"Your pitiful attempt to imprison me has failed, Star Swirl!" The Pony of Shadows laughed wickedly.
"This is bad." Patch said.
Star Swirl soon began to try and use his magic against the Pony of Shadows, but nothing seemed to happen. " You must return us to Limbo," he then told Atticus and Twilight. "It's the only way to stop him."
"We only figured out how to bring you back." Atticus and Twilight told him.
Drell began to growl from that.
"Uh, I'll look for a way for you!" Cherry said nervously as she ran towards the book, frantically going through the pages, but was scared now for two reasons. "No table of contents!"
"Allow me to assist," The Pony of Shadows smirked before destroying the book and Ponhenge. "Without the power of Ponhenge, your banishing spell is useless."
"Gah!" Cherry yelped from that.
"You have studied my writings," Star Swirl said to Twilight. "Surely you have some other plan."
"No. I just wanted to save you," Twilight frowned. "I didn't think-"
"Don't fret. When I extinguish the light and hope of this miserable world, you won't remember any of this." The Pony of Shadows smirked before charging up his own horn.
"That won't happen!" Patrick told the Pony of Shadows.
The Pony of Shadows soon zapped his horn until Atticus and Twilight shot back with their own horn magic. "Argh!" He grunted from that before glaring slightly. "These ones are almost as... Strong as you, Star Swirl. But even in my weakened state, they cannot stop the might of shadows!"
"They're not alone." Patch growled at the Pony of Shadows.
Starlight soon joined in, using her own magic. The Pony of Shadows seemed to yell out as Starlight helped out Atticus and Twilight.
"Give up, you're outnumbered!" Patch told the Pony of Shadows.
"Know this, fiend!" Star Swirl added as the others surrounded him. "We will not rest until we find a way to return you to Limbo!"
"Never!" The Pony of Shadows growled. "Your days of glory are through, Star Swirl. Now my dark power will reign, and you six will bow to me!" he soon hopped up and vanished before their eyes.
"What just happened?" Mo asked.
"Uh, where'd he go?" Rainbow Dash added.
"That is a riddle we must unravel," Somnambula replied. "And quickly."
"How long have we been gone?" Meadowbrook asked Fluttershy.
"Over a thousand years." Fluttershy answered.
The ancient ponies looked shocked to hear about being gone that long.
"Then my spell worked, before it was meddled with," Star Swirl replied before glaring to Atticus and Twilight slightly. "And the realm has been at peace for a millennia!"
"Not exactly, old timer." Drell told Star Swirl.
"Heh... Drell just called someone old, and he's like hundreds of years old." Cherry chuckled to herself.
"What's your point?!" Drell glared slightly.
"Erm... Uh... You don't look a day over 360?" Cherry grinned nervously.
Drell simply rolled his eyes at that. Cherry still looked nervous to him.
"Weeeeell... We did have to save everypony from Nightmare Moon and Discord and Chrysalis and King Sombra and Lord Tirek, and there was that one time when Starlight traveled through time and almost destroyed life as we know it! But that's all in the past." Pinkie Pie said to Star Swirl.
Drell nodded in agreement.
"It is an easy thing to say you have saved the world," Star Swirl clarified sharply. "It is quite another to do it."
"Oh, they've done it." Drell smirked.
"Oh, we've saved the world, Beardo," Rainbow Dash told Star Swirl. "And we can do it again."
"Be that as it may, the problem of locating the Pony of Shadows remains, and this land is vast." Star Swirl replied.
"It sounds like you need a map," Rarity suggested. "Luckily, we have just the thing."
"And it's back at Twilight's castle." Mo smiled.
"But before that; can you tell us if you recognize these two?" Patch asked Star Swirl and the other ancient ponies as he gestured to Patrick and Drell.
Star Swirl and the ancient ponies came to see Patrick and Drell up close.
"Patrick Fudo and Drell Batsworth?" Star Swirl soon asked out of shock.
"About time to recognized us, S.S." Drell smirked.
"It's been so long..." Star Swirl replied.
"Oh, it sure has," Patrick smiled. "It's good to see you again though."
"We hardly recognized you." Flash Magnus smirked at Patrick.
"A lot's changed over the years," Patrick chuckled. "I'm also a bit stronger now."
"Hope that means your magic is strong too." Flash Magnus smirked, ruffling up his mane.
"It sure does." Patrick smirked back before getting grabbed into a headlock before a noogie by Rockhoof.
"Hey, buddy!" Rockhoof laughed.
Patrick laughed back. Atticus gave a small smile for his father as it looked like he was having fun.
After a friendly reunion, they were soon at Twilight's castle.
"Something about this magic seems familiar..." Star Swirl pondered as he looked at the map before using his horn's magic to summon the Tree of Harmony.
Everyone gasped in astonishment and amazement.
"Did you know he can do that?" Rarity asked Atticus and Twilight.
"He's Star Swirl, of course he can." Atticus smiled.
"He can do anything!" Twilight added.
"This map, and indeed this very castle, are grown from the seed we planted over a thousand years ago." Star Swirl informed.
"Then it did work!" Rockhoof smiled.
"What worked?" Sunburst asked.
"Each of us infused a crystal seed with our magic in hopes that it would grow into a force for good." Somnambula replied.
"We wanted to leave something to protect the realm in our absence, but we never dreamed our gift would become so powerful." Mistmane added.
"Wait, wait, wait, hold up, you mean the Elements of Harmony came from you six?" Patch asked the ancient ponies.
The ponies looked to each other from that question before facing Star Swirl.
"You know, the sparkly crystal things that grow from the Tree of Harmony and represent each of us?" Pinkie Pie prompted, coming beside all of her friends. "Laughter, honesty, generosity, loyalty, kindness, and magic! Also bravery from Mo, strength from Atticus, support from Patch, and empathy from Cherry!"
"Yeah, surprisingly, these four were able to create new Elements of Harmony, and the same is said for two others in another world." Drell said.
"They are reflections of our own elements of hope, strength, beauty, bravery, healing, and sorcery." Somnambula gave a small smile to the others, pointing to each of her fellow Pillar Ponies.
"We had no idea our small seed would bloom into the living spirit of the land," Meadowbrook smiled around. "I am glad our mantles have passed to such capable ponies."
"More importantly, we no longer need Ponhenge to send our foe back to Limbo," Star Swirl replied. "We can use the stored magic in this Tree of Harmony."
"But doesn't a banishing spell take a lot of magic? We'd be sacrificing the Elements of Harmony for that." Atticus frowned.
"Mm-hmm." Star Swirl nodded.
"They'd be gone forever?" Fluttershy asked with a frown.
"Star Swirl, I don't think the Tree of Harmony can survive without the Elements," Twilight frowned. "If the tree dies, Equestria will suffer."
"If the Pony of Shadows has his way, your land will not exist," Star Swirl sharply told Twilight. "So unless you have a better idea..." he then used his magic, making the image of the Tree of Harmony disappear, and they soon saw black spots on the map. "Our foe will seek dark places from which to draw power. I will prepare my spell so that we may strike as soon as you find him."
"What are we waiting for?" Rainbow Dash asked as she smirked in determination.
"I like your spirit!" Flash Magnus smirked to Rainbow Dash's determination.
The rest of the girls soon agreed with getting started. Twilight and Atticus soon walked off, bowing their heads together, leaving the room. Cherry and Starlight noticed this before following after them.
They were soon shown in the messy library.
"What about this one?" Spike asked, showing them a book he picked out.
Twilight soon hovered it over before sighing. "Seapony Etiquette isn't going to help right now, Spike." she told him before checking out a list.
"There has to be something here that can help us in the situation we're in." Atticus said as checked out a second list.
"Hey you two okay?" Cherry asked Atticus and Twilight as she and Starlight walked in.
"Atticus and I just unleashed ultimate evil and doomed Equestria because I was obsessed with meeting my idol!" Twilight replied hysterically. "Why wouldn't I be okay?!" she then hit her head on the table.
Starlight let out a small scoff. "You didn't know that was gonna happen."
"But Drell did and he tried to tell us, but we wouldn't listen." Atticus frowned.
"Yeah, you didn't." Cherry replied bluntly.
Starlight nudged her for that.
"What?" Cherry asked.
"We should've listened to Drell and left things alone," Twilight sulked. "Now the Elements of Harmony will be lost to fix our mistake!"
"Unless we can find another solution to our situation." Atticus said.
"I'm sure you guys can find it." Cherry supported.
Twilight soon took a book with Atticus. "Portal gate... Portal keys... Portal spells... Yes!" she then beamed at what she found. "'If the Pillars can hold open the gateway to Limbo, a powerful pony can do the banishing spell herself'! Do you know what this means?"
"I don't have to carry any more books?" Spike guessed.
"The Pillars don't have to leave!" Atticus beamed.
"Oh?" Cherry replied.
"Even though we'll lose the Elements, we'll have the ponies that created them." Twilight continued.
"And the Pony of Shadows will be banished for good!" Atticus added.
"Uh..." Cherry blinked. "That's great, I think, but what about something that doesn't include banishing?"
"If you are truly this accomplished, we will stop the Pony of Shadows twice as fast together." Flash Magnus proclaimed.
"We shall see." Star Swirl told them.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Drell glared.
"I think Cherry might have a good idea." Starlight grinned nervously.
"Star Swirl knew what he was doing when he cast that spell,' Twilight replied. "If we can make it even better, maybe he'll see that we take magic as seriously as he does."
"Yeah, but remember of how you both were able to complete two spells that didn't involve doing something as crazy as banishing a pony?" Cherry said.
"Aw, Cherry, you worry too much." Atticus said, patting her on the head.
Cherry gave him a look for that. Atticus soon realized what he was doing.
"Atticus, listen to me, this is might be a bad idea." Cherry said to her best friend.
Atticus looked to his best friend before looking to Twilight and then back at his best friend before agreeing that what they were going to do was a bad idea.
"This plan already wreaks of failure," Cherry warned. "Okay?"
"Okay, let's go and talk with Dad and the Pillars to see if we can find out more about you-know-who." Atticus said.
"Hmm... I suppose that's fair," Twilight replied. "Your father is a bit mystical and smart. A lot like you."
"Yeah, even has the same sized head." Cherry smirked.
Atticus gave a deadpan glance from that.
"Thank you, thank you, I'll be here all week." Cherry chuckled to herself with a bow.
Atticus simply rolled his eyes playfully.
Meanwhile with the Pillars and the rest of the Mane Six...
Drell soon joined the others with a bit of an annoyed look on his face.
"It seems the dark places Star Swirl indicated on the map have changed." Rockhoof said as they came by the busy streets of the city.
"Ah bet the Pony of Shadows would've loved the Ghastly Caverns before a thousand years of erosion turned it into the Ghastly Gorge." Applejack replied.
"Oh, yes, he would." Drell said.
"The Appeloosian Wastes sure sounded dark and desolate." Fluttershy said, looking at the map.
"Who knew they would become such a popular square dancing destination?" Rarity commented.
"How about you, Pinkie Pie?" Patch asked.
"Well, I get how this part of Equestria used to be cast in eternal night where the Pony of Shadows could draw power and wreak havoc while ponies were powerless to stop him," Pinkie Pie smiled out of excitement before she soon appeared on three screens with flashing lights like in Time Square of New York City. "But it's kinda made a comeback! Did I mention it's really bright?!"
"Well, we can cross out this place off the map." Drell said.
They soon did just that. Star Swirl took a look at the map before looking to the others. "It seems there are fewer dark corners in the realm these days."
"Isn't that a good thing?" Rainbow Dash replied.
"True. The Pony of Shadows will have a hard time regaining power," Flash Magnus nodded. "When he rears his head, we'll be ready!"
Rainbow Dash and Flash Magnus soon clonked their mugs together.
"I wish there was a way that we could banish the Pony of Shadows without losing any of you." Mo frowned, referring to the Pillars.
"Oh, I wish there were," Meadowbrook smiled softly before frowning back. "But to save our home, we are willin' to leave it."
"There has to be a way." Drell said.
"Oh, yeah," Cherry rolled her eyes, walking to the doors. "As if the answer's gonna come waltzing right through that-"
"You don't have to! My spell isn't ready yet, but I think I found a way to send the Pony of Shadows to Limbo without all of you going as well!" Twilight beamed to the ancient ponies as she showed her spell to Star Swirl.
Cherry groaned as she was too close to the doors. Mo soon took Cherry and tried to straighten her out a bit.
"While I appreciate your enthusiasm, children, this is hardly the time to take risks on half-baked spells." Star Swirl told Atticus and Twilight, a bit haughtily.
"Half-baked?!" Patrick and Drell glared.
Cherry soon pushed her glasses back before looking over. Atticus and Twilight began to look a bit unhappy with what Star Swirl told them.
"Excuse me, Mr. Bearded Pony, but Atticus doesn't do anything halfway and neither does Twilight!" Cherry soon glared.
"True that!" Applejack nodded.
"Especially not magic!" Pinkie Pie added.
"Seriously!" Rainbow Dash glared, taking one of Twilight's wings. "She got her wings by finishing one of your spells!"
"Yep." Drell nodded.
"I think you'll find her work is worth reading before you dismiss it out of hoof!" Rarity added.
"Mm-hmm!" Fluttershy nodded firmly.
"While it is an unconventional approach, I believe it could work." Meadowbrook smiled.
"Oh, you bet it could." Drell nodded.
Star Swirl soon took a look at the paper that Atticus and Twilight brought in. "Hmm... I suppose there is a chance." he soon said.
"But we still have no idea where to find the villain." Sunburst replied.
"Hmm... That's true." Drell nodded.
Suddenly, everyone's cutie marks seemed to flash before landing on a place on the map.
"Maybe we should try there?" Spike suggested, pointing out to the landmark.
"So freaky." Patrick said.
"What is this place?" Clark asked.
"The Hollow Shades," Applejack remarked as she took a look. "Ah think a branch of the Apple family lives there."
"I highly doubt that anyone's lived there in years." Drell said.
"Then that's where Stygian must be." Patrick said.
Drell looked over to Patrick. Patrick looked a little sad and bowed his head as he mentioned Stygian.
"Aw, Patrick... It's okay." Drell told him.
Atticus could already tell that his father was still feeling ashamed of how he handled himself in the past against the Pony of Shadows.
"Hmm... That's odd. The only time the map's called all of us to one place was Starlight's village." Rarity commented.
"So it's like a super-villain tracker!" Rainbow Dash added before looking sheepish to Starlight. "No offense."
Starlight gave a rather unimpressed expression from that.
"What do you think, Star Swirl?" Drell asked.
"Do you think the map could be trying to tell us where the Pony of Shadows is?" Twilight added.
"Hmm... The Tree of Harmony acting to protect the light of the realm..." Star Swirl paused in thought at first. "Yes. A good thought, Twilight."
Twilight let out a fan girl squeal from that.
'Oh, Twilight.' Patrick thought to himself.
"I will make my notes on this spell," Star Swirl told them all. "Ready yourselves for battle."
"We will." Drell nodded.
"Uh, I know I'm not as experienced as all of you, but is banishment really the only option?" Starlight soon asked. "I mean, it's been a long time. Maybe the Pony of Shadows is ready to talk?"
"I doubt we can save our homeland with a conversation." Star Swirl said.
"But we could try." Cherry said.
"Cherry, I'm sure Star Swirl and the others did try." Twilight told the perky goth.
"The Pony of Shadows was not interested in reconciliation," Star Swirl shook his head. "Once a villain, always a villain. Atticus, Twilight, Sunburst, would you accompany me? I wish to refine this spell for our use."
Atticus didn't move from his spot after what Star Swirl said about a villain always a villain.
"Come. We must prepare for the struggle ahead." Rockhoof proclaimed.
"Right." Drell nodded.
Cherry and Starlight looked to each other.
"Atticus!" Star Swirl called.
"Uh-oh, I don't like that look in his eyes." Drell gulped as he saw the expression on Atticus's face.
"Patrick, get your boy!" Star Swirl demanded.
"Um... Atticus... You okay?" Cherry smiled nervously, coming up to him.
"'Once a villain always a villain.' If that's true, then he is dead wrong." Atticus glared.
"Uh, okay, let's not get too angry now..." Cherry said nervously.
"I'm not going to help with the spell." Atticus told her.
"Okay, you don't have to..." Cherry said to him. "Uh, right, Star Swirl?"
Star Swirl looked unpleased that Atticus wouldn't join him and the others.
"You're wrong," Atticus told him. "Starlight was a villain once, but she reformed and I turned evil more than once, but not because I chose to turn evil, but because of a potion and overdoses of magic and King Sombra using his magic turning me evil. And if it hadn't been for my friends, I would have still been evil and quite possibly help him take the Crystal Empire throne."
Star Swirl merely gave Atticus a look, narrowing his eyes at him.
"I'm sorry, but I won't help you banish Stygian." Atticus told the ancient male unicorn.
"Have it your way!" Star Swirl replied. "Twilight? Sunburst? Come with me!"
Twilight and Sunburst began to follow after Star Swirl, but they glanced back to Atticus on their way. Atticus stayed where he was with a sigh.
"Uh... Atty?" Cherry asked. "You gonna be okay?"
"I just don't understand." Atticus said.
Cherry gave a small frown for him as her eyes seemed to flash a rainbow color from the Elements of Harmony.
"Starlight, Cherry, you agree with me that banishing Stygian AKA the Pony of Shadows is wrong, right?" Atticus asked.
"O-Of course I do!" Cherry replied. "I'm not sure what Star Swirl is thinking. Um... I don't know how we can get out of this, but it's just wrong and inhumane."
Atticus and Cherry soon waited to hear Starlight's thoughts of the banishment.
"Are you gonna listen to me?" Starlight asked.
"We're all here for ya, Star," Cherry replied. "Let your voice be heard."
Starlight released a sharp sigh before she stated her opinion, "I know Star Swirl is a great wizard, but this whole plan seems... Wrong. The map's only ever sent us to solve friendship problems."
"Exactly!" Atticus and Cherry nodded.
"Maybe so, but the Pony of Shadows doesn't really seem like the 'friendship' type." Spike commented.
"Honestly? We don't know anything about him." Starlight replied to him.
"No, but my father and the Pillars do." Atticus said.
"Hey, um, Patrick?!" Cherry called as she came to her best friend's father.