//------------------------------// // Prologue // Story: Hope in the burning skies // by Kalimdor //------------------------------// Planet: Avalon – Pegasus training grounds and resupply zone. Year: 15 White calm sea of clouds unfurl to the endless horizon with sun in its zenith above it. Sea itself was home for many wonderful beings, like crimson dragon which just slowly emerged from cloudy midst. Shining, bulky creature was lying in hard sleep, black smoke bursting from its nose stained pure white sea. Big, armored chest was cutting it in two as she moved towards the sun leaving behind wavy trail. On her right school of sky fishes flew calmly by her side, each one with different color, jumping high above and then disappearing in clouds creating multicolored tide. All of the sudden school changed course and started to get away from dragon as far as possible. Smoke stopped flowing and red eyelids lift up to uncover fully aware eyes. “Shoot” dragon grumbled “It was such a great spot” She raised head and yawned showing sharp teeth, each one size of adult man. Moment later idyllic silence pierced low loud sound with origin somewhere below her. “Ok, ok. I am…” she couldn’t finish her answer when she started to gain speed. Claws instinctively clutched on the place she was lying all along creating awful piercing noise. She has straightened her forelegs and spread wings ready to flew off, but instantly she was pinned to the same place she was before, constantly speeding up. Another loud sound echoed thought the empty area and from flat cloudy carpet bursted out golden hull. Dragon was terrified and without thinking clearly she just let go the iron grip of claws and started to slide downhill shining slope. She tried to grab something but metal was too plain on this side and angle was narrowing dramatically with every second. Vortex of the powering up engines and momentum of ship sucked her mercilessly into hellish exhaust on its very end. Dragon surrendered to its fate when shattered claws don’t even slow down her descending into end. Noise coming from thrusts started to be unbearable to her and only thing she could do, was short prayer to gods. Couple of words to carry her last wishes, but somepony else heard these far earlier. Streak of orange and violet appeared out of nowhere and landed on back of dragon and in an instant both of them disappeared from sight. Now large ship was fully visible, stripped of white cloak in full grace floated up to stratosphere it would give convenient home to more than hundred dragons. Gold oval like shape with green and violet stripes was mirrored perfectly in cloudy sea, on its stern shined even brighter white unicorn with purple mane holding in his hooves dragon scaled shield. Short while later corvette hung in mesosphere while white magic bubble covered whole unit. Then with wave of violet light coming from a prow ship disappeared revealing blue sky. Clouds slowly arched hole made by corvette and other object revealed itself. But now it was something totally different than ship or creature. Steadily floating rock with blue crystal on its bottom was making its way through white sea. It was like in invisible sphere where clouds obligingly floated over it making shade to place which was situated on top of rock. Slightly curved but flat area was covered with green grass cut evenly all over place. From lowest part of rock there was straight rod with green slowly blinking bulb on the top, it was starting point for a path made of round amber pieces. Path was leading to a wooden house placed on the highest point. It clearly resembled windmill from old former times but its wings were connected together creating wide balcony without borders. Wide windows were open and light orange curtains fluttered silently, porch with two white rocking chairs with green pillows asked for troubled passerby to sit and talk. On the right side of the building was quite long plot filled with many kinds of full grown vegetables. Edges of floating rock was not fenced anywhere so misplaced footstep could be the last one in life. Suddenly bulb changed its color to fast blinking white and short after a black unicorn with gray spiky mane materialized on nearest amber step stone. He swept area to confirm his destination and started to cast magic. Moment later, one by one, seven human children appeared before him. Six of them seem to be really excited to be here but one redhead, smallest one turned around to see unicorn. “Thank you, your assistance will be not needed anymore!” boy exclaimed “Dismissed!” Unicorn nodded and disappeared from where he was standing. “Don’t yell like that, Kevin” tallest girl with blonde hair poked his arm with long finger. “He was utterly deaf! Just like this amber…” he kicked nearest piece “Ups” His action alarmed defending system on the flying island and whole group turned around in the direction where strange metallic clunks were coming from. From beneath nearest piece of amber emerged strange angled machine, double size of biggest boy in group throwing buzzing noises. Turret. Below two grayish death bringing holes was big orange speaker, screaming noiselessly “Look at me! Don’t mind my two angry friends!” Designer should be proud with outcome, because every youngster focused their eyes on the speaker. “Why are you here?” crystal clear voice of middle aged man flowed through machine “Dad. Cut it off” redhead replied with discontent “You know very well why.” “Wrong answer! Now I have to ask you real question, little one” voice became more warm and curious “Time, explain it to me” “Bueh, time is fully abstract, it have no particular explanation” “Good. You and your friends can pass, but for the record: don’t damage my precious ambers. I almost lost a kidney for these” Loud clunk marked the end of conversation and turret hid slowly within island noiselessly. “A kidney?” chubby boy wearing round multi lensed glasses on his nose asked with ruffle. “You don’t want to know, Ruf” again blonde girl replied “Now let’s go” She jumped off the brown stone, floated in midair for a two seconds and ran in direction where house was standing slalomed between other pieces in path, she was very fast and agile in doing that. Kevin shrugged his arms and followed her with other kids. In front of the house was waiting for them man which voice welcomed them here. Long red hair was fluttering freely on the wind and composed great color balance with tanned reddish skin. That indicated he was outside lately, a lot. Muscular body and long arms were more than enough to manage near small plot in great condition. His blue eyes were matching t-shirt with smiling rainbow-maned mare and sentence Now 20% cooler just below her. Black jeans trousers were shortened to be above his bare ankles. Girl met him on porch and exchanged handshake then she disappeared behind the closing lower wing of the door. When group managed to get near porch, Kevin instantly jumped into his arms. “Hi, dad” he muttered into shirt while both of them started to spin around. Rest of children just threw greetings and after evading both of them also went inside house. After they stopped and fell into chairs Kevin question hanged in air. “Why is she not here?” “And you are talking about, who?” Kid started to roam on chair and his eyes focused on gray serpent which was basking in direct sunshine. Man looked at his shirt like it would contain answer for question. “She know that today is the day. Something important stopped her. For sure.” “She ran once…” Man clasped his hands and straightened neck with loud crack sound of relocating bones but on his face glimpsed short smile. Moment later his sight hung in place just behind Kevin’s rocking chair and smile got even wider but in the obvious purpose he also focused on serpent, which is now changing position to get more heat to belly. Orange mare with violet mane with exceptionally big shiny eyes and yellow folded wings was snaking behind kid. Sure now that she won’t be disturbed she continued to carefully place hoofs on wooden floor, but that rendered useless because of golden haired girl which jumped on her back. Surprised pony spread her wings and launched in the air evading both, Kevin and his father without touching them. “Whoa, ladies!” man in an instant run in front of the house “Get down here right now!” Pegasus and girl fought in the air for moment and child with grace settled herself on the Scootaloos back. Then both landed directly before feet of Kevin’s dad. “We both agreed that we will make little trip around planet and…” girl started nervously correcting her hair with rubber stripe “we will come back in no time! Then I will do everything you tell me to” pony ended sentence for her when she dropped little mirror on the grass. “Sheesh” two pairs of butter eyes settled problem right away for them “very well, but don’t do anything stupid you two!” Scootaloo gently flapped her wings and lifted her head on his eyes level and touched tip of the tanned nose with her own. Man’s tightly folded arms loosen up a bit when he felt warmth of pony alabaster skin. After this little ritual she turned around and flew to border of island. Girl waved eagerly her hand for good bye and both of them disappeared in the cloudy sea. Serpent again changed its position not giving anything about near commotion. “So…” he turned around to face group of children gathered in doorway “you want to hear our tale I believe?” “No!” Kevin opposed instantly “We want to hear the truth!” “We are old enough, sir” said youngest looking girl with pony tailed green hair “a-a-a-and brave e-e-enough, s-s-sir” added tallest boy with narrow eyes “So take your places” man took his place on porch letting other kids to place themselves on heated from sun ambers “As a scribe of Empire I will start from the beginning, we know that…”