Gold clashed against purple, the energy crackling and popping as beams of light met and dissolved upon impact. Celestia swerved in mid-air to avoid a black javelin and then erected a hoof-shield to deflect a series of flying crystal spikes. She responded with a large hammer, which passed right through the umbrum's body and placed an unnervingly creepy smirk on his face. Erebus was much more powerful than previously thought and this was unsettling for the Princess of the Sun as fighting a foe you knew nothing about was worse than one you did. For all of our sakes, I just hope that Sombra knows what he's doing.

She performed a loop-de-loop and sent a burst of energy flying at Erebus, who merely blocked it with a crystal shield then hurled a series of fireballs at the princess, which bounced harmlessly off of her force field. Celestia charged her horn for an attack, only to scream in agony when tiny pinpricks stabbed at her horn, leaving her wide open for Erebus to smack her with a conjured war hammer. Using her wings, Celestia managed to slow down her descent and tumble along the ground as opposed to crashing into it. No broken bones, no sprains. She felt her horn and discovered it was covered in tiny crystal fragments, much like the ones Shining Armor and Cadence told her about. Crystals that can block a unicorn's or an alicorn's magic. How fiendishly clever.

A cloud of darkness touched down and Erebus triumphantly walked out of it. "This is who Equestrians turn to for leadership? How pathetic. Now you know why mares shouldn't be in positions of power."

The wind whipped around them when there was a surge of dark magic only half a mile away, sending all umbrumlings scurrying for its source and Celestia could barely make out the familiar shape of Sombra in the distance. He charged head first into the swarm, hacking, slashing and burning a path of devastation, tearing through their ranks with such ferocity that she was reminded of who he was, a brave warrior and hero. That part of him never died; it just took the right person to remind him of that. I'm so sorry that it wasn't me. I will always own that.

"Well, what do you know? My son hasn't completely been castrated by your whore of a student."

A hoof stomped on Celestia's chest, knocking the wind out of her and she was forced to stare up into a pair of laughing eyes as Erebus leaned in too close for comfort, his breath reeking with the stench of dust and dead roses. A chill ran down Celestia's spine at the feeling of the umbrum's hoof stroking her cheek. "Perhaps I can have you both at the same time. I've never gotten sucked off by an alicorn before. First time for everything." He then punctuated this by dragging a wet, slimy tongue up her face.

A polychromatic streak struck Erebus with an audible thud, smacking him into a wall and raining super fast punches and kicks on his face and chest. "Don't...you...dare...touch her!" Rainbow Dash hollered between blows, her forearms and hindlegs pounding away like jackhammers. Using him like a springboard, she launched herself off of his chest and zoomed forward, propelling Erebus through the wall. Rainbow wiped her brow. "Eat stone, you creep!"

She turned and flapped over to Princess Celestia. "Celestia, are you alright...-?"

The Pegasus rocketed away, rolling violently across the street before coming to a painful halt, her body colliding with a derelict vendor cart. Erebus emerged from the hole in the wall, his horn glowing onyx as he advanced on Celestia.

"All of you...bitches...need a lesson in manners," Erebus growled, his voice devoid of his past humor or arrogant gravitas. Despite his battered and bruised body, he walked at a half-march, his movements slow but deliberate, the look of somepony on a mission. "I'd be more than willing to beat it into you." Celestia picked herself up and went to flee but a purple aura around her neck jerked her to her knees, her eyes tearing up as she fought for breath. Erebus back-hoofed her, cutting open her cheek. "Now then, you're going to swallow what I give you. And you WILL like it."

"Erebus!" Sombra landed near them, his eyes burning with an incredible fury. "Let...her...go!"

Yanking on Celestia's mane and pulling her to her hindlegs, Erebus put her into a chokehold and conjured up a knife to place at her throat, a small bead of blood dripping down the blade. "Do you really get so attached to every mare you fuck? My Tartarus, you are pathetic!"

"Sombra…" Celestia gasped pleadingly.

"I told you to let her go! This is between us!"

Erebus noticed the other mares closing in on him and pressed the knife tighter against Celestia's throat. "Wrong! You're not worthy of my time. I should've crushed your skull the minute your mother pushed you out! What do you say now?"

Sombra looked past Erebus and then back at him. "I say, I believe in something you could never understand. You've spent your whole life hurting others, taking pleasure from their suffering and never once learning that once you open your heart, love can and will find its way in. You're just a hate-filled monster and I'm through trying to be like you."

A humming sound resonated in everypony's eardrums, turning their attention towards Twilight and Pinkie, who both held the Crystal Heart over their heads, its light shining brightly and purely. The two bowed their heads, focusing on their love for each other and every pony else, the humming growing louder and louder. Applejack pulled Rainbow Dash to her hooves and they repeated the motion, followed by Rarity and Fluttershy, allowing the humming to reach a brilliant crescendo. Erebus threw Celestia at Sombra, who caught her and held her in his forelegs as his father stared bewilderedly at the Heart's now blazing corona. "What is this? What are you doing?!"

"Attention Crystal Empire," Celestia announced, her voice clear and powerful. Crystal ponies poked their heads out of doorways and wagons, watching and listening in wonderment at the spectacle of the Crystal Heart. "Think of those you hold dear, whom you love the most in this world. Think of those who fill up your life, sharing with you laughter and tears. Feel their love spread within you! Feel the light inside! Embrace it, share it with each other!"

One by one, the crystal ponies came into view, holding hooves or embraces, their thoughts occupied by friends, children, husbands, wives. All of the ones who touched their lives in some way, whether recently or long ago. Light glowed within their chests and horns, flowing river-like towards the Crystal Heart, adding to its blinding radiance as it lifted itself out of Twilight and Pinkie's hooves to float above their heads. Spinning like a top, it released a wave of shimmering light blue energy that passed through everypony present and to Sombra's shock, turned him and all of the others into crystal ponies, all except for Erebus, whose body began to quickly crumble and turn to ash upon hitting the ground.

Sombra marched up to Erebus, finding the elder umbrum inspecting his decaying form as his breathing came out labored and ragged. "Well son, looks like you've slain me yet again. What was it for this time? Your mother? Your little marefriend?"

"No," Sombra replied coldly. "For Equestria." His hoof struck Erebus' face, shattering it into a million little pieces and watching the rest of his father's body collapse into a mound of dust. The wind swept the remains away, leaving nothing behind of the former Shadow King. Just as it should be. This time, however, he felt nothing. No guilt or misplaced grief to slow him down. Turning to leave, Sombra caught a glimpse of his reflection in a crystal shard, finding that for once in his life, he was handsome. His body was a light, almost misty shimmering gray and his eyes shone like twin rubies.

"I'm...handsome..."

"Well, that's nothing new." He turned to find Twilight standing beside him, her mane situated in a tight bun and her body sparkling a light violet hue. She looked into the crystal shard and placed a hoof on his shoulder. "You always were, Sombra. It's time that you believed that. Just like I do."

Sombra leaned forward, his lips inches away from Twilight's when a gleaming pink pony hopped up to them, her forelegs draped lazily over their shoulders. "Awwww, aren't you two the cutest? I'm totally on Team Twibra!"

"Pinkie, I swear I'm going to stuff you in a crate and ship you to Abu Dhabi," Sombra groaned.

"Sombra, be nice. She did help us to beat Erebus."

Sombra rolled his eyes. "Fine! Thank you, Pinkie Pie," he said through gritted teeth.

The pink pony gasped cartoonishly, her giant blue eyes filled with stars. "You remembered my name! Yay, we're going to be besties!" She then seized Sombra around the midsection and lifted him into the air, spinning him around much to the amusement of the others. "And I'm going to plan the wedding and the bachelorette party and the baby shower!"

"Help, how do you turn it off?! Twilight, Celestia! Don't just stand there! Help!"

Author's Note

It might just save your life...That's the power of love! Ah, sorry, couldn't resist!

Anybody catch the Garfield reference?

I'm sorry, I know I got really dark at times with Erebus and I apologize if I went too far with him.

Well, we're soon arriving at the end, fillies and colts! How will it conclude?