Espirit groaned and wobbled slightly from side to side before falling down, little sparkles of aether rising from her body. “Oben duba dye?” a voice asked before something soft landed on her head.

The zebra grinned and looked up. “Hi Selene,” she said before reaching up to pat the little breezie. “I'm hoping that means happy to see you and welcome back.”

“Actually it's more loosely translated to 'I do hope your everything does not ache as badly as it looks',” Mirage said as she trotted up. “I'd love it if we could talk more.” She reached out and helped the zebra to her hooves, supporting her slightly so she couldn't fall over. “But we don't have time for that. This is it, Espirit. The last battle. Our final chance to defeat them. I don't know what you did, but you've bought us the chance we need.”

“A-any time,” Espirit said softly before looking towards the hordes of centaurs. “W-we need to stop Tirek now, though. We need to--”

“We know,” Clearpond said as she stepped through the lines. “I have just the force to do it, too.”

“I'd sure hope so,” Steelhorn said before landing besides them, her shield grasped firmly in her magic. “I'm looking forward to giving that creature a solid smack that he actually feels.”

“I want to get him back for what he did to Silverwing,” Swipes said as he cracked his claws. “She's out there somewhere now, probably giving them Tartarus. If we don't hurry, she might beat us to him.”

Tempora gave a little grunt. “I said I'd help, that's all I need.”

“One last fight before we return to retirement,” Ganry said with a chuckle as he drew another arrow. “Let's make sure it's a good one.”

“I've been training my whole life for a fight like this,” Bronzeflex said as he cracked his fists. “Smashing in a few centaur faces is going to be awesome.”

“Everypony should be able to keep the others off us,” Diamondtip said as she spread out her wings. “Magic is returning to our armor, too. I'll signal the Wonderbolts and they'll help drive us through.” She took to the air.

“You ponies all talk too much!” Grounder yelled before lifting his axe into the air. “Let's go!”

Espirit smiled and looked around at her friends. There were only eleven of them, but they were surrounded by the armies of all the races that stood against the centaurs. The great Equestrian alliance. There'd be nothing to stop them now.

A roar pierced the air as great shadows fell over the armies. Above, the dragons flew by, diving down and raining a heavy inferno down on the centaur forces.

“That's our cue! Go go go!” Clearpond screamed. They took off, charging at the centaur lines.

Espirit could still feel him, the great evil spirit off past their line. The centaurs stood between them and him, but their armies were pushing through. Off in the distance she could see the back line being assaulted as well as the flying species attacked from there. The cages were being torn apart, freeing the prisoners and they were quickly given centaur weapons to aid in the battle.

She and her friends joined the front line, trying to push past the centaurs. They formed a wall of shields, the spikes pushed out towards the fighters. Great spears were pushed over the tips and fire balls began to rain down from the other side. The diamond dog forces suddenly disappeared under the ground, sending up clouds of dirt into the air. They quickly tunneled through the ground, making their way under the shield centaurs, only to rise up amidst them, blade and mace swinging.

“Kill them all! Leave no survivors!” Grounder yelled as he drove himself through, a spear gashing his arm before he made it through to the large creatures on the other side. Bronzeflex was behind him a moment later, his fists and feet flying as he knocked the centaurs around, the minotaur showing no mercy.

Espirit could barely keep up, but she raised her hooves none the less and started casting her healing spells on the fighters. Steelwing charged past her, diving into the ranks and slamming her shield against the centaurs. Swipes was right behind her, the dragon dodging and weaving around the spears, cutting many in two with his claws before unleashing a burst of dragon's breath on them.

“Get the mages!” Clearpond yelled.

Espirit saw past the wall of centaurs to where the centaur mages had gathered. Fire and ice rained down from them while the conjurers used their own healing magic to keep their fighters in the battle. Suddenly a howl tore through the air and an aether built timber wolf cleared through the forces, jumping one of the mages. Great orbs of fire began to rain down on the centaurs a moment later, followed by one of the conjurers collapsing, an arrow lodged in their throat.

“PUSH!” Steelwing screamed, before narrowly avoiding another spear and blocking a second with her shield. Small cuts were forming all over her body from the attacks, but Espirit was quickly able to heal them up and put a small shield over the mare.

It wasn't going fast enough, though. They were making progress, a few centaurs at a time. But they were pulling back slowly, regrouping and forming the barrier again. The others were trying to push through, to break the line but all they were doing was bending it. All the while she could feel Tirek behind them, getting stronger. He was drawing magic from somewhere and she didn't want to imagine what would happen if they let him continue.

“WONDERBOLTS! BREAK THE LINE!” a voice yelled out. Espirit looked up in time to see the blur of blue as griffons, pegasi and negasi flew down, spears out. They descended on the centaur line, cutting through their line and scattering the forces, only to fly back up into the air and ready themselves for a second run. Like very large blue arrows. Diamondtip landed besides their front line. “GO GO GO!”

The diamond dog soldiers pushed through, aided by the dropping assaults from the wonderbolts. With attacks coming from both above and below, the centaur forces were scattered and Espirit and her friends broke through the line, charging forward. “Go go go!” Steelwing yelled, her and Grounder taking the front. More centaurs tried to block their way, but they were driven aside by the two. The others followed closely behind, driving themselves towards Tirek, like a nail through his forces. Behind them the other centaurs were struggling to hold back the forces, but were quickly being over run by the alliance.

The ground shook under them as a dragon plummeted to the ground, its body coated in blood and a thousand little wounds, from spell and weapon. It toppled through the ground, crushing centaurs as it went. Espirit stared at the creature, her eyes widening.

“Leave it,” Clearpond yelled, pushing the zebra ahead.

“B-but its one of ours, it--”

“We need to keep moving!” she ordered. “I know you can feel him. We can't delay, he's getting stronger by the second!”

Espirit sighed, only stopping a moment to quickly cast a single small healing spell on the dragon before running ahead. She hoped it would be okay.

They finally broke fully through the centaurs, coming out the other side. The ground was littered with centaurs and ponies. Espirit shivered as she looked around. Each and every one of them had their magic drained and were collapsed on the ground, struggling to stand. Many of them were wounded, too. She looked up and saw him.

Tirek. The centaur was holding one of his soldiers by the throat and lifted in the air. The aether was quickly being drained from the soldier's body, filling the spirit with its might. Once he was done, he tossed the centaur away and turned to them. He was no longer just skin and bones, though he was nowhere near as imposing as he had been. The cages nearby were all empty, the prisoners inside either having escaped or been drained by the monster. He cracked his knuckles and grinned at them.

“Well well, hoping for a rematch?”

“You're going down, Tirek!” Espirit shrieked.

“Oh? You and your little ponies will be an excellent snack.” He frowned. “Well, they will. I think it's time that you fade off into nothing. You've caused me nothing but trouble.” His horns began to glow and the zebra let out a shriek as she was lifted into the air and flew towards his hand. His cold fingers wrapped around her neck, tightening. “You've only delayed the inevitable. I will drain each of these creatures and fuel myself again. They will-- ARGHHH!” he dropped her, aether spilling from his arm. Swipes wrapped an arm around her and jumped back to join the others.

Espirit let out a sigh of relief, before smiling at him. “Thanks.”

“Anytime.”

“Enough talk! Destroy!” Grounder yelled before charging forward, his axe raised high into the air.

The centaur growled and held out a hand, beams of yellow light cutting through the air. Grounder was forced to leap forward, falling onto his stomach as they erupted. Steelhorn took to the air, flying at the centaur. Tirek raised a hand, sending out a few spheres of yellow magic. The changeling dove and weaved around them, barely avoiding the explosions when they erupted, and slammed her shield into the centaur's face. “This is for everything!” she screamed.

Ganry took to the air as well, moving around to the centaur's side and unleashing arrow after arrow on the creature. Grounder leaped to his feet and charged forward, slashing his axe at Tirek's feet while the changeling had him distracted.

Bronzeflex, Swipes and Diamondtip spread out, the first two splitting to come at Tirek from each side, while the wonderbolt took to the air and flew up and over him. The spirit let out a roar, forming a sphere of yellow magic around himself. It only lasted a moment under their continued assault before finally cracking and shattering.

Tempora and Mirage stayed near the back, sending out the summoned timber wolf and launching their dark magics on him, the aether swerving around to avoid their friends. Espirit watched with wide eyed admiration.

Tirek was trying to use his magic to fend them off, but they moved with the grace and confidence of experienced fighters. He'd get some blows in, shooting lasers and forcing the others to scatter, but it was only a minor delay. They were pushing in on him and showing no mercy and piece by piece the aether was rising from him. Selene and Clearpond seemed to have it handled as well, keeping her friends from getting too hurt when he launched his spells. She sat down and wiped her brow.

Apparently the releasing of all that energy had taken more out of her than she thought. Well, of course it had. She still felt exhausted and occasionally little pieces of aether would rise up, sending sparkles into the air.

The centaur roared. “ENOUGH!” An orb of yellow magic surrounded him again, except this time it exploded out, sending her friends back. “You dare to challenge me? I will suck you all dry! There will be--” His words were cut off by Steelhorn's shield slamming into his face. He stumbled back and glared. “You, little changeling, will be the first I drain.”

“Go ahead and try,” Steelhorn said with a cocky smirk.

He let out an angry roar before sending up a small yellow orb into the sky. It swirled for a few moments, before spikes of yellow magic began to rain down around them. Espirit shrieked and quickly cast her area spell, enveloping all of her friends in a quick protective barrier. Clearpond was doing the same, launching her healing magic across their friends. Selene quickly darted forward, enveloping them in her power boosting sparkles.

The assault ended after a few moments as the orb popped, dropping the last of the little tiny arrows. There were a few cuts and scrapes, but a few more spells from all three of the healers and the wounds disappeared.

Espirit couldn't believe it. They were winning, they were actually winning. The indomitable Tirek was being defeated.

“My legions!” Tirek yelled. “Come, aid me!”

Espirit's eyes widened and she turned around. A few of the centaurs were looking towards them and sending their own small attacks, a fireball here, an arrow there, but weren't making any real effort to help in the fight. The spirit had killed their ruler and drained a number of them already, none seemed really willing to die for him now.

“What are you doing? Help me! Obey me!” the large centaur yelled. He then let out a shriek of pain as his knees were knocked out from under him by Grounder's axe.

“Centaur spirit going to fall, like centaur army!” the diamond dog yelled before burying the axe in his chest.

He let out another roar, holding out his hands and sending out beams of magic. Swipes was caught by one of the beams, stumbling back. However he quickly charged back, slashing with his claws and digging them into the creature.

“Press on!” Steelhorn screamed. “For Cloudsdale! For Canterlot! For Crystalopolis! For Equestria!” She slammed her shield into Tirek's face.

“We've got him, finish this!” Mirage yelled before sending out another orb of dark magic.

Tirek panted, crumbling to his knees. He finally formed another barrier, exploding it out and scattering the group for a moment. However, he held both hands up and looked down on them. “Enough,” he said coldly. “This has gone on far enough. You pathetic wretches! I should have killed you all when I had the chance!” Yellow light began to form in the orb above, being drawn from his mouth.

Espirit shrieked. “Stop him! Don't let him finish that spell!”

“What? What is it?” Clearpond asked, turning towards the zebra.

“It's a... I don't know. But I can feel it. All that aether, compressed at once. I don't... I don't think...” Espirit shivered, unable to draw her eyes from it. Tirek was putting his all into the orb, every drop of aether in his body. The destructive capabilities it would have made her feel physically ill. “USE EVERYTHING!” She dug her hooves into the ground and started letting the aether flow from the land and straight at the centaur, not adjusting it and just focusing on raw power. Besides her she saw Clearpond begin to do the same, shooting blasts of stones at the centaur.

Tirek roared, cringing as they launched their assault on him. “I won't be defeated, I won't die! I AM A--” His last words were cut off as a blade cleaved into his horn.

Silverwing skidded past him, the centaur sword she held flying from her mouth from the force of the blow. Her landing dug deep gouges into the ground as she went, but she soon turned back to watch the monster.

Under the continued assault, he let out another roar, one hand gripping his damaged horn. “Y-you foals! I won't fall! I will not be--” He disappeared in a shower of aether sparkles, sending them hurtling into the air. The only thing that didn't turn was his damaged horn, which fell to the ground. Clearpond stepped forward quickly and began gathering the aether in her magic, sending it back into the world.

“We... we did it,” Steelhorn said, a smile forming along her lips. “We did it! We did it! WE ACTUALLY DID IT!”

Espirit smiled and sat down, the exhaustion finally overtaking her. She couldn't believe it. They'd defeated the monster. She hadn't thought it would be possible, but it happened. They'd actually done it. Tirek was no more. He--

She froze when she held up her hoof. It was glowing and drops of aether were flying off it, into the air. “S-Steelhorn,” she said softly. After a few moments she looked up to her cheering comrades. “STEELHORN!” she screamed.

“Espirit, what?” the changeling asked, glancing back with a wide smile on her face. It froze when she saw the flow of aether sparkles swirling around the zebra. “Espirit?”

The zebra whimpered and fell to her side, her energy leaving her. “I-I... I don't think... I don't think I'm going to make it.”

“ESPIRIT!” Steelhorn screamed before flying towards the mare. Ganry quickly followed.