Chapter 14: Rise of the Great Devourer
The Destiny's Bounty was seen flying through a storm as it made its way towards Torchfire Mountain. Thunder rumbled and lightning flashed as Sensei Wu was meditating in his room with lit incense sticks. Suddenly, through the spirit smoke, Wu could make out a vision of things to come.
The heroes surrounded by Serpentine as they fought them. Celestia and Wu standing in front of Pythor in the City of Ouroboros as he growled at the two. A much larger growl catching their attention, a sound that has not been heard in a very long time. A very tall and monstrous shadow rising before them and snapping its jaws onto them.
Wu gasp of what he had just seen in his vision and grew concerned.
Meanwhile in her bunk, Celestia woke up with terror filled yell.
Then the door burst open. "Sister, are you alright?" Luna asked in concern.
Celestia panted for moment, and after calming down gave Luna a smile. "Y-yes sister, I… just had a bad dream is all," she lied, not wanting to worry her sister by what she saw.
Luna looked unconvinced however.
Meanwhile in the dining room of the Bounty, the four Fangblades sat on the table with Flash, Twilight, Aqua, Trail, and Thunder there. "Why is it that Torchfire Mountain is the only place we can destroy the Fangblades?" Aqua asked as Thunder was eating a sandwich.
"According to Star Swirl, the blades were carved from the teeth of the Devourer, and because of that, they can only be destroyed from the extraordinary heat of Equestria's oldest volcano," Twilight answered.
"Okay, but why do you have a list?" Trail asked as he pointed to one next to Twilight.
"Oh, that's not for the Fangblades. It's just a list of names for the eggs when they hatch," Flash answered. "We gotta call them something when they all hatch, right?"
"Hey, could sompony pass me the salt?" Thunder asked before a loud thunderclap rocked the ship and the salt slid over to him. "Hey, thanks." He then put the salt on his sandwich before Landrush and Applejack opened the door, looking a bit green.
"Please. Nopony talk about food," Landrush asked before another thunderclap rocked the boat, making him and Applejack nearly lose their balance.
"I feel sicker than the time I overworked myself and made them 'baked bads' what poisoned everypony back home," Applejack groaned as she held her stomach. "How much longer till we get there?"
"Not long. Hey AJ, you and Landrush look a little light-headed. How'd you guy like a pepper, daisy, and mucus salt sandwich?" Thunder asked.
The two covered their mouths again from the mention of food, rushing off to the sides to hurl.
Thunder laughed. "Ha, ha, speaking of light, who would have guessed little Lloyd Garmadon turned out to be the Light Ninja?"
"I know. He was such a brat at first. It's hard to believe he's gonna become the greatest ninja that ever lived," Aqua pointed out before Trail cleared his throat.
"Where is that little runt?" He asked.
"He's below deck to work on some moves with Cozy," Flash answered.
Down below, some training equipment turned on. Cozy and Lloyd bore serious looks and flipped up their hoods.
"Serpentine," Lloyd said in a Appleloosan drawl, "it's time I Spinjitzu you back into the filthy holes you came from!"
"Let's do this!" Cozy declared. "Ninja kick!" She did a kick.
"Tiger Claws!" Lloyd said throwing some hoof punches.
"NInja, go!" They both said, trying to do Spinjitzu but failed and were beaten back by the equipment and landed on the floor. Then, as a familiar figure appeared briefly when the lightning flashed as the two foals heard a familiar chuckle. The two removed their hoods as they retreated a little bit from the unseen noise.
"What a joke," Pythor's voice slipped in, but the foals could not see him. Suddenly, both Lloyd and Cozy were then picked up as Pythor, the unseen voice, turned visible. "You were always little children who chased stupid dreams."
"Pythor! How did you get aboard?" Lloyd asked in shock.
"You think I would allow the Ninja to steal the Fangblades from me?" Pythor asked as he slithered over to a sandbag and tied up both Lloyd and Cozy.
"Unh! You'll never get away with it!" Cozy told him. "Soon the Fangblades will be destroyed and you'll never waken The Great Devour-!"
She was cut off when Pythor taped hers and Lloyd's mouths and shook his head at them. "Oh, I wouldn't be so sure. As they say, out of sight…," he quipped as vanished again, "…out of mind!" He then bumped the sandbag they were tied to and left the room as the two foals struggled to free themselves.
A tour train stops as a stallion spoke up to the passengers on board over the PDA. "Thank you, everypony, for choosing the Equestria Tour Company to see our lands's most scenic destinations. And if you look to your left, you'll find Equestria's very own Torchfire Mountain, where the core of the natural volcano can reach up to three bajillion degrees." Everycreature on board saw the biggest and tallest mountain with lava blowing out of it when they looked out their windows to see it.
One colt looked out the window and saw the Destiny Bounty flying towards the Volcano, "Look Mommy, a flying ship!" The colt said to his mother.
The mother just laughed, "Oh honey, that's probably just one of the royal airships."
"No mommy, it's a pirate ship!" The colt retorted.
The mare just chuckled. "Heh, uh-huh. That's nice, honey," she said as the tour bus moved on as they Bounty stopped just above the Mouth of The Volcano.
Wu and Celestia walked out on deck and stared down at the lava below, still troubled by what they saw in their visions. "Wu... last night I had a vision of the Devourer being awakened... You don't think that-?" Celestia asked in a worried tone.
Wu stayed silent but shook his head. "I do not know, Celestia. We can only wait and pray we are wrong." Just then, Star Swirl and the pillars arrived on board when he teleported them up there. "Star Swirl the Bearded, it's good to see you again."
"As too you, Wu," Star Swirl said. "Or perhaps I should say Sensei Wu. You have grown since the last I saw of you. I am deeply sorry to hear what happened to your brother," he remarked with some regret in his tome.
"Thank you, Starswirl, but alas, fate is inevitable," he said.
Somnambula approached him with a smile. "Do not despair Wu. I am hopeful that someday Garmadon's heart shall be free of that dreadful serpent's venom."
Wu smiled, taking her words to heart, before Star Swirl spoke again.
"But for now, let us focus on destroying the Fangblades," Starswirl said as he turned to the Volcano. "The magma of Torchfire Mountain is the only thing hot enough to melt through the blades. And without them, the Great Devourer shall remain dormant forever."
"Will everycreature please place their seat back and tray table in the full upright and locked position?" Aqua asked over PDA system. "We have reached our destination: Torchfire Mountain. Give it a minute while we settle into position." Aqua then pressed a button on the bridge and lowered the anchor down. Soon the ninja and Mane 6 came out with the four blades and all sent to destroy them.
"Ah! It's roasting out here!" Thunder complained as he wiped the sweat from his brow.
"Hey if you can't take the heat, stay out of the kitchen," Trail joked before they noticed Wu and Celestia's faces.
"Hey, what's with sensei and Celestia?" Twilight asked.
"I do not know. The two of them have been distant all morning," Frost told them.
Celestia breathed in. "Beautiful, is it not?" She asked.
Mistmane looked down. "Yes, beauty can be born, even in the darkest of places."
"Well, 'beautiful' is not the word I'd use," Rarity commented as she and others walked forward.
"Sensei, we are ready for the destruction of the Fangblades, but you and Celestia seem unsure about this," Gaia said to Wu as he looked down.
"You do not need our approval to finish the task," Wu told his students.
"Uh, but sensei-" Thunder spoke up before Wu interrupted him.
"Butts are for sitting," he told him. "And besides, there will come a time when you will have to go on without me."
"Sensei, you're talking crazy," Flash spoke up.
"Flash is right. You've been alive for like forever," Trail said before Landrush bumped his shoulder.
"What he means is that, you are like the sunrise," Frost explained with a smile. "We cannot begin a day without you."
Celestia however frowned. "But alas, even the sun itself must eventually go down, if only for a new day to come."
"I don't like metaphors," Landrush admitted. "What are you trying to say? Are you leaving us again?"
"In meditation, my smoke visions have come to an end and tomorrow, I cannot see," Wu told his pupils. "This worries me."
"But it could be a good omen, you know," Thunder guessed. "We destroy the Fangblades, then everything's all cupcakes."
"Let's just get rid of them, for good," Twilight told them as the Ninja approached the edge to drop the blades, but then she noticed something. "Where's Lloyd and Cozy? I thought they'd be up here with us for this moment."
"Don't tell they're still training," Applejack said.
Meanwhile on deck, while Starlight and Aqua monitored the systems, they failed to notice on the security camera a door opening and Pythor appearing with a hammer. He then threw it at one of the ship's engines, which would cause much problems for the Ninja.
The Destiny's Bounty was becoming unstable as the engines began to lose power. Starlight and Aqua were doing what they can to keep it steady and in the air. Everypony else however started to slide when the Bounty began tilting to one side, and they were holding on for their life as to not slide off. Wu was sliding near the plank and almost fell off before he grabbed on to it. "Sensei! Hang on! We're coming!" Flash called out as they dropped the Fangblades and raced over to save him carefully.
But then Wu lost his grip and fell. "NNOO!" he yelled as the other gasped… before at the last minute, they all formed a pony chain and Celestia grabbed onto Wu.
"Ugh, you're not going anywhere brother!" Celestia said as she held on.
"Thank you, Celestia," Wu thanked. Rockhoof grunted as he was at the start chain and struggled to keep them all from falling, even with his strength. "Aqua, Starlight! Lassies, wot's goin' on up dere?!" He shouted to the two mares as they worked to stabilize the ship.
"Somepony or something has overridden the system!" Starlight explained.
Below deck, Lloyd and Cozy Glow were also struggling to get free before they managed to loosen up the bind Pythor put on them and raced over to the PDA system. After Cozy jumped to kick the button to activate it, Lloyd managed to get half of the tape off his lips to speak into the PDA. "Mayday! Mayday! Pythor's on board!" he shouted into the system for everypony to hear.
"Pythor's on board!"
The others gasped as Rockhoof looked behind him and saw Pythor holding the Fangblades and looking at them in False pity, "Oh dear, terribly sorry if I don't lend a hand, but I really must be going," Pythor explained with a sneer. "Got this whole 'Devourer' thing going on! Hm-hmm, toodeloo!" He then turned to leave but was blocked by the Young Eight.
"Where big snake think he going?" Yona asked.
"Drop the Fangblades or you're so gonna get a beating!" Gallus told Pythor.
"Ah, a little cliché, don't you think?" Pythor asked with a raised brow.
"Uh, cliché?" Lloyd asked as they looked at him with confusion.
"What does that mean?" Silverstream asked, scratching her head.
"Oh I wouldn't expect children to understand," Pythor shook his head.
"H-hey! Who're you calling 'children'!" Smolder retorted.
"Yeah, we've grown up a lot!" Cozy added as they flipped their hoods and attacked Pythor but the Anacondrai easily dodged them.
"Hm, puny strength, no fundamentals, sloppy hoofwork," Pythor listed out as a dodged each other attacks. "Do you all think you can defeat me?"
"We're not trying to defeat you," Sandbar told him. "We're just trying keeping you busy until the cavalry arrives." He then pointed towards Aqua in her samurai mech that landed on deck.
Pythor began to shiver in fear as she came closer to him and he backed up. "Hiyah!" Lloyd shouted as he jumped and kicked Pythor in the face, knocking him back as he yelped. "Ha, ha, I hit him! I hit him, guys!"
"Pat yourself on the back later! We're not done yet!" Gallus reminded, as Pythor bobbed and weaved around Aqua's mech as she tried to grab him.
"As much as I would love to play you kids and your overgrown toys, I've got a ride to catch!" Pythor said before jumping off the Bounty with the Fangblades.
"No!" the Young Eight shouted as they watched Pythor fall towards a Rattlecopter with Skales on it and grabbed on as they flew away.
"So long, suckers!" he taunted as he laughed while flying away out of reach.
Meanwhile, the rest of them were holding on for dear life.
"Don't let go!" Thunder shouted to the ones holding on to him.
"You think we don't know that?!" Trail grunted as the hold on to Thunder.
"Not to alarm any of you, but I'm slipping!" Rockhoof warned them as he was slipping off the plank. Soon enough, he finally lost his grip, causing them all to fall toward the fiery mouth of the Volcano... until at the last minute Aqua grabbed Wu, Landrush, Meadowbrook and Thunder.
"Gotcha!" she said as the Princesses and the Mane Six caught the others from falling, and they all flew up.
"Whew, I don't think I've ever been more glad to see you!" Thunder sighed in relief.
"Feel the same," Aqua said as they landed on deck. "Come on, he's getting away!"
They went to the edge and saw the Rattlecopter flying farther and farther away.
"Look, there!" Thunder pointed to where the Rattlecopter was.
"The City of Ouroboros is miles away, this Rattlecopter will never get us there in time!" Pythor shouted at Skales. "They'll catch up to us!"
"Don't worry, sssir! We've already made preparationsss!" Scale told him.
"What preparations?" Pythor asked before he noticed the rest of the Serpentine had stopped the tour train from before and were kicking the passengers off it.
Skales turned to Pythor with smirk, "I take it you're pleased?" He asked.
"Very. Very pleased, Skales," Pythor answered with a smirk of his own as the Rattlecopter landed, the ponies coughing from the dust it kicked up.
The Serpentine continued escorting the tourists from the train as the colt from before saw this.
"Mommy, snakes are kicking people off the train," he said as his mother smiled again.
"Don't be silly, sweetheart. Snakes don't-" She was cut off when Serpentine escorted her and her family off with the rest of the tourists.
Then one Hypnobrai Serpentine noticed a cake and took it, "Yummy!" he remarked in hunger.
The colt and family were the last ones off as he turned to the Serpentine at the door. "See, mommy? Snakes," he pointed before the door slammed shut.
At the front of the train, Pythor and Skales stood with the driver. "Next stop: Ouroboros!" Pythor ordered as the train started up again and the Serpentine cheered as they were now riding to their goal in style.
Back on the Bounty Lloyd and Cozy were bringing the case that held the Golden Weapons as the others prepared to chase down the Serpentine. "If Pythor returns with the four Fangblades to the City of Ouroboros, he'll awaken the Great Devourer," Star Swirl told them. "And then all of the realm shall fall to its hunger"
"Well, we are not gonna let that happen," Aqua declared.
"Oh, what about us?" Smolder asked.
"You all stay with Spike here on the Bounty," Twilight told them as the Young Eight groaned, as well as Spike.
"Oh, come on! Again!?" Gallus asked.
"But did you see me kick him the face? I'm an asset," Lloyd bragged.
"Yeah we kick butt! And face!" Cozy added as she did some kicks herself.
Trail just smiled, "Patience, kid. You're all too important, especially now that you're the Chosen One," he told Lloyd.
"Yeah, and even though you kids held your own against Pythor and saved us, try to keep your egos in check. A little humility goes a long way, trust me," Rainbow told the Young Seven.
"Patience and humility?" Celestia asked with a raised brow, finding that advise very ironic coming from them. She giggled. "Ah, the students have become the teachers."
"What do say we play a little catch up?" Thunder asked as the case open and the each took their Golden Weapon.
"It's my favorite game," Landrush said before they put up their hoods.
"NINJA, GO!" All six Ninja did Spinjitzu before jumping off the bounty. Then one by one, they summoned their Spinjitzu vehicles as the chase after the Serpentine began.
As they rode Thunder spotted the train carrying the Serpentine. "Got 'em in my sights!" He told to the others.
"Then every second counts, dears! Punch it!" Gaia said as they all spread up.
Meanwhile on the train the driver turned to Pythor "Um, is this some kind of special tour?" he asked nervously.
"Oh, shut up and drive!" Pythor ordered as Skales looked out the window and saw the Ninja approaching.
"Sir, the Ninja and their friends are on our tail!" He warned Pythor. "They'll catch up with us in no time!" Pythor then grabbed a microphone and turned on the PDA.
"Ninja!" Pythor growled before he spoke into the PDA. "Good afternoon, my cold-blooded minions. If you look out to your left and behind you, you'll find… Ninja, and right behind them you'll see that they brought more trouble!" All the Serpentine on board did what he said and hissed at the site of the ninja approaching. "So annoying, these ponies banding together. So, man your stations, chaps! We got guests! Let's make sure we give them the ride of a lifetime!" All the Fangpyre on board swiftly bit into the train, their venom transforming it.
The train turned from a happy looking steam engine to a green, Serpentine diesel engine, complete with a snake-like head and a long tail wagging side to side. The transformed train then jumped off the rails and onto the dirt road towards Ouroboros.
"What is that? A train?" Twilight asked.
"That is no longer a train," Luna answered. "It is a moving fortress!"
"'Serpentine Express' is more like it!" Landrush said as he drove closer to the Serpentine Express but was halted when its tail started slapping at him, "Whoa! Aagh!" He yelped as he dodged the strikes. The tail continued to whack to try and hit Landrush with each strike.
"Watch out!" Flash called out from his Bo Copter when he saw his friend almost get hit. "How are we supposed to get close that thing?"
Soon, an opening formed on both sides of the rear car, revealing side-mounted turrets, each manned by a Serpentine who started to fire at the Ninja. The ones in the air had to take evasive actions with each shot they took.
"Just when you thought it wouldn't be this hard!" Twilight complained as Flash was steering away from each blast. Then coming out from the top of the Serpentine Express were a pair of Bite-Cycles that jumped off and chased after the Ninja riding along the ground.
The two then sandwiched Gaia between them, "Bring it on!" Gaia said, pulling out her Sai, jabbing it in one Cycle causing it to break hard and flip. Then the other Cycle's driver jumped on her bike before she stopped and he flipped off. Aqua continue to dodge the blast being shot at her and Wu as her mech flew in the air. But when she got low, the tale of it whacked her and she nearly hit a couple of rocks as she flew by.
More Bite-Cycles came out and drove right at the ninja on the ground. "We've got company!" Aqua called out before she heard a slurping noise and turned to Wu drinking tea. "Sensei!"
"Wu, this is not the time for tea!" Star Swirl reminded him.
Wu stopped drinking and saw the Bite-Cycles coming at them. "Oh, um, let's see here," Wu meddled on the controls on his chair, only to throw a large shurkien at the Cycles, causing them to explode and the mech caught it again. "Oh, this is fun," Wu smiled.
"This is NOT fun!" Silverstream cried as back with her and the rest of Young Eight and Spike were steering the Bounty but were having trouble.
"Go left!" Gallus said as Lloyd turned the wheel.
"No, the other left!" Smolder shouted.
"Ugh! Make up your minds!" Lloyd groaned.
"Isn't there an autopilot?!" Ocellus asked as the Bounty kept on zig-zagging.
Landrush soon got sandwiched by two Bite-Cycles before a Fangpyre jumped on his vehicle. Landrush then popped the hood to his cockpit, sending that snake flying before another one jumped on. The blades on his vehicle then knocked that Constrictai off as they continued on. "If we have any chance at getting on that train, we need to work together!" he called out to the others.
"Yeah, teamwork!" Pinkie declared.
"I've got an idea!" Aqua said as she flew next to Flash and Thunder. "Thunder, Flash, follow me! Frost, try to get in close and cool him off." With that the three in sky occupied the turrets, leaving Frost to slip in.
"Okay, I'm going in," Frost said as he dodged the tail. "NInja, go!" He used his Spinjitzu to jump on the Serpentine Express and then leaped to the tail car's connector to the rest of the Serpentine Express and froze it.
"Goodbye," he stated before stomping on the connector causing it to be break and tail and guns were disconnected from the rest of the Serpentine Express.
"Excellent job, Frost!" Gaia said, "Now let's stop that train!"
"We're running out of time," Skales told Pythor. "If the Ninja ssstop usss from getting to the City of Ouroborosss, we may never awaken the Great Devourer."
"Don't lecture me!" Pythor told Skales before he looked at the driver. "Faster!"
"I can't. If we drive any faster, the engine could explode," the driver explained.
Pythor sighed. "Fine, then I'll do it," he reluctantly complied before turning towards the driver menacingly. "GET OUT!"
"Now?" the driver asked nervously.
"Now," Pythor answered with his eyes narrowed.
Not one to take his chances with a giant snake, the driver jumped out the side door, tumbling onto the ground as the Ninja did not even notice him.
"I hate snakes," he grumbled.
Back on the Serpentine Express, Pythor was now driving and turned to Skales. "Don't let them reach the front!" he ordered.
"I'll persssonally sssee to it myssself!" Skales replied as Pythor increased speed, not even acknowledging the smoke coming from the engine.
Meanwhile. the Ninja were catching up to the train before Flash and Thunder's vehicles vanished in a flash of light before they jumped on board the train with Frost. Soon the others jumped on board when their vehicles vanished in a flash of light.
"Let's split up," Flash suggested.
"Last one to the front is a rotten Ninja!" Trail said as they all went in different ways onto the train.
In the cars, the Serpentine were playing go fish.
"Got any 4's?" a Venomari asked but before anyserpent could answer, a blue Spinjitzu tornado from above came down and knocked them all out the windows. The tornado revealed Thunder holding his Nun-Chucks in a combat stance as Pinkie and Somnambula dropped down too.
"Hey, where'd everycreature go?" Pinkie asked, scratching her head.
Trail, Rainbow, and Flash Magnus made their way on the rooftops of the cars as the wind was blowing heavily on them while the train moved.
"Is it just me, or this train going even faster?" Rainbow asked, blocking her face with her wing. Then popping out from one of the emergency exits were three Serpentine. The window cover blew and the three Pegasi dodged it, the Three Serpentine tried to approached them but one was blown off from the wind blowing on him from the high speed. But then while he was distracted Trail was punched in the face and knocked off the train if Flash Magnus hadn't caught him, but the two were slipping.
Back inside the train Frost, Fluttershy and Meadowbrook were cornered by three Serpentine. Frost then pulled out his Shurikens, "Time to cool down!" he called out, throwing his weapon at the Serpentine, freezing them solid.
"Looks like reptiles and cold don't mix, after all," Meadowbrook said then she turned and saw Trail and Flash Magnus hanging off the edge.
"What?! You guys try fighting up here!" Flash Magnus retorted.
"Um, guys? A little help here!" Rainbow asked from on the roof as the two stallions flipped back up.
"Are you sure this spell will hold, guys?!" Rarity asked as she, Flash, Twilight, Starlight, Gaia, and Mistmane were walking on the side of the cars with a special spell Twilight and Starlight used though allow them to stick to it.
"Trust me, wall-crawler spells never fail!" Starlight assured before the Serpentine popped out of the windows. "But snakes coming out of the windows can really throw you off."
The Serpentine then tried to attack them but were flipped out of the windows by Flash. "Come on, the front is still a long way to go!" he said, prying another Hypnobrai out the window.
"Lead the way, my dear Flash!" Gaia said after throwing off another Serpentine.
Back on top, Trail and Flash Magnus got back up before they face a couple of Venomari while Rainbow Dash was wrestling a Hypnobrai. Aqua then landed on the roof with her mech just in time with Celestia, Luna and Starswirl along with her. "Mind if we interrupt?" she asked after she got the Hypnobrai off, leaving Rainbow to sweep away the others.
A Constrictai then jumped on the mech and tried to attack Wu, "Hmm, hold this, please," Wu asked, passing his cup to the Constrictai.
"Oh yeah," he said, as Wu pour some tea into the cup. "Thanksss," he said, and just before he could take a sip, Wu punched him off and took the cup. "Thank you," Wu remarked with a chuckle as he drank from it.
As the others fought Rainbow turned and her eyes shrunk. "Oh man, SIGN!" she screamed as she saw sign up ahead.
"Watch out!" Trail shouted.
"Duck! Duck! DUCK!" Starswirl shouted as Flash Magnus, Trail, Rainbow, and some of the Serpentine ducked down but Aqua, Celestia and Luna could not.
"I'm trying, but I can't!" Aqua said.
"And Celestia and I are too tall-OOF!" Was all Luna could say before she, Celestia, Wu, Aqua, Starswirl and a Hypnobrai hit the sign, knocking them off the Serpentine Express. The others stood up and the Serpentine laughed at their allies' misfortune.
"Okay, that's it! Nocreature laughs at the princesses!" Rainbow said as she and Flash Magnus punted two of the snakes away.
"NINJA, GO!" Trail did Spinjitzu knocking away the rest.
Back with the others, Aqua managed to get the sign off while the rest rubbed their sore muzzles, "Well that was humiliating," Luna groaned.
"We did tell you to duck," Wu deadpanned at Aqua.
"Perhaps bigger isn't always better," Starswirl quipped to Aqua and Celestia.
"We don't wanna to hear it," Aqua and Celestia growled as they all flew off after the Serpentine Express.
Landrush, Applejack, and Rockhoof entered another car on the train to find it empty. The three however did not let down their guard before they turned to see three Serpentine behind them and Skales in front of them. "End of the line, losersss," Skales told them as they have the three outnumbered.
"Watch out!" Landrush told Applejack and Rockhoof as he swung his scythe around before raising it up.
"Oh boy, Landrush, don't tell your gonna-!" Applejack yelled as she, Rockhoof, and Skales backed away bit before she could finish, Landrush summoned his Tread Assault Vehicle with its cannon aimed right at Skales.
"No, no! Not again! PLEASE!" Skales begged but it was for not as Landrush fired a missile at him, blasting the Hypnobrai General out of the train.
Scared out of their wits by what happened, the other three Serpentine jumped out of the train too.
"Well now, that was quite impressive," Rockhoof commented as Landrush dismissed his vehicle.
"I know. I love this thing!" Landrush told them as he looked at his Scythe. The roof of the car was ripped open by Aqua's mech.
"Landrush. Good to see you," Wu said as he jumped down before the others join them.
"Good to see you too," Landrush replied.
Meanwhile at the front, the engine of the Serpentine Express had started flaming and started moving side to side sporadically, Pythor struggled to keep the train stable while The Ninja and their allies were rocked from the shaking. The shaking caused Trail and Rainbow to fall into the car and into Frost and Fluttershy's arms.
"Nice catch, you two," Thunder commented.
"Last one to the front's a rotten Ninja," Landrush said as Trail and Rainbow got down.
"Ah, so be it, but one more car to go," Trail said as he pointed to the door to the last. "Pythor's in there with the four Fangblades! Who's first?!" Just when he asked that, both Wu and Celestia ran past him and detached the engine from the rest of train.
"Sensei!" Thunder called out.
"Celestia!" Twilight shouted as well as the engine sped away from them.
"What are you both doing?!" Flash asked them.
"Our destiny is to face Pythor alone!" Wu answered.
"Yours is to look after the children and the citizens of Equestria!" Celestia added as they drove further and further away, "Be ready my little ponie. There is a storm coming, and only you can stop it!"
"Sister! What do you mean?!" Luna demanded.
"This is starting to turn into a habit with them!" Trail as he saw the train was slowing to a stop. "How do get off this thing?!"
Pythor looked behind him and saw that the rest of the Serpentine Express had become detached from the engine, and best of all the Ninja were stuck on it. He laughed in victory, thinking nothing could stop him from awakening the Great Devourer now, not even caring that he left his fellow Serpentine behind.
Back on the Destiny's Bounty, the Young Eight and Spike had finally managed to get the ship stable and flies smoothly before they saw the City of Ouroboros up ahead. "Thar she blows! City of Ouroboros, dead ahead!" Sliverstream called out to the others.
"More speed, Lloyd!" Spike told Lloyd who increased power to the thrusters. "I hope we're not too late!"
Back on the Serpentine Express's locomotive, Wu and Celestia walked in and Pythor turned to them. "This ends now!" Wu declared pointing his staff to the Anacondrai.
Pythor slithered up to the old stallion, unthreatened. "So be it!" he said, knocking Wu back and turned to Celestia.
"Just like back in the Great War," Celestia said, recalling the last time she and Pythor clashed.
"Yes, except this time, I refuse to lose!" Pythor shouted clashing his staff with Celestia's sword. "I've come too far to let you take this away from me now! The Devourer will be released and I will have my revenge!"
Back with the others, Landrush let out a yawn as they were getting bored waiting and have no idea how to catch up. "This is really boring," Aqua said as she and Rockhoof sat on the roof.
"Unfortunately, unless we can find a way to reach Ouroboros in time, all we can do is wait and hope Celestia and Wu can stop Pythor," Mistmane told them, before the Destiny's Bounty came into view, dropping anchor onto the detached Serpentine Express and dragging it along the dirt.
"Lloyd!" The Ninja shouted.
"Kids!" The Mane 7 and the Pillars shouted as well. Gallus and Smolder looked over the edge and saluted.
"Hook, line and sinker!" Smolder quipped.
Twilight then spoke to Spike on the bridge. "Fly us to Ouroboros as fast as you can!" she ordered.
"Aye-aye, Captain!" Spike saluted as the Bounty then started carrying the Serpentine Express towards the city.
Meanwhile Wu and Celestia were still fighting Pythor. However even against the two of them, Pythor was able to repel all their attacks and Celestia was not able to use her magic, lest she risked getting herself or Wu seriously hurt. "NINJA, GO!" both her and Wu shouted as they did Spinjitzu, making Pythor back up a bit before he whacked them both with his staff a few times before the last one made them stop.
Pythor then grabbed Wu with his arms and coiled Celestia with his tail. "You and the sun princess are getting slow, old stallion," he mocked the two. Pythor then opened his mouth wide as if to consume Wu before Celestia acted fast and bit on his exposed tail. Pythor screamed in pain as he let them go, allowing them to whack him on the head.
Celestia then spat out the taste of Pythor's tail from her mouth. "Ugh, I prefer cake to snake, anyway!" she said until the locomotive finally exploded and knocked all three of them over.
The locomotive fell on its side just at the entrance to Ouroboros. Pythor crawled out of the locomotive with the Fangblades in his arms, his was still a little dizzy from the crash, but then he saw the statue of the Great Devourer and laughed in triumph.
He then slithered towards the center of the city as Celestia and Wu finally managed force their way out and chase after him on hoof.
In the arena of the city, Pythor climbed up to the mouth of the statue, "Finally, the Great Devourer will be awakened," he said in excitement as he placed each Fangblade in the slots of the statue's four main fangs. Once all the Fangblades were placed, they glowed. "Perfect," Pythor smirked, climbing down to stand in the center of the arena. He turned to the statue and watched in awe as a green venom-like liquid poured from the fangs and down into the canal in the Arena, the snake spiral starting to emit a glowing green mist.
Pythor then laughed like a madman as the awakening ceremony began. "Yes! YES! It's working! Awaken, great one! Awaken the insatiable appetite of the beast that will consume all of Equestria, and the lands beyond!"
"What have you DONE?!" Wu demanded as he and Celestia arrived and glared at the mad Snake.
Pythor however just smiled and answered, knowing they were too late. "Don't you see? Releasing the Great Devourer is the only way to get back at the other creatures of Equestria for locking my people in the cold depths of the underground. To rot away in the darkness while you all were blessed to live in the light of the sun without care or fear for centuries, in the World your father created for all of us!" Pythor answered as he glared at them with intense hatred while they stared back at him.
"Pythor, it has centuries since the days of the Great War! The ponies of Equestria have opened their borders to the Dragons, Changelings and the other kingdoms and now thanks to my faithful student we all live together in peace!" Celestia told him, trying to convince him that there was a chance to stop all this. "And there is room in Equestria for the Serpentine as well, I'm sure we can find a solution if we-"
"…'Work together'?! Hah! Like how General Arcturus, you and your siblings made that truce between our kingdoms so many years ago, the truce that YOU intended to betray?!" Pythor asked as Wu and Celestia were shocked by what they heard. "No, this is the only way my people can live in peace: By destroying all other creatures and leave this world for us!" He declared, "It is we who should've been ruling the surface, not any of you!"
"You are playing with a power that cannot be controlled," Wu told him. "Like Twilight tried to warn you, it will consume everything, even the Serpentine!" Just then the statue began to crumble and getting their attention.
"Unleash, Great Devourer, and be free to do my bidding, for I have awakened you!" Pythor shouted, completely ignoring Wu and Celestia's warning.
Meanwhile with the Ninja they had just arrived at the City of Ouroboros and then noticed a green glow coming from the arena, "Um, what is that?" Rarity asked, pointing her hoof to arena.
Starswirl and Luna looked to where she was pointing and their eye shrunk, "Oh no, we're too late!" Starswirl shouted.
"Not yet, we're not!" Flash said. "Lloyd, put us down by the engine."
The Serpentine Express was lowered onto the ground, and they all took off running towards the arena. Lloyd, Spike and the rest of the kids then slid down the chains, "Hey, wait for us, everypony!" Lloyd said as they all leapt off the Serpentine Express and chased after the others.
Back in the arena, Pythor was still waiting with anticipation for the Great Devourer to emerge before the statue began to crumble to pieces. Pythor had a wide grin on his face as he thought that The Great Devourer was emerging from the statue only to see it crumble into pieces and nothing there. Pythor looked down at the broken pieces in shock.
"No, no! It isn't inside the statue?!" he frantically discovered, picking up one of the pieces. "Then, where is it?!" Suddenly, he noticed the ground beneath him began to crumble into a pit underneath the city.
He looked down and let out frightened scream as he saw a pair of glowing purple eyes below, and he knew all too well what they belonged to, "It-it's so big!" Pythor said, starting to think his enemies were right and chose to get a safe distance for the destruction.
Celestia and Wu however would not have it. "You are going nowhere!" Wu said to a surprised Pythor.
"You will shall stay to witness the monster you have unleashed on our world!" Celestia told him as she and Wu grabbed Pythor by the neck.
"AHH! Let me go, you fools!" Pythor screamed as more of the ground beneath them crumbled, "Don't you see? ITS UNDERNEATH US!" Pythor managed to toss Wu off and he grabbed on to ledge before Celestia pulled him out. They then turned to see Pythor trying to make a run for it, Celestia then stomped on his tail causing him to yelp in pain and give Wu the chance to grab his neck and turn him back to the hole.
"This is our destiny!" Wu declared as he and Celestia sandwiched Pythor between them. Pythor whimpered as he looked down at the hole just as the other arrived.
"What's going on?!" Trail shouted as they all saw the pair of eyes getting closer. "What's that creature underground?!"
"Is that what I think it is...?" Twilight said with so much fear in her tone.
"You must do everything in your power to stop the Great Devourer!" Wu told his pupils as he and Celestia kept a tight hold on Pythor.
"For the sake of Equestria and the lands beyond it! Go, Ninja!... Go!" Celestia cheered for them as her sister finally realized what she was doing.
"Sister... Wu... NO!" Luna cried out in tears as she tried to go save them but was held back by her teacher and Twilight.
"No, Sensei!" Flash reached out to Wu.
The two simply smiled and nodded at them as tears fell from Celestia. The rumbling grew louder and louder until after amount of silence... a monstrous green reptilian head with a frill around its head erupted from the earth! Everycreature stood back in abject horror as the gargantuan serpent rose higher and higher as the lightning flashed behind it, making the beast even more terrifying. The Great Devourer then opened its mouth and released an unworldly roar that shook the heavens themselves. Suddenly, it turned its sights upon Pythor, Wu and Celestia and then lunged its gapping jaws down at them!
To Be Continued...