Lloyd shot forward, a dark blur aimed at the large equine. Darkside jumped back, the attack taking him off guard before throwing up a shield around himself. Lloyd's head struck the shield and glanced off but before the tendrils aimed at him could strike he was gone sliding behind his enemy and ramming the shield. The violet surface fractured like glass as Darkside cursed and spun but was too slow before Lloyd slammed into him beating his wings and throwing the two of them across the ground.
Darkside's shadow leapt out and circled back to stab the smaller pony but a golden blast erupted out destroying the tendrils in mid thrust and another blast, this one focused struck Darkside's gut throwing the demon across the clearing and sent him rolling over the ground. There was a light metallic ringing as Twilight and her shocked friends watched the element of magic in its stared tiara state bounce across the ground.
"Twilight!" Lloyd called his voice warped and deeper than ever before." Grab the element!" He ordered as he spread his wings and lunged at Darkside. Twilight nodded and grabbed the item with her magic pulling it to herself.
"Hell no!" Darkside cried crawling to his feet. "Shadows!"
Six shapes erupted from under Darkside taking form as they darted at the ponies. Each one shifted to a large pure black colt with piercing glowing yellow eyes and shining evil grins. Their imp like wings beat as the first one swooped down and snatched the tiara in its teeth before turning up and darting away.
"Damn it!" Lloyd cursed turning to chase the shadow colt but instinct saved him from a purple blast of lighting that struck where his hooves had been.
"No no no! Your fight's with me!" Darkside called barreling at Lloyd and locking their horns in vicious clash. "Let the girls have their fun!"
Twilight tried to pull on the element but the shadow colt pulled harder and leapt into the sky beating its wings to escape.
"Get back here you!" Rainbow yelled kicking off and leaping after the thief. Twilight started after her but a scream made her stop and turn. Two of the shadows had leapt down towards Rarity who only just got out of the way as it slashed by her with its hooves.
The other Shadows descended on the mares with gleeful smiles. Pinkie jumped and dodged the shadow colts while Fluttershy ran as fast as her hooves could carry her. Applejack on the other hand seemed intent on fighting. The first colt to attack her she spun to the side and bucked it so hard Twilight saw his head twist and he was sent spiraling into the ground. Applejack lowered her hat and chased down the one pursuing Fluttershy before tackling it to the ground and stomping it before it could escape.
A whoosh of air made Twilight turn in time to see the smiling face shooting right at her, a hoof extended to smash her brain in. An instinct took over and she cast a spell, the bubble surrounded her just before the shadow met it. The shadow struck bending the purple bubble but rather than pop it bounced and threw the shadow pony away into the air. The shadow didn't seem to be bothered as its smile never once faded before it descended for another strike. This time Twilight was ready, she closed her eyes her horn glowing before she let the spell loose. The deep violet wave destroyed her bubble but also swept over the air colliding with the shadow before it could evade. The winged shadow spiraled through the air before crashing into a wall, the sound of its wing's cracking echoing the air.
Twilight winced but knew, somehow just knew, these things weren't real, they weren't real ponies. She glanced over to see her friends, Fluttershy was in the center of Applejack, Rarity and Pinkie Pie, all facing out as the other shadow's circled them like vultures. Fluttershy shook in the circle While Applejack scuffed ground ready for them and Rarity glanced nervously about.
One of the colts broke the circle diving down on Rarity while another shot down on Applejack. The farmer kicked but the colt grabbed her legs, despite the effort Applejack still hurled herself at the shadow throwing both of them from the group as they tumbled over the ground kicking and biting. Rarity squealed her horn glowing as she pushed the colt away with her magic but the push only slowed the flying shadow before it shook it's body and continued to shoot at the fashion pony.
"Stay away from my friends!" Pinkie's mad cry came from the side. Both unicorns and even the shadow turned to see the party pony standing to the side, a large cannon seeming procured from nowhere next to her. "Party cannon!"
The shadow stared in confusion before the cannon erupted, a huge cake and a storm of streamers shooting like a bullet and smashing into it. The shadow had no chance as the frosting matted his wings and the fluffy cake struck him so hard he tumbled out of the sky rolling over the ground.
"Ahh!" The panicked scream drew their eyes to Fluttershy. Just behind Rarity the yellow Pegasus had rolled away as the last of the shadows descended on her smashing the ground where she had been. Rather than pursue the Pegasus it turned its malicious gaze on the white unicorn behind it.
Rarity screamed but before she could move the colt leapt and snatched her in its hooves beating its black wings to carry them both high into the air.
"Rarity!" Fluttershy yelled leaping into the air after her captured friend.
Applejack stomped the colt under her but turned around to see the other carrying her fashion friend high to the sky. She growled biting the defeated shadow's neck and spinning once before hurling him up like a horseshoe at the flying pony. The dark forms collided head to head with a loud thunk. Rarity's captor shook and lost his grip letting the flightless unicorn go while the two shadows tumbled to the ground.
Rarity screamed as the ground rushed up towards her flailing in panic.
"I got you!" Her yellow friend swung in from the side catching the unicorn in her hooves, beating her wings madly. Fluttershy however was not as strong as Rainbow Dash and the extra weight of another pony made her drop sharply sending both mares for a slower but still dangerously fast fall to the ground. Fluttershy clenched her eyes shut as she beat her wings as much as she could to try and keep her and friend afloat but the earth was still rushing closer.
Suddenly they stopped, but Fluttershy's eyes were still wedged shut. She didn't feel the ground but they weren't falling anymore. She chanced opening her eyes and smiled.
Twilight's horn was glowing brightly and a similar purple light surrounded her and Rarity, who was clinging desperately to the Pegasus. Twilight opened one eye only an inch to see her friends before letting out a huge huff and the magic dissipated dropping the two of them a safe few feet to the ground.
"Are you . . . huff . . . .ok?" The purple unicorn asked, trying to catch her breath.
"Oh yes thank you so much Twilight!" Rarity said helping her Pegasus friend up. "Fluttershy?"
"Oh I'm f-fine." The yellow mare said hesitantly.
"Girls! It aint over yet!" Applejack yelled from nearby, running to join her friends.
The others looked over in fear to see their friend was right. The shadows were back, slowly cracking their bodies back into the right shape. Their broken wings and necks snapped and cracked back into alignment as they all hovered above them. Each of the shadows had their trademark yellow eyes and flawless evil grins as they loomed over their victims. Twilight swallowed her fear and stepped forward her horn glowing and ready to fight them.
A huge explosion rocked the world sending the shadows careening to the ground. All the ponies on the ground had to shield their eyes from the massive blast high in the sky. Twilight moved her hoof and looked up into the sky for the source of the blast.
High in the sky were two black shapes locked in with each other, wings beating madly against each other as waves of power shot off in every direction rippling the sky around them. The smaller one drew back and flew quickly around trying to slam into the larger dark monsters side. The larger demon swept up away from the attack and spun around. With a wave of his wings, two crescent blasts flew after the smaller monster.
Lloyd twisted in the air and swung his wings batting the blasts aside and threw his hoofs at the dark equine a golden beam erupting light like a volcano at his foe. Darkside roared and threw his own hooves out, a dark violet blast answering Lloyd's. The two lights met and echoed another thundering blast shaking the ground and flashing so bright they had to avert their eyes again.
"Ahhhhh!" Lloyd's twisted voice echoed over the air as he collided with Darkside head first, catching the demon under his neck. The tendrils snaked out and thrust at his unprotected flank but Lloyd let out a huff and another burst of golden light dispelled the sharp blades. He thrust both hooves up cracking something in Darkside's head before sinking his teeth into the monsters neck. Darkside thrashed in his grip and beat his wings against Lloyd to throw him off but Lloyd bit deeper tasting the vile poisoned blood before spinning his head and hurling the demon down to the ground. Before Darkside hit the earth he threw all four legs in front of him a huge golden orb appearing before being wrapped in dark blue rings and firing down on the enemy.
Darkside spun in midair righting himself with a gust of his wings. The golden projectile hurtled towards him but the deranged monster simply cackled like a mad man and leapt at. With a yell and a shine from his white horn, the ball was split in two allowing the devil passage back to his opponent.
Lloyd dodged the first thrust of the horn and blocked the following tendrils that whipped over him with a shield of his own. He kicked out and struck Darkside's flank and chest but the demon spun from the blows and smashed his larger wings into Lloyd's smaller frame. The dark colt took the blow but yelled throwing himself up plowing both forelegs into the monster's gut a burst of golden light tinged in darker hues erupting up into Darkside's hide.
The larger horse sailed back twirling and coughing as smoke steamed from his belly. With a mighty roar a barrage of black lines flew from his underside. Lloyd dipped and dived to evade the sharp tendrils lashing out in the dozens. Some clipped over his wings but grazed off the tough bone. Lloyd spun away from the last tendril and swung his wings out. Flames danced around his form, orange and red tongues of fire licked over his body increasing in size and intensity every second till fire dominated the sky. With another howl the fire took form, a massive dragon head shooting over Darkside the jaws wide to swallow the demon in fire.
Darkside stood his ground, a shield enveloping him before the dragon swallowed him whole. The fire fully enveloped the horse exploding out and lighting the sky before the fire dispersed from a gust within its core. Darkside swept his own hoof before him, dispelling the remains of the flames, he seemed untouched. Darkside raised his hoof now, a storm of dark purple spears faded into existence around him before rocketing down on towards Lloyd.
Lloyd swung his hoof, a crescent wave appearing, striking and shattering the lances before they reached him. He wasted no time charging past the remaining spears and barreling at Darkside. The dark one sent another storm of black tendrils out but Lloyd weaved between the sharp lines, a yellow stream of light shooting ahead. The shadows twisted forming a wall in front of Darkside to absorb the blast moments before it struck.
Lloyd however rushed underneath slamming his head up into Darkside's chest making the large demon quiver from the blow. Lloyd pushed harder swinging his fore hooves across the demon's face, two sharp punches followed by a quick spin his boney wings cutting the demon's hide before his hind legs bucked hard knocking the demon higher in the air.
Now. He thought shooting after his stunned opponent. A cloud of red spheres appeared trailing Lloyd each one with tongues of blue flame trailing them. Each orb fired like a bullet over the floating stallion but they were all stopped as the black shadow again sprang to full form enveloping the fireballs and smothering the flames. Lloyd however charged on colliding with the shadows, a golden light shining out as he destroyed the wall of black plowing his hoof right into Darkside's chest. The larger stallion spat blood as his entire chest seemed to cave in around the intruding hoof.
Darkside snarled though, a slight grin over his teeth. The large alicorn raised both Forelegs high above his own head before bringing them down like a hammer on Lloyd's un-expecting head.
The blow sent the smaller being shooting to the ground, striking the earth like a nail in a coffin. The ground split to bits around him as he dug his own grave in the rock.
"Lloyd!" Twilight yelled running over to the still smoking pit where he had fallen. Applejack and Rarity were right with her. Pinkie and Fluttershy hanging back slightly but still were following. The dark shape shifted from under the rubble and shook himself, his bat like wings fanning out once before he glared back up to the sky. He was breathing heavily, blood marking his body all over from cuts he had, though the worst of the pain was probably from the injuries she couldn't see. He gave one flap and leaped to the edge of his pit shaking off the rocks now smeared in his own blood.
"Ha ha ha ha!" The sick cackle drew them all to the sky again. Darkside lowered himself, hovering above them all and laughing. "Oh Lloyd is that really all you have? Did you really waste too much power healing these little ponies?"
Lloyd didn't answer but ruffled his thin wings and coughed a spit of blood on the ground.
"You really did? God when are you going to learn?" Darkside paused as the shadows from before circled back all of them sliding back into his shadow. The last one tossed him the tiara which he caught on his hoof. "Now once again, I hold all the cards, and you have nothing."
"Shut up meanie!" Pinkie screamed. "You can't talk to our friend like that!"
"You still gotta deal with us!" Applejack called, stomping the ground. Twilight didn't speak but stepped next Lloyd and glared up at the monster.
"Oh please!" he laughed. "You-you can't even fight my shadows! The only one with any chance to fight me on even terms is broken and weak, you all have no idea what you're fucking with, and I have your precious element, not to mention Lloyd's book! You didn't have a chance before and you don't have one now, this world is mine and there isn't anything you little girls . . . can . . ." His voice trailed off as his face became puzzled.
"Hang on, One, two, three, four, five . . ." He said counting the mares before him. "Where's the blue one?"
BOOM!
All eyes shot upward as a rainbow shockwave spread over the night sky exploding outward in every direction.
"yyyyyeeeEEEAAAAAAA!" the howl grew louder as the rainbow streak shooting through the sky continued to grow closer barreling straight down on the floating monster at speeds beyond insane.
"Oh fu-"
He was interrupted when Rainbow Dash hit him and the second explosion muffled all else.
Lloyd tucked his head down and spread his wings to shield the others as a rainbow Mushroom cloud enveloped the point of impact stretching high into the sky. Smoke billowed over and covered the ground blocking any sight beyond right in front of them.
"Everyone ok?" Lloyd called back. He could feel Twilight coughing next to him but the others he could only sense with a touch of his power. Replies came, though Pinkie spoke for Fluttershy he trusted the two were ok. No sooner did he get his confirmation than he heard a scuffle making him face the new crater in town.
Stumbling out of the smoke was a dazed and disoriented Rainbow Dash, swaying on her feet, the tiara of magic clenched in her teeth.
"Ah, Ah got it." She said with a giggle stumbling around like she had one too many.
"What the fuck was that?" Lloyd couldn't suppress the question.
"A sonic rainboom." Pinkie said appearing next to them and running forward to help Rainbow Dash stumble to them. "Wow Dashie that was awesome!"
"That was-that was something. "Lloyd admitted with arched eyebrows.
"I agree!" The snarling voice tore through the smoke as Darkside Swept one wing, dispelling the clouds of smoke in the air. "That was really something you little rainbow bitch!" Darkside snarled through blood stained teeth. Anger seethed from his black body. "I think I'm going make you watch me tear the yellow one's wings off!"
Rainbow Snarled and turned but Lloyd stopped her short with a fan of his wing. "Use the elements." He said quietly. "And be quick, I can't go at him for long."
Twilight opened her mouth to speak but Lloyd didn't give her a chance before he launched himself at Darkside. Opening his mouth a stream of silver light poured out to the side before coalescing into a solid silver sword, the hilt clenched tightly in his teeth.
Darkside lowered his head, the tendrils snaking out to parry the incoming attack. The tendrils gripped the sword but Lloyd roared and pressed through, the sword cutting past and grazing over Darkside's hide forcing him back. Lloyd turned and thrust the tip at his enemy's eye but Darkside lowered his head batting the sword aside with his horn.
"You still can't beat me Lloyd!" he roared, shadows shooting from the ground at the small colt's belly. Lloyd brought the sword back deflecting the sharp shadows with a ringing of steel. His body dipped the shadows grazing his back as he evaded and lunged ahead swinging the blade again for Darkside's leg. The demon growled biting his teeth and conjuring a matching black sword to block the attack. The two edges locked as their wielders glared deeper into the opposite set of red eyes. Darkside growled and pushed throwing Lloyd back.
The colt hit the ground and dashed left then right and flung his head the sword shooting about its tip aimed for Darkside's heart. The demon blocked the sword but couldn't stop the smaller colt's body from tackling him to the ground, the force knocking the black sword from his jaw
Twilight didn't waste any more time watching. With a flick of her head she took the tiara from Rainbow and placed it on her head. She gave each of the girls a look and they responded with their own nod. Twilight stepped to the head of the pack and closed her eyes, the star on the tiara glowing brightly. Slowly the glow spread to the others, each of the young mares closing their eyes as the light glowed from their own gems their bodies floating in the air.
Darkside thrashed and kicked finally dislodging the small colt from him to see the glowing gems. "Oh not you don't!" He snapped, his shadow snaked out shooting towards the mares, distracted in their own power.
The tendrils snapped and tore to bits as Lloyd leapt in the path biting and tearing the strands of shadow to dust, two of them striking his shoulder drawing blood but he tore them out without so much as a cry. Darkside clenched his teeth, his horn glowed as another spell charged on the tip. A second later a bolt of lightning shot straight at Lloyd. The colt folded his wings around himself, the bolt striking the bone and leaving a deep burn all over the wing.
Darkside growled and raised his head, another storm of purple spears appearing in the air before hurtling at Lloyd and the girls. Lloyd took one deep breath and stomped his hooves. A golden wall appeared before him, the spears striking and shattering against it. The storm of blades began to crack the golden wall, fractures spreading over the surface.
"Twilight?" He yelled.
"Ready!" The mare called without opening her eyes.
"You can't beat me! You can never beat me! I'm your own Evil Lloyd!" Darkside roared, power charging on his horn.
Lloyd peeked from behind his wings, stomping one hoof on the ground. A stream of light shot under the earth before erupting under Darkside, a thick chain glowing with dark blue light coiled around the beast's neck and yanked him face first into the ground.
"Not anymore" He whispered before rolling to the side. "Now!"
Twilight understood, opening her eyes, now glowing deep and purple. The magic enveloped her and her friends all the colors spinning around them as it gathered. Twilight could feel it again, the elements taking over to make them stronger. It was never a conscious control, more like just an aspect of will, willing the elements to help them and now she willed them forward with all her might throwing the power at the evil before them.
The massive rainbow swirled overhead before sweeping over towards Darkside, chained to the ground. The dark horse thrashed at his chain but could only look up in horror as the rainbow cascaded over him.
"NooooooahhhhhhhHHHHHH!" He wailed as his dark colors vanished in the shower of color.
The lights gave an enormous boom, louder than the sonic rainboom had been and a gust of air swept over the town nearly knocking the tired mares off their feet. Lloyd buried his head in his wings as the air hit him like a train, the color too bright to face.
Then it was over
Lloyd was the first to raise his head. The area Darkside had once stood was no more. There was no sign of the demon, no sign he had ever existed. The ground was cracked but otherwise unscathed.
Twilight looked up next, her friends slowly rising to their feet, with the exception of Fluttershy and Pinkie both seemed too weak to stand up anymore. Twilight saw the empty space once occupied by the demon and then looked over to see Lloyd, still in his scary form looking around. His eyes met hers.
And he smiled.
It was over.
Twilight couldn't hide her own smile. "We got him." She said confidently.
"That's what he gets!" Rainbow said spitefully.
"No challenge really." Rarity said fluffing her tussled mane.
"He's good an gone now." Applejack added, looking to Twilight.
Lloyd slowly stumbled over to them. He still had a smile but he bore a lot of injuries from the fight. He bowed his head and they watched his form shift, changing from the black monster back to the grey coated, brown maned colt they had met.
"Are you all ok?" He asked. Each of them nodded in turn as he looked them over. "That's good." He whispered. "Look I'm sorry about all of this. I'm sorry about Derpy, but we-"
"You . . ."
The girl's all watched the colt's eyes widen so much they threatened to break out of his skull.
"Miserable. . ."
Lloyd slowly turned his whole body shaking. The girls trembled in place slowly pulling together.
"Little . . ."
"No." Lloyd whispered, but words couldn't deny the existence of what he was seeing.
"Ingrates!"
A dark form clawed its way to full standing position, its smoking, quivering form a visage of absolute rage. Darkside's wings were burned, all the feathers gone, his left wing was only a nub on his back, the right ripped and twisted at an odd angle. Blood flowed through his bared teeth and over his whole form, his mane once long and elegant was ripped and shredded, torn short to his neck. His horn was gone, only a tiny stub where the white object had once stood.
"I'm done!" He howled, taking one shaky step forward. "No more games! No more fooling around! All of you are gonna fucking die!" He screamed throwing spittle and blood into the air. A deep glow burned in his core gathering strength as he stalked towards the terrified ponies.
Twilight looked to Lloyd but the grey colt was as horrorstruck as all of them. His body trembled as he shook his head and stepped back.
"Die!" The dark monster howled throwing his head back as a sphere of black grew from his core consuming everything around him. Twilight watched in awe as the wave neared her before it swept through them.
There was darkness.