Chapter 3 - The heart of all dragons
The diamond dogs led the way to their domains once Spike explained what was going on to Ember. The way through those inhospitable lands was most boring, cause there were no natural beauty there but the promise of finding hidden gems. Just arid dirt and rocky canyons sculped by the inclement weather were at sight, but that infertile land was home sweet home for those who only need gems to be happy. While they had a treasure, there were nothing else to worry about. However, now that treasure was victim of a dragon’s voracious appetite as they were walking trough the badlands. Ember was convinced that it would be an easy task and it would not take long to get it done even without the scepter. She was still the Dragon Lord and worthy of the title with no doubt.
Finally at their home, the diamond dogs took them to the main entrance of the tunnel system, a gate nopony saw when they came to rescue Rarity, despite the fact that it was more like rescuing the diamond dogs from her instead. Every diamond dog was outside the tunnels and gathered the treasure in an enormous pile just as the dragon ordered them to.
«So?! Where is it?!» Ember said with an authoritarian voice, enforcing the Dragon Lord will before those fearful creatures. The answer was no bow or sign of respect but a silent gaze to the dark hollow.
«Quiet! You will wake it up!» One of the diamonds dogs warned as low as he could, but they didn’t came from so far and wait to the end of its naptime. Ember rolled her eyes and flew to the entrance.
«I don’t know why you made me come. Ember will get this problem in no time.» Rainbow Dash complained.
«Tell me about it, I had just gotten a manicure.» Added Rarity.
«We are here ‘cause Ember is our friend and we don’t know if those wacky Heralds are around.» Applejack replied, tired of their complaints.
«At least we are not far from Canterlot, we could take some rest and tour the boutiques.» It was a good chance to catch up with the new trends at the royal city, as long as the best scenario happens. However, Ember was not in the mood of solving this calmly.
«Hey! Come out right now! It’s an order!» Ember’s words resonated through the darkness, reaching every corner and passage of the tunnel system. However, there were no answer but her own eco. «Are you sure a dragon is there?» She turned to the diamond dogs, but was at that moment when an enormous silhouette appeared at her back, rising from the depths of the earth as imposing as a full grown dragon was. Every diamond dog bowed and trembled and the singular trio hid in fear. «Was about time! I order you to…!»
«You order me? Who are you supposed to be?» The dragon was enormous, but had a certain semblance to Ember. Her blue scales shinned under daylight as sapphires and her horns coiled horns made them thinks if it was the future image of Ember as a full grown dragon. However, even ponies like them spotted a difference between their gazes. Both attractive, but this one was also ruthless. In the terms of a dragon, she was beautiful. «When I order you to bring me something to eat, I wasn’t meaning this.» The dragoness ignored Ember blatantly and search for the diamond dog trio, finding them hided stupidly behind a rock just too small for the three of them. «By all the sweets and salty crackers in this world, dragons can’t live only with gems.» She then gripped the leader by the heel and hold him at her eyes level. «Oh well, I was kinda curious to know if you were stinky but yummy, or just stinky.» Her jaws opened wide and was ready to devour the desperate diamond dog whole.
«Stop right now! What do you think you are doing?! Release that diamond dog at once!» Ember rose before an atrocity happened before her eyes.
«Mmm… you are right, I rather avoid get sick rather than satisfy my curiosity.» The dragoness tossed the diamond dog away, losing all interest. The diamond dog whimpered in fear and ran away. «Anyway, I don’t know what problems these three inept cause you, but I can make up for.» Turned her gaze to the others. «How much do you charge for the ponies?»
«We aint for sellin’!» Applejack replied outraged as everypony else.
«What about this pony shut you up!» Rainbow Dash rose at her sight level.
«You couldn’t afford it anyway!» Rarity got an inexpressive look from her friends. «What?»
«Are we this kind with ponies after winning the war?» She ignored Rainbow Dash with a disgusted expression in her face.
«But we stopped Garble. The war never started.» Spike said, but the dragon was clearly confused and upset.
«Garble? Who the hell is Garble? Agh… you know what? Forget it. My sister Scyntilla may be kind, but this is ridiciulous.» The dragoness caressed her temples.
«Wait, are you talking about that Scyntilla?» Ember remarked, but no one else knew who they were talking about.
«Who is Scyntilla?» Spike asked, to wich the dragoness replied outraged that Scyntilla was none other than the Dragon Lord. «That’s not true. Ember is the Dragon Lord.»
«I don’t know who the hell are you, but passing off as the Dragon Lord is a very serious crime.» She warned, but everypony replied the same as Spike and remarked how he was Dragon Lord once, even if it was jut for a moment.
«Ridiculous! Even if my sister called for a Gauntlet of fire, only juvenile dragons can answer!»
«Spike, come here for a moment.» Ember took Spike aside while his friends were arguing with the dragoness. «There was a Dragon Lord called Scyntilla and she was my grandma. If what this dragon say is true, then she would be technically my grandaunt.»
«Your GRANDAUNT?!» Spike exclaimed, draw every creature attention to them. «Sorry.» Ember rolled her eyes and then got closer to the dragoness.
«We haven’t introduced ourselves. My name is Ember, daughter of Torch.» Ember did a half bow, extending her wings. It was an old formality, so old that nodragon but royals like her and her father knew how to perform. The dragoness gave her a intrigue look, but acted just like Ember thought.
«My name is Agnis, Daughter of Adralin, great general of Dragon Lord Scyntilla’s army.» As a full grown dragon, her answer was sitting straight and half opened her wings. They could spot a big scar in her left wing.
«I’m sorry to tell you this, but it has been a thousand years since the last war between us and ponies and at last five hundred years since Scyntilla reign.»
«That’s the funniest thing I have ever heard! A thousand years?! You must be kidding!» Agnis laughed hard, but there was no trace of joking or lies in Ember eyes or words. «No… You are lying… It’s impossible! We were at the door of Cloudsdale! Right about to conquer the skies! The world shall be ours. » Suddenly, she felt dizzy and too weak to keep standing. She sat, trembling the earth before her weight. «Every diamond dog can leave now… just… get out here.»
«Can we take our treasure?» Asked the leader, revealing himself from his hide out. However, the dragon was not in the mood to deal anymore with them.
«I won’t say it twice.» All the diamond dogs trembled in fear and ran away into the tunnels as fast as they could, stumbling over each other in their panic. «Asleep for a thousand years… it’s really hard to believe.» Agnis said before they could recover from the impression caused by that voice full with hate and murderous gaze. She was, with no doubt, a dragon forged and molded at war. «Live in a world reign by colorful ponies… how pathetic.»
«It’s not that bad. Technically I’ve raised by ponies, so I can tell.» Spike said. «I have never lacked anything I needed in this world. Food, shelter and plenty of friends… actually, I have much more than I really need.»
«Raised by ponies you say? Well, that explains why you are such a runt.» Agnis then noticed his wings and felt curious, because the molting was the treat of every dragon reaching puberty. However, Spike looked like he cracked his eggs just a couple of years ago. «A dragon raised by ponies and who also became Dragon Lord… that’s even harder to believe.» She added, despite it was just as impossible as her sleeping for a thousand years and wake up young anyway.
«What’s your secret? I know dragons live a lot longer than us, but there is not a single wrinkle or pale scale.» Rarity asked, aiming to get any clue to preserve her own beauty through time. However, the dragoness wasn’t sure.
«I was recovering from injury at the mountains. I never thought it would take a thousand years to heal.» Agnis extender her left wing, showing an enormous scar that crossed it side to side. It sure was a serious injury.
«And you recovered from a wound like that? Awesome!» Rainbow Dash felt respect for that petulant dragoness.
«That’s what a I call a true battle scar! Is so cool! And the story behind it sure is even cooler!» Agnis has shown herself as cocky and proud, but in that moment she was far from the warrior that Rainbow Dash hoped to see. The dragoness gave a sad looking to her scar.
«Don’t ya know the expression don’t open old wounds, Rainbow?» Applejack pointed out and the pegasi understood. «Are you all right?»
«No… the world I used to know is gone. Everything has change, but I remain the same… at least gems taste good as always.» She swallowed a clawful of gems just like potato chips. «We lost the war and became pets.»
«Hey! I’m not a pet!» Spike replied angry.
«Oh, really? Your whole life between ponies and you stay cute and little even in your puberty. How convenient. They just have to give you a collar and a dress.» Agnis had a good point and Spike would skipt the fact he used to help Rarity with her dresses sometimes. However, he was proud of being at princess Twilight’s service. He was liker her personal assistant. «And how much does the princess pay you? I mean, if you work for her, she should pay you… or are you a slave?»
«Dragons are not pet or slaves neither.» Ember intervened, even if she agreed with Agnis at some point. Spike technically was a not remunerated worker and a helpful companion. In other words, a slave and a pet.
«Before my millenary sleep I buried my treasure in these lands. These gems are rightfully mine. So, if I offer you a thousand gems per month to serve my dear grandniece… Emmm… Ember. Would you work as her personal assistant?» Everypony was surprised before that sudden job offer. They came to rescue the diamond dogs and now Spike could get a big salary by leaving Ponyville and work for Ember. Suddenly, all the attention centered at Ember.
«Well… Spike have experience dealing with royalty, so he would be more than qualified.» Honestly, the idea of coming back to the Dragon Lands with Spike to help her was nice. However, the little dragon refused the offer without thinking it twice.
«I’m sorry, these ponies are more than my friends. They are my family. Thank you, but I could never leave them for any offer.»
«That’s my Spikey Wikey!» Rarity hugged him, followed by Applejack and Rainbow Dash, but none noticed the sad look in Ember’s eyes. She knew the answer from the beginning, but it did not make it hurt less.
«In the light of the circumstances, I shall assume they took the Dragon Lord’s scepter away just like they did with our pride.» The scepter was the symbol of the Dragon Lord sovereign authority and the only relic powerful enough to exert their will among them. Ember felt even worse as the scepter was destroyed at her reign.
«No, a sorcerer destroyed the scepter a few days ago.» Ember clenched her fist.
«Oh, so not everything is lost yet.» Agnis said like it was nothing, enraging Ember. ¿Where was her dragon pride? ¿Was not the scepter the most precious treasure of their people? ¿How she could take its destruction so easily? Ember was about to explode, but then Agnis silenced her thoughts with a single sentence. «We can make a new one.»
«A new scepter?!» Ember exclaimed as Agnis showed a perplexed expression.
«You didn’t know?» Agnis blinked naively.
«OF COURSE I DIDN’T KNOW!» Ember flew at her eyes level.
«There no need to yell. I may be a thousand years old, but I’m not deaf.» Agnis cleaned her ear with the claw of her pinkie. «I can show you how and where, but only the Dragon Lord can open the doors. If we are lucky, the will of the Dragon Lord is still inside you and that wouldn’t be a problem.» She devoured a last clawful of gems and layed down before Ember. «You are lucky of having such a good auntie like me. I’ll take you there in the blink of an eye.» Agnis extended her left wing like a ramp, inviting her to ride on her back. However, Ember felt suspicious. It was such a fortunate coincidence, just too good to be real. And she didn’t believed in coincidences and good luck.
«Don’t worry, we are goin’ with ya.» Applejack came at her side, despite of Agnis disavowal. She did not want to give a ride to a bunch of colorful ponies. «We just meet ya’, don’t blame us for bein’ careful.»
«Ugh… fine, but better hold on tight, cause I’m not going to slow down just for you.»
«Ha! You don’t need to slow down for me! In fact, I could beat you in a flying race anytime!» Rainbow Dash said, provoking Agnis.
«Oh, please forgive my bold friend, she didn’t meant to…» Rarity tried to intervene, but the challenge was already set.
«Is that so, you bigheaded pegasi? We are going to a volcano at the southwestern limits of Yakyakistan, you couldn’t miss it even in a blizzard… if Yakyakistan still exists, of course.» Everyone hold tight to her back, praying to whatever they believed in. «As an act of good faith, I’ll give you the head start.»
«Pff… Easy peasy.» Rainbow Dash said, starting the racing at full speed, heading to the lands of prince Rutherford and his subjects.
«I could not be more agree.» Agnis giggled malicious, spreading her wings majestically and sending up a dust cloud.
Finally, free from the menacing figure of Agnis, the diamond dogs crawled up from the tunnels to claim their treasure. However, as soon as the dust dissipated, the treasure was already gone. There were nothing but rocks and dirt.
«No!» The leader of the diamond dogs exclaimed long and dramatically.
«At least they took the dragon away.» The little one said and returned to the tunnels to seek more gems to gather for another life spawn. None realized the presence of another Diamond dog, a stranger among their people.
«Sometimes I think this is just too easy.» The weird looking diamond said. His voice was absurdly eloquent and his vestments were similar to any other diamond dog, but they were more refined and cleaner with no doubt. He tightened the bow tie of his diamond dog collar and prepared to leave with the copious treasure conveniently gathered by Agnis, storing the last gem inside an old medical-like briefcase. The interior shined bright and the treasure reflected in a pair of thick trifocal glasses. «Blessed be magic and all its applications.» He then rose the head and contemplated the sky, calculating how much it would take them to Yakyakistan. He had more than enough time to go ahead with the next part of the plan and pulled out an advertising leaflet of a pocket. The image of the Flim & Flam brothers replaced the reflection of the treasure in his glasses and smiled widely. «I’m back in business.»
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Agnis was getting closer to Rainbow Dash with each flutter of her enormous wings. The pegasi was the incarnation of speed but was not rival for the dragoness’ wingspan. The same distance Rainbow Dash rushed with all her might, Agnis was able to do it as well with a minimum effort. Soon enough, Rainbow Dash was struggling to keep up.
«What’s the matter? Tired already?» The dragoness mocked the pegasi, bursting out laughing as she left Rainbow Dash behind.
«Wait! What about Rainbow Dash?!» Applejack said, but Agnis was not interested in the safety of an insolent pegasi.
«She will catch up eventually.» Agnis answered with a wide smile. «Or maybe not, I don’t care.» By that point they had lost Rainbow Dash of sight and try to convince the dragoness to change her mind was a in vain. It was hard to hold on already and so was trying to speak without getting out of breath. Fortunately, Spike and Ember helped them to not fall from the back of that inconsiderate dragoness.
«If this ruins my mane, I’m going to be really upset!» Rarity exclaimed as they went into the blizzard clouds of the north.
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Yakyakistan had not changed much since the times Agnis used to fly over those lands and she could say thank to the stubbornness of those wooly creatures for preserving their style of life for so long. Even if the city was bigger then, it was essentially the same. The ominous shadow of the dragon projected over the city spreading fear in yaks’ hearts, triggering ancient instincts. However, they were not there to visit prince Rutherford and his kin. Not so far from there, one of the ice peaks was not just rock and snow but a long forgotten extinct volcano. Agnis landing was a blizzard, revealing the ruins they were looking for.
«Here we are, my dear grandniece and little pests.» As the snow rose whirling, the entrance emerged from its white prison. It was a stone made door big enough to welcomed Torch, flanked by two guardian statues carved right from the mountain’s rock. They barely were seeing those eternal titans, made to inspire fear to everycreature which gazed on them, but was enough to accomplish their purpose even half covered in snow. Spike felt very uncomfortable, just like everypony else. However, Ember was remarkably stoic and went right to the entrance.
«What now? Should I say open door or something?» Ember did not trust in Agnis, but then the peak trembled and the monumental doors slid heavily at the very moment she pronounced those words. There was nothing but darkness in the other side.
«We dragons are not very creative as you shall know. Hmp… the light doesn’t work.» There were supposed to be a luminous crystal trail, but maybe she was asking to much for a millenary building. It was already ancient the first time she set a foot there. «Bringing these little pests was not a bad idea after all. You, the unicorn, do something useful with your magic and light up the way.»
«My name is Rarity. If you want respect, you should make an effort and respect others first.»
«I don’t need your respect, but if calling you by name will save me the trouble of having breath fire all the way, then please, miss Rarity, I would appreciate if you light our path before I set your mane in fire and use it as torch.» Agnis menaced but, before a very offended Rarity could add anything about, Spike intervened.
«We will lead then!» The little dragon said, taking Rarity away before she could roast that petulant dragon with words and end incinerated.
«Go ahead, I’ll wait for Rainbow.» Applejack was worried, despite it was very unlikely for the bold pegasi to get lost in the cold clouds of the north and even more unlikely for her to give up. «I’ll catch ya later.»
«Let us know if anything happen.» Ember said before they went through the monumental doors a leave its horrific guardians behind, entering what used to be the most sacred place for her ancestors.
The walls were carved with low reliefs as ancient as the world, older than any book known by ponykind. It was the long-forgotten dragon history from the very beginning.
«When the world was new, there were no kingdoms, no rules… anything, but dragons.» Agnis started to interpretate the low reliefs for them as Rarity lighted them up in their way. «Stronger than any other creature, dragons took the world for their own in a reign of fire. However, peace was never an option and then the first war ever known started. Dragons against dragons, scorching the world and reducing it to ashes. Soon, there were less and less dragons until the very edge of extinction. Dragons were facing their worst and last moments, but then something beyond our world happened. It came from above, as a bright red light igniting the night. Dragons never faced stronger enemies than other dragons, but what fell from the sky was the exception.» The low reliefs showed then a horror beyond understanding, so evil than the ones who carved the stones struggled to do their best and capture the image the creature. They could tell, because the engraving was deeper in the rock than any other, like it was carved not once but a hundred times until they finally captured the essence of their nightmare. The result was a creature of pure darkness and many eyes. «It destroyed woods, valleys and mountains, feeding of the very world. Some dragons tried to fight it, perishing in the act. Finally, after centuries of nonsense war, dragons understood that the only way to save themselves was fight together and so they did. Fighting as one, the dragons defeated the creature and saved the world, but the price of victory was high. Less than a hundred dragons survived and every single one of them was afraid of when other of these horrors could fall from the skies again. Those last dragons bonded by fear and swore to protect the future generations from themselves and unknown. They went to the top of the world, here, to make that bond real and unify all dragons under the authority of one and only lord.» As the story reached its conclusion, the galleries led to an enormous chamber and the path under their hooves turned into a narrow rock bridge over a sea of shadows.
They could not see top or bottom. It was a true abyss.
«May…maybe can you take us to the other side?» Spike swallowed loudly but flying there was no option, even for a dragon general.
«This bridge was built to bare dragons even bigger than me but look out and watch your step. Falling will be you doom.» Agnis warned them, enjoying the fear of the ponies and their little dragon pet. However, even she was afraid deep down.
«Keep close to me, Spike.» Rarity begged as they were the ones leading.
«D… don’t be afraid. I’ll be always at your side.» Spike tried to be brave, but the abyss was just too overwhelming.
Ember didn’t need anyone to make her feel safe, but seeing them was heart-wrenching. She could not understand that weird feeling, but as they walked into the abyss, a terrible though crossed her mind.
«So vulnerable.» Agnis whispered in her ear with a malicious smile in her face. «I could say it was an accident and none would ever know the truth.» Ember’s heartbeat rose.
«What?!» Ember exclaimed quietly, but she could not fool the dragoness. Agnis was saying exactly what was in her mind.
«Poor little dragon, he would need his friends more than ever and there you will be to comfort him… ready to fill that gap in his heart.» Agnis voice felt like a hypnotic melody taking over her mind, leading her to a path with no return. Ember’s armed flinched and her vision got narrower. However, at the very last moment, her will overcame that malevolent influence and shook her head before make a unforgivable mistake. «Uhmm… We may be family after all.»
«What’s happening back there?» Rarity said. «It’s everything all right?»
«Everything is fine, Ember didn’t like my joke about your shiny and big white flank… but nothing of your business.» Agnis answered and fortunately Spike was there to calm down the unicorn before losing her temper.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, they reached the end of the chamber. There was a hall-like platform before a second door, just as big as the main entrance, flanked by two stone guardians. There they could feel safe from falling into the abyss as long as they didn’t try to find the tail of those stone guardians.
«Now, you have to read the door’s inscriptions.» Agnis said, bringing Ember back from the mess inside her head. She distrusted Agnis more than ever but follow her game at least could help her forget those terrible thoughts.
«This is the heart of all dragons, our treasure and legacy.» Ember read, translating that scripture only known by the highest dragons and taught to her by Torch. She never thought it would be useful someday, just like the dragon law. «Long live the Dragon Lord.» She expected something similar to what happened at the entrance, but the doors didn’t open. Her words were only answered by their own eco. «I knew we couldn’t trust you! You just wasted our time!» Ember exclaimed, but Agnis was truly confused.
«I can’t understand, It should react to the commands of the Dragon Lord… unless.» Agnis remembered what the ponies said at the diamond dog’s lair. «Runt, try. It may be a problem caused for rejecting the Dragon Lord tittle prematurely.»
«My name is Spike.» He grunted before repeating what Ember said. Nothing happened.
«A thousand years is a long time. Maybe it stopped working like the lights.» Rarity said, but Agnis discarded that idea as the magic of that door was meant to be eternal. «Well… what about trying at the same time?»
«I don’t think that would work.»
«Come on Ember, one more time.» Spike invited her to repeat the words together, extending his claw to her.
Ember doubted, but she then took his claw and both said the words.
«This is the heart of all dragons, our treasure and legacy. Long live the Dragon Lord.» They said as one and finally, after a dramatic eco, the eyes of the stone guardians shined and a magic seal ignited on the door as a trace of gunpowder. The heavy doors finally opened and revealed the treasure of their ancestors. The chamber that appeared before them was covered entirely by red crystals, just like a monumental geode in whose center hanged the biggest bloodstone of the world.
«The heart of all dragons.» Ember mumbled, honoring the name given by their ancestors.
Its shape was not as well defined as the crystal heart or Rarity’s fire ruby but was just as magnificent. Rarity was astonished just like them, hypnotized by its solemnity and natural beauty. However, Agnis was not impressed at all. She was concerned.
«It’s worse than I imagined.» The dragoness said, giving a look into the pit under the heart of all dragons. «The heat of the volcano had to keep the heart alive, but there nothing left. The heart is dead just like the volcano itself.»
«What?! No! We were so close! What we would do now?!» Spike cursed their bad luck, but then the dragoness breathed in deeply and exhaled the most powerful fire blast that Spike or Ember had ever seen.
«What are you waiting for? We gotta fire this boiler up!» Agnis urged and then the three dragons their flaming breaths with all their might. Rarity had to step aside to keep her main safe from the heat and doing so she could see how the crystal shimmered from its center and spread through the stem to the whole cave. They were surrounded by a sparkling red glow and, finally, a heartbeat began, first it was a soft light pulse and then strong and warm. Magma springs surged from the jaws of dragons sculpted from rock and bloodstone, flooding the chamber at each pulse. Rarity feared that the magma could soon reach the platform they were standing on, but the excess flowed away through drainage openings.
«Where does that lava go.» Rarity asked but no answer from Agnis was necessary as they heard galloping hooves into the chamber. Applejack came as fast as she could.
«Stop! Ther… wow.» Applejack was astonished before the bloodstone chamber and the heart of all dragons, but she could stay there with an open mouth all day. She shook her head and focused. «There is lava flowing from the volcano! The yak village is right in the way!»
«Oh no, it’s our fault… we have to save them!» Ember said and everyone agreed. Everyone but Agnis.
«We cannot stop now! This may be our only chance! Isn’t recovering the Dragon Lord scepter important to you?!»
«Yes, it is! But destroying a village in the process?!»
«Only fools would build their home at the foothills of a volcano! It’s not our problem!» Agis tried to stop her, but Ember already took a decision.
«We may be family, but we are nothing alike.» Ember had nothing to add and they followed Applejack outside. The abyss turned into a magma chamber and the crystals lighted up the path just like it did eras ago.
«Don’t say I didn’t try.» Agnis smiled and shrugged her shoulders before turning back to the throbbing bloodstone. It was ironic. Before grasp this heart, they had to bringing it back to life just like young and stupid love. It would take just a little more and then she could accomplish her mission. Meanwhile, her grandniece and her pony friends were fighting against a lava river.
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Applejack was digging a ditch with yaks’ help, just like Rockhoof legend a thousand years ago at his own village. Ember and spike used their fire breaths to melt snow and solidify the lava front, buying some time for the ditch to be done. However, if their plan failed, Rarity was leading the evacuation to higher grounds. Fortunately, the plan worked, and the lava flowed around the village through the ditch.
«We did it!» Spike celebrated as everycreature. The village was saved, but there was no time for celebration. Suddenly, the earth trembled, and a bright light beam rose from the volcano. «What now?!» He exclaimed and then they could see the Agnis silhouette over the smoking crater. The heart of all dragons was in her grasp.
«She did it… the heart has awaken.» Ember mumbled, but Agnis had no intention of retrieving their kind most sacred treasure. She grinded and flew away. «Oh no you won’t!» Not even Rainbow Dash was able to catch the dragoness, but she had to try.
«Ember!» Spike tried to stop her, but it was useless. Ember hear nothing and got loss into the freezing clouds of the north. He was about to do the same, but Rarity held him. «Let me go!»
«There’s nothin’ we can do, Spike, but wish her good luck.» Applejack said, understanding what Rarity was doing. For now, they had to explain a lot to prince Rutherford and ask him help to get back home.
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Even when they were the cause of the crisis, prince Rutherford was thankful for their help at saving the village and swore to find that evil dragoness and punish her for all the damage she caused to yaks and dragons. They were gathering the supplies for a safe travel to the Crystal Empire when Rainbow Dash finally landed at the village. However, she had to pay the price of flying through such low temperatures with no equipment. Once they arrived at the Crystal Empire, the medical diagnosis was clear. She caught a cold.
«You don’t know how lucky you are of not getting hypothermia after such stup… I mean, bold race. You shall stay at bed and drink this syrup every morning.» The doctor prescribed, giving her a taste of the medicine.
«Iugh! It’s awful!... ah… ah-choo!» It was well deserved for being so big-headed.
They thanked the doctor and had an audience with princess Cadance to tell her everything they knew about the incident. However, by the moment there was no evidence to connect the Heralds with Agnis but the fact that she came back after a millennium.
«Who could know about such place? Sunburst would love the idea of give those engravings a good look.» Cadance took the chance to let them know about Starlight vacations along Sunburst at Coltifornia.
«Dream vacations with a stallion. I’m so jealous right now.» Rarity said, beating in mind the option of doing the same and enjoy their last days of summer before the return to classes. «What about those days when we defeated the villain right after they appeared?»
«Maybe we are getting o…» Applejack was about to say, but the unicorn shut her mouth in the act. They were too young to think about throwing in the towel and talk like tired old mares.
«I hope Ember is fine.» Spike said, gazing into the sunset from one of the very windows of the palace. The summer vacations were about to end and his fears were coming true. What they would do once the classes start? First the Heralds appeared and now Agnis stole the heart of all dragons, the last hope to retrieve the Dragon Lord scepter and heal Ember’s wounded pride. However, the sunset was still beautiful.
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Spike was not the only one looking at the horizon colored by the setting sun. Curled inside at a mountain hide out, Agnis was calming her melancholy with the view. It had not changed in a thousand years. Those lands were still magical and beautiful. However, a fleeting memory crossed her mind and an unpleasant grimace took over her face.
«It has been so long and I can’t forget it.» Agnis mumbled, realizing about the heart she was drawing in the ground with her claw. Angry for that childish habit, she erased the trace with unnecessary fury.
«Old wounds can heal. You are the living proof.» The voice came from the dark, but she didn’t needed to turn back to know who was there. A grey unicorn was at his side.
«It was easier than I expected, but I feel pity for my grandniece. She don’t know how a broken heart feel like and yet she suffer for the friendship of that weakling.»
«It reminds me somedragoness I know.» Mortymer inspected the throbbing relic that shimmered with a warm pulse. The magic of the old dragons was there. «Who knows if she could become an excellent prophet.»
«A whole new generation of Heralds. It doesn’t sound half bad. What do you think, Last Flame? Would you like your own band to mess around?»
«Eh… sure.» Last Flame was not used to how familiar Agnis treated her, but suddenly Mortymer staggered and leant on the bloodstone heart. «Are you all right?» She was worried.
«They know.» Mortymer said but neither Agnis nor Last Flame understood the meaning of his words, ignoring about the meeting celebrated at that very moment.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
«It is impossible. This abbisinyan is an impostor for sure.» Flash Magnus thumped the round table, but Mistmane was categoric in her suspicions. «We defeated the Heralds a thousand years ago, there no way for them to come back.»
«Impossible as our own return. But yet, here we are.» Somnambula added calmly.
«We were there when the dark bastion fell! Starswirl defeated Mortymer as Meadow Brook and I did with Famine!» Rock Hoof rose his voice, but the wizard kept silence. «You did defeated Mortymer, didn’t you?»
«Mortymer fell into the corrupted portal and nopony ever heard about him or his heralds again… until now. We can not stay idle, even if it was an impostor.» Stygian concluded before Starswirl’s silence.
«Let’s start with their old hide outs.» Meadow Brook proposed and everypony agreed.
«I can mobilize the guard to assist the searching.» Flash Magnus needed princess Celestia’s permission first, but he was sure about a good answer.
«We also could ask help to the draconequus.» Rock Hoof said, provoking worried glances. «What was his name again? Mmm… Ah! Of course! Dis…» Flash Magnus and Somnambula shut his mouth before pronouncing that name. «What?»
«We shall avoid saying that name out loud.» Starswirl finally broke his silence. Mistmane was looking at him from the very beginning of the meeting. «I will inform Celestia about what we have agreed and discuss here.» He stood up from his seat. «The Heralds have returned, and the Pillars are here to stop them once again. It’s all that matters now.»
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...its time travel isn't it?
Oops duplicate.
10527538
Ohhhhh I was looking for a misspelling but you were talking about the plot - don't you? I guess it is kinda time travel. Good guess tho. Hope you like the fanfic and thanks for the comment!