IV - Don't be Afraid
As the Sun Sets
by Mystic
Chapter IV
Don’t be Afraid
The dragon dwarfed even the Princess, eighty feet long, huge muscles rippling under his copper-coloured scales. Celestia regarded the massive creature in front of her with the softest of smiles. Something akin to recognition lit up her eyes, and her grin spread. “Forgȉr, such a pleasure.”
The copper dragon’s lips curled at the edges in what Twilight hoped was a smile, revealing glistening fangs. “You always did have a way with names, Alduaine.”
Celestia raised a delicate eyebrow. “And apparently the same can be said for you. It has been a very long time since anyone has called me that.”
“Glamduural calls you nothing else, and I would not be surprised if you hear it a great deal more while you stay with us.” His voice was low and shook the air, a rumble that didn’t quite match up with the dragon’s civilised tone.
The Princess proceeded with introductions, taking the time to mention each one of her guards and Twilight by name. Forgȉr then did the same for his companion, a dragon called Scaurd, whom Forgȉr referred to as his ‘shadow’ when completing the King’s tasks. In response, Scaurd bared his teeth, testing the air with his thick tongue. A small hiss escaped between his fangs, and Twilight felt Swift stiffen next to her.
The Princess nodded to the smaller dragon before turning her attention back to the elder. “When was the last time you have had to meet guests as part of those tasks?”
Forgȉr chuckled, a sound that made Twilight take an involuntary step backwards. “The last time you were here, Alduaine. No one visits the dragons anymore. They haven’t for a very long time.”
“Is that so?” Celestia raised an eyebrow but made no further comment on the matter. “Well, my guards must eat and rest. Can you wait for half an hour before we continue?”
“We’ll be ready in fifteen,” Swift said, holding her head high.
Celestia looked her over before nodding. “Fifteen minutes then.”
“No matter," Forgȉr said. "Forgive me, but I would very much like to talk to you, Alduaine, and I am not convinced we will get another opportunity like this one, away from… listening ears.”
The Princess frowned momentarily, but only said, “Of course.” She took off to land on Forgȉr’s other side, and the dragon shifted away, out of ear shot from the rest of the guards. Twilight could hear Forgȉr’s rumble, but it was too low to make out any kind of comprehensible words. It just sounded like boulders rolling down a cliff.
Twilight looked around, shifting her weight between her front hooves. She was very aware that the dragon called Scaurd was staring at her. Contrail gave her a small, flat piece of pastry, which Twilight took without complaint, and she wolfed most of it down with some water.
Twilight tried her best to let the seconds drift away, and she focused her gaze on the baked plain. She could see waves of sand roll along the ground, breaking on jutting rock formations and obscuring the air. It was an ocean of red dunes for as far as she could see, an alien world. A pang of homesickness caused Twilight to frown. She hadn’t even made it to the dragon city, and she was already missing her library and the green grass of Ponyville?
A voice drifted over on a blast of wind, startlingly clearer than before. It was Forgȉr’s, and Twilight’s ears pricked up to hear it.
“—there isn’t anything more reliable than that. It’s just all whispers and rumours now. I can hear the reports stalk the caves, stirring in the corners and the dark places.”
Trying to be inconspicuous, Twilight wandered a little closer, sitting down in the shade of a giant boulder. If she listened hard enough, she could just pick out their conversation.
“Stirring what exactly?”
“Dissent. Anger. Fear. It’s all the same thing, really. None of us are old enough to remember the last time the shadow in the east started awakening.”
“How can you be sure, though? The east hasn’t stirred in almost two thousand years.”
Forgȉr rumbled. “What else can it be? You must have heard the whispers. You must have seen the clouds that marshal over the Shadowed Lands. The air crackles with magic when the winds blow from the east. Something in there is moving, Alduaine, and it is reaching out to all who will listen.”
The Princess was quiet for a moment. Twilight held her breath. She remembered the Shadowed Lands from the map Celestia showed her, the place where all light failed to reach.
“Rumour is almost impossible to act upon, Forgȉr.”
“Perhaps so. But the tides are turning. The world is changing. I can see it, Alduaine. I can feel it, taste it, touch it. The air smells different, and no matter what I say, the King rests upon his golden throne and does nothing, content to let the rumours fester underneath him.”
“Then maybe he sees nothing to be afraid of?”
“And that is my fear. It’s all crumbling around him, Alduaine. I worry it is only a matter of time before something breaks.”
Celestia was silent. Twilight’s heart pounded in her chest. What was all this…?
“I shall see,” the Princess said at last. “I am glad you chose to speak to me, Forgȉr. If you are right, something will need to be done.”
“Truer words have never been spoken. All I ask is that you keep this in mind when speaking to the King. We need a set of eyes and ears that are not dulled and obscured by years of neglect and peace.”
Twilight blinked. Why would Forgȉr act as if the Princess hadn’t ruled in peace for a thousand years...?
“I will, Forgȉr. Rest your concerns. We will solve this problem.”
“Thank you. That’s all I can hope for.”
With that, Twilight heard the pair shift around. She focused very hard on the pastry she forced into her mouth, looking very pointedly at the view. The Princess gave her a look as she passed, but did not comment.
Twilight swallowed thickly. The food tasted like dirt.
The air was scorching. Up in the air, even with the Princess’ protective wind-bubble, Twilight could almost feel her body wither like wet paper left in the sun. She kept drinking from the water bottle, but it did nothing except provide a half-second of relief to her parched throat.
“Uncomfortable, Twilight?” Celestia asked.
“It’s so hot up here!” Twilight shielded her face with a foreleg, the sun hurting her eyes. She could see Forgȉr and Scaurd on either side of the chariot, gliding on the dozens of hot updrafts that soared from the plain.
The Princess chuckled. “Fortunately for you, I came prepared.”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
Celestia levitated over a saddle bag, undoing the straps and pulling out a piece of mottled brown fabric. Twilight frowned, at a complete loss with what it was, before the Princess stretched it out. It was a desert explorer’s outfit, just like the ones she had seen in foal’s storybooks.
“Go on,” Celestia said. “Have a look.”
Twilight levitated up one of the folds of fabric for closer inspection. It was an earthy grey-brown, the material coarse on the outside, yet smooth on the inside. After she had picked it up, Twilight could see that it was a loose-fitting suit designed to cover her entire body, even her hooves, while a hood provided a means to cover her head. A thin facemask and a pair of streamlined goggles completed the outfit.
“I have to wear this?” Twilight asked, staring at the full body suit with a look that would have made Rarity proud.
Celestia laughed. “Well, it’s certainly made to be worn in this kind of weather. So, yes, I would say wearing it would be a smart idea.”
“I… guess it’s pretty authentic?”
“That’s the spirit! Remember, this is practical.”
It didn’t take Twilight much longer to get the suit on after that. She used magic to hold it out so she could step into it, each leg fitting snugly. While the outer layer was tough, like some of the leathers used for heavy-duty work clothes, the inside was cool and silky, breathable and light against her skin. The rest of it fitted around her ergonomically, the hood resting on her shoulders. She moved around a little, the cloth making next to no noise. She could barely feel it on.
“There. Much better,” the Princess said. Twilight had to agree. Very practical. Very sensible.
“Excuse me, Princess,” Twilight asked.
“Yes, Twilight?”
“That dragon, Forgȉr, he calls you ‘Alduaine’. What does that mean?”
Celestia snorted. “It’s an old dragon word that a dragon by the name of Thomoral gave to me a very long time ago. If I remember correctly, it roughly translates into ‘Flame of the Sky’.”
“Oh.” That made sense, the unicorn thought. Even if it was a bit odd. ‘Flame of the Sky’ sounded... intimidating.
Twilight sat down again, chewing on her lip. A part of her wanted to ask Celestia just what Forgȉr was talking about, to press the Princess until she told her everything. It wasn’t that Twilight was scared. Well... much. It would just settle the churning pit of anxiousness that seeped through her whole body.
Try as she might, the unicorn couldn’t shake the idea that there was something looming over them, a storm cloud fed by all this talk of shadow and rumour and the ‘east’. But then a little voice in her head reminded her that the Princess had already told her not to worry. And what could she do? Go against what the Princess had asked? That would be like telling Celestia she was wrong and couldn’t be trusted, the very idea of which made Twilight shudder.
So she held her tongue, choosing to wait for another time. She would get her answers, and if it became a real problem, one that Twilight should legitimately be worried about, she was certain the Princess would tell her.
Of course she would.
The afternoon passed quickly, and the terrain changed little. The burning red landscape stretched out into the distance, vast and consuming with its emptiness. Small dunes or beds of rock were the only variation, cooked and shaped under the constant assault from the weather. Away from the mountains, the clouds had disappeared, though the sky was still thick with dust, the fine particles carried high into the atmosphere on the rising winds.
The sun was high in the sky when the Princess finally stirred again. She stood up, peering out to the south with narrowed eyes. “Hmm. I think we might be drawing near to Dragoliath.”
Twilight also got up, and, sure enough, on the northern edge of the world she could see a great shape looming up into the sky, wreathed in plumes of sand. Twilight’s jaw dropped. The lone mountain was a monstrous shadow that dominated the skyline, reaching up into the sky to smother the sun.
“I… can’t believe how big it is,” Twilight said, blinking. She was reminded of the first time she had come back to Canterlot from a holiday, staring up at the city perched on the mountainside, feeling so incredibly small. Just as her foalhood self had been left breathless by that sight, her adult self could only stare at the mountain like she was five years old again. Only, this made the Canterlot Mountain look like an anthill.
“Just wait till we get closer,” the Princess replied, smiling a little to herself.
Over the next hour, the last shrouds of sand covering the mountain disappeared, negligible at the short distance. Twilight watched as mighty structures were revealed, clinging to the side of the mountain and covering its circumference entirely. Flaking towers of shining obsidian jutted out into the sky, connected by wide arches and bridges that looked more like roosts than the towers of Canterlot. Courtyards formed shelves against the ochre red of the natural stone.
Everything looked larger than life, and everything was open to the elements, for there were no roofs on these buildings. Dragons circled in the air like birds of prey, drifting down lazily to see the newcomers.
But they were nothing compared to the caves. The mountain was pockmarked with dark openings so big that Twilight would not be surprised if they could fit the entirety of Canterlot inside any one of them.
Forgȉr and Scaurd led their descent, gliding down through the last of the haze toward the mountain city. Even shrouded beneath the sand clouds, the obsidian glinted in the light, magnificent despite the decaying walls.
The dragons began gathering en masse outside what Twilight thought was the largest cave, a gaping mouth of darkness easily hundreds of feet wide and almost as high, framed by ornate carvings of twisted dragons and mighty mountains. It was flanked on both sides by massive, engraved metal plates, doors of a scale and size unlike Twilight had ever seen—each one looked like it could cover the whole of the royal palace in Canterlot. She couldn’t see any hinges or paths on which they could slide, and Twilight was at a complete loss as to how one would close these gates... or why.
Two dragons stood guard on either side of the cave’s entrance, resting on wide perches high above the courtyard. To Twilight they looked like giant cats, watching and waiting, eyeing them all with disdain. Guards in Equestria were stern, sure, but these just looked threatening.
Celestia moved up beside Twilight, her trademark benevolent smile on her lips. “Welcome, Twilight, to Dragoliath, the ancient city of the dragons, and the home of Glamduural, the High Dragon King and Lord of Draxonis.”
Twilight could do little more than gape at her surroundings. “Wow…”
The chariot made its final descent through the dark towers, landing in a small cloud of sand. Twilight coughed violently and pulled up her facemask to protect herself from the debris. The guards detached themselves from their harnesses, and Twilight and the Princess disembarked. The librarian from Ponyville looked up at the dozens of dragons surrounding her on all sides, completely ringing the ponies. They looked… hungry, testing the air with their tongues, their tails shifting behind them.
Forgȉr and Scaurd landed next to the party, and Twilight felt a little better to be near a dragon whose name she actually knew.
“Princess, what do we do now?” she asked.
“Ah. The Spirit of the Sun! I see you have finally arrived safe and sound. Welcome back to Dragoliath and the hall of Glamduural.”
Twilight turned at the sound of the voice, a deep rumble that sounded more guttural than any dragon Twilight had heard before. Three dragons were walking out of the cave, the lead one’s lips curled in a smug smile. He was a mottled orange, similar but still very different from Forgȉr’s scales of shining copper.
“Skyr, it’s a pleasure, as always.” Celestia’s voice was cool and refined. A dignitary’s voice, Twilight thought.
“Hmm. Glamduural has been expecting you. The great king is eager to hear of your tales from little Equestria. Things are always so slow and quiet across the water.”
“Of course, they move far quicker here,” Celestia replied. “Your city hasn’t changed in the slightest, Skyr.”
“Hasn’t changed? I think there might be something eluding you then, Your Highness. The city is barely recognizable.”
“Is that so? Entirely your work, no doubt. A grand vision.”
Skyr’s lips pulled back a fraction, showing his pointed teeth. “Yes, indeed. Your tongue is still as sharp as ever, it seems. Come with me, Princess. Glamduural is waiting.”
Celestia motioned that he should lead the way, but Twilight could have sworn a triumphant glint entered the Princess’ eyes the second before she looked away. There was something to this, a different kind of behaviour from how Celestia acted around dignitaries from places like Saddle Arabia or Gryphus. Sharper. Far more pointed. Maybe it was dragon culture to talk like this…?
Skyr and his escort turned and flew into the murky depths of the cave. The Princess gave the call, and the chariot followed them with Forgȉr and Scaurd close behind. Twilight couldn’t help but notice that each of the guards was wearing their hoof and wing blades, the metal gleaming in the sunlight.
Twilight had to try her best to not just fall back on her haunches when they entered the cave. It was crossing some sort of line where the light of the sun suddenly stopped, overtaken by the dark, where her senses were assaulted by the musty smell of dust, soot and bones.
The hall itself ballooned outwards, almost doubling in size, the ceiling supported by massive pillars. Shadows crawled down from the impossibly tall ceiling—so high Twilight couldn’t even see the top—and from the sides, and pressed down on her with all the weight of the mountain itself. Great bonfires lined the ground, each one seemingly burning from the rock itself as Twilight couldn’t see any fuel source. They sent up flickering light that only made it so far before being overwhelmed by the cave’s vast size.
They soon left the entrance cave, watched closely by the dragon’s cold stares, following a tunnel that, despite being smaller than the previous cave, was still probably half as wide as Ghastly Gorge was long.
All down the path, the fires grew larger and more frequent, and Twilight couldn’t shake the feeling they were drawing near something important, something big. It was like how the streets had more statues leading up to the royal palace.
Then the fires stopped, and Twilight was plunged into a darkness so thick it seemed to even swallow sound. She held her breath, waiting, listening to her heart hammer away in her chest. She was surprised Celestia couldn’t hear it. Or maybe she had and wasn’t saying anything.
Then just like that, there was light again, an orange and red hellfire glow. They came through an opening, and the cave exploded outwards, this second hall almost as big as the entrance cave.
Twin rivers of lava flowed down the middle, bubbling and sending a mirage of heat simmering into the air. More pillars ran down both sides, swirls of encrusted gems twining along their lengths. Two dragon guards, both of them in hulking plate armour, roared, a sound that shook Twilight’s body and made her ears ring.
They had arrived.
At the head of the hall was a mountain of gold made from the most brilliant jewellery and gems Twilight had ever seen, emitting a rich glow that flickered along the walls. Cups, plates and ornaments, all fashioned from the most perfect metals, gleamed in the firelight, embellished with every gem Twilight knew and then even more she didn’t. Dragons surrounded the pile, all of them standing up and watching the chariot, their flashing eyes almost moving as one.
But it was the creature apparently asleep on this mountain of gold, flanked by guards, which held Twilight’s gaze. The steel-blue dragon was easily the largest she had seen, well over a hundred feet long. At the moment, however, he was curled up, wings held against his body, tail wrapped tight. Silver spines ran down the length of his neck to his tail, razor sharp and glinting. Smoke coiled out of the dragon’s nostrils with each breath.
The chariot landed a dozen yards or so in front of the gold, and Celestia disembarked almost immediately. Twilight followed close behind, more reluctant to be separated than step into the sight of the dragons.
The Princess walked straight up to the foot of the lavish pile, looking up with her head held high. The hall was silent, everyone waiting for one of the monarchs to make the first move. Then, with a small smile, Celestia coughed once, a sound that echoed in the hall.
The dragon opened an eye.
It regarded the Princess and the ponies surrounding her carefully, the dark-blue pupil laced with milky swirls. Twilight felt that the ancient eye could see straight through her. His lips curled back, revealing great, shining fangs.
“Alduaine… Daughter of the Sun… Monarch of the West… My friend… It has been too long.”
Celestia smiled. “Glamduural, High King of Dragoliath and Lord of Draxonis. It is a pleasure to see you again. A hundred years pass so quickly, does they not? Why, last time I saw you I could have sworn you were much smaller.”
The dragon laughed, his shaking body causing small piles of gold to tumble noisily to the floor. Twilight watched Skyr fix the Princess with a cold stare.
“Probably because I was. Gold has the wonderful ability to make a dragon put on bulk.”
“Well I would wager your pile of gold has done exactly the same thing. Those are llama goblets, and I don’t remember seeing them last time I was here.”
Glamduural grinned. “The llamas love to trade their gold with me, Alduaine. In fact, they nearly give it to me.”
Celestia raised an eyebrow and shook her head. “You inspire so much confidence with the rest of the world, Glamduural.”
“I do as a dragon does, nothing more.”
“That you do.”
The dragon shifted on his pile of gold, turning his head to face the Princess, watching her carefully. “So, you have finally returned to Dragoliath. To talk about migration routes of all things… Tell me, what truthfully brings you here now?”
“Many things, all of them important, none of which can wait.”
“So a visit from the past? Interesting. I will see what I can do. But for now, wait we must. There is a pony standing next to you and a very interesting choice of one at that, who needs formal introductions.”
The Princess turned to face Twilight with an unreadable expression, tight and controlled. Twilight gave her a small smile, and she breathed a silent sigh of relief when it was returned. “This is Twilight Sparkle,” Celestia said, looking back to Glamduural. “She’s my personal student, protégé, and friend.”
The dragon king nodded, the faintest trace of a smile playing on the edge of his lips. “Hmm. It is a pleasure to meet you, Twilight Sparkle, Alduaine’s student and the Element of Magic.”
Twilight blinked. How did he know…?! She looked up at the Princess for guidance, trying to keep her expression calm and collected, just like Celestia.
“No secrets, apparently,” the Princess said, raising an eyebrow.
Glamduural grinned properly, his eyes flashing. “Of course not. Yes, definitely an interesting choice of companion. Perhaps I should feel threatened? Tell me, Alduaine, do you come here with thoughts of conflict? You do bring the light of Harmony, after all.”
Celestia snorted. “That wouldn’t be necessary. Regardless, she is here to learn, nothing more.”
“Like a good student should.” He turned his great head to face Twilight, his gaze bearing down on her and pinning her in place. “Here to learn? Do you enjoy that, little Element?”
Mustering up all of her available courage, Twilight nodded.
“Interesting. You remind me of my niece.” He shifted his head around as if looking for something. “Time for more introductions! Pyre!”
Silence fell briefly over the cave as Twilight looked around, not at all sure who was meant to be approaching. Suddenly, a scuffling sound echoed around the stony chamber, heavier than a pony’s hoof-steps, but much lighter than any of the dragons Twilight had heard so far.
“Excuse me, coming through, please.” The voice was soft. It still hissed a little, and there was a deepness in there that was richer than Applejack’s, but Twilight frowned in surprise. It was definitely feminine.
She was the softest shade of blue, her scales almost iridescent in the firelight. Her stomach, like how Spike’s was green, was white as snow. Tapering, steel-blue spines ran down her neck, stopping at its base before starting up again down her long, thin tail.
Twilight could tell she was female by the way her back and neck were arched, and how her wings and jaw were thinner and more pointed. Female dragons always looked sleek, as if they were built for speed, and this one was no exception, even if she was only just bigger than the bully dragons Twilight had encountered when they’d rescued Spike. She was just big enough to walk comfortably on all four legs, and her wings were held tightly against her body.
The blue dragon stopped moving by Glamduural’s side, standing at the base of the gold pile, constantly shifting her weight. She looked down at Twilight with sparkling green eyes and dared a toothless smile. Twilight offered one in return, feeling a blush creep up her cheeks.
“Alduaine, allow me to formerly introduce my niece, Pyre. The youngest dragon in the city.”
Celestia lowered her head in respect. “It is a pleasure, Pyre.”
“A-and you,” Pyre said, her voice only just audible.
“Likes to learn…” Glamduural said. He turned to his niece. “I think you will be able to keep Alduaine’s student occupied in the days to come.”
She nodded, throwing a quick glance Twilight’s way. The unicorn blushed. “Of course, Uncle.”
Apparently satisfied, Glamduural readjusted himself on the gold pile, returning his attention to Celestia. “Hmm. You and I both know we could carry on with the introductions, but I am bored, Alduaine, and you should remember everyone else from last time. You said you had something to talk about. Just how pressing is it?”
Celestia stiffened. “Speed is our much-needed friend, I believe.”
“Perhaps now?”
Celestia looked down at Twilight. “I would prefer not.”
“But you said it’s pressing? If it is concerning you, Alduaine, then I am concerned. Let me hear your thoughts.”
Glamduural’s eyes narrowed, and a silence fell over the hall. Celestia held his gaze, the two holding a second-long conversation with their eyes. Twilight didn’t even breathe. Finally, the Princess nodded.
“Good.” The King lifted his head to the ceiling and roared, his voice shaking the air. “Leave us!”
Shocked, Twilight watched as every single dragon in the hall, even Pyre, Forgȉr and Skyr, turned and left without a word, their wings buffeting the air with heavy thumps. In less than a minute, the only dragons left were Glamduural and his two guards, the pair watching the cave entrance with unblinking eyes.
The hall somehow seemed bigger in the aftermath, and the air rang out with a heavy silence.
“Speed? What presses your mind, Alduaine? There is something burning in your eyes, something that I have not seen since I first became king.”
“And what would that be?” Celestia responded, her eyes flicking to Twilight.
“Urgency. Concern. Confusion. It’s all the same, though. It always has been. Something eats at you.”
The Princess snorted. “I would think it would be obvious, Glamduural. Even I have heard enough rumours in the past three days alone to pause and give thought to their legitimacy.”
“Rumours? Since when has Alduaine, Spirit of the Sun, put stock in rumours?”
The Princess almost seemed reluctant to respond, and she looked at Twilight again. “Since they started involving the east. Be honest with me now, Glamduural. We are friends, and the time for showmanship and vague words disappeared with your subjects. Tell me what you know.”
“So this is why... I should have guessed.” Glamduural rumbled, and a trail of smoke curled from one of his nostrils, veiling his eyes. “There is nothing to tell. Rumours have always festered in this part of the world. The earth rumbles, and the green lightning flashes, and talk immediately jumps to the ancient ages, to the Shadow.”
“I have no doubt. Nevertheless, that does not explain the things I have heard.”
“Nothing out of the usual. There are shadows stirring, Alduaine, just as there always has been. You should stop listening to the rumours the birds carry.”
“Always indeed… What about the whispers in your city?”
The King hissed. “There is nothing, Alduaine. The whispers are pathetic murmurs from wyrms too cowardly to face daylight. I always know about them, and I always control them.”
“Are you sure?”
The King rumbled again, this time deeper, an earthquake in his chest.
“Please, Glamduural. Is there anything different at all?”
“No. Your concern is unfounded and baseless.”
There was a brief silence, and then Celestia said quietly, “Just as I thought.”
The dragon narrowed his eyes. “You speak with such disbelief. I am still King here, am I not?”
“My apologies.” Celestia lowered her head. “That you are. I mean no disrespect, Glamduural.”
“As I said, urgency. Be calm, Alduaine. You are here for mindless things, like migration routes. Tedious they shall be, so take comfort from that.”
“We shall see.” The Princess gave Glamduural a long, hard stare, and the dragon matched it in kind. It was, however, Celestia who broke first. “Forgive me, Glamduural, but you are right. It has been a long trip, and I am sure my guards are tired. Perhaps we can reconvene to continue this discussion tomorrow?”
The King raised an eyebrow, perplexed by the speed of their conversation. But then he lowered his head. “As you wish.” He lifted it up again and roared, “Forgȉr!”
All was silent for a moment, and Twilight stood there, too afraid to move. Her mind was reeling, tossing and turning with a fleet of incoherent thoughts lost in a storm. The King’s rejection of the rumours that had been eating at her for days now, little fears lodged deep in her subconscious, was more alarming than relieving. He seemed to be the only person who didn’t realise that something could be going wrong, something that even had the Princess acting strange. And as the King...
But maybe he’s the one who’s right? a small voice said. He is the King, after all. If anyone knows about what’s going on near their country, it should be him? But... if he was wrong, then Twilight couldn’t think of why he would say otherwise. To her, erring on the side of caution just made sense. Much better than any possible alternatives.
But that was just the thing, though. What was the alternative?
The more Twilight thought about it, the more she realised that she and the Princess needed to have a serious conversation.
She gulped.
The rhythmic sound of wing beats caused her to look sideways, and she watched as Forgȉr, closely followed by the dozens of other dragons, returned to their earlier positions.
The copper-coloured drake landed far quicker and softer than any dragon had a right too, Twilight thought. Agile, perfectly balanced and in control. He looked up at the King, awaiting his orders.
“Alduaine is tired. Please take her and her companions up to her rooms.”
Forgȉr nodded. “Yes, my Lord.”
When they took off out of the King’s Hall, Twilight couldn’t help but notice that every single dragon was staring at them, oddly quiet. Twilight was used to nobles chatting as soon as an important pony entered or left the room. The dragons were silent. They watched.
It took too long to get anywhere in Dragoliath, Twilight decided. After Forgȉr led through a series of massive tunnels, always heading up, or so she guessed, they arrived at a place where the rock narrowed sharply, condensing down to a point where Twilight almost thought the tunnel looked normal-sized, like a pony made it.
Forgȉr stopped just when it was beginning too become cramped for him, and Celestia ordered the guards to pause for a moment.
“You know the way from here,” the dragon said, gesturing with a claw.
“That I do. Thank you, Forgȉr.”
The dragon lowered his head in acknowledgement. “Hmm. You are welcome. Forgive me for prying, Alduaine, but your conversation with the King…”
Celestia took a moment to respond. Then she said, “You were not lying.”
“About what?” Forgȉr asked.
“About Glamduural, about Draxonis.”
Forgȉr rumbled, a sound that shook deep in his chest. “He closes his eyes and waits for the storm to pass while the city crumbles around him.”
Celestia was quiet for a moment. “They are only rumours. There isn’t anything substantial here, Forgȉr.”
The dragon snorted. “Keep your eyes open, Alduaine. It’s not hard to see.”
“I have seen little but heard much,” Celestia said. “There is a disconnect.”
“Hmm. Did he tell you about the deserters?”
The Princess blinked. “No, and neither did you.”
“Forgive me. I wanted to see what the King would say. If he has said nothing…”
“Said nothing about deserters?”
Forgȉr nodded. “Yes. Dragons are flying east and not being seen again. I told you the Shadow is reaching, Alduaine, and many are listening. The Old Treaties are being forgotten. You have noticed the larger numbers of rogues in your lands. You said so yourself!”
Celestia didn’t reply. Perhaps she couldn’t reply, Twilight thought. The Princess just stood there, her mane blowing about her face. “We have to watch the east. Be on our guard and time will tell.”
“And do nothing?”
“What other choice do we have?” Celestia said.
“Act! Go out and see what is stirring so we may understand what to do next!”
The Princess shook her head. “No, I don’t think so, Forgȉr. Do you have any wish to leave the city and head east? Who would go with you willingly? We can watch without the risk from here.”
“And we are blind! Being safe now will not matter in the slightest when the city burns, Alduaine. The King doesn’t understand that.” He paused, looking away. “My home already decays; I cannot see it shattered.”
“It won’t be destroyed, Forgȉr. I promise you. Have no fear. We are watching, and we will be prepared no matter what happens, even if, like Glamduural, I am not confident that anything will happen.”
“Have no fear? The dragons do not feel fear, Alduaine. We only feel fury.” But looking at the dragon’s eyes, Twilight wasn’t convinced.
They fell silent after that, before Forgȉr bid farewell, leaving the ponies to their rooms. Twilight watched him go, his huge body vanishing into the murky dark and slipping out of sight.
After the massive caves they had just flown through, their rooms felt tiny and compressed. Twilight was shocked to find that they were actually pony-sized, their arching ceilings only a few of feet off the ground, the ochre-red walls close enough together so that a few pieces of normal-sized furniture could span the room’s length. It was a normal pony room, just built on the inside of a mountain.
“This is…” Twilight began, walking and checking every corner. Each bedroom had a bed with a mattress (how, Twilight wasn’t sure), with a small chest inlaid with sparkling gems at its foot. Apart from a gaping fireplace and a single, warped glass window, the rest was strangely empty, a carpet of dust muffling all sound.
“A little different from the rest of the mountain, I know,” Celestia said, showing the guards around. “There are several rooms like this one. Swift, you and your guards can use them as you see fit. Twilight and I shall sleep here.”
“As you wish, Princess,” the Captain replied with a bow.
“It almost looks like the rooms back in Armoruil,” Twilight said. “Who made this?”
The Princess gave a small smile. “I suppose the architecture is similar. As for who made these rooms, that would be me. I probably should have given that task to Luna, though. She was always the one with the artistic flair.”
“You made these?” Twilight repeated, doing a double-take.
“Yes I did. I needed somewhere to stay when I visited, after all.”
“Wow.”
“I’m sorry, Your Highness,” Swift interrupted. “But we will take our temporary leave now. We need to make some plans.”
Celestia nodded her assent. “Of course.”
“Alright, next room over all of you! We have a security briefing, then we’ll talk sleeping arrangements.”
The guards snapped a salute before filing out of the room, leaving Twilight and the Princess alone. This was her chance! She was just about to open her mouth to ask the questions burning inside her about the talk of shadows, to try to find out just exactly what was going on, when the Princess spoke first.
“So, Twilight,” she began, her smile making Twilight’s anxiety melt away. It was the smile that told her that everything was going to be okay, and she was just being a silly, but loved, child for being worried. “What do you think? Dragoliath is something else, isn’t it?”
“I don’t even know where to begin,” Twilight admitted, distantly aware that her best chance to speak up was slipping away. “Are all dragons so… creepy? They don’t like to blink, do they?”
Celestia laughed. “The dragons are strong willed. Looking away, even to blink, is a sign of weakness.”
“That sounds terrible, but it makes sense, I guess. This place is just so big! It’s like walking into another world. It’s uncomfortably like what I think an ant or something would feel like in the Royal Palace.”
“A fact Glamduural is no doubt smug about. This city is ancient, and it’s the only place where dragons can all gather in the place they like best—inside, near their treasure.”
“It’s just incredible.”
The sound of faint wing beats caused both Twilight and the Princess to look up. “Oh,” Celestia said. “It appears we have a visitor.”
Twilight followed the Princess out and stopped when she saw Glamduural’s niece, Pyre, coming into land. She was still small enough to fit comfortably in the more pony-sized tunnels. Well, alicorn-sized, Twilight amended.
“Pyre! A pleasure!” Celestia said with a rich smile. “What can I do for you?”
The dragon blushed, which Twilight thought looked odd on a dragon almost as big as the Princess. “My uncle wants to know if your rooms have been kept to your liking.”
“They are wonderful, Pyre, just like always. Tell your uncle that he kept them well.”
Twilight blinked. Why would Glamduural send up Pyre to ask about their rooms? There was an ocean of dust inside all of them, meaning that no one had done any sort of cleaning in months, possibly years. Why else would Pyre come up then...? Twilight’s stomach twisted at the thought that maybe he just wanted someone to check up on them for another reason.
The dragon bowed low. “I’m sure h-he will be glad to hear that.”
The Princess smiled. “Twilight and I were just talking about how the city is so impressive. She can’t get over how larger it is compared to home.”
Pyre gave a small smile in return. “You should see the Hall of the Ancients.”
“The Hall of the Ancients?” Twilight repeated.
“Yeah, it’s where we keep all the murals of our history. Just like the carvings you would have seen coming in. It’s my job to make sure they all get kept in good repair!”
Twilight’s jaw opened. “That sounds amazing! The entire history of the dragons! Oh, I have to see this!”
“Perhaps Pyre can take you one day we are here, Twilight?” Celestia said.
Twilight looked up at Pyre with a big smile. “That would be really cool.”
“I-I would love to.” Pyre held her gaze a little longer this time.
“Yes! That’s so exciting! It’s one thing having everything in books like me, but it’s another to have it all in mural form. And in a giant dragon city too! It’s so different.”
“You have books?” Pyre asked.
“Oh yes!” Twilight was almost hopping on the spot. “I’m a librarian, you see. It’s my job to look after all the books.”
“And the books have your history in them?”
“Well, some of them do.”
“Then we have similar jobs!” Pyre was grinning wider now. “Maybe you can tell me more about your l-lib-rary,” she said, mangling the unfamiliar word.
Twilight giggled. “I think I can do that. We can swap what we know!”
“We can go tomorrow, if you’d like?”
“Can I, Princess?” Twilight asked, looking up at Celestia with pleading eyes.
She laughed. “Of course, Twilight.”
Twilight couldn’t have gotten her grin any wider if she tried.
It was late in the afternoon, and the sunlight streamed through the thick glass window and lit up the ochre floor. The glowing sun made the floors, walls and ceiling look like they were made from burning coals, and Twilight almost winced when stepping through a patch of light, even though it was so cool inside.
They ate with the guards, and then Twilight and the Princess retreated to their room, Celestia reading scrolls and frowning occasionally, Twilight reading books, looking up at the Princess every few minutes. It was quiet. Too quiet, like they were both trying their best to find ways to kill all conversation. Every time Twilight would open her mouth to say something, to ask her questions and press for answers, the words would drift away with a stab of guilt or nerves, leaving her with an empty mind and a confused look on her face.
Eventually, Twilight got up, stretching her legs and examining the gem-encrusted chests with a curious eye. Spike probably would have eaten them by now, she thought with a small smile. Then she remembered the other stuff, the way everyone talked about shadows and the east, and all of the trouble stirring that no one knew exactly what it was, and she was suddenly thankful he wasn’t here. She gulped.
“Is everything okay, Twilight?”
The unicorn turned around, finding that Celestia was watching her closely. “Everything is fine, Princess. Just having a look around.” Then she mentally kicked herself. Ask the questions! What’s going on!
Celestia was quiet for a moment before she stood up, startling Twilight. “I think I have something interesting to show you, then.”
Twilight watched as Celestia walked over to the glass window. Her horn glowed, and, to the unicorn’s astonishment, an entire section swung inwards. There, right in front of her, was a balcony.
She stepped out, thankful for her explorer’s clothes as soon as the hot westerly wind hit her. Even though it scratched at her face with gritty claws of sand, the rest of her could barely feel a thing. The sunlight was fierce, and she slid the goggles down to reduce the burning glare. Then, when she could see again, she gasped.
The view was immense. It disappeared into the forever, the edge of the world veiled in a haze of distance. Twilight was able to see much further now that she was standing above the sand clouds. The mountain disappeared beneath her, rolling out onto the plain like a frozen landslide. A few towers soared past, their shining obsidian reflecting the last of the dying sunlight. Twilight walked up to the railing, peering down into the city below. She was so high up that she could see dragons resting inside some of the larger towers on the lower levels, no bigger than ants. She was on the top of the world, far higher than she had ever been, even in Cloudsdale.
“Oh wow.”
Celestia laughed. “It’s quite the view.”
“Everything looks so… tiny.”
“It’s a shame there isn’t much to look at other than what’s below us.”
“I think I can see the mountains along the Frozen Wastes…” Twilight murmured, peering hard to the south. She could just make out the vague purple outlines of a sulking mountain range. It dominated the horizon, so big that Twilight thought it was another cloud of ash covering half the sky.
“You can see them? You have good eyesight, Twilight.”
Twilight smiled a little at the compliment. “It’s surprising considering how much time I spend hunched over a scroll by candlelight.” The unicorn walked over to the edge of the balcony, trying to look out east—trying to see the Shadowed Lands. The mountain blocked her view, and she frowned.
Celestia’s voice was soft. “If you did not see anything during our arrival, what makes you think you will see it from here?”
“Uhh…” Twilight searched for an excuse. Then she sighed, not even trying to hide what she was looking out for. There was no point, she decided. “It’s clearer up this high. I thought maybe I would be able to see something.”
The Princess was quiet for a moment. “Why do you want to see it, Twilight Sparkle?”
She thought it over a moment. “Because everypony—and dragon—keeps talking about it. The east, they say. The Shadow in the east! I saw the map, and I want to see it in real life. See if it’s… actually real.”
Again, Celestia took a long time to respond. “What are you expecting to see?”
“I don’t know!” Twilight said, suddenly exasperated. Before she could stop herself, the barrier of stress and self doubt came crashing down, and she found that once she started, it all just came rushing out, her voice growing in volume. “Something! A great big black mountain. Lots of fire. Maybe a few monsters. Anything! Instead, all I get are ponies talking about this dangerous, magical ‘east’.”
“It’s nothing to be afraid of, Twilight.”
“I’m not afraid! I have nothing to be afraid of, because I haven’t seen anything to make me afraid!” That wasn’t quite true, and the unicorn knew it. But she said it anyway.
“Twilight, please, listen to me. I promise you, there is nothing for you to be worried about out in the east. There is nothing but wild creatures like in the Everfree Forest.”
“But then why is everyone so scared? Why did Glamduural seem so quick to dismiss it? Why did Forgȉr speak of his home burning? Dragons don’t even have homes! He keeps talking about the Shadow, and so did the griffins! So why is everyone so upset?” She stared up at her mentor, feeling like she was just a foal again. “Why?”
Celestia was quiet for the longest time. She stared out to the west, her gaze further away than the distant horizon. Eventually, she spoke, “The dragons have long memories, Twilight. But even then none here in Dragoliath today remember the Shadow in the East. Even Glamduural was hatched hundreds of years after it happened.”
“What happened, Princess? What happened?”
The Princess turned to face Twilight, her expression haunted by memories long past. “The world fell apart, Twilight. Why are there so many monsters in the world? Why are there places where there are creatures that would gladly kill a pony? We live in a paradise in Equestria, Twilight, so why are they there, waiting just outside its borders?”
“I-I… I don’t know! That’s just the way things are…”
“Well, you are correct there.” Twilight wasn’t sure, but she could swear there was a bitter edge creeping into the Princess’ voice, hardening like steel. “The world wasn’t always so perfect, nor was it ever so peaceful. The world was a very different place, and those monsters are its ghosts, remnants who refuse to fade away into time’s dusty memory.” She looked away, her nostrils flaring. “You are so lucky to know nothing, Twilight! You know nothing but peace, and that’s the way it should be! You shouldn’t know about the monsters of the world, no matter how dead they may be.”
The Princess’ wings flared above her head as she spoke, her voice resonating. Her body seemed to glow like it was shrouded in magic. Twilight flinched away, her heart pounding in her chest.
“Out in the east, the world is still the way it was. There is nothing out there, Twilight! Nothing out there but fear and danger and death and ruin! You will find nothing out there; there is no family, there are no friends, and there is no Harmony!”
Twilight fell back on her haunches, staring up at the Princess, unable to move. Celestia was almost atop her, her eyes burning.
But then, the Princess turned away, her wings crumpling back against her body. She stared down at the stone floor, somehow looking half as tall. Even her coat seemed dull.
“But…” The Princess tried to look up. “I am sorry, Twilight. That was inexcusable.” Her voice was flat, lifeless.
“I…” Twilight stammered, not at all sure what had just happened. Her stomach felt empty, a chasm in its place.
“But please trust me,” the Princess pressed, pleading. “There is nothing to be afraid of. Nothing ever escapes the east. Nothing ever has, and nothing ever will. I promise you. I won’t let anything happen to you.”
Twilight’s lower lip began to tremble, and she pulled her goggles up, fighting back tears. That wasn’t Celestia. That wasn’t her mentor, her teacher, her idol. She didn’t know who that majestic and terrible alicorn in front of her was, but she wasn’t her friend. Her Princess.
Celestia looked at her for a moment, and then her expression shattered. She strode toward Twilight and pulled her close with her wing, cradling the unicorn against her body. “Oh Twilight,” she said over and over again, her voice strained, sounding as close to the edge of tears as Twilight felt. “I’m so sorry, my faithful student. I’m so sorry.”
“It’s okay, Princess,” Twilight whispered, sniffing. “It’s okay…”
But as Twilight sat there, hugged tightly by the Princess, all she could think about was Forgȉr’s words back at the beginning of the day—a lifetime ago, it felt.
You must have heard the whispers. You must have seen the clouds that marshal over the Shadowed Lands. The air crackles with magic when the winds blow from the east. Something in there is moving, Alduaine, and it is reaching out to all who will listen.
Twilight shivered, cold despite the hot winds blowing from the west. She shivered, and in that moment, she wanted nothing more than to be back in Ponyville with her friends.
Stats
Page generated in 0.042 seconds
Total duration
1,076 users online
2,056,946 hits today, 2,561,572 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
Awesome, new chapter. I'm loving the build up.
Though something seems off here.
2166413 Thanks for the catch! T'was an editing derp, haha.
Love it! looking forward even more to the next chapter!
2166608 Thank you! I'm glad you're enjoying it!
OMFG This story just keeps getting better and better. I can't wait to read more! Carry on Mystic, carry on.
That's right Twilight keep on digging... satisfy that hunger of knowledge you always yearn for even if you don't like it.
2166638
Also, I saw what you did there! More PyreLight!
cdn.memegenerator.net/instances/250x250/35117772.jpg
Well, I got a minor case of the feels off of that last scene.
I'm with Iron Nebula, PyreLite!
If I could make one suggestion, it would be this:
Cut the "just" for a bit more impact. But that is a super minor thing, barely worth noting.
Carry on with this magnificent story!
2166986 Thank you very much for the comment! I hope you enjoy what's to come!
2169664 Heh. You ain't seen nothing yet.
2174186 That's a good suggestion, thank you! And thank you for reading and taking the time to leave your thoughts!
2177099
Always! It's nice to see such an immaculately edited story where the only thing I can think of to change is something minor like that.
Tiny little error I caught here:
Pretty sure Celestia's female. In any case, excellent story so far. You've got quite the talent for eliciting intrigue and emotion. I'm glad to be along for the ride with this story!
2179363 Oops, thanks for the catch! Thank you for reading, and I'm thrilled to hear you're enjoying it!
I really like this story, there is some improvement from The Sun Whispers Your Name. I have the impression you want us to feel just like Twilight, desperate to know what is going on... good job doing that.
And yeah, Celestia going all scary escalated too quickly, hope there is a good reason for that.
So Celestia still clings to the hope of innocence and ignorance of her people. That is not how the world works. Time will take innocence.
2192520 Thanks for reading and thank you for the comment! To be honest, I really don't have much to say in way of explanation or defence. It just so happened that as I started writing the story properly, it became less and less attached to the The Sun Whispers--almost to the point where it takes world building elements and that's about it. There are a couple of easter egg references or shoutouts, but that's about it. Mostly I wanted this story to stand on its own without having to explain any of the events from The Sun Whispers.
Glad to hear you're enjoying it, and I hope you enjoy what's to come!
2192943 Thank you very much for reading! And heh, poor Celestia. She won't know what hit her.
2195193 An uncomfortable truth, that's for sure.
2199822 Definitely a slow build, but I sure hope it'll be all worth it, especially in the immediate future. There's a lot of material that I am trying to lay down foundations for. After all, the story still has a long way to go, and the pace only gets faster. A lot faster, lol. Thanks for the comment! It's appreciated!
Pyre is best dragon.
Calling it now: Twilight becomes the Dragonborn.
There's also something heartbreaking yet extremely disturbing at how insistent Celestia is that "nothing is wrong" when clearly things are heading in strange directions. I hope she's not headed for a breakdown when the truth is finally revealed.
Also you and I simply must exchange worldbuilding ideas some time.
2210494 Heh. I think she's pretty swell, too!
2212946 The most epic Dragonborn! I have to say, with the world building, there's still a lot more to come with that, haha. This story is what's left of an epic all planned out--a history of Equestria--that encompassed three novels. Unfortunately a lot of it got jossed and other projects came up, so eventually it got shelved, but this is the opportunity to bring it to life, even if indirectly. There's mountains of world building and history all made up to use as a foundation, haha. At one point there was even the beginnings of a language!
I guess the big iron doors which can close the cave are going to be closed sometime this story. And I can also already guess how the dragons close the door. It's real logical (and clever) when you think about it...
Every story with LotR as inspiration needs an huge epic battle (Except "It's a Dangerous Business, Going Out Your Door").
2228874 Huge epic battles? I think I can do that... :D
"You always did have a way with names, Alduaine.”
With her dragon- name so similar to a certain eater of words from Skyrim, you should have seen this coming.
legacy-control.com/comics/2011-12-15-Dragonborn-And-Alduin.jpg
D'Arvit! Celestia closes her eyes to the shadow's growing power, and Glamduural ignores it as it takes his kingdom.