ESF: The Terror of Crowley

As we approached Cain's hideout, we all gasped as we walked inside. It was a decent sized cottage, but bigger on the inside slightly. An older pony with a grey mane, tail, and small hint of a beard and mustache on his face was organizing books. He was dark grey with brown eyes, and his cutie mark was the First Blade. He also had a mark on his right foreleg. It was shaped like a seven, with two dashes on the side. The pony turned to us and nearly jumped. "Not polite to sneak up on an older stallion like me." He said. I stepped forward.

"Are you Cain?" I asked him. He nodded. "Cain, we need..." I started before he cut me off.

"I know what you need, Quillton Brooks." He said. I gasped. "Yes. I know your name, and your's, Galaxy, and Crystal's, Mocha's, Sunset's, I know all of you." He told us. "You're Equestria's protectors, right?" He asked. Galaxy nodded, stepping forward.

"Cain. We have the First Blade, and we're hoping it can kill Crowley." He explained. "But I need your mark to use it. Crowley is threatening Equestria and plans to rule it with an iron hoof. Cain, please, will you give me your mark so that I can use the Blade?" Galaxy asked. I should've stopped him there, but Galaxy lost Crimson to Crowley. I understood his warrant for revenge. Cain pondered. He finally sighed.

"Galaxy." He said in a serious tone, looking at him dead in the eye. The rest of us stepped back. "I can give you the Mark, if that's what you need. I must warn you, with the Mark comes a great burden. It can only be passed to someone worthy, and I see the bravery inside you. Yes, I will give you my mark to use the Blade. I just require one thing from you." He said. Galaxy swallowed.

"Anything." Galaxy replied. Cain smirked.

"Kick Crowley's ass for me." He chuckled. Galaxy chuckled as well and held out his hoof. Cain grabbed it with his and the Mark of Cain surged onto Galaxy's foreleg. "The Blade will now work. I hope you know what you're doing." He said. Galaxy nodded.

"Me too." He admitted. He then turned to us. "Alright gang, let's go kill ourselves a demon." Galaxy told us. We charged after him, back to Equestria, only to find the place overrun with demons. "Crowley." Galaxy growled. He looked at Canterlot Palace, and sneered. "He's there. Alright, Quill, Crystal, Sunset, you're with me. Mocha, Valerium, Soul, Joy, Paradise, and Breeze, you guys get the civilians to safety." He told us. We nodded. "Let's move!" Galaxy called as me, Sunset, and Crystal raced after him to Canterlot Palace, when Crowley was smuggly sitting in Celestia's chair, with Celestia on the ground.

"You will not get away with this, Crowley." The Sun Princess sneered, Crowley chuckled.

"Oh? I'm sorry, who's in your chair right now, Tia?" He asked. "Oh that's right. Me!" Crowley snapped at her, causing her to cringe. Crowley laughed, Lucifer next to him. "Lucifer, be a dear and take Celestia to the dungeons below." Crowley said. Just as Lucifer started moving, the main door to the throne room burst open with me, Galaxy, Sunset, and Crystal standing outside, all battle-ready. "Bollocks." Crowley sighed. "Hellhounds!" He called. I gulped.

"Oh fuck, not those again." I said as I put on my glasses, revealing not one, not two, but five huge hellhounds standing in our way, jaws snapping and barking like crazy. "OK, guys? There's five hounds between us and Crowley. We want him, we gotta take care of the hounds first." I said. Galaxy charged for the nearest hound, but he forgot he couldn't see it. "Right!" I shouted. Galaxy slashed and heard a yelp as hound number one went down immediately. I tossed him a pair of glasses and he put them on, revealing the other four hounds.

"Alright, bitches, bring it on!" Galaxy shouted as he charged, taking down hounds number two and three with two painful yelps from the hounds. Hounds four and five charged us, Sunset firing a blast at hound four. Crystal yelped as hound five nearly slashed her. She took off to the ceiling and flew back down in a dive attack, jamming her blade right in hound five's chest. Hound four was still on the battlefield, jaw snapping furiously. It growled at Galaxy, and it's back legs compressed. Crowley and Lucifer sat forward with anticipation. Lucky for the hound, Galaxy 's back was facing it. The hound lunged. Galaxy's ear twitched and jammed the First Blade right into the hound's chest, not even looking where he aimed. Mine, Crystal's, Sunset's Crowley's, and Lucifer's jaws all dropped. The hound crumpled to the floor, lifeless.

"How'd he bloody do that!!" Crowley demanded. "No! No no! Rematch! Cheater!" Crowley protested. Apparently the hounds were a test. Galaxy turned to Crowley.

"Crowley!" He called to him, showing him the Blade. "You killed my sister. Now?" Galaxy chuckled, the brown draining out of his eyes until they turned as black as Abaddon's. Crowley gasped, Galaxy's mark burning red. "You know who I am, Crowley?" Galaxy asked. Crowley couldn't look at Galaxy. Galaxy flew so fast that he was a blur. Soon, Crowley was pinned against the wall, helpless to fight back. "Look at me. Look at me, bitch!" Galaxy told him. Crowley looked, more scared than ever. Mocha and the others came in, and they gasped. There, in front of them, was Galaxy pinning Crowley to the wall, and Galaxy was somehow unscathed. "You killed Crimson. Now, I'm here to avenge her." Galaxy said. Crowley gulped. Then, Galaxy backed down. "But not today." He said. Crowley chuckled.

"Had a change o' heart, did we?" He chuckled nervously. Galaxy rolled his eyes and jammed the First Blade directly in Crowley's chest. Crowley coughed and whimpered. "Or not." He said as he exploded into dust. Galaxy looked at Crowley's remains, and sneered.

"Goodbye, Crowley." He said. His eyes reverted back to brown, and the Blade fell out of his hoof. He felt dizzy, and soon passed out on the cold stone floor.

"Galaxy!" I called as we raced to him. He was passed out, but alive. Celestia and Luna walked up to us, smiling.

"You've done us a great service, Quillton." Luna said. "Crowley is no more, and you have saved Equestria again. Tia, I think they deserve a break." Luna said. Celestia nodded.

"I agree. Take some time off, Quillton. Relax." She said. I nodded, and smiled. Sunset kissed my cheek gently and giggled. Later that night at Galaxy's cottage, Crystal tucked Galaxy in and kissed his muzzle gently.

"All he needs is a good night's sleep. Crys." Mocha said. "Then, he'll be his bright and cheerful self." She paused. "Once we find a way to get rid of the Mark of Cain, anyway." She added. I stood up.

"We'll find a way." I said. "Come on, let's give Galaxy some time to rest." I told the two mares, who nodded. Just as I closed the door behind us, a familiar blue shape loomed from the window, his blood red eyes glowing. Comet stepped into the room, smirking. He looked at his brother, who was resting.

"Well, hello again, brother." Comet chuckled. "I heard you killed Crowley and had success doing so. I also know that the Mark is slowly changing you inside. You passed out because you couldn't handle the power. You know Galaxy, funny thing about that Mark. Cain never told you what would happen after the battle." Comet explained. He stared at his brother. "Open your eyes, Galaxy. You're being given a new lease on life, a life of the demon kind." Comet smirked. Suddenly, Galaxy's eyes snapped open, and they were as black as sin itself. He smirked, laughing. Comet joined in as well, and the two of them laughed. I didn't realize it until now. Then again, Galaxy's eyes were black when he fought Crowley. I was a fool to let Galaxy take on the Mark! I told myself. I should've stopped him and taken it. Why? The Mark of Cain had turned my best friend since Kindergarten.....into a demon. Now, Comet was back as well, somehow alive after Mocha bit him and drained him of blood. Crystal heard a window shatter and raced upstairs. I was shaking.

"Quill?!" Sunset asked. "What happened?" She comforted me. I pointed my hoof to the room. Crystal gasped. The room reeked of sulfur, and Galaxy....was missing.

"Where is he?!" Crystal demanded. "Quillton Brooks, where is my husband?!" Crystal asked me again. Melody looked at me, worried.

"Uncle Brooks, where's my dad?" She asked. I swallowed and sighed. Soul, Sunset Valerium, Mocha, Crystal, and Melody looked to me for an answer.

"Comet's back." I said. "Alive. He's taken Galaxy. That's not all, however. Our Galaxy.....has become a demon." I said. Everypony, including Crystal, gasped in horror. Melody hugged her mother tightly, worried for her father. We all were. Who knows what Comet wanted with Galaxy. The two had run off in a hurry as they heard us coming upstairs, going Hell knows where............

To be concluded........