Arrived at Canterlot, midday when the sun's shine brighten everything around, it was almost breathtaking,
"I can't believe I'm actually here." wondering the streets, taking in all the sites. I enjoyed the gardens that where seen here and there, I visited one of the shops where gems were sold, there where so many; common rubies, rare sapphires, even gems found from the outer regions. The owner of the shop seemed to be annoyed of my presence in his shop until purchasing his rarest gems and bringing a smile to his face. Joy flowed through me for every step I took, looking up at the castle I felt I would burst, checking my satchel ensuring I have the box
"I should get going, I don't want to be late." Others stopped and stared at the very strange stallion heading towards the castle in a run.
The gates leading into the grounds were magnificent in the sun, could only imagine how they would look in the moonlight. There many ponies in lines registering to becoming guards. As I try to enter through the gates I am stopped by one of the guards
"And where do you think you're going?"
"I'm delivering a necklace to the princesses." stating proudly.
"Well you are going to have to go through inspection. Head towards the center tent near the fountain." points in the general direction.
"All right, thanks for the directions."
All around ponies doing drills to show off their talents and physique in multiple areas for different types of race. Earth ponies running laps with sacks of sand, long jumps, spear training, Unicorns casting many spells of defense, attack, or healing, and Pegasi bobbing and weaving around in the air.
Wonder which are I would be placed in?
Reaching the tent the first thing to stand apart from the rest was all the scrolls of parchment covering the tables, upon entering the tent it wasn't much different from what it looked outside, crowded with multiple tables and yet it seemed bigger than the tent I have, without the organization. From the back an old colt appears from out of a pile of scrolls
"Yes? What do you want?"
Grumpy one isn't he, "I was told to come here for inspection of my delivery."
"What is it that you are delivering?"
Clearing space on a table I place the wooden box in front of him and reveal the necklace to him. His face changed it looked almost in a trance as he stared at the ruby, he begins to extend his hoof towards it, *slam*
"You cannot touch the necklace, it is for Princess Luna." closing the lid of the box and pulling it back towards me, he gives a stern look
"Very well then you can deliver it to her when they have finished the recruiting. In the mean while you can here." Placing the box back into the satchel as I wait outside and watch the others as they do their drills.
"Luna. Sister where are you? Come out, we need to be at the grounds to recruit those individuals to become guards. Luna!" Celestia checks in the northern library, searching all around the room before leaving.
Peeping out between the books making sure that she is gone, I crawl out from my little secret hiding place behind the astrology books. Finally I thought she would never leave. Heading up to the second landing's large window I stare out into the grounds. Everypony out there running, jumping, or flying around;
Why do I need to be there? Can't she do this on her own? resting my head on the window still I continued staring out at the tents. Scanning the area, most tents all looked the same, until I looked upon one particular tent near the fountain, there stood a lone stallion also looking at the others.
Wonder who that could be, he seems a little different from the rest. he reaches into his bag and pulls out what look like to be very beautiful gems, he stares at them for a few seconds before finally choosing one, and takes a bite out of it. I move closer to the window in shock and interest, I couldn't believe what I saw a stallion to actually eat a gem. Distracted I didn't hear the hoofsteps coming up the stairs and suddenly I was turned around facing my sister,
"I finally found you. Come, we are needed on the grounds."
"Do I have to go?"
"Yes and don't fret I got a small present after we finish."
***
In one of the chambers found within the castle there was a lot of noise and flashes of light from within. Stargazer and his assistant were setting up to test his theory, his assistant making sure everything was ready began to worry something might go wrong. Stargazer notices his assistant's doubt,
"Don't worry my boy, everything will work out fine." Spark Runner gives a small weary smile, hiding his worries behind it. In the center of the room lay two objects needed for the experiment; a large emerald crystal and a Spiked-scaled dragon, considered to be very dangerous if provoked or caught near its treasure. As everything is set Stargazer stands just meters away from the center, standing between two pillars to act as arc projectors.
"Today we shall see what the famous dragon researcher didn't learn."
as he closes his eyes a pulse of light begins to emit from his horn. The two pillars start to react from the light, Spark stares at attention at the effects as two beams of energy connect with the dragon and crystal. At first nothing seem to be happening, Stargazer feeling annoyed increases the magic into the pillars. The crystal starts to glow a bright green and seemed to be hovering just off the floor, the dragon begins to tremble and its eyes begin to open as they stare at Stargazer. Spark starts to feel something in the air, something disturbing, then he notices the eyes of the dragon; they seem to be empty of pupils, at this he searches through the book to find a reason for this. Turning pages he arrives to the information on the dragon, his eyes widen,
"Professor, wait! You're only enraging the dragon."
"Nonsense he is well under control in his chains. Now let me concentrate."
as he continues the dragon begins to thrash around in its chains, barely restraining it as his rage increases.
"The chains won't hold!"
"Just need a few more seconds."
the light begins to pulse brighter and faster, the crystal vibrates like mad, and the dragon gives one final pull, freeing itself from its chains. The release of the dragon causes the beam of energy to reflect back at Stargazer throwing him across the room, slamming him against the wall knocking him unconscious, the dragon gives out an ear deafening roar, shaking the very walls. Spark stands still in fear looking up at the dragon as it grabs the crystal and exits the room leaving destruction behind. Snapping out of it, Spark runs up the stairs hopefully he'll be able to warn everybody before the dragon reached the grounds.
***
"Can we do this quickly? I really don't like to be in front of a crowd of strangers."
"These strangers are here wanting to become guards to protect their homes and to protect us. Just let me handle most of the talking."
opening the gate, we walk towards the edge of the small elevated balcony overlooking the entrance.
"Good evening mares and colts, today a lucky few of you will be recruited into the ranks of the royal guards. We shall beg-" she is cut short as the assistant from earlier burst out the dorr yelling
"Dragon!!"
just as one burst out the side of the castle and landing in the grounds.
"Luna get inside now!"
before I could head for the door debris blocks it off, leaving me here with my sister in the chaos.
"Sister it is blocked."
The dragon thrashes around as guards try to subdue it,
"Luna stay close to me."
moving under her wing for comfort, as chaos runs around the grounds, then suddenly from thin air a ball of green flames forms just a few yards away.
"Sister look." Celestia looks in the direction I'm pointing,
"What is that?"
As the flames disperse there stood a stallion with dragon wings...
-After hours have passed, everypony started to trot towards the entrance to the castle
"Finally, can't wait for this moment."
patting my satchel I joined the rest of the group. Excitedly waiting for them to make their appearance I picked up something, turning my ears I seem to hear a strange sort of droning noise, looking around there seemed nothing out of the ordinary, Strange, I have never felt a disturbance like this before. The doors open wide as two mares walk towards the railing, I shoved my way closer through the crowd, there stood Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, standing beautifully in the sun. Celestia begins to address the crowd, i don't pay much attention as I stare at Luna, in a sudden instance a young looking colt burst out the door screaming,
"Dragon!!"
Then one burst out the side of the castle, many begin to flee while some of the guards try to fend off the dragon, closely analyzing the dragon I learn that it is a fierce Spiked-scaled dragon from the dessert regions of Equestria. A loud crash shifts my attention to the castle entrance as I see Luna moves under sister's wing, at the sight of this anger begins to boil within me, knowing I'm the only one who knows most of this dragon that can subdue it, I envelope myself in flames...
-The stallion begins to build speed until he bolts into the air towards the dragon at unnatural speeds.
"Who is that?" following the stallion's movements wasn't something simple.
"I don't know but we have to get somewhere safe." turning to the assistant "Where did this dragon come from?" she asked in anger
the young colt responded nervously "We had it...brought here."
"You did what?!" he falls to the floor
'I'm sorry, but it wasn't my fault I tried to warn Stargazer." the dragon lets out a storm of fire as it tries to take down the stallion attacking him,
"I don't care who's at fault, try to find a way to stop that dragon." I've never seen her this angry before, the assistant jumps down and heads towards the dragon.
Heart pulsing, the intense heat from the dragon's fire, dodging and weaving isn't doing me much help, and somehow the the dragon is showing no signs of fatigue. Something is wrong here, this isn't normal, dashing up avoiding the dragon's tail, How can it be so enraged?, lost in thought I don't see it's claws coming towards me, knocked out of the air in a tumble, the elegant box with the necklace in it falls out of the satchel and plummets towards the ground.
"No!"
Regaining my balance I dash after the box, my vision blurs as I gain speed and draw closer to the box, suddenly I feel the wind knocked out of me as I slam into the wall, I couldn't breath, everything was a blur, my whole body ached and the box... was nowhere to be found. The dragon lands near staring at me with bright orange eyes, anger began to block reason and logic as I begin to run towards him in rage, the dragon's chest begins to expand knowing it was about to release it's fire, before reaching the dragon I get tackled out of the line of fire.
"What are you doing?!"
"Keeping you alive. Here I was able to catch it before it shattered."
He hands me the box, my anger begins subside, I open it to make sure that the necklace was fine, it sat there in its cushion with the ruby still intact.
"Thank you. You should get out of here it's dangerous."
"I'm actually here to help." peeking over ruble to making sure the dragon didn't wonder over.
"What do you mean help?"
"Look we need to find a way to stop this dragon. It seems to really enraged."
"Yeah normally Spiked-scaled dragons don't continue their rampage this long." I lead him around cover to get into a better observation point, he makes a questionable look on his face.
"What?"
"How do you know so much about this dragon?" making a grin on my face,
"I studied under my father who wrote that famous glossary on dragons." he stares with a surprise look on his face
"That would explain your wings and eyes."
The dragon lets out another roar setting our focus back onto him.
"Okay, any ideas on stopping him?"
"Well there is an old ritual to remove a dragon's rage, but it would be too risky."
"What?"
"You're going have to attract the dragon's attention."
"I can't believe I'm doing this." standing out in the open, Spark Runner was waiting on the insane stallion's signal in getting the dragon into position.
"Are you ready yet?"
"Almost, don't rush me." pulling out the necklace of the box Dragon-Heart concentrates all his energy into the ruby, hoping that it will stop the dragon.
"Can you hurry it up? I think the dragon has seen me."
As the necklace floats in front of him it begins to pulse slightly from within "Now!"
In that instance Spark unleashes a small bolt spell striking the dragon in its face, causing it to go in a diving flight after him.
"How will this work?"
"Just lead him to me and run past so you won't interfere." the dragon draws increasingly closer inches away Spark, aas he tries to gain a little more speed; the dragon's mouth begins to spew lines of smoke,
"He's about to burn everything in its path!" inches away from Dragon-Heart,
"Just move!" Spark jumps out into a crushed tent out of the dragon's path, as it neared him all that is heard is
"Lachvash!" then a white blinding light covers everything.
As my visioned returned I could see all the destruction on the grounds, many trying to help others, guards heading across the grounds to the now sleeping dragon, and I stare at the stallion walk towards us with an elegant box.
"Luna are you alright?"
"Yes sister I'm fine." not looking up at my sister I begin to walk towards him. The guards begin to form a defensive wall between us, but I push them aside
"Luna come back here this instant."
looking back "Celestia it's alright."
As we both meet in the middle, he speaks
"Princess Luna it is my honor in presenting you this necklace, well crafted and with the rarest green fire ruby as its gem." as he bows the box floats towards me, revealing the necklace inside, glowing a bright green. As I slip on the necklace I look up and stare into his eyes, it's like looking into a dragon's eyes but the green iris give them a softness to them,
"It's beautiful," moving closer I give a small glance to his wings
"What is your name?" before he could answer he begins to sway, his legs tremble
"Are you alright?"
in an instance he collapses to the ground "Someone get a doctor!"