Sombra's revival, Bismuth's birth, and Blackburn's rise

Back at Canterlot after Princess Celestia was rescued from her cocoon prison she ordered that proper defenses be made and the entire kingdom be locked down for the high chance of there being an attack coming very soon making every second they have now precious. Guards and spiked wooden barricades were placed all over the city as a towering dome like magical barrier surrounded the castle. As for Cadance she was practically crying her eyes out as she laid on top of Celestia's lap.

"Come on Cadance, you've been crying for hours now. Everything's gonna be fine." Shining said.

"I just hope Bismuth's okay." she sniffled.

"I'm sure he's fine."

"Hm, well that depends on what you mean by the word fine."

That voice belonged to Discord but there was no sign of him.

"Discord? Why can't we see you?" Spike asked.

"Because dear Spike if I am seen I am considered involved, and if I'm am involved I will no doubt be attacked when Blackburn comes to destroy us all!"

"Blackburn? Who's that?"

"Hm? Oh, it's just the name the evil side of Bismuth calls himself."

"Just the name sounds pretty scary." Fluttershy said hiding underneath a rug shaking.

"You all should be scared, and Twilight has the right idea."

"Twilight? Wait, where is she?" Spike said just realizing the lavender unicorn had disappeared.

Back in PonyVille deep in the heart of the Everfree Forest:

Twilight knocked rapidly on the door of Zecora the zebra's hut hoping the forest shaman was still home after the devastation of PonyVille, thankfully she was happily greeting Twilight and allowing her to come inside.

"I'm so glad you're still here Zecora, there's so much I have to tell you."

"That you do not have to worry about. I already know that things are looking grim, this I have no doubt. For quite some time I have been fearing for this day, so an instrument for his defeat I have made out of clay."

"Clay?"

"Indeed clay, whose source has long since went away. With such material I have crafted a bell, a true instrument to tell the dreaded darkness known as Sinbad farewell." the rhyming zebra said standing next to a stool removing a worn out piece of cloth from on top of it revealing a bell made entirely out of seemingly ordinary dried brown clay.

"Blackburn? You mean Bismuth right?"

"No. The one known as Bismuth was nothing more but a living vessel for him, for thousands of years ago during a great war he had been stuck down in battle and lost all his limbs. In his final moments he felt unconditional hatred and spite towards the world that in his afterlife he bargained with the dark one known as Old Scratch to restore his life for in return he would give his soul, but in the end Sinbad tricked the dark one playing him like a mere foal. Enraged that Sinbad had avoided damnation Old Scratch had cursed him so that he could only return in the form of reincarnation."

"Bismuth!" Twilight gasped.

"Bismuth indeed, you must save him but with a warning you must heed. The bell can only work once, so I suggest not handing it over to a dunce." Zecora said handing the bell over to Twilight.

"One shot, got it. Thank you Zecora."

Twilight left the shaman's hut before teleporting back to Canterlot moments before their defenses were nearing completion, armed guards stood on every street as citizens were advised to either evacuate the city or stay inside at all costs which most did not wanting to leave their beloved homes no matter what. As admirable as their loyalty was it couldn't mask the fear dreading inside everyone of the unknown heading this way. Everyone was standing in front of the throne room window with a clear view of the horizon when Twilight reappeared behind them with the clay bell in hand.

"Twilight! There you are! What's with the bell? Pretty tacky looking if you ask me." Rarity said.

"It's not for fashion, I got it from Zecora who said this could defeat Blackburn."

"Really!?! Whoo-hoo! You hear that everyone? We're saved! As soon as big bad Sinbad comes Twilight is gonna blast 'em a hundred times into he's nothing but dust." Spike said a bit over excitedly.

"Actually Spike, there's a bit of a catch. Zecora said the bell could only be used once so we gotta make it count."

"Ah, yes of course. There's always a catch."

"Wait how do we know that the bell will work? I mean, don't get me wrong but all of our magic goes away as soon as he even gets near us." Shining Armor said.

Twilight looked down at the bell, it was true that there was no guarantee that this rusty heap of clay was going to do anything but it was their only hope at this point.

"We'll just have to rely on faith then."

"Uh, guys? I really think you should see this." Spike said pointing out at the horizon.

In the far distant blocking the sun with it's massive numbers was a biggest swarm of changelings ever seen slowly closing the distance between them and the outskirts of Canterlot. The royal guards quickly formed a line readying their horns before releasing a barrage of magical blasts at the incoming swarm shooting down several changelings but not enough to suppress them, the swarm flew over the wooden barricades before firing acid globs of goo at the guards who broke their line trying to avoid them as another wave of soldiers started charging towards the front lines to help. Hours passed as the fight raged on, magical beams and globs of acid were flying everywhere in every direction as more guards were arrived to the field and more changelings breached through the barricades after gnawing against them for a while. More hours have passed as nightfall was soon nearing, Twilight was watching from the throne room window along with everyone else except she noticed that the changelings were not really focusing all their efforts on the fight but on the barricades until it dawned on her that they were not the actual attack. But if they weren't, what was? This question was soon answered as the ground started shaking like an earthquake, but this was far worst. They gasped as they spotted a army of creatures far too horrible looking to describe let along exist in the first place marching towards Canterlot underneath a familiar sinister black cloud, Blackburn's dark laughter echoing through everyone's minds making their heads ache severely when suddenly entire roof of the castle was torn off as a violent black hurricane filled the sky firing hundreds of lighting bolts everywhere as he started materialize in midair.

"He's here! Twilight, I hope that bell works 'cuz it's now or never!" Rainbowdash yelled out of her aching head.

Twilight held the bell up towards Blackburn before she began ringing it. At first nothing happened as the room was filled with awkward silence as the idea of the bell not working started to fill her mind when suddenly a powerful white aura surrounded the bell before firing a massive beam.

"Ahhhhhhhh!" Blackburn screamed as he was blasted into oblivion and turned into a smoking pile of dust.

The End. Please tip the usher on the way out of the theater, also no refunds.

Nah, I'm just kidding. Fooled you though right? Yes I did.

Anyway while a beam did fire from the bell and hit Blackburn instead of him turning into dust something more "magical" happened as the black aura was forcefully leaving his body forming a massive cloud of sand like darkness leaving behind Bismuth still in the body of a giant stallion who laid on the floor out cold.

"Bismuth!" everyone cheered surrounding him as he woke up like he was taking a nap.

"Wh-Wha? Where I am? I just had the weirdest dream that I was leading an army of flying insects and some ugly looking monsters and-oh my Celestia it's all real."

"Glad to have you back bud." Rainbow said giving him a pat on the back as Cadance and Shining Armor was hugging him happy to see their child was safe and sound and that everything was okay now.

Well, let's not say that yet.

Behind them the cloud of darkness was shifting around wildly before reforming the same body all over again until Blackburn was standing once again only this time he was a bit bigger and stronger looking as his body seemed more....alive.

"After so long....my curse has FINALLY BEEN BROKEN! AFTER SO LONG.....I...AM...TRULY...ALIVE!"

(sorry capslock was a bit stuck there.)

"No, no this wasn't supposed to happen!" Twilight said in disbelief.

Blackburn simply turned to face her, an evil grin appearing on his face.

"THIS...THIS WAS ALWAYS SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN!" he laughed evilly as the thunderclouds above raged on.