Bloodline
Chapter 7 - The Pride of a Dragon
The hours passed by while Light Chaser played with Fluttershy's little critter friends. Rainbow Dash had joined them. Twilight and Fluttershy sat idly down and drank a nice cup of tea, talking about the most recent happenings. The timid mare laid her cup aside and stared Twilight's horn. “Uhm, I really don't want to offend you, but doesn't your horn seems to be bigger since you've become an alicorn?”
Twilight's eyes wandered upwards when they tried to focus on the long horn that sat upon her head, but only a lavender blur came into her view. For a second she thought about it. It never come before to her mind that her body might have changed. Of course, she noticed that she had become a little bit taller, especially since she had to get a new bed. “I guess it has grown a little bit. It could have something to do with the growth of my magical abilities as alicorn.”
While their chatter went on, Light Chaser listened with one ear their conversation. Rainbow Dash noticed his distraction when Twilight and Fluttershy began to talk about magic, but she decided to keep her silence. Light Chaser tried to listen as hard as he could without being noticed, but something drove his attention away. A faint whisper crept into his mind. A first it was barely audible, but with every passing second the voice became louder and more clear. It was the voice of a young mare. “Do you hear them talking about magic while you are listing? Inside their minds they are laughing at you! They are judging you by your missing ability to fly! None of them will help you to be the pony you are supposed to be...”
Light Chaser looked from one corner of the room to another, but he couldn't find the source of the mysterious voice. Inside his mind he tried to answer. “Who are you? How can you talk to me like this? This ponies will help me! Twilight risked her life to save mine... She won't betray me... I'm fond of her.”
The voice returned, this time louder. “You little fool! My name is Whisper and these ponies are playing with you! Twilight is an alicorn, nothing will bring her down! She just wanted to gain your trust... She won't give you anything! Join us and become our leader... We will grant you your dearest wishes, and in exchange you will help us to bring your father back to life. This wouldn't be necessary if Twilight Sparkle didn't kill him!”
Light Chaser snapped at the mentioning of his father. He shouted out loud and stomped forcefully at the ground. “NO! You are a liar! He is dead and he will stay dead!”
Twilight and the others turned to the struggling pegasus. He clapped his hooves over his head and yielded in pain. The foreign thoughts inside his mind seemed to tear him apart. His head hurt like a thousand needles were stinging into him. The voice yelled forcefully into his mind. “Don't be such a wimp! Leave them and join us! They are not your friends! We are your friends! Join the Silence!”
The crystal pegasus rolled on the floor. The pain was almost unbearable. Twilight rushed to his side and scanned him with her magic. She felt a weak magical flow coming from outside the shed. Twilight focused on the source and ignited her horn brightly. She turned her head quickly towards the window and caught sight of the cloaked mare. “There you are!”
A forceful blast of her magic vaporized the wall in front of this mare and laid everything in its path into ashes. Twilight rushed outside, followed by Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash. There was no trace of the mysterious mare. Fluttershy hid her frown behind her hooves and sighed. “Oh no! Twilight, did you...”
The lavender alicorn let her eyes wander from the right to the left and back. Only a faint trace of magic was in the air. Twilight shook her head and used her magic to recreate the wall of Fluttershy's home. The terrified animals that lived inside the cottage slowly left their shelters and surrounded Fluttershy. The magic that surrounded Twilight's horn disappeared with a faint snapping sound. She cleared her throat. “No, she got away. I just crushed the wall and wanted to made her immobile but she managed to flee just in time.”
Twilight had forgotten for a second about the weeping pegasus behind her. She rushed over to Light Chaser, held him up and laid her wings comforting around his back while she took him into a deep embrace and nuzzled him behind his ear. “Everything is alright now. I hunted that nasty pony away. Nopony will hurt you again, I promise.”
Light Chaser felt still a stinging pain in his head, but the gentle touch of Twilight's hooves and feathers eased the pain. He wept his last tears into Twilight's coat and gently put her down. His blood-shot eyes met Twilight's eyes. She offered him a warm smile and stroked over his head. “I will investigate this pony's identity and why she attacked you. She will pay for her crime. It is strictly forbidden to mess with the mind of other ponies. Only the Princesses are allowed to do so in special situations!”
The crystal pegasus gasped in the first attempt to speak, but the second succeeded. “You don't have to... This mare called herself Whisper...”
Twilight's eyes lit up. Every bit of information could be useful in this case, but she couldn't tell them why it was so important to learn the truth about this mare. None of them was supposed to know about this unknown cult. Twilight tried to hide her curiosity as well as she could manage. “Whisper? What else did she tell you? Maybe she said something that could help us?”
Light Chaser thought for a short moment about the conversation he had with the voice inside his head. “She told me to join them... She offered me the opportunity to regain the ability to fly and... in exchange help them to revive my father...”
Twilight gasped in shock. It seemed like a cult really was trying to contact Light Chaser. The pressure rose upon her. She couldn't tell them what all this meant, but she wanted to answer their questions so badly. Twilight sorted her thoughts and tried to make the best of this situation. “You know that both are for a normal pony impossible, right? They are just trying to lure you out for some reason, don't fall for their tricks! Moreover, you simply can't be considering reviving your father!”
“Whoa, whoa... Wait a second!” Rainbow Dash literally fell down from the ceiling and extended her wings just in time to stop in front of Twilight. “Wouldn't that be an awesome deal? He would get his wings AND his dad back! This is the chance of a lifetime! He just has to take this deal!”
Fluttershy awkwardly walked back to them. She was still scared of the frightful demonstration of Twilight's magical powers. “Uhm, I think Rainbow is right. No one should live without his father.”
Twilight was torn between their friends and the promise she’d made towards the Princesses. If she didn't tell them that Light Chaser's father was in fact King Sombra, Twilight would appear cruel and heartless. But she promised the Princesses that she would protect Light Chaser from any harm. Revealing his identity could lead to problems. Twilight finally sighed in defeat and waved her friends closer. They sat down in front of Twilight and looked at her with curiosity. The lavender alicorn cleared her throat and looked for a brief moment at Light Chaser. He hesitated for a second, but he decided to agree with revealing his identity by giving her a simple nod. “Listen girls, what I'm telling you now shall never leave this room. Light Chaser isn't just a visitor from the Crystal Empire. The Princesses sent him to me after they put him to sleep for a thousand years. His father restrained him inside the dungeons of the Crystal Castle since he was born. Except for me, both of you are the only ponies he has been friends with in his entire life. All of this is bad, but there is something that makes it even worse. It’s the reason why this pony wants his father back to life. Light Chaser's father … is King Sombra.”
The ponies gasped and looked back and forth between Twilight and Light Chaser. He had turned his head away in shame. He couldn't bear their gazes. Silence entered the cottage. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy looked blankly at him. While the timid mare began to shake violently, Rainbow Dash's wings extended and locked in an aggressive position, ready to strike.
Twilight watched the quite different reactions of her friends and quickly thought about something she could say to calm them. Rainbow hissed and snarled at the mournful crystal pegasus, but Twilight forced her to stay back at least. “Rainbow! Calm down! He is nothing like his father! Light Chaser would never hurt another pony. He don't even know his father. Light was turned into the dungeons since he was born. There is no reason why he would be like his father. Give him a chance!”
Rainbow Dash struggled to get free from Twilight's hold, but the lavender alicorn didn't let go of her. Rainbow still hissed and growled at Light Chaser. “The apple never falls far away from the trunk! He will betray us!”
Twilight pushed her down and fixed Rainbow's wings at the ground, hanging over her with a monitory expression. “Don't say something like this! Why should be pay for sins that his father had committed? That's anything but fair! He was a victim of his father's tyranny as well!”
Rainbow gnashed her teeth. She and Twilight got too distracted to notice that Light Chaser already began to head towards the door. Silently, he whispered his farewell. “I understand their antipathy towards me... I will just take my exit and leave you alone. I shouldn't bother any of you.”
The struggling mares noticed the door clicking open and turned around. What had held him away from leaving was Fluttershy's weak tug at his tail. With huge watery eyes, she looked at him from her lowered position. “Please, don't go... I think I can understand your feelings. Up to now, you must have lived quite a lonely and sad life. We’ve only known each other for a few hours, but I already don't want you to live such a life anymore. Even with your father's misconducts, I would be happy to give you a chance. When we were even able to change Discord then we gave him a chance. Light is like a blank page. There is no evil nor good inside of him. There is so much more he will see and learn, he is still easy manipulable when we don't keep an eye of him. Just like a little newborn bunny.”
The timid mare turned to Rainbow Dash. She walked slowly towards them and shoved Twilight gently aside. Fluttershy helped Rainbow to get back on her hooves and brushed dust from her mane. “You really should give him a chance, Rainbow. If you don't want to do it for him, then please do it for me.”
Rainbow looked away from her foalhood friend, but she finally gave in and sighed. She walked past Fluttershy and halted directly in front of Light Chaser. Rainbow extended her hoof towards him and looked at him like she didn't care at all. A few seconds passed while Light Chaser stared at her hoovering hoof. Slowly, his own hoof rose and headed for Rainbow's. It was just a small but firm bump when their hooves touched. Light Chaser barely flinched at the contact with the other pegasus, but a small grin formed on Rainbow's lips. “Glad to help you, pal.”
Light Chaser smiled back at Rainbow.Touching another pony wasn't that bad. Both of them looked each other deep into their eyes until they got interrupted by Twilight's hoof clapping. They looked at the enthusiastic alicorn while she slowly calmed herself. “Alright, everypony! I think it’s time now to leave. We have a far way home. Thanks to both of you for accepting Light Chaser as he is. I knew I could rely on you!”
Fluttershy went forward to hug Twilight. Firmly, she squeezed her friend before she bid them her farewell. “I really appreciated your visit, Twilight. Please come along anytime you want. Of course, you can stop by too if you want, Light Chaser.” Fluttershy turned to Rainbow Dash and smiled weakly at her. “Would you be so kind to stay a little longer?”
Rainbow Dash eyed Fluttershy suspiciously, but decided to agree. She waved Twilight and Light Chaser her farewell. Before both of them left through the door, the crystal pegasus turned around and smiled at the staying mares. “I'm really happy that I was able to meet you two. Both of you are genuinely different then Twilight. I was scared of ponies, well, I'm still not really comfortable with them, but I think I can deal with them. I think I might become happy if everypony is so kind and loyal as you. Thank you, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy.”
Both pegasi flashed him a huge smile when he walked through the door and closed it shut. Twilight turned around when she noticed that Light Chaser stayed behind for a little bit. “What were you doing for so long?”
Light Chaser's eyes beamed with glee when he went after Twilight. “I just wanted to thank them for their kindness. These are really nice ponies. Even if Rainbow Dash is a little odd.”
The alicorn nodded in approval and walked along with the pegasus through the peaceful forest. They only enjoyed the company of each other silently until Twilight broke the silence again. “I'm more than happy that you like them as much as they do, but I'm beginning to think that you are doing this on intend.”
Light Chaser cocked an eye at the suspicious alicorn. He felt cold, despite the fact that he actually never plotted anything. At least, he thought so. “What are you talking about, Twilight?”
Twilight narrowed her eyes, but her face was hidden from Light's sight. She was constantly walking in front of him. “Well, I think I told you before. Yesterday, you didn't even want to leave the library at all, and today you are talking and even touching others. It’s not that I'm not happy about this developing but it worries me a little bit. It seems like you are purposely changing your behavior for some reason. I can't put an hoof on a possible reason. It’s just a little suspicion.”
He hesitated for a moment. Slowly, his jaws moved and revealed his thoughts. “So after all you distrust me?”
A cold shiver ran down Twilight's spine. Various thoughts raced through her mind. One of them was that she may have been too brash. Light Chaser could still be fragile. Being distrusted by the one pony that he seemed to bond with could destroy the social progress he’d made and scare him away forever. Twilight thought quickly about something clever to say. “You see, I don't think that you are evil or that you are plotting something against us. In truth, I only assume that you might be much smarter than I think. I already noticed that you are a quick learner, judging from your quick obtain of the ability to read. Maybe you are some kind of genius!”
Light Chaser's suspicious glare didn't fade from his face. Twilight tried to take a glimpse of him from the corner of her eyes. She gulped when she noticed his unpleasant glare. Maybe he really was some kind of genius. He seemed to look easily through Twilight's lie. But Light decided to play along. “Do you really think I'm that smart? Isn't it too much of an honor for my small achievements? I'm just a small pegasus in this big world. I have particularity seen nothing of this world, not even the place where my family... where I used to live. I'm just a small and weak candle in the wind. Nothing will grieve or even notice if I vanish.”
Twilight stopped and turned around. She gently laid her hoof against his face and stroked over his coat. “Don't be silly. Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Spike and I would suffer if you left us. Please never do this to us. We are your friends... in some way we hope even to become your family.”
A weak smile formed on his lips. He pulled Twilight into a firm but short hug and squeezed her tight. “Thank you, Twilight. It means really much to me.”
They let go of each other and continued their way through the lightening forest. They’d almost reached Twilight's library. Both of them were smiling over their whole face. However, Twilight seemed to have forgotten something important. She knew it had something to do with Light Chaser, she’d known it only a second ago, but now it seemed like she had forgotten about it from one second to another.
The library came slowly in sight, but something wasn't right. It seemed like the library was changed. At first, Twilight thought that it was just her imagination, but as soon as they got close enough to see the whole library, her suspicions were confirmed. The old and prideful tree had been devastated by the hooves of many different ponies. Windows were broken, the door was torn out of its hinges, and hoof-prints decorated the outside of the library.
Twilight's steps became quicker. Light Chaser could barely keep up with her since her gallop was assisted by her graceful alicorn wings. Light Chaser lost a few feet to Twilight. She glided inside her own home and had to learn in terror what terrible deeds the unknown culprits had committed. Every single book was ripped out of the bookshelves. It seemed like they'd been searching for something special. But Twilight didn't get the chance to think about their possible target.
Spike was the only though that shot through her head. Actually... She wasn't concerned about him. Because she was able to see him. At least, a part of him. A spear with a feathered shaft had its back stuck in the ground. The head of the little dragon was stuck upon its tip. A scroll was clamped between his sharp teeth. Twilight magically levitated the letter in front of her and read with tears in her eyes.
We know about Light Chaser's true identity. Your little assistant was our first victim because he didn't want to tell us where you were.
Next time we will find him and take him with us. You don't even stand a chance, if you have to protect him. We don't need him alive. Jjust his blood is relevant to us. The dark Lord will rise and bring darkness over this realm. All of you will learn their place in this world!
Light Chaser marched over the doorstep, panting heavily. He looked around the room and caught sight of Spike's mortal remains. “Twilight? What...?”
Tears were running down Twilight's cheeks. Her eyes wandered onwards to the beheaded form of Spike's body. He held a scroll with the insignia of Princess Cadence tightly clenched between his claws. Twilight didn't turn to the terrified pegasus; only her words rang through the library. “From tomorrow on... I will teach you the defense against the dark art of magic. None of them will get to you. I promise...”