"And now to make you suffer." Zorann snarled, as the shadowy tendril snaked towards its target. "Once this touches you, you will be introduced to a whole new level of pain and agony. Your tauren friend is gone, and soon these ponies will share your fate. Enjoy these precious seconds, elf, for they will be your last."

Luxxoria did not reply, preferring instead to shut her eyes, if only to avoid the horrified gazes of six ponies standing nearby. Her body was numb, yet her mind was clear, and she was awaiting her fate.

Suddenly, Zorann roared in fury. Luxxoria felt a weight leave her as the cat which had been pinning her to the ground was thrown off.

"FOR THE ALLIANCE!"

Luxxoria's eyes snapped open to see Navitas standing over her, the druid's hands glowing with healing energy. In the distance, Baegon and Zorann were locked in battle with each other, the paladin calling upon the power of the Light to assist him.

"H-how did you g-get here?" Luxxoria asked weakly.

Navitas chuckled.

"You're not the only one who can use a portal." she replied. "Sorry we're late, though. We got dumped in a forest for some reason. I flew Baegon and I over here on my X-53, and we saw everything. At first we thought it was a friendly duel... but then we saw that creepy-looking tendril, and realised what was up."

Luxxoria nodded.

"He must have been possessed when he was wounded while we did that favour for the Lorewalker." she said grimly. "I can't think of any way to get it out of him other than killing him."

"We'll need to act fast then." Navitas said. "When we kill Zorann, the Sha will no doubt seek a new body. We must strike it hard and fast. Once it's defeated, I will ressurect Zorann."

"Sounds like a plan." Luxxoria replied. "But he's too powerful."

"For you, maybe." Navitas retorted. "But you have allies now. Baegon will keep him busy while you hit him with everything you have. I will keep the two of you alive."

Luxxoria placed her staff on her back and summoned a new water elemental. She nodded curtly to Navitas and turned to face the battle raging in the middle of Ponyville.

"Pathetic mortals!" Zorann bellowed. "There is no victory against the Sha! You will bow before me, or perish!"

"Don't make me laugh!" Baegon spat. "Your power is nothing next to the power of the Holy Light! I will smite you where you stand, abomination, and end your hold over my friend!"

"And we'll help!" Navitas shouted, as she and Luxxoria joined Baegon. "This ends, now!"

The three of them began their assault, Luxxoria throwing spell after spell, while Baegon swung his sword around wildly. Navitas stayed at the back, casting healing spells and the occasional bolt of orange lighting at their friend turned enemy.

Zorann buckled under the combined efforts and was soon on the defensive, engaging every survival ability he had.

"He's weakening!" Luxxoria yelled. "Just a little more!"

"No... NO!" Zorann yelled. "I will not... be... DEFEATED!"

He let out a loud roar of fury, which caused Luxxoria, Navitas, Baegon and the Elements of Harmony to cower in fear.

As they recovered, they saw Zorann fall to the ground. A twisted mass of energy seeped out of his body and convalesced into a single lifeform. It was twice the height of the tauren and had several rows of teeth, as well as multiple flailing appendages.

"I will not go down so easy, mortals!" the sha yelled in a slow, rasping hiss. "Already, I have my next host in mind! And soon, you shall all suffer for your arrogance!"

"KILL IT!" Baegon yelled. "Don't let it escape!"

Luxxoria let off a fireball, which streaked towards the sha at speed, leaving a trail of burning embers in the air. As it neared its target, the sha dispersed into a cloud. The spell hit its mark, only to fizzle into nothingness as the cloud took to the air and vanished.

"Crap!" Luxxoria snarled. "It got away! Now what?!"

Navitas looked towards where Zorann lay motionless on the grass.

"We resurrect him." she said. "And then we hunt that thing down and end it, once and for all."

As she ran towards Zorann's corpse, mocking laughter began to ring in the air. Suddenly, Navitas was lifted into the air and thrown to the ground with a painful thud.

"I never left, mortals." a voice said. "I told you I had a new host in mind, and this one is just right."

"That voice..." Luxxoria said, "... oh, felfire. Not him again."

Movement in the corner of her eye caused her to spin around, unleashing a cone of cold as she moved. The freezing air struck a target, causing a figure to emerge from the shadows.

"I told you it wasn't over, elf." Gordul snapped. "This 'sha' and I, we both have a common enemy. And now, we will combine our powers to rid ourselves of you and those meddlesome Alliance."

"You're LETTING that thing possess you?!" Luxxoria yelled. "Are you crazy, orc? Is your desire for revenge that much, you would risk your very sanity?!"

"Yes, I would." Gordul replied. "Now, die!"

He lunged forward, daggers outstretched, when he was suddenly knocked to the side by a blast of purple energy. Luxxoria gasped as she saw Twilight and the others, all of them wearing their respective Element of Harmony.

"How did you get them so fast?" she asked. "I thought Canterlot was too far away to get them in time?"

"I can't teleport that far," Twilight replied, "but the Princesses can. I sent them a letter requesting assistance, and they got here a few moments ago, Elements in hoof." She looked Luxxoria in the eyes before adding, "Azerothian magic has done enough in this fight." she said. "Now, let Equestrian magic deal the final blow."

Luxxoria bowed.

"By all means," she smirked, "go ahead. And if you happen to kill Gordul as well, that would be great too."

Twilight smiled and nodded to the rest of the Elements, who took up their positions as Gordul got to his feet.

"Pathetic creatures!" he bellowed. "You dare attack me? I will take great pleasure in listening to your anguished cries as I suck the life from your bodies!"

With those words, several appendages shot off from his body, each one grabbing an Element around the neck. They cried out in fear as they were strangled.

Gordul grinned and took a deep breath, savouring the sounds filling his ears as Luxxoria looked on in horror.

"Filthy orc!" Baegon yelled as he charged. "You dare to harm the innocent? The Light take you!"

Another appendage shot out from Gordul's body and arced towards the advancing paladin, striking him across the face. He sailed through the air before colliding with the side of Town Hall. His body dropped slowly to the ground, where it lay, unmoving on the cobbles. Gordul cackled with glee.

"I told you our powers had combined!" he said triumphantly. "And now, mage, you will watch your friends die. Once that is done, then you will learn the meaning of suffering!"

Luxxoria blinked back tears as she surveyed the area. One of her friends lay dead, two more were unconscious, and another six were being subjected to unimaginable agony. Slowly, her rage began to build. She straightened her shoulders, and looked Gordul in the eyes. The orc matched her glare with one of his own.

"Suffering?" Luxxoria said with a laugh. "You call this suffering? You poor, deluded fool... YOU KNOW NOTHING!"

Summoning all the strength she could muster, she unleashed a continuous wave of fire from her hands. The spell struck Gordul with enough force to interrupt his attack on the Elements of Harmony, destroying the appendages holding them and dropping them to the ground in a dazed heap.

Gordul roared in agony as the flames licked away at his very being. The sha inside him added its own roars as the two of them flailed and burned. Gordul dropped to the ground, a slow gurgle escaping his lips, as once again the sha escaped its latest host.

The strain of the spell had severely weakened Luxxoria, who fell to the ground. The sha looked around, it's gaze falling upon Navitas, who was coming to. As it prepared to take over the druid, a sudden blast of pure white light struck it.

Twilight and the other Elements of Harmony focused all their energy into maintaining the rainbow which was now bombarding the entity with the power of friendship. It let out a final shrill screech before exploding into nothingness.

A deathly silence descended on the town as the townsponies peeked out of their windows, noticing that the sounds of battle had faded. They saw two figures slowly get to their feet. One was near Town Hall, and the other was in the middle of the town square. The Elements of Harmony, their spell complete, were on the ground, exhausted and panting.

The townsponies cautiously exited their homes and stood around the Elements. Rarity was the first to get to her hooves.

"Is... is it over?" she asked.

From her position on the ground, Twilight nodded wearily.

"It is," she said, "and thank Celestia for that."

Baegon and Navitas approached, the latter casting a few healing spells to soothe the many injuries plaguing them.

"Is everyone all right?" Baegon asked.

"We're fine, thank ya very much." Applejack replied. "Ah don't know who y'all are, or how ya got here, but Ah'm mighty happy ya helped us out."

"We had to help our friends." Navitas said.

"Silly billy, we're not your friends!" Pinkie Pie said eagerly. "But I hope that'll change soon!"

Navitas laughed.

"I'd like that," she replied, "but I was actually referring to Zorann and Luxxoria. Speaking of which... we'd better see if they're okay."

Baegon approached Luxxoria and looked over her. He knelt down and placed a hand on her neck for a brief moment, before withdrawing it in shock.

"She's dead." he muttered.

A collective gasp of horror escaped the lips of everyone present.

"B-b-but how?" Fluttershy squeaked. "She was fine a moment ago!"

Navitas sighed.

"Whatever was in that spell she cast must have really taken it out of her." she said. "Baegon, you go and ressurect Zorann. I'll take care of Luxxoria."

Baegon nodded and sprinted towards Zorann's body.

The druid and the paladin began casting spells. Navitas' hands swirled with orbs of green, while Baegon's hands were glowing a bright white as he muttered a prayer. Both spells finished casting at the same time.

Suddenly, both casters were knocked to the ground as their spells backfired on them.

"What the...?!" Navitas yelled. "What was that?!"

"I don't know!" Baegon yelled back. "Some kind of magical interference left over by that sha, perhaps?"

Twilight's horn lit up, only to fizzle out with a pop.

"I'm getting it too." she said glumly. "How long will it last?"

"I don't know." Navitas replied. "But we'll keep trying our resurrection spells. I will not lose them. Elune, grant me strength!"

"Light, give me the strength to prevail!" Baegon said, as he began re-casting his spell.

Soon, the only sound that could be heard was the faint hum of magic, as the townsponies watched in silence.

"Nothing." Navitas said with a heavy sigh. "It's been fifteen minutes. I think that's it."

"I agree." Baegon replied. "They're both gone."

The townsponies gasped, some with tears beginning to form.

"What?!" Twilight shouted. "But, you can do it! You have to try! If Zorann was able to ressurect all the ponies he and Luxxoria killed when they first got here, then surely you can ressurect them now!"

"That only worked because the laws of magic are different here." Navitas said bluntly. "They were able to ressurect those ponies because they are not Azerothian. However, this is Azerothian magic being used on Azerothian citizens, therefore our rules of magic now apply. I'm sorry, girls... but they're dead. Permanently."

The six elements fell back onto their haunches as they began to cry. Soon, the whole town was.

"How ironic..." Rarity said, wiping her eyes with a hoof, "... that our one-time biggest threat would turn out to be our saviours."

As the two bodies were laid side-by-side, the townsponies gathered, and offered one final salute.

Thank you... and goodbye.