Intermission: Dawn of a new age

[pan2000]

On a moon of Andromeda, Lightning Dawn and his new mentor are having their first big fight.

They face off against powerful, but weak-willed monster troops of a great warrior race, made by seeds.

"Be careful, Lightning," Yamcha warns him. "I died to those guys once because I got too cocky. Never underestimate a weaker opponent."

"Don't worry, I am never doing that again after three defeats to Finn. I will not take them so lightly," the Unicornicopian assures him.

"You talk about Finn a lot, my apprentice. I hope he can inspire some of my friends to get more agency. Anyways, let's beat these Saibamen."

"I agree. RAINBOW FORCE!" Lightning combines the Rainbow Rod with the Uniforce and causes a severe burn to the first Saibaman.

The short alien growls and its head opens before it fires a very powerful corrosive liquid.

Lightning attempts to block the liquid with his forearms. However, when it connects, it gets through his strong and solid skin, making him scream in pain.

The Saibaman is about to fire again, but Yamcha dashes at it and cuts its head off with his sword.

"Thanks for weakening it," he tells Lightning before he sheathes his sword and aims at a second Saibaman.

"KAME HAME HAAAAAA!"

He oblitetates the second Saibaman, but a third one is about to attack him from behind with its corrosive liquid.

Yet Lightning lands a flying kick on it, knocking it down, before he fires the Uniforce and hitting it in the head.

The Saibaman leaps at him and prepares to blow itself up, only for him to use his wings and fly away. He only gets hit by part of the blast, which injures him and makes him go into his Enticorn form.

"I suppose that was what killed you, master?" Lightning asks.

"Indeed. Be careful!"

---

Alix is flying above Cloister, cautious in case she is also in danger.

She wanders around the place in falcon form, soaring over the skies.

Soon, she discovers she is not alone. Some sky islands are covered by clouds, but also watching over the land of Cloister.

She spots one of the flying islands and flies towards it to explore it, her curiosity guiding her.

But the floating islands are a land of giants. These giants are more than mere big humans. They have filthy habits and a barbaric culture. Yet, unfortunately for their prey, they are still sapient and able to use tools.

One of them, a hideous, scarred man, spots the blue falcon and draws a massive crossbow.

"Hold still, little bird."

He opens fire, but Alix dodges the giant arrow and fires a barrage of spinning feathers, wounding the giant.

Then, as he is stunned for a second due to the pain, she gets on his nape and turns into her shark form, inflicting a hard bite that takes a chunk of his neck off.

Landing on the ground, she changes into her wolf form to bite the hunter's legs before he recovers, and also be able to breathe. Once she has inflicted serious wounds, she spits poison into them through her snake form, finishing him off.

Yet she knows she won't be able to take all the giants on by herself.

So, she lowers altitude, preferring to scout the kingdom itself.

And who knows, maybe she can free it. She has helped free kingdoms before.

---

In one of said freed kingdoms, a blue mare is talking to a stallion.

"Do you think everypony is relieved to be back to normal?"

"I think so, Dash. To think we are able to use our own terms again... I have missed the taste of freedom."

The mare nods. "I heard the last remnants of Celesto's purists were crushed. So, I am planning to drink tonight. For our freedom, our self-worth and the ability to speak however we want!"