On a cliff that stuck out of a mountain like a splinter stuck in a hoof. The winds atop the mountain blew against the Hooded pony's cloak as the soulless face gazed down apon the Lone city. As the Hooded one watched Starlight glimmer gazed as well.
"So...do we release the Gladiators?" Starlight turned her head away from the city and to her leader. "Or shall we wait?"
The Hooded pony lifted up it's left hoof, it's complex crystal attached to its hoof.
"No." The Hooded one said bluntly.
This bluntness seemed to catch Starlight off guard. "No?" She repeated the words. "Why not? We planned all of this very carefully and now you want to back out?"
"The one known as 'Lightning strike' do you see him?" The Hooded one asked.
Starlight averted her gaze from the Hooded pony and back at the Lone city. It didn't take her long to find Lightning strike hovering above the city. Her eyes squinted as she began to get a good look at Lightning strike. Their didn't seem to be anything that different about him, minus the color change in his mane and eyes. Completely clueless Starlight looked back to her Leader for an answer.
"What am I looking for exactly?" Starlight asked.
"*sigh*... For being a descendant of the Wizard you certainly lack intelligence." The Hooded one sighed.
"Hey! Just because you see something I don't doesn't mean I'm an imbecile." Starlight growled.
"It's not the fact that because you don't see it makes you an imbecile." The Hooded pony turned to Starlight, even though it didn't show it she knew her leader was glaring at her. "It's the fact that you have the power to see, but you don't use it."
Starlight was beginning to become agitated. "What do you mean by that? Why must you always speak in riddles? Just tell me what I'm looking for and then I'll understand what your talking about."
"You seem to forget that you can see magical energy." The Hooded one said as it looked back at the city. "Such a shame really."
Starlight smacked herself mentally in the head. 'Of course, how did I not figure that one out?!' She screamed in her head. 'Maybe I am becoming an imbecile.'
"Well?" The Hooded ones words snapped Starlight out of her trance. "If your so desperate to find out what it is why aren't you looking?"
"Oh...right." Starlight said. 'Idiot.' She muttered to herself in her head.
Starlight closed her eyes and concentrated. Her horn began to glow as she began to look at what her leader was talking about. Then she began to see what the Hooded pony was talking about. Surrounding Lightning strike was a massive amount of magical energy. But it was different than any magical energy she had ever seen, it felt...evil and chaotic. Yes, chaotic, that seemed to be the word that came close to describing it. Starlight's eyes opened and the glow that surrounded her horn had vanished.
"Did you see it?" The Hooded one asked.
"Yes...what kind of magic is that?" Starlight asked.
"It is a magic that I have tried to experiment with before. But I have had no luck with it, I have classified this magic as 'Chaotic magic'. This magic holds immeasurable power, but it is unstable and dangerous. You've seen this magic before as a matter of fact."
"Really? When?"
"When I sent Bloodwing to rescue you from the Shadowbolts compound."
""Wait...that gem was full of chaotic magic, wasn't it?"
"Correct, I assume you didn't know this when you threw the gem at Soarin?"
"I thought it was some king of program crystal, I assumed that Pegasus mind would have exploded when exposed to the magic."
"Well you were wrong. And now we have another one of these ponies who are full of chaotic magic."
"So what are we gonna do about it?"
"...we wait and see how this plays out."
Back in the Castle.
"How long has he been hovering there?" Nightwing cocked his head as he looked out the window.
"I believe he's been there for...three minutes." A guard answered.
"Captain Nightwing, can you please tell me what the hay is going on?" Jade demanded.
"Wish I could but it would take waaaaaaay to long to tell you the whole story. But all you need to know is that Lightning strike is now currently a threat to the Mountain kingdom. If we don't stop him soon, who knows what kind of destruction he'll bring." Nightwing said.
As the Queen and Nightwing were discussing amongst one another, Flash was having a conversation of his own with Shadow. 'Well you seem to be the expert on Elements of Chaos. Care to tell me why my brother is just flying there and doing nothing? Also why the heck did he turn into Scorch anyway?' Flash asked in his head.
"It seems that your brother, Lightning strike, is currently trying to adapt to his new power. Light's voice answered.
"Light is correct, it takes time for a body to adjust to the new power when exposed to an Element of Chaos. As for when your brother turned into Scorch, I believe it must have happened when he was throwing up in the bathroom. Now that I think about it, I believe the real reason Lightning strike was vomiting in the first place was because his body was already changing into Scorch." Shadow's voice said.
'But...I thought he was just sick from eating shrimp?'
"How do you get sick from eating shrimp?" Light asked. "Shrimp is one of the most delicious foods I've ever tried, how can somepony get sick from it?"
"One, shrimp isn't that good. Two, someponies put seasoning on shrimp that makes it hard to...digest. Shadow said.
"How dare you. Shrimp is the most delicious thing that Equestria has to offer!" Light growled.
"For Peres sake shrimp is not that good, I mean sure it has it's moments but sometimes it just gets pretty bad."
'How the hay did we go from talking about how to help my brother, to talking about bucking shrimp!?' Flash screamed.
"I'm sorry Flash, did you say something?" Shadow asked.
"You know what? No, I'm done I'm hanging up.' Flash said. Then the place became quiet.
"Oh come Flash don't be like that." Shadow said, only to receive silence. "Flash?"
"I think he just hung up on you." Light suggested.
"...How the hay did he do that?!" Shadow screamed.
Back in the real world Flash averted his eyes away from the window and towards Nightwing. "Okay Nightwing, what's the plan to get my brother back?" Flash asked his friend.
"Plan? What makes you think I have a plan?" Nightwing questioned. "And what do you mean by getting your bother back?"
"Lightning strike is obviously being controlled by the Element of Scorch, we need to free him from the element and I was hoping that you have a plan."
"How do you know about Lightning having the element of Scorch? Wait, better question, how do you know about the element of Scorch?" Nightwing demanded.
"How do you?" Flash asked ovoiding the question in the process.
"Discord gave me a book that has information on all of the Elements of Chaos." Nightwing answered. "How do you know?"
"Ummmm...books?" Flash lied terribly.
"I know your lying but I'll leave the question alone. For now." Nightwing said as he sat up. "Now then let's figure out how to save Lightning strike."
"Ugh...my head." Lightning strike groaned as a large pain throbbed in his head. By basic pony nature he wanted to place a hoof on the pain in hopes to stop it. But when he tried to move his hoof but something prevented him from doing it along with the sound of chains echoed through his ears. His eyes moved slowly to the right to see his right foreleg was trapped in a shackle that was attached to a metal chain that seemed to be attached to nothing. Lightning looked to his left hoof which was also trapped in a shackle that was attached to a chain. His hind legs seemed to be in the same predicament as his hooves. He tried to unfold his wings but a metal brace kept them from doing so and yes, there were chains attached to it.
An idea popped into Lightnings head, if he could hit the chains with a Lightning ball he might be able to free himself. He concentrated and a lightning ball formed slightly above his hoof. Angling just right Lightning fired the lightning ball at the left chain. A bang echoed through the area once the lightning ball made an impact, Lightning strike looked to see if the chain had been snapped or at least cracked. But no luck, the chain looked unaffected by the lightning ball. Not ready to give up Lightning strike created another lightning ball.
"Don't bother." A voice said.
"Who's there?" Lightning demanded as his lightning ball vanished. "Show yourself!"
"Very well." The voice said as a figure appeared in front of Lightning strike. The figure looked exactly like Lightning strike but his mane was like a dancing orange flame, his unfolded wing tips were orange as well, and the entire part of his eyes were fully orange.
Lightning strike shook his head to clear away his startled self. "Who are you? Where am I? And why am I in chains?" Lightning strike demanded.
A sinister grin formed on the replica of Lightning strike. "My my, aren't you full of questions? Who am I? I am Scorch. Where are you? You are in your mind. And why are in chains? Because I put you in them so I can be in complete control of your body." Scorch answered.
"Why would you do that?" Lightning asked.
"Because I can. What other reason does there need to be?"
"But why do all of this? Why do you want control of my body?"
"Because I can." Scorch repeated the same answer. "And because I wish to destroy a certain someone."
Back in the real world.
"Captain Nightwing, it's Lightning strike. He's moving." A guard pointed out the window. The entire group rushed to the window to see what the guard was talking about.
"Shaaaaadow." Scorch called out. "Come out, come out, wherever you are."
"Shadow? Who is Lightning strike talking about?" Jade asked.
'Shadow, can you please tell me why my brother is calling you out?' Flash asked in his head.
"Ah ha! I knew you were just ingoring us." Shadow shouted in triumph.
'Yeah, yeah, good for you. Now please answer the question!'
"Okay first, Scorch isn't calling me out he's calling you out. And second that isn't your brother Lightning strike anymore, it's Scorch."
'What do you mean he's calling me out?'
"Scorch is calling the Element of Shadow out, and last time I checked that's you."
'Since when?!'
"Since when the Element of Shadow was placed inside your chest. Now quit your whining and solve this problem on your own."
'Why are you doing this to me?!'
"Remember that time when you ignored us? Yeah, consider this is pay back."
'I don't talk to you for five minutes and you just decide to not help me now?!'
"Oh I'm sorry, was that not clear?"
"Hmmmm..." Scorch pondered as he looked everywhere for the Element of Shadow. "I know I sensed his magic somewhere. Damn it he's being smart and hiding his magic." Scorch sighed. "Oh well looks like it's gonna be a good old fashion game of 'Hide-and-seek tag'." Scorch smiled. Lifting up his right hoof a fire ball, that appeared to be a replicate of a lightning ball, formed above his hoof. "Eeny-meeny-miny-there." Scorch aimed the fire ball at a mountain that seemed like a perfect hiding spot. His target set, Scorch reared back his foreleg and then threw the fire ball. A tail of fire was painted in the fire balls wake as it soared towards the target. The next thing that happened was a blinding light appeared where the mountain was.
*KABOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!* the explosions sound could be heard a few seconds later.
When the light faded all saw the pure destructive power Scorch had. The once mountain was no more, all that remained was a black charred crater. Despite the show of power Scorch was not impressed with the art he had created.
"I must not be fully synced with this body yet." Scorch chuckled as he stretched his right arm. "Oh well. That certainly should have gotten Shadow's attention. He'll show up. Eventually."
On the cliff that both Starlight and the Hooded pony used to look over the Lone city. Starlight couldn't release her gaze from the newly formed crater. Her mind kept shouting at itself that what she was seeing wasn't real. But she knew it was.
"Starlight." The voice of her leader echoed through her mind, having no affect on Starlight. "Starlight!" This time the voice of her leader did get through. She tried to say something, anything. But was speechless. "You and I are leaving, I have ordered the troops to attack Lightning strike. We must not be here when the battle begins." With that The Hooded pony placed a hoof on Starlight and the two vanished.
Back in the castle.
All stood in awe and disbelief. Minus the Guardians, who were being incredibly silent. Meanwhile in Flash's head he was trying to wrap his brain around what had just happened.
"Show off." Shadow scoffed. But after getting no response from anyone he said something else. "Hello? Flash you there? Do I need to go over all of your embarrassing moments to bring you back to reality?"
'...No...no I'm good...just trying...just currently processing what just happened.' Flash thought.
"Why is it so hard to realize your brother just blew up a mountain? 'Said' exploded mountain is a whiles away, also you just saw him do it so how is it this hard to understand?"
'Because last time I checked he couldn't do that?!' Flash screamed at Shadow.
"Scream all you want, but this is not my problem. It's yours, so have fun."
'Why won't you help me?! I ignored you for literally like one minute and your making a huge hissing fit about it!'
"For the love of everything holy, stop toying the dear boy and tell him the truth. Light's voice interjected.
'Truth? What truth?!'
"You really haven't figured it out yet? Dear buck you are not at all as smart as I thought you are." Shadow chuckled. "Ever heard the phrase 'fight fire with fire'? If I activate the Shadow element, it's gonna be like that situation. And news flash, when you use fire to fight fire you just end up making more fire. So if I Were to activate your element and you did fight Scorch, you'd just end up destroying the entire land. So there, now you know."
'Why didn't you just tell me that in the first place?!' Flash demanded.
"Because it's fun to watch you rage."
"Flash, Guardians, with me now." Nightwing ordered. The Guardians saluted and Flash shook his head to clear his thoughts.
"Huh...wait what's going on?" Flash muttered.
"Did I stutter or something, Flash come on I have a plan." Nightwing said.
"Hold on." Queen Jade interjected. "First, what the Tartarus is going on?! How did your guard, Lightning strike, blow up a mountain?! And what is this plan of yours?!" Jade demanded.
"Queen Jade, as of right now I am initiating protocol number twenty-nine. Under this protocol you are to evacuate everypony off this land at once." Nightwing said with a firm tone.
"You have no authority to issue such a protocol." The Stallion guard said. "You do not have permission to initiate a protocol."
"You know, their were some ponies that didn't listen to me and they ended up dead. And on their tombstones I wrote the words 'they could have lived if they just listened'. Does anypony want to end up like them?" Nightwing asked, only to get absolute silence from everyone. "Any takers? No...no volunteers? Great then get to it." Nightwing said as the guards scrambled out of the room leaving Flash, Nightwing, and the three Guardians. "Flash stop stop standing there like an idiot and move already."
"No one died when they didn't listen to you." Flash said.
"Yeah, but how else was I to get their flanks moving? Just ask please?" Nightwing asked sarcastically. "Now then, you and I need to talk."
"About what?"
"About your element of Chaos, the element of Shadow." Nightwing answered.
Flash's ears perked up at the question. "How the hay does he know about the Element of Shadow?" Shadow questioned.
"Because I'm the one that put the Element inside Flash." Nightwing answered.
...Can you hear me?"
"Yes. I'm using my complex crystal to speak to you through Flash. Anyways I just want to tell you, don't activate the element."
"Ha! Even the Shadow knight agrees with me."
"Will you just shut up." Flash groaned.
"Why? What did I do to you?" Nightwing asked.
"Not you...I mean...I was trying to...forget it. I give up." Flash let his head slump down.
"That's the spirt Flash."
"Flash get up. Just because you have a voice inside your head doesn't mean your crazy and should just give up." Nightwing patted Flash on the back.
"Really?"
"Really. Now get up and let's go beat the tar out of your brother." Nightwing smiled, he was going to enjoy this.
"That was probably the most stupid thing I did since I got here." Scorch muttered as he rubbed his right hoof. "I should have been more aware of what this new body can handle, that last attack I just used put a major strain on my body. Would really suck if something kicked me in the back." And then a metal pony kicked Scorched in the back. "Damn it." Scorch groaned as he crashed into the ground. Scorch quickly recovered and jumped into a battle stance. About fifty metal ponies, and ten Gladiators, had their faces opened up and a haze of fire could be seen, had surrounded Scorch. "Aww, tiny Gladiators. That's the most adorable and destructive thing I've ever seen." Scorch cooed.
A fiery beam exploded from the metal ponies and Gladiators faces as the beam struck Scorch, a bubble of fire engulfed Scorch's body as the metal ponies and Gladiators continued to onslaught Scorch with fire. But the Gladiators and mini Gladiators were no longer firing their beam at Scorch. Scorch was now absorbing the fire from the Gladiators. The Gladiators tried to stop themselves from releasing their magic but proved infective. The fire inside the Gladiators faded away as all of the troops turned into inanimate armor. The fire bubble that surrounded Scorch began to shrink as the bubble was absorbed into his heart. Releasing a sigh, a small flame came out of his mouth.
"Ahhhh. Nothing like a energy drink to get the blood pumping. Now where was I-gah!" Scorch yelled in surprise as something made an impact on his back, sending him sailing forward and bounced off a bolder that he had hit. "Stop kicking me in back!" Scorch yelled. Getting up Scorch faced his attackers. Nightwing, Flash, and the three Guardians stood before him. "Well...looky what we got here-" Scorch's speech was short lived as the three Guardians created a lightning ball and threw it at Scorch.
*bang!* *bang!* *bang!*
The three small lightning balls all hit Scorch, sending him crashing through the bolder he had hit and trapped inside.
"Huh...that was easier than I thought it would be." Flash scratch is head.
"Yeah, I thought that would have taken a lot longer than-" Nightwing's words got caught in his throat as Scorch flew out of the bolder, grabbed a Guardian by the helmet, and crushed said Guardian against another bolder.
"You shouldn't have did that." Scorch growled at the group, his fire eyes burned their way into the others. "Now die!" Scorch shouted as he aimed his right hoof and a wave of fire exploded towards the group.
"Dodge!" Nightwing yelled as the group took to the air, just nearly missing the wave of fire.
Scorch smiled with delight. 'So the one in the gold armor is the Element of Shadow. Perfect, just need to get rid of these flys and the Element is all mine.' Scorch thought, instantly closing the distance between him and Nightwing. "Hi." Scorch said to Nightwing. "Bye." Scorch said as a fire ball was formed in his hoof. Rearing back his hoof, Scorch swung at Nightwing.
And then he vanished.
"What?!" Scorch yelled in surprise. "Oof!" The word escaped Scorch's mouth as Nightwing had teleported above Scorch and kneed him in the back. "What did I just say about hitting me in the back?!"
"Lightning strike you have to stop this right now." Nightwing said.
"News flash buddy." Scorch said as he twisted himself around and grabbed Nightwing by the leg. "I'm not Lightning strike!" Scorch yelled as he threw Nightwing to the ground, Nightwing nearly crashed into the ground but a Guardian caught him before he fell. Scorch appeared behind the Guardian a jammed his foreleg into the Guardians chest. Then exploded a fire ball inside it's chest causing it to explode from the inside.
"Two down. Two to go." Scorch turned to the third Guardian and was about to attack but was then tackled by Flash.
"Didn't forget about me did you?" Flash joked as he rammed Scorch into the ground. Only to be punched off by Scorch.
"I'll deal with you later, for now I must destroy your two friends." Scorch said.
"Hey!" Nightwing shouted from behind catching Scorch's attention. "Pick on someone your own size!" Nightwing yelled as he charged Scorch.
"Do you have a death wish or something?" Scorch asked as he lifted his right hoof and was engulfed in flames, he then closed the distance between the two and shoved his hoof at Nightwing. Only for his punch to go straight through Nightwing.
"Oh shoot." Scorch said as he looked up and saw the real Nightwing who shot a large magic bolt at Scorch.
*BOOM!!!*
The bolt made impact on Scorch and sent him buried underneath five feet of earth. Nightwing, Flash, and the Guardian approached the cracked ground, hoping that the battle was over.
It wasn't.
"RAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!" Scorch released a mighty roar as he soared into the air. His body was caught in a hellish orange aura. Nightwing knew that what was about to happen wasn't gonna be good.
"Guardian, protect Flash." Nightwing ordered. The Guardian's shell disassembled itself, the pieces of armor flying at Flash and attaching to Flash's armor until his whole body was covered in armor. Nightwing only had a little bit of time so he created a double layered blue force field.
"BURRRRRRNNNNN!!!" Scorch screamed as he released a his magic.
*KABOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!!!!!!!*
Scorch had created an explosion that was three times more powerful than the fireball he used to destroy the mountain. Nothing stood a chance against the blast. When the blast faded all that remained was a smoked crater that cover 1/7 of the land. The Guardian's armor that was protecting Flash fell to the ground and transformed back into the Guardian it once was, Flash looked around in disbelief at the large crater. But then something more important came to his mind. Nightwing. He searched frantically for his friend until they landed on Nightwing, who was lying on his side facing away from Flash.
"Nightwing!" Flash shouted as he ran towards his friend. Turning him to his back Flash looked over Nightwing, he placed his ear to his chest.
Silence. No heartbeat. No pulse. No breathing. Nightwing was dead.
Nightwing, Flash's best friend was dead. And he was powerless to anything to help him. Tears began to Spain Nightwing's fur as they rolled down Flash's cheeks.
But then a new emotion pierced Flash's heart. Hatred. Flash's mane became black the tips of his mane be game Crimson red, his eyes began fully red, and his wing tips became red as well.
"Scoooooooooorrrrrrrrch!!!!" Flash roared and flew into the the sky.
Nightwing's eyes began to flutter open. He was back in a hospital bed, one in Canterlot it seemed. Nightwing turned to his side only to meet the face of his doom. Standing on the left of his bed was an earth pony stallion with orange fur, chocolate brown poofy mane with a curl in the front, blue eyes, and wore a yellow shirt. A mischievous grin was plastered on his face. There was no escaping his impending doom. His fate was sealed this was the end of our dear hero Nightwing.
"Hi Nightwing you want to go skateboards?" Cheese sandwich asked.