//------------------------------// // A Story To Tell // Story: Descendants Of The Isle 3: Rise of the Royal Villain // by Melody Song //------------------------------// Pharynx and Thorax’s eyes widened, gazes flicking up to her horn. Tempest’s voice shook as she continued. “I made him tell them what I thought. It was my idea to close the barrier. The program to bring more kids over is cancelled. Equus’ safety was more important…” Tempest stood still, waiting for the objections. And sure enough, they came. “Hold it.” Spitfire held up a wing, then trotted over to Tempest. “So we’re saving your precious kingdoms, and your flanks… for a lie?” “Spitfire-” “No.” Spitfire glared at her. “I knew it was a mistake to trust you. Always looking out for yourself.” “And you, King Sandbar.” Rainbow stormed up to him. “You’re probably just going to throw us all back in there, aren’t you?! Good job, forgetting that the kids on that Isle are your citizens too.” Sandbar tried to protest but all that came out was a muffled whimper. Gallus went over to him, hugging him tightly and burying his head in his shoulder. The two boys held each other, nothing but shame and sorrow wafting off them. “You know what?” Discord walked over to Tempest. “I actually thought you were brave. But you’re nothing but a coward! Too scared to even tell me I was never going to be able to see my father again!” “Discord, I-” Discord snatched the Bell from her aura and looked around, spotting the torch Spitfire had discarded. He walked over to it. “Discord, n-!” Tempest began, but Discord had thrown the Bell at the torch, then walked away. The Bell crashed into the fire with a hiss and Tempest shrieked. “Discord, no! No!” Tempest ran over and grabbed it in her magic, holding it up and shaking it. It no longer glowed with power, dull and faded. Tempest charged up her horn while the others silently watched her frantic attempts to fix the Bell. “Regain your former might and come back to life!” she shouted, but nothing happened. “Regain your former might and come back to life!!” Tempest bit her lip and looked over at Spitfire. Spitfire looked from the Bell down to her necklace. She touched a hoof to her necklace, then shook her head coldly. “Shame.” she said, putting a wing over Fleetfoot and beckoning for Rainbow to follow them. “Let’s find Soarin and leave them here to burn.” “No, wait!” Tempest called. “Spitfire!” Tempest then turned back to her friends. Gallus was cradling Monarch, the tiny kitten seeming very confused. Sandbar hugged him gently, looking at Tempest with anger and pain in his eyes. Thorax walked over to Pharynx, almost glaring at Tempest through tears. Pharynx stared at her, shock visible in every part of his expression. “G-Guys, I… I’m so sorry-” “If Luna were here she would be so disappointed in you.” Thorax snarled. “I’m sorry! I had to do something, I… I was afraid! There, I said it!” Tempest cried out, gritting her teeth. “I didn’t want to lose my friends! I had to protect Equus, it’s the one thing I can do!” “Closing the barrier was your idea.” Pharynx said, as though still trying to process it. “I did it for us!” Tempest insisted. “I did it for our life!” “For our life?!” Thorax shouted. “What about everyone we left behind?! What about Smolder and Gabby? If they hadn’t come over now would you have left them behind too!? If… If Ocellus and Gilda and I hadn’t come when we did, would you have left us?!” Tempest’s eyes widened. “No! I-!” “Then why leave them behind?! Because they’re not your friends?!” Thorax screamed, storming over to her. “You promised them! You were supposed to be their only hope! I thought you would stand up for them, for us!” Tempest looked down at the ground, struggling to hold in tears. Pharynx went over and put a hoof on his brother’s shoulders, glaring at the ground beneath his hooves. “And to think I was almost going to… forget it.” Pharynx spat, dragging his brother back to the others. “You lied to them Tempest. You lied to us.” “I thought we were supposed to be your family.” Thorax whispered, pressing against his brother. Tempest looked up at them, tears pooling in her eyes. “Thorax…” “Save it.” Thorax spat, hugging his brother tightly. Gallus and Sandbar held each other, Gallus reaching a claw down to Monarch. “G-Guys, come on, I had no choice!” Tempest screamed, but before any of them could even register what she said, there was a blinding flash, and Tempest shielded her eyes with a hoof. When she moved her hoof, her eyes widened. They were stone. All of them, frozen in place, expressions varying from angry to sad. “No…” Tempest sank down onto her haunches, sobbing. “No…” She was all alone, without any idea what to do. Tempest sobbed, tears streaming down her cheeks. She began to sing, voice breaking. “H-Here I am, all alone I won’t say I don’t deserve it The ones I love have turned into stone And I know it’s all on me.” Tempest stood, still crying, and walked to the stone creatures, reaching and touching Pharynx’s cheek, tears falling. “I knew I had a cause to stand for But I didn’t even serve it I saw myself in a light that wasn’t the truth.” Tempest pressed her forehead against Pharynx’s, her horn sparking as she kissed his forehead, crying. She continued singing, voice growing stronger as she moved to run a hoof against Thorax’s head, then walk to Gallus and Sandbar, placing a hoof gently on the stone Monarch’s head. “Why did I tell those lies? It just proved I was unworthy There’s no solid ground for me to stand on now A pile of lies was never going to be a good foundation You just can’t build a palace if the stone’s made of sand!” Tempest strode to the now burned-out torch, gripping the Bell tightly. “This is not my father's dark desires! And no, it’s not my uncle's bell of ire! When my story comes into the light I’ll make sure the story that they write will go-” Tempest began striding through the forest, the Bell held up in her aura. “Once upon a time, I stood up for what I believed Once upon a time the monster was me! Once upon a misspent fillyhood I will face myself and speak my truth! That’s how I’ll write my story! Right now Once upon a time I still tried harder! Once upon a time I tried again and again! Once upon taking the braver choice I took a risk and used my voice! That’s how I’ll write my story Right now.” Tempest moved steadily through the trees, sure of her strides. She raced out, seeing Spitfire, Fleetfoot, and Rainbow walking across the grounds of the castle. “Spitfire!” Tempest shouted, chasing the three. “Spitfire, stop! Please, stop!” Tempest skidded to a halt in front of them, forcing them to stop. “I need your help, please! We have a chance if we do this together!” Spitfire blinked at her. “Your friends kick you to the curb? I don’t blame them.” “Spitfire, when you captured Sandbar, he saw something in you, and I saw it too today! You care! You care about everycreature, and Equus is worth saving!” Tempest exclaimed, eyes full of desperation. “Help us… please…” “You can talk pretty all you want.” Fleetfoot told Tempest. “But she’th already made up her mind.” “You brought this on yourself, Tempest.” Spitfire said, walking off with her crewmates. “You figure out how to fix it.” With that, they were gone. Tempest, panting, turned, continuing to sing. A memory flooded into her head, of her battle against her father at Sandbar’s coronation, of her friends helping her, Luna, Pharynx, and Gallus stand up against their parents. “Life is not like a storybook Though it can unfold in chapters If you turn the page and start to make peace There still won’t be a guarantee of a happy end Step into the greatness you can be before the book closes! So when the story is all said and done they will say,” Tempest climbed the steps up to an outdoor balcony, now remembering when she had had doubts about herself. When her friends had done everything they could to bring her back home, and save Sandbar. When she first discovered Storm Breaker, while she was fighting Spitfire. “Once upon a time, I went higher! Once upon a time, I tried to make it right! Once upon a time that’s bound tight I changed my heart to try and change their minds! It will be how I write my story! This is how I write my story! I’ll finally see my true story’s end! Right now!” Tempest finished, standing strong despite the dried tears on her face, reflecting back to the most recent memories, of what she could scarcely believe was just earlier that day. Celebrating Gallus’ engagement, when Grogar attempted to escape, getting the Bell from him, then when the others turned to stone. And now, an unknown future. “Help me Tempest!!!”