private Legend of The Guardians

[FullMetalParagon 80]

OOC Here: https://mlpforums.com/topic/148128-legend-of-the-guardians-ooc/

 

((Sorry to those who may have wanted to join. https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/2744683/RoleplayArchive/RoleplayArchive.pdfthis is the archive myself and two friends are running off of, on page 3, where Legend of the Guardians starts. If anyone is SUPREMELY interested in joining, talk to me in a private message, because this RP is actually halfway done already according to the archive.))

 

[The Last Posts before Canterlot.net breathed its last breath]

 

[Me]

Hirsan motioned to the area around them.

 

"What do we have around us? Scrap. Lots of it." He dragged a piece of Gyrocopter, a motor, towards the group. "There are scrapped and abandoned tanks all around us. What is my plan? Simple."

 

He pointed a hoof at the airship.

 

"That is up there."

 

He pointed at the ground.

 

"We are down here."

 

He pointed at everypony present

.

"We are going to build, as quickly as possible... a catapult." Seeing the incredulous looks around him, he smiled even wider.

 

"Not just any catapult, a Pony Cannon, to be precise. Something powerful enough to launch a few of us at a time onto one of the lower docking platforms." Canyon Gyros began to fall  out of the sky as their engines froze.

 

"We'd better make it quick, though. Anypony besides me know electronics? I'm going to need some help putting these together."

 

[Apples]

 

Apples' expression went blank at the mention of electronics, something that was mostly beyond his grasp.

 

"Nope."

 

Phoenix, on the other hand, stepped forward.

 

""Yeah, I'm no master, but I do know a thing or two... Same with Redager, I believe." The burly highlander turned and nodded his head at the mention of his name.

 

"Aye, I can chip in and help ya." He slung his machine gun over his back and walked over  through the snow to where Hirsan, Apples and Phoenix were standing.

 

"What needs doin'?"

 

[Me]

 

Hirsan put down some motors from the nearby wreck, frowning.

 

"I'm going to need these wired up to create as much tension as possible once the tether is

placed in the gears."

Edited March 14, 2016 by Waffle

[Ironwood 21]

Manachin stood by while all the soldiers retreated from the front lines. Memories flashed by before him as he gazed upon the giant Airship. All its weaponry, its speed limit, its carrying capacity and all the visionaries for this doom machine. He then turned to one of his bodyguards.

 

*"Soldier, order squad 8 to evacuate the civilians in the underground shelter. Take them through the tunnels, to the Crystal Empire. Also, gather all the royal mages to Canterlot Palace. Have them prepare the great."

 

The soldier saluted and ran off. Princess Celestia walked by and approached Manachin.

 

o"What is happening, Manachin? Have you given up?"

 

Manachin sighed deeply and turned to his Princess.

 

*"There is no way we can combat this contraption. We don't have the manpower or even the weaponry to take it down. We must gather every soldier to the palace, where we can hide under the magical force shield from the incoming barrage. The rest of Canterlot is lost."

 

o"And then what?"

 

Manachin became silent over the question. Instead of answering, he spoke firmly:

 

*"You need to go too. It isn't safe for you to be here. Head with the rest of the civilians. Princess Cadence won't look very favorably on you, but at least you will be safe."

 

o"I won't abandon this city, Manachin. I am the Princess of Equestria! I shall stand and fall with this city!"

 

Manachin looked into Celestia's eyes. He knew he couldn't convince her otherwise.

 

*"Fine. Follow me to the Palace. We will set up the defenses. Then... our fate rests in the hands of Hirsan and his crew."

Edited March 27, 2016 by Ironwood

[FullMetalParagon 80]

Hirsan gripped the gears tightly, sliding them into place while tugging on a wire with his teeth. Spitting it out, he looked up.

 

"We've got a limited window! If we miss it, we'll land on the rear landing gantry, and that's likely to be heavily defended!" He returned his attention to the catapult, grimacing when the wiring sparked.

[Manard 7]

Phoenix checked his weapon, ensuring it was ready to go. Satisfied, he looked up to the others, "Doesn't matter where we land- as long as we make it up there." He visually checked the rest of his squad. Redager was tightly cranking a gear on the other side of the contraption, with a concerned Beeper spotting for him. Sapphire was securing equipment to Blue Rose's back, the latter winking to Phoenix as they locked gazes. He smiled, abashed, and looked to where Archer was crouched several meters away keeping watch. The bandages tied around his gun flapped aggressively in the biting wind.

 

Apples slowly nodded in agreement, replying once Phoenix finished looking around. "We ain't got much time left. Ah'm ready when y'all are."

[FullMetalParagon 80]

Hirsan smiled as he looked at his friends.

 

"We don't have a lot of time, now, so I'll make this brief. We have to crowd together on this contraption. Unfortunately, that means we also have to link up with each other with rope. If you miss your landing window, do not panic! If you are linked still, you will be able to be hauled up by a teammate! Now, everypony! Link up and get on!"

[Ironwood 21]

((Sorry for the delay. It is so awesome that everyone is reunited once more! ))

Battlemages circled the area around Royal Palace and together formed a mighty force-shield around it. Soldiers fortified themselves outside and inside the palace. Manachin and Princess Celestia withdrew to the throne room, discussing the defense and other options.

 

o"...and if the shield falls, it will be a desperate battle to the death. Our men are strategically positioned, but we don't have many good defensible spots. If the enemy breaks through, will need to retreat through the secret exit through the dungeons..."

 

Manachin paused and saw Celestia looking spaced out and her eyes were completely blank. It sounded like she was struggling to breathe while a faint dark colored glow radiated from her with increasing strength. Manachin became startled and readied his fire staff as he watched her slowly transform. The same voice he heard earlier in his head spoke again:

 

*"Your fate is tied with the world, Manachin. And the alicorn Princesses has doomed it. All things must come to die. But do not despair. New life will grow from the ashes of the dead. The cycle of death and rebirth is a necessary one and cannot be stopped by anything."

 

Outside of Canterlot, Skytracker was a little bit puzzled over Hirsans plans. Machinery and tech was never her strong suit. But she trusted his judgement and strapped herself inside the contraption. Imp and Dark Neigh seemed impartial and did the same. All were ready to fly and face off the enemy of the world. Skytracker looked towards Canterlot and noticed a dark colored light emitting from the top of the Royal Palace. The light grew and eventually consumed the entire top part of the building. It didn't last very long, as it quickly faded away and everything supposedly looked normal. She was concerned and confused of whats going on up there, but shrugged her thoughts off. There was little they could do from here and their objective was clear. They had to get inside the airship and put an end the madness.

[FullMetalParagon 80]

Hirsan swallowed, staring up at the airship in fear. With a steely expression, his hoof pressed the activation switch, his eyes never leaving the great airship. Gulping, he looked at his friends, his other hoof idling rubbing the pommel of Sacrifice.

 

"We've got 10 seconds until the launch! If anypony wants to back out, unfortunately, you lost your chance when I hit the button!" Hirsan planted himself, silently sending a prayer to the Shaper as he prepared himself. With a click, the gears spun, Hirsan launching at the head of the group.

 

"Hold on!"

 

----|0|----

 

Aboard the airship, the airship Retribution prepared to fire. Canyon Military patrolled every nook and cranny, making sure no stowaways had made it onboard. With a smile, the gunnery crews blasted the ground below, shells decimating the ground troops.

 

However, had anypony been able to hear anything besides the heavy cannon, they would have heard several swearing ponies as they slammed into an open Gyrocopter bay, all of them gripping a railing as Hirsan dangled outside, trying to climb up.

[Manard 7]

The Gyrocopter bay was virtually deserted, as all had been scrambled in the assault on Canterlot. Tools, supplies and equipment were strewn around designated landing areas, light blue labels in confusing nomenclature. It seemed only a handful of engineers in overalls and patrolling guards were present. The two pegasi in Phoenix's team used their wings to navigate a more gentle landing, while the rest thumped painfully into the railings.

 

Redager let out a string of heavily accented profanities, until Beeper gave him a knock on the shoulder to be quiet. Apples looked wide eyed down into the whiteness below them, tightening his grip as ice and wind buffeted any hair and loose material.

 

Phoenix leaned out to get closer to Hirsan, speaking just loud enough to be heard over the wind, "Hirsan, we have several contacts inside. Mostly engineers. We can try sneak around, or go guns blazing. Your call."

[FullMetalParagon 80]

Hirsan slowly climbed up the rope, swinging to and fro in the heavy wind that buffeted against him. As he hauled himself up, he held up his hoof, waiting to catch his breath before he responded.

 

"The problem is this airship. We have to take it down. Unfortunately, we also have to take down whoever passes for the leader. Now that we're up here, it may not be as clear-cut as before. Phoenix, Skytracker, you two head towards the engines. I will deal with whoever is leading this." His squad looked at him in surprise, before he raised his hoof again.

 

"Some of you barely know me, but this isn't the first time that I have had to destroy something and leave it behind. Nor will it be the last. We have to survive long enough to bring the final peace to Canterlot, and I don't mean death! So, no pony is coming with me. This is something I must do on my own." He gripped a knife in his teeth, checking the doorway before galloping away.

 

"Something that I have to atone for."

 

----|0|----

 

Down on the ground, Deadwood and his forces continued to hold, the unicorns in the group doing their best to defend against the pandemonium caused by the onslaught of pony-sized shells. Rifles shot out their reports, cannons boomed, and explosives slammed against the walls of Canterlot, but he refused to back down.

 

"If one of us falls, ten more will take his place! It may not be glorious, it may not be good for our health, but by Celestia, we will not fall this day! Hold the line, stallions! Hold! The! Line!"

[Ironwood 21]

Skytracker felt incredibly reluctant over leaving Hirsan's side but obliged and followed Phoenix to the engine area. There was no resistance on their way. While the ship had plenty of workers, no soldiers were encountered yet. For such a big, military vessel there was very little security. All this gave her chills through her spine. She had the feeling that this could have been a trap to take out Hirsan and all other key figures in the fight against the Canyon. This only made her even more worried for Hirsan's safety. When they arrived at the massive engine room, with only engineers working on it and no guards, Skytracker pulled out her revolver and Flash Gun and stepped out, yelling out loud: "Everpony get the fuck out of here or get lit up!" She pointed her guns at the engineers and gestured them to get out. The scared engineers dropped their tools and fled in panic. She then turned to Phoenix. "We need to shut this thing down and quickly. Can we overload the engines from here? Or shall we just blow it up with bombs?"

[Manard 7]

Phoenix paused momentarily in thought before giving his reply. "I could probably manage to overload the engines, but if you've got enough explosives, that'll be easier and quicker. Plus we'll have control over when they blow."

 

He trotted over to the door where the engineers had fled through, ducking his head out to glance down the corridor. "They'll be back with guards, I'm sure." He slid the doors shut and locked them from the inside via the blue luminescent control panel.

 

"If you want to do the honours, I can hold them off when they return."

[Ironwood 21]

Skytracker took her backpack off her back and opened it up, showing off several grenades.

 

-"I still got a couple of these left. I'm pretty sure these are enough to do the trick." She handed the backpack to Phoenix. "As much as I love fireworks, I think you'd be better to deal with this. I'll... watch the entrance if anypony comes through."

 

[MEANWHILE]

 

As Hirsan was on his way, he found that navigating the airship wasn't very difficult. So far, no soldiers had been encountered. And there was no need to break into various sections of the ship. The doors were all open. It is like the ship had nearly been abandoned with the exception of the staff workers of the ship, who were pretty much harmless. Hirsan finally arrived at the port of the ship. In there awaited 4 soldiers in pitch black armor and a shadowy pony in a dark ceremonial robe sitting at the captain's seat. His skin was pale and his eyes radiated a dark glow. He spoke with an eeire voice:

 

*"So here we are at last. The great Colonel-Hunter Hirsan and also one of the new Elements of Harmony. In different circumstances, it would have been a honor to meet you."

Edited June 30, 2016 by Ironwood

[FullMetalParagon 80]

Hirsan let his hoof slide off the pommel of Sacrifice, his hoof slowly falling to his sidearm as he stared down the one he wished he never wanted to see in the flesh.

 

"Grand Chancellor Ventus of the Nine, or is it just Chancellor Ventus now? I left behind my rank years ago, and yet here you are, clinging to old traditions, old wounds, and dying hatred." As he spoke, from behind Ventus stepped a darker pony, the one Hirsan had recalled a while before. Shiran stepped out, his grin filled with malice.

 

"The world will freeze, Hirsan. War will stop, fighting will stop. ISN'T THAT WHAT YOU WANTED?!"

[Ironwood 21]

As Phoenix was busy setting up the bombs, Skytracker felt a strange presence dominating the air ways. There was something on this ship. A powerful being. She stepped away to the exit of the engine room while Phoenix weren't looking. When she was outside, she took off quickly to find Hirsan. Her concern of him started to weigh to heavy on her mind.

[MEANWHILE]

Everyone was quiet in the room. The silence was later broken by Chancellor Ventus. He seemed indifferent by Hirsan's approach and spoke:

 

*"This world is corrupted. A foul tumor is slowly killing it from the inside. The hatred has tainted its blood. The greed has poisoned its heart. The rage has twisted its mind. Can you hear it? Can you hear its cries for help?! It's dying..."

He turned his head to a large window at the front of the steering deck. It was very dark and cloudy, but from within the clouds Widigos emerged. One after one, they amassed into great numbers, all staring down at the battlefield below them.

*"The ancient prophesies foretold of the next end of the world. But it doesn't have to be this way. The Windigos are the true guardians of the world. Their purpose is no different than of white blood cells in any living being; to ward off infections to its system. By summoning them, I have completed my task in the process of resurrecting this world. I shall guide the Great Rebirth. As the Herald, this is what I have been born for."

[FullMetalParagon 80]

Hirsan stared at Ventus and Shiran, growling under his breath as his hoof raised to Sacrifice, the blade echoing a low chant. Hirsan looked up, his eyes glowing with a red fire.

 

"You believe yourself to be the Herald of the Great Rebirth? Was it necessary to start a war? Experiment on ponies? Was it necessary to create the exact opposite of myself? Was it worth it?" He breathed slowly, regaining his composure, though the red fire never left his eyes.

 

"You thought the Windigoes were the Guardians of this world? Do you not know of what they did? They feed on hate, they lust for discord amongst ponies. I have seen what they can do, and I know how they can destroy. I have seen even the World Eater, Abaratos, cower before them as they tore him to pieces. Yet, I do not stand afraid. No one needs to die. No pony, no zebra, no minotaur." He slowly walked over to the window, staring down.

 

"Canterlot. I remember its gleaming towers, the grand palace, the many homes and restaurants the first time I came here. The first time we ever contacted a civilization other than our own because of the leak in the Seal of the World Eater. A Praetor Ethereal was hunting, and it tried to take Twilight Sparkle as its host. Back then, a Marked One was an unknown, and I was the first. Was." He moved to another window, staring off into the distance to where he remembered Manehattan was.

 

"The Cycle War. The war to end all wars. The war that brought everything down around our kind. You sent myself and the last of the Hunters to salvage what we could and kill the leaders of the factions at war. Celestia was my friend, Ventus, and she trusted me enough that when the Guardians and I stood together and took down the Final Nightmare, the true evil possessing Princess Luna, she did not bat an eye. She was beside herself with grief, but she knew it had to be done." He turned and looked back over his shoulder at Ventus and Shiran. His smile faded as he stared them down, the malice clear in his eyes.

 

"I do not care that you come here with the wounds that never healed, Chancellor. I do not care that you tried to twist the memory of me into something horrific and deadly. Down below, though? That is what I care about. When you declared myself and the surviving Hunters as traitors to the Council, I knew who you were. When you had the other members of the Council imprisoned for 'treason,' I knew who you were." He drew Sacrifice, the chanting growing louder as it shone red, the room being illuminated with deadly light.

 

"This is my sacrifice, Chancellor. To do what I should have done long ago, back during the time of Abaratos' return. We were once considered the truest decendants of the Kingdom of Guardia, of the Elder Kingdoms, back before the War of Three Tribes, back before the Windigoes froze the world for the first time. Before Discord, before the Princesses, before EVERYTHING that has transpired here. So, I will stab you through the heart, watch as this airship crashes into the snow, and pray very very hard to the Shaper that I make it out of this alive."

[Manard 7]

Phoenix was busy planting the charges, absorbed in the mental exercise of determining the best places for them to have the most catastrophic effect. He floated the last explosive into place on a junction in the engine's cooling system. Satisfied with the configuration, and after checking the detonator, Phoenix realised he was alone in the engine room. He hadn't noticed Skytracker exit.

 

"Skytracker?" His voice rang out around the large room that reverberated with the engines. Puzzled, he warily paced around for signs of a struggle in case she had been taken captive.

 

"Phoenix?"

 

He jumped and spun around, easing at the sight of Sapphire, the navy-blue pegasus from his squad. "Sapphire- what's the situation?"

 

"We are holding the hanger, dear. It might be our way out of here. Everyone's fine; oddly no one has come stop us yet. What's transpired in here?"

 

"Planted charges on the engine, this thing's ready to go down. We need to regroup- speaking of which, did you see Skytracker go past? She's disappeared."

 

Sapphire shook her head. Before Phoenix could respond, loud pounding came from the jammed door. "They're here. I can't let them defuse our setup... go get some of the others. If it comes to it, I'll just have to detonate it regardless of who is still on board- whether that's myself or otherwise." The pounding grew louder, followed by muffled, agitated voices.

 

Phoenix floated his weapon out, checking it was ready to go before kneeling down behind a control panel, "Go get backup. Canterlot depends on these charges."

Edited July 11, 2016 by Manard

[Ironwood 21]

Ventus simply shook his head slowly, looking unamused.

 

*"Your struggle evokes pity, not fear. The world is soon dead. As will you. You are not Hirsan. You are merely a clone, living on borrowed time. By putting you down, Hirsan can finally rest in peace in the afterlife."

 

He turned to his guards, ordering them: "Make him suffer no more". The guards broke their current formation and walked around the room, forming a close circle around Hirsan, waiting intently for him to make his first move. The guards were bulky in their armor, were armed with firepower, but also vicious curved blades for melee combat. One of the guards unmasked himself and revealed to be another Hirsan clone. He smiled menacingly.

 

o"Don't worry. We will take good care of this world, after you are gone. Just make it easy on yourself and it will be better for everypony."

Edited July 13, 2016 by Ironwood

[FullMetalParagon 80]

Hirsan smiled, his horn beginning to charge.

 

"I may be naught but a copy, Ventus, but I do have an advantage over your guards." A wave of energy pulsed underneath his hooves as he growled.

 

"I have power that always dwelt within us. The power that resides in all ponies. However, as an old friend once taught me," the energy began to grow, spreading out and forcing the guards to backpedal quickly, "there is a greater power than simply magic. There is a power even stronger still than that of the Princesses of Equestria, of Discord himself. I know you deny yourself this fact, Ventus, but that will be your downfall. I may not know many spells as a new unicorn, but even with my haphazard control, I still remember a few."

 

"Shield." The guards attacked, though their attacks bounced off the grey magickal field surrounding Hirsan. Hirsan chuckled, slamming his hooves on the ground.

 

"Wave of Force." The guards slammed into the walls, quickly standing to face Hirsan again. With their masks off, Hirsan could see he was literally fighting himself, the clones all smiling with malice and destruction in their expressions.

 

"I do have a personal favourite, Ventus. Twilight Sparkle hated using this particular spell for how much damage it could do. But, in this situation, it is appropriate." A ball of fire began to charge in front of his face, illuminating the room in red, yellow, and orange.

 

"Combustion."

 

------0------

 

The soldiers of Hirsan's that had followed the group cowered in fear as a large explosion rocked the ship, even though the detonation had come from the bow, and not the stern.

 

------0------

 

Deadwood stared up, barely able to make out the airship in the blizzard, his soldiers barely keeping warm as they watched the battlefield. A large light exploded out the side of the bow of the massive airship, two figured clinging desperately onto pieces of metal whilst hanging off the side of the airship.

 

------0------

 

"Ventus, give it up! I know how much the Cycle War took from you, from me! Recreating me to do your bidding is not the way!" Hirsan tried to swing up, but his piece of metal creaked as he shouted over the wind, swaying slightly back and forth. A loud chanting slipped past them as Sacrifice tumbled from the airship, plummeting towards the ground below. Hirsan stared down Ventus as they waited with bated breath for the outcome the both of them had expected of their own "final" encounter.

[Ironwood 21]

Ventus remained calm, with a blank face, as he watched Sacrifice vanish below.

 

*"As you can see. Your efforts are futile. You cannot stop the inevitable." Ventus made a nodding gesture to his guards. All of them regrouped and pulled out their guns instead, pointing at Hirsan. "This is the end Hirsan. Nothing can save you or anypony else now".

 

As they were about to unload at Hirsan, a shadow dashed into the room towards Hirsan and the guards. It was Skytracker, with her vampiric strength, lunge-kicking one of the soldiers in the head with such force that it flew of his shoulder. Before the other three shocked guards could react she grabbed one of them and slammed him into another, launching both of them into a wall. The last one tried to fire at Skytracker, but got shot in the head with her revolver. Skytracker smiled with satisfaction.

 

-"I still got it. Still beating that ass." She turned to Hirsan, relieved that he was still alive. "Sorry, hun. I know you told us to not interfere. But you of all ponies should know you can't tell me what to do. We are in this together."

 

Ventus rose up from his seat, with dark energies surrounding him. He was levitating slightly off the floor and his eyes were glowing stronger. For the first time, his face changed from being calmly blank to irritation.

 

*"Insolent wretches! You do not see what you are doing! You both are danger to the future of the world. I will deal with you myself!"

[FullMetalParagon 80]

Hirsan clambered up, his eyes beginning to glow. He growled, staring down Ventus as he realized what had happened.

 

"Ventus is dead, Skytracker. Those energies, he's subjected himself to experiments to create an artificial 'Marked One.' He is channeling the energy of the Ethereal Plane itself. I may not have much to use, but if I can at least injure him, the energies will tear him apart." A single tear escaped his eye as he looked down at Skytracker, his own body beginning to float.

 

"I don't want you to get hurt-"

 

"You thought we'd leave you to die alone, Hirsan?" A familiar voice echoed out as Deadwood smiled from a surviving Gyrocopter, the main guns beginning to spin up.

 

"Sorry, Ventus, afraid we have to cut this short. Deadwood, open fire!" With a tackle, Hirsan dived to the side, the entire world seeming as if it was in slow motion as they slid to the side, the guns spinning up as the energies swirled towards the gyrocopter. Though he knew the energies might move fast, a blur brought a smile to his face. The guns got off a single burst as the gyro exploded, leaving Hirsan, Skytracker and Deadwood staring down Ventus, who appeared to be slightly staggered.

 

"Sorry, but I can't let you kill them. I've been at this far longer than the two of them. Ty-" Before he could even speak the words for the enchantment, the energies lashed out, stabbing Deadwood straight through the heart, slamming him against the far wall. Hirsan's eyes glowed harder as he screamed.

 

"DEADWOOD!"

[Manard 7]

Phoenix flinched as the first explosion rocked the front of the ship, the shock wave from the expanding gasses reverberated through the metal framework. He glanced over to the pile of torn bodies in the doorway where the previously sterile metal panelled interior was shredded by bullets and slick with blood. He reloaded his smoking weapon and scuttled over to Apples, who had come with the rest of the team to defend the charges. Concerned shouts emanated from the doorway, indicating that there were more to come, but were perhaps thinking twice about the route of entry.

"Either Canterlot has found some anti-air, or Hirsan's in a rumble. Who'd he go after?"

 

Apples shook his head, "Ah'm not sure, but uh- by the sounds of it, he could use a lil' help from Forbearance here." He indicated to the sword on his back that Phoenix had previously not taken much notice of.

 

"Is that... what I think it is?"

 

"Probably-" More rumbling vibrations rattled the ship. "I gotta go, do what you have to here."

Phoenix nodded as Apples galloped off towards the bridge.

[Ironwood 21]

The massive amounts of energies began to lash out even more violently and attacked anything without impunity, even tearing the interior and walls of the room. Skytracker was too busy dodging the attacks to worry about anypony other than Hirsan, but she could hear screams and shouts of Deadwoods crew being attacked by the energies. The thing that possessed Ventus began to regain its composure and turned its wrathful stare at Hirsan. He began to gather his energies in form of a ball of energy. He shouted out to Hirsan:

 

*"Your petty power will not stop everything I have worked for! Your death will complete the cycle once and for all, and restore peace and balance to this world! Go down already, you miserable worm!!"

 

When Skytracker realized he was preparing to attack Hirsan while in a helpless state, she charged out to Ventus and tackled him, breaking his focus and disrupting his ball of energy. She confronted him with a fiery, bloodthirsty expression on her face.

 

-"No... This will not happen! I... will not... LET YOU HURT HIM!!!"

 

Ventus tried to strike back with another energy attack, but then she flew into a rage and pounced on him, bringing him down on the ground and proceeded to punch his face to a bloody pulp. While pinning him to the ground, she yelled to Hirsan:

 

-"Quick, do whatever spell you need to do! Hurry!!"

[FullMetalParagon 80]

Hirsan's eyes began to stream tears as every bit of his life slammed into the spell he was crafting as quickly as he could remember it. Twilight Sparkle had obtained quite the library, and some of those more... mysterious tomes had definitely proven useful. Hirsan grimaced as the spell finished charging. A ball of black energy began forming at his horn as he spoke the words.

 

"Oblivion, oblivion I call upon thee, to smite thine power upon mine enemy. Taketh what you will from this mortal soul, that my revenge become ten times wrathful!" A black beam of energy slammed into Ventus, every scrap of energy, every bit of strength sapped out of him by the Wrath of Oblivion. As the spell ended, Hirsan sank to the ground, Ventus teetering on the edge of the hole in the side of the bridge.

 

His body had been host to the powers of the End of the Universe for just a few seconds, but those few seconds were enough to reduce him to almost a skeleton, his aging process highly accelerated. His mouth began to drip blood as he smiled at Skytracker, his eyes closing as he felt he needed to rest.

 

Deadwood blinked as he woke up from his hit, shaking his head as he stood up. Hirsan lay on the ground, Ventus having been shot out of Skytracker's grip and almost off the edge. With a burst of wind, he was standing suddenly beside Ventus, his eyes narrowed in his fury.

 

"At the end of the world, you still can't kill him. Ventus, you chose your allegiance, and yours failed. I chose mine, that pony laying on the ground over there. He is and will be my friend forever. He gave his last so that this would end. I give my last so that you will end." Deadwood stared out the hole, gulping heavily as he tackled Ventus out the hole, tumbling into the blizzard below.

[Ironwood 21]

Skytracker crawled over to the hole and stared into it. Ventus had fallen and vanished in the thick layers of mist below. It was over. It was finally over, she thought. When she got up, she quickly trotted over to Hirsan's body. She sat down next to him and held him in her frontlegs and whispered to him, with tears flowing from her eyes:

 

-"For the longest time, I gave up on all hope. All my friends and loved ones were killed in the war. And I got turned into a blood-drinking monstrosity. When I found you again, you gave me a hope. A purpose. You saved us all, but... I could not save you..."

 

She paused briefly, trying to regain her composure and wiping off her tears. She leaned over and kissed Hirsan on the lips.

 

-"With all my heart, I will never forget you for the rest of my cursed unlife and beyond. If there is a beyond for me..."

 

The moment got interrupted by flashing red lights and loud noises. Some kind of alarm had been triggered. A voice could be heard from the speakers in the room:

 

o"Emergency engines activated. Full speed engaged. Initiating code EX-381."

 

Even though the the reserve engines had been set in use, the ship was still rapidly losing height. Just in a faster pace. It seems that the whole ship was plummeting down to the ground. Right below them they could see Canterlot.

[FullMetalParagon 80]

The wind whipped about as the second last of the Hunters, Hirsan, slowly breathed his last, his body sagging as his spirit faded. Far below, the true last of the Hunters, Rearguard, stared up at the accelerating airship, shouting for the evacuation alarm. She could see Deadwood falling with Ventus, their screams barely audible above the wind.

 

"How could you betray-"

 

"I serve no one, Ventus! I serve Justice herself, and she is not pleased!" With a crash, they disappeared from sight, the airship's shadow blocking out the last vestiges of the sun. She could see Skytracker hugging Hirsan's corpse, the Hunter having given his last breath to end the war. Bowing her head, she spoke one last prayer before she leaped from the walls in hopes of surviving an airship collision.

 

"May the Shaper protect us all, and may we all find rest in Avalon's grand gardens."