//------------------------------// // A Whole New World // Story: The Flame Prince // by Schlat //------------------------------// Fires crackled and wood popped about the small camp we had constructed. Most of the legion were either resting, making small talk, or cooking small animals we had caught earlier in the day. Along with a group of crossbowmares practicing shooting in a makeshift range. Meanwhile along the outskirts a few soldiers were finishing putting up spike posts around the camp’s perimeter. I was sat alone upon a small rock looking over what I had cobbled together throughout the day for my speech I had promised to give. Suffice to say I liked what I had, even though I knew it wasn’t perfected yet. But if I were to just use it just as a basis point to go off of I would probably do okay… hopefully. “Prince Flameheart”. “Gah!” Whipping around I found myself nearly pressing my saber against private Star Fire’s throat. “Oh, uh sorry… sorry Star Fire, what is it?” I asked, wanting to change the subject as fast as possible. “Heh, I am just here to inform you that the outer fortifications have been completed your highness” she answered. “That and to tell you that if you want to give that speech you promised us then now is your best opportunity before the first night patrols are sent out” she added. “Right, thank you. Tell your superior I’ll be over momentarily” I replied. “Understood my prince” she replied, saluted, and trotted off. ”Well then, looks like what I have is going to have to do” I thought. Skimming over my rough draft I slowly walked over to my chosen spot. It had me standing on a small rock overlooking a small clearing between the tents, fire pits, and other pieces of equipment we had brought with us. Ponies stood all around me, patiently waiting for me to start speaking. “Guardsmares of the fourth legion, what I am about to say is long overdue. However it is necessary nonetheless”. “Over the past few days and nights we have been marching together towards the Equestrian Hinterland in order to retrieve five objects. That much you all have been made aware of”. “However I have foundered in my duty as a Royal and as a commander by not fully informing you about the danger this mission poses, and I hope to rectify that now”. “The artifacts that I have alluded to are called the Elements Of Harmony, and they are widely considered by historians to be some of if not the most powerful objects in history. “Nopony knows where or why they were made but I have a suspicion that it was either commissioned or constructed by Celestia to combat the ”Lord Of Chaos himself, Discord. Seeing as he was defeated by them”. “Regardless we are going to retrieve them in my mother’s name. The reason being is that after more than an entire millennium we are preparing to take our revenge upon Equestria”. At that several brows raised and eyes widened. “That and… we believe that there is another threat out there. That plans are in the works against our nation. Plans that could set off a war the likes of which haven’t been seen on such a scale since the Great Fire Wars themselves, and so we need to be prepared for that”. “So when we set out tomorrow remember who you’re fighting for. For you’re friends and families, and for all those that sacrificed themselves to protect you when you were but foals. Remember that tomorrow” I finished. The guards looked speechless. One even had her mouth slightly open. All was silent until one raised her hoof and at my nod spoke. “Prince Flameheart, what is this second threat you spoke of?” she asked. ”Great, how much of this do I tell them”. “Th-there is a third alicorn. She is pure black save her turquoise slitted eyes, and she is known as Nightmare Moon. Otherwise known as the corrupted Princess Luna” I replied. Now several terrified eyes stared back at me. We had all heard the stories of Princess (more like ‘butcher’) Luna when she fought against us so long ago. Most of them were about how masterful of a warrior she was, even when compared to her sister. With words like, slaughter, demon, and bitch being quite commonplace. “However, we have time” I conciliated. “We do not know when but we should at least have at minimum two weeks before she arrives” I added. Though it did practically nothing to alleviate the tension in the air, and the silence was only broken when a guard raised her hoof. At my nod she spoke. “Prince Flameheart, with all due respect how do you know this?” she asked. “She contacted me, I suppose a few nights ago in my dream. She said a few weird things but more or less threatened me and said what I told you just now” I replied. A few eyebrows raised at that. “Regardless I and the rest of the monarchy along with the triumvirate believe that she will come for us eventually, and that the elements are key to stopping her” I added. A few more questions were exchanged but one by one the guards began to disperse. Though I remained until every guard’s question was answered. “Do you think we’re honestly ready for a war with Equestria my prince?”. “…Yes, I believe we are. We may not have as many soldiers but that hasn’t stopped us from winning battles before. We probably have the most elite soldiers in the world, while Equestria only has a volunteer guard force, and therefore as long as we play our cards right we should be able to defeat them” I replied. The guard, satisfied with my explanation thanked me and we both retired for the night. The walk back to my tent thankfully went uninterrupted and as always I nodded to the guard outside my tent before I slipped inside. What greeted me was a messy collapsible table strewn about with parchment, paper, and a few other assorted items. Completed by a small fold up chair pushed in beneath it. A small bed had been set up against the back left corner where my bag lay against it. As much as I wanted to just dive into that bed and fall asleep for the night there was still work to be done. As such I grabbed the communication crystal from my bag and sat down at the table. I tapped it and a swirling image began to be displayed upon its surface. This continued for about two minutes before it changed to reveal my mother’s chambers, along with the mare herself. “Good evening Flameheart” she said. “You as well mother. How was your day?” I asked. “Dull… yours?”. “Informative” I replied. “Also we should arrive in Equestria proper tomorrow morning” I said as I switched topics. Not wanting to mentally linger on my most recent failure. “Good”. “How are things in Ashen?” I asked. “The same as usual. Though you’re absence here has surprised many a pony”. “Not surprising given how active I was in just about everything”. “Indeed”. We continued talking for about half an hour before we decided to call it quits for the night and shut off our respective crystals. I then attempted to get some sleep without any more Nightmare Moon sponsored dreams plaguing my subconscious. My efforts were in vain. “So that’s it then?” Asteria asked. “Indeed” I replied. “The Everfree Forest. I never thought I would ever see this place” she said. We were overlooking a small cliff at the infamous magical forest residing about two kilometers east from us, along with a small town to our northeast. “You’ve heard of this place before?” I asked. The Everfree Forest was a place as magical as it was dangerous. Ranging from dangerous fauna to creatures that could outright take on a Deathworm, probably. “I come from a long line of noblemares that go back centuries, before Nightmare Moon herself. My ancestors once served as guards at ”The Castle Of The Two Sisters”, and we’re there at the beginning of the Equestrian Civil War” she replied. “I see… but I thought that - That it was once called the Everfree Plains” she cut me off. “Yes, it once was called that. But once Celestia banished her sister and ended the civil war… something went wrong. Either they casted some weird spells during their fight or the Nightmare attempted one last desperate attack against the Solar Tyrant and attempted to modify her spell” she added. “Wouldn’t that be at a great risk to both ponies?” I asked. Asteria shuddered. “More than you think my prince. Any spell being subjected to foreign interference while being casted can lead to… severe consequences…” she trailed off. “Let’s just say that if that was the case then Equestria got damn lucky that an uncontrollable magical forest was the worst that came about from that fight” she paused and her expression changed to apologetic. “My apologies my prince, I didn’t mean to swear” I smiled. “Ha, no worries commander, I could care less of a few words to be frank” I replied. “Right, thank you your highness” she replied. “Of course, now then” I pointed at a small map laid out on a traditional picnic blanket under us. I had also used the Changeling necklace to modify my appearance to a regular pony, a Pegasus. As while a Flame Pony could control the intensity and to a degree the shape of the flame around them we could not stop it completely. Thus for secrecy's sake using the Changeling necklace to alter my appearance was a must, and with Calla already being a regular pony we now just looked like a young couple having a picnic to any would be passerby's. “Assuming this old map is correct the only nearby town is this Ponyville settlement, correct?” I asked. “Yes sir, all the scouts have reported this to be correct”. “Good, how far is it from the castle?”. “A fair distance, a kilometer and a half at minimum, two at most. It would probably take a half hour at least to get to it from Ponyville” Asteria replied. “Right then- oh shit”. “Sir... what’s wrong?” Calla asked. “Calla… do you think that the average Equestrian citizen has a gilded carriage?” I asked. “No… why do you, oh buck” she realized. Sure enough flying just above us a golden chariot pulled by two golden armored guardsponies flew overhead, heading for the small town. They had definitely seen us. The only thing in question was if they cared enough to ask why two ponies would be having a picnic this far away from civilization. “Should we be worried about that?” I asked. “I don’t think so, but I’ll assign two scouts to make certain of it. But I don’t see why they would think anything abnormal, seeing as they don’t really have a reason too” Calla replied. “Very well, but I want to be apart of that little excursion” I replied. “Very well your highness. Just be careful please” she asked. “Of course commander, when am I not careful” I grinned. Calla met my grin with a blank stare, then shook her head. “One, I can name three separate occasions of the top of my head. Two, those are just the little stunts I have witnessed, and three, I can name a fourth stunt that happened this month” she replied.