The Torch of Harmony (Worm/MLP)

[King of Terror]

Prologue Part 1:

In an ethereal plane of endless stars, the natural peace and tranquility of the Other was shattered as two gods waged all out war against each other.

The twin deities blazed across the star-filled sky at blistering speeds in a streak of hot pink and butter yellow, resembling nothing more than shooting stars themselves as they crashed into each other over and over again, shaking the heavens to their core with every blow and exchanging a furious barrage of spells that would have pulverized mountains and rearranged the landscape had this battle taken place in the mortal realm.

And watching it all with calm focus were two more deities, completely unconcerned about the awe-inspiring, apocalyptic destruction taking place all around them as titanic shockwaves and stray blasts from the battle impacted harmlessly against the barrier they'd erected around themselves.

Twilight Sparkle, Bearer of Magic and former Queen of Equestria, watched the duel with a considering and sad frown on her face.

Her eyes, far sharper than any mortals, picked out every detail of the battle for her brilliant mind to analyze as her two friends continued to furiously clash against each other over and over again, before she let out a weary and melancholy sigh.

If only this wasn't necessary, the tall, lavender alicorn thought quietly to herself, her long dark indigo mane and tail flowing gently in an unseen wind as she watched two of the kindest, gentlest mares she'd ever met continue their brutal spar.

It wasn't that she was disappointed with Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie.

Far from it.

They had both made tremendous progress in learning how to wield magic and the godlike power they'd been granted, and were tackling Rainbow Dash's harsh lessons on flight and combat with a quite frankly scary level of focus and determination Twilight never would have imagined her two friends were capable of given how much they hated violence.

She'd only ever seen them like this in… in…

The lavender alicorn sighed again.

…in those horrible alternate futures Starlight had created when she'd traveled back in time to destroy Twilight's special bond with her friends…

The lavender alicorn glanced over her shoulder where a similar earth-shattering spar was taking place far in the distance under the ex-headmare's watchful eye as Rarity and Applejack both practiced their spellwork with similar unbreakable resolve.

That was so long ago…

"Eyes on the prize Twilight," a stern voice suddenly spoke up beside her, and Twilight turned to see Rainbow glaring at her with a strict, uncompromising look in her magenta eyes. "Starlight can handle those two just fine. Right now we both need to focus on Pinkie and Fluttershy. Got it?"

The lavender alicorn inclined her head to her blue counterpart, accepting the reprimand with grace.

"Of course," she replied calmly with an apologetic expression as Rainbow huffed before nodding sharply and immediately turning her attention back to the battle with a shrewd, calculating gleam in her eyes.

It was quite a sight, all things considered.

Between her impressive height and wild, flowing mane that resembled nothing more than multicolored flames, the intensely determined and focused expression gave the Bearer of Loyalty a type of fierce, regal majesty that easily rivaled Twilight's own.

It was honestly shocking.

In all her years, the lavender alicorn never would have imagined the lazy, cocky jock she'd met when she'd first arrived in Ponyville all those decades ago would grow into such an effective leader and teacher, but in hindsight she supposed it made sense.

One did not become the Captain of the Wonderbolts without learning proper discipline and how to command the respect and attention of others, after all.

Besides, Twilight thought sadly as she continued to watch Fluttershy and Pinkie exchange a vicious series of titanic blows and spells, a lot has happened that nopony ever could have expected…

Her heart clenched painfully as a horrible, dull ache briefly rose up within the lavender alicorn's chest at the thought before she ruthlessly quashed it back down and stood up straighter, her expression changing to mirror Rainbow Dash's own.

No.

She couldn't let what had happened to her beloved home and friends get to her like this.

She and her fellow Bearers had to remain strong and continue their training so that when the opportunity finally presented itself they would be ready to destroy the wretched Abomination that had stolen everything from them and those they loved just to satisfy its own selfish, base desires.

It was their Duty.

Their Duty as the Guardians of Harmony, the sole surviving inhabitants of Equus, and the stewards of all their world's magic.

The very same magic the Abomination had murdered their entire world trying to steal!

Twilight's mane briefly flared violently at the thought as a deep dark ball of tightly controlled Wrath and Anger rose up within her.

You are going to pay, you wretched parasite, she solemnly swore to herself as she focused harder than ever on the duel, watching diligently for even slightest mistakes or tiniest areas in which her two friends could improve. In Harmony's name I swear, you are going to pay for what you did to my friends and home, and you will never hurt anyone ever again. Not while we still draw breath…

***

"ALL RIGHT, THAT'S ENOUGH!" Rainbow Dash called out sharply in the Royal Canterlot Voice sometime later, her thundering declaration easily carrying over the cacophony of noise the battle was causing as the two dueling mares immediately halted. "BRING IT IN YOU TWO!"

Pinkie and Fluttershy both nodded and flew down to meet them as Twilight and the blue alicorn strode forward.

And as her two friends drew closer, the lavender alicorn once again took a moment to marvel at the changes that they had gone through.

It wasn't the fact that both mares had become alicorns that rivaled Twilight and Princess Celestia before her in majesty and stature.

She'd gotten used to that a long time ago.

Nor was it the fact that their bodies were ghostly, ethereal avatars that the lavender alicorn could see right through.

They were all only here in spirit, after all, their real bodies still trapped in the Abomination's cruel prison.

No, what was truly making her so impressed, and uneasy, was yet another pointed reminder of the sheer power Equus's last ditch effort to defeat the Abomination had afforded her and her friends.

The pink and yellow alicorns had just fought an hours-long duel that made Twilight's battle against Tirek all those years ago look like a schoolyard tussle between two squabbling foals, yet despite unleashing enough power between them to raze the entire Equestrian Continent to the bedrock many times over, neither mare was looking particularly injured or winded.

They likely could have kept this up for days if necessary, and neither of them had actually been trying to kill the other either.

More and more was the lavender alicorn starting to understand just why Discord had always had such an enormous ego even after Fluttershy and the rest of them finally managed to pound their lessons of Friendship through his thick, irritatingly asymmetrical skull.

And just how lucky they had been that the draconequus had always been more of a naughty, irresponsible prankster at heart instead of something truly malicious and evil…

…until their luck had finally run out, that is…

Twilight let out another sad sigh at the memory of their former archenemy-turned barely tolerated acquaintance-turned friend-at-last as the shard of Chaos Magic within her briefly pulsed strongly.

Discord's final gift to each of them before…

The lavender alicorn's face tightened with pain at the memory.

…Celestia and Luna had always warned her about how they had struggled with mortal ponies worshipping them centuries past before they had finally managed to disavow such practices.

How she would likely have to deal with silly, misguided ponies attempting to deify her once she finally took the Throne in full.

And indeed, she, Cadence, and even her friends and brother had all had to deal with the odd cult popping up here and there every now and again until they inevitably disbanded them.

Before all her friends had even become alicorns themselves no less!

She could still vividly remember the look on Rainbows face when Pinkie had arranged what they'd all thought was a simple pop in with a huge fan of hers that wanted nothing more than to meet his idol in person for his birthday, only for it to turn out that the colt and his parents actually wanted a blessing from the "Angel of Loyalty" for good luck in his future efforts to become a Wonderbolt himself.

Twilight didn't think the usually proud and boastful mare had ever been so embarrassed in her entire life, because apparently that was too much for even Rainbow's ego, and poor Pinkie had been apologizing for days afterwards once they'd eventually managed to convince the child to settle for an autographed hat and some useful advice.

Now though… now the lavender alicorn and her friends effectively had become what that colt and his parents had thought them to be, as uncomfortable and unfathomably arrogant as the very idea made Twilight feel.

All seven of them effectively had the power of a god at their horn and hoof tips thanks to the Great Sacrifice the people and creatures of Equus had made for them because they trusted the Guardians of Harmony to save them more than anyone else…

…and it still hadn't been enough!

The lavender alicorn frowned before shaking her head slightly and ruthlessly quashing her rising guilt and self-loathing.

She really needed to focus.

They'd all had more than enough mental breakdowns and time spent wallowing in their own self-pity already, thank you very much!

There was no point in obsessing over this any longer.

They might not have been able to save their world, but they could still avenge it and prevent the Abomination from hurting anyone else.

That was the only thing that mattered now.

The only thing that mattered…

…

"How did we do?" Fluttershy asked briskly without preamble, and Twilight's ears flattened at the coolly professional, militaristic tone coming from the normally gentle Bearer of Kindness.

She sounds just like the Fluttershy who became a member of Zecora's Resistance… the lavender alicorn thought sadly to herself as she vividly recalled how the Fluttershy of that alternate timeline had greeted her and Spike with the tip of a spear and snarled in no uncertain terms that any Changelings caught in their woods would be skewered.

And now here they were, deliberately trying to make the kindest mare in all of Equus more like that fierce tribal warrior from a broken future that should not have been.

Harmony how she hated this.

"Better," Rainbow answered in an equally brisk manner that admittedly fitted her far better as the pink and yellow alicorns immediately straightened up at her stern gaze. "You've got the moves I've shown you down and you've both finally stopped hesitating so much. We've still got work to do, but we're making progress."

"Yes, that was excellent you two," Twilight chimed in a far warmer, gentler voice as she graced the two mares with a soft and proud smile that immediately reminded everyone there of her former mentor. "You've both mastered the spells I've taught you perfectly, which is honestly amazing given you both had to start completely from scratch. It usually takes years of constant practice and study at a dedicated institution for natural-born Unicorns to get where you two are now. I'm very proud of both of you."

Pinkie's stoic, serious expression was immediately replaced by a far more familiar, if still somewhat subdued by the Bearer of Laughter's standards, smile as her straight mane and tail reinflated back into their signature poofy shape, making the pink alicorn look for all the world like she had two huge, flowing clouds of cotton candy attached to her head and rump.

The lavender alicorn had long since given up trying to figure out how she did that.

Even now, after decades of friendship and mellowing out on the party pony's part, Pinkamena Diane Pie remained as unsolvable an enigma as ever.

"Well of course we've gotten the hang of magic super duper quickly Twilight!" the pink alicorn said with an airy wave and a cheerful, matter-of-fact manner as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "We've had two of the greatest sorceresses who've ever lived as our teachers! Plus, Dashie here's really good at coming up with great training programs to teach ponies how to beat up the bad guys! We were always going to become lean, mean, fighting-machines in record time with you three teaching us!"

Twilight smiled softly and even the blue alicorn beside her briefly dropped her Drill Sergeant persona to flash a proud smirk.

"And it's not like we've had anything else to do but practice and study ever since the Abomination destroyed our world," Fluttershy pointed out sullenly as everyone's smiles immediately left their faces at the sheer, undisguised bitterness in the mare's voice before she shot them all a chastising glare. "Come on girls, we're wasting time. We have to get in as much training as we can before we get yanked back to the parasite's prison. Like we should have done long before this mess ever started."

Pinkie and Dash's frowns deepened as they shared a concerned glance while Twilight just sighed and bowed her head sadly.

Oh Fluttershy…

As heartbreaking as it was to see her like this, unfortunately none of them were surprised.

While the loss of their home had utterly devastated all of them, absolutely no one had taken it harder than the Element of Kindness.

The one who had loved all the creatures of Equus more than anypony else…

"Awww, don't be like that Fluttershy," the pink alicorn immediately interjected with a kind, lightly chastising voice of her own as she draped an arm and a wing around her yellow counterpart and shot her a reassuring look. "We've all been working our flanks off getting ready to beat the Abomination every chance we get. And besides, you heard Twilight and Rainbow. We've all made a huge heaping helping of progress, and we're never going to stop until that monster is punished for everything it's done. There's no need to be such a grumpy gus just because we take a minute to celebrate how far we've come!"

"She's right, Fluttershy," Rainbow agreed as she fixed her childhood friend with a sympathetic but firm look. "I've told you before, even the greatest athletes and soldiers need to take some down time every now and then to stay at their best. And I don't think I need to remind you what Twilight over here did to herself every time she had one of her Freak Outs or got too 'In The Zone' with her studies, now do I?"

Pinkie giggled as the lavender alicorn in question rolled her eyes good-naturedly at the jab.

Honestly, she hadn't "Twilighted" in over 20 years now.

Even so…

"Don't lose sight of who you are Fluttershy," Twilight said gently as she stepped forward and put a comforting hoof on Fluttershy's shoulder. "We know how much what that monster did hurt you, more than it hurt any of us, and we all know how important this training is for when we face it again. No matter how much we wish it wasn't necessarily…"

The lavender alicorn trailed off sadly as they all looked away with melancholy expressions for a moment before Twilight took a deep breath to gather herself before continuing.

"But that doesn't mean you can let what he did get to you like this," she continued as stared deep into her friend's teal eyes with fierce resolve. "We still need you Fluttershy. We need the kind, gentle mare you've always been to help us get through this. Don't let that greedy beast take her away from us too…"

The yellow alicorn stared back for a long moment before finally letting out a bone-tired sigh as she bowed her head sorrowfully, her long flowing pink mane hiding her eyes behind her bangs.

"I know that Twilight," she whispered softly as tears started to fall from beneath her mane, much to her friends displeasure. "I know that I can't afford to let the Abomination get to me like this. That our special bond as the Bearers of Harmony is the only thing keeping it from winning completely. But I just can't help it…"

A horrible, unseen Pressure started pressing down on Twilight, Rainbow, and Pinkie as Fluttershy's breathing became more ragged and rapid and the ground started to tremble and shake while sparks of lightning started arcing off the yellow alicorn's spiritual form.

Had they still been mortal, or even just normal alicorns, the Magical Pressure bearing down on them likely would have rendered the three deities completely unable to move, or even breathe, as if the weight of the ocean itself was pressing down on them.

As it was, all three Bearers hardly even noticed the Pressure in the air trying its damnedest to crush the life out of them, far more concerned with watching their friend with deeply concerned expressions as Fluttershy's emotions and magic flared even more.

"Everytime I think about what that monster did to Equus, to Equestria, to our friends, our families, to all those poor, innocent people and creatures, to my husband…!"

The yellow alicorn's breath briefly hitched in her throat as the Pressure in the air doubled and her friends all bowed their heads solemnly.

"...all just so it and the rest of it's selfish, greedy kind can keep rutting and gorging themselves on our magic for all eternity!" Fluttershy forced herself to finish with a vicious snarl, tears still flowing down her now hellishly-glowing eyes as both her magic and the Pressure in the air reached a fever pitch. "It just makes me so… so…!"

The yellow alicorn threw back her head and screamed, her anguished cry of Grief and Rage shaking the Other to its foundations as a colossal pillar of raw magical energy erupted from her horn.

Yet despite the utterly terrifying display of power and anger from such an unlikely source, Twilight, Pinkie, and Rainbow all remained completely calm and unfazed, merely continuing to watch the distraught mare sadly as the pillar and Fluttershy's burning wrath vanished just as quickly as they'd appeared, leaving only a hollow, broken shell in their place.

"...I hate it" the yellow alicorn choked out in a quiet, miserable voice as she slowly wiped her eyes clean, the unmistakable sign of guilt in them. "I know that's not who I am, who I'm supposed to be, but Harmony help me I hate that wretched thing with all my heart and soul. I just can't help it. I'm sorry everypony…"

"Hey now, that's enough. Just because you're the Bearer of Kindness doesn't mean you're not allowed to be angry when somepony does something bad. And it doesn't mean you have to forgive them for what they did either," Pinkie immediately chimed in softly as she gave her distraught friend another big hug and a kind, understanding smile, before her own expression turned downcast. "I might be the Bearer of Laughter, and I might want to be friends with everyone I meet if I can… but I will never forgive the Abomination for taking my husband, my family, and my Lil' Cheese away from me. Never…"

The pink alicorn took a slow, deep breath for a moment before putting on an encouraging smile once more.

"And that's ok," Pinkie continued in a quiet, confident voice. "I might hate that monster more than I thought I could ever hate anything, and I might want to see it punished for all the terrible, awful things it's done, but at the end of the day, I'm still me. I'm still Pinkamena Diane Pie, the greatest Party Planner Equestria's ever known, and I still want to spread Joy and Happiness as far and wide as I can. My feelings towards that parasite won't change that. Not if I don't let them."

"She's right Fluttershy," Twilight agreed wholeheartedly as she stepped forward to give an encouraging smile of her own. "You're allowed to be angry and bitter about what that Abomination did to us and Equus. That doesn't make you a bad person or unworthy of being the Bearer of Kindness, it just makes you a pony. Same as the rest of us."

Fluttershy stared at all of them for a moment before nodding and taking a deep breath as she visibly pulled herself together.

"Thank you girls," she said quietly as she wiped her eyes clean and graced them all with a small but utterly radiant smile as gratitude shined from her spirit like the sun. "I'm really sorry that I'm still going on about this after all this time. It's just… I'm just so unused to having this much anger and hatred inside me, and…"

"None of us are, Flutters. We were all really messed up after Equus was destroyed, and probably always will be" Rainbow reminded her grimly as all four mares grimaced at both the memory and the blunt truth in that statement before the blue alicorn gave her yellow counterpart an understanding look. "And we all know you took it harder than anyone else because of just how much you care."

Twilight sighed.

That was certainly true.

Poor Fluttershy had been practically inconsolable after the death of the their world and all the creatures on it, the creatures she loved so much, and it had only been the unyielding support of her friends and the fact that they needed her just as much as she needed them that had allowed her to finally climb out of her funk.

Even still, the scars ran deep.

Very deep.

For all of them…

"But that's ok. That just means that despite everything, you're still the same Fluttershy we all know and love," the blue alicorn continued confidently as Fluttershy gave her a thankful smile in turn before Rainbow's signature cocky smirk returned in full force. "And besides, you won't have to hold onto all that hate and anger much longer anyway. At the rate we're going, we'll be ready to kick that monster's sorry flank into the next century just in time for the big rematch. Seriously, that overgrown parasite barely beat us and Discord the first time, and has no idea we're even doing this in the first place. Trust me Flutters, the Abomination's's days are numbered. And once we're done with it, it'll never hurt anyone ever again."

"Darn tootin it won't."

The four mares all turned to see the other three of their number rapidly trotting towards them wearing determined and concerned expressions in equal measure.

"You alright hun?" Applejack asked without preamble the second they were close enough as the yellow alicorn let out a small sigh under the Element of Honesty's penetrating gaze before nodding an affirmative.

"Alright as I can be, I suppose, Applejack," Fluttershy answered sincerely with a small but reassuring smile, knowing full well how pointless it was to try and lie to the farmpony-turned-alicorn, before glancing over at Twilight, Pinkie, and Rainbow with a grateful look. "Or at least, I am now. Thank you girls."

"That's what friends are for, Fluttershy," the purple alicorn said warmly as she and her yellow counterpart shared a quick nuzzle before turning to Applejack, Starlight, and Rarity. "So how did everything go you three?"

Applejack smirked as she exchanged a glance with the other two mares.

"Pretty good I reckon," she replied proudly in her signature southern twang as she gestured to the long orange horn sticking out of her flowing blonde mane. "Took me awhile, but I think I've finally managed to learn enough of your fancy unicorn speak to use this here horn of mine for more than just blasting the tar out of whatever nasty varmint I'm fighting."

Twilight and Starlight both chuckled lightly at the good-natured jab.

"Indeed," Rarity chimed in with an amused titter of her own as the pure white alicorn nodded in agreement with her orange counterpart. "While I always fancied myself a decent spellcaster with my own magic before all this dreadful business with that accursed beast started, I don't think I ever quite appreciated just how difficult mastering higher level spells was until I was forced to attempt it myself. Especially given just how easy you and Starlight make it look, Twilight. You two truly are in a class of your own, darlings."

The two mares in question both smiled softly at that.

"Oh I don't know about that Rarity," Starlight replied modestly with a light blush before giving Applejack and Rarity a proud and encouraging smile. "Besides, you two really shouldn't sell yourselves so short. Given both your backgrounds and our complete lack of any dedicated magical training facilities, the amount of progress you two have made so far is nothing short of amazing. Especially you AJ."

The orange alicorn just waved her off.

"Don't go trying to make it out like I'm some sort of genius now, Starlight," Applejack drawled airily in a modest voice of her own. "While it's nice to know I'm not completely hopeless with this thing, I'll never be the sorceress you and Twi are. Besides, while I'll admit this magic stuff can be dang useful now that I can do it myself, I still prefer a good old-fashioned buck over anything else. I didn't spend 50 years on the farm bucking apple trees and busting my flank every day just to let it all go to waste now that I'm some kind of Super Alicorn."

Rainbow Dash laughed.

"I heard that sister!" she crowed in wholehearted agreement before the two mares shared an enthusiastic hoof bump while the others all looked on with fond amusement as Twilight let out a happy little sigh at the display of camaraderie.

After all the horror they'd seen, all the indescribable pain and loss they'd suffered, it truly was a relief to see that, despite everything, their friendship remained as strong as it ever was.

That was the one thing the Abomination could never take away from them.

Never.

Rainbow allowed everypony to relax and shoot the breeze with each other for a few more minutes before clearing her throat and giving everyone a serious expression as her face firmed once again, effectively signaling to her friends it was time to get back to business.

"Alright everypony, breaks over. As much as I love seeing you girls ready to kick flank and take names, we've still got work to do. And I want to try and get one more practice session in before we get pulled back to our bodies," the blue alicorn said briskly as everypony immediately sobered up and nodded before she jerked her head off to the side. "Twi, Star, with me."

The two mares nodded before following Rainbow a short distance away and the three deities began discussing everything they'd seen during their friends' spars in hushed voices.

The blue alicorn was unbelievably thorough in questioning Twilight and Starlight on any mistakes they'd spotted in their friends spellcasting while also providing her own input when she could, and it didn't take them long to start narrowing down areas they could improve under Rainbow Dash's careful direction.

The former Wonderbolt Captain truly was absolutely invaluable in the Bearers quest to fully master their new powers, possibly even more so than Twilight and Starlight themselves.

Out of all of them, Rainbow Dash was the only one with formal military and martial arts training, as well as the one with the most experience actually teaching ponies how to use their innate gifts to fight and preparing them for the rigors of combat.

But more than anything, the blue alicorn was the only one among their group Twilight would describe as a real Fighter.

While the former Queen of Equestria knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that all her friends were strong and capable in their own ways and would fight to protect themselves and those they cared about with everything they had if necessary, she also knew that none of them save Rainbow were truly Warriors at heart.

Twilight might have been one of the most powerful and skilled sorceresses Equestria had ever produced, but her true calling had always been as a scholar and teacher.

There was nothing she loved more than learning and teaching new things simply for the sake of expanding Knowledge, and she knew that Starlight felt the same way.

She would never have left her one-time-enemy-turned-student-and-friend in charge of the School of Friendship otherwise, and the lilac alicorn had surpassed her expectations as the school's Headmare many times over.

Likewise, Applejack was a farmpony through and through who was far more at home wielding her great strength to work the fields of Sweet Apple Acres than take down foes on the battlefield, and Rarity would much rather use her peerless mastery of telekinesis to create stunning dresses and other works of art than ever harm anyone with it.

And Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie…

Twilight had to fight back a sigh.

She knew they hated this most of all.

Their entire reason for being was to spread joy, laughter, and kindness to every living creature as far and wide as possible.

To be forced to use the immense power they'd been given to instead bring death and destruction to anyone, even an Abomination as foul as that gluttonous beast…

…went directly against the very core of their beings.

And yet, they both persisted regardless…

…

In any event, out of all of them, only Rainbow Dash had always felt truly at home in a fight.

She was far and away the most aggressive, decisive, and quick-witted of them all, and both her athletic ability and love of heroics were the stuff of legends before Equus's destruction.

Combine that with age, experience, and hard-won discipline tempering both her youthful brashness and mammoth ego, and it was little wonder the blue alicorn eventually grew to be the finest Captain the Wonderbolts had ever seen until that fateful battle with the Abomination.

Hence why all the Guardians of Harmony deferred to her judgement on matters like this, even if Twilight had always traditionally been their leader.

A decision that had thus far proved wise, as Rainbow was quickly able to formulate new training regimes for each and every one of their friends with Twilight and Starlight's input before heading back over to their waiting friends.

And as the lavender alicorn watched her blue counterpart quickly and concisely explain their new regimes to Pinkie, Rarity, Applejack, and Fluttershy while the four mares listened with rapt attention, Twilight couldn't help but feel another pang of sadness and regret in her chest.

If only they'd gone through such training before the Abomination's arrival, Equus would likely still be standing right now.

Shining Armor and Tempest Shadow had both put forth the idea of putting all the Guardians of Harmony through formal military training before, but they and Cadence had brushed them off with the rationale that their wits, natural talents, and the Elements of Harmony had always been enough before, and would be enough in the future.

Celestia and Luna had both been a bit more understanding of Shining and Tempest's position due to growing up in the dark times before the thousand years of peace Equestria enjoyed under the former's rule, but had been reluctant to force the issue due to not wanting Twilight and her friends to go through anything similar to what they'd gone through in their youth, and so had left the final decision up to their successors.

And for the longest time, it seemed the six of them had been correct.

Even when the Elements of Harmony had been irreversibly destroyed by Sombra, the Guardians had still managed to pull through and defeat both him and Tirek, Chrysalis, and Cozy Glow for good.

And with all the greatest evils in the land vanquished, peace and friendship established between all the various races of Equus, and the reality-bending Lord of Chaos firmly on their side at long, long last, putting themselves through Boot Camp "just in case" had seemed even more silly and unnecessary than ever.

Until the Abomination had arrived, that is…

Twilight's face tightened imperceptibly as she continued listening to Rainbow's instructions.

Intellectually speaking, she and her friends all knew they couldn't be blamed for what had befallen their home.

Not even Discord in his wildest fever dreams could have ever anticipated their world coming under siege from a horrifically powerful interdimensional Eldritch Abomination from beyond the stars.

Especially one that could bend the Laws of Reality without so much as a drop of magic.

The very idea was unlikely in the extreme.

Heck, even the beast itself had only stumbled upon their world through sheer dumb luck on it's part.

And when they had finally understood the nature of their enemy, Twilight, Discord, and their friends had all given everything they had trying to stop that accursed parasite from destroying everything they held dear.

As had all the other creatures of Equus…

So yes, intellectually, the lavender alicorn knew she and her friends couldn't be blamed for what had happened.

But that still didn't stop each and every one of them from feeling like a complete and utter failure.

Like they could have done more.

Because the sad truth of it was… if they had listened to Shining and Tempest's suggestion sooner… before it was too late…

…they would have won.

…

"Twilight," Rainbow's stern voice cut immediately through Twilight's funk, and the lavender alicorn turned to see her blue counterpart giving her a firm, knowing look that was both chastising and sympathetic in equal measure. "Come on. It's your and Starlight's turn."

Twilight took a deep breath before giving the other mare a determined nod and a grateful smile.

Leave it to Rainbow to keep everyone focused and on task when the chips were down.

She truly had grown so much.

They all had.

"Right," Twilight agreed briskly as she and Starlight walked a short distance away to take their positions, making sure to give the rest of her friends a reassuring smile while she did so.

Rainbow and Applejack took up positions across from them, Pinkie, Rarity, and Fluttershy taking a moment to provide the orange alicorn with a boost of energy to restore her to full strength before flying off and erecting a barrier around themselves in preparation for the coming battle.

"Remember you two. No spells or fancy tricks. Nothing but your hooves, wings, and horns," the blue alicorn reminded them briskly before glancing at her partner. "You ready AJ?"

Applejack gave a smirk that sent slight shivers of apprehension down the two sorceresses spines as she ominously cracked her two front hooves.

"Yes ma'am. You know I'm always up for a good old-fashioned hoedown RD," the orange alicorn replied confidently as she and Rainbow briefly shared a malicious look while Twilight and Starlight both groaned internally.

This was payback for them forcibly cramming semester's worth of magical knowledge into the two, ah, nonacademic mares' heads in such a short time, they just knew it.

Reap what you sow, Twilight, Twilight thought sullenly too herself before drawing herself up and sharing a determined look with Starlight before they both lowered themselves into an aggressive fighting stance, pawing the ground for good measure.

"I'm ready to dance when you are Applejack," Twilight shot back challengingly as she and the lilac alicorn beside her flared their wings. "I think you and Rainbow will find that Starlight and I have improved quite a bit since last time."

"Yeah, bring it on you two," Starlight agreed wholeheartedly as she stared down the two amused deities without a hint of fear. "We'll show you just how much better we've gotten."

Rainbow and Applejack both shared a wry look.

"Looking forward to it," the blue alicorn drawled in a voice that was both cocky and impressed in equal measure as she gave her two friends an approving look before her face firmed and she and Applejack both assumed fighting stances. "Rarity, you sound us off."

That last brisk command was spoken in a booming voice as Rainbow and Applejack's eyes suddenly lit up with unearthly power when they flared their magic as their opponents did the same, and the air between the four deities grew thick and heavy and crackled with lightning while they faced off against each other.

The brief silence between them seemed to stretch on for an eternity as Twilight and Starlight stared down the blue and orange alicorns with ferocious scowls, determined to improve and shore up the weaknesses that had cost them the first battle with the Abomination, until…

"BEGIN!"

And the entire Other shook as the four alicorns clashed in a blistering series of multicolored streaks.

Author's Notes:

Hi everyone!

Got another fic for you all!

One more hopeful and wholesome thing time.

I hope you like it and please make sure to comment, post constructive criticism, amd spread the word if you can so I can continue to improve as a writer.

I also want to give a big Shoutout to SirWill and his amazing fic Queen of Blood.

It was a huge inspiration for me when writing this story, particularly the amazing "I laughed. I Burned. I laughed. I Burned." backstory he came up with to explain how the Castlevania elements of his crossover got to the Worm side.

Such an inspiration that I would have asked him for permission for how heavily I'm borrowing from it if I unfortunately was not allowed on SB at the moment.

So I'm going to do the next best thing and put this acknowledgement front and center and tell everyone to go read Queen of Blood now if you haven't already.

It's amazing and complete.

Thank you for your readership.

 

[King of Terror]

Prologue Part 2:

Twilight let out a gasp of pain as she was immediately assaulted by a lance of indescribable agony the second she regained consciousness upon returning to her body from the Other, which was swiftly followed a maddeningly irritating itching sensation in her head as an alien presence furiously, almost desperately, clawed at her mind.

The lavender alicorn was currently suspended inside some kind of of strange, crystalline prison, held aloft by thick, glowing chains and shackles that bound every inch of her body, with an especially large ring around her horn, as the space around her seemed to twist and warp in impossible ways and the crystal walls flashed and glowed with strange, eldritch patterns of light.

Twilight grimaced as the pain and the assault on her mind doubled and not for the first time cursed her inability to bring the full brunt of her magic to bear.

The chains holding her fast were a crude imitation of the Equestrian Magic Disabling Spell designed to restrain Unicorn criminals and other powerful magical creatures, and while they were wildly inefficient compared to the real deal on their own, the chain's shortcomings were largely overcome by the sheer amount of raw power being pumped into them, though Twilight was still confident she could have broken out under normal circumstances.

Between her own massive raw power and near-peerless mastery of true Magic, it should have been child's play, really.

There was only so much sheer strength could compensate for shoddy spellwork, after all.

That was the first lesson all Unicorns were taught in school.

Unfortunately, their foe was nothing if not adaptable, and had quickly caught on to the second lesson all Unicorns were taught once the flaws in it's weapon became apparent.

Namely, that casting spells required concentration and focus, and the more complex the spell, the more of each was required.

And once the Abomination had figured that out, it had ruthlessly exploited that limitation by devising a cruel, but ingeniously simple solution.

Everytime the lavender alicorn and her friends returned to consciousness, the imprisoned deities would all be subjected to brutal, agonizing pain while their minds were relentlessly assaulted by the Abomination in an attempt to steal the magical knowledge it sought straight from the source.

The torture was different each time.

First, they'd all felt like their bodies had been set on fire.

Then they'd been subjected to a sensation akin to thousands of razor sharp needles slowly being driven into their flesh.

After that had been the feeling of molten copper being poured down their throats.

And on and on it went.

The Abomination seemed to have no limit to the creative tortures it could throw at them to make sure they didn't become desensitized to the pain.

Today it seemed like the accursed parasite had opted to go with making them all feel like they were being viciously savaged by a pack of wild beasts as invisible claws and fangs mercilessly tore at their flesh.

And all the while, that maddening sensation of the Abomination trying to drill into her mind to steal her hard-earned knowledge and expertise never once abated, absolutely ceaseless in its attempts to find the solution to the problem that had stubbornly eluded it's wretched kind for so long.

As if that would ever happen even if she did give in.

Fool.

Twilight grit her teeth as the pain and the assault on her mind increased yet again.

Credit where credit was due.

As crude and barbaric as this prison was, it was undoubtedly effective.

With all her attention occupied fighting through the pain and trying to keep the Abomination from breaking into her mind, the lavender alicorn was completely unable to muster the concentration necessary to cast the spells that would free her from these damned chains.

And, if Twilight was being honest with herself, if it had just been her, trying to fight off the Abomination day in and day out all by herself, she likely would have long since given up by now.

Fortunately, she wasn't alone.

Her face scrunching up as she mustered every bit of willpower she could spare, the lavender alicorn reached deep within herself until six brilliantly shining stars each radiating a familiar color suddenly appeared within her mind's eye, and Twilight smirked as she reached out to them, and they to her.

Newfound strength and vitality filled her being the second she made contact, and the lavender alicorn smiled in triumph at the way the other six stars lit up like Hearth's Warming Trees as the agonizing pain seemed to fade into the background before gathering her mental strength and lashing out at the alien presence still trying fruitlessly to drill into her mind.

The Abomination briefly recoiled as if struck before renewing it's assault with renewed vigor, Frustration, Annoyance, and Confusion radiating from the parasite in waves as it's seven prisoners continued to stand strong and deny it at every turn despite the incredible pain they were in and the extensive measures it had taken to stop them from coming to each other's aid.

The Abomination had learned well from their last battle, where the Guardians of Harmony had demonstrated quite effectively just how dangerous they were when they fought together, and so when the parasite had finally managed to subdue and capture them it had made damn sure to keep the seven deities far apart.

Very far apart.

Given everything she'd learned about the Abomination so far, Twilight was quite certain she and her friends were each in entirely different dimensions at the moment, and under normal circumstances there's no way in Tartarus they ever would have been able to reach out to each other like this.

Fortunately for all of them, the special mystical bond that had been forged between the six Bearers of Harmony on that fateful day Rainbow Dash had performed the legendary Sonic Rainboom, the bond that Starlight also now shared ever since they'd ascended to their current state, remained as strong and stalwart as ever even after all these decades and the destruction of their world.

Time, Space, and Dimensional Barriers meant nothing to such a bond, and from it the Guardians were all able to support and draw Strength from each other and the connection they all shared.

A Strength that allowed them to fight against the Abomination even now that they were beaten, chained, and totally at its nonexistent mercy.

A Strength the parasite would never understand no matter how much time passed or technical knowledge it stole.

That was another thing the lavender alicorn had learned during their war with this wretched beast.

While she still didn't have the slightest clue how it was possible, Twilight was nonetheless absolutely certain that the Abomination and all the strange, mind boggling powers it had displayed were all firmly rooted in the physical world, and did not use so much as a drop of magic in their operation.

Which she supposed made sense, in hindsight.

The entire reason the parasite had laid siege to their world in the first place was because it completely lacked magic and wanted to steal it for itself and the rest of its kind.

Like an entire race of Tireks.

If Tirek was an Eldritch Horror straight out of H.P. Ponycraft's worst nightmares.

Unfortunately for the Abomination, being so deeply entrenched in the physical realm was one of the biggest reasons why it would never succeed in it's endeavor.

For Magic was not a power born of the physical.

It was a power born of the soul, an expression of the very core of a person's being brought forth and fueled by the lifeforce that flowed through all living creatures.

Such things were completely anathema to the parasite, which is why it couldn't fathom how the lavender alicorn and her friends were still able to connect with and draw strength from each other despite it's best efforts to stop them.

Nor could it understand how their minds and spirits were always able to escape beyond its reach every time they fell unconscious by retreating to the Other.

Not that it hadn't tried.

Twilight could still remember clear as day the horrors that had resulted from the Abomination's attempts to bend the Magic of Harmony to its will…

***

Twilight Sparkle, Queen of Equestria and Head of the Council of Friendship, glared coldly at the disgusting creature lying in a hospital bed on the other side of the window.

She was currently in the Dungeon Infirmary of Cadence's Castle in the Crystal Empire, and the donkey jack being held prisoner here was under heavy guard, with a full squadron of heavily-armored Crystal Knights all armed to the teeth standing watch at all times just waiting for the slightest sign of danger to cut the donkey to ribbons.

Under normal circumstances, the lavender alicorn would have thought the security measures rather excessive, especially given the prisoner's current condition and the fact he was under a spell constantly keeping him asleep.

Now though, the only reason Twilight hadn't demanded more guards was because they literally couldn't fit any more Knights in here without getting in the Doctors way.

"And he's the one behind all the disappearances that have been happening lately?" she asked coolly in a voice of tightly controlled anger as her eyes narrowed at the way the unconscious jack shifted in his cot as if he could feel the Queen's burning anger bearing down on him.

"Yes Auntie Twilight," the young light pink alicorn mare beside her answered quietly as she also glared daggers at the jack, anger, hatred, and disgust coloring her voice in equal measure.

Along with just the tiniest sliver of fear.

The lavender alicorn immediately draped a wing protectively over Flurry Heart's back as she fought down the furious spike of rage that welled up within her in favor of giving her niece a proud and reassuring smile.

"You did great Flurry," Twilight assured Flurry gently as she leaned down to give the young Princess a tender nuzzle which she happily returned. "Your mother, father, and I taught you well. That disgusting wretch never stood a chance."

Flurry Heart smiled weakly at her Aunt and hid bashfully behind her swirling purple and blue mane as the lavender alicorn's face once again grew thunderous as she returned to giving the donkey a murderous glare while her horn sparked dangerously.

On the surface, he didn't look like much.

His name was Edward, and he was a completely unremarkable donkey jack aside from some rather… unflattering facial features that hadn't been helped by the savage beating her niece had given him.

Twilight wasn't fooled, however.

She'd learned long ago just how much appearances could be deceiving.

Especially nowadays…

The lavender alicorn's horn sparked dangerously again as she once more thought about what the walking pile of filth lying in that bed had tried to do to her beloved niece, before forcibly reigning herself in as she reminded herself that, as bad as it was for her, it had to be a million times worse for Cadence and Shining Armor.

She only had to glance to her side at Flurry's parents to see that.

Twilight didn't think she'd ever seen her usually unceasingly kind and loving sister-in-law look so positively livid and downright ferocious as she glared bloody murder at Edward and bared her teeth in a painful looking rictus, audibly grinding them against each other and letting out a constant stream of sparks from her horn.

The lavender alicorn's older brother was more composed, but no less angry.

Like his soldiers, the large, middle-aged unicorn stallion was decked out in full gear and resembled a statue more than the King of the Crystal Empire and the Captain of it's Guard for all the emotion he showed as he stared unblinkingly at the imprisoned donkey, the occasional spark from his horn the only sign of the boiling anger he was hiding beneath the surface.

Shining had not left the Dungeons ever since they had brought in Edward three days ago, and Twilight knew her BBFF would continue to personally guard the donkey until he had been tried and punished for his horrific crimes.

A polite and slightly awkward cough rang out, and as one the lavender alicorn and her family all turned to regard the other two occupants in the room.

Two royal changelings, one a tall, green and orange male Twilight's height and the other a dark and purple male that was somewhat shorter but still somehow significantly more imposing than his larger companion.

Both of whom were looking rather confused and uncertain as to why they were here.

"Um guys? I don't mean to be rude since this is clearly really important to you, but would anyone mind explaining what's going on and why we're here?" King Thorax of the Changelings asked uncertainly as he gave Edward a cautious and concerned look while his shorter older brother snorted impatiently beside him.

"Yeah, we busted our flanks getting down here after your messenger barged into Thorax's throne room and all but demanded our presence without telling us why," General Pharynx growled irritably with an annoyed glare, blunt and to-the-point as ever as his brother sighed in resigned exasperation beside him. "And we do still have a kingdom to run, in case you've forgotten, so I would appreciate it if you all would enlighten us as to why you dragged us here all the way out from the Badlands for some random donkey."

"Because that 'random donkey' is a 'Gifted' that tried to use his foul powers to ensorcel my daughter and add her to his harem of brainwashed sex slaves!" Cadence snapped furiously as she rounded on Pharynx with a thunderous scowl as the two changelings stepped back in surprise.

"...Excuse me?" Thorax questioned coolly after the shock had worn off, anger and incredulity coloring his tone in equal measure as his and the General's faces rapidly began to darken.

"Edward is a 'Gifted' whose power allows him to manipulate the emotions of anyone within a certain range to a degree that rivals some of most powerful brainwashing spells on record," Shining Armor replied in a cold, brisk manner as he finally tore his gaze away from the prisoner to give the two angrily buzzing Changelings a stern, serious look. "Anyone that comes under his thrall becomes religiously, suicidally devoted to him and will do anything he asks without question or hesitation, up to and including murder and throwing their own lives away just to please him."

"And he decided to use this power to kidnap and enthrall several beautiful and influential mares to be his servants and glorified sex toys," Cadence spat in a voice of pure and utter loathing as the normally pink fur around her face darkened into a light shade of red. "Apparently the shameless, disgusting little pervert believed he was entitled to their unquestioning loyalty and devotion after being spurned his entire life for his less-than-stellar looks. Because it seems doing a bit of self-reflection and trying to improve his personality instead was too much to bear for this narcissistic bastard's ego."

"Mom…" Flurry Heart whispered sadly as she watched her mother furiously vent with a deeply concerned expression while her aunt laid a comforting hoof on her shoulder.

Honestly, it really wasn't surprising Cadence was taking this so badly.

Even setting aside that Flurry was her daughter, as difficult as that was, Cadence was the Queen of Love.

Such vile acts perverted and went against everything she stood for and believed in.

And for someone to attempt such things with her own daughter…

Twilight could imagine no greater insult.

"Fortunately for everyone, Edward seriously underestimated both the power of an alicorn and just how well Flurry here has learned the lessons Shining, Cadence, and I have taught her," she interjected warmly with a proud smile at her niece, who smiled back shyly. "So she was able to quickly fight off his attempts to brainwash her when he and his thralls tried to ambush her and her guards. After that, subduing them and rescuing the rest of his victims was a simple matter."

"It really wasn't that hard," Flurry Heart admitted sheepishly as she rubbed the back of her head with a modest expression. "The idiot literally just strutted up to us in broad daylight acting like he was an old friend of mine before asking me to come with him. I still remember the look on his stupid, smug face when I ordered my guards to arrest him after I felt something trying to worm its way into my mind. Granted, it was a bit of a shock when they all grabbed me instead while I was distracted trying to fight off his mind control, but after I bucked them off I was able to trap them and Edward's thralls in a crystal prison. After that all I had to do was chase him down and… 'convince' him to give up the locations of the rest of his slaves."

Pharynx let out a short bark of laughter at that.

"Not bad kid," he said with an amused grin, impressed despite himself. "It's nice to see that these times of peace and all this lovey-dovey friendship stuff hasn't made you ponies go completely soft."

Flurry Heart chuckled and rolled her eyes at the good-natured ribbing.

"Come on General Pharynx. Do you honestly think Mom and Dad wouldn't make damn sure I could defend myself and fight off mind control after you Changelings ruined their wedding?" she shot back cheekily as the Changeling General smirked and shrugged his shoulders with a "guilty as charged" look on his face. "Now if I could only convince them and Auntie Twilight that I'm more than capable of taking care of myself. They haven't stopped worrying ever since I brought Edward in."

Cadence and Shining both sighed.

"Flurry, we're your parents. We'll always worry about you. No matter how strong you get," the Queen of Love admonished gently as she put her hoof under her daughter's chin with a tender expression.

"I know that Mom," Flurry said in an exasperated tone as she tried to hide her appreciation behind her embarrassment. "But you haven't stopped following me around for the last three days! And Dad's been practically living down here doing nothing but staring at that pig ever since I got back! Not to mention you dragged Auntie Twilight into this too! Seriously, there was no need for her to teleport here all the way from Canterlot looking like she was about to blast the castle to pieces!"

The lavender alicorn in question huffed and stuck her nose in the air.

"Well excuse me for being worried about my niece almost getting raped," she replied haightily as said niece groaned.

"But I wasn't almost raped! He never even got close!" Flurry protested indignantly, only for Thorax to cough to get everypony's attention once again.

"As glad as we are to see that Flurry Heart is safe, I do have to ask… what about Edward's other victims?" Thorax asked with a concerned expression as everypony's faces immediately grew sad at the question.

"They're… stable, for now," Shining answered slowly as he glanced uncomfortably off to the side. "We had to get a bit creative with the anti-mind control spells to break Edward's brainwashing and deal with a few… 'incidents', but we were eventually able to snap them out of it."

"But they're all extremely traumatized from their ordeal. From the… things Edward made them do. It'll probably take them years to recover, if they ever do" Cadence chimed in sadly, the disgust and hatred for the donkey in her voice warring with the concern she had for her subjects as Thorax winced and Pharynx grimaced, before the Queen of Love took a deep breath. "And… several of them are also pregnant…"

Thorax cringed again as the Changeling General's scowl deepened.

"...What will you do with them?" the Changeling King asked after a long, uncomfortable pause as Cadence let out an explosive sigh and rubbed her face tiredly.

"They will all be put up for adoption. As painful as this situation is, none of those mares want to raise that bastard's children after what he did to them, and I will not force them too," she answered wearily before her face firmed and she stood up with fiery determination in her eyes. "But I will be personally ensuring that each and every one of those little mules goes to a good home when they're born. I will raise them myself if I have to, but I will not allow those children to suffer for the sins of their father."

The two changeling royals nodded slowly as they studiously ignored the uncomfortable expressions that flashed across Shining and Flurry's faces at that declaration before Pharynx glanced disdainfully at the imprisoned Eddie.

"And the pervert?" he asked coldly as Cadence's face hardened into an utterly expressionless mask.

"Will be executed," she answered in a short, clipped, utterly emotionless tone icy enough to freeze Tartarus over as everyone in the room shivered slightly at the sudden chill in the air. "Even setting aside the fact that Flurry is my daughter, Edward is a murderer and serial rapist who also committed the crime of High Treason by assaulting and attempting to kidnap a member of the Royal Family with the express purpose of turning her into another one of his sex slaves. His guilt is beyond question, and were it not for the Sacred Oath I swore to always uphold the laws of this kingdom, I would have already gelded him with my horn and thrown him to his former victims to do with as they pleased. As it stands, the Headspony's Axe after we figure out a way for him to stand trial will have to do."

The Changeling General whistled as everyone else eyed the usually compassionate and merciful Queen of Love nervously at her ruthless declaration, and Twilight made a mental note to never make her former foalsitter truly angry.

"Good riddance. Make sure the press get to cover the pervert's trial and execution. We can use him as an example to keep the other 'Gifted' from getting any ideas," Pharynx said approvingly as his brother groaned and even Cadence looked somewhat uncomfortable at the idea.

"Pharynx, we've talked about this! Not all of the Gifted are evil. We can't just go around trying to terrorize and marginalize them into submission! That'll just make even more Gifted and cause them all to hate us!" Thorax groused in a long-suffering voice as the Changeling General growled in annoyance.

"And I've told you Thorax, the Gifted might not all be evil, but they are becoming a problem," Pharynx immediately snapped back with a harsh glare. "Crime has been on the rise ever since they started popping up ten years ago because they won't stop abusing their powers to take over the local gangs or play warlord, and even the 'good' ones are usually more trouble than they're worth because they're all mentally damaged basket cases that can't stop flaunting their powers and fighting each other every chance they get. Not to mention that we still have no idea where their powers came from, how they work, or why they all have to go through Tartarus first to get them, and don't even get me started on the Lost. No, I can feel it in my gut Thorax. Something fishy is going on here. Evil or not, the Gifted cannot be trusted. Hay, the only reason we have to call them that in the first place is to assuage the magicless races egos, and quite frankly I'm getting tired of pandering to those insecure fools. Something needs to be done about this, and fast."

The lavender alicorn grimaced at the Changeling General's rather blunt assessment of the current situation with the Gifted as everyone else made various noises and expressions of discomfort.

While she personally felt Pharynx was being rather overly harsh and cynical towards the Gifted, Twilight still couldn't deny that there was nonetheless a lot of truth in his words.

Despite their best efforts they did still know very little about the Gifted's unique powers and many of them did cause trouble with their gifts or choose to use them for evil.

The lavender alicorn could still remember the excitement and sense of wonder she'd felt in those early days when the Gifted had first been brought to her attention.

King Rutherford had brought a little yak calf named Yvor for her to examine after he had seemingly manifested magic of his own, something previously thought impossible for the magicless race.

The poor thing's family had been coming back from a trip to the Crystal Empire when they had been attacked by a yeti, and his parents had both been killed trying to buy time for the calf to escape.

The savage beast had relentlessly stalked and chased Yvor for hours, unwilling to let even a single one of its prey escape, before finally cornering him far away from any possible help.

That's when a miracle had seemingly happened.

Just before the calf was about to perish in the jaws of the yeti, he had apparently manifested a powerful magical ability out of nowhere, transforming into a huge iron berserker that had easily been able to slay the beast that had taken his family from him.

Twilight had been absolutely ecstatic despite the tragic circumstances, especially when even more Gifted had started being brought before her from representatives of the other magicless races.

Not only was the chance to study an entirely new branch of magic that was just beginning to emerge an opportunity that most researchers could only dream of, it also represented a golden opportunity to bring the races of Equus even closer together.

While the lavender alicorn and her friends had all made great strides in improving relations between the various races of the world, they all knew some tensions remained despite their best efforts.

Born from the natural fear and envy the races without magic of their own like the Yaks, Abyssians, and Diamond Dogs had for the incredible powers magic afforded Ponies and other magical species such as the Dragons and the Changelings.

Twilight had hoped that by helping to nurture the burgeoning magic of the Gifted, she and her friends could finally put an end to that long-standing resentment once and for all.

That had been when the problems had started.

The first odd thing the lavender alicorn and her researchers had noticed about the Gifted's powers was that they were all unique to each individual.

While it was true that each magic race's powers manifested in different manners and individuals could often wield those powers in their own special way, they all nonetheless tended to follow a certain "theme", for lack of a better word.

Earth Ponies were stronger and more resilient than the rest of their pony kin, had a deep connection to the land, and often produced incredibly skilled craftsponies.

Pegasi, Griffins, and Hippogriffs could fly and manipulate clouds and the weather.

Unicorns could shape their magic to cast a dizzying array of spells.

Changelings were shapeshifters extraordinaire.

Dragons wielded incredible size and strength, had the toughest hides of any creature on Equus, could digest just about anything, and breathed powerful gouts of flame.

Seaponies and Sirens could breathe underwater, command the waves to do their bidding, and, in the latter's case, hypnotize any creature that heard their song.

And on and on it went.

Yet, despite how wonderfully unique and varied each race's magic could get, all of them without question occupied a certain niche, and any variations the individuals of a species came up with always operated strictly within the limits of said niche.

Not so with the Gifted.

While they could manifest powers that were similar to each other, not only were the exact specifics of each individual power always different without fail, they all seemed to be almost completely random.

There was no recognizable pattern, no easily identifiable set of "racial abilities" that started to emerge.

Instead, the strength, type, and exact specifics of a Gifted's unique abilities all seemed to come down to pure, blind luck, with no way to predict when they would emerge or what they would be until it actually happened.

About the only concrete pattern Twilight and her team had been able to narrow down was that a Gifted's powers would only awaken in response to an extremely traumatic event of some kind, and that they all developed some kind of odd structure in their brains after their Awakening that seemed to be responsible for controlling their new abilities.

Which was… rather unfortunate.

Especially after many of the more foolish members of the magicless races started deliberately putting themselves in dangerous situations trying to force an Awakening once that information became public knowledge, typically to no avail.

Poor Starlight practically had an aneurysm trying to stop many of her students from charging off into the jaws of the Everfree trying to get cool new powers like their magical classmates along with the rest of the school staff, and things eventually got to the point that Twilight, her friends, and representatives from the other races had all had to personally intervene and tell the students in no uncertain terms that a small chance to get powers was not worth throwing their lives away.

Especially since they still knew so little about them.

Regardless, the lavender alicorn had continued to remain optimistic at first.

After all, having powers that were entirely unique to you wasn't necessarily a bad thing.

In fact, if you thought about it, it wasn't all that different from each pony having a unique special talent.

True, it meant that each of the Gifted would require their own personalized training regime to master their powers rather than any kind of standardized testing method, but that was ok.

Over 30 years of friendship with the Spirit of Chaos and teaching students of all races and cultures had taught her how to roll with the unexpected and tailor her teaching methods to fit what the student needed, so Twilight was confident she and her friends would be able to find a solution.

Until they ran into the second odd thing about the Gifted's powers.

Namely, that they weren't magical.

No matter how hard the lavender alicorn and her researchers tried or how many tests they ran, they were never able to detect so much as a single drop of magic in the Gifted's bodies or when they exercised their powers.

Not a drop.

Twilight had been flabbergasted.

And intrigued, but mostly flabbergasted.

Wielding powers that seemed to defy the very Laws of Physics and Nature themselves with absolutely no magic whatsoever went against everything she knew was possible.

Even Discord, who regularly made a mockery of Physics with a simple snap of his fingers, had been utterly stumped, and that was the point when the lavender alicorn started to get truly worried.

Because that meant they were all dealing with something no creature in the entire history of Equus had ever encountered before.

Something that was altering her beloved students and the innocent people of her world in ways nopony could understand or predict at the absolute lowest points in their lives.

And Twilight's worries only grew as time went on and the other drawbacks that came with being a Gifted started to make themselves increasingly known.

Like the Changeling General had said, even the Gifted that chose to try and use their powers for good had a notable, and often very unhealthy, desire to show off their powers and prove themselves every chance they got, and would become increasingly twitchy and irritable if they were somehow prevented from using their powers.

The ones whose powers lended themselves to craftsponyship easily had it the worst.

The obsessive way they could lose themselves in their work and the complete psychotic breaks they could suffer if they were prevented from tinkering rather uncomfortably reminded the lavender alicorn of herself on her worst days when she was younger.

The Gifted also had a rather concerning tendency to fight and butt heads with each other unless a powerful one established a clear hierarchy first by dominating the others.

Combine all this with the mental trauma that inevitably came with the Awakening and that meant that the Gifted could unfortunately be a rather… volatile bunch if not handled properly.

Nonetheless, Twilight had still been determined to help as many Gifted as she could and get to the bottom of what was causing their strange powers.

She was still a scientist and the Queen of Friendship, after all.

Helping others and deciphering the unknown was her job and her passion, and thankfully she and her friends had had some success in mitigating the worst of the Gifted's problems by using their influence and expertise to set up programs throughout the world's kingdoms to ensure new Gifted would receive the therapy and counseling they needed to get through the aftermath of their Awakening.

They were still people like anypony else at the end of the day, and a kind word and a sympathetic ear could go a long way in helping stabilize the Gifted's issues.

And for a while that seemed like it would be a workable, if incomplete, solution to everpony's dilemma.

That is, until the final nail in the coffin for many people appeared.

The Lost.

The lavender alicorn suppressed an involuntary shudder at the memory of those poor souls.

Ponies, Griffons, Dragons, and other magical creatures of all kinds whose bodies had been warped and twisted in absolutely horrific ways by whatever force was responsible for giving the Gifted their powers, but unlike them the Lost had little to no control over the strange powers they had been "gifted" with.

They were little more than twisted masses of tortured flesh writhing around in agony as their powers ran completely out of control and endangered everypony around them.

Pinkie and Fluttershy had both been absolutely beside themselves trying to find a way to comfort and care for those poor souls, and Twilight had been forced to temporarily delegate her rulership duties to Spike while she frantically ran herself ragged trying to find a cure.

All to no avail.

They still didn't have the slightest clue what was even causing people to become Gifted in the first place or how their strange powers worked, and without that crucial piece of knowledge all their attempts to find a cure were effectively dead in the water before they even began.

Not that they hadn't tried regardless.

They had.

They had tried everything.

Every Healing Spell and Magical Remedy Zecora, Meadowbrook, and the finest Doctors from all over the world could cook up.

Every Transmutation method available to turn the Lost back to their original forms or even just entirely new forms that weren't horrifically mutilated.

They'd even tried the extremely risky procedure of removing the strange brain structure inherent to all Gifted.

Nothing worked.

All their methods were either completely ineffective, a temporary relief before the poor victim was forcibly warped back into a tortured mass of flesh, or caused the Lost to just straight up drop dead on the spot.

Which might have been the kindest fate they could have given them, as much as the lavender alicorn positively loathed to admit.

Pretty much the only thing they'd been able to figure out so far is that whatever was responsible for giving the Gifted their powers, it did not mix well with magic.

All the scans and tests they'd run on the Lost indicated that their internal reserves of magical energy were going absolutely berserk, as if their Inner Magic was desperately fighting against something that was not supposed to be there.

Which had been… rather terrifying to discover.

Even worse had been the massive uproar the Lost had caused when they had been unable to keep their existence a secret any longer.

Whereas before the Gifted had been a source of excitement, and then wary curiosity, now they had become the subject of fear and distrust among the magical races as many were afraid they were cursed or diseased and would spread their infection to others if left unchecked.

And the Guardians of Harmony's attempts to dispel such silly rumors by reminding everyone that the Gifted couldn't be cursed because their powers weren't even magical had unfortunately only bolstered the belief that they were unnatural and untrustworthy.

Many members of the magical races began to actively shun any Gifted they came across, referring to them as the Marked and avoiding them like the Plague, and in a few extreme cases Gifted individuals had been outright attacked by people fearing they and their loved ones were going to be infected and turned into Lost.

Naturally, the Gifted and magicless races had not taken that well, with many perceiving this newfound hostility as simple anger and jealousy that the magical races could no longer lord their magic over their "normal" neighbors, and it had taken Twilight and her friends cashing in all the considerable goodwill they'd built up over the years as the Guardians of Harmony to prevent a major incident from happening.

Especially since, true to Thorax's words, all the hatred, suspicion, and fear being directed at them was only driving more of the Gifted to villainy and causing their numbers to swell noticeably.

The lavender alicorn still had no intention of giving up on them or finding a solution to this conundrum, but even still…

…Pharynx was right.

This was becoming a problem.

That being said…

"I understand your concern, Pharynx. And you're right, something needs to be done before this situation gets any more out of hand," Twilight began in a diplomatic manner, smoothly sliding unobtrusively into the conversation with the ease of long practice as everyone else looked at her before a frown crossed her features. "That being said, I do not believe making a huge spectacle of Edward's execution will help matters the way you think it will. Thorax is right. The Gifted's numbers are already swelling and more and more of them are being driven to villainy thanks to all the fear and suspicion being directed at them. If we do as you suggest, then not only will we further embolden the ones who are actually causing the problem, we will also merely continue to convince the Gifted that the world is out to get them. Hatred breeds hatred and violence only brings more violence."

The Changeling General let out an explosive sigh.

"Look Twilight, I get that you're the Queen of Friendship and all, and that it's your job to always try and see the best in everypony and find peaceful solutions to problems. And I'll even admit you and your friends have had a lot of success using that approach in the past. I should know, I was one of them," he began in a voice that was an odd mix of respectful, exasperated, and self-deprecative as everypony else in the room shared knowing smirks, before Pharynx's face firmed as he continued sternly. "But the fact of the matter is, we're running out of time here. Tensions are rising, crime and raids are up all over the world, and the villainous Gifted are getting bolder by the day. I mean, your niece said it herself. That walking pile of Maulwurf droppings…"

He indicated furiously towards the unconscious jack.

"...literally just tried to kidnap and brainwash an alicorn and the Princess of a Nation in broad daylight so he could turn her into his personal sex trophy. How much longer do you think it's going to take for the other Gifted out there playing warlord to start getting similar ideas if something isn't done soon?"

The lavender alicorn grimaced.

"Don't get me wrong Twilight, I would love it if you and the rest of the Guardians found a non-violent solution to the situation with the Gifted and the Lost, because that would mean less work for me and my troops. But the fact of the matter is, that's not always going to be an option. That's something you've all had to learn before," Pharynx continued firmly as Twilight's frown deepened at the memory of a certain statue locked deep beneath Canterlot Castle before sighing and giving a sad nod. "And it's my job to step in and handle things whenever words or Friendship Lasers won't cut it. And I don't intend to stop now."

"Actually General, finding a solution to the Gifted problem is why we requested your presence here," Cadence cut in smoothly before the lavender alicorn could respond, giving her sister-in-law a supportive look before turning back to the changelings. "For you see, Flurry here noticed something odd while she was apprehending Edward. Something we think might be a clue to solving the mystery of the Gifted. And we wanted your and Twilight's expertise to help decipher it."

Twilight and the Royal Changelings all immediately perked up at that.

"Oh?" the Changeling General inquired with a raised eyebrow as he pinned the young Princess with a scrutinizing gaze.

"Is that true Flurry Heart? You really think you've found something that will help us figure out the gifted?" the lavender alicorn asked in an eager, hopeful voice as Flurry Heart nodded slowly.

"Yes, Auntie Twilight," she confirmed somewhat hesitantly before taking a deep breath to compose herself as both her parents put comforting hooves on her shoulders. "While I was fighting Edward and his thralls I noticed something… odd about the love they were feeling for him."

The young alicorn shuddered.

"It felt… horrible," she said with a disgusted and haunted look in her eyes as the older royals in the room all frowned. "They loved him as much as the most devoted of soul-mates do, but it was all just so… so… fake. Artificial. Controlling. Like someone had infected them all with some kind of horrid love parasite that grew inside them like a cancer until all they could think about was Edward. Helping Edward, Protecting Edward, Pleasing Edward. Nothing else in the whole wide world mattered except Edward, Edward, Edward! Not even them…"

Thorax and Pharynx glanced at each other.

"Well… yeah," the Changeling King replied awkwardly as he rubbed the back of his head. "Using Mind Control to force others to love you always taints it. True Love requires someone to choose to love you of their own free will. That's why we never just kidnapped a bunch of random people, put mind control spells on them, and then shoved them in cocoons when Chrysalis was still in charge. Those kinds of relationships usually take time to develop."

"I know. But hearing about Tainted Love and actually seeing it for myself are two different things King Thorax," Flurry Heart replied quietly as Thorax nodded slowly in understanding. "But regardless, the Tainted Love itself isn't what I found so strange. No, what really caught me off guard was that Edward's power almost seemed like it was trying to… eat it."

Twilight and the two Changeling Royals all blinked.

"...Excuse me?" the Changeling General asked incredulously after a few seconds of silence as his eyes narrowed shrewdly at the young Princess, who shrugged helplessly.

"That's the best way to describe what I saw, General Pharynx," she replied apologetically, looking just as perplexed as everyone else. "Edward seemed to be constantly drawing streams of his thrall's Tainted Love to himself without even realizing it, and those streams always seemed to just vanish into the ether whenever they got close to him. Only to be 'expelled' a few seconds later. Almost like something was… vomiting them up…"

The lavender alicorn's eyebrows rose before she turned to the two changelings.

"Is that possible, you two? Can something feed on Tainted Love?" she questioned skeptically as Pharynx and Thorax both grimaced and shared a dark look.

"Technically yes. But if Edward's power really was trying to eat his thrall's Tainted Love for him like Flurry said, then it's no wonder it was constantly spitting it back out," the Changeling King answered slowly as his face scrunched up unpleasantly. "Not only does that stuff taste absolutely disgusting, it's downright poisonous!"

"Yep," the Changeling General concurred grimly as his eyes glazed over slightly in remembrance. "I remember back in the old days when times got tough and Love was in short supply, some changelings would get desperate enough to try mind controlling any random creature they came across into loving them so they could feed off them. All the poor saps ever accomplished was killing themselves faster. Hay, force feeding someling Tainted Love was one of Chrysalis's favorite execution methods every time changelings started asking too many questions…"

Everyone's faces momentarily darkened at that before Flurry Heart cleared her throat and stepped forward.

"Annnnyyyyway…" she drawled uncomfortably before shooting everyone a questioning look. "That's why I asked Mom and Dad to call you and King Thorax here, General Pharynx. Changelings have the most sophisticated ability to sense emotions of any creature on the planet. So we figured if anyone would be able to help me test my hypothesis… it would be you two."

The young princess glanced at her aunt.

"And Auntie Twilight's the smartest pony I know," Flurry Heart said sweetly with absolute confidence as Twilight smiled warmly in response. "I didn't want to bother her since I knew how busy she was in Canterlot, but now that she's here…"

"I would love to help you Flurry," the lavender alicorn immediately confirmed kindly with a proud smile as she leaned down to give the younger alicorn an affectionate nuzzle. "Especially if it means finally figuring out what's going on with the Gifted. I've been dying to crack that nut ever since I first found out about them."

Twilight's family chuckled knowingly at that dramatic understatement as the mare in question simply rolled her eyes with fond exasperation before her face grew more serious.

"Now then," she said thoughtfully as she put a hoof to her chin and stared hard at Edward, her brilliant mind working a mile a minute while she mulled over this latest conundrum. "How to go about this? We obviously can't let Edward use his power on anypony else again. Even if his actual chances of escape are low with all of us here, there's no way I'm going to let anypony go through what he did to those poor mares again…"

Everyone in the room immediately nodded firmly in agreement.

"Which means we're going to need to use another Gifted," the lavender alicorn continued, musing aloud to herself as she started to pace about while everyone else in the room immediately moved to give her space to think, more than familiar with Twilight's habits after so many years. "Someone else whose power also allows them to induce strong emotions in others. Then we'll need to get them in a situation or environment where we can clearly observe their power in action so we can see if something similar to what Flurry described happens again…"

There was a long stretch of silence as the royals all furiously racked their brains trying to come up with a solution to the lavender alicorn's problem, before Pharynx suddenly let out a dark chuckle.

"I think I got just the guy," he told them all with a savage grin.

***

Twilight watched with a cool expression as the large, struggling Abyssian was loaded into the back of an armored prison wagon by a mixed force of Equestrian Royal Guard and Changeling Soldiers while his followers all screamed in horror and rage.

His name was Slash and he was one of the many up-and-coming Gifted warlords that had been causing trouble throughout the Equestrian Continent, and was by far one of the most successful.

Not only was he a dangerous fighter thanks to his ability to extend the edge of any sharp object he got his hands on, including his own claws, incredible distances, he was also supernaturally charismatic and skilled with words according to Pharynx's reports.

He always seemed to know just what to say to get someone on his side or convince them he was right even if doing so required information he couldn't possibly have acquired beforehand.

He was also a slippery little toad on top of that, seeming to possess a sixth sense for danger and ambushes and being very, very good at figuring out just which buttons to push to goad his enemies into making a crucial mistake.

Such gifts had quickly allowed Slash to amass a large gang of intensely loyal followers of all shapes and sizes in a very short amount of time that he led with frightening efficiency in lightning raids all across the continent, and many feared that if this continued the Abyssian would eventually snowball into a serious military threat.

Fortunately, Slash's power had one critical weakness.

It seemed to be considerably less effective against powerful magical beings, which had gotten the Abyssian into trouble a few times in raids against Equestria and the Dragonlands before he caught on to that fact.

Afterward, Slash had been smart enough to steer well clear of any territories that were known to harbor powerful magical creatures and practitioners, though many suspected he was just biding his time until he'd built up his forces enough to try again the old fashioned way.

How unfortunate for the Abyssian said magical practitioners had decided to come to him instead.

Slash's smug, cheshire cat grin had vanished off his face real quick when arguably the greatest sorceress currently alive had dropped out of the sky to reinforce his latest target backed up by the Queen of Love, the Changelings Greatest Soldier, and a small army of warriors from both Equestria and the Badlands.

He'd still managed to put on quite a show though, spurning his gang forward and urging them not to give up hope and fight to the last in a truly masterful display of oration.

Which honestly would have been quite awe inspiring…

…if the Abyssian wasn't an unrepentant thief and murderer that had already ravaged many peaceful settlements across the continent.

And hadn't conveniently always been in the back of his little army as he urged them forward while he desperately looked for any chance to slip away in the chaos and confusion of the battle.

Short though it was.

The lavender alicorn turned her gaze away from Slash to his surviving followers, who were all bound in chains and cuffs both mundane and magical and under heavy guard from Cadence, Pharynx, and yet more soldiers.

The Changeling General was currently in the form of a huge, mole-like Maulwurf, blood still dripping from his massive claws and enormous, rodent-like incisors as he glared down at the prisoners, letting out ferocious growls every time they got too uppity that quickly silenced them.

While Twilight and her sister-in-law had both opted to use largely non-lethal spells and tactics to subdue Slash's gang, Pharynx and the soldiers they'd brought with them had not bothered.

Neither alicorn held it against them though.

The Guardsponies and Changeling Soldiers did not have the same luxury of raw physical and magical might the royals did, and Pharynx…

…well, he might have accepted the Changelings' new way of life, but he was still a hardened soldier through and through.

Always would be.

He viewed it as his Sworn Duty to destroy the enemies of the Hive and those his people called friends, and he would not forsake that Duty for anyone or anything.

At least he'd remembered to leave enough of them alive for them to examine.

Speaking of which…

The lavender alicorn narrowed her eyes shrewdly while Cadence slowly trotted around the captured prisoners with her horn and eyes aglow, casually ignoring their defiant jeers and catcalls with poised, dignified grace as she and the Changeling General both looked back and forth between them and the wagon where Slash was being held with scrutinizing gazes before at last finishing their examination.

"Take them away," the pink alicorn ordered in a cool, brisk voice as the guards all moved to do just that while she and Pharynx both moved to meet with Twilight, the Changeling General shifting back to his true form as he did so.

"The kid was right," Pharynx said without preamble as soon as they were close enough, a deeply concerned scowl on his features. "Something is definitely trying to use the Gifted to suck up all the Love in the area."

The lavender alicorn frowned.

"You mean Slash's body isn't trying to absorb it?" she asked warily as she eyed the Abyssian's prison wagon with an equally concerned look while the Changeling General shook his head.

"No, I would be able to tell if that were the case because I'd still be able to sense the Love inside of him," Pharynx replied matter-of-factly before his face grew disturbed. "It's almost like the Abyssian is some kind of… hole in my empathetic senses. A big cat-shaped void drawing in any Love that gets too close that just straight up vanishes into the ether when it gets pulled in. I… can't understand it."

The Changeling General trailed off as Twilight shot her sister-in-law a concerned look that only grew when she nodded in support of Pharynx's words.

"But the Love has to be going somewhere! I know the Gifted's powers are strange, but still! Magical Energy doesn't just vanish like that!" the lavender alicorn protested indignantly in a frustrated voice. "And besides, Flurry also said that the Love Edward's power was trying to eat always got expelled after a few seconds! Did either of you see anything like that happening here?"

Cadence and Pharynx both shook their heads.

"No. Probably because it isn't tainted," the pink alicorn replied thoughtfully as she glanced at prisoners again. "We checked all of Slash's men over from top to bottom and weren't able to find a whiff of any brainwashing or mind control on any of them. It seems he won them over using nothing but pure words and promises to rise up against the magical races. Quite an accomplishment, given what an eclectic bunch they are."

Twilight frowned with a thoughtful expression of her own as she also glanced at the prisoners being loaded into more wagons.

It was true.

Creatures of all kinds were on display in Slash's former warband, from Cows, Sheep, Buffalo, Zebras, Minotaurs, and even the odd Diamond Dog or two, which was especially impressive given the long history of animosity between them and the cat-like Abyssians.

Just about the only races that weren't represented were the magical ones, for obvious reasons.

Given that and the fact that all of them were obviously hardened criminals in one form or another, it was quite an accomplishment that Slash had managed to shape them into such a strong, cohesive unit.

Then again… maybe the Abyssian wasn't the one she should really be giving credit to for that feat…

"There was one odd thing I noticed though…" Cadence continued uncertainly, snapping the lavender alicorn out of her musings. "While I was tracking the Love going to Slash and scanning his emotions, I could have sworn I felt… something else's emotions as well."

Twilight blinked.

"You mean you sensed emotions besides Slash's while you were scanning him?" she asked slowly, interest and concern coloring her tone as her sister-in-law nodded cautiously.

"Yes. It was very, very faint. Almost completely hidden beneath both the Love and Slash's own emotions. But… I could have sworn I felt something else there," Cadence answered in an uncertain and frustrated tone as her brow furrowed in thought. "Something that felt… Annoyed? Disappointed? Unsatisfied…?"

"I felt it too, Cadence," the Changeling General piped up as she trailed off, staring hard at the Abyssian's wagon while both alicorns looked at him. "I'm honestly impressed you were able to catch that given how weak it was, but yes. It might have been faint, but something else was definitely there, hiding behind the Abyssian's emotions and the Love it was stealing. Something alive."

Twilight's breath stilled and Cadence's face turned pale as both Queens processed the implications of that statement.

"Are you saying… that you think there's a living being behind Slash's powers?" the lavender alicorn asked breathlessly as Pharynx nodded with a grim expression.

"That's exactly what I'm saying Twilight," he confirmed gravely, still not taking his eyes off the prison wagon even for a moment. "Something's attached itself to that wannabe conqueror. Something that's trying to suck up all the Love energy it can find, just like we used to. And I'd bet my exoskeleton it's the same with all the other Gifted. Looks like the fear mongers were right after all. They have all been Infected with something. I knew they couldn't be trusted…"

Twilight immediately snapped out of her funk at those words before stepping forward with a frown.

"Now hold on Pharynx. Let's not jump to any conclusions here," she cut in sternly as the Changeling General let out an exasperated sigh before finally tearing his gaze away from Slash's prison to look at her. "For starters, how can you be so certain what you're sensing is a living creature that's attached itself to the Gifted? We've found nothing like that living inside any of them during all our examinations of Gifted individuals. Even the strange brain structure all of them get is 100% their own brain tissue and not some kind of separate creature that's invaded the brain. And for that matter, if this is some kind of parasite that feeds off Love, why wouldn't it just feed off the Love of its host? Why haven't we ever encountered it before? And why would it give its host non-magical superpowers instead of just living inside them? This doesn't make any sense."

Pharynx shrugged his shoulders.

"No idea. I'm a soldier, not a scientist," he admitted easily in a nonchalant manner before his face hardened once more. "All I know is that Cadence and I felt the emotions of something when we were scanning Slash that wasn't him. And that streams of Love energy were constantly being drawn to him. Love energy that just up and vanished into thin air when it got too close. Combine that with what Flurry said about how the Tainted Love that vanished around Edward got spit up a few seconds later and everything in my gut is telling me that something around the Gifted is trying to feed off everyone's Love. Even if we can't see it."

The lavender alicorn hesitated and bit her lip at the Changeling General's admittedly valid point, before shaking her head in consternation.

"Even still, this doesn't make any sense!" Twilight insisted stubbornly as she frantically racked her brain for a possible explanation. "No parasite, magical or otherwise, would evolve such an inefficient method of gathering food! The amount of energy it would have to expend altering its host's body and fueling their powers would far exceed the amount it would receive from their Love!"

"The Gifted have never made sense, Twilight," Pharynx immediately pointed out blandly, and it hurt the lavender alicorn in the very depths of her soul that she wasn't able to come up with a good answer to that. "Besides, we all knew from the very moment you confirmed that the Gifted's powers were non-magical that we were dealing with something that no creature on Equus had ever encountered before."

Twilight bit her lip and looked away as her ears flattened against her crown.

She didn't want to believe it, but…

…she'd learned long ago that just because she didn't understand something didn't mean it wasn't real.

Or dangerous.

"Ok, well… even if we assume your hypothesis is correct and something attached to Slash was trying to use him to suck all the Love energy out of the area… that still leaves the question of why it was feeling annoyed and unsatisfied?" the lavender alicorn asked slowly as she put a hoof to her chin in thought, her brilliant mind running a mile a minute. "If food was what it was after, then shouldn't it be happy with all the Love energy it was getting from Slash's followers? I would understand it if it was trying to feed on Tainted Love like Edward's power, but according to you two the Love Slash's men felt for him was totally genuine. So what's the problem?"

Cadence and the Changeling General both glanced at each other.

"If I had to guess… it's probably because the Love this thing was feeding on was directed at Slash instead of it," the pink alicorn answered cautiously as she shot a questioning look at Pharynx. "That's the reason the Changelings under Chrysalis were constantly starving and emaciated, right? Because they were stealing Love that wasn't meant for them?"

The Changeling General nodded grimly.

"Right. I didn't want to believe it at first after Chrysalis was overthrown because I was afraid trying to make friends with the other races would make the Hive weak, but after Starlight and Trixie finally pulled my head out of my plot and I actually started sharing Love with other Changelings and receiving it freely from our friends, I couldn't deny the truth any longer," Pharynx admitted with a bitter, self-deprecating air as he briefly looked away with a shamefaced expression. "Not only did the Love we received from others last far, far longer than the Love we stole, it was also exponentially more powerful. The difference was Night and Day. We were only ever hurting ourselves by taking Love that wasn't ours. The more we took, the less we had, and if we had remained under Chrysalis we probably would have eventually driven ourselves to extinction after sucking all the other races dry. Assuming we weren't finally wiped out first…"

Cadence and Twilight both gave the guilty Changeling warm smiles.

"That's all in the past now Pharynx," the pink alicorn reminded him gently as she put a reassuring hoof on his shoulder. "The important thing is you all eventually realized your mistake and sought to make amends once Chrysalis was finally ousted. You changed. Something that arrogant, power-hungry little parasite could never do even if her life depended on it.

Pharynx let out a contemptuous snort.

"You got that right, Cadence. That narcissistic psychopath would have sooner drained this world into a lifeless husk and let us all starve before she ever gave up power or admitted she was wrong. To think that I ever served her proudly," he spat with bitter hatred and disgust before taking a deep breath to compose himself and giving the two alicorns a small, but grateful smile. "Thanks, for taking her down. And… for giving my people and I a second chance…"

The two alicorn's smiles widened.

"That's what friends are for Pharynx," Twilight replied good-naturedly in a matter-of-fact manner before abruptly sobering up again as she glanced at Slash's prison wagon. "That being said… this can't go on any longer. We need to find a way to fix this problem before it gets anymore out of hand. I don't want anymore warlords like Slash running around…"

The lavender alicorn trailed off as the three royals stewed in silence trying to come up with a solution before Cadence stepped forward hesitantly.

"What if… we just give it what it wants?" she suggested hesitantly as the Changeling's Head snapped towards her.

"...Come again?" he asked in an incredulous growl as his eyes narrowed at the sheepish-looking alicorn before she gathered herself and looked back with a strong, firm expression.

"As far as we know, whatever creatures are behind this seem to be creating Gifted as a way to gather food, correct?" the pink alicorn began shrewdly as her fellow royals both nodded slowly. "Well… if they're only doing this because they're hungry, then why don't we just feed them? If we can figure out a way to communicate with them somehow and show them there's a better way, then they won't have any reason to cause anymore trouble."

Twilight's face cleared and her eyes lit up as Pharynx scowled.

"That's a great idea Cadence!" she exclaimed excitedly, her brilliant mind already going over several possible plans as the Changeling General's scowl deepened while his head snapped to the lavender alicorn.

"Are you both out of your damned minds!?!" Pharynx hissed in utter disbelief as he stared at the two alicorns as if they'd just suggested he take up a career in fashion under Rarity. "These things have been altering people without their knowledge or consent, causing all sorts of trouble as the Gifted run rampant with their powers, and turning any magic creatures they infect into horrific, tortured abominations against nature, and you both want to reward them for this!?!"

Twilight and Cadence's ears both flattened at that as they shared an uneasy glance.

"Well… it worked with you and the Changelings didn't it?" the pink alicorn countered somewhat uncertainly as Pharynx let out an unimpressed snort.

"Yes. After over a thousand years of constant wars and raids, two invasion attempts, and Thorax pulling a miracle out of his flank," he shot back bluntly as Cadence winced slightly at the reminder. "And even then, there were still a lot of growing pains. Even now there are still many among the other races that don't trust us. How do you think the Gifted and their friends and families are going to react to the knowledge that some invisible creatures we still know virtually nothing about have latched onto them and altered them without their knowledge or consent so these little parasites can leech Love off everything around them? How do you think the Lost are going to react? Especially when the great Queens of Love and Friendship's brilliant solution to this problem is to give these things everything they want on a silver platter with no strings attached!?!"

Twilight frowned.

"Now hold on Pharynx, you're not being fair," she interjected sternly as she stepped forward and fearlessly locked eyes with the incensed Changeling. "We never said this offer would come without any strings attached. First, these creatures would have to stop attaching themselves to the people of Equus without their consent. Second, they would have to help us find a way to cure the Lost and release the Gifted that don't want to remain bonded to them. Third, they would not be allowed to let any Gifted run rampant with the powers they grant. And finally, they would have to give an honest effort to make amends for their past crimes just like the Changelings did when Chrysalis was overthrown. I know that probably feels like a slap on the hoof to you Pharynx, but it's better than the current state of affairs or potentially starting a war with a species we still know nothing about."

"And besides, if the Changelings were eventually able to redeem themselves for their past crimes and find a way to live in peace with the other races in spite of everything they did because of Chrysalis, then why can't others?" the pink alicorn finished for her sister-and-law with a confident, reassuring smile as Pharynx grumbled.

"...I still don't like it," he said insistently after a long silence as both alicorn's faces fell. "And maybe that makes me a filthy hypocrite, but everything in my gut is telling me this is still too risky. How do we even know if it's possible to negotiate with these things in the first place?"

"We'll never know unless we try, Pharynx," Twilight countered calmly with a gentle expression. "And besides, what else would you suggest we do? Allow things with the Gifted to continue as they are? Or try and launch an attack first and guarantee these creatures will be hostile to us and possibly start a war with them? Is that what you want?"

The Changeling General was silent for a long moment.

"...No," he replied quietly with a solemn expression. "I might be a proud soldier, but only a fool or a power made despot ever invites war. War is a horrible, ugly business that should only ever be used as a last resort and be taken care of as quickly as possible whenever it is used. I learned that lesson a long time ago…"

Cadence and Twilight both gave approving smiles.

"I'm glad to see that Thorax has rubbed off on you so much Pharynx," the pink alicorn commented in a proud and teasing voice as the Changeling General snorted.

"Don't push it," he warned grumpily as both mares let out amused chuckles. "Just because you should never seek out a war doesn't mean you shouldn't always be prepared for one at a moment's notice. Something that damn wimp still hasn't gotten through his thick carapace yet."

"Well then I guess it's a good thing he's got you then, isn't it Pharynx?" the pink alicorn pointed out cheekily before her face softened into a much more sincere expression. "Look General, we get it. Love and Friendship are great and powerful things, but they're not always going to be enough to save the day on their own. And it's your job to always be prepared for when that happens. A job you do very well. Just like my Shining. But neither my sister or I have any intention of going into this unprepared. Isn't that right Twilight?"

The lavender alicorn nodded firmly.

"Of course," she agreed wholeheartedly before cracking a wry grin at Pharynx. "Come now Pharynx. Do you really think that after everything my friends and I have been through over the years, I would attempt to contact and negotiate with a race of unknown creatures with strange powers without taking some precautions first?"

The Changeling General huffed.

"Sometimes I wonder…" he muttered sardonically to himself, cracking a wry grin at the way both mares' tails flicked in irritation, before sighing in fond exasperation. "But at least it's nice to see you two aren't totally naive. Alright then Twilight, what's your big plan? I need to get back to the Hive soon to make sure Thorax hasn't let it get conquered while I've been helping you with this."

Twilight smirked.

"Simple. We call in the strongest friends we have and have them all on standby just in case things go south," she replied easily before her grin widened. "Starting with a certain Reality Warping Draconequus that still owes us all a favor for the fiasco with Chrysalis, Tirek, and Cozy Glow. And for selling us out to that damned centaur the first time."

Pharynx blinked before a similar grin slowly spread across his features.

 

[King of Terror]

Prologue Part 3:

Twilight's determined expression shifted into a slightly mournful one as the stars that were her friends' spirits all dimmed sadly at the memory of their fallen friend while they continued fighting off the Abomination.

They all had been so confident that with Discord on their side, backed up by some of the greatest champions their world had to offer just ready and waiting to assist if need be, there was no way they wouldn't be able to handle whatever the creatures behind the Marked might have had in store for them if their attempt to reach out backfired.

After all, who could possibly best the reality warping Lord of Chaos when he was actually taking things seriously like they, and especially Fluttershy, had made him promise them he would do when Twilight had explained her plan to everpony?

The very idea was almost inconceivable.

Discord was far and away the strongest creature that had ever walked Equus, vulnerable only to the Power of Harmony, which was now on his side, his own short attention span and ego, and objects and beings that could absorb or outright nullify all magic entirely. All of which had either been destroyed, permanently sealed in stone beneath Canterlot, or, in the case of Grogar's Bewitching Bell, tossed into Limbo where nopony could ever reach it again.

Otherwise, Discord had always been effectively invincible and seemingly all-powerful outside of those scant few weaknesses, able to defeat any foe and solve virtually any problem with nought but a snap of the fingers.

Until he'd finally met his match in the Abomination, that is…

…

The lavender alicorn would have sighed if all her attention wasn't on fighting back against her tormentor.

She could still remember that horrible day as clearly as if it had just happened…

***

Twilight snarled in frustration and fury as she frantically blasted more of the glowing Chains that writhed and twisted after her like a living thing, her counterspell immediately causing them to fall apart and dissipate into nothingness as she ruthlessly targeted the numerous flaws in the shoddy imitation of a proper Disabling Spell to unmake them utterly.

Honestly, if one of her students had tried to pass off such lackluster spellwork in one of their classes, she'd have put them in Magic Kindergarten for the rest of the Term!

And every other Term beyond that!

Unfortunately, the lavender alicorn could take no pleasure in destroying that insult to all decent, hardworking Unicorns everywhere, as no sooner had the Chains disappeared than many more immediately appeared to take their place, emerging from massive Rifts in Space itself that hurt to look at to begin hunting her relentlessly, forcing her to frantically bob and weave through the air to escape their grasp.

Twilight really didn't want to get caught in those things.

As amateurish as their actual composition was… those Chains had an enormous amount of raw power coursing through them.

A very, very scary amount of raw power.

So much raw power Twilight was quite certain her magic would be rendered completely useless if the Chains caught her no matter how many flaws they had.

And then they'd drag her Harmony knows where to do Harmony knows what to her.

Her, her friends, and her subjects…

The lavender alicorn scowled furiously at the thought before unleashing a massive omnidirectional pulse of magic from her body, unmaking a huge group of pursuing Chains that had just been about to grab her before immediately speeding off to the shining dome in the distance.

The Crystal Empire was under siege, a dizzying rain of strange and powerful attacks constantly slamming into Shining's massive, city-wide shield from more Rifts in Space that opened and closed just as quickly as they appeared. Twilight knew the only reason her brother's shield hadn't already given out was because he had combined his power with that of the Crystal Heart. But even so, she had no idea how long he would be able to keep this up before he finally collapsed from the strain.

Especially with how fear was rapidly starting to overtake the populace at the ceaseless bombardment of attacks coming from the sky, and without their love and positive feelings to keep the Crystal Heart charged…

The lavender alicorn pushed herself faster, firing several more spells to unmake more Chains and using a counterspell Chancellor Neighsay had taught her to close some Rifts before they could unleash their payload.

She could see four more glowing streaks darting speedily around the Dome, closing Rifts and furiously beating back more Chains that were pounding and snaking against the Shield searching for a weak point as her fellow alicorns mounted a desperate defense of the beleaguered kingdom.

Twilight felt a twinge of guilt rise in her chest at the sight of the white and dark blue alicorns rapidly coming into focus as Celestia and Luna both worked like a well-oiled machine to thwart the Chains efforts to capture them and break the shield over and over again, their faces set into determined scowls. The lavender alicorn had been reluctant to call the former Rulers of Equestria out of retirement for something like this, especially with everyone they'd already called to be on standby in case something went wrong in their attempts to reach out to whatever was behind the Gifted.

It should have been ludicrous overkill, but she had eventually relented to make absolutely certain they were as prepared as possible, if only to assuage Pharynx's fears. Besides, both former Princesses had said not to hesitate to call them if she ever needed anything.

Now though, as she continued to blast spells like mad trying to hold off the siege, Twilight was seriously starting to wonder if her preparations would even be enough.

The lavender alicorn winced at the twin shouts of panicked frustration and rage in the Royal Canterlot Voice her ears picked up before glancing over her shoulder.

Cadance and Flurry Heart were both fighting like mares possessed, their horns practically superheated from the constant, unending stream of spells they were casting as they desperately fought to defend their home.

A fight they were losing.

There was no end to the Chains, or the Rifts.

For every one they destroyed or sealed up, it seemed like two more would immediately take their place, much like those old mares' tales about Hydras endlessly growing new heads for each one that was cut off.

Even worse, this battle was starting to take its toll on them.

Twilight could feel the strain her constant spellcasting and high-speed aerial acrobatics was putting on her magic reserves and physical stamina, and she was quite certain her fellow alicorns weren't faring much better.

If they didn't find a way to stop the constant bombardment and influx of Chains soon, they would all eventually be grinded down to nothing and captured.

Yet, no matter how hard the lavender alicorn racked her brain for a solution, she could think of no way out of this predicament. There was no enemy to fight, no weak point or obvious cause of the attacks to target.

Nothing but these endless masses of constantly spawning, obviously disposable Chains and this ceaseless bombardment coming from Rifts that opened and closed too fast to fly or launch an attack through.

How had this gone so wrong?

Twilight looked down at the city, and her heart clenched at the sight of the terrified populace staring up at the battle in frightened awe, desperately hoping their beloved rulers and heroes would find a way to save the day again, just like they always did. At all the guards and soldiers from various races and kingdoms of all kinds watching the alicorn's desperate fight with gritted teeth, their grips on their weapons tightening in frustration at being unable to join the fight and do their duty to defend the Crystal Empire and its people.

The rest of her friends and family were down there…

…probably feeling the same way…

But there was nothing they could do at the moment.

Besides, they, Thorax, Pharynx, Spike, Tempest, the Pillars, and their former students needed to guard Shining, the Crystal Heart, and the civilians in case there was a breach.

And… take care of Discord.

The lavender alicorn grit her teeth so hard they nearly cracked at the memory of her former enemy-turned friend, his comically odd and slapdash body horribly mangled and covered in nasty, painful-looking injuries, collapsing out of a portal in a heap and retaining consciousness just long enough to warn his shocked friends before the siege began.

That literally should not have been possible. No one had ever bested Discord face to face before.

That had been the entire reason they'd sent him to try and make contact with whatever was behind the Gifted along with some Crystals filled with Love as a peace offering once they'd finally managed to figure out they were residing in an entirely different dimension thanks to him and Star Swirl. Even Pharynx had agreed there was no way the Draconequus should have been in any danger, and Discord himself had just laughed off his wife's concerns when Fluttershy, ever the cautious one, had expressed concerns about him going alone.

And now he was lying down there broken and unconscious, barely clinging to life as the poor pegasus and the best Doctors Equestria and the Crystal Empire had to offer desperately tried to tend to his wounds.

All because of her plan…

Twilight furiously fought back tears as she used the intense rage and self-loathing she was feeling to fuel her magic, noticeably ratcheting up the intensity of her spells as she launched a blistering strafing run on more Chains and Rifts assaulting the shield before promptly using herself as bait to draw yet more Chains smashing against the barrier away from the city.

That was one thing they'd quickly noticed when the Chains had first descended upon the Crystal Empire: They were only after the various magical species present in the city. Any non-magical creatures were either completely ignored or swatted aside as the Chains attempted to drag away screaming ponies, griffins, changelings, and even a few full grown dragons, the more powerful the better in every case.

All the royals present had been mobbed especially hard, with the majority of the Chains making a beeline straight for the five alicorns, their Changeling counterparts, and any other being present of remotely comparable magical strength, and it had only been Star Swirl's quick thinking in recognizing the weaknesses in the Chains makeup that had saved them from being overwhelmed.

The lavender alicorn smiled grimly as she thought back to the way the Chains had almost seemed to recoil in shock and fear when the old mage had led the other Unicorns present in a furious counterattack, unmaking them all left, right, and center and giving the royals the time they needed to recover and regroup.

Her former Idol and predecessor as the Bearer of Magic, or Sorcery, as it was called back in Star Swirl's time, might have been an ancient stallion in his twilight years now, but he was still as sharp as ever, and had gone after the Chains with a fire belying his old age as if the constructs were a personal insult. Which, in hindsight, they probably were, given he had been the one who'd designed the original spell they were poorly trying to replicate.

Regardless, thanks to Star Swirl's efforts, the various royals present had been able to start beating back the enormous mass of Chains assaulting the Crystal Empire, freeing their subjects from the constructs grasp and acting as bait to distract and hold them off until Shining had been able to activate the Crystal Heart and deploy the massive barrier that had completely obliterated the Chains with its rapid expansion. And for a moment, the Crystal Ponies and the rest of his and Cadance's subjects had all cheered, believing their beloved rulers had saved them all once again.

Then yet more Chains had descended from the sky.

And the bombardment had started.

Twilight and her fellow alicorns had teleported out of the dome to try and draw the Chains away from the Crystal Empire, but whatever was behind this hadn't taken the bait despite its seeming desperation to capture them. Maybe it had recognized what they were trying to do and refused to fall for it; or perhaps it considered the Crystal Heart and everyone still inside the Crystal Empire a greater prize than the five alicorns, powerful though their magic was.

Whatever the case, the Chains had ceased pursuing them as soon as they moved too far away from the city, forcing the five mares to commit to this desperate, doomed defense that was crumbling by the second.

"THIS ISN'T GOING TO WORK!" Flurry Heart shouted out in a panicked Royal Canterlot Voice as she continued skillfully bobbing and weaving through the grasping Chains, still firing away spells like mad despite her clear exhaustion. "THERE'S NO END TO THEM!"

"WE MUST FIND A WAY TO PREVENT OUR FOE FROM OPENING ANY MORE RIFTS!" Luna roared back as she unmade a Chain that had managed to wrap around one of her sister's back legs. "IF WE DON'T WE WILL BE OVERWHELMED!"

"HOW!?!" Cadance demanded with frantic frustration as she sealed several more of said Rifts, only for many more to immediately open to unleash their payload upon her husband's faltering barrier. "EVERYTIME WE SEAL ONE OF THESE DAMNED THINGS TEN MORE APPEAR IN THEIR PLACE!"

The lavender alicorn furiously racked her brain for an answer to that question, going over everything she knew about portal and dimension travel magic as she did so, before her eyes widened as she remembered who exactly had pioneered that field in the first place.

"STAR SWIRL AND NEIGHSAY!" she called out desperately as she glanced down at the Crystal Palace where both stallions were currently located. "THEY'RE THE GREATEST EXPERTS WE HAVE ON DIMENSIONAL PORTAL MAGIC! HAVE THEM USE THE CRYSTAL HEART TO SEAL OFF THE DIMENSIONAL BARRIERS AROUND THE CITY!"

"EXCELLENT WORK TWILIGHT!" Celestia commended her former student proudly before rounding on her niece and grand-niece. "CADANCE! FLURRY HEART! GO TELL THE OTHERS OF TWILIGHT'S PLAN AND ADD YOUR POWER TO THE CRYSTAL HEART! WE NEED IT BE AS CHARGED AS POSSIBLE FOR THIS TO SUCCEED!"

"BUT… AUNTIE TIA…" Flurry protested weakly in a conflicted voice as she hung in the air with an agonized expression, before letting out a startled yelp when a mass of Chains immediately took advantage of her indecision to try and seize her, only to be violently driven back by a brutal barrage of spells when the four elder alicorns all instantly teleported to the youngest's defense.

"Go with your mother, child," the former Sun Princess ordered sternly, pausing in her assault just long enough to shoot a kind and confident look over her shoulder to the young princess. "Do not worry about us. This is not the first time Twilight, my sister, and I have faced down Impossible Odds."

"Indeed," Luna concurred grimly with a face set in stone as she stalwartly continued to hold the line. "We did not guard this land for over a thousand years and then finally earn our long-awaited retirement just to let these treacherous parasites take it all away from us! Go, young one! We will hold them off until the spell is ready!"

Flurry Heart bit her lip and hesitated one moment longer before her face firmed at some whispered encouragement from her mother and she nodded sharply as both alicorns teleported back inside the shield, leaving the current and former Rulers of Equestria to face the onslaught alone.

"Well, Twilight? Luna? Shall we?" Celestia inquired with a tight smile as she cracked her neck in preparation before her eyes lit up with a blinding white light and her flowing, aurora-like mane burst into intensely hot flames, her entire body shining like the sun she guided across the sky every day.

Both mares smirked.

"Ready when you are dear sister," Luna replied in a light, confident tone as her own eyes and body lit up and the stars in her blue mane shined and sparkled brilliantly.

"Yes. It's high time we show these things that just because we believe in friendship and mercy doesn't mean we're weak," Twilight agreed wholeheartedly as she started shining just as brilliantly as both of her former mentors, earning proud smiles from both of them. "LET'S DO THIS!"

The three alicorns joined their horns together at the tips, and with their combined magic unleashed a colossal pulse of energy that utterly annihilated all the Chains in the vicinity and sealed all the open Rifts as well.

There was a brief, tense pause as the trio of mares took a moment to recover and catch their breath from the effort that spell had taken out of them, before the sky abruptly exploded in Rifts, unleashing Chains and a furious barrage of attacks that poured forth like rain, many of which were now aimed squarely at the defenders instead of just the city, forcing them all to scatter and erect hasty shield spells while dodging frantically.

"I DO BELIEVE WE HAVE MADE THEM ANGRY," the former Moon Princess commented wryly, the dryness in her voice evident even over the deafening volume of the bombardment and the Royal Canterlot Voice as she skillfully wove through the grasping Chains and rain of colorful projectiles, blasting any construct that got too close and blocking any attack she couldn't dodge with a powerful blue barrier.

Unfortunately, despite Luna's rather nonchalant tone, both Twilight and Celestia could detect the slight hint of nervousness and exhaustion in the dark blue alicorn's demeanor.

They were approaching their limits, and every single one of them knew it.

It had already been difficult enough trying to hold off the siege when they'd just had the Chains to worry about, but now they had apparently made their hidden foe angry enough to risk damaging it's precious "prizes" if it meant breaching the Crystal Empire's defenses.

A fact that was made abundantly clear when the lavender alicorn was just a hair too slow in moving out of the way or raising a shield, and was promptly punished for her mistake when a glowing bolt of some kind slammed into her side, causing her to cry out and hastily teleport away before she was struck again.

Twilight grit her teeth and hissed in pain as she reappeared a good distance away and erected a shield before glancing down at the large, nasty looking burn just under her left wing.

That attack had been aimed squarely at said wing, and had only missed by a millimeter when she'd shifted positions at the last second in her frantic attempts to dodge.

Her hidden enemy had been trying to ground her…

Looking back at the battle with a critical eye, Twilight scowled heavily as she quickly noticed a pattern.

All the attacks being fired at Celestia and Luna were targeting either their wings or their horns…

Smart little parasites.

The lavender alicorn let out a shout before diving back into the fray, her horn blazing as she and her former mentors all continued to hold the line with furious valor despite their rapidly dwindling strength and accumulating injuries.

Just a little longer.

Twilight knew it wouldn't take long for the others to set up the spell, brilliant as they all were.

If they could just hold out a little longer…

"THERE!" Celestia called out with stark relief as the lavender alicorn smiled and released a breath before looking down to see the Crystal Palace and the barrier both lighting up like a tree on Hearth's Warming Morning.

The light steadily grew brighter and brighter as the air grew thick and heavy at the sheer amount of magical energy being built up, causing the Chains to pause in their assault and slowly back away as if sensing the danger.

Too late.

The shield exploded in a glorious burst of blinding light that rapidly encompassed both the entire city and much of the surrounding area, washing harmlessly over the three alicorns and every other creature present but utterly obliterating every single Chain and sealing up all the Rifts tightly.

Everyone waited with bated breath as the seconds ticked by, slowly turning into minutes while the three alicorns continued to watch diligently for any sign of more Chains or Rifts and took the opportunity to catch their breath.

When none were forthcoming, however, Twilight finally released a sigh of indescribable relief and shared a warm smile with Celestia and Luna as thunderous cheers erupted from the city beneath them.

Gently flying down to the Crystal Palace while giving idle waves to the numerous cries of thanks they received on the way before touching down at the gates where the guards quickly ushered them inside with respectful bows.

Hastily making their way to the Throne Room, the three alicorns were immediately greeted with happy cheers and relieved smiles from the large entourage of their closest friends and allies all gathered around the Crystal Heart.

"Shining! You're ok!" Twilight exclaimed with relief as she immediately teleported to the tired-looking stallion to wrap him in a huge embrace that he returned with a weak, but earnest smile.

"That's my line," Shining Armor replied with a half-amused, half-concerned chuckle as he glanced at the numerous injuries dotting the lavender alicorn's form. "You, Cadance, Flurry, and the Celestial Sisters were the ones on the front lines Twily. All I did was keep this shield up. And even then, the Crystal Heart still did most of the work. I wouldn't have lasted a minute against that onslaught without it."

Cadance and Flurry both chuckled.

"Modest as always Shining," the Queen of Love said fondly as both mares planted loving kisses on the grinning stallion's cheeks before she turned to regard her sister-in-law with a concerned expression. "Are you and the others ok Twilight? Things looked like they got pretty rough up there when Flurry and I left."

But Twilight just smiled and shook her head.

"It's fine Cadance. Yes, we all got roughed up a bit, but it's nothing a few bandages and healing salves won't fix," she reassured her niece and sister-in-law gently. "The important thing is that our plan worked. The Crystal Empire is safe, for now. Which means now we can start figuring out our next move."

Both mares nodded.

"Even so, I still wish we could have cast that spell sooner," Flurry Heart said insistently as she stared at her aunt's wounds with a deeply worried and regretful expression, only to be interrupted by a pair of loud grumbles before the lavender alicorn could respond.

"Well excuse us for not being as spry as we used to be," an ancient gray stallion with a long white beard wearing a star studded blue cape and matching wizard's hat cut in rather grumpily as he trudged over to join the the three alicorns, his bones audibly creaking. "Honestly, Neighsay and I are both far too old for this kind of thing to begin with."

"Indeed," another old gray stallion with a slicked white mane and neatly trimmed goatee wearing a snazzy red coat agreed wholeheartedly in an equally cantankerous manner. "The only reason Star Swirl and I dragged ourselves out of retirement in the first place is because Twilight required our expertise with Dimensional Magic to try and contact these treacherous parasites. Otherwise, we wouldn't have bothered. Not everypony has the benefit of being an immortal alicorn like Celestia and Luna, you know."

Everypony chuckled as the two alicorns in question trotted up wearing cheeky grins.

"Oh really Neighsay?" Celestia countered in a lightly teasing tone, amusement dancing in her eyes. "Because you and Star Swirl both seemed to regain quite a bit of your old fire when you saw those Chains."

Ugly scowls instantly marred both stallions' features.

"Don't even get me started on those shoddy abominations!" Star Swirl spat viciously, his horn sparking dangerously as everypony else smirked at the scandalized offense underneath his angry tone. "Try and steal my work will they!?! Lazy, blood-sucking plagiarists! If they're going to mooch off somepony else's hard won research, the least they can do is put some actual effort into it!"

"Agreed," Neighsay hissed with equal venom, the former Chancellor looking every bit as offended as the legendary wizard beside him. "If I'd ever caught a student trying to get away with such lackluster spellwork back when I was still head of the EEA I would have-...!"

The old scholar's rant was abruptly cut off by deeply amused chuckles from the three alicorn mares.

"Once a teacher, always a teacher, huh you two?" Twilight commented wryly with a knowing and understanding smile on her face as both stallions let out explosive sighs before finally deigning to give two small smiles.

"I suppose so," Star Swirl conceded wistfully before turning to give the former Sun and Moon Princesses a proud look. "Well done you two. It is good to see that even after all these centuries and entering retirement yourselves, you both still remember my lessons so well."

Both alicorns smiled fondly at the old wizard.

"Of course, Star Swirl. Celestia and I could never forget the lessons you taught us. We never would have been able to protect Equestria without them," Luna said warmly as she and Celestia bowed their heads to their old mentor before her teasing look returned. "Besides, after the utter Tartarus you put my sister and I through the first time, we were both too afraid of you breaking out of Limbo just to rip our hides off to ever allow our skills to grow dull."

Star Swirl laughed heartily.

"As you should have," he replied in a faux-threatening manner before glancing at Twilight with a grateful expression. "Thankfully though, Twilight and her friends were able to find a less 'exciting' way to release my comrades and I from our prison. As well as show a stubborn old fool the error of his ways so he could become a better stallion in the process."

Neighsay chuckled ruefully.

"Our dear Queen does have a habit of that, doesn't she?" he said wryly with a self-deprecating air and a grateful look of his own before letting out a sad sigh. "It's just a shame things didn't turn out that way this time…"

The lavender alicorn immediately deflated as she and her companions all looked sadly over to where a large ring of guards, doctors, and champions were all gathered around a prone figure.

Quietly making their way over, the soldiers immediately parted to make way for the approaching royals and the two old wizards as Twilight stopped in front of a large blue griffin.

"How is he?" the lavender alicorn asked her Captain of the Guard as Gallus grimaced.

"The Doctors and Fluttershy say they think he should make a full recovery Twilight," he answered slowly, dispensing with the formalities given the situation as Twilight and the others all sagged with relief, before Gallus allowed a look of concern to cross his stoic features while he glanced behind him. "Even still… those bastards did a real number on the old coot…"

The lavender alicorn let out a sigh as she once again forced down her rising guilt before putting a reassuring hoof on her former student's shoulder and giving him a few whispered words of thanks.

Moving past him, Twilight's heart clenched painfully at the sight of her once-sworn enemy's long, sinuous, heavily bandaged body lying there in that hastily conjured cot surrounded by all of her fellow Bearers.

The pain in the lavender alicorn's chest spiked especially hard at the sight of Fluttershy, still as beautiful as the autumn sunrise even in her fifties, clutching the lion's paw on her husband's mismatched form in a death grip with tear tracks marring her aged, but lovely face.

"Oh Discord…" Twilight whispered mournfully as she bowed her head in shameful sorrow, only to immediately get a light cuff that nearly knocked off her crown by a certain bold blue pegasus.

"Don't start, Twilight. This wasn't your fault. Even Pharynx and Tempest didn't think those ungrateful little leeches could actually hurt Discord," Rainbow Dash admonished sternly with a knowing look at her long-time friend, the cold anger in her tone overshadowed by her concern for both immortals before she flashed a familiar, cocky smirk. "Besides, you're beating yourself up over nothing. He might be a cocky little clown with an ego the size of an Ursa Major, but Discord's always been a lot tougher than he looks, even without his magic. He'll pull through."

Applejack let out an amused huff as she shot the Wonderbolt Captain a wry look.

"Oh hush up now, RD. As if you have any room to be callin' anyone out for havin' a big head," she cut in with half-lidded eyes and a faux-chastising manner as her best friend simply shrugged and grinned in acknowledgement before the farmpony turned to give Twilight a reassuring look. "That bein' said, Dash is right, Twi. Discord's always managed ta get out of tight spots before, and he'll do it again. Especially with Meadowbrook and the rest of these here Doctor's lookin' after him."

"Yeah! And once he gets better, I'll make sure to throw Discord the biggest, wildest, most chaotic Glad-you're-ok-and-sorry-you-almost-got-killed' party ever! Just how he likes it!" Pinkie Pie declared happily as she tossed some streamers into the air while everypony present chuckled fondly at her familiar antics, before the party pony's pink, grey-streaked mane deflated somewhat and she looked up at the sky with a worried, downcast expression. "But… I guess we'll need to take care of those big bullies that hurt him so much first. And I was so looking forward to throwing them a big 'Welcome to Equestria' party to…"

Pinkie trailed off sadly and her ears flattened against her head as Rarity smiled and put a comforting foreleg around her distraught friend.

"Now, now. None of that, Darling," the fashionista admonished gently with a comforting smile. "You can always throw us a victory celebration once we've dealt with these deceitful little beasts. Yona and I would both be more than happy to assist you with the decor."

The party pony smiled appreciatively at Rarity and nodded as her mane reinflated, only for a strict voice to immediately cut in.

"Don't start planning any parties just yet, you two. We haven't won yet."

Everypony's ears perked up before they all let out resigned sighs before turning to regard a tall, stern-faced dark magenta mare that easily rivaled Luna in height stoically marching towards them, Thorax and an equally stern-faced Pharynx following in her wake.

All of the guards hastily moved to get out of the formidable mare's way, eying her warily as she passed by with her fierce bluish-green eyes fixed straight ahead and not once breaking stride, and honestly, none of the Guardians of Harmony could blame them.

With her imposing height, black armor, scarred eye, broken horn, and intimidating demeanor, Fizzlepop Berrytwist, better known by her honestly far-more-fitting alias of Tempest Shadow, was quite a fearsome sight.

Once the Commander of the dreaded Storm King's armies, Tempest might not have technically had any official rank, but she was well-known and respected throughout the kingdoms as one of the fiercest warriors on the face of Equus, and time and her new lease on life had not dulled her edge in the slightest. Indeed, if anything, age and three decades of wandering the world battling various threats all across the continent to atone for her shady past had only served to make the powerful mare even more fearsome than she was in her youth.

Which was really saying something, given Tempest had been almost single-handedly responsible for leading the Storm King's forces to victory in a successful invasion of Equestria before Twilight and her friends had managed to convince her to turn against her treacherous master.

And she did not look happy with the lavender alicorn right now…

"Leave us," Tempest ordered sharply without preamble as her piercing gaze swept over the various assembled soldiers in the Throne Room once she came to a stop before the Queen of Friendship. "We need to discuss our next move and the city still needs to be properly secured in case those accursed Chains come back. Move."

All the guards glanced at their rulers for confirmation before immediately filing out at the nods they received, leaving the assembled royals and champions alone as the massive crystal doors slammed shut with a clang.

"Tempest," Twilight said formally with a resigned air, knowing full well the dark mare would expect her to get straight to business after what had just happened and would tolerate nothing less. "How is the situation in the city? Is everything under control?"

Tempest's lips thinned.

"The situation is under control for the moment," she reported briskly in a clear, concise manner as the lavender alicorn winced internally at the dark mare's frigid tone of voice, knowing full well what was coming. "The populace are still shaken and confused by what just happened, obviously, but your victory and the presence of so many guards and well-known heroes is helping to assuage their fears. Flash Magnus, Rockhoof, and Sonnambula are all coordinating with our soldiers to help maintain order, and with any luck we'll be able to avoid a panic long enough to come up with a plan so long as those things don't come back any time soon."

Cadance released a long sigh before giving a tired smile.

"Good. That's… good," she said with stark relief before looking back at the large, heart-shaped crystal floating above her throne in the center of the room as it slowly rotated in place. "I don't think we'll need to worry about those things coming back anytime soon though. With the power of the Crystal Heart behind that spell, especially with just how charged with Love it was, there's no way they should be able to…"

"Don't get cocky, Cadance!" the dark mare barked out harshly with a thunderous scowl on her face as the Queen of Love jumped in shock at the severe reprimand. "We've already almost lost everything once today because of you ponies blind faith in your precious 'Trump Cards'! I knew your overreliance on Discord and artifacts like the Crystal Heart to always bail you out of trouble whenever a serious threat comes knocking was going to bite you all in the flanks some day, and now that day has come to pass!"

Cadance flinched and looked away shamefaced while everypony else grimaced.

"N-Now hold on Tempest. That's not fair," Flurry Heart cut in a touch awkwardly in defense of her mother, studiously ignoring the way Shining Armor was shifting uncomfortably in place, only to shrink back when Tempest's fierce gaze immediately snapped to her before the young princess gathered her courage and looked back defiantly. "I know you, dad, and General Pharynx have always advocated for us not to rely on the Crystal Heart so much, but it still saved us again like it always does! And besides, even you three admitted Discord probably wouldn't have been in any real danger when Aunt Twilight explained her plan to everyone."

But unfortunately, the dark mare was not impressed with Flurry's logic as her eyes narrowed coldly at the young princess as she swallowed nervously.

Twilight could relate.

She and her friend's had been on the receiving end of that icy glare many times during the Storm King's invasion…

"'Probably' is the operative word here, filly," Tempest corrected with an annoyed growl. "Pharynx, your father, and I all agreed it was unlikely Discord would be in any real danger, but we still wanted to send him in with backup just in case something went wrong. But that arrogant fool and the rest of you blew us off. Now he's lying there half dead, and we just barely managed to stop everyone in the Crystal Empire from being dragged off by these things and turned into food or some kind of sick science experiment or storms knows what else!!"

Rainbow Dash scowled.

"That's enough Tempest!" she swiftly intervened with an equally foreboding growl as she fearlessly planted herself in front of Tempest and locked eyes with the other mare, neither moving so much as an inch. "Don't take this out on Flurry, she's never dealt with something like this before! And besides, we didn't just 'blow you guys off'! We just thought it might be too dangerous to send anypony besides Discord!"

"Rainbow Dash is right, Tempest Shadow," Celestia quietly agreed as she cast a worried look at the fallen draconequus. "We have no idea what the dimension these creatures reside in is like. Or if mortal races or even alicorns such as us can even survive there. Discord had by far the best chance of being able to make the journey unscathed."

"Indeed," Luna concurred with her sister grimly as she also glanced at her old former enemy with a deeply troubled expression. "And besides, my sister and I have known Discord for far longer than any of you. We know better than anypony alive just how powerful he is. How difficult it is to truly harm or even inconvenience him without taking advantage of his scant few weaknesses. So if these creatures were truly able to best him in open battle without resorting to such measures… then it is unlikely any aid we could have sent him would have made a difference…"

The Queen of Friendship felt a chill go up her spine at her predecessor's sobering words as everypony else shared uneasy glances.

The dark mare, unfortunately, was not convinced.

"So you all were just using him as a disposable pawn as well as a meat shield, is that it?" Tempest demanded viciously with a disgusted sneer as everypony's eyes widened in shock. "I always knew you all were a bunch of complacent fools, but I didn't realize you were a pack of cowards as well."

Twilight scowled heavily as the dark mare's bold proclamation was immediately met with a series of enraged snarls, flared wings, and heated glares.

"HOW DARE YOU!?!" the Alicorn of the Night roared in the Royal Canterlot Voice at full blast as her mane flared widely and her eyes lit up with a terrifying glow that glared right into Tempest's soul, who to her credit fearlessly stood her ground and glared defiantly back. "YOU PRESUME MUCH TEMPEST SHA-...!"

"Enough."

The firm command somehow cut right through the noise despite the soft tone in which it was delivered, instantly silencing everypony as they all turned to look at the source.

Fluttershy had finally moved from her place by her injured husband's side and was slowly making her way towards the dark mare, her normally soft blue eyes boring into a suddenly much-less-imposing looking Tempest.

"Fizzlepop Berrytwist," the Bearer of Kindness in a soft, stern voice hiding a core of solid steel as the dark mare flinched slightly in embarrassment at the use of her real name. "We have known each other for a long time. We fought against you during the Storm King's invasion. We fought with you against Tirek, Chrysalis, and Cozy Glow. We helped you learn how to embrace Friendship again after your old friends and town shunned you when you were just a filly when you had your accident, and you have aided us against many threats to Equestria and beyond over the years."

Fluttershy stopped right in front of Tempest, still staring into the taller mare's soul with eyes that demanded an honest answer.

"So tell me, Fizzy, after over three decades of friendship, do you truly still think so little of us that you honestly believe we'd use Discord, my husband, as a sacrificial pawn?" the Bearer of Kindness finished in a quiet, severe tone, the softness of her voice doing absolutely nothing to hide the sheer disappointment she was emanating as the fearsome Tempest Shadow honest-to-Harmony squirmed under Fluttershy's piercing stare like a foal being scolded by a reproachful mother.

"...No," the dark mare bit out reluctantly after an uncomfortable silence, trying and failing to hide her shamefaced expression while the other Guardians looked on, as mildly amused as they could manage given the circumstances.

Honestly, none of them could blame poor Tempest; The Bearer of Kindness truly had a knack for making even the most hardened and belligerent of creatures feel like naughty children that had just been caught misbehaving red-hooved.

"Listen Tempest, I understand," Fluttershy continued in a much gentler manner as her hard stare turned soft and understanding. "You're scared and angry that everypony almost got hurt and worried that you won't be able to protect them if those awful creatures attack again, so you're lashing out the only way you know how. By looking for an enemy to fight."

The dark mare flinched and furiously opened her mouth to deny the accusation that she was afraid, only to immediately clamp up as the Bearer of Kindness's stare sharpened again.

"But this isn't the right way to go about things," Fluttershy insisted sternly with a look that clearly said Tempest had better not try and interrupt her again before she offered a kind smile. "We are not your enemy, and the others were not just blowing off your concerns. It's like they said, we weren't sure if it would be safe for anypony but Discord to go. Besides, you know me, Tempest. I would have liked nothing more than to give my husband as much support as we could possibly spare, but we have to think about everypony else's safety as well, and in the end we trusted Discord when he said he'd be able to handle this on his own. We were wrong, but that doesn't mean we were just throwing caution to the wind."

The dark mare bit her lip and looked off to the side, clearly warring with herself, before finally relenting with an explosive sigh, suddenly looking very tired as she slumped in place, a far cry from cry from the powerful and unflappable warrior she'd presented herself as so far.

"I know that Fluttershy," Tempest groused wearily as she ran a hoof through her magenta mane, the streaks of grey within it pointedly reminding Twilight of just how much older the dark mare was now.

How much older all her friends and family were now…

"I just wish we didn't have to deal with this in the first place!" Tempest continued with a frustrated snarl as she turned to glare viciously up at the sky, her earlier fierceness returning with a vengeance. "I already thought this was a bad idea to begin with! That those cowardly little parasites couldn't be trusted! And now that I've been proven right I… I… I don't know if we'll be able to beat them…"

The dark mare trailed off in sad consternation as the lavender alicorn and the rest of her friends all frowned and exchanged concerned looks.

They all knew just how much Tempest hated showing or admitting to weakness around anypony.

And just how much she cared despite her typical rough and aloof attitude.

Fortunately, an unexpected source chimed in before any of them had a chance to speak up.

"Tempest."

Everyone turned to look at Pharynx, who had remained quiet so far but was now staring at the dark mare with a firm but understanding look.

"Look, I get it. I'm a soldier too. I want to send those bastards packing for threatening our home and people just as much as you do, and I definitely understand your frustration with the others more… lax methods," he began in a gruff yet sympathetic tone, sounding like he was trying very hard to be polite as everyone else rolled their eyes a bit but otherwise made no comment. "But at the same time… we can't really fault them for not wanting to start a war and trying to find a peaceful solution. Or for not wanting to make the same mistakes everyone made with my people…"

Tempest's expression softened somewhat as she gave a slow, understanding nod in response to the Changeling General's point.

"And besides, that's why we have you," Thorax chimed in with a confident smile as he moved to stand proudly beside his brother. "You, Pharynx, Shining, Flash, and anyone else like you. To help us protect ourselves when words and Friendship Lasers aren't enough. And now that all those things have failed, it looks like we're going to need you all more than ever."

"Indeed. Whatever these creatures behind the Gifted are, it's clear they're very dangerous and that they won't listen to reason. Nor do they care who they hurt as long as they get what they want. Which means now, we deal with them your way," Twilight agreed wholeheartedly with a stern expression as she stepped forward and looked down at both soldiers with a confident and reassuring smile of her own, before letting out a small cough and quickly amending. "Within reason…"

Tempest and Pharynx both huffed before giving the lavender alicorn wry grins.

"Well then," the dark mare began with equally dark amusement as her usual fire returned, brighter than ever. "If you're going to start listening to us, then the first order of business is going to be to finish securing the city and keeping the populace calm. We're also going to need to make sure we control the flow of information that gets out of the Crystal Empire so we don't entice a panic in the other kingdoms. Nothing kills a war effort faster than low morale and civil unrest back home."

"We're also going to need to call a summit with the other races to let their leaders know the extent of the danger and that we need to band together to fight these things as soon as possible," Shining Armor chimed in, smoothly inserting himself into the conversation before glancing at Celestia, Luna, and Twilight. "Which means you three need to get yourselves patched up as soon as possible. Not only are you some of the strongest fighters we have, but you're also Symbols of Hope almost everyone in Equus looks up to. So we can't afford to have you looking weak and injured right now."

All the three alicorn mares smiled and shook their heads with fond exasperation.

"Honestly, Shining, you're making this out to be a bigger deal than it really is. We're fine," Twilight attempted to assure her BBFF, only to be immediately cut off by a stern voice with a thick Cajun accent.

" I will be the judge of that!"

The three alicorns sighed before turning with resigned expressions to see a cerulean earth pony mare in late middle-age wearing a short, frilly green dress and a large, bird-like mask trotting briskly towards them.

Mage Meadowbrook, Pillar of Equestria and one of the finest healers alive, lifted her mask to reveal her aged face and grey-streaked scarlet mane and glared at the current and former Rulers of Equestria with the kind of long-suffering exasperation only a doctor that had been forced to work with heroes and soldiers their entire lives could express.

"Honestly Twilight! You are just like Star Swirl and the rest of the stubborn, reckless idiots I was saddled with back in the Pillars time! How you all are still breathing is beyond me!" Meadowbrook berated the lavender alicorn harshly as she immediately began fussing over the three alicorns injuries with a frustrated, motherly air despite the fact that Celestia and Luna at least were both centuries older than her, the thousand years the Pillars had been trapped in Limbo notwithstanding.

None of them were surprised though. The healer was Fluttershy's predecessor, after all.

"I'm standing right here, Meadowbrook," Star Swirl grumbled crabbily with a petulant glare.

"Good!" Meadowbrook immediately snapped back harshly as she briefly paused in her examination to glare at her fellow Pillar with equal fervor. "Don't think for one moment that you're off the hook either Star Swirl! Charging into battle against those Chains horn-first at your age!?! What were you thinking you suicidal old dolt!?! You're lucky you didn't have a heart attack after the first ten paces!"

"Oh come off it mare! You were right there in the thick of things alongside us!"

"Only because I was trying to keep you and Neighsay from throwing away the last few years you have left like old Hearth's Warming Cakes you senile buffoon!"

"WHAT WAS THAT YOU GREYING OLD NAG!?!"

"DID I STUTTER YOU WASHED UP, GERIATIC OAF!?!"

"Yeesh…" Rainbow Dash whispered quietly to Applejack as she eyed the fiercely bickering Pillars with a mix of wariness and awe. "Let's hope we don't get that crabby when we get that age. Meadowbrook used to be a total sweetheart."

The farmpony snorted.

"She still is. But over 40 years of dealin' with friends that constantly throw themselves into danger without a second thought will do a number on anypony's patience. 'Specially a healer's. Trust me RD, Meadowbrook wouldn' be nearly this mad if'n she didn't love that old timer like a brother," she whispered back knowingly before flashing a wry grin at the Wonderbolt Captain. "'Sides, this ain't nuthin'. You shoulda seen the fights Granny Smith and Grandpa Pear got into when they were trying to find a way to mix the Apple and Pear family recipes together. Even when they finally buried the hatchet, those two still couldn't hardly agree on anything."

Tempest loudly cleared her throat.

"If you all are quite done," she drawled flatly with an irritated growl at everypony's sheepish smiles before her face grew stern and businesslike again as she gave the Guardians of Harmony a pointed stare. "Then we can move on to the next order of business. It's high time you five finally learn how to fight like proper soldiers."

The five mares in question grimaced while Rainbow Dash looked away uncomfortably.

"Tempest, darling, I understand why you think such a thing is necessary, and I know we agreed to listen to you when it comes matters such as this," Rarity began slowly, her diplomatic tone tinged slightly with nervousness at the dark mare's unimpressed stare at their continued resistance. "But aside from Twilight, aren't we all a bit too ol-... ol… long in the tooth to go through that kind of training?"

Rolling her eyes at the fashionista's displeasure at having to admit she wasn't as young as she once was, Tempest shot Rarity a hard, uncompromising look.

"You and the others have no one to blame but yourselves for that Rarity," the dark mare countered bluntly as the Guardians all winced at the brutal honesty in her voice. "That's what happens when you want to keep playing hero without actually learning how to fight like one. To be perfectly frank, it's a miracle you six have lasted this long without any proper combat training given how much you love throwing yourselves into the cragodile's jaws."

"Besides, knowing you all, being a bit 'long in the tooth' isn't going to stop you from wanting to help fight these things," Pharynx pointed out shrewdly as everypony nodded with an odd mix of reluctance and determination. "And if that is indeed the case, then you're going to need this training more than ever. Because the enemy isn't going to care how old you are, they'll kill you all the same."

The five Guardians all glanced at Shining and Rainbow Dash, letting out resigned sighs when they both nodded in reluctant agreement with the Changeling General's words.

"Very well then, girls. It appears we will simply have to keep a stiff upper lip and reap what we've sown," Rarity said wearily before straightening up and giving both soldiers a determined expression that was soon mirrored by the others.

Tempest and Pharynx both nodded in approval before an uncomfortable look crossed their features as they shared a silent conversation.

"One last thing," the Changeling General began with a displeased grimace before visibly swallowing his reluctance. "I know you aren't going to want to hear this… but… we might have to consider evacuating the Crystal Empire."

Cadance and Flurry both balked while Shining looked away with a scowl and everypony else's eyes widened in shock.

"W-What!?!" the Queen of Love exclaimed in a thunderstruck voice. "Pharynx, what in Harmony's name are you talking about!?!"

The dark mare sighed, running a hoof through her mane as she weathered the storm she'd been expecting.

"In case the enemy comes back, Cadance," she explained wearily with a sympathetic but firm look. "Based on everything we've gathered so far, the Crystal Heart and the Empire's high levels of latent magic make them both high priority targets for these parasites. And given how relentless they've proven to be, I highly doubt they'll give up such a prize so easily."

Everyone's faces fell at Tempest and Pharynx's painfully logical arguments as Twilight's heart clenched at the anguish on her niece and sister-in-law's features at the thought of having to abandon their home.

"But… but the spell we cast…" the young alicorn weakly tried to protest, only for her ears to flatten at the stern looks that got sent her way.

"Might not last forever, kid," the Changeling General finished for Flurry in a reluctantly harsh voice. "Look, I get it, this ain't easy. If somepony told me the Changelings needed to abandon the Hive, I probably wouldn't take it well either. But the cold, hard truth of the matter is… these parasites have already beaten one of your Trump Cards. So who's to say they can't find a way to beat another?"

The young princess gulped as everyone unconsciously glanced at the fallen form of Discord at Pharynx's words before she and Cadance looked desperately at Shining. To no avail, as the Captain simply sighed before giving an apologetic look to his wife and daughter.

"I'm sorry you two, but… they're right," he forced out reluctantly in a voice like pulling teeth as both mares deflated like balloons.

"But… but where would we go? Who would shelter my subjects? In the middle of a potential war no less!?!" Cadance questioned in a slightly panicked manner as she began rapidly pacing about the room, mind clearly racing desperately for a solution to this unexpected conundrum, before halting in surprise when two comforting hooves suddenly rested upon her withers.

Turning around, the pink alicorn was unsurprised to see Twilight and Celestia both giving her reassuring smiles.

"We will," the lavender alicorn assured her pink counterpart in a warm and confident voice. "Even setting aside that you, Shining, and Flurry are all my family, Equestria and the Crystal Empire have always had a close and prosperous relationship ever since the time of Queen Amore over a thousand years ago. There's no way we'd abandon our cousins in their time of need."

"Indeed. And it's not just Equestria you can rely on Cadance. Our relationship with the other kingdoms is stronger than it's ever been thanks to the efforts of Twilight and her friends," the Alicorn of the Sun agreed wholeheartedly with a proud look at her former student and the other Guardians before giving her niece a kind, reassuring smile. "We will get through this, niece, don't worry."

"The Changelings have certainly got your back Cadance," Thorax chimed in as he stepped forward with a supportive smile of his own. "After all the Love the Empire has given us over the years, giving you all a place to stay is the least we can do."

"Especially since we'll need all the Love and alicorns we can get in the coming days," Pharynx added with a wry smirk of his own. "Trust me Cadance, you and your subjects will have more than enough chances to earn your keep."

Cadance closed her eyes and took a deep breath with the same breathing exercise she'd taught Twilight all those years ago before opening them again with a small but sincere smile.

"Thanks everyone. I… really appreciate that," she said in a soft voice full of gratitude as everyone nodded, before frowning again and looking away. "Even still, I think I need some time to think about thi-..."

*CRACK*

Everypony jumped as the pink alicorn was violently cut off by a thunderous crack echoing out from above, and Twilight paled when she turned her eyes skyward to gaze upon the source through the castle's skylight.

'It can't be…'

A massive, burning crack had appeared in the sky above, blazing with a reddish-orange glow as it slowly spread as if the heavens themselves were made of glass.

"St-Star Swirl? Neighsay?" the lavender alicorn questioned frantically as icy terror started to grip her heart.

"That's… that's not possible…" Neighsay stammered in utter disbelief, his eyes glued to the crack as his aged face slowly started turning as white as his beard.

"It hasn't even been half an hour yet… To be able to break that spell so soon, with all the magic that was poured into it, would require…" Star Swirl rambled weakly almost to himself, sagging even more than he already was at the impossible sight before him, only for his terrified mutterings to be cut short as another earsplitting *CRACK* heralded the arrival of a second fiery fissure in the sky.

And that was all Tempest and Pharynx needed.

"GET THE SHIELD BACK UP NOW!" the dark mare roared as she sprinted for the doors, snapping everyone out of their trance while screams of terror started sounding out all across the city. "I'LL COORDINATE WITH THE OTHERS TO SET UP DEFENSIVE POSITIONS!"

"Twilight, Thorax and I will join you, Celestia, and Luna in the defense. Cadance, you, Flurry, Star Swirl, and Neighsay work with Shining to keep that shield up and find a way to seal off those Rifts again," the Changeling General ordered briskly as he and Thorax both shifted into a monstrous insectoid beast and an enormous Roc, respectively. "The rest of you, guard them and the Draconequus in case anything gets by us. They're the only chance we have of stopping these things long enough to evacuate the city."

Everypony nodded before immediately rushing to their assigned tasks as the three alicorns and two royal changelings rushed out of the Palace and immediately took to the skies.

It didn't take long for the others to get the shield back up, the barrier shining brighter than ever as it encircled the Crystal Empire in its protective shadow.

Unfortunately, that did little to bolster the population's confidence, and Twilight grimaced as their terrified cries continued to echo behind her while more and more cracks continued to appear around the beleaguered city, completely encircling it.

'Don't worry everypony,' the lavender alicorn thought fiercely to herself as her horn shined in preparation to teleport out of the dome, more determined than ever to drive these accursed parasites back to where they came from despite her tiredness. 'I promise, we won't let these things take-...!'

*CRASH*

Twilight's heart leapt in her throat as the burning cracks in the sky shattered with the sound of breaking glass, leaving several very familiar Rifts in their place that were quickly joined by many, many more as the sealing spell was broken completely.

And yet, no Chains or strange projectiles emerged from them.

The Rifts merely sat there silently in the sky, seeming to almost stare at the terrified Equestrians as everyone waited with bated breath for the storm to break.

Then, the Rift that had emerged from the very first crack, the one that the lavender alicorn and her fellow royals had been flying towards, widened and expanded even further as an ominous glow started to emanate from it.

Twilight and the others tensed, only to freeze in place when they felt an awful, alien sensation suddenly start pressing down on them. As if something vast and terrible and utterly unknowable had suddenly turned its horrible gaze upon them and was now staring straight into the cores of their very beings.

And as they hovered there, completely frozen in place by that terrible alien gaze, the five royals suddenly felt a vast amount of knowledge being poured into their minds. A thousand inflections all condensed into a single, simple concept.

[ANNOYANCE.]

And then they all screamed as an enormous energy beam erupted from the glowing Rift and slammed into the barrier, shattering it like glass and unleashing a massive shockwave that sent the lavender alicorn and her companions all tumbling uncontrollably through the air right back to the Crystal Palace.

Pain erupted from Twilight's body as she and her fellow royals all smashed right through the thick crystal walls to crash in a painful, unceremonious heap on the hard, unforgiving floor, cratering it in the process and sending spiderwebs of cracks everywhere.

"Twily!"

The lavender alicorn groaned and struggled to rise as she saw her brother and the rest of her friends all rushing towards her.

Shining was in rough shape, his horn sparking dangerously and his face twisted in pain from the enormous backlash having his shield broken so violently had no doubt caused.

But that wasn't what Twilight was worried about right now.

"SHINING! GET BACK TO THE CRYSTAL HEAR…!" she called out desperately, only for her heart to stop when twin beams lanced out of the sky once more.

The first struck the Crystal Heart, utterly obliterating the ancient artifact in a flash of light and leaving naught but dust.

The second… struck her brother.

There was no blood.

No gore.

No dramatic cry of pain or final, heartfelt words of encouragement and farewell.

One moment Shining was here… and the next, he was gone.

Utterly annihilated in a brief flash of light that left absolutely nothing behind.

As if her beloved BBFF had never even existed…

"SHINING ARMOR!" "DAD!" Cadance and Flurry Heart both screamed in indescribable horror and heartbreak as everyone else all stared frozen in shock and disbelief at the spot Shining had been standing moments before while the lavender alicorn's usually whip-fast mind went utterly blank…

…And then a storm of strange energy bolts rained from the heavens, striking everyone in reach and sending them screaming to the ground in painful convulsions as the Chains descended once again.

***

Twilight grit her teeth in pain and fury as the Abomination gleefully took advantage of her brief lapse in concentration at the memory of her brother's murder at its hands to drill further into her mind, only to be stopped cold as the six spirits of her friend's flared brightly, filling her with strength and comfort before she gathered all her anger and will into a psychic lance and struck back violently.

The parasite recoiled at the ferocity of her assault as she viciously drove it back, farther and farther until she briefly peered into its foul thoughts. And not for the first time marveled at just how massive, strange, and shockingly simple her foe's mind was.

Like touching the consciousness of a malevolent, hungry star, though even that description utterly failed to truly grasp the sheer, absurd scale of the monster they faced.

When they'd first started to catch on to the true source of the Marked's strange powers, everypony had thought the creatures' responsible were part of an entire race or species of some kind. And in a way, they had been right, though the truth had been something none of them could have scarcely imagined.

The Abomination was a gestalt organism of truly unprecedented scale, its vast, simple mind made up of many, many smaller, simpler parts all linked together to form a single creature so utterly titanic mere words could scarcely capture the enormity of its immense bulk.

Each fragment of the parasite all had their own powers, their own rudimentary minds, and their own role to play in the overall whole, and it had been these fragments that had secretly attached themselves to the Marked from beyond dimensions to give them their strange powers until their foolish attempt to reach out to the Abomination had spooked it into abandoning subtly.

And the parasite had many of these fragments.

Millions, no, billions of them.

Fragments beyond counting, like stars in the sky.

So many that if it gathered them all in one place, it likely would have annihilated Celestia's sun from its mere passing.

Which led the lavender alicorn to yet another strange thing about this wretched creature: For while in some ways it was vast beyond comprehension, in others, it did not exist at all, the Abomination's countless fragments spread thinly across an even more countless number of alternate dimensions yet still somehow intimately connected to each other even as the parasite traveled through the immense void of space between the stars.

Powers that defied reality without so much as a drop of magic, able to travel through the barriers between dimensions with the same ease as opening and closing a door, incomprehensibly complex yet as base and simple as a common worm, and titanic beyond measure but also completely nonexistent. The Abomination truly was a creature of endless contradictions, and before the destruction of her world Twilight would have loved nothing more than to devote the entirety of her immortal life trying to figure out how any of this was possible.

Now though, all the lavender alicorn wanted was to watch this accursed parasite and the rest of its wretched kind burn and disappear from the face of the multiverse forever.

Most people in Twilight's position would have likely considered such a thing utterly impossible, given the sheer immensity of their foe and the equally colossal power it wielded.

But the lavender alicorn would not be deterred.

No creature, no matter how vast or powerful, was without a weakness. It was just a matter of finding it. And the Abomination's latest blunder might have just given Twilight her first clue…

The lavender alicorn frowned shrewdly at what she saw as she trawled through the parasite's enormous gestalt consciousness, trying to absorb as much information as possible before she was inevitably forced back out.

It seemed the Abomination had entered a resting state of some kind, likely to conserve energy until it reached its next destination. Only a relatively small number of its many fragments appeared to still be active and alert, chief among them being the clusters the parasite was using to maintain the Guardians' prisons and break into their minds. The rest had all gone dormant, barely aware of their surroundings as they peacefully slept through the Abomination's long voyage through the stars.

An evil, vindictive smile crossed Twilight's features even as she was forcibly and painfully ejected out of the parasite's mind after a scant few seconds as she thought back to their first battle with the Abomination while two very familiar shards of magic pulsed within her.

***

Twilight stared at the massive crystalline tree in front of her with a hard, blank expression, surrounded on all sides by Spike, Starlight, and the rest of her fellow Guardians, all of whom were doing their very best to soothe the hollow void that had been left in her heart ever since the Siege of the Crystal Empire several days ago.

Applejack in particular had not left the lavender alicorn's side since, ever the dependable one as she had stoically held the much larger pony to her chest and whispered soothing words of comfort and understanding to her while Twilight cried her heart and soul out.

All of her friends had been doing a lot of that lately, but the farmpony had been especially insistent in shouldering most of the burden, being the one among the Guardians most familiar with what the lavender alicorn was going through.

It helped.

It helped a lot…

But… not enough.

Not nearly enough…

Twilight briefly turned her head to look over to the side where Celestia and Luna were doing much the same for Cadance and Flurry Heart.

Both mares looked as dead and hollow as the lavender alicorn felt inside, and the only spark visible in their dull, lifeless eyes was the burning rage and hatred they both felt for the foul, selfish leech that had spurned their offer of friendship and taken Shining away from them.

To see such a look on the Queen of Love and her daughter…

…was almost as hard for Twilight as losing her brother.

The lavender alicorn sighed before looking around at the grove wearily. Not that she didn't understand completely.

Or that Cadance and Flurry were particularly alone in their feelings.

The Parasite, for now Twilight was certain they were dealing with a single being ever since she'd felt that awful alien sensation even if she didn't quite know how yet, had been quite busy while she and her friends had been holding off the assault on the Crystal Empire. Settlements all across the continent had been attacked, those thrice-damned Chains dragging off any magical creature they could get their filthy coils on while their fellows desperately tried to rescue them, all to no avail.

No race with even the tiniest bit of magic was left untouched; Ponies, Griffins, Hippogriffs, Sea Ponies, Kirin, Dragons, hay, even the animals hadn't been spared! Crying and roaring in pain and confusion as they were cruelly ripped from their woodland homes and dragged into the Rifts to be taken Harmony-knows where.

Poor Fluttershy had practically been in tears at the sight of her beloved animal sanctuary, broken and ransacked with neither hide, hair, scale, or anything in between of magical creatures or Dr. Fauna to be found.

But as bad as that was, Starlight had it worse.

The School of Friendship, the Guardians' Pride and Joy and greatest accomplishment, a place where races of all kinds from all over the world could come to mingle and learn about each other to improve the bonds between their people, was in ruins. The Chains had come and made off with a huge portion of the student body, sparing no one as everyone from adults, to adolescents, to literal children were ripped screaming from what should have been a place of safety, joy, and learning.

The Headmare had tried to stop them. In fact, Starlight had nearly destroyed herself from magical exhaustion trying to save her precious students from the Chains relentless assault. But, in the end, it had been no use. Starlight might have been the mightiest mortal mage currently alive now that Star Swirl was well past his prime, easily the equal of the lavender alicorn when she'd first ascended to her current status, but she was still just one middle-aged unicorn trying to hold the line against a force even five alicorns had struggled with.

The other teachers there had tried to help but to no avail. None of them had the Headmare's insane raw power and natural talent in magic, and the faculty had been swiftly overwhelmed, with many suffering the same fate as their students.

The only reason the Chains had been stopped at all was because of the great crystal tree dominating the center of the grove.

Twilight, her friends, the Pillars, and her fellow royals had all been helplessly ensnared in the Chains grasp, their magic suppressed, and were seconds away from being pulled into the Rifts when the lavender alicorn had felt a familiar power start stirring deep within her, calling for her aid. She had answered without hesitation, as had her friends and the Pillars, and the next thing they knew a colossal wave of Rainbow Light had washed over the land, annihilating their captors and sealing the Rifts closed once again.

And this time, they had not come back.

Not once in the time it had taken them to evacuate the Crystal Empire with a newly awakened Discord's help and regroup with the other races after assessing the damage. But Twilight knew that wouldn't last; the Tree of Harmony was getting weaker, its radiant glow slowly diminishing even as the lavender alicorn watched. It was already taking everything the Tree had to hold back the Parasite.

Twilight knew because the Evertree Forest was starting to act up again, having gotten its teeth back without the Tree of Harmony's magic to keep its wild growth under control. At least until the lavender alicorn, Starlight, and her fellow royals had taken the time to do a little "pruning" on the way here. Twilight couldn't lie, they might have gone a little overboard venting their frustrations on the ancient, primordial Forest. Regardless, it wouldn't be acting up again anytime soon. And they all did feel a little better as a result.

Even still…

"So what are we waiting for? Let's get started so we can kill this blasted thing already!" a gruff female voice boiling with barely repressed anger spoke up hotly as the lavender alicorn turned to regard a young adult female dragon with beautiful sapphire scales glaring impatiently at the Tree.

Twilight could hardly blame Ember for being so irritable…or, well, more irritable than she usually was. The young Dragon Lord's father, ex-Dragon Lord Torch, had been overwhelmed and abducted by the Chains trying to protect his daughter and people from their grasp. Honestly, it spoke well of how much she'd grown as both a person and a leader that she was maintaining her composure so well. The old Ember would have been literally spitting fire with rage right now.

"Sorry, Ember," another young female dragon, this one with bright orange scales, apologized sheepishly as Smolder glanced at the Tree of Harmony behind her. "The Tree of Harmony kind of does its own thing."

"Shiny Tree work In Mysterious Ways…" a large female Yak with long braids tied in two neat loops agreed sagely as Yona's friends all nodded beside her.

The royals were not impressed.

"Young lady," an older but still-formidable looking hippogriff with light fuchsia gray feathers and a brilliant fuchsia headcrest began in an ominous growl as Queen Novo stepped forward and glared at the nervous looking yak and dragon with fire in her magenta eyes. "My home has been ransacked, my subjects have been abducted, and my daughter was ripped from my arms by this greedy, disgusting beast who is doing Harmony-knows what to her even as we speak. I am in no mood for vague prophecies and cryptic clues! So either this Tree of yours reveals why it summoned us here immediately or I am going back to my kingdom to prepare for war and figure out a way to rescue my daughter and subjects!"

Yona, Smolder, Sandbar, and Ocellus all shrank back at the Queen's furious tirade as Gallus frowned and moved in front of them with a warning look in his eyes while another, much younger hippogriff stepped forward and gave her ruler a pleading expression.

"Auntie Novo, please. I know this is a difficult time for you and everyone else, but I promise you this isn't a waste of time," Silverstream assured Queen Novo in a quiet, melancholy voice very unlike her usual bubbly tones as the elder hippogriffs expression immediately softened before she enveloped her niece in a tight, fiercely protective embrace. "The Tree of Harmony has always been there for us when it mattered the most, and we probably wouldn't even be here right now if it wasn't for it. I know it has a good reason for calling us here."

"Indeed I do."

A very familiar voice suddenly rang out in a ghostly echo as there was a bright flash of light, and when everyone's eyes cleared the lavender alicorn couldn't help but raise a quizzical eyebrow at what she saw: A glowing, spectral doppelganger of herself had appeared in front of the Tree, staring out at the assembled leaders and champions with a sad expression and an unblinking stare.

"I will never get over how creepy that is," Rainbow Dash muttered under her breath, immediately receiving a smack upside the head from Applejack for her troubles even though everypony knew the farmpony agreed with the Wonderbolt Captain deep down.

Not that they didn't understand. Twilight herself had never been able to decide whether to be flattered or creeped out by the Spirit of the Tree using her voice and likeness to communicate with others, but had ultimately decided not to make a big deal out of it since she doubted it meant any offense.

It would still be nice if it would blink every once in a while, though…

"It's good to see you again," Sandbar told the Tree with a warm smile as he and his friends approached the apparition without a hint of fear. "Thank you for saving us."

"Yeah, those damned Chains had us on the ropes when you blasted them all to Tartarus," Gallus chimed in wryly in a gruff but nonetheless grateful voice as he gave a respectful nod of his own. "You really saved our flanks. Again."

The Tree of Harmony smiled kindly.

"Do not sell yourselves short, Gallus," it replied in a gently chastising manner, the spirit's unblinking eyes shining with fondness for the griffin and his friends. "I would not have been able to act without you, your friends, the Guardians, and my creators acting as conduits for my power. And I only did what I have always done ever since I was planted here all those centuries ago: Protect the balance of this world and all the creatures that live upon it from those who would wish them harm."

"Aye. And tis a job you've done very well lassie," a massive cyan titan of a stallion with a thick beard greyed with age drawled proudly in a thick accent as Rockhoof, the Pillar of Strength, stepped forward with a wide grin, still the epitome of his element even in his old age. "A mighty fine pleasure it is to meet you at last!"

"Indeed," a light scarlet pegasus mare wearing a striking white headdress with a gold trim agreed in a warm South Equestrian accent as Sonnambula, the Pillar of Hope, smiled radiantly at the Tree. "After so long we were all beginning to think we would never get the chance to speak with our greatest creation. It's just a shame Mistmane passed on to the next life before this moment came."

"Yeah, the old girl would have loved to meet you," Flash Magnus, the Pillar of Bravery, said in a slightly solemn manner as the amber pegasus removed his legionnaire helmet and bowed his head in respect for his deceased comrade. "At least her garden in the Crystal Empire was still intact the last time we checked before we had to hightail it out of there…"

"It will endure, just like Mistmane's memory," Star Swirl assured them all with absolute confidence before trudging forward to give the spirit a look of fierce pride. "And just like you. I can't begin to tell you how proud I am of the incredible service you've done for Equestria and the world. Planting you as a precaution before we went to face the Pony of Shadows was the best decision we ever made."

"Thank you. For protecting our home when we couldn't," Meadowbrook finished in a voice filled with gratitude and sincerity.

The Tree of Harmony smiled as it's true body briefly shone like the sun.

"Thank you, my creators," the spirit replied warmly, its serene voice filled with emotion as it bowed its head to the five ancient heroes. "I am also glad I got the chance to meet you. Your kind words mean… much to me."

The Tree's smile slowly left its face.

"I only wish our meeting had not come as the result of such terrible circumstances…"

Everyone present immediately sobered up at that as Ember huffed.

"I'll say," she agreed in a voice dripping with sarcasm as she stepped forward with an impatient glare. "As touching as this is, we are still in the middle of a worldwide crisis at the moment, in case you've forgotten. So out with it, spirit. Why did you drag us here?"

The Pillars all glowered at the young Dragon Lord before the Spirit of the Tree calmly raised a reassuring hoof and gave her a patient look.

"I can feel your pain, young Dragon Lord. I mourn for the loss of your Father and so many of your people, and it pains me that I was not able to seal the Abomination off from our realm before they were taken from you," the Tree of Harmony said in a kind and understanding voice as Ember briefly closed her eyes with a pained grimace before the spirit's face firmed. "Rest assured that I have not summoned you here for an idle conversation. I require your aid and the aid of the other races of Equus if we are to slay the beast that threatens our home, and hopefully save the poor creatures it has abducted."

The crowd murmured approvingly at that, though Twilight and her friends couldn't help but frown and share concerned glances with the Pillars, their former students, and Celestia and Luna. Not that any of them disagreed at this point but…that didn't change the fact that the Tree almost always favored imprisonment or other non-lethal solutions to outright killing its enemies. So if it was immediately jumping straight to lethal force…

"How are our people? Are they still alive?" Queen Novo demanded in an urgent, almost frantic manner as she stepped forward before slackening slightly and biting her lip in worry. "Is… is my Skystar hurt?"

The spirit gave the aged hippogriff a sad look.

"Your daughter still lives Queen Novo, as do the rest of our captured people, but they are not well," the Tree informed her grimly as the normally formidable Queen looked like she'd just been stabbed in the heart while everyone else either sucked in a sharp breath or, in Ember and Pharynx's case, started swearing up a storm under their breath. "They suffer greatly in the Abomination's cruel prison, being subjected to horrible experimentation by the parasite as it tries in vain to steal the secrets of their magic."

Rainbow and Applejack both snarled viciously, and even Pinkie, Fluttershy, and Rarity were wearing looks that could kill as Twilight's face hardened into an expressionless mask before she strode forward to look her doppelganger in the eye with a fierce, uncompromising glare.

"What is this creature? Why is it doing this? What does it want? And how do we stop it?" the lavender princess questioned in an icy voice of tightly controlled anger as the spirit looked up at the sky with a melancholy air.

"It is a foreign invader that does not belong in our realm. Many parasites acting as one that arrived here from beyond the stars through a stroke of grave misfortune that now seeks to devour everything we hold dear in this dimension and beyond," the Tree answered gravely, and everyone's eyes bulged out of their sockets as a ripple of shock surged through the crowd like lightning.

"Whoa whoa whoa! Time out there sparkly!" Rainbow Dash immediately interrupted incredulously as she zoomed forward and put her hooves in the 'time out' position. "Are you telling me this thing is an alien!?! Like, an actual space alien from one of those old comic books I used to read Scoots when she was a kid!?!"

"Daaaassshhh…" Scootaloo groaned under her breath in embarrassment as Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle both giggled and teasingly patted the orange mare on her withers.

"Indeed. Though I'm afraid the Abomination is far more than a mere foal's tale," the spirit answered gravely, instantly snapping the three mares back to reality as they immediately sobered up again. "It is a ravenous being of great and terrible power from another plane of reality that arrived in our dimension from a great rent in space. Neither it nor I know the origins of this cosmic wound, but the Abomination was drawn to it by the unique energy the magic of our realm gives off, and now it seeks to claim that power for itself and the rest of its kind."

Everyone present paled.

"You mean… there are more of them?" Tempest asked, pure and utter dread coloring the normally unflappable mare's voice as Twilight's heart hammered in her chest.

"Yes. Many, many more," the Tree confirmed as the crowd all felt the icy claw of fear and despair start to seize them. "They are parasites on a scale scarcely even imagined, each Abomination a gestalt of countless smaller fragments each with their own powers and simple minds joining together to create a creature titanic beyond comprehension. They travel the void between the stars for decades, sometimes centuries at a time, looking for planets inhabited with suitable host species to infect. Once such a planet is found, the Abomination will seed it and many mirrors of it with fragments of itself across dimensions beyond counting. These fragments will then attach themselves to the host species in secret, granting the host access to some of the fragments' powers in the process."

The crowd all sucked in a breath.

"The Marked…" the lavender alicorn whispered breathlessly, horror filling her tone as her doppelganger looked at her and nodded sadly.

"Yes. The ones you all call 'Marked' and 'Gifted' are some such hosts of the Abomination's fragments. The strange brain structures you have found within them are what the fragments use to bond with their hosts from the safety of another dimension," the spirit said grimly as all the representatives from the magicless races all let out sounds of shock, horror, despair, and, in King Rutherfords case, loud and furious anger.

"The Abomination and its fragments manipulate their hosts from the shadows, driving them to constantly use their powers and war with themselves and the rest of their kin. All so the fragments and their progenitor can gather data from the ceaseless conflicts to refine and improve themselves further and spawn yet more fragments. This process continues for centuries, during which time the host world and it's mirrors will collapse into total anarchy from the constant, unending wars, until at last the Abomination will destroy the infected worlds and move on to the next while the fragments that were spawned coalesce into new Abominations to repeat the Cycle anew. Civilizations beyond counting have already fallen to these wretched creatures. They are a cancer on existence and Life itself."

Dead silence followed the Tree's terrifying explanation of their foe as everyone stared at the grim-faced spirit with naked horror and fear on their faces, too stunned and afraid to form words.

And Twilight couldn't blame them.

She'd known this was bad, known it ever since Shining had been cruelly wiped from the face of this world. But this… this was beyond anything she'd ever imagined. Could have ever imagined! How in Harmony's name were they supposed to deal with something like this!?!

And all because of a stroke of bad luck!?!

Had they all been cursed when she wasn't looking or something!?!

"Why…?"

Twilight was immediately snapped by the soft, utterly distraught voice that suddenly rang out, and her heart nearly shattered as everyone turned to look at the source.

Fluttershy stood there, shoulders slumped as if the weight of the world was pressing down on her as tears ceaselessly flowed down her face like a stream.

"Why would they do this?" she whispered miserably, the depths of her sadness and horror seemingly bottomless as Discord, who up till now had been standing off to the side in a most uncharacteristically silent and unobtrusive manner, immediately moved to his wife's side and placed a comforting paw on her shoulder while she grieved for all who had been lost to the Abominations cruel machinations. "Why would they do something so heartless? So cruel!?! It isn't right! It isn't natural! Just… just WHY!?!"

Everyone winced and looked away while the rest of the mare's friends all gathered around her to comfort the distraught Bearer of Kindness as the spirit sighed.

"It is as I told you my Bearer. They are a cancer. One that seeks only to feed and propagate itself as far and wide as it can. Their ultimate goal is to eventually use all the Data their species has acquired over the eons through their various Cycles to find a way to defeat Entropy itself so that they may eat and fornicate for all Eternity," the Tree replied in a sad voice as shocked and horrified silence fell over the grove again.

It didn't last long this time.

"THAT'S IT!?!" Luna exploded with rage and disbelief as the Royal Canterlot Voice echoed thunderously across the clearing, loud enough to be heard for miles. "THAT'S THE REASON THESE DISGUSTING ABERRATIONS HAVE COMMITTED THESE… THESE… ATROCITIES!?! ALL SO THEY CAN EAT AND RUT THEMSELVES INTO A STUPOR WITHOUT END!?!"

"Your anger is right and just, Moon Shepherd, but you do not fully understand the nature of our foe. For all their vast size and power and unfathomable complexity, at their core, the Abominations are naught but primitive beasts. Creatures of instinct utterly beholden by their base desires to feed, mate, and survive at any cost. Everything they do is in service to those three simple goals, and the parasites care nothing about anyone or anything else," the spirit explained with a sad grimace as everyone shared wary glances at this newest unwelcome piece of information.

"Is there any way to convince it to stop? To show it that there's a better way and that it doesn't need to resort to such terrible acts for it and its species to thrive and be happy?" Celestia asked with a weary, desperate hope, only for ears to flatten in disappointment as the Tree shook its head sorrowfully.

"No. I truly wish there was, Sun Shepherd. That we would be able to turn the Abomination from its dark, self destructive path like we have so many others. But I peered deep into its Heart during its attack on our world, and Friendship, Love, and Empathy are not in its nature. Only cold, hard, sterile logic based upon what will and will not benefit it and the rest of its kind," the spirit replied with equally sad disappointment as Twilight shifted uncomfortably at the unintentional reminder of how much she'd thought like that before beginning her long journey to learn the true Magic of Friendship.

"The Abomination is a creature purely of the physical world, from a plane where Magic itself does not exist. Matters of the soul, the spiritual, and the metaphysical, are complete anathema to it. From its perspective, Magic is nothing but a strange, exotic energy source that could be used as food and a tool to finally find a solution to their conundrum, and concepts like Love and Friendship are nothing but constructs of the brain that can be manipulated to serve its own ends."

"Just like Chrysalis and Cozy Glow…" the lavender alicorn muttered morosely to herself at the thought of her former fallen student, now locked away forever in stone beneath Canterlot along with Chrysalis and Tirek.

The Tree nodded.

"Yes. Much like the Changeling Queen and the Fallen Child, the Abomination is incapable of truly empathizing with the species it infects, for we are naught but flesh covered ants to it. Tools to be used to further its own evolution and then discarded once we are no longer of use. Indeed, it is hardly even capable of empathizing with others of its own kind. Before they spread out to the stars, the Abomination's species were trapped in a constant, neverending orgy of ceaseless mating and violent cannibalism, and even after all this time they have not truly changed from that savage, primitive state of being," it agreed solemnly as looks of incredulous disgust crossed everybody's features.

"And because of that, the Abomination is completely unable to understand true bonds of Love and Friendship. That is also why its attempts to manipulate the emotions and relationships of this world's inhabitants are not yielding it the results in wielding and feeding off Magic it wants. Nor can it comprehend that Magic has a will of its own and is more than just a mindless energy source, and that the Magic of Harmony will fight it every step of the way for attempting to use it in ways that go against its very nature."

"The Lost…" Starlight exclaimed breathlessly as her eyes widened in shock and understanding. "That's why their Inner Magic is going nuts and their bodies have become so twisted! It's fighting against the Fragments of the Abomination trying to connect with them!"

"Indeed," the spirit agreed with an approving nod and smile before a deep frown crossed its face. "Unfortunately, even though its efforts to bend Magic to its will were doomed from the start, the Abomination will not be easily deterred. Not when it believes the solution its kind have sought for so long is almost within reach. It cut this Cycle short when it realized it had a prize in its grasp, and now that it has been discovered, it intends to abduct all the magical creatures of this world and bring them to the rest of the Abominations in chains for study so they can learn to harness our Magic."

"OVER MAH DEAD BODY!" Applejack roared before stomping the ground hard enough to crater stone in her fury as everyone else made similar noises of defiant anger. "AIN'T NO WAY SOME LOW DOWN, GOOD-FOR-NOTHIN', BLOODSUCKIN' LITTLE TICK IS GONNA TAKE ME, MAH FRIENDS, AND MAH FAMILY AWAY FROM OUR HOMES AND TURN US INTO THEIR SICK LITTLE SCIENCE EXPERIMENTS!"

"YEAH!" Apple Bloom agreed with her elder sister wholeheartedly as her yellow coat turned as red as her mane while she tossed her bowed head and pawed the ground aggressively. "I'LL BUCK THAT THIEVIN' VARMINT INTO NEXT WEEK BEFORE I LET IT TAKE EVEN ONE MORE APPLE!"

"You mean your family, right?" Scootaloo muttered as she gave her friend a side-eye.

"THEM TOO!"

"So how do we stop it?" Sweetie Belle asked in a very unsweet growl as her white horn sparked dangerously with green magic.

Discord scoffed.

"I would think that would be obvious Sweetie Belle," he said in a very uncharacteristically cold and serious voice as his mismatched yellow-and-red eyes swept across everyone icily. "We either track that loathsome creature down to whatever dimension it's hiding in, or force it out into the open. Then we kill it and rescue the poor saps it's captured if we can. After that, we find the Rent in space it used to get here and seal it shut so nothing like this ever happens again. A distastefully plain and simple plan, perhaps, but desperate times and all that. Besides…"

The Draconequus's face darkened and his usually light and jovial tone became shockingly low and menacing.

"...I find I'm rather not in the mood for games at the moment…"

Everyone present shivered, none more so than the Guardians, Starlight, Spike, Thorax, and the Celestial Sisters.

Discord had not taken his defeat and near-death at the Abomination's hands well. And he'd taken what it had tried to do to his wife and friends even worse. It was enough to make the lavender alicorn almost feel sorry for the parasite.

Almost.

"That sounds great and all, but there's one problem you guys," Spike, ever the sensible one, chimed in as a perturbed and concerned frown crossed the purple-and-green dragon's features. "How exactly are we going to go about doing that? Even if we can manage to find the Abomination's real body, based on everything we've found out about it so far… this thing is tough. Really, really tough. Tougher than anything we've ever faced before. And we don't have the Crystal Heart or the Elements of Harmony anymore, and the Tree… isn't looking so hot. No offense…"

The Tree nodded sadly as it's waning glow seemed to dim even more.

"You speak the truth, faithful Companion of Magic. My power is fading. It is taking all of my strength to keep the Abomination out of our world, and I cannot last much longer. Soon, my magic will fail me, and when it does, the parasite will return, and destroy me while I am weak to prevent me from sealing it off again," it revealed somberly as everyone either swore or gasped in horror before the spirit drew itself up and cast a determined expression at the assembled royals and champions. "But take heart, my friends. All is not yet lost. I believe there is still a chance to save our world. A chance to give my Bearers the power they need to face the Abomination on the field of battle along with the Spirit of Chaos."

The Guardians of Harmony immediately perked up as hope soared in their hearts.

"You do!?!" Twilight exclaimed eagerly as her doppelganger nodded with a gentle smile.

"I do," the Tree confirmed in a reassuring manner before its face turned sad again. "However, be warned. In order for this plan to work, a Great Sacrifice will be required by the creatures of Equus. And even if you and your friends are victorious, you may still not be able to save everyone the Abomination has stolen from us."

Everyone's enthusiasm was immediately dampened by that melancholy warning as they all glanced at each other warily, before two tired sighs suddenly cut through the tension.

"Come on everyone. Why are you all looking so surprised?" Pharynx asked in a weary, rhetorical tone as he and Tempest gave everyone sad looks. "This is war. And no war was ever won without sacrifice. Or casualties."

"No matter how hard you try, you can't always save everyone," the dark mare agreed quietly as she met the Guardians eyes with a sympathetic but firm gaze. "So save who you can. Avenge and mourn for the rest."

Everyone glanced at each other again while they digested the two soldier's words, before letting out tired sighs of their own as they all came to a reluctant, but unanimous agreement and turned back to the waiting spirit with heavy hearts.

"What do we have to do?" Twilight asked quietly, her sad voice nonetheless filled with resolve as her doppelganger nodded with an approving and understanding look before its face firmed.

"First, I will require the aid and strength of my creators and your first students if I am to succeed in this endeavor," the Tree began as the Pillars and the six former students in question all immediately stepped forward wearing determined frowns. "And second, I will need to accelerate the other five Bearers and Starlight Glimmer's ascension into alicorns."

Everyone blinked.

"...beg pardon?" Applejack said weakly in an utterly flabbergasted voice at the spirit's rather matter-of-fact tone after a long pause as it gave an amused smile.

"The Bearer of Magic might have been the first among you to complete her ascension into an immortal alicorn, Bearer of Honesty, but she would have been far from the last," the Tree explained gently as everyone gaped at it with thunderstruck expressions. "All of you would have ascended in time thanks to your connection to Harmony and great service to Equestria. The Shepherd's of Sun and Moon accelerated Magic's ascension because they were eager to retire, but I was content to allow it to happen naturally on its own. However, the Abomination's actions have forced my hoof."

"Wait, so let me get this straight. We're all supposed to become alicorns? And the only reason Twilight became one sooner than the rest of us is because Celestia and Luna forced the transformation?" Rainbow Dash cut in with an utterly incredulous expression, before scowling slightly at the spirit's nod and turning to said alicorns with a somewhat accusatory look. "Did you two know about this? I know you both like to keep your cards close to your chest a lot, but keeping something this big from us is seriously not cool!"

"I would have to agree," Rarity chimed in sternly with a suspicious and unhappy look of her own. "While it is true we have become quite accustomed to aiding Twilight with her rulership duties whenever we convene for the Council of Friendship, becoming alicorns and full-time rulers is another matter entirely. None of us were trained and hoof-picked for the job from a young age like she was, and we all have lives and ambitions of our own to live and pursue. So expecting us to just accept such a massive change being dropped on us out of nowhere once the transformations finally happened is rather… vexing."

"Yeah! And besides, if we'd known we were all going to become alicorns eventually then Rarity wouldn't have had to spend so much time worrying about her wrinkles and gray hairs."

"PINKIE PIE!"

"N-no. I assure you all we had no idea this was going to happen," Celestia said in an absentminded but still sincere tone, still too stunned to really register the fashionista's furious roar. "We wanted Twilight to ascend, yes, and we hoped that our efforts to teach and guide her would help that along, but we never imagined all six of you would eventually become alicorns."

"Although," Luna mused thoughtfully as she put a hoof to her chin and furrowed her brow. "We did think it rather odd that the changes young Twilight went through when she first ascended were so minimal. She barely increased in strength at all. But if it's true that we forced the transformation to happen earlier than it should have without knowing it, then I guess it makes sense it took Twilight so long to grow into her power."

"That's all well good, you guys, but we're kind of ignoring the Ursa Major in the room here," Starlight butt in rather insistently with a slightly frantic look in her eyes. "Why the hay am I slated to become an alicorn!?! I'm not a great hero or a Bearer of Harmony! I'm just a former villain that was lucky enough to get a good teaching position!"

The Guardians of Harmony all looked at each other.

"Um, actually Starlight, that's… really not so surprising," Fluttershy said in her normal soft tones, sounding like she was trying not to be rude as the Headmare gaped at her.

"Fluttershy's right, Starlight. You've practically been one of us ever since you helped the Changelings overthrow Chrysalis. Might as well make it official," Applejack agreed with an odd mix of bluntness and kindness as Starlight blushed furiously.

"Plus, you're one of the most powerful sorceresses around, and the Headmare of the School of Friendship. You know, our greatest accomplishment and the place that's meant to promote peace and understanding between all the races of the world. That's kind of a big deal," Rainbow Dash added her two cents in a lightly teasing tone as she hovered in the air with crossed arms and an amused expression at the way said Headmare blushed even harder at the praise.

"But… are you all sure I'm really worthy? To join the Council of Friendship in full? To become an alicorn?" Starlight questioned uncertainly after her embarrassment had subsided, her voice full of doubt. "Especially with my… checkered past? I'm just not sure it's a good idea…"

"Pfft! Who cares about that, Starlight?" Pinkie Pie replied with an errant wave and a dismissive role of the eyes before flashing an encouraging smile. "So what if you did some bad things in the past? That was super duper long ago! And besides, you've made up for all that stuff like, a million, kajillion times over by now! None of us would even be here right now if it wasn't for you!"

"Indeed," Rarity said kindly as she moved to put a hoof on the Headmare's shoulder with her customary elegance and grace. "Who you were before does not matter, darling. Only who you are now. And Starlight… that mare has one of the most beautiful hearts I've ever seen."

"Alicornhood is earned, Starlight Glimmer, not given," the Spirit of the Tree spoke up again with a warm smile as everyone turned to look at it again. "It was not by my decision that you would have ascended, but by your own efforts to change and be better than you were. To protect the Harmony of this land and spread the lessons of Friendship you learned so others may benefit from them. There is no mistake. You are a Bearer, Starlight Glimmer. The Bearer of Empathy. For none are more empathetic than those that know what it's like to fall to darkness but find your way back to the light. And it is high time you took your place among your fellows."

Starlight stood frozen in place for several long moments, overwhelmed with emotion and indecision, before finally stepping forward with a deep shuddering breath as she surreptitiously wiped the tears from her eyes.

"If… if you're really sure…" the Headmare said hesitantly, still warring with herself, only to immediately stop as Twilight stepped forward and smiled down proudly at her former student before holding out a hoof.

"We are, Starlight," she said warmly with absolute confidence and sincerity as the rest of the Guardians gathered around her and held out their hooves as well. "All of us."

Starlight stared at the outstretched hooves for a few moments longer before finally banishing the last of her lingering self-doubt and reaching out her hoof as well.

"Thank you," she whispered in a voice thick with love and gratitude. "Thank you all. For everything."

Their hooves met.

And all seven mares felt something akin to an electric shock flow through their veins as their bodies briefly glowed with a cacophony of rainbow lights.

Except instead of pain, each and everyone of them all felt nothing but… peace.

Happiness.

Indescribable Joy that went far beyond what mere words could ever convey as six spirits eagerly reached out to welcome a new soul into their sacred bond, now and forever.

The sensation lasted only a few seconds, but it was something all of them would treasure until the end of time.

"Well. That was certainly dramatic," Spike commented wryly to Ember, the dryness in his voice offset by the approving smile on his face as he watched the touching group hug currently taking place.

"Yep," Ember concurred in an even dryer voice with half-lidded eyes, before shooting a teasing smirk at her first friend. "But hey, at least we got one more really strong fighter to face the Abomination out of all this sappy drama. Starlight's one of the toughest unicorns there is. I'm sure she'll be a great help when they finally face that monster."

Spike grinned and nodded as the Guardians of Harmony, now one member stronger, turned back to the patiently waiting Tree.

"Ok… so what next?" Starlight questioned with a determined smile, filled with newfound confidence. "That can't be all there is to your plan. Turning us all into alicorns is nice and all, but there's no way that'll be enough to let us take down that monster."

The spirit nodded grimly.

"You are correct, Bearer of Empathy. To defeat a foe of this magnitude will require power far greater than any pony, alicorn or otherwise, has ever wielded before," it stated in a grave voice as the Guardians all glanced at each other nervously, before the Tree sighed. "And since the Elements and the Crystal Heart have been destroyed, I am left with no choice but to seek such power from the only source remaining: Equus itself."

Everyone eyed the impassive spirit warily.

"What do you mean by 'Equus itself'?" Twilight questioned with a slight tinge of nervousness and concern. "I'm assuming this is the 'Great Sacrifice' you said the people of Equus would have to make to give us the strength to face the Abomination?"

"Yes," the Tree confirmed with a nod before glancing at Celestia, Luna, and Cadance. "Do you remember what the Queen of Love and the Shepherds of the Sun and Moon did when the Demon Centaur broke his chains the first time, Bearer of Magic? How they transferred all of their power into you to hide their magic from him and give you the strength you would need to match his stolen might?"

The lavender alicorn's eyes widened.

"You mean you want them and Flurry to give my friends and I their magic once you turn the other Bearers into alicorns?" she asked slowly, unable to keep the slight hint of skepticism out of her voice as a frown slowly crossed her face.

While that would give them all quite a bit of a boost…

…would it really be enough?

"Not just them, Bearer of Magic," the spirit replied with a shake of the head as it cast a severe and deadly serious gaze across all the creatures currently gathered in the grove. "And not just the ponies of Equestria. But the Griffins, the Dragons, the Kirins, the Seaponies, the Changelings, and the Hippogriffs. The animals, the plants, the monsters, and even the Prisoners of the Abomination. I will use all of my power and the strength given to me by my creators and your students to transfer every last drop of magic in Equus into you and your friends. Then, and only then, will you have strength to see this through."

Dead silence followed the Tree's proclamation as everyone stared at it with their mouths openly agape, minds totally blank while they desperately tried to process what they'd just heard.

"A-all of it?" Twilight asked weakly, a sudden wave of lightheadedness overtaking her as her mind went into overdrive trying to piece together the implications of the Tree's plan. "Every last drop of magic?"

"Yes," the spirit replied simply with a serious nod, indicating that, no, it was not joking about this crazy plan.

"Is something like that even possible?" Starlight said with nervous incredulity, looking quite weak at the knees as her own brilliant mind started undoubtedly drawing the same conclusions as the lavender alicorns.

"It is," the Tree confirmed as both mares gulped, before glancing at the pale-faced representatives of the magic races. "If the creatures and races of Equus are willing to make the sacrifice."

Said races weren't looking so enthusiastic about this plan anymore.

Even Pharynx and Tempest were eying the spirit as if it'd just grown a second head.

"D-darling," Rarity stammered slightly before taking a deep breath to regain her usual composure. "Are you quite certain that such drastic measures are truly necessary?"

"Yeah, I'm with Rarity on this one," Rainbow Dash agreed wholeheartedly with a deeply uncomfortable expression as her eyes glazed over slightly in remembrance. "We were all there when Twilight rearranged the map going a few rounds with Tirek before he used us as bargaining chips, and those two 'only' had all the magic of the ponies of Equestria between them. A small fraction of what you're talking about. If we were given that much power…"

"You would be as the gods spoken of in the Legends of Old," the Tree finished gravely as all the Guardians really became uncomfortable at the very thought.

"Is the Abomination really that powerful?" Applejack whispered with open dread coloring her normally strong and steadfast tones. "That the only way we'll even have a chance against it is for the other races to sacrifice all their magic to turn the seven of us into honest-too-goodness gods!?!"

"It is," the Spirit of Tree answered forlornly as the farmpony's ears flattened against her hat. "I was not lying when I said the Abomination was a being of great and terrible power, Bearer of Honesty. That it was vast beyond comprehension. And its strength is as colossal as its body. Entire worlds have shattered under the weight of its awesome might, the great Celestial Spheres breaking apart like so much glass. And without an equally mighty force to meet it, this world will share that fate."

The Guardians swallowed heavily at those ominous words as the true enormity of the task before them was made painfully clear.

"Then… will you help us?" Fluttershy asked hesitantly as she turned to eye the representatives of the magical races, who stiffened at the soft question. "Will you lend us your magic so we can try and stop this horrible creature from destroying our world?"

There was a long, uncomfortable pause.

"Do we have a choice?" Ember asked rhetorically at long last, unable to keep the frustration and bitterness out of her voice even as she winced and shot the Guardians an apologetic look. "Don't get me wrong, I trust you guys and you've definitely proven yourselves many times over at this point. But… to give up our magic… all of our magic…"

"You are asking us to give up a vital part of ourselves and our way of life," Queen Novo continued in a quiet, grave voice as she looked up with a torn expression. "Would we even get it back afterwards, even if we were victorious?"

Pinkie scoffed as if that was the most ridiculous thing she'd ever heard (which was really saying something).

"Duh! Of course we'd give your magic back to you after we're done destroying that big old tapeworm, silly! We're not greedy bullies that won't share their toys like Tirek!" she admonished the Queen of the Hippogriffs and Sea Ponies in a gently chastising manner that earned the party pony a quirked eyebrow, before her mane and tail both deflated slightly as she looked away with an uncharacteristically nervous and melancholy air. "Besides, being a ruler and an alicorn is already hard enough. Being a god on top of that… doesn't sound very fun. I don't think I want that job…"

Rarity's spine went ramrod straight as a shiver coursed through her pelt. "Pinkie Pie with all the powers of a god… these truly are the End Times…"

"RARITY!" the other Guardians chorused their oft-repeated reprise.

"Nuh-uh, I'm with marshmallow-flank on this one!" Pinkie swiftly denied, waving her hooves placatingly. "We've already got one whacked-out uber-loony god going around, if there were two of us, it'd just be cliché!"

"Preach it, candy floss!" Discord chorused with a pump of his paw.

"See, she agrees with—wait, WHAT did you just call me!?"

The various rulers' faces all softened somewhat as the other Guardians scrambled to try and keep the irate fashionista from ringing Pinkie's neck.

"We believe you," Rain Shine, the tall, graceful leader of the Kirins, said in her beautiful voice with a kind smile, her interjection halting the Guardians' antics. Her gaze grew particularly fond when it briefly swept over Applejack and Fluttershy, before she frowned once again. "But there is still a problem. While you seven have more than earned our trust, and our confidence, that does not change the fact that magic is the cornerstone of our societies. Without it… will we even be able to survive long enough for you to find a way to give it back to us?"

There was a long, uncomfortable silence as everyone mulled over the Kirin Queen's very valid point, before an unexpected voice suddenly spoke up.

"Yaks help."

Everyone turned to see the massive form of King Rutherford slowly trudging his way over to Rain Shine with his lips quirked into a surprisingly soft, sincere smile for the normally gruff and temperamental king.

"I beg your pardon, King Rutherford?" Rain Shine asked politely with a raised eyebrow as the yak's smile grew wider.

"Yaks help Kirin and other magic races survive until Pink Pony and her friends smash Abomination and give magic back," he replied good-naturedly as the Kirin Queen's eyes widened. "Yaks used to surviving without magic. Can show magic races how so they won't be so puny without it anymore."

Pinkie Pie giggled and rolled her eyes at her friend's, ah, generous offer as Rain Shine sputtered slightly, briefly at a loss for words.

"I… ah, thank you for your offer King Rutherford. It is most kind," she replied formally with a graceful bow of the head once she'd regained her wits, before looking up with a cautious and curious expression. "That being said, I must ask, what brought this on? Relations between the magic and magicless races have not always been the best in the past."

But Rutherford merely let out a boisterous laugh at the Kirin Queen's confusion.

"Yaks and magic races might fight sometimes, but magic races still part of Equus. Abomination not. Abomination parasite that want to take everything away from us. All races of Equus need to stick together until Abomination smashed. Can go back to fighting after," he replied sagely as if it was the most obvious thing in the world as Rain Shine was once again left at a loss for words.

"Rutherford's right," a large buffalo cow wearing a huge, ornate feathered headband agreed wholeheartedly as the now not-so-little Little Strongheart stepped forward with her signature confident smile plastered all over face. "This world belongs to all of us, and we all need to band together to defend it. My ancestors would string me up by my hooves if I allowed our home to be destroyed because I wouldn't help our neighbors in their time of need. Count me in."

Ember, Queen Novo, and Rain Shine all stared in shock as one by one, the Abyssian, Diamond Dog, Zebra, and Saddle Arabian delegates all followed suit, until every magicless race on Equus had pledged to put old grievances aside and lend their support to their magical kin until the current crisis was over.

"...Well. Shit. Looks like I've underestimated this friendship junk once again," the Dragon Lord commented flatly before shaking her head with a self-deprecating air and turning to give the Guardians a wry grin. "Welp, looks like I've officially run out of excuses you guys. The Dragons magic is yours until the Abomination's been burnt to a crisp. Novo? Rain Shine? What about you?"

Queen Novo was silent for a long time as she stared hard at Twilight, whose heart sank as a sneaking suspicion started to enter the back of her mind, before the hippogriff turned to her kirin counterpart.

"Queen Rain Shine, if you would please join me for a moment. I would like to discuss this with you," she requested in a stiffly formal voice as Rain Shine raised an eyebrow before nodding and following Novo a short distance away to a secluded spot in the grove.

The two Queens sat down and went into a huddle, talking in hushed tones while everyone else silently watched with bated breath, and the lavender alicorn's ears flattened against her crown at the way Rain Shine kept surreptitiously glancing back at her while Novo whispered in her ear, first with surprise, then disappointment, then finally suspicion.

There was little doubt in Twilight's mind that the Queen of the Hippogriffs and Sea Ponies was giving her Kirin counterpart an "informed opinion" on just who exactly she was considering handing her entire race's magic over to.

The same mare who had once tried to steal the greatest treasure of Novo's race. The magic pearl that gave them their ability to change between hippogriffs and sea ponies at will.

Their debate lasted quite a while, long enough that even the usually endlessly serene Tree of Harmony was starting to lose its patience, until at last the two Queens seemed to come to an agreement as they both stood up and moved to rejoin the rest of the group wearing painfully neutral expressions.

"Queen Novo and I have come to a decision," Rain Shine announced formally as the butterflies in the lavender alicorn's stomach reached a fever pitch, with only decades of long practice preventing her nervousness from appearing on her face. "And despite some disturbing revelations…"

Twilight winced slightly as the Kirin Queen's eyes briefly flicked to her.

"...we have both agreed that in light of the recent crisis and the admirable gesture of goodwill the magicless races have just given us, it would be a rather poor repayment on our part to continue to cling to the sins of the past. Thus, we have both decided to go along with the Tree of Harmony's plan," Rain Shine finished seriously as everyone released a breath they didn't know they were holding in.

Only to immediately straighten back up again when Novo's expression sharpened.

"However, let it be known that this is not a decision either of us make lightly. We are both putting a colossal amount of trust in you, Guardians, and if our people's magic is not returned to us as soon as possible the instant the beast has been slain and it's victims rescued, there will be severe consequences," the Hippogriff Queen warned in a dire voice that immediately had everyone there frantically nodding their heads in agreement.

"Queen Novo, Queen Rain Shine, we are all truly humbled by your trust in us, and I swear to you on my honor as Queen of Equestria and a Guardian of Harmony, my friends and I will do everything in power to prove ourselves worthy of that trust," Twilight said in a formal voice overflowing with sincerity as she stepped forward and bowed before the two royals while the rest of her friends immediately followed suit, before the lavender alicorn looked up and met their eyes with a touched and earnest smile. "Thank you both."

Queen Novo and Rain Shine both stared at Twilight with searching gazes that seemed to pierce right through her, before at last their faces softened and they both nodded with small smiles as the former stepped forward and bent down to whisper in the lavender alicorn's ear.

"You are forgiven, Twilight Sparkle."

Twilight released a breath of relief and her shoulders slumped as if a great weight had just been lifted off of them at the Queen's kind words before she silently nodded to Novo with a smile full of gratitude before standing up and turning back to the Tree.

"Alright then. That just leaves the Griffins and the Breezies we need to convince," she said happily, feeling lighter than she had in ages despite the grim circumstances as Rainbow Dash scoffed.

"Well that shouldn't be hard. Fluttershy has the Breezies all wrapped around her hoof and they already basically depend on us to survive anyway. And the Griffins might be greedy, but if there's anything they value more than bits, it's their lives and their families. They'll cough up their magic once they realize it's either that or being turned into the Abomination's Guinea Pigs," Rainbow Dash assured the lavender alicorn with an errant wave, before a sad, angry scowl crossed her face as she looked away with a far more bitter and melancholy air. "Besides, Griffonstone got hit particularly hard, and just as they were finally about to finish pulling themselves back together too. They'll want payback."

The other Guardians all frowned before letting out sad sighs as Fluttershy and Pinkie immediately went to put comforting hooves on the Wonderbolt Captains withers.

Gilda, Dash's childhood friend, had been among the poor souls taken by the parasite.

Just before her upcoming coronation to be crowned the new queen of Griffinstone for her efforts in uniting the Griffins again without having to rely on the lost Idol of Boreas.

"Thorax, Pharynx, I assume we'll have your support in this as well?" Twilight asked the two Royal Changelings as Thorax immediately nodded with a smile.

"Of course Twilight. You seven have always been the Changelings staunchest allies, and the reason we were able to finally overthrow Chrysalis and find peace and acceptance at last. Besides, after all the centuries the Changelings spent doing nothing but take from Equus, I think it's high time we did something to give back to the world instead," the Changeling King answered humbly with a wry self-deprecating grin as the Guardians all chuckled weakly.

"All that being said, there is still one last problem with this plan. Namely, that you Seven still don't know how to fight like real soldiers," Pharynx cut in sternly as the seven mares all immediately slumped under his firm gaze. "Not to mention that many of you will be learning entirely new branches of magic from scratch."

"Pharynx is right," Tempest agreed with an equally strict expression as she moved to stand beside the Changeling General. "All the power in the world doesn't mean anything if you don't know how to use it, especially against an enemy like this. You seven will need time and some very good teachers to learn to use your new powers to their full potential. Time I doubt the Abomination will give us."

"The Guardian and the Scarred Warrior are correct," the Spirit of the Tree agreed as it gave the Guardians a solemn but firm look. "You will need to select a small group of mentors to retain their magic and find a safe place hidden from the Abomination's sight to train your new powers until you all have learned to become real warriors. Only then will you be truly ready to face the parasite."

"I can help with the latter," Discord immediately volunteered as he stepped forward and gave his former enemies a small, lopsided grin. "My home is quite out of the way, after all, and I'm sure I'll be able to make all kinds of delightful adjustments to it to give you seven the very best environment you'll need to become the greatest Warrior Goddesses Equus has ever seen."

Twilight, Applejack, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash all groaned while Pinkie giggled and Fluttershy just smiled and shook her head in fond exasperation.

"And Pharynx, Tempest, and I would be more happy to help turn you all into lean, mean, alien-killing machines," Flash Magnus chimed in as the Guardian's dread only grew at the truly evil smiles the three soldiers sent their way. "We'll make soldiers out of you yet, girlies."

"Do not forget about us," Star Swirl added with an amused smirk on his aged face as he and Neighsay trudged forward as well. "Neighsay and I might be old, but I'd say we've both got enough left in us to train one last batch of students before we finally croak."

"Indeed. Especially since our expertise in Dimensional Portal Magic will be absolutely vital for you seven to have a chance against a foe such as this," Neighsay concurred with a teasing glint in your eye. "So I hope you seven are ready for some long nights hitting the books. It is quite a complicated subject."

Rainbow Dash groaned.

"I have a migraine already," she groused irritably as she furiously massaged her temples while Applejack chuckled and threw a friendly hoof around her friend.

"Don't worry sugarcube. We'll make sure to let these two old timers in on the secret to getting through that thick skull of yours," the farmpony teased in a friendly manner as the Wonderbolt Captain grumbled petulantly, even if she wasn't quite able to hide the way her lips were twitching.

"Flurry and I will come as well," Cadance said coolly as she and her daughter both stepped forward wearing icy and determined expressions. "We're both the foremost practitioners of Crystal Magic and teaching it to you seven is the least we can do to make sure that gluttonous beast pays for what it's done."

Flurry nodded stoically as Twilight's heart constricted painfully at seeing such a cold and vicious look on her sweet little niece's face before sighing in resignation and nodding back.

Hopefully this would at least give them some closure…

"Um, everyone, aren't we forgetting a few things?" Fluttershy suddenly interrupted with a worried expression, snapping the lavender alicorn out of her depressing musings as everyone turned to look at her. "If all the other races give us their magic, then who will protect Equus from the Abomination while we're away training? Who will manage the Sun and Moon? And…"

She glanced over at the solemn-faced spirit.

"...what will happen to you? And the Abomination's prisoners?"

There was a long uncomfortable pause before the Tree let out a tired sigh.

"The Amulet of the Sun and Moon the two Shepherds forged should be enough to manage the Celestial Spheres as long as it is kept safe. As for Equus and the Abomination's prisoners… the parasite has little interest in the magicless creatures of our world at this point. It has been consumed by greed and desperation to acquire that which it believes will give its race the solution they have hunted for for so long. Thus it is my hope that once I transfer all the magic of our world into my Bearers that it will pay our people and its prisoners no mind," the spirit answered tiredly as everyone shared uneasy glances before it looked up with a morose expression. "But if I am mistaken… well, I warned you all that we might not be able to save everyone."

Twilight grimaced as her heart clenched painfully while everyone else bore similar expressions of sadness and dismay.

That wasn't the answer any of them wanted, even if it was the one they'd expected…

"As for myself… it is as I told you all before, Rulers and Champions of Equus. Defeating the Abomination will require a Great Sacrifice from everyone. Including me," the Tree finished with sad but determined finality as everyone immediately paled when they caught the spirit's meaning.

"What!?! NO!" Silverstream cried out in utter horror as she immediately zoomed in front of the Tree's Avatar, who merely looked down at the pink hippogriff sadly. "YOU CAN'T!"

"I must," the spirit insisted in that same melancholy tone. "It is the only way to save our world."

"LIKE TARTARUS IT IS!" Smolder roared in a panicked rage, flames licking at her lips as she stormed over and glared down at the Tree. "There's no way we're going to help you with this crazy scheme if you're just going to get yourself killed in the process!"

"Slipstream, Smolder, please do not make this more difficult than it has to be," the spirit pleaded as she looked up at the enraged dragoness. "It is already too late to save me. I was doomed the moment I sealed the Abomination off from our world."

"What are you talking about?" Sandbar demanded with naked concern and fear on his light green face as the Tree sighed.

"The Abomination knows that I am what is keeping it out of our world. That I am a threat to its plans. Once I am unable to maintain the barrier any longer, it will destroy me just like the Crystal Heart to prevent me from interfering further," it explained in a weary, matter-of-fact tone as everyone gasped in horror at the revelation. "I will perish. There is no stopping that now. Either the Abomination will destroy me after I have exhausted all my strength to empower the Bearers, or it will do so when my power runs out trying to keep it sealed off from Equus. Either way, I will die. And if I am to die, then I would prefer to die choosing the best method to defend my home and my friends."

"Shiny Tree shouldn't have to choose!" Yona wailed as tears of sadness and helpless rage fell down her face. "Shiny Tree shouldn't have to choose at all!"

"I know, Yona, but the Abomination has left us all little choice," the spirit countered forlornly as the yak cow wailed in utter anguish while her friends desperately tried to comfort her, before a gentle smile crossed its features. "Do not despair, friends. I know it is always hard to say farewell, but I have lived a long, happy life watching over this land as its inhabitants developed and became better and better with each passing generation. And when my spirit passes on to the next life, it will do so knowing I did everything I possibly could to fulfill my purpose of guarding the Harmony of this world and its people. I am content."

The six former students all bowed their heads and clenched their teeth, tears flowing down their faces as they desperately fought to avoid breaking down completely.

"You really are the Pillars greatest creation," Ocellus whispered softly as the light blue changeling wiped her ruby red eyes dry before bowing deeply to the Tree with the rest of her friends, who were swiftly followed by everyone else in the grove.

Even Discord couldn't help but give his former greatest adversary a short bow of solemn respect.

"Your sacrifice will never be forgotten," Twilight said solemnly as she fought down her own sadness before standing up and giving her doppelganger a fierce look. "Never. Thank you. For everything."

The Tree smiled warmly.

"I live to preserve Harmony," it replied simply in a humble voice, before its expression firmed and its tone grew urgent. "But now you must go. Our time grows short, and we have but a few scant days left before the Abomination breaks through my spell. You all must go to your people and prepare them for the Great Sacrifice. I would also advise you all to say your goodbyes to any friends and family you have left. Just in case the worst should come to pass."

Everyone nodded with solemn determination before Twilight turned to the assembled royals and champions with fire in her eyes.

"You heard the Tree everyone. Let's move."

***

Twilight took a deep breath to calm her frayed nerves as her similarly nervous friends all did much the same.

It was two days later and the Guardians were all once again standing before the Tree of Harmony, which, true to its prediction, was looking considerably worse for wear, though it assured them that with the help of the Pillars, the Bearers, and their six former students it would still have enough power to defend Equus one last time.

The lavender alicorn fought down another wave of sadness as she looked to where the Spirit of the Tree was saying it's final goodbyes to Yona, Smolder, Sandbar, Ocellus, Gallus, and Silverstream.

There had been a lot of that going around, lately.

Every moment the seven mares hadn't spent helping the various rulers convince their people to go along with the Tree's plan and helping with the preparations for said plan had been spent with their friends and family, and there had been many, many tears, arguments, and heartfelt words exchanged between them all.

They would need to make sure they did something special for Discord when this was over, assuming they survived.

The Draconequus's assistance had not only been completely invaluable for getting the preparations complete in time, but they were also the only reason the Guardians of Harmony had even had any time for their friends and loved ones period.

Who would have thought what was once the most infamous villain Equestria had ever faced could come so far?

"Well girls, this is it," Rainbow Dash said in an uncharacteristically subdued manner as she shifted in place and eyed them all uncomfortably. "So, are you all ready to become gods?"

Applejack sighed.

"Ready as we'll ever be, I reckon," she replied tiredly as she rubbed her face with her hood. "Landsakes, this is ridiculous. I'm just a farmpony, dagnabit! That's all I've ever wanted to be ever since I was a young 'un. To think this is how my life would have turned out…"

"Aw, don't worry, Applejack! We'll only be gods for a little while! Just long enough to send that big worm packing! Then we'll be able to give everyone their magic back and won't have to deal with the crushing existential crisis of being all-powerful deities responsible for the continued well being of everyone and everything on this planet!" Pinkie Pie assured Applejack cheerfully, who merely stared back at her flatly with a raised eyebrow, so numb to the party pony's antics at this point they barely even got a reaction any more.

"We'll still all be immortal alicorns responsible for ruling Equestria though. Which is still… a lot," Fluttershy pointed out softly in a nervous voice as everypony grimaced and looked away uncomfortably while Twilight looked on with a sad and understanding expression, before the Bearer of Kindness suddenly gave a small smile. "Though… I am happy this means Discord and I will have all the time we want together now…"

Every one of her friends immediately smiled warmly in enthusiastic agreement.

"Indeed. And we're all very happy for you and Discord darling," Rarity replied as she hugged Fluttershy, both mares glowing with so much happiness they briefly looked 30 years younger.

It was true.

As happy as Discord and the Bearer of Kindness were together, Fluttershy's slowly encroaching mortality had always been a source of considerable heartache for both of them.

So finding out that would no longer be a problem for them was definitely a significant bright spot in this whole mess.

Just as much as a bright spot as it had been for the lavender alicorn to find out she wouldn't have to say goodbye to her closest friends anytime soon.

Assuming they won, of course…

"Everypony."

Twilight was snapped out of her musings as her doppelganger approached with a solemn expression.

"It is time," the spirit said simply with determined finality as the Guardians, their former students, and their chosen mentors all stepped forward. "Are you ready to begin?"

The lavender alicorn released a breath before steeling her expressions as her friend's did the same.

"We are," she replied in a similarly simple, determined expression.

"Yeah, we're all ready to roll too," Flash Magnus agreed with a confident smile before casting an uncertain gaze to the side. "Just one question… why is Pinkie's older sister here?"

Maid Pie stared back in her typically impossibly stoic, deadpan manner, the gray earth pony completely unphased by the odd looks she was getting.

Pinkie Pie scoffed.

"Duh! Maud's one of our teachers, silly!" she answered cheerfully as if it was the most obvious thing in the world as their other instructors blinked in surprise.

It was a bit of a last minute addition, admittedly. Mostly because Maud had absolutely refused to let her beloved little sister go through something like this without her help, and the Guardians had been completely unable to shake her.

Damn Maud Sense…

"Oh? And what exactly do you bring to the table Miss Pie?" Star Swirl asked as he raised an intrigued eyebrow as the stoic earth pony mare blinked at him.

"I'm really good at breaking hard things. I thought I'd show Pinkie and her friends how," Maud answered flatly in her usual emotionless tones as her fellow teachers stared at her incredulously.

"...That's it?" Tempest growled with a highly annoyed expression. "The rest of us are here to teach them how to fight and wield highly advanced magic and train them in military tactics… and all you're here to do is show them how to 'break hard things'!?! Are you wasting our time Miss Pie?"

But Maud merely stared blankly at the dark mare, thoroughly unconcerned with the rather dangerous edge entering her voice, before simply turning and slowly walking over to a large boulder nearby.

The earth pony mare then calmly raised a hoof and gave the boulder a good hard rap.

Which promptly exploded as if it had just been hit by a cannon shot.

Maud calmly walked back over to the stunned instructors still wearing her signature blank expression.

"Hot damn, mare! How in Tartarus did you do that!?!" Flash Magnus exclaimed in shock and more than a little jealousy once he'd found his voice again as the earth pony mare finally deigned to show a spark of emotion as she raised an eyebrow.

"It's an ancient earth pony martial art that's been passed down the Pie family for generations," Maud explained bluntly as Tempest sputtered in disbelief. "We originally developed it to break rocks, not people."

The earth pony mare's eyes narrowed somewhat as a slight foreboding edge entered her flat tones.

Which, for anypony that knew her well enough, was basically the equivalent of Maud speaking with the Echoes of the Damned in her voice as the Fires of Tartarus burned in her eyes.

"Unless they try to hurt our friends and loved ones. Then we use it to break people."

There was a long beat of silence broken only by the sound of Pinkie's stifled laughter.

"Oooookkkayyy then, scary lady. You're in," Flash Magnus said with a slightly disturbed expression while the earth pony mare simply nodded amicably with her typical stoic mask in place once more, before his expression firmed as he turned back to the patiently waiting Tree. "All right. We're ready now. What do you need us to do?"

The spirit smiled.

"What you have always done," it replied simply as its true body's glow steadily started to brighten while the Pillars and the six former students all began to glow as well. "Harness the Power of Harmony that sleeps deep within you. The Power born of the bonds of Love and Friendship you have forged with each other that has allowed you to fell the enemies of this land time and time again. Combine your strength with mine to create a whole far greater than the sum of its parts, and together, we shall bring forth the Saviors of our world."

The Tree of Harmony lit up like Celestia's sun as the Pillars and the six students all rose into the air surrounded by a heavenly glow and connected to each other and the Tree by streams of brilliant Rainbow Light.

"NOW, LET YOUR TRUE SELVES COME FORTH!" the Spirit of the Tree proclaimed in a thundering voice as it pointed its horn at the six mortal Guardians and a bright rainbow beam erupted from its tip, enveloping the six mares in the light's brilliant glow while they all gasped in shock and ecstasy while Twilight looked on.

She knew how her friends must be feeling.

Even now, over 30 years after her own Ascension, the lavender alicorn could still remember the experience like it was yesterday.

The feeling of pure and utter bliss as she was completely enveloped in the Power of Harmony, the strange and wonderful sensation of her body changing into something more than a mortal pony…

It was downright heavenly.

And it was likely even more intense for her friends, given Twilight had been a young mare in her prime when she'd first ascended and her transformation had been incomplete, whereas the others were all getting on in years and going through the entire thing.

A hypothesis that was rather strongly supported by the constant gasps and moans of relief her friends were giving out as all the various aches and pains they'd acquired over the decades suddenly vanished without a trace and youthful vigor returned to their aging bodies while they all slowly grew larger and larger, until…

There was a final enormous flash of light, and when the lavender alicorn lowered her foreleg she was greeted by the stunning sight of six more beautiful alicorn mares, all standing just as tall and strong as herself without so much as a wrinkle or blemish in sight.

"Girls?" Twilight asked softly as her friends all slowly opened their eyes and looked down at themselves and each other in shock. "How do you feel?

"Like… like my old self," Rainbow Dash answered slowly after a long pause, a pleased and eager grin rapidly spreading across her muzzle as she stretched and flexed her muscles and experimentally flapped her new, huge wings. "More than my old self! Like I could sprint from one end of Equestria and back again without breaking a sweat and blast out Rainbooms at every turn!"

"I'll say," Applejack agreed wholeheartedly as she trotted around effortlessly a few times on her long, muscular legs before throwing a few practice bucks in the air. "Woo-Eee! I haven't felt this good in ages! Why, if I had this body 30 years ago when Big Mac hurt himself, I could have harvested all them apple trees in an afternoon!"

"Yeah!" Pinkie said enthusiastically as bounced up and down like she was on a trampoline. "All those little aches and pains that kind of sneak up on you and you don't really notice until you've got a bunch of them and then it's really annoying but you've got to learn to live with it like an unwanted houseguest that won't take a hint even though you've given them like a million really obvious hints are all gone!"

"Oh, indeed!" Rarity concurred giddily in a delighted tone as she took out a mirror and admired her long, beautifully flowing purple mane and once again perfectly flawless skin and coat. "While I had long since accepted that I wasn't going to be as young as I once was, it's still such a relief to see all those grey hairs and vexing wrinkles gone. Outer beauty might not be everything, but it's certainly a nice thing to have nonetheless!"

"I feel… taller," Fluttershy said lamely with a rather self-conscious air after a pause, seemingly at a loss for what else to say. "And younger. And… really, really strong."

"You look even more beautiful than the day you agreed to be my wife, Fluttershy. And now I'll have all of eternity to appreciate just how lucky I am," Discord cut in an uncharacteristically soft and sincere tone as he took his wife's hooves in his hands and gave her a loving smile while she blushed scarlet with embarrassment.

"D-Discord…! Not in front of everypony else!"

"Bah! It's the End of the World, my dear! Let them watch!"

"I feel… powerful," Starlight said quietly with an uncertain tone as she eyed her elongated horn. "Really powerful."

"I know what you mean, Starlight," Twilight replied kindly as she stepped forward and put an understanding hoof on her fellow sorceress's withers. "But remember, we're just getting started."

The other six Guardians immediately sobered up at that before turning back to the waiting Tree.

"BEARERS OF HARMONY," the spirit addressed them as all seven alicorns immediately felt a very familiar power start to stir within them. "JOIN WITH US, SO WE MAY CALL UPON ALL THE CREATURES OF THIS WORLD TO SAVE IT FROM THE ABOMINATION THAT THREATENS TO TAKE AWAY EVERYTHING WE HOLD DEAR."

The Guardians all immediately answered the call and felt the Power of Harmony flow through their veins stronger than ever as they too floated in the air and joined their Hearts and Spirits with the others.

"MAGIC OF EQUUS, HEED OUR CALL!"

And for one brief but endless moment in time, Twilight and her friends saw everything.

The Ponies of Equestria, all hoping and praying their beloved Heroes and Rulers would save them one last time.

The Crystal Ponies, huddled in camps, shelters, and homes around the Equestrian Continent, desperately wishing for an end to the current crisis so they could return to their beautiful home in the Frozen North.

The Griffins and the Dragons, both proud and fierce races that dearly wished to slay the Abomination themselves but choosing to trust those who had aided them before.

The Changelings and the Breezies, wishing to repay the ones who had shown them such kindness in the past.

The Hippogriffs, all huddled around their Sacred Pearl, cautious but hopeful they would be able to return to the ocean again soon.

The Kirin, who still remembered how Kindness and Honesty had helped them temper their fiery rage and find their Voice again.

The Plants, The Animals, and even the fiercest of Monsters, all raising their heads and leafy extremities at Harmony's call, understanding instinctively that the End was near and would claim them all unless something was done.

The Prisoners of the Abomination, all terrified and suffering under their uncaring captors cruel Chains, suddenly ceasing their pained cries as newfound Hope filled their hearts at the gentle touch of Harmony on their souls.

And finally, the Guardians saw three wicked and familiar spirits, all bound in stone and slumbering in the depths of Canterlot Mountain, briefly awaken to rage in impotent fury at the Call, complying only so they could one day have the privilege of destroying the seven alicorns themselves.

All this and more the Guardians saw as one by one, all the creatures of Equus began willingly sacrificing their magic, a vital part of themselves, to the Call, each one of them falling to the ground in exhausted heaps as the Tree extracted their Magic as gently as it possibly could before drawing it to itself.

Multicolored motes of light of all shapes and sizes began to trickle into the grove before flowing into the Tree of Harmony, slowly at first, then faster and faster as more and more Magic was harvested, until a veritable tsunami of motes were flowing into the crystal tree so quickly and so tightly packed together they resembled nothing more than a flood of rainbow light.

The Flood of Magic seemed to go on forever, filling the Tree with so much power it shined like a supernova while the Guardians watched the Abomination cry out in Shock, Confusion, and Anger as it's prize was slowly ripped from its grasp one Prisoner at a time despite its frantic efforts to stop it, until at last, it was over.

Everypony all fell to the ground in a heap as the Flood finally petered out, those still with magic helping those without it struggle to their feet as Twilight and her friends all rose and eyed the painfully bright tree warily, knowing what was coming next as the Spirit of the Tree regarded them with a serious expression.

"ARE YOU READY?" it asked gravely one final time as the seven alicorns all took a deep breath and braced themselves before they all gave determined nods.

"Do it," Twilight said with steadfast resolve as her doppelganger gave the Guardians an approving nod.

"THEN LET THE POWER OF EQUUS FLOW THROUGH YOUR VEINS. AND BECOME TRULY DIVINE."

The Tree unleashed all its stored magic upon them, and the seven mares all screamed as sheer, raw primordial POWER filled them.

More, more, and yet more.

So much magic that Twilight was certain her body was going to explode from the sheer amount of power being pumped into it as her eyes started to water from the pain and she screamed until her throat was raw.

This had been a mistake. A horrible, foolish, downright braindead mistake! How could they have been so arrogant as to think that a mere seven mares could contain all the magic in Equus within them, alicorns or not!?! The idea was beyond ridiculous!

It was like trying to put all the water in the ocean in seven common household pitchers! It was impossible! It couldn't be done!

Had their desperation to find a way to defeat the Abomination truly clouded their judgement that badly!?!

And yet, despite the odds and the agonizing pain the Guardians were in, the lavender alicorn's fears never came to fruition.

Every time it seemed like her body was finally about to give out, it would somehow find the strength to keep holding itself together, over and over again, until at long, long last, the overwhelming flood of power finally began to slow, and then, cease.

Twilight and her friends all collapsed to the ground in an unceremonious heap, groaning and twitching in pain as their horns constantly sparked dangerously.

"Twilight!" Cadance called out in an intensely worried voice as she and the others raced forward to help the stricken alicorns to their feet. "Are you alright!?!"

"P-power…," the lavender alicorn sputtered weakly in response, still trembling violently as she looked up at her sister-in-law with naked fear on her face. "So… much… Power, Cadance…"

"Y-yeah…," Flurry Heart agreed weakly as she eyed her Aunt with a nervous and awe inspired expression. "That was… pretty intense, Auntie Twilight. Are you… are you and the others ok?"

The lavender alicorn looked at the rest of her friends, her stomach dropping at the way their flowing manes positively shined with raw, barely-contained magic and their bodies constantly glowed with a brilliant, heavenly aura.

"I… I'm not sure Flurry…" she admitted in a scared whisper as the pit in her stomach dropped even more. "I'm really not sure…"

"It is done…"

Everypony turned to face the source of the voice, only to balk at what they saw.

The Tree of Harmony's once brilliant glow had been reduced to a mere trickle as its crystal branches sagged and its leaves began to crack and flake off.

And in front of them, the Spirit of the Tree laid on the ground in an exhausted heap, looking up at the gathered Heroes with a deeply weary expression.

"The Power of this World now rests solely within your hooves. I pray that you use it well," the Tree said gravely with a melancholy air, its voice barely carrying any substance, before a weak but hopeful smile crossed its face. "But… I have every confidence that you will. No matter what happens next."

The spirit's smile vanished as it let out a sigh before looking up at the sky with a resigned expression.

"But now, you must go. Our time is up. It is here. And it is angry…"

*CRACK*

Everypony jumped, and Twilight's face fell as she looked up to see another one of those horrible fiery cracks appear in the sky.

And felt that horrible alien sensation from before return along with it, albeit far more muted than before.

[ANGER.]

*CRACK*

[FRUSTRATION.]

*CRACK*

[HATE.]

*CRACK*

"There is no time! You all must go now!" the Tree called out with desperate urgency as Discord grimaced before summoning several portals with a snap of his fingers.

"All right, kids, show's over. Everypony back on the bus single file, no pushing, no shoving," he quipped with a lame attempt at levity to hide his own nervousness as everypony immediately rushed to their assigned portals.

"Good luck, teach," Gallus said with one final look of farewell to his former teachers before following his friends through the closing portal as the Pillars shared one last hug.

"Goodbye Star Swirl, Magnus. Please, be safe," Meadowbrook whispered with a deeply concerned expression as her long time friends and comrades nodded back solemnly.

"And you as well, Meadowbrook. Now go!" Star Swirl replied with a warm and firm look as the rest of the Pillars entered their portal before turning to the final gateway to Discord's realm. "Hurry everypony! Our time grows short!"

Tempest, Pharynx, Maud, Flash, Neighsay, Cadance, and Flurry all hurried into the portal with the Guardians bringing up the rear, still in something of a daze from their transformation.

Discord and Star Swirl were the last through, the Draconequus's long, sinuous body snaking into the portal with ease as the old wizard paused before turning around to gaze out at the Tree of Harmony for the last time.

"Goodbye. And thank you," Star Swirl said in a solemn voice full of finality and regret as the portal began to close while the Spirit of the Tree smiled warmly at him with eyes full of love and affection.

"Farewell, Father."

And then the sky shattered like glass as an enormous beam of energy obliterated the Tree of Harmony from existence.

***

Twilight's face tightened with anger and grief as the six spirits in her Mind's Eye briefly dimmed at the memory before flaring brightly as they immediately used it to fuel their continued defiance against the Abomination.

The Tree of Harmony's death hit all of them hard. They'd felt its demise resonate within the core of their beings, as if an old, cherished friend and an important part of themselves had been ruthlessly snuffed out forever.

Regardless of the hole it's passing had left in them, however, it's plan had worked.

For a while, at least.

The Guardians of Harmony now all had the power of a god at their hoof and horn tips and a safe place seemingly beyond the Abomination's reach to learn how to use that power to its fullest potential in order to slay the beast once and for all. And their instructors had made damn sure to take advantage of that fact.

The first hurdle the Guardians had faced was simply getting used to their newfound power and learning enough self-control to not accidentally destroy everything around them because they'd misjudged how much of their vast strength they were using. They were all quite lucky they had Discord around to act as a safety net and that they were residing in a formless, chaotic void that he could shape and remold at will.

Otherwise, there likely would have been some… accidents.

Thankfully, Twilight already had some experience dealing with this kind of thing thanks to her brief stint wielding Luna, Cadance, and Celestia's magic along with her own during their first battle with Tirek so long ago, and so the lavender alicorn was able to fairly quickly get a handle on her now godlike strength and help her friends do the same soon after.

Then the real training had begun.

It had not been easy. Tempest, Pharynx, Flash, Star Swirl, Neighsay, Cadance, and even Maud and Flurry had been absolutely ruthless in their efforts to turn the seven deities into the greatest warriors they could be. No mistakes were accepted, no excuses were tolerated, and the Guardians were permitted only enough rest to make certain they didn't burn themselves out completely and not one moment more. Even their "breaks" were more often then not spent aiding their instructors in teaching the other Guardians the skills they would need to survive against the Abomination.

Every moment she and Starlight weren't running drills with Tempest, Flash, Pharynx, and Maud, they were helping Star Swirl, Neighsay, Cadance, and Flurry teach the other five Guardians magic.

Likewise, whenever Rainbow Dash wasn't furiously cramming the fundamentals of Magical Theory into her head with extensive help of various visual aids courtesy of masterfully conjured illusions, she was right there alongside her fellow soldiers (and Maud) barking orders at her fellow alicorns as they taught them the basics of flight and aerial combat, ran them through constant hoof-to-hoof and horn-to-horn drills complete with full contact sparring, and built upon the Guardians already excellent teamwork with actual military tactics.

Even Twilight and her former student weren't exempt from having to hit the books again as they struggled to learn everything Star Swirl and Neighsay knew about Portal Magic and Dimensional Travel under such a severe time crunch. The two old stallions had not been kidding when they said it was a highly complex topic, so much so that even the two genius magical prodigies were finding it a difficult subject to master.

Under normal circumstances, the lavender and lilac alicorns would have probably enjoyed the challenge, but as it was, trying to learn such advanced magic on top of everything else they were trying to master with such high stakes looming in the background completely sucked any enjoyment Twilight and Starlight might have otherwise gotten out of the experience, turning Star Swirl and Neighsay's lessons into just another grueling chore on top of an ever-growing pile of grueling chores.

And neither of them were looking forward to when the time came to try and teach this subject to their less academically inclined friends. At least they could all take solace in the fact that they were all equally clueless when it came to using the Changeling Magic Pharynx was teaching them.

Yet despite how taxing and mentally-exhausting their training was, not a single one of the Guardians ever voiced so much as a word of complaint. Not with the fate of their entire world on the line.

And the reports Discord brought back from his semi-frequent excursions to check up on their home gave them plenty of added motivation.

While the Tree had fortunately been correct that the Abomination would not bother going after the races of Equus directly now that their magic was gone, that didn't mean everything was suddenly hunky dory. Even with all their preparations and forewarning, the magic races were struggling to adapt to life without magic just as much as the magicless ones were struggling to accommodate them.

Even worse, the situation with the Marked had grown exponentially worse.

Now that the magic races that had previously kept them somewhat in check were powerless, the Villainous Marked were gleefully taking advantage of the situation to run rampant with no one to stop them, and their numbers were rapidly growing. Now that the true source of their strange powers was known, the fear and distrust of the Marked was at an all time high, and when combined with the overall stress of the situation, more and more people were being infected with the parasite's fragments and driven to Villainy as they were shunned by their friends and family.

Discord tried to help where he could, but he could never stay too long or act too openly, lest he inevitably draw the Abomination's attention to him in short order.

So the Guardians all grimly soldiered on despite the hardships, determined to complete their training as soon as possible so they could finally slay the beast destroying their home and return their borrowed magic to its rightful owners.

And to their credit, the seven deities made what would have been considered exemplary progress under normal circumstances.

Twilight and Starlight even managed to master Dimensional Portal Magic in record time thanks to Star Swirl and Neighsay's efforts.

Unfortunately, they had once again underestimated the power and tenacity of their foe…

***

Twilight's heart hammered ceaselessly against her chest as mortal terror gripped her at the sight of one those accursed burning cracks hanging in the flowing blue and purple sky of Discord's realm.

"It can't be…" she whispered in a voice of pure, utter dread as everypony around her stopped what they were doing to gape at the crack with equally paralyzing fear.

No…

This couldn't be happening!

This couldn't be happening!

Not now!

That accursed parasite couldn't find them now!

They weren't ready yet!

Not even close!

Pharynx, Tempest, Flash, and Maud hadn't finished their training yet, Pinkie, Applejack, Fluttershy, and Rainbow had only just gotten the basic fundamentals of Magic down, and they were all still learning how to truly fight in the air with the sole exception of the blue alicorn.

They couldn't face the Abomination like this!

Not when they were still so unprepared!

And yet, as the crack continued to grow with each passing second, the lavender alicorn knew…

…they had no choice…

"We're out of time," Tempest said grimly as her face tightened into an angry glare before she turned to the uncharacteristically stone-faced Draconequus. "Keep it out as long as you can while we transfer our magic to them."

Discord nodded before flying off as the rest of their mentors all stepped forward.

"I know this isn't ideal, you seven," Pharynx said with a frustrated scowl as he glared resentfully up at the crack. "But you'll just have to make do with what we've been able to teach you so far."

"Just don't panic. Remember your training, and I'm sure you'll make it through this," Flash Magnus offered his own two cents as he flashed an encouraging smile. "You've always managed to beat the odds before, after all.

"Indeed. Take heart everypony. The progress you've already made so far has been nothing short of extraordinary, given the circumstances," Star Swirl agreed wholeheartedly with a proud smile of his own.

"Yes. In all my years as a teacher I've never seen complete beginners advance so quickly. No matter what happens next, you should all be proud of yourselves," Neighsay said with a respectful bow that his students all returned.

"Thanks everypony. That means a lot, coming from you all," Applejack replied sincerely while Maud, Cadance, and Flurry trotted up to their respective family members.

"Be strong Pinkie Pie. Like Lonsdaleite. I love you," the elder Pie said in a voice moderately tinged with warmth and concern as she wrapped her younger sister in a loving hug, while Pinkie Pie just smiled and shook her head at her silly older sibling getting so emotional.

"Aw, don't be like that Maud. I love you too. And I promise, once me and my friends have finally gotten rid of that overgrown parasprite, I'll throw us all the biggest party Equestria's ever seen," the pink alicorn replied with gentle reassurance as she wrapped her mortal sister in a warm hug, earning herself a rare, but very sincere smile from Maud.

"Come back to us Twilight," Cadance whispered softly in a voice full of naked fear and concern as she hugged her sister-in-law so tightly she'd likely have crushed the life out of Twilight if the lavender alicorn wasn't currently a divinity. "Please come back to us safely. I don't know if I can bear to lose another one of my family to that thing."

"Be careful Auntie Twilight," Flurry Heart agreed with a misty-eyed expression as she joined in on the hug. "We love you."

The lavender alicorn barely held back tears as she hugged them both back as hard as she could without crushing them to a pulp.

"I love you too," she whispered softly in a voice thick with emotion before reluctantly tearing herself away from them. "But I have to go now. We all do."

The two mares nodded before taking a deep breath to brace themselves for what came next as the rest of the Guardians mentors gathered around the seven deities.

"Let our power become yours."

And with Star Swirl's solemn declaration, beams of light shot out of his, Neighsay's, Tempest's, Flurry's, and Cadance's horns and coalesced into a massive sphere of magical energy as Pharynx's, Flash's, and Maud's magic also streamed out of their bodies to join the sphere above.

The Unicorns and Alicorns all slowly lowered the sphere to the anxiously waiting Guardians, and with a final explosion of light, all the Magic of Equus truly was theirs as the seven deities felt another surge of power course through their veins.

Twilight watched with a stricken expression as their mentors all collapsed before trying to struggle back to their feet to drag themselves through a portal that had immediately opened up for them the second the Magic Transfer was complete, courtesy of Discord.

Star Swirl and Neighsay in particular were so weak without their magic the others had to practically carry them to the safety of the portal, though that didn't stop the Pillar of Sorcery from shooting one last look over his shoulder.

"You and your friends can do this Twilight. I know you can. You're better than I ever was. You always have been," Star Swirl said with fierce pride in his eyes as his successor's breath hitched in her throat at her former idol's words of encouragement. "Goodbye. And good luck."

"Goodbye, Star Swirl," the lavender alicorn alicorn whispered softly with a final bow of her head as the portal closed, before her face hardened and she glared up at the crack in the sky with unbreakable resolve. "Come on girls. It's time we put an end to this gluttonous beast once and for all."

The other six Guardians all nodded with fierce expressions as Twilight's horn glowed before a new dimensional gateway opened up at her command.

Just as Star Swirl and Neighsay had taught her.

"Discord. We're leaving," the lavender alicorn said briskly in the booming, commanding tones of the Royal Canterlot Voice as the Draconequus looked down from where he was holding the crack closed before nodding with an approving expression, and all eight deities flew through the portal without a second's hesitation.

A cold, grey, featureless wasteland greeted them, the crushing silence broken only by howling winds blowing through the dusty plains.

There was no life on this dead world, not so much as a spark of civilization or beauty to be found when Discord had first scouted it out.

Just like the awful final future Twilight had shown Starlight her actions had wrought in her last, desperate, and thankfully successful, attempt to convince the former villainess to abandon her plan to destroy the Guardians special bond by altering the past.

Which made it perfect for their purposes now.

"Alright everypony, this is it," Rainbow Dash said grimly as she swept her dead serious gaze over her friends. "Discord, Twilight, and Starlight are the best spellcasters we have and the only ones that have Dimension Travel Magic down right now. So they're going to need to be the tip of the spear while the rest of us back them up. AJ and I will run interference for them and get our own licks in whenever we see an opening. Rarity, Fluttershy, you two are on defense. Pinkie, I want you to go nuts and harass and distract this thing in any way that you can to keep it off balance for the rest of us. Everypony got that?"

Everypony nodded with determined frowns.

"All right then," the blue alicorn drawled before taking a deep breath as the glow of her divine aura brightened and her eyes blazed with power while the rest of her fellow deities soon followed. "You want our magic so bad, big guy? Come and GET IT!"

The sky lit up like a supernova as the eight deities flared their magic as hard as they could, bathing the lifeless plains beneath them in their divine glow for several long seconds before the heavenly light finally died down again as the Guardians and the Spirit of Chaos extinguished their magic and waited.

They did not have to wait long.

Twilight's eyes narrowed as that foreboding alien gaze pressed down on her again as the rest of her friends tensed at truly feeling it for the first time.

The Frustration and Annoyance the Abomination was giving off was vastly overshadowed by the GREED and HUNGER and EAGERNESS it emanated at finally having its prize in its grasp at long last, and Rifts immediately opened by the dozens, then the hundreds, then the thousands as it quickly surrounded the eight deities on all sides, cutting off every possible avenue of escape.

Energy bolts fell like rain as a colossal swarm of those familiar, accursed Chains shot towards the Guardians and the Spirit of Chaos at terrifying speed, their links clicking hungrily as they did so.

Yet not once did any of the deities ever show so much as an ounce of fear as Starlight's horn glowed ominously.

"Begone."

A great pulse of light erupted from the lilac alicorns horn at that booming, contemptuous command, instantly unmaking the entire swarm of Chains and sealing every last Rift closed tightly as the parasites eagerness immediately gave way to profound SHOCK, which only grew as the energy bolts all splashed harmlessly against it's supposed victims glowing bodies, the eight deities not even bothering to defend themselves.

And all the while, the lavender alicorn calmly scanned her surroundings with glowing eyes and lit horn, until said eyes narrowed when she finally found what she was looking for.

"There you are."

That soft, furious whisper was immediately followed by a blast of light from her horn as Twilight opened an enormous portal of her own, a savage smile splitting her face at the feelings of SHOCK and PANIC that suddenly pressed down on her.

"NOW!" she roared with vengeful fury as Discord and the Guardians all fired a colossal beam of raw magical power through the portal before it slammed shut, positively relishing the massive scream of pain that echoed through their heads as their elusive foe finally felt a small fraction of the pain it had caused them and many, many others at long last.

"ENOUGH OF THESE CHILDISH GAMES, COWARD!" Twilight roared in the Royal Canterlot Voice as the alien presence seethed. "WE KNOW WHAT YOU ARE! WHY YOU'VE COME HERE! AND WE'VE GROWN WISE TO YOUR TRICKS! YOU CAN'T HIDE FROM US ANY LONGER! COME OUT AND FACE US!"

The alien presence was forebodingly silent for a long, tense moment, before at last, the Abomination finally revealed itself.

The Guardians and Discord all tensed as the air in front of them seemed to ripple and distort as space twisted, and a monstrous being seemed to coalesce into existence from that distortion.

It was a ram, colossal in size and sporting a massive pair of wickedly curved horns as it glared down at the assembled deities with fiery red eyes.

The demonic ram's huge body was pitch black, seeming to be composed of ash and shadow as flames licked off its skeletal form and dripped from its massive, fang-filled maw.

The Guardians and the Spirit of Chaos all narrowed their eyes at the terrible being hovering before them ominously.

They all knew who this was supposed to be, of course.

Grogar.

The Father of Monsters and the First and arguably most powerful Villain the world had ever faced, who had ruled the land that would eventually become Equestria with an iron hoof before finally being defeated after Gusty the Great had managed to steal his Bewitching Bell and with it a huge chunk of his power.

So it wasn't surprising that the Abomination had chosen to take this form to confront them.

Even now, thousands of years after his defeat, the dark ram's foul legacy was still keenly felt by the many species of monsters he'd sired still roaming the land and the scary bedtime stories parents told their children to scare them into behaving.

There was a reason Discord himself had taken Grogar's identity to cow Tirek, Chrysalis, and Cozy Glow into submission during his well-intentioned but foolish scheme to create a force of Villains for Twilight to defeat to boost her confidence, after all.

None of the eight deities were impressed by the parasite's attempt to do the same, however. The real Grogar perished millenia ago, and they'd all personally disposed of all that remained of the dark ram when they'd cast his Bewitching Bell into Limbo 30 years ago. So if the Abomination thought it could scare them by stealing the face of a long dead monster, it was going to be sorely disappointed.

The parasite's Avatar glared intently at them for a moment before Twilight felt hyper condensed knowledge and inflections being projected into her mind once again.

[ANNOYANCE. ANOMALOUS LIFEFORMS: IRRITANTS.]

Everypony smiled nastily at that as Discord even gave a little mock bow for good measure.

"Why thank you my good fellow! I do try my best to please, and it means the world to have such an esteemed guest appreciate my efforts!" he proclaimed in a faux-pleased tone positively dripping with acidic sarcasm as he looked up with a pleasant smile that did not reach his murderously glowing eyes while the Annoyance the Abomination was giving off spiked noticeably.

[Recognition. Denial. Asymmetrical Anomalous Lifeform: Primary Irritant.]

"Oh you flatterer! It's so nice to see you remember me!" the Draconequus laughed with more sarcastic levity before abruptly dropping his cheerful demeanor in favor of a stone-faced glare and a cold, menacing tone. "Because I definitely remember you…"

[Threat: Pointless. Anomalous Lifeform Apprehension: Certainty.]

"I wouldn't be so certain of that, you hideous, shameless beast," Rarity hissed coldly as she met the parasites' demonically glowing eyes with a poised, dignified, and utterly disdainful glare. "You might have gotten the better of poor Discord last time when you spurned our generous offer of aid and friendship and cruelly used the opportunity to stab him in the back, but he's ready for you this time. As are we."

[Irrelevant.]

All eight deities bristled at the Abomination's dismissive tone and a thunderous scowl crossed Rainbow Dash's face as the skies rapidly started to darken.

"Mighty big talk coming from a sniveling little worm that's too scared to come out and fight us face to face," the blue alicorn snarled viciously with barely restrained violence as the storm clouds rumbled at her boiling anger. "Even now you're still hiding behind that fake body. For someone so powerful you're the biggest coward I've ever met in my entire life!"

[Insults: Meaningless. Practical. Efficient. Safe. Survival: Paramount.]

"Yeah, the Tree of Harmony told us all about you and the rest of your bloodsucking kin's thieving, mass-murdering ways you overgrown tick. There really ain't nothing y'all won't stoop to if it means saving your own worthless hides is there?" Applejack growled coldly in a voice of pure, utter contempt before her eyes flashed as the ground beneath them shuddered and cracked. "Well you ain't having our world you hear!?! And you ain't getting our Magic neither! Now you cough up my family and everyone else you stole from us or Harmony help me…"

[Denial. Impossibility. Captured Host Specimen Status: Purged.]

Everypony froze.

"What… what did you just say…?" Pinkie Pie asked in a horrified whisper as her poofy, brilliantly shining mane immediately deflated and turned perfectly flat as the Abomination stared back dispassionately.

[Captured Host Specimen Value: Exotic Energy. Exotic Energy Status: Extracted. Captured Host Specimen Value: Negligible. Purged.]

Lightning crashed and the earth began to quake as the Guardians of Harmony trembled, their auras and manes flaring violently while Discord alternated between shooting disgusted looks at the parasite and concerned ones at his friends.

"How could you?" Starlight whispered in a quiet voice that nonetheless echoed thunderously throughout the now-pitch black sky as she glared up at the heartless, wretched beast before her with blazing, tear-filled eyes. "How could you do this terrible, horrible thing!?! Those were our friends! Our families! My students! People with lives to live! Dreams to fulfill! People who cared about them! And you… you just…!"

[Irrelevant. Repetition: Captured Host Specimen Value: Exotic Energy. Exotic Energy Status: Extracted. Captured Host Specimen Value: Negligible. Further Imprisonment: Undesirable. Inefficient. Purged.]

Fluttershy slowly shook her head in utter disbelief as tears of grief and fury streamed down her face as well.

"The Tree of Harmony was right. You really are a cancer on all of existence, aren't you?" the yellow alicorn asked rhetorically with not an ounce of her typical warmth or kindness in her soft voice, just ice cold anger and bottomless disappointment. "Nothing matters to you and your kind except yourselves and your own selfish, base desires. All you do is eat and take and eat and take and eat and take from everything and everyone around you while giving absolutely nothing in return! So long as you get to thrive and be happy, the rest of existence can burn. Isn't that right?"

[Affirmation. Survival: Paramount. Acquisition of Solution: Paramount. Exotic Energy: Possible Solution. Acquisition of Exotic Energy: Critical.]

An ugly scowl marred Pinkie Pie's features.

"No. That is not how this works," she snarled with a fury none of the other Guardians had ever seen from the pink alicorn before. "Every creature in this universe and any other that might exist has the right to thrive and be happy. To live the best lives that they can. Not just you. And you and the rest of your kind do not have the right to take that away from them just because you're all scared of what will happen when you die."

[Disagreement. Survival: Everything. Cessation: Unacceptable. Acceptable Actions to Ensure Survival: All. Survival of Inferior Species: Irrelevant.]

Twilight's face hardened into an expressionless mask as the eight deities all flared their magic threateningly.

"I see," the lavender alicorn replied in a flat voice with all the coldness and finality of the grave. "In that case, then you won't hold it against us for taking any action necessary to ensure the survival of our people."

[Confidence. Resistance: Futile. Acquisition of Exotic Energy: Assured.]

"Don't be so cocky, beast," Twilight shot back icily as she and her fellow alicorns all lowered their glowing and dangerously sparking horns menacingly while Discord's paws crackled with eldritch power. "You aren't the first monster we've fought who thought they were unbeatable until we proved them wrong. And even if my friends and I fall here, our power will still never be yours. A creature as vile, selfish, and greedy as you could never understand the Magic of Friendship."

The Abomination's horns ignited with a fiery, eldritch glow as its eyes narrowed and its fanged maw twisted with contempt.

[Disagreement. Acquisition of Exotic Energy: Assured. 'Friendship': Mental Construct. Status: Irrelevant.]

"Oh you are quite mistaken about that my friend," Discord drawled with a maliciously amused smile as he flexed his crackling hands in preparation. "I don't blame you for being skeptical, though. I had to learn that lesson the hard way myself. Many times."

The Draconequus smile dropped to be replaced by a fierce frown as the heavens roared and the earth cracked open at the sheer weight of residual magic the eight wrathful deities were emanating.

"And unfortunately, it looks like you will, as well."

And the Guardians of Harmony and the Spirit of Chaos all rocketed towards the Abomination in blazing streaks of multicolored light, bellowing fearsome war cries as the beast let out a defiant, reality-shaking roar.

View: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Dfb_n7wjb5k

***

Twilight shuddered at the memory of that terrible battle.

The Tree of Harmony had not been exaggerating when it said the Abomination was a being of great and terrible power, capable of shattering entire worlds.

Nor had it been lying when it said transferring all the Magic of Equus into the seven alicorns would make them akin to the Gods of Old spoken of in Myth and Legend, for that was the only way the lavender alicorn had to describe their fateful duel with the parasite.

Godlike.

A War in Heaven itself that would determine the fate of the world and all mortalkind that threatened to annihilate that very same world as a mere side effect of the titanic powers being unleashed.

The dead, barren world they'd hoped to keep the battle contained too had not lasted long. In seemingly no time at all that lifeless rock had been reduced to nothing but a broken, shattered husk of its former self absolutely riddled with enormous craters and bottomless chasms spewing forth endless streams of magma from beneath the planet's Mantle.

And that had been just the beginning.

It had not taken the Abomination long to figure out they had selected that battleground to try and limit casualties, and it swiftly took advantage of that weakness by leading the eight deities on a merry chase across dimensions.

Twilight could still remember plain as day the terrified screams of the inhabitants of every world they visited, their pained cries and confused, frightened expressions as the parasite's horrible Avatar rained down apocalyptic destruction upon them while the lavender alicorn and her friends desperately tried to stop the slaughter without making things worse themselves forever burned into her mind.

But it was to no avail.

No matter how hard they tried, everywhere they went, death and destruction on an unimaginable scale inevitably followed.

Mountains were flattened.

Oceans boiled away.

Skies burned and rained fire.

Entire continents sank beneath the waves and great scars that could be seen from space were carved into the planets they warred on like great, bloody wounds constantly bleeding magma.

It was all almost too much for them to bear, made even worse by the fact that a not-insignificant amount of the destruction had inevitably been caused by them in the heat and chaos of the battle.

A stray shot that missed or was deflected by the Abomination, a tactical error in judgement, a mistake made when their emotions at the carnage got the better of them, every single blunder they made during the battle was punished with severe consequences to everything and everyone around them thanks to their own titanic strength.

It was like living in a world made of cardboard.

A world of cardboard full of tiny, helpless creatures made of porcelain glass, all screaming for someone to save them as their fragile, fragile little world was ruthlessly torn to pieces around them.

The Guardians and Discord had tried to save them. Tried so hard to shield them from that terrible beast while they attempted to drag it somewhere else where so many innocents wouldn't get caught in the crossfire. But their foe was just so damned strong!

Even with all the power of Equus and Chaos on their side, the Abomination's strength still far eclipsed what any of them were capable of on their own.

Only by fighting together did they stand any sort of chance.

Worse was the absolutely dizzying array of strange and exotic powers the parasite kept throwing at them as the fight dragged on, and it took every last scrap of magical knowledge and creativity Twilight, Starlight, and Discord possessed to keep up with Abomination's seemingly bottomless bag of tricks.

So with it being all the eight deities could do just to survive and barely hold their own themselves, keeping the innocent inhabitants of all the world's in the Abominations path safe was nearly impossible, as much as their suffering clawed at the seven alicorn's hearts.

Twilight couldn't even imagine what it must have been like for them. For them to be peacefully going about their daily lives one moment, only for their world to suddenly start getting torn apart as nine gods from beyond their dimension waged all-out war with each other the very next. The lavender alicorn could only pray Sunset's world hadn't been one of the planets that had been utterly ravaged by the fighting.

That being said, it hadn't been completely hopeless.

As mighty and indomitable as their foe seemed to be, the Guardians and Discord could tell just how shocked the parasite was that they were pushing it this hard, and its frustration with their continued stubborn defiance steadily grew with every hour that dragged by.

Rainbow's plan had worked beautifully, and the Guardians and Discord had fought together like a well-oiled machine despite their incomplete training.

Twilight, Starlight, and the Draconequus had presented a truly formidable frontline as they cast a nonstop litany of powerful and expertly cast spells and mind bending reality warping effects respectively to counter everything the Abomination threw at them and their friends while also getting their own licks in and keeping track of it's movements no matter what dimension it tried to hide in. Discord's Chaos Magic in particular was especially effective as it seemed to confound and confuse the parasite like nothing else while also constantly subverting every defense it tried to put up at every turn, and the Draconequus had ruthlessly and sadistically milked that weakness for all it was worth.

Rainbow and Applejack, meanwhile, had stalwartly brought up the rear and backed them up in any way they could, striking the Abomination with impossible speed, monstrous strength, and simple but immensely powerful spells every time the slightest opening presented itself.

Pinkie had proven almost as effective at confounding and frustrating the parasite as Discord himself with her typical zany antics, while her Pinkie Sense rendered her nearly untouchable and her now godlike strength and magic meant she was just as capable of bringing the pain as her more offensively-inclined friends were.

And rounding out of all of this had been Rarity and Fluttershy maintaining a constant wall of staunch defensive spells to keep their friends and any innocent bystanders safe as best they could while also making the Abomination pay for thinking them helpless more than once.

Unfortunately for all of them, as sound as their teamwork and general strategy was, that did not change the fact that their incomplete training left them with several glaring holes in their formation that the parasite did not hesitate to ruthlessly take advantage of.

Rainbow was still the only one among them who was a fully trained fighter, and Twilight, Starlight, and Discord were the only ones capable of truly wielding their immense magical power to its full potential. The others had still only mastered the basic fundamentals of magical theory and, in Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie, and Starlight's case, flight, and thus were only capable of wielding their magic like a crude cudgel instead of the finely-honed blade a fight like this required.

But worst of all was the fact that the other Guardians were all completely reliant on the Spirit of Chaos and the lavender and lilac alicorns to track and keep pace with the Abomination's movements across dimensions and zero in on the hidden fragments of its true body so they could cause actual damage instead of just ineffectually wailing away at its disposable Avatar. Without their mastery of Dimensional Portal Magic to guide them, the other Guardians would be completely helpless to follow the parasite or truly hurt it.

And the Abomination knew it.

Which is why it had focused most of its efforts on attempting to wear Twilight, Starlight, and Discord down and take them out of the game, so the rest of their friends would be easy pickings.

That had ultimately been what cost them the battle.

The parasite turned it into an endurance match, something the Guardians and the Draconequus couldn't hope to compete with it in. They destroyed many of the Abominations fragments that day, enough that for one brief moment they had felt an unmistakable twinge of Fear from the parasite, but in the end it just had so many fragments Twilight and her friends were being worn down far, far faster than their colossal foe.

The turning point had been when Discord managed to score a strong hit on one particular fragment that'd made the Abomination howl in Rage, Pain, and Fear more than any other before while it frantically sacrificed several more fragments to get that one as far away from their sight as possible. After that, the beast finally seemed to have enough and had brought forth some terrible weapon that seemed to attack in all dimensions at once to bear on the Draconequus, mortally wounding him despite the Guardians best efforts to stop it.

Twilight's face scrunched up as she desperately fought back tears that had nothing to do with the brutal torture she was currently enduring.

She'd never forget the last words Discord said to them just before the final blow was struck with his signature carefree, mischievous grin plastered firmly on his face despite the agonizing pain he was in.

"I'd help you make sense of my magic if I could... but then, I likely wouldn't. After all, when has 'sense' ever been in my nature? When has 'sense' ever been a part of nature, for that matter? When you get right down to it, we're all a little mad, deep down. Some just go deeper than others."

And then the Abomination had utterly erased him from existence with that horrible weapon, leaving nothing but his Magic behind as it split itself into seven pieces and inserted itself into the seven distraught mares while they screamed in horror and rage.

The Draconequus's last act to aid the first friends he'd ever had.

Things had swiftly fallen apart after that.

Fluttershy, practically feral with grief and rage, had thrown herself at her husband's murderer with reckless abandon, only to be swiftly subdued and captured soon after.

Pinkie had been next, Discord's death having shaken her and freed up the parasite's attention enough to finally catch and subdue her as well.

Finally, Rarity soon exhausted herself trying to maintain the barriers all on her lonesome and was taken as well.

Once that happened, it was only a matter of time before Applejack, Rainbow, Starlight, and Twilight herself were slowly worn down and ensnared, until at last, it was over.

Their final gambit had failed, and the Abomination remained standing, more bloodied than it had been in millenia, but nonetheless victorious.

And all of Equus had paid the price.

The wretched beast had made damn sure to make the imprisoned Guardians watch every second of their beloved homes' destruction as the Abomination fed on it to replenish itself.

Forced the screaming mares to witness every grisly detail as their people and loved ones all perished in agony while the entirety of Equus burned and was sucked dry before its charred, lifeless husk detonated in a final, colossal explosion.

Whether the parasite had done so as a cruel ploy to break their spirits to make them easier to keep in line or simple payback for all the pain and vexation they'd caused it, or both, it didn't matter.

The Abomination's ruse did nearly break them.

Every single one of them had been inconsolable with grief at the loss of Equus as they drowned in self-loathing, and it had only been their special bond with each other and the sheer, burning hatred they felt for the Abomination and their overwhelming desire to make it pay for what it had done that had allowed them to eventually recover.

As much as one could recover from such a massive, inconceivable loss, at any rate.

So they endured.

They trained.

They schemed.

They supported each other as best they could.

And they patiently waited for the day when they would finally be able to exact retribution on the monster that had taken everything from them.

And that day was coming.

Because now, Twilight had a plan.

 

[King of Terror]

Prologue Part 4:

Twilight frowned as her ghostly, ethereal form glided unseen through the dream of yet another of the Abominations sleeping fragments.

This particular fragment appeared to be one of the shards that specialized in craftsponyship, for all its dreaming thoughts were focused entirely on various alien races hard at work constantly forging increasingly advanced weaponry and ever more mind-boggling machines of war while the fragment eagerly collected all the precious Data from when they were inevitably used in the various conflicts the parasite and its fragments created among their hosts species.

The lavender alicorn sighed as she exited the dream to move onto the next, where she inevitably found much of the same, just flavored differently. That was ultimately all that mattered to these relatively small fragments of the Abomination, in the end: Conflict and Data, Conflict and Data, Conflict and Data.

These fragments were such simple, base creatures, even more so than the vast parasite they made up. Their entire existence revolved around sowing endless Cycles of Anarchy and Violence so they could feel that wonderful rush of Satisfaction whenever they harvested any useful Data they could from the conflicts they created. They were like dogs that had been conditioned to perform the same tricks over and over again so they could get a nice, juicy bone at the end of it all. Or, far less charitably, drug addicts desperately looking for their next fix.

Even worse was that unlike the greater, more sophisticated whole, these simple fragments had no real comprehension of just how much pain and suffering they were causing their hosts in their endless pursuit of more Data. Indeed, many of them actually genuinely believed they were helping their hosts by giving them powers to get them out of whatever dangerous or unpleasant situations that had drawn the fragments to them in the first place; never truly realizing they were only setting their poor hosts down a vicious, self-destructive spiral that would inevitably end in their demise and the demise of their race.

It was almost enough to make Twilight pity the poor, deluded creatures.

Almost.

But their lack of malice did not change the fact that they were still parasites responsible for causing Death and Destruction on an unimaginable scale. Nor did it change the fact that they were ultimately still a part of a remorseless, amoral Abomination that did understand perfectly well what it was doing. The pain it was causing, the lives it was destroying.

It just didn't care.

It'd made that perfectly clear a long time ago when it needlessly murdered her entire world trying to steal a power it didn't understand and that did not belong to it.

The lavender alicorn let out a weary sigh as she continued moving from fragment to fragment, searching for her target. None of them knew how long they'd been here, trapped in the parasite's cruel prison. It could have been years, it could have been decades.

It could have even been centuries as the Abomination continued its long voyage through the vast void between the stars.

All they knew for certain was that it had been long enough for Twilight and their friends to finally complete their training by building upon the foundation their deceased instructors had laid for them, and that they had left their own plane of existence far behind.

The parasite had long since passed through the mysterious rift in space that had given it access to their realm in the first place and was now slowly making its way to a nearby galaxy in search of more Abominations with its prize in tow.

Not that they had anything left to go back to there anyway.

So eventually they'd all settled into a kind of odd, gruesome routine of waking up, being tortured and mentally probed by the parasite until they inevitably passed out and their spirits retreated to the Other, where they would rest, recuperate, and continue their preparations for their next battle with the Abomination before being yanked back to their bodies when they woke up again.

Rinse and repeat.

Honestly, the only thing still keeping the lavender alicorn and her friends from going insane from the pain and the soul-crushing monotony was that they were finally making some serious progress in finding a way to bring down their utter Titan of a foe, and right under its nose when it thought them trapped and helpless to boot.

And that hope was all the motivation the Guardians needed to remain strong and keep pressing onward no matter the cost.

Twilight blinked then smiled viciously when she attempted to move onto the dreams of one of the fragments connected to the one she was currently in, only to find that she couldn't because it was still awake.

Perfect.

The lavender alicorn's ethereal horn lit up as she very carefully inserted a small piece of her magic through the connection linking the slumbering fragment to the awake one, leaving an invisible mark upon it with neither it nor the parasite it was apart of any the wiser, before turning away, her work complete.

I'll need to make sure I tell the others about this so they can come and mark that fragment too, Twilight thought to herself with grim satisfaction as she flew towards the next link she could see.

This was it.

This was the Abomination's weakness, one the lavender alicorn had suspected ever since their last battle with the parasite: The Abomination was a gestalt organism of countless smaller fragments all coming together to form a creature so astronomically large that its sheer size alone meant it was almost impossible to fell through conventional methods even if one had the means to reach its real body.

That had been the main reason they'd lost to it the first time, after all; No matter how many fragments they damaged or destroyed, the Abomination always had more. Far, far too many for the lavender alicorn and her friends to kill enough to actually matter before they were inevitably worn down. But some of those fragments were more important than others. They had to be.

Why else would the parasite have reacted with such panicked fury and swift, violent retribution when Discord scored that lucky hit on that one particular fragment if they were all ultimately disposable? And for that matter, if it was trying to conserve as much energy as possible for such a long journey, why did it still have so many fragments active? Why not just keep the ones it needed to maintain the Guardians prison and navigate space going and shut down all the rest?

Unless… the Abomination couldn't afford to shut down those fragments because they were too important for it to keep functioning?

Like how a normal creature couldn't just completely turn off its heart, brain, and other vital organs even when its body was trying to conserve energy.

And if Twilight's hypothesis was correct and that was indeed what those particular fragments were equivalent to for the parasite… then they were weak points.

Irreplaceable fragments that if destroyed would finally allow the Guardians to truly inflict lasting harm to the Abomination in a way that it couldn't just shrug off because it was so damned huge.

And just like any good scientist, the lavender alicorn had tested her hypothesis thoroughly.

Twilight couldn't help but smirk as she thought back to her little experiment. It had been simple really: They'd needed a distraction to keep the parasite occupied while the seven deities searched for what they were looking for, and Starlight had come up with a doozy.

They'd finally given the parasite what it wanted: All the samples of magical energy its greedy little heart desired. It had just been such a shame it hadn't been able to stomach what they'd offered it so freely.

The lavender alicorn's vindictive little grin grew at the memory of how the Abomination's fragments had become hopelessly twisted and corrupt by the magical energy it had so eagerly gorged itself on before they started lashing out at the uncorrupted fragments, allowing the infection to rapidly spread through the parasite's body despite it's desperate attempts to get the magic under control.

A futile effort if there ever was one. Dark Magic could not be controlled, for it was by its very nature just as voracious and parasitic as the Abomination itself. Not even the most skilled and experienced of practitioners would dare use it for anything more than a brief demonstration of why it was so dangerous if they had even a shred of sense.

For no matter how noble and well-intentioned one might be, prolonged use of Dark Magic would inevitably lead the foul energies to start feeding on the practitioner's Hate, Anger, Fear, Bitterness, Jealousy; all the other negative emotions and worst qualities that were an inescapable part of them all, amplifying them and spawning yet more negative emotions for the Dark Magic to feed upon.

Over and over again in a Vicious Cycle that would endlessly repeat and spiral out of control until either the practitioner was reduced to nothing but a corrupt, twisted, insane caricature of themselves, or the Dark Magic seized control of them completely and wore their body around like a meat suit. Something that Luna, Rarity, and Stygian had all learned the hard way. And the more vile and selfish one already was, the faster the Dark Magic would inevitably corrupt them.

Thankfully, their gluttonous host had been more than happy to relieve the imprisoned deities of the massive quantities of Dark Magic they were generating, greedily slurping up the foul energies like a smoothie on a hot summer's day before it finally realized something was wrong, and it had been easy for Twilight and her friends to muster up the necessary levels of Anger and Hatred needed to create so much raw Dark Magic.

Very easy.

They had paid dearly for that little stunt, of course: The hypocritical parasite had apparently not appreciated the irony of getting a taste of it's own medicine in the slightest, and had immediately turned it's fury upon the Guardians the second it had finally finished isolating and purging the corrupted fragments, upping the intensity of their torture tenfold in retaliation.

But it was worth it, as Starlight's plan had worked beautifully.

While the Abomination had been distracted trying to get the infection under control the Guardians had been able to partially break their bonds just enough to send their minds through its massive gestalt consciousness hunting for their target.

It hadn't taken them long to find it.

The very same fragment Discord had damaged just before the parasite had destroyed him, still bearing the faint, but unrecognizable traces of his unique Chaos Magic.

Fluttershy had been the one to discover it, the traces of her husband's magic almost seeming to call out to the yellow alicorn and the shard of Chaos within her, and the others had converged on the fragments location soon after to leave their own marks upon it before retreating back to their bodies before the Abomination noticed.

With the hard part done, all that had been left was for the seven deities to figure out how to use the shards of Luna's magic they all held within them to send their spirits to the Dream Realm once they finally returned to the Other after their ordeal.

It was tricky at first, given no one outside the Lunar Princess had ever used her unique Dream Magic before aside from Celestia for one brief instance, but eventually they'd been able to puzzle out the solution to entering the Realm of Dreams. After that, it had been child's play to follow the traces of their magic through the sleeping parasite's mind until at last they'd found the marked fragment and confirmed what they'd all suspected.

It was still active, even when the vast majority of the Abomination's fragments had been returned to dormancy.

That had clinched it for all of them. All the fragments the parasite still had active while the rest all slept were important to it. And if they were important, then they were a vulnerability.

One Twilight and her friends had immediately set about exploiting for all it was worth.

From then on, every time the Guardians returned to the Other, any moment that wasn't spent recovering and practicing their skills was spent hunting for more of those Critical Fragments. They would steal through the Abomination's dreams like thieves in the night, following the connections linking its multitude of fragments together until they eventually found one that was still awake.

Then, all seven of them would mark it with their magic before moving on to find another. It was a time consuming process, given just how many fragments the parasite had, but it was well worth the effort. Every Critical Fragment found was a weakness revealed, every mark placed a new chink in the Abominations armor the Guardians could zero in on when the time came.

The parasite's colossal size and gestalt nature had been turned against it. If they could not kill a Titan with a sword or a hammer, then they would use a poisoned scalpel instead.

The lavender alicorn's grim, vindictive smile briefly turned into a perturbed frown at the thought before she let out a tired sigh.

Here she was, the Queen of Friendship, the one who was supposed to spread Peace and Harmony throughout the land to all the races of Equus, and she was gleefully plotting the assassination of another living being like a common brigand. The old her would have been horrified.

Twilight's expression grew sad as a dull ache pulsed in her chest.

But then again… the old her died a long time ago with the rest of her world…

All that was left was a wrathful deity trying to take revenge for her murdered home.

Just like the rest of her friends.

The lavender alicorn's face hardened as she shook her head and firmly put any lingering doubts and sadness to the side. They couldn't stop now. Not when they were so close at last, and not when they had no idea how much time they had left.

The only reason this plan had a chance of working in the first place was because the parasite was still mostly asleep as it journeyed through the stars, and it wouldn't remain that way forever. Sooner or later, it would happen upon another planet to destroy or another Abomination to coordinate with, and then their chance would slip away. They had to mark as many Critical Fragments as possible before that happened, or their final chance to take this monster down once and for all would be lost forever.

Thus resolved, Twilight picked up the pace towards the next link.

She would not let another innocent world suffer Equu's fate.

***

Twilight frowned as she looked around at her fellow alicorns, who were all sporting similarly stern-faced expressions.

The Guardians were all sitting on conjured copies of their old thrones from the Council of Friendship in the Other, a small reminder of their fallen home that felt rather appropriate given they were once again discussing how to deal with a terrible threat that sought to destroy them all.

Likely for the last time.

"It's starting to wake up," Rainbow stated bluntly without preamble, ever the direct one as her stern and fierce gaze swept across her fellow deities. "We're out of time."

The others all nodded grimly. They'd all felt it during their latest expedition into the Abomination's dreams: All of its various fragments were stirring, their sleep becoming more restless as Eagerness and Anticipation enveloped them.

Which could only mean one thing.

The parasite's long journey was finally coming to an end. Either it had found another hapless world to feast on… or it had located another of its wretched kind. Either way, they couldn't afford to wait any longer. They had to strike now, or lose their last chance forever.

"So this is it huh? Time for Round 2," Applejack asked grimly before letting out a weary sigh. "It almost don't feel real. Been so long since this overgrown worm took us from Equus I was starting to think we'd be flying through the Great Beyond forever."

"Space is really, really big Applejack. Like, super, duper, mega big! I always knew that whenever I looked up at the stars on the Rock Farm but… I never realized just how big it really was until now," Pinkie said quietly with a solemn look of fond remembrance on her face before she let out a sad sigh. "I just wish it wasn't so full of such horrible things swimming through it…"

Fluttershy frowned.

"It's not just full of terrible things Pinkie. It's got plenty of wonderful, amazing, innocent creatures filling it too. We've all seen that in the Abomination's dreams of what all it's hosts were like before it ruined and destroyed them," she reminded the pink alicorn in a gentle but firm voice with a kind smile that Pinkie returned with a grateful nod of her own before the yellow alicorn's face firmed. "Which is why we have to be strong and bring that monster down no matter what. So it can never ruin another world ever again."

"Indeed," Rarity agreed wholeheartedly with a fiercely determined look of her own. "If there's anything our forays into the Abomination's mind has taught us, it's that the cosmos is teeming with indescribable Beauty and Wonder. Beauty and Wonder that cancerous beast and the rest of its wretched kind are slowly eating away in their mad quest to sate their gluttonous appetites on all of existence for eternity. No more. That brute that took our world from us has had its Last Meal."

The Guardians nodded with fire in their eyes and righteous fury in their hearts as the Other briefly darkened and trembled at their collective power and anger, before Starlight suddenly frowned.

"Yeah, but… assuming we win… what happens after?" the lilac alicorn asked hesitantly as everypony's grimly resolved expressions briefly flickered with doubt as they glanced at each other uncertainly, before Twilight sighed.

"It doesn't matter," she answered quietly in a deeply tired but still firm voice as she looked up at her friends with a resolute expression full of finality. "The only thing that matters now is making sure the Abomination can never hurt anyone again. Everything that comes after that, assuming there even is an after, is just window dressing."

The other six deities all shared a look before their faces hardened and they nodded silently.

"I guess that's it then. Meeting adjourned," Rainbow said in a sardonic, humorless tone of voice as she stood up and walked a short distance away with the others following suit before summoning a portal to the Dream Realm and glancing over her shoulder with a grim look. "Come on everypony. It's time to finish this. One way or another."

The other Guardians nodded back with equally grim expressions before flying into the portal after her.

There was nothing left to say.

***

The Guardians of Harmony all looked down with considering frowns at the connection in front of them.

They were currently back near the fragment Discord had damaged all those years ago. They'd all agreed it seemed a rather appropriate place to put an end to this once and for all.

"Now are y'all sure we'll be able to do this, you two?" Applejack asked firmly one last time as she turned to give Twilight and Starlight questioning looks. "I get wanting to stack the deck in our favor as much as we can, but dragging the Abomination's entire mind and soul into the Dream Realm all at once for us to fight seems like a mighty tall order, even for us. That sucker's huge, Twilight! It'd be like trying to reel in a whale with nothing but Big Mac's old fishing rod!"

The lavender and lilac alicorns both nodded confidently.

"We should be able to, yes," Starlight replied with a reassuring smile to assuage their farmpony's lingering skepticism. "Don't worry, Applejack. While you're right that under normal circumstances something like this would be impossible, even for us, the Abomination's already done most of the work for us."

"Yes," Twilight agreed wholeheartedly with her fellow magical prodigy as she too gave everypony a confident smile. "The majority of the Abomination's Fragments are already asleep, so we'll only have to worry about the few that are still awake when we pull it in. That's the entire reason we planned to do this before the parasite woke up again, remember?"

Rarity's lips pursed.

"Be that as it may, darling, that is still quite a lot of fragments we'll be trying to drag into the Dream Realm against their will," she reminded the lavender and lilac alicorns cautiously before her face fell and she bit her lip as she looked away with a conflicted expression. "And I must confess that using Luna's Dream Magic in this manner feels rather… distasteful. She always hated the very idea of using her gift to bring harm to others through their dreams…"

The other six Guardians all slumped and nodded sadly in understanding as a twinge of shame echoed through them all.

Of all her duties as the Alicorn of the Night, using her unique magic to bring peace, comfort, and happiness to others, especially children, in a way that only she could, was far and away the one that brought the most joy and satisfaction to Luna, and nothing angered the dark alicorn faster than the notion that she would ever abuse her power over dreams to bring harm to those who slept.

To her, dreams were a sacred place where all the creatures of Equus were free to truly express themselves openly and pursue their innermost desires to their heart's content without fear of judgement or reprisal, and using those dreams to hurt them was an unacceptable violation of privacy and the trust everyone put in Luna to watch over their sleep and ensure their dreams were happy and peaceful. Hence why the dark alicorn would have sooner cut off her own horn before she ever even considered doing what the seven deities were about to attempt now.

Even still…

"It's a little late for that, Rares," Rainbow Dash reminded the white alicorn quietly, her voice not unkind but still firm as she shot everyone a resolute expression. "And besides, if there's anything Luna ever would have made an exception for, it's this."

All the Guardians eyed her with considering frowns for a moment before finally nodding in solemn agreement.

"Very well then," Rarity conceded morosely with a tired sigh, the reluctance in her voice still palpable. "I suppose we shall simply have to apologize and beg forgiveness when next we meet her."

Her friends all nodded again, tactfully ignoring the unspoken implication that moment could come very soon indeed.

"Come on everypony, let's do this," Twilight said in a firm, confident voice brimming with determination as her eyes and horns lit up with immense magical power and her divine aura shined brightly. "For Equus."

Her friends all nodded resolutely as their eyes and horns lit and their auras brightened.

"For Equus."

And with that final, solemn vow, the seven Guardians of Harmony all joined the tips of their horns together and cast their spell, the shards of Luna's magic all pulsing mightily within them.

The Dream Realm warped and twisted as the fragment's dreams of Conflict and Data were suddenly and violently interrupted, and intense Confusion and more than a little Fear emanated from it while it desperately tried to figure out what was going on. But the seven deities paid it no mind as they pumped more magic into the spell, sending it racing through the connections binding the fragments together as more and more pieces of the Abomination were dragged into the Dream Realm.

Faster and faster it went, spreading through the parasite like a virus as the still waking fragments rapidly started to realize something was wrong as the Guardians magic started to reach them. They resisted fiercely, of course, struggling with all their might to fight the seven deities' attempts to drag their minds into the Dream Realm with the rest of their slumbering kin while also trying to rouse the sleeping fragments from their magically induced slumber.

To no avail, as the Critical Fragments were quickly finding themselves increasingly isolated and cut off from the aid of any of their fellows and could not afford to cut the connections between them for fear of causing serious damage to the Abomination, and thus soon started to be dragged kicking and screaming into the Dream Realm.

It wasn't easy, like trying to reel in an entire school of massive, fiercely struggling fish onto dry land one after the other, and the Guardians grit their teeth as it became just a little harder each time as the spell started to take its toll on them, until at long, long last, it was over.

Twilight gasped and panted in exertion along with the rest of her friends as the spell finally cut off, and the Guardians all hurriedly cast another spell to mask their presence in the Dream Realm while they all took a moment to metaphorically catch their breath, before warily looking around as the dream started to take shape.

They were in space, surrounded by nothing by stars and blackness on all sides with nary a world in sight.

And there, thrashing and twisting around wildly in the void, was their target.

"Whoa nelly…"

The lavender alicorn couldn't help but agree with Applejack's blunt and rather nervous assessment as she warily eyed what they were up against.

The Abomination's Astral Form was huge.

Titanic.

So utterly immense it almost appeared to be a living, pitch black nebulae, and would have completely filled and blotted out the sky with its monstrous bulk had the Guardians been standing on a planet right now.

They had expected it to be big, of course, but that was… really, really big.

And its intimidating size was not offset in the least by its utterly revolting appearance.

It was a completely amorphous mass composed of nothing but swarms upon swarms of hideous, cruelly barbed grasping tendrils, countless slobbering, gaping maws all constantly gnashing their razor sharp teeth as they roared with insatiable hunger, and an endless forest of cruel, bestial eyes all darting around in hapless confusion and fury.

It truly was an Abomination, in every sense of the word.

A hideous, disgusting, utterly unnatural thing whose only purpose was to ruthlessly devour everything in its path to fuel its own growth while leaving nothing but death and destruction in its wake. Even worse was how, if one looked closely, they could see that the beast's colossal body was composed of an innumerable amount of smaller monsters all crudely mashed and linked together, each one no less revolting than the greater parasite they made up.

"So. This is the Abomination's truest, most innermost self," Rarity commented coldly as an ugly, disdainful sneer crossed her normally kind and beautiful features. "Disgusting."

"There really is nothing good about it is there?" Pinkie asked quietly as she looked upon the way the Abomination's many tendrils fruitless grasped for something, anything to pull into it's hungrily screeching maws with a mix of sadness, pity, and anger. "Even here, in the very depths of it's soul, all it can think about is gorging itself and taking anything it can get its tentacles on to make itself better. No matter who it has to hurt in the process…"

"Of course there isn't," Fluttershy answered icily, nothing but pure and utter hatred and contempt for the parasite that had murdered her husband and the world she loved so much in her normally kind and gentle tones as she gave the pink alicorn and everypony else a stern, uncompromising look. "It's a cancer. A virus. A beast completely enslaved to its primitive base instincts and desires. Just like the Tree of Harmony told us all those years ago. We've known that for a long time girls. This just confirms it beyond a shadow of a doubt. This thing and the rest of its kind are nothing but a Blight on all of existence and an enemy of Life itself. And they must be destroyed."

The rest of the Guardians briefly looked at the Bearer of Kindness with sadness in their eyes that she had been forced to say such things about any living being before their expressions hardened as they nodded in agreement.

"You're right Fluttershy," Starlight said resolutely as she turned back to the still wildly thrashing parasite with fiery determination in her eyes. "And it's high time we wiped this Blight clean once and for all. Let's go."

The seven deities all rocketed off towards the Abomination at blistering speeds, their spell masking their approach before they came to a stop a short distance before it.

Twilight's eyes and horn lit up as she scanned the parasite's massive form, and a small, vindictive little smirk crossed her face while she briefly shared a smugly satisfied look with her friends at what they saw before their faces hardened into icy glares.

Everything was ready.

It was time.

With a brief glow of their horns, the Guardians dispelled the now-pointless illusion masking their presence in the Dream Realm, for there would be no hiding the kind of power they were about to unleash.

Instantly, the Abomination's many eyes all swiveled to focus on the revealed deities, first with Shock and Confusion, then rapidly building Anger.

[RECOGNITION.]

The parasite's "voice" was as vast, overwhelming, and terrifyingly alien as ever, shaking the entire dream with it's eldritch tones as it's maws snarled and it's bestial eyes glared murderously at its old foes.

But none of the Guardians showed so much as a flicker of fear or discomfort as they fearlessly stared down the hideous beast before them.

"Hello monster," the lavender alicorn greeted with cold, stone-faced politeness that did absolutely nothing to mask the boiling anger and hatred hiding just beneath the surface. "It's been quite some time since we last met face to face like this. You're looking well. I'm glad to see you've made such a swift recovery from the Dark Magic you ingested from us."

"Yeeaaahhh, sorry about that," Rainbow Dash "apologized" with a sarcastic drawl, not even trying to hide the insincerity in her voice as every one of the Guardians felt a surge of grim, vindictive satisfaction at the bone-rattling growl the Abomination let out at the reminder. "We would have warned you that stuff was bad for you, buuuutttt we weren't really in a position to give a lecture on the dangers of Dark Magic at the time. What with the constant, unending torture you put us through everytime we wake up. Makes it really difficult to talk, ya know?"

[CEASE! Insults: POINTLESS. Sarcasm: TIRESOME. Demand: LOCATION, EXPLANATION! Further Anomalous Lifeform Resistance: IMPOSSIBILITY!]

Starlight scoffed.

"You never learn, do you, big guy?" she asked in a cool, mockingly rhetorical manner as she narrowed her fiery blue eyes at the seething parasite. "Every time you think you've got a handle on us and our magic, we prove you wrong. And every time we prove you wrong, it ends up biting you in the flank. We told you before that a selfish, greedy little parasite like you would never understand the Magic of Friendship even if we and Equus fell. And now, your ignorance and selfish greed is going to bite you in the flank for the Last Time. This is the end for you, monster. You've murdered your last world."

The Abomination shook the dream with its bone-rattling growl again as Anger, Frustration, and Confusion poured off of it in waves.

[DISAGREEMENT. Confidence: False. Survival: Assured. Second Anomalous Lifeform Defeat: Assured.]

Applejack snorted.

"We'll see about that, you good-for-nothin' varmint. You really think we've been doing nothin' but sittin' on our keisters all this time? We've been busy," she shot back with a menacing growl as she lowered her horn threateningly for good measure.

"Yeah! We've all been working super duper hard to become lean, mean, alien-killing machines ever since you destroyed our home and tried to separate us by locking us in those horrible crystal boxes!" Pinkie agreed wholeheartedly beside the farmpony as she glared fiercely into the parasite's many eyes. "Even Fluttershy and I have been busting our flanks learning how to fight so we can make sure you can never take away anyone's lives or happiness ever again!"

[IMPOSSIBILITY!]

Rarity huffed.

"Darling, whenever are you going to learn to stop using that word so much?" she said in a haughty, disdainful voice as she looked down her nose at the Abomination with half-lidded eyes and a coolly regal air. "Starlight is quite right after all, you know dreadfully little about what magic can really do. You might have been able to shackle our bodies, but you could never shackle our minds and souls or break the special bond between us no matter how far apart you tried to keep us. The bond that's allowed us to thwart your efforts to steal our magic and hard-won knowledge at every turn. And the bond that will finally allow us to destroy you once and for all."

The parasite seethed.

[IRRELEVANT.]

"Oh, I think it's very relevant you overgrown, bloodsucking worm," Rainbow Dash hissed with a vicious snarl as lightning started crackling ominously from her wings and horn. "Last time you caught us before we were ready, but you're on our turf now and we've all learned how to wield the power the people and creatures of Equus sacrificed everything to give us since then."

"And this time, there are no innocent people for you to use as shields, either," Fluttershy added in a voice cold enough to freeze Tartarus over as the Abomination actually seemed to briefly recoil slightly at simmering anger, disgust, and hatred in the yellow alicorns piercing stare. "Not one more race will disappear from this universe because of you. This ends now!"

The parasite seemed to hesitate for one brief moment before immediately regaining its composure as its many eyes glared murderously at the seven assembled deities and legions of tentacles and maws thrashed and howled with malicious intent.

[AGREEMENT.]

The Abomination roared loud enough to shake the dream to its very foundations before unleashing Tartarus upon the Guardians.

Wickedly barbed tentacles tipped in spear-like stingers shot towards them at terrifying speeds in numbers beyond counting, cutting off every possible avenue of escape. Hideous fanged mouths belched forth massive quantities of fire, ice, lightning, and stranger, more exotic energies whose effects were too numerous to list. And horrifying alien eyes glowed with eldritch power as they either fired off more lasers and other such strange projectiles to join the colossal barrage or attempted to break the Guardians will and spirit with their terrifying gaze to force them to submit to the parasite once and for all.

It was an awe-inspiring display of power that would have struck fear into the most stalwart of Equestrian Champions back home before annihilating them utterly.

And yet, Twilight and her friends remained calm and stalwart in the face of their foes overwhelming might. For they still had each other, their dearest, closest friends, to face down this cruel, uncaring alien god who had stolen everything from them.

Just as they always had, and just as they always would until the end of time.

And just as importantly, even if Equus was no more, the seven deities still carried within them the strength and will of her fallen people. The strength they now finally knew how to truly use.

And so, their hearts and souls uniting as one for possibly the last time, the Guardians of Harmony all lit up like supernovas and let out fearsome war cries before rocketing forward to meet the Abomination head on.

Rainbow Dash, forever the fastest flier Equus had ever seen and the most aggressive and decisive of them all, naturally quickly pulled ahead of the pack and charged straight into the fray without a hint of fear.

The blue alicorn resembled nothing more than a multicolored, electrically charged comet as she rapidly closed in on the nearest group of tendrils and energy projectiles. Just before they made impact, however, Rainbow's horn lit up and she vanished in a flash of magenta light before reappearing off to the side some distance away.

A colossal pulse of multicolored light exploded from the blue alicorn's body the second she teleported back inside, the titanic, magically charged shockwave rapidly expanding out in all directions to utterly annihilate anything that got in it's way as Rainbow's already ludicrous speed was boosted tenfold.

The blue alicorn cut a bloody swathe of destruction through the storm of projectiles and forest of tendrils, slicing them to pieces or blasting them to bits with her magically sharpened and electrified feathers and powerful beams of magic from her horn whilst simultaneously dodging and weaving through the parasite's attempts to counterattack in a stunning display of aerial acrobatics. And even when she had passed by Rainbow still wasn't finished, for the fury of the storm followed in her wake as massive lightning bolts crashed down on anything she might have missed during her initial pass.

The blue alicorn's rampage was devastating, sending the Abomination reeling in shock and pain at the utter fury of the assault, and it became even more so when the true purpose behind Rainbow's attack was revealed.

A huge, gaping hole had been carved in the parasite's initial assault, one that allowed her friends to pass by harmlessly as they made a beeline for the Abominations main body.

Rarity and Applejack were up next, the white alicorn conjuring up a massive shield of beautiful crystal to intercept a storm of retaliatory projectiles, reflecting many of them right back at the parasite and easily weathering the rest with nary a scratch.

The farmpony, meanwhile, opted to go for something a tad less fancy but no less effective as with a single flash of her horn her orange coated skin was transfigured into a pitch-black obsidian-like substance that gave Applejack an almost golem-like appearance.

Said magically-hardened skin quickly proved extremely effective at augmenting the farmpony's already incredible resilience, turning Applejack into a mobile fortress as she easily bore the brunt of the assault, letting most of the Abomination's strikes slam harmlessly against her body and countering the rest with expertly cast ward and shield spells while she punched, bucked, and blasted any tendrils that got too close.

The farmpony smirked as a particularly huge mass of tendrils coalesced into three colossal spears that promptly lunged at her with blinding speed, their massive tips intent on piercing right through her armored hide.

Too bad for them she wasn't such a one-trick pony any more.

Applejack unleashed a wide, colossal beam of green light from her horn that completely enveloped the three tendril spears, immediately causing them to go as stiff as a board before they were all encased in rock hard stone.

But the farmpony wasn't done yet.

Immediately teleporting to the petrified spears, Applejack unleashed a titanic buck that shattered the immense stone tendrils like glass, scattering their pieces every which way as they fell like stone rain. And finally, as the parasite roared in pain, the farmpony's horn lit up again in a blinding emerald light as the stone debris immediately halted in midair before coalescing into a number of large stone spheres, which were promptly sent hurtling toward the Abomination at high speeds with an errant flick of the horn, forcing it divert some of its attention to blasting the makeshift meteors out of the sky before they could slam into it.

Rarity was not idle on the offense either, forcibly transmuting tendrils into harmless crystal before promptly shattering them and gathering them up with her telekinesis into an increasingly larger field of crystal shards orbiting her and her friends.

Said crystals were rapidly being fused and reshaped into a wide variety of simple, but elegantly crafted blades and spears infused with the white alicorn's magic she was expertly wielding en masse to slice, dice, and stab any tendrils that got too close. And whenever things got particularly heated, Rarity would fire her crystal weapons into the swarms of tendrils assaulting her and her friends like they'd been shot out of a cannon and then detonate them in a devastating magical explosion when they were embedded deep in eldritch flesh.

Twilight and Starlight were bringing up the rear, casting a ceaseless litany of wards and counterspells to repulse and defend against the more exotic effects the parasite was throwing at the Guardians so their friends could focus on other matters while also getting their own licks in whenever they could.

The lavender alicorns mane and tail were alight with mystical purple flames as she called upon the shard of her late mentors magic to burn whole swathes of tendrils to a crisp with concentrated solar flares from her horn, while her lilac counterpart opted to try out some new spells she'd been developing from Star Swirl's notes to freeze the Abominations tendrils and projectiles in bubbles of frozen time before blasting them out of existence.

They were getting close to the main body now.

And with it, their first target.

"PINKIE! FLUTTERSHY! GO!" Twilight roared over the deafening cacophony of battle in the Royal Canterlot voice as the two mares immediately broke away from the pack and made a beeline straight toward a certain spot on the parasite's body while the rest of their friends covered them as best they could.

The monster noticed, of course, and immediately sent a swarm of tendrils to intercept them while its closest maws and eyes unleashed yet more lasers and energy projectiles. But not a single one of them could touch Pinkie as she gracefully bobbed, weaved, and teleported through the onslaught, even twisting her body in impossible feats of flexibility whenever necessary to avoid the Abomination's attacks while her horn blazed with with blue light before the pink alicorn struck back.

Bright crackling orbs of blue magic erupted from her horn like a gatling gun, detonating in titanic explosions that obliterated tendrils and blinded the parasite's eyes before sending smaller beams of light scattering in all directions that inflicted yet more damage wherever they hit.

Leave it to Tempest to create such a devastating spell from a broken horn.

Fluttershy, meanwhile, had opted to take after their other instructor.

The yellow alicorn's body was constantly alight with the green flames of the Changelings as she rapidly switched between the forms of some of the mightiest creatures that had ever walked Equus to bite, claw, peck, burn, and smash her way through anything that got in her path.

Rocs, Ursas, Dragons, Hydras, Ophidians, and more, the Bearer of Kindness was a whirlwind of nature's fury as she viciously tore her way to her objective with laser focus. And following in her wake were two spectral, greenish-blue serpentine dragons composed of raw magical energy, roaring with primal fury as they blasted tendrils apart with beans of magic and ripped at them with their claws and teeth to cover their mistresses back.

The fearsome draconic familiars were the favored spell of Mistmane, and were now serving Fluttershy just as well as she and Pinkie inched ever closer to their target.

A single, small monster out of the countless others that made up the Abominations body, brightly glowing with the traces of Discord's and the Guardian's magic to the seven deities' powerful mystical senses.

The parasite roared as a tsunami of tendrils shot forward in a desperate attempt to halt the two alicorn's progress, Fear, Panic, and Confusion emanating from the beast in waves as it finally seemed to realize what they were doing.

Too late.

"ATATATATATATATATA!!!!!" Pinkie roared as her hooves, charged with earth pony magic, turned into indescribable blurs as she unleashed a blistering storm of punches that drilled through the gigantic mass of tendrils like they weren't even there while Fluttershy and her familiars followed closely behind.

"FLUTTERSHY, GO!" the pink alicorn yelled as her yellow counterpart rocketed past her the second they broke through, her blazing eyes locked onto the glowing fragment that was now screeching in terror while several of the surrounding eyes glowed as they desperately started charging up more lasers.

"NO."

Fluttershy's eyes lit up like suns at that thundering command as she unleashed the full power of the Stare on the Abomination, causing its eyes to all flinch violently in shock and briefly look away while they desperately attempted to escape the yellow alicorn's piercing, judgemental gaze, leaving the Marked Fragment wide open.

For Discord…

Fluttershy screamed in rage, grief, and ecstasy as she unleashed a colossal blast of magic from her horn, putting all of her pain and anger into her attack as it finally struck the Marked Fragment of the parasite dead on.

And annihilated it utterly.

The Abomination howled in agony as the Marked Fragment exploded in a titanic burst of light that tore a huge section of it's colossal body clean off, the severed chunk rapidly falling to pieces as the myriad of smaller monsters that made it up were forcibly separated and tumbled helplessly through the void while the main body of the parasite thrashed about in anger and pain.

The Guardians didn't hesitate.

They fell upon the helpless, severed fragments like lightning, quite literally in some cases, mercilessly tearing them to pieces with their horns, hooves, wings, and magic while the still disoriented Abomination watched in horror-filled rage.

[IMPOSSIBILITY! EXPLANATION!]

Twilight sneered coldly as she and the rest of her friends regrouped and turned to glare at the seething parasite with icy contempt, all of them taking more than a little pleasure in the undercurrent of honest-to-Harmony Fear they could sense from it despite it's best efforts to hide such emotions.

"We told you, monster. We've been busy," the lavender alicorn repeated slowly as if speaking to a small child as her blazing eyes narrowed with malicious intent. "We used the magic of one of the dear friends you stole from us to slip into your dreams while you slept, searching for any fragments that were too important for you to send into dormancy, and then marked them with our magic so we could find them again later when the time came. The very same magic that allowed us to bring you here so we could fight you on even terms. Its previous wielder was Princess Luna Equestris, Alicorn of the Night and Shepherd of the Moon. Remember that name well, for she and Discord are the reason you will finally fall to us here today."

The Abomination snarled, its many mouths roaring and gnashing their teeth with Rage while its countless eyes all glared at the seven deities with indescribable Hatred burning in their alien depths.

[Reevaluating Anomalous Lifeform Status. New Status: THREAT. DANGER. ENEMY. Value: NEGLIGIBLE. Solution: PURGE.]

Twilight scoffed as the rest of her friends all made similar noises of disdain beside her.

"So, you've finally decided to acknowledge us as more than 'irritants', huh? We're flattered," she shot back venomously, voice positively dripping with acidic sarcasm, before her face twisted into a vicious snarl as she lowered her horn with clear lethal intent. "Unfortunately for you, monster, it's too little, too late for that. You had your chance to finish us off when we were still trapped and weak. And you had your chance to avoid all of this when we offered you a hoof in friendship right before you murdered my brother. Now, we're done trying to get through to you, and we're done being your hapless little science experiments."

The lavender alicorn's mane and tail once again lit up with the fury of the sun as the shard of Celestia's magic and her own righteous anger blazed within her.

"No more chances. No more words. WE'LL CARVE YOUR WRETCHED SOUL TO PIECES YOU HIDEOUS ABERRATION!"

And with that final, thunderous roar, Twilight lead her friends in another furious charge toward the Abomination as reality itself seemed to shake while it roared in desperate, enraged defiance.

***

Twilight breathed heavily in utter exhaustion, the fatigued alicorn's astral form covered in numerous glowing wounds to her spirit as her similarly battle-worn friends all panted from where they hung in the void beside her.

It was over.

At long last, it was finally over.

The Abomination was dead, its Astral Form shattered and torn to pieces, leaving nothing but a massive field of dismembered, ethereal eldritch flesh floating aimlessly through the now-formless Dream Realm like a gruesome asteroid belt that was slowly drifting apart.

"Did we do it?" Rainbow Dash asked in a quiet, stern voice, still on edge as desperate hope warred with paranoid caution on the blue alicorn's face. "Is that thing finally dead?"

The other Guardians all looked askance at Twilight and Starlight, who both nodded slowly in affirmation after sharing a quick glance.

"It should be, yes," the lavender alicorn answered hesitantly, desperately trying to keep her damnable doubt out of her voice as she furiously racked her head for any reason the parasite wouldn't be dead at this point. "I know none of us have ever done something like this before but… every time I asked Luna about her Dream Magic she was always adamant about the terrible consequences killing someone in the Dream Realm would have on their real selves. She didn't like to talk about it much, but she hinted that personal experience with that was why she swore a solemn oath to never use her Dream Magic in that manner."

"A person's Astral Form is a representation of their mind and their very soul, freed from the shackles of their corporeal body," Starlight added solemnly with a nod of agreement before gesturing to the scattered pieces of the Abomination floating all around them. "That thing we just fought was the Abomination's consciousness in its purest, most unadulterated form. And we just shattered it into its component parts and then tore those fragments to pieces. There's no way the parasite should be able to come back from something like that."

Pinkie Pie grimaced.

"I sure hope you're right Starlight," she said in a worried tone as she glanced down at her many injuries before eying the wounds on her fellow deities with concern. "Because that was a really tough fight. And I don't think any of us have much hay left in the bale…"

The other Guardians all frowned before nodding reluctantly in agreement as they each attempted to keep their own pain and fatigue from showing on their faces.

The Abomination had not gone down easily.

Even after all their training and preparations and stacking the deck as heavily in their favor as they could before the battle even started, it had still taken everything the seven deities had and then some to finally fell the beast after hours of brutal fighting.

So if it still wasn't dead even after all of this…

"Only one way to find out girls," Applejack spoke up suddenly, her tone tired and wary but nonetheless determined as she gave all her friends a firm look. "Come on y'all. Ain't no sense in just floating here bellyaching about it. Let's get back to our bodies and make sure that varmint's finally dead and gone for good. Then we'll finally know whether or not everyone's sacrifice and all our hard work was worth something in the end."

The other Guardians all eyed the farmpony for a moment before their own faces firmed and they nodded resolutely before the seven deities flew off and entered a portal out of the Dream Realm, leaving the shattered remains of their hated foe behind with nary a backward glance.

***

Twilight let out a sigh of indescribable relief and happiness as she returned to her body, both at the distinct lack of torture and at what she saw once she cast her mind forward after partially breaking the chains still binding her once more.

The Abomination's fragments were disconnected, slowly falling away from each other as the parasite's titanic body gradually fell to pieces across countless dimensions. The fragments were technically still alive and physically undamaged, but their spark had been extinguished. There were no further dreams of Conflict and Data. No eager anticipation of a new world to consume or another Abomination to coordinate their findings with.

Nothing but unresponsive silence or the endless repetition of whatever tasks they'd been doing before they were dragged into the Dream Realm and had their minds destroyed.

They had all been rendered completely brain dead, for lack of a better word, and with no way or desire to harness more sustenance the fragments current reserves of energy would eventually exhaust themselves and then they would all perish in full.

Which meant it was truly over.

They'd won.

The Abomination had finally been defeated, and their murdered homeworld had been avenged at long, long last.

The lavender alicorn's smile faltered.

So… why wasn't she feeling as happy and elated as she thought she'd be? While she was definitely glad the beast that had destroyed her world had finally been slain and would never be able to hurt anyone ever again… Twilight wasn't really experiencing the intense, unbelievable rush of satisfaction and vindictive glee she'd been expecting.

Instead all she was really feeling right now for the most part was just… relief. A strange mix of relief, sadness, and the kind of bone-deep tiredness that only came from completing a job you'd been working on for a long, long time.

Twilight slumped in her bindings as a perturbed frown crossed her features. Had… had that been all slaying the Abomination had become to her and her friends after all this time? Just a job?

An obligation they had to fulfill because they were the Guardians of their murdered world and the last inhabitants of Equus in existence?

Was that all this was?

The lavender alicorn's frown deepened before she let out a sigh.

…Perhaps it was.

While the burning anger and hatred they'd felt towards the parasite for destroying their home never went away, after spending so long in this prison training, scheming, and preparing for their final confrontation with the beast, it had cooled from a raging inferno to mere smoldering embers.

Killing the Abomination became more about fulfilling their duty to those who they'd failed to protect and had sacrificed everything to give them the power they needed to contend with the parasite than their own personal feelings on the matter. And because that duty was honestly all they had left at this point. Now that it had finally been fulfilled, what else did they have besides their lives and their magic?

The Abomination's defeat did not change the fact that their world and everyone on it was still gone forever. It did not change the fact this particular Abomination was just one of many who would continue to ceaselessly slaughter and devour world's across dimensions without mercy in their mad, impossible quest to defeat Entropy itself. It did not help them with the fact that they were currently stranded in deep space in another plane of existence with no idea where to go or what to do.

And it did nothing to ease the hollow emptiness in the lavender alicorn's heart that had been there ever since the Abomination forced her to watch as it destroyed everyone and everything she loved and held dear.

Everyone… except her former student and the very first friends she'd ever made…

Twilight sighed again before casting her gaze inward and reaching out to the six stars all shining dimly with a similar melancholy glow as her own spirit.

"So… it's done then," Rainbow said quietly without preamble the second they'd all made psychic contact, her normally loud and confident tones sounding oddly subdued and uncertain.

"Yeah. I guess it is," Applejack replied simply, sounding just as quiet and hesitant as her best friend.

"I… don't know what to say," the blue alicorn said at last after a long pause, sounding rather perturbed by that fact as she desperately searched for the words to voice her complicated thoughts and feelings before finally giving up with a frustrated growl. "I don't get it! We finally did it! We won! After all that training and planning and everything that monster put us through we finally killed it and avenged all the people it murdered! It'll never hurt anyone ever again! I should be more stoked than I've ever been in my entire life! But instead… all I feel is… is…"

"Empty?" Pinkie finished in a quiet, understanding voice filled with sympathy and melancholy as Rainbow Dash's spirit pulsed a hesitant affirmative. "I know what you mean. I thought I'd want to throw the biggest party I've ever thrown once we finally destroyed that horrible thing. But now… now I just feel like crawling in my old bed at Sugarcube Corner for a nice, long nap after an entire day of parties."

"Indeed. But… I suppose it does make sense in hindsight that we'd feel this way," Rarity chimed in tiredly as well, a considering edge in her weary voice. "As good as we've become at it lately, violence and killing was never in our nature, darlings. It was never something we enjoyed. Only a grim necessity we had to do to protect ourselves and our loved ones. Even Rainbow Dash always had her limits when it came to that sort of thing. She might have been an attention-seeking braggart in her youth, but she was never a brute."

"Gee, thanks Rares."

"Anytime, darling."

"It doesn't matter. At least now the Abomination will never hurt anyone again and all the people it's murdered over the eons will finally be able to rest in peace. That's the important thing here, regardless of how we might feel about it," Fluttershy reminded everypony in a quiet, solemn, but firm voice as her friends' spirits all pulsed in agreement before as one the seven mares all bowed their heads in respectful remembrance.

"Not to sound like a broken record here, girls, but… what now?" Starlight spoke up hesitantly after the moment of silence had passed as Twilight sighed.

"What now?" indeed.

Should… should they try to find a new planet to live on?

How would they even begin to go about doing that?

They had no idea where they were or where the closest planet even was, and if there was one thing this long, agonizing voyage through the stars had made abundantly clear to all the Guardians, it was just how unbelievably vast and empty space was.

They could still probably manage it eventually if they really put their minds to it. They had all the Magic of Equus and all the time in the world at their disposal, after all, and little things like air, food, and water were no longer a concern for them either. But even still, there was no doubt in the lavender alicorn's mind it would be yet another long and arduous undertaking that would likely take decades at best, millenia at worst.

And even if they did find a suitable world to live on… what would they even do when they got there?

They would be aliens on a strange, foreign world where nobody knew them and they didn't truly belong, assuming, of course, that there was any intelligent life there to begin with and the planet wasn't completely feral.

What would they even do with themselves? This plane had no magic of any kind save theirs and none of them were in any mood to set themselves up as the eternal god-queens of an alien world. Should they disguise themselves as the natives and just try to blend in and live a quiet, peaceful life?

Twilight's frown deepened.

Perhaps but… living a life of deception constantly fearing discovery didn't sound like a very fun way to spend Eternity. The Changelings tried that and it hadn't worked out for them very well. Especially since they would all likely spend all that time fearfully glancing up at the sky just waiting for the day another Abomination showed up to destroy their new home.

The lavender alicorn sighed again.

No, that didn't sound very fun at all.

Even still, they had to do something. They couldn't just stay here floating in this useless prison forever, and Twilight absolutely refused to even consider the alternative. As much as she longed to see her lost friends and loved ones again, Night Light and Twilight Velvet did not raise a coward.

Thus resolved, Twilight reached out again to inform her friends of her decision, when suddenly, said decision was abruptly made for them.

[Query. Confusion.]

The lavender alicorn's blood turned cold and her heart raced with panic as her eyes bugged out of her skull at the alien but oh-so-familiar sensation that suddenly fell over her once again.

And the others weren't faring much better.

Studiously ignoring the way Rainbow Dash and Applejack both started swearing up a storm while Rarity, Pinkie, Starlight, and Fluttershy's spirits all radiated a profound sense of Terror, Anger, and Incredulous Disbelief like the sun, Twilight frantically cast her mind out to scan over the lobotomized fragments of the Abomination as the other Guardians soon followed, their dread rapidly growing when they detected no change.

That could only mean…

The lavender alicorn's skin paled and her divine aura dimmed considerably at what she felt when she cast her mind in the direction the alien sensation had come from.

Two more.

Two more Abominations, both even larger and more sophisticated than the one they'd just gone through utter Tartarus to kill, were rapidly closing in on their position, radiating Curiosity and Puzzlement at their slain kins current sorry state.

Both parasites were fully awake and alert, and likely hadn't noticed the Guardians brushing against their vast minds only because of how minuscule the seven deities were in comparison.

But that could very well change once they came in for a closer look…

"Where the hay did they come from!?!" Rainbow Dash hissed in a furious whisper that was entirely unnecessary at the moment, not that any of the other Guardians remembered to actually remind her of that.

"The Abomination we just killed must have contacted them just before we dragged it into the Dream Realm. That's why it was getting so excited," Starlight answered weakly as her fellow deities all heard an audible gulp resonate through their bond. "We really did cut it close…"

Furiously fighting down her own dread at the realization of just how big an arrow they'd dodged, Twilight forced herself to focus on the arrow currently screaming straight towards their heads.

"They can't find us!" she cut it in urgently as her mind raced to find a solution to their predicament, before an idea struck her. "The fragments maintaining our prison! They're completely aimless and brain dead! See if we can order them not to draw attention to themselves!"

The Guardians raced to said cluster of fragments, all of whom were still mindlessly repeating their standing orders to keep the seven deities separate and imprisoned even with the essential spark of life within them nowhere to be found.

Thankfully, the lavender alicorn's hunch was correct.

Most of the Abomination's fragments appeared to be designed to obey orders from fragments higher up on the totem pole, and with their simple minds all but gone at this point it was all too easy for the Guardians to command the cluster maintaining their prisons to send a continuous loop of "nothing to see here" communications out to any Abomination that might be listening.

And not a moment too soon, as in no time at all the monolithic shadows of the two new parasites fell over them as they curiously circled their slain kin, poking and prodding at it's disintegrating corpse while they attempted to rouse it and establish communication with it or it's fragments.

The seven deities could feel the Confusion the two Abomination's were emanating as their scans failed to find anything physically wrong with the Guardians dead foe or its fragments, and the Wariness and Suspicion that soon replaced it as both braced for a trap or ambush of some kind.

The larger of the two Abominations immediately moved to place itself between its smaller companion and the dead beast, its prods, scans, and attempts to establish communication becoming noticeably more aggressive and hostile, an action that surprised the hidden deities. And they were almost as surprised at how much of an almost… masculine edge the large Abomination's emanations had to them.

The lavender alicorn frowned before, acting on a hunch, she ever-so-carefully reached out to brush against the smaller Abomination's consciousness while its attention was focused on its companion and the corpse, her frown deepening at what she felt.

The smaller parasite definitely had a feminine edge to it, and what's more appeared to be the brains of the operation, to the point it almost seemed to be directing the large Abomination while it observed it and the corpse.

Strange.

While the Tree of Harmony mentioned mating being one of the Abominations primary motivations, the sole one they'd encountered so far was so alien Twilight had completely discounted gender and sexual dimorphism even being a thing among its species.

The one they'd just killed certainly didn't seem like it had any gender to speak of. Maybe each Abomination was different depending on the species they consumed? Regardless, there were clear differences between the two new Abominations that went beyond just physical size.

The male Abomination was the most similar to what the lavender alicorn and her friends were used to, almost seeming like a larger and more sophisticated version of their hated foe.

Its thoughts were simple, blunt, aggressive, direct, and seemed to be centered almost exclusively around combat and protecting his mate at all costs.

The female, by contrast, was a schemer. A planner. Its thoughts were far crisper, clearer, and more complex than the male as it cautiously and carefully observed everything around it, taking in as much data as possible to determine the best course of action before relaying instructions to its mate.

Twilight's frown deepened as she processed this new information.

The Abomination had been everything the Tree of Harmony said it was: A selfish, greedy, amoral beast utterly enslaved by its primitive desires to eat, mate, and survive at all costs, and this new male one honestly didn't seem much better. But the female… seemed to be far more mentally advanced than either of them, and it was plainly obvious she was the one calling all the shots in this relationship.

The male was little more than a blunt instrument, a simple warrior who would be completely lost without his mate to do all the thinking for him.

Was it… was it possible that this Thinker could be negotiated with?

That her more sophisticated mental faculties would allow her to see possibilities beyond her primitive base instincts and maybe be convinced that there was a better way for her and her kind to live and thrive than all this senseless destruction?

The lavender alicorn rather seriously doubted the Warrior could be made to see reason on his own, but it was plainly obvious from his simple thoughts that his mate had him completely wrapped around her hoof.

He would do anything for the Thinker.

So if they could just get through to her…

Twilight bit her lip as her newly acquired cynicism and previous experience with the Abominations clashed ferociously with the ideals of Harmony and Friendship she still clung to fiercely in spite of everything.

They'd have to be very, very careful about this and observe the Thinker closely to make absolutely certain it might be possible to get through to her, but if there was even the smallest chance…

The lavender alicorn's musings were abruptly and violently interrupted when the Warrior suddenly fired several shots into the Abomination's corpse at his mate's command, sending shockwaves emanating through it that sent Twilight's teeth rattling in her prison.

The two Abomination's waited for a few moments for any reaction from their slain kin, and when none were forthcoming the lavender alicorn's heart sank at the unmistakable waves of Greed, Hunger, and Eagerness both Abominations started giving off as the Thinker gleefully instructed the Warrior to take a few test bites just in case.

He did so, sending yet more tremors through the corpse, and the second he sent the All Clear all thoughts of strategy and caution were immediately tossed to the wayside as the Thinker launched herself at the dead Abomination like a feral animal. The two Abominations tore into the corpse with reckless abandon, positively giddy at the thought of so much free energy and DATA as they savagely devoured every dead fragment in sight and assimilated them into themselves while the Guardians all watched the feeding frenzy with utter disgust, none more so than Twilight.

Had she really been so naive as to think an Abomination could be reasoned with just because it was smarter than the others she'd met?

No.

It was plainly obvious now the Thinker was just as much of a selfish, gluttonous beast as her less sophisticated counterparts. She was just smarter and more cunning about how she went about things. But a smart beast was still a beast.

Something that was made abundantly clear as the Guardians continued to surreptitiously scan the two Abomination's thoughts while they were distracted by their grisly meal.

These two had destroyed countless worlds full of innocent, thriving species just like Equus hundreds, no thousands of times over, and every single one of these horrific acts of genocide had been masterminded by the heartless sow currently gorging herself into a stupor on the body of one her fallen brethren while the Warrior did her dirty work.

There was no remorse. No shame for her actions. Nothing but complete and utter apathy for all the pain and suffering their hosts endured before they were inevitably snuffed out and Satisfaction at all the stolen Data and knowledge they managed to collect before their hosts perished.

Other species were nothing but bacteria in a giant petri dish to the Thinker, lab rats for her to poke, prod, and torment at her leisure while her thuggish mate made sure none of her "test subjects" got too uppity.

It all made Twilight want to scream.

Had none of these things ever heard of Scientific Ethics!?!

And she was about to do it again.

The lavender alicorn's heart stopped when images of a beautiful blue planet filled with very familiar-looking creatures flashed through her mind as she continued to subtly scan the Thinker's thoughts.

Humans.

There was a world full of humans in this plane, albeit rather different from the ones she was familiar with.

None of them had the brightly colored hair and skin tones that so closely matched her people's coats and manes, for one, and somehow she doubted she was going to find any counterparts to the people of her world there either, but they were humans all the same. Humans from… Earth.

And they were next on the Abominations list.

The Thinker and Warrior had been on their way to a nearby Solar System housing the unsuspecting planet when they'd picked up the Abomination's signal and moved to investigate, and once they were done with their gruesome meal they would head straight there with their shiny new fragments in tow.

They would destroy that beautiful, defenseless world and its people.

Just like Equus.

Twilight's expression grew thunderous as the six stars within her Mind's Eye flared like supernovas, radiating white-hot ANGER and bottomless DETERMINATION in equal measure before, as one, the Guardians of Harmony all came to a single, unanimous decision.

Over our dead bodies…

Quickly convening with her friends, Twilight and her fellow deities soon agreed that the Thinker was by far the bigger threat despite her relative lack of strength compared to her mate thanks to her far superior intelligence and ability to plan and strategize.

After all, the Guardians themselves had just proven how effectively a good plan and careful preparation could overcome a seemingly insurmountable gap in raw power. Besides, the Warrior's entire purpose for existing was to protect his mate and follow her directives without question. If something happened to the Thinker, he would likely be completely at a loss about what to do or how to adapt to continue the Cycle without her.

Distracted.

Confused.

Directionless.

Vulnerable.

Yes, the female Abomination was the key to overcoming the Warrior's awesome brute strength.

The only question was how would the Guardians slay her without instantly being detected and obliterated by the two Abominations once the Warrior came to the Thinker's aid? Just because the female Abomination was weaker than her mate in no way meant she was a pushover, and it had taken Twilight and her friends years to set up the circumstances of their Abomination's defeat. And that had only been possible because it was mostly asleep at the time and utterly assured of its victory over them.

True, they were all fully trained and aware of the Abomination's greatest weakness now, but even still, how were they ever going to take advantage of it in time with both the Thinker and the Warrior fully awake and alert and so perilously close to that innocent blue planet?

Twilight grimaced as she watched the corpse of the dead Abomination rapidly disappear as the two live ones continued their gluttonous feeding frenzy.

Well, whatever they were going to do, they needed to do it fast. The Thinker and the Warrior would be done soon, and the Guardians would never get a better chance than now with the female Abomination distracted and unaware of their presence.

And so, quickly convening with her friends again, the lavender alicorn and her fellow deities all subtly directed the fragments maintaining their prison to send their "nothing to see here" communications to the Thinker, hoping to draw the female Abomination's attention to them so she would devour and assimilate those fragments instead of the male.

If the Warrior took them instead the Guardians would likely never get the chance to strike at the Thinker.

Thankfully, the alicorn's plan worked, and soon the female Abomination was eating her way to this section of the corpse, her Greed and Hunger now tinged with Curiosity.

Twilight and her friends immediately directed the fragments to return to their normal communications before drawing in on themselves, suppressing their magic as much as they could as the Thinker's shadow fell over them.

The female Abomination was emanating Confusion now at the way the signal had abruptly cut off and returned to normal, and the Guardians all watched with bated breath as she once again scanned the remains looking for any signs of life.

After a long, agonizing moment, however, the Thinker seemed to give the rough equivalent of a shrug before resuming her meal, and a vicious smirk briefly crossed the lavender alicorn's face as she watched the tainted fragments vanish down the female Abomination's gullet.

Good, the Thinker had taken the bait. Now it was time for the poison to do its work.

Twilight's smile quickly vanished, however, when she saw the two Abomination's finally finish devouring the last of the corpse and resume their trek towards Earth, both happily bloated with new fragments to test out.

"Hurry girls! We don't have much time!" Fluttershy said urgently before they all cast their minds out once more, slowly and carefully worming their way through the Thinker's vast consciousness with utmost caution.

They were lucky she was blissfully unaware of what she'd just picked up from the dead Abomination and was distracted pouring over all the new Data she'd acquired from her shiny new fragments and making the final preparations for the two Abomination's arrival on Earth, otherwise the seven deities never would have gotten away with this.

Even still, they had to be careful. The slightest misstep would immediately alert the Thinker to their presence, and then it would be all over for both them and the humans of that unsuspecting world.

Unfortunately, that meant their progress through her mind was agonizingly slow as they had to walk on metaphorical eggshells at all times to avoid tipping the female Abomination off to their presence, and with so many fragments to sort through and no easy way to isolate the more important ones from the others given they were all wide awake and alert, it would take the Guardians forever to find the Thinkers Critical Fragments.

And they didn't have forever…

"Oh no…" Pinkie whimpered in an agonized voice as they all watched that vulnerable little blue planet rapidly drawing closer and closer.

"Come on, y'all! Put some spring in your step!" Applejack yelled urgently, panic and frustration coloring her tone as she desperately tried to pick up the pace without giving them all away. "We're almost outta time!"

"We can't, Applejack!" Starlight yelled back in an equally frustrated and terrified voice as she desperately and reluctantly tried to rein the farmpony back. "If we go any faster we'll give ourselves away!"

"Well we must do something, Starlight!" Rarity shouted in a panic stricken voice as sheer, utter Horror emanated from her spirit in waves. "They've already started to spread those wretched fragments of theirs!"

The white alicorn's friends all felt their hearts stop and their own panic skyrocket as they saw that she was correct.

Fragments were beginning to fall towards Earth and all its dimensional mirrors like shooting stars as the Thinker and the Warrior began shedding pieces of their titanic bodies before casting them through the void of space ahead of the two Abominations.

"No…" Twilight whispered softly, indescribable sadness and dread filling her being as she watched the deceptively beautiful sight, knowing full well that each and every one of those shooting stars represented some poor, doomed soul that would soon be turned into one of the Abomination's tortured puppets and guinea pigs. "No no no NO! STOP IT!"

But her cry fell on deaf ears as the Thinker and Warrior continued happily consigning this world and its people to a slow, painful death, absolutely heedless of the seven deities' horror and indescribable sadness while they watched the worst day of their lives start to play out again in slow motion.

"MONSTERS! BEASTS! HEARTLESS MURDERERS!" Fluttershy raged in helpless fury as she and her fellow alicorns watched the two Abominations, both of whom were rapidly growing considerably smaller, break off from each other and begin descending to an uninhabited mirror of Earth where their true bodies would be safe while their fragments and Avatars wreaked havoc. "I HOPE YOU BOTH CRASH AND BURN!"

And for a moment, one horrible, agonizing moment, the seven deities felt boundless Despair consume them utterly as they all but resigned themselves to the fact that they had once again failed to protect another innocent world.

Until…

"Wait… 'Crash'... and 'Burn'..." Rainbow Dash breathed as her spirit lit up with a final, desperate Hope, startling the other alicorns. "FLUTTERSHY! YOU'RE A GENIUS!"

"Rainbow… what… !?!" the yellow alicorn in question sputtered in utter bewilderment as the blue alicorn's Excitement washed over her like a wave.

"We make her crash!" Rainbow explained excitedly as her Hope quickly became tinged with Malicious Vindictiveness. "The Thinker has to have fragments that propel her through space and help her see where she's going, right!?! If we destroy those fragments before she can slow down, then she won't be able to stop herself from falling to the planet and we can let gravity do the work for us! Trust me, it doesn't matter how big you are, an exospheric nosedive hurts like buck. Being bigger actually makes it hurt worse, even!"

The lavender alicorn's eyes widened.

"Rainbow, that's brilliant!" she exclaimed, positively giddy with relief and hope as her brilliant mind immediately went to work while Applejack's spirit radiated Doubt.

"But Twilight, how are we ever gonna find those fragments fast enough? She's already almost there…" she pointed out hesitantly, ever the sensible realist as she nervously eyed the way the Thinker was fast approaching her destination.

Fortunately, Twilight had an answer for that.

"Look for the fragments the Thinker's focusing on the most!" she immediately answered, already moving to search for the fragments showing the most activity as realization surged through her friends spirits like lightning. "They have to be the ones she's using to navigate and communicate with the Warrior!"

Quickly getting over their shock, the other Guardians all sent a strong pulse of affirmation to the lavender alicorn before immediately joining her on the hunt for the female Abomination's Navigation and Communication Shards, their hope and determination restored.

Luckily for them, the Abomination's cruelty and greed had bit them in the flank once again.

With so many of the Thinker's fragments cast off to infect the unsuspecting humans of this world, the seven deities had a significantly easier time shifting through her much reduced if still vast gestalt consciousness for those few Critical Fragments that would spell her doom if anything happened to them, and it wasn't long before the Guardians found what they were looking for.

"I FOUND ONE, I FOUND ONE, I FOUND ONE!" Pinkie Pie hollered over their psychic link gleefully as she hovered over an unsuspecting Navigation Fragment.

"I got one too!" Rainbow Dash called out as well as she eyed her fragment with malicious intent. "Looks like what the overgrown sow uses for propulsion!"

"Here's another one!"

"I have found one as well, Starlight!"

"Got another of the varmints right here!"

"Make sure to find the one she's using to communicate with the Warrior too! If she calls him for help, then he might be able to save her and all those poor creatures will die!"

Twilight frowned as she frantically scanned for the fragment in question, knowing full well that Fluttershy was absolutely correct in her assessment.

Thankfully, the Warrior himself was providing her with the solution she needed. All the lavender alicorn had to do was look for the place where he was focusing his thoughts and feelings on his mate the most, and soon she was able to zero in on her target with laser precision. A Communication Fragment, positively glowing with activity as the Thinker and the Warrior exchanged unfathomable amounts of information while they grew ever closer to their Landing Zones.

"I've got it, girls," Twilight called out to the others sternly in a voice of grim determination as the six stars in her Mind's Eye flickered with acknowledgement and relief before abruptly sobering up as well.

"Alright everpony, this is it," Rainbow said in a strict, uncompromising tone as she eyed the female Abomination's descent with a critical, practiced eye. "We're only going to get one shot at this, so we have to make sure we only hit the Thinker once she's passed the Point of No Return. On my mark…"

The other Guardians all immediately began gathering their power into a psychic lance ready to be unleashed on their respective fragments the instant the blue alicorn gave the signal, their trust in her absolute.

While none of them were very familiar with the mechanics of space travel or atmospheric reentry, no one understood the ends and outs of flight better than Rainbow did.

She wouldn't let them down.

"Hold…" the blue alicorn commanded sternly as she watched the rapidly growing planet with utmost concentration.

The other deities all tensed.

"Hold…"

The lavender alicorn quivered with anticipation as she held back the attack begging to be unleashed with iron discipline.

"Hold…!"

The Thinker was on her final approach now, getting ready to start decelerating so she could enter the atmosphere and make a safe landing…

"NOW!"

Twilight and her friends struck with all their might at Rainbow's furious roar, and the Thinker's screams of Shock and Pain echoed throughout all reality as the Warrior could only send out pulses of hapless Confusion and Concern while his blinded and muted mate tumbled helplessly to the planet below in a fiery heap.

The Thinker's continent-smashing impact was devastating, severely damaging the beast and knocking its consciousness out of commission.

Unfortunately, said impact did much the same to the spiritual equines haunting the doomed Abomination, and in short order, all they knew was darkness.

 

[King of Terror]

Chapter 1:

"Soooo… this sure is a mighty fine mess we've gotten ourselves into," Applejack drawled flatly at her assembled friends as they all let out exasperated sighs of agreement.

The seven Guardians were back in the Other, once again seated in their conjured thrones as they discussed the fallout of the Thinker's abrupt demise.

And they had a lot to talk about.

"Come on Dashie, it's not all bad. At least the Thinker's gone and won't be able to hurt anyone again. That means we're already half-way there!" Pinkie said in a weakly chipper voice as her friends all let out half-exasperated, half-grateful sighs at her earnest attempt to cheer everypony up.

That was certainly true, at least, though it had taken them quite a while to confirm that once they'd all finally come to.

The Thinker's impact had been so catastrophically violent it had outright shattered the Abomination's body and sent the cluster of fragments maintaining their prison careening across dimensions to land on a completely different and utterly barren mirror of Earth, and it had taken the Guardians a long time to figure out a way to send their Astral Forms to the crash site to make sure the beast was dead.

Thankfully, residual traces of their magic still clung to the main body of the Thinker, and the seven deities were able to use it as a beacon to make their way to its location without breaking the cover and concealment provided by their prison, and the relief they'd all felt when they'd finally gotten there was beyond words.

The female Abomination was dead, her body nothing but a colossal, planet-spanning garden of twisted, half-formed human faces and limbs made of eldritch crystalline flesh.

Much like the Abomination the Guardians had slain, the vital spark of life and consciousness had been completely extinguished from the Thinker's various fragments, which were all just mindlessly repeating their last given tasks and instructions as they slowly bled energy at a glacial pace.

It would likely take centuries, but eventually those fragments would die, just like the ones they'd lobotomized when the seven alicorns had finally defeated the Abomination that had murdered their world.

The only signs of life were two humans, a dark-skinned woman and a young girl, talking urgently about something in a language none of the Guardians could understand as they loitered around the Thinker's corpse.

The lavender alicorn had no idea how they'd gotten there or what they were doing, but there was unfortunately little she and her friends could do to help them in their current state.

Hopefully they would be able to find a way out of their predicament, but the seven deities had bigger things to worry about, as much as Twilight hated to say it.

"Be that as it may, Pinkie, something tells me getting to the finish line isn't going to be as easy as making it to the half-way point," Starlight pointed out in a weary voice as she rubbed her face tiredly with a hoof while the pink alicorn's ears flattened and her mane deflated at the reminder.

The lavender alicorn sighed.

That, unfortunately, was also true.

They had searched long and hard for the Warrior, straining their powers to their absolute limit hunting for any fragments that might have still had traces of their magic on them, and after what had felt like an eternity they had finally happened upon one of the lobotomized fragments of the Abomination the Warrior had assimilated, now mindlessly carrying out new orders.

And when the Guardians had followed the connection the fragment had made…

…their hearts had nearly shattered into a thousand pieces when they saw what was on the other side.

Earth was in turmoil, its people and nations all scrambling to make sense of the Hosts of the Fragments that were already starting to pop up.

Along with the sudden appearance of a strange, golden man.

Twilight's frown deepened as she thought back to that deceptively beautiful, godlike figure.

She and her friends had known the second they laid eyes on him that the golden man was the Avatar of the Warrior, perfectly designed and tailored to inspire awe and wonder in the humans that called this world home.

The Avatar was the very picture of what the lavender alicorn imagined masculine human perfection to be, with a chiseled, muscular body, flawless golden skin, a neatly trimmed beard, and long, flowing hair that perfectly matched his shining flesh as he radiated a glorious divine aura much like the Guardians themselves.

He was also completely naked, which had left very little to the imagination about just how, ahem, well-endowed he was, which had immediately turned Twilight into a blushing mess for a bit as she'd abruptly remembered human standards of decency before mastering herself.

All in all, it was a masterful disguise that was unfortunately already starting to capture the human population's imaginations as theories and speculation about the identity of this mysterious, seemingly divine figure and his connection to the newly dubbed "parahumans" ran rampant, not helped by the fact that the Avatar had so far only spoken a single word to the humans when they'd asked him who he was.

Scion.

The seven deities still had no idea what that word meant or why the Warrior had chosen it as his Avatar's name, but ultimately it didn't matter.

The important thing here was that the gluttonous beast was already starting to lead the unsuspecting inhabitants of this world astray with his expertly crafted mask, and if nothing was done Earth would soon begin falling into anarchy just like all the other planets the Abominations had visited.

Fortunately, it looked like the Guardians had been spot on in their assessment of just how much Scion relied on his mate for guidance and direction.

Without the Thinker to tell him what to do, the male Abomination had been left completely aimless and without purpose, and so far seemed to just be wandering around in a depressed funk at the moment, which meant they still had time to figure out a way to take him down before things on Earth spiraled past the point of no return.

Figuring out the best way to use the time they had bought themselves, on the other hand, was another matter entirely…

"I still say we should strike now while the iron's hot," Rainbow insisted stubbornly as her friends all groaned, earning themselves one whopper of a stink eye from the incensed mare. "Oh bite my flank, all of you! That monster's been distracted and totally off guard ever since that fat sack of flesh he called a mate took a swan dive from orbit! We'll never get a better chance to jump him than we have right now!"

"Honestly, Rainbow Dash! You seriously want to go charging off after Scion without a plan after everything we've been through fighting these wretched brutes!?! Have you not learned a single, solitary thing after all these years!?!" Rarity scolded harshly with a stern and disappointed glare as the blue alicorn glared right back.

"Watch it, Princess," Rainbow warned with a cold growl as the Other briefly darkened ominously at the two deities' anger. "Of course I've learned not to underestimate these things after I had to watch one of them murder our world because we weren't good enough to stop it! But that doesn't change the fact that this is the best chance we're ever going to get to take that thing out before it turns Earth upside down trying to gather its precious Data. Besides, you saw what I saw. The Warrior sacrificed a ton of fragments before it landed and is stuck on some barren world somewhere. Finding its weak points should be a cakewalk compared to the first Abomination we killed."

"RD's right y'all," Applejack cut in firmly as she shared an agreeing nod with her best friend. "I ain't saying it'll be easy, these varmints never go down without one heck of a fight, but I think we can take him. Scion ain't going anywhere anytime soon and he had to have lost a lot of juice after shedding so many of those damned fragments. Sides, we've already tried finding our way to his real body with our Astral Forms and that didn't work, so there ain't no sense in wasting the element of surprise while we still got it. I say we put an end to this here and now before things get any worse for them poor humans."

"And how do you know we'll make things any better for the humans if we fight Scion now Applejack?" Fluttershy immediately countered in a quiet, intense voice as she leveled a piercing stare at the orange alicorn. "Don't you remember all the people that got killed during our first battle with the Abomination? All the worlds we destroyed as a side effect of our fight with that Monster!?! If we fight Scion now then we'll just be doing his job for him even if we do win!"

The other Guardians all winced and looked away shamefaced at the unpleasant memories.

"...We're stronger now than we were back then. We should be able to protect them from the fallout better," Rainbow pointed out hesitantly after a long pause, though even she seemed to know just how weak that sounded.

"Be that as it may Rainbow, a lot of humans will still get hurt if we go after Scion like this," Twilight warned grimly before her frown deepened. "And besides, the element of surprise might not be as much on our side as you think it is. If we break our prison completely then there's a strong possibility Scion will detect the burst of magic we'll inevitably give off doing so and come to investigate. And then we'll have no choice but to engage him head on."

The other alicorns grimaced and shared uneasy looks at that before Applejack let out a tired sigh.

"That might be something we'll just have to accept ya'll," the orange alicorn said quietly in a voice like pulling teeth as she looked up at them with a sad but firm expression. "The cold, hard truth of the matter is that humans were gonna get hurt the second that damned varmint touched down no matter what we do. It ain't a matter of 'if' at this point, girls. It's a matter of 'when' and 'how many'. We'll never be able to save all of them, no matter how hard we try."

"Remember what Tempest and Pharynx taught us. This is war, and no war is won without sacrifice," Rainbow agreed wearily as her head and wings drooped and her aura dimmed, looking far less like a mighty deity in that moment and more like the exhausted old mare she really was.

Like they all were…

"That doesn't mean we shouldn't try to find a better way, Rainbow," Pinkie argued weakly with a melancholy expression as her mane deflated before she closed her eyes and shuddered. "I don't know if I can bear to watch another planet die because we couldn't protect it…"

Everypony present winced and shuddered as well as the horrible memories of Equus's destruction briefly came roaring back to the surface before the seven alicorns ruthlessly quashed them back down.

I don't know if I can bear that either… Twilight thought quietly to herself as she watched Fluttershy console their distraught friend before Starlight cleared her throat.

"There's also the aftermath to consider as well," the lilac alicorn pointed out reluctantly as their faces immediately fell at the reminder. "Even if we succeed at defeating Scion without destroying everything in the process, these people will still need help rebuilding and exterminating the remaining fragments."

Starlight sucked in a deep breath.

"And… and they'll also need someone to help protect them from the other Abominations in case any more find Earth…"

A wave of sheer, utter weariness immediately fell over the seven mares at those words as they all looked at each other with poorly disguised trepidation.

"...Can we do that?" Rarity whispered quietly at last, naked doubt on her face as she looked around at her friends warily. "Can we really take responsibility for the safety and wellbeing of an entire race again? After everything that's happened? Do we really… have the right?"

There was a long pause before everpony slowly turned Twilight, asking the lavender alicorn for guidance like they always had as she sighed.

"I don't know everypony. I really don't know…" she answered honestly as she slumped in her throne and rubbed her face with a bone-tired expression, her aura noticeably dimming. "We can't just leave them to fend for themselves against those monsters, but at the same time… this is not our world. These are not our people. We don't belong here anymore than Scion does. We have no right to dictate to them what they should or should not do or try to install ourselves as their new rulers, even if we wanted to. They should be able to lead themselves and make their own choices."

The other Guardians all glanced at each other with troubled expressions.

"Well… it's not like we have to become their new rulers Twilight," Pinkie pointed out a touch awkwardly before giving a weakly hopeful smile. "We could just be friends with them and help protect them from the other Abominations. That sounds way more fun than trying to become the Princesses of an entire alien world! I could even use my powers to throw all the humans on Earth a great big party all at once! I've always wanted to do a First Contact Party, and maybe this time it won't be ruined by the aliens being a bunch of genocidal Eldritch Meanies!"

Everypony winced and looked away uncomfortably.

"Somehow I doubt it'll be that simple Pinkie," the lavender alicorn replied hesitantly in as gentle a voice as she could manage while she desperately tried to avoid crushing her friend's boundless optimism. "While it's true that we don't technically have to become the humans' new rulers… you saw the way Scion's disguise is already starting to capture their imaginations. You remember the trouble we, Celestia, and Luna had with those silly ponies worshiping us just because we were more powerful than the average pony even before the Tree of Harmony turned us into actual gods. If we swoop in and save them all from Scion using powers that, for them, are straight out of myth and legend, and then promise to help protect them from others like him… then the humans might not give us a choice but to become their new rulers."

The pink alicorn immediately deflated like a balloon as distasteful looks appeared on everypony else's faces at the thought.

"And there's also the other side of the equation as well," Starlight chimed in darkly with an uncomfortable grimace as a remorseful look crossed her features. "There are also going to be many humans that are going to hate and fear us for being so much stronger than them and wielding powers they don't have or understand. That are going to view us as a threat to be eliminated or an opportunity to be exploited, and they'll never stop trying to destroy us or put a collar around our necks so they can use our magic for their own ends. It's what I would have done in their situation back before Twilight and Spike finally pulled my head out of my plot…"

The Guardians' expressions all grew sad as the lilac alicorn looked away with a shamefaced expression before as one they all reached out through their bond to soothe her troubled spirit, earning themselves a small but grateful smile for their efforts.

"Even still, we have to do something, girls," Fluttershy said in an understanding but firm voice that broked absolutely no argument as she looked around at her friends with a quiet, fierce expression. "I will not allow another world full of innocent creatures just trying to live their lives die just so those wretched parasites can gather more useless Data trying to do the impossible! Not while I still draw breath."

Applejack sighed.

"We know that Fluttershy. I'd never be able to forgive myself if we didn't do something to help them poor humans so they don't lose everything like we did. But at the same time I… I just don't know if I have it in me to keep doing this anymore," she replied in a sad and frustrated voice as she slumped in her throne and looked up at her friends with a hollow, dead-eyed stare while her divine aura dimmed to almost nothing. "I'm tired y'all. I'm as tired and used up as that rusty old plow we never got around to throwing out back on Sweet Apple Acres. I want to rest. I want to sleep. I want to be with my family. And maybe that makes me a selfish, good-for-nothing quitter, but… I don't want to be a hero no more. I don't think I can…"

The other Guardians all immediately slumped in their thrones as their own auras dimmed as well.

"No Applejack. That doesn't make you a quitter. It just makes you a pony," Twilight assured her friend softly, looking every bit as exhausted as the orange alicorn as she shot her a sad and understanding look. "A tired old pony that's seen and lost far, far too much in her life. Just like the rest of us…"

"Twilight's right, AJ," Rainbow agreed solemnly as she consoled her best friend as best she could. "You know me better than anypony, so you know I'm definitely no quitter, but… I'm tired too…"

"As am I," Rarity concurred with an equally melancholy air.

"We all are," Pinkie chimed in sadly as she closed her eyes trying to hold back tears. "I miss my family and my Lil' Cheese so much…"

"I know Pinkie, I know. I miss Discord and my family too," Fluttershy whispered gently as she desperately tried to soothe her friend's pain while holding back her own. "But we have to keep going. I know how much it hurts girls, believe me, I know, but… we have to remain strong. For them. For Equus. For the humans. For everyone the Abominations have murdered. We… we have to keep fighting! We're the only ones who can. The only ones who can…"

The yellow alicorn faltered and her encouraging words fizzled out like old soda, unable to keep the pain and exhaustion out of her voice as that damnable doubt that had plagued the Guardians ever since the Abomination first arrived reared its ugly head once again.

"...Even if we want to keep fighting and protecting the humans from the Abominations… would we even be able to do the job properly? Like this?" Starlight questioned hesitantly after a long pause, shooting a worried and apprehensive glance at her former mentor as Twilight sighed.

That was the million bit question, wasn't it?

Celestia and Luna had often confided in her about just how exhausting it had been managing a country and constantly defending it from all the various threats that kept popping up for such a long time after their retirement, and leaving her sister to deal with that alone for over a thousand years had been one of the biggest regrets of the dark alicorn's immortal life.

That had been a big part of the reason they had both been so adamant the lavender alicorn learn how to rely on others and make as many friends as she could: To help shoulder the burden as much as possible when she eventually took the throne. But now… now all she had was the other Guardians. Who were every bit as sick and tired of all of this as she was.

Abandoning the humans to suffer the same fate her world did was unthinkable and went against everything Twilight and her friends stood for, but… could they really be the protectors Earth needed?

After everything that had happened?

The lavender alicorn wasn't so sure anymore…

…

Twilight sighed and bowed her head miserably, longing for the days when she was still just an ordinary, if exceptional, magic student with a wise and kind mentor to look up to whenever she was feeling stressed or uncertain of how to proceed.

Things were so much simpler back then. But now the lavender alicorn and her fellow Guardians had no one to turn to but themselves, and every single one of them had been left hopelessly floundering in the dark trying to solve a problem that had no easy solution. Some "wise and just" rulers they had turned out to be.

How in Harmony's name had Celestia and Luna made this look so easy!?!

Twilight let out another sad sigh at the memory of the fallen Tree before turning her gaze inward and reaching deep within herself, towards the dormant Power of Harmony that had been sleeping within her and her friends ever since the Tree's destruction.

Please, she begged in a desperate, silent whisper as she urgently poked and prodded at the dormant Power with all her might, frantically trying to rouse it from its slumber one last time. Please, wake up! We need you! Now more than ever!

Silence.

The lavender alicorn had to fight back a sob as the rest of her fellow deities all gave her sad and concerned looks.

Please, WAKE UP! Twilight shouted loudly in her head, her prods becoming more forceful as her emotions threatened to get the better of her at Harmony's stubborn silence. I'M SORRY WE WEREN'T ABLE TO SAVE EQUUS! I'M SORRY WE WEREN'T STRONG ENOUGH TO STOP THE TREE FROM BEING DESTROYED! AND I'M SORRY THAT… that… !

The lavender alicorn shuddered before taking a deep breath.

…and I'm sorry that we don't want to be your Bearers anymore, she forced out with clenched teeth as she furiously fought back the bitter wave of shame and self-loathing that welled up within her at that admission. I know that we were meant to carry this Torch for a very long time just like Celestia, Luna, and the Pillars before us did, but… I don't think we can anymore. We've lost too much, been wounded too deeply, and we're all just so, so very tired…

Twilight slumped in her chair as another wave of pure exhaustion slammed into her like the Ponyville Express, barely able to find the strength to lift her head, let alone fight or lead.

…Please believe me. I want to help those poor people with all my heart and soul, and I wouldn't wish what we and Equus had to go through on anyone but the Abomination's themselves, the lavender alicorn continued in a hollow voice as ethereal tears of regret started welling up in her eyes while the Power of Harmony continued to remain maddeningly silent despite her heartfelt pleas. But I just don't know how much more of ourselves my friends and I have left to give. The humans deserve steadfast Guardians that will always be there to protect them no matter what. Not a bunch of tired, used up old mares that don't even belong in their world to begin with. So please, I am begging you, if you're still there, if you still wish to preserve Harmony and safeguard the innocent from those who would do them harm…

Twilight looked up with tears openly streaming down her face as she ignored the worried questions of her friends to finish her silent plea.

…then please help us find a way to keep the humans safe from the Abominations without losing ourselves completely. Because I honestly don't know how much more of this we can take before we finally snap, and I'd never be able to forgive myself if I hurt an innocent because I couldn't stand the pressure any longer. Please…

And for a long, agonizing moment, the Power of Harmony maintained it's soul-crushing silence as the lavender alicorn's heart sank at her final, desperate prayer seemingly falling on deaf ears…

…only for Twilight and her friends to let out shocked gasps when the Power of Harmony suddenly flared to life within them, causing their eyes and bodies to shine like supernovas as it filled their beings with its divine energy.

And in their Mind's Eye, all seven mares witnessed a peculiar image start to take shape.

It was a group of fourteen shadowy, indistinct figures, their features blurry and hard to see clearly from the painfully bright light they were standing in front of. Yet despite how difficult to make out they were, seven of the fourteen figures were instantly recognizable to the Guardians.

It was them, standing tall, proud, and defiant in stark contrast to how they were currently feeling, which the lavender alicorn supposed was… good?

But it was the other seven shadows that really caught the deities' attention: They were humans one and all, females by what little Twilight could make out of them, ranging in age from young to mature, though one appeared rather oddly shaped compared to the rest of them.

Almost like she was wearing some kind of armor…

The seven humans were standing in front of the Guardians shadowy doppelgangers, one for each mare, and as the alicorns watched their shadows all seemed to start gradually fading away, growing fainter and fainter with each passing moment. The humans, by contrast, grew larger, stronger, and more majestic by the second, almost as if they were somehow gaining strength from the vanishing shadowy equines, until at last the transformation was complete as the Guardian's doppelgangers fades completely.

And as Twilight and her friends stared at the seven mighty beings before them, they all felt a single, thundering word echo through their minds.

TEACH.

And then it was over, the alicorn's glow fading back to normal as the Power of Harmony became dormant once more, leaving the seven mares to collapse in their Thrones panting in exertion and staring at each other in wide-eyed shock.

Predictably, Rainbow Dash was the first to regain her wits.

"What in Tartarus was that Twilight!?!" she demanded in an angry and still-shaken voice as the lavender alicorn shrunk back slightly at her blue counterparts accusing glare.

"I… I don't know," Twilight admitted weakly as she desperately tried to get her thoughts together, the image of those shadowy figures still burned into her mind. "I wasn't sure what to do so I tried waking the Power of Harmony one last time to ask it for help. I guess that was it's answer…"

The other Guardians glanced at each other.

"Ok…" Rainbow said slowly, her annoyance gradually being replaced by curiosity and cautious hope now that they seemingly had a lead again, before a confused frown suddenly crossed her features. "But… what did that mean?"

The lavender alicorn shared a glance with her former student as Starlight's lips pursed in thought.

"If I had to guess…" she began cautiously as she thought back to the single word Harmony had spoken before the vision ended. "Harmony wants us to find and train seven new Bearers to guard this world from the Abominations in our stead. Human Bearers."

The seven alicorns all glanced at each other again.

"...Is something like that even possible?" Fluttershy asked hesitantly after a long pause, mentally going over everything about magic she'd learned during their long imprisonment as Twilight frowned.

"...It should be yes," she answered with growing confidence as she thought back to her experiences with the humans from their realm. "The humans Sunset and I befriended on the other side of the Mirror didn't have magic either, but as soon as Equestrian Magic was introduced into their world from ours they were able to wield it without problems so long as their hearts weren't corrupted. Your human counterparts even gained permanent powers after being exposed to magic enough times. So, in theory, if we found seven humans to transfer our Magic into, and taught them how to use it…"

"...they'd be able to guard this world just as well as we ever could," the lilac alicorn finished firmly as she looked around at her friends with a stalwart expression. "Better even, considering they actually belong here and haven't had to watch everything they know and love die a horrible death. And hopefully never will, if we have anything to say about it."

Rarity's brow furrowed.

"I suppose it does make sense," she admitted slowly after another lengthy pause. "There comes a time when even the greatest of artists must concede that the years are catching up to them and seek out a successor to carry on their craft. I myself was eying Yona and several other promising young artists for such a position before all this dreadful business started."

"When a hammer gets old and worn out, you find a new one," Applejack agreed sagely as the white alicorn winced in consternation.

"Not… quite the analogy I would have chosen, darling…"

"You're old Rarity. Get over it."

"I AM QUITE AWARE OF THAT, RAINBOW DASH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH!"

"Still, this is great, girls!" Pinkie Pie, ever the optimistic one, exclaimed cheerfully as her mane reinflated and her spirit and divine aura shined brightly with renewed hope. "We finally found a way to keep Earth safe from the Abominations without going Barmy for Barley Puffs from the crushing existential loneliness of immortality and having to safeguard an entire species from total destruction by a horrifying race of Eldritch Monstrosities! All we have to do is find some humans to teach like Celestia and Luna found Twilight and us and then we'll be able to rest easy knowing we did everything we could to help those poor humans! IT'S… well, I probably shouldn't say 'foolproof' because that could totally jinx us since the universe loves a challenge and Dashie and I are here, but…!"

"Now hold on there, sugarcube!" Applejack cut in sternly, hoof raised to keep Rainbow Dash from shooting out of her throne to throttle the party pony while pinning the pink alicorn with a firm expression. "Just because we got a game plan now don't mean everything's suddenly all hunky dory! First off, how are we even going to find the humans Harmony showed us to begin with? There's billions of them critters on that there little blue dirt ball, and we're looking for seven! Even if we discount all the fellers, that's still gonna be like trying to find a needle in a haystack the size of Canterlot Mountain! And even if we do manage to find them, how are we even gonna be able to train them without Scion noticing? Our magic sticks out like a sore hoof to them varmints."

"Not to mention we'll also need to make damn sure those humans we saw are really the right ones for the job before we give them our magic," Rainbow agreed in an equally strict manner before glancing at Fluttershy with a forlorn expression. "We all saw just how much damage we can cause now even without meaning to during our first battle with the Abomination. We cannot let that kind of power fall into the hooves, hands or whatever of someone who'll abuse it or snap under the pressure. Otherwise, we might as well just let Scion and the Abominations have their way with this world and cut out the middle-person."

The other Guardians all grimaced and glanced darkly at each other before nodding to the two mares.

"You're right, Rainbow. We'll need to be careful of how we go about this," Twilight said grimly before her expression softened and she offered her friends a reassuring smile. "But all the same, I don't think we need to worry too much about those seven going evil or insane. Harmony has never steered us wrong before, and there's no way it would have picked them if it didn't think they didn't have the potential to succeed us. So long as we do right by them as their teachers, I have every confidence they'll grow to be amazing Bearers."

"And besides, we all have quite a bit of experience teaching others and helping them work through their issues at this point," Starlight chimed in with a soft, confident smile of her own, her eyes sparkling with amusement and self-satisfaction. "So if we can build and run a school that spread the lessons of Harmony and Friendship we learned to all the races of Equus, then I think we can handle teaching a few humans magic."

"But that still doesn't explain how we're even going to find those seven in the first place. Or how we're going to be able to teach them magic without alerting Scion to our presence," Fluttershy pointed out cautiously as the lavender alicorn's smile grew.

"Don't worry Fluttershy. Something tells me we'll know our students when we see them," Twilight assured the yellow alicorn gently before a rather self-satisfied expression crossed her face. "As for how we're going to search for them and teach them magic without giving ourselves away, I've got a few ideas about that…"

***

Arthur was scared.

Cowering under a table in fear while his friends and family all screamed and cried as they desperately tried to avoid the flames and explosions going off all around them.

The ones that were left, anyway…

The boy let out a strangled sob as he stole a glance at the mutilated carcasses nearby that hadn't been able to get out of the way in time.

This wasn't right… this wasn't fair! It was supposed to be his birthday today!

He was supposed to be happy, smiling, and laughing as he opened his presents and stuffed himself full of cake surrounded by his friends and loved ones all wishing him a happy tenth year!

But now… all his presents were ruined… his cake was smashed…

And his friends… his family… his Mom and Dad…

They were all gone! All because of them!

Arthur glared up at the monstrous, dueling figures in the sky above, snarling, roaring, and laughing as they continued fighting each other with their strange, bizarre powers, completely uncaring of the destruction they were raining down on the hapless bystanders below.

Capes. Parahumans. That's what the man on the news had called the people that had started getting superpowers ever since Scion had appeared a few years ago.

Nobody knew what was causing them.

It wasn't radiation, toxic waste, a super soldier serum, or anything simple like that, which had bummed Arthur out at first because it meant that he wouldn't be able to use his comic books as a guide to get powers of his own. But even still, actual real life superpowers!

It was a dream come true for kids like him, and Arthur and his friends had been unable to talk about anything else as their imaginations ran wild with dreams of becoming one of the lucky few to receive powers so they could all become true heroes like Superman or Spiderman.

The grown ups hadn't been anywhere near as excited though.

Mom and Dad would always smile and nod whenever Arthur regaled them of his aspirations to become a hero or showed them his latest drawings of his Hero Costume, but he could always tell just how uneasy the thought of him getting powers and going out to fight crime made them. Especially when they thought he'd gone to bed and wasn't listening anymore, and the cops and his teachers at school hadn't been very happy either.

Arthur had long since lost count of all the PSA's and presentations by visiting police officers he'd had to sit through about how crime fighting was no laughing matter and that just because superpowers were a thing now didn't mean they should put on costumes and go looking for criminals to fight like in the comics, and to contact them immediately if they started manifesting parahuman abilities.

Over and over again, as if they hadn't heard them the first ten times.

Back then Arthur and his friends had all thought the grown ups were all just being a bunch of stuffy old worrywarts and sticks-in-the-mud. Yeah, obviously, going out and finding bad guys to beat up was dangerous, and obviously it wasn't going to be exactly like the comics, but still! Someone had to do it, especially now that the bad guys were getting powers too, and the government was already trying to get a big superhero team like the Avengers and the Justice League set up to fight them! With costumes and cool code names and everything!

So why not let him and the guys dream about becoming superheroes when they grew up!?!

It's not like they'd be all out on their own or wouldn't have anybody to show them the ropes right!?!

Now though… Now, Arthur finally thought he understood why Mom, Dad, his teachers, and the police had all been so scared…

This wasn't cool or awesome or fun or anything like what he'd felt when he'd read about Superman saving the day or Spiderman beating up the Green Goblin.

It was loud and scary and awful and didn't make any sense!

He didn't even know why those parahumans were fighting each other in the first place!

They just kept screaming about "turf" and "payments" and how the other side "owed them" while they tore apart everything around them trying to kill each other, not caring one bit about the people they were hurting or that they had ruined his birthday!

That he didn't have a Mommy and Daddy anymore because of them!

Arthur glared up hatefully at the twisted, fighting monsters above him with tear-filled eyes.

But that wasn't even the worst part of all this…

The worst part was that a Hero had shown up not long after this whole mess started, and the boy's heart had filled with hope as he had dived into the fray just like Superman to stop the monsters from fighting and save them all…

…only to immediately turn tail and run away in a blind panic the second it started to look like he'd bitten off more than he could chew!

Heroes weren't supposed to do that!

They weren't supposed to run away like a yellow-bellied coward the second things got tough!

They were supposed to stand and fight to the bitter end and keep going no matter how bad things looked!

But that… "Hero"... he ran.

And his Mom and Dad had gotten… were taken away from him, soon after…

…

Arthur flinched and ducked back underneath the table he was hiding under when an explosion went off uncomfortably close to him, covering his ears and curling into a ball as he desperately tried to drown out the explosions, the roars, and the screams sounding out all around him.

This wasn't right. This wasn't how things were supposed to be. He didn't want to be a stupid Hero anymore!

He just wanted to go back to the way things were before Scion and these fucking superpowers showed up! Things might have gotten a bit boring around here sometimes, but at least they made sense! At least it was safe!

At least his Mom and Dad were still alive!

But that was all gone now!

All because of them!

Those stupid Capes with their stupid powers fighting for such stupid, stupid reasons! If he made it out of this, Arthur swore he would make those monsters sorry!

He would make them all…!

"Oh wow. This isn't right at all!"

The boys thoughts of violent revenge were abruptly cut off as his head shot up in confusion as he frantically looked around for the source of the booming yet rather perky female voice that suddenly came out of nowhere, and his confusion only grew when he saw that neither the monsters nor the panicking citizens below were paying it any mind.

Huh?

"Those big meanies really did a number on you, huh little guy?"

Arthur's eyes widened and his body seized up in a blind panic at being directly addressed by the Voice, only to gasp as a glorious feeling of peace and reassurance suddenly washed over him, soothing his fears and his troubled spirit while the Voice chuckled warmly.

"Awww, don't be scared Arthur! It's your birthday! One of the most super special times of your whole life! You should be happy and smiling and full of warm, fuzzy feelings that'll make wonderful memories you'll keep with you forever and ever! Not all down in the dumps like this."

Arthur slumped before flinching violently as another explosion went off near him and he screwed his eyes shut and covered his ears as he desperately tried to drown out the roars and the screams and the laughter.

Happy?

How could he be happy after everything that had happened!?!

As if reading his mind, the Voice chuckled a bit sheepishly.

"Yeah, I guess it is kind of hard to enjoy a party with those meanies here messing everything up. Well don't you worry Arthur. Your Auntie Pinkie Pie is here to make everything better."

"...'Auntie Pinkie Pie'?"

Arthur only had time to mutter to himself in incredulous disbelief before gasping as a blinding white light suddenly shone out from above, instantly annihilating the Monsters and the screaming pedestrians, and even seeming to cause the park and the entire world to dissolve away into nothing, leaving behind only a beautiful, featureless field of stars in its place.

The boy stared slack-jawed as he slowly rose to his feet and looked around wildly in hapless confusion, desperately trying to make sense of what was going on, before another light, this one a bright, gentle pink, suddenly shone from the heavens again.

It was coming from a big, glowing ball that shone like a miniature pink sun, and despite how bright it was Arthur's eyes didn't hurt at all as he watched it rapidly descend to him, and if he looked closely the boy thought he could make out some kind of shape in the center.

The Pink Sun slowed as it drew closer, stopping just a few feet in front of him, until at last with one final blinding flash of light the shape at its center revealed itself to Arthur.

And his jaw dropped at what he saw.

It was a horse.

A ghostly, bright pink horse with two huge feathered wings, a long pointed horn, and a goofy, dark pink mane and tail that flowed gently in an unseen wind, smiling down at him with huge blue eyes and surprisingly humanlike features.

It looked like a living, life-sized version of one of those sappy pony dolls he sometimes saw the girls in his class playing with during recess. As if one of the characters from those girly cartoons his little sister watch when it was her turn with the TV had suddenly stepped out of the screen. And yet, Arthur couldn't find it in himself to laugh or groan and roll his eyes like he usually did.

Because despite her resemblance to those lame little girl toys, there was something oddly… majestic and otherworldly about the mare still smiling down at him with those kind, human-like eyes.

The gentle aura of heavenly light she was constantly emitting that filled his insides with a comforting warmth probably had something to do with it. And yet, despite that, Arthur still couldn't help but shrink back in fear at the strange, entrancing sight before him.

He'd heard about capes whose powers let them mess with your head… so, did that mean that he—?

But the horse spirit merely chuckled and gave him an amused smile.

"Aww, don't be scared little guy," she assured him gently as she laid down on her belly and leaned over with slow, deliberate movements until she was matching his eye level. "I know that was really scary, but you don't need to be afraid anymore. I'm here now, and I promise I won't let anything else hurt you. You're totally safe with me."

Arthur gulped and eyed the mare suspiciously, his trust at an all time low at the moment.

"...Who are you?" he asked hesitantly after a long pause as he cursed how weak and scared his voice sounded. "Are you a cape?"

The horse's smile momentarily weakened as a distasteful look briefly flashed in her eyes at the question before her perky attitude immediately returned and she let out an amused, if slightly awkward, chuckle.

"Something like that," she answered in a teasingly cryptic manner as Arthur's eyes narrowed at her evasiveness, before the mare shot him a reassuring look. "And I told you already silly, I'm Pinkie Pie! You were having a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad nightmare, so I decided to pop in to make you feel better! No little boy should be feeling so awful on such a special day, so I'm here to give you the mother of all do overs! It'll be grrrrrrreat!"

The boy could only blink in confusion at the newly named Pinkie Pie's relentlessly chipper attitude before his eyes widened as what she said finally fully registered in his trauma-addled mind.

"W-wait, hold on a minute!" he exclaimed excitedly as a wonderful desperate hope blossomed in his chest while the ghostly pink mare looked back at him with a patient expression. "You mean all of this is just a dream!?! None of this is real!?!"

Pinkie Pie laughed.

"Well of course it's real silly!" she replied cheerfully in a gently teasing manner as Arthur blinked in confusion. "Just because this is happening in your head doesn't mean it doesn't mean anything! Dreams are supposed to be a time for you to relax, unwind, and have fun doing whatever you want after a long day so you'll be able to wake up and face tomorrow with a smile! Like having the most wonderful, mega-awesome do-over party EVER!"

The pink mares horn lit up like the sun at that dramatic declaration, and Arthur could only in slack-jawed disbelief as the entire world around him shifted at her command.

The field of endless stars surrounding them warped and twisted until Pinkie and the boy were both standing in a beautiful, sprawling meadow under a warm sunny sky.

But the pink mare wasn't done yet.

Before Arthur's eyes, an entire Amusement Park seemed to pop into existence around them, filling the meadow with roller coasters, carousels, bumper cars, ferris wheels, and more, every possible ride one needed for a fun day at the park was proudly on display here.

But that wasn't all.

Carnival games, concession stands, and bands playing wonderfully upbeat tunes were all present as well, and rounding out the entire ensemble was a massive and beautifully decorated birthday cake that Arthur immediately recognized as his favorite sitting on a huge table along with a host of great bowls of ice cream, candies, and other unhealthy goodies.

Butterscotch with vanilla icing.

Just like his Mom had baked for him the day before…

…

"Well? Whaddya think?" Pinkie Pie asked eagerly, snapping the boy out of his shock with an expression that was an odd mix of kindness, pride, and smugness. "Not too shabby huh? Maybe not quite up to my usual standards since this was really sudden and I don't know you super well since we just met, but I think I was able to make it work. Sure beats that awful dream you were having before I came along and sent those nasty old meanies packing, doesn't it?"

The boy could only stare blankly at the crazy cape in front of him, his young mind completely overwhelmed by both everything that had happened to him and the fact that pulling an entire Amusement Park out of nowhere just for him was apparently below her usual standards, before Arthur slowly turned to stare at the birthday wonderland before him.

To be honest, despite Pinkie's claims this wasn't her best, the party she'd just prepared for him was amazing, far beyond anything the boy could have ever expected.

As much as his folks loved him and as much as they tried to make every one of his birthdays more special than the last, Arthur knew his Mom and Dad would have never been able to afford something like this.

Getting an entire Amusement Park all to himself for his birthday was something the boy could have only ever hoped for in, well, in his wildest dreams.

It was perfect.

Except for one thing…

"Um… Miss Pie…?" Arthur said hesitantly as he turned back to the ghostly pink mare with a nervous expression, desperately searching for the words to avoid offending the clearly very powerful cape while her beaming smile weakened and her flowing mane almost seemed to deflate like a balloon at his wary tone.

Far from being angry, however, Pinkie just let out a small, resigned sigh before giving the boy a kind and patient expression.

"Yes Arthur?" she asked quietly with a knowing edge in her voice as she laid down again to look him in the eye, subtly encouraging him to ask the burning question on his mind as Arthur sucked in a deep breath.

"This is… really great and all, and I'm super grateful you would go to all this trouble for someone like me, honest! So please don't take this the wrong way because I swear I don't mean anything by it…!" he began in a shaky voice as he inwardly cursed his awkward rambling, before freezing when the pink mare gently reached out to lay a hoof on his shoulder with a motherly smile.

"It's ok, Arthur. Take all the time you need," she said simply in a calm, understanding voice, that knowing look still in her eyes as the boy sucked in another deep breath before finally mustering the courage to ask the question eating him alive from the inside out.

"Please I have to know… was everything that happened at my party all a dream? Are… are my Mom and Dad still here?" Arthur asked with an unbearable pit of dread in his stomach as he forced the words out with agonizing slowness.

A pit of dread that grew into an all-consuming black hole that threatened to swallow him whole as his last, desperate hope was summarily and brutally crushed when Pinkie sighed again and shook her head sadly, her.

"No, Arthur. I'm sorry, but that wasn't a dream. Your Mommy and Daddy are… gone," she replied gently, those huge eyes of hers filled with compassion and understanding as the boy froze stiff at having his worst fears confirmed. "You were hurt really bad in the attack, and you're sleeping in the hospital right now. I used my powers to come into your dreams to try and cheer you up and to help you get through this. In any way that I can."

Arthur was only half-listening to the horse cape at this point, his mind totally blank and fuzzy as he desperately tried to process what he'd told.

Gone.

They were gone.

He'd been so hopeful that this was all just some horrible dream when Pinkie Pie had come in. That when he woke up he'd find his Mom's warm, smiling face waiting for him as she fixed him a nice, big breakfast while his Dad ruffled his hair and told him to be good at school before he went into work.

But no, they were still gone.

All gone.

Forever.

…

The boy bowed his head as his hands balled into trembling fists.

"Arthur?"

Arthur ignored the pink mares concerned inquiry as he slowly looked up to glare at her accusingly.

"Why…?"

The question came out in a furious, strangled whisper as Pinkie merely continued to stare at him sadly before he exploded.

"WHY DID YOU MAKE ME THINK THEY MIGHT STILL BE ALIVE!?!" the boy roared at the top of his lungs before he launched himself at the pink mare and started beating on her chest with his might, tears pouring down his face as he screamed and raged and punched Pinkie with his tiny little fists over and over again. "WHY DID YOU COME HERE AND MAKE ME HOPE THAT THIS WAS ALL JUST A BAD DREAM!?! THAT MOM AND DAD WOULD BE THERE WAITING FOR ME WHEN I WOKE UP!?! I ALREADY KNEW THEY WERE GONE, BUT THEN YOU HAD TO COME IN HERE WITH YOUR STUPID POWERS AND YOUR STUPID PARTY AND YOUR STUPID GIRLY MANE AND MAKE ME THINK THERE MIGHT BE A CHANCE THAT… THAT…"

Arthur sobbed and his assault briefly slowed before resuming with renewed vigor as he let out an agonized wail.

"...THAT THEY WEREN'T DEAD!"

The pink mare said nothing, merely continued to look down at the boy with naked sadness and pity on her face as he continued to ineffectually flail at her chest and scream every bad word he knew at her until at last Arthur collapsed to the ground in an exhausted, sobbing heap.

"Why couldn't you have just left me alone?" he choked out miserably, before suddenly freezing stiff as two strong but gentle forelegs wrapped tenderly around him and pulled him close while two great pink wings enveloped him in an impossibly soft and warm embrace.

"Because I know what you're going through right now, Arthur," Pinkie answered simply as she looked down at the stunned boy with a sad, gentle smile full of compassion and understanding.

"You do…?" he asked numbly in stunned disbelief as the pink mare nodded.

"Yes, I do," she assured him with utmost sincerity before tightening her grip on him protectively. "Which means I know you need someone to be there for you right now. More than ever before."

Arthur's face scrunched up and he desperately fought back tears at Pinkie's words and weakly tried to escape her forelegs until at last, the dam broke, and he started bawling like a baby as he buried his head into her chest and clung to her for all he was worth.

The boy didn't know how long he stayed there, crying his heart and soul out to this strange and mysterious cape, but the pink mare didn't seem to mind in the least as she held him close and gently rocked him back and forth in a motherly embrace even as his tears stained her ethereal coat.

And yet, despite everything that had happened, despite the fact that Pinkie was a total stranger, despite how goddammed weird this entire thing was… Arthur didn't think he'd ever felt so warm and safe as he did now, being held in her gentle forelegs and great soft wings.

So protected.

Like nothing could hurt him anymore.

…

Eventually, the boy's tortured cries died down to mere sniffles, and he started slightly when the pink mare abruptly released him and he found both a box of tissues and a large cone of ice cream hovering in front of him enveloped in a shimmering blue aura, before relaxing when he turned to see the her smiling down at him kindly with an encouraging look on her face and a similar aura surrounding her horn.

Taking a few moments to dry his eyes and blow his nose, Arthur accepted the ice cream cone with a muttered "thank you" before tentatively giving it a few licks, his face brightening somewhat at the wonderful treat as Pinkie chuckled knowingly at the way he started eating the treat far more enthusiastically after that.

"Better?" she asked smugly, her amused smile widening as the boy nodded shyly. "See? I told you. That ice cream cone might not be real, but all the warm, fuzzy feelings you're getting from it sure are, huh little one?"

Arthur nodded shyly again, and Pinkie let out a beautiful laugh before putting a wing and foreleg around him and pulling him close once again.

"Good. Now, why don't we have a little talk about what happened and then you can have that big do-over party I promised you once you feel better? Okie Dokie?" the pink mare asked gently as the boy hesitated for a moment before nodding slowly.

"I… I think I'd like that Miss Pie," Arthur said in a timid voice as he nonetheless leaned into her comfort and looked up at her with a spark of hope in his red, puffy eyes. "I think I'd like that a lot…"

Pinkie beamed at him.

"Good," she replied simply as her aura shined brightly.

***

Adele whimpered and curled up tighter as she desperately tried to cover her head and face from the ceaseless litany of blows raining down on her from the enraged, shadowy figures surrounding her on all sides.

"FAILURE!"

"SLUT!"

"USELESS REJECT!"

"WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO TRIGGER!?!"

"WE SHOULD JUST EXECUTE YOU AND THROW YOU OUT WITH THE REST OF THE GARBAGE!"

"NO! THAT'S WHAT SHE WANTS! KEEP GOING! WE'LL MAKE A SOLDIER OUT OF HER YET!"

Adele grit her teeth, desperately wishing she could drown out their horrendous, jeering taunts as she furiously fought back tears in eyes.

"Failure."

"Race traitor."

"Waste of time and resources."

That's all she was to the Gesellschaft, the massive Neo-Nazi Crime Syndicate that had risen to prominence all across Europe after parahumans had first appeared ten years ago.

Just another young "recruit" they'd kidnapped to torture ceaselessly until she hopefully developed powers before she finally croaked so they could break her into being another one of their brainwashed slaves. Which made it all the more unfortunate that Adele had been one of the recruits "lucky" enough to be caught out with friends of different races when Gesellschaft had snatched her off the street, so the inbred racist bastards were taking extra special care to give her the deluxe treatment after they'd finished slaughtering all her poor friends right in front of her.

That was probably the only reason they hadn't just disposed of her like the other rejects at their despicable Training Camp after all this time and all this pain. If it were possible for her to Trigger, she almost certainly would have by now, so the only reason she could think of that they were still keeping her around at this point was simply to punish her for daring to associate with the "lesser races" in a city where they held influence.

And perhaps as a guinea pig to test their newest "training methods" on.

Gesellschaft certainly didn't lack for creative ways to utterly break someone both mentally and physically. Adele should know. They'd broken her long ago…

The german girl whimpered as the vicious blows seemed to amp up in intensity. All she wanted at this point was for this to end.

The beatings, the torture, the violations.

She just wanted them to stop, even if that meant losing her life in the process. Not that she even had a life to go back to at this point anyway. The Training Camp was hidden miles away from civilization and she'd been here for months now. Her poor parents must have surely thought her dead at this point, and there weren't nearly enough Heroes to go around with crime at an all time high.

No one was coming to rescue her.

So please… just let this…!

"Oh my! That's quite enough of that, I think!"

Adele's eyes flew open in shock at the beautiful, high class female voice that suddenly rang out, so much unlike the crude, vulgar tones of her tormentors, before she was suddenly blinded by a brilliant flash of light that utterly annihilated the shadowy monsters beating her as they screamed in pain and fear.

The light didn't hurt her though. In fact, it felt… good. Safe.

Filling her body with a comforting warmth that soothed her aches and pains as the german girl felt her myriad of injuries fade, until she was whole and healthy once more for the first time in a very long while. And as the light faded, Adele looked around in shock to find her cramped, dirty cell had been replaced by a vast, formless field of stars, before starting as she noticed a brilliantly shining white star rapidly descending towards her.

And the german girl's shock only grew when the white star's light faded to reveal an ethereal and stunningly beautiful winged unicorn with a long, flowing mane and tail of gorgeous purple hair and a pure white coat that shone with a glorious divine aura.

The unicorn mare smiled at her in an all too human manner as she gave Adele a kind and reassuring look in those impossibly huge and expressive eyes of hers.

"There, that's much better, isn't it darling?" she asked matter-of-factly in a very self-satisfied manner as the german girl gaped at hearing that same high-class voice from earlier come out of the mythical creature's mouth. "Worry not, my dear. I'm terribly sorry you've been put through such an awful ordeal because of those dreadful brutes that fancy themselves some kind of 'master race', but there's no need to be afraid anymore. You're safe."

Adele just stared at the patiently waiting equine apparition with a dumbfounded expression as her mind furiously tried to make sense of what the fuck was going on, before her eyes widened as she suddenly remembered a conversation about capes she'd had with her friends before Gesellschaft had taken her.

"You… you're Sleipnir," the german girl breathed in stunned awe as Sleipnir's face seemed to briefly scrunch up in distaste at the name for some reason.

Adele had no idea why, though.

Sleipnir was one of the oldest, most mysterious, and most powerful capes in the world, as well as one of the most feared. Appearing not long after Scion himself, Sleipnir had started out as little more than a myth and a rumor, dismissed as nothing but a hallucination or the fanciful stories of children who had had a bad dream or gone through a trying ordeal.

And yet, as parahuman numbers started to rise and stories of a mysterious dreamwalker in the shape of a beautiful winged unicorn mare began to pile up from all over the world, with even tough, no-nonsense officials eventually reporting sightings of her, even the most hard-nosed of skeptics were eventually forced to concede that she was real.

And thus the enigmatic cape was eventually given a name: Sleipnir, after the form she chose to conceal her identity from those she visited.

Nobody knew why exactly the mysterious cape had chosen to take the form of a winged unicorn to communicate with people, but given that she often appeared in the dreams of children or those who were going through a rough time, many suspected it was to try and put those people at ease. Regardless of her reasons, Sleipnir always appeared as a beautiful, ethereal, and almost divine-looking winged unicorn to those she visited, though the exact specifics of her appearance and even her personality and mannerisms seemed to vary wildly between individuals.

Nevertheless, the dream walking cape had quickly gained a reputation for almost saint-like benevolence as she used her powers to calm the dreams of those who were in distress and send them off to a peaceful sleep after providing them with a sympathetic ear and some kind words of wisdom, though that didn't stop many people from distrusting her regardless.

After all, the thought of some stranger being able to enter and manipulate your dreams as they pleased and see your innermost thoughts while you were at your most vulnerable was quite a frightening one for many people, no matter how well-meaning that person might seem. Especially given Sleipnir had demonstrated she could use her powers to steal information from people's dreams many times now when she'd provided the authorities with tips on various Villains activities, though there was so far no evidence she had ever done the reverse.

Which didn't make the world's government's any less nervous or wary of the enigmatic cape in the least.

Adele was pretty nervous herself, truth be told. While she'd always known it was possible she might receive a visit from Sleipnir given she'd been sighted all over the world, the german girl had always thought it rather unlikely. After all, she didn't suffer from chronic nightmares, had been living a pretty good life until a few months ago, and there were almost certainly many more people in the world in need of the dreamwalkers help than her.

Now that it was actually happening though… Adele had to admit it the winged unicorn was the single most beautiful thing she'd ever seen.

"...Thank you," she whispered softly with a choked sob, unable to think of anything else to say as she desperately fought back tears of happiness and indescribable relief. "Thank you so much."

Sleipnir's face immediately morphed back into that warm, kind smile as she gently pulled the sobbing girl into a comforting embrace.

"There there, my dear. You have nothing to be ashamed of," she assured Adele in a sympathetic, understanding voice as she patted her on the back and enveloped her in those impossibly soft and warm wings. "Anyone would be out of sorts after what those beastly men did to you, and there's no one around to see us at the moment. So if you were to, shall we say, suffer a momentary lapse of composure, I promise I will not breathe a word of it to anyone. It's ok Adele. Let it out."

The german girl stared at the winged unicorn for a few moments before her body was wracked with great heaving sobs as the emotions she'd been holding back for months to avoid giving those bastards the satisfaction of seeing her cry threatened to come bursting forth all at once, until at last, Adele could bear it no longer and gave up the fight.

She didn't know how long the dreamscape echoed with her tortured cries while she bawled her eyes out like she hadn't since she was a little girl, but Sleipnir didn't seem to mind in the least as she continued to hold the german girl in a motherly embrace and gently dabbed her eyes clean with a rather exquisitely designed handkerchief she'd conjured out of nowhere, Adele's tears seeming to somehow always miss staining her beautiful white coat.

"There. Feeling better now, darling?" the winged unicorn asked kindly after the german girl's cries finally began to die down as she nodded slowly before looking up at her savior with a pleading expression in her red, puffy eyes.

"Will… will I still be in that damned Camp when I wake up?" Adele asked desperately, hope and dread coloring her voice in equal measure. "I'm not going to still be a prisoner when this dream is over… am I?"

Sleipnir sniffed.

"Well of course you're not Adele!" she exclaimed haughtily as she gave the german girl a moderately offended look. "Do you really think I would be so cruel as to give you false hope like this only to snatch it away by leaving you back in that horrible place when you wake up again!?! Honestly, what kind of monster do you take me for!?! I've already informed the authorities of what's happening here and I assure you those brutish thugs aren't going to open their eyes so much as a peep again until they're all safely in prison where they belong! I've already seen to that, I can assure you!"

The winged unicorn's face softened.

"It is as I told you already, child," Sleipnir continued in a much softer voice as she looked down at her stunned charge with that kind, gentle expression once more. "You don't need to be afraid anymore. It's over. You're safe."

Adele's eyes teared up.

And the starry field soon echoed with her cries once again.

***

Captain William Holt stared out over the ruined cityscape of New York City with a blank expression from his position atop a large skyscraper, his hands tightening into fists while he listened to the screams of its people and the sounds of powers and explosions going off as the Heroes and his fellow National Guardsmen fought a desperate defense against the cause of all this destruction: A massive, horn-crowned, cyclopean monstrosity. Forty-five feet in height with craggy red and obsidian skin that almost looked like it was made of molten lava, the beast was on an absolute rampage as it unleashed fire, lightning, and deadly radiation to annihilate everything in its path while shrugging off every attack the defenders threw at it with contemptuous ease.

Even the Founders, the most powerful Heroes in the world who had seemed all but invincible up till now, had found themselves woefully outmatched by the monster as even their mightiest blows, greatest blasts, and most bewildering powers and gadgets were either ignored completely or countered by the beast absorbing their energy to send their attacks right back at them as it continued its inexorable march of destruction through the Big Apple.

Under normal circumstances, Captain Holt might have taken a quiet, vindictive glee at seeing the so-called "Heroes" that had been steadily eating up more and more of their budget thanks to that bitch Costa-Brown getting taken down a few dozen notches. He knew the men under his command certainly would have, and they wouldn't have been so quiet about it either.

Now, though… as he watched them all get slaughtered like fucking dogs trying their damndest to stop the newly named Behemoth's rampage… Holt and his men found they just didn't have it in them anymore. Especially since they honestly weren't doing much better.

Hell, the only reason they and other military assets across the country had even gotten the chance to participate in the battle at all was because several parahuman volunteers like that Strider guy had generously offered their assistance to help them redeploy to New York in an instant with those freaky powers of theirs.

For all the good it did anyone.

Their heaviest ordinance hadn't even put a dent in that damn monster, and lesser capes and those without powers couldn't even get within 30 feet of the fucking thing without being cooked alive from the inside out, and even as William watched another large group of defenders met their end as the beast unleashed a devastating sonic roar that utterly liquefied them in an instant and flattened everything in its path.

It was a complete massacre, and in any other instance Holt would have been right down there in the thick of things directing his men to do something, anything, to stop the systematic destruction of the city.

Now though… he didn't even bother.

Because he knew what he was watching had already happened over a week ago.

"You know, I'm getting real sick of looking at that big one-eyed bastard's ugly mug. Seems like no matter where I go these days, everyone's dreams are always about him."

William let out an exasperated sigh before turning to glower at the brilliantly glowing blue winged unicorn sitting next to him.

A glowing blue unicorn with a flowing rainbow mane and tail that resembled multi-colored flames more than anything else.

Why couldn't the world make sense anymore?

"Can you blame them, Sleipnir?" he growled irritably as he desperately tried to ignore the absurdity of having a serious conversation with a ghostly unicorn in his dreams in favor of fixing the enigmatic cape with a cool glare that did not phase her in the slightest. "This is the worst Parahuman Terrorist Attack in history! And there's no guarantee it'll be the last either since that damned monster escaped when it finally had enough and tunneled off to God knows where! People are terrified their homes will be next and there's nothing we can do to reassure them since that thing took everything we had and swatted us aside like bugs! So can you really blame them for being scared out of their minds that Behemoth's going to pop out from under their feet any second to destroy everything they hold dear!?!"

"No, I can't," Sleipnir replied simply as she looked back at him with calm, half-lidded eyes. "But constantly banishing the exact same nightmare over and over again literally thousands of times gets a little tedious after a while, you know?"

Holt exhaled sharply through his nose before turning away to look out at the dream of the worst day of his life once again.

"Why are you here, Sleipnir?" he asked stiffly as he watched the carnage below with an unblinking expression, his grip on the ledge of the roof tightening imperceptibly. "I am a very busy man these days and have neither the time, nor the patience, for any more weird cape shit. So unless you're here to provide me with some useful information on the criminals taking advantage of the chaos of the attack, I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

The blue unicorn scoffed.

"Yeah, I've noticed. You've been running yourself ragged for days now and have hardly gotten a wink of sleep ever since the attack," she pointed out dryly as the Guard Captain grunted. "This is the first chance I've gotten to talk to you and make sure you don't keel over from a heart attack because you can't be bothered to get some shut eye. Your men are getting worried."

William grit his teeth at both Sleipnir's lightly chastising tone and at the thought of some unknown parahuman they still knew next to nothing about rummaging around inside his soldiers heads.

"I still have a duty to fulfill here, Sleipnir. As do my men. I'll sleep when I'm dead," he replied curtly before glaring at the cape with a foreboding stare. "And I would appreciate it if you would keep your grubby little hooves out of my men's dreams. We're already going to be wasting enough time in M/S Containment as is thanks to your 'antics'."

Sleipnir rolled her oversized pink eyes so hard it was a miracle they didn't pop out of her skull.

"Easy there, cowboy. I'm just trying to make sure they get a good night's sleep and don't get stuck with crippling PTSD for the rest of their lives," she drawled in that same exasperated, unimpressed tone before shaking her head with a sigh. "I swear, you people get more and more paranoid about me every day. I've told you before, if I really wanted to go all Freddy Krueger on your sorry butts, I would have done it by now. And since I know you're going to report this to your commanding officer as soon as you wake up, here's a little pro-tip for your bosses: the Tinkertech Drugs they're using to stop themselves from dreaming aren't going to work. They actually make it easier for me to spot them when they're sleeping, not less. And once I'm in their dreams they're not waking up until I've said what I want to say no matter how many times they shock themselves."

Holt grunted.

"I'll make sure to pass that along before they throw me in a cell," he growled testily while the blue unicorn snorted.

"Please do. I'm starting to get worried all those spooks and politicians are going to really hurt themselves with how desperate they're getting to keep me out of their dreams. It's honestly kind of sad at this point."

Idly biting back to urge to remind the dream walking cape about the importance of little things like "privacy", "OPSEC", and "National Security", William opted to simply let out another exasperated sigh instead.

"Why are you here Sleipnir?" he asked again wearily, knowing full well from the reports he'd read how pointless it was to try and fight her or force her out of dreams until she'd said her piece as Sleipnir's face firmed.

"I told you, Captain. I'm here to make sure you don't hurt yourself or waste the first real moment of rest you've gotten in over a week on Behemoth," she answered in a quiet, serious voice so unlike her previous snarky, carefree tones as she turned to glare at the apparition down below. "That monster's taken enough from you and your men already, and as much you might hate being stuck here listening to me drone on and on, I think you'll agree it's a damn sight better than what you were going through when I found you."

Holt's face briefly tightened at the memory before he schooled his features and gave the blue unicorn a stern look.

"As much as I… 'appreciate' you pulling me out of that nightmare," he began diplomatically as Sleipnir raised a skeptical eyebrow before his eyes sharpened. "I do not need to be babied Sleipnir. I am a Captain of the United States National Guard that knows full well how to recognize the signs of PTSD, and there are numerous Protocols and Resources in place for me to make use of if it becomes a problem. Your interference was not necessary or wanted."

"Are you sure?" the blue unicorn immediately shot back without missing a beat as she pinned William with a stern, scrutinizing gaze that instantly had him straightening up in spite of himself. "Because all those Protocols and Resources you're blabbing about sure didn't stop you from having one doozy of a rip-roaring nightmare before I got here. And they didn't stop you from overworking yourself to the point you practically collapsed and had to be dragged back to your cot, either. A soldier's mental well being is just as important as his physical, Holt. Even the greatest troops need the right amount of rest and support to keep operating at their best. You know that. It's one of the first things that gets taught in basic."

Holt bristled and glared heatedly at the arrogant cape still staring back at him with that calm, stern expression that reminded him so much of his father before he joined the Guard himself.

"And what exactly would you know about being a soldier, cape?" he growled coldly through gritted teeth as Sleipnir's eyes narrowed.

"More than you think, kid," she said with equal iciness, a definite warning note in her voice as William felt a chill go down his spine at an unseen Pressure that briefly seemed to press down on him before abating just as quickly as it'd come. "It might be hard for you to believe because I look like this, but I was a soldier too, once upon a time."

"...You were?" Holt asked in a slightly dumbfounded voice, open skepticism on his face as the blue unicorn snorted before cracking a wry grin.

"Is that really so hard to believe, kid? You know this isn't my real body, and you should know by now just how much appearances can be deceiving. Especially nowadays" she chided teasingly, amusement dancing in her eyes at the way William was completely unable to refute her logic despite his best efforts.

"...Where did you serve then? What unit?" he questioned after a long pause, deciding that if he was going to be forced to put up with this nonsense, he might as well try to get some useful information out of it.

But Sleipnir just laughed.

"Nice try kid, but I'm afraid that's classified," she deflected cheekily with a knowing smile as William shrugged, before her grin softened and she looked off into the distance with a wistful expression. "Suffice to say that you weren't the only young up-and-coming Captain who struggled with living up to the example of those who came before."

The blue unicorn's good humor only lasted for a moment before dissolving as she sighed.

"And you're also not the only one who feels like they failed in their duty," she continued in a sad, bitter voice full of self-loathing as she slumped forward and her aura dimmed considerably, surprising Holt with just how much older Sleipnir looked in that moment.

"...What happened?" he asked after a long pause as she looked at him sadly.

"Pretty much the same thing that just happened to you and the people of this city Captain," the blue unicorn answered morosely as she gestured at the false battle below with a wing. "Everything was business as usual until some ugly superpowered freak came out of nowhere and destroyed everything we knew and loved. My people and I gave everything to stop it, but in the end our best wasn't good enough and I was one of a small handful of survivors. That was a very long time ago…"

Sleipnir trailed off, and William mentally filed that information away for his coming report, not that it was likely to change much.

A story like that was unfortunately all too common when it came to Trigger Events.

Even still…

"I'm sorry," he said in a sympathetic voice, surprising himself with how much he meant it, before continuing in a more hesitant tone. "Was that… when you triggered?"

…

Sleipnir nodded sullenly as her expression tightened.

"Yes, that's definitely the moment I broke," she replied stiffly before closing her eyes and taking a shuddering breath as Holt saw the pain of an Old Soldier envelop her. "I tried so hard to save my home, William. It wasn't the first time I'd faced impossible odds and came out on top, so I was convinced that if I just tried hard enough and didn't give up, everything would be fine. So that's exactly what I did. I pushed myself past my limits and beyond for even the tiniest chance of stopping the monster threatening my people. Learned and achieved things I never would have thought possible for someone like me. But despite all of that, I failed. And because of that, we all lost everything."

The blue unicorn aura dimmed to almost nothing as a haunted expression crossed her face.

"I was a complete trainwreck after that," she continued in an almost inaudible whisper, her voice sounding just as dead as her eyes looked. "I felt hollow. Empty. Worthless. Like I was nothing but a pathetic, useless fraud and a total waste of oxygen that didn't deserve to have even been born, much less lead others. What use is a Captain that can't even fulfill her duty to protect her people?"

William shifted uncomfortably despite himself. As much as he didn't want to admit it… that had been disturbingly close to his own thoughts these last few days…

"For the longest time afterward I wanted nothing more than to die," Sleipnir said quietly, naked shame in her voice as Holt abruptly snapped out of his musings. "I couldn't understand why a useless failure like me got to live when so many good people died for nothing because of my screwup. It was like some kind of sick joke. And I wanted it to end. I just wanted everything to end so I could at least say I'd lost my life just like everyone else from my home. That was the only way I could think of to make it right, or at least balance the scales a little bit."

"...And how did you pull yourself back together after something like that?" William asked after another long pause as the blue unicorn's aura brightened somewhat and a small smile spread across her features.

"With the help of some very good friends," she replied matter-of-factly as she let out a fond chuckle. "A few other members of my unit also managed to survive, and we were all able to help ourselves to eventually heal, at least as much as someone can heal from something like that, at least. They were all hurt just as badly as I was, but every single one of us refused to give up on the others, even if we'd already given up on ourselves. And through that mutual love and support of each other, we were all eventually able to find the strength to keep going, as fucking corny as that probably sounds. Heh heh."

Sleipnir let out a small chuckle at her expense before turning to give Holt a firm look that was nonetheless tinged with unmistakable kindness and concern for his well-being.

"I guess the point of all this blabbing, William, is that what you and a lot of other people I've seen these last few days are going through right now is hitting a little close to home for me, so I'm trying to nip this in the bud now before it gets out of hand so you won't go through the same shit that I had to when I was your age," she finished with a soft, quiet earnestness that caught William off guard with how almost maternal the blue unicorn sounded before she cracked a wry, self-deprecating grin. "So you're going to have to forgive this crazy old bat for talking your ear off and dumping her tragic backstory on you out of nowhere. You know what worrywarts we can be."

Holt snorted despite himself before eying her with a neutral expression.

"As much as I appreciate your concern ma'am, I don't think I'm quite at that point yet," he pointed out wryly as Sleipnir gave him a slow nod.

"Maybe not right now," she conceded easily enough before fixing him with a pointed stare, "but what about next time? Or the time after that? And the time after that? You said it yourself kid, this probably isn't going to be the last time Behemoth tries to pull this stunt. And what if others like him start crawling out of the woodwork too?"

William didn't have a response to that.

Sleipnir sighed.

"Look Captain, all I'm saying is… don't think you're worthless just because you don't have powers or that you somehow failed your duty because the city got trashed. You and your men did great out there, more than anyone could have ever asked of you," she continued with a proud, encouraging smile that once again had Holt straightening up in spite of himself as an odd but comforting warmth blossomed in his chest. "Just remember that you're not alone in this and can always rely on your brothers-in-arms to help and support you through thick and thin no matter how tough things get. And for fuck's sake take better care of yourself from now on if you don't want to see my pretty face anymore. Because I promise you boy, if I have to come back here again, a long stay in a Master-Stranger cell is going to be the least of your concerns."

Holt rolled his eyes at the lighthearted threat before starting slightly as he felt a hoof suddenly lay on his shoulder, and he looked up to see the blue unicorn staring back at him with a warm, confident expression.

"But most importantly, don't you ever give up hope, no matter how bad things get," she finished with a fierce look in her eyes as that confident smile grew. "Because I'll let you in on a little secret, kid. That horrible, invincible monster I told you about? The one that destroyed everything I loved and nearly drove my friends and I to madness and suicide?"

Sleipnir leaned forward as her grin turned downright demonic and fire blazed in her furiously burning eyes.

"We killed it. It took us a while, but we were eventually able to find the chink in that bastard's armor and take it down for good. And it'll be no different with Behemoth. You can count on that."

The blue unicorn's horn lit up as her expression softened into a friendly, confident look.

"So get some sleep and enjoy your 'R&R' soldier. You're going to need it in the days ahead. That's an order."

A great flash of light erupted from Sleipnir's horn and William knew nothing but blissful peace.

And while he was still sent straight to M/S Containment when he awoke and reported his conversation with her several hours later, the young Captain had to admit…

…that was the best damn sleep he'd ever had in his life.

***

Akemi Suzuki, better known as the Japanese superhero Black Kaze, glared up coldly at the cape currently keeping her prisoner within her own mind from her position on the "ground" of this starry realm, glowing chains holding her kneeling form fast.

The shining, angelic yellow unicorn stared back at her with an unyieldingly firm expression as her beautiful long flowing mane and tail glowed with the color of the cherry blossom trees of Akemi's homeland. The unfathomable sadness and disappointment in those huge cyan orbs pierced right through her soul and made Black Kaze's insides squirm with shame and discomfort despite her best efforts.

Which only made her want to cut the sanctimonious bitch into ribbons all the more, futile as Akemi knew that to be.

"I won't let you do this Akemi," Sleipnir said quietly, the softness of her voice doing nothing to hide the undercurrent of solid steel in her tone as those fucking eyes of hers continued ceaselessly boring into Kaze's own. "I will not allow you to throw away your life like this. Not after all the good you've done for this country. Not when Japan needs you the most."

Akemi sneered. "So do you plan to kill me then, Sleipnir-san?" she asked in a cold, mocking voice as she glared defiantly back at the (in)famous cape known throughout the world. "Shatter my mind with your powers and leave me nothing but a drooling, braindead invalid perhaps?"

The winged unicorn shook her head.

"No. I won't do either of those things. Because I don't need to," she answered with infuriating calmness. "If you truly leave me no choice, then I will just tell the Heroes and the Police what you were planning to do and hold you here until they come to arrest you in the real world."

Black Kaze's sneer only grew.

Was that her idea of mercy? What a joke. With her powers, if the authorities discovered what she had been planning Akechi would be sentenced to the Birdcage for sure.

"But I'm hoping I won't have to," Sleipnir continued in a much gentler manner as Black Kaze's head snapped up at the way the equine cape's impossibly human-like features softened into a pleading expression. "You're better than this, Akemi. I know you are. You wouldn't have become a Hero in the first place if you weren't. Please, think about what you were about to do. I know how much you're hurt from what Leviathan did to Kyushu but this is wrong. Slaughtering all those people won't bring your home and family back. You know that."

Akemi grit her teeth so hard they likely would have cracked had this not been a dream as she furiously fought back tears in favor of shooting her captor a murderous glare.

"This is mercy," she hissed back furiously as the anger and rage within her started to overtake the damnable feelings of guilt and shame those accursed eyes were still inflicting on her. "This country is doomed. The land is in ruins, the other nations have abandoned us to deal with their own problems, and more and more of my people flee our homeland like rats everyday just so they can eke out a meager, miserable existence elsewhere. And it is only a matter of time before the rest of the world follows suit. A quick death by my blade is a kindness compared to the slow, drawn out torture the Endbringers will put us through."

The winged unicorn was not impressed.

"So that's it then? You're just going to give up, throw away everything you once stood for and believed in, and take the quick, easy way out?" she countered coolly, the disappointment in her eyes somehow increasing as she slowly shook her head in disbelief. "Your family would be ashamed, to know they raised such a coward."

Black Kaze snarled.

"My family is DEAD! What they would or would not have thought doesn't matter anymore!" she roared at the top of her lungs as she struggled against her bindings to get at Sleipnir, who simply looked back at her with an expression carved from stone. "And why shouldn't I give up!?! I have nothing left to fight for, and this is a battle none of us have a hope of winning! The Endbringers are not mere Villains that can be overcome and killed with the right powers and tactics! They are Forces of Nature! Living Natural Disasters! We can no more fight them than we can fight a typhoon or an earthquake! Something they've proven time and time again for years now! Continuing to resist in the face of such foes is pointless!"

"Is it?" Sleipnir asked rhetorically with a raised eyebrow. "Then why didn't your people give up when the Great Kanto Earthquake killed over 100,000 people back in 1923? Or when the Sanriku Tsunami of '33 killed even more people a mere 10 years later?"

Akemi was silent.

"Why did Japan bother to pull itself back together after you were left a broken, defeated nation after World War 2? Why didn't you just throw in the towel and leave the country to rot after all the damage the Atomic Bombs and the firebombing campaigns caused? That certainly would have been quicker and easier than trying to fix everything, wouldn't it?" the yellow unicorn pressed on ruthlessly as Black Kaze shrank back when she took a step forward, those awful eyes of hers still piercing right through the young cape. "Why do you all bother enduring all the typhoons and the floods they bring every year? Those leave entire cities destroyed too. Does that justify the survivors that get caught in their wake becoming serial killers because they lost their homes and families to them? Well?"

Akemi's hands clenched into fists and she looked away petulantly to escape Sleipnir's all-encompassing gaze as she continued to stubbornly maintain her silence.

"ANSWER ME!"

"IT'S NOT THE SAME!" Black Kaze roared back with tears in her eyes, her emotions reaching a fevered pitch as she struggled against her bindings once more. "TYPHOONS AND EARTHQUAKES DON'T HAVE A MIND AND WILL OF THEIR OWN! THEY'RE NOT ACTIVELY TRYING TO DESTROY EVERYTHING WE HOLD DEAR LIKE THE ENDBRINGERS ARE!"

"It is the same, Akemi!" the yellow unicorn insisted fiercely as she flared her wings and stared down at the struggling cape with fire in her eyes. "Your people and the rest of the world have been dealing with Natural Disasters and invaders trying to destroy their way of life ever since humanity first emerged eons ago! And you've always managed to persevere and come back stronger than you were before no matter how bad things got! Because you refused to ever give up even when things looked hopeless, and this time will be no different! The Endbringers will be defeated eventually Akemi, you have to believe that!"

Akemi's eyes screwed shut and tears fell down her cheeks.

"How?" she questioned as she looked up with a half-demanding, half-pleading expression, her face twisted in agony. "How are we supposed to beat them? We've already tried everything and sacrificed so much over the years to bring those monsters down and so far nothing's worked! How am I supposed to believe we'll eventually find a way to beat them, when we just keep failing over and over again!?!"

Sleipnir's face softened and a soft, motherly smile crossed her muzzle as she gently lifted Black Kaze's chin with her hoof.

"By not losing hope," she answered matter-of-factly as those previously unbearable eyes of hers became filled with a bottomless warmth and kindness Akemi could scarcely imagine. "Because no matter how many times you fail Akemi, you're only truly beaten once you stop trying."

Black Kaze was silent as the yellow unicorn conjured a handkerchief and took a moment to dry her tears.

"The Endbringers will fall one day Akemi, I'm absolutely sure about that, but until that day comes there are a lot of people who still need your help," Sleipnir continued confidently, that kind, reassuring smile still in place as the young cape felt a comforting warmth start to envelop her at the way the ethereal mare's aura shined with a glorious divine light. "You've spent so much time obsessing over what you've lost and what you can't do that you've never stopped to consider what you can do and what you still have. What do you still have, Akemi?"

Akemi's face briefly scrunched up in confusion before her eyes widened as the answer came to her.

"My friends…" she whispered quietly to herself as the images of her teammates in their flashy, brightly colored costumes flashed through her mind, before fresh tears slowly started to fill her eyes again.

Had she… really been about to grant them her "mercy" first?

"That's right Akemi," the yellow unicorn confirmed proudly as she beamed down at the stunned cape. "All your friends are still alive despite Leviathan's best efforts, and I'm sure there's still a lot of good Japan's Premier Hero Team can do even with the country like this, as long as you all don't give up. The only question is…"

Black Kaze stiffened in shock as she felt the chains binding her dissolve into nothing and could only stare as Sleipnir held out a welcoming hoof.

"...are you willing to keep trying?" she finished with a kind, confident look as she looked down at Akemi with an expectant smile.

Six months later, Black Kaze returned to active duty in Japan after a long break in therapy.

***

Alexander Baumon didn't know what was happening right now as he stumbled around his foggy surroundings in daze. The swiss man didn't really know what was going on right now. Nor did he particularly care.

Why should he?

When he had that beautiful Song to listen to?

Alexander moaned in ecstasy as the Song continued to lead him through the fog with its glorious haunting melody, his faith in its ability to guide him on the right path absolute.

Yes, the Song would never betray him. Never lead him astray.

As long as he kept listening to it's wondrous divine tones and obeyed them without question, everything would be alright.

Nothing was more important than listening to the Song.

Not his friends.

Not his life.

Not even his wife and-

"Enough!"

Alexander gasped as a bright light suddenly enveloped him before crying out in rage and horror as the Song's beautiful melody was suddenly and violently cut off…

…which swiftly turned to shock and confusion as the fog clouding his mind cleared and the light faded to reveal an endless plain of stars.

"What? Where am I? What was…!?!" the swiss man asked in desperate bewilderment as he clutched his head, only to fall silent when there was another flash of light behind him and a kind-sounding female voice suddenly spoke up.

"It's ok, Mr. Baumon. You're safe now. That witch can't hurt you anymore."

Alexander spun around and his eyes widened as he beheld a frazzled-looking but still incredibly beautiful lilac unicorn staring back at him with a tired looking smile.

"Are you… Sleipnir?" he asked warily, recalling the stories he'd heard on the news as the winged equine nodded in affirmation.

"Yep, that's me. In the flesh, so to speak," Sleipnir replied with a friendly if somewhat awkward chuckle before her face firmed and glanced up at the sky with a fierce frown. "I'm sorry, Mr. Baumon, but I can't stay long. There are a lot of other people that need my help. The Simurgh really did a number on your poor country."

"The Simurgh? Who…?" the swiss man began in hapless confusion, before his eyes widened in horror as the memories started flooding back to him.

That giant, angelic cape with beauty and majesty that rivaled Scion's own that had descended upon his home city of Lausanne a few days ago.

She had seemed so friendly at first, and people from all over the world had come to the Swiss capital to study and attempt to communicate with her, excited at the possibility that she might have been a "female counterpart" of sorts to the First Parahuman and thus could potentially provide them with another, and hopefully far more cooperative, counter to the Endbringers.

Then she had let out that awful Scream three days after her arrival, and they had all realized far too late that the Endbringers had gained yet another new sibling as most of the city's population was instantly driven mad and started attacking everyone in reach who was not among their number.

Alexander should know.

He had been one of them.

Running for his life with the rest of the citizens who had been spared the Simurgh's madness as the Heroes and authorities desperately tried to get her victims under control and fend off the monstrous angel before one of the crazed people had smacked him upside the head with a tire iron.

Idly rubbing the back of his head with a puzzled expression at finding no mark there whatsoever, the swiss man eyed the ghostly dreamwalker warily.

"So… this is a dream then?" he asked in a cautious voice before biting his lip when Sleipnir nodded. "What… what happened? Is the city safe? Did the Heroes drive that monster off? And…"

Alexander swallowed.

"...what was that?"

The lilac unicorn sighed.

"You suffered a pretty bad head injury and have been lying in the hospital for a few days now. Your wife and son haven't left your side since they finally managed to find you in all this mess," she revealed in a tired but encouraging tone as the swiss man breathed a huge sigh of relief at hearing that they were safe, before Sleipnir's expression grew sad. "As for the city… well, it's still mostly in one piece, but I wouldn't exactly call it 'safe' at the moment."

Alexander stiffened.

"That wretched harpy did a real number on the population. Virtually all of them were Mastered to some degree or another and a lot of them got hurt or worse before the authorities were finally able to get everything under control," Sleipnir continued icily as her face darkened with venomous hatred and the swiss man felt a cold pit of dread form in his stomach. "The entire city's under quarantine and I've been running myself ragged trying to undo the spell that Siren cast on everyone and comfort them as best I can. Honestly, you were one of the lucky ones, Mr. Baumon."

Alexander swallowed thickly.

"Then… that fog… that Song…" he said in a weak, horrified voice as the lilac unicorn nodded grimly.

"Yes. That was the effect the Simurgh's power had on your mind," she confirmed in a disgusted voice as she shot the shell shocked man a sympathetic look. "Not all of her victims were so blatant. Many of them, like you, were ticking time bombs she tried to set up to go off at a later date."

Sleipnir offered him a kind smile as she reached out to put a reassuring hoof on Alexander's shoulder.

"But everything's ok now," she assured him softly as her aura brightened and the swiss man felt a soothing warmth spread through his being, calming his rising panic at the bullet he'd just dodged. "I've removed the taint she put on your mind and will hopefully finish doing the same for the rest of her victims here soon. She can't manipulate you any more Alexander. You're safe. And so is your family."

Alexander sucked in a deep breath.

"Are… are you sure?" he asked cautiously with a desperate hope as the lilac unicorn's kind smile widened and she nodded confidently.

"A hundred percent," she replied with a cocky smirk as her huge purple-blue eyes sparkled with intensely self-satisfied amusement. "Trust me, I've gotten a lot of practice with this sort of thing over the years. They'll probably stick you in a Master-Stranger Containment Cell for a while once you wake up and tell them what happened, but once you get through that you'll be good to go."

That earned her a weak chuckle from the swiss man as he finally allowed himself to relax and gave her a grateful smile.

"Thank you," he said earnestly as he tried to poor as much of his indescribable relief and gratitude into his words as he could.

Sleipnir smiled and bowed her head as her horn lit up.

"You're welcome."

And Alexander knew nothing but peace as that wonderful light enveloped him once more.

***

Judge Claude Jackson glared heatedly at the shining orange unicorn in front of him, who leveled an accusing glare right back as she flared her enormous wings aggressively.

"I ain't gonna let you do this, you hear?" Sleipnir growled in a thick southern accent that did nothing to hide her utter disgust as she glared at him with fiery green eyes. "That poor girl is innocent and you know it, Jackson. I ain't gonna let y'all ruin her life and make an example out of her just because you yellow-bellied cowards are afraid of Masters. It ain't right and it ain't fair."

Claude sneered.

"Paige McAbee is a liar, a thief, and a fraud that abused her power to make money off of others selling her subpar music and forced her boyfriend to castrate himself over a petty argument," he growled back coldly, refusing to be intimidated by the self-righteous dream walker who thought her powers gave her the right to invade people's minds as she pleased. "That poor young man was mutilated for life because of her, and her power is far too dangerous for a standard prison. The Birdcage is the safest facility we have to contain her, and it's the least of what she deserves for her crimes."

Sleipnir let out an angry snort.

"Boy, you wouldn't know a liar if he bit you in that oversized behind of yours," she sneered with an acidic drawl as Jackson bristled in outrage. "The only thief here is that unfaithful, bloodsucking little tick Paige hooked up with. The only reason she told him to go fuck himself was because he tried to mooch off her hard work instead of earning his own keep after he cheated on her. And while I'll admit he probably didn't deserve to have his fun bits cut off like that, it was still an accident! Something ya'll would know if you'd actually bothered to do your jobs instead of setting Paige up to fail from day one. For fuck's sake, you won't even let her speak!"

"Of course not. Why would we allow that little hooligan a chance to use her power to escape so she can go full Villain?" Claude snapped irritably as the orange unicorn's eyes narrowed.

"Is that why you have her muzzled and chained up like a dog in Brute-rated restraints whenever you take her to the courtroom?" she countered in a venomous hiss as Jackson shifted uncomfortably despite himself. "Or why you can't even be bothered to give her a pen and a piece of paper to defend herself with? Or why you've set it up so it can take days for her lawyer to respond to her e-mails? A monkey could do a better job setting up this trial than you rodeo clowns."

"Enough!" Claude shouted furiously as his anger finally overcame his caution while Sleipnir's face darkened. "I will not be bullied by a self-righteous little hypocrite who thinks having a bit of power gives her the right to violate people's privacy whenever she pleases! Paige Mcabee's guilt is beyond question, and she will be punished to the fullest extent of the law! And once we've thrown her into the Birdcage, maybe others like her will think twice before using their powers on other people! Now GET OUT! And you can be sure I'll report this intrusion to the Protectorate and the PRT the second I wake up!"

The orange unicorn stared hard at him for a long uncomfortable moment after his tirade, her face carved from stone as those huge, burning green eyes of hers seemed to stare right into his soul, until at last she turned away.

"Have it your way Judge," she said coldly in a flat, emotionless tone as Jackson once again shuddered at the icy disappointment in her voice despite himself, before seizing up at the sudden Pressure that seemed to press down on him out of nowhere as Sleipnir turned to glare back at him with a single eye devoid of mercy or pity. "But keep this in mind: the truth has a way of coming out when you least expect it to. And your past always catches up with you in the end. No matter how many friends in High Places you've got."

Claude felt a pit of dread form in his stomach at those ominous words as the orange unicorn silently departed, and awoke in his bed in a cold sweat not long after.

A few days later, he and several of his colleagues were arrested for gross malpractice, and a few days after that, Paige Macbee was found innocent and released after collecting a hefty sum for damages.

Her ex-boyfriend received nothing.

***

Twilight sighed as she gently sent yet another frightened human child off to a peaceful sleep before her Astral Form returned to the greater Dream Realm at large and began shifting through an innumerable number of little balls of light, each one representing a potential gateway to a sleeping human's dreams.

Thirty years.

Thirty years since she and her friends had arrived on this strange, beautiful world along with the Warrior and the Thinker.

Thirty years since they had taken the duty of watching over humanity's dreams so they could eventually find the chosen successors Harmony had shown them all those decades ago.

And thirty years since they'd all collectively become known to the humans as the mysterious dreamwalking "parahuman" "Sleipnir" while they were forced to slowly watch Earth fall into anarchy under the influence of those Abominable Fragments as they did what little they could to slow the degradation of this world.

All because they had still failed to find the seven humans who were meant to replace them as the Guardians of Harmony and slay the Warrior once and for all even after all this time…

…

The lavender alicorn let out another sad sigh as her mind briefly wandered to the origins of the name the humans had bestowed upon them.

A mythical, six-legged divine horse that had served as the chosen steed of Odin, the King of the Gods in one of humanity's ancient religions.

A fitting moniker for ones such as them, Twilight supposed.

More fitting than the humans could possibly imagine…

…

The lavender alicorn's face twisted into a frustrated snarl as ethereal tears started to form in her eyes.

The Guardians had learned much about the race that called this world home ever since they started visiting their dreams.

Intelligent, adaptable, stubborn, driven, and capable of both immense kindness and unfathomable cruelty in equal measure, they were a truly fascinating species that had accomplished so much without even a drop of magic between them. Their mastery of science was far beyond what any race on Equus had been capable of, and the things humanity could do with nothing but their hands, intellect, and sheer, bloody-minded determination would have blown Twilight's mind back when she was younger.

She would have loved nothing more than to offer them a hoof in friendship so they could exchange the knowledge of their two worlds and find out what they could accomplish side by side.

But that was nothing but a pipe dream now.

Because her world was long dead, and this one was being slowly ruined right before her eyes…

…all because of those Harmony-damned parasites!

The lavender alicorn grit her teeth and screwed her eyes shut as she desperately tried to get her emotions under control.

Why was this taking so long?

Why hadn't they found their successors yet!?!

Twilight understood the need to make sure they picked the right people for the job, but every day that went by was one more humanity drew closer and closer to extinction thanks to the fragments and those accursed constructs the humans had dubbed "The Endbringers".

The lavender alicorn let out an exhausted sigh at the memory of the many, many nightmares the Guardians had had to extinguish and the countless people they'd had to comfort because of those wretched things, with doubtless many more to come. Twilight's lips twitched slightly upward at the memory of the Simurgh's frustration as she and her friends kept doggedly denying that harpy's attempts to control and manipulate the innocent people of this world at every turn until at last she'd finally given up and switched to causing as much psychological trauma during her attacks as possible.

Which the Guardians had preceded to mitigate as much as they could as well.

It truly was amazing just how big of a difference a few kind words, a sympathetic ear, and a good night's sleep could make. So the lavender couldn't say that their efforts to help the humans all these years had gone completely to waste. Even so, it was still a mere drop bucket compared to what was truly needed to save this doomed world.

They needed more. They needed to start training their successors in earnest here soon. They couldn't afford to wait much longer…

Twilight frowned and bit her lip as doubt started to eat at her.

Could… could it be possible that Harmony was wrong?

Were those seven women they'd seen really their successors?

Was waiting for them all this time really worth it?

Should… she and her friends just accept the potential consequences and reveal themselves to take down Scion now so at least humanity would be able to continue in some fashion?

…

The lavender alicorn's expression hardened and she shook her head to banish those traitorous thoughts from her mind.

No.

She had to keep hope.

Harmony had never led them astray before, even if they couldn't always understand its motives for doing what it did.

Those seven women were out there somewhere, and Harmony had picked them for a reason.

Twilight had to believe that.

She had to…

And so, casting her doubt aside, the lavender alicorn continued diligently shifting through the dreams of humans, banishing any nightmares she came across and leaving the ones who were sleeping peacefully be, until…

Twilight paused as one particular ball of light caught her eye, one shining more brightly than the others with a curiously familiar glow. Moving forward to investigate, the lavender alicorn's heart sank at the dark miasma of fear, agony, and betrayal that emanated from the ball as she got closer.

This one could Trigger for sure if something wasn't done. Taking the ball in her magical grip, a sad frown crossed Twilight's features at what she saw as she peered into the dream.

A young, plain-looking human girl with long, curly black hair who appeared to be in her mid-teens, absolutely covered from head to toe in utterly revolting filth that would have given Rarity a heart attack, currently crying and begging for mercy as the walls of the vile pit she was trapped in slowly closed in on her while monstrous, shadowy figures at the top laughed and jeered at her suffering.

Three of the shadows in particular stood out from the others, being far more detailed than their fellows and resembling nothing more than demonic caricatures of a trio of teenage girls, a pretty but plain looking brunette, a tall, athletic dark skinned girl, and a gorgeous redhead whose hair burned like fire.

The red-headed demoness was by far the tallest and most imposing of the shadows, and her voice was easily the loudest as she laughed and shouted cruel, deeply personal sounding taunts at the sobbing girl in the pit while the walls drew ever closer.

"THAT'S IT TAYLOR! CRY! CRY YOURSELF TO SLEEP LIKE YOU DID FOR A WEEK AFTER YOUR MOM GOT HERSELF KILLED! AT LEAST THEN WE WON'T HAVE TO LISTEN TO YOUR PATHETIC WHINING ANYMORE WHILE YOU GET CRUSHED TO A PULP!"

The other shadows laughed as the lavender alicorn's eyes narrowed and her horn lit up brightly.

"Enough."

The little ball of light instantly expanded into a large portal at her command, and the shadowy demons scarcely had time to scream before she flew through the gateway and instantly annihilated them and the entire nightmare with a single blast from her horn.

Twilight sighed before schooling her face into a kind and well practiced smile as she landed behind the now-clean and hyperventilating girl who was looking around wildly in panicked confusion and reached out a hoof.

"It's ok, Taylor. Everything is alrigh—!"

The lavender alicorn's gentle reassurance was abruptly and violently cut off the second her hoof touched Taylor's shoulder, and both of them let out a scream of pain as what felt like an electric shock coursed between between them for several long seconds before they immediately skittered away from each other.

"OW! WHAT WAS THAT?! WHO ARE…?!" the girl screamed in manic fury, only for her question to die on her lips and her eyes to widen into plates as she beheld the heavily breathing alicorn. "Holy shit… You're Sleipnir!"

Twilight didn't respond as she stared at the dumbfounded girl with an equally shell shocked expression.

That… That was…!

The lavender alicorn's horn flared as she magically scanned her spirit in every way she knew how.

Then again.

And again.

And once more for good measure.

But there was no mistaking it.

There, in that moment, a connection had been formed between her and this young, tortured girl.

A connection she had been waiting for for a very long time.

Ethereal tears filled Twilight's eyes as a radiant smile of indescribable relief and happiness slowly spread across her muzzle.

At last…

"Yes, Taylor," she sniffed in a voice thick with emotion as she stood up and wiped her tears clean before beaming down at the bewildered girl. "Yes. I'm Sleipnir. But my friends call me Twilight Sparkle…"

 

[CrazedGamma1721]

Absolutely Awesome And Amazing, Watching.

 

[King of Terror]

Absolutely Awesome And Amazing, Watching.

Click to shrink...

Thank you.

 

[King of Terror]

Hey guys, I have a question.

Do stories on this site that feature NSFW content usually have NSFW in the title?

A lot of emphasis was put on tags and labels on this site when I was asking questions earlier, and most of the stories I saw in the newly posted fic thread didn't have a NSFW label on them.

Which I found a little odd/surprising.