Fire and Shadow: The Rebirth of Spike and the Descent of Sombra

Beatrix stirred from her sleep, stretching out her limbs, her eyes blinking awake. “Mmngh.... What happened?” She asked drowsily before her vision focused on the rows of spiraling wheels surrounding her, cast in topaz gold. Stranger still, a harmless fire burned all around her. In an attempt to march out, Beatrix merely collided muzzle-first into an invisible barrier.

“Ouch!” She rubbed her scrunched snout tip before her eyes found her captor. “Z-Zeloph? What’s going on? Why am I in this…thing?!”

“They’re coming,” Zeloph answered, turning around to address his captive. The pool beneath had grown murky, the winged immortal doing all he could to extract the darkness of the Demiurge lingering within his vessel. Just how long had he been at this?

“Who’s coming?”

“Sombra and Spike are approaching the city gates,” he further explained. “I have no other choice but to confront them.”

“H-hey now, there’s no need for such a brash decision! Let me out of this thing, and we can talk it over--”

But Zeloph shook his head. “They will not listen. I can sense the coming conflict and anger even from here. They intend to destroy all I’ve built, out of pitiable vengeance. And I cannot risk any harm towards our child. You must remain here.”

“No.... No! Let me out!” Beatrix demanded, bashing her fist into the invisible barrier, yet the Ophanim’s intersecting wheels continued to keep her in place, no matter how she struggled. Tears stream down her cheeks, violet eyes seething at the angelic pegasus. “Zeloph! Zeloph!!”

Calmly, he met her exasperated stare. “The darkness within you stirs restlessly, like a frightened animal. But worry not, my dear. You, too, will be purified and free from your pain.”

“Purified!?”

“It is as you said before,” he insisted. “We must bring the best out of each other. And clearly, you’d be much happier without t̷͘h̵̛a̷̧t̷̴͟ in your life.”

He pointed to the second set of wheels turning over holy flames, containing the screeching Demiurge remnants, its flesh burnt from multiple attempts to escape.

“I’ll have the rest of the Demiurge’s essence extracted from you once I’ve guided your friends towards salvation,” Zeloph explained before turning to leave.

“Damn it, STOP!!” Beatrix cried out, pulling his attention back to her. “Zeloph, please. Don’t do this! There has to be another way to solve all this. I know you want a safer world for Abby, but this is too extreme! It’s not too late to turn back!”

For a moment, Zeloph considered her words, reaching a shaking hand out to her. But just as it seemed he would pull her out, he lowered his arm and sigh heavily. “Even if I wanted to believe in another way, I’ve come too far to stop now. Soon, every nation and citizen will come to light…. And you will too, Beatrix. So please…forgive me.”

Distraught as her lover turned to depart the chamber, Beatrix angrily lashed within the Ophanim, firing spells to try and break free from its ethereal hold. But the golden wheels nullified all effects, absorbing magic into their fiery glow. Not even drawing a circle to tear a hole into reality worked in this space.

“Damn it! DAMN IT!” She bellowed, folding to her knees.

Once more treated like a child, Beatrix was left to the sidelines while the alliance would clash with the pale emperor. Hand clutched into fists, she pondered within the holy rings, which despite its appearance, she sensed was alive. But she would not falter, not when both her future and this world hung in the balance. Beatrix would find a way to succeed and end Zeloph’s sanctimonious crusade.

*****

Gates crashed under the weight of the alliance, spearheaded by the Dragon Lord himself. Despite the strange beauty of the monochrome nation, Spike knew there was little time to soak it in. Masked acolytes were scattered under the barrage.

Those native to his country went to seek shelter, unsure why Spike’s legion was pouring in through broken gates. The idea of invasion sickened him, but after what he'd heard happened to Sombra’s own kingdom, he couldn't hold back. Zeloph’s plight for purification was a threat to all of Equestria.

“Spread out and secure the area,” he commanded. “But explain the situation. We need to evacuate as many as possible!”

“Spike,” Oona called behind, with Sombra moving in to launch his attack. “Ah need time tae fin' Beatrix. Ah suspect Zeloph has 'er hidden somewhaur in 'at cathedral.”

The Dragon Lord nodded. “We’ll buy you as much time as we can. Stygian,” he turned to the young grey unicorn. “How long until that banishing circle is ready?”

“If uninterrupted, it should only take me a maximum of seven minutes,” Stygian confirmed. “If we can bring Zeloph down to the city’s edge, we can send him packing.”

“Best figure out how to arrange that soon. Here he comes!” Sombra growled, pointing to the sky. Rays of blinding light swirled to a singular point above the city, illuminating all within its hollow walls.

“Soldiers! Ready your weapons,” Penumbra commanded, their combined troops prepared to die if necessary to see victory. The wisp of light lowered to the ground, six wings unfurling. And as the gleaming energy dimmed, Zeloph stood before the two leaders, a welcoming smile to his lips while his eyes betrayed his burning fury.

“Gentlemen,” he greeted with a small bow of his head. “I bid you welcom-”

“Spare me the theatrics!” Sombra growled, gripping his obsidian blade firmly. “You’re not fooling anyone, Zeloph. I see right through that holy disguise! You’ve brought ruination to my land!”

“Was it not you who accepted the Pony of Shadows into his heart?” He retorted. “I can sense its presence within you. Have you learned nothing from your exile? Haven't your wife and children suffered enough?”

“You leave them OUT OF THIS!” Sombra spat, crimson eyes lit up, enraged before Spike stood forth with a snort.

Spike said, “We have the entirety of your city surrounded. This is your only warning, Zeloph. Let our people go!”

His statement only earned a chuckle out of the winged immortal. “Your followers came here of their own volition. To be free of the fear and conflict you lot bring wherever you go. And you carry it here, into our paradise?”

“Thes is nae ‘paradise’!” Oona bellowed. “Yoo’ve stolen their memories, may them believe yer self-righteoos lies!”

“I’m not lying. I never lie,” Zeloph insisted, sneering at the goat before addressing the whole alliance, each eye fixated on their face. “All I ask is that you cease this warmongering at once. All are free to come and leave as they please. But I will n̵̢̨̛͠ơ̸͜t́̕ tolerate violence within these sacred walls!”

“You claim you want peace. But we know the result of that!” Spike growled, plumes of smoke flaring out his nostrils. “Thousands dead in an instant!”

“There’s no use talking,” Sombra proclaimed, walking to his comrade’s side while pointing towards his son. “Go gather the others! Cut down any who are in your way!”

Penumbra nodded, commanding his troops to follow as they scattered throughout the city. Shining and Oona would travel within their ranks if only to reach the cathedral and find Beatrix and Flurry Heart. With Sonmabula, Twilight, Trixie, and Stygian backing them up, the leaders charged at the enigmatic angel, who let out a troubled sigh while shaking his head, closing his eyes.

“None of you understand, and that’s okay…” His eyes opened, wisping white aura shining through his pupils as he clutched his staff tightly. “... I̷̪̳̞̙͚’̧҉̬̻̱͍̱̖̯l͖̤͚͢ĺ͓̝͇̟̥ ̸̧͈̭̫̟̦̭͕͉͢m̭̻̥̲̭͘͟͞a̛̺̥͈͙k̟̞̘̘̰̼͞e̵̢̫̭͝ͅ ͔̺͙͕̹̦̰͢y̶̡̙̙̪ó̷̢͕̖̙͔̙̤̜u̴̘̭͙̫̣̲͚͕͠ͅ ͇̼̮͟ͅu̸̝̤̹̭̩̦͔͚n̨̼d̵̡̥̯̣͞è̼̘̤͙͜ͅr̠͔ş͏͈̮̲̖t̴̯̣͞a̬̠̜̩͖͢͡ͅn͇͎̮̱̟͟͡d͖̼̫͎̳͟!̧̱̞͕̘̭͔̩͟”

Spike and Sombra raised their weapons to strike down Zeloph, who deflected their attack with a block of his scepter, steel clashing with pale gold. And with each swing, the three danced along the street, the alliance pushing the winged immortal through their relentless assault.

With a grunt, Zeloph batted Spike away with his wing before unleashing a pale beam to piercing through Sombra, the dark unicorn dissolving into his umbral form to press his attack. Likewise, Zeloph unraveled into pure illumination, as the two forces of light and darkness collided with each other.

As they fought, buildings crumbled with each impact, confused citizens fleeing the scene into the awaiting arms of Penumbra’s men.

“Quickly! Head for the gates!” The commander ordered, leading any weak and injured outside beside Lily.

“Seize them at once!” A hollow voice called from up ahead. Zeloph’s acolytes stood in the way of other prisoners, each armed with a cross sword.

“I didn’t want to do this, but it looks like there’s little choice…” Penumbra sighed, unsheathing his weapon as Lily took to his right, ready to battle with her lover. He lead his army to confront the zealots in a single war cry, steel clashing with steel.

A bright flash illuminated the area, Sombra collapsing onto his back. Black smoke hissing off his battered armor, teeth clenched at the searing pain while fighting to get back up. Zeloph emerged from the dissolving light, smirking down at his opponent. “Of all the users of dark magic, you are among the weakest. I’ve witnessed Sombra’s from other timelines obtain greater power than you.”

“Even so…” He gasped low, managing to get on one leg, staring defiantly at the primordial. “All of them perished in their hunt for glory. My glory...lies within my family! And I won’t rest until I’ve returned to them!”

“A noble sentiment from a barbaric king,” he complimented, an orb a light growing within his palm. “I’m sure they’ll remember you fondly for--”

Suddenly, a blast of magic caught him off guard. All eyes looked to see Trixie rushing from her smoke-bomb, firing beams and what few attack spells were in her repertoire.

“How dare you not address me!” She yelled, fury blazing in her eyes. “I’ll make you pay for what you’ve done to my daughter!”

Of course, all Trixie’s attempts to blast him were warded off with a single bat of his plumage. But his eye-lined wings shielded him as more energy beamed forward from Twilight and Stygian from all directions.

“Hnn! It’ll take more than magic to--G҉̷͚̰̳̯A̸͚̼̖̕H̝͇̦̕͡!̫̞̳̫͘͝͝” Zeloph felt the wind leave his holy vessel as Spike launched him high into the air with a single punch. The Dragon Lord flapped his mighty wings to soar after the pale emperor, Smolder and Ember flying beside him.

All three dragons attacked him from every direction, slashing at his wings, robes, and flesh before engulfing Zeloph with their combined fiery breath that roared.

“We got him!” Smolder exclaimed as she and her brethren puffed out the last licks. But to their surprise, the fire evaporated entirely without a body bathing in flames. A flash of flight drew their gaze to Zeloph, steam hissing off his singed robes and feathers.

“Oh, come on!” The tangerine dragoness fumed, nostrils flared and awash in smoke.

“Keep going! We’ve got him on the ropes!” Spike assured.

“I think not,” Zeloph interjected, a haughty expression on his face. “Clearly, I underestimated how stubborn you all are. Perhaps t̴̶̡h̶̡į̕s͠͝ will show you how fighting me is useless!”

The entire space around them dimmed as Zeloph conjured light around his being, forming it into a halo behind his head, four points joining at the center. His eyes lit up before motioning to the skies. “Ẁ̸̬̥̮̫͞i̞̖̲͔̦t̘͔͉͞ͅͅn̴̨̲̩͚̣̝é̯̼͈͓̝͞͝s̸̴̛͖͔̼̹̭̠s͈͙̻̳̣̥̬̬͕͝ ͡҉̘̻͖̮͈ͅt̢̙̭͍͡h̢̛͖͙e̴̳̘͚͚̥͈̩͙̹͞ ̵̳͜p̵̢̪̱̱o̪͕͓͙͟ẁ͖͓e̸̼͕͍̣̹̱̣r̛͎͇̝̹̟̤͙͙ ̙͖̯̮̖̹͢ͅo͖̗̣͠f͓͕̼͙̳̣̰̬ͅ ̧̛͙͇̲̻͖̪̩͜A͓̠̭͉̳̻͎̩̰e͙̰̯̦̲̲t͏̴̩͔̹͈̞̙̗͢h̜͉͎͍͖̀̕e̷̥͉̱̣̙͞r͇͉̩͕͚̘̥̟̀͜ͅ!̣̪”

All at once, light tore open a rift from above, swirling wider as its rays rained down from the heavens. Four glowing figures descended from above before launching at the trio of dragons with blinding speed. Two tackled Spike back onto the ground, the others pinning Smolder and Ember into buildings.

As the light dimmed around them, Stygian gasped in astonishment upon gazing over their familiar forms. “O-oh no! Zeloph has summoned Cherubim!”

Just as depicted, these chimeric creatures each sported one wing on their shoulder and different faces. The ones holding down Spike had the look of a man and bull, respectively, while the ones holding his dragonesses were headed by an eagle and lion. Spike struggled to push the Cherubim off until Sombra blasted them with a wave of dark magic.

Helping his fellow lord to his feet, Ember and Smolder managed to shove these ethereal beings away before joining down with the alliance, Twilight and Trixie powering up.

As all four angelic beings gathered closer, Spike emulated a broad sword in enchanted flames. “What are our options, Styg?”

The scholar warned, “Whatever you do, don’t let them merge together!”

“Got it! Keep them separated,” Sombra barked as they split up to fight the Cherubim away from each other. Some of the alliance cowered before the monstrosities yet bravely continued to fight against the acolytes.

Sombra confronted the bull faced Cherubim, his shadowy sword holding it back by its horns. Its strength was immeasurable, the dark unicorn feeling his footing sliding towards the wall.

Luckily, Somnabula came at it in her Sphinx form, pinning it down while growling as it’s form burnt her paws with its ethereal light. Smolder and Ember tag-teamed the eagle faced Cherubim, zipping around it through towers while unleashing cones of fire.

Trixie and Twilight fought side by side to protect Stygian from the human-faced Cherubim, the lavender alicorn letting loose her most potent spells while the blue unicorn blinded it with her flashy theatrics.

This left Spike with the leonine-headed angel, his fiery blade swing to deflect its claws and teeth. His muscles coiled, the ancient being able to match his prowess. But his focus remained on Zeloph, who had roosted near the top of his spire, watching from afair.

‘Come on, you two. Hurry before this gets ugly!’ Spike thought as the rest of the alliance focused on a seemingly endless number of acolytes that swarmed.

Sombra struggled to keep up with the Sphinx in combating the bull-headed creature. Now was the time to fully integrate with the Pony of Shadows. As the two dark souls became completely in synch, a darkness shrouded Sombra rushed at the Cherubim, smashing it through many structures before finding himself in the nation’s outskirts.

Just as he was about to deliver the final blow, a familiar face dropped in to bash him off, allowing the creature to fly away.

Before Sombra could stand up, a stylized halberd was aimed at his throat, its wielder glaring down at him. “Fleur de Lis,” he coughed, though thankfully he was confronting her alone. “A reminder of where this all started, so many years ago…”

“Devil,” she replied with a sneer that betrayed her ravishing beauty. “Vengeance is mine, in the name of my beloved Fancy Pants!” The stallion in question was sweating, staring at the former tyrant sickeningly.

Sombra had little time to react as, with a hysterical shriek, she swung her weapon down, ramming the tip through his midsection. He bellowed, hot blood erupting from his wound, the spear grasped by him. Fleur hatefully tried driving it all the way through, much to Fancy’s distraught.

Fancy stirred at her neck like a tumor. “M-my love, please! Stop! This isn’t what I want!”

“No! This is what I want! He took you from me! He deserves death!”

“You are right,” Sombra wheezed, blood oozing out his mouth. “You have every right to despise me for the terrible ills I’ve visited on you and Fancy Pants.”

“Shut up! Never say his name! You’ll merely besmirch it further!” Fleur snarled, her eyeshadow running down her cheeks until she violently trembled, her skin pale and her heart racing under pressure. She had waited for this moment, dreamed of his execution at her hands, and now wanted to savor it, unable to forget the humiliation when he exploited the lovers for his amusement.

But to her surprise, her own arm startled, pulling the blade out from Sombra’s open stomach in a rush of heated blood. Her eyes turned to Fancy, clenching his teeth. “Stop this malice, Fleur! For your sake!”

“M-my…my love, why? Why!? We can finally have our revenge!”

“No, Fleur!” He cried out. “Don’t you see what Zeloph has done?! He hasn’t healed you at all. He’s ruined you! Look at yourself!”

Indeed, the mare swayed off the handle of her halberd, looking over at how weak and ill she appeared. Her once glorious mane had was messy, white strains highlighting pink. She was breathing heavily, unable to recognize where she was as Fancy’s outcries alerted more people. A multitude of light footsteps surrounded them, among them…

“Daddy?!”

Sombra’s head leaned up to see his daughter, queen, and their entourage. “C-Cerise!” He grumbled weakly, struggling to rise while he covered his wounded stomach.

“No! No, this is all wrong! He is no tragic hero! He’s a devil! Devil!!” Fleur cried, clutching her head and falling to her knees, overwhelmed by reality slipping through her weary mind.

“Oh, mon amour,” Fancy lamented. “Don’t you see? Zeloph didn’t bring me back. I am nothing more than a burning memory…”

Light glowed from the back of her head, three pairs of wings unfurling as a ball of ethereal light emerged. The crowd gasped in alarm, fully hearing the song emanating from the multi-winged apparition.

“I-it’s so bright!”

“By the gods, what is that?!”

“Seraphim,” Cerise murmured, recalling the description of a six-winged creature with a head of pale fire. How it would reap its chosen vessel of their memories until nothing was left but an empty husk, carrying the clean soul back to their realm.

Panic started to disrupt the crowd as a few other people began to hunk down, more balls of light emerging from out their heads. Sombra stood to catch Fleur from falling onto the ground, bawling weakly as Fancy’s head began to burn away into ashes. The lovers shared a look before he smiled sadly.

“Your eyes are much different from before. They’re softer, much more kind…. I can tell you’ve been through a lot, ol’ chap.”

Sombra replied, “We all have.… Fancy, I can’t tell you how much I am sorry! I-I--”

“Save it, friend. I’ve already forgiven you. But if you stop Zeloph, you can rescue everypony from the Seraphim’s power. Then, maybe Fleur can start to heal. Good Luck, Sombra…. Au revoir, mon amour.”

As the last remnant of Fancy Pant’s presence faded into the siphoned essence, Fleur let out a mourning sob before passing out. Sombra held her, stroked her mane, listened to her quiet whimpers. "I'm so sorry."

A familiar cry caught his ear, turning with wide eyes to find Inky collapsing, clutching her head as a glow started shimmering through her eyes. The twins rushed to her side as Radiant Hope looked over the balls of ethereal light, draining the last recollective thoughts of those marked by Zeloph.

“INKY!!” Sombra yelled, laying Fluer down while fighting his internal damage to aid her. Thankfully, the Pony of Shadows was quick to seal and repair any torn tissues, stopping the bleeding. He grunted as it became more comfortable to run before kneeling to cradle his queen into his arms, a hand trying to bat the seraphic ball of light away. Wisps flowed from his eyes. “STAY AWAY FROM HER!”

“S-Sombra? I-Is that you? I-I couldn’t recognize you,” Inky wept gently, tracing a hand over her lover’s cheek. “You were back to your old ways, hurting us…made us...”

“Shhhh.… I’m here now. I-I’m so sorry for all I’ve done. Just.... Don’t leave me, Inky. I love you! I’ll always love you!!” Sombra pleaded, soothing the weak pegasus, bringing her close enough to kiss her forehead.

“I-I...I love.... You...” Inky gasped before submitting to sleep, Sombra’s tears dripping off his muzzle. Guilt and grief overtook him, hiding his sobs into her bosom.

Radiant Hope had not seen this side of Sombra in a long time, having thought it long dead. Perhaps she was wrong, too blinded by her own loathing to accept the truth.

Clutching his wife tightly, Sombra rose his head to the skies, belting his anguish to the one responsible for this madness.

“ZELOOOOOOOOOOOPH!!!”

*****

Zeloph continued to observe from on top of his cathedral. Everything he had built was crumbling around him. The whispers of all the mortal souls, their once devoted faith to his protection, now wavered.

Everything was coming undone again. And yet, he couldn’t have foreseen it. Where had he lost his way? How may he course correct?

A sickly pain shook through his core, a hand clutching over his torso. Zeloph could feel the remaining essence of the Demiurge wriggle within. He had hoped that using his Onoma would help cleanse his vessel of the infestation. Yet Zeloph could still feel it stir. Why couldn’t he rid himself and be free?

His focus looked back to the fight happening near the center, Spike and his forces withholding the Cherubim. A few eyes darted down below, where the Seraphim started to emerge, Sombra’s voice calling to him.

“It’s t̘͓̕h̞͈̟̗̘̻̜͚̘e̷̛͓̜̖̣̹ͅm͔̫͝,” he convinced himself. Had he not been so gullible, so hopeful that Spike and Sombra wouldn’t resist his vision, all this chaos wouldn’t be spilling over his once beautiful city. Taking a deep breath, Zeloph swapped the holy sigil for the Seraphim back to represent the Cherubim. His eyes which included those on his plume glowed white, signaling single-winged chimeras to merge.

At once, the four angelic beings forced the alliance fighters away before assembling them together. “Oh no!” Stygian exclaimed before a new beast was formed from the four heavenly creatures. Each head now resided on a rotating wheel above the neck. Two wings flapped behind while another pair covered its torso. Long, limber legs with hooves hovered before the ground.

Spike, Somnabula, Ember, Smolder, Trixie, and Twilight glared into the many eyes adorning each wing, ready to strike it down once and for all. But as the Cherubim’s wings flexed and each eye began to glow, Stygian warned, “NO! DON’T LOOK! TURN AWAY!”

Spike only had time to duck his head before it was too late. A wave of light poured from the creature, stunning all who gazed upon its holy visage. Spike’s forces all dropped their guard, kneeling down, eyes wide while its eerie light glowed softly within their pupils.

“No.… Damnit!” The Dragon Lord cussed as he and Stygian had no choice but to press onward, batting through any acolytes trying to stop him. If they put an end to the pale emperor’s reign, they could save their friends. He really hoped Lady Ewe and Shinning Armor managed to infiltrate the cathedral by now like they planned.

Zeloph panted, unable to keep track of everything with how frequently he used archaic magic. The glow of his halo faltered, his slender form leaning over the railing, clutching onto his shaft like a crutch. Hopefully, it wouldn’t be long until the scattered alliance was captured, and he could rid them of their insufferable pride.

But in his own arrogance, he failed to notice someone else was with him. Having heard what Fancy had said, Cerise raced back into the cathedral, determined to deal with Zeloph herself. The nimble dancer climbed to the last step, out of breath before finding the winged back of the winged immortal.

“This is it.... I can end this!” She said quietly, Radiant Hope's curved knife she'd stolen in hand, the nimble dancer about to strike before a new pair of wings stood in her way.

“Halt!” Bellatrix growled, the she-devil snatching Cerise up by her top. “I warned you to stay out of this, wretch!”

“Gnnagh! Damnit, Bellatrix! Let me go!” She struggled and dropped her blade.

“Put her down,” Zeloph commanded, turning back to address them. “You know I do not wish any harm here.” At his command, Bellatrix loosened her hold, allowing Cerise to slip free. Adjusting her top, she glared over at the pale emperor, who shared a similar look of self-righteous disdain.

“I’m surprised to find you would confront me alone, Cerise,” Zeloph complimented. “You’re very brave…if not foolish.”

“Why wouldn’t I? I know the truth, Zeloph,” Cerise spat. “How you’ve sent Beatrix away, trapped her in one of those angelic abominations! That you used angels to steal the memories of anyone who defies you!”

“I am relieving them of their burdens!” Zeloph insisted, tapping his staff into the roof. “Souls who harbor and cling onto their suffering must be purified. It is the only way to save them from damnation. The only way I can protect my daughter! Once Beatrix has delivered safely, I will release her. But look around you!” He cast his scepter to highlight crumbling buildings and growing riots. “See how inherently violent you mortals are? Look at the carnage your father and Spike have brought here! T̵͉̖̺͇̻̱͢ͅh̵̝͍̳̼͜i̡҉̷̦͓̺͈̝̥̥͇͕s̖̣̻ͅ ̥͍͔̮̞̝̜ͅi̢̜̹s̵͍̫̜ ͙̥̦̞̘̜͕͇b̶͉̼̮ẹ̵̙̝̳͙̫c͟͏̲̜͍̰̞͓͍͝à̧̤̻̤͎̠͘u̹̙͢͡s̹͈͎̜̼̲̤͚͘e̢̢̞͉̦̝̩̱̥ ͖̞̬̙̹̪͎̗̺͜͝o̢͔̹̺̖̳̫̮̮͘͜f̵̣͇ ̢̭͉̞̼̫͜t̴̢̜͈̭ḩ̙͈̤e͏̷̠̻̮̙͉̜m̢̞͚̣̹ͅ!͞͏̨̹̲̙̺̞”

“This is all because of you!” The dancer rebutted. “You preach sanctuary and purification, but I’ve seen what became of your servants. Of what’s happened to Fleur and my mother! Open your eyes, Zeloph. All this suffering is because of your ‘holy’ quest to control everything! Look at how many lives you’ve ruined! What you did to my world!”

His magenta eyes widened as if something had snapped into place. Zeloph looked back down to the violence, the outcries. His eyes darted all over, sensing the disturbance in their spirits. Everyone accused the pale emperor of the destruction that unfolded without relent. He was to blame.

“W-what, I…. No…” He said gently, realization finally settling in. Black tears oozed from his sockets, clutching the railing for support. “I was going to bring them paradise…. I didn’t want this! What have I do--Ģ̳̖A̢̻̦͍̱̰Á̰̱G҉͎̰͖͙̖̀H̵̯͚̪͖̠̻̮̭ͅ!͏̮̘̺̹͘”

Cerise yelped as a blur whipped by, making her mane whoosh. The messianic primordial screamed as Bellatrix’s hand transmuted into a massive claw, instantly tore into his back, as blood and feathers showered her arm.

“E-even you..?” Zeloph wheezed in agony, his teary eyes gazing back to his former ally. “I.... I offered you the gift of freedom, she-devil…an͢͢d̵̛͝ ̢͘͞ţ҉h̛͢i͘s̕ ì̛s̢͝ ̕͢h͘͜o̧w͘ ̧yo̴̢ư̡ ̕r̵e̵p̧̛ay̵̨ ̛̀͢m͏͟e̸͡?҉”

“There is no freedom with you, Zeloph,” Bellatrix shook her head, sighing sadly as she pinned him under her weight. “Any intentions you had were poisoned by your actions. It’s time you accept the truth.”

“Bellatrix! Good work!” Spike called from above, landing before with Stygian on his back. “I’m sorry to have ever doubted you.”

“I was the least accepted among the alliance,” she shrugged. “I figured it wouldn’t hurt my reputation if I played the double agent.”

“And you played your card brilliantly!” Stygian added, earning a little heat in Bellatrix’s cheeks. “Now then, just keep him still, and I’ll perform the banishment ceremony.”

Everyone nodded. Cerise secured Zeloph’s staff while Spike tiled his battered angel’s head to look at him. “I pity you, Zeloph. I truly do. If circumstances were better, I’d like to imagine all the good you could have brought. But you’re too dangerous to remain here. I hope you understand that.”

“Oh.... I understand…”

An immense pressure unleashed from around him pushed everyone back, knocking Cerise and Stygian to the ground. Bellatrix’s arm dislodged from the winged immortal’s back, while Spike held onto the stone railing. Zeloph’s form shimmered with fiery light, slowly levitating from his spot. A chilling glare was cast down to the Dragon Lord.

“I understand where I went wrong,” he said. “I was mistaken, so foolish to believe mortals would ever want redemption! But I see now…. I know what this world needs. Someone to cull a garden of weeds. S̸̘̥̬̤̣͕̯̪̤͝o͏̜̙̯̝͜ͅm͔̦̮̙̦͚̹̳͡e͍̰͔̫̪̬o̸̡͉̼͍͔̩̤̩n̸͚̥̼͎̠͜͢ͅe̵̥̠͎̞̪͝ ̘̰w̵̪͖̟̦̟͓͇͝i̡̠̼͚͢͢l̡͏͇̣̞̰̜̟l̶͏͉̘̲͓̦͍͈̭i͏̵͇̺n̛̟̟̲̟ͅg̸̢̼͙ ̷̮̤t̝͉ò̻͙̀ͅ ̸̫̕p̩̹̕͞ù̢͈̯̘̝̤͔͞t̫͍̮̦͎̩̠͚̺ ̗̕d̗̟̞͟o̫̬̮͜͢w̛̛̛͍̞̠n͏̪̫̺̙ ͇̝̠̖̪̕͘t̵͓̞͈̪ẖ̢̢͍͔̣ę̮͔̖̖̝͜ ̶̶̳̻̺̬f̞̖i̱̘̱̥̳̞͍̺̯l̞̦̖̪͟ͅt̻͙͚̹̺͇͕h̟̦͚̼̦͓͉̞̘̕͘y̸̪̼̦̤ ̧̗͎́à̦̩͙̮̥͘n̛̩̠̺͖͖̩̗̫̕͠ͅi̢̡̞̖̞̤̰͈̩m̶͈̫̜̹̤a͓l̢̮̝̣̲̗̟̖̲͠s̘̺͖̞̙ͅ!̛͕̗̥́”

His radiance burned the remains of his tattered robes, leaving Zeloph bare and bright for all to see. Smaller wings and feathers grew out from his grey body, most notable another pair near the heels of his feet, more unfurling the top of his shoulders.

“Uhm, Styg?” Spike called. “I thought you said Seraphim was the highest order!? I see a lot more than six wings!”

The unicorn quickly scrambled to flip through the pages. “I-I don’t understand! I read this front to back; how could I missed another high order angel!?”

“You assume I was from the highest order? Haha…. I think the page you’re looking for is right… H̵͖͉̦̪̠̪͝Ę̜̝̪̼͕̯͉͡R̨̦͔̼͙̺̘͢ͅͅE̷͚͞!̷̧̱̼̭̮̼̼͓̀”

Zeloph flashed behind Stygian to shove his arm through his chest, stopping him at one page as he screamed. “STYGIAN!!” Cerise cried, watching the unicorn collapsed while Zeloph pulled out his blood-soaked arm in disgust. The unicorn looked over the page he pointed, eyes widen at the title.

“N-Nephilim.… The Fallen Ones?!”

A sinister smile spread Zeloph’s face.

“Yes~” He confirmed. “I am Nephilim. The offspring of a mortal mother and a divine father. I was born more robust than any typical holy spirit, a fact my creator couldn’t stomach. I swore to protect you, mortals, when he tried to eradicate you. I thought that by protecting you, healing you, I could walk amongst you, welcomed and loved…. But you’ve proven that could never happen.”

“Damn you!” Spike roared, launching himself to slay the bastard where he stood. But the edge of his broad sword clashed with a sharper light, formed into an enormous zweiländer blade, stylized to resemble a star. Zeloph gripped his newly formed weapon and swung back just as Bellatrix jumped into the fray. The three danced around on the spire. Clutching onto the unconscious Stygian, Cerise could do nothing but watch, horrified as her friends struggled against Zeloph’s offense. But it all ended swiftly as the Nephilim blessed his blade with pure illumination, cutting through Spike’s broad sword-like hot butter and piercing through his armor, the drake roaring with pain.

Zeloph unceremoniously kicked him off the ledge, sending the dragon hurling down to the stone floor. Bellatrix tried striking from above, yet the winged primordial rose to meet her blow, blasting her into a heap that skidded and smoked, shrieking upon impact.

“You self-righteous hypocrite!” Cerise sobbed, raising up to slam her balled fists into his chest. “What happened to peace! Prosperity! Why?!”

Zeloph caught her next blow before tossing her back to the ground, aiming the tip of his long ethereal blade at her snout.

“You are beyond salvation,” he answered bitterly. “So diseased with vices, unable to accept the medicine that can cure you.”

“You’re wrong! What you offer isn’t healing, but enslavement!”

“S̵̡̧̧I̴Ļ̕͘̕Ę̨͡Ń̀͝C͟͟͏̢Ȩ̀̀͝,̕͟͠ ̶̧͠W̕͞E͜҉̷̧͟Ņ̨̛C̢̛̀͜H̸͘!̶̢̡͞” He commanded, the force of his voice knocking her further down. “I have been rejected for too long! If the mortals do not love me, then let them fear me! And so, I will cast judgment upon this land.… A̙̮n̶͈͕͈̠̬̜͞ḓ̢̡̙̯̰̱̻̞ ͘͏̞ṕ̸͇͇̟̜͟u̷̦̪̮r̦̮̩͚̀̕ͅģ̮̲͟ę̶̘̗̺̮̟͓ ͚̭͝t̛̮̖̙͝h̛̝̫͔͞e̩̫͎͖͈̟̤͢͡͠ͅ ̱͙̙̯̩͉̲̣u̘̹͉͎ͅǹ̡͍̩̜̰̗̭̲ͅj̷͇̦̱͡ų͓͚̯̥̗͎̺̜̕ș̥̲̜t̸̬̺̠͕͍̭͜͠!̧̩̰̹͝”

Placing his sword into the ground, Zeloph unleashed the full potential of Aether, absorbing all light within the monochrome city, luminescence blinding all who gazed upon his unholy light.

“None are worthy of salvation. I see that now,” he stated bitterly. “Judgment awaits this world! If you refuse redemption, then I will offer vengeance, instead!” With that he further drew upon the full potential of the Aether, surrounded by its brilliance.

“Cerise! We have to get outta here!” Bellatrix yelled, soaring swiftly to the dancer to scoop her and Stygian into her arms. Clumsily, the wounded demon sailed down the cathedral before smashing into stained glass, plummeting into the aisles in a rain of colored, bloodied fragments.

“Nnngh, Bellatrix,” Cerie groaned, noting the few shards stuck in the she-devil’s body. “You’re badly hurt! Let me-”

“D-don’t worry about me,” she coughed, digging out a few broken pieces, hissing and quivering. “Get Stygian downstairs and get everyone else out of here! Find your father!” Try as she might, Bellatrix couldn’t remain conscious before closing her golden eyes.

“I-I will,” she swore, wiping away the tears before carrying Stygian over her shoulder and heading back down to the ground floor, hoping her father would come to Spike’s aid and continue the heated battle above.

The ethereal glow dissolved as Zeloph emerged from the light, extraterrestrial armor adorning his limbs and chest. Many eyes blinked open within the prismatic steel before a helmet sealed his face, his long hair whipping above in a manner that defied gravity. A new halo phased behind his many wings, the undersides of his feathers much darker than before.

Through the cross slit of his headgear, Zeloph gazed at the crowd below, hearing screams of terror as the Seraphim continued collecting more of their essence. He briefly thought back to Abadonna and Beatrix, aware of how they would despise him should they bear witness to this merciless display of vulgarity.

“Too late to repent now,” the pale crusader scoffed, shaking his head. “My streets have become gutters, full of blood. And when the drains scab over, all the vermin will drown. The accumulated filth of all their vice and sin will spew foam from their mouths. And all the dying souls will look up to me and shout ‘SAVE US!’...A̸̸nd̀ ̵͠I̷̧͟ ͏w̸͘i̴͡l̶̛͡l͜ ͞l̶͡o͏͝ok͢͟͞ ҉d̛͝ow҉҉̛ń͝ ͢to̵ ̢t͏̀h͜ę͡m,̸͠ ̨͞ą̕͟n̕͝d͏ ̢̛͠w̵h̨͞i̢ş̧p̵͘er̀͡…̧͘ ‘N̶̶͉̮̞̲̗̮̣͞o̵̺͇͎̻͉̦̖̯̗̘̲̮͙̳̳͓̕ͅ”.’

*****

Beatrix could hear the carnage going on outside, fearing the worst was happening. Yet here she remained, forced to accept her confinement, unable to escape on her own. All the witch could do was sulk in defeat. At this point, her pregnancy had taken full effect, her full belly and breasts swollen.

At the moment she hit rock bottom, her daughter glitched right next to her, knees tucked into her chest while she wept. “Abby!” She exclaimed, pulling her close to cradle her. She noticed the deformities had gotten worse, her forehead swelled up, horn bent, more scales skimmed her limbs and cheeks.

“I-It hurts mommy!” She cried between whimpers. “Daddy's in terrible pain!”

“I should have known better than to trust Zeloph. Something wasn’t right about him,” Beatrix seethed, unable to hold back the anger and betrayal she felt. Whatever force compelled her to accept him at that moment, it felt like madness now. Did neither of them possess any free will of their own…?

“P-please don’t blame everything on him,” Abadonna pleaded, tears pouring down her cheeks as she shivered. “The Necronomicon made daddy very sick, obsessed with a need the perfect world for us…”

“I…I wish I could help everyone, but there’s nothing I can do like this! I can’t even help you with your condition!”

“I-I’ll be fine. It'll be okay, mommy. I promise!” The little mare played with her mother's loose locks while Beatrix stroked her mane.

“Will it?” She wondered if this was all some sick game played by fate. That maybe she, Zeloph, Lady Ewe, even the Eldritch had all been lured here by higher forces, pawns in some cosmic scheme none of them could ever hope to comprehend.

“I think she’s down here!” A voice from above called, the sound of footsteps running down the staircase echoing through the chamber.

“Hey…that sounds like Flurry Heart!”

And sure enough, the alicorn appeared from the bottom step, with her father and the dream faun not far behind. They all rushed to meet her underneath the Ophanim.

“Beatrix!! Oh, thank th' spirits, yoo’re safe!” Oona cried.

“Lady Ewe, I-I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have left without saying anything, I-I..”

“It’s okay, Ceann Oga. We’ll get ye out ay thaur!”

“Stand back!” Shining Armor ordered, shoving them out of his way before leaping to strike down the Ophanim with his blade. But the heavenly thrones repelled his attack, sending him back into a stone pillar.

Flurry cried, “Dad! Are you okay!”

“Gnngh! I’ll be fine,” Shining wheezed, though he noted his blade had been shattered.

“It’s no use,” Beatrix sighed, putting Abby to the side. “These things are indestructible. Nothing can get in or out unless Zeloph commands them to. I’ve tried, but I.... I-I just can’t.” Her shoulders slumped in defeat.

“Beatrix,” Oona said calmly, placing her palm over the barrier. “If Ah know ye like Ah dae, thaur is unlimited potential in th' magic ye can summon. Ah believe ye ur capable ay wonderoos things. An' nae one can tak' 'at awa' frae ye. Nae Zeloph, nae th' Demiurge, nae e'en fate itself. Only ye, as ye ur now, decide whit ye ur capable ay.”

Beatrix felt her heart twinge once she reached for her mentor’s hand, pressing it as closely as she could. She smiled, feeling encouraged to try once more. Placing both her palms against the wheels, she tried pushing her magic through the Orphanim, thinking she could disrupt their flow.

But her spell remained suppressed. She huffed before trying again, causing as much energy as she could muster to halt the Ophanim’s conjunction, yet it wasn’t enough.

“C’mon, Beatrix. I know you can do it!” Flurry encouraged and hopped in place.

“Almost there, mommy,” Abby said, despite how sore and aching she was all over.

“There’s got tae be some way,” Lady Ewe pondered.

“Say…isn’t that the Demiurge?” Shining asked, pointing to the second Ophanim hovering beside.

“Sweet lucid dreams, ye’re right! What’s it daein' haur?”

“Zeloph’s doing,” Beatrix explained while pushing. “He absorbed a nasty amount in an attempt to purify dark magic, but I think it’s infected him to the point of lunacy.”

“Sae nae even an avatar ay light is immune tae th' darkness ay eternity,” Oona lamented, guilt flooding back through her core. She was the one who sentenced him to imprisonment in that blasted tome, due to her naivety.

Beatrix paused her feeble attempts before looking at the caged abomination, shriveling in its confinement. She recalled Oona’s lesson about arcane magic; how each individual had a signature of their own, much like a cutie mark. But to access it, one would have to accept themselves entirely.

And for the longest time, Beatrix had fought to reject the Demiurge as a part of her person. The abomination deep below that once wore her like a skin suit. She shivered at the memory. Yet, just like her, the Demiurge was frightened, imprisoned.

So she closed her eyes, took slower breaths, and mentally reached for the bizarre creature. The Demiurge stopped wheezing, almost calmed by her metaphorical presence. Beatrix reminded herself that, while they had physically separated, the creature would always be linked with her.

She felt her spirit embrace the dark entity before it slowly reciprocated, their energy rejuvenating. It could sense the love she felt for her friends, family, her teachers, and, most importantly, of her unborn child. The Demiurge welcomed these new emotions as their physical vessels pulled to one another.

“W-what’s happening!?” Shining yelped, the Ophanim’s wheels struggling to continue turning, eyes blinking wildly in all directions. A dark aura illuminated both Beatrix and the Demiurge, the divided forces joining together until the topaz rings audibly snapped and shattered, as the two entities became one.

The room expanded as the darkness of space dazzled the three onlookers, marveled by the galaxies and constellations visible to them. Then the dark matter took form, reshaping the curvy silhouette of the traveling witch, her pregnancy all but invisible. Her leotard extended to cover her legs in the black flowing substance. Her cape flowed behind her like wings. Even her platinum mane dripped with the material, waving above her head. And when Beatrix opened her eyes, the whiteness darkened, leaving her violet orbs to glow brightly.

“W-whooooooooa,” Flurry stammered in amazement. “What in the heck is that!?”

“Ah don’t believe it,” Oona gasped, approaching her friend, who looked over in astonishment over what clad her body. “By acceptin' th' Demiurge as apart ay ye, yoo’re able tae wield th' darkness ay space itself! Beatrix, yer onoma…is Erebus!”

“Erebus…” She repeated, unable to accept that she conjured up such power! Yet…it felt right, like a new layer of fresh clothes. Curious about what else she could do, Beatrix pulled Shining Armor’s broken sword and reforged the pieces back in place. Her archaic energy poured all over the rune blade before engulfing it in its whispery power, a new saber formed in her hand.

“H-holy crap! I just…. Whoa!” Her eyes widened, earning a playful giggle from the goat shepherd. Beatrix turned to her father, who shocked his head, smiling. “It’s yours now.” She wept happily before wrapping her arms around him, hugging him tightly before Flurry and Oona shared in her embrace.

“M-mommy..?”

She turned back to Abadonna, noticing her problems had lessened, and her own mane began to flow about like hers. Smiling at her child, she knelt down to kiss her head.

“Stay here, sweetie.” Beatrix winked before a serious frown replaced her bright smile, then stared back to the stairwell. “Mommy’s about to have a word with ‘daddy’...”

*****

Everypony was fleeing for their lives before their bodies were vaporized from the radiant light projecting out from Zeloph’s helmet. Any that tried to stop him were swiftly decapitated by the edge of his morning star blade, bodies disintegrating into ashes. Not even his own acolytes were safe, their faceless bodies petrified the moment he drew out their souls to further empower himself, preparing to eradicate entire the planet in a fit of righteous indignation.

Cerise managed to find her mother’s entourage, Wet Nurse and Foal-Bearer, cradling both Inky and Fleur while Radiant Hope did her best to restore them.

“Where’s dad?!” She demanded, dropping Stygian’s body close by as they simply pointed towards Zeloph. She gasped as Sombra tried to fight back against the enraged judicator, yet no spell or blow did anything but evaporate under the radiant glow of Zeloph’s zweiländer, forcing the dark unicorn to kneel. Spike was struggling to pull himself together, the searing wound on his muscular bulk blistering into ashes.

Sombra glared at his opponent, his helmet preparing to blast the king with harsh light before a crumbling sound alerted Zeloph. The front of his cathedral burst open whereupon Beatrix launched out like a creature from Tartarus. She clashed against Zeloph’s sword to bat him away from her mentor with her Erebus embued blade.

“B-Beatrix..!?” He wheezed weakly, the witch standing in front of Sombra protectively.

“Your family needs you. I’ll handle Zeloph,” she insisted, swaying her way towards the multi-winged menace. All he could do was nod before limping away towards his daughter, who rushed to embrace him, helping him back towards their group.

Abadonna, carrying her mother’s rebellious nature, rose from the broken entrance to watch from afar, worry and sadness clear on her delicate face once her determined parents stood across from each other.

No words were exchanged between them as light and darkness collided in an explosion that made the atmosphere ripple, airborne above the war underway below, his sword blazing white; matched by her purplish-black blade, forged in ancient magic and now carried its holder like she was in a trance. Like the dark power of Erebus itself wielded her, rather than the other way around.

But she felt content, need of such raw power to stop the zealous monarch.

Like the climactic battle between the Dragon Lord and the Pony of Shadows, the two immortals would ultimately decide the planet’s fate in a duel to the death.