Guardians of Equestria Chapter 1: Love is Magic Part 1

by SpiritD3t3ctiv3

Campfire Revelations

Chapter 5 Campfire Revelations

It took all day for them to reach the base of the mountain where the castle was. They were all exhausted from the long ride, so they set up camp. Applejack and Rainbow Dash pitched the tents while Jay had gotten out a large metal pot from the wagon and started making dinner. Meanwhile, Twilight noticed Finn was sitting on a log a few feet away from everybody, isolating himself from the group. Twilight couldn’t help but ponder at his want for solitude. Later that evening, as the 5 mares warmed themselves by the fire, Jay passed around bowls full of the stew he had made. As they ate, the ponies were impressed by the balanced flavor.

“Hoo-wee! Now that’s good eating”, Applejack said, licking her lips. “This is delicious, Jay”, Fluttershy complimented softly. “Where’d you learn to cook like this”? Rainbow Dash asked enthusiastically. “My Grandma taught me how to make it”, Jay said, swallowing a spoonful, “along a bunch of other great recipes”.

As the other ponies thanked Jay for the stew, Twilight glanced over at Finn. Sitting in the same spot, on the same log. After grabbing a bowl of stew, she trotted over to him. She set the bowl and spoon down in front of him.

“Hungry”? She asked.

Finn did not respond. He had the same blank look on his face, as if he didn’t notice. Instead of a response, he looked down, saw the bowl, and then picked it up, helping himself to the food inside.

“Thanks”, he said, in a dry but grateful manner.

Twilight made a small smile, but she couldn’t help but question Finn’s weird behavior. After everyone had fallen asleep, and Jay had taken first watch, Twilight sat up, and walked over to Jay.

“Hey”, she said.

Jay glanced over at the lavender mare.

“Hey”, Jay said nonchalantly. “Why’s Finn been acting so weird”? She asked finally, “It’s almost as if he wants Draco dead”. “That’s because he does”, Jay said truthfully. “What”?! Twilight said confused. “Remember how Finn told you Draco’s story”? Jay asked.

Twilight nodded.

“Well he didn’t really tell you the whole story”, Jay said honestly.

He looked over at Finn, who was still awake, and in the same position, and then at the fire. As it crackled and burned, he flipped one of the burning logs over, allowing the flame to grow.

“After he made the Mamban ponies, Draco planned to lay siege to all of Arion. His first stop was the kingdom of Gringolet, our home. In order to take a kingdom, though you have to take the king, then the queen.”

Twilight looked at Jay in sheer horror as she quickly understood the message.

“So, Draco….killed the King and Queen”?? She asked in surprised. “Finn’s parents”, Jay said with a nod, “King Xanthos and Queen Balius”. “So”, Twilight said, putting the pieces together, “Finn….is a prince”?? Twilight said, almost out loud. “Shush”! Jay hissed, “Don’t let them hear you”. “Why not”?? Twilight asked, confused by the secrecy. “Because, Finn has sworn that until the line is restored and the Venom Empire has fallen, he will never answer to the title of prince”, Jay explained.

Twilight nodded as she looked over at the fire.

“After that, taking Gringolet was easy”, Jay went on, his voice growing more depressed, “Finn’s older brother, Marco, did his best to lead the kingdom’s army against Draco’s forces, but……let’s just say, thing’s got bad, really bad. Everypony lost, the Mamban forces suffered a crippling blow, but worst of all, no Arionite was left alive. Only Finn, his brother and I had survived the great massacre. A once proud kingdom is now but ruins, haunted by the souls of the ponies who futilely gave their lives to defend it”.

Jay slowly descended back into reality, staring back into the fire. Twilight’s stared at Finn, both in surprise and pity.

“That’s quite a story”, Twilight said in amazement. “It was because of Draco that Finn lost, not only his parents, but his home too”, Jay said grimly, poking at the fire.

Twilight frowned sadly. Looking over at Finn again, she saw him gazing down at something. Back at his log, Finn held a small picture of him and his Dad when he was a little colt. Sighing sadly, he slide forward on the log ‘til he was on the ground, then kept on sliding ‘til his head was propped up on it. Gazing up at the stars, he slowly shut his eyes.

Twilight got down on her side.

“I suppose I’d feel the same way if I were in his situation”, she said to Jay. “He doesn’t really trust anyone anymore either”, Jay added, lying down on his back, “Only me. He feels he doesn’t really need anyone else besides family”. “I used to think that way”, Twilight said, thinking back to her first time in Ponyville, “But wait. If that’s so, why did he voluntarily try to help Sweetie Belle, and why is he doing this anyway”? “It’s his job”, Jay answered, “sense of duty, but no sense of love”.

Jay slowly turned his head to the side, and then closed his eyes. Minutes later, he was sound asleep. Twilight was still up, still looking over at Finn. Until finally, she got up and went over to him. Grabbing a blanket from his bag with her teeth, she slowly pulled it over him. Finn, awoken from the changed temperature, opened his eyes a little. He saw Twilight returning to her spot, then lying back down. Finn cracked a small smile, then slowly drifted back to sleep.

---

Meanwhile, inside the castle throne room of Canterlot, Draco fidgeted as he sat upon the throne. He had been rubbing at his forelegs, which was covered in scars. With the misfortune of alluding sleep, he thought back to how he had gotten the scars.

The sun slowly set in the land of Arion, and as the evening sky came into view, Draco, who wore silver and white robes, looked over the mountains overlooking Arion. Draco frowned as the sun disappeared behind the mountains.

“This land”, he said with a sneer, “It was never big enough for me. In my mind, I see a land larger, MUCH larger, all mine, all for me”.

As he spoke, his entire body slowly started to emit a glow. A glow unlike any other, that pierced the soul of any who gazed upon it. A light shade of red, with evil marked in its shine.

“ I am the pony who is the most superior”, he said grimly, “The one who stands out above all. Yes”!

Lightning suddenly flashed with a clap of thunder following.

“More than the simple soldier could ever hope to be”! He said proclaimed loudly.

He tore away at his sleeves, which revealed black drawings of cobras on his forelegs.

“Better than the deeds of the King himself”! He exclaimed.

Then, he grasped the robes covering his chest, and exclaimed, “Everpony in this land shall know me. My name shall be known, and I will be acknowledged as the one most HIGH”!

And with that, he tore the robes off his chest, and in doing so, a pair of bat like wings unfolded from his back, and the skin in the wings were black. The shade of red that had been coming from his form was extremely demonic like and the snake tattoo’s rose up off his forelegs, alive and hissing.

The council of Arion had sought to imprison him. They had him bound in chains made of thorn covered vines, and placed in a special prison; a deep, dark well surrounded by a ring of fire at the top. Any normal pony would’ve perished in a prison like that, but he was no ordinary pony. He waited, biding his time, conserving his energy, until one day.......

“This pain”! He hissed, “The burning! I will not stay here any longer, I MUST BE FREE”!!!!!!!

Upon screaming his liberation, he broke free from the vines and up from the hole. Desperate to escape more than anything, he didn’t stop flapping his skeletal wings until all of his energy had been depleted. Exhausted from flying, he finally fell down to the ground below, and landed in the middle of a barren wasteland. He lay completely still, not wanting to open his eyes, listening to the wind whistle overhead and feeling the hot sun shine on his pale grey skin. As he opened his eyes, he caught glimpse of a small object. It looked like the handle of a sword.
It was purple, a very interesting color for a sword. As he stood up, he looked at the rest of it. It was a katana, with a purple dragon head for a hilt. The blade was long and slender, and reflected the sun off of its exterior. Looking out into the distance, his resolve was hardened.

“I…am Draco Coatl”, he said in a dark, dry voice, “The son of Nagga. I will not DANCE at the thrones of the kings, I will TOPPLE them, and make them my own”!

He snatched up the dragon sword, and held it to where the point was pointing toward the ground.

“May all who oppose me know my name, and FEAR ME!!!”