You know, I was really hoping to avoid this conflict. But there are some things in the past that are bound to catch up to you. I’m Lumen and right now, I’m battling these shadows while my students are inside the mystic waters of the lake. I hope they hurry because I’m not sure how long I can hold them off. Days like this, I hate being out of practice.

Sunset’s eyes opened up as she found herself in a burning area, crimson flames dancing around her in a circle, contrasting the black sky, with nary a star in sight.

“This place...it was just like before...” She muttered to herself.

She then walked to where the flames were, reaching out. She could feel the heat but no burn marks.

“What the hell is this place?” She asked herself.

“A chance for you to be reborn.”

Looking up, Sunset saw something that made her jaw drop.

It was the same shadowy bird, hovering in the air as its red eyes glared at her.

“So, you’re the one that has entered the Elemental Waters.”

Sunset was shocked but managed to find her voice.

“Wh-wh-what are you?! What the hell is this place!?”

“The first stage of your journey, young child.’ The bird then landed on the ground, towering over the bacon haired girl.

“Journey? What are you talking about? All I did was jump into a lake!” Sunset said, confused as hell.

“Ah, but that one dive has allowed you to access a power not unlike you have ever seen.’ The bird then narrowed its eyes. ‘But you would know of wielding other worldly power, don’t you?”

Sunset’s eyes widened at the sentence.

“How do you know about Equestria?!” She asked.

The bird cocked an eyebrow.

“Never heard of it. So, you’re not from here at all, are you?”

Sunset then realised she wound up confessing where she came from.

“Oh crap...”

“I don’t care about your past. All I want to know is this. Are you willing to embrace the flames?”

Sunset was nervous. The last time she tried to use a power ended in disaster. If she accepted, who knows what would happen? She may turn into a walking fire being with charcoal black skin.

“I...I can’t...” She muttered in a fearful tone.

“You can’t? Because of what happened last time?” The bird said with a narrowed gaze.

Sunset looked in shock.

“How did you...?” She began

“Let’s just say we are connected. I know your own memories. From the rise. And the fall.”

Sunset couldn’t help but have the flashbacks on the aftermath of the Fall Formal where she went from top dog to bottom bitch. And when she climbed the ladder again only for Anon-A-Miss to knock her back down.

“Is that what you want? To show how I got burned over again?” She said in a tired voice.

“No. Like I said, I don’t care about who you were then. What matters is who you are now. Are you going to let a few bad moments diminish your inner fire? Or will you reignite the spark within? I’m sure your new friends will not let that happen to you.”

Sunset was silent as she looked down. She knew that her roommates said that they would have her back, but what if it was another Anon-A-Miss situation, where they would leave her to rot.

She then thought back to how Lumen took her in. And how it was similar to Celestia before things went sideways.

The bird sighed before conjuring up a portal of Lumen fighting them off.

“Look. Your sensei is battling these shadows as we speak. You aren’t planning on letting him die right there, are you?”

“What? No!” She exclaimed.

“Then stop worrying about what happened before and light the flame within! The past can turn to ash!”

Sunset looked at the bird, then at the vision. She decided to just bite the bullet.

“I accept the power.”

The bird smiled as he allowed the flames to consume her in a fiery orb, surrounding the girl.

“Time to unleash the flame!”

Soon a large explosion happened as it went white.

Squalo was back in the large ocean he was before. Looking down, he didn’t see the bottom and he could breathe.

“Damnit Shade! Why the hell am I in this place?!”

“For a chance of power.”

Turning around, he saw the same shadowy shark from before, his fangs wide.

“Da fuck?! Youse can talk?!”

“Yes, I can talk. And I’m wondering why a guppy like you is in a place like this?”

That seemed to annoy Squalo.

“GUPPY?! LISTEN, YA OVERGROWN SARDINE! SQUALO DEMONE IS NO GUPPY! I OUGHTA GIVE YOU A KNUCKLE SANDWICH FOR THAT!”

He yelled as he tried to throw a punch. But seeing as he was in water, it moved in slow motion, the shark swimming out of the way easily.

“You do realise you’re underwater, right? Punches move slower than a turtle in this environment.”

Squalo grumbled at the realisation.

“So, what do you want from me?

“Just wondering if you are willing to make a deal.”

Squalo raised a brow.

“And what’s the catch?”

“The catch is that you accept the power and don’t let your teacher become chum to the shadows.”

Squalo thought about it as the shark had a point. But still, no deal has no take backs.

“Right...I accept this power and I won’t have to give up my soul or some crap like that?”

“Skeptical are we? But are you going to allow this second chance of yours to wash away?”

Squalo was silent but his eyes widened. How did he know? He had to leave those old days behind when he went with Lumen. But, he had a point. He was given a second chance and like hell he is going to waste it.

The shark then conjured up a portal and Squalo watched as Lumen slashed three shadows at once before being tackled by one of them. Squalo had to make up his mind quickly.

“Fine. Deal!”

The shark let a shark like grin show as a whirlpool surrounded him in a watery orb.

“Let the waves rise!”

Falco was in his vision where he was freefalling.

“OK! THIS IS SOME GODDAMN BULLSHIT! WHY AM I FREE FALLING WITH NO PARACHUTE?!”

“Why are you fighting it?”

Turning his head, he saw the same shadowy bird diving beside him

“Embrace the wind and let it fill your wings.”

Falco looked at him like he was insane but taking a deep breath, he relaxed and soon found himself floating in the air, hovering in place.

“OK, that’s cool. But what is going on?”

“A fight against the shadow beasts and a chance to even the odds.” The bird said, hovering in place.

“OK. Nice deal. So, please explain why I should be a grade a mug and accept something I never heard of?” Falco asked as he crossed his arms.

“So, you want your teacher to become bird food?”

A portal was formed in the clouds as Falco watched his teacher fight off a large crowd, blasting heavenly light at a group.

“OK, so I accept this power. What happens next?” he asked.

“Who knows? All you have to do is keep running to the future. After all, it’s what you think you are doing?”

Falco was gobsmacked at that. How did he know about what happened? He tried to get over that traumatic experience.

“OK. Let’s do this!”

The bird smirked as a tornado surrounded him

“Oh, this is gonna blow...no pun intended!” He said as he was in a sky blue orb.

“The winds of change have begun.”

Sandy was in the desert, looking over her surroundings.

“OK...Ah’m here. So what ‘n th’ hell am ah supposed to do?” She said to herself.

“How’sssss about you turn around, for sssssstarterssss?”

The cowgirl did just that and saw the shadowy snake glare at her.

“OK...Ah’m starin’ at a big ass snake and ah have no idea on what to do next.” She deadpans, though the sweat she was producing didn’t help much.

“Ssssssimple. You accept the gift I’m going to give you...”

“And why should ah do that? Am no fool.” She said.

“You are prideful. And you should know that pride comesssss before a fall. That issss how you ending up running away from a life filled with diamondssssss.”

Sandy narrowed her eyes. There is no way this thing found out about what happened. It was something that she would never live down.

“And why should ah believe you?” She asked, arms crossed.

“Sssssstop being so prideful and sssstuborn! Your sensei isss going to be buried if you don’t help!”

A portal formed from the sand confirmed it as Lumen was fighting a large wave of them, waving his hands in a fluid motion.

Sandy growled. She may be prideful but this was one of those times where her pride had to take a back seat.

“What do ah need ta’ do?”

Suddenly she was covered in sand before it turned into a yellow orb.

“Ssssimple. Earthly pressure makesss a sssstronger ssstone.”

Shade was by the name night sky mountain, glaring at the wolf that was also glaring at him.

“I’m here. What do you want?” He asked

“You’re a blunt boy.” The wolf spoke in a deep voice.

“Look, you clearly need something from me. What is it you want?” Shade snapped.

“In a hurry huh?’ The wolf leapt from his porch and began to prowl around him. ‘You jumping from the ledge is what led you to him. Don’t you remember when you made a promise to a certain friend of yours...and he ended up dragging you into danger?”

Shade growled at the memory. That was the reason why he had to run away in the first place. His rep was in tatters thanks to his ‘friend’ stitching him up.

“Tell me. Are you going to rush again? Or will you wait for the right time?”

Shadows formed as they showed Lumen fighting for his life. He seemed to be wearing down.

“OK! I get it! Just give me the strength to stop them!” He all but begged.

“If you say so...”

Shadows formed all over his body, trapping him in a black orb.

“With shadows, patience is at its strongest.”

Flora was in the forest/savannah area, seeing the prowling feline shadow glare at her.

“Well, well. Look who it is.”

Flora then saw the same feline she saw earlier, it’s eyes narrowing at her like it was going to pounce on its prey.

“H-Hola...” She said in a meek tone.

“I see you decided to plant your roots back here.” It said with a cheshire grin.

“Well, I don’t have a choice. We are kind of under attack.” Flora spoke.

“Yeah, I can see that.’ The cat agreed. ‘What I want to know is if you can trust your sensei.”

Flora’s eyes widened before they narrowed.

“Of course I can. He took me in at my lowest!” She exclaimed.

“Even though he hid something from you? You should know that all roses have thorns. Much like a certain relative of yours.” The cat said, making Flora freeze. That was an old burn if she could ever think of. How did this cat know?

Flora shook her head of those thoughts.

“Look, that doesn’t matter.”

“Hmmmm....I’m not sure.’ Soon the reeds began to grow and curl to show a portal of Lumen being held down by the shadow creatures. ‘Are you CERTAIN you can trust him?”

Flora was now getting annoyed.

“He may have a reason for this, you know. And for now, I need to trust him. If he is hiding something sinister, then you can say ‘I told you so!” She said with a glare.

The feline was silent before nodding in respect.

“You have guts. And for that, you have my respect. You want the power?”

“Si! Give me the power!” She declared. Soon, she was wrapped in grass roots before being encased in a green orb.

“Now it’s time for the sapling to grow into something stronger.”

In a black space, all six orbs began to float together, the six animals gazing over them.

“The time has come. All six have accepted.”

“A pact has been formed and now they will be blessed with phenomenal abilities”

“They will embrace the nature of the wild, from all elements of the world.”

“And when the time is right, they’ll awaken a stronger form.

“Mental and physical balance will be needed for this journey.”

“But let’s see if they can utilise the power.”

“No more talk....”

“IT’S TIME TO RELEASE THE BEASTS!”

With that, the six orbs exploded. And the presence was sensed by a lot of other people.

In a bar, a hooded man looked up as he grinned, his red eyes shining in interest.

“Well, well. Looks like there are a bunch of new animals in the area...”

Inside an apartment, a woman with dark blue skin and dark blue hair also shot up, her eyes widened in shock.

“Impossible. Someone’s using the Lake of Elements?”

Reading a book, an old man peeked from his reading as he felt the presence.

“What on earth? The Lake of Elements is being used?”

Another man, who was checking over some rides, shot up and chuckled as he felt something.

“Oh my? Looks like things are going to be much more fun now.”

Inside a tent, a man was dusting some artifacts before he shot up and felt the presence.

“Hmmm...Something’s happening right now.”

Finally, inside a temple, a muscular yet wrinkly old man was meditating, before his eyes shot up and his eyes narrowed.

“Interesting...very interesting.”

Lumen was now held down by several Shadow Walkers as he was approached by a larger Walker. His face was covered in gashes, his left eyes was swollen and he was drooling a bit of blood from his lips

“Finally, we have found you.” It rasped.

“How did you find me?” He snarled, glaring at him.

“It wasn’t easy. We had to track your presence, however small it was. We just got lucky we sensed the temple being intruded.”

Lumen glared, but he knew what he meant.

“Now we’ll get a hold of that Lake. For the Dark Beasts!” He rasped with a chuckle.

Lumen’s eyes narrowed even further before he felt a presence and began to chuckle, which the giant walker noticed.

“And what is so funny?” He asked.

“Oh, just the fact you are in a lot of trouble.”

Before the walker could say anything else, the temple doors blasted wide open as bright light shown from them, making the walkers hiss in pain and fear.

Emerging from the doors were Lumen’s students.

And they were not happy. At all.

Author's Note

Holy crap! How long has it been since I updated this fic?! Sorry for the long wait, but a lot of things have happened and I totally forgot about this fic! But I'm back again for a new chapter of 2025! Hope you enjoy