//------------------------------// // VIII: The Summit // Story: To Save a King // by Blackdrag-rose //------------------------------// The Changeling Hive, hidden from the eyes of everypony by being located deep in the Wastelands, was far larger than what Princess Celestia and her fellow princesses were expecting. As they deboarded the trains they caught a glimpse of just how many Changelings there were running around the place as they made way for their rulers and the other royalty. There were literally hundreds, if not thousands, of Changelings waiting in front of them alone and who knew how many more waiting elsewhere in the Hive. "I wasn't expecting such a welcome," Luna commented, stepping off the King's train as a pair of guards carried the unconscious King away with Rose behind them, "I was expecting them to be furious and just out right attack us. Why are they behaving so...friendly?" "It is because they know you are not responsible for the King's condition," answered a voice as a King sized Changeling, one wearing a silver robe, appeared before them, "They know that there is somepony responsible for what has happened to their ruler and seeing as you are the cause they feel no need to attack." "Elder Zircon," Wisdom acknowledged, bowing his head in respect for the oldest member of the Elder Council, "It is a pleasure to see you again." "The same can be said to all of you," the elder Changeling said, chuckling as he beckoned behind him, "The Council has been reviewing your request, Princess Celestia, and we have come to a decision that has pleased all seven of us." "And that would be?" Celestia asked, anyways annoyed when ponies decided not to tell her something until she decided to ask them herself. "We will hold this summit of yours," Zircon replied, turning so he faced the center of the Hive, "but it will be between the members of the Council, yourself, your fellow princesses, our Queen if she can make it, and the close friends of our wounded King." Celestia smiled; she hadn't expected anything else of who would have been included in the meeting. "Of course," she said, "it will be as the Council wills it." Zircon smiled; never had an outsider, excluding the King, taken to acknowledging the Council's wishes as easily as the Goddess of the Sun. It meant that she was willing to show patience and respect for those whose kingdom she was in, which would eventually lead to stronger ties between them and the ponies of Equestria. Though the only reason King Sky had taken to acknowledging their wishes was so he could become familiar with Changeling culture and how the Hive worked. "Follow me then," Zircon said, trotting forward as the group behind him began to follow. "How are the other Council members doing?" Wisdom inquired, walking next to Zircon and matching his stride without much difficulty. "Aleu, Jarrah, and Sorrel have returned from our Manehatten Branch with grand news," Zircon answered, as if telling the stallion wouldn't harm the Hive overall, "as have Spruce and Drunix. They all report that we have established good relations with the nearby towns and villages, so most Changelings can freely wander the city and trade with ponies. Sequoia, on the other hoof, has recovered from a recent battle that had badly wounded her and is in tip top fighting condition again." "Are they still sour that you guys can't defeat the others in the war games?" Wisdom knew he was pushing it with that question, but he also knew that Zircon would answer anyway. "The majority of them are a little sore about that fact," Zircon honestly answered, shaking his head just a bit, "but it is to be expected. The King will not use his full power against the combined forces of all four royal Princesses, despite the fact that they go after him first anyway. I do not know why the King acts that way in the war game, but I do believe it has something to do with his inner darkness." "Dark Sky," Wisdom muttered, remembering the evil stallion as the group walked on in silence. The group passed dozens upon dozens of Changelings as they made their way through the Hive, each step bringing them closer to the Summit Celestia had insisted that they attend. It wasn't a demand on her part, she just wanted the members of royalty who could make it to be assembled in one area so they could figure out one thing. That was the location of the flower known as the Angels Root, the cure for the poison that coursed through the King's veins. "We're here," Zircon suddenly said, stopping in front of what looked like a set of huge double doors. "And where is 'here' exactly?" Cadence asked, having remained quite for some time so she could have caught on as to what the entire meeting was about. So far she had learned nothing from her efforts. "The meeting hall of the Elder Council," Zircon answered, the doors opening to reveal a large room with rows and rows of seats. The room, no, chamber was built to house what seemed like dozens of ponies, be they Changeling or otherwise, and yet there was enough room for even a large dragon if one were to visit. As the group entered the chamber they noticed that the remaining six members of the Elder Council were already assembled and were waiting patiently for the groups arrival. "I see our guests have arrived," Sorrel commented, bowing his head towards the royal Princesses in respect, "We have taken the liberty of arranging everypony in such a way that we will be able to converse freely without too much head turning. We Elders will take the south section, where our Queen will join us if she feels up to it. Celestia and Luna, including their adviser and warrior, will sit in the north section. Cadence, Shining, and her general will take the east section while Twilight and the Elements take the west section." True to his word everypony was sitting exactly where Sorrel said they would be sitting, leaving the middle of the room open in case somepony barged into the meeting. "Now, tell us why you wanted us to hold this summit," Aleu said, his voice seemingly void of emotion, "This, gathering if you will, of all the rulers united under the Equestrian banner. Why choose here of all places and why choose us?" "Because your King is in danger," Luna immediately answered, earning a gasp from Peachy, "Somepony slipped him the long thought to be destroyed Demonshade leaf, a leaf that contains a poison that can kill whoever eats it. He ate it thinking it was part of the salad he had ordered at dinner a few nights ago and now his life hangs in the balance of us discovering the one thing that can save him." "The legendary Angels Root flower," Sorrel breathed, remembering the tales of the flower that could save those who ate the evil leaf on accident, "The only flower in existence said to counter the affects of the Demonshade if crafted into an elixir and drank by the one who had eaten the leaf." "Yes," Luna answered, "but there is a problem. With the destruction of the Demonshade came the decrease in the population of the Angels Root and now we have no idea where such a flower grows anymore." "If it helps us figure out where the flower is we received something from somepony not too long ago," Aleu commented, pulling out a small piece of parchment as she remembered what was written on it, "It says 'To the south you must go, Towards the land where no rain flows, To where an ancient flower grows, And to save a King by weeks end.' We thought it was a vague riddle, a poor one at that, but seeing what has transpired lately we know it was a prediction about the King's condition." "'Towards the land where no rain flows'," Twilight said, mauling the line over in her head as she thought about it. "Well, 'To where the ancient flower grows'," Tick spoke up, "is clearly telling us that there still exists a place where the Angels Root grows." "Yes, and 'To the south you must go', means somewhere south of the Hive," came a voice as Rose entered the chamber, "This riddle is saying that somewhere south of the Hive there exists a place where rain doesn't flow and the flower grows anyway. And 'by weeks end' means we have till the end of the week to create the flower and return to Rocket before he dies." "But the land where no rain flows could be anywhere," Peachy complained, shaking her head in disbelief, "We have three days until weeks end and no place to start our quest." "Actually, we have a location," Wisdom said, his mind returning to a thought he had as soon as he had heard the riddle, "We need to start in Manehatten, where my friend Griffin is supposed to have a house ready for him. If anypony can determine what the one line means it will be him. I can only pray that he's still in Manehatten or we'll lose our chance to save Rocket."