6
“The Princess will see you now.” The gruff stallion in gold armour muttered at Twilight and Rarity and nodded towards the tall golden double doors in front of them as they rumbled open. It was not the first time Rarity had been to Canterlot. She’d been to two Grand Galloping Galas and had been back three other times for fashion shows and to sell her latest designs to the high-fashioned and stylised ponies that lived there. This time though was not nearly as exciting or enjoyable as the other times. This time she was here for much more serious business. The Train ride up to the city had been a sombre one. Neither Twilight nor herself had had much to say. Rarity had tried to think of something to say to comfort her friend but she couldn’t think of anything. She’d been too consumed with her own guilt to be of much comfort to anyone. The only words they shared during the trip were when Twilight asked her,
“Rarity?”
“Yes.” She’d replied meekly.
“Do you remember anything about the Pony who suggested you search Glitter Top Mountain for gemstones?” Rarity had been taken aback. Not by the question but by the fact that she had never thought of it before.
“Do you think that he might have known about Dreadwing’s stone when he sent me up there?”
“Maybe…” Twilight said rubbing her chin thoughtfully. It was better than nothing and so Rarity had spent the remainder of their trip trying to recall anything she could about the Pony. It had definitely been a stallion, there was no way she could mistake the tone of his voice and he had red hair. But
she had never seen the colour of his mane nor his face for that matter. He’d been wearing a hood the whole time and made sure to keep his eyes downcast. Rarity had just assumed it was because he couldn’t look a fine mare of elegance in the eye but perhaps he had just been trying to make sure she would never be able to recognise him. Or remember him. She had trouble just recalling what his voice had sounded like let alone any other details. Once again she had been too busy being flattered by the nice things he had said about her hat and she had paid almost no attention to him after that
until he had brought up the potential for finding even more impressive gems to add to her formidable fashion wears. Sometimes she hated how easy it was to flatter her to distraction, but
she couldn’t help it if she liked it when people admired all the effort she put into looking fabulous. She had told Twilight what little she remembered and she remembered the sting when she saw Twilights disappointment at her answer. Rarity felt totally responsible for Spike’s predicament and she wanted so much to do something to make it better. Canterlot station had been busy, as it usually was, with important looking ponies coming and going about their business, but Rarity and
Twilight had spent little time there or on the streets of the city. They had grabbed a carriage to the palace as soon as possible and rattled along the cobblestone streets in silence. Rarity would usually have spent the trip admiring the tall buildings, the bright colours and the clean streets, or imagining herself wearing the latest fashions she would see on display in shop windows or on the fashionable ponies walking the streets, chatting to their charming friends or dashing partners. This time, however, she couldn’t help thinking about Spike. As much as she wished it she couldn’t change what she’d done or what had happened. All she knew was that she wanted to be there when Twilight found out who Dreadwing was and what they could do about getting Spike back. She had known that she would never be able to sit around back in Ponyvile waiting for Twilight to come back with the answers. She needed to hear them herself.
Inside the palace the tall doors opened into a long hallway with a tall vaulted ceiling. On one side the wall was dominated by a series of huge stained glass windows, each one a mosaic depicting the history of Equestria including the coming and the defeat of the God of Chaos: Discord. As soon as Rarity saw the windows she instantly realised that they might see the terrible black dragon somewhere depicted in the images, but as they walked they saw no sign of him. Rarity noticed Twilight looking up at the windows intently as well and when she dropped her gaze down to the plush red carpet, scowling, Rarity said,
“I thought he might be up there too.” Twilight looked up at her as though she’d forgotten Rarity had been just beside her. She smiled weakly and replied,
“Well, I’m sure Princess Celestia will know something.” But what if she didn’t? Discord was one of the most ancient enemies of Equestria and he had his own window. Was Dreadwing even older than Discord or perhaps Celestia had never heard of him? Either way, Rarity didn’t like the thought of either option. At the end of the hall two more Royal Guard Stallions in armour were waiting. As they approached they pushed the doors open and allowed Rarity and Twilight entry. The Royal Throne room was a large oval shape, with smooth marble pillars fencing the edge, following the red carpet up a sweeping staircase to the dais where Princess Celestia and her sister Luna sat. Princess Celectia stood as the two ponies entered, a warm smile spreading across her face,
“Twilight Sparkle, my treasured student, it’s good to see you again. I was pleased to hear you were stopping by.”
“What business brings you here today Twilight Sparkle?” Princess Luna asked in her regal tone, without rising from her seated position. At least she didn’t bellow at ponies anymore, like how she did when she first returned from her thousand year imprisonment in the moon, Rarity thought to herself. Twilight bowed low and Rarity followed suit before Twilight said,
“Your Highnesses, I’m afraid that my visit here today is not a pleasant matter. Something terrible has happened in Ponyvile and I fear you might be the only ones who might be able to help.” Celestia and Luna’s expressions changed to reflect the tone of Twilights dire words and Celestia said,
“Tell us what happened Twilight.” Rarity listened patiently as Twilight explained everything to the two Princesses. She grimaced as her part in it was explained and she did not miss when Princess Luna glanced in her direction. Celestia turned to Rarity after Twilight had finished and asked her the same things Twilight had on the train. Rarity rooted around in her mind for some actually useful scrap of information but to her shame there was nothing but what she had been able to tell Twilight earlier. Celestia and Luna looked at each other for a moment before they came to some sort of agreement. “I’m afraid we may very well know of the creature you speak of.” Twilight and Rarity looked at each other hopefully and then turned back to the princesses. Luna stood up at last with a serious look on her face,
“Dreadwing the Blackheart is indeed the King of Dragons, or at least he was. Millennia ago Dreadwing ruled the Dragons that inhabited this land and it was a very different time.” Celestia left her sister standing on the dais and stepped down to look out the window on the far end of the throne room. The look on her face told Twilight that she was remembering something thatshe would rather not remember. She continued in her sister’s place,
“This was a time even before Equestria, before the three great tribes came together to live as one people. Dreadwing had a lust for power and domination that could not be quenched. Everywhere he went he left destruction and misery in his wake. Those he did not destroy he enslaved, and his dark influence bled into their spirits, corrupting them, making them just as cruel as he was.”
“You see,” Luna chimed in, “Whereas Discord drew his power from Chaos, Dreadwing acted with a purpose. His ambition and drive made him extremely dangerous and even more ruthless.”
“It is a time I do not gladly remember.” Celestia shook her head sadly, “Despite all our attempts to reason with him Dreadwing would not listen, and his evil influence spread, drawing all manner of dark creatures to his cause. We sought help where we could but none had the courage to stand against Dreadwing and his Dragons. All were cowed by the ferocity of their terrible flames.” Rarity didn’t like how this story was going. Dreadwing sounded absolutely terrible. If this was the creature she had inadvertently released back into Equestria how could she ever make up for it?
“There was however one tribe of ponies willing to help.” Luna said, a look of proud nostalgia creeping into her features. She smiled as she said, “The Fire Casters of Pyre Mountain.” Rarity had never heard of them but Twilight gasped when she heard the name. Rarity didn’t like being the only one out of the loop,
“Well? Who were they?” Twilight answered her question,
“The Fire Casters of Pyre Mountain are an ancient line of Unicorns who live in the farthest reaches of Equestria’s lands. They’re the most famous Dragon Slayers in all of Equestria! No one can fight Dragons like them.”
“And Why is that?” Rarity asked,
“Because,” Luna strode down from the dais, waving her hoof to emphasise her point, “The Fire Caster unicorns possessed the unique ability to create and manipulate fire to the same intensity that Dragons could, and nothing harms a Dragon like the fire of one of its own.” Luna seemed so proud you might have believed she were one of these Fire Casters herself. Celstia noticed Rarity’s expression at her sister’s enthusiasm and said with a wry smile,
“Luna had more than a little crush on the Fire Caster’s young Prince.”
“Oh.” Rarity said nodding, but Luna spluttered and blushed,
“I-I did not! I just thought they were… were very brave and-and noble.” For a moment she sounded like a young mare instead of a royal Princess, but she regained her composure and continued on despite her rosy cheeks, “Anyway, the Fire Casters were willing to help us.” Celestia turned back into the room and trotted elegantly over to a table where a vase of water was standing with a set of sparkling glass goblets on it. With a flick of her horn the vase rose and filled four of the goblets with clear blue water and then the goblets themselves floated into the air and over to her sister and her two guests. Each received the goblet with their own magic and held it before them. Rarity took a small, delicate sip. She wanted to gulp down more, her throat was so dry from the anxiety and anticipation she’d felt all day, but she wasn’t about to start lapping up water like her cat, Opalesence, in front of royalty. Celestia continued after taking a drink herself. Even the act of sipping water looked as delicate and graceful as mist over ice when she did it.
“We went to Pyre Mountain to speak with the Fire Caster’s King but we had already tried our own formidable powers against Dreadwing and failed. We weren’t sure just how they might be able to help. When we arrived we found that the Mountain had already been attacked by three Dragons and a horde of Manticore’s, Hydra’s and Wargs. We thought the Fire Casters destroyed but found them battered and bruised, but still very much alive. The King took us deep within Pyre Mountain to a place long forgotten by all but the Fire Casters.”
“Even we had not seen the architecture within those mountains since we were fillies.” Luna added, while sipping from her cup. Celestia nodded in agreement and continued,
“The King led us to a place that belonged to the creation of this world, to a time before there were Ponies or Unicorns or Pegasi or Dragons. He took us to the Gaia Stone.” Rarity looked to Twilight for some clarification but Twilight seemed just as lost as she was. “The Gaia Stone,” the Princess went on, “Is, or rather was a remnant of the old magic that created this world and created the Dragons. Dreadwing himself was born from the power of the Gaia stone. He was in fact intended to be its protector, but her grew proud and greedy and decided he deserved more than the lot chosen for him and so he abandoned his post. The Kings intention was clear. We could use the stone to defeat Dreadwing and save the land. So we set out to draw Dreadwing into a showdown.”
“That wasn’t hard at all.” Luna said frowning.
“Indeed. Dreadwing hated the Ponies and we appeared to him to embody everything there was to hate about them. When he heard that we had found the Gaia stone, the stone he had been charged with to protect, he felt that we were trying to steal something from him. When he came he did not come alone. His army of foul beasts descended upon the Mountain and the Fire Casters fought bravely until enough of his minions had been slain to draw out Dreadwing himself.” Celestia looked pained as she continued, “Dreadwing wrought a terrible toll on the Fire Casters before he finally came for us. Six Fire Casters stood with us in the stones chamber when he arrived, including the young Prince.” She glanced at Luna as she spoke but her sister was hiding her face in her goblet. “As soon as he appeared we made our move. We drew on the power of the stone focussing its awesome power into our own magic and turned it upon Dreadwing.” She hesitated then. The room was silent except for the sound of birds chirping outside in the sun. It was Luna who broke the silence,
“It was not enough. Even as we poured everything we had into our attack, Dreadwing laughed. He mocked us for trying to use ‘his’ stone against him and turned his fire upon the stone. As he did his hatred and malice began to seep into the very power we had hoped to use against him and the stone began to change.” Celestia carried on for her sister who did not seem to want to go on,
“The back lash from the stone as it was corrupted was terrible. Luna and I were badly hurt. All seemed lost as Dreadwing moved into finish us off but the Young Prince blocked his path. He said that we would never allow Dreadwing to harm us and that he would stand against the evil Dragon to his last breath…” Once again the Princess hesitated but she continued, “For a moment I actually believed that the Young Prince might hold him off, but… Dreadwing would not be so easily defeated.” The implication was clear and Rarity glanced over at Princess Luna. She was trying to hide her face in her goblet again but she failed to hide the single, silvery tear that trickled down her cheek. “When all seemed it’s most dire the Young Prince’s sacrifice made all the difference. His fellows charged forward to stop Dreadwing and as they did a change came over the stone. The dark corruption Dreadwing had planted within bled away to be replaced by a warm, comforting light, full of hope. The Love the fire Casters felt for their fallen Prince affected the Gaia stone and its power was freed to be turned against the King of the Dragons. While they held him at bay, Luna and I utilised the stone and struck a fatal blow against him. A terrible explosion followed and when the chaos subsided, the stone lay shattered at our feet only a small sliver remaining… but Dreadwing was gone. He has not been seen since… until recently.”
“We had thought him destroyed, but it would seem his black heart was all that survived.” Luna said scornfully, almost spitting the words.
“But, what happened to the Gaia stone?” Twilight choked through her dry throat. She had neglected her drink and had been hanging on every word, “ Why haven’t I heard of it before? Why isn’t any of this recorded?”
“The Gaia stone was broken into seven pieces. One was the small sliver which remains with the Fire Caters to this very day. The other six, well you know very well Twilight Sparkle.” Princess Celestia answered with a knowing smile. She gave Twilight a moment to consider,
“The Elements of Harmony!” She cried and the Princess nodded,
“Yes, the very same. You see Dreadwings rebellion had been no accident. It had all been Discord’s doing.”
“Discord!?” Both Rarity and Twilight exclaimed.
“You mean that over-bearing wind-bag with a god complex?” Rarity asked with disdain, turning her nose up at the very mention of him.
“Yes, him.” The Princess went on, “You see it was Discord who had convinced Dreadwing to abandon his post and fill his heart with greed and hubris. All so that we would fight each other.”
“But why?” Twilight interrupted unable to help herself.
“By the time all was over the land lay in ruins, the Dragons were scattered and leaderless, Luna and I were badly injured and the Gaia stone was no more. Discord had foreseen all of it and pitted us against each other. We had played right into his hands and created the perfect opportunity for him to seize power and so he did.”
“Until you and Luna found the lost pieces of the Gaia stone and used them to trap him in stone.” Twilight said zealously, happy to finally be able to piece some of this puzzle together for herself.
“That’s why none of it was ever recorded. In the time that followed Chaos reigned and all memory of the war with the Dragons faded from time.” The Princess said solemnly, “But we remember and the Elements of Harmony remain as the greatest testament to the sacrifice and bravery of those Ponies who fought with us.” Suddenly it was Rarity’s turn for an epiphany,
“It was the Fire Caster Unicorns who changed the Gaia stone into the Elements of Harmony wasn’t it? It was their Friendship that got rid of Dreadwing’s evil within the stone, right?” Celestia nodded. It made Rarity feel a little better to think that the same thing that had saved their home twice before had still been doing the same thousands of years before. Like an unseen connection across miles of land and years of time, just like between her and her friends, joined together over vast distances by that Sonic Rain-Boom Dash had created, the day they all got their cutie-marks.
“That explains who Dreadwing is and where he came from, but what does he want now? And what should we do to stop him?” Twilight asked eagerly.
“Surely we should just use the Elements of Harmony, right? That’s what defeated him the first time.” Rarity offered and Twilight looked hopeful,
“Right! That should work, shouldn’t it Princess?” Celestia shook her head though,
“I’m afraid not Twilight. Dreadwing possess a power far older than the Elements of Harmony. By themselves they would not be enough.” Twilight’s face dropped,
“Then what…?” but Celestia stopped her,
“By themselves they would not work. The only way to stop Dreadwing is with the power that stopped him before… The Gaia stone.”
“But the stone shattered. How can we use it now?” Rarity asked desperately, but Twilight answered her,
“Because it was only broken, it’s not destroyed! The Elements of Harmony are part of the Gaia stone. We just need the last piece!” Twilight looked reinvigorated at the prospect of having an answer to her fears and Rarity felt it too.
“That is correct Twilight Sparkle,” Luna announced, “If we can reunite the shards of the Gaia stone, we should be able to defeat Dreadwing once again.”
“Great!” Twilight chirped and immediately headed for the door I’ll go get some ink and parchment so we can send a letter asking the Fire Unicorns of Pyre Mountain to send the shard to Canterlot.” Before she could reach the door, though, Celestia stopped her,
“Wait Twilight, we can’t ask the Fire Casters to send us the shard.”
“Why not? They helped before; surely they’d want to help again.” Rarity said a little incredulously.
“It is of no fault of their own, Rarity.” The Princess said, “The Gaia stone has always existed in a place of natural balance, where the magical Ley Lines of the land converge. Removing it would invite catastrophic natural calamity. It is why Dreadwing never removed it after he left the Mountain.”
“So then, what should we do?” Rarity asked and without hesitation Princess Luna answered her,
“We must take the Elements of Harmony to Pyre Mountain and reunite them with the sliver of the stone that remains there. Only then will we be able to utilise the Gaia stones full power.”
Celestia smiled at her sister and added,
“When Luna says ‘we,’ Twilight, she means you and your friends. As I told you when Discord returned, Luna and I are no longer connected to the stones the way we once were. We cannot wield their magic.” However, Luna wheeled on her sister and retorted,
“But that does not mean we cannot help! I will go with Twilight Sparkle and her friends and ensure the Elements arrive safely.” Celestia was taken aback for moment and Rarity thought that she would argue with her. She looked into her sisters eyes, full of confidence and purpose and she smiled to herself before saying,
“You are right Luna. There is no reason we can’t.” She turned to look at the two Unicorns, “Luna will go with you and I will remain here to deal with whatever foul creatures stir, now that the King of Dragons has returned.” The Princess strode over to Twilight and Rarity, and with all the regalness and elegance that made her the divine creature that ruled Equestria said, “Twilight Sparkle, you must assemble your friends, and any other companions you feel are necessary. The journey to Pyre Mountain will not be an easy one, and Dreadwing will send forces against you to hinder you at every turn, but it must be done if we have any hope of maintaining peace… and rescuing Spike.” Twilight looked fit to burst with pride at the responsibility and trust the Princess was bestowing upon them. She gave one confident nod and replied,
“We’ll do it Princess. For Equestria and for Spike, we’ll get the Elements of Harmony to Pyre Mountain.”