The Ballad of Wyverns' Rock

by Loganberry

Part IV: Companions are we, enlivened by a mighty gallop

Colossal beasts they were, with massive, scaly, pock-marked necks
Extending far above their bodies, marked about with flecks
Of earth and vegetation from this rocky place's bed,
Their tongues a-darting through the air, past teeth all stained with red,
And when they'd risen to full height – two dozen feet at least –
They turned as one and gave a roar such as no living beast
Had heard before, and standing proud upon their two clawed feet,
They seemed to see the little band of ponies: "Now, we eat!"

That surely was the leader, or at least the wyvern who'd
Authority of some sort: that could not be misconstrued.
The ponies, five of them at least, with horror did they stare,
Though Twilight seemed distracted, looking quite without a care.
"What are you doing?" Rarity's uncomprehending yell,
Their end now seemed assured against these creatures great and fell.
But as she pressed up closer to her friend, she gave a blink.
She heard her fellow unicorn's soft whisper: "Think think think!"

Meanwhile, behind the wyverns, near forgotten by them all,
The stallion gave a quiet smile: he knew his life of thrall
Continued only by the grace of those he served a slave.
And now, with these intrepid mares, he had a chance to save
Himself to live another day, another week or year,
Unchanging and immortal, yes, and though that life be drear,
What else was there for such as he, a traitor to his race?
To go back home to Ponyville... it might be outer space.

A wyvern gave him half a glance: a shiver passed all through
His body, for he could be crushed in moments; that he knew.
He watched agog as one of the small ponies, with a star
Upon her flank – ah, Twilight – stood so still it was bizarre.
The other five were dodging blows from wyverns' barbèd tails,
Much smaller and more agile, not encumbered by stiff scales.
So what was going on with her? She seemed so lost in thought:
Is she a sacrifice? he mused, as all around her fought.

Despite the massive odds, the other ponies still held on.
Fine Rarity, despite those looks from the beauty salon,
When roused to anger, she could be a fearsome foe indeed,
Her horn now blazed and crackled with a force that did exceed
Quite anything she'd done before; had Twilight been alert,
She would have recognised the spell that seemed to disconcert
All but the strongest wyverns, causing shimmers in the air
To hide the ponies, so when came attacks, they were not there.

Behind a boulder, Applejack was bucking rocks and stones
Up into wyverns' faces with such force they cracked their bones,
While Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash were working as a team
And flying round the monsters' necks, with Dashie's eyes agleam;
Her fellow pegasus was trembling, but her friend was there;
That knowledge gave her courage and she flew on through the air,
Distracting her opponents as her wings reflected light
From Rarity's bright horn as she pursued her bitter fight.

And what of Pinkie Pie? you ask; where was the other mare?
In fact, she stood quite silently and still: not in despair,
Surprising as it may have seemed to anyone who stood
Among the rocks around them, Pinkie's instincts here were good.
She knew the wyverns would not stop until they'd had their fill,
The meat they craved would come from them. She felt a sudden chill.
She knew that there was no escape; no time to draw a breath;
Without a miracle there could be only one end: death.

The others were still holding out, their spirit was so strong,
But they were clearly flagging now; this could not last for long.
She took a deep breath; closed her eyes; a last stand she would make;
"I will assault them," Pinkie swore, "although I have no cake!"
But as the party pony contemplated all she'd done,
The times she'd helped her fellow mares by simply having fun;
Distracting them from danger, and recalling Granny Pie,
A quiet voice came to her ears from very close nearby.

"I've got it!" That was Twilight! She had woken from her trance!
"It's risky, but what else is there? We have to take the chance."
"What do you mean?" asked Pinkie, "I was going to attack
The wyverns now with all I'd got... we won't be going back."
She heard a short, sharp scream above, and saw that Fluttershy
Was wounded in one wing and now could only barely fly.
Though Rainbow Dash protected her as best she could, she knew
That desperation had set in; the pegasi were through.

But now the purple unicorn stood, blinking and alert,
And concentrating – on a spell? – such effort must have hurt.
The Wyvern Lords, confused perhaps by what they saw below
Seemed just a bit uncertain... then the stallion shouted, "No!
No longer can I hold my tongue; no longer can I stand
And watch you kill the ponies who stayed faithful to our land."
Then, at that moment, hearing him, the monsters' eyes they turned
With anger blazing in their breasts; an awful rage that burned.

Forgotten briefly were their foes – the Six of whom I sing –
Their slave's defiance shocked them with its clarion-clear ring.
And as they roared and stamped their feet, the stallion turned and fled;
Nopony ever knew again if he were quick or dead.
In that split-second moment, Twilight gathered all her strength,
And with a mighty magic strike that passed along the length
Of every wyvern on the rocks, she voiced this cry: "Now, see!
At rest you were for centuries; asleep again you'll be!"

At that, the wyverns turned to her, and though they sluggish seemed,
Their magical resistance was much greater than she'd dreamed.
And Twilight Sparkle realised that all her spell had cost
Was just too little, just too late; the battle now was lost.
She dropped her ears and thought about her friends, who from the start
Had ever stood behind her, and a chill clutched at her heart.
She felt a warmth beside her; five more ponies now had shown;
If they must die, together would be better than alone.

The smell of blood was on them, and though they would still defend
Each other, up above, the wyverns gathered for the end.
"Remember," promised Rainbow Dash, "whatever happens now,
We'll always be together: six as one, that was our vow;
The Elements of Harmony united deep within–"
But Twilight broke in: "Magic! Come on, girls, let us begin!"
The others formed a circle round her; once again she set
Herself to cast the spell which might negate the wyverns' threat.

This time she felt a purer, brighter beam depart her horn;
And far away she registered the first dim glow of dawn.
Their enemies encircled in a pool of blinding light,
And as she felt the other ponies strain with all their might
To pass to her the extra strength she knew that she would need
In order to maintain the spell, she felt full fine indeed.
The wyverns could resist no longer; gradually they fell
Asleep upon the rocks; a stranger sight I could not tell.

At last, away out to the east, the sun began to rise:
The ponies had thought ne'er again its rays would meet their eyes.
The strangest happenings were now completely plain to see,
For as the sunbeams touched each one, the wyverns ceased to be!
And as the final creature disappeared into thin air,
Twi's horn-light softly guttered out, so spent now was the mare.
There was no drama to their going, nor was there a sound
"They got that right," laughed Dash, "They were the creatures that astound!"

With that, the weary heroes had a chance at last to rest;
So Spike was reunited with the ponies he loved best.
Equestria was safe again, and Ponyville returned
To being just a peaceful town, whose citizens had spurned
The chance to move away, for in their heart of hearts they'd known
That they would be protected by such courage as was shown:
With bravery beyond their years, Mane Six had won the day,
Their friendship had brought victory. As Fluttershy said: "Yay!"

Comments

[Relevant Heavy Metal]

When The World - Gamma Ray

[Loganberry]

1174530

Yes, I agree -- and it should already be Rarity! I have my annotated draft here, complete with "Change to Rarity speaking" at that precise point. Now edited to reflect exactly that; thanks.

[Loganberry]

1176007

...*is intrigued!*

[Beware The Carpenter]

Story wasn't that good but I loved your rhyming!

[Loganberry]

3769073 Thanks for giving it a look! Fair comment, I think: the story itself is a bit on the generic side (Mane Six travel off to save Equestria from terrible danger) and there are some pacing issues near the end. It's not terrible, but I've certainly written better. It was mostly just to see whether I could do it. On the plus side, it does scan and rhyme and make sense, which isn't a bad combination.

[Beware The Carpenter]

3770323

I was more thinking about the guy with no cutie-mark; he stands up on the top of the hill, says he wants to be their friend then says he's going to kill them... then doesn't do anything.

He watches the battle; has a spur of the moment change of heart to go against what he's lived for who knows how long; announces his change of loyalty... then doesn't do anything.

I really was expecting him to do something sooner or later.

[Loganberry]

3773805 He's not supposed to do anything, as such: he's a slave of the wyverns and is there to lure the ponies in the right direction. At first he pretends to be their friend to do that, then when the Mane Six are suspicious he becomes angry and his guard slips. He's not there actually to fight: that idea's just a distraction. Instead, he keeps them talking long enough that he gets them to sing... which prompts the Wyvern Dance itself. Hence "No! We've let them in! This is the Wyvern Dance!" from Twilight.

[RoyalBardofCanterlot]

Exciting and touching fight scene especially Dash's words at the end.

[Loganberry]

10151624
Thank you for reading! It's such an old fic that I didn't think anyone much would see it these days. Glad you've been enjoying it!