“How did you get down here?” Irradiance questioned the Dragon Lord once his shock about the Element Tree had worn off.

“Yeah,” Leviathan agreed, stepping closer to his friend, “We’ve been down here for Celestia knows how long and we haven’t seen a single tunnel out of here!”

“There aren’t any tunnels into where you guys were,” Amber assured, red eyes glimmering as the Element Tree sparkled behind her. “I flew through Everfree for ages before I saw the entrance underneath that castle. I had no other option so I flew through and I wound up here not too long ago.”

“How long is ‘not too long ago?’” Hibiscus asked, head tilted to the side.

“I don’t know. It’s hard to tell time in here,” Amber looked around, likely for a hint about how long it had been since she’d arrived. “Less than an hour, maybe. It doesn’t feel that long.”

“Has Luster Dawn appeared at all?” Irradiance questioned, but Amber just shook her head. “But… the wind! That’s always what happens before she shows up!”

“Clever Unicorn. That’s a first,” There was a terrifying whisper that suddenly filled the cave. A purple smoke began to surround Amber and the Element Tree.

“Hey!” Amber cried, caught off guard by the mist that began to surround her. She flew out of the cloud of purple, landing beside the other ponies and Leviathan, wings spread in a protective stance.

The purple smoke slowly condensed, forming a tall figure within the mist. Sinister laughter came from within the smoke before it dispersed and before the group of ponies stood Luster Dawn, or rather, Breaking Dawn, as she’d insisted her name was.

“I see you ponies finally managed to find your tree,” Violet eyes squinted upon the group, magic caressing Irradiance’s face in a mocking gesture, “Look familiar?”

“Back off, Luster Dawn!” Irradiance snapped, angrily, stepping forward. “You don’t scare any of us. We’re here with the Element Tree and once we…” Irradiance trailed off suddenly. It occurred to him there was no concrete plan to fight off Luster Dawn. There was the idea that coming back to the Element Tree would yield some sort of result but Irradiance had no clue what that was. Did he need to destroy it?

Luster Dawn began cackling at the clear lack of idea that the ponies had floating through their heads. “Oh, you foolish ponies. Did you really come all this way without considering how to defeat me?”

“No, we know how to defeat you!” Hibiscus assured, clearly lying.

“Oh, do you?” Luster Dawn flew toward the pink Unicorn, purple smoky hair following her like a ghost. “And what’s that plan?”

“If we told you then there wouldn’t be much point in even trying, would there?” Cobalt scoffed. “Nice try, but that’s the oldest trick in the book. Obviously, we’re not going to tell you what we’re going to do!”

Irradiance felt his confidence depleting quickly. He tried to wrack his brain for any idea of how to defeat a villain like this but all he was coming up with were blanks!

“How did Celestia defeat Nightmare Moon?” Irradiance whispered to Leviathan, trying to come up with an idea. The Changeling Prince shrugged.

“I think it was Twilight and her friends that defeated Nightmare Moon, not Celestia,” Hibiscus responded, overhearing her friends consider what to do. “I studied friendship and everything. I feel like you guys forgot I’m qualified to teach at Twilight’s University of Friendship.”

There was a beat of silence and Irradiance cursed himself internally. Obviously, Hibiscus should know how to defeat Luster Dawn! She learned and is able to teach classes to other ponies– friendship might be the key to defeating Luster Dawn!

“Okay,” Irradiance turned to the mare, “How did Twilight do it?”

Hibiscus thought for a minute before responding, “She used the Elements of Harmony!” Her violet eyes widened as she remembered the legend. “She and the other Mane Six ponies were able to manifest each of the Elements within themselves, unlocking the sixth element, and defeating Nightmare Moon!”

Luster Dawn grabbed the ponies with her magic, ripping them apart from each other with an angry snarl.

“How dare you all try to plan here and now!” She hissed, holding Hibiscus up against her face, making direct eye contact. The pink mare swallowed, nervous about being caught by the Alicorn. “I am moments away from reaching my true power and returning to Equestria, and you think mentioning the ancient Elements will help you? Don’t you know those crystals were destroyed?”

Irradiance cursed to himself. Of course, their main option wasn’t available. This wasn’t even the same Element Tree, of course, but–

“We don’t need the Elements of Harmony to defeat you, anyway!” Irradiance shouted, distracting Luster Dawn from confronting Hibiscus. The Alicorn dropped the pink Unicorn and focused on the purple stallion.

“You won’t need any Elements, you foolish pony. You won’t be able to even attempt to defeat me!” Purple mist swirled angrily. Irradiance feigned confidence and stared down at the Alicorn sternly.

“The Elements of Harmony came from another Element Tree that’s long gone, but the spirit of the Elements is still here. Each tree contains its own Elements, too. I learned that years ago. Didn’t you, Luster Dawn?” The Alicorn said nothing but her angry expression didn’t falter. Irradiance continued, “The tree behind you is also an Element Tree and it contains its own Elements. In fact, I’ve already witnessed all of my friends manifest them here today!”

“Irradiance, what are you talking about?” Leviathan hissed from below the Unicorn.

Irradiance ignored him, continuing with the logic he was honestly making up as he went, “I watched Hibiscus display empathy when she considered that maybe you weren’t a terrible villain, but rather misunderstood!

“I watched Leviathan show honor when he admitted who he was to your illusions in order to protect the ponies he loves!”

“You’re being ridiculous,” Luster Dawn spat. “You have no idea what you’re saying! You don’t even know if this tree contains Elements!”

“Every Element Tree contains Elements,” Irradiance defended. He continued, “I watched Cobalt display faithfulness to the group when he admitted to not taking the easy way out and sticking with us even when you gave him the ability to leave!

“I watched Marigold display joyfulness when she kept trying to find the bright side when everything looked dull before we came in here, and Amber was charitable when she gave us the answers about a way out and showed us what we were looking for!”

“You’re just making these up!” Luster Dawn cried, scoffing at the claims of every creature in the room manifesting as a specific Element. “You can’t possibly know what Elements lie within the heart of the tree!”

Irradiance shook his head, “I don’t need to. Once there are ponies that manifest positive or negative qualities, the Tree itself will build the Elements around those ponies. Even Twilight Sparkle handled the same thing; no one knew what the sixth Element was, but once she said out loud what her purpose was, the Elements of Harmony were usable once again!”

“Irradiance, you can’t be serious,” Hibiscus called from the ground below. “Do you know what you’re talking about? Even I would never suggest this and I attended the school!”

“Even your puny friends doubt your methods, Unicorn! Give up now!” Luster Dawn insisted, tightening her grip on Irradiance with her magic, but the stallion stood strong, staring the Alicorn down.

“You doubt the powers of friendship, Luster Dawn. That’s why you ended up here. I did, too, but in the last year since I’ve gotten close with everyone here right now, I understand what it means to have true friends in your life. Without them, I wouldn’t be able to unlock the sixth Element of this tree: the Element of Enchantment!”

Luster Dawn laughed sinisterly once more, but even she couldn’t deny the sudden glow that the tree behind her was emanating. The Alicorn and all of the other creatures turned to watch as the vines that wrapped around the poor tree slowly dissolved into healthy, green ferns, reducing its hold on the tree and giving life to a colorful, crystal structure with five branches, each sprouting a different colored crystal. In the center was a deep indigo crystal that began glowing brighter than the rest. Irradiance grinned.

“What?” Luster Dawn cried, confidence sapped and expression now panicked. “How did you– how did you know it could do that?”

“Woah, holy Celestia!” Cobalt cried out, pointing with a hoof, “Do you guys see that? The crystals are coming out of the tree!”

Irradiance focused on the tree he’d practically manifested to do what he wanted and, just as Cobalt had said, the crystals were breaking away from the branches and the center of the tree and floating toward each of the six creatures in the cave alongside Luster Dawn.

Irradiance was in awe. He had genuinely used a random series of thoughts to scare Luster Dawn into letting them go, but he’d somehow guessed exactly how the tree worked! In his series of questioning what was happening, the Unicorn had failed to watch each of the crystals start to circle each of his friends: pink went to Hibiscus, red to Leviathan, blue to Cobalt, orange to Marigold, yellow to Amber, and the center purple stone came toward Irradiance.

“NO!” Luster Dawn cried, taking flight and attempting to leave the cave, but something was stopping her exit. Irradiance watched as the crystals orbited each creature faster and faster, bursting into light eventually and encompassing each individual creature. “No, stop! Stop it! You can’t defeat me, I worked too hard!” Luster Dawn’s cries became those of desperation and Irradiance felt his heart twist at the sound but he had to focus. He was about to be part of the new Elements of Harmony. All thanks to his made-up logic.

As Irradiance himself was suddenly encompassed in this light, he watched as his friends slowly descended after each of their crystals manifested into… jewelry?

Starting with Hibiscus, each crystal took the form of a golden necklace with a center gem that resembled each creature’s Cutie Mark in the color of the initial gem. Apart from Leviathan and Amber, of course, whose necklaces seemed to be simple shapes.

Still floating in the air, though now free of Luster Dawn’s magic holding him up, Irradiance closed his eyes as he felt the magic overtake the area surrounding him before feeling something heavy on the top of his head.

“NO!” Luster Dawn cursed loudly, looking around her at all of the highly magical creatures, each armed with the power of friendship (how embarrassing was that?) and ready to defend each other. The Alicorn looked around for a way out, but Irradiance knew how to stop her. He was set on the ground and he slowly approached Luster Dawn, expression kind.

“Luster Dawn,” He spoke calmly, trying to ignore the clear feeling of a crown sitting atop his head now. “I know what it’s like to be exorcized from a group. Ponies bullied me when I was younger and because of that, I isolated myself and never spoke to anyone else for years! Had Hibiscus and Cobalt never found me, I might never have realized that we all held the power to defeat you.”

“You can’t defeat me!” Luster Dawn cried. “I worked too hard… I earned these wings! I earned the title of ‘Princess!’ I can’t be defeated!”

“It’s okay to admit defeat, Luster. You can be my friend. We can work together! You can come back to Ponyville and apologize to Twilight–”

“NEVER!” Luster Dawn snarled, eyes glowing with intense magic. Though the magic was present, Irradiance was still unable to fight back with his own powers. Hibiscus and Leviathan rushed forward, horns glowing, as the Alicorn blasted down upon Irradiance with violent magic that was sure to cause harm if his friends hadn’t formed a protective field around him last minute. “You ponies think you know everything… that friendship can fix everything!”

“It can’t fix everything, Luster! But it can help!” Marigold called from afar, hiding behind Cobalt.

Luster ignored the Earth Pony in favor of trying to attack Irradiance even harder. Scared for himself and for his friends, Irradiance tried his best to summon any dregs of magic that might be hiding within his horn. Miraculously, sparks flew and Irradiance felt magic start to return to his weakened frame.

“NO!” Luster Dawn cried, still on a losing streak. Her magic, as it aimed toward the group of ponies, was being absorbed by Irradiance’s main stone within his new crown, returning it to his body. Looking up, Irradiance watched as the stream of magic entered the purple stone and he felt better and better and more magical as time went on. Luster’s magic slowly depleted as she aimed it forward, clearly in denial of what was happening.

“Irradiance! Your magic!” Hibiscus cried, watching as her friend regained his powers slowly, standing taller and with more confidence as he began to join Leviathan and Hibiscus in their protection spell.

“It’s the magic of friendship, Luster Dawn,” Irradiance shouted through the magic. “Twilight Sparkle knew it was possible and now I do, too!” As he spoke, the necklaces on his friends each began to glow, aiming light toward the spell Irradiance, Hibiscus, and Leviathan were all currently casting. “I’m the sixth Element; the Element of Enchantment! Together, we make up the new Elements of Harmony!”

It was as though saying their title cast a new spell entirely because suddenly each of the six creatures was lifted in the air, necklaces glowing, eyes glowing, and magic blasting into one concentrated blast, aimed directly at Luster Dawn.

It was terrifying to witness himself and all of his friends take on this new, almost scary form, as they blasted the Alicorn with magic, friendship-related or otherwise. The tall Alicorn was surrounded with light, unable to fly away or aim her own magic back at it as Irradiance had absorbed most of it. The tree behind her was still glowing, supporting the Elements that had now attached themselves to each of the creatures attempting to fight off Luster Dawn. Pride filled Irradiance as he felt Luster Dawn stop struggling, accepting defeat, and falling to the ground. The magic he and his friends were fighting her with slowly faded, each creature placed back onto the ground safely, now looking at a non-nightmare version of the Princess Luster Dawn.

Author's Note

finally!!! victory!!! this isn't perfect, i know, but i like writing it :) its a form of therapy for me while I'm in my big boy university setting lol. enjoy as we now begin the road to redemption!!!!