that Midnight had asked him to read the file. He opened it with a sigh and began to read aloud, since he knew that his other half was listening...

"Daybreaker, The Empress of the Sun."

Stygian stopped reading and said to his shadow, "Wait? Empress of the Sun? I thought Celestia controlled that burning ball of gas in the sky?"

The Pony of Shadows returned and manifested itself beside Stygian, saying "Yes, interesting. Perhaps there is another Alicorn who commands the sun... Keep reading! We must find out what or who this... Daybreaker is."

Stygian began to read, each paragraph was written neatly, so he didn't have to use a translator spell...

"Daybreaker... the empress of the sun... the solar tyrant... little is known about what Daybreaker is expect for one factor. Daybreaker is the hypothetical version of Celestia if she ended up like Nightmare Moon... she is brilliant, cunning, and a master of Alicorn Magic. Celestia only once saw herself as Daybreaker, when she peered into the dreams of a Unicorn called Starlight Glimmer, who had unintentionally switched Celestia and Luna's cutie marks in an attempt to mend their sisterly bond. Daybreaker fought Nightmare Moon in Starlight's dream, but both Celestia and Luna stopped their own personal fighting and Daybreaker was erased from existence."

Stygian slammed his hoof on the desk, snapping it in two, and he threw the book away, "What!? Oh come on! Then why in the holy realm of Faust did Midnight send me here?"

The Pony of Shadows pointed to a smaller book within the book, it must have fallen out during his little tantrum, "Hey Genius, there is more to this story. Look! Another book."

Stygian picked up the little book, its cover was made of hard red Dragonskin Leather, It had runes of magic etched on the spine, and it had the title "DAYBREAKER" emblazoned on it.

Stygian picked up the book with his magic grip, but it responded by blasting him with a large blast of magic. 

The Pony of Shadows's body engulfed him and created a large magic shield, blocking the blast. 

The book began to violently rumble and shake, it fired off stray bullets of magic that seemed to hit the walls of the library, inches from the priceless books. 

Stygian remembered how much Midnight loves reading, and how he once heard describe that she once lived in a giant tree library when she was still known as Twilight... 

When a giant demonic beast named Tirek appeared and started absorbing the worlds magic from nearly everyone in Equestria, Twilight was imbued with the power of all Alicorn Magic...

Tirek's reaction to seeing Twilight... 

blasting a Horn Hyper Beam right at her house and destroying it completely. 

Stygian apparently found out that Twilight Sparkle battled this "Tirek" to a standstill, Tirek thought he won when he bargained her friends lives for her magic, but the Element Bearers suddenly unleashed some kind of... Rainbow Beam... Rainbow Power... whatever, either way, they totally crushed him in one shot. 

He was thinking off topic, TLDR... Midnight would obliterate him if her precious literature was destroyed. 

Stygian moved his shield over the book and encased it in a magic bubble... where it still thrashed about. 

The Pony of Shadows's body disappeared from around him and Stygian was left to carry the book, CAREFULLY, to Midnight's throne room. He silently dreading what will happen next.

(Midnight's Castle, Throne Room)

Midnight Sparkle sat in her throne tapping her hoof, she was not a patient mare today... 

She had a Flash Sentry to get back to, and she wouldn't miss that for her minion Stygian slacking off!

Stygian opened and walked through the door with the book still in his little bubble, Midnight clapped with glee.

"Well done, Stygian. You found the book I was looking for... I'll take that from you please."

Midnight popped the bubble around the book and grabbed it with her own magic... before doing something Stygian hoped would not happen.

Midnight opened the book, laid it out on the floor, and spoke an UNSEALING SPELL!

The host of the Pony of Shadows was starting to put two and two together, that book wasn't about Daybreaker...

That Book is Daybreaker!

The Pony of Shadows appeared and covered Stygian in its body, it threw up a black shield barely in time. 

With a blinding flash of light, and a loud bang, the book exploded into a burst of solar plasma and Stygian could only look for so long before he needed to shield his eyes from the bright light.

When the light died down, what he saw was extremely frightening.

Before him stood a White Alicorn with blazing fire for her mane and tail, she had bright orange and red armor on that had wing-like spikes on the breastplate. Sharp teeth hung in her mouth, and a forked tongue slithered out. 

Her eyes were burning pools of dark orange and yellow with reptilian pupils, and there was a look of pure insanity in them.

Daybreaker let out a mad laugh, "Oh Finally! I was getting tired of reliving my defeat over and over! Now, I can finally take my rightful place as true ruler of this world, and my sun shall NEVER SET!"

Midnight cleared her throat to get the attention of the twisted version of Celestia, Midnight spoke to her, "Uh, down here Lady Daybreaker."

Daybreaker snapped her beck downwards to see Midnight Sparkle, and she gave an evil smile of satisfaction.

Daybreaker spoke to Midnight, "Ah! TWILIGHT! Glad to see you finally let your mane down like I have, tell me... did you find me, my most favorite student... or did that little coward over there do it?"

Daybreaker pulled Stygian from his hiding place, literally ripping him from the Pony of Shadows's shield and wrenched him closer, he winced at the bright light coming off of her mane. It was like staring into the sun... blinding.

Daybreaker began to speak again, "While you are a coward, I believe that thanks are in order, little Stygian. Oh yes, I know of you, and your friend in the shadows. But let me tell you this, host of shadows, cowards will not survive under my rule." 

Daybreaker dropped Stygian like a bag of wet cement and he booked it for the nearest exit. The Pony of Shadows went with him.

Midnight Sparkle scowled, "I'll have you know I intend to make him my NEW number one assistant when this is all over, do not hurt Stygian!"

Daybreaker scoffed, "Hmph, fine. I see you've redecorated our old castle... well... THIS worlds Celestia's old castle, are trying to establish your own rule, Twilight? If so, way to go with the commitment!"

Midnight facehoofed and said in a deadpan tone, "Listen here, Daybreaker! we both know why I summoned you. You want to destroy Luna on this world or the other, maybe even both? So go ahead, but I have one task for you first. I have this group of warriors that are bothering me... you take them out as well as Luna, I can easily destroy this and the other worlds Celestia... How does that sound?"

Daybreaker smiled and nodded, destroying Luna, great... destroying TWO Lunas?! She was in heaven...

Midnight opened a portal to Canterlot, it was in the castle throne room, during the middle of the night.

Daybreaker jumped with glee into it, knowing full well how much she is going to enjoy destroying Luna's precious night with her rising sun.

Midnight whispered to herself, "Please, for the love of myself, do NOT LOSE. If you do, I have no choice but to launch myself against Burning Star alone..."

(Canterlot Castle, Central Hallway)

While everypony was asleep, clearly tired from the recent few days, Burning Star was talking with this worlds Princess Luna as the walked through the hallways.

Yes, he needed rest like anypony else... but he needed somepony to talk to about his inner demon. For that demon was clawing and screaming to get free.

Luna trotted alongside the large black Alicorn, she was listening intensely to his whole speech about what he was dealing with in regards to his dreams, which she noted were quite violent, well more violent than what he considered "normal"

Princess Luna asked him, "Does thou tell anypony other than Noble and us of this, "Dark Star" you have informed us of?"

Burning Star shook his head, "No, Noble and his friends found out on their own, I've only told you... well... other you, of Dark Star and his reason for existing. Is there any way to get rid of him?"

Luna put her hoof against his head and sighed, "Unfortunately, no. we... I mean I, do not have such power as to stop a demon such as this, the same goes for this Midnight Sparkle, you said your mentor knew how to stop Dark Star, yes?"

Burning Star raised an eyebrow, "What are you suggesting? That I just go back to my mentor and beg him to remove this thing?"

Luna nodded, "Yes, that is exactly what I'm saying. While he's here, We can kill two birds with one stone and take down both Dark Star AND Midnight Sparkle at the same time! I am truly a genius, aren't I?"

Burning Star sighed, and said, "Listen, Princess Luna..."

His words were cut off by the sun rising high into the sky and burning with great intensity...

Wasn't it a bit early for Celestia to raise the sun?

Burning Star lost his train of thought as he heard several doors smashing as Princess Celestia flew through them right at him, screaming and covered in battle wounds.

Princess Luna was shoved aside as Celestia was physically caught by Burning Star, only for him to be flung back through another two sets of doors that led to the Guardian's and Hunter's quarters.

Freedom was the first one up and ready, had he slept in his battle clothing? 

Hiller and Quickfire tumbled out of bed by the sudden impact, where they lay on the ground absolutely dizzy.

Noble was the first to ask, his tone filled with irritation from lack of rest, "What in the name of Tartarus deep was that!?"

He looked to the broken door and looked right to the end of the bed, where Burning Star had skidded to a stop by melting his hooves into the floor until they stuck like tar. 

Burning Star picked up Celestia and felt for a pulse, there was one, but it was not very strong...

The Black Alicorn got up and pulled his hooves out of the floor, before creating a large bastard sword with a blade made of superheated rock.

He said in an icy voice that was quite ironic considering what his name was.

"Hey boys, We got company. Arm yourselves, Midnight has one last guest for us to entertain."

(Canterlot Castle, Throne Room)

Daybreaker was having the time of her life as she continued to increase the sun's output... it was turning a bright red, and the thermostat steadily rose.

Noble had his helmet and armor off, only his sword was on his back, yet he was still sweating buckets, as were the rest of the ponies that burst into the throne room.

Oddly, only three ponies were not sweating even a little.

Burning Star was fine for obvious reasons, The guy can light himself on fire, so sweat wasn't much of an Issue.

Hiller outright stated before that the Virus he has adapts to its surroundings...

But Quickfire was another case entirely... you would expect somepony covered in tightly-padded leather would roast like a turkey on Hearts Warming Eve... but all he got for a response was,

"I'll survive. I've been through worse..."

Daybreaker sat lazily on the throne of Celestia, admiring who walked in. A bright light obscured her from them.

She knew she would have to destroy the Guardians of the Sun, but there was no denying that they all looked really good sweating their flanks off. 

Noble Blade didn't know who this was, but whoever this was, she posed a threat. This heat was sweltering and this light was blinding... but he will not falter now.

Drawing his sword, he said with all the strength he could. "Identity yourself, demon!"

Daybreaker smirked and said in Celestia's voice, "Oh Noble? You don't recognize your princess? Have you gone blind?"

Firestorm chimed in with a small quip, "We may go blind due to this freaking light, pal! Turn it off!"

Burning Star snorted in anger and ignited his horn, the light immediately disappeared, revealing the twisted form of Daybreaker, 

This earned a gasp from Noble, a scream from Firestorm, and a snort of surprise from Freedom...

All Burning Star did was roll his blue eyes.

He thought to himself, "Come on Midnight, give me a new foe."

He stepped forward and assumed a battle stance, his large flaming sword was ablaze, making it look like a pillar of white light, even amongst the bright orange and red sky. 

Burning Star stepped forward with bravery you would only find in dragons, "So, I figured it was only a matter of time before I would have to send you away again, Daybreaker! Tell me, does Midnight hold your flaming leash this time?"

Daybreaker stomped forward and roared, "She will be holding your HEAD by the time I'm finished tearing you apart! Your mentor isn't here to save you now! Ehehehe-Hahahaha-HAHA!"

Burning Star pondered what to say next, then he had an idea.

Reaching into his bag, he threw a Distortion Orb on the ground behind the Guardians, causing a portal to appear, leading to his world.

Noble screamed at Burning Star, "What are you doing?! We can help beat this... Daybreaker." 

Burning Star shook his head and saw that Quickfire drew his blade, eye burning with white-hot fury, and Hiller created a giant blade out of one of his hooves, his own eyes dead set on Daybreaker.

Burning Star shouted back, "No! Your bond with Celestia will render you unable to harm her! I have an idea, go find my mentor, Noble! He can stop Midnight, we will hold off Daybreaker until you return, here!"

Burning Star tossed Noble a Distortion Orb, and said, "That Orb will not activate until you return with him! Now Go! Go!"

Noble watched Burning Star shed a single tear as he pushed Noble into the swirling vortex, and he and the Star Hunters lunged at Daybreaker.

He couldn't seal her, but he knew somepony who could...

(The Frozen North)

The Guardians fell into the icy dirt, they were back on Burning Star's world...

Noble collapsed to his knees and wept, he couldn't save them in time, Daybreaker and Midnight Sparkle would surely overwhelm them...

Or... he could take a gamble and hope that he... Burning Star's mentor... listens to him and doesn't kill him and his partners.

Firestorm flew into the air in panic, "What are we going to do?! We are stuck on his world with no way back! Meanwhile, your hot-headed friend is dancing with another demon that Midnight summoned from her possibly limitless Magic reserves!"

Firestorm grabbed Noble Blade and Freedom Fighter, somehow hurling them into the dirt. "All of this wouldn't have been prevented if we just killed him and his friends. Then, we would not be wading in our own blood!"

Noble slapped Firestorm, who was in tears, before saying "No, you idiot! We would be wading the blood of our family and friends plus our own! What about your sister?! What would she think of you if you gave up now."

Firestorm thought of his sister... what would she think of him?

Noble Blade drew his sword and pointed to the north. "We cannot sulk now... we must move."

Off in the distance, maybe 1-2 miles away, stood a giant black castle nestled in among the mountains like an egg in a nest of some dragon. It had giant black and silver towers, each reaching high into the snow clouds, a Great Wall stood about half a mile away from them... behind it stood... a long path leading to other little keeps, before ending at the massive castle.

He felt something alien on him... he reached into his armor and pulled out an unknown emblem.

He didn't put it there, perhaps Burning Star did?

It was a circular object, about the size of his hoof, emblazoned on it was an unknown logo. 

The logo was a Red five pointed star of flames, surrounded by a quote in ancient Equestrian...

It read, "For safe passage past death, hold me at its doorstep."

He spoke to his partners, no, friends. "Listen, Burning Star said that he had a mentor, and that he went north, unless he wanted to freeze to death in the icy wastes, he would come here to the only place that was hospitable. And that place is supposedly here, now are you coming or what?"

Firestorm got to his feet, so did Freedom Fighter.

Noble signaled for them to clean up and get ready.

So they pressed on into the distance, towards the black castle and the great wall of dark stone...

From the black castle, watched a single batpony with red eyes and white skin...

An Albino.

The Batponies were much more resilient than the Pegasus to the cold, being able to grow fur around their necks and breast muscles. 

And their tough, leathery wings do not freeze like feathers do because they are warmed by blood...

The albino bat pony swooped down and landed in front of a shadowy mass... 

The Shadow spoke, "Wraith, what is it? Can you not see I am resting?"

Wraith bowed in respect, "I'm sorry, My Lord. But there is a trio of ponies approaching our third keep courtyard. They appear to be armed. Wait... one of them is holding up something..."

The Shadow got up and peered in the window. It saw something he never thought he would see...

A five pointed star of fire...

Suddenly, it said... "Well I'll be damned... cease fire." The shadow signaled to a team of archers that there was no threat.

The Shadow walked to the large chair in the room and sat down, before saying.

"Go my guards, let them in... they are friends of an old friend. They are to gain entrance, to my Castle Nevermore."

(Castle Nevermore, Throne Room)

Noble Blade stepped onto the last step of the cast staircase that lay on the side of the mountain, but they were let up without any trouble.

On another note, who takes time out of the day to build thousands of stairs up the side of a icy mountain! 

Strangely, no guards were seen... or at least weren't seen. Freedom Fighter had seen some tracks from something... no somepony.

It took all three of them to open the great stone door. They each walked into the great room, it was still freezing in the room as is it was outside. 

Freedom sensed something was up, all of them did. But they could only see darkness...

Suddenly, a voice arose from the back of the room.

"Who are you?"

Firestorm got into the air and shouted back, "Bigger question is who are you? You opened the door for us, thanks by the way."

The voice got closer, "Why do you have the seal of Burning Star with you?"

Noble chimed in, "Because were friends-"

The Guardians were suddenly knocked down by a powerful gust of wind from the roaring voice in the darkness. "LIES! BURNING STAR HAS NO ALLIES!"

Freedom heard the sound of many footsteps, somepony sounded the alarm.

And, probably this big blowhard here was stalling...

Noble finally cried out, "Ok... I've had it with ponies hidden in darkness. Reveal yourself to us, I know who you are, King of Shadows. I do not fear you anymore! Burning Star set us to find his mentor, you!"

Freedom and Firestorm looked at Noble Blade, both of them thought...

"What in Celestia's name was he talking about? Mentor?"

Noble snorted as he unsheathed his sword and ignited it into it's magic charged form.

But instead of blue, the aura was bright red... like Burning Star's... 

The sound of footsteps stopped, and there was a piercing silence...

Before a slow clapping of metal covered hooves and a deep, short laugh. 

"So Burning Star did send you... well this changes a few things... excuse me for a moment."

Suddenly all the darkness shrank away to reveal quite a large amount of ponies in armor, each with a weapon at the ready and pointing right at them.

The torches blazed to life and the shadow finally settled down on the great obsidian throne.

Noble scowled, "So what I saw wasn't a dream... you are alive."

Freedom and Firestorm looked up to see a great black stallion sitting upon a black throne, his eyes were a sickly green and held red slitted pupils. His black mane and muzzle had a little gray in it towards the edges, but nonetheless it was who they feared it was.

Before then sat the Shadow King, Sombra!

Sombra bellowed in a voice that echoed around them. "Welcome, To CASTLE NEVERMORE!"

Freedom had his hooves at the ready to draw his weapons, so did Firestorm... both of them knew one thing.

This won't end well if they messed up.

King Sombra trotted over to the trio and stood in front of them, he was massive, easily a head taller than Freedom Fighter. 

He extended his own Weapon, a great War Scythe, and clashed it with Noble's sword, a small spark emerged from them. A sign of respect and trust amongst warriors, to come this close with weapons drawn outside of battle.

Suddenly a smaller voice piped up from the door on the right, and out stepped a purple unicorn with an icy blue mane. Upon her flank a caduceus sat, signaling a talent for healing. 

The voice said, "Sombra? What is keeping you?"

Sombra made a quick 180 and said, "Oh Faust... Nothing, Hope my dear! We have company that's all... go back to bed, I will be with you shortly!" he whispered in all of their ears, "What in Tartarus deep are you doing here? Why would Burning Star send you?"

Noble spoke to him, a smug grin on his face, "King Sombra, have we caught you at an... "inappropriate" time?"

King Sombra snorted, "Don't joke with me, KNIGHT. I think I know why you are here... Burning Star has finally grown fed up with me and thus he sends his assassins to kill me." the war scythe suddenly flew back and ignited into a crescent of green fire. "I will kill you for your attempt on my life!"

The giant scythe was stopped by a pair of swords covered in fire, and a large battle staff. 

King Sombra stood in shock, never had his swing been stopped by sheer force alone... 

Firestorm screamed at him, "Jeez! Calm down, Mister! We aren't here to kill you!"

He put his weapon down and said, "Well... If you are not here to kill me, why did Burning Star send you three out into the wastes of the Frozen North?"

Firestorm spoke, "We are here to ask for your help, big man. So don't make us angry, or I'll sick Freedom Fighter on you."

Sombra took a look at Freedom Fighter and saw a reflection of himself in his eyes. They were cold and red, just like his...

King Sombra spoke, his voice was baritone, but somehow it was deeper. "Well, you obviously are not stupid enough to fall for my bluff and run charging into the darkness like many warriors before you... so, you have piqued my interest."

Suddenly, the guards surrounding them started to advance, Sombra put up his hoof, "Stop! They are not my enemy, they are guests for now, and I believe they have news for me. Now begone!"

With perfect unison, all the guards in Red and Black walked orderly out of the throne room, with Sombra's Royal Guard, in Gold and Black, moved to their kings side. 

King Sombra ignited his horn, picking up the three of them in his magic grasp, disarming them instantly as well as summoning three guards. 

He said to the Guardians, "My... companion Hope has a rule against no weapons when we are speaking. So I will be taking those." 

Noble looked confused, "You see, I tend to have an itchy hoof for my scythe when communicating with beings that are new to me or beings that annoy me, or both."

Freedom was about to protest, but Sombra's voice stopped even him cold, "Do not worry, your equipment will be maintained and taken careful care of, my weaponsmiths never fail me, and thus they will not fail you."

Firestorm looked around at the long hall, despite being in a closed space, he felt no claustrophobia.

Sombra noticed this and smirked, "Do you have claustrophobia, Pegasus?"

Firestorm shook his head rapidly, "N-No! I'm fine!"

Sombra gave him a knowing look, "Yes you do, do not fret, my feathery friend. I have made my rooms large because many of my flying legions roost here in the very halls. So when I say I have eyes and ears everywhere... I mean it."

Firestorm scanned the ceiling and saw dozens of pairs of yellow and red eyes, as well as long fangs. 

He thought to himself, "He has batponies?! Wow, I know he is evil, well... sorta, I'm not sure yet... but that is seriously awesome!"

Noble asked the king an obvious question, "Where are you taking us?"

Sombra smiled, his sharp teeth glinting in the torchlight, "To the meeting hall, and to get you three some coats, it's freezing in Frozen North."

Freedom signed out with his hooves, Noble translated, omitting some of the colorful language he used. "No Duh, Sombra. The reason he cannot speak is because he is mute."

Sombra bowed his head in gloom, "I know, I've met ponies in my travels with their entire vocal cords ripped to shreds, leaving any words they said a bloody gutteral growling mess... they could not even cry out in pain when killed, it is truly tragic."

Noble Blade and the Guardians were dropped into preserved Mahogany wood chairs, They suddenly had coats thrown on them as well. They were made of yeti fur, with was heat retaining and extremely resistant to cold. 

Noble began to speak, "This is quite the impressive castle. How did you build this so far into the Frozen North?"

King Sombra smirked, "It is amazing how much you can accomplish when you have mastery over Dark magic, Knight."

Sombra pulled up his own chair, and leaned his large head on his hooves, "So tell me, you three. What brings you, under my former students command, to Castle Nevermore, hm?"

Firestorm spoke up, "Noble let me explain this one, ok?"

Firestorm took to the air and began to speak, "You see we come from another world entirely, an evil Alicorn has come to our world to conquer it..."

Firestorm went on and on, King Sombra slowly staring at him in utter enrapturement by the fast talking Pegasus's speech.

Firestorm finally landed and took a deep breath, "And that is pretty much it... so, yeah... Midnight Sparkle is on our home."

The name Midnight Sparkle made Sombra frown, he got up and said, "Well this is rather concerning, Why did I not see this coming? Of course that stupid spell I helped cast to send the windigos to Tartarus didn't reach her as well... now your world is doomed."

Noble spoke up, "It will be doomed you do not help us quickly, please!"

Sombra shouted, "NO! I will not involve myself in another conflict with that beast, she is your worlds concern, not mine."

Noble played his trump card, saying, "Also, she wants this world as well. So, wether you like it or now, you are going to have to face her again... also, Daybreaker is there too..."

Sombra raised an eyebrow, "Really now? Ok then, I will lend my assistance to your cause, I know it is sudden, but this world should not know the pain of Midnight Sparkle again. And Daybreaker, foals play, I have a vendetta against her, leave it to me. I have a curse to prepare to stop Midnight Sparkle, come with me."

Sombra ignited his horn and the fireplace extinguished, revealing a set of steps. The Guardians descended after him... knowing that this way lie answers.

King Sombra sighed, "I see now that my dark powers will not be wasted."

King Sombra lifted a jar of some sort into the air, it was filled with greenish-purple liquid. Pure Dark Magic! "And the last of Midnight Sparkle will Die! Gra-hahahahah-Ha!"

He suddenly looked around, seeing everypony recoiling in fear. He grinned sheepishly, "Whoops, force of habit... for me... evil is a second language."

Sombra ignited his horn and The Guardians had their weapons teleport to them, they were all polished and shiny... and etched with powerful runes.

Sombra spoke, "Those runes are a special spell I prepared for you. I call it, "Alicorn-Blight" It will allow you to injure Alicorns greatly, perhaps kill them."

King Sombra shut the opening behind him, saying, "Follow me, Guardians. My spell is near..."



Suddenly, guards appeared as King Sombra began to sing.

(For future notice, Bold Italics- Sombra, Normal Italics-Guards, Capitalized Bold Italics-both)

"In the dark of the night I was tossing and turning."

He swished himself around, "And the nightmare I had was as bad as can be!"

He levitated into the air, "It scared me out of my wits!" he suddenly exploded, sending body parts flying and rolling around. "A corpse falling to bits!"

His head rolled in front of Firestorm, and it suddenly started singing as well! "And when I opened my eyes the nightmare was ME!"

Firestorm screamed in terror, even Freedom was unnerved by Sombra's apparent disregard for... well... sanity, and King Sombra laughed, before reassembling himself.

"I was the most mystical mage in all Equestria!"

The guards started singing, "Ooh-Ah-Ooh."

He stepped forward to a table, "When the sisters betrayed me, they made a mistake!"

"Ooh-Ah-Ooh."

King Sombra created an image of the Two Alicorn sisters weeping over the loss of their student. "My curse made both of them pay. But Midnight somehow got away!"

The image focused on Midnight's face, "Little Midnight beware, King Sombra's awake!"

All the guards started singing, 

"In the dark of the night evil will find her! In the dark of the night, just before dawn!"

King Sombra stopped in front of the warped mirror down in his secret lair-thing. Revenge will be sweet, WHEN THE CURSE IS COMPLETE!

"In the dark of the night...

Sombra snarled, "She'll be gone!!!"

Two female guards appeared, surrounding Firestrom. ooo-ooh-Ooooh-oooaa

He nervously said, "Uh ladies, not now..."

Sombra's Scythe suddenly flew to his side, "I can feel my powers slowly returning... Tie my cape and a dash of cologne for my smell!"

The Guardians were suddenly lifted into the air and guards tied his signature crimson cape and sprayed him with cologne, giving him the scent of fresh spruce trees.

The mirror created an image of Midnight Sparkle, "As the pieces fall into place, I'll see her CRAWL into place!"

He wheeled around on his heels, now standing On his hind legs, "Do Svidaniya, Midnight your grace! FAREWELL!"

The Guardians followed him deeper, absolutely amazed by his guards dedication, going along with his insane lyrics.

"In the dark of the night, terror will strike her!

"Terror is the LEAST I can do!"

"In the dark of the night, evil will brew! OOO-Ooh-Aaah-Ooo!"

He grabbed the three with his magic and pulled them close to his face, "SOON SHE WILL FEEL, That her nightmares are real!"

"In the dark of the night...

King Sombra cut them off, continuing to drag the Guardians downwards. "She'll be through!"

"In the dark of the night, evil will find her! FIND HER!

"In the dark of the night, terror comes true! DOOM HER!"

Sombra slammed the jar around his waist down on the ground, and Noble finally realized what he was looking at, it was a soul battery! 

"My dear here's a sign! IT's THE END OF THE LINE!"

The guards began to slowly increase in volume, "In the dark of the night, in the dark of the night-"

Noble put up the strongest shield he could, knowing full well what happened next. 

Sombra opened the soul battery, and pointed it at the hundreds of guards, "Come my minions! Rise for your master, let my evil shine!"

Noble noticed as each guard's soul was being channeled into Sombra, bulges began to form on his cape...

Oh no...

"Find her yes! Go, Fly ever faster!"

The last remaining guard sang as he flew towards Sombra "In the dark of the night, in the dark of the night, in the dark of th-"

Once Sombra had absorbed the last soul, exlcuding Noble's and his partners, he saw something that made him regret even coming here...

From Sombra's back, part of his cape ripped away where the bulges were...

and a pair of large, black and red, DEMONIC WINGS APPEARED!

Sombra screamed at a volume that shook the very chasm they were in, "SHE WILL DIE! Gra-Haha-Haha-Haaaaa!"

King Sombra, through some Dark Magic, soul stealing ritual, had become AN ALICORN!



The Guardians stood there, still in shock... 

The Shadow King had ascended to an Alicorn... 

They were doomed. Completely doomed...

(Cut the Song)

Sombra turned to the group, saying "Well I've been waiting for an audience to do this... ascending thing... judging by your reactions of petrified fear you are absolutely shocked that I, Sombra, the one pony who is LEAST LIKELY to become an ALICORN, became one. And just in time to destroy one of my greatest foes!"

Noble dropped the shield in fear, and Sombra picked up the group, they were still shocked and frozen. "Huh... guess I came on too strong, oh well..."

Noble unfroze and quickly used the distortion orb to open a portal and he ran screaming through, the other Guardians right behind him. 

Sombra sighed, "I guess some things never change, well... Off I go!"

Sombra flew at blinding speed into the portal, which closed with a flash of light. 

(Canterlot Castle, Courtyard)

Burning Star had been fighting Daybreaker for at least 5 hours now, it was hard to tell as the sun remained stuck at its highest peak... where were the Guardians? 

Daybreaker had shown some signs of tiring, and he was now fighting alone, as Quickfire and Hiller were finally unconscious from heatstroke. He was running out of stamina as well, although he was evenly matched with Daybreaker.

Daybreaker would stirke him with her spear, he parried, slashing dozens of cuts into her.

He would swung his greatsword at her, she blocked it, and landed a few jabs into him.

Both of them were covered with wounds... and now were resorting to Horn-to-Horn combat. Dropping their weapons, They ignited their horns, turning them into energy blades, and began to slash and thrust away at each other.

The two took to the air and clashed blades, and sparks of magic rained down on the courtyard below

Burning Star spoke in his own Royal Canterlot voice, "You know Daybreaker, this is kinda like a dream for me...  he blocked a slash and sent his own cut into Daybreaker's chest place, cutting it in two and sending her flying into the ground. "I... Burning Star, get to fight some of Equestria's worst enemies and win, its fitting I would fight Celestia in some form of another one day! And I get to kill her too!"

Daybreaker roared back, "I must admit this is quite the fitting way for you to die as well!" she took flight again sent an upward chop to Burning Star's face, giving him a visible scar and sending him flying upwards. "I've never actually directly battled you before, but seeing your ferocity now, I see why King Sombra chose you to be his student! But, you are unbelievably predictable!"

The two Alicorns clashed, their horns ablaze with energy, Burning Star shouted at the corrupt copy of Celestia. "You might know everything I'm going to do! But that's not going to help you since I know everything you're going to do! STRANGE, ISN'T IT?"

They both swung at each other and bashed the other away, Daybreaker spoke again, "Speaking of which, I'm surprised he didn't show up to our little showdown..."

A dimensional portal opened up, and the Guardians transitioned from running scared from Sombra to bravely charging towards Daybreaker!

Sombra himself rushed down Daybreaker, Great War scythe in his magic grasp, and landed a huge chop to her back, making her cry out in intense pain. 

The Guardians let loose their own barrage of attacks, each one thankfully leaving a gash or bruise on Daybreaker.

Their weapons also seemed to give them some new powers to play with, and they were paying off immensely. 

As soon as he drew his two swords, Firestorm flew at high speed, sending them slicing through Daybreaker, he was moving so fast that he was leaving afterimages of himself as he passed by. 

Noble ducked under a beam of solar radiation and smashed the hilt of his sword in Daybreaker. To his surprise, Daybreaker suddenly froze in place, pinned by powerful petrifying magic. Noble swung away, seeing magic projections of himself swing in line with him for more than one slash, he finished it off by taking the back of his hoof and smacking Daybreaker with it and sending her flying back.

Freedom connected his two fighting sticks and began to spin them around, creating a vortex of magic, as he launched his strike, he suddenly spun like a swirling top, sending his staff repeatedly into Daybreaker's skull and body. He finished by sweeping her legs from out under her and slamming the end of his staff on her chest, hearing a crack as multiple ribs were broken. 

Daybreaker used a pulse of magic to repel everypony off her, and she struggled to stand, finally getting up and flying into the air. She ignited her horn for her last ditch attack...

Supernova.

Daybreaker began to glow bright red and Burning Star immediately knew what she was doing, she was going to use her power to create a small star and detonate it, destroying most of the planet!

King Sombra turned to his student and said, "Get everpony back! Now! I'll summon the Devourer of The Divine!"

Burning Star put a shield around everypony and flew into the air, slicing Daybreaker up a bit more.

King Sombra used his scythe to cut a red circle on the ground and he uttered the words...

"ARZULE!"

The Red Circle sprang to life, and a portal was opened up, and out popped the head of some Demonic Beast that looked like a dragon mixed with a crocodile... it had black and blue skin with purple spikes lining its back.

It roared out, and Noble strangely heard the trumpet of an elephant from Zebrica... what was this thing?

Daybreaker screamed in terror as she fell, "NO! NOT AGAIN! I HAD IT ALL! DAMN YOU ALL TO TARTARUS!"

Sombra smirked and said, "No, Damn you to Tartarus, Daybreaker... Because that is where this beast is from! Meet Gomorah, the Devourer of the Divine!"

Daybreaker fell headfirst into its mouth, and the great beast began to chomp and chomp and crush some more, until it finally swallowed, letting out triumphant elephant-like roar, before being sucked back into the portal.

As soon as the portal closed, the sun stopped burning the land with heat and a cool breeze began to blow... it was over.

The shield dropped and King Sombra took a deep breath, that summon had taken a lot out of him. Burning Star dropped to the ground and hoisted Sombra to his hooves.

King Sombra smirked, "I've been waiting to get my revenge on her for a long time. Hope she has fun in Tartarus! Grah-hahaha-Ha!"

Burning Star finally noticed the giant pair of wings on Sombra's back and responded with his eyes wide, "Since when did you become an Alicorn, old friend?"

King Sombra looked back and shrugged, "Since about 15 minutes ago... used that Soul Battery I had lying around to help, as well as half my guards as fuel."

Firestorm simply lay on the ground, completely blown away at the sight of that... thing.

Noble stood in shock, unable to move... what was that thing?

Even Freedom stood in total silence, well he was mute so he could speak, but still...

Burning Star teleported everypony inside to check on Celestia and Luna, as well as Quickfire and Hiller.

(Canterlot Castle, Throne Room, 30 Minutes Later...)

Burning Star sat next to Noble Blade and the Guardians of the Sun, he was trying to explain what just happened with the giant demon-thing...

While Sombra was negotiating with Celestia and Luna, who were back on their hooves thanks to Alicorn regeneration.

Burning Star started to explain, "What you saw out there was a demon from Tartarus. King Sombra and I can tap into Dark Magic to summon powerful creatures from portals, although it really drains our magic immensely... we only do it when it's time to bring in the big guns. I soon found out that Twilight could summon powerful beasts from the heavenly realm of Elysium like holy dragons, giant stone war machines, and great monsters the likes of which would give you nightmares, despite them being holy... they aren't that appealing to look at up close."

Firestorm snorted, clearly angry, "Then why didn't you do that before?!"

Burning Star hung his head, "Unfortunately, while I can summon these creatures, I have trouble controlling them. You see, it requires you to impose your will upon the beast, open the portal, and... direct it in the closet direction of your foe. The Demons of Tartarus and Angels of Elysium aren't the most eager to help us ponies anymore... a group of ponies from 500 years ago could harness them, but they abused their powers and their demonic and angelic protectors left them. Only now are we getting some of our old friends back."

The Guardians listened intently as Burning Star explained in detail about the event that happened 500 years ago...

Meanwhile, Sombra was talking with this worlds Celestia and Luna, he was trying to explain his reason for Alicornhood, and Celestia wasn't pleased to know that one of her oldest enemies was now on par with her in terms of power.

Princess Celestia asked Sombra, "Listen King Sombra, you must not abuse this new power of yours... why and how did you become an Alicorn, by the way?"

King Sombra shrugged and said in a nonchalant tone, "I figured I needed to be on Midnight's level to beat her, since she is an Alicorn and all, on the subject of how... used a Soul Battery to absorb the life energy of my guards, but do not worry, they are merely constructs, no living beings were harmed. I will be out of your mane when this is all over, I swear."

Luna pulled Sombra aside and away from her sister and she said, "I have terrible news for you, an evil being known as Dark Star has appeared in your students mind. We have an idea that you can defeat him as well as the monstrous Midnight Sparkle."

Sombra whispered back, "I understand, Luna. Midnight Sparkle comes first, then we can tackle the issue of Dark Star. For now... we get some rest and prepare for a battle the likes of which have never been seen since the age of my father..."

King Sombra turned to the group of heroes, "Alright! Summoning Daybreaker must have used up quite a lot of magical energy to control her, We have a few days before Midnight can try again. I suspect she will attack personally again, this time well-prepared for battle. That means that we must be prepared too!"

He turned to Celestia, "I need some rest myself, care to show me to a bed, Princess?"

Celestia nodded, slightly unnerved by the Shadow King's politeness. "I... uh... Of course, we have another bunk in the Guardians room." She turned to the heroes, "Do you ponies mind?"

Burning Star shook his head, "No I don't mind, do any of you guys? I mean he did save your lives and all..."

Noble sighed, "Very well... Guardians, Get to bed... I have something to discuss with Sombra, alone."

Celestia and Luna left for their own rooms, and Burning Star flew with the Guardians to their quarters, he was eager to get some rest.

King Sombra stood in front of Noble Blade, his eyes no longer filled with green light and were back to normal white backgrounds for his eyes. His irises stayed red though...

King Sombra broke the awkward silence, "Well... what is it you wish to speak about, Noble Blade? I am eager to retire to my bed, and I am sure you are as well, yes?"

Noble Blade lifted two chairs and placed them down facing each other, "You may want to sit down for this, because this may surprise you."

King Sombra sat down on the wooden seat, and Noble sat in his, they both were staring at each other, another awkward silence falling upon them.

Noble broke the silence again by saying, "I need to ask you about Burning Star. Specifically concerning his mental state."

King Sombra knew where this was going, "This is about Dark Star, isn't it?"

Noble nodded, "It is, did you plant that monster inside of Burning Star's head? If not, can you tell me how to defeat him once and for all?"

King Sombra snorted, "You're accusing me of placing a demon of pure destruction in my own students mind? Noble, I may be evil, but even I have to draw the line somewhere. I cannot rule a kingdom if there is no kingdom to rule."

Sombra's posture stiffened, "So no, I did not create Dark Star, he was within Burning Star when I met him and took him as my apprentice. I spent many days and nights trying to unravel his mind, but even my incredible power could not penetrate his mental defenses. Brainwashing him into attacking the sisters when we came to my world's Canterlot all those years ago was extremely hard, after the great disaster that resulted from it, I swore off messing with his mind and emotions."

He continued, his voice growing slightly concerned. "If I could destroy Dark Star, I would. He is Destruction incarnate, Noble Blade... and I cannot allow my home to be destroyed any longer. That is why I recently swore off my plans for conquest, and watched as Burning Star's New Equestrian Government blossomed into a proud nation filled with opportunities for anyone, not just ponies." 

Sombra stretched his wings and said to himself, "I am going to have to get used to these wings, how do the Alicorns sleep?!"

Sombra started speaking again, "To be honest, I would think he would my son if it weren't for the fact that I had an heir to my throne... his name was Dawn Star, but I sealed him away, I looked for him, but gave up and I assumed he was dead."

What Noble said next made Sombra freeze up...

"Actually, He is your son..."

King Sombra blinked for a minute, then threw his head back in laughter, "Grah-hahaha-Ha! I never took you for one that makes jokes, Noble Blade! But my son is dead, I just said that, remember?."

Noble Blade knew Eclipsio was going to kill him for this, but this would be the only way to ensure Sombra's loyalty... 

Noble pulled a scroll from his bag and held it out, "I am completely serious, read this... I've already seen it, but I'm guessing your memories are a bit fuzzy from being in the ice for so long. Read it, please."

King Sombra grabbed the scroll, it had his old sealing ribbon on it, the same ribbon he used for messages over 1,000 years ago...

Sombra broke the ribbon and began to read.

I am King Sombra, and this is for my student Burning Star. After running some tests on your magic levels and aura coloration I believe that I may have stumbled upon something extraordinary, so much so that it seems impossible."

"Your magic signature matches mine nearly exactly, right down to my signature red aura that your horn emits. I couldn't believe it, so I did some digging into my past, since my mind was always fuzzy from being in the ice for so long... and I think I've uncovered something amazing."

Sombra continued to read, his memories slowly returning as he read. 

"About 1,000 years ago, a family known as the Stars came to my doorstep asking for sanctuary from Celestia and Luna's conquest of their village. I was accepting and let them in, noticing a sick filly by the name of Dawn Star in the mothers hooves. The mother was near-death, so was the father. I couldn't let them suffer To future to find out where their child was, for he was born An ALICORN. I made sure to give the parents a painless death, and watched as the parents died in their sleep. It was the last time I shed a tear for somepony other than myself."

Noble watched in awe as King Sombra, the Shadow King, shed a single silver tear. Normally Alicorn tears were golden, this was new...

Sombra started to sniffle a bit, but he pressed on. 

"I know that this child will die if I do not intervene, therefore I will adopt him as my own... my Dawn Star. I know what I must do, Celestia and Luna are banging on my black crystal fortress as we speak, I will do what I think is right. I will use my magic to seal him in a 1,000 year long hibernation, and erase all memories of me and his old life. The father he deserved, me. King Sombra of the Crystal Empire, the pony with a heart as black as night, but as big as the sea for the child, my child..."

Sombra shuddered with pain, for the first time in over 1,000 years, his emotions were overwhelming him. 

"I pray that you awake to a family of good ponies, for he deserves to find his purpose, as the one who will unite the Dark Magic with the Light, for he will be the strongest, wisest, and of course, most handsome heir to my father's throne and my throne, respectively. Dawn Star, My only son... I will always protect you with my servants, when I get free of the prison the sisters put me in, I will wait for you to come to me, and we will once again be a family. Father and son, together again... I love you so much my son, be strong for me when you awake."

"Signed, 

King Sombra..."

Sombra closed the letter, and Noble saw a sight he never thought possible.

King Sombra finally broke down into tears, weeping at the news that his family still lived...

Noble spoke up, "Listen I know this was a bit sudden, but I felt that you should-"

He was cut off by King Sombra embracing him... in a HUG! 

Sombra said to him, his voice softer now. "Thank you, Noble Blade... you have no idea how much this means to me... I can never repay you enough for this gift."

Noble put his hoof up, "You need not reward me, King Sombra... I am fine with just being a knight."

Sombra cut him off, his deep voice returning, "NO! I must insist, I will give you the tools needed to stop Midnight Sparkle and Dark Star for good!"

King Sombra took out a group of his own Distortion Orbs that he created a few months ago and held them in his grasp, he said with pride. "You said Midnight Sparkle had an powerful army with her? Well, I just so happen to have an army that is itching to get into battle. How many soldiers do you need?"

Noble, now realizing that he could not back out of this, said "Midnight's army is growing, last time we saw it I estimated a good 1,500 soldiers assaulted the city. From the rate at which her army grows, that number should be around 3,500 now. She outnumbers us ten to one."

Sombra smirked, "Then I will give you a quarter of my forces!"

(Canterlot, The Caverns) 

He teleported Noble to the caves beneath the city as they stood on a ledge overlooking a huge expanse of the cave floor, and threw all of the distortion orbs on the ground, ten in total.

Suddenly, a giant portal appeared and Sombra's horn ignited as he spoke into it.

"COME TO ME, MY ARMY! WE ARE GOING TO WAR!"

Noble Blade heard the thundering of hooves and the cries of battle, and his jaw dropped...

Out of the portal, poured hundreds of soldiers, clad in black and gray armor armor and carrying weapons made of Crystalline Steel.

They were not flesh and blood, They did not seem to breathe... 

Noble came to the conclusion finally...

They were artificial life forms, completely composed of rock and crystal, created by King Sombra's magic, and given life through a powerful source of magic that only the king could provide.

Noble finally asked Sombra, "How many soldiers did you call?"

Sombra laughed, "You said Midnight would have 3,500 soldiers? Yes?"

If Noble's jaw wasn't connected to his head it would have detached itself and fallen to the floor. 

Sombra spoke to him, "So, I summoned 35,000 of my army, will this be enough?"

Noble wheezed, "35,000... what... the... oh dear." And fainted at the King's hooves.

Sombra smirked, "I guess it is more than enough, I better get some rest now... I'll show Celestia in the morning, I hope her reaction is just as hilarious."
> Chapter 15 Part 1: A "Friendly" Negotiation/Drums of War
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Canterlot Castle, The Guardians Quarters)

It was the middle of the night, all of the castle was fast asleep, the Night Guard, composed of the eerie Bat-Ponies quietly patrolled the halls and guarded the various rooms of the castle.

Two of Luna's personal guards were stationed outside of the door to the room which held the Guardians of the Sun and Star Hunters. They were not there to keep intruders out, rather they were there to keep one of the most dangerous ponies in existence in.

The Shadow King Sombra from Burning Star's world, who recently had gained Alicorn status!  

The quarters of the Guardians of the Sun had recently been inhabited by King Sombra, whose new Alicorn powers and giant wings prevented him from sleeping on a cot, he claimed Freedom Fighter's bed meant that he had to sleep on the narrow cot. 

The enigmatic Earth Pony was fast asleep after given a blanket from Burning Star made of the fabric from his world. He was dreaming of his eventual confrontation between him and Midnight Sparkle... how he would smash her body into a mangled mess with this new set of weaponry that King Sombra had given them.

When suddenly he was ripped from dreamland by a loud noise!

Haaagh... pshhhh! 

Freedom Fighter bolted out of bed with his ears covered, looking for the source of that ear-wrenching noise, he eventually looked to his former bed and saw King Sombra snoring. With each snore, the entire room shook slightly, causing Freedom Fighter's cot to fall over. 

Firestorm thought to himself, "Well isn't this "perfect", not only is King Sombra a bed stealer, he snores like an Ursa Major with a bad cold! Will you shut up you loud-mouthed demon!"

Freedom Fighter walked over to the balcony and stepped outside, staring out into the distance. He could barely make out the Castle of Darkness in the distance, since Midnight had lost her shield around it.

When suddenly he heard words from behind him 

"Morning Freedom Fighter... I see you are an early riser like me." 

Freedom instinctively drew his weapons and pivoted to point them at his supposed opponent.

Burning Star was standing behind him blocking both swings from striking him with a large sword made of molten rock. He said to the earth pony, "Relax yourself, Freedom. I mean you no harm."

Freedom slowly lowered his weapons, and Burning made his disappear as well. The two stood silently staring at each other for what felt like hours...

Burning then spoke, Freedom noticed his voice was slightly solemn. "I wanted to speak with you about something. I've already spoken with your partners, but you I've been waiting for."

Freedom raised an eyebrow underneath his suit, why would Burning Star be saving his explanation to him for last? 

Burning Star continued, "I didn't talk to you much because I was honestly afraid you would smash in my skull with those sticks of yours, and since they have Alicorn Bane on them now, I would be dead for good. But, I figured I should make my peace with you since we may not survive the upcoming battle ahead, even with Sombra at our sides."

Freedom felt Burning Star enter his mind, where he said telepathically, "I apologize for the mind link, but unlike your friends I cannot understand sign language. So, whatever you think I will hear, are you ok with this?"

Freedom expressed his disdain for the intrusion, "While I do not like you invading my mind without permission, I get it. What did you wish to discuss?"

Burning Star took a deep breath and said, "I want to talk about why I am like this, I am sure that Firestorm and Noble Blade have already told you of their conversations with me, yes?"

Freedom responded, "They did, I do not see why you wish to discuss with me the same thing over again. Wouldn't it be more productive to actually solve your issues instead of hiding them away?"

Burning Star closed the balcony door and screamed, his mane fully ablaze, "I KNOW! BUT THIS IS ABOUT THE CONSEQUENCES OF HIDING THOSE ISSUES!"

Freedom was taken aback by how easily it was to anger this Alicorn. all he did was mention that he had issues, and he just went from calm to pure outrage in seconds.

Whatever happened to this pony must run deeper than even Noble or Firestorm could ever go...

Freedom told him, "Calm down, Star. I meant no offense, I was just stating what I think is true, why are you so easily angered by that information?"

Burning Star glared at the earth pony, before he extinguished with a puff of smoke and ash. He said quietly, "I... apologize for that. But I am extremely sensitive to that subject, mainly because it still hurts immensely..."

He continued, "When I was younger, I was picked on by my fellow foals for being an Alicorn, since Celestia and Luna were not held in high regard in my home village. They beat me, cut me, even tried to slice off my wings... I was sad and felt as if I had no friends, and angry that my parents did nothing and expected me to fight back."

Freedom sratched his head, "So what did you do about it? All three of us know nothing about how you dealt with these punks."

Burning Star looked miserable, "I had no friends who would listen until the last few years I was in my village... so during my foalhood, I made an imaginary friend in my head that I could tell my problems to, and I became an extreme introvert. Every time something bad happened to me, I just funneled it into this... other me. He sometimes gave me advice too..."

This set all sorts of alarms off in Freedom Fighter's head, "Wait what?! This voice in your head actually spoke back to you? Did you find that not the least bit suspicious?"

The Alicorn of Fire shook his head, "At first, no. I listened to some of his advice, and sometimes it was pretty good. This "other me" helped me learn magic all on my own, even helping me awaken my fire powers. However, the advice he offered I did not think was the best."

Freedom tilted his head to the side, "And why is that, Burning Star?"

Burning Star looked close to tears when he said, "The advice he offered me was... violent. I remember his name too..."

Freedom heard Burning Star spoke the name of this voice, and he immediately went cold stiff.

Burning said, "He called himself... Dark Star. He was a shadow, the true self. He was what I viewed myself as... and only Up until recently did I realize that the Dark Star you dealt with in my mind and the Dark Star from my childhood are one in the same."

Burning Star finally broke down into tears, "So I did it, I created Dark Star. He is a manifestation of everything I hated, all the anger, all the destruction, all the evil I pushed into my mind made him will himself into existence."

King Sombra had awoken early as well, to see his former student and the silent earth pony speaking outside, and he began to walk towards the balcony himself. 

Freedom was honestly taken aback by that information, Burning Star, through his own introversive personality, had somehow managed to create a dark version of himself that had its own free will. And Freedom knew what Dark Star was capable of from him and the Guardians's time inside of Burning Star's mind... 

Dark Star wanted nothing more than the complete and utter annihilation of both Equestrias... and from the sheer power Burning Star had, Freedom assumed that Dark Star had the same, possibly more power than the original. 

Freedom shakily thought, "S-So, You really created that Monster, how can you deal with all that stress of keeping him locked away?"

King Sombra interrupted them, "I aided him in secret. Sorry to interrupt, but I happened to overhear what you were speaking about. I wish to add something that may change how you look at me, Burning Star."

Freedom thought to himself, not sharing it with Burning Star, "What are you up to Sombra?"

King Sombra approached the black Alicorn, completely ignoring Freedom Fighter being in earshot of them, and smiled, saying "Burning Star, recently some information concerning your relationship with me has been revealed to me by your friend Noble Blade. And I wanted to tell you face to face, since... well... I'll just tell you."

Freedom noticed Sombra's face, his eyes were redder and somewhat watery.

Was he... crying?

Sombra pulled out a scroll from underneath his cape and gave it to Burning Star, who began to read it.

About halfway through, he dropped it and fell to his knees... completely in tears.

He weakly said to Sombra, "Is it true what this scroll says? Are you... my real father?"

Sombra picked up Burning Star and embraced him in his new wings, saying in a much softer voice, "Yes... this is from 1,000 years ago. Burning Star, I am your father, and I couldn't be happier to see what you have become. I know you are afraid that you would become a tyrant like I once was... but I once heard a phrase somewhere that says otherwise."

King Sombra spoke out, "The circumstances of one's birth are irrelevant. It's what you do with the gift of life that determines who you are."

Burning Star smiled a genuine smile, not knowing that Noble Blade and the rest of the group were listening quietly, hiding behind the doorframe, with Quickfire and Hiller suspended above it by Hiller's tendrils. 

All of their jaws hit the floor at the news that King Sombra was Burning Star's father, and many of them silently screamed in both terror, or in Noble's case, joy. 

Meanwhile, Freedom was standing there completely still, trying with his entire willpower not to draw his weapons and kill the two of them, his survival instincts were hard to control, especially now that this bombshell of information was revealed.

Burning Star stopped hugging his dad and turned to the balcony, the sun began to rise, casting a dull orange glow over Canterlot. Some ponies were already out and about, going to their jobs and the guards were changing shifts, as the Day Guard came in to replace the Night Guard. 

Burning Star said to himself, "Its the dawn of a new day, and a new me as well..."

He suddenly had an idea, one that could possibly avoid Midnight altogether... he turned around and said, "Everypony, meet me in Celestia's throne room. Sombra, go wake Celestia and tell them of your army, I have an idea."

He quickly dashed inside and picked up all his things, then ran out the door, literally leaving a trail of smoke behind him.

(Canterlot, Crystal Caverns)

Celestia and Luna, both of them still a bit drowsy from waking up and not having breakfast yet, followed Sombra into the giant caverns underneath the capital. Both of them thought, "What was he doing?"

Celestia finally asked the Shadow King, "Sombra, if I may ask, why did you drag us away from breakfast?"

Sombra chuckled, "Well, I overheard from somepony that Midnight had a rather large army, and that we were outnumbered. So, I decided to contribute part of my own army to your cause, we are currently going to go see them now."

Luna yawned, she was about to fall asleep when Sombra had shaken her awake. "Listen, while I am intrigued to find out what this army is, I require sleep! I have been up all night and I do not wish to deny my slumber any longer."

The trio approached a big boulder and King Sombra ignited his horn, moving it aside, he stepped through, with the two sisters close behind. 

Sombra stopped at a ledge overlooking a massive cavern, he turned his head to the side and said, "Come. Gaze upon the army I've brought to your aid. Gra-hahah-hah-Ha!"

Celestia and Luna peered over the ledge and both of their eyes went wide with both shock and awe.

Along the cavern's floor stood tents and shacks, each bearing torches alight with balefire, flames created by mixing Dark Magic with Fire Spells. 

They saw legions of troops from various pony species in black and gray armor, each armed with swords, axes, spears, and many other melee weapons. Archers held great bows and large quivers filled with arrows that looked like they were made of solid crystal. 

Some carried an currently experimental weapon that Celestia had in development, a type of ranged weapon that was far superior to a crossbow or bow, it was a long hollow silver rod with a dark brown end to it. The end of the rod was an open hole with spiraled grooves on the inside. 

Celestia immediately recognized them, They were guns. Rifles to be specific, and there were thousands of troops holding these weapons. 

Sombra looked back to see the two sisters still in shock, he laughed and said. "Grah-hahaha, You like it? I thought since we are working against a common goal, I should send my best gift. They are yours to command, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. Allow me to introduce them to you. Follow me on a little tour of the Black Crystal Army."

King Sombra flew down to the floor of the cave, as did the two sisters. Luna asked the obvious question, "Sombra, this is a very generous gift, but how many soldiers are encamped here?"

Sombra smirked as he said, "About 35,000 soldiers currently inhabit this cavern, 10,000 of them are at the ready for the assault against Midnight Sparkle. When I go up against my foe, I make sure I am well prepared."

He shouted out, "ALL TROOPS, FALL IN!"

Every soldier at once said, "YES KING SOMBRA."

Celestia looked closer at the soldiers, she noticed a very bizarre fact. 

They weren't ponies at all!

They didn't have fur, instead most of their body was covered in black shiny crystals, the only sign of life was their eyes, they pulsed with a freaky green and purple light. 

Celestia asked the Shadow King, "Sombra, these aren't ponies... what are they?"

Sombra replied cooly, "These, my dear, are Crystal Constructs. They beat the image of ponies and have some of the same properties as well. I sculpted them from the rock and crystal of my castle and some Dark Magic to give them life. They can be recreated if they are broken, but it requires quite a bit of my focus to do that."

Celestia raised an eyebrow, "So you built these things as your personal Cannon fodder? That is highly insulting to these things. I admit... these soldiers of yours look extremely intimidating, like something out of a nightmare. Are they as good as you say they are?"

Sombra nodded, "They will succeed, Princess Celestia, I assure you." Sombra suddenly felt a signal from his son Burning Star, and quickly walked to the entrance of the cave, "I believe my former student is calling us to the throne room, let us not keep him waiting. Judging by the intensity and fast pace of the signal, he seems... excited."

Celestia and Luna began to follow the dark Alicorn out, noticing a squadron of guards at their sides.

The leader of the squad on Celestia's side spoke, "My king Sombra has ordered for us to accompany you as your guard detail for the time being. Since your Royal Guard is as formidable as field mice in the middle of a lions den. They are truly pathetic, pathetic beyond belief."

Luna shouted at the guard, "Excuse me! Our guards are quite effective at dealing with threats, you know. Do not ridicule us on how our guards are effective when your master is a tyrant without mercy!" 

The guard on Luna's right quickly drew his sword and put it against the Princess's neck, saying, "Do not insult the great King Sombra, Princess of the Night. I will not hesitate to end you, neither will my guards. Watch your tone next time, Princess."

Luna scowled at the guard, before he lowered his sword and sheathed it. The rest of the walk to the throne room was silent...

(Canterlot Castle, Throne Room)

Celestia, Luna, and Sombra all arrived in the throne room to see the Guardians of the Sun and Star Hunters conversing with each other, they seemed to be rather nervous. 

Firestorm noticed the Princesses and the Shadow King walked in and greeted them. "Morning Tia, Luna... Sombra."

Celestia replied with a small smile, "Morning Firestorm, can one of you care to explain the abrupt move to summon us this early in the morning? I have not even raised the sun yet, and still you call me, why?"

Burning Star stepped forward and said, "Because Celestia, I've got an idea that if it works, could possibly avoid conflict with Midnight Sparkle altogether."

Luna practically squeed with joy, if there was a way out of this coming war, then she was all in for it!

So, Luna asked the obvious question, "What did you have in mind when you say you have an idea?"

Burning Star said with great trouble in his voice, "I'm going to try and... urgh... negotiate with her. Unfortunately I am not the best when it comes to negotiations... hence the reason why I let my partners do the talking, and I do the... setting everything on fire."

Burning Star continued, he began to pace back and forth. "Also, Midnight Sparkle will most likely obliterate Burning Star if he steps one hoof inside of her little castle garrison. So, I won't go as Burning Star."

Noble tilted his head in confusion, "What? Then who will you go as?" 

Burning Star winced when he said, "I will be going as Dark Star."

Everypony's eyes widened and they went shock still, Luna studdered out, "W-w-wait. You are going to willingly release that monster from your mind?! Are you mad!?"

Burning Star shook his head, "No, but you cannot deny that desperate times call for desperate measures, this is the desperate time right now. And using my darker half is going to be my desperate measure."

Sombra spoke with an unusually panicked voice, "Burning Star! You do realize that if you lost control of Dark Star, you will turn into a being of pure destruction! There has to be some other way, how about sending me?"

The black Alicorn shook his head, "No. Midnight knows about how deceptive you can be, however... she does not know Dark Star's cunning, and I'm willing to take that risk if it means saving all of you."

Noble swallowed hard, and spoke to the group, "If Burning Star actually pulls this off, we can stop this war before it even begins. I'm willing to take that risk if it means that we will not have a war with Midnight. So, let's do it."

Burning Star looked around and said, "Now if any of you have anything to say before I do this... speak now."

Celestia and Luna both looked at each other nervously, but sighed. 

Burning Star heard no complaints, "Good, I will trigger the transformation then..."

The Alicorn of Fire closed his eyes and said, "Now you all may want to back up a bit and maybe look away, this is going to be... unsettling."

The group stepped back and readied their weapons and magic just in case Burning Star can't control his other form, and they watched as the Alicorn began to transform.

Burning Star let out a scream of pain as his body bent like a tree branch in a storm, everypony watched on in terror as his mane ignited into fire, which turned blue-black instead of red. Burning Star's eyes went completely blood red and purple smoke began to emit from them. His wings ignited into blue fire as well, and became much more fearsome looking, losing their smooth texture in favor of a spiky feathered tone, and his body was covered in red tatoo-like lines that ran up his legs and down his body, ending underneath his eyes. His mouth filled with sharp teeth and a forked tongue began to flicker out of it. 

His body increased in size, and his hooves were no longer shaved down, and split into something resembling claws...

When the transformation was finally done, Burning Star looked up and heard a voice in his head, it was Dark Star.

"Well, Well... finally giving up on the world, Burning Star? You finally ready to let me destroy everything you love and care about? Hm? You know that this world is eventually doomed, so let's end it now! Bah-hahaha-Ha!"

Burning Star spoke to him internally, a cunning idea forming. "No, I am simply using your form to stop this war against Midnight Sparkle. Besides, she claims to be stronger than us. What do you have to say about that Dark Star?"

The Guardians began to slowly approach Dark Star, when he screamed out in a voice right out of Tartarus, "NO! NO PONY IS STRONGER THAN ME! I AM DARK STAR, THE ALICORN OF DESTRUCTION!"

Noble pointed his sword at the deadly Alicorn and said, "Burning Star! Get ahold of that beast."

Suddenly, Dark Star's tone changed to a tone Burning Star would use, "I am in control now. Dark Star was simply roaring out that he believes he is the strongest being in the world. Despite his power, he has a huge inferiority complex."

Firestorm snickered a bit, "Wait... you are telling us that Dark Star, one of the most powerful beings we have ever faced... has a inferiority complex? Are you serious?"

Dark Star nodded his head, and Firestorm along with most of the group burst into laughter, causing Dark Star's fiery mane to increase in intensity. He suddenly roared in anger, "DO NOT MOCK ME! UNLESS YOU WISH TO BE ROASTED ALIVE I IMPLORE YOU TO BE SILENT!"

Noble stopped laughing and took a breath, before saying "You ok, Burning Star? No thoughts of destroying our world?"

Dark Star shook his head, "I still have those thoughts, I am barely suppressing them now, we need to hurry. Wish me luck, everypony."

With that, Dark Star approached the open window, and took off like a rocket, leaving a trail of blue fire across the sky...

(Equestrian Skies)

Burning Star, now in the guise of Dark Star, was flying at high speed over the vast Everfee Forest, seeing the great ocean of trees below him.

All the while, Burning Star was running over his strategy of negotiating with Midnight... which wasn't much of a strategy and more of a shout fest that hopefully would scare her off...

As he has stated dozens of times, "He wasn't good at negotiations."

To make matters worse, Dark Star's voice was pestering him to no end. 

"Why are you even bothering to speak with this whorse? Just incinerate her and be done with it. Then... we can finally destroy all who oppose us! Hahaha-Ha!"

Burning Star grumbled back, "Listen here, Dark Star. I'm in charge! Therefore, you don't get to boss me around, or else I'll put you back in your cage again. So shut your trap!"

Dark Star huffed in frustration, and his voice went silent, leaving Burning Star alone as he flew towards the Castle of Darkness. The closer he got, the easier for him to see that Midnight wasn't alone.

About five miles of trees around the castle were removed, and in their place was a great wall made of black logs. Behind those walls sat tents and huts as well as training grounds, the Castle Barracks.

Dark Star circled above the castle's huge expanse of tents, he immediately identified it as a war camp. 

There were various types of war machines arranged in rows, Dark Star noticed a group of Ballistas, a few dozen catapults, large rolling seige towers, and a full artillery brigade of magic-launching cannons.

Burning Star said to himself, "In the name of Luna, there has to be at least 4-5,000 soldiers down there. Midnight must be getting ready for her final siege of Canterlot. From the looks of it, she is more than ready. I better hurry up and stop this madness."

Dark Star landed in the middle of the camp and began to approach the door to the castle, he was quickly charged down by a battalion of guards.

The destructive Alicorn smirked, "But first, LETS HAVE SOME FUN!"

Dark Star wasted no time and unleashed a dark blue ring of Fire that expanded and set the soldiers ablaze. A swarm of Arrows was let loose and was headed right for him, Dark Star ignited his horn and caught every single one with his telekinesis, before sending them back at the archers that loosed them. Various screams of pain could be heard as Dark Star simply ran wild, killing and seriously injuring everypony he could see. He set tents ablaze, blasted apart the siege towers with balls of explosive magic, he needed to get Midnight's attention. 

His efforts were successful, Midnight Sparkle burst through the door and charged at him, the two dark ponies locked horns and growled.

Midnight Sparkle sneered at Dark Star, "You have quite the nerve walking into my camp and destroying everything in sight! Who do you think you are, anyways?!"

Dark Star responded, "Well I did mean to get your undivided attention, and I was successful. I have come to speak with you Midnight, it is about your enemy Burning Star..."

Midnight flung Dark Star back with a burst of magic and said, "What about him?! Who are you?"

Dark Star smirked and said in a commanding tone, "I am what Burning Star fears most! I am the pony who laid waste to countless towns and villages, I... AM... DARK STAR! THE ALICORN OF DESTRUCTION! BA-HAH-HAHAHA-HA!"

Dark Star calmed himself and said, "I have come to speak with you about your little war... so shall we go to the negotiating table?"

Midnight Sparkle shuddered at the sound of Dark Star's truly eerie voice, it sounded like something right out of the blackest pit of Tartarus... 

She finally said, "Fine. I could use any information on Burning Star... follow me."

(Castle of Darkness, Throne Room)

Midnight Sparkle flew into her throne room and sat down on her purple and black throne. Dark Star simply ripped out a smooth piece of the floor to sit on. 

Stygian was also in the room, and to say he was terrified of Midnight's guest was the greatest understatement ever. 

Dark Star, from his blood red eyes to his mane of blue-black fire, to the sharp fangs that protruded from his mouth, was utterly and completely horrifying. He looked like he crawled out of ponies' worst nightmares... and he may have actually done that.

Midnight began to speak to Dark Star, "So... Dark Star, what exactly are you? You called yourself "What Burning Star fears most..." what does that mean?"

Burning Star, still in disguise, used Dark Star's true voice, which sent shivers down the spine of Stygian. "What I mean when I say that I am what Burning Star fears most... I am what he fears he will become. I am apart of him, his figurative and literal Dark Side."

Midnight cocked an eyebrow, "So you are his evil alter ego basically? I highly doubt that Burning Star, even after what Stygian has told me about his darker half, would have somepony as destructive as you locked in his head. Maybe you are powerful, but you couldn't beat me."

Dark Star let out a chilling laugh, "Hah! Me... unable to defeat you? I think you have that backwards, Midnight Sparkle. But for once, im not here to fight you, I am here to ask you about what your plan for this siege of yours is... mainly how you plan to execute it."

Midnight grinned, "Do you wish to join with me in the destruction of Canterlot and eventually being the pony behind Celestia and Luna's death? I like your style! However, I will not be going after them myself... it is a waste of my abilities."

Dark Star got up as his mane increased in intensity. He roared at Midnight causing Stygian to trigger the Pony of Shadows in self defense. "YOU ARE A COWARD! You are refusing to take the fight into your own hooves just because of your own ego, instead you send minions to do your dirty work while you sit in this castle, hiding like the scared little mare that you are."

Stygian approached Dark Star, intending to protect Midnight Sparkle from the attack he presumed was coming, but he was effortlessly picked up and slammed into a wall, destroying the Pony of Shadow form and knocking Stygian unconscious. Dark Star continued, now flying in the air. "You wouldn't want to take revenge on your enemies, you wouldn't go and claim Canterlot for your own? All because you think that it would be a waste of your powers? Midnight, you are truly a coward in every sense of the way. I prefer to face my opponent head on, on the battlefield, and since I share some traits with Burning Star... he also desires a final showdown with you. I can sense it... he wishes to confront you in a duel and he will lay waste to your army until you find the guts to face him!"

Midnight roared back, "I AM NO COWARD! IF BURNING STAR WISHES TO FIGHT ME, THEN SO BE IT! HELL, THROW IN THE GUARDIANS WHILE THEY ARE AT IT, I EFFORTLESSLY DEFEATED THEM. I WILL ATTACK IN 48 HOURS, AND CANTERLOT WILL BE REDUCED TO ASHES!"

Burning Star, in the guise of Dark Star, silently screamed, instead of stopping the war, he provoked Midnight into striking earlier!

He had to warn the Guardians, but he had a feeling that he needed to demonstrate Dark Star's power to Midnight Sparkle, his last resort to possibly discourage her.

Dark Star smirked and said, "Do you feel that? The anger, the hate towards my other side and towards this world? Turn your rage into a weapon Midnight, and battle me on the day of war! I wish to see if you can cement yourself as the strongest pony alive! So long, Hahaha-Haha-Ha!"

With that, Dark Star flew through the roof, sending fragments of the ceiling crashing down.

Dark Star floated in the air over the camp, before creating a giant ball of blue fire the size of a house.

He roared as he threw it, a roar that sent a massive shudder of fear throughout Midnight.

"DARK STAR DRIVER!"

The giant ball of fire impacted the castle, blowing most, if not all of it, away in a fiery explosion of hate and sheer power. 

Midnight had put up a shield, but it was shattered effortlessly and she took the full bront of the attack, badly burning her in various places. 

Once Dark Star flew off... Midnight ordered Stygian, wincing as she said, "STYGIAN! Prepare the army for the assault on Canterlot! We strike in 48 Hours! Hehe-Heh-Haaaha-Ha!"

As Dark Star was flying, Burning Star was screaming in his ears, "WHAT IN TARTARUS WAS THAT!? WE WERE SUPPOSED TO STOP THIS WAR, NOT ACCELERATE IT!"

Dark Star snapped back, "Don't you see what I've done? I have provoked Midnight into attacking early, and I also destroyed most of her army to get her attention when we arrived! We have this battle in the bag. Let's go tell... ugh... our friends the good news!"

Burning Star thought for a moment, then sighed. "For the love of Faust... I knew we would screw this up... well, I knew YOU would screw this up! What are the Guardians going to say, What about Celestia?!"

Dark Star rolled his eyes, "Relax. Just blame my personality for taking over, and we will be in the clear..."

Burning Star morphed back into himself and said, "You know somehow I think I already knew this would happen. I am such a fool..."

(Canterlot Castle, Vision Pool, Burning Star's World)

Prince Eclipsio stood motionless, his eyes closed and his horn ignited. He was focusing on The Guardians World, silently watching over them. 

When suddenly two spikes in power flung him away and into the cave wall. He said to himself, "What in the name of my sister was that? Could the battle between Midnight and Burning Star be finally beginning? I better check the pool..."

Eclipsio walked slowly over to the vision pool, creating a silver broadsword in case something would pop out of it.

He peered into the pool... and immediately went white with fear.

He saw a Dark Alicorn coated in blue flames, bearing incredible similarities to Burning Star... and the mark on his flank all but confirmed the terrifying truth.

Upon the Alicorn's flank sat a star of blue-black flames surrounded by spikes...

Prince Eclipsio screamed, getting the attention of the two guards outside of the chamber who rushed in to see the Prince on the floor, quivering in fear.

The lead guard asked, "My Prince, are you alright!"

Eclipsio got to his hooves and said, "No, we have a serious problem on the other world where Burning Star has been staying. Dark Star... has emerged."

He took a breath before saying, "I must speak with my sisters."

(Canterlot Castle, Dining Hall)

Eclipsio rushed out of the room and through the halls of the castle, barging into the dining hall where Celestia and Luna were having dinner with some of the nobles.

One of the nobles said, "What is the meaning of this rude interruption?!" He noticed Prince Eclipsio's panicked face, and continued. "Oh, Prince Eclipsio. I apologize. I did not know it was you."

Celestia looked over to her youngest brother and said, "Eclipsio? What's the matter?"

The prince frantically spoke, "Dark Star! Dark Star! Dark Star has emerged! We need to act, quickly!"

Luna interjected, "Brother, is this true?"

Eclipsio nodded, "Yes. I saw it in the vision pool, we need to call the army, call the navy, get somepony over there that knows what they are doing!"

Celestia turned to Twilight, who was in shock at the news of her husbands dark side coming out, but she collected her thoughts and said, "I believe I know a few ponies that can deal with this problem on their own..."

Celestia tilted her head in confusion, "Who?"

Twilight Sparkle smirked, "Who are Burning Star's best friends outside of me and the girls?"

Princess Luna thought for a moment, then answered. "The Masters of Nature. Brilliant, Twilight!"

The purple Alicorn blushed, "It was nothing... but I suggest we get them here ASAP. Eclipsio, how fast can you open portals to their locations?"

Eclipsio already had portals opened up, "This answer your question, Twilight Sparkle?"

She nodded, "Good. Celestia, Luna.... get my brother Shining Armor and his copy Shadow Armor. Find Cadence as well... we need all the help we can get!"

Twilight finished off, "I will gather Sunset Shimmer, Discord, and Spike. Spike should have grown quite a bit, and Sunset and Discord have been busy developing weapons against somepony of this much power."

Celestia and Luna opened their own portals and dashed through, Twilight called a portal and ran into it, heading to her destination.

(Sweet Apple Acres, The Barn)

Prince Eclipsio stepped out of his portal and ended up in Sweet Apple Acres. The first Master of Nature was here, the powerful Iron Steed, Master of Metal.

He heard a loud bang from inside the barn and various cries of anger.

The prince teleported inside and saw Applejack and Iron Steed getting into a scuffle on the floor.

"I told ya not to hit the tree so hard! Now it's nothin more than a pile of splinters." Applejack said as she delivered a buck to Iron Steed's jaw, creating a loud clang, and actually causing him to flinch in pain.

Iron Steed responded with venom in his voice, "I said that there was a group of Fruit Bats in there, I wanted to flatten them. I didn't mean to break one of your "precious" trees, you have plenty more anyways!" He delivered a body check to AJ, sending her flying into a stack of hay bales. Her head popped out, steaming mad.

Eclipsio caught the both of them in his magic grasp and said, "As much as you want to beat each other bloody, we have a bigger issue."

Iron Steed spoke, "What sort of issue?" 

The Prince responded, "Dark Star has returned."

Iron Steed went cold, "Dark Star... he is back? Well that is a big issue! I'm coming to my friends aid." 

He turned back to AJ and said, "This isn't over, you hillbilly."

Iron Steed ran through the original portal, and Eclipsio opened another and stepped through...

(Cloudsdale, Wonderbolts Training Grounds)

Prince Eclipsio emerged from the portal which led into the sky, and immediately took flight. He arrived at the location of Thunder Fury, Master of Lightning.

Speaking of which, Thunder Fury blew by him, a trail of electrical power behind him. Followed close by was a trail of rainbow light.

Prince Eclipsio smiled, he thought to himself "Seems that Thunder Fury and Rainbow Dash are having a race... my bet is on Rainbow Dash."

Thunder Fury and Rainbow Dash were neck and neck, they were racing around the entirety of Equestria, the end goal being the Cloudsdale Wonderbolt Academy.

Thunder Fury sneered at Rainbow Dash, "Well, you are quite fast, Ms. Rainbow Dash! I haven't had such a close race in years. But I'm still going to win! Soon, I'll beat you, both in this race and literally!"

Rainbow Dash snarked back, "In your dreams, sparky! Im still the faster flier in Equestria, and I do not intend to lose to you anytime soon! Besides, I'd kick your flank halfway to Manehattan before you could even catch me!"

Thunder Fury charged up a pulse of his lightning powers, and took off with a shout!

"Sonic... Lightning Dash!"

Rainbow roared out as well...

"Sonic Rainboom!"

Eclipsio knew that he needed to catch up with them, so he sped off with his own special take off Move.

"Cosmic Turbo Boost!"

He ignited with purple black light, before flying at supersonic speed towards the group.

He finally caught up and shot a portal in front of Thunder Fury, he couldn't stop in time and he flew into it.

Eclipsio said to Rainbow Dash as he opened his own portal, "Nice Race! Maybe one day I'll race you!"

(Canterlot Dam, City Limits)

Eclipsio appeared in front of the dam that held back the fearsome Canterlot River that flowed around the city, the dam provided power to most of the city.

The Prince spotted his target, a long snake-like body swimming around lazily. It was Sea Breeze, Master of Water. 

The Prince of Eclipses flew down to the water's edge and called out, "Hey there Sea Breeze. H-How you doing?"

Sea Breeze swam over to the shore and got out of the water, shaking himself dry like a dog coming out of the rain. He responded, "I be doing well, Spookycube. But you look more nervous than a salmon in a river lined with famished bears, what be your problem?"

The Prince replied, "Dark Star has emerged. We need your help, Master of Water."

Sea Breeze laughed heartily, "Well why didn't ya say so? I'll gladly oblige, open up a portal if you may."

Eclipsio opened up a portal and Sea Breeze stepped through, then he opened up another and transported to another location.

(Everfree Forest, Heart of the Forest)

Prince Eclipsio arrived in a peaceful grove in the middle of the woods, when he was suddenly greeted by a group of Timber Wolves, each of them glaring at him menacingly.

One of them was larger than the rest and approached Eclipsio, who ignited his horn, creating a silver longsword. This beast was colored a chocolate brown instead of the wood brown Timber Wolves usually had. His eyes were glowing green instead of yellow, and a great layer of leaves sprouted on his back.

Surprisingly, the large Timber Wolf spoke, "Why have you come here, Prince of Eclipses. Do you not realize the offense you carry for trespassing on such hallowed ground for our kind? Leave now, and do not return..."

Eclipsio leveled his sword in front of him, "Your disguises cannot fool me, Master of Earth. Reveal yourself, and call off your pack..."

The large Timber Wolf unusually smirked, before saying. "It seems as though you are smarter than I thought, Eclipsio... what is it you require of the Guardian of the Forest?"

The Prince responded, genuine worry in his voice, "Dark Star, the Alicorn of Destruction, has emerged on the world that Midnight Sparkle has fled to. We require your aid, Master of Earth."

The Alpha Timber Wolf vanished in a whirlwind of leaves, as did the pack surrounding him, and a green Unicorn stood in its place.

"Open a portal, Eclipsio. We must depart with the greatest of haste..."

Thorn Horn stepped into a portal which led to the Castle, as Eclipsio went after the last Master of Nature.

(Appleloosa, Sandstorm Wastes)

When the Prince emerged from the portal he immediately covered his eyes. A massive sandstorm was brewing around him, with no sign of stopping soon...

He called into the howling winds, "WIND WALKER! CAN YOU HEAR ME! CAN YOU CEASE THIS WRECTHED SANDSTORM!"

The sandstorm subsided, and a ghost white earth pony wearing a blindfold was revealed. He was standing on one of those odd mushroom-shaped rocks you find in the barrens. He seemed to be meditating, so the prince tried to approach him.

Wind Walker suddenly said, "If you are trying to sneak up on me, Eclipsio, it is a useless effort. I knew you were coming the moment you stepped out of your portal... and you think you are the only one with farsight..."

The Prince sighed, "You must teach me how you can see ponies without using your eyes. It's slightly creepy, but still incredible."

Wind Walker spoke again, still having his back to the prince, "If this is about Dark Star, I already know. I could feel your breath quickening as soon as you spoke to me, I will join you and assist Burning Star..."

Wind Walker finally turned around and smiled, "I will see you in a few minutes..." before turning into a gust of wind that was blown towards Canterlot. Eclipsio smiled, and teleported back to the castle. 

He said to himself "Nature will not be kind to Midnight Sparkle. For the Masters of Nature will make her beg for mercy..."

(Canterlot Castle, Vision Pool Room)

The Masters of Nature were waiting around in the cavern that held the vision pool, waiting for the Prince to show up and fill them in on this next mission. Whatever it was, it was dangerous enough to scare Eclipsio.

And he has fought a Kaiju-sized Nightmare creature!

While most of them were ok with the waiting, one member was bored out of his mind!

Thunder Fury was tapping his hoof rapidly, clearly both annoyed and bored... annoybored.

"Where is that emo Alicorn! He tore me away from my inevitable victory against that flankhole Rainbow Dash, and I would have won if he didn't ambush teleport me here!" He whined, causing Iron Steed to groan in aggravation.

"He will get here when he gets here, Thunder Fury. Just be patient for once." The large earth pony replied, gritting his teeth.

Thunder Fury had been doing this for the past 15 minutes, and it was starting to wear his paitence thin.

Shining Armor, as well as his copy Shadow Armor, were also present in the room.

Shadow Armor was busy speaking with Wind Walker about something personal, so Wind Walker made the area around them soundproof.

"Wind Walker, you mind if I tell you something personal... but you cannot tell anypony, Alright!?" The black knight said, a little embarrassed.

Wind Walker nodded, "I swear on my life that your secret is safe with me, Black Knight Shadow Armor... I've told you my secret, it would only be fair to tell me yours."

Shadow Armor swallowed hard, before saying, "You see... I have been seeing the model Fluer De Lis for about 3 months now... and I want to know something about her."

Wind Walker cut him off, "Yes... she does love you, Sir Shadow Armor. Are you afraid that she does not?"

"No, I... we have been dating for a while, and... I was planning to propose to her. I haven't gone soft OK?! I just... I really like her." He said, absolutely red in the face.

Wind Walker put his hoof on Shadow Armor's chest, "Listen to your heart, Knight of Shadows. If you really love her... then do what you think is right."

Wind Walker suddenly lifted his hoof and put it into his curly mane, before pulling out a box meant to hold an engagement ring. He said, "Use this, and talk to Iron Steed about the gem, he can keep a secret as well as I can."

Shadow Armor bowed, "Thank you Wind Walker, I am in your debt."

Wind Walker dissipated the soundproof area around him, and Shining asked his copy. "So what were you talking about?"

Shadow Armor growled out, "None of your business, Shining Armor. And if you know what is good for you, them you will stay out of my matters unless I ask."

Eclipsio finally emerged from a portal, he was absolutely tense from the thought of having to deal with Dark Star... 

Eclipsio addressed the Masters of Nature, "As you all know from me telling you, the Alicorn of Destruction, Dark Star, has been willingly released by Burning Star."

Thunder Fury was the first to roar out, "WHAT?! What do you mean willingly released?! How can that be possible? Is that even possible? Somepony explain what he means by Dark Star!"

Shadow Armor nodded and elaborated, "For some unknown reason, Burning Star has triggered the Dark Star transformation. Allow me to explain to those that do not know..."

He turned to them first and said, "What I am about to tell you now is extremely confidential and punishable by death... do not speak of this to anypony outside of this room."

Shadow Armor summoned a hologram from his horn and began to narrate over it. It showed various papers and notes, each having the title "Dark Star Data"

"During the aftermath "Windigo Wars", the forces of Diamanda's army were scattered to the farthest reaches of the world. Burning Star, alongside Hill Taker, Quickfire, and Queen Twilight Sparkle were charged with disposing of any remaining forces, while Twilight analyzed their bizarre physiology and powers over ice and snow."

Shadow Armor continued, "These reports were supposedly found in the care of a former survivor of Burning Star's village." He stopped for a moment and looked around. He asked, "Does anypony know of the name Dr. Goldhoof?"

Iron Steed stepped forward, "Yeah. He was one of our strongest enemies. He offered Burning Star a possible solution to his ever-growing powers, and he betrayed us, taking some of his power."

The giant draft pony shuddered, "When Burning Star found out about it... Goldhoof was already long gone, he set fire to anything in his path, looking for him."

Shadow Armor continued, "Dr. Goldhoof was found deceased, frozen to death by a Comet Dragon. During the ensuing conflict, Twilight was injured... and Burning Star, lost it. The following footage may be a bit disturbing..."

The hologram blazed to life as the group looked on to see Burning Star slicing up the dragon, the bright red blood soaking into his skin, and he appeared to be laughing and screaming like a maniac. His fire was not red, it was a unholy blue-black.

Shadow Armor finished, "Goldhoof's Notes were thankfully preserved, and the data was analyzed by me. This is the conclusion I came to on Dark Star"

He stopped the hologram and spoke directly to the group. "From the Notes the doctor had, he estimated Dark Star's true power. In simple terms, Dark Star is Burning Star's full, unrestrained power, but in a completely uncontrollable state. He is dangerous, unpredictable, and destructive on a global scale. A single full-strength Horn Hyper Beam from him has the power to obliterate a mountain, and his Star Strike attack apparently has the estimated power to decimate all of The Crystal Empire, as well as twenty miles in each direction."

The dark Unicorn visibly winced, "This power is apparently drawn from his anger and hate, meaning Dark Star's destructive potential is potentially Infinite... for all he wants to do is destroy, destroy, and destroy some more until everything and everypony around him is gone."

Prince Eclipsio interrupted, "Yeah, that's why I'm so frightened by that... thing. So, lets go stop it before it decimates the other world, and eventually our world. Who is with me?"

All of the Masters of Nature nodded, and Eclipsio opened a portal to the world of the Guardians.

He hopped through, as did the rest of the group... 

The portal closed with a flash of light, unable to open until Dark Star was beaten for good...

IF he could be beaten, that is...
> Chapter 15, Part 2: Star of The Morning/Prince of Insanity
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Canterlot Castle, Dining Room)

The Castle dining room was built for large crowds, since parties and private galas for the nobles. 

It was also the site of many meetings of the shrewd and petty political group that surrounded Celestia's nephew, Prince Blueblood Morningstar. This group was known as the Pure Blood Party... 

Anypony who was in deep financial or social troubles often got a invitation from this group of corrupt ponies, and Blueblood was their main boss. While he maintained a albeit flamboyant and cocky personality in public.

In private, he was cunning and ruthless. Trying to constantly scheme and plot to get laws passed to further elevate the upper class above the "ignorant masses", which to him was everypony except himself. 

Blueblood got all of this hidden mercilessness from his father, Lord Morning Star. Blueblood had never met him in person... for he had been killed by an assasssin when the prince was a colt. 

As per request of his aunt, Prince Blueblood right now was sitting with Noble Blade and the Guardians, and the Star Hunters.

As much as his auntie loved the Guardians and appreciated the Star Hunters, he hated both... especially the Star Hunters.

Blueblood finally stopped thinking about the recent events and stomped his hoof on the table, getting the attention of everypony, he said, "Sir Noble, may I ask you a question? It concerns me and the safety this city. I believe that I speak for the majority of Canterlot when I say that I am extremely concerned about these... heroes from another world." 

Noble sighed, Celestia's nephew was always so aggravating, but he had to maintain a straight face. Noble replied, "Well they are a great help to us, Prince. Also, this Midnight Sparkle happens to be from their world..."

Prince Blueblood scoffed, "Excuse Me?! So these invaders from another world brought this "Midnight Sparkle" here? And you expect me to trust them? I would ought to have them executed for this reason!"

Firestorm snorted, "Woah, Woah, Hey! You can't just kill these two for something that they had no control over..." he pointed to Hiller and Quickfire, both of them glaring at the pompous prince. 

Blueblood waved his hoof and said, "Of course I can, you are a threat to my homeland! I am a Prince of Equestria, aren't I?"

Noble stomped his hoof down, "That does not give you the right to impose your will on them. Celestia is in charge, not you." 

Blueblood completely ignored Noble and said, "Guards! Seize them!"

The Royal Guard quickly approached Hiller and Quickfire, swords and spears drawn, Hiller and Quickfire simply stood up.

Hiller growled out, "What the hell is wrong with you, Prince? We haven't done anything to you, so why are you calling in the death squad on us? By Faust you're xenophobic..."

Prince Blueblood snarled at the Protopony, "I am xenophobic Because of what you can do to us, earth pony filth! I will not have this city, MY city, be overwhelmed by ponies as dangerous as you, also... you have no right to shout at me!"

Noble Blade and the rest of the Guardians pulled their seats back in an attempt to get up, but Quickfire put one of his hooves up and said, "Calm yourselves, Guardians. We will take care of this, WITHOUT excessive bloodshed." 

The mercenary pony turned to his partner, "Are you ready Hiller? Remember, don't kill them."

Hiller smirked and stood on his back hooves, Quickfire did the same, a unearthly gleam in his one eye. 

Hiller spoke to the approaching guards, "Oh I'm not gonna hurt you..."

Quickfire drew his katana with one good and ignited it into a blade of electrical power. He picked up a hand crossbow in his other and loaded a bolt into the sling. 

Hiller turned his front hooves into his hammerhooves, saying "I'm just going to hurt you really, really, badly."

Blueblood signaled the guards to charge and they did just that, each one of them having a fiery gleam in their eyes. 

Noble looked on with awe as Quickfire and Hiller leapt into the fray.

Quickfire ran headfirst into a pair of burly earth ponies and disarmed and electrocuted them with his sword. He then used his crossbow to nail their shoulder pads to the floor with bolts. 

Another guard, a Pegasus, approached from behind and he backflipped over him, before sending the back of his boot into the guards helm, crumpling it like paper with a audible crunch. He then grabbed him by base of the wings and suplexed him over his head into a back breaker. 

Hiller blocked three unicorns swinging down with their swords with his massive hammerhooves, he then pinned the three blades in his grasp and snapped them as easily as snapping a twig. Hiller toppled all three of them and sent a huge uppercut to the first unicorn pony, a flying cannonball kick to the second, and finished off the last one by wrapping his tendrils around him and throwing him like a hammer into the wall, leaving a sizable crack. 

Blueblood was in shock, his own personal guard detail, beaten! He had picked them personally, how did they lose. 

Quickfire spoke to the now furious Prince Blueblood, his hooves clenched in frustration. "Listen here you litte sh-t! We, well... I do not have time for this. If you think you're hot stuff, prove it. I am more than willing to stake my life and honor on a Duel, provided you can back up your words?"

Blueblood laughed, "Hah! Me? Degrade myself to fighting a common assassin? I would never!"

Quickfire smirked, "Then you will forever be without bravery, Blueblood Morningstar. Unless you fight me, and only me."

Noble watched, completely amazed as Quickfire stared down Blueblood and refused to falter. He himself had once wanted to knock Blueblood on his flank, but he had never gotten the chance...

Prince Blueblood reached back and pulled at the braid on his hair, it came down in a cascade of blond and white.

Blueblood then scoffed, "Ok then, cretin! If you challenge me, then you remove your idiotic mask. I've degraded my honor, I think I should know who I am about to best in a duel!"

Firestorm looked at Quickfire and then whispered to Freedom, "Hey, Quickfire is gonna finally hopefully remove his mask... who do you think he is? My bet is on a future version of Noble Blade from a horrible reality."

Freedom raised an eyebrow, silently saying, "Really? My best guess is Burning Star without wings."

Firestorm looked on with utter amazement as Quickfire reached back and pressed down on the back of his mask, it let out a hiss as the clasps came undone.

When he pulled it off, Firestorm, Noble Blade, and pretty much everypony in the room went slack jawed.

Quickfire had white fur, albeit faded. He bore a short navy blue mane with sky blue streaks, it was ragged and cut roughly, almost as if he cut it with his own sword. His face was covered in scars, and a small pair of canines hung out of his mouth. His horn was a normal unicorn horn, but sharpened into a blade like shape. 

The most glaring thing was that left eye was missing! And his right eye bore a brand of a reddish-brown crosshairs on it. 

Firestorm thought to himself, "Guess that little brand is where he gets his name... wait... that's?!"

The face was unmistakable!

That face was Shining Armor! A scarred, beaten and battered Shining Armor...

But still Shining Armor!

Prince Blueblood was in shock, how could Prince Shining Armor be here, standing in front of him... When he was staying in the Crystal Empire?!

"This is impossible, completely impossible!" Said Prince Blueblood in disbelief.

Quickfire smirked and said, "Guess I'm no common assasssin anymore huh? So, are we going to do this... or are you all talk?"

Noble raised an eyebrow in curiosity, Blueblood's temper was known to be as tough as a fortress, but here he was... fuming and behaving like some common street fighter.

Blueblood pulled a broadsword out of an unconscious guard's sheath and pointed it at Quickfire, he said with a roar. "Listen well heathen! YOU WILL NOT DISRESPECT ME ANY LONGER! I WILL PERSONALLY BEAT RESPECT INTO YOUR SORRY HIDE!"

Quickfire stood on his hind legs and growled, "Bring it on Prince Charmless!"

Firestorm and the Guardians watched as Prince Blueblood charged Quickfire like a raging Minotaur, his sword gripped in his magic and thrusted forwards, Quickfire didn't move an inch...

When Blueblood was within about 10 feet of the assassin, Quickfire swung his katana down on the blade of Blueblood's sword with a loud clang, and then Quickfire let loose his attack... 

With a deadly gleam in his eye, Quickfire sent a full-power strike to Blueblood's body, Noble heard an audible crack and then the prince crying out in agony... most likely having many ribs broken.

Quickfire then sent him flying onto the table with a powerful buck from his back legs. The force of the impact shattered the soild marble table and sent the Guardians flying from their seats. 

Freedom was the first to get Up, only to see Prince Blueblood heavily bruised, battered, and completely unconscious from the pain. 

It got worse, Celestia walked in to check on the group, only to find her nephew and his guards knocked out on the remnants of the table, with Quickfire standing over them, mask off and teeth bared. 

Celestia shouted in her Royal Canterlot voice, "WHAT IN FAUSTS NAME HAPPENED HERE?!"

Firestorm stood up and said, "Well you see, Tia... Blueblood got all... what was it you said, Quickfire?"

The assassin put his sword away and said, "Xenophobic."

Firestorm nodded, "Yes, that. Anyways he completely overreacted and thought the Star Hunters were a threat to Canterlot."

Celestia interrupted, "Why would my nephew think that? You all have been somewhat civil... I guess. Also, I'm surprised that Blueblood would actually take matters into his own hooves."

Quickfire quickly hoisted Blueblood to his feet and smacked him awake, saying, "Hey, Pal... wake up. I didn't hit you that hard."

Price Blueblood screeched, and took another swing at Quickfire, who pinned his sword on the ground with his hoof, "You broke my ribs you twat! You consider that not that bad?!"

Narrowing his one eye, Quickfire snarled, "Do not push me, Blueblood. If I wanted it, you would be dead already. In fact, you're lucky I even gave you my mercy..."

Blueblood grimaced, and slowly limped out of the room, two guards helped him to stand and he waddled to his chambers.

Celestia then addressed The elephant in the room, Quickfire's assault on her nephew.

Celestia turned to the assassin and shouted, "Quickfire! What in Tartarus has gotten..." she paused, realizing who Quickfire actually was, before continuing, mind racing at the sight of the scarred Shining Armor's face. 

"S-Shining? H-How is this possible? You're in the Crystal Empire with Cadence... what is going on?"

Hello, Princess Celestia Aliconus, Isn't it nice to see you again... "Quickfire Shining suddenly spoke in an unfamiliar voice and language. It sounded roar-like, as if something from the pits of Tartarus was speaking to them.

Suddenly, a crack in the floor appeared and a dimensional portal sprang to life over the wreckage of the table. 

Noble assumed it was this Eclipsio sending the masters of Nature Burning Star has spoken so highly of, but the portal was drastically different...

Instead of the blue black color it was a dull red and brown and sparked with flames. Firestorm stared into the portal and literally saw the most unholy things he could imagine.

Demons, some pony like, others barely pony shaped, were stomping and fighting on the other side of the portal! 

Noble concluded that this wasn't a portal to the other world, rather it was a gate to the fire pits of Tartarus!

Suddenly, Quickfire's body spazmed and contorted, before he let out a haunting scream and a gray and red wisp popped out of his mouth. It violently thrashed around in the air before settling to the floor. 

Firestorm gathered up every ounce of breakers he had left and spoke to the voice, "Uhh... who or what are you?"

The voice began to speak in a language unknown to everypony but Noble, it was Dark Equestrian, but spoken in a Latin language. Noble thanked Eclipsio and Sombra for teaching him how to understand that ancient speech...

The wisp spoke, "It must be hard to understand me, is it not?"

Noble responded, "I can understand you, can you understand me?" 

He motioned to his mouth "Can you speak Equine English? Uh... Tu loqueris Latina Equine?"

The Wisp sighed, then let out a laugh, "Hahahahaha! Oh Noble Blade! You are truly such a simple pony, yes I can speak English... give me a second.

Suddenly, the wisp expanded to a gigantic size, to where it was bigger than Celestia and then a body began to build, with it radiating a bright light. 

Everypony covered their eyes as the light brightened, before shrinking away to reveal a truly frightening sight.

The creature in front of them was a Alicorn Pony... of some sort. It was heavily warped and twisted by what looked to be the magic of Tartarus. 

The pony was a stallion, he stood and nearly two heads taller than Celestia, and his face was well chiseled, almost as if it was carved from stone. Long fangs and razor sharp teeth sat in his mouth and a forked tounge flicked in and out like a great snake. Two bright yellow reptilian eyes that emitted a red aura of magic sat in its massive skull. On his head sat a set of curled Ram Horns, with a curved Unicorn horn in the center, forming some sort of crown. Six small braids of hair ran down the back of his neck. 

His body was colored dark, dark blue, nearly black. Upon his back sat his wings, they were great black and blue dragon wings, and they came in three pairs. Six wings upon his back, each folding in upon each other, like some sort of living cape. 

The final freaky part about this... thing was his legs, he had the torso of a Minotaur, and had large scale-and fur arms with five digits. His torso had four legs, like Lord Tirek, but instead of them being bovine they were reptilian, and had clawed digits on each, forming toes.

The giant demon lowered his arm to Noble Blade and put out his hand, it was nearly the size of Noble Blade himself!

The demon spoke, "I am Lucifer matutinus, Diabolus ipsum or in normal speech, Lucifer Morning Star, the Devil himself..."

Everypony's blood went cold, then their faces went pale, the devil, the Faust-damn lord of Tartarus himself was standing right in front of them... holding out a hand to Noble Blade, and introducing himself?!

Noble held out his hoof slowly, before saying, "Wait. If you're the devil, how come you're not trying to steal my soul?"

Lucifer Morning Star laughed, he sounded like somepony he knew, his father... Noble figured it was a way that this demon got the trust of others before taking their souls... he was the Prince of Lies after all. 

Celestia recognized that voice, "Lucifer Morningstar! Get down here, and stop with the whole being big thing!"

The devil-pony looked down and sighed, "Uuuh... fine. Sweet Faust... you are a buzzkill."

Morningstar shrank down to being slightly larger than Celestia and smirked, "There, happy?"

Celestia asked the Lord of Tartarus an obvious question, "Yes. Care to explain why you are standing here and not burning in Tartarus?"

The Devil pony just laughed, it was frightening enough to scare even Freedom Fighter stiff. "No, I'm here to speak with Noble Blade and the Guardians. It concerns the matter of your friend releasing this monster known as Dark Star, mainly how threatening he actually is."

Noble Blade addressed Lucifer, "We know about Dark Star and how destructive he is. He has the power to destroy entire cities within hours, hence the reason why we have been training ourselves to deal with him and hopefully contain his destructive powers." 

Lucifer face palmed, "No, you are missing the point, Noble Blade. One does not simply "Contain" Dark Star. You have to kill him and send him to Tartarus... speaking of new faces I've seen, how in your name Celestia, did Daybreaker wind up in Tartarus? And also, Who summoned Gomorah, Devourer of the Divine? Who did that?"

Firestorm answered this time, "Oh,  That would be King Sombra. He came over from Burning Star's world and he is an Alicorn now, did you know 'bout this?"

The Pegasus brought up an interesting question, "Speaking of other worlds, are you from Burning's world, Or ours?"

The Devil Pony began to snicker a bit, then explained, a certain authoritative tone in his voice. "I am from both worlds actually. You see, being the lord of a plane of reality actually makes me knowing of all versions of Tartarus. For every Tartarus, there is a version of me, and I often converse with them on a regular basis. But if your asking for a specific world, then yes, I am from Burning Star's world. In fact, I made the journey ALL the way here to congratulate you three."

The devil suddenly started clapping, then continued, "Killing Queen Chrysalis was no small feat of skill. She was filled with the sin of lust. Her soul was so delicious to devour... like sweet chocolate ice cream with a sprinkle of sugar. Ohh... it was good."

Lucifer noticed that everypony was staring at him with a horrified look on their faces, he smiled sheepishly. "Uh, sorry... I get carried away when talking about myself. It's a bad habit, but why should I care? I'm the devil after all!"

Freedom mentally sighed and thought to himself, "THIS is the Devil? Wow, he is rather lax..."

Lucifer Morningstar gave Freedom a glare and spoke to his mind, Don't insult me, Freedom Fighter, I know who you are, I know what is under that mask of yours... and unless you think that your friends will stick by you after they know what you did, then I assure you... they will not."

Celestia tried to steer the demon back on topic by saying, "Listen... about this Dark Star. How are we supposed to defeat him if we can't contain him? If we simply let him fight my Guardians out in the open, then dozens of acres of land will be ravaged! If you have a plan to put a stop to him, please say so."

The demonic Alicorn shrugged, "I don't have a plan yet, I prefer to do things on the fly... kinda like Burning Star does. Did you know that I once went hoof-to-hoof with him in a magic duel? Holy hell he is powerful. He managed to exhaust my healing abilities, but I still beat him with a blast of a demonic lightning beam. He isn't as invincible as he thinks he is... and I showed him why I am the king of the pits of Tartarus!"

Quickfire finally regained consciousness and looked up to see the satanic Alicorn standing in front of him, he cleared his throat to get everypony's attention and said, "Um, guys? Care to explain why Lucifer Morningstar is here in Canterlot? Because I would like a reason as to WHY you chose to possess my body, you creep!"

Lucifer Morningstar picked up Quickfire in his arms and said, "I possessed you Because you were the most inconspicuous pony in the room, the Guardians were too well known, Hiller was too unstable, and Blueblood is... well... related to me."

The group's jaws hit the floor, excluding Celestia, as they all collectively said, "WHAT! BLUEBLOOD IS RELATED TO YOU! HOW?!"

Firestorm stopped for a minute and thought, then said, "Actually. It makes sense, Blueblood's last name is Morningstar, and Luci boy here has the title of "Fallen Star of the Morning." So, there is evidence that they are related. Also, Prince Blueblood is kind of an uptight twat."

Noble interrupted, "But that doesn't explain why he is Celestia's nephew! Unless... oh no..."

Lucifer leaned in and put his face next to Noble's, "Oh yes... One of the relatives of this Celestia is me... and Blueblood isn't my nephew, he is my bastard child. Why do you think he is such a jerk?"

Celestia roared at Lucifer in the Royal Canterlot Voice, "YEAH! CARE TO EXPLAIN WHY YOU DUMPED HIM ON MY DOORSTEP ALL THOSE YEARS AGO?!"

Lucifer sighed, "Welp, I... didn't know how to take care of a kid that egotistical and snobbish, he gets  that from his mother. so, I kinda-sorta, left him with the closest ponies in power I knew, those two ponies were Celestia and Luna. I figured they would shape him into a proper Prince, but the title only inflated his ego even more. In short, I messed up... I was young and in love with a bitch of a wife, The Demon Queen Lilith. She used my powers to expand her domain in Tartarus, and she bore a son that was supposed to kill me."

Noble asked the Prince of Darkness, "So are you the reason he was acting so rash today?"

Lucifer nodded, and said, "Well... yeah. Close proximity to me stirs up the negative emotions of life forms, causing them to act... well... nasty."

Suddenly, Blueblood entered the room, bandages around his midsection and saw his apparent father, he spoke out loud, loud enough to get everypony's attention. "Excuse me! Is the whole world going mad!? Why is there a demon standing in the castle! Is he here to finish what that dreadful Lord Tirek started?"

Firestorm continued off the snobbish prince's topic, "Yeah, why did Tirek escape Tartarus? Did you have something to do with that?"

The devil pony smiled sheepishly, "I may or may not had set him free to test the strength of Twilight Sparkle and her friends... in fact, most of Tartarus was betting on Tirek coming out as the victor, I was the only one who bet on your student, Sun-butt. Let's just say I had my fill of souls that day, and Burning Star defeating Tirek again... also a won bet by me. Tirek that time wasn't summoned by me, Midnight Sparkle summoned him. Glad he is dead and back in his prison... I came to congratulate him as well... but he seems to be out."

Hiller chimed in, "He is currently talking with Midnight to HOPEFULLY avoid a full on war. You know, preventive negotiations."

The demon gave them the "are you kidding me" face, "You all know that Burning Star sucks at negotiating things? Why do you think he hates politics?"

Everypony simultaneously facehoofed, with Noble saying, "Damn it, I know that already... but, I have faith that he will pull through. He disguised himself as Dark Star in order to appear as if he is on Midnight's side. He knew it would be a risky move, but it is his last resort outside of a confrontation. In fact, he came up with the idea... which certainly surprised me."

The devil pony went pale and his wings flared in terror, "HE RELEASED DARK STAR! IS HE INSANE?! THIS IS THE WORST... POSSIBLE... THING!"

Everypony watched as Lucifer Morningstar began to scream in terror, he said as he freaked out, "We have to stop him before he loses control and Dark Star breaks free of his mind! We have to! we have to! Gather the army! Call the Pegasus Air Force! Do something!"

Noble reached out and slapped him, saying "Calm yourself Lucifer! This is no time to freak out, at times like this it is ideal to stay level headed and clear minded. If Dark Star were to break free, we would know, he radiates magic with the intensity of the sun, Besides... Burning Star assured me that he could control himself."

Firestorm added in his own opinion, "Yeah! So cool it, Morningstar!"

Blueblood heard the mention of his last name and interrupted, "Hold on a moment. Why is this demon's last name the same as mine?" 

Lucifer sensed a chance to fulfill a moment he always wanted to do, he spoke in a chilling voice, "Because Blueblood, I AM your father..."

Prince Blueblood somehow went whiter than he was, and stood back in shock and said, "No...  that's not True... THATS IMPOSSIBLE!"

The devil Alicorn stepped forward and said, "Search your feelings, you know it to be true!"

Blueblood dropped to his knees and cried out, "NOOOOO! NOOOOOOOOO!"

Celestia gave the demon a raised eyebrow, causing Lucifer to smile and say, "What? I've always wanted to do that, can't I live my favorite movie moment?"

"Seriously? I thought the Devil was supposed to be this all-powerful serious as crap, deity of evil, not a snarky, sarcastic centaur." Said Firestorm, ruffling his wings. 

Lucifer faked being injured, clutching his chest, "Oh! Oh your words wound me Firestorm! The reason I don't act like the world ending demon lord of darkness is because... well... I am bored of that. I want to have some fun, and playing by the stereotypical "Serious Devil" mentality isn't fun. So, I figured I should enjoy myself a bit! Hahahah-ha!"

Blueblood suddenly cried out, "Why! Why did I have to be cursed with this... ugly... thing as my father! Noooo!"

Lucid we walked over to Blueblood and picked him up in his arms and said, "Well I didn't ask for a snob of a son, but that is your mothers fault, not mine. Come on, I'm taking you out in a few minutes."

Luckier turned to Noble and said quietly, "Listen here, Noble Blade. I am a betting pony, but I will not place my bet on you. My bet is on Dark Star, and I never lose a bet, for he simply is that powerful. You need a miracle to stop him, in fact... I'll give you a catch-free wish if you manage to defeat him, how does that sound?"

Noble turned to his partners, and then to Celestia, who then shook her head. 

Noble swallowed hard, and said, "You got yourself a bet, Lucifer Morningstar. But this will be the first time you lose. Burning Star will overcome that monster, and we will be fighting alongside him!"

The devil pony created a portal and said before he stepped through, "Don't count on it!"

Noble Blade would normally regret that decision, but today was not a normal day. 

He turned to Celestia and said, "Before you decide to strike me down for betting against Satan himself, hear me out. Has Burning Star ever lost a fair fight? No, from what King Sombra has told me he always delivers the goods."

Celestia said in shock, "You are trusting the word of a Dark Alicorn King who is most likely going to stab us in he back? Have you gone insane, Noble Blade?!"

Firestorm and Hiller chimed in simultaneously, "We are putting are backs to the wall here, and you thought it was the most logical choice to strike a deal with that monster?"

Quickfire retorted against the two, "We are already against the wall, and our options are limited. It wasn't the most intelligent decision, but it was the most practical one available at the time. To be honest, I trust Noble's judgement, it may be a bit flawed... but I would rather tangle with Lucifer in battle rather than Midnight. He may say he beat Burning Star, but he only won through a real cheap shot, and because Burning Star was holding back a lot. If he were to let loose, That demon would be nothing more than ashes..."

(Tartarus, Fortress of Burning Hell)

Blueblood Morningstar and Lucifer Morningstar arrived through a red portal into a black obsidian room, it was hewn from the rock and was decorated with things Blueblood recognized from his childhood. 

There was a set of black steel Armor on a rack, it had a spiked helm forged to look like a dragon skull, the most glaring thing was the object fused into the chestplate. 

It was the infamous Alicorn Amulet! 

the Armor rack had a nameplate under it that read, "For my beloved son."

There was a picture of himself as a foal with a stallion he once saw as his father cradling him in his hooves, there was another showing Blueblood earning his cutie mark, and then there was the one that drove him wild with fear.

It was him, as a newborn foal, being held by a mare he didn't recognize...

She had bleach white fur and two Devil horns sprouting from a dirty blond mane. She had blue eyes and slitted pupils, and she seemed to be smirking in Blueblood's direction.

Blueblood read the name underneath the picture of the demonic mare...

"My Love Lilith"

Lucifer noticed this and said, "Welcome home, Son. You like your room? I can have a window installed later so you can look out over the burning fields, they are quite beautiful if you ignore the tormented screams of souls..."

Lucifer noticed that his son was still shocked stiff, and he hugged him "Listen, I know this is all really abruptly timed, but I felt as if I should have told you who you really are. In fact, the version of me from Burning Star's World also has Blueblood as a son! What a coincidence, right?"

Prince Blueblood was still trying to process all the information that was dumped on him, and oh boy was he struggling. 

He thought to himself, "I am the son of a demon? And not just any ordinary demon, the Devil himself?! How? Why? Ok, calm down Blueblood, surely this is just a bad dream. You're still asleep in your bed in Canterlot... you're not the son of the devil..."

Lucifer leaned down and said, "You know I can hear every thought your thinking, right? And I assure you, this is no dream. Look!"

Lucifer ignited his horn and engulfed Blueblood in dark red fire. When it died down, Blueblood looked in a nearby mirror and his jaw dropped.

His formerly normal unicorn horn had changed into a crescent Shape, and was now colored a bloody red. His teeth had grown into fangs and his face in general had broadened to accustom to his new maw. His eyes had slitted pupils, and had turned orange. His decently sized legs and had increased in size and sprouted sharp claws in place of his hooves. He looked behind to see two giant dragon wings erupt from his back with a disgusting squelch of bone ripping through flesh.

His compass cutie mark had been replaced with a red pentagram, which looked like it was carved into his own skin.

He wanted to both scream and cry out, but now he knew he wasn't dreaming... it all seemed too real.

Blueblood asked the demon king, "Uh... Lucifer. Is it true that you are my father? Am I really the twisted son of the devil himself? Because if I do not get a response I'm probably going to go insane!"

He grasped his father with his magic, "Tell Me! Please!"

Lucifer nodded, "Yep. Every word, and since you are my son... you actually are a legitimate Prince, since I am king down here."

Blueblood suddenly began to feel a sense of pride, he was an actual prince! It wasn't just a title anymore, he was born royalty!

Granted it was royalty literally from Tartarus, but still Royalty! 

Prince Blueblood smiled, and then spoke to his dad, "So if I'm a prince, I can marry a princess and become a king?"

The elder devil pony nodded, "Well I would have to be dead in order for you to become king, but considering the fact that I'm immortal, I don't think you'll be moving on Up. You can still marry a princess, but no... kingship for you is not in the near future."

Blueblood hung his head and thought to himself, he had an evil idea, which was hidden from Lucifer by a mental shield. "Perhaps you are wrong, father. I'll show you how powerful I am, and you will be helpless to stop me... I will be king. I will be king! I WILL BE KING!"

Prince Blueblood spoke out, "Dad, this is all a bit too much now... can you please leave?"

Blueblood's father nodded and teleported away in a flare of light. Saying to him, "Sure thing, my boy. I'll go get some cookies, and we can talk about what I do. Goodbye!"

Blueblood began to speak to himself,  "I'm probably going insane, no... I am going insane. But what is more insane? Me? Or the World..."

Blueblood came to his conclusion finally, "No I am not insane, not yet! The World! The WORLD HAS GONE INSANE!"



Two Hell-Hounds appeared at his doorstep and stood guard. Prince Blueblood clutched his head as the world began to spin around him...

He cried out, "Aaaarggh!"

The two hounds looked at the Prince with puzzled expressions, what was he doing?

Another cry of pain, "AHHHH!"

Prince Blueblood then began to sing, pacing about the room. "The world, has gone, INSANE. And parasites are eating at, my brain!"

He wheeled around and rushed towards the door, "And nothing is the way it was before. A pack of wolves is howling at my door!"

The two Hell-Hounds still looked confused. They certainly didn't look like wolves... did they?

Blueblood continued, "I'm living in a non-stop nightmare, dead mare's dream, filled with screaming PAIN! Hurling me to mad extremes, in a world, that's, gone, INSAAAAANE!"

Blueblood charged out the door, and down the hall, avoiding the freakish demon servants.

The world, has lost, its head. And every evil hour, is filled with DREAD."

He jumped through a window and fell into a lake of bloody water that happened to be floating upwards. "I'm floating in a lake... but upside down! And when I try to breathe, I start to DROWN."

He fell out of the water and onto the hard rock path, seeing the various spirits of lifeforms walking around, Each horribly distorted and twisted. "I cannot speak as nameless ghosts, and faceless ghouls, live to join the dead!"

He grasped his head once more, feeling more pain. "No one tells these gruesome fools, that the world, has, lost, its, HEEEAAAAD!"

He started to run wild, seeing the horrors of the realm of Tartarus. "Fiendish creatures leave their graves, to taunt me! Old friends risen from the dead, to haunt me!"

He fell into a bloody river, floating down stream, "God forsaken images, that daunt me... drowning in an endless flood of BLOOD!"

He jumped out of the river, stained red with blood and flesh. He continued his madness motif, "The world, has lost, ITS MIND! And everywhere I turn, I fear, I'll find..."

A group of demons approached Blueblood, they were chained together. He still sung out, "Some nightmare even worse, than those, I see. Satanic demons closing in on me!"

He grasped his head, tearing at his face, leaving gashes. "How can it be that even though they see my plight, everypony's Blind!"

"Night is day, and day is night. In a world, that's, lost, its, MIIIIND!"

Prince Blueblood teleported to the room he began in, and saw the Armor, he began to put it on, a manic look in his eyes. 

"The world, has gone, BERSERK! I'm hiding in the murk, where nuances lurk!"

Prince Blueblood watched as the Armor slithered Up his legs, he still sang through the feeling, "I see a sea of snakes, upon the floor!"

A skeletal pony with a scythe passed by his doorway, and smiled in a oddly friendly manner. Blueblood continued, "I see the reaper, GRINNING AT MY DOOR."

He put on the gauntlets and shoes, still screaming lyrics. "I scream in silence! Bad is good, and good is bad! SACRED IS PROFANE!"

He finally lifted the helm over his head, "And its wiser to be MAD!!!"

When he dropped the helm over his face, a visor dropped and his voice changed to a truly demonic tone...

"In a world that's gone INSANE..."

(Cut the song)

Blueblood's body was now fully armored by the enbony colored Armor, he smirked, showing his sharp teeth. His draconic wings folded over his back, and his eyes glowed with a haunting light.

Blueblood spoke, his voice deeper, more growl-like. "Heh-Heh-Heeeh, I think it may be time for a fresh start and a little journey of my own... and a fresh start means a new name."

He looked at the former clothes he was wearing, seeing a black soot-covered sun medallion that was his former badge of office.

He finally said, "How about, Black Sun? Yes... that is certainly a fitting name for me? Black Sun, Demon Champion and Prince of Tartarus! Heh-he-Hahaahaha!"

Blueblood, now Black Sun, unfurled his wings and blasted a hole in the wall that lead to the outside, he lifted off, heading towards the Gates of Tartarus.

He said to himself, "If the world chooses to become insane, then I will cleanse it of its madness... I will exterminate the filth and unworthy of this world, and any other world, until only the paragons of the world survive! And when Celestia sees me for who I am, I will rule over her! I WILL PREVAIL!"

Black Sun flew at extremely high speeds and smashed straight through the massive Gates of Tartarus, laughing like a madpony.

Meanwhile, Lucifer Morningstar teleported back to his son's room saying, "Oh Blueblood! I brought cookies, they are double... Dark... Chocolate...

The demonic pony noticed the massive hole in the wall, as well as the set of armor missing. 

He cursed, "Ah Fuck... he put on the armor before I taught him how to control it... well, only one thing left to do...

Lucifer pulled up an orb of vision and focused it on Blueblood, he then began to eat the cookies, smiling to himself.

He endearingly said, "My little colt is about to preform his first genocide, I am so proud of him, but his time hasn't come yet. Well... Time to beg for help from the Guardians...

He thought for a moment, then said to himself, "Or... I could let them figure it out for themselves, screw it! Blueblood can be their undoing, and then I'll bet that a rebellion against him will form, and The Guardians will most likely be a the tip of the spear for them."

He finished his thought with a sigh and an evil laugh, "Ah... it is so good to be bad. Mwah-hahahah-ha!"

(Equestrian Skies)

Meanwhile, Burning Star was streaking across the sky like a shooting star. He was silently panicking, no... he was actually panicking. 

How could he have been so naive? He should have known that having Dark Star do the negotiating would end up in disaster.

Hell, it would have been smarter to talk with Midnight as himself!

And now... Midnight was marching towards the city, due to arrive within the next few days, and he had no plan ready!

Burning Star was screwed...

Completely screwed.

Totally, one hundred percent, beyond a shadow of a Faust-Damn doubt screwed!

He was also speaking to Dark Star, tying to find out what in Faust's name was he thinking.

"This is a disaster, and you are the cause of this, Dark Star! I swear if I ever try this again I will ask Twilight to shoot me in the head with a Horn Hyper Beam."

Dark Star snapped back, "What are you worried about? Just let me run wild and destroy everything, that usually solves our problems, right?! Hah-haha-ha!"

Dark Star felt a pain on his face as a mental version of Burning Star blasted him square in the jaw with a pulse of magic. It sent him flying into a mental structure of a building.

Burning Star roared at his darker half, "Ugh! Why do you have to be so hateful and angry! Even I'm not that petty when it comes to a grudge."

Dark Star's head popped out of the rubble and he snarled in retaliation, "Uh, newsflash buddy! You made me this way, and now you're going to have to live with me the rest of your immortal life!"

Burning Star stopped talking to the destructive beast and concentrated on flying back to Canterlot as fast as he can...

When suddenly a black blur hit him mid-flight!

Burning Star fell towards the ground, and he braced for impact...

He landed in a grove of trees near what looked to be the remnants of an old logging town. There were small ruined log cabins and a large stone building with a forge and large saw blade used to chop lumber into manageable pieces.

The black blur landed in front of him and roared, "BURNING STAR! I CHALLENGE YOU TO A DUEL TO THE DEATH."

Burning Star, his mane and tail fully ablaze with an intense flame, simply said, "Oh give me a break!"

The Black Alicorn took a quick glance at the pony in the ebony armor, he noticed the Alicorn Amulet at the center, and two great demon wings. As well as a braid of... Blond... hair?

The armored demon pony spoke again, "Stand up and fight you hot headed heathen, and face you demise at the hooves of Black Sun, Demon Prince of Tartarus!"

Burning Star instantly recognized that voice, trying to hold back a laugh, he said, "Blueblood? Is that you under all that armor?"

Black Sun hissed, "I was once Blueblood, but I am no longer! I am Black Sun, the Star of Hell! And I will slay you in combat, ponies of your power cannot be allowed to run wild with their powers! I should be the only one with power!"

Burning Star's left eye twitched and his flames turned bright red, he was MAD.

He roared back in the Royal Canterlot Voice, "For Faust's sake, I don't have time for any MORE VILLIANS TODAY!"

Burning Star charged at Blueblood, his horn turned into a flaming blade. The Demon Prince responded in kind, creating a blade of ebony and icy energy that clashed with Burning's blade of flames.

Blueblood sneered during their clash, "You were all too easy to track, Black Alicorn of Fire, I simply followed your smoke trail. You really must think you're good if you're willing to expose yourself to me!"

Burning Star snorted back loudly, "I am good, but I didn't expose myself to you, you followed me! Why can't you just be happy and leave ponies like me alone?!"

Blueblood broke the clash and shouted, "BUFUDYNE!"

He struck Burning Star with a blast of ice, responding with his own quip. "Leave you alone?! Ha! Don't make me laugh, I've heard through a few new friends down in Tartarus that the counterpart of me on your world may be dead! So, since you were a frequent thorn in his side, I feel it is my duty to remove you from existence, as he tried to do many a time."

Burning Star retaliated against the blast of ice with his fire attack, and shouted, "AGIDYNE!"

Blueblood had little time to react as a large geyser of flames burst up from underneath him, searing him even under his armor. 

Blueblood noticed that Burning Star was charging another attack, he quickly fired his own. "SWIFT STRIKE!"

Blueblood struck Burning Star 4 times with a lightning fast energy blade from his horn, sending him sprawling.

Burning Star was even angrier now, he was not going to lose, especially not to Blueblood!

He got up and said, "So, I guess whoever is training you taught you a few new skills, huh? I'm impressed you found somepony who would teach you..."

He dashed at Blueblood and knocked him into a nearby cabin, causing it to crumble on top of him. "But you have a long ways to go before taking me down!"

Burning Star reared up and launched his attack, "MYRIAD SLASHES!"

The Black Alicorn's horn glowed with a bright light before he let loose a flurry of slicing blows upon Blueblood, cutting gashes into his armor.

Both Blueblood and Burning Star were getting sick of this, it was time to end the fight now!

Blueblood gathered his magic, before unleashing his strongest attack, "BEHOLD! MEGIDOLAON!"

A huge beam of light rained down from the sky, Burning Star replied in kind with one of his strongest moves... one he borrowed from Celestia, ironically.

He roared out, "FALL BEFORE ME! MORNING STAR!"

The stars above gleamed with a bright light as a huge laser beam, nearly the size of the village, impacted Blueblood's own, completely overriding it and slamming down on him, causing a powerful explosion of energy.

Blueblood writhed in pain as his armor was burned away and he was hit head on, he fell to the ground, completely unconscious. The Alicorn Amulet stopped glowing, and Blueblood was now out of action.

Nothing was left of the village but a smoldering crater... the smell of magical discharge filled the air.

Burning Star smirked, "You did alright, but you got a lot to learn. I'm outta here!"

Burning Star took flight and dashed off towards Canterlot, knowing he needed to tell Celestia of the bad news. 

It pains him to think of it, but he wished she was here to give him advice on what to do... 

He said to himself, "Haven't used those moves in a few months. That incident with Spike going nuts due to breeding season took a lot out of me."

Burning Star looked back to see the sun rising, and he smiled... then frowned.

It was going to be a LONG week...
> Chapter 16: It's Showtime
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Canterlot Castle, The Bathhouse)

The door creaked open as Burning Star softly opened it. He had just arrived back at Canterlot Castle, and was feeling compelled to tell Celestia the news. The halls were empty and spacious, and Burning Star could see nopony around.

“Hello?” he asked aloud as he wandered around. “ ‘Tia, we’ve got bad news!”

There was no answer at all.

Burning Star resorted to peeking his head in doorways. In all of them, he hurriedly backed out as he saw what was going on, muttering an apology under his breath.

He tried to take his mind off the immense lewdness he was seeing by humming to himself. 


"I see and fear no evil. Black writings on the wall... unleash a million faces, and one by one they fall."

This went on for a quarter of an hour until he reached a room where it was locked and had a sign that said “DO NOT ENTER. AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY.”

“Celestia oughta be in there,” Burning Star said to himself, and with a chime of his horn, he unlocked the door and swung it inward.

It was a tiled room, with a large mirror on one end and a shower curtain over a bathtub on the other side. Hot mist filled the air, and he could hear the sound of water running.

Those were the first signs that Burning Star was in the wrong place. But the big indicator was the limp black bodysuit lying on the toilet.

Shoot! Burning Star thought upon seeing it. Freedom Fighter’s in here! This is his personal bathroom!

There came the sound of a sliding curtain, and Burning Star wheeled around to see the hateful red eyes of Freedom Fighter peek out from the shower curtain.

Freedom's burning red eyes stared right into Burning Star's dark blue ones... no pony said a word.

Then, the next few moments were in a blur.

He felt a hard hoof slam into his neck and send him stumbling backwards, hitting his back on the counter. Even by Burning Star’s resilience standards--he could take a pretty considerable hit--the hoof hit hard. He saw Freedom Fighter leap out of the bathtub and pin his neck to the large mirror behind him, faster than even he could react. Freedom Fighter’s murderous red eyes drove deep into his own dark blue ones, but Burning Star didn’t focus on the eyes so much as he did on the rest of his face. And his body.

"By Celestia's Mane, Freedom Fighter! What the hell happened to you?"

The pressure on his neck was enormous, and he could feel his esophagus squishing back under the hard hoof Freedom Fighter held him under. He saw him slowly, slowly shake his head no, then he pointed at himself. The meaning was clear.

“Listen! I...won’t...tell,” Burning Star managed to get out. “You’ll stay...a secret! I swear it! I swear on my own life."

Freedom Fighter sliced his right hoof across his neck whilst glaring at him with all the hate he could muster. His left hoof was the one pinning him to the wall.

“Or I’ll die?” he exclaimed. “Oh, I’d like to see you try, you ugly mother fu-"

The pressure on his neck got even harder, and he almost blacked out from the sudden push. He tried to raise his hooves to remove the arm pinning him down, but no matter how hard he pushed, he could not get his arm to move down.

“Okay!” he squeaked, his eyes bulging. “Okay, I’ll take your word for it! Faust on high, can you take a joke?"

The hoof swiped him to the side, out the open door, and as Burning Star landed ignominiously on his butt outside in the hall, the bathroom door slammed shut and he heard a very heavy click as the door was furiously locked.

Burning Star massaged his neck uncomfortably, glancing at the bathroom door where he finally found out what Freedom Fighter was hiding about himself.

He thought while walking, "Oh, man...I’m sorry, Freedom. That’s just...awful! Also, slightly disturbing."

Celestia, as a matter of fact, was actually in the throne room. Why Burning Star hadn’t checked there first was a bit of an enigma to him.

He had delivered the news to her that Dark Star had tried to negotiate with Midnight Sparkle, but ended up simply cementing the fact that Midnight would attack Canterlot in only a few days. Now that the damage was irreversible, the only thing left to do now was to simply prepare for yet another invasion of Canterlot.

Celestia had acted promptly. Over the next few days, preparations for war had escalated. Learning from the lessons with both Stygian and Midnight’s visit alone, the Royal Guard had prepared more quickly than before, and more troops were set out on alert.

One day, on a day where the Guardians of the Sun were sitting in the armory with Crimson Mane, the door had opened up widely and in the small doorway were several rather small and insignificant ponies called the Masters of Nature. Each of them were stallions, and each of them seemed to be exhausted.

Noble Blade looked up from polishing his sword. Tilting his head to the side, he said, “Who art thou?”

“Oh, nopony in particular,” came the voice of Iron Steed, deep and nonchalant. “Just a couple of ponies that would like to meet you."

“And a hippocampus,” another voice offered.

“Yes, Sea Breeze,” yet another voice said, heavy with reluctance and yet quick like a bolt of lightning. “And a hippocampus. Thank you ever so much for giving us that pointless addition since we already can tell your a hippocampus because you have Fish scales instead of fur!"

“You’re talking more than needs to be said, Thunder Fury,” Iron Steed grumbled out. “Quiet."

Thunder Fury fell into a sullen silence. 

Iron Steed came forth into noticeable light with a friendly smile. “I guess you must be Noble Blade,” he said warmly. “I’ve heard good things about you from Burning Star."

“Once again, Who art thou?” Noble Blade repeated, standing up and setting the tip of his sword in the ground, both out of safety and out of stability.

Iron Steed towered over him, easily a head taller than even Freedom Fighter...

“He apparently wasn’t kidding when he talked about your speech. That I now know for certain.” He reached a hoof out in greeting. “I am Iron Steed, Master of Metal and the bodyguard and best friend of Burning Star. As we came into this universe, we met up with him and he told us about what happened between you and him. You seem to be getting along rather well, I must say.”

Noble Blade shook his hoof. Though Iron Steed was of monumental stature and might, Noble Blade’s strength equaled that of his. After a short hoofshake, where neither pony could squish the other’s hoof, they let go.

“Are you always like this?” Firestorm asked Iron Steed.

“Normally,” Iron Steed admitted. “Normally, yeah. Burning Star is the only one strong enough to not have their hooves broken by a hoof shake with me."

“So stiff and so no-nonsense all the time?”

“Um...yes. When you lived in the desert most of your life, you tend to end up that way."

“Alright. Not my type.” Firestorm went into a higher voice. “Sorry, dahling, but you’re simply not my type. Buh-bye!” He cheerfully waved him off, then directed his attention to the other Masters of Nature clustered in the doorway and said, “Okay, is there anypony else over there that wants to come in? Or are you all going to stand there like a bunch of hippies?”

“Who you callin’ a hippy, fusehead?” a defiant voice said, zooming out into Firestorm’s face. He was light grey furred with a neon yellow mane, and on his flank was a pair of thunderbolts in the shape of a capital T. His bright yellow eyes seemed to slightly glow as well... “I’m telling you right now, I’m not answering to Hippy, you...you hippy!”

“Ooh,” Firestorm remarked sarcastically. “Nice comeback.”

Thunder Fury started to snort, and The Guardians were surprised to see ACTUAL BOLTS OF ELECTRICITY arching throughout his mane and tail.

Thunder Fury responded, Noble could practically smell the ozone coming off him, "Listen here you unpopular, unappreciated Applejack with wings! I already despise you moments after we have met, it's a new record. Let's give the lucky pony a prize, a BROKEN NECK AND A CHARRED CORPSE! Aaaaah!"

Thunder Fury finally snapped and threw a electrically charged punch at Firestorm’s face. But although he was an incredibly fast pegasus, Firestorm was faster in reflex. He twitched his head to the side as his hoof came sailing past, then he grabbed it out of the air and threw him to the ground.

Crimson Mane, off to the side, started to clap enthusiastically. “Wow. Not bad, Firestorm” she commented. “I’m just sad that I wasn’t the one to do it.”

Thunder Fury stood back up, looking absolutely furious, but he did nothing else.

“Would you like to try that again?” Firestorm asked him casually, picking at his hoof.

Thunder Fury roared, "I'LL TURN YOU TO ASH!" And he prepared a lightning bolt by literally ripping one out of the various sparks arching in his mane. The electricity in the air was making Noble's, Firestorm's, and everypony's mane stand on end, metal was quickly becoming more and more dangerous to stand near.

Thunder Fury finally screamed, "GIGAVOLT..."

He was quickly interrupted from his attack and knocked aside by Iron Steed, where he embedded in the wall. Iron Steed said, "Would you quit it! For one time in your life don't try to kill the first pony that wounds your somehow still thin skin!"

Firestorm was about to add in, but Noble spoke to him.

“Oh, hush Firestorm.” Noble said to the fiery pegasus, and he shut up at once.

Noble turned to the next pony in line. This one was a pale earth pony with sky blue swirls in his white tail. The feature that stood out the most, however, was the blindfold over his eyes. The Guardians concluded that this pony was apparently blind, and he bowed directly in front of Noble Blade. 

“Ha... Greetings Noble Blade, Firestorm, Crimson Mane. My name is Wind Walker, Master of Wind.” he intoned in a mysterious voice that sounded like a ghost. “I am truly honored to be in your presence. You are truly what a guardian of the forces of good should be. The winds of your world speak of your feats of justice."

“Thank... you?” Noble asked. There seemed to be a mystic, almost otherworldly kind of power surrounding him that Noble couldn’t exactly pinpoint, and it both reassured him and made him feel incredibly squeamish at the same time. 

Even he wasn't this calm when meeting somepony new!

Wind Walker radiated power, but it wasn’t brash or aggressive, like Burning Star. This was serene and accepting of anything that might happen to it, but also firm and unyielding to darkness. It made him feel at peace, and when Wind Walker moved aside to allow the next pony to introduce himself, Noble felt as though his strength had partially left him. 

Wind Walker then said to Firestorm, "By the way, your sister says hello."

Firestorm suddenly went white, how the buck did he know his sister?! 

“'Scuse me?” the new voice asked. This one came from a pony shorter than Noble Blade. He looked as though he had been formed out of a pile of vegetation. With a lime green body and a dark green mane, that looked to somehow be made out of foliage. If one didn't see the large horn on his head he could have been mistaken for a shrub. This pony carried with him the scent of the forests and fresh cut grass. “Can I ask you something? My name is Thorn Horn, Master of Earth."

Noble let a smile grace his lips. He smelled all the scents of the forest from this stallion. “Fire away, Thorn Horn."

“Why do you fight on your hind legs?”

“It’s a better way of fighting,” Firestorm explained, from behind Noble Blade. “We can hold weapons better and move more dexterously.”

“By Gaia's Hair!” the pony exclaimed, his mane literally bursting into roses. “I hadn’t even considered that! I may have to make a note of that."

He had backed away and had bumped into a hard pillar. He turned around to see that the pillar was actually Freedom Fighter’s arm. Upon seeing who it was, Thorn Horn scooted away and his fur suddenly shifted to the white and gray of the tile floor.

Noble thought to himself, "Fascinating, he seems to be able to camouflage himself to any surface."

Thorn Horn spoke, “Oh, um, hi there,” he feebly offered. “H-how are you?”

Freedom Fighter did not even move. He just looked down on him with narrowed eyes and a deep scowl on his lips, barely exposed through his bodysuit.

“I-I’ll, uh...I shall be going now.” he said, and he scooted aside hurriedly and did not look at Freedom Fighter for the rest of the time they were in the room.

“Are you who the one they call Freedom Fighter?” Wind Walker asked of him.

The mute pony’s only response was a tight, curt nod. He was already offset by Wind Walker's ghost-white coat, and the air of... unusual calm when he spoke to Freedom. 

At that point, Wind Walker did something strange. He removed his blindfold, letting his eyes be seen.

Like most cases of blindness, they were faded white, but two large scars, almost like claw marks, hung over his eyes. 

He came to Freedom Fighter’s face and stared directly into his eyes, blind though he was. Freedom Fighter, though he was unsettled by the unnatural way he seemed to be staring into his eyes, stood still and stoic.

The unnerving part Freedom was feeling was the fact that he swore he heard voices around Wind Walker... haunting voices that reminded him of the past...

When Wind Walker spoke, it was smooth, almost angelic, but it also seemed utterly haunting and terrifying to hear.

“You and I have lost what a significant part of who we were and now are,” Wind Walker murmured, so only Freedom could hear him. “For you it was your tongue... For me it was my eyes. I understand your loss, but for all my powers, I will never truly understand the pain you live through. Each and every day, You must remember to live through it to see the end of the day.” 

He paused before saying something that turned him pale as well.

"Twice you have escaped the Pale Rider, Freedom Fighter... do not try to tempt fate any longer, or your luck may just run out... and the Pale Rider always gets his prize..."

Freedom Fighter’s stomach clenched, and his brain was spiraling from the massive shock that Wind Walker knew who he was... but he gave a thin-lipped nod. Firestorm and Noble Blade, watching the sympathetic gesture, were curious as to how he had found out those kinds of secrets about Freedom Fighter, but Firestorm was more concerned. 

Coming as an expert in internal insecurities, Firestorm saw that there was obviously something in Freedom Fighter to be concerned about. Shoving the thought to the side, though, he made room for the final Master of Nature to present himself.

He was... different to say the least. Alongside of his sea-blue, almost cobalt blue fur there were blue-green fish scales that glimmered with reflections of light. His algae green mane seemed to drape over him and curled up like a crashing wave. His hooves were the weirdest, he still had hooves, but fins hung over them like the fins on a seal or sea lion. He had wings were like any normal Pegasus, but had fish like webbing instead of feathers, making it appear as if he were some sort of sea dragon...

“Name's Azure Wave, but that's a bit long so you can call me Sea Breeze,” the hippocampus introduced, holding out a hoof, the flipper hanging over it like some sort of cover. “Burning Star really told us about you in particular, lad!”

“Me?” Firestorm asked in restrained surprise. “What about me? About the chill way the two of us interact with each other?”

“No, actually. He talked more about how annoying you can be at times..."

“Did he also mention how I think he can be pretty idiotic as well?”

“I don’t think he’d mention that, ya think?"

Firestorm, obviously a little miffed, responded “Right. Sure. ‘Hey, Sea Breeze. I’ll present everything good about me to you. Everypony loves me! And those that don’t are going to be proven wrong!’ I’m sure that’s how it sounded like, right?”

Sea Breeze closed his eyes and smirked, “He didn’t word it exactly like that."

“Who the heck would word a description that way?"

“You?” Noble Blade quietly remarked, off to the side.

“What was that, Noble?” Firestorm slowly asked, rolling his eyes to the side to give him a glare.

“Nothing.”

Sea Breeze finished his talk with Firestorm on a high note. "What Burning Star said was that "At least your not as bad as my brother Thunder Fury." to be honest, Thunder Fury was always a pain in the arse for all of us."

Firestorm beamed from ear to ear, he was better than that twitching, electrified mess of a Pegasus! 

“Noble Blade!” Sea Breeze exclaimed. He rushed over and shook his hoof enthusiastically, making Noble Blade chatter in his armor and leaving his hooves somehow soaked with water despite there not being any around.

“I’m excited to meet ya! You’ve done a lot of things to prevent the world from being destroyed!” He eyed him somewhat disappointedly. “I’m surprised, though. For somepony who’s done so much for his country, you seem rather...plain to see.”

“I’m in disguise,” Noble quipped, rolling his eyes to the side.

“You are?” Sea Breeze exclaimed in sarcasm. “Oh, my gosh, I’m sorry. Will you have to go off the grid again? Is it my fault?”

“Is he always like this?” Firestorm whispered to Thunder Fury, who had just again regained consciousness.

“Do you always ask so many questions? You horrible haired twit?” Thunder Fury whispered back in irritation.

“Didn’t you just ask a question?”

“I did?”

“You just did it again!”

Wind Walker spoke up to Firestorm and Thunder Fury, his wraith-like voice somehow taking dominance over the others, "It seems to me that you two are a lot alike... im surprised you two don't get along."

"Go jump in a meat grinder, blind boy." said Thunder Fury as he hurled a bolt of electricity at Wind Walker, who somehow weaved around it extremely casually. 

Wind Walker spoke again, "That was completely uncalled for, Master of Lightning."

Thunder Fury snarled at the blind earth pony, "Well I really don't care if it was called for or not! All I care about now is killing whatever has made Eclipsio drag me away from finally beating Rainbow Dash at a race... then beating her to a pulp. Hahaha!"

Before Thunder Fury could respond, Wind Walker shouted, "THAT'S ENOUGH!" 

He slammed his front hooves together and began to levitate in the air, powerful winds began to converge around him. 

the gusts knocked weapons off racks and even blew some ponies on their sides as Wind Walker spoke, his voice as loud as a raging cyclone and sheer power emanating from him. "YOU WILL NOT DISRESPECT THESE PONIES ANYMORE, THUNDER FURY, OR I WILL PERSONALLY MAKE YOU FEEL THE PAIN YOU INFLICT ON OTHERS TENFOLD!"

Thunder Fury screamed as the wind around Wind Walker howled like a mad banshee, then it dropped the Pegasus like a bag of wet cement. 

That shut up the electric menace as Thunder Fury slowly backed away and sat, quivering in fear and quietly sobbing.

All the Guardians stood shock still, all of them were thinking the same thing though.

"Don't disrespect the blind pony."

“All right!” Crimson Mane said, standing up from her bench in the armory. She pointed her head in the direction of each Master of Nature “Okay, so we’ve got Iron Steed. Tough, large, and no-nonsense. Thunder Fury, belligerent, hot tempered, and fast. Wind Walker, mysterious, cryptic, and unnervingly creepy. Thorn Horn, inquisitive and curious. And Sea Breeze, energetic, somewhat sarcastic, and excitable. Did I miss anypony else?”

“Burning Star,” Firestorm offered. “He’s crude, arrogant, somewhat petty, and the alicorn of fire, as he’s so insistent on reminding us all of.” He looked back at the Masters of Nature. “Okay, is that it? All of ‘em?”

“Not precisely,” Thorn Horn said to him. “There’s one more of us.”

“Who is he?” Crimson Mane asked.

“The last member of the Masters of Nature be Quickfire,” Sea Breeze said in excitement before Thorn Horn could say anything.

Quickfire's one eye went wide, "What in Celestia's name are you doing? Shut up!"

Crimson Mane’s face became distorted into a face of surprise, then rage. “He’s one of you?!" she asked indignantly.

Confused as to why she was angry all of a sudden, Thorn Horn said, “Um, yeah. Why are you so mad about this? Also, who are you?”

“Oh, not much,” Crimson Mane said. “Just the fact that he messed everything up where I come from. And now he’s with you as well? Now suddenly he has to matter to us?”

“What element of nature does he represent?” Noble Blade curiously asked.

“The element of fighting spirit, he embodies the spirit and will of the ponies of Equestria... he is the greatest warrior in the world. Well, our world at least." Thorn Horn supplied.

“That’s a thing?” Firestorm asked in bewilderment.

“Of course that’s a thing! Why wouldn't it be a thing?!" continued Thunder Fury, who snapped out of his sadness and returned, somehow still mad.

“Beating the crap out of other ponies is just a part of nature?” Firestorm suddenly widened his eyes in realization. “Ooooh. Oh, I get it now.”

After the initial meeting, the Masters of Nature and the Guardians of the Sun got along remarkably well as they made preparations to defend Canterlot. Iron Steed and Wind Walker took well to Freedom Fighter and Noble Blade, while Thorn Horn hung out around Firestorm. Sea Breeze got along remarkably well with all three of them, and Thunder Fury was too belligerent for even Firestorm to handle.

When Burning Star found out about their acquaintance, he had became noticeably more agreeable to anyone that spoke with him. This included Firestorm and Princess Celestia, who he spoke to equitably because they were all by now connected by bonds of friendship. He was especially respectable to Freedom Fighter, for a reason Noble Blade and Firestorm didn’t know.

At first, Princess Celestia and Luna of the Guardians's world found it odd to meet their counterparts and some of the newer guests, like Prince Eclipsio, but over time they got used to them. 

Prince Eclipsio was busy talking with the Celestia and Luna of the Guardians world, he was currently filling them in on all the events that had happened on his world concerning Burning Star's rise to fame and how the world has been changed by all the disasters.

Eclipsio spoke to them as they walked, "So, where should I begin, Celestia and Luna?"

Luna answered, "How about explaining how Burning Star overcame this... "Daybreaker"?"

Eclipsio nodded, "Very well... here we go."

Prince Eclipsio created a holographic projection in front of them as they walked. 

He began to narrate over it."About 10 years ago is when King Sombra returned, bringing Burning Star with him. At first he was assumed to be just as bad as his master. But after his misinterpretation of King Sombra's desire to make Twilight Sparkle his new student, and became angry because he believed he was being replaced. So, he defected from Sombra, and after a short bout with Twilight, allied himself with her. My Celestia became especially paranoid of his sheer might, since he had single hoofedly broken both her and Luna's shields with his Star Strike attack."

Luna gasped, "Wow, he broke their shields that easily? How?"

Eclipsio shuddered as he said, "Through sheer power, it seemed. But about Daybreaker... because of that overwhelming paranoia and desire to get rid of him, Celestia was consumed by her own wrath and pride and transformed into Daybreaker, the equivalent of her Nightmare Moon. Thankfully, she was defeated by Burning Star and Twilight Sparkle working as a team. It was revealed that she was simply Sunset Shimmer in disguise. The real Celestia was locked away in Tartarus, and freed by Spike."

Eclipsio's hologram changed, showing the next line of events, the "Nightmare Ponyville Crisis".

"Our next event is the "Nightmare Ponyville crisis", in which Tantabus and the Nightmare Tribe invaded and corrupted all the Element Bearers."

Celestia chimed in, "Wait a second, isn't Tantabus on our world just a manifestation of Luna's guilt from being Nightmare Moon?"

Prince Eclipsio chuckled. "Tantabus is completely different to us. It is actually the thing that caused Luna to become Nightmare Moon, and the leader of that disgusting Nightmare Tribe. Also, Sunset broke out of her inprisonment to control them. She also created a zombie like Alicorn called Black Sun to trick ponies, specifically the you from my world, into thinking that I had returned. When I returned for real, I was merely a spirit, so I inhabited Black Sun's body and led the charge against Sunset Shimmer, putting her away again."

The projection changed one last time, showing a snowy tundra. "Finally, we come to the most recent event, "The Windigo Wars." Ten years later, and about 3 months ago, The Windigos, vicious icy monsters from the Frozen North, reemerged to try and freeze over Equestria like they nearly did on the first Heart's Warming Eve. They were led by the deadly Queen Diamanda, who was infatuated with Burning Star. In an attempt to fix the tension between Pony and Windigo, he agreed to meet with Diamanda. It... went horribly wrong and Burning Star began to overheat, which led to the hunt for and discovery of the Masters of Nature, also... King Sombra returned."

Eclipsio finished up by saying, "After finding all of them and Burning Star recovering from that coma he was in... King Sombra attempted to corrupt Twilight again, unleashing Midnight Sparkle. After a well-fought battle against the Windigo Queen Diamanda, Midnight attempted to try and take over from the Celestia and Luna of my world. It almost worked, with Celestia and Luna turning into Daybreaker and Nightmare Moon, they were defeated by Burning Star and Twilight Sparkle, unfortunately we failed to stop Midnight and she escaped here, leading to all your recent troubles. Yeah, sorry about that."

Celestia sighed and said, "It is frustrating that this has happened, but I get why it did. We will prevail against Midnight."

Prince Eclipsio nodded, "Yes, we will. As long as we have breath in our bodies, we make our own path in life!"

(Canterlot Castle, Western Wall)

One day, after an alert from an especially sharp-eyed patrol, all sixteen of them were standing on the battlements of Canterlot Castle, overlooking the horizon.

The Sunset Shimmer, Discord, Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, Princess Cadence, and Twilight Sparkle of Burning Star's World had went back to Canterlot Castle to serve as the last line of defense.

Meanwhile, Shining Armor, Shadow Armor, Prince Eclipsio were working alongside King Sombra, waiting for the order to attack and charge down Midnight's army.

This left The Guardians of the Sun, Star Hunters, Masters of Nature, and Burning Star at the front line defense.

Along the western edge of the city near the bank of the river, sat a large army bearing the banner of Midnight Sparkle. 

Thunder Fury had already been sent to do reconnaissance, and he had just reappeared in a literal stroke of lightning.

He spoke to Burning Star, "Whatever Dark Star provoked in Midnight REALLY set her off, there are thousands of troops down there, each armed to the teeth!"

Noble asked the lighting Pegasus a question, "Any signs of Midnight Sparkle or Stygian? Or any power players?"

Thunder Fury nodded, "Yeah. Midnight is at the front of the army, Stygian is standing right beside her. She wearing some really garish hot pink and dark purple armor. Like... Faust almighty that is ugly."

Thorn Horn simply sighed, "Thunder, I don't think she is concerned with her choice of color combination... she is trying to kill us!"

Wind Walker glared at them and they were both silenced. He spoke, sending a chill up the spines of everypony present. "So Midnight decides to launch her assault against Canterlot, by using one of the most overused cliché evil armies possible."

Noble took out a pair of binoculars and began his own observation, what he saw sickened him.

The soldiers were ponies, but they had clumps of fur hanging off their bodies. Bones were visible through their coats, and their steps seemed sluggish and slightly drowsy.

Wind Walker continued to speak,
"She defiles the cycle of life in order to bolster her own army." He suddenly struck a pose, covering his eyes with his hoof, "I cannot allow this to go without consequence!"

Hiller raised an eyebrow, "Uh Noble, care to tell us what he freakin' means by defiling the cycle of life?"

He lowered the binoculars and said, "Yeah, she apparently has a zombie army. This is starting to become ridiculous, you know."

Crimson Mane responded to his by saying, "Starting? STARTING?! This has been ridiculous for the past few months that Midnight has been around. No, Noble, this is already ridiculous!"

Burning Star suddenly grabbed Crimson Mane with his magic and set her to the side, "We know its ridiculous, Crimson... you don't need to point it out."

Burning Star looked down upon the army, and sighed, earning a surprised glance from Noble.

Noble Blade asked the black Alicorn, "What are you sighing about?"

Burning Star turned to the knight and said, "Dark Star is currently laughing his ass off in my head that Midnight took his bait. I just cannot believe that Midnight would listen to Dark Star, I mean he just acts like a little foal throwing a tantrum. You really aren't supposed to take anything he says seriously unless he quiets down as says something that isn't concerned with destruction."

Noble then saw something rather incredible...

The smirk on Burning Star's face vanished and was replaced with a glare harder than diamonds and a thin line of a facial expression. While he had seen the glare Burning Star had on his face before, he never had seen it so... complete. 

Burning Star took to the air, saying in the Royal Canterlot Voice, "Alright! Listen up all of you, because what I'm about it say is important! We know Midnight's here, now the question is what are we going to do about it?!"

He continued, "I know what we will do! We will fight her, fight her to the last breath, fight her till the last drop of blood is spilt, fight her until our bones are broken and out blades are shattered! We will not surrender, we will not retreat! We will persevere and take back our world!"

He turned toward Quickfire, "Quickfire! Bring me my weapon."

Quickfire asked the obvious question, "Which one?"

Noble Blade watched as Burning Star's face twisted into a grin, "Bring me... the Godslayer Cleaver..."

Quickfire shuddered, but nodded. His horn glowed and out popped a massive weapon that Noble gasped at.

It was a huge, single edged sword, probably the same size as he was, it was colored a dull red and black. Emblazoned on the blade was a six pointed star of flames... it's hilt was colored a bright red and was wrapped in red dragon leather wrappings. A Fire Ruby was adorning the pommel of the sword.

Everypony drew their weapons, ready for battle. 

Freedom watched in utter awe as Burning Star lifted it high over his head and pointed it at the army, he bellowed with such intensity that the very ground shook.

"Now! Let us put our differences aside, we are not separate in this war against Midnight! We stand united against her! We will defend our homes, we will defend our worlds! Now, let us be done with this war!"

Noble Blade smiled with pride as he heard the word that echoed throughout the land...

"EVERYPONY, CHARGE!"

Burning Star took off from the top of the wall, while the rest jumped down to the path leading out to the battlefield.

Midnight gave the order as well, seeing Burning Star and the group rushing towards them.

She screamed out, "CHARGE! KILL THEM ALL!"

The massive army ran headfirst towards the group of heroes...

And the War Against Midnight Sparkle had begun!
> Chapter 17: A War of Words, Weapons, and World-Killing Alicorns
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Canterlot Caves, Massive Cavern)

Shining Armor was scared.

No... he was Faust-damned terrified!

Not only was he about to go out and fight somepony who resembled his own sister, he would be doing it while fighting alongside one of his worst enemies imaginable... and said enemy had recently gained Alicorn status, something that made him even more of a threat to his world. 

The Shadow King, Sombra.

At first, the Shining Armor of Burning Star's World found it odd being on another world altogether, a world that seemed similar to his own, but still drastically different. 

For one thing, the King Sombra of this world is dead... giving him a small ray of hope.

But it still meant that he had to work with the King Sombra of his world, the very same one who tried to corrupt his sister... TWICE. 

Needless to say, he didn't trust Sombra at all, but somepony once said that "The enemy of my enemy is my friend." So he needed to rely on him to succeed in this battle. 

King Sombra surprisingly, was also rather frightened, which was completely alien to him. 

He wasn't scared of Midnight Sparkle, no no, he was scared of his former student, and his son, losing it and becoming Dark Star. 

Shadow Armor wasn't scared in the slightest, mainly because he just didn't have the time to feel fear. 

There was too much at stake, both the fate his world and the fate of this world were hanging in the balance, and he would not let both fall to an Alicorn that believes herself to be a god. 

Although Shadow Armor wasn't happy that he had to work alongside Sombra, he knew that the only way out of this alive and relatively unscathed was to have the Shadow King's massive army swamp Midnight, letting Burning Star move in for the kill. There was no way he wouldn't kill her after everything she has done to make their lives a living hell!

Finally, Prince Eclipsio was frightened, but not for his safety...

He feared for the safety of both worlds inhabitants, he knew that if Midnight won, both worlds would be ravaged until Midnight was crowned the ruler of both worlds, he cannot allow such a tyrant to come to power again!

Shadow Armor was busy sharpening his sword on a whetstone when Prince Eclipsio landed next to him and asked him a question.

"Shadow Armor?" He said, beads of sweat on his face, "Are you afraid of this battle that will begin?"

Shadow Armor responded with a grunt, "No. I cannot afford to be afraid at a time like this, if I freeze up in the middle of battle, it could cost me my life or the lives of the ponies I must protect. So no, I am not afraid of Midnight Sparkle, nor her army or her minions."

King Sombra chimed in, "He is lying you know, We are all scared. You have to be crazy not to be. Shadow Armor is just hiding his emotions like always..."

The black knight growled at the Shadow King, "Emotions are secondary to my duty as a knight of Twilight's guard. I cannot afford to let them influence my judgment in any way."

Shining Armor sighed, "Everypony needs to feel Shadow Armor, it's what makes you, me, and anypony different than a wild animal. Wild animals don't usually have feelings, it's usually pure survival instinct that they run off of."

Prince Eclipsio shook his head, "Not true. All living creatures are dependent on survival instincts, doesn't matter if you're a pony or a dragon, we each have a central instinct to survive to the best of our abilities. What makes us ponies different is the fact that we can think and choose our actions, instead of being driven by a single thought nearly all the time."

Shining Armor walked over to a sharpening stone and began to sharpen the tip of his war spear until it gleamed in the dull light of the torches. 

While Shadow Armor was a big fan of a sword, Shining Armor was trained mainly to use Spear and Shield in tandem. He studied the technique of the Ancient Gracian warriors called Spartans, and how dangerous they were on the battlefield.

Eclipsio felt a pulse of magic emanating from the surface, he whistled to the group and said, "Hey! Everypony, Burning Star has launched his charge, if we get another pulse, we attack as well." 

He turned to King Sombra, "Sombra! Ready the army, I wish to speak to them!"

Sombra bellowed, "ALL TROOPS, FALL IN!"

Prince Eclipsio stepped onto a ledge that hung over the tunnel that led to the surface, he had a set of silver armor with chrome black stripes running down the chest plate. Strapped at his side was an double sided axe with a chrome black head.

Prince Eclipsio began to speak, he used the Royal Canterlot Voice, "Soldiers of the Black Crystal Army, Celestia's Guarid, Luna's Guard, and any other able bodied stallion or mare present, lend me your ears! Today... is the day. Today we show the forces of darkness just how much fight a pony has in them! Today... WE WILL FIGHT!"

"Just beyond this tunnel lies the army of the Alicorn Godess Of Magic, Midnight Sparkle. She thinks herself a god among ponies, that she is better than us. Let me hear your voice, IS SHE!?"

All the soldiers in the cavern yelled, "NO!"

Eclipsio took flight, flying above the vast army, all the while he still spoke his wonderful speech. "Midnight may be strong, strong enough to best the likes of Celestia and Luna. But she lacks the ability to beat a combined army of both light and shadow. When the time is right, we will charge into her army and cut them down like wheat in a field! EVERY LAST ONE OF THEM!"

King Sombra took over, his famous Scythe of Umbra strapped across his back. his voice booming like some sort of giant monster, "WE have the advantage of NUMBERS and POWER. With our armies combined strength, we will stop this war and save our worlds for the future!"

Shining Armor stepped forward, saying as loud as he could, "WE WILL PERSEVERE IN THE FACE OF THESE IMPOSSIBLE ODDS AND BRING DOWN THIS DARK POWER FOR GOOD!"

Shadow Armor finished off the speech, his deep voice echoing throughout the cavern, "WE WILL DEFEAT MIDNIGHT SPARKLE, OR WE WILL DIE TRYING! WE WILL NEVER SURRENDER TO HER! WE FIGHT TILL THE LAST PONY! NOW WHO IS WITH US!?"

Resounding cries of battle roared throughout the cave, this army was prepared to march into battle with swords drawn and Magic flared.

Today was a good day... a good day indeed.

(Canterlot Outskirts, The Battlefield)

Burning Star and the heroes were still running towards Midnight's army, who were also quickly closing the gap.

On his left side was Freedom Fighter, Iron Steed, Wind Walker, and Hiller

On his right was Noble Blade, Quickfire, and Thorn Horn.

And above him flew Crimson Mane, Firestorm, Sea Breeze, and Thunder Fury. 

It was the best battle he had ever been in, not because he was fighting evil...

Because he had something to fight for, his friends and family, and the safety of his world and this world. 

The group stopped to catch their breath, the distance between the army and them had grown shorter, but they had been running full sprint for nearly 10 minutes.

Burning Star began to speak as he was panting, his massive sword on his side. "Well, anyone here want to say anything before we make contact with the enemy?"

Noble Blade stepped forward and took out his sword, planting it in the dirt in front of the group and rearing up on two hooves to stand on it.

He began to speak, his voice loud and proud. "Firstly, I would like to thank The Masters of Nature for coming all the way here to stop Midnight. It was also a wonderful experience meeting such... unique ponies."

His eyes narrowed as he turned to the oncoming horde, and he began to speak again, his voice a powerful force in itself. 

Wind Walker began to record what Noble was saying in his mind, so that he could have somepony record it later...

"Heroes of Equestria. Today, every mare and stallion who sheds their blood on the field of this city's, no, this worlds defense shall be my brother and sister."

Noble pointed towards the army that was steadily approaching, 

"And once this battle is won, Midnight will ask herself, "Why? Why did The heroes of Equestria not flee from weapons and our mighty armies when they could? Why did they stand and fight? And they shall know the answer. For we, are the proud mares and mighty stallions from across these Sundered Universes, and there is no other reason necessary than the complete and utter destruction of Midnight's ambitions!''

Everypony erupted into a cry of passion, even Wind Walker she'd a tear or two at this stallions words. 

Noble ripped his sword out of the ground and levied it with the point towards the horizon.

He said his final words, which set off the charge, 

"Now let them come, And let them fall before the might of our bonds of teamwork! TO BATTLE!"



With that Noble took off in front of the group, Burning Star right beside him, with the rest of them following close behind.

The heroes finally rammed headfirst into the undead soldiers, with Iron Steed and Freedom Fighter trampling them underneath their hooves. Noble drew his sword and swung it with all his might, cleaving half a dozen zombies in two, spraying dark red blood on his blade and on his face. It tasted like rotten eggs, making him nearly heave up his lunch from the sheer stench.

Hiller jumped into the fray, leaping off of the back of Wind Walker, who shot him high into the air with a blast of wind.  Hiller brought his claws out as he tore a large swath in the enemy lines, he transformed his left hoof into a bladed whip, which he then picked up a group of zombies and smashing them about like a rag doll. Firestorm ran up the length of the whip, cutting up any troops still lodged in the blades. 

Crimson Mane flew high into the air and began to spin like a top, sending bladed feathers raining down, spearing any enemies in sight. She also dived down and sent a powerful electrified strike using her gloves. The smell of charred flesh filled the air... 

A giant zombie grabbed Crimson Mane out of the air, but Crimson Mane only fell down into a pair of ghost white hooves that belonged to Wind Walker.

The blind pony said in a voice that left Crimson feeling haunted.

"I banish you to Tartarus. Rot there for all time..."

Suddenly a black vortex erupted from the ground and tore up the giant undead pony, leaving only his head behind, which Wind Walker walked up to and promptly crushed under his hoof with a single stomp.

Crimson Mane had to hold back a bit of vomit as Wind Walker crushed the head, and then casually scraped it off like gum on his hoof.

He turned to Crimson and said with an unnerving smirk, "What's the matter Red Pony of Terror"? Afraid of a blind pony, that is cute."

With that, Wind Walker rushed back into battle, with Crimson Mane flying off towards another group, truly frightened by the power of that pony...

Burning Star was doing what he did best, he set things on fire. As soon as he ignited his mane, pillars of fire nearly 10 meters wide began to rain down from the sky, large fireballs began to be shot out by the Alicorn of Fire, causing the walking corpses to explode into crispy flesh bits. Said crispy flesh bits bombarded Burning Star, which incinerated on impact.

Iron Steed was currently back to back with Freedom Fighter, who were surrounded by these monsters and Freedom had lost his fighting sticks.

Iron Steed had spotted them, they were laying on the ground about 30 yards away from them. He said to the mute, "Look, I know if you had a voice you would object to this, but, I want you to throw me."

Freedom made a complicated group of gestures that read in simple terms, "Excuse me, What?"

Iron Steed suddenly flowed bright white as his fur was covered by hard metal, he said in his new robotic voice, "Don't think, Freedom. Just throw me!"

Freedom waisted no time and threw Iron Steed like he asked to be. The draft pony was tossed toward Freedom's weapons and landed like a meteor, sending out a loud boom that shook the very ground beneath them, Iron Steed's fall had left a crater about 30 meters wide, and the Master of Metal had climbed out with ease, he tossed Freedom Fighter his weapons just in time for him to stab an undead pony right through the head as it tried to sneak up behind him.

Iron Steed nodded, "Nice one, now let's get to work!"

Wind Walker just got done slicing a zombie in two with his rapier when he saw a zombie Pegasus making a dash towards Firestorm. He roared over the battle towards him, "Firestorm, watch your rear!"

Firestorm preformed a flip in the air, spearing a undead Pegasus with his swords and tearing it into two halves. The Guardian of the Sun responded to Wind Walker, "Thank you! You and these Masters of Nature..." he quickly parried and tore apart an undead unicorn. "are quite deadly warriors? Who trained you guys?"

Thorn Horn rushed by Firestorm, where he saw the pony suddenly separate into a pile of leaves, then reassemble into a decently sized dragon made of plants and leaves, it opened its mouth and began to breathe acidic gas that melted a vast amount of the squadron that was advancing on them. 

The tree-drake replied, a serpent like hiss to his voice, "We did not have any professsssional training until recently, little Pegasussss. Mossst of our training was done on our own. Ssssince we were apart for sssso long."

Firestorm found this interesting, but the whole snake hiss thing was annoying. He ignited his two swords and spun like a drill.

he cried out "FLAME DRILL!", 

Then he flew headfirst into a giant undead behemoth that stood about as tall as a house, he tore clean through its chest, and the thing fell backwards and evaporated into smoke. 

Most of the battle was rather one-sided, with the combined might of the Guardians, Star Hunters, and Masters of Nature being overwhelming despite them being outnumbered. 

(The Battlefield, Midnight Sparkle's Command Post)

(Pause music) 

Meanwhile on the outskirts of the battlefield, behind the enormous army, Midnight Sparkle and Stygian stood watching the heroes at work. 

Stygian, currently in his Pony of Shadows Form looked to Midnight Sparkle and said, "Queen Midnight Sparkle, it seems this army cannot handle the power that these ponies wield, shall we both enter the fray?"

Midnight was about to deny him... but Dark Star's taunt had crushed that doubt, and now Midnight was running on pure blind rage.

She shouted, "No... If Burning Star wants a final battle, I'll give him one!" she finished her sentence with pure venom in her voice. 

The Pony of Shadows mentally sighed, Stygian knew that Midnight wasn't thinking clearly... but anything he could say right now probably wouldn't get through to her... would it?

Stygian's Pony of Shadows Form stepped in front of Midnight Sparkle, his eyes narrowed on her as he said, "You need to calm yourself, Midnight Sparkle! This is no time to throw yourself at Burning Star recklessly!"

"STAND ASIDE STYGIAN!"

The Pony of Shadows only hunkered down and put up a large barrier, with it saying, "NOT UNTIL YOU ARE CALM!"

Then... something snapped inside Midnight Sparkle...

With a mighty screech, The Empress of Magic blasted Stygian's Pony of Shadows Form, shattering the barrier as easily as a rock shattering glass. She stepped forward and summoned her armor, it was colored a dark purple with hot pink star patterns on it. At her sides was a pair of scimitars with long smooth blades made of magisteel, the same substance that Crimson Mane's wings were made of. 

Her horn elongated and transformed into a wicked sharp crescent.

Even her wings became covered in sharp feathers that gleamed with dark purple energy.

Midnight Sparkle had entered her new battle form... and she fully intended on using it. 

The Pony of Shadows tried to physically hold her back, but Midnight Sparkle threw him aside and took off towards the heroes.

The Pony of Shadows began to speak to its host, "Stygian, if there is any time to betray and kill Midnight it is now. She is distracted! It is time to make our move, let us finally put her down and make good on our promise!"

Stygian's face twisted into a psychotic grin, "Yes... I agree. After the heroes perish to her superior magic and fighting skills, she will be drained, and vulnerable to a blast of powerful magic, say... our ultimate attack?"

The Pony of Shadows laughed, "Mwah-hahahaha-ha! I like the way you think Stygian, so evil and inequine... well what are we waiting for? Lets go "help" our queen shall we?"

With that, the Pony of Shadows unveiled its wings and took off towards the heroes as well.

(The Battlefield, Heroes Side) 

(Resume theme)

Quickfire and Thunder Fury were running away from a large group of undead, Noble called out to them, "Hey you two! The battle is this way!"

Thunder Fury shouted back. "WE KNOW! JUST WATCH THIS!"

Quickfire dropped a group of circular objects that looked a lot like cucumbers with handles on them. When the group of zombies was in the middle of them, Quickfire ignited his horn and the objects exploded into a blinding light that even Freedom Fighter had to shield his eyes from.

Thunder Fury then flew high into the air and his eyes began to glow a bright yellow, dark clouds began to gather around him and Noble Blade could see Sea Breeze creating more and more cloud cover with his water powers. 

Sea Breeze shouted down to the group, "EVERYPONY! Get to cover and brace yourselves!"

Noble Blade and Burning Star planted their swords in the ground next to Thorn Horn as he signaled for everypony to gather around him.

Thorn Horn stomped his hooves into the ground, causing large roots to spring up and create a green bubble around them. 

Thunder Fury got the signal for all clear, and Noble heard probably the freakiest sound in a long time.

It was like a screech owl crying, but it's voice was like that of a god. It seemed to echo like the sound of rolling thunder...

Then Thunder Fury's attack went off!

"GIGAVOLT GRAND FINALE!"

The skies were suddenly turned bright white as a dense rain of lightning bolts crashed down from the heavens, frying every soldier in sight and causing quite the large boom. 

Scores of undead were disintegrated instantly, some briefly stood spazzing out as the massive surge of a lightning bolt shocked them, then they fell still, their bodies badly scorched. 

A undead hulk was hit by a huge lightning bolt and was reduced to ashes within the blink of an eye...

Thousands of enemies... reduced to smoking piles of ash or badly burned bodies. 

Thunder Fury landed with little grace, he looked exhausted from that attack. 

Thunder Fury said with little breath, "There... that should flush out Midnight and Shadow Pony something... now I'm going to rest... wake me when you guys win."

(Pause music) 

Sea Breeze caught Thunder Fury before he face planted into the dirt, he looked to the south near the river, there was still a large group of undead soldiers. It was being led by a copy of Nightmare Moon

Sea Breeze silently cursed, "Damn You, Midnight. Bringing back Nightmare Moon for this?

That should be the Master of Nature's next target...

There was also a group near the cave entrances under Canterlot. A green and black equine with insect wings was buzzing ahead of them. 

He snarled to himself again, "And Chrysalis? Really? Shining's gonna love this..."

Sea Breeze whistled to get everypony's attention and he said, "Oi! I have a proposition for ye all. I've seen a group of Midnight's forces near the river, and one heading for the Canterlot Caves."

A tremendous roar was heard from the treeline as a copy of Tirek thundered towards the gate of Canterlot.

Sea Breeze went wide eyed and said, "Ok now Tirek is here... lovely."

Crimson Mane looked excited. "Tirek is ready for round 2? I'm game..."

He continued, "I say we split up, the Masters of Nature, minus Burning Star and Quickfire, should head to deal with the group by the river. Sombra's army is stationed in the caves, so the group heading there is pretty much done for. Tirek should be left for Crimson Mane, judging from her reaction and from things that I've heard she wants to take him on..." 

"So, I say we better get going before they gain anymore ground! Lets go!"

The heroes nodded and Sea Breeze flew off towards the river with Thunder Fury, Thorn Horn, and Wind Walker close behind him. 

Crimson Mane dashed off towards the copy of Tirek, contrails of air coming off her wings.

This left The Star Hunters and Guardians of the Sun alone to talk a bit about what was coming next.

Firestorm asked a pretty obvious question, "Ok... so why did we all agree to split up?!"

Noble answered, "Judging from the casual tone they used, it appears that this... scale of fighting is just what they deal with, Firestorm... our priority now is to stop Midnight Sparkle from reaching the city and more importantly, Celestia."

Freedom made a sequence of signs that said, "We swore to defend this land to our last breath, that is exactly what we are going to do. I also promised to make Midnight hurt as much as possible, so there is that."

Burning Star watched with determination in his eyes as Midnight dashed towards them and landed right in front of them. 

For what felt like hours, no pony said a word, only stared menacingly at each other.

The Pony of Shadows broke the uncomfortable silence by saying, "So, we meet again Guardians of the Sun and Star Hunters... I must say your incredible battle against our army was quite the spectacle to behold. Too bad you won't live to see the end of it!"

Firestorm stepped forward and said, "You sure sound confident, but don't go pressing your luck so hard. We already know about all your little tricks, and Midnight's as well..."

Midnight Sparkle laughed, then said to Noble Blade, "Noble... how can you ally yourself with such an idiot of a partner? This Pegasus is either too dumb or too ignorant to realize that he is going to die here along with all of you... how pathetic."

Hiller shouted out, "Quit bluffing Midnight! You and your black goo friend will be the one to f--king die here!"

Burning Star put his hoof up to silence the group, "She isn't bluffing. I've seen her power first-hoof, Midnight Sparkle is truly powerful... but she lacks a motive outside of her own ego and revenge." He pointed his massive sword at her, "You are a coward that would rather run away from danger and send your little minions after us."

Burning Star smirked as Midnight began to scream, "I AM NO COWARD! IM HERE, IM READY FOR BATTLE! HOW DO YOU STILL CONSIDER ME A COWARD?!"

Quickfire stepped forward with his crossbow pistols drawn, "You are a coward because you lack the resolve to put your thoughts into action. Which is why we will be victorious here..."

Midnight Sparkle stomped her hooves on the ground, and roared in outrage, "I HAVE HAD IT WITH ALL OF YOU! STYGIAN! KILL THEM!!!"

The Pony of Shadows growled and rushed forward, sharp spikes on his front hooves. 

Everypony drew their weapons and Noble said, "Alright Midnight Sparkle! Let's put an end to this, with Faust as my witness."

The heroes charged towards Stygian, and Noble finished his sentence.

"YOU WILL FALL BEFORE THE POWER OF OUR FRIENDSHIP!"

(Canterlot River, Masters of Nature Point of View)

(Resume music) 

Meanwhile on the banks of the Canterlot River, The Masters of Nature were engaged in combat with a copy of Nightmare Moon. 

And despite being an Alicorn, Nightmare Moon was not as bad as Sea Breeze expected.

She ignited her horn with blazing blue energy and clashed with Sea Breeze, who had blocked the attack with his twin tomahawks.

Sea Breeze managed to break the clash and deliver a crushing blow with his legs to Nightmare Moon's chest, sending her skidding back. 

He said to her, "Never thought I'd be facing you in reality, Nightmare Moon. Gotta say..." he delivered a triple chopping strike to her breastplate, leaving a gash in it. "...you're pretty strong. Granted you are an Alicorn... but..." he was struck by a blast of Lunar Light from Nightmare Moon, he still continued to talk. "...Burning Star can beat ya."

Nightmare Moon slashed at Sea Breeze, striking him in the wings and causing him to crash to the ground, she responded to him. "Your pitiful friend is nothing but an emotional time bomb, hippocampi-Pegasus hybrid. All it would take is a simple prod at his fear of his own power and he would be a mental wreck, and easily disposed of by my power."

Just as Nightmare Moon was about to destroy the Master of Water, an entire tree suddenly smacked her into the dirt with a giant swing. Thorn Horn had uprooted the tree with his magic and was busy crushing the undead soldiers that closed in on him with ease. 

A giant undead appeared behind him and Thorn Horn shattered the tree into sharp peices of wood, before launching them like arrows, impaling the hulking monster. He used the broken half of the tree and drove it into the beast, killing it and driving it in the ground like a fence stake. 

Another group of zombies appeared and Charged down the Master of Earth, he pulled his weapon, a heavy staff with a spiked mace head on both sides. 

Thorn Horn said to the approaching horde, "Oh good, more bodies to fertilize the forest, I will crush your bones into meal!"

Thorn Horn spun the staff over his head and jumped into the fray, the large mace heads brutally crushing the bodies it hit. He slammed it into the ground, and channeled his power over earth into it, within seconds sharp roots sprung from the earth, spearing the rest of the horde. 

Thorn Horn grabbed the staff and cleaned the spiked ends while saying, "You will tremble before the might of the forest."

Iron Steed was busy grappling with a large zombie soldier, he sent a sweeping kick to its legs, causing it to fall forwards onto him.

Iron Steed put his front hooves around the things waist and lifted him over his head before suplexing him over his body, driving the monster's head into the dirt with a loud bang, but the draft pony wasn't done yet, he quickly rushed to the front of the beast and grasped the monsters head and began to pull.

The monster let out a roar of agony before Iron Steed ripped its head from its body and tossed it at Nightmare, where it collided with her and left her dazed.

Wind Walker rushed Nightmare Moon and delivered a flurry of stabs with his Rapier, before sticking it in her chest, causing her to cry out in pain.

Iron Steed yelled as he was thrown by Wind Walker's vortex, "Here I come! Everypony back off!" 

Sea Breeze jumped out of the way as Nightmare was crushed underneath Iron Steed's massive metal body, shattering her into blue-white dust.

Thunder Fury woke up to see Iron Steed, Thorn Horn, Sea Breeze, and Wind Walker standing around the pile of dust that used to be Nightmare Moon.

He asked a rather amusing question, "What I miss?"

(Canterlot Cave Entrance, The Battlefield)

Shining Armor was angry...

No, he was furious!

As soon as he exited the cave he saw a copy of Queen Chrysalis, and Sombra had to physically hold him back from rushing out and getting himself killed.

Shadow Armor was holding him back while saying, "Calm yourself, Shining Armor! This is no time to play the brave hero, we must deal with this foe with a concrete strategy."

King Sombra stepped forward and said, "I can't believe I'm saying this, but Shining Armor is correct on this one. All that thing is is a copy of Chrysalis, same powers, but it's not the real one. Let Shining go nuts on it."

Shadow Armor gave King Sombra a glare of disbelief, before saying, "What?! Midnight can make copies of previous foes? That doesn't seem very fair... and if I'm saying that it is a problem."

Prince Eclipsio spoke up, "Lets leave this conversation for later, we have a war to win, remember?"

Shining Armor hoisted his spear and shield up and said, "Eclipsio is right... let's put my grudge in the past and smash this fake."

Shining Armor led the charge against the oncoming horde of undead, with Sombra flying beside him on his new Alicorn wings. His great scythe was held behind him.

The four heroes collided with the army, and all hell broke loose. The Black Crystal Army ran headfirst into the fray as well, drawing a lot of the attention. 

Shining began to spear multiple zombies and then crush them with his magic, Shadow Armor vaulted over him and cut a pair of giant undeads in two with his serrated sword.

Sombra flew across the battlefield, swinging his scythe like a maniac and mowing down the rest of the forces like wheat in a field. He sprouted giant black crystals from the ground to attack the oncoming horde. 

The battle was over within about an hour when the copy of the Changeling Queen stepped forward, a pair of green daggers in her hooves. 

She spoke to Shining Armor, "Well Well, we meet again Shining Armor. Come to surrender to me? I know you still care deeply for me, right?"

Chrysalis was about to speak again when a spear impaled her through the chest. It was Shining Armor's spear, and an angry glare was on his face. 

Shining Armor said to the copy, "You aren't Chrysalis, you may look like her... but you're not her. She is dead and gone... just like you."

The copy of Chrysalis screamed in pain as Shining took out his dagger and slit the Changeling Queen's throat, shattering her into dust. 

Shadow Armor looked at Shining and said, "Well... that was rather quick. I'm honestly surprised you did that Shining... nice work."

Shining Armor looked at the dust pile that used to be Queen Chrysalis...

He said to himself, "My past is behind me... you're dead and gone."

(Canterlot Battlefield, Guardians POV)

Meanwhile... Stygian and the heroes were engaged in what could only be their final battle.

Stygian had the advantage in size and sheer magic power...

But the Guardians and Star Hunters were faster and much, MUCH, more better prepared.

Noble blocked a strike from the Pony of Shadows, who had summoned an black spiked executioner axe. The unicorn trembled from the impact, falling to his knees from the force, but he still blocked it.

Firestorm countered Stygian with a double slash of his katanas right to his face, it didn't leave much of a mark, but it did cause Stygian's massive shadowy body to wince in pain.

Freedom Fighter weaved around the Pony of Shadows's wave of spikes and jumped high into the air, before sending his axe-bladed staff right into the Pony of Shadows's back, it didn't seem to leave a mark, but it did cause Stygian to scream in agony as Freedom Fighter followed up by rapidly twirling his staff and striking the giant shadow beast multiple times with the spinning bar. 

Stygian did land a solid hit to Noble Blade, smashing him away like a baseball, he took a tumble in the dirt before getting up and quickly blocking the beam of black lightning that erupted from the Pony of Shadows's horn. 

The Pony of Shadows managed to knock Firestorm out of the air and was about to crush him underneath his hooves, but he was stopped by something.

Firestorm looked up to see Hiller grappling with the beast, using his protopony shields to parry the attack, upon parrying the blow, sharp spikes speared the beast, causing actual damage to be visible, as large holes were punctured in the monster's legs. 

He said to Firestorm, "You alright? You should be grateful I saved your ass from being turned into a pancake. Now, let's finish this thing off!"

Firestorm nodded and said, "Sure thing! Hey Hiller, you have any super moves or whatever they are callled?"

Hiller smirked, "You are damn right I do. I need you to carry me into the air, though."

Burning Star overheard the two as he blocked another strike from the Pony of Shadows, he said to the two, "You have a super attack ready? Alright I'll provide some cover fire with Quickfire. Firestorm, get him airborne!"

Burning Star immediately ignited his horn and unleashed a steady stream of fire, pushing the Pony of Shadows off balance, sending him tumbling to the ground. Meanwhile, Quickfire had speared the Pony of Shadows with his own katana and shocked the beast with electric power, paralyzing it.

Hiller grabbed Firestorms back hooves as he took off into the air, flying higher and higher until he was nearly 100 feet off the ground.

Hiller nodded, "Ok! This is enough! Now get everypony back and tell Noble and Burning Star to put up a shield! This attack is going to hurt!"

Quickfire threw a couple of flash bombs with blinded the beast and left burn marks on it. Noble rushed to Freedom and pulled him into a shield that he and Burning Star had created, red for Burning Star, and navy blue for Noble Blade. 

Quickfire ducked inside as Hiller gave the signal for him to drop, which Firestorm gladly did. 

Hiller dived right for the beast, his body emiting a bloody red smoke trail.

Hiller impacted the Pony of Shadows and shouted to his friends, "Brace yourselves!"

Noble and Burning Star increased the power of their Shields as Hiller roared out.

"GENETIC DEVASTATOR!"

Noble watched with horror as the sound of flesh and bone snapping came from Hiller's body, followed by a explosion of energy and sharp spears of that protopony flesh he used for his other attacks, shot out like long needles, impaling Stygian in multiple places. 

The Pony of Shadows screamed in agony, but still was solid. However, cracks were beginning to appear on its body. He was wearing down!

Quickfire looked at Freedom Fighter and said, "Time for our attack! Lets do this Freedom!"

Freedom Fighter smiled under his suit as he rushed out of the shield, his staff drawn, Quickfire sprinted out with his crossbows out, explosive arrows nocked and ready to go. 

Noble spoke to Firestorm as he picked up Hiller and landed inside the shield, "Well that certainly did extraordinary well. Let's watch these two, that should shatter Stygian's eldritch abomination of a body." 

Quickfire shot the explosive arrows perfectly into the holes that the Genetic Devastator left, where they lodged perfectly in place for Freedom to follow up. 

Which he did... in probably the most amazing attack he could preform.

In a quick movement of his hooves, Freedom somehow unsheathed Quickfire's katana and attached it to one end of his staff, forming a huge spear head. Burning Star then blasted red explosive gel onto the blade and ignited it, causing it to erupt into a fiery bar of light.

Quickfire shouted as Freedom aimed right at the Pony of Shadows, "GO! SPEAR OF TRUE HEROES!"

Freedom hurled the spear with all his might, piercing the Pony of Shadows, even going through his shield. It lodged in his body and Noble Blade saw something incredible.

The explosive gel that had been applied to the blade finally detonated, which in turn caused the rest of the explosive arrows to go off as well, as a series of explosions rocked the massive beast, causing more cracks to form... and the Pony of Shadows to scream in agony...

Before the Pony of Shadows finally shattered into a torrent of dark power, leaving the unconscious body of Stygian's true form on the grass. 

Midnight visibly winced as she had to put up her own shield to block the attack, which sent rocks and dirt flying at her. They bounced harmlessly off, but when the dust cleared her precious Pony of Shadows was completely destroyed! 

She screamed at the top of her lungs, "WHAT! How?! How did you defeat my Pony of Shadows?! I had juiced him up for this fight, and yet you knocked him over with little to no difficulty whatsoever!"

Noble Blade smirked and stepped forward, speaking to Midnight. "How did we win, Midnight Sparkle? We won because our friendship is much more powerful than any Spell you can throw at us. You can drop the sun from the sky and our bonds will not be broken. Not by a thousand swords, not by ten thousand soldiers, for you cannot defeat what you abandoned when you became this monster."

Burning Star stood beside Noble Blade, speaking out as well... "You can't beat our friendship, and that is true beyond a shadow of a doubt! Now, I'm going to give you one last chance, Midnight Sparkle."

He pointed his massive blade at Midnight, his eyes filled with dominance comparable to a dragon. 

"Surrender, and we will not harm you."

Suddenly, Stygian slowly got up and turned his horn towards Midnight... But first he said to the heroes, "NO! Midnight will never surrender, not if I kill her first!" He began to gather any remaining magic he had to his horn, which glowed with a black aura.

Midnight said to Stygian in shock, "So! You betray me, Pony of Shadows? I thought we were partners!"

Stygian managed to get enough strength to return to his Pony of Shadows Form, and he said, "Are you kidding? Me? Ally myself with you?! Hahaha-ha, no Midnight... I only needed to get you to weaken the Guardians and yourself so that I could kill two birds with one stone! But seeing as though that plan fell apart, I think I'll settle for just killing you! Take this!"

The Pony of Shadows roared as a massive storm of shadow magic missiles was unleashed from his horn, "SHADOW HURRICANE!"

Burning Star immediately said, "Guys get behind me!" And cast his own spell, "Flame Barrier!"

A series of columns of flames surrounded the heroes and blocked the swarm of magic missiles, incinterating any that got close.

Unfortunately, Midnight had no such luck and was engulfed by the storm. 

The Pony of Shadows let out a triumphant roar as it said, "And now, the Empress of Magic is dead! Mwah-hahahaha-ha!"

Suddenly, Midnight's voice came from the storm, "No! She is alive, but you're going to die instead!"

The Shadow Hurricane was immediately dispelled as Midnight flew at blinding speed towards Stygian, a massive ball of magic on her horn.

She made contact and said, "DIE! PRIMAL MAGIC BOMB!"

The ball of dark purple light exploded, burning away the Pony of Shadows Form and engulfing Stygian in it, he cried out in agony as he was vaporized, when the blast cleared the only thing left was a crater and a scorch mark where Stygian had been standing...

Noble looked on in sheer shock as Midnight slowly floated to the ground, showing no exhaustion whatsoever!

Midnight then turned to the Guardians and said, "Don't worry, you insignificant specks are next!"

Burning Star barely held back a massive laser beam of magic as he said, "Alright here we go! Final Battle Time! Quickfire, Hiller, everypony, you take a rest." He turned to the Guardians of the Sun, "This is my job now."

Firestorm shook his head, "No. I'm not going to let you take her on without backup, I'm going."

Noble drew his sword and held it tight, before rearing up on his back hooves so he stood bipedal. "I agree, this is our fight, we finish this together."

Freedom also reared up and pointed his staff right at Midnight, thinking to himself, "This monster needs to die, and we will do it as a team."

Midnight Sparkle smirked as she stared down the group, "So, you choose to deny me my right to power? You choose to throw yourselves into the Line of fire to attempt to stop me? How stupid are you?! I will never surrender, not even to Faust herself!"

Burning Star smirked and said in a near growl, "While your power is immense, I believe the time for rational discourse is over, shall we, Noble Blade?"

Noble spoke out. "Yes, we shall!" He rushed Midnight, "Everypony, charge!"

Burning Star flew ahead as he fired a stream of flames that Midnight blocked with ease. 

However, all three Guardians smashed their weapons into her shield, breaking it and delivering a solid strike to her chest plate.

Midnight drew her swords, which interlocked with each other to form a double ended sword-spear, which she ignited with bright purple plasma. 

She roared out, "BRING IT! RAAAAAH!"

Freedom Fighter ducked underneath a twirl of her sword spear and delivered a series of strikes with his own weapon, which made some impact but not much. They dented her armor, but that was about it...

Midnight Sparkle noticed this and unleashed a shockwave that knocked him off his hooves and sent him flying through a tree, which snapped in two.

Firestorm tackled Midnight with all his might and sliced gashes into her armor, actually managing to strike her flesh directly. 

Luminescent purplish-red blood began to drip from the wounds, Firestorm drove his katanas into her back, but they were immediately dislodged by Midnight and he was hammered with her weapon, brutally slicing his side. She then struck him with her armored hooves, breaking a few ribs and making him cry out in sheer pain.

Crimson blood oozed from the gash and he fell to the ground to try and stop the bleeding. He pulled out some grass from the ground and began to press it hard on the open wound.

Noble Blade looked at his wounded Guardians as he jumped over a flying Burning Star who was launched by Midnight's laser beam, he crashed to the ground and struggled to his hooves.

Noble looked back and thought to himself, "This can't be where we die, we won't fall to this thing!"

Midnight Sparkle lunged forward with her spear in hoof, Noble swung his sword upwards, deflecting the strike as he delivered a punch with his free hoof. It didn't do much...

Midnight twirled her sword spear around and sent it spinning like a buzzsaw towards Noble, he weaved out of the way and started his attack.

The unicorn delivered heavy strikes with his sword right to Midnight's chest plate, cleaving it in two and slashing a cut into her fur, he swung upwards, widening the cut, before sending his blade straight into her chest.

Midnight roared in pain as she kicked Noble away and the blade pulled out, causing more blood to pour out. She unleashed a storm of energy knives on the unicorn.

Burning Star saw this and flew over to Noble Blade, he ignited his horn and began to catch every single one, before sending them straight back to her! 

Midnight destroyed most of them but quite a few embedded in her skin, where they stuck tight. She screamed as she ripped them out and shattered them.

Noble Blade looked up at his opponent.

Despite hitting her with all their might, and delivering strikes that would fell even the most powerful creatures, Midnight Sparkle still would not fall! 

Hell, she looked nearly unaffected by the attacks!

Burning Star said to the group as they gathered up again, "Listen! We need a stronger weapon! We can barely harm her like this... we need our super attacks now!"

Noble responded and Freedom Fighter made a series of gestures, "We don't know how to do those!"

Firestorm smiled, "Then we attempt them now! I'll go first, then Freedom, then you Noble! For now, we need to keep her occupied."

Burning Star replied, "Got that covered! Hey Midnight, over here!"

Midnight Sparkle shouted at Burning Star, "YOU WILL PERISH!" before firing off a large energy ball that Burning Star sent flying back at her, it detonated, leaving a cloud of smoke as their cover.

Firestorm flew up to Burning Star and said, "Lets do this! Behold our power!"

Burning Star engulfed Firestorm in a ball of fire and sent him hurtling towards Midnight Sparkle, he shouted as he fell.

"SONIC FIRESTIKE!"

The ball of flames collided with Midnight, exploding into a massive fireball that Noble and Freedom had to shield against in order to not be incinerated.

When the attack cleared, Midnight was visibly staggered, and Freedom rushed the dark Alicorn.

Burning Star said to Freedom, "Your turn pal, you ready?"

Freedom nodded and vaulted into the air, Burning Star caused a volcanic Geyser to form under Midnight's hooves.

Midnight tried to get away but Freedom Fighter smashed his staff into her skull, knocking her into the mouth of the vent.

Burning Star shouted, "SHATTERED ERUPTION!"

Freedom Fighter barely got out of the way as a massive plume of lava erupted from the ground, engulfing her in the blazing hot liquid, she roared in pain as she was visibly pinned down. 

Noble smiled and ran out underneath Burning Star, drawing his sword and pointing it skyward.

Burning Star saw this opportunity and called down a laser of solar energy to hit his sword, it surrounded the blade in a golden light and Noble prepared his attack.

He shouted out, "Taste the true power of the Guardians of the Sun! BLADE OF THE STAR SLICER!"

Noble Blade swung his sword diagonally downward, finally cutting the chest plate away, he then swung vertically upward, cleaving a gash in Midnight's skin, and cutting away the rock that pinned her, he finished off with a massive thrust that left his sword stuck in the body of the Alicorn. 

Midnight screamed in pain from all the blows being delivered to her. She had never felt so much pain in her life! 

The heroes stepped back as Midnight Sparkle fell to the floor, before standing up slowly, she was brutally slashed, burnt, and pummeled from all sides, her right eye was bleeding and her wings were broken at her sides. All of her armor was shattered and her sword spear lay broken on the ground, yet she still stood tall. 

(End music)

Midnight said through pained gasps, "Huh...Huh...So, you finally did it... I'm honestly surprised you beat me. I threw everything at you and you destroyed all the villains I had. Hah, how did you win?"

Noble Blade said to the gravely injured Alicorn, supporting himself on his own sword. "We won because you failed, you failed to try and usurp Celestia, and your have no pony to blame but yourself..."

Midnight Sparkle sighed, "No... I haven't failed yet. I still have one last blast in me! If I go down, IM TAKING YOU WITH ME! DIEEEEEEE!"

Midnight Sparkle suddenly reared up and unleashed a massive laser blast from her horn, it was headed straight for the Guardians!

Burning Star saw this and began to block it with a shield, then fired his own blast of magic, causing the two beams to clash as sparks of flame and magical discharge rained down on the field.



(Start 2nd music track)

Midnight Sparkle said to Burning Star, "You choose to sacrifice your own life to save these pathetic ponies. No matter how hard you try... You will never be strong enough to stop me. You have failed... you are weak!"

Noble Blade and the Guardians couldn't move, they were in too much pain.

Suddenly, Noble heard Burning Star say, "I... am weak? No..."

He started to intensify his Beam, causing Midnight's Beam to be pushed back. "As if you can say anything that you've done! From where we stand, we have taken on and overcome every challenge you put in our way. Nightmare Moon, Tirek, Stygian, Daybreaker, no matter how many of your copies you sent our way, we have crushed them beneath the force of our individual and combined efforts!"

Midnight began to stagger, but quickly regained her balance, "So what? You still cannot triumph over me! Ponies will continue to be weak, I have ascended above them to be a GODDESS amomg them!"

Burning Star continued to intensify his blast, it was now starting to carve a path in the ground. He still spoke, We ponies aren't as weak as you think we are. We may bicker, and we may fight amongst each other for completely stupid reasons but when we are threatened by something as evil as you and pushed to our breaking points, we WILL stand shoulder to shoulder, to protect the worlds we call home. That is the strength of our friendship, which is something you left behind. Together, our unity can destroy anything - even somepony as powerful as you!"

Burning Star finally gained the upper hand and overpowered Midnight's Attack, engulfing her in the blast of magic, he still continued to speak, his voice shaking the very ground beneath the Guardians, who sat awestruck by the speech Burning Star was giving.

He continued to speak, sending a chill down Firestorm's spine. "If something like you comes our way again we'll just do to it what we have done to you and anypony else that thinks they can conquer our worlds!"

He finished his speech by saying, "So if I haven't made myself clear, Monster, I'm only going to say this one more time..."

He finally unleashed all he had in reserve, while shouting, "Get! Off! Our! World!"

Midnight flew into the air propelled by the attack, Burning Star chased after her.

He then fired his greatest attack, Firestorm looked up as Burning Star created the LARGEST STARSTRIKE he ever seen. It was easily about 1/3 The size of Canterlot Castle... and it glowed a bright white instead of its usual red. 

Freedom looked up and had to shield his eyes from the bright light coming off the Alicorn of Fire.

Burning Star spoke in a clear voice, which sounded like some sort of divine being, "Midnight Sparkle, you have caused enough damage to warrant your immediate termination. Do you have any last words?"

Midnight Sparkle stayed silent, then said, "I will return, in one form or another... mark my words."

The Alicorn of Fire cried out as he fired the massive ball of devastation, "NO YOU WILL NOT! BEHOLD! DAWN STAR BLAST!"

Midnight screamed with a haunting scream as the blast of light enveloped her and detonated into a extremely large blast of power that enveloped even the Guardians...

When the blast ended, they were somehow unharmed!

The bright silver-white Alicorn floated down to the ground and ignited his horn, within seconds the Guardians wounds healed themselves, and their stamina returned to them.

Noble Blade got up and tried to observe the Alicorn standing in front of them, whose light had died down to reveal his massive form. 

Noble looked up and his jaw dropped. 

The Alicorn in front of them was huge, easily two heads taller than Celestia. 

His fur was a bright silver-white, whiter than Celestia. His large wings were colored silver-white with golden feathers. The fire on his mane and tail was made of a flurry of rainbow colors, and blazed out like some sort of multicolored torrent. Above his horn, which had curved elegantly into a near crescent was a halo of golden fire that flickered. 

Even his eyes were incredible to look at, they were a bright yellow and rainbow colored flames were blazing out of them.

Noble asked the mysterious Alicorn, "Who are you?"

The Alicorn responded, his voice like the golden note of a bell. "I am Dawn Star, the Alicorn of Fire and Rebirth. I assume you are the Guardians of the Sun, yes?"

Firestorm was in awe at the amazing, almost angelic like figure of Dawn Star. He asked him, "Wait a second, isn't Dawn Star Burning Star's real name? Are you Burning Star, or somepony else?"

Dawn Star let out a laugh, it was whimsical and full of life. "I am Burning Star, and I am also not Burning Star. I am his ultimate form on the side of good, just as Dark Star is his ultimate form on the side of evil. The combination of both Dark Star and I create the pony known as Burning Star.

Dawn Star began to explain, "You see... Burning Star can transform into me when he lets go of his fury and hate and embraces his passion and friendship which is quickly turned into serene, god-like power. The reason that my attack did not injure you is because it cannot hurt those that are pure of soul and untainted by evil." 

He turned to Freedom Fighter, putting one of his hooves over his heart, "Yes, Freedom Fighter, even you still have some purity left within you. It simply hasn't seen too much exposure recently."

Dawn Star began to flicker, his time was growing short, he spoke to Noble Blade, "Noble Blade, I cannot thank you enough for helping Burning Star realize that he must embrace good again to become me once more. Unfortunately, I cannot remain much longer. Guardians of the Sun, I wish you good fortune and a bright. Remember, even when it looks the darkest, look for the light of Dawn Star, for it is inside all of you... goodbye."

Dawn Star evaporated in a flash of light, leaving behind Burning Star's exhausted form, he wheezed out a sentence, "Did... did we finally win?"

(End music) 

Noble looked to where Midnight Sparkle was once flying, below her last location was her unconscious body, which was breathing slowly and heavily...

Noble breathed a sigh of relief, "Yeah... we won. But Midnight isn't dead, despite you hitting her with that massive blast of light."

He walked over to her body and lightly tapped on her chest, she stirred for a second, then woke up.

Noble jumped back and drew his sword as Midnight took flight and stared at him for a few seconds...

Then, Midnight Sparkle suddenly screamed as her body began to crack, beams of purple and lanvender light erupted from the cracks in her skin, soon enough, she was a giant purple star of energy.

Then Midnight Sparkle dissolved into light with a loud bang, and the Form of an unconscious Twilight Sparkle fell to the ground. She landed with a thud, gasping for air. 

Noble Blade ran over to the body and examined it, it was a ghostly version of Twilight, she was see through and had wispy legs.

The ghost Twilight got up and said to the group, "Thank you... all of you." Before vanishing into thin air, leaving behind some sort of round purple amulet.

Firestorm asked, "What in Equestria is that thing?"

Before Noble Blade could pick it up and find out, Burning Star pushed him back and put it in a shield bubble. He then said to the Guardians, "Don't touch that! Twilight told me what this thing is..."

Freedom gestured out, "What is it?"

Burning Star held the bubble in his hooves, "Behold, the source of Midnight Sparkle, The Magic Battery. We can't destroy it, This thing contains enough magic power to level most of the world." He slowly and carefully put it in his pack, then handed it to Noble Blade, "Please, put this some place that no pony could find it. Some place that is hidden, even from immortal eyes."

Noble asked Burning Star in disbelief, "Wait, why are you giving this to us?"

Burning Star's answer was simple, "Well, there are so many powerful beings on my world that if even one of them got their hooves or claws or anything they use to hold on this artifact, we would have to do this again. Despite my love of combat, I REALLY don't want to fight this demon again."

He slumped down on the grass, "I need a break from the action."

Noble Blade laughed, "I agree with you, Star. We all need a break, especially after all we have done."

Firestorm smiled wide, "Then lets celebrate our victory over Midnight Sparkle and a return to peace!"

Burning Star nodded, "Yes, lets let loose and relax... we have all earned it."

With that Burning Star send out a pulse of magic alerting the two forces that the battle was over.

The war was over...

Midnight Sparkle... was no more.
> Chapter 18: To the Victors Go the Spoils
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Canterlot Castle, Great Hall)

Canterlot Castle was in a jovial mood after the defeat of Midnight Sparkle. All over the castle, guards were drinking their troubles away in celebration of the evil their forces had vanquished. In the Great Hall, a massive celebration was being held for everypony that had halted the evil. This included Crimson Mane, the Star Hunters, the Guardians of the Sun, the Masters of Nature, and King Sombra.

The Masters of Nature and the Guardians of the Sun were all convened around several circular tables, draining cups of punch and juice. For those that preferred something a little stronger, Iron Steed had produced a vial of fermented Ursa Minor blood to add into the drinks. This made the drinks almost 250 alcohol proof, making ponies who drunk it wobbly and incredibly unsteady.

Something Sea Breeze said rang a bit odd to the group, that "everypony needs to get a little drunk once in theirrr... life... helps to just relax and take the edge off."

“Well... We did it,” Quickfire slurred. His fifth heavy drink was lying in front of him. “That was frickin’ awesome, the way you made the Spear of True Heroes. How’d you even know my sword could fit on the end of the staff you got, Freedom?”

Freedom Fighter, who was sitting next to him, shrugged.

“What do ya mean, You didn’t know?”

He tapped the side of his head knowingly.

“Wait, So you did?”

To confuse him, he shook his head no again.

“You didn’t?”

He nodded.

“You did?”

“Ignore this, This might go on for some time,” Iron Steed remarked to Noble Blade. “I know how susceptible he is while inebriated. He once drunk the castle bar dry... Faust that was a long night."

“Why I never touch the stuff,” Noble said.

Across the table, Crimson Mane was discussing her wings with the some other Masters of Nature.

“So those can fire razor-sharp feathers?” Sea Breeze asked.

“Oh yeah, can cut through the hardest of stone or even solid steel with these blades. I sharpen them every day so they stay ready for battle.” she answered.

“Those are pretty awesome,” Sea Breeze complimented her. “Where’d you get it?”

“Well... where I originally got them is a secret, but the rocket feathers... I just made ‘em myself. As it turns out, the whole idea of bladed feathers isn’t as unique as you might think.”

“Watchu talkin’ bout?” Thorn Horn asked shrewdly.

“Back where I come from, the ponies spoke of an old legend,” Crimson Mane said, dropping her voice into a whisper. “Many years ago, in the bowels of Manehattan, lived a creature known only as the Night Terror. He stood on two legs, though sometimes on four, and had wings and a bladed horn.”

“Sounds like another troublesome alicorn, or at least some other evil entity.” Wind Walker observed, the bandages on his eyes new and pristine.

“Oh, but listen here. This particular pony--for he is a pony, and not a griffon--is faster, stronger, and deadlier than any other pony known to exist in Manehattan. Ever watching in the darkest corners of the city, the Night Terror searches for evil ponies who commit misdeeds, and seeks to bring them low in his hunger for revenge.”

“Revenge against what? From what I've heard about Manehattan recently is that crime has practically vanished due to some... unknown incident.” Hiller asked, overhearing the conversation.

“Well... Revenge against the ponies that hurt him,” Crimson Mane responded to him. “Who drove him out of his mortal shell and into the body of an immortal engine of war.”

“An Engine of war? Sounds like a danger worthy of our assistance. Engines of war, Demons out of the worst of nightmares, rampaging gods, all in a days work for the Masters of Nature." Thorn Horn asked curiously.

“Oh, that’s the part most shocking of all,” she spoke. “He is a machine.”

“Sweet Poseidon! A machine!? Surely you kid, no pony has ever created living, self-sentient machinery where we come from, nor have they attempted it." Sea Breeze gasped.

“He is the scales of justice, the conductor of the choirs of death,” Crimson Mane continued. “His metal arm of justice is ever-extending and full of wrath. Armed to the teeth, gifted with supernatural abilities, and made out of indestructible metal, he may be a threat even you cannot vanquish.”

“But it’s all a myth, right?” Firestorm asked, flapping over Crimson Mane’s head. “Those are all just stories about him, right?”

“Big deal, hiding in the shadows and stuff.” Thunder Fury snorted, sparks dancing across the table as he slammed his hoof down. “I bet I could take him. Machines are extremely vulnerable to massive shocks of electricity, which I have as a power, mind you."

“Yes,” Firestorm said. “I remember how well you took care of me in the armory where we first met. You’d take him down in half a heartbeat.”

Thunder Fury went flush with anger as he remembered how he had been humiliated in the armory. “Watch it, bud, I can still fry you like an egg.”

“What?”

“I know when I’m being mocked, I'm not that stupid.” Thunder Fury spat, visible electricity now "thundering" quite apparent on his skin.

“Good. If you didn’t, that wouldn’t end up well.”

“I’m telling you, you pitiful merge of Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash, that you wouldn’t stand a chance against me. I am a Master of Nature! Not to mention the second in command!" 

“I’m a Guardian of the Sun,” Firestorm cooly replied. “Titles are irrelevant here.”

“Wanna find out what happens when fire and lightning clash?” he asked. The smell of ozone was filling the air, and Thunder Fury’s mane was sparkling with electricity, causing everypony's hair to stand on end, “I can tell you, it’ll end up with a lot of blood spattered on the ground. And guess what? Most of it will be YOURS!”

“Okedoke,” Firestorm replied. He pointed at him. “Hey, there’s something going on with your mane, by the way. You might want to take care of it.”

“It does that naturally,” Sea Breeze said to him. “It’s a distinct characteristic of the boy. He's had it ever since he got his powers."

“Ah. Okay. I just thought the batteries were overloading, or something.”

“BATTERIES?! What?!" came Thunder Fury’s outraged reply. Flapping up dangerously into the air, yellow lightning sparked in his eyes and his voice like a thunderclap, “I’VE HAD ENOUGH OF YOUR TERRIBLE JOKES AT MY EXPENSE! NOPONY MOCKS ME! I’LL TEAR YOUR ATOMS APART!”

“Okedoke,” Firestorm said simply. “Do it slowly, okay? I like how it feels.”

Thunder Fury raised his hooves above his head, and a small ball of crackling energy appeared between them. “GIGAVOLT--”

Before he finished, however, he was thrown to the ground from behind. He bounced on the tiled floor, and the electricity dispersed. He looked up to see the form of a massive pony standing above him.

“Oh, hush up already, you twitchy twit.” Sombra said irritably. “Lighten up.”

“The King of Shadows is telling someone to lighten up? Are pigs flying today?" Noble Blade remarked to Iron Steed. Iron Steed let out a hearty chuckle.

“Yo, thanks, Som-bruh!” Firestorm said, holding out his hoof for a hoof-bump.

King Sombra lifted up a single smoking green eyebrow. He was both amused and oddly confused by the gesture.

“King...Sombraille?” Firestorm asked.

The shadow king’s mouth quivered in amusement. His eyes lost their green shade.

“Or king...Sombrero?”

The king finally spat out a hearty laugh and clapped the pegasus on the back, almost knocking him off the chair, His wings flailed out, “I love this pegasus!” he roared. “Maybe when I first met him, he may have annoyed me, but at least he’s funny! True humor at its finest!"

Firestorm patted himself on the back, wincing hard. “Yeah, but work on your hits! I think one of my vertebrae popped out on the floor!”

Hiller leaned back in his chair. “Oh, this is good,” he moaned, stretching his limbs to relieve the stil apparent tension in his muscles, while the regeneration the virus gave him helped him recover, it was taxing on his body. “No destructive alicorns, no evil demons, no unnatural smoke creatures...It’s almost too good to be true.”

“Hiller! Don’t say stuff like that,” Crimson Mane warned. “It’s bound to end up with something even worse.”

“And by saying that, you just verified it, nice going Crimson.” Thorn Horn pointed out.

Crimson Mane smacked her cup off the table, sending it flying a good ten feet. “Dang it!”

“Hey, where’s Burning Star?” Sea Breeze asked. “I thought I saw him here, but he went out of the room, didn’t he?”

“From what he told me, He went to talk with the princesses,” Iron Steed replied to him. He took a sip from his drink. “Nothing serious, I expect. Off to bully them some more, I’d imagine.”

"I'd hope he be here celebrating." Noble sighed.

Quickfire chimed in, the slur in his voice quite apparent. "Burning Star... he's not one forrr parties. He gets super closed off during them."

(Canterlot Castle, Private Chambers)

Burning Star pushed both of the doors open slowly, relishing the squeak they made. At the other end of the room was the other two princesses, nourishing their slices of triple-layer cake. At the noise of his entry, however, they stopped with their food still in their mouths and slowly turned to look at him.

“Heya, ‘Tia,” Burning Star said, making sure the sentence rhymed. “How’s the, uh, cake? You sure it isn't mine?"

Princess Celestia swallowed. “It’s fine, Burning Star. Have you tried it yet?”

“I’m...not hungry,” he replied, looking down. “Normally, I feel like I could eat the entire donut shop you got here in Canterlot, but...not now.”

Luna shifted her eyes to the side in thought, then returned them to look into Burning Star’s dark blue eyes. “Is something wrong?”

He responded, eyes now down at the floor, “I...I guess.”

“And why are you coming to me?” Princess Celestia asked. “What is the point?”

Burning Star’s insides jolted a little bit. This was it. He had been thinking about how it might go for several hours now, and it made him squirm. “Ok... here goes. Before I left my own little universe and came here, I realized that I was powerful beyond the measures of anypony else. Why wouldn’t I be?”

Princess Luna and Princess Celestia were listening intently.

“But when I came here...to hunt down Midnight Sparkle...I came in my arrogance and in my anger, a lot of it still stemming from my Celestia's treatment of me. I tried to use my powers as I did before, but I soon realized that if I wanted to beat Midnight Sparkle, I needed to learn control, some discipline.” He blew out a big resigned exhale. “I really didn’t want to admit it, but I think that this... was exactly what I needed.”

“Learning control?” Luna clarified.

“Coming to this universe in the first place, Luna” Burning Star corrected. “Learning more about myself. Those three soldiers you got? The Guardians of the Sun?” Burning Star let out a brief chuckle. “They did almost as much for me as anypony else in my own universe. Maybe even more, now that I...really think about it. Many of my family and friends tended to avoid me because of my anger. But your team actually confronted them...” He held up a feather. “Freedom Fighter...he made me know that my suffering isn’t the only kind that matters. Firestorm...that lovable dolt of a pegasus...he taught me to lighten up! To get over my pride. To spend more time enjoying ponies, instead of resenting them. And Noble Blade…” He paused.

“Noble Blade was an influence beyond all else?” Luna asked. “I should commend him for that.”

Burning Star smiled, the first real smile in years. “Oh, yeah. He really was. He’s the one that cracked that old shell I’ve got and built me up more than I...than I’ve realized, actually. He’s taught me and built me as much as my dad, Sombra.”

Celestia recoiled slightly. “A knight, in a matter of weeks, influenced you more than your own father in the course of your lifetime?”

"Hell, He’s the reason I’ve changed enough to be speaking with you right now,” Burning Star said. “Sombra taught me power, and influence, and loved me as he should, in his own twisted ways. But Noble taught me better things. Responsibility. Concern. Charity. Love.” He racked his brains for more. “And he let me know what true power is. The power of…” He let out a sigh. “The power of friendship.”

Celestia smiled wryly. “Corny, isn’t it?”

Burning Star laughed briefly, a clear laugh that drove joy into his heart. “Yeah, I guess.” He came closer to the two of them. “And with the events that’ve been going on for the past however long, I’d like to say that I…” Here he paused and pawed the ground. “With how we first met, and with how domineering I was trying to be, without realizing how much more benevolent, even understanding you were compared with my own Celestia…That was a bit uncalled for. In hindsight. I’d like to say...I’m sorry.

“I’m sorry...for my actions. And for my behavior to you ponies that I never met before. That isn’t how a prince, or even Warrior King of Equestria should behave to two…” He paused, and his voice grew cracked. “To two...of the most caregiving ponies I’ve known...since coming here. You’ve given me shelter...and love, even when I d-didn’t deserve it! And you’ve fed me and talked with me, no matter how annoying and vindictive I might have been to you, and you overlooked how I behaved towards you...and everypony else that loved you! You’ve done so much for me, and I’ve never noticed it because I was just so stupid…”

“You’re not stupid,” Celestia quickly said.

“Fat lot of good saying that will change my opinion,” Burning Star retaliated, but there was no malice behind his words. “You were like a mother to me, and I’ve rejected you just because you shared the same name as my own Celestia! I should have been better than that! I should have been the son you treated me as, Celestia!”

Celestia looked stunned. She hadn’t been expecting Burning Star to be going that far. And yet here he was, on the verge of tears, admitting his faults and confessing like a sinner.

“Now, I know you’re not my mother, Celestia, she is long dead. But if there was anypony I could have chosen to be one...out of every universe out there...it would definitely be you.” He smiled and looked her in the eyes. They were glistening. “I was a...horrible pony, and a terrible friend, and I’m sorry for making you put up with me, and listen to me, day after day, and for hating you when you did so much for--”

His words were cut off by Princess Celestia wrapping her wing around his back and squeezing. The wing was soft, and smelled freshly washed. Burning Star was so surprised by the affection that he didn’t protest.

“I forgave you before those thoughts even entered your head,” Celestia warmly said. “Why wouldn’t I?”

And then the tears came, trickling down his face, as he knew at last that Celestia bore no mistrust to him for any reason. It had been haunting him for days now, twisting in his gut like vipers, and its poison had seeped into his mind and had poisoned his memory. That poison had made him remember Celestia differently. But now he was purged of the awful guilt, of the terrible venom. He felt almost as pure as when he would become Dawn Star.

But strangely, the Alicorn of Light was... absent.

Celestia continued to swaddle him in her wing like a mother would to her child, and Burning Star was hit again with the image of Celestia as a mother. Not just to him, but to all of Equestria. Ever watching for its safety, loving it even when misbehavior manifested, and occasionally enforcing discipline where it was needed, to ensure the safety of Equestria--and Burning Star.

It was only after several minutes of warmth and pressure that Burning Star realized something.

“Celestia? I’ve still got that burny stuff on my body. You’re slathering it all over your wing-- if I ignite I may scar you with my flames."

“Oh!” Celestia removed her wing, and Burning Star felt the chill come as the wing came away. “Oh, dear, I’m sorry.”

He put his hoof up, “No, no, no! It’s fine! I was just so, um...so distracted that I didn’t think to say anything before. Can I get it off for you?”

“Sure.”

After the sticky, black goo was removed by Burning Star’s magic, Burning Star took a few breaths before turning to Princess Luna. “You heard everything, right?”

Princess Luna’s face was comically indifferent. “What thinkest thou?”

“So you know that I’m really, really, really, really, really, really really sorry?”

“ ‘Tis a mouthful of reallys, Burning Star,” Princess Luna said. “But thou art welcome. I cared not that you had been boorish and rude.”

“What? Why?”

She shrugged. “I’ve put up with worse.” She reached out with a hoof. “It’s okay for me to touch thee, right?”

“Just be careful,” he warned. “Of the, uh, goo and stuff.”

She ruffled his mane and rubbed his back reassuringly. “Be not afraid,” she cood. “Be reborn this day. Be a better pony than thou wast yesterday.”

“I still don’t know how you managed to love me in spite of my...flaws…”

“ ‘Tis our job!” Luna cried. “Thou art simply implying too much. We put up with thee? Hardly. Truth be told, thy company was pleasantly chaotic.”

“I haven’t been annoying? Or harmful to you? Or insulting?” he asked in disbelief.

“Oh, no. You were.” Celestia grinned. “But we know that because it looked like you were trying. Now, the fool that acts annoying without knowing he’s a fool...that is hard to put up with.”

“Like Firestorm?”

“Firestorm I have no problem with,” Celestia said. “Not only does he know that he’s a buffoon, but he’s also funny! Why can I hate him?”

“I didn’t at first,” Burning Star said. “I judged him on appearance first and thought him an idiot. As somepony like my obnoxious brother, Thunder Fury."

Celestia's jaw hit the floor, "Wait, Thunder Fury is your brother?!"

The Alicorn of Fire shrugged, "Yeah, but he is my adopted brother, remember I was raised by his family from a young age."

“Well, on the other hoof,” Luna said, “You hated everyone the first time you met them.”

Burning Star cocked his head in acknowledgement. “That is True. When you live in the wild, in isolation for SO Long, you tend to see the world as an enemy.”

“You’ve grown so much since I first saw you and knew you,” Celestia reassured him. “I’m only glad to be a part of your life.”

It made his heart jump with joy. It truly was a new step in his life. He had entered this universe with the intent to destroy and harm, even kill... but he came out with so much more than that because he was willing to be taught.

And now he knew what a benevolent Celestia was like. Now he could discard the memories of an evil entity that hated any dissent from her rule. Now he could accept a matriarch full of love for her subjects, no matter who they might be. Princess Celestia--this one--had given him unconditional acceptance and had taught him how to give acceptance in return.

“Thank you,” was all he could say. What more could he say?

(Somewhere Else...)

Dark Star screamed in rage, thrashing about like a maddening beast, another entity simply sighed at the Dark Alicorn's temper tantrum.

"WHAT?! No! No! Not, This! This is not how it's supposed to happen! He should be laying waste to Equestria, not making up! This is not what we had planned!"

A voice called out to the dark Alicorn of destruction.

"Calm yourself, Dark Star. If this has happened, then our plans have to be changed."

Dark Star turned to the voice, which emanated from a pair of Golden, Yellow Eyes, filled with glowing yellow fire...

"Burning Star has pulled a gamble, thus we must raise the bar... and take a risk of our own."

Dark Star cocked his flaming eyes in confusion, a scowl appearing on his face, "What are you suggesting?"

The pair of eyes closed slowly, they were deep in thought... then they said to Dark Star.

"We escape his mind, dear boy... with Burning Star distracted by the revelry and celebration of victory... his mental defenses are lowered. Thus, the seal is weak... we will break it together, and destroy the world, so I can prove to that... that..."

The pair of eyes shone bright for a short time, exposing the large stature of... something Equine-shaped.

The voice finally boomed with the instenity of an exploding volcano. "THAT BI--H CELESTIA THAT I AM TRULY THE STRONGEST ALICORN IN THE UNIVERSE! AND THAT THIS WORLD, AND ANY OTHER... WILL FEEL OUR LOSS AND DESPAIR, WHEN BURNING STAR CAST US ASIDE!"

The voice somehow knocked Dark Star off his clawed hooves, "How DARE he attempt to achieve inner peace! How dare he! I work so hard to stack the deck in my... now our favor, and yet the little bastard decided that he didn't need us anymore. Well I'm not going to take it lying down!"

The eyes began to move past Dark Star, to some sort of light in the darkness.

They turned to Dark Star, and said... "Well? What are you waiting for? Some sort of invitation? Lets go Dark Star!"

Dark Star smirked and followed the pair of eyes into the light... 

and everything went white!
> Chapter 19: The Alicorn of Destruction!
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Guardians World, Canterlot Castle, Guest Room)

The sun rose over Canterlot, its glow bathing the city in a warm breeze, ponies throughout the city were waking up to a new day, a day where no monstrous Alicorn would attack them. Almost all of them were bright and chipper this morning...

Well... Almost all of them...

Burning Star woke up with his wings stiff and mane a mess, he groaned and said to himself.

"Argh! Why? Why must Celestia raise the sun when I'm trying to sleep? Uhhh... alright fine I'm getting up."

Despite the last night of partying and confessions, he woke up with a MASSIVE hangover and some sort of... Off feeling in his head.

Like something was missing, something important.

But he didn't worry about it now, he was far too drowsy, He rolled out of bed and stepped to the floor, walking to the bathroom to take a shower and hopefully wake himself up more. 

He looked around the room, seeing his fellow Masters of Nature sleeping peacefully.

Thunder Fury was hanging from a hammock he attached to the ceiling, with every breath small sparks of electricity rippled in his mane as if it was a small thundercloud.

Iron Steed took to sleeping on the floor near Freedom Fighter, as his weight nearly cracked the bed he was supposed to sleep on. The huge stallion lay on his chest, head buried in a pillow. For a nearly 200 Lb pony, he sure was muscular. 

Sea Breeze slept curled up in his Hippocampus form in a water bowl he brought with him, it stood in the center of the room, and bubbles were seen coming from the aquatic Pegasus's mouth. 

Thorn Horn was not in the room with them, instead he had gotten up earlier to go to Midnight's Castle of Darkness to undo all the damage to the Everfree she caused. He wouldn't be back till around noon.

Quickfire and Hiller were sharing a bed, since there was no more room on the floor. Quickfire slept with his mask off, letting the air get at his battered face. Hiller had a surprisingly adorable sleeping mask on that had his mark on it, the biohazard symbol. 

Crimson Mane was also absent, then Burning Star remembered that she was off dealing with any stragglers and cleaning up the damage to Canterlot during the battle. Tirek had fired off his beam a few times, carving gashes in the ground, before Crimson Mane flew in and decapitated him with one massive dashing strike. She took his horns and mane as a trophy and was helping dispose of the dead body alongside Thorn Horn.

Eclipsio was busy around the entire world, erasing any memory of the ponies that had seen the battle between Midnight and the heroes, he didn't want to leave any impact on this world, lest it cause "a massive distortion of time and alter history forever, where this worlds fabric of reality would have to..."

Burning Star fell asleep during his lecture, so he didn't hear anything else.

Wind Walker was, unexpectedly, nowhere to be found. He would usually be sleeping outdoors, letting the wind blow around him, listening to the words and observing the ponies of the world in secret...

"Where is he?" Burning Star said as he approached the bathroom door.

He suddenly stopped when he saw a light was coming from it. He spoke to himself, "Please for the love of Faust do not let Wind Walker be in there..."

While Freedom would be pretty bad to walk in on, Wind Walker was ten times worse, as he had a surprisingly short temper when startled, and he would not want an express ticket to Tartarus when he blasts him with enough force to level the entire city if he was outside.

Burning Star opened the door slowly and saw that there was nopony in the shower, he pumped his hoof in the air and jumped in.

"Actually... I wonder if I can mess with the guys a bit... hehehe!"

Burning Star grabbed the shower knob, turning it to the maximum amount of hot water, which cascaded onto him. He also ignited his mane to flash boil the stream of water, creating a massive cloud of steam to appear and cover the bathroom in a thick fog. 

He quietly ignited his horn and slowly opened the door, careful not to wake anypony, when he saw the coast was clear he opened it wide, letting all the steam fill the guest room, which quickly filled up with a massive foggy cloud. 

"Ohohoho, this is going to be good. I'll make them feel like they are in a sauna, see how uncomfortable they get."

Noble Blade awoke slowly and felt extremely uncomfortable, he was sweating like an animal and his tunic didn't help with it. Many of the other stallions were walking up as well, most of them also sweating their butts off.

Firestorm flew down to the floor and said, "Who turned on the heat? My mane is going to frizz up at this rate with all this steam."

Thunder Fury awoke with a start and fell to the floor, faceplanting hard on the tiles. He ripped his head upward, eyes narrowed in annoyance and mane alight with electricity as he said, "Ok! Ok! Who is taking a shower with too much hot water on?!"

The electric Pegasus was about to discharge a bolt of lightning, but Freedom woke up to the shouting and stopped him, unfortunately he was hit with the blast of electricity. 

He clenched his eyes shut and grit his teeth as the lightning arched over his body, leaving his suit smoldering and slightly on fire from the discharge of electric energy. 

Noble Blade said to the yellow maned Pegasus, "Thunder Fury! Do not do that again! That much electricity combined with all of this steam would most likely create a thundercloud in the room, would that be a bright idea, Master of Lightning?"

Thunder Fury sighed, his mane's electricity dying down to a faded yellow light, "No... it wouldn't. Sorry..."

He looked up to see Freedom Fighter pinning him down on the floor, his eyes filled with an icy glare. He was clearly annoyed by the electric shock he just received.

Thunder Fury panicked and tried to bolt out from under him, but he was stuck tight. He hated being stuck in one place!

Sea Breeze awoke to see Freedom Fighter pinning his fellow team member to the floor and jumped out of his water bowl, drenching the area, before wrapping Freedom around in his coiling tail, he said to the earth pony, "What in Celestia's name are you doing? Get off my friend!"

Freedom was surprised by Sea Breeze's strength as he pulled him off the Lightning Pegasus, despite him gripping the floor with all his might. 

Iron Steed awoke when the water hit him and he growled, turning his skin to the metal of Freedom's fighting staff, he pried Freedom from Sea Breeze's grip and then socked Sea Breeze hard enough to send him flying back into Firestorm and into the bed where Quickfire and Hiller were sleeping.

Awakened by the sudden bang, the two jumped up and armed themselves, Quickfire drew his sword and Hiller created his claws, he pounced at Firestorm, while Quickfire lunged at Noble Blade, thinking that he did that.

Noble picked up his Blade and clashed with Quickfire, while Firestorm dashed out of the way and locked his twin swords with Hiller's claws.

Grunts of frustration and determination came from the stallions as they tried to push the other off balance. Fighting continued as Thunder Fury tackled both Sea Breeze and Iron Steed just for fun, throwing bolts of lightning that scorched the ground. 

"Stand still you assholes!" The Pegasus screeched as he unleashed blast after blast. 

All the while, Burning Star was laughing internally as he saw the chaos unfold from behind the shower curtain.

He thought to himself, "Ahahaha! Oh! Oh, oh that was good! if Discord was here he would love to see this..."

Speaking of Discord, the draconequess popped inside of the shower stall, causing Burning Star to scream in a unusually high pitched voice.

"Gah! DISCORD!"

Discord said to the Fire Alicorn, putting his claw and paw to his ears, "Wow, you scream loud. My ears are ringing from that."

Discord pulled his hands away and his ears had turned into fire alarm bells, which then vanished with a snap of his eagle claw. 

He spoke to Burning Star, "Nice to see you too Burning Star, wonderful little scuffle you caused, and shower is nice too. This was a pretty odd way to start this, never thought a simple cloud of steam could cause this much mayhem."

The odd creature suddenly popped out of the shower and took out a chair, before pulling out a bowl of popcorn and a glass of chocolate milk. He smirked as he ate his popcorn, causing Burning Star to suddenly feel embarrassed. 

"Uh Discord?" He said, turning off the water and covering himself with a towel, "Can you please not look at me? I need to change into something."

Discord shrugged, "Why would you? You normally walk around naked, right?"

Burning Star scowled, "Yes... but I have to talk with my Rarity when I get home, and she isn't fond of me strolling around in the nude. I'm trying to get a tuxedo for Shadow Armor's wedding, and ever since she saw me naked in the shower, she is rather... irked to see me without something on."

Discord snorted in amusement, "Wait, Rarity saw you naked?" The Spirit of Chaos burst into hysterical laughter, "Haha-haha-ha! Oh... oh that is good."

"Will you cut that out!" The Alicorn of Fire roared, his mane completely ablaze. "I'm serious here, do not look at me!"

Discord calmed himself, wiping a tear out of his eye and said, "Ok ok, fine." 

He then took out both his eyes with his eagle claw and tossed them behind him, which then promptly exploded into confetti. 

The sight of Discord's empty holes where his eyes once were made the Alicorn shiver with fear. He quickly summoned an orange tunic with dark red trimming, it had his cutie Mark on the front. 

He spoke to the draconequess, "Ok I'm dressed, can you please put your eyes back, its creeping me out."

Discord responded, "Of course!" And a pair of yellow eyes literally rolled into view from the back of his head. 

Discord stared at Burning Star and snapped his lion paw, turning his tunic royal blue with white trimming, he said to Burning Star "There we go."

Burning Star looked down and frowned, "What the heck Discord!? Change my clothes back to the correct color!"

Discord suddenly turned himself into Rarity and said to Burning Star, "Trust me darling, all that red and orange is hard on the eyes. A nice royal blue and white contrasts nicely with your black fur, now you look positively stunning."

The Alicorn of Fire sighed, "You will never make sense to me, Discord."

The Chaos Spirit turned back into himself, "Yep, and that is just the way I like it."

Discord teleported away in a burst of light, then Burning Star stepped out of the bathroom and into the room to see his allies fighting, they stopped for a moment and stared at him with anger in their eyes.

The Alicorn of Fire smiled sheepishly, "Heh... how much of that did you hear?"

Noble Blade answered through clenched teeth, with unexpected white hot fury in his voice, "All of it."

"Die you asshole!" Thunder Fury roared as he lunged at Burning Star, who ran toward the doorway.

He turned to the crowd of angry stallions, saying to them with panic on his face, "Welp, I'm getting out of here! Bye!" And the Alicorn of Fire burst through the door, and ran down the hallway.

Hiller ran out into the hall, and pointed towards the trail of fire that was currently running away from them. 

He then said, "Get that motherbucker!" And everypony ran, flew, or teleported after Burning Star. 

(Canterlot Castle, Stain Glass Hallway)

Meanwhile, Princess Celestia was walking through the hallway that had all the stain glass murals in it.

The Destruction of Nightmare Moon...

Discord's sudden breakout and reinprisonment... maybe she should replace that since Discord was reformed.

The Battle against Queen Chrysalis...

The defeat of King Sombra in the Crystal Empire...

And recently, The attack by Tirek and The Elements of Harmony using their Rainbow Power to stop him.

So many accomplishments that her former student and her friends have done. It made her proud to have Twilight as her personal student for so long.

Celestia turned the corner to walk to the dining hall when a sudden wind gust blew one of the balcony doors open, and pushed her back slightly. 

She closed the door with her magic, saying, "Its windy today, wonder if there is a storm blowing in..."

A haunting voice came from behind her, "No Celestia, it was merely me returning here."

The Princess of the Sun screamed and nearly backed into one of the priceless windows, Wind Walker grasped her with his hoof and said, "Watch were you are going, Princess. Wouldn't want to damage these, right?"

Celestia unknowingly spoke in the Royal Canterlot Voice, "Do not startle me like that!"

Wind Walker bowed his head and apologized, "I... am sorry. I didn't take you to be so easily frightened by me. Then again, I am ghost white and look and sound like some sort of wraith, so I can't blame you for being afraid of me."

The Princess collected her bearings before saying, "Wind Walker, what brings you back to the castle so early? I thought you were helping that Thorn Horn deal with the cleanup of the Everfree."

Wind Walker laughed slightly, sending a small chill down Celestia's back. "Thorn Horn is the Master of Earth, the forest will rebuild itself with or without my aid. I am actually here to speak with you about recent events."

Celestia began to walk down the hall again, the white earth pony at her left side, she said to him, "What do you wish to talk about?"

Wind Walker sighed and said, "I'm talking about the botched negotiation attempt Burning Star tried by turning into Dark Star. Needless to say, that was an idea that was bound to backfire."

What the Master of Wind said next stopped the Princess cold, "But I think that is what Dark Star was hoping for..."

Celestia responded, fear very apparent in her voice, "W-What do you mean? Is Dark Star free now?"

Wind Walker shook his head, "Thankfully... No. Burning Star managed to reseal him."

The Princess breathed a sigh of relief...

That was immediately taken back by Wind Walker saying, "But that does not mean that he is sealed for good. The possibility that Dark Star will break free is quite high."

Celestia shuddered while asking, "How possible? Do I even want to know the odds?"

Wind Walker's tone turned grim, "From my own predictions, Dark Star being released upon our worlds is 100%, considering the amount of emotional stress Burning Star has been under."

Princess Celestia went pale, if a white furred pony could go paler than white that is, and responded. "What can we do to stop it?"

Wind Walker put a hoof on Celestia's back and said in the most serious tone Celestia has ever heard.

"At this moment, Nothing. We can train for this, but if I am right, Dark Star WILL break free, and when he does... we must be ready. For he is nearly twice powerful than Midnight Sparkle. But unlike Midnight, he doesn't want to rule our two worlds..."

Celestia dreaded to ask, "What does he want?"

Wind Walker responded, his tone as serious as death itself. "What he wants? Dark Star desires one thing..."

He continued, his voice steadily growing more grim, nearly sociopathic, "The complete and total destruction of everything. To reduce Equestria, no, our worlds, to nothing more than a wasteland, with the only thing left being his sad and broken self, on a world just as sad and broken as he is..."

The Princess just stood in shock, imagining two worlds reduced to ashes, before saying. "How long do we have, Wind Walker? Also, how do you know this?"

Wind Walker's tone returned to its normal state, if you could consider sounding like a howling spirit normal. "We have the dawn of tomorrow."

Wind Walker turned towards the hallway that led to the guest room, before backing up as they saw a ball of fire head right at them.

It was Burning Star!

The Alicorn of Fire screamed, "Get out of the way!"

Wind Walker quickly pulled Celestia back as the fiery pony sprinted past them, various shouts and curses were being heard from the hallway he just ran away from.

Celestia looked and saw the Masters of Nature, and her Guardians of the Sun running and flying after the Alicorn of Fire, unbridled rage in their eyes.

Wind Walker pulled Celestia back again as they stampeded past.

Celestia said with confusion in her voice, "What in the name of myself is going on with them?"

The Master of Wind said to her, a sigh escaping him, "Burning Star had filled the guest room with steam, causing a series of unfortunate events that led to the two groups fighting, he then found out that they heard him and now he is running like death itself is chasing him..."

Celestia raised an eyebrow at Wind Walker's unusually calm tone, "Why are you so relaxed?"

Wind Walker suddenly smirked and said, "Its nice to have some sense of normalcy every once in a while."

The Princess responded, "This is normal for you?"

The earth pony nodded, "Yep, except it's usually Thunder Fury or Sea Breeze being chased, not Burning Star. Huh... first time for everything I guess."

Celestia sighed at Wind Walker's remark and continued what she was speaking about. "Now, Wind Walker... how exactly will we stop Dark Star from destroying our worlds?"

Wind Walker's answer filled her with hope, hope that this will prevail, but also a bit of worry.

"We would stop him together, but alas, we must return to our world soon, then. Eclipsio will destroy the gateway to here, we won't be able to see you anytime soon, At least your world will be spared from his wrath, Celestia I'm sorry... but we have to leave."

The Princess sighed, feeling quite sad at the news. "Very well. I understand, you have intervened quite a lot in our world, it is just sad that I'll never see all of you again."

Wind Walker let a single tear slide down Celestia's face before he cupped it in his hooves and said, "Yes... parting is hard, but we can't stay forever. I'll... get the guys ready..."

Wind Walker turned into a gust of wind and vanished, not showing that there were tears in his eyes as well...

(Canterlot Castle, Throne Room)

Elsewhere, Prince Eclipsio was breaking the news of their departure to Luna.

The Prince of Eclipses said to her, visibly depressed, "I'm sorry, Luna... but we must leave little trace of our involvement here. We have done it to many worlds, and it doesn't get any more pleasant to do it. 

Luna protested, "Why must you leave now!? We were just starting to know about your world, can't just one of you stay?"

Eclipsio shook his head, "Sadly, no. As we speak, Burning Star should be telling the Guardians of our departure. It is truly tragic, I have learned so much of this world, more than any other I have visited."

He pulled Luna into a hug and said, "Do not be so sad, Lulu. Know that I will always be watching over your world, besides... you have made Burning Star feel something he hasn't felt in a long time."

Luna showed a weak smile when he said, "You have made him happy, and have cleared his conscience, and that is all that he needed. However, that doesn't mean that you may not send me letters or gifts, I will only close the rift to life forms. This will not stop you from still talking with us, so go right ahead with that."

Luna turned to Eclipsio, tears in her eyes, "I'm going to miss you, Prince Eclipsio."

Prince Eclipsio said in a truly sorrowful tone, "Me too... sis."

(Canterlot Castle, Garden)

Celestia and Luna stood as steady as they could, they saw the various bags and luggage that the Masters of Nature and Star Hunters had brought.

Burning Star had broken the news to the Guardians, who were naturally depressed, but understood why. They could no longer risk any more damage to their world's fabric of reality.

Just... why did it hurt so much to go?

Burning Star stood in front of the Guardians of the Sun, visible tears on his face as he saw Sombra and the Masters of Nature step through the portal, they had to get back to survey any damage to their world by the battle here. 

Freedom said to the Alicorn of Fire in his sign language, "It truly is sad that we must part, I really am going to miss you, Burning Star."

The Alicorn nodded, "Yeah... heh, me too."

Firestorm grabbed him for a minute, "Do ya really have to leave? I mean, we would love to see some more action around here, right?"

Noble and Freedom both gave him a icy stare, causing Firestorm to say, "Kidding! But in all seriousness, I'm going to miss you as well. We had a lot of good times, right?"

Burning Star smiled, a legitimate, happy smile. "Yeah, if i ever do come back, I'll make good on that promise of a race, got that?"

Noble Blade was next, he spoke first, "Burning Star, it has been an honor to fight beside and meet you, I am truly sad that we must part. Maybe one day we can..."

He was cut short by Burning Star pulling all of them into a hug, sobbing his eyes out, "Sweet Faust... I'm going to miss you all. You made a very broken Alicorn, feel whole and happy again. And for that, I do not have any words that would describe how proud and thankful I am of you. You have defied god-like beings, and have even dragged me out of the pit of despair and hate I felt."

He turned to the portal, then turned his head and said, "I'll... Guys... see you later."

Burning Star stepped towards the portal, behind him Firestorm was weeping, Noble cried a little as well, and Freedom hung his head in despair. 

Suddenly, a black beam of Light struck down upon the portal, destroying it, it sent everypony firing backwards, landing in the bushes. 

Noble Blade peered out from them and looked around, as did the rest of the group.

They all heard a voice, it was extremely quiet.

"No."

It got louder, rustling the leaves on the trees.

"No!"

It still increased in volume, causing the group to cover their ears.

"No!!"

It still continued, now it shook the ground. 

"NO!"

It finally reached max volume, cracking the very floor and causing violent wind gusts to blow,

"NO NO NO NO NO! RARRAAAGH!"

Burning Star knew who it was, and created a shield around the Guardians and the Princesses. "Damn, he is here..."

Firestorm asked an obvious question, "Who is here?"

Suddenly, the space in front of them cracked like glass, before shattering, sending a ball of crackling black and blue light flying out from it.



(Start music here)

It hovered in place, shooting out angry blasts of blue flames and black lightning, it thrashed about, screeching loud enough to make the ponies cover their ears.

The ball spoke, its tone very familiar, 

NO! I REFUSE TO BE DEFEATED BY YOU INSIGNIFICANT, INSUFFERABLE, PATHETIC EXCUSES FOR PONIES!"

Noble knew exactly who it was, and he drew his sword, prompting everypony else to draw a weapon of some sort, anticipating the imminent arrival of the true final foe they would face...

The ball spoke again, "I WILL NOT BE CONTAINED ANY LONGER! I AM FREE TO LAY WASTE TO THIS WORLD AND ANY WORLD THAT HAS A SHRED OF HAPPINESS ON IT!"

Everypony watched in horror as the ball began to take shape into a pony, an Alicorn no less. It's size grew and grew, before exploding in a flash of light and intense heat.

When the smoke cleared, everypony's eyes went wide with horror. 

Before them stood a jet black Alicorn with blood red sclera and black pupils, no irises. He stood much taller than Burning Star, who was already massive. 

He strode upon large legs that were tipped with three claws instead of hooves, his wings were Demon like, and were made of glowing blue flames. His mane and tail were nothing more than an inferno of blue and black flames that blazed like some sort of wildfire. He opened his mouth to take a breath and razor sharp teeth lined the inside of his mouth. Upon his flank sat a five pointed curved star of black and blue fire.

Noble spoke the name of the demonic pony in front of them, no fear in his voice.

"Dark Star..."

Dark Star turned to the shield bubble and said to Burning Star, a tone of cockiness in his voice, "Well, Well, WELL! You have failed once again, BURNING STAR. Once again, I have broken free and I will lay waste to your world, this world, and any world that has a single, solitary, SHRED OF HAPPINESS OR STABILITY!"

Firestorm stepped forward and said, "Well you finally showed up, I thought you were just bluffing when you said that you would actually be released. Well, here you are, in the flesh. You ready to finally put your money where your mouth is and actually... do something?"

Dark Star ignored Firestorm, too caught up in his own flamboyance he snorted out, "I am FREE! Soon, everything you know and love will come to an end, as I burn and raze the entirety of both worlds to ashes! Hahahahaha!"

Burning Star casually said, "Dark Star...?"

The Hellish Alicorn was still ranting onwards, "Oh how I have waited for this moment, this is my moment! I have waited my entire existence for this, and here it is! Nopony can stop me now!"

Now Burning Star was getting annoyed, and he said with slight ire in his voice. "Dark Star?"

Dark Star still payed no attention as he cackled like a madpony, "By the time I am done, these worlds will be nothing but ashen craters lined with charred corpses, courtesy of I, Dark Star, Alicorn of DESTRUCTION!"

"Ok that's it..." Burning Star used his magic to pick up a statue of Celestia and chucked it at Dark Star, it collided with him and shattered, sending him flying to the ground in a pile of rubble. 

He shouted at him, using his speech voice. 

"DARK STAR! DROP YOUR OWN EGO FOR A MINUTE AND PAY ATTENTION!"

The flaming head of Dark Star popped out of the rubble and he burst out of it, sending small rocks raining down around him. 

Dark Star screeched back, "What?! Can't you see I'm doing my obligatory villain monolog? You never interrupt a monologue, Burning Star! VILLAIN 101, Pal!"

Burning Star out his hoof to his face, "You know, You are unbearably annoying."

Celestia looked at the two flaming Alicorns arguing and said to Noble Blade, "Um... what exactly is going on?"

Noble Blade responded with the most honest answer he could say, "I have... no clue. Apparently, from the tone that Dark Star uses and the sheer ego he has he must be quite the blowhard. Wonder why that is..."

Burning Star turned back to Noble and said while facehoofing, "Dark Star... while he has incredible power, well enough to destroy worlds... I created him during puberty... so he has..."

Firestorm finished his sentence, "He has the mind of a teenager in the body of a living weapon. Sounds like some sort of show from Neighpon... right?"

Burning Star nodded, "Well, yeah. That about sums it up, when I was wandering the world when I was younger I went out of Equestria to go and do some recreational things, take my mind off of destroying my home. During one of these breaks I went to Neighpon, I'm guessing he must have latched on to my memories in order to try and fashion himself a body based on what I saw in my various travels..."

Luna commented on this, "So is that why he looks so much more demon-like than us?"

Burning Star nodded, "Apparently so, he says that it "spreads more fear..." but it really doesn't. You need subtlety to master fear, right?"

Luna shrugged, "I guess, but I haven't spread fear for a long time. Although, I must say he is trying WAY too hard to be scary."

Dark Star's head snapped towards Luna and he roared, "DO NOT MOCK MY APPEARANCE! THIS IS THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY TO SHOW THAT I AM POWERFUL AND TERRIFYING BEYOND COMPARE!"

Firestorm shouted back to Dark Star, slightly laughing, "It really isn't scary, pal. You look ridiculous Dark Star!"

Suddenly, Dark Star screeched like a psycho and unleashed a torrent of blue fire on Burning Star's shield, causing it to slightly crack from the might that his dark half had.

Burning Star snapped at Firestorm, "Don't make him madder than he already is. If we want to win, we have to..."

Burning Star's shield gave way and was suddenly tackled by Dark Star and sent flying into a nearby wall. 

Now Celestia, Luna, and the Guardians were now staring down possibly the most powerful being they have ever seen. 

Celestia tried to speak to the monstrous pony, "Dark Star. You will not be destroying worlds anytime soon, Luna and I will-"

Dark Star unleashed a massive laser beam of magic and sent both Celestia and Luna flying off into the distance, barely missing the Guardians.

Noble Blade stepped forward and said, "Well, we finally meet face to face, Dark Star. I see you live up to your power levels. Although it seems the only way you can strike down somepony is by-"

Dark Star roared "Take this!" and unleashed a rain of flaming energy arrows, which Noble blocked with surprising ease. 

He continued, "As I was saying, you can only win by sucker punching them. I wonder if your skills are as good as you say in a fair fight, what do you say?"

Dark Star retorted, but there was a hint of uncertainty in his voice, "Of course they do! What do you expect from me?! I won't just keel over and vanish like that Midnight Sparkle wimp, you are in for a long and hard battle against me! Hahahaha!"

The two ponies stood staring at each other, Noble had his sword drawn, Dark Star had created a large double axe with armament magic. Both stood on their hind legs, Noble using the braces on his back hooves, while Dark Star used his large wings to balance him out. 

The silent tension between the Guardians and Dark Star was high...

Neither pony wanted to make a move... 

Firestorm finally cut the tension by saying, "I believe what Noble is trying to say is this. Are we going to do this or all you all talk, Dark Star? Because it looks a lot more like the latter than the former to me."

Dark Star sighed in exasperation, "Will you shut up?! I am just... measuring up my opponent!" he said, lying through his teeth. 

Freedom thought to himself, "Faust almighty... I think we got an all talk, no bite villain. Please prove me wrong... I am ready to strike you down at any time, just let SOMETHING happen!"

Something did happen, suddenly Dark Star was hit with a beam of bright red magic that came from a very annoyed Burning Star. The Demon collided with various trees, snapping them in two before he landed in a rose bush.

Dark Star ignited into a blazing blue fire, instantly incinerating the rose bush... before roaring like some sort of beast from Tartarus.

What a waste of a rose bush... 

Dark Star slammed the ground and unleashed a barrage of molten rock spikes that nearly impaled the Guardians, if Noble hadn't put his shield up. 

While he was able to block the attack, it broke the shield and sent him flying back, he landed on his hooves, sword drawn. 

Dark Star roared in rage, because apparently that was the only thing he was able to express, "I will not have you... you... idiots delay me any longer! Get out of my way, I'll kill you later! Burning Star will die by my hooves, then I will lay waste to both these worlds!"

Firestorm snapped back at Dark Star, "Why do you want to destroy our worlds?! What makes you think that we would ever let that happen, Huh?"

Dark Star let out a slight laugh as he weaved out of the way of a flaming boulder Burning Star had chucked at him, he then spoke in a condescending tone, "Because I'm stronger than you, faster than you, smarter than you, and overall better than you simpletons in every way, this... act of destruction I want to undertake is simply payback against the world for it treating me so badly. Can your dull-witted brain understand that, or do I need to explain it slower?"

Freedom made a series of gestures that translated into, "Let me get this straight, you demonic dickhead. All your anger and desire for the annihilation of two entire worlds, is because you were given a bad time when you were younger? That is completely overkill! Why in all of Tartarus would you take your vengeance to such an extreme?"

Noble added onto Freedom's statement, "You talk big, but you are literally a kid throwing a tantrum. All of these thoughts on revenge are embarrassing, uncalled for, and honestly sad. You couldn't deal with your own anger, and so you will take it out on two worlds? Don't you think that is a little immature and disproportionate?"

Burning Star finished off by saying, "For once in your life, listen to some advice, Dark Star! Even if you feel angry, or you feel like nopony cares for you, you still can have friends that-"

Dark Star clutched his head and violently thrashed in place, causing flames to erupt from the ground, "shut up. shut up! SHUT UP!"

He stood up, pure, real hate in his eyes. "What?! I can have TEAMMATES, FRIENDS?! TO HELL WITH THAT!"

He pointed at the Guardians and Burning Star, and snarled onward, "Why do I feel inferior to you?"

He started to rant, "I was extremely particular about how I grew. My power, my intelligence, my physical appearance... so somepony would take me seriously! I am an ALICORN, An ALICORN OF DESTRUCTION NONETHELESS!"

He pointed at the Guardians and said as his blazing blue mane flared up when he said, "But you... you just are some heroic trash nobodies that do the dirty work of a princess that barely cares about Equestria, only that she rules it, so how?! How can somepony like you have the one thing I don't have? How can such worthless pieces of TRASH be more SPECIAL THAN ME!?"

Burning Star taunted him again, "Wow, you truly are pathetic. You refuse to acknowledge that there will be things that don't go your way, and thus you flail about like a child. Celestia does care about her subjects, if you weren't so stubborn to change you would see that. I did, and I forgave both myself and her for what happened. Why can't you?"

Dark Star wheeled around and stuck Burning Star in the nose with his hoof, clearly annoyed by the comment. 

He roared, "All I care about is KILLING EVERYTHING! To prove that I'm not pathetic and weak, I will prove my power through destruction that I AM THE STRONGEST BEING ALIVE!"

He stomped his hoof down, his mane alight with red fire, "Now I understand what my real reason to lock you away again, so you can grow a pair and grow up! I changed, so why can't you?"

Dark Star broke into a mad laugh, the look of a maniac in his eyes, "HAHAHAHAHA! DON'T GIVE ME ANY OF YOUR CLICHE BULLSHIT! DON'T YOU PITY ME YOU PIECE OF SHIT! THIS ARGUMENT IS COMPLETELY MEANINGLESS!"

Burning Star had enough, he lunged at Dark Star, only to be sent flying backwards... he couldn't hurt him... 

The Guardians pushed Burning Star aside and Noble responded to Dark Star, "Burning Star, that's enough talking for now. While I prefer words over violence normally, it seems that you are beyond the point of rational and meaningful discussion."

He, along with the other Guardians, reared up on their hind legs and readied their weapons, Noble pointed his sword forward, before turning his head to Burning Star and saying, "Star... leave him to us for now. Let us teach him a lesson as to why the bonds of Friendship will never be beaten by a pony like him."

(End First Music Track)

Dark Star heard this and said, "You know what, FINE! If you three are so intent on hurrying to your own graves, then I will be happy to show you the way."

Burning Star said to the Guardians, "Good luck boys, you are going to need every ounce of it."

Dark Star created a weapon of his own, a giant scythe that was double ended, he split it into two smaller, but still humongous scythes, before saying. 

"BURN IN TARTARUS!"



Dark Star rushed at The Guardians, who also charged Dark Star, the three heroes went to block one of his strikes, only succeeding by using all three of their weapons at once. 

The Guardians broke off and surrounded Dark Star, who roared and slammed down a flaming barrier that separated Noble Blade and Freedom Fighter from Firestorm. 

Dark Star stared down the Pegasus, "I'm going to enjoy ripping your wings off before roasting you alive and eating you like the chicken in a horse's body that you are!"

Firestorm readied his dual swords, saying, "You ain't touching my wings that easy, Dark Star. Let's see how hard you will try to attempt that! Yaaah!"

Firestorm swung both his katanas down, which Dark Star countered with a vertical strike with his scythes. The two blades clanged off each other and Firestorm sent a kick to Dark Star's chest, it didn't hurt him, but it knocked him back.

Dark Star rejoined his scythes and spun them vertically like a buzzsaw, let loose a barrage of black and blue lightning bolts from it, they arched out in a crescent, searing everything, a few struck Firestorm, who was pounced upon by Dark Star and brought his scythe down hard.

Firestorm uses his natural agility and quickly slid out from under him, causing the scythe to embed itself in the ground. 

Firestorm took this opportunity to fire off an attack that would (hopefully) deal enough damage.

"Flame Drill!"

Dark Star felt a rush of pain, which was alien to him, as Firestorm crashed into him with his Flame Drill Move. He finally pried his scythe out from the ground and used the back of his right hoof to slam Firestorm in the jaw, he then sent an uppercut with his free left hoof to his chest, sending Firestorm into the air, before he took off and attacked with both hooves downward.

"METEOR SLAM!"

Firestorm collided with the ground hard, hearing a few ribs crack, but he pressed on, ignoring the pain. 

Firestorm sent a pair of Slashes to Dark Star's side, using his speed to weave out of the way of the giant scythe he was swinging around. He then flew into the air and divebombed him with both hooves out, pressing him on the floor.

Firestorm had managed to pin Dark Star down as he let loose a flurry of punches to the chest followed by a stab to the side of his body. The Demon Alicorn felt pain, but it was extremely small.

Dark Star dropped his weapon and sent a spinning roundhouse kick into Firestorm, who cringed before he saw Dark Star's hoof head straight for his face, he landed a crushing blow to his face, causing a large bruise on his cheek. 

Firestorm picked up both swords and spun like a top, igniting them as well. 

"BLADED SPINNER!"

He landed several cuts to Dark Star's front before he was stopped cold by the scythe and slashed clean across the chest.

Firestorm screamed as blood flowed from his wound like a waterfall, and Noble managed to teleport him out of there before Dark Star could decapitate the Pegasus.

Burning Star saw Celestia and Luna finally get up and fly over to him, Burning Star frantically asked them. "Don't worry about Dark Star, can you tend to Firestorm?"

Luna nodded and immediately got to using a healing and regeneration  Spell, Firestorm's large gash began to repair itself.

Dark Star hollered, "Now if you excuse me-"

He was cut off by Freedom Fighter vaulting in on his staff and sending its other end into the top of Dark Star's head. 

Freedom signed out a few words, with translated to, "You're going f--king nowhere, Dark Star."

Dark Star rubbed his head, despite having taken multiple strong blows from Firestorm, he showed no sign of exhaustion at all! 

Despite his size, Freedom was a lot faster that Dark Star in terms of reaction, he blocked a scythe swing with one end of his staff, which had two Axe heads on each end, then swung the other end upward, chopping up Dark Star's front and into his jaw, he spun the staff over his head, striking the Alicorn several times before he was bucked back by Dark Star's back legs. 

Freedom stumbled back as Dark Star sent two scythe slashes, creating razor winds, towards Freedom, intending to cleave him in two, Freedom barely jumped out of the way and countered by jabbing with his staff before slamming it into Dark Star's head, finally delivering a stab to his chest with a knife he pulled from his suit. 

Freedom stepped back as Dark Star attempted to free himself from the knife and quickly threw more knives into the Alicorn, who finally grunted in pain. 

Dark Star used his magic to violently eject the knives sticking in his hide before screaming and opening his mouth, breathing a boiling hot stream of blue fire at Freedom, who jumped above it and landed right on Dark Star's back just as he took off.

Freedom wasted no time as he took two of his Daggers and rapidly stabbed into his back, before finishing with a quick slice up the back of his neck. 

Dark Star spun midair and threw Freedom to the floor before slamming both of his back hooves on his chest, as a sickening crack was heard as most likely all of Freedom Fighters ribs shattered. Probably his spine would have snapped if he didn't pull himself in time and deliver a uppercut to Dark Star's chest. 

He got up and was in too much pain to see the large scythe Blade tear across his face, cutting the mask of the bodysuit and prompting Burning Star to warp him out of there. 

Dark Star still didn't fall, but he stumbled, forcing him to lean on his scythe before he righted himself. 

Dark Star spoke again, "You ponies are pathetic creatures, so fragile and easy to kill. I will enjoy killing each and every-"

Noble interrupted him and warped in, shouting a war cry as he delivered an extremely brutal jab with his horn, which finally did something to Dark Star that he thought was impossible.

A few drops of dark red blood oozed from the stab wound.

He could make the Alicorn bleed! 

Which meant he was not invulnerable! 

Noble looked up and said, "So you do bleed... it seems you aren't as invincible as you thought."

Noble rejoiced, before his focus returned and he parried a massive swing of Dark Star's weapon. 

He was surprised that he actually blocked it, and he riposted delivering a few quick strikes with his sword, cutting his body and causing more small bleeding wounds. 

Dark Star roared, "Just because you can make me bleed doesn't mean I can die! I will still kill you all the same."

Noble retorted, "Not if I have anything to say about it, you Demon of Destruction."

The two clashed weapons, sparks flying as the Unicorn had managed to match strength with the Alicorn of Destruction. 

Noble realized something, despite all of Dark Star's knowledge over magic and swordplay...

He was one terrible fighter when actually fought!

It was either that, or Noble and the Guardians were just THAT GOOD. 

Noble somehow hoped for both the former and the latter as he sent a blast of concussive magic into Dark Star's face, who countered with a shot of his own magic, the attacks collided with a blast of smoke. 

Dark Star stepped back and unleashed a massive cannon shot of magic that carved a gash in the ground, Noble threw up his shield and it ricocheted off into the air before exploding.

Dark Star took to the air and created another ball of powerful magic, holding on the inside of his scythe.

Noble readied his shield again, before he heard a voice from inside his mind.

"Don't block it Noble Blade, hit it back at him. Trust me, this always works."

Noble had little time as Dark Star flung the orb of magic, Noble swung his sword...

And the magic ball was somehow reflected off his swing!

the ball of magic bounced back toward Dark Star, who was surprised by this and swung his scythe hard, sending it back.

Noble saw this and sent the ball back.

The two volleyed back two more times before Dark Star slipped up and the ball of magic hit him, bolts of blue fire and black electricity cascaded through his body.

Noble heard the voice in his head again, "Now! Use a Hyper Flash Spell to knock him down!"

Noble activated his horn and unleashed a extremely bright burst of light that knocked Dark Star out of the air and onto the ground. 

Noble Blade took the opportunity and unleashed a flurry of swipes with his sword as well as bursts of magic, carving deeper wounds. 

Dark Star was surprised by the rapid sensation of agony that he felt. He hadn't felt much pain before... but now he was feeling incredible pain. He fired a kick to Noble, who parryed and slashed into with his sword, cutting deep into his legs.

Noble jumped back and stuck his sword skyward, Celestia noticed this and called down a beam of solar fire to envelop the Blade, which now glowed like a shining star. 

He shouted, "Sunlight Blade!"

Noble rushed up to Dark Star and jumped into the air above him...

Before plunging his sword into Dark Star's chest, a massive blast of power exploding from the impact.

When the smoke cleared, Noble Blade had been blown back by the explosion himself, his sword now embedded in Dark Star's chest.

Noble Blade looked carefully with his eyes to see if Dark Star was moving.

Suddenly, Dark Star slowly stood up and took the sword out before throwing it at Noble Blade, he caught it with ease.

Dark Star spoke, blood coming out of his mouth... "Well fought, you nearly beat me... but do you really think I would be destroyed by... by... mere mortals?"

Noble Blade, Freedom Fighter, and Firestorm looked up to see Dark Star's wounds still open, but he stood tall, while they were exhausted and wounded.

(Pause 2nd Music here)

Noble Blade said, "No we didn't, but... we were just keeping you occupied while Burning Star got ready..."

A sudden explosion of light erupted from Burning Star as he transformed back into his Dawn Star form, the light off him filling the Guardians with healing and energy to fight. 

Dawn Star put up a hoof to stop them, "No... do not attack now. Wait till I give the word to strike, then we will finish him for good."

Noble Blade asked the golden Alicorn, "But won't you perish as well?"

Dawn Star shook his head, "Thanks to you three weakening him, no. If I took him on at his full strength I would have died, but now he is focused on preparing his final form."

Celestia and Luna overheard this and Luna said, "What do you mean, "Final Form"?"

Dawn Star had no time to explain as he blocked a massive blast of blue flames from Dark Star, who now was mad beyond belief at seeing his light counterpart.

He snarled at Dawn Star, his voice noticeably weaker, "So, Dawn Star. We meet for the last time, huff... come to see what I will do to this and your world, or are you finally going to die by my hooves and I will extinguish the light, hopes and dreams of the world?"

Dawn Star retorted with probably the best line he could, "As long as we are still living, we will never stop opposing you, this world is a good place, filled with ponies that have hope, ponies that have dreams of a bright future and a new dawn, and for their sakes and for everypony else that has stood against the darkness, I will stop you, Dark Star!"

Dark Star simply snickered, "You are all fools... Weak, insignificant fools. There was never any hope for these worlds, they will crumble and die eventually I'm just being proactive and doing it now. A quick and painless death to these worlds, instead of a slow and painful destruction of it. What is truly funny is that Celestia and Luna refuse to tell you that they know how the world will end..." 

Noble Blade yelled at him, "What gives you the right to decide the fate of the world? Who are you to determine how ponies live and die? Nothing, as we stated before, all you are is nothing more than a child throwing a tantrum. Grow up and act like a stallion, Dark Star!"

Firestorm added in, "Yeah, your power is great, like nearly as strong as Celestia and Luna I guess, but you only use it to lash out at anything or anypony that hurts your feelings. That isn't real power, Dark Star."

Dark Star roared, his voice returning to its normal tone, "I don't care! this world made me sad and broken... it is only fair that I return the favor... I WILL BRING OBLIVION TO YOUR WORLDS! AND YOU CANNOT STOP ME! RAAAAAAGH!"

Burning Star suddenly clutched his head in pain as a bright light exploded from him, which appeared as Dawn Star, who had an ominous smirk on his face... 

Noble raised an eyebrow, asking the Alicorn, "Dawn Star, what are you doing?"

Dawn Star simply snickered, "Nothing Noble. Just simply completing my plan."

Firestorm, also confused, asked him. "What sort of plan? You planning to stop Dark Star directly?"

Dawn Star shook his head, "No, No, No Firestorm. My plan should be blatantly clear now. I would let you put two and two together, but I think your feeble mind cannot understand my reasoning."

"To put it in simple terms, I no longer must maintain my facade of kindness, since you've all fallen into my trap, and you will die here... hehehehe."

Noble Blade's eyes suddenly went wide, realizing what was happening. He said to the group, "Guardians, We have all been betrayed..."

Dawn Star pointed his hoof and said, laughing hysterically, "Mwah-hahaha, There you go! Finally the error of your trust comes crashing down upon you! Did you really think that I just appeared to help you ignorant and pathetic ponies with stopping Midnight Sparkle out of the kindness of my own heart?"

Firestorm answered, "Uh... Yes?"

Dawn Star assumed a dangerously cold tone, "NO. Don't be so f--King stupid, I would NEVER help some nobody heroes from another dimension. You have been blinded by the idea that "light" is inherently "good", good... bad... doesn't matter to me and doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things. As long as I get what I want, i will do anything to win, I will crush all who oppose me, including my creator."

Celestia asked a meaningful question, "And what exactly do you want?"

Dawn Star's face twisted into an unsettling grin, "What I want? Heh... Celestia... what I want is a modest proposal."

Dawn Star threw his head back and whipped it forward, screeching like a banshee, "I wish to watch these worlds DIE!"

He began to hover above them, monologing. "For you see, Dear Celestia. It is all in my title, I am the Alicorn of REBIRTH, hence, if I let Dark Star destroy the worlds, hell, possibly the entire universe, I will have it reborn."

"The ponies of the new world will look to me as a god amongst them, as their great savior. I will be remembered as their one and only ruler, ponies will forget that you all even existed, for they will only worship me."

Burning Star looked around at the Guardians, and said to them. "You know guys, I kind of saw this coming."

Freedom made a series of shocked gestures, afraid for the first time in a long time. They translated out to, "How did you know about this?!"

Burning Star looked at the heroes and said, "Remember when you guys freed me from Queen Chrysalis? Later that night I heard a voice in my head." 

Burning Star pointed at Dawn Star, "It was him. He said out loud, unaware that I heard him."

"I will be free. Dawn Star will rise..."

He continued, "Even though I chocked it up to a part of me changing for the better, no... it was simply him beginning a plan to overthrow my mind to his own twisted version of reality, wasn't it?!"

He finished by igniting his horn and his Mane engulfing in a fiery inferno, "I had a inkling you would go through with this, and I came prepared! TAKE THIS!"

Burning Star stomped his hooves down and part of his fire covered Body opened up a portal that oozed Darkness, he cried out.

"ARGEDCO!"

As if on command, a massive black demon leapt out of the portal and landed right in front of the Guardians. It had giant bat wings and a bladed tail, it had powerfully built back paws, but it's front was horrifying.

Two GIANT fangs larger than Celestia sat in its mouth. It's front paws also were mouths, each having two sharp fangs protruding from them as well.

Noble Blade asked the obvious question, "Burning Star! What In Faust's name is that... that... thing?!"

The Alicorn of Fire responded, "Meet Lobolas, Destroyer of Fates! Remember those notes l left out that the team looked over? This is what they can summon!"

Burning Star yelled in his speech voice, his eyes aglow with red light, "Now! Take them down Lobolas! Tear them to shreds!"

Dawn Star and Dark Star were suddenly bitten by the massive mouths of the great demon and shook back and forth like a chew toy, before being tossed into the dirt. 

Dawn Star finally got his footing and blasted Lobolas with a Point blank Dawn Star Driver, destroying him and dragging him through another portal.

Noble Blade looked at Celestia and said, "Should we use those techniques, Princess?"

Celestia nodded, "I do not care about it right now, Noble. We need to stop these madponies!"

Firestorm pumped his hoof in the air, "NICE! Now, what was the one that would fit me? Hm..."

The Pegasus remembered and said, "Right! It was this!"

He spun around in the air, creating a vortex of wind before saying, 

"NOQODI!"

The wind vortex exploded as a large portal opened and a HUGE bat-like demon flew out, hovering in front of Firestorm.

It had four wings, two main ones on the upper half of its body, and two smaller ones it possibly used as rudders. Atop its head sat a single red bloodshot eye on a stalk, surrounded by two spiral like horns and a maw filled with sharp teeth, it screeched in defiance as it shielded its summoner from a storm of black flames emanating from Dark Star's Horn.

Firestorm struggled to pronounce it in his head, but called out the name of the Beast. "Mictlantecuhtli! Go nuts you Giant... bat... thing! Hellion Corkscrew Slam!"

The bat demon obeyed and spun like a drill, crashing into both Alicorns, piercing a STARSTRIKE attack from Dawn Star and driving the two villains to the ground, where it finally hammered into them with a massive headbutt, before flying into another portal and disappearing.

Firestorm took a knee from the excruciating exhaustion the Spell drew from him, but he still shouted out, "Holy Crap! That... was amazing."

Freedom dodged out of the way of Dark Star, who rushed him with a large plasma Blade around his horn, but Dawn Star was right behind him, coated in blazing yellow fire.

He mouthed the words for the summon he was reading about. 

"AFAA TADAAG NEPTA!"

Suddenly, Dawn Star was blocked by a pair of massive fists that emerged from a portal on Freedom's sides. The two fists them double backhanded Dawn Star, sending him flying backwards.

The fists were dark gray and covered in spikes. They had five fingers and had skulls of rams for fingernails. Around the wrists were large spiked cuffs which were topped off by two skulls.

Freedom looked in front of him to see another pair of those giant fists preform a one-two punch combo on Dark Star and Dawn Star, sending them both flying into a tree, the two evil beings then rushed right at Freedom, who threw a punch.

Freedom looked on in utter awe as ANOTHER fist popped out next to him and slammed both of them skyward.

And ANOTHER FIST that appeared high in the air hammered them like a nail into the floor.

Freedom understood what these fists were doing and he began to punch rapidly as the array of SIX ARMS pummeled his opponent, before smacking them down hard enough to crack the ground and cause a minor earthquake.

Burning Star looked over and said, "Nice one, Freedom Fighter! You unleashed the Shatterer of the Earth, Hecatoncheir. Good fit for your brute force approach. The reason his arms are only visible is that he is far too big to fit out of a portal. 

Freedom imagined a beast that big, and had a legitimate shiver down his back, he watched as the Six Arms returned through their portals, but one stopped and opened its hand for a high five, which Freedom gave it before it gave a thumbs up to him and left.

Noble looked around to see his fellow Guardians exhausted from the summoning of the creatures, and then looked to Dark Star and Dawn Star.

Both of them were covered in cuts and wounds, Dark Star had lost a lot of strength and was taking a knee on the ground and Dawn Star could fly anymore and crashed to the floor, panting.

Yet, The two got up and lunged at Noble Blade, both of their horns ignited with plasma.

Deep blue-black for Dark Star

Star Yellow for Dawn Star

Noble prepared his summon, after reading on the beasts he was given, he picked his favorite out of the bunch.

Noble ignited his horn and created a circle of dark blue magic around him, tunes etching themselves into the dirt. 

He spoke the ancient words, "SUNDENNA!"

Noble braced for the end as Dark Star and Dawn Star closed in...

Before a dark portal opened up and Noble's demon popped out with a loud war cry. It single-hoofedly blocked both of the strikes with ease.

Noble Blade opened his eyes, shaking off a little nausea from the Spell.

What he saw made him, and everypony else, gasp in surprise and superstitious awe. While the other demons were based off other animals...

The one Noble pulled out was pony like!

In front of Noble stood a giant black furred, purple and red maned equine, it was nearly the size of the castle wall!

It stood on eight legs and with bladed hooves and spiked bracers around its ankles. large skulls with purple blades lined its neck. Its mane had red flames licking off of it. It's face had burning orange and red eyes with purple flames coming from it.

What was incredible about this Beast was the weapon on its head. a large, guillotine-like blade, colored blood red and etched with blue swirly markings. The size was the most impressive thing, From observation, it was nearly 40 feet long and about 8 feet wide, and nearly 10 feet thick. It looked to be made of some sort of metal.

Noble remembered what he read in the notes he found and reared his head back, igniting his horn.

The heroes watched as the great equine demon reared its head up and its large Blade for a horn turned bright purple...

Dark Star and Dawn Star looked up as the sun was being blocked by the great Blade, the two took flight to try and gauge their enemy.

Noble spoke the name of the beast, "It feels odd to say this, considering who I am, but you will be butchered! Go Diomedes! BLADE OF THE PIT!"

Diomedes swung through both Alicorns, carving a great cut in their bodies, it healed quickly, but they couldn't avoid the next strike.

Diomedes began to rapidly flick its head around, slashing the villains rapidly, earning loud cries of pain from them.

The two villains thought together, after all of their powers, all their advantages.

How in the name of FAUST, WERE. THEY. LOSING?!

Diomedes finished the rapid sequence of Slashes with one last cleaving blow that hit the ground and sliced a gash in everything in front of him.

This Slash nearly tore both Villains in two! 

Noble swung his horn down, causing the beast to kneel in front of him, before dispelling the beast with a quick flick upwards. 

Dark Star and Dawn Star lay in the great gash in the ground, which sat like an ugly scar on the garden, still smoldering with hellfire from Diomedes's attack. 

Neither of them were moving.

Burning Star landed down near Noble Blade and said, "You took one of my favorite summons, Noble, nice touch on calling out The Severer of the Dark."

Noble nodded, supporting himself on his Sword, "Yes. I thought I could use that one for myself. I must remember to use him in the future should a foe this great arise again... I'm very tired."

Suddenly, Dark Star and Dawn Star stepped up and out of the large gash in the floor, both of them littered with scars and cuts. 

Dark Star even had one of his eyes missing and Dawn Star's front legs were bent backwards!

Dawn Star spat blood as he said, "Well... I didn't see that coming. Your summoning of those beasts really did a number on us, but it matters not! Our final form is READY! AHAHAHAHA!

Suddenly, Dark Star and Dawn Star convulsed and spasmed as their bodies increased in size, they kept growing until they was nearly 15 feet tall. They roared in pain as his clawed hooves and demon wings increased in size, but despite the pain... 

They were laughing!

"Now you have done it, We didn't think we would have to use our strongest form today but you have pushed us too far. NOW YOU WILL FACE US AS OUR TRUE FORM, AND YOU WILL ALL DIE! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

The two villains then collided with each other, merging into some sort of ball. 

"MAKE NO MISTAKE! I AM NOT GOING TO FALL TO A BUNCH OF HEROES WHO GOT LUCKY!"

"NOW YOU FACE MY TRUE FORM! THE EMBODIMENT OF ARMAGEDDON!"

The ball charged up and fired into the air, turning the skies dark and causing a dark red shade to fill the air. 

The form that descended down caused Celestia to scream in terror.

I'm front of them floated an Alicorn... Demon... Angel... 

To make this less annoying to name, in front of them floated a combination of both Dark Star and Dawn Star. He had feathered angel wings on one side, and demonic bat wings on the other, his fur was pitch black but was lined with streaks of white fire with bands of gold layered in like stripes, Atop his head sat a gold and black pair of unicorn horns, making him seem like some sort of ram or stag, or Bicorn as most ponies would call him. 

The beastly... thing landed in front of them and roared.

"I... AM... DOOM STAR!"

"Doom Star" raised his hooves over his head and a massive ball of dark energy appeared. He was laughing mad as he grew the ball bigger and bigger.



The Demon cried out, his roar literally cracking the earth. 

" NOW DIE! WITHOUT FURTHER DELAY!"

Doom Star slammed the ball of darkness down upon the heroes...

And everything went black!
> Chapter 20: What it Means To Be Pony
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

(???, 1 Hour Later...)

Burning opened his eyes and looked up to see the surrounding landscape was faded, almost gray. He tried to stand, but he was too weak to move.

He looked up to see Doom Star... frozen mid-air, the ball of darkness suspended above its head. 

He saw Firestorm and Freedom Fighter frozen, as well as Celestia, Luna... even Noble Blade frozen in place. 

He started to crawl forward, standing up and using his sword as something to lean on. He limped forwards before collapsing again, he was in incredible pain, and felt as if he was going to die... which judging by Doom Star's attack, he will.

A mysterious voice called to him in his mind. It sounded... familiar.

"Burning Star... at last we meet."

Burning Star looked around... seeing nothing, he tried to call out... but no sound came out... only wind. His hooves and body felt numb now. 

"If you are wondering why you are numb to feeling and nothing is happening, it is quite a simple explanation...

Burning Star thought, "Stop being so vague! Who and what are you?! What is happening?!"

A bright white light exploded in front of him, forcing him to shield his eyes. The voice emanated from the light.

"Fine... I suppose I should introduce myself. Although you have referred to me by speaking my name when angered..."

The ball of light disappeared and in front of Burning Star stood a pony he thought was a myth... simply a being that could not exist.

Before him stood a white Alicorn mare with a dark red mane cut short, but even. Her horn made his look tiny, and even her size was immense. Her wings were ginormous, and covered with cream white feathers.

He spoke, stuttering as he said. "Y-Y-You're... F-Fa-"

The alicorn cut him off with a voice soft as down pillows. "My name is not important... Alicorn of Fire, and you are right now, dead."

Burning Star's heart sank, "That is what I thought, so I guess I've failed, Doom Star destroyed this world and our world, didn't he?"

The unknown pony nodded her head, "Yes, Doom Star destroyed this world, and all others, until he finally annihilated the entire universe. Not even I could stop him... I could only do something I would never encourage."

Burning Star finished her sentence, "let me guess... You traveled back in time to find out how he came to be? Quickfire did the same thing with Midnight Sparkle... and you saw how that turned out, didn't you?"

The mysterious alicorn nodded in surprise, "Why Yes. How did you know that? But back on topic, I saw Quickfire's future... but it has changed. It was erased from reality and replaced with a newer, brighter future."

Burning Star stomped his hoof in frustration, "I know, but why did we lose here? Is this my fate? To be destroyed by my greatest mistake, like Midnight was destroyed by her own mistakes?"

The Alicorn of Fire collapsed, tears in his eyes. "I knew It! I knew that going after Midnight was a bad idea! Now i have birthed the God of Destruction! I am the cause of this."

The mystery alicorn placed its hoof upon his head and said, "You are not the only cause of this, many factors birthed this monster. The main one was my ignorance of a problem, the problem of balance."

The mysterious alicorn bowed her head in shame, "I ignored a growing threat to this universe and because of my inaction to save this universe... it will die, and I will as well."

Burning Star raised his head, "Then what do i do? How do I fight something that is a literal god?!"

The alicorn smiled a warm smile, "You know what to do, Burning Star. Now... Who are you?"

Burning Star raised an eyebrow in confusion, "I'm Burning Star... The Alicorn of Fire."

The other Alicorn shook her head, "No. Who are you?"

Burning Star narrowed his eyes, "I'm Burning Star! I'm the Alicorn of Fire damn it! Why are you doing this?!"

The other alicorn slammed her hoof down, "Why do you deny your identity from yourself? Why do you hide who you are?"

Burning Star clutched his head in pain, shouting out in anger, then sorrow. "I... I... I don't remember! Why, What... Argh!"

The Alicorn cupped Burning Star's face and said, "Why are you fighting yourself? Let your past flow..."

Burning Star squeezed his eyes shut and said, "If I remember, then all the pain will return. I will be reminded of my failure..."

The other Alicorn spoke, "Perhaps it will. But your memories bring meaning and remembering what happened will help clear your head, for you cannot hide from yourself."

Burning Star stomped his hooves and snorted, "Why do you do this to me? What could I possibly learn from something so painful and sad?"

The unknown alicorn put her hoof in his horn and said, "Why do you block any attempt to help? What do you have to hide?"

Burning Star relaxed his body and lowered his guard... and the memories came flooding in.

(Unkown Village, 20 years ago...)

In a village deep in the woods, the skies were dark as night, flooded with beasts of dangerous power.

Changelings. 

Dozens, Hundreds of Changelings...

All of them razing and wrecking this village.

The unknown Alicorn was bearing witness to the most tragic memory of Burning Star's life.

She whispered to herself, "This is Firebrand Village.. this is where Burning Star's joy died... and was replaced by hot anger."

She watched as a young Burning Star ran through the village, dodging blasts of neon green magic, unleashing columns of flame to incinerate his attackers. He frantically rushed to his home.

Bursting through the door, he said "Mom! Dad! Where are you?!"

A weak cry of pain came from the next room over and Burning Star blasted the door open, revealing Burning Star's parents bloodied and beaten, and crushed underneath rubble.

Burning Star attempted to lift it with his magic, but his mother said to him, "No, My baby... it's too late for us. Go, go run and live."

Burning Star frantically yelled, "Wait! I can still save you! I can still..."

The house shuddered and started to collapse, it was being bombarded by beams of green light.

Suddenly, both Burning Star's parents were lifted into the air by the main cause of this destruction...

The Changeling High Queen, Tumora!

Tumora smirked eviliy and said, "So you're the little brat that has been causing me so much trouble? You are weak inside, and you know it! You don't Care for anything other than yourself. Couldn't even save your mother and father. Such a special relationship, crushed by me, like music to my ears."

Burning Star snapped back, "That isn't true! I love my family, and there isn't anything you can do to stop that, Tumora!"

Burning Star's father clenched in pain, tears in his eyes, as he said, "Son... know that we will always love you. Never forget that you are destined for... grhrgh!"

A sickening snap was heard as Tumora snapped the necks of Burning Star's parents, dropping their lifeless bodies into the inferno below.

The Fire Pony sunk to his knees, heartbroken by the sight of his parents dead on the floor.

Tumora flew down and kicked him in the head, then stomping on his chest, breaking ribs, following up by stabbing him in the chest with her dagger like Horn, letting bright red blood ooze out of him.

She said to the near-dead Burning Star. "No one loves you Burning Star, and now... you will die alone and without reason, knowing that you are a failure to your kind. You ponies are so soft, wills so easily crushed. Once I get to Equestria I will make sure to exterminate all of your pathetic race forever!"

She signaled for two Changelings wielding spears to lunge at him, saying, "Kill him slowly, let him suffer his failure, then end his pathetic existence."

Then, as the Changelings rushed the heavily wounded pony...

Something... Snapped...

And suddenly,

There was a ROAR...

Not a roar like one that had come from a lion or tiger, or from a wild animal.

A roar that sounded like it came from the blackest pit of Tartarus itself.

Burning Star said to the queen as he stood up, some unknown strength powering him. "No, this... this is not how I die! Not by you... COWARDS!"

Tumora turned around to see Burning Star, grabbing the spears of the Changelings with ease, wrenching them from their grasps with brute force alone...

Before stabbing them both through the skull, ripping off their heads and spraying The ground with luminous green blood. Another Changeling charged him, but Burning Star thrust his horn forwards and skewering the bug in the chest, hitting the heart and causing the bug to slump to the floor, green blood dripping from Burning Star's Horn as he ripped it out of its chest.

The Fire pony stood his ground, his voice raising in intensity. "I will not fall to you in battle, nor will I ever fall to any monster that seeks to harm me!"

He suddenly screamed a terrifying shriek as he was completely engulfed in flames, which turned a rainbow color as he stared down Tumora and stomped towards her.

She ordered more of her minions to attack and kill him... but Burning Star either completely incinerated them, or grabbed them and brutally ripped them apart with his telekinesis. This left the scent of blood and ash in the air as he steadily approached the Changeling High Queen, his dark blue eyes staring her down, causing her to slightly wither underneath that gaze... which could cut diamonds.

Multiple changelings suddenly tucked tail and ran or flew away from the raging inferno that was Burning Star, only to be yanked towards him and evaporating into powder by fires that burned with the temperature of the surface of the sun. 

Tumora lunged at Burning Star, her horn alight with neon green plasma and flanked by a swarm of poison knives, he effortlessly blocked the knife storm with a massive plume of fire and flung her to the ground, where he stomped a hoof onto her horn, snapping it off like a twig

Tumora screamed in agony as Burning Star brutally ripped the horn out and lit it ablaze, he roared out.

"YOU HAVE MADE A VERY DANGEROUS ENEMY! I will become more powerful than anything that has ever walked this world! And I will destroy any and all in my way! Raaargh!"

He finally raised the horn above Tumora's chest as she was pinned down by his magic, and he said.

"YOU DIE!"

The unknown alicorn nearly puked as an unholy shriek echoed across Equestria as Burning Star plunged Tumora's severed horn into her chest, carving out her heart...

Before stomping on it, spraying neon green blood on his face, which held his blazing dark blue eyes, once full of happiness, now only full of hate and grief.

He dropped the horn and ran over to his parents bodies, clutching the two in his hooves and crying tears of sorrow.

"I couldn't save you, no... no no no no... I couldn't save you. I wasn't strong enough, but I will never let that happen again. I, I will... I WILL AVENGE YOUR DEATHS! AAAAAAAAGH!"

As the Fire Pony screamed, an inferno of hellish fire, larger than anything ever seen, erupted around him, consuming his home and the village. The flames were  expanding until it looked as if somepony had dropped a small star upon the planet. they burned and destroyed everything they touched, sending waves of heat into the atmosphere, changing the very weather from a humid climate to a dry wave of air, and searing the ground into a wasteland. 

In the middle of the blaze, Burning Star was still screaming, which the unknown alicorn shed a tear for, she watched with her own eyes as the village crumbled and the very earth was eaten and burned away... leaving behind only ashes.

When the fires died and ash settled, a jagged crater nearly 30 meters wide and 30 feet deep was burned into the ground, it looked like an ugly scar upon the face of Equestria.

The unknown alicorn looked around the crater, seeing the devastation that had been brought about...

And at the center was Burning Star, weeping heavily, as his whole world came crashing down hard on him.

He had lost his family...

His home...

And his friends, who had abandoned him.

Said friends were watching from afar, with a young Iron Steed saying To Thunder Fury, who was rocking back and forth in a fetal position... seeing his brother burn his home into a pile of ash.

"Thunder Fury, there ain't nothing we can do now... we must give him some space to calm down, to grieve."

Thunder Fury responded with a question that pierced Iron Steed's stoicism. 

"And what if he thinks we left him?"

Wind Walker stepped forward and put one of his hooves on Thunder Fury's mane and said, "Burning Star's fate is clouded to even me, but he needs time to experience sorrow, it will harden his will... despite breaking his mind."

He turned to the group, "We have to keep moving, Masters of Nature. I suggest we go our separate ways, if Burning Star would find us he would only be reminded of how he failed so badly to protect the ones he loved."

Sea Breeze and Thorn Horn asked a question at the same time, "When would we return?"

Wind Walker looked back, upon the ashes of their former home, smoldering with embers as Burning Star still wept like a small filly, he then said, "When the Master of Fire falls ill to his own power, we shall reveal ourselves to the world, as an icy Invasion will begin, and Equestria will need us again."

The masters of Nature turned around and started to head out, but Iron Steed stopped briefly and said.

"I'm sorry... Star."

Burning Star was seen by one of the important figures of the town, the mayor, Stone Spike. 

The mayor roared at him,

"It's him! He is the one who destroyed our town, he is the monster! Get him! kill him!"

A mob of ponies each holding some sort of blunt or pointy weapon rushed Burning Star, who put up a wall of fire, before saying.

"Wait! Please! am no monster! Stop this! It's all a big misunderstanding. I was trying to defend you all!"

A pony lunged at him and swung a dagger across his face, carving scars across his face.

Burning Star blasted the pony into the dust. Then looked to his right at a large glass pane that somehow survived the blast of fire.

The mystery alicorn looked at Burning Star's face, and what she saw was depressing.

Across his face were two diagonal red gashes over his eyes, more scars ran up his legs, and a large part of his Mane was torn off, making it look like someone had taken a hacksaw to it, it now sat... uneven and rough. 

Such a handsome face, scarred and battered into a face that bore an almost permanent scowl.

He was physically fine, but his face now looked like somepony who had been through hell... and his body was no better.

More ponies were shouting and screaming "Monster!" "Killer!" 

Burning Star's face twisted into a angry snarl, causing his sharp, dagger-like canines to show... 

He whipped his head up and screamed, knocking everypony flat with gust of heated air, including his observer. 

"SILENCE!"

He ignited his mane into an inferno of red hot flames, and said to the group of ponies that were harassing him.

"You call me monster? Fine... if you want a monster, then hunt me if you dare. But know this, if you think I will not defend myself against attack. Then you must know what will happen..."

His eyes sprouted bright blue flames as he said, "I will kill you, and any who attempt to defeat me. Good Bye...

The fire covered pony walked off, tears in his eyes as he looked back on his home, destroyed by his own hooves... by his own powers... by him...

(Back to Unknown Location)

The unknown Alicorn's face bore a hard frown as Burning Star opened his eyes once more, she had seen the memories he had repressed, and was feeling slightly guilty subjecting him to such pain...

Burning Star simply sighed, "Now you know why I sealed that part of me away, it is the worst of me..."

The unknown alicorn placed on of her hooves upon his face, drying his tears and saying. "Burning Star, I saw your memories as well, yes... your past is marred by tragedy and sorrow, accented by the spice of rage and vengeance... But that is a part of life, for if there is joy, there must be sorrow... but you must accept those truths, Both the good and the bad. Look back again, but this time remember who has stood by you so long, what beings have been by your side during the bleakest hours. Do you know who they are?"

Burning Star's memories flooded back into his mind, he saw visions of ponies.

But instead of shouting curses and threatening to kill him... they were shouting encouragement and saying to him that things will be ok... when he was at his lowest.

He muttered their names as he saw the various events that led to where he was now.

"My defeat and lessons from Twilight... 

"My brother and team members from the masters of Nature fighting the Windigos..."

"Celestia and Luna of this world, the only mothery figures I've had in a while, if not the only real mothery figures I've had..."

"The guardians... the ponies who served as a wise group of pseudo-siblings and understanding allies against impossible odds..."

"King Sombra... my true father and mentor for four years, building me into the strong pony I am today... all to surpass even the greatest of Forces..."

Burning Star's mouth shifted into a thin lined and serious expression, then a smile, a genuine smile. His eyes took the look of a true warriors stare, now he knew who he was.

The alicorn asked her question, "Now, Who are you?"

Burning Star stood up... his face previously stony, but now relaxed. He said out loud...

"Who am I? My name is Burning Star, A Pony of Equestria."

He took a breath, as the light brought him back to life.

The voice of the unknown alicorn spoke out loud, "And what are you fighting for?"

Burning Star flared his wings and said, his blue eyes practically glowing, "I'm fighting for everypony's sake, they are counting on me. I CAN change the future! I WILL change the future! And I will do it... because I believe in it now more than ever, and because this world , and any other world... will not, and will never... fall to darkness!

The unknown alicorn then smirked and said, "That's my boy... that is the Burning Star that died all those years ago, now returning to us... now unleash the power that was inside you all along... go, strike down Doom Star and save our worlds! Prove that you will be the one to stop him!"

Burning Star felt a wave of warmth and power wash over him as he saw and felt time unfreeze.

He knew what he had to do...

He will defeat Doom Star, and end this battle so that all worlds can be free...

(Back to normal time... Canterlot Gardens, Main Courtyard)

Noble Blade, The Guardians, and the Princesses all shakily got to their feet as Doom Star was still charging his giant black ball of death...

Noble realized how inappropriate that sounded and tired to thInk of another way to phrase it, but came up with nothing.

Firestorm looked up and the giant ball of death then said, "Welp... Guess this is the end for us, we had a good run guys. Because there is NO WAY that we can stop that... thing."

Suddenly, Noble felt a burst of heat come from the still body of Burning Star, followed by another, and another until the very air began to seemingly burn.

Each burst of heat came in rythm, like the beating of a heart.

Doom Star looked over and fired a massive bolt of black lightning at Burning Star, carving a hash in the earth and sending the Alicorn's body flying into the bushes.

Followed up by an explosive blast of magic that decimated the surrounding area...

Noble Blade tried to stand, but he was far too hurt, he got to his knees and scowled at the God of Destruction.

Freedom Fighther was barely standing, using his staff to hold him upright, while the Princesses were both out, visible gashes and scrapes lining their bodies.

Firestorm was struggling to stand, leaning now in his swords, he was silent, utterly without words at the sight of such a cataclysmic force.

Doom Star roared out, 

"YOU TRULY THINK THAT YOU STAND EVEN A MINOR CHANCE AGAINST ME? THANKFULLY, I WILL SPARE YOU FROM YOUR EMBARRASSMENT, I WILL BE ERASING YOUR WORLD, AND EVERY WORLD FROM EXISTENCE!"

Noble Blade felt the beats of heat from Burning Star getting stronger...

Suddenly, he felt a warmth from inside him. A orange and red light was coming from his chest.

Firestorm felt the pulses of warmth as well... and he said to Noble. "Hey, what's with the glowing lights?"

Freedom Fighter struggled to his feet, the same red and orange light shining from his chest. 

All three ponies noticed that the cuts and wounds they had received during the battle were closing up, being replaced by new flesh and bone. 

Then suddenly, the hole that Burning Star had been flung into began to glow a bright red, and the air began to heat up, causing a thick haze to cover the guardians and princesses, obscuring them from the sight of Doom Star.

Then, it finally happened.

Noble turned to see the hole that Burning Star had been flung into explode into an inferno of flames, colored bright red and orange, and shooting out like spikes. 

The force was so intense that all three Guardians had to get behind one of Noble's shields to prevent themselves from being disintegrated, when the fire died down, Noble saw a sight that made him smile.

Burning Star, alive and well, walking with great power in his stride, his steps practically searing the ground as he moved.

Burning Star called out to the dark god, "Hey dickhead! You forget about me so easily?"

Doom Star turned to him and roared, shaking the ground beneath them, 

"WHAT?! HOW ARE YOU EVEN ALIVE?! I SAW YOU ALL DIE! I CRUSHED YOU WITH MY ANNIHILATION ORB!"

Burning Star's face turned into his trademark smirk, "Heh-Heh. Guess you didn't kill me hard enough, a mistake you are going to regret!"

Firestorm raised one of his hooves into the air to cheer Burning Star on. as did Freedom Fighter, his hoof clenched in determination.

Noble surprisingly found the strength to raise his sword and say, "Go Burning Star! We all believe in you!"

Firestorm added in, "Yeah! Kick this god's flanks till their red!"

Freedom made a series of signs that translated to "Kill the bastard!"

The Alicorn of Fire nodded and surprised Doom Star with a lightning fast tackle wreathed in fire, it flung the godly being to the floor, which shattered from the impact. 

Doom Star smashed Burning Star in the face with both his back hooves, drawing blood, but not before Burning Star retaliated with a swing of a recently generated energy sword, it glanced off the God's wings as Doom Star went airborne.

With a wave of his hooves, Doom Star created dozens of dark magic bolts and unleashed them upon Burning Star.

"DARK MISSILE TORRENT!"

Burning Star glared up as Doom Star sent the whole cloud of dark magic careening towards him, he smirked and prepared his own spell.

A protective red gel-like substance formed around Burning Star, it caught the storm of dark missiles and stuck them in place.

Burning Star suddenly shouted.

"Slime Repulsion Burst!"

The ball of slime fired upon Doom Star, the dark missiles still lodged in the gelatinous substance, mere inches from his body.

Burning Star fired a spark of magic from his horn, and the gel exploded into a massive blast, the missiles colliding with Doom Star. 

Each warrior was flung away by the blast, Doom Star ended up crashing through a row of trees and landing in a fountain, which was soon blown sky high by a burst of hate-filled dark magic.

Doom Star slammed the ground with his front hooves, screaming at the top of his lungs.

"EARTH SHATTER!"

Burning Star took flight and saw the attack rush under him towards the Guardians, who were just now getting to their feet.

Burning Star shot a large ring of scarlet flames at the trio, saying as it encircled them.

"Blazing Ring!"

The flaming ring effortlessly blocked the shockwaves from Doom Star, and bought the Guaridans enough time to re-arm and stand tall.

Firestorm flew into the air, hovering next to Burning Star and spoke to him, "Nice block there, bud. When did you get so protective of little ol' us?"

Burning Star said not a word, but his expression said it all to Noble Blade, before the Alicorn of Fire dived headfirst towards the eldritch monster that is Doom Star.

Noble spoke to his two friends, "He finally gets it... we must get some assistance!" 

He pointed to the sack that Burning Star had dropped during his first fight with Dark Star. "Quickly! The Distortion Orbs!"

Firestorm dived towards the bag, before a massive blue and black portal ripped open above them... 

and Prince Eclipsio rushed out, his horn ignited and firing bolts of power upon Doom Star.

Eclipsio shouted down to Doom Star, "HEY UGLY! You want to wreck a world? I have access to all of them! Come get me!"

Doom Star snorted like a bull and flew after Eclipsio, Burning Star trailed after Doom Star, the two exchanging blasts of magic before being swallowed up by the portal.

Firestorm looked to Celestia and Luna, who had recovered during the scuffle. 

He said to them, "Is that prince mad?! He is giving himself up to Doom Star?!"

Celestia shook her head, "No Firestorm, he is luring the God of Destruction into a place where they won't destroy any more of our worlds, a space in between..."

Celestia and Luna picked up the Guardians in their telekinesis and flew off into the portal, which shut with a flash of light.

(???)

Noble Blade had closed his eyes to protect himself from the flash of the portal vortex, now he opened his eyes to see a jarring sight, so much so that his jaw dropped.

Firestorm's jaw also hit the floor... 

Freedom Fighter's red eyes went wide with surprise as well.

Before them was a massive emptiness, changing in rainbow colors and distorted, like ripples in water.

Free-floating in the void were islands of varying landscapes, each of different sizes and shapes.

Noble stared in awe as they passed by a massive ancient Trottish castle, which floated across the void like a ship across water...

Another marvel was floating islands, covered in ruins and pillars from some forgotten age...

A blue police box for some reason was flying slightly off to the right... 

Noble was about to take a mental note before the damn thing vanished in a flash of light.

Finally, a huge city, possibly twice the size of Canterlot, was ahead of them. 

Celestia and Luna were in awe as well, but they needed to concentrate on not letting the Guardians fall into the endless abyss below them.

The princesses set the Guardians down at the edge of the massive city, where Noble asked, "Where are we?"

Eclipsio flew down to them, leaving the battle between Burning Star and Doom Star for a moment, before saying, "A better question, Noble, would be... where aren't we?"

Freedom signed out, "What do you mean, spooky?"

Eclipsio read the signs and responded, "Well everypony, welcome to the realm of Nil, a place which is without place..."

Luna raised an eyebrow, "Once again, What do you mean?"

Eclipsio began to explain, "Well... I don't entirely know how to explain this realm, Luna. I don't entirely understand what this is or isn't. I came across it one day and named it Nil."

He continued, "As for why are we here? Nil is a realm that changes and shifts randomly, nothing is permanent." 

He pointed to the portals above them, one lead back to Eclipsio's chambers, the other lead to the Guardians world.

"Things, ponies, everything comes and goes here, it is the space between my world and yours, serving as my highway between various worlds, does that explain everything?"

Noble shook his head, "No, but it's probably the best answer we are going to get right now. Where is this place? This city?"

An explosion went off as Doom Star flung Burning Star through a building, to which the Alicorn of Fire retaliated with a blast of searing fire, it hit Doom Star and burnt one of his bat wing membranes, causing him to lose control and crash.

Prince Eclipsio sighed as he said, "Well, this is the City on the Edge of Oblivion, or Nilville as I call it. It never stays the same, and thus it cannot be destroyed."

Firestorm interrupted, "That's why you opened up a portal here! So the two of them could unleash all Tartarus upon each other and not worry about collateral damage, right?"

Prince Eclipsio nodded, "Yeah... also because every time you guys would fight and destroy the landscape on your world, since our worlds are so close, the amount of force being applied has the same effect on our world, and thus every time you blew some stuff up on your world..."

Noble finished the sentence, "Your world would also suffer damage?"

The Alicorn of Eclipses nodded and finished his statement, "Since this realm of Nil isn't connected to anything in particular... its safe to bring these two here and have them go all out than to risk destroying either one of our worlds."

Freedom Fighter looked up to see Doom Star throw a spear made of dark magic right at them, before the group could react, he leapt nearly 20 feet in the air with his weapons drawn and whacked the spear away into a nearby building, which then exploded.

He landed without a sound in front of Celestia. Freedom thought to himself, "That was close. Few seconds more and we would be dust in the wind."

Celestia spoke to Eclipsio, "I hope you intend to stop this madness, Prince Eclipsio. Even if this place is separate from both our worlds, that doesn't mean that Burning Star will survive this battle without our aid!"

Luna watched in horror as Burning Star was smashed into a building, and crushed by another. 

Doom Star still continued his bombardment of Burning Star, saying as he unleashed all of his might upon him.

"YOU JUST DON'T GIVE UP, DO YOU?! YOU'RE PERSISTENT! STUBBORN! UNWAVERING! ADMIRABLE QUALITIES IN A HERO! BUT WHY? WHY DO YOU STILL CONTINUE TO FIGHT ME, WHEN YOU KNOW YOU WILL LOSE?"

Burning Star staggered to his feet, his body cut and ripped nearly in half, his femurs were visible and his back was broken. His wings were bent and tattered...

In short, He looked as if an entire building... or entire buildings had fallen on him... which they did.

Burning Star was mangled, but his legs stood firm, he was in excruciating pain... but his will was as strong as ever.

He spoke right to the self proclaimed "God of Destruction", his mouth oozing dark red blood as he said.

"Huh... Huh... I thought you were a God of Destruction, ack!" He coughed up blood, "Yet here I stand... still alive, with my world and the Guardians world still in... grk... one piece."

He lifted a hoof weakly and pointed it at Doom Star, "You are no god, neither am I... neither is Celestia or Luna... therefore nopony will ever stop our fight. you and I will forever be locked in conflict until the end of time, should this future take its course."

Burning Star pointed upwards and ignited his horn, "Or I will take option two."

Doom Star raised an eyebrow, "AND WHATS THAT? CALL UPON YOUR LITTLE BAND OF REJECTS AND BEAT ME WITH RAINBOW POWER? NEWS FLASH! THAT ONLY WORKS AGAINST PURELY EVIL BEINGS, AND I CONTAIN DAWN STAR, THEREFORE YOU CANNOT DEFEAT ME. BUT JUST OUT OF MY OWN CURIOSITY... WHAT IS OPTION 2?"

Noble watched, tense as a tightrope as Burning Star stared down possibly the most powerful being in existence while he was at his weakest.

There was silence as Burning Star lowered his hoof to the floor and said, "What is Option 2? Simple..."

Suddenly, Burning Star unleashed a large beam of scarlet magic that plowed Doom Star 20 feet into the ground.

"I stop holding myself back..."

The Alicorn of Fire exploded into a ball of light that seemed to blind any who looked at it, illuminating the darkened city streets with a light that made the sun pale in comparison.

Doom Star tried to stand, but was pelted by a blast of magic that shot him into the air and into a solid concrete wall.

Noble Blade managed to see Burning Star emerging from the ball of light, but his appearance was much more incredible.



Before Noble and the Guardians stood an alicorn that was the same height as Doom Star, it was covered in chrome black fur and seemed to have shimmering rainbow light pouring off it.

A halo of multicolored flames danced above his head, his Mane, tail, and wings were also wreathed in rainbow flames that seemed to shine brighter than any star imaginable.

The Alicorn's eyes were golden in color, and had the same multicolored fire pouring out of them.

Celestia, Luna, Eclipsio, and the Guardians each felt their postures waver as the new Alicorn strode in front of them.

It was Burning Star! He had triggered some new form... Or something along that line.

Whatever the case, Burning Star had transformed into some sort of Rainbow-Flamed Alicorn... 

The question still echoed in everypony's minds. 

"What in Faust's name was going to happen?"

The group got their answer when the rainbow Alicorn spoke "The Alicorn of Fire has finally embraced who he is... his mind and body have been balanced... and thus I have come forth to stop you, Doom Star."

Doom Star fired a storm of dark magic spears at the flame-wreathed behemoth of a pony that slowly walked towards him, said pony swatted them away and they exploded in the distance.

The Alicorn of Rainbow Fire, from what Noble assumed he was called... spoke again.

"You have attempted to destroy two worlds for no reason other than petty revenge for something that happened many years prior... something that you still let haunt you... how sad."

The God of Destruction summoned a cluster of flaming meteors and hurled them towards this rainbow colored being.

The Rainbow Alicorn took one glance at them... all the projectiles shattered into dust and he continued his advance.

"Now I see why Burning Star had locked you two away, to protect himself and his allies from the wrath of his mistakes. Now that he has let go of his fears of you, I HAVE ARRIVED."

Doom Star unleashed a shockwave, "STAY BACK! I'M WARNING YOU!"

The Rainbow Flame Alicorn stopped moving, seeing the shockwave level all buildings in front of him...

He sensed The Guardians and Royalty behind him... and threw up a massive golden energy barrier the size of a castle wall that blocked the destruction and dispersed the flying rubble and debris away from the group.

Freedom Fighter wanted to jump into the fray and fight Doom Star, and he took a step forward.

the Alicorn in front of them turned his head around to face Freedom, his golden eyes practically boring a hole in his skull and causing everypony, even him... to step back in superstitious awe, before his head turned back to Doom Star, his horn now ignited.

His horn charged up with a blazing rainbow light that burned with the intensity of a volcano, he said three words that shook Doom Star's resolve to its core.

"Ok... My Turn."

The Guardians heard a noise similar to a speaker being blown from too much stress as the Rainbow Alicorn fired a MASSIVE white laser blast as wide as the street, it collided with Doom Star and sent him flying through dozens of abandoned houses, collapsing them on top of the great destructive beast. He finally stopped when he hit a outpost tower, with crumbled on top of him, burying Doom Star in bricks and concrete. 

The impact of the laser was so great that it split the ground it passed over, carving a vicious slice in the ground and sending rocks and dust hurling into the air, even the very fabric of reality seemed to  shudder as the laser tore across the city.

When the attack stopped, a good bit of the city was reduced to nothing... a flat wasteland of grey ash and upheaved rock.

Noble and the Guardians finally found the courage to step towards the wondrous titan of power and slowly made their way through the wreckage of the city towards the rainbow Alicorn.

(Pause music)

The rainbow-flamed alicorn turned to the Guardians of the Sun and they instinctively dove into cover, hoping not to be noticed by him.

Despite being thankful that this being just blasted Doom Star across the ruined city and far enough away that they could relax a bit...

They were terrified of him because he also just leveled DOZENS of city blocks with a single blast!

Freedom signed to Noble Blade, "What are we going to do about that thing?"

Firestorm whispered to Noble as well, "First off, we gotta find out what IS that thing?"

Noble took a breath, and steeled his will for something incredibly brave, and possibly incredibly stupid.

Noble stepped out of the shadows and into the view of the alicorn that just kicked Doom Star's ass.

The Knight spoke to the Alicorn, "Greetings, Alicorn. Pardon me if I ask, but who or what art thou?"

The Alicorn walked up to Noble Blade and ignited his horn, which dragged both Firestorm and Freedom Fighter out of their cover, their hooves pinned at their sides.

The Alicorn looked at the three ponies and gave a snort of amusement, his voice lowering as he said, "Hmph, how curious... you cower with the other Alicorns before while I faced that creature, now you come to approach me with some semblance of bravado."

The Alicorn began to walk in circles around the trio, Noble felt this beings gaze on him and his friends... almost as if he was studying them.

"Do you do it out of curiosity? Out of fear? Or both?"

Noble Blade slowly reached for his sword, only for the Alicorn to snatch it off his back with frightening speed, he also removed the weapons of all other Guaridans, holding them in his telekinetic grasp.

He said with a little ire in his voice, "Why did you try and draw weapons against me? These blades would not harm me. Then again... you draw them to defend yourself from the wrath that you have seen me use against the "God of Destruction." So I understand your unease."

The Alicorn grasped Noble Blade's sword in one of his hooves, analyzing it.

"An rather ordinary magic sword, forged from steel... yet when you run magic through it... the Alicorn's horn ignited and the sword blazed with bright multicolored flames. "It becomes extraordinary."

Noble Blade smiled, "I'm quite proud of my swords power, do you find it interesting?"

The Alicorn gave Noble Blade a glance of boredom, then moved on.

He then moved on to Firestorm's twin katanas, "Iron-Aluminum Alloy Katanas, designed to be light and strong for close range and fast combat, they are coated in oil, intended to be set ablaze, are they not?"

Firestorm made a smirk, "Yep. Pretty clever right?"

The Alicorn looked at Firestorm with a unamused glance, then sighed "Yes, very clever... for a simple Pegasus."

He finally moved on to Freedom Fighter's battle staves, saying "a pair of steel rods fashioned in the shape of twin staves, intended for blunt force attack and can have attachments affixed to them. Very versatile, but not very effective against a sufficiently intelligent opponent like myself."

Freedom Fighter gave a snort of frustration, which was quickly silenced by the Alicorn staring him right in the face, which shut him up.

Noble asked the Alicorn, "Why do wish to study our weapons, sir?"

He returned the weapons to the Guardians and said, "The reason I am studying you and your armaments is because..."

He paused for a second as the group heard a roar.

Doom Star was charging down the Rainbow Flamed Alicorn, he was coated in black-blue lightning.

The Alicorn simply blinked and ignited his horn for a second, saying briefly to the Guardians.

"Get behind me and put up a shield around yourselves. I'd prefer not reducing you to ash."

Noble did as he was told and put up his strongest shield as the Alicorn charged up an even bigger blast, waiting till Doom Star was right in front of him.

Then... he fired, sending the Alicorn of Destruction flying away into the distance, while also reducing more the surrounding buildings to rubble from the recoil. 

Noble was surprised his shield was able to withstand the blast of pure power. 

The Alicorn signaled to lower the shield and he continued. "As I was saying before I was rudely interrupted by that idiot... I am studying you and your armaments because I'm trying to figure out How and why..."

Firestorm asked him, "How and Why... what exactly?"

The Alicorn continued, leaning his head in, "How did you manage to handle Dark Star and Dawn Star in combat, beings of pure, primal, and unrestrained magic, on your own. And why... why did you risk your lives for my world? A world you all have nothing to do with whatsoever?"

Noble responded with a smile, "Do you really need a reason to do the right thing? Your world and my world was in danger, My friends and I certainly were not going to sit idle and watch two worlds be ravaged, we did what we thought was right, and we saved the day, didn't we? While I'm asking, care to introduce yourself?"

The Alicorn suddenly bowed in respect, "Ah Yes... I guess you did save the day from Midnight Sparkle. And for a name? I am Burning Star's awakened form, but as that is too complex I will give you a more simple term to refer to me by."

He spoke his name, "You may call me... Pure Star, Burning Star's full might and pure power, awakened to the world once more."

He snatched the Guardians weapons away again, "Now if you excuse me, I have a Demonic Alicorn of Destruction to kill, and I require your weapons. I believe that King Sombra told you that they are coated in Alicorn-Bane... the only thing that can kill an Alicorn for good."

Pure Star took all three weapons and began to channel his magic into them, they began to fuse together.

Noble's Sword made up the majority of the weapon, as Firestorm's Twin katanas lined both edges of the blade, Freedom's twin Staves bolstered them together, and the hilt grew into a long bar.

When the weapon was complete, it floated down into the left hoof of Pure Star, who leveled the sword in front of him.

Noble asked Pure Star, "What are you going to do?"

Pure Star responded, "Well... I'm going to kill a god. So I suggest you stand back, lest you get reduced to dust."

Doom Star charged down Pure Star again, a black and blood red scythe in his hooves, coated in black fire and practically searing the floor as it dragged along the ground. His eyes were filled with hatred and pain.

He screamed at the top of his lungs, "ENOUGH OF THIS! YOU ARE DELAYING THIS CONFRONTATION. THIS TIME I WILL KILL YOU, YOU MISERABLE CUR! AND THEN I WILL DESTORY THIS ENTIRE UNIVERSE SO THAT IT WILL FEEL MY DESPAIR!"

"Hatred is such a fickle emotion, always changing... useless under the wrong circumstances, but yet it drives you so much. Why? Why be so filled with malice and spite towards everypony, even those who had nothing to do with you? For me, and certainly for Burning Star, I take things that disagree with me with a few, maybe even one grain of salt, but you never let go of any pain inflicted on you, be it physical or emotional. You embrace it, let it rule you."

Pure Star rushed Doom Star and began to raise his massive sword, funneling his immense magic into the center of the Blade. He said with steel in his voice.

"For the safety of all life, even yours... your existence must end! You will die by my Blade, or by my magic. Whatever the choice or method, I will kill you, Doom Star, I must save you from yourself."

Doom Star clashed weapons with him, stopping the two Alicorns cold, he spoke, so much venom in his voice that you could feel it figuratively poison the air around you. 

"YOU FIRST!"

(Resume 1st music)

The battle resumed, and The Guardians of the Sun looked on in awe as Pure Star parried a strike from Doom Star that fractured the ground below him from the force of the impact.

Pure Star retaliated with an upwards swing of the sacred sword he forged from the Guardians weapons, it cut Doom Star's chest, which bled bright silver blood, Doom Star countered with a spinning slash of his scythe, slicing Pure Star across the face, cutting his snout and causing golden blood to flow from his nose.

Doom Star created a stream of massive dark lightning bolts and hurled them at Pure Star, intending to vaporize him.

Pure Star roared into the air and called down a beam of burning light from the sky, which blocked the incoming lightning and hit Doom Star right in the back, scorching the dark beast and causing him to crumple to the floor.

Pure Star took a kick to the gut from Doom Star, sending the Sacred Blade sliding towards the Guardians, he was pinned down by Doom Star's powerful telekinesis, and felt the force of nearly 20Gs on him.

Doom Star now hammered him with multiple meteors, until they were blocked by a magic shield...

Doom Star looked over to see Noble Blade using his magic to its highest possible level, blood started to ooze from his nose as he was pushed to his magical limit and past it.

Noble spoke to his friends, "Go! We have to buy Pure Star some time to recover, we can do this... I know it."

Firestorm asked Noble, "How are you so sure of yourself, Noble? This monster has just smashed Pure Star into the floor, and you think we can take him on? On our own, no less?"

Noble looked to Freedom Fighter, and then to Firestorm, then smirked. "I have faith in us, Guardians. I know that everypony is counting on us to stop Doom Star, and that is what we are going to do. We swore an oath to protect Equestria, even at the expense of our own lives. It's not only our Equestria that is threatened, it's every Equestria... and I know we can defend those worlds from this... demon, then I'm willing to give my life to stop this monster. How about you two?"

Firestorm looked over to Pure Star, who was struggling under Doom Star's powerful gravity magic. 

Freedom Fighter didn't need to hear anymore, he remembered his oath... his duty. 

So he charged into the fray, taking up a piece of rebar he ripped out of the ground, before jumping up and smacking Doom Star across the face, he landed in front of Pure Star, assuming a defense stance.

Firestorm took a deep breath, pulling out one of his knives, and lunged at Doom Star, dodging a storm of spears himself before plunging his knife right into the God of Destruction's chest, where it caused the dark beast to shriek in pain, as he slowly released his grip on Pure Star. He landed in front of The Rainbow Alicorn, his teeth bared and hooves spread wide, hoping to block any attacks coming from Doom Star.

Noble seized the opportunity that Doom Star was weakened and grabbed the sacred sword and ignited his Horn, charging it up with his signature blue aura. He leaped with the blade in his hooves, uttering a battle cry that would have scared even Nightmare Moon...

Before slashing downwards with all his might, carving a massive gash across Doom Star's side. This caused the dark Alicorn to lose his focus for a brief enough moment for Pure Star to get up and cast his own spell. 

(Stop 1st Music)



(Begin 2nd Theme)

"Heavens Fury!"

Another beam of searing light crashed down upon Doom Star, setting him ablaze with holy fire.

Pure Star stood up, lifting his hoof, pulling the sword from Noble's grasp while saying to him, "I will be needing that back. If you need weapons, then here."

Pure Star duplicated the signature weapons of the Guardians and handed them over. Noble Blade's magic sword, Firestorm's flaming Katanas, and Freedom Fighter's fighting staves. 

The Guardians assumed their battle stance, and Pure Star stood behind them, his sword glowing a bright white.

Celestia shook her head, she couldn't watch any longer! She was an Alicorn, she won't let her world or any other fall to ruin from this... nightmarish thing. She conjured up her signature halberd, the Sunsplinter, and rushed to the side of the Guardians.

Luna grimaced in irritation, Celestia had the right idea... defend their world and other worlds from Doom Star, so she created her broadsword, the powerful Moonbeam Slicer, and dashed off to Celestia's side. She was ready to defend her home, even at the cost of her own life.

Prince Eclipsio knew he would follow Burning Star to the ends of the earth, that the entire fabric of reality was in danger! He summoned the Spacecutter, a double edged axe shaped like a reverse crescent. He quickly dashed to Pure Star's side.

Doom Star saw how the Alicorns of Sun, Moon, and Eclipses were standing in front of Pure Star, and his face assumed a manic grin.

"So... THIS IS THE FORCE THAT STANDS DEFYING ARMAGEDDON? I EXPECTED MORE OF YOU, BUT I CAN'T COMPLAIN, ITS NOT EVERY DAY I GET TO KILL THE ALICORNS OF THE SUN, MOON, AND ECLIPSES! HAHAHAHA!"

Princess Luna snorted, "You will not succeed with this disaster, Doom Star! We will stop you and this cataclysm once and for all!"

Celestia continued, "Doom Star, what gives you the right to destroy our worlds? Just because of your petty vengeance and feelings of hatred towards ponies? I don't think so, you monstrous beast."

Doom Star let out a mad laugh, "AHAHAHAHA! YOU THINK THAT YOUR PATHETIC MORALS AND DECENCY WILL CHANGE MY MIND? NO! I WILL END YOU ALL!"

Doom Star was quickly hit by a beam of silver light that sent him sprawling onto the floor. It came from Eclipsio who said to the group, "I believe the time for talking is over. The time for defeating this evil being is now!"

Luna and Celestia nodded and struck Doom Star at the same time before he could get his balance, thehy both unleashed a storm of magic lasers from their horns, pelting the God of Destruction.

Doom Star smashed a large building into them, sending them flying back, when Firestorm slashed into his side with his katanas, to which Noble Blade followed up by thrusting his sword into the open wound, causing the dark beast to shriek in agony.

Doom Star threw his scythe at them, but it was knocked away by Freedom Fighter, who delivered a crushing blow to Doom Star's skull with his staff, hearing an audible creak as the steel staff nearly snapped in half from the blow. 

Doom Star unleashed a torrent of blue-black flames upon the group, which was shielded by Pure Star putting up a large golden barrier, before he unleashed a storm of magic missiles that exploded upon impact with the dark alicorn. He followed up with a slice from his sacred sword, cutting deep into Doom Star's body. 

Doom Star punched Pure Star in the gut, before attempting to hammer his hooves into his back. Pure Star noticed this and immediately blocked the attack, before grabbing and throwing Doom Star to the floor. 

The dark alicorn screeched, "ENOUGH OF THIS! YOU ARE ALL OF YOU, BENEATH ME! I AM A GOD YOU DULL CREATURE, AND I WILL NOT BE BULLIED BY-"

Freedom Fighter impaled Doom Star upon his staff and smashed him into the ground over and over, each smash lessening some of the stress he felt while fighting this thing.

He finally stopped by throwing Doom Star into a building and mentally saying, "Puny god..."

Before Doom Star could even stand, Pure Star fired a blast of magic that blew up the building he was in, dropping rubble and dust upon him. He smashed his way out and roared like a demon.

"THIS... THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE. I AM A GOD OF DESTRUCTION AND DEATH, HOW AM I LOSING TO SUCH WEAK PONIES?! THAT IS IT! I REFUSE TO ENTERTAIN YOUR FATNASY THAT YOU WILL DESTROY ME, BEHOLD, MY ARMAGEDDON ORB!"

Doom Star immediately funneled as much of his destructive magic to his horn and created his most devastating attack, a giant black and blue sphere made of unstable magic. This Attack could wipe out cities, and he was busy creating his largest one yet. 

Pure Star looked back to the group of Warriors and said, "This is out only window to stop Doom Star for good! That Armageddon Orb attack can be deflected, but I'm going to need every ounce of magic power we have!"

He raised the sword in his hooves skyward and said, "COME! Send the power to the sword!"

Celestia fired a golden beam of light into the sword, and the central blade took on a golden glow and a sun rune appeared on it.

Luna unleashed her blue beam of light and it was drawn into the sword, turning the Blade to a bright gray and expanding in size and causing a moon rune to appear.

Eclipsio added the final charge, his silver beam of magic, which made the blade at the center turn a radiant white, before shining with the intensity of a star. 

Pure Star nodded, "Thank you. Now I will strike down Doom Star, so please stand back."

Doom Star screeched in an unholy tone and threw his attack forward, it was the size of Canterlot Castle itself!

Pure Star flew towards it at blinding speed, his sacred blade gleaming like the light of a star. 

Through that form, Burning Star looked upon the portals to his world and the world of the Guardians, before looking back towards everypony who fought alongside him.

He said to himself, "This is for all of you..."

Pure Star finally got close to the ball of destruction and swung his sword as hard as he could...

The glowing blade sliced through the dark ball of death as easily as a hot knife cut butter.

Pure Star smirked as he delivered a series of rapid slashes and jabs, hacking and cutting away at the ball of death slowly.

Noble watched in awe as Pure Star unleashed his flurry of slashes with the speed of a raging tornado, his blade was somehow cutting the ball of destruction to pieces!

Doom Star noticed his ball was shrinking rapidly, and he charged it up more... it did nothing, the more energy he added, all of it was drained away from his attack.

Pure Star finally broke through the attack, which exploded right in Doom Star's face, blinding him to the Alicorn of Rainbow Fire rapidly approaching him.

(Put the volume of the 2nd song higher) 

When his vision cleared, he was hit with a sharp pain as Pure Star ripped into him with a glowing sword.

His regeneration wasn't active! The Blade was made with Alicorn Bane!

Doom Star created a executioner's axe and tried to block the attack, the axe broke like a toothpick and he was struck again with agonizing pain from the glowing blade.

Pure Star started his finishing blow. He preformed a sequence of slashes that carved up Doom Star's chest.

He slashed in massive carving cuts, forming a Star pattern on the dark beast's chest. Each slice made arcs of light pour off Doom Star.

Pure Star finally finished off the series of strikes with a thrust that embedded the Blade in Doom Star's chest.

Doom Star, despite being in extreme pain and weak as hell, managed to get out a snarl, "Huh... I can still fight you... you horrid little Alicorn. Burning Star is still weak... relying on you to do all the work for him... ack. So I'm still better than you in every... huh... way!"

Suddenly, Pure Star's Form disappeared and Burning Star's original form appeared, he twisted the handle and said.

"You know... I really don't give a damn, just shut up and die."

Burning Star funneled all the magic he had as Pure Star into the Blade and activated its beam release mechanism. 

A mighty roar of magic was heard as the beam on the sword blasted into Doom Star's heart... causing him to shake and shudder in pain.

Before the beam pierced his body completely, tearing through his flesh and bone.

Burning Star ran out of strength and fell to the floor, exhausted. But, Doom Star remained floating in the air...

His body began to develop cracks and breaks that light poured out of, his body began to glow a bright white as he thrashed about wildly...

Before exploding into a huge surge of light, blinding everypony that saw it. It illuminated the entire city in its bright white glow...

When it finally cleared, there was silence... and then the group realized what happened.

Doom Star had vanished! He was gone! 

Burning Star slinked his way towards the Guardians and Noble asked him, "Is he..."

Burning Star cut him off by saying something that made everypony rejoice. 

"Yes, its happened...

"Doom Star... is dead."
> Epilogue: Ashes of the Past and Kindling for the Future
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Canterlot Castle, Main Hallway, Burning Star's World)

Eclipsio had opened a portal to Burning Star's world, Knowing that the Guardians world had not developed the equipment to help treat an Alicorn.

As soon as Noble Blade, Firestorm, and Freedom Fighter arrived in the castle, Shadow Armor escorted them down the halls towards the guest room. 

While they were walking, Noble Blade got to chat with the Black Knight copy of Shining Armor.

"So, let me get this straight." Shadow Armor said, speaking to the slightly smaller Noble Blade. "You were able to a defeat an identical copy of Nightmare Moon, kill the real Queen Chrysalis of my world, assisted in the defeat of the Pony of Shadows and the Destruction of Midnight Sparkle?"

Noble Blade nodded, "That is right, Shadow Armor."

The Black Knight continued, "You also to somehow hold your ground against Dawn Star and Dark Star? Beings composed of pure unrestrained magic?"

Noble Blade smiled, "Yes we did. It was a hard fight, but we won nonetheless."

Shadow Armor rasied an eyebrow, "You also, despite all odds against you and near certainty of death, took on Doom Star, a self proclaimed God of Destruction?"

Noble shrugged, "Well Burning Star took him down, but we fed magic into his blade, which he then completely obliterated the dark beast with."

Shadow Armor stopped dead and said, "You all sure you aren't some sort of demigod or something? Because judging from all the heroics you've done, you all certainly have the strength of one."

Noble Blade shook his head, saying with a chuckle, "Shadow, if we were demigods, I think we would be written in some sort of prophecy. Considering I haven't seen anything of the sort on my world, I highly doubt we are warriors from the heavens."

Shadow Armor put his hoof in front of Noble Blade and said with a bit of frustration, "That still doesn't explain why you succeeded against a foe so powerful? How did you do it?"

Noble Blade looked up to Shadow Armor and gave a smirk, "We won because we were a team. That... and we had something to fight for, Doom Star had nothing to fight for, he was only lashing out in rage. A rage that consumed him and blinded him to his flaw."

Shadow Armor caught up to Noble and spoke, "What sort of flaw?"

Noble simply said, "He let his pride and wrath go to his head, he was impatient, which Burning Star took advantage of by dragging out the fight till he was overexerting his powers."

Shadow Armor thought on it, deciding to ask Burning Star a little later once he woke up, and the group opened the door to the Medical Wing

(Canterlot Castle, Medical Wing)

Everypony pushed open the door and saw Burning Star laying down, various tubes pumping raw magic back into him to help his Alicorn regeneration work faster.

Prince Eclipsio stood at the Alicorn's side, observing the various monitors that displayed Burning Star's vitals.

He then took out an full IV packet of pure liquidated magic and replaced the now empty one on the tube.

Firestorm rushed to Eclipsio's side and said, "So, how is the hot head doing?"

Prince Eclipsio looked over with some frustration on his face, "Well, his vitals are stable, but he is burning through the IV bags of magic we have from donations fast."

Shadow Armor raised an eyebrow, "Donations? How many ponies donated, Prince Eclipsio?"

Eclipsio looked at Shadow Armor and replied, "A lot, and please call me Eclipsio, we have no need of formalities right now, Shadow."

Noble cut in, "How much is "A Lot" Eclipsio?"

The Prince smiled, "Well, while we had standard IVs of magic from normal ponies, his body used them up very fast... so I got a much more powerful dose."

Freedom signed out, "Where and who was this donation from?"

The door to the office opened and Princess Celestia and Luna of Burning Star's world stepped out, small bandages on their horns.

Firestorm shouted in surprise, "Tia and Luna gave some magic? Who else?"

Twilight Sparkle stepped out, the same bandage over her horn, followed by Cadence and finally, King Sombra of all ponies.

King Sombra answered Firestorm's question. "Burning Star needed a colossal dose of magic to restart his regeneration. I CAME UP with the idea of transfusing Alicorn Magic of Twilight, Cadence and the two sisters took care of the normal magic to activate his regeneration, while I infused my Dark Magic to supercharge it. If we hadn't done it, he certainly would have died."

Noble Blade asked the Prince of Eclipses, trying to shake off that last sentence, "So he is going to be okay?"

Eclipsio nodded, "Yes. He is just resting, we can talk with him later."

Shadow Armor peered over Burning Star's sleeping body and said, "Wait a minute..."


The Black Knight noticed there was a small smirk on Burning Star's face!

Shadow raised his front hoof and smacked Burning Star across the face HARD.

The Alicorn of Fire yelled in pain and sat up, looking around to find the source of his pain, seeing Shadow Armor's disappointed grimace.

The Alicorn shouted at Shadow Armor using a voice that made the Royal Canterlot Voice seem quiet.

"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR?!"

Shadow Armor scowled as he said, "You were fully healed, Burning Star. I bet you were just stopping your regeneration so that you can lounge around, didn't you?"

Burning Star sighed, "Ugh, yeah. But you didn't need to freaking slap me!"

Shadow Armor responded with his still scowling expression, "Now get up and get to work opening a portal to get these heroes home." He said as he pointed to the Guardians

Noble stepped back as Burning Star sat up, before he saw something extraordinary. Everypony saw it too and bore the same shocked expression as the Alicorn of Fire got to his hooves.

Burning Star noticed this and asked, "What are you so surprised at?"

Twilight squeaked out, "Y-Y-Your Mane..."

Burning Star tilted his head, "What about my mane-" before seeing his mane for himself.

Burning Star's long scarlet red mane and tail was now an inferno of red flames, floating freely on some invisible breeze. Orange embers dropped off his fire-wreathed head, slightly burning the floor as they landed.

The Alicorn's eyes widened, "Well... ok, that's new. My mane is like Celestia's now, cool I guess..."

Noble Blade reached towards it carefully, but felt no scorching heat as he touched the scarlet flames that now wrapped around Burning Star's mane.

Firestorm was the first one to say a word, "That... is... AWESOME! You really now live up to your name now, 'cause your Burning Star? You are actually burning? Eh? EH?"

The Alicorn of Fire put his hoof to his face, "Not funny."

Twilight Sparkle stepped forward, creating a clipboard and a pencil for herself and began to speak to Burning Star, "So, just to make sure this development with your body is safe I need to run a few tests on you, Burning Star."

Shadow Armor decided to slowly push the Guardians out of the room before he was caught up in the inevitable storm of questions that would follow.

Twilight turned towards the Guardians and said, "Wait! I need to find out what sort of magic you used to stop Doom Star! That way we-"

Shadow Armor cut her off, "Maybelaterbyeprincesstwilight!" and hurried the group out the door.

When they were out of the room, He said to Noble Blade, "You know, Burning Star probably looks up to you, even respects you, Guardian Noble Blade."

This caused the azure maned unicorn to raise an eyebrow, "Why would he look up to me?"

Shadow Armor responded, "From what I observed while in Eclipsio's vision room, Burning Star appears to treat you and the rest of the Guardians of the Sun like members of his family, maybe he sees you and your friends as siblings to him?"

Firestorm turned around and said, "Why would he consider us as his brothers? We have only known him for a few weeks, I don't think we're related to him, right?"

Freedom Fighter signed out his response towards of the group, "I believe I know why. What I've noticed from my observations of Burning Star is that he never seems to be very good at speaking to anypony, always trying to avoid the concept of companionship. Although he hasn't told us directly, the Alicorn of Fire must have spent a majority of his adolescent life in either mental and/or physical isolation."

Firestorm responded, "Ya know, that actually makes sense. Remember when we looked trough his data crystal files? There was little to no evidence that he had any relationships with anypony. Im going to make an educated guess here, judging from the utter lack of detailed information regarding his past, either he erased his own notes or he can't talk about it."

Noble Blade added in, "Why in the world would he talk about it? It does cause him a great deal of mental trauma and tons of aggressive behavior, but you have a valid point Firestorm. He doesn't exactly say what happened to him all those years ago. Every time he mentions it he doesn't say it the same way."

Freedom finished off by signing out, "Personally, I don't think he remembers anything about his past at all. He may have made up what happened to him as a way to divert attention about who he really is?"

Noble, Shadow, and Firestorm all gave him glances of confusion. Freedom continued, "Think about it... what do we REALLY know about who Burning Star is? Practically nothing. He mentions that Firebrand Village was destroyed and that he was born an Alicorn, but he doesn't have to tell us the truth, or at least the whole truth."

Shadow Armor nodded, "I agree with Freedom Fighter, if we want physical and written proof of who Burning Star is, he must have it in his private quarters!"

The Black Knight rushed towards Burning Star's Room and flung open the door, the Guardians close behind him.

Noble said to Shadow while running, "Wait a minute! Isn't this a bit wrong?! Can't we just ask him about it once Twilight stops her tests?"

Shadow Armor shook his head, "No! I need to know now, and this is the easiest way to find out!"

The Guardians all sighed and followed the Black Knight to the room of the Alicorn of Fire. 

(Canterlot Castle, Burning Star's room)

Burning Star's room was nearly pitch black, so Noble and Shadow Armor ignited their horns, until the room was filled with a soft blue light from Noble Blade and a dark green light from Shadow Armor. The room was massive, the ceiling at least 20 feet above them.

Firestorm spoke, "Jeez, you would think somepony with such a large room would have a light switch or something. I can barely see even with your lights!"

Firestorm pulled out his katanas and ignited them, producing a soft orange light from the flames, Freedom Fighter electrified his staff, making a white cluster of lightning at the tip. 

Even with all the lights from everypony, the room was still dark.

The room walls were painted white like most castle rooms, but with a queen sized bed covered by orange and black blankets at its center, which had his cutie mark of a flaming star stitched on them in deep red. It stuck out as a black rectangle in the middle of a white room.

Along the right wall was a large desk with multiple drawers, various scrolls and jars were stacked on it loosely. 

Freedom thought to himself, "Wonder what those are for? Spells? Alchemy?"

Further down the side of the wall was an armor rack holding what the group assumed to be his battle or ceremonial armor, it was colored a dark silver with red highlights and was polished vigorously. From that they concluded it was probably for ceremony. 

Next to the armor rack sat the so called "Godslayer Cleaver", Burning Star's large single edged sword that was similar to swords Firestorm saw in manga from Neighpon. The Blade was huge and thick, almost as long as Burning Star himself, and colored a blazing red and orange. 

Freedom wondered how a colossal weapon such as that could be used so effortlessly in a fight, but brushed it aside when he saw everypony walk towards Burning Star's closet.

As expected, Burning Star's closet held various colored tunics and shirts, as well as a rough leather cloak hanging on the wall.

Noble bumped into a large object on the closet floor, which was quickly yanked out by Shadow Armor, sending Noble Blade to fall on his rear.

Noble Blade asked a question that should have been answered a few minutes ago, "Hey Shadow Armor? Don't you think this is a breach of privacy for Burning Star? Because if he locked this container it implies that it should not be opened."

Shadow Armor looked towards the knight and shrugged, "No. I am his captain of the guard and personal attaché, knowing what he is doing and where he is going is my job when Lady Twilight Sparkle is away in Ponyville, which she is right now. Ergo, this is completely reasonable for me."

Everypony looked at the large object sitting in front of them. It appeared to be a trunk or foot locker of some kind, colored a dark gray and black and covered with steel bands that were bound together by a combination lock.

Firestorm spoke to Shadow Armor, "Listen, if he had this stuff locked and hidden I don't think it is a wise idea to open-"

Shadow Armor shot a bolt of magic that reduced the lock to dust and flung open the lid of the trunk.

Firestorm put his hoof to his face, "Or don't listen to me at all..."

Shadow Armor brightened his horn light and peered into the trunk, before pulling his head out and saying to everypony.

"You got to see this."

Firestorm and Freedom Fighter peered in, joined by Noble Blade who struggled to get a good view thanks to the three ponies in front of him.

Firestorm reached in slowly and pulled out something, it was a rectangular digital watch of some sort, colored gray and red. The numbers on the screen were flashing 12:00 over and over, so Firestorm assumed it was either broken or hadn't been used yet.

Freedom pulled out what appeared to be an oblong cylinder, upon closer inspection it was a glasses case with the specs still in them, and he carefully put it back.

Shadow Armor took out what appeared to be an old stuffed teddy bear, it was brown and had the name "Felix" on a tag near its neck.

Noble Blade pulled out something unusual, to say the least.

It was a large hooded sweater of some sort, colored camouflage green, it matched with a pair of camouflage shorts and dark black jeans.

The unusual part was that they were much larger than he was... and only had two sleeves or pant legs. The fabric was much more coarse than his tunic, and it was well insulated on the inside.

He put them back, not finding them interesting.

"Guys, I think I found something new!" Said Firestorm, pulling out a holster of some kind.

The holster was made of strong leather and had metal studs keeping the flap closed. Some sort of L shaped object was secured inside it, and black rectangles were sitting on the belt the holster was attached to.

"What are these?" Firestorm thought to himself, before putting them back.

Shadow Armor and the two Guardians put the stuff back and the knight said, "So this is what he was hiding, a watch, glasses, and a stuffed animaI? Some clothes and a belt? Damn, guess there wasn't anything important here after all... oh well."

He carefully put the trunk back and created a new lock for it, then walked towards the door. Firestorm and Freedom Fighter followed suit.

Firestorm said to Noble Blade, "Hey Noble? You coming? Eclipsio is ready to send us home tomorrow morning!"

Noble looked at Firestorm and said, "One second..." he looked at the trunk and at the rest of the room, trying to find something out of place, before heading to the door and leaving.

(Canterlot Castle, Guest Room)

The Guardians had been given the best guest room in the castle, and also the softest beds in the castle.

As soon as Firestorm and Freedom laid down, they fell asleep. Fighting a God of Destruction was not a easy task, and both of them were very tired...

Except Noble Blade, that is.

He sat on his bed, thinking to himself about what he saw in the trunk in Burning Star's room.

He sensed something... off, about it. 

He said to himself, "Why would Burning Star hide a stuffed bear, a watch, and a glasses case in a heavily secured trunk? Also, what was that belt holster holding?"

The door to the room suddenly flew open and Burning Star walked inside, seeing Noble Blade awake.

The Alicorn hopped onto Noble Blade's bed and said, "Hey, just came here to talk. You want to talk?"

Noble Blade nodded, "Of course, what about?"

The Alicorn sighed and said, "Listen, Noble. I think we both know why I am here, yes?"

Noble's smile disappeared, "I think I do, Star. You are here about your adventures with the Guardians, you wish to discuss them with me?"

Burning Star nodded, "Yes. I believe I finally figured out what I've learned from our experiences. After pulling it all together, I've discovered something about myself I never thought I had."

Noble's ears raised, "Oh, and what would that be?"

Burning Star got up and began to speak, "You see Noble, I've been looking back on the past weeks and I've noticed that you did something No pony has ever done."

"What's that, Star?"

Burning Star continued, "You told me something different. You said to me that it would be easier to let go of the past and I said to you that the past is what made me who I am..."

Noble responded, "I do recall saying that letting go of the past would be good for you. Did it work?"

The Alicorn smiled and said, "And I'm glad I was proven wrong. You were right, The past is better left behind me."

Burning Star let his now free flowing mane wander a bit, illuminating the room with a soft red light. He continued, "While I was fighting Doom Star I realized something about him. Doom Star wasn't an opponent like Midnight Sparkle. He was essentially a manifestation of my past that had been twisted and corrupted into a character that I put all my regret into. After doing some self-contemplating and a lot of blasting Doom Star with magic... I found it, the one thing I could never achieve. One thing you have, Noble Blade."

Now Noble was curious, "Ok stop delaying the answer and just say it."

Burning Star concluded with a Line that surprised Noble completely, "You had the power of choice. All my life I assumed that what happened to me determined who I was and that those past grievances meant I was to become a destroyer of ponies, hence how Doom Star came to be, but I realized something... I could had changed that, I COULD no... I CAN change that. My past is nothing but a nightmare that I allowed to take course for too long, while I believed I was unable to stop it. But you did, Noble Blade. YOU and the GUARDIANS did. You all had the courage, passion, and most of all faith to stand in the face of complete oblivion and say "I'm not afraid of you." At least that's what I think, the point is... I've finally found some peace of mind. For once, My mind... is clear..."

Noble's face broke into a smile as he wrapped his hoof around Burning Star, "I'm glad I could help, and I'll tell the guys what you said in the morning before we go."

Burning Star climbed into the bed next to Noble and said, "Oh yeah, Eclipsio wanted me to erase your memories of me, but I don't fear him. Just keep me and all the dimensional world traveling nonsense a secret, at least until you do it again, ok friend?"

Noble Blade pulled up the covers and smiled at Burning Star, "Your secret is safe with me, I swear it."

Burning Star nodded and closed his eyes, saying. "Like a Phoenix, my past was burnt into ashes, now... I rise from them a changed pony."

The next morning Noble Blade and the Guardians were all ready to go, only Burning Star and Eclipsio were there to see them off, while Celestia and the other royals tended to the public's questions about the recent disasters appearing in Equestria.

Just as The Guardians were about to step through the portal, Burning Star said, "Wait, before you go, I wanted to give you something to remember your times with me by."

Burning Star opened one of his bags and pulled out a golden circle with a flaming star at the center of it.

"Thanks, but what is it?" Firestorm asked the Alicorn of Fire.

The Alicorn explained, "A Disaster Beacon. Works across dimensions, but it is a one time use. If ever something this big or bigger comes up, You throw it on the ground, and I'll come running to your aid. My horn alight and with the Masters of Nature at my side, got that?"

Noble Blade and the Guardians were suddenly embraced in a hug by the Alicorn of Fire, he said to them, "You three are probably the best things that could happen to me on one of my adventures. I'm happy to call all of you my friends, and thank you for setting my demons to rest and setting my mind to rest as well."

He let go and Firestorm said, "Well we were only doing our jobs as Guardians of the Sun, but now I'm looking forward to some sweet R and R when we get home."

Prince Eclipsio spoke up, "Don't count on it, Firestorm. 

"And why is that, spooky?" The Pegasus replied. 

The Prince responded with some steel in his voice, "I have a feeling that the next few years of your life will be pretty hectic. You all are in for a Rather Large Adventure soon, one that may change your history forever, but I could be wrong... who knows?"

With that, the Guardians stepped through the portal and it closed with a flash of light.

After a brief silence, Burning Star said, "Well, I've destroyed Midnight Sparkle and Doom Star, a being of pure destruction... I would say that's a pretty good conclusion to my adventures, right Eclipsio?"

The Prince turned towards Burning Star and shook his head, "No way, pal. I know this is only the beginning for you, next one may take you out of this world once more... back to your real home."

Burning Star looked at Eclipsio and the two teleported to his room, where Burning Star stood in front of a mirror, it was covered in dust and smudged Up, but it still had a reflection to it.

Prince Eclipsio said to him, "You know you can't hide like this forever, man. Eventually your have to come clean, and I feel like next time will be that time."

The Alicorn turned towards the mirror and looked at himself in it, before pulling the trunk out of the closet and pulling out the hooded sweatshirt and jeans.

Burning Star suddenly said to Eclipsio, "Do it... I wish to see myself, the real me, again."

Eclipsio engulfed Burning Star in a purple and blue light, watching as his body grew in size and he reared up onto his back hooves.

His back hooves became feet, five digits springing from them, as did his front hooves, turning into hands with five digits as well.

His fur disappeared and was replaced with smooth white skin with a slight tan, but his flaming red hair still remained, developing into a long, draping, and uneven mullet.

His deep blue eyes were centered and his snout disappeared, leaving a short Mouth with a small nose on his round face. 

The horn on his head shrunk until it was nothing but a small bump and his wings folded up onto his back neatly, adjusting themselves to fit his new form.

He put on his clothes, which a perfect fit for him, before saying to the Alicorn Prince.

"Well, how do I look?"

Prince Eclipsio said simply, "the same as the day I found you. The time to return to your world is fast approaching, soon your world and this one will collide and the catastrophe will endanger all close to you?"

When the light cleared, Burning Star was himself again, jet black fur with a red mane, large wings and horn, and dark blue eyes. 

"You know I'm ready."

He looked towards the stars, one gleaming out of the hundreds present and said.

"I'll be home soon, Earth...

"Burning Star, no... Matthew is coming home soon...

With that he closed the balcony doors and went off to his bed, dreaming a peaceful dream...

Eclipsio was staring at the stars and said, with a bit of sadness in his voice.

"Thus, the Sundered Universe crisis is over..."

He turned and went inside, but a mysterious figure perched on a rooftop was eyeing them and listening to them.

Before it said, "It is over... for now..."

The creature took off towards the north, to the Crystal Empire.

It was about time it took a long look into a mirror...