//------------------------------// // Intermission: Fractured Heart, Future Aches // Story: The Dragon Lord's Legacy // by Little_Draco //------------------------------// Intermission: Fractured Heart, Future Aches The flight home was intense, near borderline traumatic for the two mothers who were in a state of disarray. They left their son in a state of confusion and turmoil, but surrounded by those he loves and cares for to ease his burden. Regardless of how they felt about the ponies, the issues with them no longer concerned them. Instead something worse has breached their lives and it was tearing at their hearts. Zynthia kept glancing at her mate, Eliyira who refused to look back. Her eyes were distracted and venom filled. While she had no ill will for her mate, Zynthia knew that her looks were dangerous. Knowing what she wanted to do, she focused on the ground, finding a source to land and found a small rock formation with trees and vegetation that could help. Not far was a small pond of water as well. "Land." She told her mate.  Eliyira blinked and refocused on her mate. Confusion etched over. "What?" "Land." She stated, much firmer and pointed to the area she spotted with her snout. "Over there." “Why?” Her mate asked, irritation quickly filling her face. “We are almost home-” “Land!” Zynthia commanded her mate.  Eliyira growled at the tone and descended quickly with the scarlett dragoness falling quickly after. The small area they landed was empty as far as actual places for animals to visit. The black and purple dragoness landed angrily, creating a small impact wave on the ground, followed by her mate. Her purple eyes glared at her mate. “Why are we here? We are almost home and we have no time to waste!” Zynthia regarded her mate calmly, knowing full well that if they were to return home with what they learned, Eliyinsa could take her anger out on anyone, regardless of who they were. It was here that she could release all that pent up anger and pain that she was holding. So, Zynthia kept her here. She said nothing to her directly for a few moments, further irritating her mate. “Well?! Why did we land?!” She demanded. Cooly, Zynthia took a few steps back away. Despite the height, weight and years of experience of fighting over her mate, she didn’t want to be in her way if worse came to it… at least not the first round. “Release it.” She simply said.  Eliyira blinked. “What?” She barked. Once more, Zynthia responded. “Release… it!” A command once more. Eliyria was about to ask once more, but Zynthia responded before she could. “Out here, there is no one for miles, nothing to get in your way. At home, you can hurt others and do something you might regret. Out here… it’s just me and you. You can do whatever you want, even hurt me if it helps, but I will not allow your pain to travel home while we are at the peak of it.” Despite the even tone, the hidden underline was she too was suffering but in her own way. Eliyinsa’s breath began to rise and fall quickly but she tried to remain like Zynthia. “I have nothing to release,” she growled harshly. “Whatever I have to say or do-” “-Can not be done at home.” Her mate reminded. “I would rather have you here and deal with it than at home.” “And what do you think I have to unleash!?” Eliyinsa practically roared, her breathing fast and hard, her anger pushing out, but her tears were coming out fresh. “I have no anger to unleash, Zynthia!” She said nothing, merely looking at her smaller mate with coolness and calm. That serene look that she was given made her much angrier and a sharp burst of flames left her mouth. “Well?! Aren’t you going to say something?!” Zynthia merely blinked. “Release it.” She said once more. She was trying to irritate her past the point of no return. Out here… there was nothing else.  A dangerous growl left the black dragoness. “Don’t toy with me, especially you! I have nothing to release and I have nothing to do out here! Let us leave and go home!” Zynthia sighed softly and lowered herself to all fours, laying on the ground and waited patiently. She remained silent and continued to stare at her mate.  This further amped up her anger to the point she stomped over and was staring at eye level with her, glaring at her with such venom that any other dragon would be cowering. But not Zynthia… she had already dealt with this before, a long time ago and for the sake of their love, she would do so again.  “LET US LEAVE NOW!!!” She roared directly to her face, practically spewing fire wisps at her. Zynthia barely flinched and said nothing. She waited. And waited. And waited. And waited. Until…     An unrestrained roar left Eliyinsa and she turned around and immediately began to stomp on the ground, pulling up the vegetation with her claws from the roots and tossing them to the side. She roared continuously, breathing heavy fire upon everything, even rocks, as she began to unleash her anger around her area. Her swipes at rocks turned them to grable, her flames turned greens to ash in seconds and her anger wasn’t held back as she demolished her area.     Zynthia watched passively and with calm as her mate unleashed the fury of emotions on the landscape. Nothing was safe, nothing remained untouched and should there have been any life, nothing would escape her wrath.     She lowered her head, to remain either invisible or weak to her mate, letting her have at it. Her pain was just as great as Eliyisa but her tears were shed and gone on the way over. Her anger, she could contain because she had years of patience and experience to deal with this. After all… this problem had come up before but the circumstance had not been this drastic nor personal. The inclusion of their son, Spike, had only fueled their desire to rid this problem once more and it pained her not just because of Spike’s past but of her’s and her lover’s. They both had shared this incident before but now… not only were their hearts being hurt, but so was their future with their son.     Zynthia grew new tears as she watched her mate  destroy her area. Roars of anger, frustration, pain and sadness rolled over her like a magma river of emotions down the hill of her volcanic emotions. She yelled obscenities, both of the old tongue and modern language, cursing all those who were long gone and even their gods. She ignored her physical pain where Zynthia saw some scrapes and blood pouring from wounds.     But worst of all, Zythina heard her blame herself and her past. A painful draconian of the universe that was bestowed upon her that held no fairness. She was given no warning, no quarrel to set an outlet and a deep reminder that her past cannot remain there After five minutes of her unleashing her rage and destroying her environment, she searched for more to vent her rage, but found nothing before shooting her head up and releasing a powerful jet of flame to the sky. Her roar left with the jet of flames, a deep purple mix with light violet, igniting the sky and burning brighter than the evening sun briefly.  She counted the seconds her mate unleashed the raging inferno. 5 seconds. Then 10 seconds, then 20 and then after 30 seconds of continuous fiery rage, did she cap off and was left panting and hissing as the last of her flames died out. Her back was towards Zynthia, completely forgetting her mate was there. She tried to cool herself down, breathing heavy and loud, albeit with sobs escaping in between. Her features remained hidden to her, unknown if she had calmed yet. Zynthia slowly rose to her feet, but remained stationary. She needed to make sure her mate was done and ready to go back home at the risk of prolonging her rage. Perhaps it would be worth it if it meant knowing she could finish any remaining anger she had left here and no worry of it later. She firmly stood tall, braced her tail on the floor like an anchor and dug her claws into the ground. With an even and non assertive tone, she spoke. “Are you finished?” Eliyinsa’s head snapped at her and anger still covered her features. Her eyes suddenly flashed violet and Zynthia was hit by her mate’s powers. She snapped her eyes shut and growled as her mate sent a pulsing wave of agony to her mind. She remained rigid and upright against Eliyinsa’s mental onslaught, which only further infuriated her. Desperate, the black dragoness charged her scarlett lover in blind rage and tackled her with ferocity of a feral animal. Zynthia lost her balance and concentration as her mate jumped at her, maw open with teeth exposed and claws extended. She was flung back as her mate latched her teeth on her shoulder, her front claws shoving her body upwards and her back legs aiding to throw her down. The two went down with a tremendous slam on the ground and cratored it, only for it to lengthen as Eliyinsa began to tear at her love. Zynthia took the brute force of her mate’s attack with her teeth sinking into her shoulder where her neck met her shoulder. A moan of pain erupted from her when teeth dug straight into her scales and broke through until her flesh was pierced. Eliysia tasted her mate’s blood as copper landed on her tongue and temporarily shocked her mind. She stayed latched on and began to strike her mate’s body with her claws on her exposed belly. Zynthia didn’t retaliate properly and refused to fight or shove her mate off despite the agony that plagued her. She instead pushed past her pain and wrapped her legs and wings around the black dragoness, to try and quell her irrational state. At first, this only caused Eliysia to dig her teeth in deeper and struggle against her bind but slowly, fatigue and pain began to slow her down. She began to sob now, still trying to hurt Zynthia but each hit was weaker and weaker while her jaw ached and began untightening against her mate’s body. With each passing second, the dreary and pain was slowly subsiding for her, but soon regret, remorse and sadness consumed her once more. Her tears fell more freely and the weight of her mind seemed to lessen, only to be given more as her reality sank in.  Her violet eyes burned with sorrow, as the wake of her attack, finally dawned into her mind. She finally relaxed against her mate, but looked down at the damage she had done.  The taste lingered on her tongue… the feeling of control over the weak… and the absolute hollowness of her actions in those few minutes… “L-Love?” Zynthia finally spoke, her voice calm but with a slight hitch in her breathing. “Are you…” “Zyn… I-I…” She hiccuped and was about to break away but her larger lover held onto her tighter.  “It’s okay love, I knew what would happen, I knew the risks.” She spoke softly into her ear.  Eliyinsa continued to sob but her violet eyes refused to meet hers. “I-I hurt you!” she half wailed in despair. “I-I shouldn't h-have l-lost control! I could h-have kill-” “You can never hurt me, my love.” Zynthia whispered to her ear, trying to ease her mate, showing no signs of anger nor pain. “Your sorrow is not in vain, your pain is warranted and your anger is deserved… She paused and slowly met her eyes with her own. “But… now we share each other’s pain and problems, no matter how big or small, we will share it together and we will triumph through it together, like we always have. What we are dealing with now is no different, just…” Another pause followed by a sigh. “-now we have a son caught in the chaos.” Eliyisa squeezed her eyes shut at the revelation. “And that is what I am afraid of! That he is involved now and I don’t know if we can help or make it worse! We know who the birth mother is!” A small growl left her. “And I am afraid for him!” She then looked where she bit down and felt horrible at the wound she left. She began to clean it with her tongue, earning a hiss from Zynthia. The scarlet dragoness moaned at the sting of her wounds being tended to. “We need to figure out how to explain to Torch and Dereain of Spike’s history,” She saw a small flicker of flames leave her mate’s mouth and knew what was about to happen. “Remember, make sure that it is wet and cleaned before I- hrrg raww!” A mixture of moan and growl left her as her mate blew fire at the wound, trying to cauterize it.  Remorse and guilt consumed her but that is what set Zynthia apart from others. She would allow pain to be dished out on her but never would make you feel guilty. She has endured many things in her life, much worse than others can describe, but nonetheless, always remains humble to others… Except one… “Come,” Eliyinsa removed herself and helped lower her mate back onto her feet. “Let’s get you cleaned up by the water.” As she rolled back to her feet, Eliyinsa guided her to the water as a crutch to her side. Reaching the shore, the scarlet dragoness all but nearly threw herself in, half submerging in and allowing the water to clean up the blood from her body. A small hiss left her as she felt the water clean her wounds. “Search for a salve to cover it, there should be some undamaged moss left.” She noted that her mate specifically had chosen this area and as well as placed them in an area where there would be something for her. “You knew what would happen?” Her mate in black scales asked, searching the ruins of her destruction. She faced away from her but kept talking. “You knew that I would…” “I have known you long enough to understand that this would affect your love.” She inhaled deeply and ignited the pond she was in, blowing a sharp stream of fire into the water to heat it up a bit. Despite the size, her flames managed to heat up the surface long enough to lower herself enough for the hot water to cover her shoulder. “I also knew that if need be, we could spend the night.” Having anticipated this, Eliyinsa shook her head and came back with moss with mud in her mouth. She walked over to her mate and amply placed it on the wounded shoulder. “You know we can’t.” She said, almost in whisper. “We have to go back and while I know that what you did helped me, it would be best to tell the Torch and Dereian what we have learned.” A small sniff left her as she gently pressed her palm on the area and applied pressure. “I fear what would happen if we are too late to inform them or stall them.” A small growl left her, but not because of pain. “They wouldn’t dare hurt our son. He is innocent to his heritage and his past.” “Maybe,” The solemn answer came, her eyes briefly scattering more tears before blinking them away. “-but I know that they will want more from this. And… I don’t ever want to know what happens the day Spike asks us for the truth.” Both remained silent and it burned their hearts knowing that no matter how they try to keep the happiness in their family, something, someone… always tried to interfere. Spike has been a single focal point, a sort of nexus around not just themselves, but Torch, his mate and daughter and the ponies. The princess herself treated him like a scion even though he has neglected his role to try and live a normal life.  A normal life that they both wished they could provide but even that seemed like a dream. Both rested a bit more before taking off back home to hopefully deal with the upcoming fallout.     By the sun’s dusk, they arrived but they spared no expense on going straight home. This issue needed to be resolved fast and with little room to create a single problem for their son. Eliyinsa went straight to Torch while Zynthia sought out Dereian, to set up a council at their home. It was big enough to house them all and more.     Dereian was the easiest to fetch but no less pleasing to recover. He had no wings, so to see a running giant dragon would cause a commotion at night. Eliyinsa felt dread when it came down to her task to receive Torch. She knew that if anything… perhaps Saphira joining them would help them out.     Upon landing on the cave top, she waited outside and spoke with much quake in her voice, trying to mask it with firmness. “E-Elder T-Torch? Elder S-Saphira.” She swallowed, hearing her echo bounce to the cave.      A soft murmuring was heard. “Eliyinsa?” Called out Torch from deep within. “Aren’t you supposed to be in Equestria with our young ones?”     She shook, shivering from the dread and cold that was about to be haved. “I-I… we came back due to a deeply concerning discovery and it has become-” She shuddered as she wanted to stop but forced herself to continue. “-i-it has become apparent that this issue requires us to have an emergency council.”     More mumbling followed by a half growl. “Can it not wait in the morning? Me and my mate are about to sle-”     “It cannot wait!” She half yelled, shaking more and a sudden chill flowing down her spine. “The issue involves Spike and his past.” She shook her head and faced down. “And… what we must discuss might get him in trouble.” Silence greeted her and she knew that there might have been a soft debate whether to hold it off until tomorrow.     She pushed it as much as her heart dared. “A… an exile might be responsible for the birth of Spike.”      Absolute silence. Despite the area being a slow and active heated volcano, the dreaded chill surrounded her in a way that she couldn’t remember the last time she had faced something like it.     Perhaps at the same time she had to deal with this issue years ago.     The stomping that came within was heavy and despite being deep within, it was still loud enough that it caused a quake of fear to increase as he approached. Even sharing the same status as Elder title as him, she still feared Torch for his anger and quivering form as he exited the cave.     His eyes burning with anger were the first to come through the cave, followed by his gargantuan size, easily towering over her. Again, same status, but more temprementual.      As he approached, he was filled with such a state of anger, she would hope that whatever he planned to say or do, would be quelled with Saphira nearby.     “Say that again, Elder Eliyinsa,” He growled, more so in low volume so as not to disturb his mate.     Shakily, she tried to meet his eyes and weakly spoke. “I-I believe that… we have knowledge on ou-” A pause with a small gulp. “-Spike’s egg.” She paused and lowered her head. “-And who is responsible for it.”     Torch remained stoic, though the glare was so intense, it seemed as though any minute now, he was going to unleash it. However, he kept his voice low and lowered his head. “And… you believe that… an exile birthed him?” Much hesitation but a shaky nod.     Torch studied her and saw her quaking form. She was scared of him, but also… she was scared for Spike and the implications of what may arise upon her tale to tell on his origins. He knew that she loved him with much heart, same with her mate, but the fear was warranted and no doubt a troubling one. He had dealt with something like this before but the sheer dread of it rippled from her body, told him this was something more.     He took in a deep inhale, trying to steady his nerves and his mind, before exhaling and blowing a steamy breath away from her. “So… then, Eliyinsa.” He began steadily. “This counsel that you request is meant only for you to explain the birth of Spike from an exile.” He has dealt with and created exiles before, so any number of them could have had hatchlings. “What makes you think this requires us to speak?”     The quaking of her body continued and she refused to meet his eyes but she briefly glanced up and remained eyes down. “It would be best if… Dereian and one of his mates to join and…” She looked towards the cave. “-and for yours to join as well.” Finally their eyes met and he saw now more than ever, they were filled with much more than just fear of him.  Pain. Remorse. Rage. The list went and this was just the eyes. Her body looked ready to spew out so much more and he knew that this was not going to end with a well thought of sleep. The fact that she asked for Saphira to join him meant way more than it should.  “She cannot leave yet-” He said bitterly. “She needs to recover and-” “I can do well, my love.” Came Saphira’s voice behind. Both Elders saw the sapphire dragoness slowly coming from the dark of the cave and into the moonlight. Torch’s attitude changed quickly to worry. “Saphira, you have yet to fully recover.” He recalled in a firm tone. She gave him an all warm smile. “And I know that whatever it is that needs to be said, you require me.” She then looked at Eliyinsa. “Elder Eliyinsa.” She gave a small bow. “It’s been a while since we have spoken.” A flutter went to her heart, briefly dissipating her feelings. “Y-Yes it has… been Elder Saphira.” She truly was as beautiful as the day prior to her sleep and despite being mated with Zynthia, both had agreed that Saphira’s beauty enchants both of them.  The dragoness gave a warm smile. “I have not used that title since before Ember’s birth but I am glad that you still acknowledge me as one.” A small pause then her smile dropped. “But now I believe there is a great matter to discuss.” She looked up at Torch. “One that requires me to accompany my mate to aid him.” Torch grumbled and knew that there was no way to disway Saphira from joining him. He turned back to Eliyinsa. “Then… let us meet at the pit-” “No.” Eliyinsa answered swiftly, earning a raised eyebrow from both the Elders. “We meet at our cave and it must be kept between us.” This only confirmed that this meant real problems were about to begin tonight. With the aid of Eliyinsa, Torch was able to descend down the mountain with a glide as he carried his mate on the slope of the mountain. In a way, this was a small blessing for Saphira, Torch and maybe Ember and knowing that they wouldn’t have to return to their future burial soon. Then they half walked, half carried Saphira to their destination. She was ambled towards the destination without help though she did push past her aches to get them there faster. Once they reached the larger cave, they were greeted at the entrance by Zynthia, who gave a small bow to both Torch and Saphira. “Elders.” She issued with as much evenness as possible.   Saphira gave a small bow back unlike her mate. “Elder Zynthia.” Once greeted, both entered their home where two other dragons waited. Dereian and his mate, Aluminus. He was shorter than the other dragon but still taller than Eliyinsa himself. A much contrast color then his mate, as Dereian was a dark forest green and ashy gray underbelly, while Aluminus was a silver, almost chrome like sheen to him that blended with a slight undertone of on his spines and fins of white. He lacked wings like his mate and he was less bulkier than him, being one of his three mates. Much like Spike, he was the only Elder here that had a hoard with two females and a male.  Gathering around, each Elder greeted one another before gathering in center and forming a tight circle. It was Dereian who spoke, left a bit out of loop as well as his mate. “So my fellow Elders,” He asked with a bit of snark, only to be slightly nipped by his mate at the chaste. “-hrrr… what is so important that it requires an emergency council right before our sleep?” Zynthia and Eliyinsa looked at one another trying to gauge their emotions and their stories together. A silent conversation happened, before Eliyinsa moved towards the center.  “To start,” She began, gathering her wits and trying to steady her nerves. “-the topic that has come up to question and for the council involves our… adopted son, Spike.” A shaky pause followed by, “-And the possible explanation of his birth from an exile.” The other elders blink as did their mates at the news but there was more trouble beginning to brew. She sniffed and managed to meet them all at eye level. “This exile was responsible for not only birthing Spike, but abandoning him to the Princesses of Equestria.” A harsh and almost unsettling rumble of feelings vibrated through each male, but the worst was to come from Torch as he realized who they may be speaking of and how this was an incident thought isolated, decades back. With a growl, Torch demanded. “Explain.”          With much fear, Eliyinsa and Zynthia told their tale.     For the next twenty minutes, they told the elders of what had happened when they left for Equestria. Their arrival, the near clash between them and the Princess(Eliyinsa admitting fault) but also came the sudden revelation that Princess had encountered a dragon two decades prior. The dragon in description, being a black scaled one, much like Eliyinsa.     Immediately both Dereian and Torch released short growls and roars of fury that vibrated the very grounds. They wanted to get up and roar at the skies at the reveal and tear apart those who were involved. It was that reason why Saphira and Aluminus had been asked to join, to quell their mates, despite their own emotions flaring as well.      Saphira pressed herself against Torch and wrapped her wing around him, trying to hold him from lashing out. Aluminus had quickly pushed himself under his larger mate, pushing himself in between his front legs and coiling his tail around their arms. It was more of a way to have something to wrap and hold, then to him to growl and stomp on.     Zynthia was prepared to hold off both males in case they wished to attack her or her mate, but that was a worst case had they not brought their mates. Eliyinsa was more or less terrified… but not for their sakes.     After minutes of endless swaying and trying to keep their mates tranquil, did Torch and Dereian finally calmed long enough for Torch to speak harshly and with much venom in his voice. “And all of this pain, all of this suffering. Not just for us, both for the young who suffered.” A clear mention to Spike and Ember. “Once more, we have to deal with exiles,” He growled with much anger at the name. “-but especially that one!” His focus then loomed on Eliyinsa who had remained head lowered but fearful eyes on Torch. “And now I assume that you wanted us so that you could defend the exile?!”     “Torch,” Saphira tried coaxing him by pressing herself against him. “She is not defending the exiles, she is defending her son.”     The larger dragon was taken out of his enraged state, remembering what was established almost a year ago. A brief relapse that they had adopted him as well as by the Equestrians as well. He quelled his anger and refocused on the warmth and the comfort of his mate. Dereian had longed to be calmed with an arm wrapped under his barrel while the smaller drake brushed the underside of his chin. An effort proved not in vain as the Elders calmed down.     The cave filled with silence, other than the breathing and the sounds of shifting feet and twitching tails. Zynthia held her mate close and whispered comforting words to her, assuring her that the worst will not come…     “As you have now explained this all to us all,” Torch managed to break the silence, causing everyone to look up at him. His eyes remained unfocused on them but spoke to all. “Spike’s origins are… unfavorable,” Both mothers’ breathing hitched slightly.. “-that he was given to the Equestrians, was the best of a horrible situation, despite who it came from.” Two exhales. His eyes met their own. “And… you said that he refused to know of his past, even giving him the option to know?”     He received two nods, quelling him more and turned to Dereian. “What do you think, Elder Dereian?”     The larger green dragon had remained quiet through the whole ordeal, not speaking once. He had an unfocused stare, almost drifting into a hazy wonder that filled his head with many thoughts. When his name was called, he was brought back to his reality, briefly glancing at the three Elders before lowering his head to his mate. He quietly mumbled a small question to his mate, who gave an assuring answer back with a small lick of assurance to his maw. A deep exhale left him, focusing back on Torch. “If the young drake refused to learn of his past; of his heritage and being born by an exile, then he continues to remain innocent so we should let it be that his parentage be ambiguous. We will not retaliate on his past nor seek to disarm Spike’s future due to his heritage.” A great burden and fear lifted from the mothers, “That being said,” The mothers froze. “-his abilities are now in question, whether they are either a boon or another incident waiting to happen.” Eliyinsa defended and tried to dispute any fear. “Spike is not a threat! He wouldn’t harm or do anything-” “In his damaged state,” Torch recalled with a hint of annoyance, “He managed to grow beyond his greed-growth, repel your mental powers and throw us off.” She tried to interject or add reasoning but he cut her off. “-Even if he was on adrenaline; he tossed three, heavy elder dragons,” A ripple of questionable fear and anger circled. “-to the sides without slowing down and that  was not a feat any dragon in history has been able to do. That strength comes from abilities or some other form of gifts that I don’t want to witness again.” “And as you mentioned,” Dereian added, his tensity quelled by his mate beneath him. “-that you said he learned ‘fire breaking’ in a matter of days, rather than years or decades even the most adapted. Outside of a ‘naturally’ gifted or ‘enhanced’, no other dragon in history could manipulate their flames at such a young age. The prowess you told us he displayed, would put him on par with some dragons in a century of training.” Zynthia was quick to defend her son. “You shouldn’t hold his uncontrolled mistakes of the past to his future. He was raised by a loving and peaceful species that gave him love and support. He has no evil in his heart and would harm a soul!”  “And for that,” Torch agreed solemnly. “-we should be grateful but cautious. He is adapting fast with his abilities. Should his heart ever break, or his mind to snap again, who knows what his abilities could unleash.” He gave a low grumble. “In Equestria or here.” Silence once again filled the cave. It was more welcomed this time, for a problem had briefly passed and a resolution was found, but their issue remained.  “So what comes next?” Eliyinsa asked, her hope for her son’s safety somewhat renewed.  Torch pondered the question on the moment, his mind trying to find many answers amongst many more questions that needed answering. He half thought that with Spike’s issue dealt with, judging by the calm postures of his mothers, that this was their biggest concern. “With Spike’s nature still questionable, he should remain free of his origins and any guilt that may tie to it. But… the past remains in our present and perhaps in his future. What our next line of action is to learn of the possible whereabouts of the exiles and if they are in close proximity to harm those in Equestria or our young.” “Who's to say they want to harm them?” The scarlet elder asked. She gave a small toss of her head. “If this one gave up her egg to an Equestrian no less, perhaps she did so with the intent of not wanting to care for the hatchling, thereby having no need to harm them.” A growl left Torch. “An exile and an eggbreaker, a combination that is punishable by death!” The rumble that left the giant dragon vibrated to the ground once more but was quelled by a soft grasp of his tail by his mate. “Which now begs to question…” Eliyinsa met his eyes with her own, flashing intensity of frustration blended with curiosity.  “How did an exile lay an egg, when you forsaken her from ever finding a mate?” “And if she did so,” Continued Zynthia, pulling next to her mate. “Who is to say, that more have not been spawned. Spike is the first male to carry abilities in a millennium; What happens if there are more out there like him? We know not if they have plans for something vile but we were also unaware that this was a possibility that slipped past our view. What more slips by our very eyes now that we cannot see coming from those that have been banished?” An unsettling feeling lingered in the cave and for the first time since their arrival here, the Elders were lost and without a heading. The moral fabric of the lands has been quietly shaken and with the possible implications of a dangerous group of dragons outside of the Dragon Lord’s control, would perhaps send the lands into a state of disarray and even Equestria, if they were to target them. As the night drifted, no dragon returned home content or satisfied, especially to sleep. The mothers themselves were awake long into the night with worry. No longer they have to fear for their son’s stake here on the Dragon Lands, but now a new threat has risen and involved one of the most painful parts of their past. They never knew how much they were connected to Spike and more than ever, they were grateful to Wistala and Draco, that he didn’t ask for his past. It would be too painful and too heartbreaking to reveal to him that he was the son of a powerful and evil dragon the lands have been cursed with. One that had a chance of either wreaking havoc once more or seek him out and bring him under their control. The council would continue tomorrow with rest and with more though Come the next afternoon, they all met up once more after a restless night for them all. Eliyinsa brought them back to handle one final riddle that plagued them. “Is she still alive?” Her question was brought forth. The four elders, including her mate, gazed at her with the same question but through each variation of moods.  Torch gave a huff as he missed breakfast but held onto her question. “Even if she was, what would it matter?” Eliyinsa gave him a look. A look of pure determination, aggression and most of all, desperation. She wanted to know for sure against all odds. “If you can remove my binds, if temporary, I can expand all of my power to find her.” Each elder looked at one another, thinking the same thing but for different reasons. Dereian cocked his head. “If you believe that in anyway you could possibly find her-” “Dead or alive, I will know!” She growled. “The last impression was enough to know that even after all these years, I know I can still connect.” She then looked at Torch. “You bound me to keep me under control and I know it was beneficial for us, but if she has never been bound, then her powers would be loud enough for me to find her. The last known of her location was Equestria two decades ago. She may have left an imprint there along with…” She softened. “-with Spike.” Her eyes flashed purple. “I could use him as a sort of point and go from there.” Torch was troubled by this; his scales itched with something he couldn’t scratch and despite Saphira by his side, this taxing path had no clear outcome for either of them. A small grumble left him. “And… what if she finds out that you are-” “I hope she does!” She growled once more. “She left her only egg to the ponies and as far as we all know, she is a dead dragon to us anyway! If she is alive, we will find her and-” “Kill her?” Saphira asked, cutting her off. She was never one for violence or bloodshed. Not even after the many times she was told of her father who destroyed a pony village in search for her lost sibling. Not even when she was old enough to hunt prey with deadly procesion. And not even when dragon hunters were almost upon her a time ago. Her eyes saddened and it lingered over Eliyinsa. “I know that you ache in your heart, Elder Eliyinsa but to kill her would no ease the burden of what she has done.” Her eyes met each elder in the room. “Despite the rage and anger we all share for her, ending her will not end this pain. Rather, this will fuel our desire to find another exile and end them as well.” She shook her head and refocused on Eliyinsa. Her deep blue eyes calmed the black dragoness enough. “I don’t say that she goes unpunished, but perhaps binding her and holding her here or… perhaps if Equestria is welling, to keep her in our watch. We should not shed blood if we know that we lose ourselves in that hate.” An uneasy silence filled the cave and while it was not a plan either of them liked, it was an alternative. Derain clicked his tongue. “For now, find out if she is alive.” His voice cut through them all quickly, surprising Torch, speaking his mind before the larger dragon did. “If she is alive, we will send dragons to find her, seekers if possible. If she is not, then we bear no burden no more and leave her to her grave.” “Agreed,” Torch agreed slowly. “Though I beg that you leave those here that are gifted or enhanced out of it.” “Are there others that you have not spoken of?” A sharp bite in tone from Zynthia. “While I trust that everything we have done together since we became council has been established, it's best we are made aware of any more exiles that may be gifted or enhanced.” Despite being a Successor prior to his rule, Zynthia knew few of his secrets and beyond anything outside of their ruling.  Torch gave a small snarl. “I take offense that you would think that-” “-just answer her!” Saphira snapped. This silenced him greatly, even to a bit of shock and worry. His eyes saw sadness consuming her. “There is no reason to hide anything else! If there are others, we should find them as well. Again, we do not know if they have courted with other dragons, and if she had Spike, despite your law that forbade her to find a mate, then what of the others did the same?” “She was the only one I forbid.” Torch responded evenly. He shook his head. “The others, their crimes didn’t warrant them to be barren.”  Eliyinsa gazed at Saphira’s claim, making this council more worrisome than before. She quickly remembered those that they exiled together and him by himself. “I only remember eight, including… her,” A low growl leaving her with such venom. “And of those eight, she was the only enhanced of those we have exiled.” Torch said nothing, as he bobbed his head in remembrance at each exile. Each one, he remembered due to their negligence or failure to adhere to their rules. Three males and five females. They could have copulated outside with one another but none of them had abilities. Though one did pop into mind.     “The ‘Ice Maker’.” He said out loud but to no one in particular. The others thought on it, with Zynthia slowly raising a brow.      “Ice Maker?” She repeated. “The one who couldn’t even live within our lands due to her abilities?”     Torch bobbed his head up and down. “While she was exiled, it was more of a self exile,” His eyes focused on Zynthia. “Prior to your betrothed to your consort,” His eyes briefly glanced at Eliyinsa then back. “Before her, we had her exiled mainly due to the danger she possessed to herself and others. Her exile, we gave her, was to save her life, but nothing that would warrant any threat.” Derain leaned in. “Then why bring her up?” He waved his claw in the air as if it was a pointless topic to bring up. “If she was no threat, outside of herself and those around; I am to believe she could not control her abilities and hence her self expulsion from the lands?” Both Zynthia and Torch nodded. “Not only that, but while she had no mental abilities, she was known to have a strong mind and her control of her cold and ice allowed her to avoid detection.” Suddenly, a sharp focus came to Eliyinsa, having not been there to witness the exile’s absence but also not knowing of her existence. “She was exiled after you took the mantle,” She motioned her head towards Torch. “However, my abilities had been growing unsteady and I was able to know of every dragon in the lands, including those outside. Expect… her.” Her eyes went wide as did the others at realization. “If she could hide from me, even when we were close and I knew not of her before and after her banishment-” Torch gave a small growl of both annoyance and defeat at the conclusion. “Then… the exile, who is Spike’s mother, may have gone into hiding, possibly looking for her to shield herself from your view.” His eyes full of fire beamed to Eliyinsa but not of rage. “She would have long since found her and maybe vanished to a part of the region of the world where we, as warmbloods, would not survive.” Eliyinsa cursed to herself, angry that before her search could begin, it was already halted. Still, this would not deter her. She flared her nostrils and gave him a firm stare. “I still want to try!” Her binds glowed. “I want to know for sure, even if it hurts, I need to know.” Torch stared at her, trying to process her thinking. This was no act of impulse or rationalized thinking. This was a mother trying to find answers and hoping to stop a possible threat that may be imminent or… a burden excused. He also knew that this had dragged on far longer than any of the dragons in the room wanted it to go on. Perhaps if she learned anything, it would help them out. There were setbacks and of course, danger when doing this.     “If you were to lose control again?” He brought up the question, his words rippling their bodies, echoing his concern and his possible wrath at failure. Her smaller stature made her lock eyes up at him. Determination, focus, vigilant and undeterred from the mission before, she evenly replied to him, “I now have a mate to hold on to, a son that I need to protect and… friends to keep me from becoming like her.” Elder met Elder and from her heart, he listened. Her mate to keep her strong, their son to loyally and lovingly protect, and to be surrounded by those, who amassed in unison to protect and secure the Dragon Lands, from any threat. But amongst that, to be faithful and caring to one another, no matter the odds. That is what he saw. With a firm nod, he looked up to Dereain. He too gave a nod and both males turned to Zynthia. No hesitation. A nod as well. “So be it. Use those to stay with us.” Without another word, both Dereain and Torch approached her tail where the two metallic ring binds were held. The reason two were needed was because it took two powerful claws to crack the seal at the same time. No single dragon could do both, even the wearer of them could touch them. Lifting her tail to them, both males grabbed each band with both claws and placed their thumb claws right in the middle where a barely visible line in the middle could be seen. Torch met Derain’s gaze. “On three?” A nod. “One, two… three.” A sharp snap and both rings opened hard, the crack of the binds opening echoed the cave.   The two pulled back the binds and allowed them to clang onto the cave floor. Eliyinsa gave a small exhale, her tail feeling lighter and more flexible than before. She didn’t need to look at her tail, knowing that permanent ring markers had been shaped and embedded on her tail scales. That and no one, not even her mate, dared make a remark on the deformation that they would leave. As soon as they pulled the rings further away, she closed her eyes. Her body first went rigid, still and unmoving. Her breathing gone, her heart stopping and all but her mind reacting. Then… Her eyes snapped open and powerful beams of violet purple radiated from them. Her whole body began to glow with the same color and she poured everything into her focus. She opened her mind, pushing her powers beyond normal, stretching to limits beyond her braces. The world came to focus, hundreds of minds were to her calling or view, open like a scroll and without blockages. She searched the dragons here, out of instinct and on a focus of those gifted.  15 gifted or enhanced here near their home with two possible new ones that  have yet taken their first breath of their lives and unknown future burdens. These gifted flashed a pinkish hue for her while everything else was whie. She ignored them to spread across the area then pushed further out past the Dragon Lands, heading north hundreds of miles beyond. Her first stop… her son, who she could clearly see as if he was standing right before her, enjoying his time with his hoard in the pony village. She briefly tapped into his mind, knowing he would feel this. ‘Forgive me, son.’ She said out loud, the others hearing it but not interrupting her progress. After a brief moment and acceptance from him, she saw a small leyline from him that connected to the mountain nearby. Up here was where the castle of the Alicorn Princesses was located, heading there immediately.  She met Celestia and Luna and just like with Spike, she paused at them. Both alicorns instantly detected her presence. At first, a retaliation was their first action but… she reached out in plea and passage as a focal point. When they realized what was being asked, both gave a small, sad nod and gave her a small boost. She briefly dropped into their minds a message.  ‘We will speak once more soon, with those who were involved. Please, join us when the time comes to discuss his origins and the future that is to come.’ Both alicorns mentally accepted. Then they lit their horns up and boosted her frequency to search further up.  ‘I hope this eases your burden,’ Celestia gave her a small mental message. ‘And I hope that we will secure his future properly.’ Eliyinsa agreed and pushed on. Hundreds of miles of searching, no other dragons. None. Wild or intelligent. Other parts of the land checked; nothing but the ones located in a city. A few gifted but none that were remotely what she sought or even dangerous. Her mind continued to scan the lands, not just in Equestria but beyond that. To the North, where green turned to white, where warmth became cold and where life became scarce. As she searched, her powers flourished as she focused with vigorous intent. Her heart beat like a thunderstorm, seeking the one at fault who had caused pain before; the awakened elder bellowed out with a great roar, she scoured the lands looking for the exile. “WHERE ARE YOU??!!” Mean while In Ponyville...