The Last Sunny Days of Equestria

Sometime earlier...

From his vantage point in Tartarus, Grogar was able to oversee much of Equestria. He paced about the stones, grumbling, aware that many of his Elemental Titans had fallen. One of them, Florie the Titan of Nature, had crumbled into her components parts. “The spell to form her was botched,” he observed and pushed her Core which rested amidst the scattered flora. “Her shifting form and personality certainly didn't help. I suppose this result was inevitable.”

Lavan hovered nearby, flanked by an army of demons. “I swear to avenge her,” the leader of the Titans announced. “And the rest of my comrades!” The mass of hardened magma smoldered, standing on two legs but with a bestial face.

“Restrain your personal feelings,” warned Grogar who studied him with narrowed eyes. The goat pushed the Core forward. “There is a risk that consuming this will destroy you...or drive you insane. Are you willing to risk it?”

Lavan lifted it into his fist. “To complete our mission? Yes.” He shoved the sphere into his chest, and it vanished into him, the warmth of Florie radiant. “Be with me, my companions. This is the purpose we were created for, to serve our master.”

“Go then,” commanded Grogar and the Titan of Fire and Magma bowed and obeyed.

Grogar sat, seethed, and planned, aware the odds were no longer in his favor. Nearly all of Equestria had turned against him. He'd loosed most of his forces, unable to turn back from his course now that the trap had been sprung.

Neither noticed a small hooded and cloaked figure that watched from the shadows. “Fools.” Within slender hands rested a crystal ball, and in its contours swirled countless souls, a sheen cast by them that reflected off pale, cruel features...

*****

In a blink Sunny's party arrived. The Crystal Empire was besieged by Lavan, snow turning to steam wherever the Titan trounced, and the earth shook and bubbled under heavy footfalls. “Guess we're on our own,” she said and spat aside a half-eaten flower. “Uh, not used to this whole leadership thing, but Beatrix, can you create a distraction?”

“Leave it to me!” Beatrix Belladonna drew a few smoke bombs from her Ursa Minor-styled cloak.

“Good. Flash Sentry will be the muscle.” She winked at him. “You with us, Dazzlings?”

The trio nodded. “I'm not sure how helpful we'll be,” admitted Adagio who watched with them at a distance.

Aria slithered up beside her and shivered. “This serpentine body really doesn't like it here.”

“I'll keep you warm!” Sonata hugged her close as she could with a large smile.

“Thanks,” replied Aria, her twintails swirling in the snowstorm.

The crystal pony guards, led by Princess Cadance and Shining Armor, kept back and hurled magic beams at Lavan and the monsters around him in attempt to stifle their advance. Imprints that bubbled and smoked were left in the Titan's wake.

“Mother...?” Beatrix Belladonna beamed and pointed at Trixie's caravan. The trickster mage had taken her show on the road, and came to support with Starlight Glimmer in tow. “Take this,” said Beatrix who tossed her smoke bombs.

Thick clouds of colorful miasma erupted with a hiss from the bombs and enveloped Lavan and his demons. For the Titan it was at worst a mild inconvenience, but many of his more mindless minions panicked, and some even turned on each other in the chaos. Snarls sounded and they started to tear at their allies on instincts with teeth, stingers, and claws.

“Yo,” called Sunny who lit her horn and added to the barrage the magicians unleashed in a blinding storm. “Keep it up!” Beatrix supported the array of mystic lasers, while the Dazzlings followed Flash Sentry into more direct combat with the stray demons that had broken away from the group. “Yeah, that's it! Make sure to protect the civilians!”

While her party had been embedded with their counterparts, each had to choose which one took the 'lead', and Sunset Shimmer had entrusted her with this body. She tried not to balk under the pressure, determined to prove her faith wasn't misplaced, that she could be heroic, too! Thankfully, her companions all seemed eager to dive in with little direction from her.

“Sh-Shining,” mumbled Aria who threw up, unable to blot out memories of his counterpart's murder by she and Dazzle.

Adagio had a similar reaction, barely able to look upon him, despite how far away he was. Her eyes watered, and she shook violently, barely able to restrain an urge to run and hide. She beat her leathery wings with a low whimper.

“Sisters,” said Sonata who pulled them away from the battlefield. “He's not the same Shining! He probably doesn't even know!”

“W-we'll never be able to make up for our sins,” lamented Adagio with a choked sob.

Aria wiped her lips and shook her head. “Wrong. That's why we have to keep fighting! Even if it takes the rest of our lives!”

Sonata hopped in place. “That's the spirit! Now come on! The others need us!”

Sunny pursed her lips. “That freak's after the Crystal Heart! Maybe I can teleport him away?” Yet despite the constant onslaught on Lavan, he hurled back flames and magma, which Starlight barely blocked in time by raising a dome-like barrier. Smoke arose and lava slid down the invisible surface. “Damn it, no way we can get close! Hell, we can't touch him!”

“Destroy the Core and he's done for,” yelled Flash who dove with spear in hooves and impaled a demon in a spray of crimson.

“Easier said than done,” noted Beatrix with a shake of her head. “Almost out of smoke bombs, too.”

Dozens of crystal guards were half-buried in the snow, wounded or in some cases dead, the area stained in deep red splotches. The constant storm of lasers forced Lavan to raise his stony arms, and pushed him back inches, but he pressed on solely focused on the Crystal Heart in hopes that once it was shattered Equestria would further be hurled into bedlam.

“Maybe he wants to bring back the wendigos too,” muttered Sunny.

“Hey sisters,” whispered Sonata who pulled them close in a conspiratorial manner. “I've totes got a nifty idea!”

“Uh-oh,” said Aria in a lighthearted manner.

“Let's hear her out,” said Adagio. “Not like we have much to work with.”

After a short conversation the sisters nodded in unison. They began to sing, focused on Lavan, who paused momentarily. “Nice...try,” he said trying to shake off their spell. “But I'm far more ancient than you pitiful little sirens!”

His fists plunged into the earth and removed a heavy chunk, prepared to throw at the Dazzlings. Yet it was the momentary distraction they needed. The lasers continued to peel away his stony form, Beatrix hit him with her last smoke bombs in tandem with Trixie, and Flash Sentry hovered far above with his spear ready, while the mages started to channel magic into it.

The weapon hummed and glowed, pulsing and crackling, popping colored sparks. He waited until the last moment, aware that if it overloaded it would explode...and that even using such a weapon might mean his and his counterpart's end.

But he also knew his cocky counterpart was ready to make the ultimate sacrifice if necessary to save Equestria.

“Here goes,” he whispered and dive-bombed at Lavan. With both forehooves he hurled the spear, yelling and gritting his teeth, and it sailed like a blur. With an ear-piercing shatter the Core was torn from the Titan's chest and sailed away.

“I-impossible,” said Lavan who clasped at the empty hole in his chest.

Beatrix went wide-eyed. “Did it work...? No wait, the Core's still intact!”

Lavan turned and stomped towards the radiant sphere, unconcerned with the continued attack on him, and tossed hunks of molten magma he tore from his chest at the ponies who attempted to intercept him. They desperately tried to close the gap, Starlight, Cadance, and Sunny even tried to teleport in, but were forced to retreat at the lava which sailed their way.

Yet they knew that if he recovered the orb he would rebuild himself, Florie's power now merged with his own!

A number of demons suddenly manifested around it, and behind them floated a hooded, cloaked figure. Lavan desperately assaulted the new arrivals, which cooked and burst under the intense heat which made the air churn, but more arrived to bar his path. “Traitors,” he bellowed and focused on their mysterious summoner. “Who are you? Wait, you must be-”

“It's mine,” whispered the interloper who wrapped the Core up in an unusually powerful aura and drew it into the cloak folds.

“Wait,” demanded Lavan but the stranger vanished in a blink. “Coward!” The proud Titan shook in impotence, and cracks spread across his bulk, and he crumbled with a boom. Lava flowed and pooled into a steamy mess amidst the snowfield.

Beatrix asked, “Who was that?”

Sunny shrugged and watched the remaining demons attempt to scatter, hunted down by the crystal pony guards. “We did it!”

Within mere moments the battle came to its end, the last invaders driven out or vanquished. Cadance and Shining Armor ordered their guards to collect and bury the dead, and invited everypony to a feast at the palace. They would soon be told of a similar victory over Charlatan, the Titan of Ice, Princess Twilight announcing that Grogar was now on the defnesive.

They drank and feasted, their other allies such as the Pillars, Twilight's entourage, Celestia, and Luna dealing with lesser demons scattered across Equestria. Most wanted to believe that with such decisive victories peace was close at hoof.

Yet Sunny sensed Sunset Shimmer's trepidation within her, that whoever had interrupted their battle might have a worse agenda in store for Equestria.

She paused between a drink of wine, seated at a table in the banquet hall, and shared a smile with Flash Sentry. Her eyes shifted over the Dazzlings and Beatrix Belladonna, proud that her team had served her well so far.