Chapter 17 – The Master and Apprentice
Standing in an opened clearing of the Everfree Forest are two mighty warriors that haven’t seen each other in over 500 years, Hindel the All-Seeing Dragon and Arrogon the Destroyer. In a different period of time, they were master and apprentice who shared a unique bond of friendship, but now, fate has made them into the bitterest enemies. Despite their vast difference in size and race, these two are the fiercest titans when it comes to the mystical arts of Draconian Magic. Facing each other impassively, they remain very still during the stormy, eternal night as the chilly, whispering wind brushes them while blowing some scattered leaves across the landscape.
“Morning Star…” Arrogon murmurs softly. “I haven’t heard that name in a very long time. But you know full well that I don’t go by that name anymore, Hindel!” he growls bitterly.
“Of course.” Hindel responds simply.
“I see the years haven’t been kind to you due to your loss of sight.” Arrogon points it out nonchalantly. “I’m actually quite surprise that you were able to recognize me after all these centuries.”
“I’ve managed to do well on my own, thank you.” Hindel says before a witty smirk spreads across his snout. “Besides, I don’t need my eyes to know that it was you, Arrogon. Your extremely foul stench was easy enough to tell me on whom I am speaking to.”
“Charming.” the dark Earth Pony frowns lightly before relaxing in a calmer manner. “So, I take it that you are well aware on what I have achieved since my grand return?”
“…I am.”
“Then you already know on why I am here, don’t you?”
Hindel didn’t say anything to serve as his answer to his adversary’s grim statement, so Arrogon continues, “But before we end this long, overdue game of ours, there’s something I want to share with you first. A couple of weeks ago, I had to get rid of some vile Pegasus who had the audacity to challenge me. And along the way here, I spot an unusual crater right in the middle of the Everfree Forest. In fact, I would say that it would be the same spot where I’ve sent that discarded pony over there. Of course, to my surprise, there wasn’t even a body to be found!”
Despite being very casual about this, Arrogon eyes the blind dragon very vigilantly. He studies Hindel’s expressions very carefully just to see if he will involuntarily hint on anything he knows on what Arrogon is talking about. Luckily for the twisted pony, Hindel’s blind, white eyes widen at the mention of the Pegasus, which might confirm on Arrogon’s assumption with the dragon being at the same scene.
“Oh, and get this!” the stallion continues gleefully. “During my search, I’ve also discovered a few clawprints as well! And strangely enough, they look like they belong to a dragon! Kind of like yours actually! So tell me something, Hindel, you wouldn’t have anything to do with that missing Pegasus a while back, would you?” he inquires in a mocking tone.
Despite teasing his old mentor, Arrogon believes that he got the elder dragon on the ropes and he will finally get the answer he deserves about the supposedly dead pony's mysterious disappearance. But unexpectedly, he sees a strange smirk emerging on the dragon’s face without demonstrating unusual edginess or hesitation.
“Ooooooh! Is that what it was!” Hindel exclaims in surprise with a chuckling smile. “Now it makes sense!”
“…What?” the pony flabbergasts with a narrowed gaze.
“You see… a while ago, I was flying around the forest when I suddenly detected a most delicious smell! So I followed its smoky trail and examined the unusual delicacy myself. Unable to contain myself, I immediately gobbled it up! Heh, I never had a pony before, but to be honest, it was quite good to say the least. Still, I prefer gems over meat any day. They not as chewy and don’t get stuck between my teeth that much.”
“...So you ate… a pony?” the baffled tyrant asks with squinty, fiery eyes.
“I believe that sounds right, so yes.” Hindel confirms with misleading cheerfulness.
A moment of dead silence fills the air with the exception of the howling wind. Thanks to his calm composure, Hindel didn’t make any slip-ups when he was lying directly in front of Arrogon’s face; even he himself was surprised by how collective he was when he came up with that story. The only question now is if Arrogon will buy that deception or not.
As for the shadowy stallion, he is still dumbstruck by what he has learned from Hindel. He stares at the dragon, and then, he looks at the ground while he ponders on this some more. Gradually, he makes a creepy chuckle, and so enough, that chuckling transforms into uproarious laughter. While Hindel is confused by Arrogon’s sudden change in expression, he almost cringes to himself as he starts to doubt that the megalomaniac tyrant isn’t that easy to deceive.
At last, Arrogon’s menacing laugh dies down and he scoffs while shaking his head in mocking disappointment, “Hindel… you really are a blind, old fool. Well, no matter. I’m here on more important matters right now. Namely, you.”
Hindel mentally sighs in relief after hearing that from Arrogon before he says with a smirk, “Hmph! Just like old times, wouldn’t you agree?”
“Yes… just like old times.” Just when Hindel is about to get into a fighting stance, he notices something different about Arrogon as he nonchalantly takes a look at his surroundings. Then, he takes a whiff of fresh air before he reminisces in an unexpectedly gentle voice, “Ahhhh… what a nostalgic feeling it is to come back to this place. The days we used to spend during my training. The battles we would fight side by side. The sense of peace I never had from my foalhood. In a way, I kind of missed those days back then.”
Hindel couldn’t believe what he was hearing. The sense of gentleness from Arrogon’s voice makes the dragon starts to believe that there is still some goodness within that dark shell of the demonic pony he once considered as a good friend. Taken back by Arrogon’s startling sentiment, Hindel just whispers softly to himself, “Morning Star…”
“But do you know what I missed most of all from this place?” Arrogon continues in that unusually soft tone of his.
…
“The screams.”
Hindel instantly feels chills travelling all the way from his neck down to the tip of his tail after the villainous pony answers his own question with disgusting delight. Anything that was left of Morning Star was swallowed whole into the void of Arrogon’s dark, souless heart. With his flaring eyes displaying a repulsive sense of ecstasy, he carries on his revolting recollection as Hindel grudgingly listens on.
“Oh yes, it’s been countless years since I came to this place, but I can still remember the screams from those treacherous ponies I slaughtered! You should have seen them yourself, Hindel! Knowing just how weak they were compared to me! Heh… they never stood a chance to begin with!”
“Enough.” Hindel whispers as he violently shudders from listening to Arrogon’s description of that unforgivable massacre.
“In fact, all of their screams were unique in their own way! Some were high-pitched and some were low-toned! Each with its own flavor to sample!” Then, the sadistic stallion opens his silhouetted jaws as his black tongue licks his lips before he comments blissfully, “Mmmm… the taste of them still lingers on my palate!”
“Enough!” Hindel repeats a bit louder, but it didn’t get the dark pony’s attention to cease his grim reminiscing.
“Of course, the screams I definitely enjoy the most are the helpless ones when they would cry out in agony as they desperately call out for your name while their bodies are reduced into nothing but piles of--!”
“ENOUGH!” the infuriated dragon demands in a thunderous roar before he quickly readies himself to take Arrogon down. “It’s time we end this!”
The dragon’s furious outcry is enough to stop Arrogon’s retrospective as the now-serious stallion redirects his focus at Hindel. “Yes… you’re absolutely right. It’s time to stop reminiscing on the past and to focus on the future. My future!”
“Arrogon, your future will be just as dim as my eyesight.” Hindel growls his silver-tongued remark.
“We’ll see about that, won’t we?”
Like a hungry wolf, the demonic creature eyes his reptilian prey with great anticipation as he encircles the motionless dragon in a very slow manner. Regardless with his blindness, Hindel can easily tell the whereabouts of his formidable enemy, whether it’s by hearing the pony’s delicate steps or by sensing the immeasurable aura of dark magic that scorching from Arrogon’s infernal body. This will not be an easy confrontation compared to their last duel. Last time, Hindel had help from Princess Celestia as they took down the traitorous pony together. But now, he is all on his own, and to make matters worse, Arrogon is far more powerful than before. With odds severely against him, it doesn’t matter to Hindel now. The chips have been cast, the dice is about to roll, and their final clash is about to begin!
“But then again…” Arrogon says as he stops his pacing. “You won’t live long enough to find out!”
With a burst of speed, the tyrannical overlord takes the first charge as he rushes toward the golden dragon. Quickly, Hindel spins his body around and whips his very elongated tail at Arrogon. With sharp reflexes, the charging pony jumps right above the whiplash as he spins a multitude of blurring somersaults. Using his flaring mane and tail, Arrogon turns his rapidly motioned body into a wheel of blazing, blue fire and dive-bombs right at Hindel with his back turn. Luckily for him, due to his extremely heighted senses, he immediately takes flight with a great take-off as Arrogon’s rolling attack misses him.
With all four hooves on the ground, Arrogon turns around and looks up to see Hindel flying high in the air. With a sneer, the disinterested stallion announces up above, “Flight is no longer your advantage, Hindel!”
Easily, Arrogon conjures his hellish wings from his back once more and takes off to reach the same altitude as Hindel. Once there, he breathes out a great breath of blue fire, while Hindel responds with his own golden fire breathing attack. Upon contact, the contrasting fires combusts in an explosive smoke of mixed colors. Circling each other now, the two draconic warriors engage in an elegant yet deadly sky-dance as they repeatedly blasts one enormous fire breath after another. From the collisions of their fire breathing attacks, the dark sky is lit up with a spectacular display of colorful explosions that can put most fireworks to shame! After each of them blasts a mighty breathe of intense fire, the latest explosion produces enough force to drive both of the contenders away from each other.
From this brief breather, Arrogon boasts out loud, “I am not the same pony you once fought before! I have transcended into a far more powerful being; one that overshadows the Princesses and all other entities combined!”
“You are no god!” Hindel snaps at his former student. “You’re still just an arrogant brat who forsook his own qualities as a pony and stole powers from others! Even after all these countless years, you haven’t changed one bit!”
“How I achieve power matters little to me! I’ll do whatever it takes to secure my rightful place in this wretched world I was born into! And you especially will not stand in my way anymore!”
In response to that threat, Hindel amplify his gigantic wings before fanning them out to unleash a make-shift hurricane of razor-sharp winds. From seeing this inescapable storm in front of him, Arrogon instinctively teleports away from the destructive path of the dragon’s tornado. Surprised by this, Hindel hastily tries to pinpoint his opponent’s position, but it was too late for him as he is harshly kicked from the back by Arrogon’s treacherous, teleporting attack. From that buck he just received, the dragon crashes right into the trees of the Everfree Forest.
As he recovers from that harsh landing, Hindel gasps in shock as he senses Arrogon’s presence when he is swooping down while blowing an endless stream of widespread fire. Hastily, Hindel evades the demonic trail of fire as the heartless stallion sets the forest ablaze. While gliding away from his pursuer, Hindel rapidly blasts several beams right at his chaser. Promptly, Arrogon dodges each of them, which broke off his continuous fire breathing.
With a quick turn around, the elder dragon simultaneously slashes both of his claws at the incoming Arrogon as his magical talons unleash waves of bladed energy. Facing against the crisscrossed slash attack, Arrogon effortlessly teleports away from that. But this time, Hindel is able to predict that as he uses his flailing tail to smack the devious pony right as he was done with his teleportation spell.
After swiftly recovering from the blind dragon’s counterattack in midair, Arrogon’s rage begin to build before he roars a multitude of energy missiles right at Hindel. With great speed, he flies away from the missile barrage. However to his shock, all one-hundred missles turn around and home in on the flying dragon. Thanks to his incredible speed, he can outfly all of the homing missiles.
What Hindel didn’t foresee however is when the menacing pony teleports once again from behind and fires a giant, explosive fireball right at his left wing! Caught-off by the scorching blast from that backstabbing attack, Hindel feels the full onslaught of the multiple homing attacks! After suffering from a multitude of energy explosions, the disabled dragon falls from the sky and makes a rough landing on the burning forest’s clearing.
Gradually trying to get himself, Hindel aches to a great extent as he tries to verify the status of his left wing by gently stretching it out. Unforunately, he winces greatly from that action as he feels incredible pain from the upper limb that’s holding the spanning wing together. Now, with his left wing disabled, he is grounded for the time being as Arrogon gracefully descends before the crouched dragon as the pony menacingly glees in triumph.
“What’s the matter, Hindel?” Arrogon ridicules his injured opponent. “Has old age finally caught up to you? I know time is pretty much irrelevant to you dragons, but I never thought you would be this weak before!”
This is starting to look bad for me! Hindel cringes to himself. Normally, I wouldn’t be this weak to begin with, but since I gave a lot of my Draconian Magic to Ford Mustang as part of his final trial, I can’t heal myself quickly from this injury! Oh well, it was a necessary sacrifice on my part. In any case, I can’t let Arrogon find out about Mustang no matter what!
Even when things look grim, Hindel presents a smirking grin as he mocks his dark oppressor, “Showing mercy to your enemies, Arrogon? I never would have thought that you would have a change of heart to hold back on a blind, old fool such as myself!”
“You are sadly mistaken, Hindel, for tonight, you will die by my hooves only!” Arrogon says as he leisurely walks toward the wounded dragon. "But at the very least, I can give you a warrior’s death, and as a bonus, a proper cremation to go with that!”
Despite how overwhelming the situation has become, Hindel still has one last trick to pull off: a secret technique he worked on for a very long time during his self-exile! With renewed focus, he stands upright as he calmly commences his ultimate attack. Arrogon freezes his tracks as he notices a change in Hindel’s expression as he displays a level of seriousness. While the shadow pony is perplexed by the dragon’s stern behavior, Hindel keeps a cool demeanor as he breathes in and out slowly and gently.
With his concentration at its maximum, Hindel’s opens his mouth slightly before blowing out a thin stream of golden energy that shoots out like lightning! A bit surprised by this lightning-fast projectile, Arrogon narrowly dodges it.
“Ha! You missed!” Arrogon rubs it in at the dragon.
Despite Arrogon’s boasting, the golden dragon kept on blowing his narrow blast of golden energy. As the stallion starts to wonder on why Hindel is continuing with his latest attack, Arrogon fails to perceive on how the golden arrow makes a couple of sharp, rapid turns before redirecting right back at Arrogon! Immediately caught off-guard by the returning projectile, the golden beam makes a direct hit right into his temple before severely knocking him to his side! While a piercing, magical attack like that can cause lethal damage to a normal pony, Arrogon is beyond normality as he grudgingly gets back up, but in return for his supposed immortality, he suffers an intense, side-splitting headache.
“Where… where did you learn such an attack like that?!” he bitterly demands out of the composed dragon.
Smirkingly, Hindel answers with pride, “While you were wallowing and scheming in the abyss you’ve put yourself into, I’ve spent the rest of my time preparing for this moment and have been developing a new fire breathing style! This precision technique is so advanced and requires so much concentration, that it’s one you will never be able to accomplish yourself, nor will you be able to overcome, Arrogon!”
“Hindel…” the frustrated pony growls in a low tone. “You will pay for that!”
Without a moment to hesitate, the concentrated dragon fires another golden, slender beam at Arrogon. But just when the stallion prepares to evade this one, the living laser makes zips around the immensely distressed pony before making another direct hit at Arrogon’s side! With a quick recovery, Arrogon makes a dash as Hindel fires another golden laser. With his amplified speed, the more-serious Earth Pony manages to stay on his hooves as he evades the zigzagging beam of intense light. When the unpredictable laser is about to come into direct contact with him, Arrogon instantly teleports away and reappears behind the immobile dragon. And just when the grim pony prepares for his counterattack, the beam darts back with incalculable speed and knocks the wind right out of Arrogon!
After another recovery, Arrogon takes flight with his fiery wings before Hindel unleashes his ultimate attack once more as it homes in on the evasive pony. While aggravatingly dodging the magic shot’s random pattern, Arrogon figures that Hindel is out in the open as long as he has to concentrate on that menacingly unorthodox attack of his. During his never-ending dodging, the scheming stallion quickly fires dozens of lock-on missles at the very intense dragon. However, that plan is shot out of the sky as the golden bolt of concentrated energy swiftly destroys all of Arrogon’s missiles before redirecting back to its original target! Taken back by how he couldn’t comprehend all of this, Arrogon is struck down once more by Hindel’s animated arrow of light! In the midst of his downfall, Arrogon is repeatedly pierced by the precised laser beam before Hindel’s special attack comes crashing down on him like lightning and furiously slams him into the ground!
I can’t prolong this fight any further! Hindel reminds himself. I need to finish this! One way or another… it all has to end now!
“You really have disappointed me, Arrogon!” he scorns his disgruntled, former student. “Despite all that I have done for you in the past, you just became so spoiled and kept demanding for more power! It was never enough for you, was it?”
To emphasize his point, Hindel punishes his very bad ex-apprentice by firing another bolt of intense energy, which brutally nails Arrogon right in the back!
“And like always, I have to be there to teach you a lesson!” Hindel shakes his head in witty disappointment. “Then again, you never did take the time to listen to me of course!”
“Stop this at once, Hindel…!” Arrogon warns in fuming spitefulness. Of course, that kind of misbehavior is only rewarded with a firm whiplash from Hindel’s animated laser.
“What’s this?” the dragon continues to mock Arrogon while placing a clawed hand next to his frilled ear. “Is that begging I’m hearing from you? Who would have thought that the oh-so-mighty Destroyer would become such a whimpering, little foal!”
“Hold your forked tongue, you vile lizard, or I’ll--!” And once again, very aggravated Arrogon is swiftly taken down by that irritating beam attack.
“Or else what? You’re going to cry some more?” Hindel persists with his mockery. “Can’t say that I’m surprised though! Look at yourself! You’ve tried so hard to prove yourself to everyone… just so you can get yourself a stupid Cutie Mark, and look where that got you! Ironic, isn’t it? You were born with nothing, and now you will end up with nothing!"
When Arrogon finally stands up, Hindel draws another breath of air before spewing out an emaciated laser blast at lightning-fast speed; hopefully, this is all it will take to at last destroy that wicked pony for good! While the unorthodox beam targets the grim stallion in a blindingly zigzag formation, Arrogon just stands there as his infamous rage builds up to fuel himself with more unimaginable power. And as soon as Hindel’s magical fire bolt comes into Arrogon’s close proximity, a firm fore hoof swiftly smacks the golden arrow away into the far distance of the clearing!
Hindel is momentarily stunned by Arrogon’s display of raw power after he deflected the golden dragon’s ultimate technique! In the midst of his shock, Hindel feels great, ghastly chills as he senses the intoxicating, dark blue aura rising from the crossly trembling, dark overlord.
“I thought that you…” Arrogon rages in a quaking voice. “…out of all the miserable creatures in this world… would know better… THAN TO UNDERESTIMATE ME!!”
With a mighty flap of his demonic wings, Arrogon ascends hundreds of feet into the air as Hindel frets on what’s to come from the enraging stallion. In a suitable altitude, Arrogon looks down and scorns out to the golden dragon, “I’LL SHOW YOU, HINDEL! I’LL SHOW YOU JUST HOW POWERFUL I REALLY AM!”
Once he unhinges his jagged jaws, Arrogon mightily inhales a great deal of energy as trails of dark blue energy spiral towards his glowing maw. From the gathering of this spiraling energy, a small, floating sphere of blue fire is formed from outside of his mouth. Through the creation of this unique fire bomb, the tightly woven sphere crackles intensely as it prepares itself for the massive explosion to come.
As Arrogon prepares his devastating fire spell, Hindel also prepares his own counter-offensive through the use of his secret technique: by absorbing the pure energy of the blazing fire that lit up the forest from one of Arrogon’s earlier attacks. After regaining his immense level of composure and concentration, the blind dragon breathes in and out gently as his large body acts a giant magnetic pull from the burning trees nearby. With Arrogon too focused on his own grand attack, the enraging fires drift from the canopy of the trees as they wispily pour into the gentle dragon, so that way, they can lend their natural energy to him.
Soon enough, the majority of the forest fire disappears as Hindel glows immensely with aura of bright, golden energy. Meanwhile, Arrogon is finished with his extraordinary fire bomb technique before he propels the fiery sphere with a forceful dragon’s roar. With the crackling fire bomb falling from the sky as it leaves spiraling trails of sizzling sparks, Hindel raises his head up high and prepares his ultimate stand!
With one monstrous breath, Hindel unleashes a massive wave of golden fire right at Arrogon’s downward projectile! As the two final opposing attacks collide with one and another, Hindel’s magnificent blast of fire envelops the fire bomb! However, the spinning explosion remains intact as it slowly drills right through the dragon’s colossal fire breath! Arrogon cackles high and mighty from the spectacle down below as he marvels over the superiority of his godly power!
Meanwhile, Hindel is relentlessly struggling as he tries to push his ultimate attack ever further. But it is no use. Arrogon’s fire bomb is gradually penetrating through his gargantuan fire breathing. His Draconian Magic is dwindling, his monstrous strength has already pushed himself to his limits before it begins to diminish, and his stamina is fatiguing thanks to enduring just a ruthless battle and his grave injuries. At this point, Hindel has already lost the battle before it is over. Despite that, he is willing to accept his defeat as he already feels accomplished from what he has done so far. Without prolonging this any longer, the noble dragon closes his blind eyes and ceases his final attack…
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Presently, Ford Mustang has finally absorbed all of the fire that was entrapping him before and ultimately completes his training! After taking a breath of relaxation, the blue Pegasus takes a moment to observe himself as he can see a transparent aura of golden energy surrounding his fore hoof.
I feel… different somehow. he amazes to himself. I definitely feel more powerful before I got here, and yet… I feel in more control and less strained about it than ever! Could this be what Hindel has intended for me from the start… to give me this incredible surge of power? Hmm… I should probably ask him once I see him again.
Suddenly, a tremendous, thunderous noise quakes the cave's interior and startles Ford out of his self-astonishment. But then, he hears something even more frightening than that booming noise from outside the sealed cavern.
“RAAAAAAARRR!!”
Wait… that roar… it sounded like… GASP! HINDEL!
From recognizing the screeching pain of his dragon mentor, the panicky pony rushes to the ginormous boulder that’s blocking the cave’s entrance, and he bashes right through the rock before it is reduced to mere pebbles!
As he makes his way out of the dark dwelling, Ford stops in his tracks as he is horrified on what he sees before him: in the far distance of the Everfree Forest, a monstrous pillar of swirling, blue hellfire towers over the forest as it nearly touches the cloudy sky. From witnessing this massive inferno from afar, the immensely startled Mustang recognized that haunting blue color as he verifies the spellcaster responsible for that monstrous fire: Arrogon the Destroyer!
Not only that, but Ford can sense two immense life-forces from that distance. The first source of energy Ford feels is monstrous and gives off a burning sensation found in either extreme hot or cold temperatures. This frightening power source is obviously from Arrogon. As for Hindel’s his life-force offer a different sensation: one that is soothing and comfortably warm. And while Hindel’s is as massive as Arrogon’s, the dragon’s vital life-force is rapidly dispersing away.
“Oh no…” Ford fears for the worst as he desperately flies off to Hindel’s aid. “Please God, no!”
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Back in the battleground, the pillar of intense fire is gone, and in its place, is a giant, blue bonfire that continues to burn away the armored scales of the fallen dragon. As for Arrogon, he makes a soft landing as he continues to impassively observe the incineration of his old, former mentor.
After a heavy sigh, Arrogon states in a mellow manner, “At last… it’s finally over.”
Satisfied, the warmongering pony sharply turns around and prepares a portal of fire that will lead him back to his acquired castle in Canterlot.
“Now there is no one left in this world that can stand up to me!” he declares with contentment.
Gradually, he walks around over to his magical portal, but then, he stops of all of a sudden. Without any explaination, he looks over his shoulder as he stares at the self-improvised cremation of Hindel. As he blankly stares at the motionless dragon, rain begins to shower over the charred battlefield. Each raindrop makes a sizzling noise as they vanquish into his fiery mane and tail, but that matter little to no difference to Arrogon as he continues to gaze at the ferocious fire that’s consuming his former teacher and long-time friend.
After that long, indistinctive stare, Arrogon looks away from Hindel and whispers something completely uncharacteristic to his once-formidable adversary, “Goodbye… master.” And with that, Arrogon walks into his portal, and it closes right after his entry.
Meanwhile, inside the fire pit Arrogon has created from the aftermath of his fire bomb, Hindel is still suffering from the terrifying flames of his opponent’s dark Draconian Magic. Even though he lays motionlessly on the ground while his body continues to be set ablaze, Hindel remains conscious long enough to reflect his outcome.
So… this is the end. Well… I had a feeling that I wouldn’t stand a chance against him to begin with. But… at the very least… I’ve managed to divert Arrogon long enough without letting him knowing the whereabouts of Ford Mustang.
As the blind dragon welcomes the sweet release of death to escape the hellish torment he is in, something flashes right before his mind’s eye. He couldn't imagine that he would receive a vision at a time like this.
Have I… finally reached to the other side? No wait… this vision… this is Ford’s--!
Hindel silently gasps to himself at what he is seeing! He glimpses scenes that show him on what will happen in the future to come for his young apprentice, Ford Mustang! These visions… they are… no words to describe on what he is experiencing! They are just… so overwhelming, that Hindel couldn’t contain himself as he makes a very broad smile at what he is witnessing! And strangely enough, this sense of comfort is so overpowering, that the dragon is able to ignore the excruciating pain he is in right now!
Huh, it seems the fates are kind enough to grant me a glimpse into this pony’s future. Now… at last… I can find peace in my inevitable death.
...
“HINDEL!”
W-wait… is that…?!
WHOOSH!
Unexpectedly, a forceful gust of wind blows at Hindel as the self-made whirlwind, thanks to Ford’s almighty Pegasus wings, disperses the flames that were engulfing the gravely injured dragon! Despite feeling the unbearable pain from his scorched body, Hindel welcomes the refreshingly cool breeze to his charred skin as he grudgingly lifts his head up to get a better look at his savior.
After he swiftly got rid of the fire that was torturing his dragon master, Ford ceases his hovering as he lands on the barren clearing before walking closely to the large smoke that conceals the greatly wounded dragon. Rain continues to pour from the dark cumulonimbus as it finally washes away the remaining flames of the Everfree Forest.
Once the drenched Pegasus got close enough after the smoke clears away, Ford Mustang gasps in horror as he sees the severely injured state his teacher is in. All of Hindel’s smooth, golden scales that used to shine like the coins he once hoarded are now sadly reduced into brittle, stone-like flakes of burnt charcoal! And yet, despite his humiliating condition, Hindel weakly stands up with pride as he smiles down at his heartbroken apprentice.
“Ford… you did it!” Hindel praises softly with a feeble grin. “You’ve completed the final technique of your training! I… knew you could do it! I’m so… very proud… of you.” Unable to hold himself up any longer, Hindel immediately collapses onto the wet ground as he no longer has the strength to move any further.
“Hindel, hang on!” Ford cries out in alarm as he gallops closer to the deeply charred dragon. “Just stay with me, and I’ll heal you in no time!”
“Do not… waste your energy on me… Mustang.” Hindel dismisses the pony’s noble action while heavily gasping for what little air he can receive. “Besides… I am… damaged beyond repair. There’s… nothing you can do… for me right now.”
Ford couldn’t bear what he has to hear from the wheezing dragon. Steadily, he breaks into tears as he slightly shakes his head in doubt and softly inquires his fallen master, “Hindel… why? Why did you do that? You should have told me! You shouldn’t have taken on Arrogon all on your own!”
“No… you completing your training… was far more important… than that. Besides… I had to make to sure… that Arrogon couldn’t find you… just yet.”
“Come on, Hindel!” the tearful pony breaks into a disheartened chuckle as he repeatedly nudges the dragon’s head. “This… this isn’t the time for your usual naps right now! Get up! Please get up!” he cries out quietly after failing to budge Hindel out of his pitiful state.
Ford collapses on all four hooves as he cries more uncontrollably while the greatly weakened Hindel continues to encouragingly smile for the stallion’s kindness and reassurance.
“Listen closely, Mustang…” the blackened dragon tries to get the stallion’s attention gently. “Do you remember… what I told you… about my clan relocating to the mountains… up north from here?”
Ford is hesitant to respond due to his immense crying, but eventually, he nods his head and answers, “Y-y-yes. I remember that.”
“Good… now listen carefully, Ford… before you go and face Arrogon… you must… find Wagner… the leader of my former clan. He and the rest of the dragons… live up north… in the Talos Mountains… tall peaks that are shaped just like our claws. My friend, Wagner… can be very stubborn towards ponies… but he will be… a great ally… to your cause. Now… I can feel… my own end… drawing near. It’s… such a shame… that our time together… was so short… but still… I have no regrets… on having you… as my apprentice… and… as my friend. Farewell… Ford Mustang.”
“Hold on a second, Hindel!” Ford bellows out in desperation. “You’ve said that we were going to defeat Arrogon together! There’s so much I want to share with you after all this is over! How I would tell you on how I propose to Rainbow Dash! Or on how I was going make you come to our wedding no matter what! I was even thinking on having you be there as my best man--dragon--whatever! And who knows, if Rainbow and I have kids, we might even recommend you as their godfather one day!”
“That… does sound nice… actually.” Hindel smiles at that thought.
“So you see, Hindel? You can’t die on me now! You just can’t! Please… don’t go!” Heavy tears pour out of his miserable face as he desperately pleads one last time to the dying dragon, “You did so much for me in these few short weeks that I haven’t been able to give you anything in return!”
“But you already have, Ford.” Hindel reassures tenderly in his dying voice. “You gave me something that’s far greater than any treasure I have ever possessed in my lifetime. You… gave me… your… friendship.”
With one final breath, Hindel gently closes his eyes and displays his well-known smile across his stony face. Soon enough, his heavy, charred body stops its deep respiration as his soft heartbeats come to a standstill. And finally, the remaining Draconian Magic of his golden aura that resides in the center of his large, unresponsive heart disperses from the lifeless dragon.
At last, after all that he endured since that unspeakable incident over 500 years ago, Hindel has finally earned his well-deserved rest for all eternity.
Besides the heavy rain that continues to pour over the deceased dragon and the petrified Pegasus, everything else is nothing but silence to Ford’s drooped ears as he no longer senses any signs of life from Hindel anymore. Everything was just happening so faster. He just couldn’t believe it. His dragon friend has died right before Ford’s tearful eyes.
“H-H-Hindel?”
…
“Hindel?!”
…
“HINDEEEEEEEL!!”
The cloudy heavens above weep non-stop to join in on Ford Mustang’s neverending sorrow as his howling roars echo and shake across the entire forest. No matter on how much begging Ford puts himself through, his cries will never to able to reach Hindel’s ears. And yet oddly enough, in spite of all of the tragedies and sacrifices he went through, the dragon always maintained that endearing grin of his, even in face of his own death. Such it is fitting as a final tribute for the noble creature that once was Hindel the All-Seeing Dragon.