//------------------------------// // Chapter Forty One: Planned Promises // Story: Heart of Magic // by TheCrimsonDM //------------------------------// Heart of Magic Chapter Forty One: Planned promises. Written by TheCrimsonDM Fang felt his muscles burning as he pulled the pickaxe over his head. His arm swung forward and struck deep into the crystalline wall with enough force to dislodge a rather hefty size of pink crystal onto the ground. How long had this shift been without a break, six, seven hours? The fur of his brow was covered in sweat and he used his arm to wipe it off. Dirt mixed with sweat on his arm to create a streaking mess. Once upon a time six hour mining shifts were just fine, in fact they were enjoyable. Him and the rest of the pack would dig and dig all day, it was the most enjoyable time of his life. Sure some of his kin were lazy but the rest like him were proud of the work they did, the tunnels they’d carved the structures they’d built. The Diamond Dog Empire was once a proud place to be a part of. Once upon a time, when dogs were strong and led by their alphas, back before laziness took hold like a disease, and long before ponies interfered with their lives. The stump of a left arm he had was all the proof he needed that ponies had no right of interfering with dog lives. He could smell it before he heard it. The crackle of magic from down the chain. Many dogs, ponies, donkeys and even a few things he wasn’t familiar with were working on the mines. A stallion in golden armor was walking his way with a glare from under that helmet that promised only trouble. Not wishing for another scar he lifted his pick axe again and struck the wall. The stallion’s horn crackled with electricity and he heard a scream that curdled his blood. He kept working on the wall in front of him but glanced sideways. Some stallion with green fur and a blood red mane lay on the ground screaming. The guard spoke with authority and disgust, “Applecore, you filthy criminal sack of rotten apples. Get up and do your one job.” The green pony pushed himself up, picked up an pick axe in his mouth and began to work again. The blood around the ponies mouth could either be from working too much or from the beating, Fang couldn’t tell. He just kept working in silence. The guard seemed to not be done just yet as he shouted. “You’re in here for life, and why, because you and your little gang raped how many ponies? Male, female, adult, child? The crimes of that little gang you were part of will forever mark you as a piece of trash worthy only of burning in a fire. You’ll be here till you die, you know that right.” Applecore stopped, glanced at the guard and did something that Fang was surprised by. He talked back. “The Blackhearts were the only family most of us knew, and they took better care of us than any ‘guard’ could. You’re the ones who failed us.” The guard smirked. “I didn’t give you permission to speak, filth.” His horn lit up and Fang looked away as the screaming began anew. Applecore had been here for who knows how long, and despite constant beatings, torture, and harassment he’d survived. It made Fang think back to how he’d gotten stuck here himself. He was part a small tribe diamond dogs down south. Some members of his gang had kidnapped some whining mare that wouldn’t shut up. Of course a few members like him saw no need to capture her, she could sense gems sure, but it was the dog’s duty to dig, what is a dog who does not dig? Their antics were fun at first but grew old quick. It was when the mare’s friends came bursting in on them that the real trouble began. Fang was among the first to fight back against the intruders, and he had found some purple unicorn that was unawares. Or so he thought when he had raised his claws against her. Something in her eyes threw him off guard. Some kind of deep seated hatred, as if she was looking at the most evil and dangerous thing she’d ever seen, but there was no fear in those purple eyes. Only pure hatred and disgust. The mare took his arm, and then later came back with a force of guards to take as many of the dogs into prison as she could. He could hardly fight with one arm, let alone dig. Once he was caught he found himself in this mine. Somewhere deep under the earth and working until he died. Most here at least had some kind of court meeting, a judgment laid upon them by a judge and jury. He was one of the few that simply awoke here, with judgment already passed and his execution only delayed by how long he could mine. However, he was a dog, mining was his life, and if that would be his end, then so be it. He would die like a dog, proud, hard working, and gathering as many gems and crystals as the ponies wanted. It was of little surprise now that imprisonment offered him more honor than his own tribe had. The guard stopped behind him and stamped a hoof. He stopped and glanced back at the guard. The guard glared up at him. “Fang, you’re lucky, you get to have a break. We’re moving you to the new tunnel to assist. Good luck lighting dynamite with one limb, mutt.” Fang nodded. A break sounded nice. But dynamite was a challenge. He’d survive, or die, he didn’t much care, but he’d do the job either way. After all, this was his sentence for his tribe’s crimes. Even if they were all gone now, he’d serve out there punishment in silence and pride. *** Amber walked down the streets of Ponyville with Maud and Valiant Heart by her side. The streets felt a little more quiet than usual, not as many ponies were out and about despite being a bright sunny day. It felt strange; it wasn’t even a Sunday so it wasn’t like everypony was at church. They turned around the corner to cut through market street since it was a short cut home and paused. The venders had lines going back dozens of ponies. The shops had lines going out of their front doors. Anything from food to household supplies was being virtually stormed by the crowds of ponies. A few ponies were actually shoving each other out of the way to get food first. Ponyville had never had much of a police or guard force to keep the peace, never needed it, but here she saw a few guards, armed with wooden sticks trying to keep the more aggressive ponies from going into a full gallop head first into the venders. Amber even saw the prices of food, and they were at least three times what they were before. What the heck was going on here? Maud picked up a newspaper that had fallen by the way side and Amber peered over her shoulder to see the cover. “Danger and Death strikes Equestria as another town vanishes and its population goes missing.” Amber swore under her breath. Of course everypony was going crazy, it finally got out that villages were disappearing. Nopony even knew what was going on or why, just acting on instinct to try and get supplies to keep themselves and their own safe. So looking at this mess here, she could only hope things calmed down soon… yet after seeing some of the horrors living in the Everfree Forest she couldn’t help but to feel that this was only just the tip of the iceberg. The entire ship already hit the thing, it was about to sink. Amber realized if ponies were getting this antsy there might actually be a bigger concern. “We need to go home, now.” Amber’s horn lit up and for the second time that day she teleported herself along with her family a bit further into town. Closer to their home. She missed the mark by only a hundred feet or so, but she was glad to see the house was relatively safe. Her head was starting to hurt from the over use of magic, yet no nose bleeds so she was safe. Before her training with Fluttershy just a single teleport like this might have caused her a nose bleed. Now she could do this and only get a small migraine. The training was really paying off. In no time soon she was sure she’d rival even Twilight in raw magical power. They went to their home and it was as if nothing had changed. The door was even still locked from when the left. After opening and going inside Maud paused to look at them. “This might be the last time we’re here for a long while. Get food, supplies, and whatever you want to bring with you. Put it on the porch and I’ll help move it to the cart.” Amber and Valiant Heart nodded. Each went out to go get there stuff. Minutes went by and of course Valiant Heart was finished first. Amber was still putting comics and study books into various suitcases when Valiant appeared at her door. Valiant was quiet as ever as she asked, “Do you need help?” Amber looked up at her. “I… no, just help mom, this should be done soon.” Valiant came inside the room and sat down on Amber’s bed. This was neither helping nor leaving. “What should I bring?” Amber set a series of children stories Trixie had written into one of the suitcases. Each one of these seemed to feature Twilight as an antagonist who always learned a friendship lesson that Trixie taught… of course Trixie would write this, it also formed some of Amber’s earliest impressions of Twilight as a selfish uncaring, and troublesome individual who just needed a friend to help guide her way… maybe there was more truth to that then she’d ever cared to admit. “I don’t know, bring something you care about.” Valiant looked down at the floor. “I don’t have much…” Amber knew that Valiant’s room was always a bit bare. She’d already packed the stuffed cat toy she’d had since before Amber was born, but other than some books and photos there didn’t seem to be much in Valiant’s room. Amber shrugged. “Don’t you have something you care about? Something that means a lot to you?” “I do,” Valiant said. “Books from the Seekers archive. Books Twilight gave me.” Amber froze. She looked back and saw Valiant staring at the wooden floor with a dead stare in her eye. Amber swallowed. “Val… bring them.” Valiant looked up and met Amber’s eyes. “But she was the one who gave them to me… won’t ponies be mad?” Amber screwed up her face and felt some fresh anger flow through her. “Who cares what ponies think. Listen, Twilight… she was an important part of our family for a long time. If those things still mean a lot to you, bring them.” Amber glanced over at a series of journals that were sitting in a neat pile in her closet. Journals written by a much younger, much more friendly and socially awkward Twilight. With a flicker of her magic they lifted into the air and she placed them into a suitcase. “I know I will.” Val gave a weak smile. “I… when you’re done will you help?” Amber felt her heart cry out in pain. Of course it wasn’t just her who was still hurting over Twilight. How many years had Valiant Heart been an assistant to Twilight, how many adventures filled with danger and excitement did they go on? Of course Val was hurting. Amber walked over to her big sister and wrapped her forelegs around her. “I think I’m mostly done here. I’ll give you all the help you need.” Valiant wrapped her legs around Amber and squeezed gently. “Thank you.” *** Trixie was sure they’d be surprised, even angry in fact, but she did not expect this. Everypony just sort of accepted Red Velvet’s presence here at the meeting. Obviously Celestia already knew that Red was here, but Luna and Rainbow Dash were quick to just accept this and not fight. Heck it even seemed like they agreed with Trixie’s assessment of the situation needing Red and the Alicorn Empire’s involvement. Of course, hearing that this sickness existed in the Alicorn Empire and actually had taken a few of their own down helped with their willingness to let Red stay, she was sure. Of course even she was shocked to hear that this shadow sickness not only appeared in the Golden City, but also that alicorns were susceptible to it, though exactly how remained a mystery. Red’s voice almost purred as she spoke. “Looking at these outbreaks, this pattern is not exactly a normal one.” Her wing pointed from Talltale to Manehatten, to Canterlot, and then to the Golden Empire which was apparently out over the sea floating somewhere safe… or at least it was safe. “There is no way a carrier would be able to travel these distances this quickly, so unless one of my alicorns took a vacation to explore the mortal lands or there is a very long incubation period… well this pattern seems unreasonable.” Trixie had to agree. “If this wasn’t from a carrier, how would this get around so quickly? Where did it even originate. We thought it started in Canterlot but looking further into it we realized that multiple outbreaks began at roughly the same time in these different cities.” Luna added in. “Not only that but my Lunar Knights have looked in on the cases and the individuals lives, not one of them seem to have had any contact with the other outside of their own city. So unless our patient zero or patient zeros are not the first ones to be infected, there is somewhat of a mystery here.” Trixie added. “None of these ponies went to the same concert, the same vacation, or trip. There’s not much in the way to connect their behaviors.” Rainbow Dash spoke. “Kinda like the corrupted alicorns right? Just attacking random towns that aren’t really connecting and vanishing when we’re not looking only to appear somewhere else.” Trixie nodded. “Patterns of randomness like this makes me think of Discord, but we know he’s safe with Twilight… so the question is what’s really going on?” Red spoke next. “Our researchers have discovered that this illness seems to originate, or at least have some strong connections with this pool of darkness. One found here in Equestria, in Hollow Shades, and one that spawned the birth of the changeling vermin.” Trixie rubbed at her lower jaw. “Hmm, there’s also something similar in the Everfree Forest. The tar slimes that exist there are dangerous, but nothing at all that could infect others.” Celestia spoke, her words were filled with authority and determination. “Then until we have enough information to find the source, I suggest we research each place of potential interest. Hollow Shades, The Everfree Forest, Talltale, Manehatten, and here, Canterlot.” Rainbow Dash rose to her hooves. “Yo, we’re not done here yet. I’m here, I’m willing to help, but not until I get my daughter back.” Celestia nodded. “Of course. I believe you and Luna can prepare a suitable plan to evacuate Twilight’s group from across the borders. After all, you both have someone you love there.” Rainbow Dash nodded. “And after she’s safe, I’ll do whatever you need me to.” Luna nodded. “I’ll send my knights out to scout some of these locations ahead of time.” Red butted in. “If you’re going to Southern Equestria, I advise extreme caution. The horde there is growing by the day, we still don’t know where they are getting more changelings from but it seems like there numbers are expanding. Worse yet, they do have flyers… specifically dragons.” Rainbow Dash gave her a glare. “Since when have they had dragons?” “Since the corrupted alicorns ventured into the dragon lands. From what we’ve gathered they don’t have any ancient or elder dragons, but even adult dragons can cause serious issues and prove to be quite the challenge.” Trixie nodded. “You’ll need more support. You’ll need to go get Starlight, she still has loyalty to Twilight, I’m sure she’d be more than willing to help you get her back… and if anypony out here is powerful enough to vaporize dragons, it’s her.” Celestia seemed to agree. “Then we should all have a mission here. I’ll divert my resources for the main cities affected by the disease. Rainbow Dash and Luna I assume you’ll be going to Southern Equestria on the rescue mission.” Luna added in. “I’ll have my knights investigate Hollow Shades as well. It is my town, and I should be the only one allowed to rescue it.” Celestia gave Trixie and Red a look as if asking them what they were going to be doing. Trixie took in a long breath and exhaled. This was the last thing she’d wanted to do, but she knew there was only one pony who could really help her here. “I’ll be venturing into the heart of the Everfree’s darkest places. I’ll be taking the only pony known to successfully live in the most dangerous places of the Everfree, places even the deer were afraid to go.” Red smiled. “Thank you for the compliment.” “It’s not a compliment.” Trixie stated. “You just proved to be better at being a monster then the creatures living there.” Celestia rose from her seat. “Then if we’re all ready to go, let’s get ready. Equestria, no, the entire world may be in terrible danger here, and it is up to us to stop it before the world ends.”