"What's that groaning noise?" Apple Bloom wondered.
"Oh no..." The Violet Leader trembled.
"What's going on?" Granny Smith questioned both the Green and Violet Leader.
"They're here!" The Green Leader exclaimed. The Violet Leader opens the barn doors, and Apple Bloom could only shake. She remembers being taught about the beings in her school, but never did she think she'd ever encounter one, let alone a horde.
"D... d- Demon Steves!?"
"You two, get her out and stay behind us!" The Green Leader barked out orders as the Violet Leader got put his longbow and starts shooting arrows, while the Green Leader stays close, getting out his spear, with a very sharp shiny tip made of pure emeralds, piercing any demon that got too close. Apple Bloom and Granny Smith trots over to Applejack. Granny Smith picks up Applejack's 8 apples and puts them in a brown bag while Apple Bloom helps her big sister up.
"What deh ye think yer doin' there ya sweet appawl!?" Applejack yelled.
"It's okay sis, it's okay..." Apple Bloom wept, just about on the brink of crying. The big sister she looked up to so much has been reduced to an earth pony who's mental health is deteriorating more as time goes by.
"Hurry! We can't hold this for long!" The Violet Leader yelled as he shoots more arrows. The Green Leader is having to hit the Demon Steves more and more with his spear, and even resorted to using lightning. But the swarm of Demon Steves just continues to get closer. But Apple Bloom, Granny Smith and Applejack make it out of the barn doors.
"Okay, now run!" The Violet Leader yelled as he steps back but continues shooting arrows. The Green Leader stays right until the 3 earth ponies gathered at least a distance of at least 25 metres/blocks. After they did, both the leaders starts running. All of a sudden, Granny Smith felt a jolt of pain in all 4 of her knees as they next make contact with the ground. Her knee joints have given way, due to her advanced age. Granny Smith shrieked as she fell, faceplanting onto the ground.
"Grandma- NO!" Apple Bloom screamed as she began trotting to her now unconscious grandma. The Green and Violet Leader turn around while Applejack continues blindly running.
"Come on, get UP!" Apple Bloom couldn't lift her grandma up all on her own. The yellow filly even tries dragging her out of desperation, but the Demon Steves are approaching faster than Apple Bloom could drag Granny Smith.
"We need to go!" The Violet Leader yelled.
"I'm not leaving her! I rather die helping!" Apple Bloom snapped as tears of frustration soaks her cheeks. All her strength and stamina for what could've been used to run away has been used up in trying to help Granny Smith. She looks as the approaching demons starts wielding out netherite swords. Apple Bloom closes her eyes, knowing she at least tried.
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Apple Bloom then hears the sound of magic not just once, but twice, both in very quick succession. Apple Bloom opens her eyes and notices she's on a fast-moving wooden cart with Granny Smith and Applejack. She looks at the front to see who's trotting at this speed with the combined weight on the cart. She could recognize that big red stallion from a mile away.
"Big Mac!?"
"Eeeeyup!" He yelled back.
Then she hears that same magical sound again 6 more times. The Green and Violet Leader are now on the wooden cart, along with an orange pegasus filly and a white unicorn filly.
"Sweetie Belle! Scootaloo!" Apple Bloom and the orange filly hugs briefly before letting go. But the white filly could barely keep sitting upright, let alone getting up on a fast-moving cart and lifting a forehoof up to hug.
"That... was so... tiring..." Sweetie Belle panted, gasping for air as if she hadn't taken a single breathe throughout the day. She is also sweating all over her body, and her face even gone slightly blue. She is barely keeping herself from passing out.
"How I did that... I don't know..."
"Just rest, we may need you very soon," The Green Leader responded as he looks at Granny Smith. He gently puts his right hand on Granny Smith's head.
"What are you doing?" Apple Bloom lightly asked, taken by surprise at how much of this just happened within the space of just a few seconds.
"Her injuries are able to be healed with my powers," The Green Leader replied.
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The Violet Leader notices all the Demon Steves began glowing yellow. After the glow on them worn off, the demons then began to chase faster, and even began catching up with the cart. The Violet Leader summons a few lightning strikes before switching to his longbow, waiting for his lightning abilities to charge up again.
"Give me the bow," Scootaloo offered her help. The Violet Leader drops his bow and arrow to Scootaloo.
"Don't worry about arrows, it has an enchantment that replaces the arrow. Just fire as much as you can," The Violet Leader explained. Scootaloo holds the bow on the of the cart with her left forehoof and picks up the arrow with her right forehoof. She carefully places the arrow's back end on the string, making sure the arrow didn't fall off and is held in the slit for the bow. She closes her right eye and adjusts her aim to make sure this arrow definitely hits. She then let's go of the string and the arrow shoots off, hitting and destroying a Demon Steve. The arrow then reappears in her right forehoof.
"Great shot!" The Violet Leader commended as he strikes a few more lightning strikes. Scootaloo repeats the steps she just did. Secure the arrow in place, pull the string, aim, let go. But this time, the arrow didn't destroy a Demon Steve.
"Shoot where I next strike lightning!" The Violet Leader demanded. He summons lightning on some more Demon Steves to the right, and Scootaloo aims where that lightning just struck and shoots, killing another Demon Steve.
"That's it! You're doing very good!" The Violet Leader shouted as he summons lightning to the Demon Steves to the left. Scootaloo aims to the left and shoots, destroying another Demon Steve. The 2 began to coordinate very efficiently. The Violet Leader may of been able to kill a few Demon Steves with lightning, but with Scootaloo there destroying an extra demon each time is another one that's sent back to the world below, or whatever the equivalent of the world below is for Equis.
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"I'm getting tired... have they stopped!?" Big Mac asked as he began the trot slower to try and get at least a bit more air. But it didn't make a difference, and he couldn't go back to the speed he was going at.
"I'm afraid not," The Green Leader replied.
"W... what in t... tarnation..." Granny Smith has barely regained her consciousness, and is shaken at her surroundings. When she went unconscious, she thought she was dead, only to find out she's very much alive and now felt completely fine. It is almost as if she was in a nightmare. Apple Bloom sighs of relief that Granny Smith before looking at the Green Leader.
"Are you able to do some of that lightning to fight the Demon Steves?"
"I think she's in need now," The Green Leader stated as he looks at Sweetie Belle, who had now passed out. The Green Leader sat next to the left side of Sweetie Belle and gently puts his right hand on her head and keeps it there until she woke up.
"H... huh?"
"You feeling better?" The Green Leader asked.
"I... I think so- H... how did you do that?"
"Green Steves are about health, and I used my abilities to help you out, like I helped Granny Smith over there," The Green Leader explained.
"I... can't keep... going..." Big Mac began to slow down even further, and the Demon Steves began to get so close that they even tried leaping onto the cart. The Violet Leader and Scootaloo, who are still striking lightning and shooting arrows gets away from the back. Scootaloo gives the Violet Leader his longbow and arrow back.
"How much can your magic carry, Sweetie Belle, to head back near the barn?" The Violet Leader asked.
"Absolutely no way in Equestria would I be able to teleport ALL of us!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed.
"Then how did you teleport everybody past that dark metal gate in the core room when running away from Madness Steve?" Scootaloo asked.
"I can only do short distances, not massive distances. What if I overextend myself again?" Sweetie Belle explained
"Listen, because we only have the time for me to say this once," The Green Leader said with a serious tone in his voice, looking to Sweetie Belle.
"Me and Violet will channel our power over to you. What you need to do is teleport us all. With your magic being boosted by our powers, you should be able to do it."
Sweetie Belle nodded and understood what needs to be done.
"I'm ready."
The Green and Violet Leader began summoning lightning on Sweetie Belle, lending some power over to her. Big Mac began to slow down to just a walking pace, his stamina being completely depleted. Several Demon Steves leap onto the cart. Right before they all got killed by the demons, Sweetie Belle teleports herself and everyone else, leaving only the cart for the Demon Steves to feast on.
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The 2 leaders, the CMC, Granny Smith, Big Mac and Applejack are beside the clubhouse, at the bottom of the steps. Right as everyone got to catch a breather, they hear more groaning and screeching.
"Just- How many of them are there!?" Big Mac exclaimed. These Demon Steves just seem to not stop coming. They are surrounding them and the clubhouse.
"To the clubhouse, now!" Scootaloo yelled. She runs up the steps, followed by everyone else. The Violet Leader goes up halfway, wielding his longbow. Meanwhile, the Green Leader stayed at the bottom, wielding his spear. Slowly the leaders step back. The numbers are too much. They are surrounded with no route of escape. Sweetie Belle's magic is exhausted. The Leader's powers are exhausted. Everyone's abilities have been exhausted.
Several bolts of lightning began to be struck on the Demon Steves. None of the 2 leaders could summon that amount of lightning. Half of the demons had just been wiped out. They could see a rainbow trail left in the air above the remaining Demon Steves.
"What in the name of-" The Violet Leader gets interrupted by more lightning strikes, which out the other half of demons that were left. A light blue pegasus with a rainbow mane and tail hovers down until level with the platform, with someone sitting on her back whilst holding a staff in their right hand.
"Sabre!?" The Green Leader sighed with relief.
"Hey there- You are safe- All of you, you're all safe," Sabre reassured. Rainbow Dash hovers down onto the ground, while everyone on the clubhouse platform walks down the steps to the ground.
"Sabre!" Sweetie Belle greatly smiled as she holds out her left forehoof. Sabre gets off the mounted saddle on Rainbow Dash and puts the staff away into his inventory, then walks to Sweetie Belle. He got onto his knees and extends both his arms around the small unicorn. Apple Bloom and Scootaloo also hug Sabre.
"Ah- Hello CMC, glad you three are okay," Sabre said in a relieved tone. The CMC let's Sabre go so he can get back up on his feet.
"Where's mine?"
"Sabre took us to the most recent fair at Appleloosa," Scootaloo replied in a cheeky to Rainbow Dash. Sabre and the other 2 crusaders giggled as well as Scootaloo.
"Oi!" Rainbow Park said loudly.
"Anyway, how did you know where we were?" Scootaloo asked Sabre and Rainbow Dash.
"We didn't, we happened to notice all of you. Me and Dash were originally seeing where the demons were exactly approaching from, then we saw you surrounded by all them Demon Steves. The demons were heading to Ponyville. But it seemed that was all of them. That was way to easy, something is up. Getting a little bit of deja vu here," Sabre stated.
"What do you mean Sabre?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"When Void sent the demons to attack the citadel, it was only a single wave. Even with just me and Light alone, we stopped them. This is reminding me of that," Sabre explained.
"Could it be Nightmare Steve?" Rainbow Dash thought, speaking to Sabre.
"I don't know- What was that!?" Sabre looks around him in shock. The ground shook, and then shook again. The ground shook 8 more times, until a tall creature came with orange hands and feet, with a yellow aura around each hand. It has thick legs with white fur mixed with some orange, yellow and dark coloured patches. The arms are even bigger, and around the wrists are black. The same white fur with the orange, yellow and dark coloured patches are on the arms.
It's body is very dark grey, with the same markings on it's chest as the markings on the chest of a Demon Steve. It also has a thin white tail, again with orange, yellow and dark coloured patches mixed in with the white. The same coloured fur on the arms, legs and tail are around it's face, orange, yellow and dark colours.
It has massive black sharp pointy horns on top of it's head. It also had an extra set of horns in the middle on top of their head, but are partially orange. It has a grey face, as well as orange eyes, and it's pupils being completely white, and the eyebrows are made entirely of fire. It gave a loud chuckle, revealing sharp white teeth and an orange tongue.
The CMC hides behind Rainbow Dash and Big Mac. They felt safe hiding away from the sight of the big creature. They remember the creature, except the creature looks different.
"No! We defeated you a while ago!" Rainbow Dash gasped.
"WHO ARE YOU!? STAY AWAY!" Sabre screamed, stepping back and immediately gets holds out the supercharged redstone staff. Everyone else steps behind Sabre, with everypony standing behind the leaders. Sabre and the leaders don't know who this is, but everypony does. Sabre strikes lightning to deter the creature, but just shrugs off each lightning strike, and it continues to walk closer, shaking the ground with each step.
"This power is even greater than I could even dream of! It's even greater than all the magic the princesses I once had put together! Becoming a demon is far greater than I have ever envisioned!"
"It can't be- We saw Tempest push you off the edge!" Rainbow Dash shouted.
"Yes she did, but I was given the opportunity to come back from the dead and take this form! All hail the Second One! All hail the Second One!"
"Who is this you're referring to!? The Second One, who is it you're talking about!?" Sabre yelled.
"You know who, Sabre. Deep down, you want to believe it isn't him..."
"Wha- How do you know my name?"
"Enough! What do you want!?" Rainbow Dash yelled at the creature.
"Thought I'd come and let you all know I'm back ah ha!"
"We don't even know who you are!" The Green Leader exclaimed.
"You will soon, I've got a town to conquer!" The creature claps his hands and disappears.
"Who... was that?" The Violet Leader wondered.
"I- He was defeated before we even knew of the steves- How is this possible?" Rainbow Dash stuttered to herself.
"Rainbow Dash, who was that?" The Violet Leader questioned.
"There there was... the-"
"It doesn't matter who they are. What matters is that they must be stopped," Sabre responded.
"Rainbow Dash, please make sure everyone is okay and help anypony who wants to evacuate," Sabre said as he looks at the pegasus.
"What will you be doing?"
"As AJ's gone nuts, and while we're here, we may as well try get it figured out. My solution is to go to someone who's equally as nuts," Sabre replied.
"Meh gone nuts!? Nah dude, yer jus' need some cidar rain on ya from da sky! Then perform rituals with appawls to speak ta appawl spirits!" Applejack yelled.
"Okay... she's definitely gone mental," Rainbow Dash thought to herself.
"Green or Violet Leader, if it's okay with everypony else, take them to either of your kingdoms. You Green, your kingdom is surrounded by water, and you Violet, yours is high on a mountain. Both your kingdoms are arguably the most naturally protected against any attack by the Demon Steves," Sabre ordered.
"Also, can one of you two send me and AJ to the Red Kingdom please. There's one steve who may be able to help."
"If you're taking AJ, can I come with?" Apple Bloom asked Sabre.
"Granny Smith, Big Mac?" Sabre looks at the adult apple earth ponies for their approval. They nodded.
"If she's going, can me and Scoots come too?" Sweetie Belle next asked.
"I'm only letting Apple Bloom come as AJ is her sister, so- Wait, speaking of sisters... Sweetie Belle, does Rarity know where you are?" Sabre asked.
"We were in school until we were let out very early. We wondered why and... now we know- She could still be thinking we are still at school!" Sweetie Belle gasped.
"I thought every school in Equestria went into lock down!"
"Well, we were Rainbow, but when it was announced Demon Steves were invading Equestria... everypony very quickly descended into panic. Us three just felt it was safe to get to the clubhouse... until they reached the barn. Thought we try and detour them away and then head back to the clubhouse, but that didn't work..." Scootaloo explained to the light blue pegasus.
"Can we please go? For support?" Sweetie Belle asked repeatedly.
"Please?"
"I appreciate you three wanting to go... but I rather you getting somewhere safe," Rainbow Dash stepped into the conversation.
"Ugh- We need to get to the Red Kingdom! Who's going and who's not!? Oh uh- Sorry, didn't mean to snap there, but so much is going on," Sabre apologized.
"Let all three of the CMC go to make it easier," Rainbow Dash sighed.
"Please come with us Rainbow," Scootaloo begged.
"I would Scoots... but I'm tied up elsewhere. I rather you all get to somewhere safe."
Rainbow Dash didn't blame the CMC, it's perfectly understandable why they wanted to go as well as her. She just wanted them to be safe. But she trusts Sabre. She knows that Sabre will definitely make sure they stay safe.