//------------------------------// // Chapter 97 - Burned Past // Story: Quest For Harmony // by destinedjagold //------------------------------// Faint sparks of fire echoed around a small cavern on the base of the mountain. Around its warmth lies four sleeping figures, their bodies rising and falling peacefully and...not so quietly. Scootaloo was lying on her back. One of her hind legs twitched as she snored, slightly drooling from her open mouth. Unknowingly competing with her was Spike, who too, was lying on his back, snoring and drooling. Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom, on the other hand, were sleeping peacefully, their heads resting on their saddlebags, and made use of their capes as a temporary blanket to warm their bodies. Outside, the snowstorm turned into a violent blizzard not too long ago, which forced the four young souls to take shelter, until they have all agreed to rest after taking a few bites of food. Spike and the Cutie Mark Crusaders awoke a few hours after the blizzard was over. The four were now walking on a plain white desert of snow. Their ground was covered by thick layers of snow, and each of their steps would let them sink for about a foot or more. After Spike and the others rescued Sweetie Belle, who was unlucky enough to sink under seven feet, they have all decided to make use of Spike's dragon fire. As a dragon, Spike is able to breathe out red fumes of flames like other dragons, which could melt the snow that blocked their path. And, as a magical dragon, Spike has access to the green magic flames, wherein he was trained to use it to deliver letters, and to create a lance, with the help of Sweetie Belle's teachings. However, both types of fire could wore a dragon out if used frequently, like what they are doing now. After almost half an hour of walking on warm yet damp soil, surrounded by tall walls of snow, Spike, who's leading the way, took a deep yet tired breath, and breathed out thick black smoke which caused him to go into a coughing fit. The three mares weren't blind to notice how tired the baby dragon was while clearing thick and tall walls of snow that blocked their path on the way to their destination. They let the dragon rest on Apple Bloom's back after Spike recovered from his coughing fit. They were all thankful that the weather was snowing ever so gently, else, they'd be in trouble. Realizing the calm weather, Apple Bloom blinked and looked over her shoulder while Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle examined the white wall of snow in front of them. The young earth pony mare wondered if the pegasi could fly by, now that the weather is fine. Her hopes were blown like a candle fire under a violent storm however, after she took notice of how gloomy the clouds were over the mountains. She could barely see the tall mountains from the fog and strength of the blizzard going on in the area. Finally figuring out of a way, Sweetie Belle asked Scootaloo to join Apple Bloom as the young unicorn mare concentrated her mana energy in and around herself, summoning them to her glowing horn. Suddenly, a loud rattling noise boomed in the area as a bright white flash temporarily blinded everyone which lasted for merely a second. A powerful lightning bolt struck the wall of snow in front of them from the unicorn's glowing horn. However, the wall only displayed a small black dent from the powerful impact. As the pegasus mare groaned from frustration, and the earth pony mare spoke a few words of encouragement, the unicorn mare thought back of her early years, where she was taught that lightning was a powerful and fierce version of fire. Rubbing her chin in thought, she wondered if she could achieve summoning fire if she casts a weaker energy from her horn? It's been far too long since she magically summoned fire however, yet she's determined to do so. Closing her eyes, she took a slow and deep breath to calm herself... “Fire,” a voice, tone and pitch forgotten in time, spoke in the darkness Sweetie Belle found herself standing on something. Turning her eyes down, she saw the ground was black, but slowly, from her hooves, the darkness was slowly turning into a grassy ground. “Fire is a powerful element,” the voice spoke once again, making the filly return her eyes ahead of her, staring at the darkness above the grassy ground rolling to the horizon. From the corner of her eyes, she noticed a few more young ponies of her age were appearing, standing in line, facing the same direction she was facing. “Do you want to know why it's such a powerful element?” A few meters in front of her stood a dark-blue unicorn stallion who appeared out of nowhere. His fierce gaze stared at each ponies who were desperately forcing themselves not to shiver. His gaze were on Sweetie Belle for a mere moment, but it felt like a cold and cruel hour to the young filly, who barely managed to hold her involuntary shiver. Thankfully, Starfall failed to notice this. With a flashing of his horn, he summoned a blazing fire from the back of the group, immediately running around them until a tall towering fire has cornered the trembling young ponies. “Fire creates fear,” he spoke, “and those who are weak are easily eaten by the fear this element creates.” Ponies began to walk back, but stopped after realizing that they got nowhere to run. Soon, with trembling hooves, they gathered into a small circle, fighting back their tears as they stared helplessly at the flames that somehow grew closer to them. Starfall smirked wickedly, and Sweetie Belle saw this. “Those who can master fire, will master fear. And those who will master fear, will master victory in battle.” Somehow, the flames grew taller, more fierce, and the air became too hot for a normal young pony to bear. Sweetie Belle sweated, and so were the rest of the other ponies with her. “Master the fire!” shouted Starfall. “Control it if you want to save yourselves!” A few ponies, out of fear, flared their horns, trying to control the approaching fire, but none of them achieved such goal. Not even Sweetie Belle, who already had her tears rolling down from her closed eyes. She wasn't able to control it. None of them did. “AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!” ...and exhaled as she slowly opened her eyes. Collecting a small amount of mana, she releases it, summoning a deep red fumes of fire, melting down a large chunk of the wall of snow. The wave of fire continued floating for nearly eight meters before it thinned out and faded. Behind her, her friends cheered for a good work that she has made. She tried her best to use their cheers to drown her frustration inside her heart. Turning around, she flashed them a gentle smile.