"What is it exactly, Discord?" Fluttershy asked, who is really concerned. Discord snaps his Eagle claws and forms a barrier around everyone, so he can state what is going on.
"You won't like what I'm about to say, all of you," Discord replied to Fluttershy, then exchanges looks to everyone else in the room, then says what is happening.
"It is the..."
"...Demon Steves. It has to be them doing this," M stated. All 7 leaders of the chromatics are down in the tiny room below their HQ, not far from the citadel. They are around a 3 by 3 dark oak table, with a map in the middle. On the 4 sides of the area in the middle are 2 rooms, most are storage rooms, except one is a glass cell, another is an anvil room and the other are a set of spiral stairs, leading to the exit. It was mainly made by the Elite Colourless Guard and Light Steve to combat the Corrected Sun, but it can also act as an area to freely discuss and bring up the topic of the Demon Steves.
"Okay, good, this means the room's sealed completely. A risky gamble, but worth it," The Orange Leader sighed of relief. Before they went in, he was the one to block the entrance.
"If it is the demons, then how are they back? The darkness apparently rebalanced, right? Alright granted, Madness came in out of nowhere and went 'everything goes brrrrrr'. But he undid all that when he reformed back into Calmness," The Blue Leader wondered.
"I know, this don't make any sense, unless they're getting their energy from something, or someone, maybe from two, or more," The Yellow Leader pointed out.
"But from who though? There's literally no one we can think of, other than Calmness, but he isn't gonna be doing this. That's the thing we need to figure out, cut the demons off from their supplier of power," The Green Leader responded.
"Also, this is like... the third or so time the demons tried, why they doing this? They're just gonna fail again," The Violet Leader wondered, speaking out loud to the group.
"I don't think that matters right now. But I think I know where their main entrance point is. If we cut them off from that, their numbers reduce significantly, cutting their connection to this world," M replied.
"Where?" All the other leaders asked in unison.
"Where the first ever fight against the Demon Steves took place, the Obsidian citadel."
"Speaking of that- Didn't these biome steves and that become extinct a long time ago?" The Yellow Leader asked M.
"Yes, and that was where the battle took place, which was how we stopped them completely overrunning this world. The Red Kingdom has a lot of books about this era in fact, so yeah- Back on topic, my assumption is their main access point to the overworld is the Obsidian citadel. There aren't too many of them at the moment. We should strike now before they create new access points," M replied. All the other leaders nodded in agreement.
"And how do you propose on that as we can't see them?" The Indigo Leader questioned M.
"Grrr, true. I imagine that's why Light is over in Equestria with Shining Armour. Hopefully the ponies can figure something out on how we can see them. Until we are able to see them, we're out of cards. Shutting off our portals will do us more harm than good, and we can't do it without notice. I suggest we don't tell our people about their return. As long we don't mention them openly, we should be fine, for the moment. We can't afford people talking about them and then disappearing on mass," M stated. The other leaders nodded in agreement.
(Back at Canterlot Castle)
"No... I... we... we defeated them a LONG TIME AGO!" Sabre exclaimed.
"We're being invaded by these... Demon Steves, and we can't see them!?" Fluttershy is very worried of the prospect of invisible demons. She also just mentioned Demon Steves. However, Discord anticipates right as reality was about to be warped. With the snap of his fingers, he prevents reality being warped. He felt a pain in his stomach doing so, crouching and putting his hands on his belly.
"We should probably not directly call them what they are. I can't keep doing this. Me keeping the order of... your 'normal' hurts my 'normal' as I'm a being of chaos," Discord grunted, quickly getting out of that crouched position.
"So we can't speak of... 'them', or see 'them', how do we fight that? If we can just bypass that, then they should be sitting ducks," Rainbow Dash wondered.
"There's somepony who will have magic that can make these things visible," Twilight replied. Everyone looks at Twilight as she came up with an idea to fix the problem of not seeing the Demon Steves.
"She may- Well, she should- No, she has magic that can make... 'them' visible." Twilight almost said Demon Steves.
"Can we speak of them in Morse Code?" Pinkie Pie suggested.
"Best we don't speak of them whatsoever until we can see where they all are," Elemental Steve suggested.
"I may have an idea, I'm not sure if I told you ponies about this though," Time Steve started off.
"What is it darling?" Rarity asked.
"I can pause all of time, Rarity. I can't do it for a long time, but I can do it briefly, long enough to discuss them. That's how I'm always on time when I come to your boutique," Time Steve replied.
"What's more frustrating is, until we can see them, I can't warn everypony that invisible maniacs are roaming around or as you say, they'll warp this reality," Twilight sighed, looking to the ground below her.
"Yeah," Time Steve replied.
"Telling others that beings that were already destroyed coming back from the dead-" FVORP!
"Can we speak of them in Morse Code?" Pinkie Pie suggested.
"Best we don't speak of them whatsoever until we can see where they all are. I may be able to detect their energy signatures, but we need to see them in the long run. Plus with reality shifting, we can't rely on that either way," Elemental Steve replied.
"Did anyone else just notice that?" Time Steve asked. Everyone apart from Discord shook their head.
"What do you mean, Time- Oh... right, d- THEM- Them... them them them," Sabre just about stops himself directly saying the name of the creatures.
"Let's- Let's just go get Starlight. We're on a timer... a timer that's literally falling apart, but yeah. I'll go get her and we can get moving," Time Steve replied, summoning lightning as he teleports.
"I just thought of something," Said Light Steve.
"Any idea to stop these things, we're willing to utilize," Shining Armour responded and exchange looks with Light Steve, who then looks back at the overall group.
"If the darkness was their original weakness..."
"Yeah, and? There's no darkness left in either reality- Not if you- Wait-"
"Dark Steve," Light Steve interrupted Sabre.
"Oh my goodness, you're right! Dark Steve has powers of the darkness- You're a genius Light! Dark is right now in the village, at least I think," Sabre raised his voice, moral in him being risen. He then looks at Elemental Steve.
"Take me to the Steve Village now, Elemental. We must go and get Dark. Take us to wherever he is." Elemental Steve then walks up to Sabre.
"Everyone else, do what you can for the mean time," Sabre said as Elemental Steve summons lightning.
Sabre and Elemental Steve are in the house that's by the pier they were fishing at yesterday. They are upstairs and infront of a dark oak door, which lead into Dark Steve's bedroom. Where Sabre and Elemental Steve is standing at the moment, a 2 by 2 glass window is to their left and another 2 by 2 glass window a few blocks further away behind them, near where the top of the oak stairs are.
"Dark, you in there dude? This is super important!" Sabre said loudly, knocking on the door. A few seconds later, the door opens, with Dark Steve standing where the door is.
"Sorry, I was having a power nap," Dark Steve yawned.
"Yeah well, now you had it, this is important," Elemental Steve said as he pulls Dark Steve from where he is standing, out of his bedroom.
"Elemental, I know things right now aren't too good but- Chill at least a little bit, okay man," Sabre said with a fast pace in his voice, then looks at Dark Steve.
"Oh right, I can talk about them when I'm close- Dark, I don't know how, but the demons, they're back in this world- I don't know how that's... possible, but they're back. Somehow they're also being able to spawn in Equestria- Yeah there's the portals connecting the overworld to Equestria- I don't know," Sabre explained, making sudden pauses in between sentences, overloaded with stress.
"Okay... aaaaaand how do you expect me to be able to help? Yeah I have powers of the darkness, but what... me vs hundreds or even thousands of Demon Steves? Yeah... I don't know if I can fight that many," Dark Steve responded, his mind clouded with doubts.
"Yeah I know, but we have the ponies in the fight this time against the Demon Steves. Plus, the ponies have all sorts of powers, magic and so on that will certainly do collateral damage to these demons. We all have each other's back in this, we have each other," Sabre reassured.
"I'm in, let's destroy some Demons," Dark Steve instantly responded, speaking at a fast paste, his attitude swiftly changing.
"Okay, cool, we're all good. Elemental, take us to where the others are at this moment," Sabre ordered.
"Okay, got it," Elemental Steve responded, summoning lightning, teleporting himself, Sabre and Dark Steve.
(By the entrance into Canterlot)
"Is AJ okay, Time Steve?" Fluttershy asked, who is worried for her. Applejack hasn't spoke since she, Sabre and Time Steve went to question the First Curse.
"She seems like she didn't feel too well, so I took her home. Luckily the Demon Steves aren't there at the moment. Sweet Apple Acres is secure at the current moment in time as we speak," Time Steve replied. Fluttershy nodded, now feeling less anxious, comforted in knowing Applejack is at least safe.
"She'll be fine, she's AJ. She doesn't crack easily," Rainbow Dash reassured Fluttershy. Then lightning strikes nearby, Sabre, Elemental Steve and Dark Steve appearing after the lightning began to die down.
"Hey everyone, we've got Dark," Said Sabre.
"Oh, hello Sabre, long time no see," A light pink unicorn with a dark purple and turquoise mane and tail steps forward. Sabre notices those that are there is Time Steve, and 4 of the mane 6, those that aren't present is Twilight and Applejack, as well as the unicorn.
"Oh- Hey Starlight, have you been able to make these things visible? Twilight said somepony would be able to."
"Yes, and... I regret doing so. The Demon Steves look so... horrid."
"Yeah, they are horrid, Starlight. I definitely agree with you there. But, we need to be able to see them," Sabre responded. Sabre looks through the outside of the entrance, and all he could see in the distance is an unholy horde, an uncountable armada of Demon Steves. All of them are gathered at the bottom of the mountain, where the path leads up on a hill to where everyone else is, as well as Canterlot as a whole.
"We've got to hold off all them Demon Steves. If Canterlot falls and they take control of everything, the power they'll posses will be so overwhelming. If they already have the power to fight their way past the rebalanced darkness, I dread what they could do with more power," Sabre stated.
"Anyway, where's Twilight, AJ, Light and Shining Armour?" Sabre asked.
"Twilight's alerting Equestria, as we know where the demons are, so we can freely talk about them more safely. Applejack is not feeling too good and took her to her barn. Light and Shining are gathering their elites," Time Steve explained.
"When you all go out there, I'll be helping in Canterlot. I'm... not really a fighter," Fluttershy quietly said, almost in a whisper.
"That's actually a good call Fluttershy. We need someone keeping an eye around here. I also need you to make sure no Demons breach the entrance. If they breach Canterlot, it will not be good and it'd be game over for us," Sabre responded.
"We've gathered our elites," A voice said in the distance. Everyone turns around and sees Light Steve, Shining Armour, 3 elite members of the Colourless Guard and Royal Guard, all wearing their suit of armour, concealing their identity. The 3 elite members of the Royal Guard Shining Armour gathered are wearing gold armour, protecting their head, neck, back, and are also wearing gold boots, with a light blue star in the middle of their chest piece. Their manes are also stickimg up straight, through gaps on the top of their helmet.
Out of the elite Royal Guard members Shining Armour had gathered, 2 of them are unicorns, both being tall bulky stallions. One of these unicorns has a grey coat with a white mane and tail, while the other unicorn has a light orange brown coloured coat, with a much darker brown coloured mane and tail. The third elite Royal Guard member is an orange pegasus with a blue mane and tail. They are also a stallion that is the same height as the 2 elite unicorns, and while being less bulky, he makes that up by being able to fly if need be. That pegasus is Flash Sentry. The 3 elite Royal Guard members are also equipped with a spear, and while not as pointy or as sharp as a Colourless Guard spear, they are longer, which offer more range than the Colourless Guard spear. Both spears are super effective, in the right situations. Then a few more regular Colourless Guard and Royal Guard members gather at the entrance.
"Dark, you deserve to wear this armour. You're one of us," Light Steve said as he walks over to Dark Steve and drops a suit of Colourless Guard armour, a spear and a shield, with the emblem of the Colourless Guard. Dark Steve picks them up, putting the armour on and wielding the spear in his right hand while wielding the shield in his left hand.
"Thanks, Light, glad we can put our past behind us," Dark Steve responded, sounding slightly emotional. Light Steve nodded.
"Nice to be working with you again Sabre," Said one of the elite Colourless Guards.
"Do I know you- You do sound familiar though," Sabre responded. The one Sabre is looking at takes their helmet off, revealing their identity. It is an Orange Steve.
"Hey!"
"Happy Orange Steve! You became an elite Colourless Guard!? Why didn't you tell me!?" Sabre exclaimed.
"They're rather strict on identities... and now Light is gonna put me in the naughty corner after this for me taking my helmet off," Happy Orange Steve replied as he puts his helmet back on.
"You are damn right there," Light Steve lightly giggled, responding to Happy Orange Steve.
"Does anyone have any weapons I can use?" Sabre asked.
"Here." Light Steve passes Sabre a bow with power 5, punch 2, flame, unbreaking 3 and infinity, all enchanted on it, as well as a single arrow. He also passes a Colourless Guard spear and a shield to Sabre.
"Thanks Light," Said Sabre, picking up the bow, the arrow, the iron sword and the shield.
"Let's send these mindless repulsive sinned demons back to where they belong!" Rarity growled, frowning as she looks at the approaching swarm of Demon Steves.
"Yeah, Rarity, let's go, and take the fight to them. The rest of you, hold the entrance and close the gate once we're all out. Don't let any get through, no matter what," Sabre instructed. With that, Sabre leads ahead, walking out of the entrance, under the white horizontal arch with gold markings, and then over the wooden dark turquoise green drawbridge, where there is flowing water underneath, and a waterfall to the right side of the drawbridge. Dark Steve is walking next to Sabre, followed by Light Steve and Shining Armour, who are followed by the elites they selected as well as Time Steve and Elemental Steve. Pinkie Pie, Rarity and Starlight are behind everyone else. Meanwhile, Rainbow Dash is hovering over the group. After everyone that's going is out, the drawbridge began to be pulled back up.
