• Published 1st Nov 2011
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Stories in Stone, Luna's Royal Guard. - TDR



The Gardens of Canterlot contain more than their fair share of stories. And more creatures than just Discord.

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Heliotrope [ Part 2]

Stories in Stone
Luna's Royal Guard
By TDR




Heliotrope [ Part 2]

Twilight's were as wide as saucers as she stares at the pony floating in the space before her. She had seen him die, she felt it by the connection they shared through the blade...... oh Celestia, was that what this place was? The after life? She had heard of out of body experiences before, when ponies came close to dieing, was that what she was doing every time she went into the spell is that what happened this time or was she all the way dead from the feedback?

“No, I do not think that is it actually.”

“WHO'S THERE?!”

Jer'rahd whips around glaring right at Twilight. She yelps a little back peddling in space from the weight of that stare directed at her. She had not said anything, though she had heard some pony speak. She blinks a moment watching the other unicorn's face soften his eyes growing wide in surprise. She calms herself a little noticing he was looking past her not at her, turning she saw no one else behind her.

“Grandpa?............ What........ Oh Buck.......”

Grandpa? He was seeing his grandfather what was going on?

“That is something I would like to know myself little pony, you should not be here.”

Twilight whirls again, still not sure how she was spinning about so easily and not getting dizzy, this time though she winds up face to something with someone.

At first the shape was clearly equine and then not, though features could be seen a muzzle, two eyes, a mouth, and all the other parts that were present on ponies, she could not make out the shape or color past the glowing white form. It had wings it had a horn it had none of these and the very act of trying to comprehend it was giving her a headache.

“Hmm, you are experiencing pain here? That is another thing that is odd.”

“So I died then, damn it.”

Twilight glances at Jer'rahd and his seemingly one sided conversation with nothing before looking back at the white form.

“Who are you?”

“I am know as many things, I am the first, and I am the last, many have come before me, and many will come after. I am called Death, Life, Faust, and countless other names. For now I am simply Harmony. And what I am dealing with here is a disruption of that.”

“Wait what?”

“Heh, here I was hoping Platinum would be the one to greet me, nothing wrong with you grandpa its just, well I figure you would have moved on by now. And lets face it to head into the afterlife and see the mare you loved who died waiting for you would be a rather nice bit of icing on the cake.”

“Who are you little pony?”

“My name is Twilight Sparkle.”

The image blinks, or at least seems to as it is clearly taken aback by the name. A large book forms in front of it pages flipping in a blur before stopping, the figures eyes widening again or seem too, gah this was bugging her.

“This explains the disturbance, you have died nearly a thousand years before you were even born.....”

“What?!!?”

“Fine alright, I will cut out the swearing. Although coming from you that is a odd thing. No I am not talking back damn it, wha..? graahabbbblegle!!!”

Twilight looks over seeing Jer'rahd twitching and frothing at the mouth trying to spit out a bar of soap that had some how been jammed into his jaws.

“So wait I am dead? What about him?”

“Your name is not even on my list yet Twilight Sparkle. Jer'rahd Kaisur's name is slated for today. He has indeed died. I would have taken him to his hereafter if not for the wrinkle that you are causing by your presence.”

Jer'rahd spits out the soap which floats about in flurry of foam and saliva, fading out of existence leaving a trail of soapy bubbles.

“Its been nearly ten years since you died and the first thing you do is complain about my language, then shove a bar of soap in my mouth, what is wrong with you?..... WHAT!?!”

Twilight's eyes narrow as she regards the form, too much of this was not making any sense. And the parts that were bothering her she was going to happily inform this … well this glowy horse thing about. Perhaps in dealing with Princess Celestia so long, or the nature of the place. Heck, it could be that she was this close to the spirit of the angriest pony she had ever known to exist, but she had no fear of the one called harmony. Though she was a little annoyed at the lack of a set appearance.

“He cannot be dead, because he is still alive a thousand years from now sealed in stone in the Canterlot Gardens. If he had died I would not even have come back to watch him, your book is wrong. If he dies here Luna will not be saved or turn into nightmare moon for my friends and I to cure a thousand years from now.”

“The book is never wrong Twilight Sparkle.”

“Then how am I here? What reason do you have aside from that he is not supposed to die, to explain my presence?”

The whole star filled sky suddenly shakes violently and Jer'rahd's form flickers.

“What was that?”

“Hmmm, it seems you are correct Twilight Sparkle. Your presence has delayed me from guiding his soul to the after life long enough that some one is seeking to revive him. I expect when he returns you shall as well, as tied as you are to him and his weapon.”

“Wait, going back!?! Where are you going wait a moment grandpa...”

Jer'rahd exhales deeply his form flickering again as he lowers his head a bit.

“... I'm sorry, it was good to see you again, I miss you and dad, I'm trying to make you proud just trying to help everyone......”

Jer'rahd looks up and Twilight follows his gaze, seeing the spectral form of a earth pony who promptly salutes the fading form of Jer'rahd as the starry void shakes violently again. Jer'rahd flickers a last time and fades from this realm leaving Twilight blinking in confusion. She turns to ask the harmony what happened and is greeted by the sight of her own face staring back at her from the outside of the spell. She looks around seeing the familiar starry void and windows of the blades fragments floating before her. No sign of anything she had just seen.

“We shall meet again Twilight Sparkle, but not for a long time yet.”

She whirls trying to spot the source of the voice and catching only the briefest flash of a white tail from the corner of her eye. She shivers dropping out of the spell sitting down hard trying to control her shaking. She rises heading to her bathroom to check herself over in the mirror, confused as to what just happened. Did she die or was harmony powerful enough to see her there that far in the past?

She trots slowly back down the stairs a loud snore nearly giving her a heart attack, flailing a moment to keep from tumbling the rest of the way down the stair case. She looks for the source of the noise easily spotting Spike asleep on the couch, she breaths a sigh of relief looking at the blade and narrowing her eyes realizing finally that this had gotten to be far more trouble than it should be worth.

She would apologize to both Luna and Celestia, but facing death was not something that should come from a simple bit of studying. Her magic grips the blade lifting it off the table and bringing it over to the case with the intent to send it back as soon as she could. A sudden realization stops her cold.

She floats the blade up and closer to her looking the weapon over curiously, swishing it back and for the in the air with barely any effort at all, the Waning Moon humming softly as it cuts though the air. It was no longer fighting her, every time she had pulled it from the box to set it on the table since it arrived the effort had been like carrying bushels of apples like Big Mac tossed around. Now the weight was barely felt, she set the weapon on the table regarding it again.

“So what changed with you? Do you accept me now? Did you feel that I was there when your master came back from death? Do you actually have enough sense to realize I might be a friend?”

She blinks a moment slapping her face with a hoof, she had gone nuts she was talking to a inanimate object. One that had been said possessed a soul though. Perhaps there was more to it then she thought.

“Maybe you know what I am supposed to do and you think I might be the only one who can free your real owner?”

Twilight sighs not expecting the blade to respond. But that she had to ask questions of it was answer enough for her, she glances at the clock noting it was barely past eight, still prime time for her studies.

She could not give up now no matter how freaked out she was. Princess Luna was counting on her, and more importantly Princess Celestia was counting on her to help Luna. Then there were the three ponies the zebra and the dragon sealed in stone, the weight of everything she was supposed to be responsible for came down on her again and sent a shiver along her whole body. She stamps her hooves in frustration over the decision and her own nearness to freaking out.

“Buck it! I am not giving this up!”

She recasts the spell surging into the starry void and makes a bee line for Bleu's shard. She swore she heard the little dragon's voice before she was tossed into that place with Jer'rahd. She wanted to see what happened to bring Jer'rahd back.


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bleu grumbles under the weight of the bag of gems she carries. Rhede and Velkorn were none too thrilled either at the crates of gear strapped to their backs. They had landed behind a large chunk of the Great Wall and started the approach on the ground so they would not be shot at from the outpost. The group had made it within sight of the gates when the attack began. They stare in shock a moment before Rhede and Velkorn shuck out of the harnesses that held the supplies and charge towards the gates, Bleu clamoring onto Rhede's back still clutching the bag of gemstones.

A huge dragon drops from the sky into the center of the camp, its landing shaking the ground, knocking several Guard ponies around them off their hooves. Nether Rhede or Velkorn seemed bothered by the heaving ground as they galloped deftly towards the command tent where Luna and Jer'rahd were supposed to be. Sliding to a halt they scan the unfamiliar camp trying to find the way.

“FINALLY, WE HAVE THE PRIZE WE HAVE LONG SOUGHT, YOU SHALL MAKE A WONDERFUL ADDITION TO OUR COLLECTION PRINCESS.”

The trio look to each other charging towards the booming voice, dodging around burning bodies and tents. A black dragons body falls from the sky crashing into the ground, the corpse charred as if from the inside. A streak of fire tears through the sky slamming into another dragon with a battle cry, as General Shower returns, ripping into the flying black dragons like a hawk in a flock of doves. Cannons roar from the ground felling another beast. The Guard that survived the first attack, start the retaliation. The large body crashing to the ground again blocks their path forcing them to go around. Another fire to try and get to the Princess and Jer'rahd.

“YOU HAVE BEEN A TROUBLESOME FLY TO US, THOUGH NO SIMPLE PONY IS A MATCH FOR ONYX WING, YOU SHOULD BE THANKFUL WE CHOOSE TO END YOUR LIFE PERSONALLY GNAT. THAT IN ITSELF IS A GREAT HONOR WE BESTOW ON FEW.”

Bleu stands up on Rhede's back pointing to an opening in the flaming tent. As they charge towards it a gout of flame from the sky strikes the ground next to Rhede, bringing a scream of pain from the earth pony, he bucks hard flinging the little dragon from his back towards the opening and through it before another dragons body crashes to the ground blocking the route into the command tent.

Bleu and her bag crash to the ground inside the tent and slide down into a crater just as the giant dragon takes off into the air. Bleu lifts her head wiping off the mud from her face her eyes scanning the wreckage of the tent from this side. Pony bodies lay strewn everywhere ripped apart chard , but in all cases clearly dead.

She looks down at her claws and the blood and gore covering her blue scales. A noise from her left causes her to bring her head up from the pool of blood and follow the poles next to her higher to see the impaled form of Jer'rahd just as his head drops and the light of his eyes fades.

“BOSS!!!”


OH shit, oh shit, oh shit, this was the test, this still had to be the test. THIS WAS THE BUCKING TEST. Bleu steadies herself watching the blood drip from Jer'rahd's mouth expecting at some point for him to start speaking, or Platinum to show up.

She slaps herself suddenly whipping her head to the side focusing on something and scampering back away from Jer'rahd. Her eyes falling on the bag of healing gems, she grabs the whole sack and rips it open, yanking one out and flying up to his head smashing the first gem against his horn. She watches a moment as the wounds on his side start to close about the spears though his blood starts flowing more freely as the gem creates more to recover what he lost. She grabs another and another breaking the spell filled crystals over the unicorns horn, in a fitful panic to try and bring him back.

======================


[“RHEDE!!”]

Velkorn ignores the direction Bleu was flung tearing over to Rhede as he falls, the flames flickering up over his harness and fur. He hits the ground rolling, the impact and tumbling smothers the flames licking his side.

Velkorn slides to a stop next to the cursing stallion slowly pushing him over to see the wound, He screams out his whole body tensing as his weight is shifts, a large patch of his melted skin and fur remaining stuck to the ground under him blood flowing from the now exposed muscles on his left foreleg.

He shudders violently as Velkorn looks over the mess that was his left leg, and side. She whimpers a little as well at the sight though starts trying to patch him up right off and at least stop the bleeding that that had not been cauterized.

She sets to work trying to clean it pulling jars and ointments from her bag all but dousing the downed pony in the salves. As she starts digging in her bag again a hoof presses against her side and Rhede growls.

“The dragon had Luna, Jer'rahd's not following which means he's got to be hurt get over there and take care of him.”

[“I am not going to leave you here wounded like this....”]

“I will live, he might not, then there's dozens of other ponies laying about that are closer to dieing than I am go help some pony who needs it dammit.”

[“But.......”]

Rhede growls again forcing himself to his hooves with a whimper and shoving the zebra away from him with a charred hoof ,the pain from the effort telling on his face.

“I SAID GO DAMN IT. DON'T LET SOME STUPID CRUSH YOU HAVE ON ME STOP YOU FROM DOING WHAT YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING. I AM NEVER GOING TO RETURN YOUR MISPLACED AFFECTIONS SO GET OVER IT ALREADY AND GET THE BUCK OUT OF HERE, AND DO YOUR JOB. DON'T THINK OF GIVING ME SOME SORT OF PRIORITY TREATMENT CAUSE YOU THINK YOU LOVE ME, I DO NOT LOVE YOU, NOW DEAL WITH THAT AND GO HELP BLEU AND JER'RAHD!!”

He staggers his gaze full of pain and anger as he glares at her. Velkorn's eyes widen tears welling up in them as she picks her bag up in her teeth, darting off tears streaming down her face, the wound from his words cutting deep.

Rhede watches her run off then collapses again, though managing to land on his good side at least. He lay there panting a slight chuckle escaping his lips.

“Buck this hurts..... sorry Velkorn wish I had thought of a better way, gonna catch hell from every one for that..... damn.... this is really gonna scar....hehe, now I’ll have to deal with the crazy ones like Jer I guess, hehe...”

==============================


Another gem smashes against Jer'rahds horn, shards of gemstones litter the ground below the impaled form. Every burst of magical energy filling the limp ponies form is met with another gush of blood cascading down the spears.

Velkorn rips through a tent wall struggling with it a moment, her tear filled eyes searching the ruins before spotting the dragonling and the impaled form of Jer'rahd. She utters a prayer to a zebra god that she had long forgotten, before dashing across the crater to the pony. She skids to a top on the edge of the hole watching Bleu, as the weeping dragonling continues to choke and mangle some song about a light at the end of the world. The words were slurred from the dragons crying, but it was her actions that held the zebra's attentions more, The wounds were trying to close with every crystal broken , but the spears in him would not allow it.

Velkorn bites into one of the spears yanking the head from the blood soaked mud and pulling it the rest of the way through the impaled pony. She does the same with all the others that she can the unicorn pony's armor warped partially around the shafts of the weapons keeping them trapped in his form. She looks up again watching the holes she had puled the weapons from rapidly close back up.

She presses her ear to the ponies side half way up the remaining spears. Her tear soaked eyes widen as she swings around shoving the dragon out of the way and grabbing the unicorns head. He still had a heartbeat. She had to hope he was coherent enough for the next part, or some one needed to invent a can opener that would work on this damned armor.

“JER'RAHD TO STOP FROM BEING DEAD, REMOVE THIS DAMNABLE HELM FROM YOUR HEAD!!”

She was quickly flung aside herself as Bleu slams into her, shoving her into the large puddle of blood soaked mud, she pushes herself out of the gore whipping her head flinging crimson dirt every where as she looks up at the dragonling smashing another gem on the ponies head. The green flare of the gem nearly drowns out what she was hoping for, a small flicker of light forms around his horn and the helm falls forward sliding off his head and falling into the pool of blood, the rest of the armor fading from his form. Bleu blinks looking at him then down at Velkorn as if finally noticing she was there.


She wastes no time yanking the rest of the spears free of his body, Bleu had calmed enough to hold him up long enough for Velkorn to pull free the weapons and guide him to the canvas of a fallen tent so as not to lay him on the ground. Bleu empties the bag and the last few gems on it shattering them on the pony and watching the wounds seal themselves.

Jer'rahd jerks, coughing violently a gout of blood bursting from his mouth along with what appear to be a good dozen or so of his teeth. He trembles hard coughing as Bleu smashes the last few gems against him still weeping uncontrollably. The gray unicorn draws in a sharp intake of breath as the last of the spear holes closes. Bleu watches and starts laughing, an insane sort of high pitched laugh that came about when something far too funny has struck you when you should be panicking.

Velkorn checks him one last time ordering Bleu to stay near him before grabbing her bag and the scant hoof full of remaining gems. They would do nothing more for Jer'rahd's condition, but there might be others she could help with them. Her ears perked up hearing some other pony screaming for help, she darts off, still a blood soaked mess save the clear streaks in her fur running from her eyes.


================================

“We got another one over here get the medic!!”

Rhede slowly lifts his head at the cry, the thunder of hooves and wagons drowning out much of what else was said. A louder voice from directly above him forces him to open his eyes and look up at the flying form of General Shower.

“Sir, I found Pelt and he's alive! I think!”

“Finally some bucking good news, some pony get over here with a wagon and take this one straight back to base camp.”

General Mustang crouches down looking over the chard form of Rhede with a whistle.

“Not to make light of your injuries and all colt, BUT WHERE THE BUCK IS THE PRINCESS AND THAT IDIOT KAISUR!!”

“Dragon.... took the Princess.... Dunno where Jer'rahd is......might be in the tent there.“

“Captured........ oh hells, Celestia is gonna murder us all. Shower go check the tent over there for Kaisur, if he ain't dead tell him he's gonna be. Pelt tell me exactly what went on here.”

===============================

Velkorn darts among the fallen weeping openly, she pauses tossing objects off of the fallen to check them. Sometimes she stays longer to treat some pony or another or simply leaving the dead as she moved to another. She had already used the gems she took from Bleu and a few ponies who would have died might just make it now. The crystals magic was strong, but many of these wounds were far more horrible than she had seen the last time she was at war. It was if the only intent here was to cause as much suffering as they could.

This was far too similar to the vision, there were several ponies who were alive, but should not have been, entire sections of their body were missing, even if Bleu had not used all of the gems it would not have helped. She gave peace to the ones she could not save and continued to seek those she could. The dagger that Rhede had stabbed into her heart, tore deeper with every hoof step.

===============================

Jer'rahd had stopped breathing again, Bleu held her own breath not even sure what to do, finally releasing it as the pony gasps for air again. She had opened his mouth the first time he stopped thinking to try CPR though he had coughed out another set of teeth and bloody phlegm and started breathing on his own once more. She wondered if he had swallowed some of his own teeth, but all of them seemed to be in his mouth. Idly picking up a claw full she took note that the ones he spit out were either broken or had small cavities in them. Great the gems worked for dental practices, but not fully for the body.

“HE'S HERE SIR, GET A MEDIC.”

Bleu turns her gaze up at General Shower, just as Jer'rahd's breathing stops again. She blinks slamming her tail into his side eliciting a harsh cough and another ragged breath from the unconscious pony.

============================

Rhede winces pushing himself up onto his hooves and stepping gingerly on the burned on. He had been told there was no real damage to anything deeper than the skin, save where it had been torn free and exposed the muscle. His side and leg were currently bandaged fully and positively oozing with foul smelling salves that made his whole side feel numb. He swept his gaze over the others in the tent, soldiers, all wounded. The room was mostly silent save the coughs occasional whimpers and the click of the doctor and nurses hooves running among the cots.

“Sir you should not be up.”

“Buck that, I have work to do and ponies to find.”

“Sir......”

“Look unless you plan to knock my flank out filly, I suggest you back off. And put some other pony on that bed, I am done lying here. I'll be back when its time for the bandages to be changed. I need to apologize to some one.”

Rhede limps away from the nurse glad his side was numb because he could feel the shift of the bandages over his open wound and when the numbness faded this was going to be hurting a lot.

=============================================

Darkness, nothing surrounded him,but endless void. He felt the trouble he had with breathing and ignored it, the act still filled him with dread , but suffocating had become so common to him here that it was not even frightening anymore. The nightmares still plagued him though he could often make it though the night now, he was too tired from the battles to wake himself from the really bad ones.

But yet again this was different. Soft lights glowed all around him and showed exactly what he expected to see. Various scenes of the Princess, in phases of disfigurement or death. Half Rotting or burned Goddesses rising up blaming him for their fate. All the while a booming laugh echoed though his head the voice of the dragon taunting him as the corpses of Luna, cursed and clawed at him.

============================================

[“So how is he?”]

“He has yet to wake up, the doctors actually have him listed as dead. His bodies fine, but I don't know if he is coming back this time. He keeps going silent like he stops breathing........”

[“He has survived worse.”]

“I saw this Velky.... That whole image of the boss impaled, that was part of the test...... Boss impaled bodies every where, blood coming from every hole in his body and forming a pool. It was exactly like I saw it...... The damn test was prophetic, I SAW THIS COMING...and I didn't even know it.”

[“ You may be right.....”]

“What? Why did you see this too?”

[“ No, I saw Rhede would kill me when I failed to go help others over him. What he spoke to me on the field did that as sure as any blade he has ever thrown. The bodies were the same and I was forced to end far more lives so they might have peace then I could have possibly saved.”]

The dragonling looks up from the still body of Jer'rahd and moves over hugging the zebra who drops to her rump joining the dragon in her tears. They stay like that for a few moments before Velkorn pulls away.

[“Come Bleu it has been two days, you are in need of eating something, he will not be going any where.”]

“Alright, regardless of how he acted we should probably check on Rhede as well.”

[“ I really do not want to see him for a while , but yes... you are right.” ]


=======================================

“GENERAL MUSTANG!!”

“Oh Buck me, I am so doomed..... Princess Celestia, what brings you out to this glorified cess pit.”

“YOUR REPORT MUSTANG, WHERE IS OUR SISTER?!”

“Shit, you weren't supposed to get that for another day yet. Damn speedy messengers. I needed time to find out,the reports have not come in yet as to her location...”

Mustang was yanked off his hooves and pulled across the room to hover in front of Celestia. The Princess had only managed to work herself up into a fervor on the trip here. Starfall had flown as fast as she could and was now thoroughly exhausted and resting on the ground behind the rage fueled Princess. She had made a trip of a day take little over an hour, though the effort left her too tired to even find her friends.

Celestia's hair continued to whip about her as if in a unseen tornado, her normal calm demeanor barely covering her anger and fear. Her pink mane and tail looked more than a bit frazzled and wind blown , though the look on her face surpassed the worst glare Mustang had ever seen on the Goddess of War.

“WHY HAVE YOU NOT MADE FINDING HER YOUR FIRST PRIORITY!?!”

“We have too many wounded to deal with right now, she was captured alive so she is likely still that way, now calm down or we will be forced to calm you down. This is the worst possible time for you to come in here throwing a fit.”

Three Bear, Ruin, and Meteor Shower had all moved into the command tent along with several Guards.
With the exception of Ruin none of them looked like they wanted to take on the Princess of the Sun if she refused to calm herself. The fact they were willing too however seemed to be more than enough to set her off further. She drops the General rearing up on her hooves and slamming them into the ground in the spot Mustang had been cracking the stone as her hooves, connected trails of fire radiating from the impact.

“IF YOU THINK TO STOP US FROM FINDING OUR SISTER GENERAL YOUR NAME SHALL BE ADDED TO THAT INFERNAL LIST AS WELL.”

================================


The screaming had yet to stop and the deep laughter just punctuated it more, he knew it was a dream ,but he could not wake up from it the corpses of the Princess of the moon continued to assail him and he could not lift a hoof against them to try and defend himself. The laughter finally stops as does the screaming.

"A kite above a graveyard gray,
at the end of the line,far far away,
A child holding on to the magic of birth and awe.”

That voice, he knew that voice, he could not help but smile. After all this time it was easy to recognize, he still remembered that she seemed to be singing for him last time he heard a melody like it.

"Oh how beautiful it used to be
just you and me far beyond the sea
the waters scare in motion,
quivering still.”

The corpses stilled their assault pulling away from him slowly fading into the darkness that they came from leaving Jer'rahd alone in the darkness again.

"At the end of the river, the sundown beams.
All the relics of a life long lived.
Here weary traveler rest your wand.
Sleep the Journey from your eyes."

He closes his eyes a moment and chuckles. When he opens them again a pillar of light before him shows a dark coated mare with a silvery mane smiling back at him.

“I expected to see you sooner or later, though it seems my grandfather had other plans.”

“He was insistent that he talk to you, better him than me however, you might have wished to stay longer if I greeted you.”

“That is true.”

Jer'rahd sighs as Platinum approaches.

“I suppose you know about Scarlet then? Sorry about that.”

“Why? I cannot fault you for trying to move on, it is rather silly to dwell such on a past you cannot reclaim. Though I had hoped you were a stallion of better taste than that one.”

“I never said I had any taste, though by that standard nether do you, for picking me. So what do I owe the pleasure?”

“You seem quite at ease speaking with the dead in a dream.”

“I have gotten used to strange things going on in my head lately.”

“Well I cannot help with that, I do ask you continue to move on however, I said the same to Bleu. This will be the last time I am going to speak with any of you. It has long past the time I should move on, I stayed because she still needed me, and for the moment you needed a bit of counseling as well. “

“Really and what is it you can tell me?”

“Just to move on with your life like you have been doing,I enjoyed the time we have had even though it was short. Please do not dwell on me, or worse yet create some impossible standard of other mares based on me.”

“I was dating a mare that tried to kill me, I think I am covered in lack of impossible standards.

She giggles a bit closing her eyes

“There is one more important thing to tell you.”

She leans in closer and he could feel the hot breath on his ear, his face flushing a bit from her closeness to him even in his mind she was perfect at getting this reaction of flushed embarrassment from him.”

“Just one last thing Jer'rahd before I go”

“And what is that Platinum?”

“It is time for you to wake up.......”


==================================================


Rhede winces at the fire Celestia put into her Royal Voice, this was a bad time to have come to collect the intelligence reports. He came here to find out all he could and was recognized as the lead intelligence officer of the camp. He had not expected that level of control, even with his adjustments of certain bits of paperwork back at his brief desk job.

“Buck I did not need to come into this nonsense. I've got to get out of here before I get killed.....”

Rhede turns to leave, stopping as the Princess continues to ignore the Generals attempts to calm her. Her mane had stopped its starting instead to flicker like fire on the verge of igniting into a full blown blaze. She was not just angry, she was fully ready to kill ponies in there. Had she become so panicked over her sister being taken that she was willing to fight her own people? This was far too similar to the damned test, if he left ponies in there might die, but he surely would, if he stayed he would clearly die as well.

He swallowed, no, the image only had one sure way for everyone to die and that was if he ran. If he stayed and gave himself up it would keep others alive. But what was he supposed to do against a freaked out Goddess. Hell might as well try what one did with a normal freaked out mare. He was so dead.

He turns shoving aside the tent flap gritting his teeth from the pain in his leg as he storms towards the Sun Goddess, ears flat against his head. The Generals turn to face him as he storms in, Celestia simply directs a glare his way opening her mouth to say something when his good hoof catches her across the face with a loud slap. The echo of that sound is shown on the looks of surprise on the entire rooms face including the shocked Princess of the Sun. For a brief moment the entire tent went silent every ponies eyes wide at what he had just done, Celestia's head had been forced to the side from the blow and now slowly turns towards him again, her eyes flaring with white hot power.

The blast strikes his chest sending him crashing back through the wall, bouncing more than a few times against things in his path as he finally skids to a stop caught in the canvas of another tent. Oh, by Luna's sweet plot that hurt, he opens his eyes expecting to see the rest of his body charred beyond recognition, though he could not see any damage. It felt like every nerve of his body was on fire though, he was alive some how, of course with the glowing white form approaching him it was not entirely sure that would remain the case for long.

“HOW DARE YOU....”

That was it, time to go all out and channel a bit of Jer'rahd, because this had gotten damned stupid. He growls lightly shoving himself back up to his hooves taking a tentative step towards the flaring Princess.

“Good, that's how to do it, get it all out of your system yah stupid bitch. Focus all that hate and rage on me, burn through it and go back to Canterlot and bucking lead your people. We were the ones who failed to protect Luna not these idiots, but they are likely the only ones left who can save her. So go ahead and break your vow, hit me again, kill me if you want. But get it over with and out of your system before any other pony gets hurt here. You cannot be caught like she was, we cannot afford that so get yer pretty little flank back to Canterlot like a good little goddess and let the ones who are up to the task of murdering a nation get to work.”

he finaly stops advancing directly before the Princess, he felt tired after letting out that angry rant. His gaze locked with Celestia's waiting for her to do something ,almost daring her. If she did not leave and go back to the castle, especially in this state she would get caught easier than Luna and that was if she was just not killed outright.

This was by far his worst idea ever. The Princess growls her horn glowing brighter, Rhede braces himself for another blow as best he can , his eyes not leaving hers, though he fully expects another blast of pain if not just being killed outright.

A green sheet of light forms in the air between the pair of them. The panel of energy flickering slightly as it floats there.

The Princess' horn loses its light as she pauses, both she and Rhede looking about for the source spotting a form rising from under one of the collapsed sections of tent. A green glow shining brightly from under the canvas as the material slides off the rising form revealing a ragged looking unicorn standing on a bed. Red and Green pinpricks of light shine from his eyes as his horn flares brighter thickening the wall between the two before him.

“You two are loud enough to wake the dead.“

========================================
Jer'rahd was almost knocked out again by as hard as Bleu hit him. The little dragon was practically swinging on his neck, it might not have been so bad but she was too tired to remain in her tiny form so he wound up having a pony sized dragon swinging on his neck laughing her head off.

With the exception of the somewhat crazed dragonling there was n air of coldness in the room now. The primary source seems to be Velkorn of all things and the looks she sent towards the injured Rhede. The earth pony however had not said anything to her as she tends his new injures from being flung across the camp. Starfall however was the point of interest now particularly the yelling fit she was directing towards the much larger Celestia,who was doing her best to apologize for losing her control.

“Seriously I did not fly you all the way out here for you to threaten ponies on your own side.”

This had been going on in the main room for nearly half an hour now and Starfall was putting all her punishment skills as a mother to making the Sun Goddess feel bad about what she had done. General Mustang however was tired of it and sought to seek control of the situation once more. He set to work throwing every pony out of the command tent except the Generals, that included Princess Celestia.

Bleu however was putting up the most resistance, refusing to let go of Jer'rahd which was making it hard for the unicorn to even stay upright. Eventually Velkorn gets tired of General Mustang's yelling at her and drags the little dragon out by the tail. Jer'rahd chuckles a bit at this moving over to the table near the others his gaze locking on the armored stallion curiously.

“Who are you?”

“The Princess named me Ruin, so it is the name I use. I believe you made a great mistake General Kaisur. “

“I am aware of that, I will accept what ever she deems fitting of a punishment for failing her after she is saved again.”

“Not that.”

“What then?”

“You had a chance to accept your death, and refused. I can only pity you for making that choice.”

Jer'rahd blinked looking at the armored pony, his mouth opening to retort, when Mustang slammed a hoof down on the table leans over it getting into the unicorns face.

“WHAT IN BLOODY HELL WERE YOU THINKING KAISUR!!?”

“Ummmm. At the time defend the position and wait for back up.”

“WHY THE BUCK DIDN’T YOU HOLD POSITION........wait what!?”

“We cleared out the nests and stopped the supply shipments coming in. We went forward with one push to test the defenses on a castle before we fell back to wait for reinforcements. It was too well guarded for single force to push past.”

“You using discretion? Now I have seen everything, so then to the meat of it. What took the Princess?”

“A large Black Dragon, called himself Onyx Wing. He spoke in the Royal voice as well, likely he is one of the gods, neither Princess Luna or I could so much as chip his scales. The armor he wore was made out of the same material as what I saw on the Bone Hound Leader, it absorbed the spells the Princess cast. He also seemed to have control over wind to a degree, he changed directions of a net he used to capture her in mid air.”

“A net? Like a net is going to capture a Goddess.”

“If Princess Luna has not told you of that weakness then it is not my place too, suffice to say both the net and the spears that I was hit with were enough to capture a Goddess and pierce and item crafted by one.”

“I saw the sight of that battle General Kaisur, there were other bodies, but most of them were burnt, if all that was in that crater was your blood you should very well be dead. While I am grateful that you are not, I am curious how you lived.”

“I have rather impressive friends General Three Bear. They have proven themselves to do rather insane things before that worked Sir.”

“Well if what pelt did earlier is any indication, they are quite successful at doing crazy things. That likely was one of the bravest things I have seen any pony do, the dumbest as well.”

“Be careful general Shower, Rhede might think your flirting with compliments like that, sir.”

“OK the banter over now good all of you shut up. Get the head of intelligence in here now, I want status reports. After this shit Kaisur, I don't even want to give you half a chance in hell to go along with this mission. But despite your failure you are not a total waste and I need all I can get right now.“

“Wow Kaisur, you should be honored, that was almost a compliment from him.”

“Stuff it Shower. I ain't happy with you leaving her either.”

“She was ordered to by the Princess sir.”

“I don't Give a shit.”

“Generals can we all stop with this inane who is to blame nonsense. General Kaisur has already accepted it as his fault and that is enough. Right now we need to be working on how to fix this mess not on what to do about the failure. Each of us, with the exception of ruin has a sizable force under our command. The problem is Kaisur's force has been severely decimated, the attack on them was more of a terror strike. There are more ponies injured than there are dead. Add to that that the Princess has been captured and moral is quite low.”

“Right then, Wheres that intelligence officer.”

==============================================

“I am sorry about that Rhede. It is simply my sister is all I have.”

“It's fine, I understand that, though if you really want to make it up to me...”

His words were cut off as Starfall smacks him in the back of the head. Celestia forces a small giggle at the antics though it seemed Starfall was playing everyone’s mother tonight. Velkorn curses as she enters the tent, dragging Bleu by her tail.

“Damn it stripy, I am not leaving him alone again ever!!”

“You need to get over this gloom, he will not appreciate if you follow him to the bathroom.”

“HE DIED it was exactly the same as I saw in the stupid test, EXACTLY!!!”

Celestia's ears perk as do Rhede's and Starfall's.

“What was the same as the test Bleu?”

“All the bodies, all the spears piercing into him. The image was exactly the same as what I saw in there Rhede. It had to be some sort of prophetic nonsense. “

“I agree with how it looked, I thought for sure his goose was cooked. A thing from my test I did also see, though I dreaded quite long that it would come to be.”

“So you two believe what you saw in the tests was a Prophecy of sorts?”

“Yes Princess. “

“You all failed the test however, did you do anything differently this time from what happened before?”

“I tried...... I couldn't laugh at all that...... but I tried.....”

“I was given no choice, and for a time after I could not even find my voice.”

“I have seen a few things so far that have come close to my vision, but not exactly.”

Rhede mutters lightly in response his ears flattening a bit as he seems to ponder the implications.

“Well the moment the former Bearer of the Element of Honesty pops up and starts bitching about how lame the test is, I'll worry.”

They all look at Starfall a bit confused though she did not elaborate. Rhede looks up as some one calls for a intelligence officer from the command tent.

“Well that's my cue.”

“Hold Pelt. While what you constantly seem to imply is not going to happen. I do have an idea that might still be considered an apology of sorts. Please join me in the large tent in the center of New Dullahan when you are finished. And make sure General Kaisur is with you.”

“Err, alright Princess.”


==============================================

Rhede saunters into the command tent offering a wink to General Shower, she was a bit older than his normal choice in mares though she was decidedly fit enough to be a great deal of fun if he could get that tight suit off her.

“Pelt what the buck are you doing here I asked for intelligence, not dating advice.”

“Sometimes it can be the same thing General, but I am the senior intelligence officer in the camp, and one does not send a underling to deal with a General of your rank so here I am.”

“Oh hell no, I do not accept that your the head of the department!”

“Really sir? After all that paper work you sent to my office in Canterlot that said otherwise? It was all signed as well. By proxy of course, you are a busy pony after all.”

“DAMN IT PELT......... fine...... get over here and start explaining.”

“What is it you want to know?”

“The five Castles, strengths, weaknesses, and whats in them. I need to know how to split the forces we have.”

Rhede nods glancing over to Jer'rahd with a bit of worry at his friends dead pan expression. The unicorn looked tired and depressed, though he hid it rather well Jer'rahd had known him long enough to see the signs of both.

“The insides of the castles are all different and most of them change constantly, the castles also tend to heal damage done to them over time, but the bigger the damage the longer the repair. So the easiest way to navigate the places is to just simply keep blowing holes into it til you get where you want to go and hope the place has not healed up by the time you want to get out. There are a few areas that do not change. The center of the castle always holds a throne room of some kind, the courtyard outside is also all ways the same, but that's about it. We lost a few spies in those places for weeks and they came out with different layouts each time. Of course we do have the general information of the occupants.

Rhede glances down at the map picking up one of the tower markers and moving it to a different location.

“This one has chimera and the winged half breeds in it. The only places it seems to appear are atop of clouds, so a pegasus force is the only way to get to it. The few Blue dragons we have seen roost here.”

He picks up another tower marker and places it in another place. This ones last location was half submerged in a lake, which takes General Kaisur out of the running to hit this one. As far as we can tell this is where some of the fire dragons and a few other creature types that set things ablaze are kept. So far nothing aside from the red dragons has been seen from this one.

He picks up another tower moving it.

“This one has the remaining orcs, a great deal of cockatrices and other nonsense that General Kaisur has already proven himself against, likely the best choice for him. Particularly after all this and his injuries. The Green and Black dragons have been roosting here. It has a great number of ground troops camped around it, most of the forces that withdrew came here.”

He taps one of the towers he had not moved.

“This is a supply storage castle, all the caravans ran into this place and it was distributed from there. The strength is some what questionable as we have seen nothing come in or out of it aside from half breeds. The white dragons are thought to have this as their base. Though that is just speculation due to how much snow and ice still covers it.”

Rhede pokes the final castle marker with his blackened hoof.

“This is the big one here, this is the one the failed assault struck, its the Black dragons primary roost and the one we think the Princess is being held at. It has some of the highest numbers of defenders about it though they are primarily ground based troops.

The Generals look over the map listening to Rhede speak though General Mustang was watching him a bit more intently than the others.

“Alright, Ruin you take the one in the lake, Shower hit the one in the sky Three Bear take the depot, Kaisur hit that last one, Ill go after this one with the Green dragons.”

Jer'rahd and Rhede blink though Jer'rahd was the first to recover.

“Your sending me after the Princess?”

“BUCK NO. I have seen how this idiot operates, the one he says the Princess is in likely is not the one she's in. My own ponies have seen the black dragons flying into that one he said the greens were in. Pelt wants to help your sorry flank out and give you another shot at saving Luna. While a generous thing from a friend, I ain't buying it Pelt. Jer'rahd can take that one he tried to hit before and I'll handle this one. Now every one get the hell out of my sight and get your shit ready. DISMISSED.”

======================

Rhede and Jer'rahd head down the path between tents heading for the medical tent as Princess Celestia had requested.

“Thank you any way Rhede.”

“For what ?”

“For at least attempting to give me a chance to be the one who saves Luna. So long as some pony does I am fine, but since I was the one who got her caught..... Why are you laughing?”

“Years of lying and the first time I tell the truth not a single pony believes me.”

“WHAT!?!”

“I told Mustang the truth, that is the castle that is most likely to have Luna in it.”

Jer'rahd stops dead looking at his friend who stops glancing back at him, after a moment a wide grin crosses both their faces.

“And it is not even my birthday.”

“That was a few months ago.”

“True enough, so now there’s only one more thing to take care of before we attempt a rescue.”

“Oh whats that?”

Jer'rahd glares at his friend the mirth gone from his features.

“What is wrong between you and Velkorn?”

Rhede dips his head a bit ears drooping.

“I told her I didn’t love her and to go away to help some one else. If I had not done that you likely would have died.”

“Maybe, but after years of rejecting mares, suddenly hitting one who cares for you with something that harsh is a bit much.”

“Better a clean cut then a drawn out rejection.”

“I disagree with that, though you seem to care for her any way, why even bother making such a cut.?”

“I've done far to much I am not proud of Jer, I'm a bad pony.”

“I am not going to spank you Rhede.”

“Damn it I’m serious. One of these days something I’ve done is going to catch up with me. Bleu thinks the visions we received from the test are prophetic, she claims how she found you out there was what she saw in the test. Velkorn agrees it seems her vision came to pass as well, but she won't say what it was. I have had a few things happen that feel far to similar, so if that test was a taste of things to come, am likely to die horribly. I won't do that to her, better she moves on now.”

“I have said this once and I will say it again as often as needed, Rhede you are an bucking idiot, that damn test is in no way a prediction of future events.”

Jer'rahd starts walking again forcing Rhede to scramble to keep up with him.

“Why are you so sure of that Jer?”

“Because there is no force on this planet, no reason that I could ever see, that would be able to make me kill all of you.”

================================== “Is this enough room Princess Celestia?”

“Yes Doctor it is, thank you. Is this all of them then?”

“Yes Princess, all the ponies that survived are here. There were a great deal of casualties as well, but the dragons seemed to be using terror tactics, most of the ponies here where intentionally wounded and left alive by the attacks. It is an old morale destroying tactic. I am sure your presence will help, but there are many still who are not likely to make it with the wounds they have. The gemstones and healing potions that have been brought help some,but not enough to save everyone and those resources were limited to begin with.”

“I saw the names of the dead doctor, and while I did not set out to come here, I feel it will best serve my primary goal.”

Celestia turns her head looking over at Starfall, Velkorn and the fidgeting Bleu and sighs, her gaze turning back to the tent flap as it was pushed open and Rhede and Jer'rahd enter the tent as well, their gaze shifting over the beds of the wounded. Jer'rahd stops at the edge on the cots, his eyes scanning over those that followed him and were suffering for it. Celestia smiles nodding to pair of pegasus above her who pull the top of the tent open bathing the Princess in sunlight. She remains still a moment before speaking, her voice echoing though the tent and likely the entire base.

“MY LITTLE PONIES, WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE SACRIFICES YOU HAVE MADE IN SEEKING TO PROTECT EQUESTRIA. WE REGRET THAT ONCE MORE WE MUST ASK FOR YOU AID. WE KNOW YOU ARE ALL WOUNDED OR WEARY FROM THE FIGHTING , BUT THE WAR HAS YET TO END. WE HAVE BEEN DENIED FROM AIDING YOU OUR SELF IN THE COMING BATTLE.”

Her gaze focuses on Jer'rahd.

“A GENERAL NEEDS AN ARMY , AN ARMY NEEDS A LEADER. ALLOW US TO PROVIDE A STRONG ENOUGH FORCE TO MATCH THE FIRE THAT STILL BURNS IN YOUR LEADER.”


The Princess' wings unfurl, the sunlight striking them, reflecting off her pure white feathers, filling the large tent with a warm glow that slowly grows brighter. Her wings whip down suddenly lifting her hooves from the ground, another beat of her large wings lifts her higher to the top of the tent just below the missing flap of canvas. She lifts her head towards the sun eyes closing as the light from her white form grows brighter , her horn glowing with a light to rival the sun above. A musical hum fills the air as it crackles with power the energy flowing from her spreading out enveloping all with in the tent and the surrounding camp, soon the glow covers all of New Dullahan. A sudden burst of white light blinds everyone covering them in a warm blanket of radiance.


Rhede felt warm, the heat seemed to travel from his eyes, to his heart and spread out to his limbs. The heat focused on his wounded side intensifying until it was a pleasant burn like from a pepper. He knew what Celestia was doing, as well as why, this was all for one goal that she knew she could not do alone. The price this magic would cost would easily be as much as if she brought the seasons about on her own. He closed his eyes savoring it never expecting to feel the power of a Goddess' blessing.

Velkorn closes her eyes oddly feeling at peace with everything that had been done, even Rhede's rejection was soothed, in the heat of the moment he said how he felt. She could not fault him for his harsh words, all his attempts to save her were the same as the times he had saved the others. Not because he was in love, but because she was his friend. Oddly for the time she was content with that.

Bleu stared up at the Princess following her before finally being blinded by the light and shutting her eyes. A soft almost tuneless hum formed in her throat as she felt the warmth of that light, a song starting to form in time with the music from Celestia's wings, her fear and rage over Jer'rahd's chances of death fading as the song once again brought a measure of joy to her. She would have to remember to write this down, it sounded like something Platinum would sing.

Starfall had closed her eyes at the first flash of light, she saw her daughter watched her grow up and start her own life, all of it even the parts she was not there for and had only read about in letters. Her daughter telling her she was proud of what her mother did and of her friends who needed her still. Only a small kernel of darkness remained in her and that was one thing the light could not touch, something that only revenge was going to sate.

The warmth that came to Jer'rahd was not the same. He felt the first stirrings of peace and fought them. He had no desire for peace. The aura seemed to sense this and changed adding its heat to the fire that ragged within him already, burning it every brighter. He had failed her far too often, he had failed his friends, he would not be calmed. If his grandfather had been proud of what he did despite his failures he must have seen that Jer'rahd would have a chance to redeem himself. Rhede had given him the chance to do so with General Mustang's mistake. He would not fail his Princess again, and he had no pity for anything that thought to get in his way. For a moment it was hard to say which fire shown brighter. Celestia's sun, or Jer'rahd's anger.

As the light finally fades, Princess Celestia drifts down to land lightly in the center of the tent again, her wings slowly tucking back against her sides. Those standing or flying regarded her with awe that turned into pure reverence as the wounded solders on the cots slowly started to rise pulling off bandages and slings revealing healthy flesh and closed wounds, over three hundred members of the 42nd had been wounded and left for dead by the dragons in the last attack. Over three hundred members of the 42nd now stood healthy and whole regarding the Goddess of the Sun in the middle of the tent, a soft glow of light in each of their eyes.

“WE HAVE DONE ALL WE CAN . IT IS UP TO THE GUARD NOW TO SAVE LUNA. WE ASK THAT YOU PLEASE RESCUE OUR SISTER.”

The Princess of the Sun dips her head seeming to beseech the request to the ponies present. One by one the healed troops turn their gaze to the gray unicorn walking towards the Princess His hoof falls echoing in the silent tent. The Princess lifts her head looking down at Jer'rahd as he approaches. He meets her gaze his eye almost sparkling in its intensity.

“You need not have even asked us to do so Celestia. She will be free by sunrise.”

Jer'rahd whips around looking at the risen Guards and bellows out.

“GET YOUR GEAR AND GET SOME REST THE ASSAULT COMMENCES AT SUNSET TONIGHT!!!”

The cheers of the camp were deafening.

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