Elements of Secondary ch11

Chapter 11
First Failure

The sky was unusually dark and the royal guard entered the city armed and began evacuating. Nopony knew what was happening or why but they didn't argue if it was ordered by the Princesses. Thunder and lightning came along with the swirling dark clouds.

A blinding flash lit up the square, alerting the guards a bit. The Mane 12 arrived in Fillydelphia and was frightened of the sight they saw. Not even at night had they seen this kind of darkness and shadow. It was depressing; it siphoned the joy from anyone's mind.

"Ok everypony, we're here to protect the ponies here." Cross stated. "So team up with your respective partner and split up."

"Are you sure splitting up is a good idea Cross?" Twilight questioned Cross's methods but soon gave up on the stubborn unicorn when she gave her a glare.

"This dark thing'll be sorry once it meets Rainbow Dash!" Rainbow bragged as she and Jojo continued along the street to the carriage bridge so they could get a vantage point. Jojo was barely listening to the high and mighty Rainbow, looking back at Joker and Pinkie entering a building to get a higher look.

"Can't we just go into that building to get a high look?" Jojo asked.

"No, we need open sky so everypony can see my awesomeness when I take down this creep." Rainbow was beginning to grate on Jojo.
"Do you realize how annoying your bragging is?" Jojo asked bluntly as they flew onto the bridge. "You're not the Master of All Skills, or the Queen of Might, you're just a narcissistic Pegasus with a flying skill." Jojo stomped.

"And you're a-" Rainbow was cut off by what she, Jojo, and everypony else in the city saw. Everypony saw the sight of a frightening wall of total blackness, plants and trees wilted in its wake. The lightning and thunder rumbled above the city until it struck the courtyard in the square! Everypony froze stiff seeing what the lightning left behind. A large creature stood tall on its hind legs holding a staff. It was a Sphinx, and it seemed angry.

"I am Ecotep." It spoke with a calm but commanding voice that still echoed through the city. "I have escaped from my dimensional prison, crafted by Starswirl the Bearded, to continue my task of siphoning life from the land and enslave pony kind."

"And you though I was a bragger." Rainbow stated, suddenly she took a mad dash at the Sphinx!

"Rainbow no!" Cross and Twilight shouted loudly. It was too late, Ecotep turned and deflected Rainbow Dash and she crashed into a hedge. Applejack and Wolfbane ran at him and attempted to double buck him but he suspended them in the air and got ready to throw them. Flames engulfed Ecotep from behind. He turned and saw Karol Flame, armored with active fire blowers mounted on her shoulders. She was ready for battle… Unfortunately not well enough. Ecotep kicked her like a soccer ball and she fell flat on Rarity. Ecotep began using his Darkness to tear the city down!

"He'll destroy the city!" Twilight shouted as she and Cross approached the city center. They began trying an assault spell, the one Twilight attempted to use on the false Cadence in the caverns, but just like the caverns it was to no avail.
The buildings buckled and the bridge Jojo was on began collapsing. She flew off and into a building.

"Jojo!?" Joker shouted down, he and Pinkie were still upstairs and Jojo looked up to them.

"Are you ok!?" Pinkie asked, worried she might be hurt.

"I'm fine." Jojo answered, but immediately after, the stairs began collapsing, Joker and Pinkie ran quickly down but Jojo was about to be smashed!

"Oh no!" Joker shouted. He leapt over the banister and got between Jojo and the debris. There was a loud crash and Pinkie Pie rushed down to make sure her friends weren't Pony-berry jam. Jojo opened her tight-shut eyes and looked up at Joker, leaning over her with debris on his back. "You ok?" Joker asked, wincing from his bruised back.

"Are you?" Jojo asked, blushing a little. Pinkie witnessed them in the arch of fallen stairs and felt a feeling she never had before. She didn't like it.

"Okie dokie lokie! Let's get this stuff off you guys and get out of here!" She said, pushing the wreckage off Joker's back. The three left the building and were surprised to see most of the others trying to stop Ecotep but failing miserably.

"Get back Cross! You're in the way!" Twilight shouted.

"Your magic is failing anyway!" She answered back.

"These are the ponies sent to stop me!?" Ecotep laughed as he absorbed the life of the city. The ground buckled and everypony began to retreat from the crumbling land.
"We have to go back!" Wolfbane shouted, pulling Cross away. They all turned and ran away from the imploding city. They rushed away and as Twilight used her teleport spell, they could all hear Ecotep laughing. They failed. They failed to save the city, and they were in no shape to save Equestria.