//------------------------------// // Epilogue: Akatosh // Story: Revival // by mild hotsauce //------------------------------// Epilogue: Akatosh Celestia was relaxing on the balcony outside her royal quarters. She just finished lowering the sun, and was trying to find a way to get the day’s events out of her mind. The moon rose high in the air, courtesy of her sister, who then flew up and sat next to her. They sat in silence for a while, not bothering to speak up, just being in each other’s presence made the day more bearable. Just when they thought nothing else was going to happen, a flaming dragon was flying towards them, but it wasn’t a dragon like they have seen. It had wings for arms and was much smaller, but Celestia felt more power than she had coming from it. They both backed inside Celestia’s chambers as it landed on the balcony, shaking the foundation in the process. “Krosis, my apologies for the interruption, but I believe you are the ones I should thank for delivering Lance to Aetherius.” It said in a deep voice, Celestia and Luna stared at it in shock, never before have they seen a dragon like this. “Hmm, maybe introductions are in order, you are definitely not the former deities of this land. I am Akatosh, the Dragon god of time for the mortals of Nirn.” “Are you one of the Nine Divines that Lance mentioned, and why are you thanking us for his death for that matter?” Luna questioned, slightly pissed that this creature was thanking them for the death of a hero to Equestria. “I am one of the nine, soon to be eight though, if the Thalmor get their way with Talos. As to why I am thanking you, is because he is the first Blackheart Argonian to pass into Aetherius.” “What do you mean?” Celestia inquired. “Why is he the first?” Akatosh lay down on his stomach and got comfortable. He saw them do the same and got the meaning, “the story isn’t as long as you think, and I haven’t had a break from my duties in millennia. Now, as to why he is the first, goes back to when the mortals of Nirn started exploring other countries. There are ten races that are the most common, the Argonians being one of them. Since they originated in Black Marsh, they were already on difficult times, the flora and fauna there are quite deadly. They were also enslaved by the Dunmer, or Dark Elves of Morrowind, and then suffered imperial aggression during the start of the first era. During the years after, the Dunmer have increased export of Argonian slaves, until the volcano erupted and the Dunmer had to leave Morrowind. It was between the time they were attacked by the empire and the eruption of Red Mountain that decimated Morrowind, did I give a tribe of Argonians my favor. Since they mostly resembled my kin, the dragons that were defeated once upon a time, I was able to give them some special powers. They are most notable when one wears the dragon stone amulet, which was given to Lance, or when one becomes an elder to the tribe, when the full power of the gift is shown.” “What is this gift you gave them, if I may ask? And you still didn’t answer my question as to why he is the first to go to Aetherius.” Inquired Celestia. “The tribe worshiped dragons, and also had a deep affiliation with the Dark Brotherhood, but it was their dragon worship in the dawn of their lives that interested me. Whenever they received a new member, he or she had to become one with the tribe, which meant sharing the blood of the Argonian dragon borne, who was long dead, so the blood of his descendants was used. They fell on hard times, and the other divine had their own favorites, so I chose mine. The Blackhearts quickly adjusted to life and started to thrive in Black Marsh, until the Brotherhood started killing them off. The tribe consists of almost all shadow scale, so each was part of the Dark Brotherhood, and each, upon death, went to oblivion, instead of Aetherius, this was something I admittedly did not know how to fix.” “But you are a god, how could you not know how to fix something like that.” Luna finally chimed in. “Gods aren’t as perfect as many think, I’m sure you two have had your fair share of mishaps.” The princesses blushed. “Exactly.” “Why are you here? I appreciate the visit, but there must be something you want.” Celestia said. It’s not that she didn’t enjoy the visit from one of the nine that Lance always talked about, but she could tell he wanted something. “The Blackheart are few in number, and I fear they may die out. I also know about the grief that the war has caused your people.” “What are thou getting at?” Celestia couldn’t believe Luna said that. “Luna, I think he is asking us to let the Blackhearts take residence in Equestria, and in return, he would warp the memories of our subjects.” “How did you get that conclusion ‘Tia?” “Because Celestia may have been in this situation before, or am I wrong.” Celestia pondered over what Akatosh asked. The last time something like this happened, several high profile pony clans were killed off, but this was different in the case that these Argonians had nowhere else to go, and Sithis wouldn’t dare show himself here again. She didn’t know if he could, so she made up her mind, “I will allow the blackhearts to dwell in Equestria, and I give you permission to, change the memories of the ponies, this was a traumatic experience that should not have been put on them. I want to remember the true story though, what about you Luna?” her sister nodded. “Then it shall be done, by morning, our people will meet, and history, will be warped.” With that, he got up, turned around, and before flying off, said one last thing, “you may keep the dragon stone amulet, do what you want with the relics of your hero, I will ensure he has a place in history here.” With a flap of his fiery wings, he launched himself off the balcony, and flew off into the night, giving off a roar as he traveled back to Nirn. “’Tia, do you think this was a good choice?” “Luna, you know that the ponies should not have been subject to any of this, Discord we could handle, but seeing Equestria nearly fall to deadra would scar them. They need to forget that this war happened, one reason is that if it wasn’t for Lance, the country would have completely fallen.” “The other reason would be?” “That they would have the knowledge in which something like this was to happen again, without help, we would be powerless.” ================================ (Several years later) Sheogorath didn’t like spending time teaching a bunch of sniveling kids about magic and history, but it was part of the deal he made with Celestia. He would hold deadric Gatherings in Equestria when it was his turn, and in return, he would help teach the future equestrians about their shared history. It was madness, sometimes boring madness, but madness none the less. He just finished the last bit about how Argonians ended up in Equestria, courtesy of Akatosh, when a filly raised her hoof to speak. It was a Pegasus, but not the normal Pegasus, Swift Shadow’s daughter. Cutie mark of a heart stone covered in ice with rings of ice shards in an X formation going around it. She looked like a pony, but her form was off, like the other two species of hybrid lizard pony, she looked like a mini dragon with hooves, bat like wings, lizard tail, feathers on head and at the end of the tail. Six races of pony and only three have sharp teeth. “Frost, what is it.” He asked. “Go on, my patience is wearing thin as it is.” “Is it okay that I think that this history lesson sounds like complete manticore crap.” Several others nodded in response. “Say what you want, but I haven’t lied to you yet now have I… don’t answer that. Right, now off you go, I need to return to the isles. Haskill, we are leaving until next week.” With that, he left the class room. Ponies started funneling out, but four stayed, soon three others joined them. They looked much like their parents, well, except for Frost, who was an Argonian Pegasus. One was a unicorn named Flawless Gem, she had a white coat and a purple mane like her mother, but she was without a cutie mark. The next was a timid Pegasus mare by the name of Autumn Breeze, with a red coat and orange mane and completely blank flank, eyes like her mother Fluttershy. A strong looking earth pony colt with blue eyes by the name of Apple Slice with an orange coat and crème colored mane and apple cutie mark like his mom. a very full of herself blue and rainbow mained mare who was almost a perfect lookalike of her mother, except for the green eyes and checkered flag cutie mark, her name was Jet Stream. A pink earth pony that may have just been a clone of his mother named Raspberry Pie, and last but not least a green unicorn mare with a cutie mark depicting the symbol for conjuration,her name was Aruara Borealis. “Say Frost, you free tonight?” Jet asked. “Yeah, why?” “The rest of us are going to watch the meteor shower with our parents, want to come?” they each gave Frost puppy dog eyes. “Don’t look at me like that, you guys know I would go with you, just need to let dad know and I’ll be there.” “well alright then, we got ourselves a date.” Said Apple Slice, the mares started giggling, leaving him and Rasp puzzled. “what, was it something ah said?” “Hey girls, I think they were absent for that part of class.” Whispered Frost. They all giggled even harder, that was the best class Sheogorath ever taught. “What did we miss, was it a party?!?! Darn it, I should have been there, I hate missing parties.” Rasp like his mother, found his talent in parties, taking a love for them from his mother Pinkie Pie. “I think we can show you…” Gem said coyly, while bumping her flank into Apple Slice’s, his face turned a shade of crimson which made the rest of the girls, and Rasp to burst out laughing. __________________________ Authors note: Included last bit to show that the blackhearts have been successfully integrated into society, and history successfully being altered to include Argonians, both bipedal and pony. This concludes Revival and may make way for a future fic involving these characters. On another note, the blackhearts and their history are completely made up, but the enslavement of argonians isnt. Another race that was used as slaves for the Dunmer are the Khajiit. I may tweak some of the chapters that gave me trouble when i get better at writing.