MLP: Darkness Rising

Chapter 17 - Xenos' Defeat

Disclaimer: Hasbro/DHX are the rightful owners of this franchise. I just own this story, any OCs, etc. and the character "Stardust Balance" was created by the Warrior of Twilight.

Author's Note: I apologise for any obvious pacing issues; an unplanned hiatus and unexpected events happening in my personal life was the cause of that.

"Okay, I have just about had it up to here with Stardusts," growled a frustrated Xenos as he glared over at the hovering Earth Pony. "What makes you think you'll be able to stop me from ruling this word?"

The response that Stardust gave was simply an energy blast sent in his foe's direction, which was quickly knocked aside by Xenos' gauntlet before it could strike. "Why, you… grrrrrr… be grateful I don't do to you what my minions are doing at this moment to the princess of fr-"

"Oh, I'm not worried too much 'bout them, Excel," answered a smirking Stardust, much to Xenos' disbelief. "You see, I didn't exactly come alone."

The two of them, as well as Casey, looked over to where the Mane 6 were at, and what Xenos saw made him even more angrier. "How?! How?!"

As Casey began to stand back up on his hooves, he let out a quick chuckle and nodded his head. Now THAT is definitely proof of the power of friendship.

WHOOSH!

"Alright, everycr - everyone, let's go-go-go!" cried out Beck, flying high in the sky and speaking via headset to Tempest, who was currently standing upon a grassy hill besides nearly all of Equestria and a majority of allies the Mane 6 had encountered over the years that included the Hippogriffs, the Yaks, dragons, the Pillars, and even the reformed Changelings. Even Grubber had come by, though he was content with just watching and enjoying some cake. "That is everyone, right?"

"What, you wanted more?" Tempest replied, in a dry tone that made Beck smile sheepishly. "Just be careful with the little air brat up there…"

Before the green Earth pony could answer back, he stopped his flight after seeing Cozy Glow heading in his direction, and the little antagonist was grinning in a sinister way. "I'm going to enjoy turning your wings into scrap metal."

"Come and try to, then, Short Stack" said Beck, who began swiftly dodging Cozy's attacks and using his wings to deflect a few back towards her. "Hahaha, is that really the best you can do?"

Down below, Stardust looked back over at Xenos with a smug expression. "Guess this wasn't how you planned for things to go, huh?"

Looking from his gauntlet to the battle taking place a mile away and the hovering Stardust, Xenos was becoming more and more upset by the second. "No, no, NOOOO… Why is this happening - OWWWW!"

His beginning rant was cut off by Stardust's blasts that had been sent towards the gauntlet, and before Xenos could even realize it was coming loose, Casey quickly pried it away from the villain's cloaked grasp while Stardust shook his head. "There are just some rules you can't break, Xylophone… no matter what you do to try."

BOOM!

"That was for Emerl," said Casey, who was now wearing the adjustable gauntlet on his right fore-hoof and had used it to send an energy blast towards Xenos. As the sinister figure collapsed to the ground, the young pony looked down at the weapon he'd just used. "Man, this thing's got some juice!"

Stardust rolled his eyes in amusement, and he nodded in the direction of Twilight. "Alright, go help out your special somepony and be the her-"

"NO!"

An extremely-angered Xenos was back on his feet, and had fired his own energy blasts towards Stardust. The gold Earth pony was able to dodge a few, but Xenos' blasts were becoming more powerful and being sent at a frantic pace that was making it hard for Stardust to keep up.

"I… will not… LOSE AGAIN!" roared Xenos, and he sent one very powerful blast towards Stardust that ended up creating an explosion of dust and smoke. When it cleared away, Casey became concerned after seeing a panting and worn-out Stardust, who was now back in his regular form and wearing a damaged cloak. "Farewell, Stardust Balance."

"I don't think so," exclaimed Casey, who was now standing in front of the fallen Warrior, and bearing an expression of bravery. "You've done enough evil deeds… I'm going to finish you off once and for all… but, uh, you might want to see what's going on over there."

Xenos blinked underneath his hood for a moment before letting out a dark chuckle, and shaking his head. "What are you talking ab- WHAT?!"

Man, I always love seeing that, thought a smiling Casey as he watched the Mane 6 use a rainbow light - made up of combined magic from everyone that Tempest and Beck had brought to help - to do away with the Windigos and strip the villains of their stolen strength.

WHAM!

Having reached the boiling point of frustration, Xenos used an energy blast to send Casey flying a few feet away, and watched as the hurt pony collapsed to the ground. "Well, then I'll just settle with having the Princess of Friendship watch you die."

As Casey began trying to stand up, Xenos quickly prepared to fire one more deadly blast, but suddenly, a bright light appeared in between the two of them, and they now found themselves shielding their eyes. "What the blazes…?!"

"Over my dead body," said a familiar voice that Casey instantly recognized, and before Xenos could give a response, the sinister villian felt himself get knocked down to the ground by a powerful force. Then, once Xenos was on his feet, he yelled in pain after a powerful and continuous blast was fired at his chest. "Gaaaaahhhh!"

WHAM!

Xenos roared in pain as two more blasts were sent to him, except these were both a lavender color, and Casey suddenly felt Twilight standing beside him. "You can do it, Casey!"

With a quick nod, Casey powered up the gauntlet, and fired a blast of its power towards Xenos. All four then morphed into the shape of a large sword that began to slice Xenos' body in half from the waist up.

"Impossible! All… of this POWER… it can't be happening - AUUUGGHHHHH!"

Then, an explosion of white energy appeared that ended up disintegrating the rest of Xenos' sliced body and silencing his cries of pain. Once it cleared away, a panting Casey looked down to see the gauntlet begin breaking into tiny pieces, with the powerful stones suddenly vanishing in a magical blink.

"Wow… so that's what the rainbow blast must feel like," said the young Earth pony, who turned to the right and began to smile at the sight of his special somepony. However, to his confusion, Twilight gestured for him to look in the other direction… so he did, and what Casey saw made his mouth drop open in complete surprise. "!"

"I know, Casey, I know… you should've seen mine and everyone else's reaction," said Twilight, but this was the one that he knew came from the prime Stardust Balance's universe, and standing beside him was her own special somepony… except he wasn't an Earth Pony nor in the form of a human.

Instead, a wide-eyed Casey was speechless at the sight of his close friend as an actual alicorn. "..."

The alternate Twilight began to speak, but she was interrupted by the sound of Rainbow Dash calling out to them. "Uh, Twilight! Casey! Got some wrapping up to do here with these three!"

"Go… we'll meet you at the library," said Stardust's Twilight, and Casey simply nodded before his own Twilight helped bring him over to where the others were at, all facing the defeated trio of villians that were currently standing in melted cupcake goo.

"Now then, Discord… you were about to give us an idea on how to punish these three?" Princess Luna asked, with the grinning draconequs nodding and duplicating himself to whisper it to her and Princess Celestia at the same time. "Oh, yes, that does sound fitting."

About a moment later, Casey found himself looking at a statue of Tirek, Chrysalis, and Cozy Glow all together, similar to how Discord was once several years ago. "That should be a good bird bath or water fountain decor."

"Just as long as they aren't anywhere near my sanctuary," said Fluttershy in a quick and slightly-nervous manner. "Please."