//------------------------------// // Chapter 15 // Story: Last of the Dragonlords // by Fluttershy20 //------------------------------// From the horizon back, the landscape was littered with natural beauty. To her right were small hills that were the shape of lumps, and covered in lush green grass. To her left was a river surrounding a large meadow that was dotted with varying coloured flowers that she adored, and made her dark world a little bit brighter. In front of her, which covered the horizon like a city wall, was a large forest where some trees stood taller then others, and swayed about slowly as a light breeze touched them. All around her and her friends, the world was abundant with wildlife, from ants crossing the road, to grey feathered eagles soaring overhead. Fluttershy took a deep breath of the fresh, cool air, then let it out again as she walked. She was at the front of the group with a small smile on her face. She truly couldn’t stay sad in an area full of beautiful nature like she was now, nor could she afford too. She needed now to stay strong, or her father’s death would’ve been for nothing. Above her was Rainbow Dash, looking at an eagle and thinking about asking it for a race. Twilight was just behind her with a notebook and quill held in her magic, studying some of the plants of Horsca. Applejack was a few feet behind Twilight, looking down to the ground with a large frown on her face. Rarity was off the road, with her nose buried in one of the flowers. “Oh, these are just beautiful!” she exclaimed. “I wonder if these would be any good as a fragrance? Oh, just imagine it, Rarity. ‘Something, the exotic new fragrance from Rarity, because you’re worth it’. That’s actually not a bad slogan, just needs a title…” She trailed off into whispers as she came up with a new business scheme. Fluttershy just rolled her eyes. While Pinkie was behind with Thowra asking him a question. A question that had been handed down from Pie to Pie since the very beginning of Equestria. Well, according to Pinkie anyway. “A chimicherry, or a cherrychanga?” Thowra pondered, putting a hoof to his chin. “Hmm, have to say a cherrychanga. Sounds delicious, even just saying it makes my mouth water. But I’ve never tried anything like it.” “Well you wouldn’t, silly,” Pinkie said with a wave of her hoof, “since I made it myself and all.” That confused the horse greatly. “It’s mashed up cherries in a deep fried tortilla. Sounds delicious with a great name huh?” Thowra nodded with a wide, enthusiastic grin. “When we get back to Castilian you’re gonna have to show me how to make that.” “Really!” Pinkie squeaked. “Oh I would love that and I can show you some other things like the MMM.” She gestured for Thowra to lean closer for her to whisper, which he duly did so. “Although I wouldn’t do it in front of these ponies.” She pointed to the five ponies in front of her. “They have noooooo self-control.” Fluttershy rolled her eyes and chuckled at the mention of MMM. They all had a good laugh about it in the end, and the cake won, so that was that. “So, Fluttershy,” Twilight said as she trotted up next to the pegasus, “I was wondering. You said yesterday those key thingy’s were made by Starswirl the Bearded. Is that the same unicorn mage I know and love?” Fluttershy nodded. “The very same. It also shows how he was able to live so long, since Dragonlords can live a fair bit longer than normal ponies.” Twilight let out a little squeal that was usually reserved for meeting an idol, but since Starswirl was dead, it didn’t matter. “I can’t believe that we, I mean you, found the true reason of Starswirl’s ‘immortality’! I remember sending a letter to the Princess about it after the Hearths Warming eve play and…” “Yes, Twilight,” Fluttershy said with a small giggle. “You’ve told us this five hundred times.” After the play Twilight had written a letter asking the Princess about why Starswirl's name was included in the play. Celestia replied saying because he was there. Twilight sent another letter asking how is that possible. Celestia sent another one saying she didn’t know. By the end of the day, however, Spike was exhausted and in a lot of pain from belching out letters all day. “Oh, I can’t wait to tell Princess Celestia about this when we get back. She’ll be thrilled to learn about this,” Twilight squealed. “So how long do Dragonlords live for?” Fluttershy shrugged. “It’s hard to say really. Some, like Starswirl, can live up to a thousand years, while others can live up to five hundred. Given they aren’t killed or die of disease first.” Fluttershy sighed and her head slumped low to the ground, remembering with a visible shudder that nearly twelve hours ago her father was killed, at only one hundred and sixteen years of age. Twilight’s ears flattened and she nuzzled Fluttershy’s cheek in comfort. “I’m so sorry for bringing it up, Fluttershy,” she said guiltily. “No, Twilight, it’s okay. You wanted to know about it,” Fluttershy said with a sincere smile. The two went silent for a moment, as they took their time to enjoy the scenery. “So, Twilight, are you okay with me living a bit longer?” Twilight took a moment to think about it. “I have to say it’s going to be a bit strange. I mean we,” she indicated with a hoof to the rest of the group, “are going to grow old, while you won’t age a day. And yet, when we are dead and buried.” “Don’t talk like that,” Fluttershy cut her off. “Please?” “Fluttershy, when we are dead and buried,” Twilight continued, “We would become legends. Think about it, in two hundred years time or so they would talk about how we defeated Discord, or Nightmare Moon.” Twilight giggled as a thought came to her. “They would wonder whether we were as tall as Celestia, and our voices were powerful enough to topple the tops of mountains. Or something silly like that. But you would be able to say you were with us in those times. You knew us and would tell them what we were really like. Just normal ponies trying to live normal lives.” “I… I never really thought about it that way,” Fluttershy said. She looked back and noticed how glum Applejack looked. “What’s wrong with Applejack?” Twilight looked over her shoulder, gazing at the earth pony, before replying, “Ah she’s just a little bit homesick. It has been a while since she’s seen her family.” “But why didn’t she go when I said you could?” “Oh you know her, Applejack is as stubborn as a mule and won’t back out of anything, especially her promises. She should be fine after a while.” Fluttershy, however, wasn’t convinced. “I’m gonna talk to her,” she proclaimed. She slowed herself down until Rainbow had flown by, and watched Rarity skip by with some flowers hanging out of her saddlebags. A few seconds later Applejack came up alongside her. “Hey, Applejack,” Fluttershy greeted her, and began walking at her pace. “Huh, what?” Applejack’s head darted around, looking for the speaker. She stopped when she saw Fluttershy alongside. “Oh, hey, sugarcube. How’re ya holding?” “Could be worse, but could be better,” Fluttershy replied. “How about you?” “Oh I’m fine, Fluttershy. Don’t ya worry none about me,” Applejack said with a big, false grin. Fluttershy shook her head. “I’ve known you long enough to know you are lying, Applejack. Tell me what’s up, please?” Applejack sighed and her head fell. “Nothing gets past you now does it,” she said with a small smile. “I’m just missing my family is all. It’s been about a week or so since I last saw them and well… let’s just say I’m worried about them.” “Then why don’t you go home? Your family might need you.” “You’re more important to me at the moment. I don’t think I could forgive myself if I just left you all out here. I think I would be worrying my guts out over ya’ll.” Applejack sighed and her shoulders slumped. “I’m sorry by the way about ya father. Ya must have been mighty close.” “We were. But again we weren’t.” Applejack raised an eyebrow in confusion. “What do ya mean?” Fluttershy sighed. “We were too busy running for our lives, or fighting for our lives, or just stayed silent to each other to truly bond like father and daughter. The only time when we really started getting to know each other was before…” Her voice faded away and she hung her head, with her ears falling flat across her head. “I wish I could be more comfort for ya, sugarcube, I really do,” Applejack said, hanging her head in shame. Fluttershy looked up and smiled at her. “You are being a comfort for me, Applejack, by just being here. As are the rest of the girls… and boy, of course,” she said, looking towards Thowra who was still talking to Pinkie about baking. “Fluttershy!” The pegasus and Applejack looked up to see Rainbow looking down on her. “It’s been a month or so since I’ve had a good race, and I was wondering whether you could help me out with that.” She noticed the hesitation on Fluttershy’s face and added, “I’ll go easy on you, I promise.” “It’s not that. Yesterday when I fell from the sky I think I might have sprained my right wing when I landed on it,” Fluttershy said. Rainbow grimaced. For a pegasus to land on an open wing was a very painful experience, and could lead to a sprained or worse, broken wing. Rainbow dived to the ground and walked up to her side. “Do you feel any pain at the moment?” Fluttershy shook her head. “Not yet, but I’m afraid that when I open my wings up they would hurt.” “Mind then if I take a look?” Fluttershy nodded. “Sure, but be careful.” “What do you mean be careful? It’s not like you’re gonna have blades in-ouch!” she said as she reached a hoof into her feathers, but had to withdraw it again upon feeling something sharp on her hoof. She saw a little scratch on the tip of her hoof, with a bit of blood weeping out of it. “What the hay have you got under there?!” Fluttershy closed her eyes and clenched her teeth together, before opening up her wings. Instead of pain and the urge to pull them back, she found them to be fine. Applejack and Rainbow stood back in shock as Fluttershy’s wing blades were revealed to all. Even Rarity, Twilight, Pinkie and Thowra stopped and stared in awe at the metallic blades that now rested on her wings. “Those are wing blades! Actual wing blades?!” Rainbow asked incredulously, with also a slight hint of jealousy. Fluttershy confirmed it with a nod. “Why, darling, they are simply fabulous!” Rarity proclaimed. The unicorn bounced over and started examining the blades closely. “You really think so? A weapon of death looks… fabulous?” Fluttershy said doubtfully. “Oh not the whole rip your enemies throats out bit. The design themselves really makes your wings stand out, and they also just have style and… and glamour!” Rarity zoomed in front of Fluttershy, looking at her with wide, excited eyes, which made the pegasus a little uncomfortable. “You gotta let me have those so I could create a hundred if them! Not sharp, of course, but imagine the queue of pegasi outside my shop. I would make a fortune!” she finished. Then quickly added, “And you of course for finding them.” Fluttershy stared at her friend for a while, unsure of how to say what she wanted to. Eventually she shook her head. “I’m sorry, Rarity, but these are weapons of war and not a fashion statement. If they get in the wrong hooves accidents could happen, maybe even deaths. No, they will stay with me.” She emphasised this by tucking her wings back to her sides. “Sorry,” she added. Rarity looked disappointed, but agreed with a nod of the head. “I understand. You are right though, about them getting in the wrong hooves. I don’t think I could forgive myself if my sister got hold of them, which she probably would.” “I don’t think so. Sweetie Belle is a smart pony. I’m sure she knows not to touch anything sharp or potentially dangerous objects,” Fluttershy said reassuringly. “Yeah you’re probably right. But the others, no offence Applejack, could be quite curious.” “Are you saying that my lil sister is dumb when it comes to that sort of thing?” Applejack glared at the unicorn. “Um… so, Rainbow, how about that race?” Fluttershy turned to Rainbow, eager to be getting away from the inevitable heated exchange between the two ponies. Rainbow grinned eagerly. “Sure why not.” Rainbow spread her wings and took to the air, followed close behind by Fluttershy. Rainbow could hear the metallic swing of the blades as Fluttershy flapped her wings. “So where should we race to?” “Um…” Fluttershy looked around, looking for a place they could stop, until her eyes rested on the forest ahead of them. “How about the edge of that forest there?” “Hmm, okay you’re on,” Rainbow grinned. She got herself into a ready position. “Ready?” Fluttershy nodded and prepared herself to thrust forward. “Just so you know, Rainbow,” Fluttershy smirked. “I’m getting faster and better.” “We’ll see about that,” Rainbow smirked in kind. “One two three go!” as one the two dashed off towards the tree line. At first Fluttershy was in front as she spurted her wings at a remarkable burst of speed. Rainbow, however, had trained herself to endure faster speeds, while Fluttershy hadn’t. She thrust her wings, making her spurt forward quickly. She soon passed Fluttershy with a wide grin and then blew a raspberry at her friend, all the while laughing. It felt good to be going at these speeds again at her own accord, and not in an emergency. Rainbow stayed in front the rest of the way until she reached the tree line first. “Oh yeah! I’m still as awesome as ever!” she shouted triumphantly. “Great race, Fluttershy. For a minute there I actually thought you were going to win.” She turned back to face her friend, only to find that Fluttershy had stopped some distance away, staring beyond into the forest itself. “Fluttershy?” Rainbow called out concernedly. There was no reply. Rainbow zoomed over to where the other pegasus was hovering and waved a hoof over her face. “Hello? Terra to Fluttershy?” “Crows.” “What?” Rainbow cocked her head to the side. “All those crows.” Fluttershy pointed to a large flock of black birds that hovered over the forest. Suddenly some dived down and disappeared behind the trees. The rest in what looked like a heavy rainstorm soon followed them. Rainbow whistled. “Now that’s a lot of crows.” She turned to look at Fluttershy again, and did a double take when she saw her quickly flying back towards the rest of the group. “Hey, wait for me!” “Thowra!” Fluttershy called. The grey horse looked up and saw Fluttershy’s alarmed eyes. “Crows. A lot of them, in the forest ahead.” Thowra’s eyes widened in worry and fear. He knew full well as did Fluttershy what crows represented. He suddenly broke into a gallop and raced away from the ponies towards the forest, his belly growling with worry. “Oh please. By the gods let Freya not be among them,” he whispered in prayer. “Hey, wait for us!” Pinkie called, galloping after him. Twilight, Rarity, Applejack soon followed, galloping past Rainbow, who cursed and changed course after them. “I don’t understand. What’s the big deal about some birds?” Twilight asked. Fluttershy landed and galloped alongside her. “Crows are carrion birds, Twilight. They feed off the dead wherever they find them, and are always on every battlefield you find. The aftermath of one that is,” she explained. Twilight’s eyes widened when she realised what Fluttershy was getting at. “So you’re saying that…” Fluttershy nodded. Twilight gulped and began to feel dread course through her as she realised what she was about to see. Fluttershy, however, seemed unfazed. ‘Perhaps death is all too common in her life now,’ she thought sadly for her friend. The six ponies emerged from the woods into a large clearing, standing on a ledge of a small hill looking down onto the field. Thowra was already there, his eyes scanning the contents of the field. While the six ponies gasped and their eyes widened in horror. “Sweet Celestia of mercy,” Applejack said. The field was littered with hundreds, if not thousands of dead horses. All of them in battle armour of different types, and all of them covered in flies and crows gorging themselves. Swords, spears and crossbow bolts also littered the landscape, some sticking into the ground, others into the dead themselves. While here and there, standing upright and blowing in the wind, stood tall and impressive banners, all of them differing in colour, size, and paintings, but some were ruined by smears of blood. What was worse, however, was the smell of urine, manure and rotting flesh that hung in the air. If Fluttershy didn’t look horrified before, she did now. “You lot should go back,” Thowra ordered. “This is something ponies like you should not see.” Thowra hopped off the small rock and advanced cautiously through the battlefield. Applejack snorted. “Since when did he tell us where to go?” “Uh, I believe in Andulusia when we asked him to navigate for us through this country!” Twilight replied. “Well, maybe you lot,” Fluttershy said. “But not me.” Without another word Fluttershy hopped off the rock and walked through a clear path towards Thowra, who was scanning each of the bodies that littered the ground. Applejack just shrugged and caught up with Fluttershy. The others soon followed suite. At the far edges of the field were individual horses, shot through in various places by crossbow fire, or blasted apart by what seemed to be catapults, or trebuchets. At the middle of the battlefield was the largest concentration of the battle dead. Horses mangled together with various wounds across their underbellies or other exposed parts of their armour. Some were naked where the enemies’ teeth had ripped off their armour, or were slayers like Thowra was. While across the ground, facing various directions, were the hoof prints of the horses in perfect condition. Thowra began picturing in his mind the battle as he looked around. He imagined the two armies emerging from the woods on opposite sides, completely unaware of the other’s presence until the very last moment. And once battle lines were set up and war engines prepared, all hell broke loose. Fluttershy trotted up alongside Thowra, who nearly jumped upon hearing her hoofsteps. He looked back and saw the others walking towards them and sighed. “You lot really shouldn’t be here. This is no place for mares like yourselves.” “I’m no stranger to death, Thowra, even before I became a Dragonlord,” Fluttershy said sadly. “There have been many times when I arrived too late to save a bunny from it injuries or a bird from falling out of its tree.” “That must have been very hard on you.” “Oh, it was,” Fluttershy agreed with a little nod. “Never really gets easier. But I just carry on. They would’ve, so why shouldn’t I?” She looked at her surroundings and shuddered. “Does it get any easier for you to see sights like this?” “Never,” Thowra answered with a sharp shake of the head. Meanwhile, Applejack was chasing the crows off the dead. “Get lost ya varmints!” she shouted at them, flaying her hat at any of the crows nearby. “Don’t ya have any respect for the dead?!” “Applejack, stop,” Thowra said. “Let them gorge themselves. The dead won’t care what happens to their bodies, for their spirits are long gone. And besides, they don’t know any better.” “But why aren’t they buried?” Rarity enquired. The unicorn was going greener by the second. “Leaving them out here is just horrible, not to mention it leaves a foul stench.” “Because we Horscans believe that when a horse dies, a Valkyrie from the other world will come down and guide the spirit back to their place,” Thowra explained. “So the dead are left where they died so the spirits could be released from their mortal prisons by the Valkyries and guided away.” Rarity nodded in understanding, before galloping away to the other side of the battlefield from when they came to vomit. Pinkie went after her to comfort her, as well as wanting to get away from the battlefield. Fluttershy however was looking at the banners that were dotted about the battlefield. “Thowra? What do the banners represent?” Thowra looked up from inspecting a dead horse and looked at Fluttershy, then trailed his eyes to all the banners. “What those?” Fluttershy nodded. “Oh, they were left here to show what regiments were destroyed, and who won the battle. Wait a minute?” He walked towards one of the banners and saw the blue emblem of the Andulusian family. He moved to each of the banners and numbered the amount of emblems of the Andulusian family to the Palominan families. In the end there was about ten banners belonging to the Andulusians to the four of the Palominans. Thowra couldn’t believe it. Freya had managed to wipe out some of the most powerful regiments in the Andulusian army, and came out with remarkably few losses. “Freya won!” Thowra whopped for joy and punched the air. Fluttershy was relieved that Freya managed to win, and most of all was still alive. She looked around to find her friends, only to see them in the forest waiting for them two. “Can we go now?” she asked Thowra. “My friends have kinda left without us.” Thowra stopped hopping and looked at Fluttershy with wide eyes. “Ah yes, of course. Come on let’s go.” Fluttershy and Thowra walked off towards the forest where the others were waiting. Then suddenly Thowra stopped, staring at one of the bodies for a moment. “Oh no,” he whispered sadly. Fluttershy turned her head to look at him. “What is it?” Thowra didn’t respond, so she looked to where his eyes were looking at and gasped. He was staring at the body of a familiar chestnut coloured stallion, with his eyes closed, and a large gash across his side. “I recognise him, from the Heimwart feast in Castilian.” Thowra nodded. “Yes. He was a good friend of mine. Breuna his name was. We grew up together actually, never were we apart.” He knelt down on his knees and bowed his head. “If you don’t mind, Fluttershy, I would like to be alone for a moment. I won’t be long.” Fluttershy nodded and patted Thowra’s shoulder in sympathy. “I’m sorry,” she said, before turning around and joining up with the others. Rarity was on the ground, her legs shaking after vomiting so hard, while Pinkie was at her side rubbing her shoulders and calming her down. Twilight, Applejack and Rainbow sat around together talking about something, but Fluttershy didn’t take notice. She moved herself out of the way and settled down on the grass, deep in her own thoughts. She had seen too much death, from the destruction of Andulusia, to now. She began to think that death was following her, in the guise of the crows and ravens that now feasted behind her. And if it was, did that mean if her friends were in danger? If they stayed, could that mean they might die too? She shook her head, and rang a hoof through her mane to calm the nerves she had left. Even if her friends were in danger, they still wouldn’t leave her side. She knew no amount of convincing would make them do so. She looked back at her freinds and smiled at them. ‘We’ll make it through,’ she thought. ‘I’m not going back home otherwise.’ It wasn’t long before Thowra emerged from the battlefield, looking sadder and slightly older. “Ready to move on?” he asked everypony. The head nodding from the ponies was frantic. “Come on then, this way.” He lead the way, followed close behind by Fluttershy, then Twilight, then Rainbow, then Applejack, and finally Rarity and Pinkie, who was helping the former stay on her hooves. That evening Fluttershy woke up with a start. She squeaked as she woke and sat upright as she gasped for air, her face dripping with sweat. It had been now about seven or more hours since they had left the battlefield and from there it had been an uneventful trip. The sun was halfway over the horizon when Twilight and Thowra had agreed to stop for the night. They had set up camp in a small wood just off the main road that was filled with oak trees, and found a small area with a little pond that was practical for a bath, to which Rarity was over the moon about. “Fluttershy?” a voice that sounded like Rainbow’s came from what seemed like her mind. “You awake?” Once Fluttershy had calmed down enough she looked around, her eyes squinting in the dark as she tried to make out her pegasus friend. “Where are you?” “Up here,” Rainbow responded. Fluttershy looked up to see the silhouette of Rainbow Dash hanging off a small, puffy white cloud. “What are you doing up there?” Fluttershy enquired. “Couldn’t sleep, so I came up here to watch the moon move across the sky. Helps me calm down sometimes,” Rainbow responded. “What about you, why are you awake?” Fluttershy looked away and rubbed a hoof across her left leg. “I had a nightmare.” Rainbow looked at her sympathetically and asked, “Care to share, for old times sake?” In flight school, when sometimes the pegasi had to sleep over at the campus, Rainbow would sometimes stay up and comfort Fluttershy if she had a nightmare, which for the very shy filly was mostly every night, but Rainbow never cared. Fluttershy spread her wings and flew up to the cloud Rainbow was perched on. She found the cloud to be big enough for not just her, but for the rest of the girls as well, maybe even Thowra. She sat on her haunches and began telling Rainbow the nightmare. “I was in a forest, alone. It was night, and I was calling out to all of you, but noone was responding. I began running, hoping to run into one of you but the woods were unending and it felt I was running around in circles.” She paused for a moment to shudder as she remembered what happened next. “I suddenly noticed a pony standing with his back to me on a path that went across the forest. I went up to him and asked if he knew where I was, but when I got closer, I realised the pony was my father. He suddenly spun around and got hold of me with his forehooves, and began screaming at me, with blood beginning to stream down his face and body. I tried to get away but I couldn’t, he was forcing me to listen to him calling me a failure, a disgrace to the Dragonlords and such. I couldn’t do anything but scream,” Fluttershy finished, her eyes started to glisten and her body shook at the memory. Rainbow brought her in a hug, which Fluttershy returned. “It’s just a nightmare, nothing more,” Rainbow said comfortingly. “But what if it was right, though,” Fluttershy continued. “What if I am a failure? I failed my flight exams, I failed you all and worst of all I failed my father.” Fluttershy slumped and her ears fell flat. “I am a failure.” “Now that’s just your inner demons talking.” Rainbow smiled, shaking Fluttershy a little. “You are not a failure. So what you failed your flight exams? When I said you were my number one flier that day with the tornado I meant it. You have never failed us, and most of all you never failed your father. There was nothing that you could have done to save him. Even an awesome pony like you can’t do everything.” Fluttershy looked up and looked at Rainbow with wide eyes. “You really think I’m awesome?” Rainbow nodded. “Come on, you took on a dragon for Pete’s sake and won! Even I couldn’t do that, especially at least kill one.” “Technically I never killed it. I just cut the puppet strings from its master, nothing more.” “Well nopony could’ve done it better,” Rainbow said with a smile. The two shifted around and watched the moon move slowly across the sky. They watched the stars twinkle and small chunks of passing comets fly across the sky, and then disappear, all in a matter of seconds. “Rainbow?” Fluttershy began. “When you said that you like to watch the moon cross the sky to calm you down, what did you mean?” Rainbow sighed and bowed her head. Fluttershy thought now it was her turn to help out. She placed a leg around Rainbow's shoulder and gently shook her. “Come on now, you can tell me anything,” she said encouragingly. Rainbow looked into her eyes. “Have you considered to yourself the possibility that you won’t survive this?” she asked. Fluttershy moved the leg off Rainbows shoulders and looked at her incredulously. “I… well… um… yes, I have,” she answered. “And do you?” After a moment of silence, Fluttershy shrugged. “I… I don’t know. Does it matter?” “Of course it matters!” Rainbow snapped, making Fluttershy flinch. “You are possibly walking to your death and you don’t think it matters?! If you die, Fluttershy, what about all of us? What about me?” Fluttershy opened her mouth to speak, but was cut off by Rainbow. “When you were in a coma for a month I was lost. Broken as it were. I spent entire nights crying my eyes out because I’m the failure! I failed you that day and I thought I would never hear your voice, or see you trotting through Ponyville again, because of me. Because I had lost the courage that you had gained. “And then you came back, and I must’ve stayed up all night dancing for joy after seeing you again, and hoped you would never do as something as brash and brave as standing up to a dragon again. Just leave it to ponies like me.” Rainbow sighed and lowered her head again, speaking a lower, sadder tone. “But now you’re doing it again. Going off to face a dark, evil creature and putting your life in danger. It shows that you’re not the pony I had to stay up all night to comfort from a nightmare, who would run from the first sign of danger, or who I would have to rescue when surrounded by a group of changelings. This new lifestyle of yours, it just makes me worry for you a lot more. You’re the sister I never had and…” She was now close to tears. “And… I don’t want to lose you again.” Fluttershy quickly embraced Rainbow once more in a comforting hug. “Oh, Rainbow, I’m so sorry for worrying you like this.” She pulled herself away and looked Rainbow in the eye. “But that’s why I want you to come with me. So you don’t have to worry about me, and you can rescue me if I need it. And… I see you as a sister as well. In fact, you’re the best sister a pony could have.” Smiling, the two ponies embraced once more, then after a while separated and watched the stars. “Rainbow?” “Hmm?” “Do you remember how we first met?” Fluttershy asked, grinning mischievously. Rainbow went bright red in embarrassment. “Uh… I don’t think so, it must have slipped my mind.” “Oh, I remember. Prom night I believe, my first year there.” She reared up and did an impersonation of Rainbow, throwing her forelegs wide. “Sunstorm, baby, there you are, now give me big sloppy kiss!” Upon noticing Rainbow’s embarrassed expression, she giggled and set back down on all fours. “I still can’t understand how you mistook me for a stallion.” “Hey, in my defence he did accidentally dye his mane pink and he had a yellow coat, and from the back you do look a bit like him. I just thought he had a wig on as it was fancy dress prom,” Rainbow huffed. Despite the angry tone, Fluttershy could see a small smile on her face. “Your face afterwards, though. I wish I had my camera for it.” “I’m glad you didn’t. I had to rinse my mouth out for hours afterwards,” Fluttershy said with a large smile. “So did I,” Rainbow said with a grin. The two laughed about it for a moment. When the laughter died down, Fluttershy spoke again. “But I still became your friend after that, and I still have that memory, even though it might take to dying a thousand times just to get rid of it. You said I’m not the same pony, yet I have that memory, and many others of our time together. I’m still the same pony you knew from then, and I doubt nothing is going to change that.” Rainbow looked at Fluttershy for a moment, then smiled. “You’re right. Sorry if I sounded rude or horrible for saying that. It’s just weird seeing you this bit braver is all.” Fluttershy gave her a playful nuzzle. “That’s okay. I think me from a month ago would be freaked out if I saw myself like this.” The two ‘sisters’ fell silent and spent the rest of the night until they fell asleep watching the stars twinkle and the moon glow. “So, Twilight?” Fluttershy asked the unicorn the following day. “You know you said the other day that Heimdallr is a pyromancer.” The seven equines had left the solitude of the small wood and had made many miles before deciding to stop in a rocky area on top of a hill for lunch, much to Pinkie’s delight. They decided to use it as they could see for miles so, incase a patrol approaches, they could quickly hide. They also decided to use this moment to practice with wielding swords and shooting crossbows. Now, Rainbow and Applejack were fighting each other, slowly at first so as not to hurt each other, then faster as they got better. While Thowra was busy teaching Rarity the art of duelling. Pinkie had gone off somewhere for a wash, or so she said. While Twilight and Fluttershy sat on a rock next to each other, resting after having a quick duel, to which Fluttershy easily won. Twilight looked over to the pegasus and said, “That I did. What about it?” “Well,” Fluttershy began, rubbing her hooves together. “Um… well, forgive me as I wasn’t paying much attention to what exactly a pyromancer is. So what are they?” Twilight laughed. “Don’t worry, Fluttershy, I should’ve thought your mind would be at other places at that time. Well a pyromancer is able to cast fire from their bodies and try to wield it effectively.” “Sorry for interrupting, but what did you mean by ‘try’?” “Pyromancy is a dangerous, if not the most dangerous form of magic in known existence. It was so dangerous that the last time it was heard of Princess Celestia banned it after the ‘accidental’ great fire of Canterlot, which nearly destroyed the city. That was two thousand years ago, and nopony has heard of the use of that magic ever since.” “Till just two days ago,” Fluttershy corrected her. Twilight nodded. “So how does somepony, or a dragon, manage to master such a form of magic?” Twilight shrugged. “Noone really knows. Some historians and arch-mages believe that pyromancy is connected to Celestia somehow, but the Princess has always denied such a thing. I asked her once about it and she genuinely didn’t understand why they all thought it, and I know she didn’t lie about it as I know when she lies.” “The Princess lies?” Fluttershy’s eyebrows rose in surprise, and interest. Twilight nodded. “Yeah, she does this little wiggle with her nose when she lies, quite funny actually.” She started giggling at the memory of one of those moments. “But anyway, how ponies, or dragons, can do pyromancy like the way you described Heimdallr can is a mystery.” Fluttershy nodded in understanding. “To be honest I don’t think I want to know.” Her voice turned more into a growl. “The moment he’s dead then the world will be safer.” She hung her head. “I hate him, Twilight. I really hate him.” Twilight looked away, then chuckled about something. “You know, when I first met you, I thought you were incapable of hating.” “Everypony hates something, Twilight,” Fluttershy reasoned. Twilight chuckled. “Yeah, I hated this teacher at school who would give us homework during the school holidays. Homework on a subject that I didn’t enjoy at all. Citizenship.” She visibly shuddered at the long hours she could have spent studying magic but instead having to look up socialising and such. Fluttershy laughed. “Now I am surprised. I thought you loved every subject.” “Well I do now, and sure I was good at it but back then I had other goals I wanted to reach.” Twilight shook her head rapidly. “Anyhow, do you know yet how you’re going to defeat him?” Fluttershy shook her head. “No I haven’t yet. I think it might be best if I find out where he dwells first, and then use it to my advantage.” Twilight nodded in agreement. “It might be best.” The fell silent as they watched Rarity move slowly towards Thowra with her sword leg raised high over her head. Thowra lunged his sword slowly at her, but Rarity stepped to the right, swinging her sword into Thowra’s and sending it towards the ground. While having the advantage, she rapidly moved her leg around and placed her sword tip on the horse’s neck, winning the duel, even if it was a training exercise. “Yay,” Fluttershy cheered to her, clapping her hooves together. “You rock, Rarity.” Rarity gave a modest bow. “Thank you, my dear, and I have to say well done to you for beating Twilight like that. I never thought you had it in you.” Fluttershy blushed and smiled at the compliment. “Thank you, and I’m sorry for beating you, Twilight.” She turned to face the unicorn, who giggled. “There’s no need to apologise, Fluttershy. You beat me fair and square.” “Well I wouldn’t call if fair and square if I was born a warrior now.” Twilight’s eyes widened as she remembered something. “Oh yeah! That’s what I’ve been meaning to ask you. How is that possible? To be basically born a warrior? Surely it takes time and lots of training like what we’re doing at the moment to get to your level?” “I think it’s because we are technically descendants of dragons,” Fluttershy replied. “I think it’s… well, dragons sort of know how to fight, how to defend themselves from their birth. I think the Dragonlords got that trait from them, so we could train more on fitness and less in sword practice.” Twilight rocked her head side to side a little, trying to understand what she meant. Eventually she just nodded, although she was not entirely convinced. “Okay, so how do you become a Dragonlord?” “Well,” Fluttershy started, “You need to get killed by fire firstly, and then hidden genetics buried in a Dragonlords DNA comes to life. It goes around the body faster than a Wonderbolt before the pony could actually die, and then it starts to repair the body, restoring feathers, coat, mane and tail, you know. Once it’s done that, though, it needs time for the body to get to grips with the new DNA so it puts the body in a deep sleep for a month and lets it recuperate until it’s fully completed changing the body.” Twilight nodded in understanding. “So all those abilities, like that new language you have. You say they came all down from a couple of chromosomes?” Fluttershy nodded, then began to chuckle lightly at something. “You know what’s funny right?” Twilight shook her head, confusion expressed on her face. “I’m supposed to be a lord over dragons, and yet I’m terrified of them.” Just as Fluttershy finished speaking, Pinkie emerged from the bushes looking greatly refreshed and humming a happy tune to herself as she moved to where Fluttershy and Twilight sat. “Hey guys, did I miss anything?” “Apart from getting my rump handed back to me by Fluttershy here in a practice fight. Not much,” Twilight replied. Pinkie couldn’t stop laughing. “Fluttershy beat you in a sword duel?! Oh man, I wish I saw that!” “All right everyone, I think it’s time we moved on,” Thowra said. “We’ve got a lot ground to cover before tonight.” Everypony agreed and set about packing their saddlebags, or gushing down some water after a long fight, in Applejack and Rainbow’s cases anyway. Once they had completed their preparations they left the rocks and moved back onto the road, knowing full well they were now in Andulusian territory, and as such, they had keep a sharp eye out. They walked for about three hours, going through thick woodlands where the trees seemed to go as high as the sky itself, to vast plains where they could see ahead for miles, giving Thowra plenty of sight to see if there were any Andulusian patrols or even Palominan patrols passing through, to which fortunately there wasn’t. They passed an old castle, broken and derelict. They gave two villages a wide berth by crossing through the woods or hills behind, and encountered a farm where Thowra had learned the on goings of the war from quite a friendly horse. Thowra learned that Freya had split her forces into two: one side went east with her, another under Luthor’s command headed west. At first he thought the idea was ludicrous, since Freya wouldn’t have the strength to launch such an offensive on two fronts, but he changed his mind upon hearing each of the two armies were rumoured to be numbered about ten thousand each. It seemed as if most of this army was made up of Andulusian turncoats who lost heart after hearing of the dragon attack on Andulusia, and upon thinking it as either a sign or a curse, moved north to Castilian to join up with Freya and her armies. With these forces, the old stallion told him, the second largest city in the south, Breton, fell without a fight. Well, it was rumoured anyway. “Did Freya’s army pass through here?” Thowra asked. The horse shook his head. “They may have done during the night I suppose, but I never heard a thing.” Upon learning all that the farmer knew, Thowra thanked him and set about with the others west, towards the Ramshead range. After walking through another woodland they emerged at a riverbank, with a long stone arched bridge running across it. The river was fast flowing and looked deep, and they could clearly see the start of a rapid at the other end of the bridge. Twilight trotted on first with, for some reason nopony knew, her eyes closed. Rainbow was just behind her and when she noticed something in front of them she gasped in horror. “Twilight, stop!” The unicorn didn’t hear her, so the pegasus raced in front of her and pushed her back. Twilight opened her eyes and glared at Rainbow upon noticing she was being pushed back. “Rainbow, you ruined my concentration in a book I was thinking through. Happy?” Rainbow’s jaw dropped at the accusation. Her mouth was moving but was making no noise. Finally she made a hopeless gesture with her hooves. “Okay, if you want to take a dive, fine by me.” Twilight looked confused at first, until Rainbow hovered out of the way, and letting her see what Rainbow had saved her from. She gasped when she saw the bridge had been split in half, with a huge gap between the two sides, too wide to jump across. “Blast,” Thowra cursed as he walked up alongside her. “Either the Andulusians or Palominans must have blown the bridge behind them to cut off any chance of flanking them.” “So now how do we get across?” Pinkie wondered, looking around for a part where the river turned shallow. Her ears fell flat when she couldn’t see any. “Could we try swimming over?” Applejack suggested. “No way!” Rarity protested. “My mane has taken hours to look like this and I’m not planning to get it ruined by this mucky water. Can’t we try looking for another bridge?” “Sorry, Rarity, but Applejack’s right,” Thowra said. “There’s no bridge about for miles, and we want to get this key as fast as we can. Right, Fluttershy?” He looked back at the pegasus, who nodded. “I guess we have to swim across.” “But how?” Twilight queried. “The water’s too quick. If we try to swim across we’ll be swept away. And I dare not imagine what’s on the other end of that rapid.” “Hmm,” Thowra pondered. Twilight was right, though. The river, thanks to a large amount of rainwater from the area, had risen to a threatening speed and could easily take away any horse or pony that wasn’t careful. “To be honest, I don’t know.” He looked to the unicorn. “Do you have any ideas?” Twilight sat on her haunches and looked from pony to pony, seeing their strengths and weaknesses race through her mind. After a while she turned to Rarity. “You remember that teleportation spell I taught you, don’t you?” Rarity nodded. “Why of course, darling. I never forget a spell.” “Great, I want you to teleport to the other side and wait for me there,” Twilight said instructively. Rarity gave a little nervous nod, before turning to face the far side of the river. She closed her eyes and, with the other side of the river pictured her mind, activated the spell. In a flash of blue light she disappeared and only seconds later, emerged on the other side. “I made it! I made it!” she whopped for joy, waving at the others on the far side. Fluttershy was the only pony to wave back. With Rarity safely over the other side, Twilight turned to Applejack. “Do you have your rope?” “Sure do, sugarcube. I never leave home without it,” Applejack replied. She opened up one of the pouches from her saddlebags and produced a long piece of rope. “Fantastic, if you’d forgotten it, we will all be in trouble. Now, tie one end around Thowra, then give me the other end.” Applejack did as instructed, and soon a tight bit of rope was around Thowra’s waist. “Nice and tight, just like ya asked. But what’s it for?” “Yeah, and it better be quick because it’s very hard to breathe,” Thowra said, his breathing getting a bit quicker as a result. “Right, give me a moment.” Twilight turned to face the other side of the river, and then in a flash she was gone, only to appear seconds later next to Rarity. “Can you hear me okay!” “I can,” Fluttershy responded, holding a hoof up. “So can everyone else.” “Good. Right, here goes nothing.” Twilight spread out her forelegs and pressed them hard against the ground. She then closed her eyes, and a familiar magenta glow appeared from the end of her horn, her mind focused on a picture of the loose end of the rope. A magenta glow surrounded the rope, which raised the rope end up high and with a sound of a hoverfly whizzing by some ones ear, shot at the speed of a bullet to the other side, the rope being long enough to cross. As soon as the distance between Twilight and the rope was narrow enough, she grabbed it with her teeth, then spat it out and secured the end with her hoof. “Okay, me and Rarity will pull from this end,” she called to the others. “Fluttershy, Rainbow, when Thowra gets into the water make sure he stays level, and that he doesn’t get swept away. Got it?” Rainbow and Fluttershy saluted. “Got it,” they said one after the other. The two pegasi took to the air and hovered just a few inches off the waterline. “Okay, Thowra, ready?” Twilight asked. The horse shook his head. “Good,” Twilight carried on anyway. “One two three, go!” With a heavy nudge from Pinkie, Thowra dived into the water and began swimming with all his strength to the other side. “Fluttershy, get hold of the rope and help me pull it in! Rainbow, stay at Thowra’s side and keep him even!” Twilight called out to them. Without another word the pegasi dived down and did what they were asked. Fluttershy pulled with all her strength on the rope, while Rainbow kept her hooves around Thowra’s waist, using all her strength to keep him even. Twilight, seeing the rope now won’t be going anywhere, picked it up with her teeth and pulled hard. “Help me, Rarity,” she said through gritted teeth. Rarity considered saying no, that Twilight, Fluttershy and Rainbow had it in hoof. But she saw the struggle Fluttershy and Rainbow was fighting and realised if she didn’t help, they could lose hold and lose Thowra, and possibly Twilight. “Budge up, Twilight,” Rarity said. “Time to see if those exercises in the mornings have finally paid off.” Twilight, using her hooves, pulled the rope so that Rarity could have the end. The unicorn picked it up with her teeth and began walking backwards, pulling hard on the rope, and nearly sending Twilight off her hooves. After a few moments of uncertainty, and one frightening moment when Rainbow lost hold of Thowra for a few seconds, forcing Fluttershy to use her teeth as well as her hooves, Thowra clambered up the bank of the other side and rolled on his back, panting heavily. “Thanks,” he croaked. “You’re welcome, dear,” Rarity said. She turned to the others. “Right, we should all take a rest for a moment before setting off.” “Um, Rarity, aren’t you forgetting two things?” Rainbow asked, pointing to the other side where Applejack and Pinkie were waiting for the rope to return so they could cross. “Ah.” She looked back at Twilight and saw she wasn’t in a state to try again. “Give it ten or fifteen minutes and we’ll get Applejack or Pinkie across.” The others nodded in agreement, too tired or their hooves too sore to try again so soon. About fifteen minutes later, once everypony got their breath back, brought Applejack over, then another fifteen minutes later, brought Pinkie over the other side. All the while Thowra stood aside and watched, impressed by the ponies teamwork. Once Pinkie was safely across, Twilight breathed a sigh of relief, pleased that no incidents occurred. “I have to say,” Thowra commented, “I have never before seen teamwork that efficient in all my life.” The group shared smiles. “Because on our own we can be defeated. But as a group, we’re unstoppable,” Twilight said proudly. Fluttershy shot her head around to face Twilight for a moment, then looked away as she thought of what the unicorn just said. She remembered Twilight saying the same thing before they went into the maze to defeat Discord, but that didn’t work out too well thanks to the Draconnequus’s magic. But once they got back together they had defeated him and encased him in stone once more. The same went for Nightmare Moon, the changeling army in Canterlot, and several other examples. She first thought that only she and nopony else would take on Heimdallr, but now she began thinking differently. Could the seven of them really take on the dragon and avenge the deaths of countless lives? ‘Yes,’ she thought. ‘Yes we can, and we will.’ “You okay, Fluttershy?” Applejack asked upon noticing Fluttershy’s absent-minded look. Fluttershy jumped out of her skin upon hearing Applejack’s voice, then spun around to face the earth pony. “I’m fine thanks. Just thinking,” she replied. Applejack gave a little nod, and then turned to join the rest of the group. “Well, Fluttershy,” Thowra said, looking into the distance. “We’re nearly there.” He pointed to the mountains that looked the size of the ponies in the distance. Fluttershy worked her way next to Thowra and gasped at the sight of the mountains that made up the Ramshead range. She squinted her eyes to make out the mountain that looked like the head of a ram, but couldn’t see it. She eventually looked up at Thowra and said, “Thank you, Thowra. I don’t think any of us would have got this far without you.” “Thank you’s” and “cheers” came from the rest of the group, which Thowra modestly gave a little bow for. “It was a pleasure, but no need to thank me yet. We’ve still got a long way to go.” With that, the seven equines made their way along the path that followed the river west for at least three hours. It then slowly moved away from the river and snaked along a large plain that was dotted with rolling hills, brightly coloured meadows, small ponds that were filled by rainwater, and here and there were willow trees, their long branches swaying in the low breeze. As they got closer, Fluttershy began to make out the mountains in greater detail, and her heart sank when she saw all the mountains were half covered in tall, dark green leaved trees. She moaned quietly as she realised how much harder it will be to find the entrance of the hidden location of the final key if they had to navigate their way through a dense woodland. “Holy moly, that’s a lot of oakies,” Pinkie said, as they were all now able to see the forest that clung onto the mountainsides. “Actually, Pinkie, they’re pine trees mostly,” Twilight corrected her. “But how are we’re going to find this entrance in there?” “I don’t know, Twilight,” Fluttershy replied. “But we’ve got to.” Thowra looked to where the sun was and his eyes widened in surprise as he watched it descend over the horizon. “I think we should worry about that tomorrow,” he said. “Let’s call it a night.” They all agreed on moving off the main road and camped on the other side of a hill that obscured them from the road, incase an Andulusian patrol decided to come through. “Okay, who’s good at building a fire?” Thowra asked. “Definitely not Applejack,” Rainbow called out with a little grin. Applejack opened up her mouth to retort, but closed it again with a smirk as she came up with an idea that would bite Rainbow on the rump. “I agree, that’s why I think Rainbow should do it this time, since she claims to be an expert.” Everyone else nodded their heads, tired of having had to put up with Rainbow’s whining about no fire for the past few days. Rainbow groaned and berated herself for walking right into that. “Fine, I’ll try.” She sped off towards the forest to look for some good wood to burn. Meanwhile, Fluttershy looked over in the direction of where they come from with a small frown on her face. She moved away from the rest of the group and stood atop one of the hills that surrounded, looking into the darkness for something. Despite her improved eyesight, she wasn’t able to make out anything other than a few isolated trees blowing in the wind. “You okay, Fluttershy?” Twilight asked as she walked up alongside. “What have you seen?” “I don’t know, I just think there’s something shadowing us. Keeping to the dark for some reason.” “Could it be Heimdallr?” “I don’t think so,” Fluttershy replied with a shake of her head. “He would have already attacked if it was.” “But he’s already underestimated you,” Twilight countered. “He could be buying his time and waiting for the right moment. He has waited for nearly five thousand years after all.” Fluttershy didn’t reply, she just continued to look out into the growing darkness, and listened to Rainbow’s curses as she tried to get a fire going. “I’m scared, Twilight,” she said suddenly. “Really, really scared.” Twilight smiled comfortingly. “To be honest, I would have thought of you as a fool if you weren’t.” “Are you scared? Scared about what might happen if I fail?” After a moment of silence, Twilight nodded. “I’m terrified, Fluttershy. But you seem to missing something.” Fluttershy looked at her oddly. “It’s what would happen if we fail. We’re in this together now, all of us, and we’re not going to back out while our friends and family are in danger.” Fluttershy gave a faint smile. “You wouldn’t quit even if I forced you too, would you?” Twilight gave a firm shake of her head. “Nope.” Fluttershy chuckled lightly. “Come on, let’s get back to the others. I can smell something good on, and I am feeling hungry.” As on cue, Twilight’s belly rumbled, and she blushed a little. “Ha, ha, agreed.” They made it back down to find, to everypony’s surprise, Rainbow had managed to make a roaring fire, where a large bowl of stew was being made with Thowra’s instructions by Pinkie. Half an hour later, once all had their meals, they slowly drifted off to sleep, one by one. When Fluttershy opened her eyes once more, instead of the firm, dry ground she had laid down on, it was a soft, wet cloud. Her eyes widened as she wondered what brought her here, and whether or not it was one of Heimdallr’s tricks. She got up and spun slowly around on the spot, her eyes looking out for even the slightest movement that would give away the burning dragon. She was surprised to find none whatsoever. She moved to the edge of the cloud and looked down, wondering how far she was to the ground. She was horrified to discover she couldn’t see the ground, just a black abyss. “But it’s daytime,” she said aloud, looking up to find the sun in its slow movements across the sky. She looked back down and wondered that to get out of this dream would be to easily jump off and fall into the darkness. But in the end curiosity got the better of her, so she decided to start walking and find whatever she was brought to see. Fluttershy broke into a trot and walked up to the edge, then hopped to the next one, then the next, and the next one, until she broke into a full gallop and began laughing as she hopped from cloud to cloud, rising higher and higher into the seemingly infinite sky. ‘So this is what my mother and father did to get to Canterlot,’ Fluttershy thought with a little grin. ‘Me and Rainbow will have to try this when we get back to Equestria.’ Eventually, she began running out of breath and stopped for a moment to regain it. She looked up and saw the tip of a mountain that looked like the point of a spear. With her head cocked to one side in curiosity, she walked closer, gazing at the mountain tip for a moment, then brought her head through the cloud to look at where the rest of the mountain was. Her jaw dropped when she couldn’t see the end, just the blackness. She suddenly saw something emerging from the darkness. She galloped back away from the mountain tip and obscured herself in one of the clouds. “Please not be a dragon, please not be a dragon, please not be a dragon,” she said over and over again. She cursed quietly when it appeared and Fluttershy could see it was a dragon. The dragon was huge, a bit bigger than most others, with huge bat-like wings. But what struck Fluttershy the most was just how beautiful the dragon’s scales were. She had seen a red dragon, a green dragon, and a purple dragon. But never a bright, golden dragon like this one, with black spikes and grey claws. Its eyes were a beautiful, yet incredible bright green that Fluttershy thought was impossible for dragons to have. Even though she wasn’t an expert on dragons, in fact, she usually stayed well clear of the subject. The dragon landed on the tip of the mountain, and then looked up into the sky, looking for something. Fluttershy emerged from her hiding spot and presented herself in front of the dragon. She frowned when it didn’t even acknowledge her existence. “Okay,” Fluttershy said to herself. “So why I am here?” “To watch,” a voice called out from nowhere, a voice that sounded a bit familiar. Fluttershy spun around and presented Drage Bane, which sang as it emerged from its scabbard. “Watch? Watch what? Who are you?” The voice didn’t answer, it just disappeared like a gale would suddenly turn into a soft breeze. Fluttershy turned back around to face the dragon, who raised its claws in the air and its mouth began moving. She couldn’t make out what the dragon was saying, but it seemed with its movements like a prayer. Fluttershy looked up and gasped when the sky above started to turn from a bright blue to a fiery orange, and moved like waves far out at sea. The dragon’s mouth began moving faster, its head raised into the air and its eyes closed as it continued its chant, or whatever it was. Suddenly, a lightning rod landed right next to Fluttershy, who screamed and dived back into where she was hiding when the dragon emerged. Another lightning rod came down, then another, and another, until they were surrounding the dragon at the centre, who didn’t even budge. Fluttershy wanted to cry out a warning, but knew it was folly, as it wouldn’t even hear her. Suddenly, and with a cry of alarm from the pegasus, a lightning bolt hit the dragon dead on the back. The dragon jarred, its teeth clenched together in pain as it felt its scales unexpectantly burn away. Another lighting bolt crashed down on another part of its back, burning away more of its scales and blacking them out. Fluttershy flinched as another bolt came crashing down on the dragon, then another, and another, each one landing on another part of the dragon’s body, each one scorching its beautiful golden scales black. More lightning bolts were now coming down onto it, in rapid succession, but the dragon didn’t attempt to get away, it was as if it wanted this torture. Fluttershy thought she was going to throw up as the dragon was becoming unrecognisable as what it once was. Suddenly, bright flames spouted across its body, from its tail back towards its head was becoming a mass of flame. Fluttershy’s eyes widened in horror as she started to understand what she was seeing; about why she was brought here. She was here to watch how the dragon she had seen appear, become the monster that became known as Heimdallr. The dragon shook uncontrollably as the changes it had brought upon itself started to form. Its mouth was open wide, letting out a scream as flames consumed its scales and burnt into its skin. Its insides burnt, and melted, leaving only a brain and a hull. Heimdallr’s eyes opened wide. And instead of those nice green ones, they were bright, golden flames that burned out of control, and spoke of Heimdallr’s hate. Fluttershy backed away from the now newly formed Heimdallr, expecting him to turn around on her and pounce. She was too busy looking at Heimdallr that she failed to notice the large gap behind her. She screamed as she fell off her cloud and into the dark abyss below. Then the world went black. Fluttershy’s eyes shot open and she sat upright, her breathing quick and her throat seemed sore from screaming. She looked around and gave a sigh of relief when she noticed that she had woken noone up. She got up and moved away from the group, sitting on top of one of the hills that surrounded her and her friends. She wondered how Heimdallr was able to do that. How was he able to do that to himself? Destroy his body and leave only the fires of hatred. She closed her eyes and began remembering what happened. Heimdallr was looking up into the sky; his eyes seemed to have been looking towards the sun yet he wasn’t squinting. He began chanting something or other, which told her he brought about that strange anomaly in the sky. ‘Whatever that thing was,’ Fluttershy thought, ‘could hold the key to how Heimdallr got his power. Then maybe we may have a chance to defeat him.’ She looked back down at the group and contemplated waking up the one pony that might know what happened and, with this armament of knowledge, may be able to defeat him. Eventually, and reluctantly, she slowly walked over to where Twilight was sleeping. Fluttershy gave a little squeak sometimes and would go back to where she was sleeping and wait until the morning. But in the end her determination won through and she made it to Twilight’s side. She raised a hoof and gave a little tap on the unicorn’s shoulder. “Twilight?” “But Spike, it’s too early for reshelving time. Go back to your dreams of Rarity,” Twilight murmured. Fluttershy cocked her head to one side and raised an eyebrow. ‘Spike has dreams about Rarity?’ she mused. ‘I’ve never noticed he had a crush on her.’ She shook her head rapidly, and then shook Twilight once more, this time a bit more forceful. “Twilight, wake up, I need to talk to you.” Twilight gave out a little groan and she groggily opened her eyes. “Oh this had better be worth waking me at this ho… oh, Fluttershy, it’s just you,” she grumbled before realising who woke her. “You’re not having nightmares, are you?” “Well,” Fluttershy replied, “I sort of had a nightmare, but it’s what happened I wanted to talk to you about. Unless you’re feeling tired and you want to go back to sleep then I don’t mind waiting a bit longer.” Twilight held up a hoof to silence her concerns. “It’s fine. I’m up anyway so might as well do it now. Come on, let’s move away from here and talk where we won’t disturb anyone else.” Fluttershy nodded in agreement, and then followed Twilight up the slop of one of the hills to talk. Once they were out of the way, Fluttershy proceeded to tell Twilight about what happened, without leaving any details out. When Fluttershy finished telling her nightmare, she noticed how pale Twilight had gotten. “You okay, Twilight?” she asked. “You’ve gone pale, and I mean really pale.” “You’re certain that the sky turned orange. Absolutely positive it moved like a aurora.” Fluttershy nodded, slightly nervous by the panicky tone in Twilight’s voice. “You know what I saw, don’t you?” Twilight sighed and gave her a little nod. For a moment Fluttershy thought she was going to avoid it entirely. “I’m afraid so,” she said. “That was the effects of a solar flare that crashed down on Heimdallr. A solar flare that was summoned… by him.” Now it was Fluttershy’s turn to go pale. “He… he used the sun?!” Twilight nodded again. “What he used must have been old, and forgotten magic to have created a solar flare that powerful, and then able to use that power to create…” Twilight trailed off as she realised where the art of pyromancy came from. “Pyromancy really did come from absorbing the sun’s power, and therefore it…” “Is connected to Princess Celestia,” Fluttershy finished for her. Twilight’s legs gave way and she collapsed onto her stomach. “I don’t think we can beat him Fluttershy. If he is connected to the sun, then his power would be infinite, and therefore unstoppable.” Fluttershy gave Twilight a disappointed look. “Now that’s not the Twilight I know. The Twilight who didn’t stop until she reached the castle and defeated Nightmare Moon. Or the Twilight who never gave up on us even when we abandoned her when Discord returned. Or even when you persisted on the fact the Cadance was evil, and you were right when it was revealed she was the changeling queen.” Fluttershy gently lifted Twilight back onto her hooves. “You never gave up then, and you shouldn’t give up now. Yes Heimdallr might have some of the power of the sun. Nightmare Moon had the power of the moon, and Discord had both when he took over. Yet we defeated them, and only together we will defeat Heimdallr.” Twilight looked at Fluttershy in amazement. “Even with my doubting, you still haven’t lost hope?” Fluttershy shook her head. “I can’t. My father never gave up hope, and neither shall I, and neither should you.” Twilight gave Fluttershy a little nuzzle. “You are one of the bravest ponies I have ever met.” Fluttershy returned the gesture. “I’m not that brave.” “Yes you are,” Twilight persisted, breaking away from her. “I know how terrified you are, I mean it is you after all. But still you don’t go back. You go forward, and I admire that greatly.” “You make me go forward, Twilight. You and the others. I don’t think I could go on without any of you by my side. You and the others is why I’m still fighting.” Twilight brought Fluttershy into another hug; the pegasus smiled and wrapped her forelegs around her friend. The two friends broke contact and went silent for a moment. Suddenly Twilight let out a long yawn, which was soon followed by Fluttershy. “Pinkie was right,” Fluttershy giggled, “your yawn’s infectious.” Twilight nodded in agreement. “I think we should get back to sleep and talk about this later. We’ve got a long day tomorrow.” Fluttershy agreed, and followed the unicorn back into the camp thanks to her illumination spell enveloping her horn. “Would you like me to put that spell on you? Just incase Heimdallr decides to do it again.” ‘But that’s the thing, it wasn’t Heimdallr that showed me it, it was someone else,’ she wanted to say. But all she said instead was, “Thank you, Twilight, but I’ve kept you up long enough. I should be okay from now on.” Twilight wasn’t satisfied, but she was too tired to argue. “If you’re sure, then goodnight.” She laid back down on the grass and fell asleep as soon as her head touched the ground. “Goodnight, Twilight. And thank you,” Fluttershy said with a smile. She turned away from the snoring unicorn and went back to where she was sleeping. Before she closed her eyes she looked to the sky and wondered whether her father was watching her tonight, whether he was one of those stars that was said to appear when a loved one dies. She hoped that was true, so then he could look down on her and her friends, and smile.