The Last Sunny Days of Equestria

Entire armies stormed Tartarus from different directions. So that Equestria wouldn't be left undefended from the legions of demons that still stalked its surface, Celestia, Luna, and the Pillars defended the Canterlot region, the Crystal Empire protected the borders alongside a number of other allies such as Thorax and the changelings, while Calaeno and her crew and the Wonderbolts patrolled areas and were quick to respond whenever summoned to aid those in distress.

That left a number of teams able to venture into the underworld. One of these was led by Sunny, with Flash Sentry, the Dazzlings, and Beatrix Belladonna there to support their infiltration. She took tentative steps with her hooves, clops sounding with an echo over the rocky terrain, their shadows cast over the cavern walls and crawling along.

“Spooky,” mumbled Sunny who gnashed her teeth.

Beating his wings to stay afloat, Flash planted a supportive hoof on her shoulder. “You up for this?”

“Yeah, leave it to me.” She shot him a sly smile and winked. “Question is, are you?” She reached up and smacked his ass.

He smirked back and rubbed the hoof mark he left on his muscular rump. Under a forehoof he carried a large spear, and followed her trot through a maze of caves, enjoying the way she swished her tail, ample hips, and buttocks with her walk.

Sonata tittered. “Frisky, aren't we?”

“It's because we all might die,” noted Aria whose snake tail left a slick trail when she slid over the rocks. “A little fucking makes you feel alive. Half the time it was all I could think about when we were turned into vampires.”

Adagio sailed beside her sisters with leathery wings. “It's still constantly on my mind. I mean, sirens are naturally sensuous creatures, and now that I'm a succubus on top of that? I could fuck to the end of the world,” she admitted.

“Shame there's no time for that,” said Sonata with a shrug. “Maybe when we get back?”

“If we do,” broke in Beatrix. “Don't mean to be a downer, but Grogar's the most ancient evil in Equestria, right?”

“Can't be much worse than Sombra and Tirek,” muttered Aria with a grumble.

Sunny pushed aside a stone with a clink, surprised they hadn't been attacked yet. “Wonder how Twilight's group is faring...?”

*****

A beam erupted from Twilight Sparkle's horn tip and seared through a demon that scurried her way. Reduced to a charred skeleton, droves of various creatures poured in their direction, as she chose her team to directly barrel down the gates while Sunny was sent to infiltrate from a longer but she surmised much safer route. She was aided by Tempest Shadow, who united her magic blast with the Princess', and a cone of hellish flame that hurtled from Spike's open maw with a whoosh.

Her personal circle launched their own attack, Rainbow Dash from the air with Fluttershy behind her taking potshots with a crossbow. A colorful blur sped behind Dash when she speared them, shafts zipping by and pinning monsters to the caves.

“I'll set you free,” promised Shy who spotted beasts encased in the cages.

Dash asked, “Are you insane? These aren't common animals, you know!”

“They don't deserve to be here!” Shy knocked another arrow and let it fly with a thunk. “They'll listen to me!”

“Sure hope so,” muttered Dash who winced, pushed. Much as she hated to admit it, she hadn't recovered from the last Sonic Rainboom she'd performed which had nearly burnt her out, her muscles sore despite the brave face she put on.

Pinkie Pie plucked up pebbles, ignited them with the ability of her human counterpart until they hummed and vibrated amidst a cloud of energy, and rapidly let them fly. “Whoo-hoo,” she cried when they erupted into colorful explosions that scattered shrill, shrieking demons. “This is almost fun! Except I can't stop thinking about what's at stake!”

“All the more reason to get it done,” yelled back Applejack who landed a backwards kick on a lamia that closed in. A spine snapped with a crunch under her hooves, able to call on her human portion's super strength.

Rarity summoned up constructs to block attacks and press her own when she said, “These geodes certainly are useful.” They had bonded with them after human and pony doubles united, which effectively multiplied their power many times.

“Trouble is they'll wear us out faster too,” said AJ who twirled her lasso and pulled a gargoyle from the air. It smashed to the floor and exploded into fragments of granite. “Better make the most of 'em, while we're still able.”

Tossing open the gates Fluttershy watched the amalgam animals spill out and called, “You're free! Um, I hate to ask this, but...will you help us? You will? Oh, thank you! You understand Grogar threatens all of Equestria, don't you?”

The beasts surrounded Shy, hybrids which some speculated were the result of experimentation by magic that fused them together. Since they were prone to loss of control Celestia had regrettably sealed them away in Tartarus until she could think up some way to permanently restore them. However, Shy was certain that through her care they could be tamed.

Tempest waved a hoof. “We're almost in! Now we'll be able to head into the maze proper!”

Spike flew above and puffed his belly, another blaze loosed. It crackled and smoked, drove the demons back. “There's no end to them, though! Heck, there could be hundreds or even thousands of them down here! Can we really make it in?”

“Maybe not,” admitted Twilight who unleashed more beams. “If we can't, it will be up to Sunny's team.” However she felt about the Dazzlings, she had faith they could pull it off. And even if they sacrifice themselves to stop Grogar, it wouldn't redeem what they'd done to her brother in her eyes. Yet to save Equestria, she tried damn hard to put aside her personal feelings!

*****

Snorting, Grogar hovered next to the 'Coffin of Light and Darkness' where the body of Sunset Shimmer rested ever since it had been rescued from certain oblivion. To have her condemn to soul oblivion or eternal torture like Sombra and Tirek seemed a cruel twist of fate. Yet he and Shadow Scythe hadn't rescued her for altruistic reasons. He desired her power, hoped to siphon it and add her potential to his own, certain that were she also an alicorn her power would rival Twilight's.

His bell was lost forever, destroyed in ancient times. His Elemental Titans had fallen in battle. Now his enemies had him pinned and he merely had his army of demons to call upon. “Make me understand,” he groaned and ran a hoof over the casket's polished surface. “How do I open you? I remove one magical barrier after another, and yet feel no closer!”

He stomped with another snort that flared his nostrils and tried to calm himself. Rage wouldn't get him anywhere. He calmly considered his limited options. “I could cut and run...like a lowly coward. No, I refuse. Somehow, I'll shatter the barricades in time.” His curved horns flared when he prepared another powerful spell to brute force his way through.

A feminine voice called, “Troubled I see?”

“Who's there?! Show yourself, whelp.” Cautiously he studied the dimly-lit cave. Laughter echoed and a shadow danced about.

Her voice mocked him when she said, “Don't tell me you've forgotten me so soon.” A hooded and cloaked figure hovered above him. “It never would have come to this, if you hadn't betrayed me and sent one of your Titans to slay me!”

“You. A mere thorn in my side, now that you've served your purpose,” he bellowed with a deep voice.

“Hee hee...” The unicorn raised her hands, opened portals around her, and from the holes she tore in reality dropped the corpses of similar cloaked figures, who tumbled to the floor with a thunk. “My fellow reapers. I've claimed their power, too!”

“This shouldn't be possible,” he snarled. “How did you suddenly become this powerful? Even with the souls you claimed-”

Casting back her hood, Shadow Scythe pulled open the chest portion of her robes, revealed the Core of the Elemental Titans she'd embedded into herself. “Recognize this? The same one that Lavan used to have! Now I'm more powerful than you were at your height!” She cackled, eyes wide, crazed with megalomania. She'd kept low for some time while both sides were distracted, slipped in and taken the opportunities presented, certain that with time and patience it would all pay dividends.

“You're an upstart! Nothing!” His head bowed when a barrage of magic thundered from his glowing horns.

She giggled and blinked out of his path. Again-and-again he fired, and she danced about, the ram unable to touch her. The caverns shook under the blasts, portions of the wall exploded into rocky chunks, and pebbles fell in a cloud of dust.

Shadow Scythe's aura wrapped around her scythe which sailed behind her former ally, and it swiped with a loud ring. For a moment Grogar stared her down, unable to move, and a thin red line appeared across his neck, until his head toppled and rolled. She swooped down to collect it while his body toppled and blood rushed from the wounds.

“A clean cut,” she observed. “I'll take your power now, thank you. I'm pretty much part demon now, too!”

Glazed eyes stared back at her. “Y-you'll never succeed,” he choked out through bloodied lips.

“We'll see! Well, I will.” She watched his eyes go hollow and dropped the bloodied head. Her attention turned to the 'Coffin of Light and Darkness', as already she felt Grogar's magical energies flow into her own, his remains alight when his potential was drawn into the Core embedded in her breast. It crackled and hummed, alight with fresh energies.

“Heh, I control the portals now. And who knows? Beatrix Belladonna can manipulate her own, but it's wasted on her. What's the point of power if one doesn't exploit it?” She hummed to herself and started her attempt to crack the barriers around the coffin. “After I slaughter Beatrix and steal her power, I'll be able to bring entire dimensions to heel!”

Already she could see it. First Equestria. Then that strange world filled with humans...