//------------------------------// // Chapter 1:7 - Smoke and Fire // Story: Camaraderie is Sorcery // by FireOfTheNorth //------------------------------// Chapter 1:7 – Smoke and Fire On the same day that Applejack defeated the criosphinx outside the gates of Ponieville, warning bells rang out from the watchtowers of the Sea Keep in Fillidelfiyaa, calling up the local garrison and alerting the city’s residents to stay indoors. The cause for such alarm was the appearance of a dragon with resplendent crimson scales rapidly winging its way toward Fillidelfiyaa as it skimmed the surface of the Shimmering Sea. Ballistae and catapults were readied along the Sea Keep’s walls, and King Alhert’s court wizard personally saw to the preparation of magical defenses. In the end, this frenzy proved to be unnecessary, for the winged serpent flew past Fillidelfiyaa after doing no more than dislodging some tiles from the Sea Keep’s roofs with the flap of its wings, but the citizens of the kingdom remained uneasy knowing that a dragon had left Tyrannus and entered Equestria. After his flyby of Fillidelfiyaa, the dragon weaved his way through the Blue Mountains and passed well north of the Titan’s Horn, avoiding Cant’r Laht and the sorceresses who dwelled there. Past the mountains, it was a short flight over the former Hill Kingdoms before he reached the open farmland of the Kingdom of Vanhuv’r. Stopping only to sate his hunger on the herds and flocks of the area, he continued on to the Snowshear Mountains, and located a peak with a spacious cave that had been his destination since the moment he’d left his home island. Word quickly spread to the surrounding area that a dragon had taken up residence nearby, which attracted all manner of ponies. Amateur dragon-slayers and foolish knights were soon trekking up the path to the cave. Mobs of peasant farmers joined them when the dragon’s antics brought ruin to their fields, as well as druids to protest the pollution of the streams that flowed down from the mountains. They were all burned to a crisp, eaten, or both. Eventually, King Hyelliff was forced to send Vanhuv’r’s troops to confront the dragon, but they met the same fate as the rest. After roasting the soldiers before they could put even a single scratch in his hide, the dragon set fire to the countryside surrounding his mountain, burning away all vegetation. When the smoke finally cleared, the remaining representatives of King Hyelliff recognized a message that the dragon had carved into the earth and carried it back to Vanhuv’r. The same day that they returned to the city on the bay, another pony left in great haste, lightly burdened to allow for speed, with papers signed and sealed by the king that would ensure his safe travel all the way to Cant’r Laht. *** When the bell rang for her attention, Celestia was seated on a set of cushions in her rooms, sipping on an elixir of her own creation that would help to dispel her ashen appearance and return some of her strength. The previous night had not been kind to her; though she’d been able to sleep thanks to the help of magic, it had not bestowed her with the rejuvenation she’d desperately needed. She feared that she would soon need to look for a stronger spell or potion to help her sleep, but feared the effects they might have on her body, given how her current method made her bleed internally. “You may enter!” Celestia called in response to the bell as she cast a spell that would return the appearance of luster to her coat and mane and blood to her face. Raven trotted into the bedchambers of the Matron of Sorceresses, her face growing concerned when she saw Celestia. She can’t use magic herself, yet she can see through my illusion to the harsh reality beneath. It’s a shame, really; she has the potential to become a great sorceress if only she had the ability. Yet Celestia did not dispel the magic around herself, even though Raven knew her healthy appearance was a farce. One had to keep up appearances, after all, even when those around you knew they were a sham. And now, if she was questioned by Cant’r Laht’s upstart nobility, she could honestly say that Celestia looked well. “A courier just arrived from Vanhuv’r with a message for you from King Hyelliff,” Raven announced as she trotted up to Celestia and drew the sealed letter from the satchel at her side. “I assume that for you to bring this to me immediately, it must be urgent, and not just a demand for border lands or a confirmation of Hyelliff’s attendance at my summit?” Celestia said as she took the message from Raven and sliced through King Hyelliff’s seal with a letter opener. Then again, I would accept a confirmation of attendance at the summit as urgent news. So far, not a single leader I’ve invited has deigned to respond. “I was led to believe so, Your Grace,” Raven said as Celestia’s eyes flicked across the parchment, “The courier who delivered it travelled nearly nonstop from Vanhuv’r, making the twelve-day journey in nine days. He did not seem to know the content of the message, only that it was important that it reach you as soon as possible. All I was able to get from him before I let him leave to sleep was something about a dragon.” Celestia’s eyes lit up at Raven’s mention of a dragon at the same time that she moved past the message’s opening formalities and into its real content. How interesting. Can this really be legitimate? What are you playing at, Ingrirtireth? Without speaking, Celestia retrieved a quill, ink, and parchment and began to write. “What do I have scheduled for today, Raven?” Celestia asked while her eyes remained fixed on the parchment where her quill was scratching furiously. “You have meetings planned with Prince Blueblood and the glassblower guild,” Raven recited from memory, “There is also the usual group of supplicants waiting to speak with you in court, and the druids will probably arrive any day now to remind you that they will soon have a census of wildlife populations to present to you. High Priestess Rubius has also requested that you meet with her at Cant’r Laht Cathedral.” “Cancel everything,” Celestia ordered as she signed and sealed her letter, “I have more important places to be.” “Are you going to meet with King Hyelliff in Vanhuv’r?” Raven asked as Celestia cast a spell on the letter she’d just completed and it was consumed in green flames. “No, I can see to him later,” Celestia replied as she changed clothes, donning a set of robes with an impressively high collar, adorned with golden dragon scales, “First, I must visit an old friend in Tyrannus.” “The home of the dragonlords! Your Grace, are you sure you feel up to it?” Raven asked with concern as Celestia opened a portal before her. “That is of no consequence. I must speak to Ingrirtireth immediately and determine what his intention is in sending a dragon to settle in Equestria.” Celestia said, and Raven could sense a vitality in the sorceress that hadn’t been there when she’d arrived only minutes early. Yes, she will be fine. “Safe travels, Your Grace,” Raven said with a slight bow, and Celestia stepped through the portal. *** In Ponieville, Twilight Sparkle was reading and re-reading Celestia’s missive while she waited for the rest of her friends to arrive. The sorceress had been going through the possessions recovered from Trixie’s carriage when Spike had delivered the letter. After reading it for the first time, she had sent her page to contact her friends and tell them to prepare supplies for a long journey and meet her at Golden Oak’s laboratory. Twilight had finished her packing (with Spike’s assistance, once he’d returned) and Rarity and Pinkamena had arrived at the laboratory ready to leave as well. All they were waiting on now was for Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Fluttershy to join them. “What’s the deal, Twilight?” Rainbow Dash demanded as she and Applejack walked in together. Their saddlebags both seemed packed and ready to go, per Twilight’s instructions. "I received a letter from Celestia this morning,” the sorceress explained, figuring that it wouldn’t hurt for Fluttershy to be caught up on the situation later, “The six of us need to travel to the Snowshear Mountains.” “Why would Celestia send us there?” Dash asked, “The Snowshear Mountains are in the Kingdom of Vanhuv’r; it’s a four-day journey at least to reach them.” “Five days for where we’re going, if we follow the route I’ve plotted,” Twilight replied, “And, after that, we still have to deal with the dragon.” “A dragon!” Pinkamena and Rainbow Dash exclaimed simultaneously, though Pinkamena seemed more excited than concerned. “Darling, instead of revealing bits and pieces and causing these exclamations, it might be better to just read us the letter,” Rarity offered. “My most faithful apprentice, Twilight Sparkle,” the sorceress read, though given how many times she’d gone through the letter, she could probably recite it from memory, “I am writing to you because I have a task for you and your friends. I was recently informed by a courier from Vanhuv’r that twenty-three days ago a dragon settled into Mount Caradrhorse and began to wreak havoc on the surrounding land. Despite numerous attempts to dislodge the wyrm from his cave, he remains, and has scorched all the land around the mountain. After burning the land, the dragon left a message carved into the ground: ‘I will speak only with the Brave Companions.’ This is why the six of you must travel to Mount Caradrhorse. Once there, meet with King Hyelliff’s representative before ascending the mountain to convince the dragon to leave. Meanwhile, I will be pursuing another course to resolution in Tyrannus. I have faith that you and your friends will not fail in this task. Signed, Celestia, Matron of Sorceresses in Cant’r Laht, Guardian of the Sun, and Protector of Ponieville.” “We are s’posed t’ convince a dragon t’ leave his cave?” Applejack asked, “Now how are we goin’ t’ do that?” “She has a point, Twilight,” Rainbow Dash said, “Between your magic and my Hunter training, we may have a chance to defeat a dragon, but what is everypony else going to do?” “I do not know, but I wouldn't worry about that. It is likely that we will not be required to fight the dragon,” Twilight said, “My suspicion is that this is a political move by Tyrannus’s dragonlords to see how far they can push the treaty Celestia negotiated with them twelve years ago. Word must also have reached them by now that the six of us were the ones to vanquish Nightmare Moon and they probably want to take our measure. My hope is that we can talk to the dragon, and that he will be satisfied with only minimal terms after meeting with the six of us.” “Where is our sixth member?” Rarity asked as she looked around for the druidess. “The rest of us are assembled, so we may as well leave,” Twilight said as she grabbed her saddlebags, “We can stop by her home on the way.” Pinkamena and Rarity also gathered their supplies, and the group departed from Golden Oak’s laboratory. Outside, the two Cant’r Laht soldiers assigned to Twilight joined them. Previously, the sorceress would have protested their presence, but her trip to the Griffin Free Companies had taught her not to reject help when it was offered. They would still have to stay back when they actually approached the dragon to avoid being burned to a crisp like all the rest. “Fluttershy! There you are!” Pinkamena exclaimed as they met the druidess on their way to Ponieville’s gate, passing between the homes destroyed by the ursa minor, “We didn’t think you were going to make it.” “Oh, about that,” Fluttershy said softly as she looked around nervously, “I don’t know if going far away is such a good idea. I have things to tend to here.” “They will be taken care of,” Twilight assured her, noting that, though she was trying to get out of the journey, Fluttershy had packed supplies as instructed, “I already sent Spike to speak with the local druid circle, and they agreed to let him help with your duties while you are gone.” “Oh, that’s … great,” Fluttershy said, and she forced a weak smile. “Everything will be fine, Fluttershy,” Applejack assured the druidess, placing a hoof on her shoulder as she so often did, to Twilight’s annoyance, “We’ll all be t’gether on this adventure.” “Um . . . okay,” Fluttershy said after a moment, nodding and putting on a brave face. “Shall we get moving, then?” Twilight asked, looking at the sun’s position and thinking of her planned route, “We have a lot of ground to cover before we reach Mount Caradrhorse.” *** After leaving Ponieville, the eight ponies followed the river that flowed north past the town, to its origin: the vast lake at the foot of the Titan’s Horn where the water falling from Cant’r Laht collected. The Brave Companions set up camp on the shore of the lake, across from Onon’r Laht on the far side. Onon’r Laht had once been Cant’r Laht’s counterpart, a “City of Stone” to the “City of the Sky,” but the city at the base of the mountain had long since succumbed to decay, and was now a ruin populated only by mists, monsters, and outlaws. Both during the night and in travel the next day, the ponies kept as far from Onon’r Laht as they could. The second day of the journey took them farther north, skirting the White Mountains as they rapidly decreased in height, becoming hills even farther north. Apart from scattered villages with only a few houses and the occasional fortification (usually suffering from great neglect), the lands the Brave Companions traveled through were largely empty. The only sign of civilization they saw was the occasional peasant out tending fields, who gave the group only a passing glance before moving on. It was impossible to tell, but in one area the peasants were just beginning to move back and replant the fields. They had come involuntarily, ordered to do so by their lord, and though they obeyed and planted their crops, they still avoided the old estate of the mi Amore barons. The memory of how death had struck there was still fresh in many of their minds and they refused to go anywhere near the remains of the property. They stories they had to tell would have interested Twilight Sparkle greatly, but she had other concerns on her mind besides talking to peasants, and the opportunity passed. When night fell for the second time, the ponies made camp on the edge of the forest that bridged the gap in the landscape between the Snowshear Mountains on the west and the White Mountains on the east. The next day and a half of travel would take them through that forest, so for the time being they enjoyed the open night sky over the fields. Twilight had to admit that, without Spike here, it was nice to have somepony else to pitch the camp. The Cant’r Laht soldiers insisted (no doubt for fear that Celestia would berate them if they didn’t) on pitching the tents and gathering firewood (under the close supervision of Fluttershy, who made sure they only gathered fallen branches and didn’t cut anything from the forest’s trees). “What will Celestia be doing in Tyrannus, do you think?” Rarity asked as the Brave Companions were sitting around the campfire later. “I imagine she will seek an audience with Ingrirtireth. Though, knowing Celestia, she may just open a portal directly into his throne room,” Twilight postulated, not noticing how Fluttershy’s eyes went wide and the druidess cowered at Rarity’s mention of Tyrannus, “If anypony can get answers from the leader of the dragonlords, it would be her.” “Yeah, but what can she do, really?” Rainbow Dash asked as she lounged back against a log, “She may be the most powerful living sorceress, but against a dragon as powerful and ancient as Ingrirtireth . . .” “Celestia has her ways, and she rarely reveals her full power, though against Ingrirtireth she just might,” Twilight defended her mentor, “He would be wise not to underestimate her, as would you.” “She must be awfully brave, to face a dragon,” Fluttershy said as she shuddered, spoken so softly that Twilight, across the fire from her, almost didn’t catch it, “I don’t think that I ever could.” “What’re you talking about, y’dafty?” Pinkamena asked the druidess cheerfully, “That’s exactly what we’re doing.” “Yeah, the purpose o’ this journey is t’ confront th’ dragon at Mount Caradrhorse,” Applejack said as she got up to fetch more firewood. Meanwhile, Twilight Sparkle kept her eyes fixed on Fluttershy, who seemed to be growing more terrified with each passing moment. How could she not have known what awaits us at the end of this trip? I suppose I never did convey Celestia’s message to her as I did the others, but we haven’t been silent on the matter as we travelled. I know during the days she has been lagging behind, examining every bit of flora and fauna we passed, but surely she must have heard something. Could she really not have been aware of our purpose this whole time? If that’s the case, then why did she never ask? The others appeared to be wondering the same thing as they watched the druidess appear more and more panicked. “I-I can’t face a dragon!” she finally exclaimed before bolting away from the campfire. The other four ponies who weren’t already standing leapt to their hooves, and the soldiers at their campfire turned to look at the commotion. Her dull cloak blending into the grasses and shadows, Fluttershy galloped away toward the forest, the other Brave Companions in pursuit, calling for her to come back. The druidess seemed to alternatively disappear and reappear as she moved through the foliage, and Twilight was only able to follow her by following Dash’s Hunter eyes, which never left Fluttershy’s form. Soon they were within the forest, and the five ponies came to a halt. Like Twilight, the others were all now looking to Rainbow Dash for direction, but the Hunter darted around in circles, sometimes taking off into the undergrowth, but always returning a few seconds later. “Give it up, Rainbow Dash,” Twilight said after the search had gone on like this for several minutes, “If not even you can find her trail, then she is well and truly gone.” “I hate to admit it, but I think you’re right, Twilight. Druids!” Dash swore as she landed next to the sorceress, “How am I supposed to find signs in the landscape to track them when they use the landscape itself to conceal their presence?” “You have known Fluttershy longer than any of us. Has she done this before?” Twilight asked the Hunter. “Yes,” Dash answered as she scratched the back of her head with a hoof, “Usually she comes back eventually, but it’s impossible to know how long that will take.” “Well, the dragon specifically requested to speak with the Brave Companions, and I do not think he will be satisfied with only five of us,” Twilight said as she led the group back toward the campsite, “We need Fluttershy with us. Hopefully she will have returned by the morning.” *** When the next day dawned, Fluttershy was still absent. From Rainbow Dash, Twilight learned that Glydrfell—the town the two pegasi had grown up in—was a day’s journey north in the former Hill Kingdoms. Twilight was reluctant to deviate from her planned route, but it was important that Fluttershy be with them when they confronted the dragon, so she drew up a new plan that would take them directly north through the forest, following the White Mountains instead of northwest toward the Snowshear Mountains. She still held out hope that Fluttershy would return to them, but if she hadn’t by the time they crossed the forest, then they would have to continue on to Glydrfell to look for her there. Better to arrive at Mount Caradrhorse late with all six Brave Companions than early with only five. Of course, the possibility remained that the druidess hadn’t gone to Glydrfell at all, and was still somewhere in the forest. If she was, there was still no sign of her as the ponies trekked beneath the canopy of leaves. The Cant’r Laht soldiers—till then silent except to ask Twilight what she needed done or where they would be stopping—grumbled at having to carry Fluttershy’s saddlebags as well as their own. When they emerged from the forest’s northern edge, Fluttershy still hadn’t shown herself, and Twilight sighed before tucking her map back into her saddlebags and directing the group to continue north. “Wait!” a familiar voice called from behind them, and the ponies turned to see Fluttershy galloping out of the forest. “Where are you going?” she asked when she’d caught up to the group, and she pointed with a hoof to the west, “Mount Caradrhorse is that way!” “Were you following us the whole time?” Rarity asked with barely concealed disdain that the soldiers didn’t even try to conceal, and Fluttershy looked down at the ground. “We were looking for you, Fluttershy,” Twilight said before she was scared off again. “We thought you might’ve gone home to Glydrfell,” Rainbow Dash cut in. “Yes, you see, we need you with us when we meet with the dragon,” Twilight took back over the conversation, “We cannot go to Mount Caradrhorse without you, Fluttershy.” “R-really?” Fluttershy asked timidly, though given that she knew next to nothing about the purpose of their trip, Twilight figured that she really shouldn’t have been surprised that Fluttershy did not realize her own importance in this matter. “That’s right; this dragon wants t’ speak t’ th’ Brave Companions who defeated Nightmare Moon,” Applejack said as she trotted up and put a foreleg around the druidess. “Yeah!” Pinkamena said as she bounded up, “It’ll be like a party with a dragon.” “I wouldn't go that far. I certainly hope that things will go well and remain civil, but we should be prepared for even the worst scenario,” Twilight said, causing Fluttershy to cower a bit, and she took a breath before continuing, “However, I do expect that it will not come to violence, and that the dragon will be satisfied merely with speaking with us in order to be convinced to leave Equestria.” “That’s good to hear,” Fluttershy said, looking visibly relieved, “I suppose . . . if it’s that important . . . I can come with you to Mount Caradrhorse. And I won’t be alone.” “Right, then,” Twilight said as she pulled her maps back out of her saddlebags, “Shall we get moving then and make up for lost time?” *** Over the next two days, the Brave Companions trekked through the fields north of the forest, following the tree line. Gradually the White Mountains behind them shrank, and the Snowshear Mountains ahead grew. In the afternoon of the fourth day since they’d left Ponieville, in the midst of a thunderstorm, the group crossed into the mountains, following Twilight’s direction. Supposedly her planned route would allow them to reach Mount Caradrhorse more quickly by cutting through the mountains instead of going around them, but the already precarious path was made even more dangerous by the howling winds and blowing rain. Finally, Twilight was forced to call a halt to travel for the day, and the ponies made camp at the edge of a wide chasm spanned by a wildly swinging bridge. By the next morning the storm had blown over, and the bridge was miraculously still intact. It still looked rickety and liable to fall to pieces at any moment, but at least it was no longer swaying so violently that it would guarantee anypony who attempted to cross would fall to their deaths. Twilight Sparkle was the first to venture out onto the bridge, moving cautiously and checking its structural integrity with her magic, shoring up weak points with a spell. The whole time as she progressed, Rainbow Dash hovered over her, ready to catch the sorceress if the bridge gave way, even though she could just as easily teleport back to the ledge if things went wrong. Once Twilight was across, she signaled for the others to follow her lead. Applejack crossed next, stepping confidently and steadily, and though the bridge swayed and rattled at her passage, she seemed to be walking across solid ground. Rarity followed, moving more uncertainly than the farmer, checking most boards before stepping on them. After her came Pinkamena, who didn’t seem to be bothered by the bridge at all, and bounded across, causing it to shake and rattle dangerously, making Fluttershy behind her freeze in her steps and cling tightly to the ropes on either side. Once Pinkamena was across, Fluttershy began moving again, even more slowly than Rarity had gone, flinching at every shiver and pop of the bridge. “Come on, Fluttershy!” Twilight Sparkle called, growing impatient, “Mount Caradrhorse isn't much farther, but we cannot move on until you are across the bridge.” “It’s not that bad, Fluttershy. Here, I’ll show you!” Pinkamena called as she took a flying leap out onto the bridge, causing a wave to pass through the whole structure. Twilight had done her best to strengthen the bridge, but Pinkamena’s impact was the last straw for a structure that had been barely remaining intact before the storm. Ropes snapped and planks cracked as the bridge broke into two, each half falling toward its nearer cliff face. Rainbow Dash dove for Pinkamena and snatched the stunned earth pony out of the air before depositing her back on the ledge. When the bridge came to a rest and the sounds of destruction stopped echoing through the air, Twilight could see the Cant’r Laht soldiers clinging to the span resting against the far side of the chasm, but no sign of Fluttershy. She can fly, so she should be all right, but where is she? The druidess came into view only when the sorceress approached the edge of the cliff and looked down, spotting her clinging to the remains of the bridge with all her might. “Fluttershy!” Twilight exclaimed, causing the pegasus to look up at her, “What are you doing?” “I don’t want to fall!” she cried, and clutched at the bridge’s remains, searching for better hoofholds. “Darling, you’re a pegasus!” Rarity shouted down, “You can fly!” “Oh . . . right,” Fluttershy said as she looked away in embarrassment. Extending her wings, the druidess let herself drift away from the bridge and she began to ascend. A loud noise shook the mountains and echoed down the canyon, causing the ponies to look around for its source. Twilight knew that they wouldn’t find it, for it was the very distinctive sound of a dragon’s roar. Down below, the blood drained from Fluttershy’s face at the sound of the dragon, and her wings seemed to cease obeying her, drawing close to her body. The druidess gave a yelp as she fell, and bounced against the bridge a few times before getting ahold of the tangled ropes trailing from the broken end. “Fluttershy, are you all right!” Applejack called down, and Fluttershy nodded but made no other motions, “Can you fly up t’ us?” “N-no,” she replied after trying to extend her wings several times, only to have them hang limply or snap back to her sides. “Throw her a rope,” Twilight said after seeing that Rainbow Dash was busy helping the Cant’r Laht soldiers up. Maybe insisting that she come with us was a mistake, after all, Twilight thought as she helped pull Fluttershy up, If this is how she reacts upon just hearing the dragon, how bad will things be when she actually sees it? *** Only a half day’s journey awaited the Brave Companions after crossing the chasm. Though not by design this time, Twilight had left her escort behind again. Rainbow Dash had been able to lift the Cant’r Laht soldiers back up onto their ledge, but she didn’t feel confident enough to carry them across, not without another pegasus helping, anyway, and Fluttershy seemed to be unable to fly for the moment. So, the soldiers would backtrack out of the Snowshear Mountains and take the longer path around them to meet up with the Brave Companions on the return journey to Ponieville. Soon after the six ponies left the mountains, Mount Caradrhorse came into view. Its peak soared above the surrounding mountains, making it stick out even without the alterations the dragon had made to it. The nearby mountains had dense forests growing at their bases, but around Mount Caradrhorse nothing remained but a few charred trunks sticking up at odd angles. The fields around the mountain were likewise scorched, creating a wasteland that separated the mountain from the rest of the landscape. Just outside the scorched area, the fields had been ruined by a force other than fire. The hooves of hundreds of soldiers had trampled the crops flat and made space for the camp that was now situated there. The Brave Companions wove between the tents, making their way toward the camp’s center. They passed several soldiers on their way in—some in the blue and gray livery of Vanhuv’r, but many more in the green and brown of Tall Tale—yet the camp still seemed empty. Twilight estimated that at least half the tents, if not more, were simply set up for intimidation, and that no soldiers were using them. As the group approached the command tent, a bespectacled earth pony stallion trotted out to meet them. The attire he had on over his chestnut and cream speckled coat seemed more suited to a city than out in the field; emerald thread embroidered it, and a ruff was wrapped around his neck, making his nose seem perpetually turned up. “We were sent here by Celestia,” Twilight announced before the stallion could speak, “Who is in charge of this camp?” “That would be Ser Guarded Dawn, brother to Duchess Flying Saddle,” the stallion answered without hesitation, “However, the individual you are to speak to is myself. I am Eirik, bailiff to Duchess Flying Saddle and the pony appointed by King Hyelliff to negotiate terms with you.” “Negotiate terms?” Applejack asked with bewilderment. “Naturally,” Twilight replied to Applejack before motioning for Eirik to lead the way, “Shall we deal?” Giving a bow with a slight smirk, Eirik led the mares to a smaller tent next to Ser Guarded Dusk’s command tent. There was barely enough room in Eirik’s tent for all six Brave Companions once he sat down behind the collapsible desk at its center, but they managed to all squeeze in by the time he had fetched a quill, ink, and a parchment with writing already on it. “Now, I’m sure you know all about your side of this agreement: the dragon will leave Mount Caradrhorse, your actions will remove him from the Kingdom of Vanhuv’r, et cetera, et cetera, so let’s move on to the division of the spoils,” Eirik said as he looked over his spectacles at Twilight, “Naturally, the largest portion of the dragon’s hoard will go to the sovereign of these lands, and King Hyelliff has stipulated three-quarters of the total loot recovered from the cave will go directly to Vanhuv’r. Of the remaining treasure, five-sixths will go the lands devastated by the dragon. The rest will go to the six of you, to be divided evenly. I’m sure that you won’t object to one-one hundred forty-fourth each from the original hoard, as it will still be a significant sum.” “Actually, I have an alternative proposal,” Twilight said as she stared down the bailiff, “How would Duchess Flying Saddle like to keep the full quarter of the treasure?” “I’m not sure what you’re talking about,” Eirik feigned confusion as he looked down at his parchment to avoid eye contact with the sorceress he’d underestimated, “The Duchy of Tall Tale isn’t included in this agreement except under the Kingdom of Vanhuv’r.” “You and I both know that the monies for ‘the lands devastated by the dragon’ are really going to Duchess Flying Saddle, ostensibly to be distributed to these lands later, but little will actually reach them,” Twilight cut through to the truth, “So, I will ask again, would Duchess Flying Saddle like to keep the full quarter?” “I know that what you’re offering won’t come free, so I have to ask what you want in return,” Eirik said suspiciously. “King Hyelliff will announce that he will attend the summit in Cant’r Laht in the spring,” Twilight said boldly. “I don’t know that it’s really proper to trade money for my duchess for services from my king,” Eirik said with a nervous smile. “Perhaps not,” Twilight said dismissively with a wave of a hoof, “If it would ease your conscience, then the twenty-fourth that you offered us can go directly to King Hyelliff instead, or we could split the treasure so that Hyelliff receives five-sixths and these lands receive one-sixth. Really, I would be satisfied with any of these scenarios.” “Let’s not be too hasty now,” Eirik said, visibly disturbed at the idea of bringing Duchess Flying Saddle less than she expected, “I think I can agree to your original proposal.” “Excellent,” Twilight said with a smile as she clapped her hooves together, “Now, if I could get that down in writing, with a signed and sealed copy for each of us?” A few minutes later, Twilight had her copy of the agreement, the wax of King Hyelliff’s seal still warm, as a guarantee that her demands would be met even if Eirik tried to cheat her. Carefully, she tucked the important document into her saddlebags. From the moment they’d left Ponieville, Twilight had known that she could expect some form of repayment from Vanhuv’r for helping with their problem, but Celestia hadn’t specified what appropriate terms would be. Acting on her own intuition and initiative, the young sorceress thought that she had gotten a good deal. To her knowledge, none of Equestria’s leaders had yet accepted Celestia’s invitation to attend the summit. If King Hyelliff came forward as the first and announced he would attend, it could start a domino effect that would lead other leaders to do the same. Balte-Maer or Fillydelfiyaa would probably be next, followed by Stalliongrad and Los Pegasus. After that, Manehattan would be forced to attend, but King Hadish would probably still hold off on confirming his attendance until the last possible moment. “Well then, now that that matter is taken care of, shall I lead you up the mountain?” Eirik asked as he filed away his copy of the agreement and folded up his desk. “Yes, if you would,” Twilight answered, surprised that he was going to do the deed himself and not have a soldier lead them instead. Once they’d all cleared out of his tiny tent, Eirik led the way through the camp toward Mount Caradrhorse. Their path didn’t take them directly toward the mountain, but rather around the base to curve toward a slope that they could ascend. As they trekked, the destruction wreaked by the dragon became even more apparent, with not only scorch marks and burned trees, but bits of ground torn up. The whole base of the mountain that was earth and not stone looked to have been ripped up and agitated, but there were some places where the dirt had been torn through by powerful claws to form deep gouges. Rounding the mountain, those gouges eventually formed words. I WILL SPEAK ONLY WITH THE BRAVE COMPANIONS It was the same message that had been conveyed to Twilight by Celestia, except that these letters were not ink on a page, but runes larger than a pony carved into the side of a mountain. How large was this dragon to write a message so huge? The thought occurred to the sorceress that they might have been misled, and that the dragon wanted more than just to talk with them. If he had responded to an army by torching the entire mountain and carving a message into the ground, how would he respond to six ponies that, though rapidly becoming known throughout the land, were well outmatched by a full-grown dragon? Maybe we should have brought the Elements of Harmony. Twilight’s mind was still spinning and Eirik was pointing out the beginning of the stony path ahead, when a noise came from higher up the slope. The dragon’s tail appeared for a split second as he used it to sweep the remains of his victims out of the cave. The bones clattered over the ledge and rolled down the slope. When they struck the upturned earth, they bounced around and drew some of the dirt with them. It wasn’t long before the slope began to shift and slide as a wave of loose soil came sweeping down the hill. “Hillslide!” Rarity yelled in terror. “Everypony get to the path!” Eirik yelled, already galloping off toward it. The others quickly followed suit, keeping an eye on the advancing wave, which grew wider as it moved closer. The hillslide roared past as they reached the path, and they kept their distance from the churning earth. The dirt continued to slide past for some time, erasing the dragon’s message as it tumbled down the slope. The hillslide slowed as it reached more even ground, but didn’t stop entirely, and some tents on the outskirts of the camp were obliterated. Hopefully they were some of the empty ones. Seemingly unfazed by what had just transpired, Eirik continued to lead them up the mountain. Given that he hadn’t seemed bothered by the destruction of part of the camp, there was either nopony using those tents, or the bailiff just didn’t care about the soldiers’ lives; truthfully, either was equally likely. There didn’t seem to be any commotion in the camp except to see what had been lost in the hillslide, so it was probably the first scenario. Probably. The path up to the dragon’s cave was littered with the remains of those who’d ventured up before them. Scraps of armor from knights and discarded weapons lined the path, along with plenty of charred bones and smashed wagons. Fluttershy, who had already appeared uneasy at the sight of Mount Caradrhorse, now looked positively terrified. Soon, they neared the peak of the mountain. “This is as far as I go,” Eirik told the Brave Companions in hushed tones as he pulled them behind a large boulder that blocked half the path, “I don’t intend to become a dragon’s dinner. Give me a call when the matter is settled.” Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, and Applejack gave a collective nod and started back up the path. The group of ponies had nearly reached the spacious ledge in front of the dragon’s cave by the time they realized that only five of them were present. Fluttershy was still behind the boulder with Eirik. “Come on, Fluttershy!” Pinkamena called down, “We’ve come this far; no turning back now!” “O-okay, I suppose . . .” the shaking druidess said as she crept around the boulder. The dragon chose that moment to give a roar that shook the mountain, sending rocks and pebbles sliding down the slope. A pile of skeletons was thrust out of the cave a second later and went tumbling down the mountain. Thankfully, it didn’t start another hillslide, but it did startle Fluttershy, and the pegasus darted back behind the boulder. “I can’t do it!” Fluttershy called up the path, “I’m sorry, but I can’t do it!” “Yes, you can!” Twilight called back down, “We need you, Fluttershy!” We had better not have travelled all this way and put up with everything just for her to turn back now. Fluttershy continued to protest and apologize, and nothing seemed to be able to coax her up the last bit of path. One by one, the other Brave Companions gave up on convincing their least brave member to join them. Finally, Twilight had to hang her head in failure and admit that it was a lost cause. No amount of promises, encouragements, threats, or comforting words seemed to be able to move the druidess. Hopefully the dragon can be satisfied with the five of us. He’d better be, and maybe then she’ll see there’s nothing to fear and join us. Twilight Sparkle turned her back on the path and trekked up to the ledge to join the rest of the ponies. As she did, she cast one more look back and saw that Fluttershy was beginning to retreat back down the path to the bottom of the mountain, dashing any chance that she would join them later. The five Brave Companions were gathered on the ledge outside the cave mouth, but none of them were standing very close to the entrance. Sounds of the dragon shifting around carried out of the cavern, adding to the sense of fear that prevailed. They had seen bits and pieces of the enormous lizard, but so far none of them had seen the creature in his entirety and had no idea how large he would be. “How does one get the attention of a dragon without getting roasted in response?” Rarity wondered aloud. Until then, Twilight hadn’t realized that she had no idea on how to confront the dragon, but Rarity’s question had brought the matter to the forefront of her mind. In haste, she put a plan together and cast enchantments over herself that would protect her clothes and flesh from flame damage. Finally, she memorized the appearance and layout of the ledge so that she could teleport back in a split second if necessary. “I am going to try,” the sorceress announced before trotting toward the cave mouth. Despite the brilliant daylight outside, the interior of the cave quickly drew dark and Twilight had to cast a spell of illumination so that she could see. It was empty at first, except for more remains of dead ponies. The dragon had had a feast when King Hyelliff’s army had tried to expel him from the mountain, and a few charred corpses of soldiers remained uneaten in the corners. At the center of the mountain, the cave opened into a larger cavern, where the dragon was hidden in the gloom. The flash from his scales as Twilight’s spell reflected off them startled the sorceress at first, but she quickly recovered and followed the pattern in the scales to locate the dragon’s head. Despite knowing what she was looking at, the sorceress still jumped back in shock when a yellow eye the size of her head opened before her. “Greetings, I am Twilight Sparkle, one of the Brave Companions sent to speak with you,” Twilight introduced herself, speaking more quickly than she intended to. “You may address me as Ornjuntirmirthar,” the dragon spoke as he shifted around, his voice booming, “You are one of the Brave Companions, you say; where are the others?” “They are waiting outside,” Twilight said, pointing back the way she had come, “I thought that perhaps the two of us could come to an agreement-” The sorceress never got to finish her statement, as it was cut off by a growl from Ornjuntirmirthar as he stood. A claw larger than her came down next to Twilight as the dragon made his way toward the cave entrance, and she made her own way back, trying to avoid being stepped on as the dragon moved above her. Ornjuntirmirthar’s head reached the outside first, and his body swiftly followed, revealing the entirety of the wyrm to the five ponies. The dragon towered above them, the light reflecting off his crimson scales. They had all been prepared for a massive creature, but none of them had ever seen a living full-grown dragon before, and they hadn’t expected something so large that it could hold a pony in one of its claws with ease. Spines protruded from the top of his head down its neck and back and all along his slender tail. The wings that jutted from his shoulders were larger than the canvas sails fitted on even the grandest Equestrian ship. Ornjuntirmirthar’s wedge-shaped head was positioned at the end of a long, slender neck that he bent to better speak to the ponies, and when he opened his mouth he revealed teeth as long as a pony’s leg and sent a blast of warm, moist air out over the group. “Allow me to introduce my companions,” Twilight said as she tried to keep her composure and not be overawed by the dragon’s stature, and she motioned to each of them in turn, “Applejack, a farmer from near Ponieville; Rarity, a blacksmith from Ponieville; Rainbow Dash, a Hunter from near Ponieville; and Pinkamena Pie, a baker from Ponieville.” “Yes, yes; you are all from that tiny and unremarkable town that Celestia saw fit to elevate for some inconceivable reason. That is, except for you, Madam Sorceress, who happens to be Celestia’s personal protégé in Cant’r Laht,” Ornjuntirmirthar rumbled as his eyes swept over the lineup and settled on Twilight, “But this is not all of you. Where are the rest?” “Regrettably, Fluttershy was unable to make it up here,” Twilight explained, hoping that the dragon didn’t look down the mountain to see Fluttershy walking away and take it as an insult, “The five of us should be sufficient to speak with you.” “Speak with you?” the dragon said, looking puzzled, as if he had forgotten his own message, “Oh, yes, I suppose you want me to leave this mountain.” “Yes, you have now seen the Brave Companions and can return to Tyrannus,” Twilight Sparkle said, glad that she had been correct in her assumptions, but those good feelings were dashed when the dragon began to laugh uproariously. “Do you really think it is that easy to remove a dragon?” Ornjuntirmirthar asked as he bared his teeth at the sorceress, “Did you think I would leave just because you asked?” “But you will leave for a price,” Twilight replied, only half sure that the dragon would agree. “For a price,” Ornjuntirmirthar confirmed. “Very well,” Twilight sighed, grateful that it would not be impossible to complete their quest, and the sorceress shifted into negotiating mode, “I am sure that we can come to some agreement. What kind of price did you have in mind?” “Celestia will invite Ingrirtireth to participate in her summit,” Ornjuntirmirthar said, taking Twilight totally off guard. I was expecting some amount of gold or precious stones, or maybe some alteration of the treaty between Tyrannus and Cant’r Laht, but what am I supposed to do with this? He’s got me trapped; there’s no way to negotiate down from this short of outright rejection, but there’s no way I can accept either. There must be some way around this, but how? “If you and Ingrirtireth are similar in size-” Twilight spoke slowly and deliberately, and was cut off by the dragon’s laughter, “Fine, if Ingrirtireth is larger than you, then this is an even bigger problem. There is no way that he could fit in Cant’r Laht Castle’s great hall for the summit, except to maybe squeeze his head in through a window.” “Well, then, the solution seems obvious,” Ornjuntirmirthar said, steering the conversation in a way that made Twilight uncomfortable, “Host the summit in a larger location, such as Tyrannus.” So that’s what he’s after! “It cannot be done!” Twilight exclaimed, growing irate, “No pony besides Celestia would ever set hoof in Tyrannus, and the summit would be nothing but Celestia and Ingrirtireth talking just like twelve years ago! You seek to destroy the summit, and I cannot accept that!” “Those are my terms,” Ornjuntirmirthar said with a shrug and a snort that caused his nostrils to glow dully. “Your terms are impossible! Rightfully, we should not even be discussing terms, since your very presence here violates the treaty signed by Celestia and Ingrirtireth!” “Why should I care for ink on a scrap of parchment?” the dragon said dismissively, “It means nothing to me, just as it means nothing to the dragonlord I represent, who was alive long before the other signatory and will live long after her death. You ponies believe yourselves protected by your treaties, yet how many of these ‘binding agreements’ have been discarded in times of war? The nations that rule Equestria now are not the nations that ruled a century ago, and they will not rule a century from now, so why pretend that a summit will change anything? Celestia can sign all the treaties she wants, but she has outlived all of them so far, save the one with Ingrirtireth, and a dragon will always have the advantage in longevity over a pony, even a sorceress who has pushed the bounds of life to the limit.” “There must be somethin’ we can do t’ come t’ an agreement,” Applejack spoke up upon seeing the defeated look on Twilight’s face. “I have given you my terms,” Ornjuntirmirthar said with a toothy grin, “Now, you can take them back to Cant’r Laht, or you can become my next meal.” “Maybe we should have brought the Elements of Harmony along,” Rarity whispered to Pinkamena, echoing Twilight’s thoughts from earlier. “Looks like diplomacy has failed,” Rainbow Dash said as she drew a sword, “If he won’t go peacefully, we’ll just have to remove him by force!” Dash shot off the ground, her blade directed at the dragon’s neck. Ornjuntirmirthar seemed amused until he saw how fast Dash was moving, and he then took on a disapproving expression. Before the Hunter reached him, he twisted his neck, and her sword slid against his scales at an awkward angle, doing no damage to the dragon’s flesh but badly blunting the blade. Rainbow Dash released three bombs from her belt, and they exploded into clouds of smoke after touching the dragon’s scales, completely obscuring the left half of his body. Dash hid in the smoke and prepared to strike while her opponent couldn’t see her, but a powerful beat of Ornjuntirmirthar’s wings cleared the smoke away, and the Hunter found herself face-to-face with him. As the dragon’s mouth opened wide, she threw her sword into the maw in an attempt to pierce the soft flesh within. The blade was melted to slag in the same blast of fire that Dash barely managed to dodge. The fire followed her until she collided with the palm of Ornjuntirmirthar’s foreclaw. Scaly digits closed around her and blocked her escape and any attempt to get another weapon free. She was finally freed when the dragon threw her, sending her tumbling through the air and unable to gain control of her trajectory before impacting with the mountain’s face. A cry escaped her throat as she felt a bone in her wing snap. With the Hunter out of commission, Ornjuntirmirthar turned his attention to the other four ponies. Twilight Sparkle lost sight of Dash as flames washed over the magical shield she had put up around herself and her friends. Rainbow Dash struggled to keep a grip on the stone, but the face she had impacted with was too shear, and she soon found herself falling out away from it. She tried to save herself with her wings, but the attempt only unbalanced her and sent her into a tumble. The Hunter was nearly at the ground when her trajectory changed and she went skidding across the ground, suffering no more than a few bumps and bruises. “Fl-Fluttershy?” she asked in surprise as she looked up at the pegasus who’d come to her rescue. The druidess was sweating profusely and looked ready to run for the hills at any moment, but there was a steel in her wide, terrified eyes that hadn’t been there before. She said nothing as she turned away from the wounded Hunter and winged her way up the dragon’s back to his head. “Stop that!” she commanded as she landed on the dragon’s snout. Ornjuntirmirthar was so surprised by the sudden appearance of a buttery yellow pegasus in druid’s robes on his nose that he actually did stop breathing fire. His next conscious action was, of course, to try to shake this newly appeared nuisance from his head. Somehow, Fluttershy managed to dart between his spines and wedge herself in the hollow formed by the dragon’s neck, cheek, and temple ridge. “You can’t get to me here without hurting yourself,” Fluttershy said, her voice remarkably steady, “I, however, can hurt you, so let’s talk.” “Who are you?” Ornjuntirmirthar rumbled as his eyes looked back at where Fluttershy was, but he couldn’t see, and light glowed from between his teeth. “I’m Fluttershy, the sixth Brave Companion. Sorry I couldn’t make it until now,” Fluttershy introduced herself, and only Rainbow Dash had the vantage point (and remarkable eyesight) to see that the druidess’s eyes were darting around nervously. Ornjuntirmirthar did nothing in response except to growl louder and look down at the four ponies within the ring of scorched stone. “Why do you think you can be so stubborn?” Fluttershy accused, making Ornjuntirmirthar’s head jerk in surprise, “Twilight has been very patient with you. She’s remained patient even as you tried to kill her. We all have, when we could easily have used the Elements of Harmony against you.” “You don’t have the Elements of Harmony,” the dragon said as he revealed a toothy smile. “We don’t need them to use them. The Elements of Harmony are within us,” Fluttershy asserted. “That’s ridiculous,” Ornjuntirmirthar said, but he grew less sure when the ponies on the ground seemed to be recalling that Fluttershy’s assertion was correct. “You should count yourself lucky to leave here with no repercussions,” Fluttershy continued, “Under Celestia’s treaty with Ingrirtireth, no dragons are allowed in Equestria.” “I already told your friends what I thought of that worthless treaty,” Ornjuntirmirthar laughed. His laughter ended when Fluttershy pressed against a vulnerable point. “You obviously don’t understand Celestia, then,” the pegasus rebuked the cringing dragon, “Surely even in Tyrannus, word of her wrath has reached you. Rumors of entire towns disappearing and lands lying desolate? Whether she could dismantle the entirety of Tyrannus is debatable, but she would have no problem destroying you, and she would take this entire mountain with you. So, do you want to remain here, or will you leave with your hide intact?” Fluttershy’s words were chilling, and her naturally soft voice made them doubly so. Twilight was shocked to see a look of unease pass across the dragon’s features. He wasn’t totally convinced, but there was worry in his eyes now. Where did this come from? Is this the same Fluttershy that we brought with us from Ponieville? The same Fluttershy that ran off into the forest at the thought of facing a dragon and had to be pulled up from that chasm because she heard the dragon roar? “Very well,” Ornjuntirmirthar rumbled at last, looking displeased, “I will leave, but know that I shall inform Ingrirtireth of this, and he will not be so easily convinced by your words.” Fluttershy removed herself from the hollow of the dragon’s neck, and he turned to look at the pegasus, as if contemplating roasting her on the spot for the discomfort she’d put him through. Apparently thinking better of it, Ornjuntirmirthar turned away, and launched himself from the side of the mountain. Opening his wings, the wyrm glided over the Vanhuv’r army camp before swinging southeast for Tyrannus. “Fluttershy, that was amazing!” Pinkamena exclaimed as she rushed over to the pegasus and knocked her off her hooves. “Where did that come from?” Applejack asked as she helped Fluttershy up, “I’ve never seen anythin’ like that, ‘specially from you!” “I was terrified the whole time,” the druidess admitted, and her shaking legs seemed to confirm it, “I had no idea what I was doing, but I knew that I couldn’t let him hurt you. I couldn’t let him hurt my friends.” “Pinkamena is right; you were amazing,” Twilight confessed, still reeling in surprise at the performance, “The way you took control and convinced him to leave, it was very impressive.” “Most impressive indeed,” Eirik added as he cantered up to the group, “Until she showed up, I thought you were goners, and I was sure the rainbow one wouldn’t survive.” “Thanks,” Rainbow Dash said as she trotted up. “Are you all right, Rainbow Dash?” Twilight asked, preparing healing spells. “Just scrapes and bruises and a broken wing. It’ll heal fine once I bind it and take some potions,” Dash said, holding up a hoof to turn down Twilight’s implicit offer of healing, “All thanks to Fluttershy. Your wings appear to be working again.” Fluttershy smiled and stretched them out, nearly poking Rarity in the eye in the process. She was silent through all the praises the other ponies heaped upon her, absorbing them with the timidity Twilight had come to expect from the druidess. But there’s more to her than meets the eye. She seems so helpless, but she pulls through when she’s needed in the most spectacular and unexpected way. “Now that the dragon’s left, our job is done, isn’t it?” Rarity asked. “Not quite,” Eirik said as he produced a lantern from his saddlebags and lit it, “I need to inspect the dragon’s hoard, and you will serve as witnesses that it is divided properly.” After fastening the lantern to his side, Duchess Flying Saddle’s bailiff disappeared into the cave recently vacated by the giant lizard. The Brave Companions waited around outside, occasionally hearing the stallion’s movements come echoing from the cavern. After a few minutes, he returned, looking very disappointed. “It’s empty,” he said incredulously, “There’s nothing in there but bones and rocks.” “What did you expect?” Twilight asked with a sly grin, “He was not here long enough to collect any treasure, and he did not bring it with him from Tyrannus. Of course the cave is empty.” “You knew!” Eirik exclaimed, growing angry with the sorceress, “That’s why you turned down the offer of part of the hoard! Well, if there’s no treasure, then the contract is violated.” “Not at all,” Twilight said as she continued to smile, “We removed the dragon, fulfilling our end of the contract, and King Hyelliff will announce to all of Equestria that he will attend Celestia’s summit in the spring to uphold his end. The treasure will be divided up just as specified in the contract as well; it just so happens that three-quarters and one-quarter of zero both happen to be zero.” “This is unfair; it was a trick,” Eirik ground his teeth in frustration, “Why should King Hyelliff comply with your demands if he gets nothing from it?” “But he did. The dragon Ornjuntirmirthar will no longer plague the Kingdom of Vanhuv’r,” Twilight said firmly, “If that is not reason enough, then consider that I have an agreement with his seal upon it and that his legitimacy will be thoroughly shaken if he reneges on these terms and Equestria learns of it.” “Very well; you emerge victorious this time,” Eirik surrendered, “But I will make sure that Duchess Flying Saddle and I are also invited to attend this summit of yours and I will see you again.” “The more the merrier,” Twilight said with a grin, “Now, shall we return to Ponieville? Fluttershy, I am sure you want to return to your animals and that Spike will be glad to return the duty to you.” *** After winging across Equestria and back over the Shimmering Sea, Ornjuntirmirthar glided over the forests and mountains of Tyrannus until he reached the fiery planes at the island’s heart. Slow-flowing streams of lava guided him to his destination, a mountain that had been transformed into a fortress of epic proportions. Other dragons in a kaleidoscope of colors watched as he flitted his way through the castle built by and for majestic beasts such as them. There were no doors to the throne room of the dragonlord who ruled here, only a breach in the wall that extended from floor to ceiling. “You have returned,” a voice boomed from the far end of the throne room while Ornjuntirmirthar was still making his way past pillars carved with scenes of battle and destruction that dwarfed even him. “Yes, my dragonlord,” Ornjuntirmirthar said as he reached the throne and gave a bow for the appropriate amount of time before craning his neck upwards. Most dragonlords would have been content with a throne like the lesser races but of a larger size, but Ingrirtireth was no ordinary dragonlord. For the greatest of the dragonlords, only a throne that displayed his exceptional wealth and ferocity would do, and he had created this monstrosity himself. Ingrirtireth’s throne was a massive pile of gold, jewels, and the bones of those he’d killed, including dragons far larger than Ornjuntirmirthar, all fused into a single mass by the dragonlord’s flames. At the top of the throne was a nest-like hollow, and this is where Ingrirtireth rested. He was abnormally slender compared to other dragons of his size, and his tail hung down over the edge of the throne, its barbed tip wrapped around the outstretched claw of a dragon foolish enough to oppose him. As large as Ornjuntirmirthar was, Ingrirtireth was far larger, and it would only have taken him three bites to snap the other dragon up if he were so inclined. His scales were black and shiny like obsidian, but their edges were blood-red, complementing his glowing ruby eyes. “What news do you have for me?” the dragonlord demanded as he stared down at the smaller dragon. It was an intimidating situation for anyone, dragon or not. There was an intensity in the dragonlord’s eyes that couldn’t be avoided, and clearly the threat there wasn’t empty. Though all the dragonlords of Tyrannus were supposed to be equal, they all had admit (begrudgingly, in most cases) that Ingrirtireth was in charge. Not only was he more powerful than any of them, but more devious, too. Many had tried to stand up to him, and all had failed, as his throne would attest. “I met those six famous ponies,” Ornjuntirmirthar reported, “They could prove a nuisance, but I would not consider them a serious threat. Even if they can use the Elements of Harmony, I do not believe they are willing to use them unless pushed to great lengths.” “That is for me to decide,” Ingrirtireth rumbled and Ornjuntirmirthar flinched, “What of my son?” “He was not with them. They must have left him behind in Ponieville,” Ornjuntirmirthar said, fearing a backlash. “Regrettable,” Ingrirtireth said slowly as he narrowed his eyes and Ornjuntirmirthar’s heart nearly stopped. “Forgive me for this,” the smaller dragon pleaded, “I did not wish to return with no results.” “No, the plan was sound, but I did not expect them to leave Spaaku behind,” Ingrirtireth said with the wave of a claw, “This venture was not all for naught, however. When Celestia learned of your presence, she paid me a visit, and I learned the most interesting thing from her. The Queen of the Ivory City intends to name her sister Luna as her heir ahead of Cadence in the line of succession.” “What?” Ornjuntirmirthar said incredulously, “She cannot do that! What good is a hostage if she is no longer the heir?” “The Lady mi Amore Cadenza may still be of some use to us,” Ingrirtireth said slyly, “Send a messenger to the Queen of the Broken Lands and tell her that I have a proposition for her. I believe she will find my offer most pleasing.” “Yes, my dragonlord,” Ornjuntirmirthar replied as he gave another bow and departed, leaving Ingrirtireth alone to plot and scheme atop his throne of riches and carnage.