//------------------------------//
// Chapter 1 
// Story: A Burning Flame In My Soul 
// by Rated Ponystar 
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There are many creatures in the world of Equus. Some have lasted for over a thousand years or more. Others have faded into time and oblivion, and now new races spread throughout the lands, just starting their own legacies in the annals of time and history. For Chantler Leafseeker, deer scribe, sage, and chronicler, he has seen and learned much in his long life of over eighty-six years. History and legends had always been a fascinating thing to him ever since he was a child, so Leafseeker sought to learn all he could until he felt confident enough to go out into the world independently. For decades he learned all that he could from various locations worldwide. He had read from the great tomes of the Glittergreen Library in the Great Deer Kingdom of Everglow, walked the passages of the Temple of Wisdom in Saddle Arabia, visited the Grand Canterlot Library in Equestria, and many more. 

Of course, learning knowledge wasn't enough. One had to use wisdom to master it truly. So Leafseeker started teaching those who would hire him, and as his reputation grew, that soon turned to advisement. Many times, the nobility, scholars, philosophers, and even royalty of various nations would seek him out. His grand inner well of history, science, magic, and more had earned him a strong reputation. He wouldn't say he was famous, but he was well-known enough that many spoke his name in various palaces' halls. Alas, time was coming to an end for Leafseeker, who felt his death was coming soon. Most deer didn't live past eighty, and he was surprised to have lasted this long. He decided to return to his home with his apprentice to spend his final years and write his memories before preparing for his eternal sleep. 

Alas, it seems that fame comes with a price as he was now shackled to an old bench and desk, writing and looking through old parchments that were some of the oldest he had ever seen. The language was written in Imperial Draconian, one of the oldest written languages globally to the point that some say it was the first actual language. The ancient Dragon Empire was the first superpower of the world that lasted for a long time until the Age of Chaos. Today, its people were divided and scattered save for a few areas of power, such as the Dragon Lands south of Equestria. A shadowed fraction of a great power that once ruled the world.

Chantler's capture had been at the price of his old age and foolishness. He had never dealt with hostile intentions towards himself, though he had advised others at times of war. Yet he was never personally a target of somecreature's ambitions. At least not until now. He sighed as he put down the quill with his magic and looked at his work in personal disgust. Chantler would have refused and accepted any punishment, even death, if it was just his own life at stake. His apprentice was also trapped and too young to lose his life. Yet I fear what I am doing will result in more lives lost.

The door to his prison slammed open as an enormous red dragon, still young by his size yet big enough to be twice Chantler's height, walked in with his black steel armor clanking against his scales. "Have you finished, old deer?"

"Just now," Chantler said as he slowly got up and levitated the paper with his horns. "You may take me to him."

The dragon's reply was only to unlock the chains, but his fiery glare made it clear that any attempt of trickery would result in a burning death. Not that Chantler had any intention of doing so. He would never be quick enough to escape a dragon. With a harsh prod against this flank, the elder deer walked out of his prison with his dirty, grim-covered green leaf robes and down the prison's hallway. For six weeks, he had to suffer in this environment. Endlessly researching, calculating, and praying that he could please his captor enough to show mercy. If not, then it was Cern's Eternal Halls of Peace that awaited him sooner rather than later. 

They traveled onward, the mice and spiders scattering around. From what Chantler knew of this place, the castle he had been imprisoned in was once the home of a great and powerful warlord centuries ago whose center of power decayed hundreds of years after his downfall. Its new occupants need not repair it, for their leader had no intention of keeping himself in this place for long. 

Up the stairs, they went, slowly but surely, until they reached another door guarded by two more red dragons who opened it up for them. Waiting for them in the middle of the hall was more similar guards and two others who made Chantler's skin crawl. The first was a long and sleek purplish-blue dragon whose body mirrored that of a snake yet had the face and expression was that of great beauty. The dragons of the east were said to be very much different from their cousin counterparts here in the west, but this was the first time Chantler had ever seen one. Her eyes were more narrow than the other dragons, with a far bigger nose and a long sleek furry body with scales that glowed in the firelight from torches on the walls. 

Yet there was more to her than just her looks. Her abilities were completely mystifying as rumored were for dragons in the far east. She could levitate and fly without wings, and her eyes held such magical prowess that rivaled that of the strongest unicorns. Yet her gaze had a dark hidden sense of madness that made the deer sage feel like his spine was turned to ice. Chantler felt himself relaxing when her sight turned to the other dragon in the room that stood out. One that she wrapped her body around like a serpent. It was evident that they were lovers as the dragoness looked ready to pounce like a lioness in heat. However, the other dragon focused more on Leakseeker, who only gulped upon seeing his cold yet fiery glare. 

Twenty years ago, the dragon clan known as Redskull made an attempted coup against the current Dragon Lord, Lord Ember. She had managed to survive the assassination attempt and prevented an all-out war between the Dragon Lands and Equestria. Though scars of the attempt remained, their rulers had upheld peace between the lands. Together, with many others, they were united through the bonds of friendship...and love. It was said that the Dragon Lord's lover was a dragon raised in Equestria, adopted by the current ruling Princess, and was an ambassador between the two. A tale that would be pretty pleasant to write about personally, but it would only displease this leading dragon right here. For he was the last of clan Redskull (If one ignored the bastard daughter of its former clan leader), and he would see his family avenged.

"Lord Tyranus," Chantler's guard saluted with his claw over his heart. "The deer has completed his task."

Despite feeling fear deep in his heart, Chantler looked up at the tall red-scaled dragon before him. He was twice the size of a Saddle Arabian horse, with his black-colored wings long enough to wrap around Chantler himself. His yellow slitted eyes that held a silent rage behind them glared into the deer's soul as he stood there with his yellow belly and pitch-black spines that formed two horns above his head. Yet it was his armor that was the true symbol of fear. The metal was that of Orchalcihum, one of the rarest and near impossible metals to destroy. The Minotaurs were said to be the only ones who could master the smithing techniques to use it and rarely ever gave it. No Grand Smith Master of the Minotaurs would ever give up such a valuable set of metal like this. Not a living one, at least. The armor was of a silverish black with green lines of draconic runes running down from the padlocks to the shoulder blades. All spiked so sharp that they could cut a diamond in half. 

"Speak, sage, have you discovered the time and place?" Tyranus Redskull asked with a deep, graveling voice. 

"If I tell you, do I have your word by your gods that my apprentice and I will be set free?" Chantler asked with hesitation. 

"You have my word," Tyranus answered with a scoff.

Sighing, Chantler begged the gods of all races to forgive him as he opened his scroll. "The Comet of Kratorix, The First Dragon Emperor, will appear before the sky of Equus on the twenty-fifth day of the sixth month of this year. On the day it comes, it will fall like a water droplet towards a location deep in the unknown world to the far west that none have ever visited save the Emperor who disappeared shortly after with his oldest son. As you know, they were presumed dead not long after, and his second son, Vilitas, took over the Empire. However, it is said that there shall be the blade of the first Emperor in this land, Imperiax. If found, whosoever is worthy of his power shall take it and reforge the Empire anew from its ashes. "

"The unknown world is impossible to reach," Tyranus growled, gripping his claws. "The endless storms of the western sea that have lasted for a thousand years prevent any ship or flight, making it impossible for anyone to venture forth!"

"The comet's power will cause the storms to be quelled as it approaches closer to the surface. In less than two weeks, the comet will clear the storms!" Chantler hastily said. "It will be the perfect time to venture to the new world!"

Tyranus continued to glare at the nervous deer until he turned to the serpentine dragon, who soon nuzzled his face. "He speaks the truth, my love. I have sensed it."

"...Very well," Tyranus said as he took the scroll and looked at it. "Is there any more?"

"Yes, the task of finding the sword is up to those who seek it, but the First Emperor will leave clues. The clues are among the strange dragons living in the new world. For the power of three is the key," Chantler said with a sigh. "Now, please let me-"

Chantler didn't get to finish as Tyranus gripped him by the throat and made him start choking on his saliva. He realized Tyranus's intent with wide eyes and gasped, "You...promised..."

"I said I would set you free. And so I shall," Tyranus said, still looking at the parchment without glaring into the fading eyes of the choking deer. "You shall be set free to the afterlife."

A loud crack echoed with a single twist, and Chantler's body went limp. Thus, the life of Chantler Leafseeker, who passed into the Eternal Halls of Peace with regret, came to an end. Dropping the useless body, Tyranus turned to the guard and said, "Kill his apprentice. We have no use for him."

The guard saluted and walked away, leaving Tyranus to himself as he walked towards a window where his army lay in their war tents. He had gathered the exiled dragon clans for over twenty years and won their respect. One by one, they swore their allegiance to him. Soon, all dragons would bow before him when he took Imperiax and achieved a new destiny. One that would see him rule over all dragons and later the world as the new Emperor of the Reborn Dragon Empire. Dragon Lord Ember will fall, and I will avenge you Father, Uncle, and all those worthy of the title "dragon." 

His lover soon returned to wrapping around his body and kissed him on the cheek, which made him chuckle. "Worry not, Dájǐ-Lǐ, I have not forgotten you. You will be my queen and get revenge on your family as well."

"Yes, the throne will be ours—both the east and the west. My father will bow before me, him and my sister," Dájǐ-Lǐ said as she giggled with a hint of madness to her tone. "And I will see them strung up and cut open from their bellies to the point that the Golden Palace will be painted with their blood."

A guard soon rushed back up from the stairs and looked worried. "He has escaped!"

"What?" Tyranus asked, spinning around.

"The apprentice has escaped, My Emperor."

Tyranus snarled but sighed before shaking his head. "It doesn't matter. I have what I need. Prepare our forces for the march tomorrow to the shore. We will make for the unknown world soon." He then looked up at the sky where, in the far distance, a red blimp was seen that would grow bigger and bigger in the coming days. "And towards destiny."