Fires of Friendship and Ice of Hatred

Chapters

Prologue: A Storm is Coming...
Chapter 1: The Birth of a Hero
Chapter 2: Dimanda's Reason for Conquest
Chapter 3: Fire vs Ice, Round 1!
Chapter 4: Star at Critical Mass!
Chapter 5: The Other Main Six
Chapter 6: Shadowy Revelations
Chapter 7: Stronger than a Diamond!
Chapter 8: Naga
Chapter 9: Fire Vs Ice, Round 2!
Chapter 10: Nature Be Dark and Scary!
Chapter 12: A Dark Seed
Chapter 13: Soft Words of the Wind Walker
Chapter 14: Sombra's Ultimate Gamble
Chapter 15: Twiception
Chapter 16: Shadow Armor, Mi Un Amor
Chapter 17: The Blackhoof Virus and The Pony named Hiller
Chapter 18: Fire vs Ice, FINAL ROUND!
Chapter 19: The Fault of the Sun and Moon
Grand Finale: Gods Fall, Heroes Rise, and Devils Deceive!
Chapter 11: Neighpon, Land of Mystery and Monsters

Prologue: A Storm is Coming...

Author's Note

Hello Again! It's Super Ponyman! I'm back with a sequel to "Nightmare Ponyville"

The big villain this time is a relatively unknown species only mentioned in some the Hearths Warming Episode, the Winter bringing monsters have come back!

Also, we have a ship tease between Shadow Armor, the dark clone of Shining Armor, and a familiar Horn-less unicorn...

Prologue: A Storm is Coming...

(The Frozen North, 10 Years ago...)

Sunset landed in the frozen north. She looked back and saw that no pony was in sight, it was all snow and ice.

A crazed laugh filled the air as an Icy Pony materialized in front of her, it stared her down and her legs began to freeze up.

The icy being grabbed Sunset by the neck, saying in a hissing voice.

"You think you are the besssst at evil?"

Sunset was slowly being frozen into a statue, as the icy pony paced around her.

"I'm the besssst."

Sunset took a last breath as she was frozen into a icy statue. She was completely frozen!

The icy pony smiled, before speaking to Sunset's frozen body.

"And you will be my weapon againssssst Celessssita and Luna..."

He looked towards Equestria, smiling even wider.

"You better bundle up, ponies. Cause old pony winter is coming..."

The Icy Pony laughed out a scary laugh, before disappearing with a few last words.

"And hisss name issss Frost Soul."

The Icy Pony stood amongst the snowdrifts, looking upon his prize, the infamous Sunset Shimmer.

He hissed out, "This will be a perfect gift for my queen... maybe she will reward me for my efforts, once I unfreeze this moronic pony, my queen will steal her immense supply of magic... then maybe she will let me have her as my slave..."

The icy pony known as Frost Soul stood as tall as Princess Celestia, his fur was Bright white with ice blue snowflakes running down his legs and up his neck. A sharp horn made of ice protruded from his head, Wings made of ice adorned his back, He possessed no hooves in his current form, he had wispy clouds for feet and a mane and tail made of sharp icicles. His dark red eyes highlighted his condition.

He was Albino, but for a damn good reason...

He was a Windigo, an ancient race of Icy spirits who fed off misery and negativity, and with the recent events of the "Daybreaker Incident" and the "Nightmare Ponyville Crisis", his race, while few in number, had plenty of food to eat.

They may have killed a few hundred ponies, but Windigos didn't care, they had one final goal.

To trap Equestria in a winter so cold that will kill off everypony who isn't an Alicorn.

Then their Queen will slay the Alicorns that commanded the kingdom...

Frost Soul smirked, "Who will sssstop ussss now?"

(Twilight's Castle, Ten Years Later, Twilights Dream)

“Hello?” Her voice echoed around her like she had spoken into the cavernous maw of an Ursa Major’s cave.

Her ears perked up as she noticed
The element of magic upon her head began to feel heavier upon her brow as unease began to descend upon the princess.

She kept walking forward into the black abyss. After a moment she tried to examine her surroundings, but closer inspection revealed; well more nothing.

She could see her hooves plain as day, but the ground was unknown from any kind of recognizable terrain.

With a sigh she voiced her foremost thought in hope that some revelation would come to her, “Where am I?”

An icy voice pierced the void, "Well... Well... we finally meet at last, Element of Magic."

Twilight felt a shiver go up her spine, she noticed the air was getting colder, she tried to cast a fire spell to warm her, but it did no good.

Twilight asked an obvious question, "Who is there? How do you know Me? Show yourself!"

An icy mist appeared around Twilight Sparkle, revealing her surroundings,

She was the Frozen North! Standing on a glacier, overlooking a giant cliff.

The voice spoke again, "Im surprised, element of magic... that you don't recognize me."

Twilight turned around and fell on her flanks, a stark white pony with red eyes was staring down at her. He looked creepy and dangerous,

Then again, it seems like everyone with red eyes is creepy and dangerous nowadays?

"You I can hear every thought your thinking right?"

Twilight stepped back in fear, mindful of the cliff behind her.

The icy pony spoke to Twilight, "Your mind is so open and vulnerable, element of Magic. I would expect you to keep closer guard over your thoughts..."

Twilight Sparkle sneered, "Hey! Don't rummage around in my head, who are you anyways?"

The icy pony bowed, "My name is Frost Soul, I am an emissary of the Frost Queen of the Windigos. You are probably wondering why I came to you.... Element of Magic."

Twilight Sparkle sighed, "Let me guess, your here to try and scare me with your ominous appearance and tell me a prophecy that these "Windigos" are here to conquer Equestria and freeze it to kill thousands with a ritual or something similar to that? Because trust me, I've been through worse than a little deep freeze..."

Frost Soul snorted, clearly annoyed. "Why do you say this so nonchalantly, Element of Magic? How many times have you dealt with things like this?"

Twilight Sparkle rolled her eyes, "A lot, Frost Soul. There are always ponies that will try this every once in a while."

Frost Soul growled, "There are no creatures like me. The Windigos are completely unique in every way."

Twilight Sparkle said in a clearly fed up tone, "There are always ponies like you. Ponies who think that they can exercise their power to oppress others, we have already dealt with a Shadow King called Sombra, you are not new news to us, Frost Soul."

Frost Soul inhaled and blasted a beam of icy energy, Twilight blocked it easily and countered with a lightning bolt, which collided with Frost Soul and left a burn mark on his face, which made him cry out in pain.

Twilight Sparkle smiled, "Really? You think I'm afraid of you? I know what you Windingos are weak to, extremely hot temperatures. My husband told me about his encounter with one of you monsters, it's funny how you think you have the element of surprise, but you don't."

Frost Soul roared, "You will regret this, Element of Magic... next time you will be mine. My queen will hear of this!"

Twilight Sparkle smirked and said, "Tell her this message, Frost Soul, that Equestria is ready to defend against anything she can throw at us!"

With that, Frost Soul turned into a icy mist and flew off.

Twilight Sparkle woke up, a smile on her face, she had just told one of the most powerful creatures in Equestria to pretty much "buck off."

But, She had some doubts about her show of bravado against that Windigo, if they actually were back... then Ponyville, no, all of Equestria would be in danger, AGAIN!

Twilight Sparkle jumped out of bed and went to go make breakfast for her family,

Her husband Dawn "Burning" Star

And her Alicorn twin children, Star Tail and Ash Mane, both of which were nearing their tenth birthday.

Twilight Sparkle thought to herself, "Sweet Celestia, can't we just settle down to have a family WITHOUT having a world ending crisis?"

(The Frozen North, Palace of the Windigo Queen)

Way up in the Frozen north, past the crystal empire, past the ruins of Castle Nevermore, was a lake called the Lake of the Dead. It was said to be a portal between the world of the living and the spirit world.

This was a place of sacred power, it was a place that the spirits of the dead could pass back into the world of the living.

Sitting in the middle of the lake on a small island was a large ice keep that stood tall like a massive wall reaching into the heavens.

This was The Glacier Fortress, home of the windigos and the frozen golems they made for slave labor.

Within the center of the giant quartet of icy walls was the Palace of the Windigo Queen.

The enigmatic, powerful, and terrifying Windigo Queen Diamanda.

Frost Soul staggered into the throne room of the massive tower, his Queen sitting on a throne of frozen pony bones.

She looked quickly towards Frost Soul, then smiled smugly and said to her minion, "Ah, Frost Soul. How was your scouting for a pony with vast magic reserves?"

Frost Soul said nervously, "Well... I found one."

Diamanda replied, still admiring herself in her mirror. "Just one? I'm disappointed in you, Frost Soul. How do you expect me to maintain my illustrious beauty with just one pony?"

Diamanda turned towards Frost Soul and stretched her wispy legs. She was about the size of Celestia, and was covered in snow white fur with was covered with icy hairs. A six pointed crystal crown sat atop her head, which held a pair of bright golden eyes. Her mane and tail flowed like water, much like Celestia's, and across her chest sat an Crystalline breast plate with the symbol of the Windigos, an eight sided white diamond set in the center of a eight pointed light blue star.

Diamanda put her mirror down and walked over to Frost Soul, then choked him with her wispy hooves.

"Listen here you little snowflake, I have had enough of your little excuses of not finding ponies to feed off... something inside you must be still connected to your pony side... I thought that when we buried your pony mother and cut your ties to their world that you would finally become one of us... a true cold blooded killer."

Frost Soul pried the queens hooves off his neck, and said to her. "I have fulfilled my end of the bargain, My Queen! I brought you a pony with vast magic reserves, you need to fulfill your end of the bargain."

Diamanda threw Frost Soul across the floor with a blast of wind. She roared in anger, "YOU ARE IN NO POSITION TO GIVE ORDERS YOU REBELLIOUS SWINE!"

Frost Soul backed up, fear in his eyes. "Sorry my queen, I forgot who had the power here..."

Diamanda smirked, "Don't let it happen again, Frost Soul. I will end you in the blink of an eye. Is that clear?"

Frost Soul gave a slow nod, "Yes My Queen..."

Queen Diamanda walked back to her throne and sat down, picking up her mirror again and admiring her beauty.

"Soon, all of Equestria will be frozen over and beautiful. So many reflections of me and my beauty..."

(Ponyville, Shadow Armor's Home)

Shadow Armor had taken up residence in Ponyville finally, he lived near the outskirts of the Everfree, in a dark red and gray brick house. He had it built like his old fortress home, Castle Nevermore.

It was raining hard outside, lightning roared through the black skies.

Shadow Armor sat down inside his home on his gray couch. He was drinking a nice soda and reading the book "Shadowy Love".

He found it while walking around the town, some pony named Finn was selling copies, it was a book written about Twilight and King Sombra getting together as a couple.

Shadow Armor thought to himself, "Who in Equestria would read stuff like this? This is WAY too descriptive."

Shadow Armor heard a knock on the door, he got up and grumbled to himself.

"its 11pm, who the hell is up this late?"

Shadow Armor looked through the peephole in his door. He saw a red mane and thought to himself,

"Burning Star wouldn't be up this late, and he hates the rain..."

Shadow Armor opened the door slightly and said, "Who is it?"

A female voice cried out in exhaustion, "Let me inside, fool. I am wet, cold, and exhausted."

Shadow Armor opened the door wide and was surprised by what he saw. A weird burning feeling filled his chest...

It was a Unicorn mare with Maroon fur and a bright red mane and tail styled very similar to a mohawk, her bright blue reflected the stare of Shadow Armor's red ones.

The most unusual thing about her was her horn, she seemed to lack one, as if it was broken off by something... or someone.

Shadow Armor felt something he has never felt before, pity.

He knew just how important a horn was to a unicorn, without it, they were pretty much helpless.

Shadow Armor swallowed his suspicions about the mare and let her in, she rushed over to the fireplace and took off her chest plate, revealing strong muscles and visible scars.

He walked over to her and put a blanket around her, "You seem cold, mare. What's your name?"

Shadow Armor bowed, "I am Shadow Armor, black knight of the former Shadow King, Sombra. Who are you?"

The mare answered with a quick response,

"I am Tempest Shadow, former high commander of the Storm King, and I need a home."

Shadow Armor felt a hot feeling in his chest, he didn't know what it was, but it was very... familiar to how Shining Armor felt around Cadence...

He thought to himself, "No, it's not possible, am I in love at first sight?"

Tempest Shadow groaned, "Stop fawning over me, you oaf. I am not that attractive, who would want to love somepony like me? A scarred, beaten, and maimed pony..."

Shadow Armor grasped Tempest's face, "You don't look so bad, Tempest. And coming from me, that's a big compliment..."

Tempest Shadow thought to herself, "maybe I could trust this stallion...

Maybe, just maybe...

Chapter 1: The Birth of a Hero

Author's Note

Well... the first chapter was pretty important.

Now, The Main 6 decide to investigate into the past of Burning Star... Its about time!

Chapter 1: The Birth of a Hero

(Twilight's Castle, Map Room)

The Friendship Map, a magical artifact that can secrecy friendship problems across the whole of Equestria, it had been broken a few times, but it still was usable.

And now, it was receiving an upgrade from Prince Eclipsio, as he felt it was best considering all the chaos that had ensued in the past decade.

Once the enchantment was complete, the map could also display a radar identifying any potential threats to Equestria's safety, it worked by analyzing a pony's past actions, their history, and other things.

Twilight Sparkle sat in her chair along with the rest of her friends, they were watching with bated breath as Eclipsio carved glyphs on the floor, they were necessary to the spells completion.

Rainbow Dash, Captain of the New Wonderbolts, asked Eclipsio an important question, "How long is this going to take?"

Eclipsio shot her an annoyed glare, "As long as is needed. I don't want to make any mistakes while preforming this spell... if I had Burning Star here he could help me with this."

Twilight got up and walked towards the dark gray Alicorn, saying "Hey, I'm an Alicorn as well. Can I lend a hoof?"

Prince Eclipsio looked at her and said, "Fine. But be careful, Twilight Sparkle. This spell is extremely complex and requires an extraordinary amount of skill..."

Twilight ignited her horn and activated the glyphs, then blasted the friendship map, which transformed into its upgraded form. Now, there were hoof pads that could filter through the various locations across the kingdom, a holographic projector gem, and plenty of other things to play around with.

Eclipsio stood back in shock, "But... I thought I said this would take an extraordinary amount of skill. You just breezed through that like it was nothing. How?"

Twilight Sparkle smiled, "I looked up the spell before you came over, also has to do with the fact that I'm the Element of Magic!"

Applejack chuckled, "Yeah, Sugarcube had been practicing all day for that, she's pretty gud, ain't she?"

Rarity rolled her eyes, "Yes, Yes, we all know how long Twilight has been practicing the spell, I was up since dawn helping her! My mane is a wreck..."

Fluttershy softly said, "Yeah, S-she had help from all of us. We all have been practicing our talents."

Pinkie bounced in, saying "Yeah! I been expanding my book of jokes, see?"

Pinkie Pie somehow pulled a giant tome out of her hair and dropped it on the table, it made a loud thud noise.

Eclipsio asked Rainbow an important question, "Hold on, Where is Burning Star?"

Rainbow shrugged, "I heard he is heading out to Shadow Armor's home, apparently they are heading back to his old village in the Everfree Forest. He took Shining Armor and his brother Thunder Fury with him. Don't know what he's going back there for, but he took the black container in the basement."

Twilight Sparkle went wide-eyed, "Which black container, Dashie?"

Rainbow answered, "The one with the red top to it. What's wrong, Twi?"

Twilight Sparkle panicked, "That's the container holding the Alicorn Amulet! We have to get it back from him, come on everypony!"

Within seconds, everypony rushed out the front door of Twilight's castle, in hot pursuit of the Fire Alicorn...

(Outskirts of Everfree Forest, Shadow Armor's Home)

Burning Star felt a knot in his stomach, he was heading back to his former home, which was in ruins because of him.

He thought to himself, "The villagers will probably think I'm a monster, they'll drive me away just like they did all those years ago..."

Thunder Fury hovered above his brother, he poked him on the top of his head, "Hey, Bro? You ok?"

Burning Star shook himself out of thought, "I'm a little nervous about going back to our former home, how are you so calm?"

Thunder Fury smirked and combed back his yellow spiky mane, "I'm not! I'm just as scared as you are. So don't think you are alone in this, Burning Star."

Shining Armor looked at Thunder Fury, trying to figure out why he isn't an Alicorn like Burning Star... I mean they are brothers, after all.

He thought to himself, "Maybe Burning Star was once a Unicorn and he ascended to Alicornhood like Twily did? Maybe Thunder Fury didn't achieve that yet?"

Shining Armor knew little about Alicorns, despite being married to one and having a Alicorn for a daughter.

Shining Armor was glad that Cadence was back in the Crystal Empire, she was taking care of Flurry Heart and Burning Star's twin children, Ash Mane, the male, and Star Tail, the female.

The trio arrived at Shadow Armor's home and Burning Star knocked on the door, saying "Hello? Shady, You home?"

They all heard a pair of voices. one was Shadow Armor, the other was unknown, but it sounded female.

Shadow Armor unlocked the door and said, "Come in. I thought you would be coming to get me later..."

Thunder Fury rushed inside, while Burning Star and Shining Armor walked inside to see that the place was well kept, with a nice couch and lounge chair, various photos of Burning Star and his friends hung on the walls.

The White Pegasus said as he darted around, "Nice home, Shady. I like the colors on the outside. Black, Red, and Green. Really fits your whole edgelord vibe."

The black knight facehoofed and shook his head, "Will you stop rummaging around in my stuff?"

Burning Star grabbed his hyperactive brother with his magic and pinned him to the floor. He then said, "Shadow Armor, I've come to ask a favor of you, I need to go back to my home of Firebrand Village, there is something there that I need to retrieve and it requires two experts in Dark Magic."

Shining Armor looked at the black Alicorn with concern, "Dark Magic! That's what King Sombra uses, I don't want you to turn into somepony like him."

Shadow Armor smirked and said, "What's the matter Shining? Afraid you STILL aren't strong enough to take him on? Didn't I train you to defend yourself better?"

Shining Armor nodded, "You did, but this is King Sombra we are talking about here. Not some rouge unicorn with some moderate dark magic experience, that stallion is the undisputed master of it. I'm just glad he's gone..."

Burning Star swallowed hard, "Yeah, but if he could survive being blasted apart by the Crystal Heart. I think a plasma beam through the heart isn't going to do much. So there is a possibility that his soul is still floating around."

Thunder Fury snarled, "I hope that black hearted stallion never comes back! I did not enjoy the effects of dark magic, especially if his Dark Magic is so much stronger than Burning Star's Dark Magic."

Shadow Armor sighed, "I am also glad he has left this world. I couldn't bear his voice in my head anymore."

Thunder Fury noticed that there was a pony-shaped mass on the couch, hidden underneath a blanket. Thunder Fury zipped over and ripped the blanket off, revealing the pony.

A female voice came from the pony, who was now exposed. "Hey! What was that about?"

Thunder Fury looked on with confusion, then turned to the black knight and said, "Shadow Armor, who is this?"

Tempest Shadow stood up and introduced herself, "I am Tempest Shadow, ex-commander of the Storm Kings Army..."

Burning Star put a hoof over her mouth, "We don't have time for your life story, Tempest. We got to get going, now."

The Black Alicorn turned towards the door, before saying to Tempest, "You want to come?"

Tempest looked puzzled, then said "You have just met me and your letting me come with you? Why so trusting of somepony you've just met?"

Burning Star just snickered, "Because I've got a feeling that you can prove useful to me."

He then pointed towards Tempest Shadow's shattered horn, "Also, you won't be able to injure me without your horn, Tempest."

Tempest snorted, "I can still beat you to a pulp with my hooves, Alicorn."

Burning Star stopped, then suddenly turned around and swept Tempest's hooves out from underneath her, then he pinned her underneath his hooves. He stared down into her light blue eyes with his deep blue ones.

"Trust Me, you cannot touch me." Burning Star said, before lifting off Tempest and running out the door.

Thunder Fury, Shining Armor and Shadow Armor rushed out the door. Tempest hesitated, then ran after them.

She had no idea where they were going, but it was most definitely more interesting than that Shadow Armor guy's home.

(Firebrand Village, Town Square)

After a three hour long run, the five ponies arrived at the village once known as Firebrand Village.

Both Shining Armor and Shadow Armor looked on in shock.

There were ruined homes and shops, all of which had some sort of burn or fire mark on it, some were burned down to their foundations. Any buildings that were still standing were covered in vines and weeds, crumbling stone walls surrounded a large stone brick home, The air was still thick with the stench of smoke and brimstone.

Whatever Burning Star did here to destroy the changelings that Attacked his home, he left his mark for over 15 years...

Tempest was the first to speak, "In the name of Faust... what happened here? Everything is just... burned and seared."

She turned to Burning Star, "So you did ALL of this?"

Burning Star sighed in regret, "Yes, but it was unintentional. I unleashed a blast of fire so strong that it altered the weather over Equestria, it was the equivalent of me firing off the energy of a small star..."

Thunder Fury closed his eyes, before saying, "The Pegasus living in the village tried to put the fire out, but not even the strongest rainstorm we could create could douse the fireball that had engulfed the town, within hours our home was nothing but ashes."

The group began to walk through the broken streets of the ruined village, Shining Armor then said to Burning Star, "You did what you thought would stop the changelings. It did, but it destroyed your home. I'm sorry that Canterlot didn't send help, it was the duty of the military to help defend anyopony in need."

Shadow Armor cut in, "But the princesses refused to act, and left your home to burn. Now I am sure we all understand why you were so mad at Celestia and Luna, they left you to burn when they could have stopped it any time they wanted to... but they didn't."

Tempest Shadow looked at the crumbling stone building in front of them, "Quick Question, what are we all doing here? I don't have to be a genius to know that somepony would come out to a bunch of ruins just to sightsee. What are you planning Alicorn?"

Suddenly, the five ponies heard a familiar voice from behind them. Burning Star turned around to see Twilight Sparkle, Prince Eclipsio, and Twilight's friends rushing up to them.

Twilight Sparkle lunged at Burning Star, tackling him to the ground and knocking a black and red box out of his bag. The box broke open, revealing the infamous Alicorn Amulet.

Twilight Sparkle was flung off by Burning Star unveiling his massive wings, the two took a battle stance and ignited their horns.

Twilight Sparkle half-shouted at her Fire Alicorn partner. "What is wrong with you?! You know how dangerous the Alicorn Amulet is, why in Celestia's name did you take it?!"

Burning Star roared, "Because I have a plan for it. I need it to bring back somepony close to me! You would do the same thing if you were in my position, Twilight!"

Shadow Armor rushed to collect the Alicorn Amulet from the ground, but was stopped by Shining Armor's blue shield.

Shining Armor snorted at Shadow Armor, "You aren't getting your hooves on this, Shads. I had a suspicion that Burning Star was up to no good. I guess I was right!"

Shadow Armor snarled and took a battle stance, summoning a black energy club covered in spikes. He charged down the white knight saying, "Burning Star needs that for his ritual. He is going to bring back a legend from the dead, but apparently you haven't heard about the stirrings in the Frozen North."

Tempest Shadow looked down to see the curious piece of jewelry and leaned down to pick it up, it was quickly snatched away by Rainbow Dash.

Rainbow Dash just recognized who was trying to pick it up, "Girls! It's Tempest Shadow, the pony who imprisoned Twilight! We finally found you, now I'll get you good!"

Tempest Shadow lunged at the cyan Pegasus and landed a kick to her face, sending her into the side of a ruined building, causing it to crumble on top of her, she was protected by a shield from Rarity.

Tempest Shadow glared at the rest of the Elements of Harmony, then said, "Well... Well... we meet again, you annoying Ponies. I didn't expect to see you again, how fortunate for me to find all of you together, that way I can kill you all at once."

Twilight Sparkle paused her battle with her Fire Alicorn opponent to say, "Wait a sec, I thought you reformed! Why are you attacking us?"

Burning Star blasted Twilight with a stream of fire, "Best pay attention, Twilight."

Tempest walked over to Rainbow Dash's body and picked up the Alicorn Amulet, "I needed a way to get back at you, did you really think I would just suddenly turn good? If you all did then you're even more naive then I thought."

She picked it up and raised it over her head, "With this Amulet, I will be able to gain magical powers beyond even you, Twilight Sparkle. I will regrow my Horn, and then use its power to wipe you and your stupid friends out!"

With that, Tempest inserted the Amulet into the hole where her horn once was, and she began to glow with red and black electricity. The amulet disappeared into thin air as her body was wrapped in a cocoon of red electricity.

Everypony stopped fighting and stepped back as the cocoon exploded, revealing Tempest Shadow in her new form, now having a long, curved, blade like horn and the Alicorn Amulet hanging from her neck.

Then, something incredibly weird happened. Tempest Shadow glowed bright white as she was engulfed in a bright white ball of energy.

When the blinding light disappeared, Tempest Shadow stood before them, eyes not full of hatred, but full of kindness.

She looked up and saw her horn had returned, and her body had undergone a drastic change.

Her previously maroon fur had become bright shining silver, and her mane and tail turned from red to golden brown. Her eyes had remained the same, but the two scars underneath them had disappeared.

Tempest Shadow said in a kind tone, "Finally, my horn has returned to me. Now I can finally redeem myself and become the greatest unicorn warrior of all time..."

Burning Star asked Tempest Shadow, "So, are you a good pony now? Or is this just another ruse?"

Tempest Shadow nodded, "I got what I wanted, so yes... from now on call me, White Storm."

Shadow Armor looked on with suspicion as he and Shining stood at his side.

Shadow Armor said to his original version, "This seems all too easy, but we need all the help we can get if we are going to go up against the terror in the Frozen North."

Shining raised an eyebrow, "What are you talking about, Shadow Armor?"

Shadow Armor said to him in a unnaturally worried tone.

"The Windigos are coming..."

Chapter 2: Dimanda's Reason for Conquest

(The Palace of the Windigo Queen, The Queen's private chambers)

The Palace of the Windigo Queen is a dangerous place, both physically and mentally. Queen Dimanda was a very important Pony/Windigo, she surrounded herself with mirrors, even the crystals on the ceiling were to reflective and showed off her beautiful face and body.

Her vanity and obsession with beauty knew no bounds, even ordering her Windigos to carve statues of herself, all of which were reflective and showed her image in their icy eyes.

Dimanda sat in her bedroom on a bed of soft white wool, she was busy admiring herself in her personal mirror, when Frost Soul walked in on her, she was naked, something not very fitting for a queen.

Dimanda gapsed and hid herself under the covers, before saying "Frost Soul! What are you doing here?! Do you not know that coming into a Queen's personal chambers without consent is punishable by exile?!"

Frost Soul sighed, breathing an icy mist out of his mouth, "My Queen, my apologies. I have recieved a message from Equestria, would you like to read it?"

Dimanda pulled the scroll from Frost Soul's grasp and placed it on her bed. She motioned for Frost Soul to leave, "Well, what are you waiting for, leave me be!"

Frost Soul walked out of the room and slammed the icy door in rage, causing it to shatter. Dimanda used her ice powers and It refroze instantly.

The Queen of the Windigos was known for her admirers, but in this case, she admired somepony.

That pony she admired was her polar opposite, her yin to her yang, her complete and total opposite.

The Black Fire Alicorn known as Burning Star.

As soon as the windigo queen saw the fiery pony in action when he felled an ice dragon with a single shot, she had become obsessed with him. She followed his every move, watching him from afar as he dispatched monsters and sent them to the gates of Tatarus himself...

His defeat of King Sombra and Daybreaker was most impressive, as both a master of dark magic and an Immaculate Alicorn would be a great challenge, even for her.

Then came his victory over the Nightmare Tribe, a race that even the Windigos considered disgusting to be around, with their smoky bodies and tendency to spread their fear and paranoia everywhere. While Windigos could feed off fear, these Nightmares spread an Type of fear that they could not consume, so she was thankful for him blasting those vile creatures away.

Although she held command over his opposite element, being Ice to his Fire, she couldn't help but agree that opposites attract.

She yearned, craved, no... she wanted the warm embrace of his wings around her. She wanted to feel the hot kiss of his lips upon hers...

She wanted Burning Star all to her own, and she would not let anypony stand in her way.

She opened the scroll and read it,

Dear my Secret Admirer,

I am thankful that you have sent me the gift of that Ice Crystal Headband, it came in handy when I traveled to Saddle Arabia, I'm guessing you wouldn't like Saddle Arabia, since it's so hot and dry.

How is your home in the Frozen North? Actually, I have good news, I will be coming for a visit to settle a diplomatic issue. I'm sure you are pretty busy, being a Queen and all. Heck, my girlfriend is a queen, and I'm a king.

The word girlfriend filled Dimanda with rage, she was not going to let some normal queen take away her Burning Star!

Dimanda swallowed her anger and resumed reading

Sorry to get your hopes up, I got the feeling that you have affection for me. But I'm already taken, but that doesn't mean that I will not come to this meeting. I will arrive within the next few days. Keep my seat warm! Heh-heh...

The Queen giggled a bit, then finished up the letter.

"I will be coming to your Palace soon, so be prepared. I can come off a little hot on my first encounter. Be seeing you soon!"

From,
The King of Equestria

Queen Dimanda swooned, her dream pony was coming right to her! Her wildest fantasies were coming true, she may not have to conquer Equestria after all...

Or, she can wait until Burning Star was in her grasp, then conquer Equestria to show how much she loves him. That was a much riskier plan, but it had a chance of it working.

She put on her chest piece and crown of ice, then exited her room and walked into the throne room, where the rest of her nobles were standing.

She shouted out, "my fateful lords and ladies, within the next few days we will have a visitor from Equestria."

Many of the nobles began to protest and get mad, a visitor from the country that nearly destroyed them, and somehow their queen seemed eager to meet this unknown pony!

How aggravating!

Two Windigos watched from the shadows, one of which was Frost Soul.

He cursed in his mind and seethed with hate, ponies should not have been victorious on that Hearth's Warming Eve, his race should have smothered them!

"So a pony from Equestria is coming to talk with my Queen, he must have a death wish... but I will not allow my queen to humiliate herself trying to be civilized with this pony... I'll take care of this myself."

With that, Frost Soul quietly turned into an icy mist and flew out the open window.

One of the nobles, Lord Crystal Tail, spoke out in protest, "My Queen, have you gone mad? We do not know who this pony is and yet you seem completely ok with this?!"

Queen Dimanda glanced at Crystal Tail with her stone cold eyes, saying
"I have my personal reasons for welcoming him, and I do not need the approval of somepony like you..."

Crystal Tail felt his neck being crushed as Dimanda used her Ice Magic to crush him in a arm made of ice. Many of the lords stepped back, knowing what will come next.

She said to the Windigo Nobles, "Besides, you all have no chance of stopping me from meeting with him, goodbye Crystal Tail."

The nobles heard a sickening crunch as the Windigo was squeezed and shattered, sending pieces of his icy body all over the floor.

The Queen turned to her nobles and said, "Anypony else wish to question me on my motivations? No? Good."

With that, the rest of the nobility walked out of the palace, leaving Queen Dimanda alone.

Or so she thought, when she heard a gusty voice from behind a pillar.

"You know that keeping everypony terrified of you is not going to win you this pony's heart, right?"

Dimanda watched as a steel blue windigo emerged from the darkness.

It was Dimanda's top assassin, Icicle Storm.

Icicle Storm was about as large as Big Macintosh, in his pony form his body was steel blue and had ghost white stripes which ran parallel to the sides of his body. His mane and tail was made up of light blue icicles. His eyes were bright sea green, rather rare amongst Windigos, and under them were two large white scars.

Queen Dimanda stood back in shock, "Icicle Storm, didn't I tell you to not eavesdrop on my meetings with the nobility."

The dark blue windigo walked forwards and said, "Sorry, my queen. I didn't hear anything I didn't know already. I came here to tell you some information concerning my brother, Frost Soul."

The Queen sat on her throne and responded, "Yes go on, what rash action has your brother taken this time?"

The assassin said in a worried tone, "It appears as if he overheard your conversation with the nobility over this mystery pony that is coming here, should I go drag him back myself, my queen." Icicle Storm generated a hook made of ice and a rope was attached to it.

Queen Dimanda shook her head and shrugged, "Don't bother, our visitor can defend himself rather well... it is Frost Soul you should worry for."

Icicle Storm raised an eyebrow, "Why would you say that, my queen? Frost Soul is a master of magical and non magical combat, he is also a windigo."

Queen Dimanda simply smirked, "That won't matter once this pony starts heating up... then Frost Soul is doomed..."

Icicle Storm rolled his eyes, "Are you telling me that this pony can use fire based magic? Even if that is the case, Frost Soul has faced far greater threats than a little fire, my queen."

Dimanda chuckled, "I'm not talking about any normal fire here, I'm talking about a raging ball of flames that could incinerate anypony."

Icicle Storm smiled, "Hah! With all due respect, my queen, nopony has ever achieved that level of heat. You would need to channel the heat of a star in order to beat Frost Soul."

Dimanda smiled and thought to herself,

"Well this is going to be fun to watch... one of my champions against Burning Star. The Fires of Friendship and Ice of Hatred colliding. How cliched, but still fun to see..."

Chapter 3: Fire vs Ice, Round 1!

(Twilight's Castle, Twilight's Room)

Queen Twilight and King Dawn "Burning" Star slept together in their bed, they were exhausted from heading to the Crystal Empire and picking up their kids, Ash Mane and Star Tail.

Star Tail had become just like her mother, a bookworm with an obsession with gaining knowledge. But she wasn't afraid to get her hooves dirty in a fight, usually with her brother.

Ash Mane took after his father, being smug, powerful, charismatic, and proud of it. His most interesting development was his ability to harness Dark Magic, which had turned his mane and tail gray, which didn't match his navy blue fur.

Both were equally mischievous, such as turning a 10 pound weight into a 1000 pound weight, which ended up smashing through the floor of the crystal palace. Flurry Heart dared them to flex their powers, and they did.

She didn't know how much power the twins had!

But now, Burning Star was laying in the bed beside Twilight, having a very odd dream.

(Burning Star's Dream)

The Fire Alicorn woke up in the middle of a forest clearing. It was very peaceful, he heard birds chirping and saw squirrels running around a Odd looking tree nearby.

The tree was colored White, and had yellow and red leaves, some sort of golden sap was oozing out of a crack in the wood.

Burning Star approached the tree and looked closer, the branches resembled antlers of some kind. The roots had a vague resemblance to legs.

Burning Star knew exactly who this was, and he sighed.

He said in a tired voice, "I know you are there, come on out."

Suddenly, the tree began glowing a bright white, the black Alicorn had to shield his eyes from it.

When the light died down, a ghost white elk stood in front of him. It was much, much taller than Burning Star.

He said to it, "Well this is an unexpected visit."

The white elk bowed its head and said in an echoing voice, "Greetings Alicorn of Fire, it has been a long time."

Burning Star rolled his eyes, "For you, Spirit, Not really. It's been twenty years. That's a blink of an eye for you."

The white elk smiled, "I see your wit has not left you, old friend." I am The Spirit of the White Tail Woods, I am White Tail. And I have been watching Equestria for tens of thousands of years."

Burning Star cleared his throat, "Yeah, Yeah, you've told me this before White Tail. So what do I hold the privilege of seeing you again?"

White Tail was not amused, and said "I am here on a serious issue, Alicorn of Fire. An ancient evil has resurfaced in Equestria, it threatens life itself."

Burning Star shrugged and said, "So there is a problem how? I've dealt with foes like that before, White Tail. besides, who could it be anyways that has spooked you?"

White Tail answered, and Burning Star went pale. "The Windigos."

Burning Star backed up, before saying "T-T-the Windigos? As in, the Icy Demons that nearly destroyed Equestria with an endless winter? Those Windigos?"

The spirit nodded, saying "Yes, they threaten the balance of life and death as we know it, their queen is ambitious and is willing to invade Equestria, once winter arrives. The one time of year when my powers are useless."

Burning Star sighed, knowing what could happen if he did not handle this situation with extreme care he could start something he wanted to avoid.

A World War.

Not like the war against Daybreaker and King Sombra, that was minuscule compared to what a war with a race which was pretty much indestructible thanks to being created from ice and snow.

Hundreds of thousands of lives would be lost. And millions would be homeless, both from his army and theirs...

White Tail sensed the pressure Burning Star was under, and it felt sorry that somepony so powerful had so little immediate options. It wanted to calm him somehow,

But how?

The White Tail Spirit put one of its ghostly hooves on Burning Star's horn, and the black Alicorn saw a vision of his him and his family during his childhood.

He watched from an outsider perspective him being reformed by Twilight Sparkle.

He saw how he had the strength to stare down the Shadow King Sombra, and not falter at all...

White Tail asked him, "Such wonderful friends and family, Alicorn of Fire. Why do you suppress these feelings and hide behind your facade of charisma and intellect?"

Burning Star was in tears, he had meant to hide these memories away. He turned towards White Tail, now in tears of frustration.

"Because I don't want to lose them... I can't get attached to anypony, not even my own family."

White Tail shed a single tear, "Do not push them away, they love you. And you hate yourself for loving them back because your so afraid to lose them... you are strong, Alicorn of Fire. But, now you must have faith in the ponies around you. For they will be the ones who will grant you powers to surpass the gods..."

Burning Star nodded, wiping away his tears and saying, "Thank you for showing me this, old friend. I know what I've got to do now..."

White Tail disappeared with a gust of a warm breeze, "Goodbye, Burning Star."

Burning Star woke up with a start, it was still dark out.

He looked over to Twilight Sparkle and thought to himself, "Have faith in the ponies around you...

With that, he quietly got out of bed, wrote a note, and attached it to the desk.

Then opened the window and flew out towards the north.

(The Ponyville Express Destination: Frostveil the northernmost settlement in the Frozen North)

Frostveil, a small village on the edge of the deep tundras and ice floes near the North Pole of Equestria, buildings creaked and cracked as a harsh cold wind whipped the sides of the houses.

An everyday pony would freeze to death in the subzero temperatures, usually an average of almost -10 to -30 degrees Fahrenheit.

Good thing for Burning Star he wasn't an everyday pony.

He was the Alicorn of Fire, and the cold never bothered him. He simply raised the temperature of the air around him and walked through the snowy streets with ease.

He opened the door to the local tavern and stepped in, he lit the fireplace with blue fire and sat down at a barstool.

Burning Star looked around, seeing a large group of blue and white ponies were gathered around the largest table, eyeing him as he walked to the bar.

Something was wrong...

He needed to know if his suspicions about the Windigos were right...

So, He asked the bartender, a grayish-brown earth pony with a black mane "Hey, Barkeep. Can you make a Crimson Firestorm Tequila?"

The barkeep bent over the bar and began to pour the ingredients for his drink, he had a way to tell if those ponies were who he thought they were.

As soon as the bartender finished mixing and pouring his drink, Burning Star tossed about 150 bits on the table, knowing full well what was going to happen next.

Burning Star approached the table where the group of blue and white ponies sat and asked, "Is this seat taken?"

One of them grumbled out, "No."

So, Burning Star sat down and began to talk with them, "I'm guessing your thinking I'm not from around here and I don't know anything about your culture, huh?"

One of the ponies, a Pegasus, growled out, "Why are you drinking that drink? Don't you know that drink is incredibly hot?"

Burning Star nodded, "Yeah. I'm heading out into the deep tundras for research on a ancient species of monsters called Windigos. Since you live up near their old territory, I was hoping you could fill me in on them? Some ponies have reported sightings of them, but they went extinct thousands of years ago, so I'm not so sure these sightings were true. What do you all think?"

An ice blue earth pony responded, "If the Windigos are back, then they will reclaim Equestria, no pony can defeat them for good, as they can regenerate their icy bodies. They only had one weakness... Intense Heat."

Burning Star smirked, "I'm surprised that you know so much about them, it's almost as if you have met with them personally, or the other possibly... You are one."

Burning Star lifted his drink, "There is only one way to find out."

With blinding speed, Burning Star tossed the contents of his glass at the Earth Pony, causing him to rear back in pain as his Windigo form was revealed.

The Alicorn of Fire slammed on his side of the table, sending the other six ponies, who revealed themselves as Windigos as well, flying towards the wall. The bartender ducked, knowing that this won't end well.

The Windigo Burning Star tossed his drink on lunged at him, and was immediately shot with a blast of fire, melting and evaporating him into nothingness.

The other six proceded to fire beams of icy energy at Burning Star, which were immediately blocked by an advancing wave of fire that destroyed the other six ice monsters.

Burning Star took a breath and ran outside and watched the bar burn down, but the barkeep followed him out.

The barkeep transformed into his Windigo form, it was Frost Soul!

He said in his snake-like voice, "Impressive, Alicorn. It's not every day that you can kill a Windigo, let alone 7 of them."

Burning Star turned around and narrowed his eyes, "So I'm guessing your the big boss, huh?"

Frost Soul smiled evilly, "Yes I am. I am Frost Soul, Champion of the Windigos, and your killer... Alicorn of Fire!"

Burning Star had no time to react as Frost Soul shot a sharp Icicle through his front right leg, causing Burning Star to scream in pain.

Frost Soul blasted a bright white freezing laser at the Alicorn, hoping to freeze him solid and shatter him to bits.

Burning Star saw the beam charging and began to charge his own beam of fire.

Both combatants fired their attacks and the two engaged in a Beam clash.

It was the classic showdown

Fire vs Ice...

Good vs Evil....

Burning Star vs Frost Soul!

Burning Star flung a ball of electricity through his beam, breaking the clash and letting him rush Frost Soul and tackle him to the ground.

Frost Soul escaped the pin by Turing into Icy mist, barely avoiding Burning Star igniting his mane and tail.

Frost Soul Attacked from the air with a blast of blue lightning, his opponent countered with a blast of red lightning, the two bolts clashed and fizzled out.

Burning Star pried the icicle out of his leg and cauterized his own wound, then said to Frost Soul "Sorry Snowflake, but I'm in a rush here. I've got to go see your queen, and I won't let somepony like you stall me any longer."

Frost Soul spat back, venom in his voice. "I will not let my queen embarrass herself just to humor you, Alicorn of Fire!"

Burning Star smirked and caused a column of fire to engulf him, when the fire disappeared, he was gone!

Frost Soul looked around, using his natural night vision to scan the area, he couldn't see anything.

Suddenly, Burning Star roared down from above him and slammed into him covered in fire, engulfing the Windigo in his red hot flames.

Frost Soul screeched as he felt the flames begin to melt his body, he was forced to turn into mist and fly away.

"This is not over, Alicorn of Fire!" He said, flying away with smoke trailing him, a result of his burned and charred skin.

Burning Star looked up and saw the smoke trail Frost Soul left, he purposely let him go to follow the smoke right to this Windigo Queen's home.

He said to himself, "That's right, take me to your leader, pal."

Chapter 4: Star at Critical Mass!

(The Palace of the Windigo Queen, Front Courtyard)

Queen Diamanda stood at the front entrance of her courtyard, she had made sure to look as beautiful as she could, as she hoped to win him over with "love at first sight."

She thought to herself, "Why do ponies believe in the silly concept of love at first sight? It sounds ridiculous, two ponies, hell... any member of any race need to get to know their partner before it could be called love..."

A Windigo soldier shouted down to the Queen, "My Queen! I have spotted Frost Soul, he appears wounded."

The Queen signaled to the guardsmen to open the gates. She mumbled under her breath, "You idiot. You shouldn't have done that, you have potentially damaged my position with him."

The iron doors were opened and Frost Soul staggered in, parts of his ice mane and tail were melted partially and his skin was charred gray.

Frost Soul collapsed, breathing heavily. Diamanda could hold her temper for now, she needed at least one competent soldier to fight for her.

A pair of guards helped the Windigo Champion to his feet and dragged him towards their queen.

He lifted his head slowly and said, "I'm sorry, my queen. I could not stop him from reaching here, I deserve any punishment you have to distribute..."

Diamanda slapped the soldier and said in a harsh tone, "Are you mad?! I WANTED him to come here so that I could talk with him, why in the name of Faust, did you go try to kill him?!"

Icicle Storm put one of his wispy hooves on his Queen's back, saying to her. "Easy, it will do you no good to argue with him while he is in this state. Let him heal... it may be best to then go speak with my brother."

The assassin waved the guards off, "Take him to the ice pools, he will heal there."

Upon seeing the damage that this Burning Star, did to her most powerful warrior, Queen Diamanda suddenly had a spike of self doubt.

Did she make a mistake in inviting this pony?

Diamanda shook her head to clear her mind, saying to herself, "I can't doubt myself, I am completely sure he will not act the same way around me."

About 30 minutes later, Queen Diamanda stood in the courtyard alone. She had ordered all of the slave laborers and machines of war to be hidden while her guest was here.

A few guards exited into the courtyard from the palace and said, "My Queen, come inside. This is a situation best left to us, we will take care of him."

Diamanda smacked one of the guards with a slab of ice, "No! I am not going to let you all kill my, I mean, our hope of establishing trust with the ponies of Equestria."

Suddenly, the howling northern winds stopped, the snow ceased, and everything grew quiet.

The iron doors that protected the entrance slowly started to glow bright orange and melt. The windigo guards lowered their halberds and Diamanda took a battle stance, her eyes glowing bright blue as sharp shards of ice began to form around her, taking the shape of a giant clawed paw.

The doors finally melted away and a black Alicorn stepped through the doorway, his mane and tail were blazing bright red with fire.

Diamanda immediately drew the conclusion that this was Burning Star, the Alicorn of Fire.

With every step Burning Star took towards the trio of Windigos, the ice on the ground melted and steam began to evaporate from the now boiling puddles of water left behind by the melting ice.

Diamanda was the first to speak, "Greetings traveler. You must be Burning Star, yes?"

Burning Star narrowed his eyes, "Yeah, I am. My question is who are you and why I shouldn't incinerate your entire tribe?"

Queen Diamanda approached the Alicorn of Fire and said, "I am Queen Diamanda, ruler of the Windigos, master of the Frozen North, and the strongest monster in Equestria."

Burning Star smirked, "Strongest Monster? Hah! I've seen better, Queen Diamanda."

The two guards rushed up to Burning Star and drew their swords, saying "You will not insult our ruler, Alicorn of Fire! You are very lucky we didn't kill you as soon as you arrived, you gravely wounded Frost Soul, our strongest warrior! Have you no mercy?"

Burning Star snorted and pushed the two windigos off balance. He then said, "You shouldn't talk about mercy, windigo. You nearly froze Equestria solid on the first Hearth's Warming Eve, so shut your icy mouths."

Diamanda growled out, "This is supposed to be a peaceful meeting, not a brawl! I suggest you all stop before I shatter you all into Icy pieces!"

Burning Star sighed, relaxing his body. "Your queen is right, I came here to talk, not fight. If I wanted to fight, you would be dead already."

The two guards laughed, "I highly doubt that, Burning Star. Nopony can defeat a windigo completely! Not even your beloved Princesses!"

Burning Star used a telepathic link spell and targeted the queen, he said "I'm sorry about this, lady."

Burning Star ignited his mane and tail and swung his fire-covered tail at the pair of guards, who screamed in pain as a flaming whip lacerated their frozen skin, and sent them flying back.

The Queen immediately prepared an ice blast, but Burning Star glared at her, saying via telepathy. "Relax, they will live. I simply gave them a reason to not screw around with me, so... can we talk like adults now?"

Diamanda snorted in frustration, but nodded.

"Fine. Come inside."

(The Palace of the Windigo Queen, Grand Hall)

The Grand Hall was the largest room in the palace, it was large enough to fit an Ursa Major barely. At the center of the room was a large circular table made of ice, which Burning Star and Queen Diamanda sat talking about politics.

Something Burning Star loathed

"Now, I understand your distrust of me, since I am a windigo. But I am not as power crazy as my predecessor, Queen Cryonis. She was the one who facilitated the invasion of Equestria on that day. Besides, I know that you were once the student of King Sombra, one of our oldest allies. I expected you to be more like him."

Burning Star grunted, "Well I'm not like Sombra, despite being his student, You think you are any different than your predecessors? May I remind you that I have Fire powers at my beck and call, Queen Diamanda... you have ice powers, not the best idea to piss me off."

Diamanda tugged at the collar of her chest plate, Trying to let off some steam, literally and figuratively.

despite having a body temperature of nearly -50 degrees Fahrenheit, she felt uncomfortably warm.

Burning Star wasn't doing any better, as his skin was starting to glow a dull red. He began to sweat, with was unusual for him. Since he was Fireproof and Heatproof, he never needed to sweat and for the longest time thought he couldn't sweat.

Well, guess he was wrong.

Diamanda ordered a servant to come over and pass her guest some ice cubes, which he gobbled down and he cooled off instantly.

Queen Diamanda sighed a breath of relief, if experience has taught her anything, it's that FIRE HURTS.

Especially if it has the temperature of the surface of the sun... that would be bad.

Diamanda changed the subject to something different, "Instead of talking about politics, cause it's clearly annoying you, why not talk about something personal?"

Burning Star raised an eyebrow, "Like what? I'm sure somepony like you would not like to hear some random Alicorn ramble on about old stories I've heard. Trust me, I once bored Discord to sleep with my story about Sombra's Dragon Land Campaign of Conquest. The only interesting thing I found during that campaign was an Ice Dragon very far from the Frozen North."

He got up and said in a voice of suspicion, "That dragon had strange markings on it, the same ones I see on your banners outside."

He slowly approached the Windigo Queen, "Something tells me you were sending me a message, or at least trying to get my attention. I don't know why though, you could have just asked to meet me when I was freed from King Sombra's serveritude and began my work with Twilight Sparkle..."

Queen Diamanda got up and began to walk towards her room, saying to the fire alicorn, "Well, follow me and find out." A hint of lust in her voice.

Burning Star's better instincts were on overdrive to GTFO of this Palace and burn it to the ground, but he could not resist his curiosity.

He had the opportunity to learn more about Windigo culture, and assumed that this would be some sort of showcase of artifacts or something similar.

The Queen had a showcase planned, but it wasn't the type of showcase Burning Star assumed it was.

It was much, MUCH more than ancient history or texts.

it was her chance to woo the Fire Alicorn! But, Burning Star didn't notice this until it was too late.

(Palace of the Windigo Queen, Queen's Private Chambers)

Diamanda pushed the heavy ice door open and signaled for Burning Star to come in.

He said as he stepped through the door, "So what were you trying to show me? Is it some sort of Weapon an ancient ice statue?"

Diamanda said in a dreamy voice, "Well you won't believe what it is until you see it, Burning Star..."

Diamanda walked over to a blue curtain and pulled it back, revealing a statue that left Burning Star wide-eyed.

Behind the curtain stood the frozen body of a unicorn, its eyes wide with horror.

Burning Star was in shock at the sight of this display, and it only got worse from there. behind the statue stood dozens of rows of frozen ponies from all species, they lined the hallway walls, all of which had terrified expressions on their faces.

Diamanda smirked and closed the door with a slam, saying. "Behold my passion, ice sculptures. Yes, I know it's a little cliché that an Ice Queen have Ice statues, but these are different."

Diamanda pointed towards one of the statues, Burning Star immediately recognized it as the Pegasus Warrior, the legendary Eagle Eye!

Another statue stood out to him, a unicorn with fiery red hair, and the revaluations hit him HARD.

This was Sunset Shimmer!

Burning Star looked at the Windigo Queen in terror, a feeling he never thought he feel again. He said to her, "Wh-what are you doing to these ponies? They are frozen solid!"

Queen Diamanda let out an eerie laugh, "You see, I consider myself the most beautiful creature in the world, and these ponies didn't think so. Now they are unable to look away from my beautiful face..."

Burning Star sank to his knees in front of Sunset, she may have been nasty, but she didn't deserve... this.

Burning Star glared at Diamanda, saying in his infamous speech voice. "Ok that's enough! I understand some villains motives and their ability to exercise them. Few of them are pretty nasty, but there are some who cross the line between nasty to psychotic, you have crossed that line, Queen Diamanda!"

Diamanda chuckled, "Me? A villain? Oh that's completely false, Burning Star. I'm simply doing what I love, preserving the best of your species in my palace. Is that really that bad?"

Burning Star had enough of her games, he ignited his mane and tail, before picking up the statue of Sunset Shimmer and unfreezing it. He said to himself, "I gotta get out of here! This mare is crazy!"

Diamanda froze Burning Star's hooves to the ground, saying to him. "Oh no, you aren't leaving my grasp. I will have your handsome face in my collection!"

Burning Star used his magic to teleport Sunset into a nearby closet, he glared at the Windigo Queen with eyes ablaze with fire. He roared in anger, breaking the icy shackles on his hooves.

"Fine! You want me! Come get me!"

Diamanda wasted no time as she Charged down Burning Star, an icy spear in her magical grasp.

Burning Star went wide eyed with fear, he was overloading his body!

He screamed before saying, "Oh Sh-"

With a massive explosion, Burning Star detonated his Fire Nova spell, which was much larger than he was supposed to make it. Within seconds all the statues were melted and the ponies inprisoned in ice ran towards the door.

One of the ponies was a mare with long green hair...

Sunset Shimmer awoke to Burning Star glowing bright red, she immediately knew what was happening.

So she used her magic to teleport the two of them outside, and then collapsed from exhaustion.

Diamanda was blinded by the bright light, when it died down her prize was gone!

She screamed in anger, sending icy winds in all directions.

"NOOOOO!

(The Frozen North, The Last Stop on the Train)

Sunset was weakened magically, so she had to drag Burning Star's massive body to the train, it was just pulling in and Twilight Sparkle, Her brother and his copy, and the rest of the Main Six saw her dragging Burning Star's body towards them.

Twilight Sparkle looked down at Burning Star's body, ignoring any hostility towards Sunset, "C'mon everypony! Let's get out of here!"

With that, Twilight and her friends dragged their friends unconscious body into the train car and the train sped off down the tracks, heading south to Ponyville.

What they didn't know was that somepony very familiar was stowed away in the caboose...

The pony cackled, "Oh its so good to be back! Hahahaha!"

Chapter 5: The Other Main Six

(The Ponyville Express)

The train rumbled down the tracks at breakneck speeds, passing all the stops it was supposed to stop at.

Meanwhile, Twilight and her friends was busy trying to figure out what was wrong with Burning Star.

They had the windows open to cool the room, but it still was hot and uncomfortable in the car.

Applejack poked him with her hoof, before immediately recoiling back in pain, her hoof was burned badly.

Applejack said to the rest of her friends, "Ah' don't know what's wrong with him exactly, but he's hotter than the hottest heat wave I've ever been in personally. Ah know he is called Burning Star, but I'd think he'd turn off his fire powers."

Sunset looked on with unnerving curiosity, she said "Incredible. I've never gotten a closer look at Burning Star, but this is truly amazing. His fur is coated in oil or something similar, and its surprisingly hot to the touch even when he isn't ignited into a walking fireball."

Fluttershy put on a pair of heatproof gloves and felt near Burning Star's heart, she then said "Get me some Ice! He's overheating!"

Rarity grabbed an icicle from the open window and gave it to Fluttershy, she stuck it in Burning Star's mouth and tilted his head back to make him swallow it. Within seconds, his body stopped emitting the burning heat and cooled down to a dull red.

Rarity asked the obvious question, "Fluttershy, how did you know that would work?"

Fluttershy reached under her seat and pulled out a large book, which Twilight instantly recognized.

it was King Sombra's Bestiary!

Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow, "Flutters? Why do you still have that thing?"

Fluttershy responded, "This has helped me figure out finally what was wrong with the Everfree Forest and why it kept on growing. Apparently, some giant carnivorous plant was holding the roots of all the trees in a sort of parasitic relationship. But, I think that I know what is wrong with Burning Star, because he shares similar abilities and properties to a monster known as an Ifrit."

Shining Armor and Shadow Armor both shuddered, they both knew what an Ifrit was... so Shadow Armor said, "An Ifrit? You must be kidding, those things went extinct thousands of years ago."

Twilight Sparkle looked at him with disbelief, "We thought the Windigos went extinct, yet here they are, alive and well."

Fluttershy opened it up and read the text

"Ifrits"

"Of all the elemental creatures, the Ifrit is probably the most dangerous. Golems could be killed by removing their seal and Tempests and Cyclonuses could be destroyed by taking them out of their natural environment, but Ifrits could roam around freely as long as they had enough oxygen to keep their fires burning."

She kept reading,

"Powers"

"Ifrits are fire elementals that are composed almost completely of flame. The only solid part of an Ifrit is its core, which is protected by the fires that make up its body. They have complete control over fire and magma, and They often take the appearance of a giant fiery pony of any species. They are known for causing forest fires and other natural disasters involving burning."

Shining Armor added to the statement, "They also are very short-tempered, and I mean REALLY short-tempered."

Fluttershy continued to read,

"Weaknesses"

"An Ifrit has very few weaknesses, but it is vulnerable to tremendous amounts of water, a lack of oxygen, and massive electrical discharges. They are often prone to overloading their powers to the extreme. Sometimes even blowing themselves up on accident. A common indicator of that phenomenon is a dull red glow followed by intense heat. If you are near an Ifrit, cool it fast to prevent the explosion."

Fluttershy closed the book and said, "Cool it fast means making it drink Ice Water, and if Burning Star's powers are that strong, then we need to find a way to let off some of the excess heat he has stored up in his body."

Rainbow Dash asked the cream colored Pegasus, "So can I make it snow and it will cool him off? Crisis averted?"

Sunset shook her head, "Not even a full-on blizzard can cool him off... he is literally changing the weather around us. Look!"

The ponies looked outside at what they assumed was a snowy tundra...

Instead they saw a dull gray field of grass, and the heat was intense.

(Ponyville Hospital, ER)

Twilight Sparkle paced back and forth in front of the emergency room. She was understandably worried for Burning Star, if what Sunset said was true, than her vision from so long ago was coming true.

Equestria being scorched dry by a being of fire...

At first she believed it was Daybreaker when the "Daybreaker Incident" rolled around, but she wasn't so sure anymore.

Rainbow Dash sat on the couch outside, tapping her hoof on the hard tile floor, making a very annoying tapping sound.

Twilight cocked her head around and said, "Dash, cut it out. I need to focus here."

Twilight Sparkle groaned, she was stumped about this issue.

Maybe Burning Star's brother could help? After all, he has been around him longer than she has.

Twilight Sparkle walked over to Thunder Fury, who was busy arguing with one of the nurses who said he couldn't see his brother.

Twilight Sparkle heard some real colorful language from him as well...

"What do you mean I can't go in to see my own brother?! Are you f--king nuts?!"

The nurse's response only made the lightning Pegasus more angry, "I'm sorry, sir. But currently the situation is too dangerous for civilians to interfere in."

Twilight Sparkle grabbed Thunder Fury's shoulder and asked him, "Hey, Thunder? Considering you are Burning Star's brother, do you know if this has happened before and how you dealt with it?"

Thunder Fury nodded, "Yeah. Right when Burning Star was exiting puberty, he began to overheat himself when he practiced his fire powers. His friends and I helped him control his powers so that he didn't do... what's happening now."

Rainbow Dash flew over to him and asked, "So, where are his friends now?"

Thunder Fury sighed, "They all left off to do their own things, but they all had similar powers to Burning Star, Powers over the Elements of Nature."

Rarity raised an eyebrow, "Elements of Nature? What are you saying?"

Thunder Fury stood tall and clarified, "I'm saying that like you six possess the elements of harmony, Burning Star had six friends who possessed the power to control the Elements of Nature. Together, we defended our little section of this world for a long time."

Applejack asked the obvious question, "So, where would these ponies be located and what are there names?"

Thunder Fury was about to respond when suddenly, Prince Eclipsio, Princess Celestia, Princess Cadence, and Princess Luna stepped through the doors of the hospital, eyes full of worry.

Celestia spoke first, "Twilight! We are here, what's wrong?!"

Twilight Sparkle said to her former teacher, "Burning Star's powers are overloading. His brother says that his friends have a chance of solving this issue, but we have no clue where in Equestria they are..."

Thunder Fury shouted at the three royals, "HEY! I'm not done with my explanation here!"

Celestia went silent, then asked, "Sorry, please continue."

Thunder Fury asked the three royals, "Get me a map of Equestria, some push pins, and my brother's Raven Feather pen. Do not give me the friendship map, I need a paper map, specifically from a decade ago..."

Twilight Sparkle used her magic to create a map from that decade, as well as some push pins and Burning Star's Ravens Feather Pen. Thunder Fury opened it up, grabbing some paper and began to scribble down some names and coordinates.

Pinkie Pie hopped over to the Lightning Pegasus and asked, "What'cha writing?"

He finished scribbling and turned to the rest of the group, "These are the names of Burning Star's old friends, we will have to seek them out, because when I said they split, they really went far."

He grabbed the first push pin and stuck it in the map, it was right in the middle of the Saddle Arabian Desert.

The next push pin was placed near the dangerous Trotland coast, it was atop a cliff called, "The Great Drop

The third push pin was pressed down in the middle of the White Tail Woods, in a location known as "The Ghost's Den."

The forth push pin was placed on the Neighponise islands, it was atop the dormant volcano known as Mt. Gallop.

The final push pin was placed in the Badlands, the only problem was that was where Queen Chrysalis's hive was.

He said to the rest of the group, "These are some of the supposed locations of the Elements of Nature, I am the Element of Lightning, so you don't have to search for me."

He pointed to the first pin, "First pony you want is Iron Steed, an Earth Pony that is supposedly the physically strongest pony alive. Able to demolish buildings with just a kick."

Prince Eclipsio, Sunset Shimmer, and Applejack stepped forward. Sunset said to the group, "We will search for that stallion. I'm sure he is reasonable."

Thunder Fury pointed to the second push pin, "This is the domain of Sea Breeze, a Pegasus with the power over the ocean itself."

Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and Luna stepped Forwards. Luna saying in her commanding voice, "The moon controls the tides, we will call him to aid."

Thunder Fury pointed to the third pin, "Thorn Horn should be here, be careful, he is a unicorn with the power to control nature. He can supposedly rip a redwood tree out if the ground and swing it with ease."

Celestia and Fluttershy stepped forwards, with Fluttershy saying, "I-I know those woods like the back of my hoof, I should lead."

Thunder Fury nodded, "Ok great, This one is Quick Fire, a expert marksman Earth Pony, he never misses his shots."

Shining Armor and his copy stepped forwards, with Shadow Armor saying, "Shining and I will recruit him, he seems like he will put up a fight."

He finally pointed to the pin in the badlands, "Twilight, Rarity, and Cadence, you should probably head to the Changeling Hive."

Cadence swallowed hard, knowing that this won't end without a fight, she sighed slowly, "Ok fine, don't blame me if this goes awry."

Twilight Sparkle realized something, "Wait a sec, who is going to look after Burning Star?"

Almost as if on cue, a large black unicorn entered the room, a sharp-toothed grin on his face.

Thunder Fury motioned everypony to look behind them, and they all stared slack jawed at the pony. They couldn't believe who it was, but Twilight knew... and she hardened her stare.

The stallion smirked and said in his baritone voice.

"Did you Miss me?"

To which Twilight responded, in a annoyed tone.

"Oh for f--ks sake, it's you again."

The mysterious pony let out a laugh,

"Did you really think I was gone?"

Chapter 6: Shadowy Revelations

(Ponyville Hospital, ER)

Twilight Sparkle had seen many things that were amazing.

The elements of harmony beating down evildoers, check.

The Defeat of Tirek by her and her friends hooves, check.

The defeat of Daybreaker and the Nightmare tribe, check.

But she hasn't seen somepony come back from the dead before!

At the end of the hall stood a stallion who was oh so familiar to everypony. But they were staring in disbelief, not out of shock.

It was King Sombra! He was back... again!

Rainbow Dash shouted at the dark stallion, "HOW MANY TIMES CAN ONE PONY COME BACK FROM THE DEAD!"

King Sombra answered that question, "Well if we count this one, three. But I doubt your good at counting Dash, maybe your head is in the clouds you fly around."

Without warning, Rainbow Dash charged at King Sombra, sending him flying out of the doors to the hospital. She then grabbed him and flew high in the air, until she was above the clouds.

King Sombra struggled, but he knew what was coming, and he hoped that he was ready to shield himself from the impact.

Rainbow Dash smirked and said, "Survive this you monster!"

Rainbow Dash let go of Sombra and let him fall towards the ground, she then tackled him midair and pushed him along with her, with the pair landing with a loud bang as they crashed through the roof of the hospital.

King Sombra glared at the multicolored maned Pegasus, then shot a Beam of Dark Magic that flung her outside, he stepped forwards, eyes full of hate for the Pegasus.

He growled in anger, "Typical. Always jumping to conclusions, Rainbow Dash. I'm surprised you have not gotten yourself killed on one of your stunts..."

Twilight Sparkle ran outside and push the two apart, shouting as loud as she could "Ok THATS ENOUGH!"

King Sombra stepped back and closed his eyes, he could feel the immense magical power Twilight had at her disposal, and he didn't wish to cause any more distress for her, she was already worried about Burning Star.

In fact, so was King Sombra... kinda.

The Shadow King smirked and said,"Well, Well... seems you have grown since our last encounter, Twilight Sparkle. I'm surprised that you still are among the living after all the disasters you have been in, how..."

Sombra paused for a moment, then ignited his horn, "Interesting."

Celestia wanted to step in, but Twilight needed to do this alone.

King Sombra stared down the purple Alicorn, saying "You actually thought I was dead? How naive are you ponies? If I could survive being imprisoned in ice for 1,000 years, then a laser through the heart wasn't going to kill me. Sure, it destroyed my body, but my soul remained intact."

Twilight Sparkle asked the Shadow King, "How did you come back? Answer me, now!"

King Sombra simply chuckled and said, "Your battle with the Nightmare Tribe and the return of the Windigos gave my soul enough negative energy to restore my body to its living form."

King Sombra melted into the shadows, then reappeared behind Twilight and whispered into her ear, "Resurrection Magic, Twilight. Perhaps I could teach it to you one day..."

Twilight Sparkle spun around to fire at Sombra, but he melted into the shadows again and reappeared in front of the hospital door.

The four Royals tried to bar Sombra from entering the hospital, but he effortlessly flung them back. He spoke to them in his deep voice, "I have knowledge that can save Burning Star's life, and yet you still continue to block me? It seems idiocy is contagious nowadays."

Fluttershy stepped forward and stared Sombra down, saying "If you have knowledge to save him, say it. I believe we all are getting real tired of your presence here, Sombra."

King Sombra looked around at the group of ponies, each having a death glare on their face, he shrugged and said, "Well, why not? Let's TALK."

King Sombra pulled up an armchair and sat down, saying to everypony, "I knew that Burning Star had the immense fire powers of an Ifrit for a long time, before he learned to control his powers, I encountered him for the first time. He had enough power to pulverize a mountain in one blast"

Twilight Sparkle's eyes shrank to pinpricks, "So you are saying that he can blow apart mountains? Like, entire mountains like they are nothing?"

Sombra nodded, "Yes, he could. But I established magical barriers in order to stabilize his growing fire powers, when my body was killed, those barriers started to weaken, until they broke finally. With his fire powers unrestrained, Burning Star will eventually become so powerful that his body will fail to contain it, and he will detonate in a massive explosion of fire and plasma."

Applejack asked the Shadow King, "How big are we talkin' here?"

King Sombra shrugged, "It will be akin to a Star going supernova, destroying the planet and possibly every planet in your solar system, but there is a way to stop this before it is too late... we have to find a way to establish those magic barriers again, or find a way to stabilize his powers quickly, if my predictions are correct, which they usually are, We all have maybe a week to stabilize his powers before he goes into a meltdown."

Everypony gasped at once, "MELTDOWN?!"

King Sombra snorted, "For the love of Faust in heaven, can you be any more melodramatic? I have an ability to teleport you all to the locations of the Elements of Nature, so calm yourselves! I swear you all would fit in perfectly in a drama play, I am in just as much danger as you and you don't see me overreacting. I can't any of you seriously when you are all acting like that!

Twilight Sparkle took a deep breath, before saying, "Why should we trust you? You are King Sombra, you turned the Crystal Empire against Equestria, you're a master of deception, and most importantly, you have tried to kill us. Twice!"

Shining Armor stepped forward and stared Sombra directly into his eyes, snarling out. "You better not betray us, Sombra. I assure you, I will personally kill you in the most brutal way possible..."

Sombra headbutted Shining Armor to the ground, saying "You can certainly TRY, Shining Armor!"

(Twilight's Castle, Balcony)

After that eventful and stressful day, Twilight was trying to relax with a cup of hard cider, her world was in danger again, and she had no clue what to do.

Not only is her partner and friend a ticking time bomb that could possibly wipe out the entire planet.

But King Sombra was back, for the third time! Granted his motives were somewhat nice, an offer of knowledge to help Burning Star, But Sombra was not a pony to be trusted.

On one hoof, The knowledge that King Sombra possessed was valuable.

On the other hoof, It wasn't the wisest idea to trust a pony who has tried to kill them numerous times.

Twilight said to herself, "I know Burning Star's life is on the line here, but King Sombra isn't too trustworthy..."

Suddenly, The Shadow King melted out of her shadow, and said "You are wiser than your friends, Twilight Sparkle. But, you are unfortunately right. You can't trust me, but I'm the only pony who had offered you any advice with some research behind it." After all, your timid friend Fluttershy has MY bestiary."

Twilight Sparkle turned around to see King Sombra with his eyes narrowed, clearly annoyed. He walked up to the edge of the balcony and stood beside her.

Twilight Sparkle raised an eyebrow, "I have a question for you, Sombra."

The dark stallion turned his head towards Twilight, "What?"

She asked a question that suprised Sombra, "Why are you doing this? Is this just to prove yourself superior to us, or do you have other reasons?"

King Sombra went silent for a minute, then sighed. "I feel as if I have some sort of obligation to help my student, even if he betrayed me..."

Twilight Sparkle looked at Sombra with a look that she never felt she would show to somepony like him, empathy.

She knew what it was like to be betrayed, Celestia lied to her when she said that she was her first student...

Yes, Twilight was mad, but she forgave Celestia eventually.

Twilight Sparkle responded to King Sombra's sentence with a small smirk, "Weren't you trying to make me your student as well? I think we both know who is at fault here... hm?"

King Sombra snorted and made a sheepish smile, "Yeah, my mistake on that incident."

He continued his speech, "But, I'm not doing this for my gain, I'm doing this because I care about him Twilight Sparkle. He is my only student that survived my lessons, and I'm honestly proud that he has grown so much."

He grasped Twilight's face with his hoof, "And you should know the reason why he seems so distant with you in your relationship."

Suddenly, King Sombra's eyes turned sickly green and he stared directly into Twilight's eyes. Purple smoke surrounded them as they faded into darkness.

(???)

When the purple smoke cleared, Twilight stood in the middle of the ruined town square of Firebrand Village, Burning Star's home.

King Sombra began to talk, "You see, Twilight... behind his mask of bravado and charisma, he buried his past of torment and trauma. Contrary to what he says, Burning Star's wings were not a gift, they were a curse. He was not the most liked pony during his youth. He was picked on and bullied by the other foals at school, He only found peace in his forest grove, isolated from the rest of town."

Twilight and Sombra saw what was supposed to be a young Burning Star flying away from a group of ponies, tears in his eyes.

King Sombra frowned, he was a evil king, but even he had standards, and he NEVER picked on his students without reason to do so.

He began to speak in a more aggressive tone, "I wish I was around to destroy those little brats, but I wasn't, since I was trapped in the ice, and Burning Star suffered for my inability to help."

Twilight Sparkle saw a young Burning Star collapse to his knees and weep, then a huge earth pony with Steel Gray fur and charcoal colored mane and tail put a hoof on his back. A group of ponies also came to comfort him.

Twilight assumed that these were Burning Star's old friends and the bearers of the Elements of Nature

Twilight asked, "Who is that?"

King Sombra slightly smiled, "That is Iron Steed, one of Burning Star's best friends. But when Burning Star laid waste to Firebrand Village, many of them fled to distant parts of the world."

King Sombra changed the scenery one last time, to the border of Frozen North.

Twilight Sparkle looked on in disbelief, when King Sombra said "Believing he wasn't wanted in his home, he ran away to the Frozen North, a place where he couldn't harm anypony... but he found me and from there, the rest is history."

King Sombra broke the shared vision with Twilight, returning to the real world.

King Sombra then backed away from Twilight with a worried look on his face, "Please restore Burning Star to normal, for his destiny is coming soon..."

With that, King Sombra melted back into Twilight's shadow, leaving the purple Alicorn stunned.

She thought to herself, "He is the best hope we have right now, so his advice could be true... but if he is lying..."

Twilight Sparkle's eyes turned a sickly green and a purple crystal sword appeared in her magical grasp.

"Then Faust help him, for I will spill his blood in order to save Burning Star."

(Ponyville Outskirts, Everfree Path)

A lone mare was walking down the path to Ponyville, her long green mane and tail dragging behind her, she had a look of madness in her red and green eyes, and a grin wider than the ocean across her face.

Suddenly, a trio of bandits jumped out of the bushes in front of her, two unicorns and one Pegasus.

The Pegasus smirked, "Hey girl, don't you know it's dangerous to walk around here at night? Now empty your pockets, and we spare your life."

The long maned pony started to giggle, then that turned into mad laughter.

The left unicorn shouted, "Are you nuts, lady?! We said give us your stuff!"

The mare pulled back her hood, revealing a massive green mane. She said to them, "Oh? You think I'm nuts? I appreciate the compliment, but I'm afraid you are out of your league!"

Within seconds, the mares mane transformed into dozens of tendrils of hair, each sharp as a spear.

Both unicorns were slashed across the neck area, killing them instantly. The Pegasus tried to fly away, but the mass of green hair grabbed him and pulled him down.

The mare spoke to him in a nonchalant voice, "Now go tell the little town down there that I am back for revenge...

The Pegasus asked the obvious question, "W-Who are you?"

The green haired mare ripped off her cloak, revealing a purple spandex suit. The Pegasus's eyes filled with terror, he was seeing the impossible!

"I am Mane-iac! The Power Ponies Worst Nightmare! Hahahaha!"

With that, Mane-iac threw the Pegasus like a dart towards Ponyville, and continued her evil laugh.

Ha-Ha-Ha! Heehee aaaahahahaaa!"

Chapter 7: Stronger than a Diamond!

(Saddle Arabia Station, The Desert Border)

Saddle Arabia was a vast desert, filled with creatures that were adapted to the harsh heat and frequent sandstorms that sweep across the dunes.

This was not a friendly environment, with a high mortality rate for death by dehydration, starvation, and the highest one, Ambush by Rouge Militants.

Prince Eclipsio, Applejack, and Sunset exited the car and were immediately hit by the intense heat of the desert sun.

Sunset groaned, "Sweet Celestia its HOT!" She turned to Eclipsio, "Couldn't you eclipse the sun until we get to this pony's home?"

Eclipsio snorted, "Unless you want to freeze to death, I can't do that. Nights in the desert are brutally cold, hence the reason I brought sleeping bags."

Applejack rolled her eyes, "You've gotta be kiddin me. You two have been through battles that shook Equestria, yet you can't stand a little heat? That's not very impressive. if lives were on the line, which they are, I'd walk through Tartarus and back to save muh friends and family. Would you do the same?"

That rendered the two ponies speechless for a few minutes, before Eclipsio said "We may want to get a move on, the sooner we can get to this pony, the better."

The three ponies had no idea they were being watched as they stood outside, waiting for a Sand Chariot to arrive, which was the equivalent of a taxi for Saddle Arabia.

Out of nowhere, a pony with a sand yellow-hood jumped down from the roof of the station (which was about a 50 foot drop) and landed with a thud, sending sand into Sunset's eyes, which snapped shut.

"Gah! I hate the desert!" She roared, trying to wipe the sand from her eyes.

The hooded pony said in a deep voice, "Well get used to it Sunshine, cause it's not going anywhere."

Sunset shouted at the pony, "My name is SunSET, not Sunshine!"

AJ took a defense stance, "Who are you? Cause you jus sent sand inta Sunset's eyes."

The hooded figure held out a tissue, "Here, this should help."

He then bent down and flexed his back legs, "My identity is none of your concern now. But it will be soon enough, goodbye Applejack."

The hooded pony long jumped towards the mountains in the distance, leaving craters in the sand until it finally disappeared into the shimmering horizon.

Prince Eclipsio unveiled his wings as the Sand Chariot arrived, he signaled for the driver to get off and he put the reins on him.

Applejack looked confused, "What are ya doing spooky?"

Eclipsio spoke in determined voice, "Its faster to travel in the air than on the ground. C'mon, let's follow that pony."

Sunset and Applejack nodded and got in, and instinctively held on to the handles.

Eclipsio shouted, "Ok! Let's get moving!"

With a loud boom, Eclipsio blasted off into the air, leaving trails of dust behind him and generating a small dust storm.

A group of shadowy figures took flight after them, each wearing a familiar purple flightsuit with a black Lightning bolt on it...

(Saddle Arabian Skies)

Eclipsio flew across the skies at nearly Mach 2, which pushed his body to its limits.

he may not be as fast as Rainbow Dash, but he was still extremely fast and very durable.

That durability factor was probably why he wasn't burning up right now...

Meanwhile, Sunset and Applejack were pressed back into their seats by the G-Forces, they both wondered how Rainbow Dash could fly at these speeds without puking her guts out or catching fire.

Eventually, Eclipsio slowed down, letting both Sunset and AJ move out of their seats and to the front of the chariot.

Besides the wind rushing by their faces, it was unnervingly quiet.

Eclipsio shouted back to the two mares, "HEY! We have company, and it doesn't look Friendly to me!"

Applejack squinted to try and make out the approaching life forms, it was a group of Pegasi, which was unusual for today.

Pegasus usually sleep during the hot hours of the day...

What the hay were these Pegasai doing out at this hour?

One of the Pegasi flew past them, and AJ went pale...

It was The Shadowbolts!

Sunset noticed the Shadowbolts and shouted to Eclipsio, "Evasive Maneuvers! It is the Shadowbolts!"

Eclipsio was growling, his teeth wrapped around a Shadowbolts wing, which he snapped with an ungodly crunch, letting the Pegasus fall to his doom.

Sunset Shimmer began blasting electric bolts from her horn, while Applejack picked up a crossbow and bolts that were hidden in the chariot and began loosing the wooden bolts, nailing many of the Shadowbolts in their wings, letting them fall to their doom.

A lone Shadowbolt with a golden lightning bolt instead of a black one came up from underneath the chariot, smashing it to bits.

Sunset and AJ began to fall towards the desert floor, Eclipsio dived towards them, engulfing them in his wings before smashing down hard into the sand.

Prince Eclipsio was out cold, but Sunset and Applejack were fine, thankfully.

The lead Shadowbolt dived down, flapping its wings and causing a large dust cloud, blinding the pair.

Applejack heard the roaring of the wind behind her and delivered a buck strong enough to send the Dark Pegasus flying and burying them in a sand dune.

Applejack ran over to Eclipsio, saying "Wake Up, We're in danger, spooky. C'mon get up!"

The Shadowbolt rushed at Sunset, who repelled her back with a concussive blast that knocked off its mask, revealing a familiar face...

The shadowbolt was a mare, she had a yellow and white mane and tail with one part of it draping over her right eye, which had a long red scar running across it. Her eyes burned with anger, anger for the pony who just tossed her about.

Sunset immediately recognized that face, "Lightning Dust? Is that you, you're leading the Shadowbolts!"

Lightning Dust smirked and said, "Well they appreciate my talents more, and since Princess Luna doesn't need us anymore, I reorganized us into a mercenary group. Now we track down and destroy anything our buyer says they want gone, and we aren't cheap..."

Applejack kicked some sand into Lightning Dust's face, blinding her to a pair of kicks from her powerful back legs.

"Listen 'ere, Lightning Dust. We don't want any more trouble than you've already caused. So back off and git going. Whatever your boss is payin, it's not worth enough going after us." AJ said, standing her ground.

Lightning Dust laughed, "Hah! Youre right... if I kill you, it will drive up my asking price!"

AJ shielded Sunset and Eclipsio as Lightning Dust charged the trio, two diamond-tipped knives attached to her front hooves.

Out of nowhere, the hooded pony from the station came crashing down from the Sky, stopping Lightning Dust's charge dead in it is tracks.

The hooded pony ripped off his sand cloak and Applejack got a good look at the pony.

He was a Earth Pony stallion, specifically a Draft Pony Stallion. They were known for immense strength, and his cutie Mark of a Steel Plate certainly showed that, appearance wise, He was huge, easily a head taller than Big Mac, his fur was gray-white and he had a charcoal colored mane and tail. His silver eyes reflected the surprised look on Lightning Dust's face.

From that observation, Applejack concluded that this must be Iron Steed!

Iron Steed glared at the Pegasus, saying in a deep voice "Nopony is dying on my watch, especially not from you mooks!"

Lightning Dust was flung back by what appeared to be a light shove, Iron Steed then snorted and Applejack saw something magical happen.

Within seconds, Iron Steed's body was coated in some sort of metallic substance, his body was gleaming white from the reflection of the sun, blinding Lightning Dust to Iron Steed's next move...

With a sickening crunch, Iron Steed landed a blow to the Pegasus's front legs, breaking them and the diamond tipped blades attached to them. He then followed up by striking her in the jaw, dislocating it. His final blow was to the skull, knocking the Pegasus unconscious.

Iron Steed's metal skin melted away, revealing his flesh and blood form, he then said "You may be good at taking out ordinary ponies, but I am no ordinary pony... get lost!"

Iron Steed kicked Lightning Dust hard enough to send her flying over the horizon.

Applejack got up and walked over to him, he turned around and said, "I assume you moving around without pain means nothing's broken?"

Applejack stammered, "Holy Horseapples! You just obliterated that mare so easily, I'm guessin you're Iron Steed?"

Iron Steed responded, "Yes, I am. You must be Applejack, the bearer of one of the elements of Harmony, the Element of Honesty. I am Iron Horse, the master of one of the Elements of Nature, Metals."

Sunset got up and walked over to Iron Steed, staring at his body, trying to figure out how he did what he just did,

He wasn't a Unicorn...

What was he?

Iron Steed snorted, "Can you not trot around me looking for an answer to why I can transform my skin into metal?! It's very rude."

Eclipsio got up and said to the Draft Pony, "Well, judging by your Cutie Mark and your immense size, you must be Iron Steed, yes?"

Iron Steed nodded, "I am, what is your business with me? You trying to drag me into an unnecessary war like everypony tries to? Because if that's the case I can give you a free flight home courtesy of my..."

Applejack put herself between the Alicorn and Draft Pony, saying "Hold it! Let's not git all riled up now..."

She turned to Iron Steed, "By any chance, do you know of a pony called Burning Star? Tall, Dark, Uses fire as a weapon?"

Iron Steed nodded, "Yeah, he's my best friend. Is something wrong? Because if you trekked all the way out into the Desert just to meet me than you are a bunch of numbskulls..."

Eclipsio almost shouted, "Yes! There is something wrong, your friend is currently in a meltdown and we have heard that your powers can either subdue/withstand his, is this true?"

Iron Steed's eyes went wide, "Meltdown?! What! Ok, I'll get to know you later, take me to my friend now!"

Eclipsio used his powers to rip open a wormhole to the Hospital, and waved everypony through.

(End Music Here)

(Ponyville Hospital, ER)

As soon as Iron Steed exited the hole in space-time, he rushed to the desk, looked up Burning Star's room, and barreled down the hallways.

He bashed down the door with one hoof and saw Burning Star laying in bed, in a comatose state.

His normally jet black body was lined with reddish-orange flame patterns, his wings were still black, but his feathers were bright red, even his mane and tail were glowing a bright red and orange. They all pulsed slowly, as if they were a beating heart.

Applejack ran in after Iron Steed and saw him standing over Burning Star, quivering slightly.

AJ put her front hoof on Iron Steed's mane and said, "He's been like this since we pulled him out of the snow, said he was fightin Windigos or something."

Iron Steed snorted and stomped his front hooves, "I knew it, I knew that those monsters would return, normally the desert rarely gets precipitation of any kind. But when it started to snow and a group of light blue and white ponies marched through, I knew something was wrong."

Iron Steed turned to Applejack and said, "Where are the rest of the Masters of Nature?"

Thunder Fury flew into the room and landed with a soft thud, hugging the giant Draft Pony. "Iron Steed! Thank Faust you are here, I guess you don't need to be filled in on the situation or be persuaded to help?"

Iron Steed shook his head, "No. I'm helping, once he is better, we strike at The Windigos."

A deep voice came from the door, "I see that you have arrived, Master of Metal... I wish this would be on more pleasant terms."

Iron Steed turned around to see King Sombra standing behind him, a scowl on his face, the same scowl was now on Iron Steeds face.

The Draft Pony walked up to Sombra, he was larger than him, and ended up pushing the Dark Unicorn into the hallway.

He said to Sombra, "You have ten seconds to run, Shadow King. I'm not patient with you..."

King Sombra responded, venom in his voice, "I am trying to fix this, and you aren't helping Ia-"

Applejack walked out of the room as Burning Star started to thrash about, sending a sea of fire across the floor.

Iron Steed transformed into metal and easily walked though the sea of fire, before pressing down on his horn, making the fires extinguish.

AJ's jaw dropped, Iron Steed fixed that by pushing her jaw back up.

He said to her, "They call me Iron Steed cause I'm tough as iron, but my skin is harder than DIAMONDS!"

Chapter 8: Naga

Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.

Chapter 9: Fire Vs Ice, Round 2!

Author's Note

It's Time for Round 2!

The Windigos want a Rematch between Frost Soul and Burning Star. And this time, Frost Soul brought his partner, Icicle Storm

Although with Burning Star currently in a coma, who will take on the duo in battle? Will he awaken to fight the pair of icy fiends?

You will have to read to find Out!

Chapter 9: Fire Vs Ice, Round 2!

(The Palace of the Windigo Queen, Training Yard)

Frost Soul stood in the sparring courtyard, using his magic to generate a pair of ice swords and clash with his partner, the Windigo assassin known as Icicle Storm.

Frost Soul swung from both the left and right with his swords, but Icicle Storm blocked it with his Ice Sais and snapped the swords in two, before sweeping Frost Soul's legs and stomping on his chest.

Icicle Storm said, "You were too slow on your swing, try again. Don't run into your opponent with no guard."

Frost Soul got up and sent a kick towards Icicle Storm's chest, knocking him back, Icicle Storm skidded back and flipped off the wall, landing a hammer kick to Frost Soul's head.

Frost Soul snarled, "I'm not going to improve brother if you continue to completely wreck me with every match!"

The assassin lifted Frost up and said, "If you don't struggle, you don't improve. Learn from my lessons, brother, if you are going to face off against Burning Star again you must be ready to counter his combat mastery."

Frost Soul growled and fired a sucker punch at his brother, hitting him in the jaw and sending him staggering back.

Frost Soul roared, "You don't command me, Icicle! I'm perfectly ready to fight that hot headed ass! And I'm going to go ask for the Queen's permission now."

The Windigo walked up and said, "Don't try and stop me, Icicle Storm..."

Queen Diamanda appeared from the palace doors, a look of frustration on her face. She noticed Forst Soul and and Icicle Storm sparring and thought to herself, "Typical, my two greatest warriors, bickering and fighting like foals in the snowbox."

Icicle Storm jumped up onto the ice wall, seeing the Queen at the top of the stairs. "Alright, it's your funeral. Don't say I didn't warn you... brother."

The Queen watched with narrowed eyes as Frost Soul stomped up to her and said, "My Queen! I need to go after Burning Star now! I am more than ready for him now, despite what my brother says about me, he is totally and completely incorrect."

Diamanda rolled her glass like eyes, "Frost Soul, I understand that you have a bit of inferiority complex because of the Alicorn of Fire, but rushing headlong into battle against him would be suicide. So, I have a Plan B, I will send you to fight Burning Star..."

Frost Soul rejoiced in his mind.

The Queen continued, "Alongside your brother Icicle Storm."

Frost Soul cursed to himself!

Why was the Queen sending his smart ass brother with him?!

Frost Soul shouted out, "WHAT! My Queen, excuse my frustration towards your decision to send Icicle Storm along with me, but I am perfectly capable of handling that stallion ALONE!"

Diamanda snorted, "that's bull and you know it. Last time you took on Burning Star you got your frozen flanks handed to you, a truly embarrassing moment for our race. Icicle Storm is coming with you, wether you like it or not!"

Frost Soul stammered, "B-b-but!"

The Queen shouted at the Windigo, "NO BUTS! NOW GET GOING!"

Frost Soul snorted out, venom in his voice, "Yes, my Queen..."

As Frost Soul walked past his brother, Icicle Storm smirked and said, "Told you so."

Frost Soul used his powers and dropped an ice brick from the wall onto his brothers head, knocking him out.

"Don't rub it in, let's get this over with..."

(Ponyville, Sweet Apple Acres)

Applejack was working in the orchard, harvesting all the apples she could in preparation for the winter season, many of the trees were overflowing with Apples, courtesy of Celestia extending Summer.

While she was busy harvesting her crop, the thought of Burning Star's well being hung heavy on her mind.

"Ah hope that these Element Masters can solve hot stuff's overheatin problem. Apparently the Pegasus called Sea Breeze says is somethin related to his mind, but ah doubt that is true."

All of a sudden, the ground shook and Applejack saw a large stallion bucking the trees.

It was Iron Steed! He was bucking the trees way too hard, and the most recent strike uprooted the entire tree and sent it crashing to the ground.

Applejack snorted and rushed over to the draft pony and shouted at him, "Hey! Don't knock over mah trees!"

Iron Steed glared at the orange earth pony and said, "Don't shout at me, AJ. This is my firs time doing this, so don't get your mane in a knot, jeez..."

Applejack sighed in frustration, "Mane's in a knot because you are knockin over mah entire orchard! What do you mean this is your first time. Didn't you work in the fields since you grew up alongside Burning Star?"

Iron Steed lifted part of his long mane and Applejack saw a pair of dog tags on him, she realized what Iron Steed was doing all these years from that glance.

She continued to talk, "Oh... you were in the army? Ah didn't know Equestria had an army anymore, since the princesses kinda are unbeatable."

Iron Steed shook his head, "No, Equestria still has a military, but it's much smaller than it used to be. A lot can happen in 15 years, AJ. You should be no stranger to combat by now, since you and your friends took on Nightmare Moon, Discord, Queen Chrysalis, King Sombra, Tirek... shall I go on?"

Applejack put a hoof on Iron Steed's mouth, "Alright ah get yer point, big guy. But we beat all off those villains and even reformed Discord, what is your point here? Are you sayin that there is another threat still out there?"

Iron Steed was about to respond when he heard the voice of Twilight in his head, "Red Alert! Burning Star's awake, and he is burning up again. Everypony, get to my lab quickly!"

Iron Steed and Applejack dashed as fast as their hooves could carry them towards Twilight's castle, not knowing that a gust of icy wind was trailing them...

(Twilight's Castle, The Lab)

Applejack and Iron Steed burst through the door of the lab and immediately felt the intense heat radiating from the center of the room.

Burning Star was standing tall, taking deep breaths and trying desperately to cool his body down, he finally relaxed and his body extinguished, but the heat was still there.

He asked everypony, "What did I miss? Why was I tied down?"

King Sombra, a serious look on his face, walked slowly towards the Fire Alicorn and said, "Your fire powers are overloading your body's capacity to contain them, Burning Star. If they do not subside, you may explode into a fireball that burns the world to ashes."

Burning Star saw King Sombra through the shimmering heat waves and growled, "What are you doing here, Sombra? Didn't you die, or I hallucinating because it's so hot in here?"

Shadow Armor answered Burning Star's question, "Its a long story, Hot Stuff. But we don't have time for it, we are trying to find out how to stop you from going supernova, do you know how to stop it?"

Burning Star ignored Shadow Armor and looked over to his left and saw his brother and two of his friends, Sea Breeze and Iron Steed.

He called out to them, "Sea Breeze! Iron Steed! Long time, no see. I wish this meeting was under better circumstances, but here we are."

Burning Star's ears shot up, he then said, "Everypony... I sense a presence of Dark Magic, and it isn't King Sombra..."

Sunset inquired, "What is it? Monster? Umbrum?"

Burning Star felt a cold breeze from the cellar window, he then said "No, Windigos. Two of them, one I have not faced yet."

He sank to one knee, "I can't fight in this condition, it's too risky. Somepony here will have to fend them off, so who will volunteer?"

Shining Armor and Shadow Armor stepped forwards, with the black knight saying, "We will take these beasts on. I know that we are probably going to lose, but we can delay them long enough for you to stabilize."

Shining Armor shivered, "Wait... you are actually going out there? You'll die!"

Shadow Armor smirked, "Yeah, but at least I'll die for a good cause, you coming?"

Shining Armor gulped and nodded, "Ok... let's go."

(Ponyville, Main Street)

Icicle Storm and Frost Soul were having the time of their lives.

Not only were they getting some well-deserved vengeance against the ponies, the pair were destroying their homes and causing a snowstorm to form.

Soon, The entirety of this insignificant town will be nothing but a frozen wasteland.

The two knights stepped out into the snow, a look of concern on their faces.

The town was being buried in snow and ice, and the beings causing it were MUCH more powerful than them.

Shadow Armor shouted out, "Windigos! Leave this place before something bad happens to you two!"

Icicle Storm and Frost Soul reformed into their pony forms a few hundred feet away from the two knights, hatred in their mirror like eyes.

Frost Soul hissed out, "Well, Well. It seems Burning Star sends his minions to fight for him. What a coward... can't even show his face."

Icicle Storm responded to Frost Soul, "Quiet, brother. Something is... off about the dark one. He is not afraid of us, unlike the white one."

Shining Armor was shaking in his hooves, he had never seen a Windigo before, but seeing them now sent chills down his spine.

Shining Armor said to his dark copy, "Are you sure we can beat them?"

Shadow Armor narrowed his eyes and lowered his horn, "Not can, We HAVE to beat them!"

Shadow Armor charged without care at the two Windigos, Shining Armor close behind him.

The Windigos laughed and turned into an Icy Mist, dodging around the two knights before retaliating with a blast of Ice from their mouths.

The frozen Beam struck both knights in the chest, sending them flying into a house. Shadow Armor struggled to his feet, and returned fire with a storm of knives, which passed through their icy mist bodies.

Shining Armor shouted in fear, "We can't beat them if we can't hit them, Shady!"

Shadow Armor scowled, "We must beat them, Shining. Lives are on the line, Burning Star is counting on us!"

He continued in an inspirational voice, "Let's show these things why you don't mess with the bodyguards of the Fire Lord!"

Suddenly, Shining Armor had an idea. He turned to his dark copy and said, "Shadow Armor, I've got a plan. Let's trigger Rainbow Power Form. I've only seen it once, but I believe that we can both do it! Come on!"

Shadow Armor dived out of the way of a giant icicle missle before saying, "Do you even know if you can use Rainbow Power?!"

Shining Armor stepped towards the black knight, "Nope! But it's worth a shot. Come on!"

Shining Armor began to focus his magic around him, so did Shadow Armor, and the two began to glow.

Frost Soul dropped a giant ice block on them, before saying "Hah! You can't kill us! We are invincible to your pathetic magic!"

Suddenly, the two Windigos heard a echoing voice.

"We... no... I am not done yet!"

A Rainbow shattered the large ice block and the two knights emerged, floating in the air.

Shining Armor was the first to speak, "Hmph, you actually thought you could defeat me by turning into a monster?"

The two Windigos saw Shadow Armor float up next, saying Behold the ultimate power!

Shining Armor stared at Shadow Armor and said, "Ready?"

Shadow Armor responded, "Ready when you are, Shining!"

The two knights shouted out, "Rainbow Power, Go!" And rushed towards each other, as a bright light engulfed the two, blinding the Windigos.

When the light died down, the two ice monsters went white with terror.

Before them stood a unicorn, but it had two horns instead of one, both curved and sharp as a knife. A coat of white and gold fur covered them and a black and white mane and tail hung from its body. A cutie Mark of the Yin-Yang symbol sat glowing on its flank.

The two windigos wasted no time and blasted a Beam of ice at the twin horned pony. It put up a shield and deflected it back into the pair of ice monsters.

The pony said, "I am Duality, the Unicorn of Light and Dark, I am the balance between life and death, and you have Interfered with death long enough, Frost Soul and Icicle Storm.

The two Windigos charged Duality with giant ice lances, Duality fired off a Blast of Golden energy Spheres that collided with the two beasts.

Duality then said in a triumphant voice, "Take This!

"Equalizer Wave!"

With a mighty roar, Duality unleashed a rain of golden shards of light that slammed into Frost Soul and Icicle Storm, who both began to disintegrate.

The Two Windigos screamed in pain and began to retreat, but were reduced to a pile of ashes within seconds.

Duality smiled, before falling to the ground and separating into Shining Armor and Shadow Armor.

Shadow Armor said, "We won... yay. Ouch..."

Shining Armor struggled to his feet, before saying.

"We showed them the true superpower of teamwork!"

Chapter 10: Nature Be Dark and Scary!

(Twilight's Castle, Library)

The old golden oaks library in Ponyville was once the home of Twilight Sparkle, it was a haven of knowledge and literature that entertained ponies of all ages with exciting novels, educated ponies with the various history books, and even was a large part of history.

That all changed when Lord Tirek decided to blow it to pieces with a Horn Hyper Blast, but this was a big mistake, as it only strengthened Twilight's resolve to blow Tirek away.

Eventually with the help of Celestia and Luna, Twilight rebuilt the Golden Oaks Library inside of Twilight's castle, and she was overjoyed when it was completed.

It held volumes upon volumes of magic tomes, scrolls, even the Friendship Journal.

Twilight Sparkle was currently reading up on a profile that Spike wrote down about her friend and partner Burning Star to try and find out more about him and possibly find a way to cure his overloading magic levels.

She found the volume on Burning Star and began to read it.

"Burning Star"

"Background"
"Also known as the Alicorn of Fire, the Black Alicorn, and The Lord of Fire. Burning Star's past is shrouded in secrecy and he never speaks of it, always diverting the subject to something else."

"Appearance"

"Burning Star is an Alicorn Stallion with Jet Black Fur and Wings, a Fiery Red mane and tail, reddish orange feathers on his Wings, and dark blue eyes. He is about 2.5 meters tall and weighs about 87 Kilograms. He is much heavier than Celestia and Luna, but this is due to being a Stallion. He is immortal due to being an Alicorn, but appearance wise is is roughly 25 years old, five years older than Twilight!"

Twilight kept reading, noting down Burning Star's Age, height, and weight.

"Powers"

"Due to being an Alicorn, Burning Star possesses mastery over magic and can fly at a top speed of Mach 3 when he ignites his wings and uses his fire powers in a manner similar to rocket propulsion. He is strong enough to lift and throw objects as large as a dragon while they are in a greed growth state, which can weigh as much as 45,000 tons. He also can harness the forbidden spells of Dark Magic due to his training under the Shadow King, Sombra (See King Sombra's Profile for more)

"Burning Star's most unique ability is his ability to master Pryokinesis, or control over Fire and Superheated Plasma. He can spew fire from his mouth like a dragon, blast fireballs from his horn, and create many other fire-based attacks. Unlike Fire Magic, Burning Star's powers are natural and only rely on his stamina."

Twilight Sparkle noted down the key points about his powers, even though it's easier to observe them.

She continued to read,

"Weaknesses"

"Burning Star's fire abilities are weakened in the rain and water will extinguish his fires, and he can exhaust himself by overusing his fire powers. A Lack of Hydrogen in the air can render his powers unusable."

Twilight Sparkle didn't notice her shadow extending and King Sombra emerging from it.

The Shadow King walked up behind Twilight's chair and said in his deep voice, "I see you are reading about my former student, Twilight."

Twilight Sparkle jumped out of her chair in fear as King Sombra suprised her from behind, earning a laugh from the Shadow King.

Twilight Sparkle shouted at him, "Don't do that! I'm already on edge enough without Burning Star being a ticking time bomb that could incinerate this world, you almost gave me a heart attack."

King Sombra pulled up another chair and began to speak to the lavender Alicorn, "Speaking of my student, have all of his... ugh, old friends arrived yet?"

Twilight nodded, "Sea Breeze and Iron Steed have arrived, we are waiting on Fluttershy and Celestia to return from the Ghosts Den in the White Tail Woods."

For the first time in 1,000 years, King Sombra went white with fear, "Wait... the Ghosts Den! Twilight, please tell me you're joking."

Twilight Sparkle raised and eyebrow, "Is there a problem with the Ghosts Den, Sombra?"

King Sombra rushed over to the bookshelves and began to hastily look for something, Twilight watched on in curiosity.

King Sombra finally pulled out a dark gray book with a red binding on it, the title read "History of Equestria, Volume 7, Everfree Forest."

King Sombra opened up the book and began to read,

"The Ghosts Den is a place where Ponies can encounter the Ghosts of their past and overcome their doubts and fears. It Is also a supposed home to the dark life form known as the Pony of Shadows. Approach the cave with extreme caution."

Twilight went wide eyed, "Wait a sec, Pony of Shadows?! As in that beast me and my friends fought alongside Starswirl and the other Ponies of Legend? I thought we beat that thing?!"

King Sombra shook his head, "Twilight, The Pony of Shadows lives, since I encountered it on my way here. It offered me immense power, but I rejected it and it got angry at me. I had to seal it away in the Ghosts Den, since I knew no pony would ever go there. Celestia and this... Fluttershy are in grave danger!"

Twilight Sparkle put a hoof over King Sombra's mouth, "Don't worry, Fluttershy and Celestia are perfect capable of dealing with the Pony of Shadows, besides... This is Celestia we are talking about."

"What could go wrong?"

(White Tail Woods, Ghosts Den)

Fluttershy and Celestia flew through the trees of the White Tail Woods, it was unusually dark for this time of day, the White Tail Woods were known as an odd place... but this was truly weird.

Celestia said to the timid Pegasus, "Fluttershy, are you sure you know where we are? My sun cannot pierce this unnatural darkness, for some reason the trees are obscuring the sunlight. Do they normally do that, Fluttershy?"

Fluttershy landed and shook her head, "No... they don't. Usually the trees are not this large as well, oh dear, something's wrong! W-what do we do?!"

Celestia landed and put her wing around the cream colored Pegasus, "It's alright, Fluttershy. Nothing out here is going to hurt you, if they try... may Faust help them."

Suddenly, a ghost white stag appeared out of nowhere.

It was the Spirit of White Tail itself!

The spirit said, "Welcome, Element of Kindness and Princess of the Sun." This is a unexpected visit, To say the least..."

Celestia bowed her head and said, "Greetings as well, White Tail. The Alicorn of Fire known as Burning Star is currently overloaded on his Fire Magic, we are searching for a unicorn known as Thorn Horn, do you know of him/her?"

White Tail nodded, "I do, he has inhabited these woods for a long time, although he is not himself at the moment. Something... Dark has overtaken him, and he has altered the Forest to suit this entity's needs."

White Tail pointed to the cave, "He is in there, he seems to be expecting you two..."

The two ponies approached the cave's entrance and Celestia shouted into the cave, "THORN HORN! Are you there? We have come to ask for assistance from you!"

A shrill and familiar voice responded, sending Chills down Celestia's spine. "Hello Celestia, I have been expecting you for a few days now. Now, prepare to meet your end along with your little Pegasus friend!

A black and purple flood erupted from the cave, taking shape into two pony shaped masses,

Fluttershy stepped back in fear as her alter ego, the fearsome Flutterbat, appeared in front of her. It hissed and snarled.

Another mass landed in front of Celestia, taking shape into Celestia's worst nightmare, The Terrifying Alicorn known as Daybreaker!

Fluttershy, with unexpected bravery, stepped forwards and said, "Your illusions cannot fool us, Phantom. Come out and face us like a real Stallion!"

The two apparitions vanished and the black mass that created them emerged from the cave, making Fluttershy immediately regret the decision to call it out.

The black mass took the shape of a massive Alicorn, it was charcoal black with white streaks running across its body. It's mouth was full of sharp teeth and its eyes were a blazing red.

It was the Pony of Shadows!

The dark entity roared, "Now Celestia, I will drown you in-

Before he could finish his sentence, he was smacked in the head by a tree branch, then another, then another.

The pair of ponies heard a voice from the trees, "Why did you have to go and wake him up?! I just got finished putting him down when you two came along and messed it up!"

Fluttershy watched as a Lime Green Stallion with a dark green colored mane flickered into view from the trees. He had camouflaged himself to avoid detection by Celestia, and it worked.

Fluttershy saw the Unicorn's cutie Mark, a Circle of Thorns with a Maple leaf in the center,

She concluded that this must be Thorn Horn, the Master of the Earth Element!

The Pony of Shadows screamed in pain as it was smacked about by thorny vines that sprouted up from the ground, before being flung back into the cave with a large thud.

Thorn Horn spoke into the cave, "Now you sit there and stop being a Edgelord for crying out loud!"

Celestia walked up to Thorn Horn and said, "You must be Thorn Horn I presume?"

Thorn Horn's body flickered before revealing that Thorn Horn was not a stallion, but a Mare!

Fluttershy smiled, "You do not have to put up illusions, Thorny, it's just me."

Thorn Horn turned to Fluttershy and reverted back to a Stallion, saying "As I live and breathe, Fluttershy! I been wondering when you would wander back into my neck of the woods."

Thorn Horn noticed Celestia, "Oh, Hello Princess Celestia. Do what do I owe the occasion of having not only one of the Elements of Harmony visit my forest, but royalty as well?"

Celestia stepped forward and said, "We are here to ask for your assistance, Master of Earth. Do you know of a pony called Burning Star?"

Thorn Horn's eyes went wide, "Yeah I do! He is one of my oldest friends, why do you ask about him with concern in your voice? Has something happened to him?"

Fluttershy cut in, "Yes. Burning Star is overheating in a similar manner to an Ifrit... can you help us cool him off before he explodes into a firey inferno?"

Thorn Horn chuckled, "Of course, Flutters. What do you need me to do? Should I prepare some Frost Herbs? Gather up some Mystic Spring Water? Oh so many options to choose from to treat his illness..."

Celestia interrupted Thorn Horn's conversation, earning a glare from the unicorn. "We don't have time to decide on what is best! We need some sort of solution, anything."

Thorn Horn snorted out, "Wow, for royalty you sure are rude."

Celestia opened up a portal and jumped through, Fluttershy did the same, with Thorn Horn close behind her.

White Tail appeared again and said in its echoing voice to Thorn Horn, "Remember to tell them of the Windigos, my protégé..."

Meanwhile, the Pony of Shadows clawed its way out of the cave and started to speak again, "Damn you Thorn Horn! I swear that I will-"

White Tail used its powers to smack The Pony of Shadow back into the cave, it then said to it "WILL YOU SHUT UP!"

Chapter 12: A Dark Seed

(Twilight Sparkle's Castle, Map Room)

Twilight Sparkle awoke suddenly to the sound of thunder, it was raining heavily outside.

Feeling hungry, Twilight walked downstairs, seeing that the light in the map room was on. She thought to herself, "Must be a coincidence that the night before I head out to the Badlands to find the last Element Master, The Master of Wind, that a storm blows into town. Why is the light on in the map room? I swear I shut it off right?"

Twilight Sparkle entered the map room and said, "Hello? Is somepony in here? I won't hurt you..."

She heard a deep voice from behind her in the shadows of the room, a voice that was chillingly familiar...

"Its been awhile since I heard that false promise, Twilight."

Twilight used her magic to brighten up the shadows in that corner of the room, but she saw nothing.

She felt hot Breath from behind her and spun around to see the masked face of Quickfire glaring at her with some sort of nostalgic but angry look in the eye that was visible through his mask.

Twilight had heard from Shadow Armor that Quickfire was an expert markspony and assassin, and that he was very familiar with what she could do.

That last statement puzzled her, she had never met Quickfire before this crisis.

Why did he sound like somepony she knew?

Twilight Sparkle asked the masked pony, "Why were you in here? Don't you have to be down in the lab watching Burning Star?!"

Quickfire smirked from inside his mask and said, "I was just exploring your castle. The castle I'm familiar with is a lot more... dark and twisted than this bright white and blue mess."

Twilight narrowed her eyes in annoyance, "Hey! This is my home and you're staying here as my guests. I can let you sit out in the rain if you insult my home anymore!"

Quickfire smirked under his mask, he knew that this was bothering Twilight, but he needed to push her more if he were to confirm his theory.

He needed to know if she had become her own worst enemy.

Quickfire chuckled dryly, "Ah, I see that the seed of darkness has been planted within you and is sprouting... tell me, who do you think I am? That is what's bothering you, right? Not knowing who I am?"

Twilight asked Quickfire in an rather harsh tone, "Well, who are you?"

Quickfire grunted, "Somepony that you know personally, Twiliy."

Twilight Sparkle shouted at the mercenary, "Stop It!"

Quickfire kept pushing the needle, "Stop what, Twily? Stop irritating you? No, I am an investigator as much as I am a hired gun. And I need to know the truth. How are you feeling?"

As a rush of frustration rushed over her, Twilight's eyes suddenly went green... and with a roar, she blasted Quickfire away with a bolt of Dark Magic.

Quickfire growled, before saying, "Well, it seems I was wrong with my predictions. You already know Dark Magic. I hope you didn't mean to do that or this situation would be a lot worse. It would be a shame if I had to kill the beloved Princess of Friendship because she was a great danger to the others around her, oh wait... the latter is already true."

Twilight Sparkle flung Quickfire out the front door and chased after him, very annoyed now. She said with anger in her voice, "Silence! You will not address me like that at all!"

Quickfire got to his feet slowly, as the rain made the ground muddy and hard to stand on. The unicorn then said to her, "Don't do this Twily, I am here to stop this catastrophe, just like you are, or are you enjoying the spotlight while Burning Star is out of action for a while?"

Twilight Sparkle snorted, "Yes! I mean... No! I want to be a hero as well, and I don't need to be helped by him constantly. I can take care of myself, I don't need him to back me up all the time. And most importantly, I really do not like you, Quickfire. You are not very kind or friendly at all."

Quickfire thought to himself, then said, "Somepony once said that "Friends are nothing more than a fleeting illusion. That you can only count on yourself, and no one can surpass me." Do you know who said that Twily?"

Twilight Sparkle tackled Quickfire to the mud and ripped off his mask, revealing something impossible.

Behind the orange and dark gray mask was a white unicorn stallions face, he had little scars on his chin and two across his eyes, one eye was even missing entirely! The face held a single blue eye and his mane was cut loose, revealing a faded navy and cobalt mane. His horn was sharpened to the point it was like a sword, and he had the stone cold gaze that somepony has when they have seen death.

Twilight Sparkle stepped back in shock at what she was seeing.

That face was Shining Armor!

The unmasked Shining Armor/Quickfire stood up and said, "Took you long enough to find out BBBFF, although I stopped calling you that for good..."

Twilight shouted at Quickfire, "Who are you?! Why do you look like my brother?!"

Quickfire jumped at Twilight and landed a clean buck to her chest, "Somepony who knows what you are all too well..."

Twilight Sparkle got to her feet, she was sore everywhere from her scuffle with Quickfire. She said weakly, "Then... why did you attack me, Quickfire? What did I do to you?"

Quickfire said, "No, I Attacked you because of what you could do soon... Twilight, I'm from the future, hence the reason I didn't kill your Shining Armor, I would cease to exist."

Twilight was about to speak, but she was silenced by Quickfire, "I'm from the future, but not so far into it, about 20 years in the future, I came back to stop the rise of Empress Midnight Sparkle... which is you." He pointed his katana at Twilight, who suddenly felt insecure.

He continued to speak, "The pony who sent me here asked me to stop you from going to the Badlands, by any means necessary, including killing you. But, I had another goal, to try and talk you out of this. Please Twilight, don't go there, something bad will happen to you and you'll never be the same way."

Twilight Sparkle shook her head, "No! You can't be from the future, I'm no evil empress! What even happens to me anyways?"

Quickfire walked back inside and said, "We should discuss this in private..."

(Twilight's castle, Map Room)

Quickfire took a gamble and sheathed his sword, "If I tell you this information, I may alter history even more. If you're wondering why I'm not being erased from time, because the pony's spell sent me back here miscasted, yes it succeeded in sending me back in time and de-aging me as well, but I became detached from the flow of time itself. I am unanchored in time, Twily. I found a solution, though."

Quickfire pulled back one of his armor plates, "Meet the Tachyon Harness. This keeps me grounded in one timeline, I found this in a random blue police box when I came here... somepony called "The Doctor" apparently made it."

Quickfire approached Twilight and said to her in the kindest voice he could, "Please tell me, sis... did you use any dark magic on purpose for any reason? Have you come in contact with anypony skilled in it? Besides the obvious answer of Burning Star, the only other user of dark magic is King Sombra... and he is dead right?"

Twilight Sparkle cringed, before saying, "He was dead, he isn't anymore..."

Quickfire grabbed his mask and put it back on, "Then he has to be destroyed! In order to save the future, I will kill him."

Twilight Sparkle blocked the alternate version of her brother, "NO! He is helping us cure Burning Star!"

Quickfire threw the Alicorn off him, saying, "Do you really believe that he is here to help Twiliy? I thought you were smarter than that, everypony has an ulterior motive, usually for personal gain. Don't you think the fact that he leaves his dark magic tomes lying around the castle, mainly in the library, your favorite place may I add... isn't the least bit suspicious?"

Twilight Sparkle shrugged, "Not really. He said that he wants "to contribute to the library." he says that "being the element of Magic, I should know about all types of magic. Both light and dark." I do agree with him for once, after all... knowledge is power!"

Quickfire stopped for a second, then said. "Wait a sec, Twily... say that again but listen carefully to what your saying.

Twilight repeated herself, "being the element of Magic, I should know about all types of magic. Both light magic and dark mag-"

She stopped speaking and put two and two together, "Oh sweet Celestia! He is trying to lure me into learning about Dark Magic. You got to stop him! He is probably on his way out to the Badlands now to ambush me. Maybe you can catch him now, go to his room, quickly!"

Quickfire unsheathed his sword and ran headfirst to the guest room Sombra was staying in, it was pitch-black in there.

Quickfire ignited his horn, "Show yourself, Sombra!"

He heard muffled cries from the corner of the room, he saw both Shining and Shadow Armor tied up and gagged, Magic suppressing bands around their horns. Everywhere across the room, everypony except the element masters and Twilight was tied up and secured.

Quickfire looked on and said, "Shining? Shadow? Everypony? What are you doing here?"

Rainbow Dash bit through his gag with her teeth and said, "Quickfire! It's a trap!"

Twilight Sparkle kicked Quickfire into the room and slammed the door shut, laughing like a mad pony.

A demonic voice came out of her mouth, "Even after 20 years you are still so easily tricked, Shining Armor."

Twilight's form faded away and revealed their captor, King Sombra!!!

He said to them, "Got you! you ponies are too easily tricked, this was too easy for me to trap you all in here, I mean come on. Not even Applejack knew it was me?! Gra-haha-ha!"

Pinkie Pie shouted at Sombra, "You big meanie! We trusted you, you said you would fix Burning Star!"

King Sombra smirked, "I did, he is perfectly fine. In fact, He and his friends are already with the last element master. The master of wind. it wouldn't be the first time somepony was masquerading as somepony you love, huh Shining?"

He rubbed more salt into Shining Armor's wounded pride by mentioning Chrysalis.

Celestia, Luna, and Eclipsio were bound to the floor, both unable to do anything.

Sombra' toothy grin grew even larger, "I have won, Alicorn Pests. You are left helpless to watch as Twilight will fulfill her destiny as my Queen! Oh and don't worry, I'll make sure you all get a front row seat to the destruction of your monarchy and the kingdom you built, and the return of THE SHADOW KING'S CRYSTAL EMPIRE! GRA-HAHA-HAHA!!!"

Shadow Armor bit through his gag as well and said, "Burning Star will stop you, he is Twilight's partner, and our friend!"

King Sombra smirked, "Oh I don't think so, Shadow Armor. When he returned with the last Element Master they all set off to the Frozen North to fight the Windigos! Twilight is helpless and alone... but not for long. Soon, I will finally reclaim my empire, and once Twilight is finished torching Equestria, I'll snuff out her life and take her Alicornhood for my own!

Before he left, King Sombra stopped to say, "Besides, even if Burning Star were to find out for some miraculous reason, Diamanda and I had a plan for that, we pooled our resources and magic to create our new army, Villains from your past and present. Even he cannot beat them alone, and his friends will perish to Diamanda. I will leave the entire Frozen North to her, while I take Equestria."

With that, King Sombra transformed into his Shadow Form and tried to leave, but a white and gold mare stopped her.

It was White Storm!

White Storm, once Tempest Shadow, said to the Shadow King, "Not if I can help it! Prepare to face me, White Storm."

King Sombra growled and blasted White Storm with all his might, White Storm returned fire and the two entered a Beam clash.

It was Dark vs Light

White Storm vs King Sombra

The two ultimate Unicorns!

King Sombra won the Beam clash and charged White Storm, she could not guard and everypony heard a crunch as King Sombra impaled White Storm on a pillar of black crystal.

King Sombra laughed and transformed into his shadow form, before speeding off towards the Badlands...

The clash between the two managed to destroy the bindings around everypony, and Celestia ran over to White Storm, who reverted back to Tempest Shadow.

Tempest Shadow said, "I tried, Celestia. He is too strong, stronger than the Pure Alicorn Amulet... *cough... I think I can do one last thing though."

Tempest looked around and saw that Everypony was standing by her, Tempest let out a grunt as a Rainbow Beam of Magic flew out of her.

Her body began to fade out of existence, but she said one least thing to everypony,

"Don't worry about Burning Star, He knows about Twilight, Sunset told him via telepathy... he has to deal with Sombra first, so Sombra doesn't know he knows about his plan..."

Tempest faded away, but with a content smile on her face.

Many ponies cried, even Shining and Quickfire, well Quickfire hung his head and kneeled in sorrow at least.

And then the saddest thing happened...

Shadow Armor knelt down, and wept as well. He said through his tears, "I was just getting to know her. I... I... No..."

Suddenly, Shining Armor got up and said, "C'mon, everypony. Let's not make Tempest's sacrifice be in vain. Let's go get Sombra!"

Everypony nodded and their gazes became like stone.

Shining Armor said to himself as he put on his helmet, "I'm going to kill you Sombra...

He strapped his spear to his back and Eclipsio opened a portal to the Frozen North.

Shining Armor continued,

"EVEN IF I HAVE TO BEAT YOU TO DEATH WITH MY OWN HOOVES!

Chapter 13: Soft Words of the Wind Walker

(The Ponyville Express, Destination: Crystal Empire)

Burning Star sat with his head between his front legs. He couldn't believe it... he thought it could not happen again.

But it did, King Sombra had betrayed him again to go after Twilight Sparkle, and this time, she was all alone...

He was stuck on a train going to fight the Windigo army that had amassed about ten miles outside the Crystal Empire's capital.

He would have never knew of Sombra's plan, but he did... Thanks to the knowhow and precognition of the last Element Master, the blindfolded stallion known as Wind Walker, he was an Earth Pony who controlled the powerful force of wind. He had a almost snow white mane and tail as well as sky blue fur, he wore a blindfold over his eyes, which he never took off.

He could feel anything across the world as long as it was exposed to open air, and thus that was he identified the army sitting outside of the Crystal Empire.

from the reports he had intercepted, Diamanda was in collaboration with King Sombra from the very beginning, hence the reason she knew who he was, what he could do, and everything else.

Wind Walker sat exposed to the cold tundra winds, his curly mane blowing around him like a tornado.

Luckily, Celestia and Luna managed to send Shining Armor, Shadow Armor, and Quickfire as reinforcements, along with the best of the armed forces.

Burning Star approached Wind Walker from behind, hoping to finally catch his old friend off guard.

Wind Walker blurted out, "I can sense that your breath has slowed, Burning Star. As I have said before, you cannot hide from me."

Burning Star sighed and said, "I came to ask you to talk to Shining and Shadow, they would love to meet you."

Wind Walker turned his head slightly to the left and said, "Why? What good would it do telling those two about what happened to me? They would most likely mock me more... as did our foalhood tormentors did. They took away part of me, just as they took away part of you..."

Burning Star snorted, "Those little demons are still out there, you know?"

Wind Walker got to his hooves, and trotted inside, saying "Yes. But I assure you, no pony can ever pick on me ever again."

Shining Armor ran ahead to the castle, while the others spread out across the city to evacuate the citizens into the caves in the mountains.

Wind Walker stepped off the train, and said to himself, "Never thought I would step hoof in this place, I've felt the power of the crystal heart personally, it distorts the very air here now. But now, I must talk with Princess Cadence."

With that, Wind Walker smirked and vanished into thin air...

(The Crystal Empire, Crystal Castle, Cadence's Bedroom)

Cadence paced back and forth, worried sick for her husbands life and the lives of her subjects in the Crystal Empire, which were not fully prepared for the Windigos to return so suddenly.

But they were back, and they were ready for war. Unfortunately, she was not prepared for war herself...

She wasn't a fighter like her husband, and frankly she felt very, very vulnerable without Shining here.

A whisper found its way into her ears,

"Princess Cadence, you are afraid, aren't you?"

Cadence looked around and saw no pony in sight.

She shuddered in terror, "W-who is there? Show yourself! I'm not afraid of a Windigo. T-they don't scare an Alicorn!"

Wind Walker blasted open the balcony door and appeared in front of her.

Wind Walker felt Cadence's breath quicken as she began to run towards the door.

Wind Walker grabbed her with a gust of wind and said in a calm voice, "I apologize for my powers bearing resemblance to those of the Windigos, but I am not them, Princess of Love..."

Wind Walker stood tall, he was about the size of Luna, and his eyes were covered by a white blindfold, he had a warm smile on his face.

Cadence asked the windy earth pony, "who are you? Also, Can you tone it down on the wind? It's freezing out!"

Wind Walker turned around and motioned his hooves towards the balcony doors, and they slammed shut.

Wind Walker turned around and said, "Hello Cadence, I am Wind Walker, master of wind, I must say you look stunning as always, but I believe you know why I am here, yes?"

Cadence nodded, "The windigos are back and they have amassed a large army of ice monsters. Why must my kingdom be hounded by monsters?"

Wind Walker put a hoof around Cadence and said in a soothing voice, "Because conflict is a part of life, Princess. I wish it would be peaceful like it was just a few weeks ago, but we must once again take up arms against evil."

Cadence stared at Wind Walker's blindfold and said, "What happened to your eyes?"

Wind Walker sighed and said, "I was given these powers, but it was a result of a tragic fate.."

Cadence pulled the blindfold down and saw something that made her well up with tears...

Wind Walker's eyes were clouded and faded, almost pure white. But they still had a kind look to them, somehow.

He was blind...

Cadence shed a tear, "Wh-wh-what happened to your eyes?"

Wind Walker shed a single tear, "When I was young, I had beautiful green eyes, greener than an emerald. Then... the other foals, they tried to hurt Burning Star. Tried to... de-wing him."

Cadence just stood back in shock, "What? Why?"

Wind Walker narrowed his eyes, which still somehow worked. "I stepped in to stop them, but they beat me up as well, I got so scared that somepony would hurt him that my powers went nuts. It drew the attention of a Lamia, and it looked me in the eyes. It used it's magic to steal my eyes and replace it with its blind ones... it somewhat worked. I am blind, but I can still see using my powers. I can sense anything exposed to the air, and identify details, down to the minute features..."

Wind Walker gently cupped Cadence's chin and smiled, "I can see every single detail your beautiful face. Your lavender eyes... your soft lips... truly perfection. Beauty is your second talent, now you can use your first. Windigos feed off negative emotions... if you can use the Crystal Heart, Then you will beat them."

Cadence asked, "Do you really think so?"

Wind Walker leaned in and gave her a kiss, before blowing away like a gentle breeze.

"Believe in yourself, and love can conquer anything in your way... may the winds of hope and courage blow across your lands and wipe away the clouds of doubt and fear."

Cadence blushed, and said to the wind.

"I will, my Wind Walker... may your wise and kind words echo across the whole of Equestria..."

(The Palace of the Windigo Queen, Throne Room)

Queen Diamanda sat on her throne, admiring herself in a mirror and drinking a large glass of wine.

Her most valuable soldiers and close friends, Frost Soul and Icicle Storm, had been reduced to dust.

She was about to pour another glass of wine when a messager came over to her and said, "I am sorry to disturb your... grief coping, my queen. But I have received word that a Royal from Equestria has been sighted approaching the outer wall of the fortress. Shall I order them to obliterate the royal?"

Diamanda thought for a moment, then shook her head, "No. if we can establish a spy in Canterlot, then we can easily ambush Celestia and Luna, and kill them on her home turf in front of thousands of ponies! Heh-Heh, they would never expect it!"

The doors swung open and a white stallion wearing a white parka and tuxedo and a crystal rose in his lapel. He had blue eyes and a blond mane combed back into a royal braid.

Diamanda smiled, she knew who it was.

She clapped her hooves and bowed, "Ah, Out of all the royal nobles in Canterlot, I am visited by the closest member to Celestia... wonderful, I believe you got my invitation to dinner and a negotiation?"

The unicorn bowed, "Its my pleasure, Queen of the Windigos, I've never met somepony of such authority, outside of my aunt and her sister of course... I honestly love your look. The golden eyes set in the white-blue skin is simply divine."

Queen Diamanda smirked, "So, I suppose you've made up your mind then?"

The unicorn nodded, "Of course, Queen Diamanda! My aunt has denied me any power outside of a small villa! I'll work alongside you, maybe I may make a good King. I mean, King of the Windigos sounds like a simply divine title. What do you think, my queen?"

Diamanda rushed over to the unicorn and kissed him, saying the name that would curdle the stomach of Rarity,

"Welcome to my castle, Prince Blueblood or should I say, My king..."

Queen Diamanda motioned towards her bedroom and said, "Now, let us consummate our joining together... if you catch my drift. I may be cold to the touch, but I am truly a fire in bed..."

Blueblood smiled a perverted smile, "Coming, my snow angel! Your prince has arrived! Hehe-he!"

Blueblood ran into the bedchambers of Queen Diamanda and closed the door and locked it.

The guards outside of the room felt extremely uncomfortable as they heard the moans of the two getting it on in there, they both said, "Normally I would love this job, but this is The Worst. Possible. Thing!"

The other guard winked at them, "Well, at least it's better than Burning Star and Diamanda getting it on... she would have melted from his heat."

The first guard nodded, "Yes, yes it is... I think we should give them some privacy, so you think?"

The two walked away from the door, while a windy force blew into the door, reforming on one of the arches above the Queen's bedroom, saying "Well let's see what your up to Diamanda-"

He silently screamed, "HOLY FAUST IN HEAVEN! If I wasn't wearing a blindfold I would claw my eyes out!"

Diamanda stopped for a minute and thought to herself, "Must have been the wind, anyways..."

She resumed making love to Blueblood, and her moans could be heard throughout the entire palace... making the night guard feel awkward.

Chapter 14: Sombra's Ultimate Gamble

(The Badlands, Salt Flats)

The Badlands were never a particularly friendly place to visit, hence the name.

It was filled with monsters such as the ferocious manticores, the ravenous Hydra, and various other creatures that could also be found in the Everfree.

But the most dangerous creature was the Black Behemoth, a monster that was as tall as Twilight's castle, and as wide as Celestia and Luna's combined wingspan.

Twilight had only heard tales of its existence, but from the books she read described it quite vividly.

It had rows of sharp teeth almost twice the size of her, a head with two giant tusks protruding from its crowed by a pair of six horns, it had six legs, with the front two serving as its arms. On its back were six gigantic plates that allowed it to absorb solar energy to fire out beams of thermal heat that set fire to everything around it.

Twilight Sparkle had dealt with much more dangerous foes in the past, such as Tirek and Daybreaker... but they still had to think.

The Black Behemoth ran solely on survival instincts, it was the alpha predator in Equestria, and it had claimed the lives of hundreds.

Twilight Sparkle had expected to have Cadence by her side when she was going out, but she had an urgent matter to attend to in the Crystal Empire.

Now, Twilight was going out alone, and that was a horrible idea.

Twilight could take on Chrysalis on her own, but she was walking into the lions den, Chrysalis had her hive at her back, so she would overwhelm Twilight with sheer numbers.

Twilight thought to herself, "No monsters so far... which is strange. I would expect there to be at least one."

Twilight Sparkle landed near a manticore nest and looked around, there was claw marks leading out towards the Everfree, it seemed like these things were scared of something or somepony.

Twilight flew next to a Hydra Den, it was empty, with various puddles of what Twilight hoped to be drool on the ground as well as large footprints leading towards the forest as well.

(The Badlands, Queen Chrysalis's Hive)

Twilight arrived at the Changeling hive finally, it was strangely empty. She judged from the hastily made tracks that the swarm must have left with the queen in a rush.

Twilight Sparkle said out loud, "Whatever scared Chrysalis must have been really frightening to see. Hydras and Manticores never run off unless they are outmatched by something stronger. And Chrysalis is usually brave enough to face off against monsters..."

Suddenly, A loud roar caused the roof of the cave to collapse, Twilight flew out before she could be crushed and hit the side of something very large and covered in black and dark blue scales.

The big beast turned around and Twilight went white with fear, The rumors were true!

Before Twilight stood the Black Behemoth!

The giant monster roared in her face, sending her flying backwards, it swung it giant spiked tail at her, she dodged and began to pelt it with magic arrows. They were unable to harm the Behemoth's armored hide.

The Behemoth opened its maw and fired a Beam of thermal energy that cut a large ravine in the ground. Twilight Sparkle was glanced by the attack and fell to the ground, where she struggled to get up.

The Behemoth roared and stomped towards her, its massive mouth open to eat the lavender Alicorn.

Twilight knew she had to do something quickly, lest she become this monsters next meal.

She began to concentrate, and her eyes began to glow sickly green, purple smoke emanated from her eyes as she blasted a bolt of Dark Magic into the Behemoth's face.

dark green light filled the Behemoth's eyes, it roared back in fear, and ran away.

Twilight Sparkle got to her feet and gasped for air, saying "Thank Celestia... I didn't think that would work... dark magic still wears me out a lot..."

A voice filled her mind, "You have only just begun to see your real strength..."

Twilight looked around to see where that voice came from, seeing nothing but more of the barren wastelands.

She said to herself, "Great. Now I'm hearing things! am I going crazy?!"

The voice echoed in her mind again, "No. you have not succumbed to insanity, Twilight Sparkle, but hearing voices in your head that aren't your own is worrying."

Twilight Sparkle asked the voice, "Wait a minute, How do you know my name? Who are you?"

Suddenly, Twilight's eyes widened as a large shadow overtook her, it was her shadow!

Out of her shadow came a deep-purple colored Alicorn made with eyes filled with Dark Magic, she wore a silver and black chest plate and shoes as well as had a silver and red crown upon her head. It looked like the Element of Magic, except dark and twisted...

Twilight Sparkle was seeing herself!

Twilight Sparkle took a defensive position and said, "Who are you and why do you look like me?!"

The other Twilight Sparkle began to speak in a distorted version of her voice, "Isn't it obvious? I am Twilight Sparkle, Element of Magic. Well... let me clarify, I am a manifestation of your Dark Magic side. Call me... Midnight Sparkle."

The Alicorn known as Midnight Sparkle looked like Twilight, but her body seemed much more defined, more curvy and elegant. Like a...

Another voice came from behind Twilight, this one deep and demonic, "...Like a queen? Wouldn't you say?"

Twilight turned around to see that King Sombra had appeared as well, but his eyes were filled with dark magic and his horn bubbled with energy.

Almost as if this was a trap... which Twilight now figured out it was!

Twilight Sparkle stepped back in fear, seeing King Sombra standing in front of her, eyes full of unusual pride.

Twilight Sparkle put two and two together, "It makes sense now! I wondered why Cadence had to attend an urgent matter in the Crystal Empire?! You just disguised yourself as her to make me walk out here without backup!"

King Sombra decided to rub some salt on the wound, "This is not the first time somepony masqueraded as somepony you love, is it? You should have suspected that something was amiss when Candence rushed out the door to the train without announcing her goodbyes or any reason to abandon your friend Burning Star? isn't that the least bit suspicious?"

Twilight Sparkle responded, sniffling, "D-did you do anything to hurt her?"

King Sombra laughed, "No, I am not that cruel Twilight. I simply imprisoned the group in my room and impersonated you when I saw you leave. They fell into my trap without me even trying to lure them in! Your friends are idiots, Twilight!"

Midnight Sparkle laughed an eerie laugh, "Exactly Sombra! Hence the reason I killed them as soon as I could. Even my brother wasn't smart enough to anticipate the Dark Magic poison I slipped into their ciders! Hahaha! The look of their faces as they convulsed in agony as foam erupted from their mouths. Burning Star couldn't do anything, then again... how could he? He was dead, killed by the Windigos."

Twilight Sparkle shuddered and shook with dread at the thought of killing her friends. She had stuck with them for almost 2 decades now...

Would she really kill them?

Twilight Sparkle responded with a shout, "No! I would never do that! I... why are you doing this to me of all ponies?! What could you gain from mentally torturing me?!"

Sombra put his hoof around Midnight Sparkle, "An immortal student and a real and EXTREMELY POWERFUL ruler."

Twilight Sparkle began to cry, she was hearing of the horrific possibilities that Sombra described.

Midnight Sparkle walked up to Twilight and wiped away her tears, saying in a soft voice, "Don't cry, Twilight. Once the ritual is over, you will have no need for those friends you have. Friends are nothing more than an illusion, only there to distract you from the truth. The Magic of Friendship isn't the reason you are strong, you are strong because you are born to be!"

King Sombra evaporated the dark version of Twilight Sparkle, appeared next to Twilight and began to speak into her ears, "Twilight, I have an alternative. If you join with me willingly now... I will spare your friends lives, I swear that no harm will come to them, no harm will come to anypony you love..."

He continued to speak, "Under my training, Twilight, you could become the strongest user of Magic in the world! Magic has two sides Twilight, the light and dark. In order to understand the true powers of magic, one must learn both sides... rather than ignore the dark, like your mentor Celestia.

Twilight Sparkle stared with a combination of both shock and amazement as the crown that her dark version was wearing appeared on her head, as well as the regalia she was wearing as well...

A mirror appeared in front of her, and Twilight saw her eyes, they were not filled with green like Sombra's...

rather they were deep purple with red irises...

Twilight Sparkle looked at her new appearance, the pink stripe that ran down her mane and tail was now a metallic purple, while the rest of her mane and tail was a midnight purple that flowed like water.

Her cutie Mark had changed to a black and red six pointed star, and she felt in her mouth that there were sharp white fangs.

Sombra smiled, showing his sharp teeth, "Ah, much better. You look more mature, more powerful, and also a lot sexier in my opinion..."

Twilight Sparkle did enjoy the new look, and her body was admittedly good looking.

Sombra continued to flood her mind with temptation, "I know you crave knowledge, Twilight. I did as well, Become my queen Twilight, and I will share my thousands of years of wisdom with you, you will know all there is to know about Dark Magic... including the most powerful spell, the ability to extend the lifespans of other ponies, even keep them from dying altogether... how does that sound?"

Twilight Sparkle imagined sharing her eternal life with her friends, they would never leave her alone ever again... even Spike.

Sombra decided to put the final nail in the coffin, "Twilight, you are more powerful than you think... you know that, I know that. Accept your destiny! Join me and complete your training as the true ELEMENT Of MAGIC!"

Twilight Sparkle suddenly smirked, causing Sombra to raise an eyebrow, she said in a knowing tone that sent a chill down Sombra's spine,

"You are a fool, Sombra. Such a naive, simple fool..."

Sombra recoiled in agony as his mental Link with Twilight was broken with a loud shatter, he flinched as blood dripped out of his nose.

Twilight Sparkle said with pride in her voice, "The mental Link spell? Foals play, Shadow King. Burning Star taught me it in order to communicate with me telepathically from long distance... and he told me about an hour ago about your plan!"

Sombra stammered, "Impossible, I-I had your brain in my hooves. I never did... what... what just happened?"

Twilight Sparkle grinned like a madpony, "When you jumped me as the Black Behemoth, I instantly knew it was you, hide your crown better! Horns don't cut it!"

Twilight knocked Sombra to the ground, fury in your voice "You thought you could use me as a tool for your own desires! You thought wrong, Sombra!"

Sombra suddenly felt very small, his vision becoming blurred. When it cleared, he saw his worst nightmare.

Behind Twilight stood hundreds of ponies. unicorns, pegusai, earth pony. Even other species stood behind Twilight, an solemn look in their eyes.

Twilight said to Sombra, "Behold... your legacy Sombra. Hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands of lives lost because of you rage and hatred for the one pony you could never best, yourself."

Twilight Sparkle glared into Sombra's eyes and said, "You gambled on my addiction to knowledge, Sombra. But you forgot one crucial detail!"

Sombra felt fear, for the first time in thousands of years, he was terrified.

"I am TWILIGHT SPARKLE! THE ELEMENT OF MAGIC, THE PRINCESS OF FRIENDSHIP, AND THE REFORMER OF YOUR STUDENT, BURNING STAR!"

Twilight Sparkle grasped Sombra by his neck and said in a voice that sent chills down his spine.

"And I am your worst NIGHTMARE!"

Sombra screamed in terror as he quivered on the ground, absolutely terrified and shaken from his gamble gone wrong.

Twilight Sparkle then smirked, "You Lose Sombra, but all that Dark Magic Stuff, I would have like to learn about that, but I already learned it from Burning Star."

Sombra stood back as Twilight's eyes became pools of white, he would never forget the experience that happened next...

Twilight Sparkle began to absorb Sombra's soul into her body, Sombra begged and pleaded to not end up trapped within her mind...

It did not work, and with one last haunting scream, Sombra was sucked into Twilight's horn, her head hurting immensely from the process.

She staggered, but she stood her ground, saying with tears in her eyes.

"May you find peace, King Sombra. Be it within my mind, or within my heart..."

Twilight looked North with a ferocity in her eyes that had never been seen before.

"I am a princess of Equestria... and I will defend my people, no matter the cost. I'm on my way Burning Star."

Chapter 15: Twiception

(The Badlands, Edge of the Forest)

After the whole mental battle with Sombra and finding out Burning Star had went north, Twilight felt unwell and needed to head back to her castle to get the last remaining member who had chosen to stay behind for some reason, Quickfire.

She may have overestimated her own abilities to lock Sombra in her mind, cause he was kicking and screaming fiercely!

Twilight had heard through the telepathic game of mind telephone that Quickfire had gotten into a fight with Sombra earlier. She once thought that somepony armed with just a sword and some ranged weapons couldn't possibly take him down.

And from the reactions of her mental prisoner, it was clear that that theory was blown right out of the water!

She thought to herself, and in turn talked to Sombra, "Ha! Quickfire beat you?! You had every advantage against him, and he still won? I would have never had guessed that the once "Fearsome King Sombra" would be beaten by somepony I haven't even met properly."

Sombra' consciousness cursed and spat back, "Oh shut the f--- up you purple furred pain in my flank! He would have beaten you as well, Twilight Sparkle. He knows both of our Magic styles like the back of his hoof.

Twilight Sparkle shrugged, "You're just upset cause you lost. I thought being king meant you have to be a fair loser?"

Sombra, spoke in a more sarcastic tone, "Twilight, I am the ULTIMATE SORE LOSER! I condemned my empire to be imprisoned when I fell in battle. Also, do you really think that I, the master of dark magic, would play fair? You are just as blind as that Wind Walker!"

Twilight Sparkle fumed, Sombra was not being a good prisoner, she thought that he should be grateful that he is still alive and not blasted to bits along with his soul.

Sombra continued to speak in his sarcastic voice "So, what sort of master plan does the brilliant Twilight Sparkle have to fix this? Since you have Me... Stuck deep inside you?"

Twilight shuddered at the words Sombra used, and said, "Don't say it like that, Sombra! It sounds... dirty."

King Sombra chuckled, "Well too bad, Twilight, because you will be hearing it from me for as long as you live! I figure if I cannot make other ponies miserable, I'll settle for their lovely princess of friendship! Gra-hahah-haha!"

Trying to block out Sombra's mockery, Twilight thought about her next mission... helping Burning Star.

(Twilight's Castle, Burning Star's Room)

Twilight had teleported to Burning Star's room, as it was the main HQ for his friends, even though only one was still there was the worlds greatest assassin and mercenary, Quickfire.

That said pony was standing at the windowsill, his reddish orange and black mask covering his face, which the real Twilight had yet to see...

Quickfire turned towards the sound of Twilight's teleport and said, "Took you long enough, I was starting to think that you wouldn't show up, Twilight Sparkle."

He drew his sword and rushed forwards, knocking Twilight to the floor and putting the blade against her neck.

He said in his emotionless tone, "Saves me the trouble of tracking you down to kill you, goodbye Empress Midnight Sparkle."

Twilight Sparkle blocked the downward swing of his blade and slid underneath his legs. She attempted to landed a roundhouse to his head, he blocked it and threw Twilight across the room and into the crystal wall, leaving a large crack in it.

Sombra' voice echoed in her head, "You aren't doing so well, Twilight."

Twilight Sparkle screamed internally, "Shut it, King Sombra! Unless you have a solution to beat this stallion, I don't need you backseat commentary!"

Quickfire rushed Twilight again, sword drawn and single eye glowing bright blue.

Quickfire snorted, "You're not too shabby, Midnight. But you're outmatched by my skill, I am able to defeat even the strongest foes, even Tirek, taking his mane as a souvenir, after scalping him of course..."

Twilight turned invisible to try and strike Quickfire unseen, it didn't work and she received a spinning kick from Quickfire's armored hooves.

She snarled out, "Hey! Would you cut it out! I'm not Midnight Sparkle, I'm Twilight Sparkle, Representative of Friendship! I gave up the whole royalty thing so ponies wouldn't grovel constantly as I walked by! It got really annoying."

Quickfire shook his head, "Liar! You never gave up the Royalty! You made me do horrible things, You even made me kill your mentors Celestia and Luna!"

Twilight shouted, tears in her eyes, "NO! I would never do that! What makes you think that would do that?! Who are you?!

Quickfire smirked behind his mask and said, "huh, you're still just as naive as ever, Twily..."

Twilight Sparkle stopped, hearing the name that her brother called her...

Twilight Sparkle asked, "Wait... Twily? The only pony that has ever called me that is..."

Twilight Sparkle approached Quickfire and grabbed his mask and removed it, what she saw was jaw dropping.

Under the mask was the face of her brother, Shining Armor, but he was missing an eye and covered in scars...

Quickfire looked down on Twilight and sighed, "Well... you know who I am now, no freak outs? No ohmygosh my brother is an one pony army? No melodramatic outbursts? Nothing?"

Twilight Sparkle stood stunned for a little while, then fainted.

Quickfire sighed, "Oh Twily, what am I going to do with you?"

(Twilight's Castle, Twilight's Room)

Quickfire lifted Twilight into his hooves and placed her down on her bed, a single blue eye staring down upon her... with a look of loneliness and pity.

He may not have been as magically adept as Twilight, but he sensed King Sombra's influence upon her.

He didn't want to chance it, he drew his sword and stepped forwards, but paused before he could slash Twilight to ribbons.

He said to himself, "Come on, do it Quickfire, no... Shining... you need to save the future, you can sacrifice one life for hundreds. Maybe even thousands... do it!"

Something inside Future Shining made him put his sword away and say, "Damn it to Tartarus! You still can't do it... not to her. You need save the world, but how? How?!"

His sudden shout woke Twilight from her sleep and say in a weary voice, "Wow, I had the weirdest dream. I absorbed King Sombra into my body and I met with my brother, even though he's in the Crystal Empire..."

She looked to her side and saw that her dream wasn't a dream, there was her brother staring at her with one single blue eye, and she heard the voice of King Sombra in her head.

He said in a snarky voice, "Took you long enough, Twilight! I was starting to get bored from not tormenting you..."

Quickfire swallowed hard and said, "Twily? You ok? I sense King Sombra's presence on you, yet there is no evidence of Dark Magic on the outside... care to explain?"

Twilight Sparkle said in a tired voice, "Wait, you are real?! Did everything that I experienced actually happen?"

Quickfire shrugged and said, "Yeah. But the big question is... where is King Sombra? Did you kill him? Did he corrupt you?"

Twilight shook her head, "I... absorbed his essence into my mind. So, he is up in my brain, rambling and making snarky comments about me and my friends being weak... typical stuff."

Quickfire's eye went wide, "What?! Twily, that is the worst possible thing you could have done! We have to go into your mind and kill him! Like, right now!"

Twilight had barely any time to react as her brother touched his horn to his sisters and entered her mind.

(Twilight's Mind, Subconscious Realm)

Twilight and Quickfire awoke in a oddly hazy version of Twilight's Bedroom. Some sort of fog surrounded them, making it hard to see anything.

Quickfire drew his sword and ignited it with a bright light, sending the fog away, he said to his sister, "C'mon, Twilight. Let's go find Sombra, he is not in here. He must be somewhere else in your mind..."

Twilight looked around and had a confused look on her face, "So... this is what my brain is like... weird."

Quickfire saw a door to the hallway and said, "Listen, Twily. This is your mind, where do you think Sombra would be found?"

Twilight thought for a minute, "Oh! The Throne Room! I never really go there, and his huge regal ego must be there as well. I'll open up another door, let's go."

(Twilight's Dream Layer 2, Discord's Maze)

Quickfire stepped through the door and said, "Well... isn't this a surprise. Why in Equestria would you dream of this place? Discord is reformed, are you paranoid he will turn evil again?"

Twilight raised an eyebrow, "Shining, he is a spirit of chaos and disharmony, there is always a chance he will revert back to his evil ways, right?"

Quickfire drew his sword and ignited it with fire, pointing at one of the maze walls and saying in a loud voice, "Fire Sword Beam!!"

Quickfire swung his sword down and launched a large crescent of fire that tore the maze, revealing another doorway into the dream realm.

He opened it and stepped through, pulling Twilight into it.

(Twilight's Dream layer 3, Throne Room Entrance)

Quickfire finally arrived at the throne room door and said to his sister, "Third times the charm, eh Twilight?"

Twilight Sparkle heard the faint sound of screaming... it was coming from the other side of the door!

it sounded like Celestia and Luna and Sombra!

Twilight Sparkle, without warning, blasted down the door and saw a gruesome sight that made even Quickfire gag...

Celestia, Luna, Eclipsio, Cadence, and Sombra were chained to the floor. They were beaten and bloody, Sombra was talking to a Alicorn on the throne.

It was Twilight Sparkle's dark form, Midnight Sparkle!

Midnight Sparkle smirked as Sombra said in a raspy voice, "Please Twilight! Let us go! I've already told you about Diamanda! She was my wife, why do you want to kill us all?! Answer me!"

Midnight Sparkle smiled and slapped Sombra, saying "Yes, and now you have outlived your usefulness, Shadow King! Goodbye and good riddance!"

Twilight could only watch as Sombra's body was wracked with agony as Midnight's horn erupted with dark magic, before he collapsed in a pool of dark red blood.

Celestia roared in fear, "Why are you doing this Twilight?! Why kill us?"

Midnight simply said, "Why, Celestia? I'll tell you why...

She countinued, "For the longest time I have only learned light magic from you, Celestia. As the Element of Magic I should learn both sides! Do you know why you have fallen before me rulers of light, darkness, love, and eclipses?

She paced around them, a green light in her eyes. "Do you know why, even as we speak, my darkness and perfection consumes all you hold dear in Equestria?

"Do you know why The light of friendship, justice, harmony, and life now fades?

Midnight broke into a mad laugh, sending chills down Quickfire and Twilight's back, "Of course you don't! because you are "good" and good is dumb! You are so dumb that you never even TRIED to understand the darkness within.
I have not fallen to darkness, nor have I been consumed by it, I have conquered it! It is mine to rule!"

She finished off with a roar in the Royal Canterlot Voice, "I AM DARKNESS INCARNATE! I AM POWER MADE FLESH! I AM ETERNAL! I AM MIDNIGHT SPARKLE!
And I have won, for the darkness I now. control has something that the light can never match! Now you will all DIE!"

Twilight watched in utter horror as Midnight Sparkle disintegrated everypony in front of her, laughing like King Sombra would!

Twilight Sparkle turned to Quickfire and said, "Is this the future of my reign? To become an agent of darkness?"

Midnight looked to the door and smiled, "Ah, there you are my brother and my other half. Enjoy the show, or should I say... your future?"

Quickfire snarled, "No! I won't let this happen, Twily will never become you! She knows that she has friends, and that she is loved and cared for!"

Midnight Sparkle said in a truly bone chilling voice, "Hmph, Friends are nothing more than a illusion, who want to take everything you give and never return just as much. You can only count on yourself! Celestia relied too much on the goodness in ponies hearts, How unbearably ignorant to the true nature of ponies. All they really are are ants to crush under my hooves should they ever step out of Line, for I am their Empress, I am their GODDESS!"

Twilight Sparkle stepped forwards and said, "No! You aren't real, your just another one of my nightmares, nothing more!"

Midnight Sparkle smirked and grasped Twilight with her magic and said into her ear, "Don't you see? Once I gave my former friends immortality, they simply left me for their families and friends, how selfish of them..."

Quickfire snorted, "That is only a possible future, your highness. Twilight may still conquer the darkness within her, you are nothing more than a projection of Twilight's dark side, and I made a promise to the dying Celestia and Luna that I would stop you!"

Midnight Sparkle snickered, "Well I would love to see you try, Shining... but you will fail. You lack killer instinct."

Twilight Sparkle stomped her hoof down and said, "ENOUGH! I'm sick of this nightmare! I don't have to become a monster to be strong! Now, I'm going to leave you to your misery and loneliness without friends to help you... You coming Shiny?"

Quickfire nodded and stepped through a portal to the real world.

Once they were gone, Midnight said to herself, a grin on her face.

"Its too late to change your destiny, Twilight. You will become me, no matter how hard you try to change that... not even Burning Star can save you now... heheee-heehe-he."

Chapter 16: Shadow Armor, Mi Un Amor

(The Crystal Empire, The Barracks)

When Shining Armor, Shadow Armor, Burning Star, and the rest of the Elemental Masters arrived at the Crystal Empire a few days ago, they were immediately warned of the army on the outskirts of the city.

Burning Star sat at a table with Princess Cadence, discussing with her his plan to defeat Diamanda once and for all.

He, alongside his fellow Element Masters would prepare a ritual that would drastically change the climate in the area, so the Windigos would lose their biggest advantage, the cold.

But this required time to work, Burning Star asked Cadence and Shining to put up a shield around the Crystal Empire while he gathered his friends together, the estimated time of completion was the problem.

Hearths Warming Eve.

The day on which no pony really wanted to do anything other than celebrate the holiday joy with their family and friends.

It was a day of holiness, a day of celebration...

Not a day for warfare!

Shadow Armor sat looking out upon the training soldiers, he had a look of loneliness on his face, he missed the days when he only had to fight for himself...

Cadence appeared from behind him and said, "Hey Shadow Armor, you ok? You seem... alone. I heard about what happened to Tempest Shadow... I'm sorry that happened."

Shadow Armor responded with a callous growl, "You weren't there, you don't know how it feels to lose somepony close to you."

Candence sadly nodded, "You're right, I don't know what it's like, but I can sense that it weighs heavily on your heart... did you really care for her that much?"

Shadow Armor sighed in frustration, "Yeah. Go on, laugh it up, laugh out loud that the tough and gritty Shadow Armor had a crush... I don't blame you."

Princess Cadence smiled a warm smile, "No. I would never laugh at somepony who lost their lover. It's wrong, those ponies should be comforted for their loss."

Cadence gripped Shadow Armor in a hug that made the black knight gasp in surprise.

She then said, "Maybe, somepony here would like to go out with you... you know that you are a bit of a ladies magnet in the Crystal Empire. At least that is what I hear from some of the ladies in my spa group."

Shadow Armor broke his stoic position with a surprised deep breath and glare, "What? What are you saying? That somehow, I am a object of attraction amongst mares I have never seen and/or interacted with? Princess, don't make me laugh. I have not made any attempts to attract the attention of a female, so what are you insinuating?"

Cadence's face went into a mad grin, "I think I owe you a favor, for saving me so many times... being the princess of love I do have the powers to make ponies fall in love... maybe I can set you-"

Shadow Armor broke into an immense blush and put his large hoof in Cadences mouth with a loud yell, "NO! None of your magical interference, Candence. As much as I would like a Mare friend and I'm really hoping for it (he didn't realize he said that out loud), I do not need you to intervene, imagine if your spell malfunctioned and hit somepony like I don't know... Twilight Sparkle or Celestia?!"

Cadence laughed a little, "You know that Twilight is hooked up with Burning Star, and Celestia is way too busy running the kingdom..."

Shadow Armor rolled on to his sides, laughing "Hah! Celestia runs this kingdom?! Come on Cadence, all she does is sit on her flanks and eat cake and send Twilight out to fix the problems she could be bothered to solve."

Cadence was about to respond with Shadow Armor mentioned something that chilled her to the bone.

"I mean, what other reason would Twilight have for developing an evil alter ego?"

Cadence went wide eyed and said, "What?!"

Shadow Armor smirked, "She's talking in her sleep, I'm just kidding Cadence. The moment Twilight turns evil is the moment King Sombra turns good, so never."

Cadence sighed, "Let's go, Shadow..."

(The Crystal Empire, The Diamond Bistro)

Shadow Armor sat at a table, waiting for his meal, he ordered some Lemon Glazed Salmon, much to the disgust of the waiter.

While Shadow Armor was sitting, he thought to himself, "What are you doing Shadow Armor? You should not be letting Princess Cadence play matchpony for you, you have a duty... protect Burning Star and anypony close to him..."

He leaned back in his chair, his scarlet red eyes staring at the kitchen door, waiting for his dish to come out...

When suddenly he heard a Female voice, albeit slurred. "Excuse me, is... is this seat taken?"

Shadow Armor looked at the mare who spoke, it was Starlight Glimmer.

Cadence had set him up with probably the last Unicorn he wanted to see, as he had heard of what Starlight did to her townspeople years ago.

He leaned back on the flank that bore his cutie Mark of a red serrated sword and said, "So, I'm guessing this is supposed to be your idea of a date? Taking me out here, having dinner with me..."

He leaned closer to Starlight, creating an energy knife behind him, "Then you would take me back to my house and take my cutie mark... am I right?!"

Starlight violently shook her head, "What are you talking about?! Cadence thought that we would make a good couple, so I agreed. I am single, and I am extremely powerful.

She leaned closer, a oddly sultry look in her eyes, "I know you like strong mares, right?"

Shadow Armor snorted and got up, "I... need some air. I'll sleep on it, Starlight, Goodnight."

Starlight went wide eyed and then huffed, before leaving the bistro.

She bumped into a noble couple on her way out, it was Fancy Pants and his female colleague, the beautiful Fleur De Lis.

Fluer and Fancy sat down on a table underneath the giant crystal dome and began to chat, Shadow Armor picked up what they were saying with his acute hearing.

Fancy spoke first, "I must say, despite its out of the way location, The Crystal Empire is quite the beautiful place, isn't it Fluer?"

Fluer responded, "We, This place is simply divine in its design..."

Shadow Armor's smelled something foul, he could smell the stench of evil.

Starlight jumped over the balcony railing from the ground with an evil grin on her face, Shadow Armor was shoved to the side by a shockwave, but he saw that Starlight Glimmer's eyes glowed a bright green before she was overtaken by green fires, as were the rest of the staff in the bistro.

When the flames cleared, there were dozens of Changelings, and where Starlight once stood Queen Chrysalis now stood, a smug grin on her face as her drones ensnared everypony in the restaurant.

She clapped her hole-riddled hooves together, "Bravo, my children. The Crystal Ponies are heavily irradiated by the love Energy of the Crystal Heart, we will drain them when we return home."

Chrysalis walked over to Fluer and Fancy and smirked while creating a lime green energy saber, "But with you two, i despise anypony that thinks they are more beautiful than me. Goodbye forever, you stuck up nobles!

Shadow Armor wasted no time and rushed in to block a swing of Chrysalis blade with his own serrated one, before breaking it in two on the serrations.

He sent the giant Changeling flying with a double kick from his back legs, but he was pounced on by the rest of the Changelings.

Fluer slipped out of her bindings, and a Changeling lunged at her, fangs bared.

She screamed, getting the attention of Shadow Armor, who forced the Changeling drones off him and tackled the shapely unicorn out of the way, before stabbing the drone in the hoof with a food knife.

Fluer looked up to see Shadow Armor parrying, deflecting, and killing every Changeling that approached her.

He said in his gravelly voice, "Miss Fluer, You ok? Nothing broken?"

Fluer's perspective was suddenly clouded by fog, as she looked on dreamily as Shadow Armor slashed, stabbed, and kicked through the hordes of insectoid life forms, finally shouting in an angry voice toward Chrysalis.

"LETS SEE YOU SURVIVE THIS, YOU BITCH!"

Shadow Armor fired a bright red beam of concussive energy at Chrysalis, which sent her flying out the window.

Fluer was suddenly lifted to her hooves by Shadow Armor and said, "Miss Fluer, I recommend you get out of-"

Shadow Armor's sentence was cut off by Fluer kissing him full on his lips, sending the dark pony into a deep blush that showed through his dark gray fur.

Fluer whispered into the black knights ear, "Please, mi amor... call me Fluer. You saved my life. O Black Knight named Shadow Armor, you seem much more... authoritative than Fancy Pants."

Shadow Armor asked in a confused tone, "Then why did you stick around with him?"

Fluer let out a small giggle with a half lidded gaze in her eyes, "He had the bits to spend on my fashion products. You... you have strength, speed, you have testosterone for days, mi amor. I would like to retreat back to my manor, care to escort moi?"

Shadow Armor felt blood rush to his nether regions, and he took hold of Fluer's hoof and said, "With pleasure, Fluer. Fancy Pants need not know of this, right?"

Fancy Pants was still pinned underneath a table, saying "Fluer? Fluer my love? Hello?"

(Fluer De Lis's Manor)

Fluer's manor was quite the large estate, Shadow Armor found out that it was a vacation home for Fancy Pants and Fluer, and from the looks of it it was extremely expensive.

Shadow Armor opened the front door and said, "Here you go, Fluer, I've escorted you home. You need anything else?"

Fluer De Lis gave him a sultry look from her light purple-rose eyes and brushed his chest with her rose pink tail, saying "Yes, would you care to join me for dessert inside? I can made some Creme Brûlée for us. It is the least I can do, since you saved my life."

Shadow Armor shrugged, "Sure. But I must leave afterwards, I have to go to report to Cadence something."

So Fluer went into her kitchen and began to make Creme Brûlée for the two of them, Shadow Armor looked around at the interior of the manor.

A crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling illuminating the vast hallway. There was a single large door at the end of it and several smaller doors along the side, he figured the largest door was the bedchambers, and the smaller doors were either servant quarters or parlors.

Fluer called him in to the kitchen where the Creme Brûlée was waiting for him, he picked up the cup and began to chow down.

Fluer giggled slightly at the sight of the black knight eating, causing him to look up at the beautiful unicorn.

He hadn't noticed how good she looked until now, her horn was long and slender, compared to his broad and sharp one.

Her slim body...

Her shapely legs...

Her lovely mane and white ivory fur...

He snapped out of his stare when Fluer said something he didn't expect, "Shadow Armor, Mi Amor... would you care to take this to my bedroom? I'm sure that you would love to become acquainted with me more there, yes?"

Shadow Armor felt blood rush to his nether regions again, and he gave in.

He thought to himself, "Heh, If Cadence wants to see me happy, I think becoming this mare's coltfriend would more than satisfy her..."

Shadow Armor responded, "Of course, Fluer De Lis. I'm guessing you desire to sleep with me?"

Fluer blushed, "Oh my, no subtlety when it comes to you, Shadow Armor?"

Shadow Armor smirked, "I'm not one for being subtle, Fluer. One question though, why do you find me attractive?"

Fluer giggled a bit, "You are strong, commanding, you are stern with other ponies, I like that. Also, the red and green reminds me of Hearths Warming Eve... now come, don't keep me waiting."

Fluer walked up to Shadow Armor and kissed him, sending a massive blush onto the stallion's face.

He said in a dizzy voice, "T-Thanks Fluer, Oooh..."

With that, the two went to the bedroom and... well...

I'll leave the rest up to your imagination.

Chapter 17: The Blackhoof Virus and The Pony named Hiller

(The Canterlot Archives, Canterlot)

The Canterlot Archives were a source of ancient knowledge and were the premier source of magical artifacts...

Provided you knew how to work the damn things!

Twilight Sparkle had sent Sunset Shimmer to find a specific text for her, it was on Burning Star's village origins. She was confident that she could find it in this giant library...

Sunset flipped through the pages of a book titled "Ancient Cities of Equestria", since she had heard from Burning Star himself that Firebrand Village once produced Romane Fire, and thus she went to the Roam Chapter and read out loud.

"Romane Fire"

"An oil-like compound that burned hotter than lava, and stuck tighter than crazy glue. This substance was made in a secret location that was only available to the Roamane Emperor, Marriott. Because of its destructive properties, it was outlawed by Princess Celestia during the first few years of her reign. Little did she know that the producers of Romane Fire had another destructive weapon up their sleeves... and it was meant to destroy the enemies of the village..."

Sunset turned the page and noticed a scribble drawing of Discord on the next page with text under it.

"Romane Empire Chapter 2: Chaos in Firebrand"

She thought to herself, "Why would Discord associate himself with Firebrand Village?"

Suddenly, The spirit of Chaos himself jumped out of the page saying, "Why don't you ask me yourself?"

Sunset stood up and said, "Hello Discord, care to explain why you were covering a page relating to Firebrand Village?"

Discord laughed a little, "Just taking some of Twilight's advice and getting into a book."

He noticed Sunset wasn't laughing, so cleared his throat and said, "Anyways, I really was trying to keep some secrets buried, such as my involvement with Firebrand Village."

Sunset raised an eyebrow, "What do you mean, Discord?"

Discord snapped his eagle talons and a book appeared, he began to read, "Well I may have helped them develop weapons to destroy Roam with fire... various other things."

Sunset smirked, "I have an idea, you said you helped develop weapons for them? Why don't we go look for a few in the ruins of Firebrand Village?"

Discord stepped back in nervousness, "Sunset, dear. There is a reason why those weapons were lost, when Burning Star wrecked the village, I went back to look for my Chaos weapons, but there were buried deep under the rubble of the keep."

Sunset wasn't listening and instead began to walk out the door and turned her eyes towards the direction Firebrand Village was in, then teleported away.

Discord saw Sunset zip away, and face palmed and teleported after her.

(Firebrand Village, Ruined Keep)

Sunset Shimmer arrived at the keep that sat at the edge of the town, it was still somehow smoking, even after its fires had been doused decades ago.

Perhaps it was magical fire?

Discord popped up from behind her and said, "Sunset dear, I don't think going looking for an unstable chaos Weapon that even I don't remember what it was at the moment, is a good idea. And if I am saying that, then you know this is a bad idea!"

Sunset turned around and scowled, "If I can find a way to destroy the Windigos without endangering thousands of ponies lives, I'll look for it. If it is an "ancient chaos Weapon" as you called it, maybe this thing could be turned into our lead off attack against those frosty demons."

Discord sighed,"Well, it seems that talking you out of this won't solve this, so I might as well help you find these things and show you the horrors that I conjured up in my youth."

Discord turned his lion paw into a drill, and began to bore through the ground at breakneck speeds,

...until he finally hit something metal.

Sunset teleported down into the little cave Discord has made excavating the thing he hit.

It was a hatch of some kind, made of metal strong enough to resist magic, as Sunset learned by trying to open it with her magic grasp.

Discord turned his hands into crowbars, and quickly pried the hatch open and skunked inside, dragging Sunset with him.

(Unknown Vault)

Discord landed on a hard cobblestone floor gracefully, while Sunset landed with a painful thud.

Discord helped the sun-colored unicorn Up and said, "Well, here we are... wherever this is. What do you think this place is Sunny?"

Sunset ignited her horn into a light, while Discord illuminated his own eyeballs like flashlights, which creeped out the Unicorn.

Sunset responded to Discords Question, "Don't know, Discord. But if the inhabitants of this village sealed it up tight, it must hold something pretty valuable if you think about it, right?"

Discord gave her a deadpan stare, "You just don't like listening to anypony do you?"

Sunset Shimmer was over near what looked like a bookshelf, she had a book out that had the title, Weapon Log and Dangers

She flipped to a random page began reading the text, it was in runes

"Entry Number #013 Omega: The Blackhoof Virus"

This virus was once a harmless strain of the flu until King Sombra used his forbidden Dark Magic to mutate it into a deadly bio weapon, if was part of a deal with Firebrand to supply him with Romane Fire during his conquest of the Crystal Empire. It was dubbed the Blackhoof Virus, as it often caused the hooves of the infected to turn black. It was to be used to create a set of Super Soldiers, but every subject injected with the virus perished when they exploded into a string of fleshy blood covered tendrils. Because of this, The Shadow King, Sombra, ended the program due to the expense on Firebrand Village."

Sunset shuddered in terror, so did Discord, causing his various parts to fall off in fear and run away from him.

Sunset swallowed hard and said, "Well, perhaps your Chaos Magic can perfect this Virus, it is worth a shot, right?"

Discord bit his lip and said, "O-Ok Sunset, I'll try to perfect it. But if this doesn't work, we could have a major issue on our hooves. Are you sure you want to do this?"

Sunset nodded and pointed to a map, "Find this chamber, Discord. Please?"

Discord teleported both Sunset and himself to the location on the map.

What they saw was not pleasant to look at...

It was a reddish-black substance covering the walls of a laboratory, it pulsed and throbbed like a sore or diseased lesion, and these things were everywhere!

In the center of the room sat an Earth Pony, who had obviously been here for a long time, But he didn't seem to show signs of age at all, he could be smelled outside the glass, he stank of death.

The earth pony's ears perked up and he turned to the window, seeing Sunset and Discord standing there staring at him in bewilderment.

He finally got up and lunged at the door, where Sunset got a good look at him.

The earth pony was probably as large as Big Mac, his gray coat of fur was highlighted by his reddish orange and black mane, which seemed to pulse like the substance around him. His hooves and legs also pulsed as well, and his orange eyes were glowing.

"Well Well, finally somepony comes to let me out of this damn cell. So let me the f--k out now!"

Sunset spoke into the microphone, "I need to know who you are first, who are you?"

The Earth Pony suddenly morphed his hooves into razor sharp claws and tried to slice at the glass, it had no effect other than scaring the unicorn and Draconequess witless.

The earth pony's body suddenly turned bright red and began to change, he suddenly turned into a unicorn! He then began to blast away at the glass, leaving cracks along the surface.

Discord put a bubble around the now unicorn and pulled him out of the cell, he was kicking and screaming like a madpony.

Discord forcefully asked Sunset, "Don't you think this wasn't the wisest idea now!"

Sunset shook her head, "Maybe he is just upset from being locked up in there for so long, let's let him get some fresh air."

Discord swallowed hard and popped the containment bubble, letting the odd earth pony drop to the floor. He got up and said, "About freaking time, I was getting tired of that sh-t hole. Who the hell are you?"

Sunset, clearly fed up with this stallions off putting attitude, said in a harsh voice, "I'm Sunset Shimmer and this is Discord, The spirit of Chaos. We have come to ask you... what are you?"

The Earth pony got to his feet and snarled, ""I'm Mercury Blackhoof, the sole survivor of the Blackhoof Virus, and the viral killer of everypony in this facility. You have to be really crazy, or stupid, or both if you set me free. Ponies call me the Prototype of the Super Soldier Program, or the Protopony."

Discord asked Mercury, "Are you open to an offer, Mr Blackhoof? We have a monster problem and we would like to kill them, you look like somepony who really enjoys killing, judging from those claws you created."

Mercury suddenly transformed his hooves into the fleshy tendrils Sunset saw on the wall and lunged at Discord, a murderous hate in his eyes.

Discord teleported out of the way, before zapping Mercury with a bolt of magic fire.

It hit Mercury in the back leaving a burn scar, but it suddenly healed instantly without any pain showing on his face.

Mercury smirked, "Not gonna work Discord, I'm no fool when it comes to dealing with my foes, especially ones as dumb and stupid as you!"

Suddenly, another cell was opened by Sunset and out ran another Earth Pony, this one covered in brown fur and having his mane and tail cut in a short eraser like style.

This Earth Pony turned his attention towards Mercury and turned one of his hooves into a fleshy bladed whip, then lashed it out at Mercury, stabbing him straight through his chest.

Sunset helped pull Mercury away from the Draconequess and she said to him, "Discord, meet Hill Taker, or Hiller as he said when I asked him his name. He said he wanted to "kill Mercury again."

Hiller finally reeled in Mercury and turned his other hoof into a blade the same size as Sunset, then stabbed him in the gut and said "Get back in your cell Mercury, or do I have to drag your biomass filled ass back there myself?!"

Mercury slipped off Hiller's blade and crawled back into the door, then Hiller turned his hooves back to normal and said, "Why the f--k did you free him?! And what's this that Sunset taking about. Windigos? If we are talking the same windigos that I heard about as a foal, then I'm coming with you. I've been stuck in this sh-t hole for years and I'm not staying here another moment!"

Sunset raised an eyebrow in shock, "Hey hey! Who said your coming with us?!"

Hiller pushed Sunset aside and walked up to the open hatch, "I'm not asking, I'm telling. Now let's go, we are losing Daylight here!"

Discord teleported to the surface and Sunset came with him, leaving a screaming and crying Mercury sealed in that hole.

Chapter 18: Fire vs Ice, FINAL ROUND!

(Twilight's Castle, Training Room)

The Training Room was a recent installment to her castle, replacing the old storm cellar that was only used once when dealing with an rouge Cyclone Dragon, it was quickly shut down by Burning Star using Dark Magic after Twilight's normal magic didn't work.

Twilight Sparkle, her mane a mess and her eyes filled with determination, was taking out her frustrations on a punching bag. It had the face of Celestia on it, she couldn't find any other bag lying around, so she settled for this one.

She had recently learned that Burning Star and Queen Diamanda were to duel each other, one on one... she had to do nothing, just leave everything to Burning Star...

As she let her hooves clobber the bag, she started to think about how she came so far, only to once again be rendered the backup Alicorn again!

It seemed like Burning Star was doing the heroism, while she was stuck caring for the ponies that were bickering and fighting amongst themselves, while her partner saved them time after time from Monsters like Ursa Minors and villains such as Queen Chrysalis...

Celestia sent her on missions that she seemed capable of doing on her own, like when she was sent to contend with King Sombra, she wasn't even an Alicorn!

Why would she send her on a mission that was pretty much suicide for her?!

She felt inferior to Burning Star!

She felt inferior to Celestia and Luna!

In Both in popularity and power!

That was about to change...

Twilight's eyes, unknown to her, began to glow a bright green. She landed one last strike that sent the sandbag flying off the chain and into the wall, breaking open and leaving a massive indent as well...

She had never been so mad in her entire life!

Twilight said out loud, "Is this what I'm supposed to be? A pretty face that smiles and waves while my partner and husband (who she just realized that Burning Star married her just to gain an edge over Celestia) did all the heroics?!"

Twilight Sparkle put on her Element of Magic Tiara, her chest collar, a down coat with a collar, and her Shoes before walking out into the streets of Ponyville, it was snowing.

It was Hearths Warming Eve... a time to give gifts and receive gifts...

Twilight said to herself, "I'll beat Queen Diamanda on my own! I've beaten Tirek, defeating her should be no different! It's just another villain..."

A voice in Twilight's mind began to stir and say in a prideful voice.

"Yes Twilight, it is time for a change of leadership. Time to show Equestria what we can do. Show them your power, OUR POWER!

(The Castle of the Two Sisters, Throne Room)

Burning Star stood at the entrance to the castle of the two sisters... the same castle he met Twilight in...

The castle he began his journey to becoming a good pony...

it may be the castle he ends his journey, defending his home from Diamanda...

Across the hall stood his opponent, the pony and windigo he had been preparing to destroy...

The Windigo Queen... Diamanda!

The Queen was equally determined as her fiery opponent, she had not trudged through the Everfree to die in battle to The Alicorn of Fire!

Both combatants approached each other, with true power in their stride.

It was Burning Star, who fought with flames with the Fire of Friendship as his ally...

And Queen Diamanda, drawing upon her command of the cold from the Ice of Hatred that surrounded her heart...

Burning Star took one look at his opponent and repeated words he said years ago, "You sure you want to do this, Diamanda? If you lose, I will kill you."

Diamanda hardened her gaze and snarled, "I will freeze you to death before you even get so much as a candle lit."

Burning Star ignited his mane and tail and said, "You won't even get a snow flurry going before I reduce you to ashes!"

Both Pony and Windigo were fighting outside in the forest, While the Elements of Harmony were taking out bad guys pretty well, with Burning Star's friends showing why they were called the Masters of Nature.

Thunder Fury conjured up a storm cloud so large it blotted out the sunlight, then he rained bolts of lightning that destroyed the frosty Windigo Soldiers.

Sea Breeze caused the water vapor in the air to harden into razor sharp needles, that shredded a good dozen or more grunts.

Iron Steed tackled and crashed through the oncoming horde of icy grunts, shrugging off the blasts of ice and snow thanks to his large metal body.

Quickfire blasted through dozens of the Windigos with shots of his crossbows and swings of his sword, a fiery glow in his eye.

Wind Walker created a massive tornado and tore up the Windigos that tried to flee. His eyes were glowing bright white and his teeth were bared in fearsome determination.

Even the recent introduction of Hiller tearing up the icy demons with his viral claws and crushing them with hammerhooves in the most brutal way possible was a welcome sight!

Meanwhile, Burning Star and Queen Diamanda were dueling in the castle.

Burning Star blasted fireballs out of his horn, while Diamanda countered with a storm of icicles. The two attacks collided with a bang, sending smoke into the air.

Twilight Sparkle could see the fireworks from here, with Burning Star taking flight into the air to create a fire storm spell, while Diamanda created a Blizzard and hurled it at the Black Alicorn, who flung his attack at the Windigo Queen.

The two didn't notice Twilight taking flight to get a better angle on the battle.

Burning Star shouted at Diamanda, "Well then, you aren't all talk after all, huh? I'm impressed you know so many Dark Magic spells as well... I heard that you were the wife of my former mentor, King Sombra."

Queen Diamanda hammered Burning Star with an... Ice Hammer appropriately, sending him flying to the castle floor.

He struggled to his feet, Diamanda landed without grace as well, crashing into the old throne of Celestia and Luna.

She winced and said, "I-I am not going to lose to you... you pig of a pony..."

Burning Star coughed up blood, leaving him open to Diamanda lunging at him with an Ice Spear in hoof.

She hit something, but it wasn't a pony, It was a purple crystal construct of one!

Queen Diamanda was suddenly taken aback by what she saw.

The Princess of Friendship, Twilight Sparkle, staring her down with her shield Up.

Diamanda snickered, "Heh, so Burning Star did find a mare to screw! How are you kids going to take it when they find out both their parents are dead and gone!"

Twilight then did something she never thought she ever would do again,

She lost her control over her anger and unleashed a blast of Dark Magic that cleaved the ground in two, sending the Queen sprawling backwards.

Twilight continued to speak, her voice growing deeper and darker "I wanted harmony, yet ponies like you still continue to breathe!"

Twilight's body began to change, her Dark Powers changing her body to suit her new persona.

"Queen Diamanda, I am very, very angry with you. You still continue to stay alive after all this time!"

Everypony looked up to see the torrential dark purple light pouring out of the castle, they stopped fighting the Windigos (who also suddenly stopped fighting) and ran to the door to see something terrifying...

Twilight Sparkle was blasting Queen Diamanda about the castle, a manic grin on her face!

What she said next scared even Burning Star, as he finally saw what Twilight had become...

"I am Midnight Sparkle! And Queen Diamanda, You will DIE! HAHA-HAHA-HEHA"

The Queen let out an ear piercing scream as Midnight Sparkle drove her horn through her heart saying, "You didn't need your heart, anyways... now, where was I? Oh yes, it's time for a change of leadership... hehehee."

The Queen collapsed to the floor and disappeared in a puff of icy mist, the rest of the windigos went with her.

Burning Star got to his hooves and ran over to Midnight Sparkle and said, "T-Twilight? Are you ok? You look... different to say the least."

Midnight Sparkle smirked and cupped Burning Star's face with her hooves, "I've never felt better, Burning Star, my love. I now understand magic fully! And it has told me that you have been disrupting harmony. So, you will be joining the Queen in death, if you do not kneel before me."

Burning Star shook his head, "Twilight, snap out of it! This isn't you, well you look amazing... but it is not you!"

Midnight grasped her head and screamed as Twilight Sparkle reappeared, appearing in her regalia, completely exhausted.

Twilight Sparkle turned to Burning Star and said, "You did it, Burning Star. T-Thank you."

The rest of the Main Six and Masters of Nature got into a pony pile with Burning Star and Twilight, rejoicing that they had won...

Until they heard a voice that should have disappeared by now...

"Oh you silly little ponies, you can't get rid of me THAT EASILY!"

Twilight Sparkle shouted at the voice, which seemed to be coming from all around them, "I know you're not me, how are you still speaking to me?!"

A pain went through Twilight's horn and her eyes glowed purple, screaming in pain as the source of that voice emerged from her horn.

Twilight froze in fear, so did her friends...

This pony was an Alicorn like Twilight, but she was a dark purple instead of the normal lavender. Her mane and tail was a combination of wild pinks, deep purples, and black highlights. Her eyes had some sort of light green, almost holographic mask and her horn was the same light green.

Twilight Sparkle muttered, "I-I-Impossible..."

Midnight Sparkle smirked, "I will no longer be locked away in your mind! I will show you the true power of MAGIC! Hahahaa-Hee-Haa!"

Chapter 19: The Fault of the Sun and Moon

(Everfree Forest, Castle of the Two Sisters)

Everypony stared in shock and fear as Midnight Sparkle, who they once heard was only found in the mirror world, was standing right in front of them.

Sunset was the first to speak, her voice shaky and filled with dread, "I-I-Impossible! I destroyed you on the other world. How did you get here?! Sci-Twi gave up your power and you were defeated! How?!"

Midnight Sparkle laughed, "Hah! Oh Sunset, you are so incredibly stupid. Did you really think that I wouldn't have a contingency plan in the rare case I was beaten? I think you would have anticipated the return of me after all these years... funny how you ponies always forget your problems so easily."

Rarity hissed, "Well, would you care to explain why you are here?! Also, your attire is overwhelming. All that purple and black is hard on the eyes and doesn't give Off a regal view, if you're aiming to look like an Empress."

Midnight Sparkle snarled, "Its SUPPOSED to look intimidating, you snobby fashionista! UGH!"

Midnight collected her thoughts, and began to speak, "I'm sure you are all wondering how I am here, so let me explain. In my universe, after the events of Friendship Games and The Everfree Event, My essence fled through one of the various rifts that were opened to Equestria, that was my contingency plan... if I fled the body of Sci-Twi instead of being destroyed, I would be able to survive."

Burning Star growled at Midnight, "That still doesn't explain why you ended up in our Twilight!"

Midnight continued, eyes full of an eerie purple light, after a few months, I found a new home in Princess Twilight, this was the pony I was looking for! You see... YOUR Twilight craved knowledge, and I provided it to her. Burning Star, You ever wondered why Twilight began to learn from you so quickly? She wasn't learning, I ALREADY KNEW ALL THOSE SPELLS!"

Twilight finally got the courage to respond, "All those things you said, giving me powers beyond my limits... you were just using me? Using me to gain power and escape into your own body?! How could you?!"

Midnight picked up Twilight with her magic and said in an almost motherly tone, "No, Twilight. I will give you the powers I promised, I am not untrustworthy, unlike Celestia and Luna.

Quickfire stepped forward and said, "You are wrong, Celestia and Luna told me that you are a deceiver! Don't trust her Twilight!"

Midnight conjured a magic prison around the other ponies, leaving her alone with Twilight.

She whispered into her ear, They refused to teach you anything about Dark Magic, they kept you fearful to use your true, unchecked powers, they are holding you back, I offer FREEDOM! I offer a chance to let go of that pent Up energy and feelings of doubt, fear, and... other urges that you kept buried for so log. You won't need your friends to help you, you could be the ruler you always wanted to be! Ponies would kneel before you! Not even Celestia and Luna could surpass you!" I should know, I am you, after all... but better!"

Twilight Sparkle closed her eyes, as much as she hated to say it. Midnight was right!

Celestia, Luna, and Eclipsio have deceived them, they put up a facade of peace and harmony... the world is dark and scary as well...

Burning Star, hearing the conversation, sadly agreed as well, saying to everypony, "Midnight, as much as I hate to say it, is right on certain issues. Celestia and Luna have deceived us on occasions, I once heard from a wise pony that Everypony can be a villain under the right circumstances and series of events, but right and wrong do not matter to that pony. To the ponies that become villains to save others, there's wrong, and then there's WORSE."

He turned to Applejack and said, "AJ, you're the element of honesty, can you tell if Midnight is telling the truth or not?"

Applejack knocked on the barrier and called out, "Hey, Midnight. Ah think we would like to speak openly with ya, but only if you tell us the truth about this, Why do you really want Twilight to give into your powers?"

Midnight dropped the barrier and said, "Because I feel betrayed by them! How could they squander Twilight's, no... all of your potential to be greater. They chose to say that you can't do this and that because they are afraid that you can become more powerful than they ever can be!" They deny the fact that there is darkness in Equestria, and I am the one that will show the ponies of this world that their lives will not always be prosperity, sunshine and rainbows, (despite ponies having the ability to create those three things). I just want to show them what will happen if somepony with REAL power, power enough to rival them, found out that the kingdom they built wasn't as candid and pure as they say it is."

Applejack sensed that Midnight was telling the truth, the cold, blunt truth.

Shining Armor, the present one stepped forward saying, "Twily, listen to me. Why would Celestia and Luna fear you? You would never hurt one of us, right?"

Twilight Sparkle winced when she said, "I had many a desire to hurt all of you, I just buried them away along with the rest of my negativity."

Midnight put one of her Raven-Black wings around Twilight, "And from that hate and rage, which Celestia considers blasphemy to feel, I was born again. If it would put peace to your mind, why don't we ask the two of them what they have planned if Twilight, or any of you went out of control, shall we?"

Without Warning, Midnight engulfed everypony in a globe of darkness and flew towards Canterlot.

She said to herself, "Soon I will finally be rid of those tyrants, the darkness in ponies hearts cannot be suppressed forever... sometimes you have to let it free. Sometimes, Good must become Evil in order to see both sides of the spectrum. There is no good or evil, just ponies... ponies who want a ruler that gives them freedom from suppressing their negative feelings... and that is me..."

(Canterlot Castle, Throne Room)

Meanwhile, Celestia and Luna had been sitting on their thrones talking to delegates about the recent string of Windigo attacks, for some reason they had stopped...

Had Burning Star actually won?

Luna turned to Celestia and said, "Sister, I have a strange feeling that something or somepony is approaching fast, and whatever or whoever it is, it is cloaked in Darkness."

Celestia quietly said back, "Then King Sombra may have launched his attack, do you sense anything else?"

Luna was about to respond when the doors to the castle were blown open, and a ball of darkness flew inside.

Many of the politicians screamed and ran, while Celestia and Luna braced themselves to fight the Shadow King Sombra one more time...

What they saw surprised them, it was Twilight Sparkle and the rest of the ponies sent to fight the Windigos!

But there was another figure, who had its Raven-Black wings wrapped around them, Celestia didn't like it.

Celestia asked the figure, "Show yourself, Winged Beast. Who are you?"

The giant wings unfurled and what Celestia and Luna saw was terrifying...

It was Twilight Sparkle, but she looked like she had been Corrupted by Dark Magic!

They then looked to the right and saw the real Twilight Sparkle, not corrupted by Dark Magic.

The two Alicorns were understandably confused, until the Dark Twilight spoke in a voice that sent chills down their spines.

"I'm disappointed in you, Celestia. You don't even recognize or acknowledge your former student? Then again, I do look different, don't I?"

Celestia narrowed her eyes and said to the Twilight that looked normal, "Twilight? Who is your dark-colored acquaintance that looks like you?"

Midnight Sparkle stepped forward and cut off Twilight's sentence, "I am Empress Midnight Sparkle, formerly Twilight Sparkle. I gave up that name when I learned of the deception you spread from your castle, I know you, Celestia. You lying, conniving, Alicorn. You try to surpress my powers, and it blew up in your face! Hah-aha-haaa!"

The other Twilight began to speak again, "What my dark version of myself is trying to ask for in an odd way is this, Celestia and Luna. Have you been holding information from us that prevents us from climbing up in power?"

Celestia and Luna went white with shock, they couldn't believe that their former student was questioning them on if the two of them have ever lied to Twilight before...

Luna was the first to stammer out, "O-of course not Twilight! Why would you think that we would lie to you? Who could have told you that we could be lying to you?!"

Burning Star raised an eyebrow, "Something bothering you, Moon-Butt? Seems you have been caught, huh. You see, Ms Midnight here tells us that you have been concealing the darker parts of Equestria so you can keep everypony happy, is this true?"

Celestia nodded, "Yes, but I did it so that... That I..."

Iron Steed got up and said, "That you could do what? Keep everypony unaware of the fact that the apparent utopia you created isn't perfect? The fact you blotted out specific parts of history so that you retain your power?"

Burning Star saw Celestia's eye begin to twitch, and Luna's teeth begin to grind.

His mane slowly began to catch fire, he knew what was coming...

Celestia roared in her Royal Canterlot voice, "Twilight, I demand to know why at this time you are questioning us?! Has something happened that has changed your perspective on us?"

Midnight Sparkle narrowed her gaze into a smug look, "What is wrong Celestia? Have you not been telling the whole truth? Because I would LOVE to divulge what your secret plan for Twilight is, unless you both have the guts to tell her right here, right now!"

Celestia and Luna started to snort in annoyance, Wind Walker picked up on this and said to Rainbow Dash and Thunder Fury,

"You two, fly across the skies and evacuate the city, Celestia and Luna are not reacting well to this confrontation. Go! Quickly!"

He turned to Hiller and Quickfire and said, more urgency in his voice.

"You two, go to the barracks and subdue the Royal Guard, I can sense that a messenger has been sent to alert them to our confrontation, go!"

Rainbow Dash and Thunder Fury flew out the door, and Quickfire and Hiller ran through the castle hallways towards the barracks, knowing full well what happens next.

Luna shouted in her Royal Canterlot Voice, "This is ridiculous, Twilight. Thou can't believe this demon of darkness, she musth be lying herself! You do not understand the Forces you trifle with!"

Wind Walker sensed the air heating up around Celestia, the breath of Luna quickening, he sent one last whisper into the ear of everypony but Burning Star, Twilight, and Midnight.

"Everypony, get out of here, now! Celestia and Luna are losing control of their anger. It's just as we suspected, they are lying to us about Twilight's fate. I think I can gather enough air to shield you from the oncoming event. Once it's up, Run and get your families to safety!"

Midnight smirked and said, "Looks like somepony got caught in a lie, since you aren't going to tell her, I'll tell her." Twilight, THEY are the reason the Windigos are back, THEY are the reason the villains continue to return, why else do you think ponies flock to the two of them for safety against those God-like beings?"

Midnight Sparkle suddenly lunged at Twilight and tackled her to the floor, Burning Star also hit the deck as gigantic beams of solar and lunar energy flew over their heads!

Celestia and Luna stood tall, eyes full of rage, both of them saying.

"We will not tolerate this uncalled Defiance any longer!

Midnight Sparkle whispered in Twilight's ear, "I told you they were untrustworthy! Would you like those powers now? You know, since we are dealing with That?!"

Twilight Sparkle looked up, and saw what Midnight was talking about.

Celestia and Luna had lost it and transformed into their evil alter egos, they looked very MAD.

Before her stood Daybreaker and Nightmare Moon, and they both were glaring daggers at Burning Star and herself.

Daybreaker said in a truly frightening tone, "I will crush your rebellious natures, Twilight Sparkle and Burning Star!"

Nightmare Moon continued, "When this is over, both of you will never wake again!"

Twilight Sparkle took a deep breath and absorbed Midnight into her horn, transforming into her.

Burning Star ignited his mane and tail, as well as spreading his wings, his eyes burned with blue fire.

He turned to Twilight and said in his speech voice, "Ready for this, Twilight?"

Twilight's eyes shined deep purple and she glared at the two mad Alicorns, before saying...

"A Princess's duty is to protect her subjects, I am a princess, and I have to protect The Nation of Equestria from the very ponies that created it!

With that said, the four Alicorns lunged at each other...

And the Final Battle for Equestria begun!

Grand Finale: Gods Fall, Heroes Rise, and Devils Deceive!

Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.

Chapter 11: Neighpon, Land of Mystery and Monsters

(Twilight's Castle, The Knights Room)

The Knights Room was the room that many a pony had mistakenly walked into, thinking it was Twilight's Library...

Those ponies were then ejected by a shockwave at high speeds by a very angry Shadow Armor, with Shining Armor trying to hold the black knight back from tearing the intruders apart.

Shadow Armor and Shining Armor were packing up their gear, including their armor and weapons just in case they ran into a monster.

Which was rather common in Neighpon, where there was rumors spreading of a beast that was ransacking the countryside looking for something or somepony.

The news of a monster to fight made Shadow Armor legitimately squeal out loud with joy, which earned a bunch of worried glances from his friends, thinking he went crazy.

So, Shadow Armor retreated to the thing he loved to do, fight.

He'd spar and duel with anypony brave enough to take him on, such examples were Thunder Fury and the rest of the Masters of Nature, Shining Armor, Burning Star, and many of the Main Six except Fluttershy.

Now, he was being sent alongside his light counterpart to Neighpon to recruit a pony known as Quickfire, who apparently was a excellent markspony.

Shining Armor shut his saddle bags and said, "C'mon Shady, we have to get going, what's taking you so long anyways?"

Shadow Armor turned to Shining Armor and said, "Shining... do you know what happens when you die? Ever since our fight with those two Windigos I've been thinking about what Death is..."

Shining Armor scowled and said, "Listen here, Shadow Armor. No pony is going to die on our watch, I'll make sure of it!"

Shadow Armor responded, "What about tomorrow? what about the day after that? Shining, we can't save everypony, and you know that's true."

Shining Armor had Eclipsio up a portal to Neighpon, and said this before entering, "As long as ponies remember you when you die, you memories and knowledge will still carry on to the next generation. That's what I think at least... I know when I'm gone, Twilight will remember that I was her BBBFF."

Shadow Armor thought to himself, "Would Burning Star remember me if I were to die?"

(Neighponese Pagoda, Neighpon)

When Shining Armor and Shadow Armor exited the portal, they were standing on the top floor of a Neighponese Pagoda, which faced the mountain they were supposed to find Quickfire on...

The dormant volcano known as Mt Gallop...

Shadow Armor put on his armor and said, "Shining, I recommend you equip yourself for battle. If this Quickfire is as great a markspony as ponies say he is, then approaching the mountain on foot is too risky. So I got something special for the both of us..."

Shadow Armor pulled out two dark green triangles, that expanded into giant arrow shaped triangles of cloth with metal frames.

Shining Armor gasped, "Are those Gliders?! Did you take those from the armory?"

Shadow Armor smirked, "Yeah, I figured it would be much easier than filing to rent one, waiting forever, then having to sign waviers and paperwork. By the time I would clear up that mess of documents Burning Star would have exploded into a firey inferno and burned up the planet."

Shining Armor wanted to respond to that, then realized that Shadow Armor was kind of right...

Shining strapped the Glider to his back and looked down, they were really high up, probably about 100 feet off the ground.

Shining turned to Shadow Armor and said, "Do we have to be this high? Maybe we should look for a safer way do-"

Shadow Armor jumped from the roof, only to be blown back into the Pagoda, hitting his body on every roof on every floor.

"Ahh! Ow! Godamn! Mother Buck-"

He landed on his face, cracking the earth with his impact.

Shining looked down and said, "That didn't end well."

Shining ran down the stairs and picked Shadow Armor up and said, "I told you s-"

He was interrupted by Shadow Armor blasting him towards the mountain, he said while doing that.

"SHUT UP!"

(Neighpon, Mt Gallop)

After what seemed like hours, the two knights approached the mountainside and looked up, sighing as they began to climb up the mountain, and that took much longer than the walk to the mountain.

it was nearly nighttime when they reached the top, and stared into the caldera, both screaming when they saw lava puddles boiling inside of it.

Both knights slid down the caldera slope, freezing the puddles of lava with an ice spell.

Shining Armor said to his dark copy, "I thought you said this volcano was unable to erupt... so explain why there is lava down there?!"

Shadow Armor snorted out, "I said it was DORMANT! Not EXTINCT! Dormant means that it is just sleeping until it is disturbed in some way that causes an eruption."

Shadow Armor's ears perked up as he heard the slight sound of a crossbow being drawn, he grabbed Shining Armor and tackled him to the ground as an arrow impacted itself into the ground.

A voice came from the other side of the caldera.

"Had you not dived out of the way, you would both be dead."

Shadow Armor began to run to the other side of the caldera, getting shot in the legs and leaving him on his knees.

Shining Armor rushed over to his dark companion and used his shield to block another arrow being fired from the pony that was most likely Quickfire.

Said pony jumped out of the shadows with a quiver on his back as well as a pair of miniature crossbows on his sides in holsters.

Shining Armor got a good look at him, Quickfire was an unicorn who wore black and orange-red armor, his mane was a dull navy blue and was tied back into a top knot and his tail was cut very short, probably to reduce the odds of being detected. He had a orange-red and black mask on, with one eye visible and one eye covered for reasons unknown.

Quickfire stepped forwards and said in an unidentifiable voice, "Impressive. You blocked one shot, but I still have all these arrows, white unicorn."

Quickfire must wear a voice distorter, cause he sounded terrifying.

Like on King Sombra levels of Terror!

Shining Armor fired off a bullet of magic, to which Quickfire responded by drawing a katana and deflecting the shot back at Shining Armor, who was flung backwards from the impact.

Quickfire rushed over to Shining Armor and put the point of his katana against his throat. He said, "You lose, White Unicorn."

Shining Armor drew his sword and parried Quickfire's sword, and the battle began.

While Shining Armor wasn't used to fighting with a sword at first (he was more of a spear guy), Shadow Armor taught him various types of swordplay since the "Nightmare Ponyville." Incident.

Ever since then, he had been training to make himself a better warrior.

Quickfire was used to defeating opponents of any species, Unicorn, Pegasus, Earth Pony, etc.

But this Unicorn wouldn't quit! He knew swordplay well, and this surprised the assassin. He countered every move he made, which was very impressive.

Shining Armor, then Shadow Armor were eventually disarmed and Quickfire once again put his katana against his throat.

He said to the two knights in his indifferent voice, "You fight with the fury of a raging fire, before I end you, tell me... who was your teacher?"

Shadow Armor gasped out, "Burning Star, the Alicorn of Fire. We came to ask for your help, but you are really making it hard for us to ask you. Is it a common thing for you to try and kill your visitors?"

Quickfire facehoofed, "I wasn't trying to kill you two..."

He pointed towards the edge of the volcano's caldera, "I was trying to kill HER."

Shining Armor and Shadow Armor heard a mad cackle as a mass of green tendrils reached Up over the cliff, and pulled a pony wearing a tight purple spandex suit. She had wild red and green eyes and a mad grin on her face as she climbed down into the caldera.

Shining Armor instantly recognized her and his jaw dropped as he said,

"MANE-IAC!"

Shadow Armor looked at the insane mare's mane and saw that it was moving and wriggling. This made him a little nervous, which was unusual...

He then asked his white knight counterpart, "Shining, care to inform me who this "Mane-iac" is?"

Quickfire answered instead, "A villain from the "Power Ponies" comic series, she was a hairdresser who fell into a vat of chemicals that made her go insane, as well as granting her a mutated mane that can turn into tentacles to grab things or lash out like whips or spears... she is also insane."

Mane-iac giggled, "Why thank you, Quickfire, where I come from in Maretropolis you're known as the greatest assassin around."

Shadow Armor saw Mane-iac's mane sprout into dozens of green tendrils of hair, he then said.

"Tentacles. why is it f--king tentacles!"

Shining Armor looked confused, "What's so bad, Shady?"

Shadow Armor said in a concerned tone, "I know enough about Neighpon to know that tentacles are a nasty subject to bring up, Before we came here I decided to research some of Neighpon's media, when I finished the section labeled "Hentai"... I needed some eye bleach afterwards."

Quickfire whispered into Shining Armor's ear, and Shining Armor recoiled in disgust.

Mane-iac cackled and picked up a boulder with her mane, before throwing it at the trio of Ponies.

Quickfire pulled out an explosive device and threw it at the boulder, it detonated, reducing the boulder to a pile of pebbles.

Shadow Armor and Shining Armor wasted no time and scattered, hoping to divide up the multiple tendrils of hair, it didn't work and they ended up face to face with the psychopath.

She said to the two knights, "Did you really think that through? I've dealt with Matter-Horn and easily bested most of the Power Brats, you can't beat me! I'm going to enjoy using the acid that created the marvel that is my mane to turn your psyche to mush! Hahahahaha!"

Shining Armor smirked, "Sorry but we have a job to do, Mane-iac! Don't underestimate the two of us!"

Quickfire delivered a double kick with his hind legs to Mane-iac's chest, breaking her grip on the two knights.

Shadow Armor said to Quickfire, "Why did you save us?"

Quickfire simply said, "Well... bringing her in will earn me a hefty payday, I'll join up with you if you help me take her down, got it?"

Mane-iac lashed out with her mane acting like spears, attempting to impale the trio on her tendrils.

Quickfire tossed Shining Armor and Shadow Armor a coil of chain, saying "Use this to tangle her mane up, I'll cut it with my sword!"

Shining Armor and Shadow Armor did what they were told and used their magic to wrap the wire around Mane-iac's mane when it flew at them.

Quickfire seized the chance and began to cut away the hair tendrils, eventually slamming the psycho Mare to the floor. But not before Mane-iac sent an uppercut to his mask, knocking it off and revealing his real face.

She giggled, "Oh, Quickfire. We must play this game again one day. Once my mane grows back, I'll come for you personally. Heheheehe..."

Quickfire shuddered at the thought of him and Mane-iac together and smacked her unconscious, before turning around and saying to both knights, "Good work... a fine display of skill. But if you are going to stop the windigos you're going to need some serious firepower. For example, me."

Shining Armor looked on in shock at the sight of Quickfire's face, he had many thin white scars running down his chin and cheeks, and one of his eyes was missing!

Quickfire snorted, "I guess the whole masked assassin bit is up, so yeah... this is what my face looks like."

Shadow Armor used a portable wormhole device he had to create a portal back to Ponyville, Shining Armor stepped through it first, still shocked silly.

Shadow Armor was about to enter it as well, before stopping and saying, "So... what happened to you?"

Quickfire sighed, "Where I'm from, I'm a mercenary, these scars are from some of my targets and from monsters..."

Shadow Armor raised an eyebrow, "Wait... How do you know us so well? And more importantly, you paused when you had a perfect chance to land a killing blow on Shining Armor, why?"

Shadow Armor didn't have To ask another question as Quickfire stepped towards the portal.

The other Warrior shrugged, "Heh. A lot can happen out there... I'll see you back at Ponyville, Shady."

With that, Quickfire stepped through the portal and Shadow Armor followed suit, leaving a squirming Mane-iac behind, laughing like the madpony she was.

Shadow Armor thought to himself, "This Quickfire knows way too much about us. He is hiding something from us... and why does he seem so alike Shining Armor?