//------------------------------// // Chapter 10: The Sun's Legacy // Story: Children of Chaos // by shirotora //------------------------------// Chapter 10: The Sun's Legacy Razor and Surprise sat, slack jawed, wondering exactly how far gone their host was. Drinking hallucinogenic tea? Hell, they could get into that. Talking to a skull? She had been out there, alone, for hundreds of years. Saying a pretty rock was a long dead alicorn goddess? That was nuts. Kataya apparently noticed the disbelief on their faces and began explaining, “You're familiar with the story of how Celestia sacrificed herself to save Equestria? Well, one detail that got overlooked was that her essence crystallized and shattered, spreading across Equestria. This is one of those pieces of Celestia's essence. I call them Sun Shards. Catchy isn't it?” Razor took the proffered Sun Shard and examined it, “So, we can get back with this? Awesome! Let's go find the others and-” Kataya made a buzzer like sound, “Incorrect. I said you need the power of a god, not part of the power of a god. You need to find the others. There are twelve in all, one in your paw, one in the possession of each of Solaris' four generals, and four in Solaris' possession himself. That leaves three yet found. The good news, I've seen their locations. The bad news, if they were easy to get, Solaris would have them already.” “Why do his generals have one?” Razor asked. “Take it and see for yourself,” the dragony grinned slyly and tossed it to the half-tiger. Razor caught the crystal and felt it instantly. Energy coursed through his body like lightning through a copper rod. The fur on his neck stood on end and his wings shot out from the sudden surge. When it finally calmed a bit, Razor fell to his haunches panting. “Holy shit! What a rush.” “Liked it, didn't you?” Kataya smirked knowingly, “That's the power of a god.” Razor dropped the thing, and leaped away as if it were a snake, “Hell no! Dad told me about the time Celestia gave him her power. It almost killed him!” The dragony rolled her eyes and giggled, “That was Celestia's power magnified three times. This is only part of her power. You'll be fine.” Razor nervously picked the shard back up, reveling in the surge of power it gave him before asking, “Who are Solaris' other three generals?” “Other three?” Kataya raised an eyebrow, “You already met one?” “Isn't dad one?” “No, he's just Solaris' enforcer, body guard, and executioner. He doesn't have a shard but even so, he's nearly as powerful as Solaris. Be careful with him, and remember, he's not your father. He's a puppet of Solaris' that looks and fights like your father, nothing more.” “So then... who are his generals?” Surprise repeated Razor's previous question. “Well, there's Kru, the dire wolf. He is a sadistic, bloodthirsty monster that enjoys eating foals as their parents watch. Solaris gave him the power of pyromancy, so watch out for his fire. “Then there's Gale, the griffin. She's the closest one to being good among them and has a strict code of honor. The best way to deal with her would be to exploit that. She is an expert with the blade and has been given aeromancy, and can control the air. “Nakara is a dangerous zebra shadow priest. He's cunning and fanatical. He summons void demons to do his bidding and always has one in his presence. “Finally, there's Chrysalis,” Surprise recoiled a bit at the name, “Yes, the very same that invaded Canterlot so long ago. And she still blames you for losing her kingdom.” After Equestria learned of Surprise, many came to the realization that changelings weren't inherently evil. Some decided that the changelings that invaded Canterlot might have been desperate, coerced, or just the exception. After a few solitary changelings revealed themselves as having invented their persona and living peacefully beside ponies for years, the vast majority of Chrysalis' army defected to join pony society. The self-proclaimed queen of the changelings claimed that it was because of Surprise that her changelings left. “If she finds out I'm here, she's going to come after me,” Surprise said fearfully. “I won't let her hurt you, Surprise,” Razor assured his fillyfriend as he held her tight. “You'll have to face her eventually,” Kataya stated. “I figured as much,” Surprise replied, a hint of trepidation in her voice. “And when you do,” the dragony continued, “You will face her alone.” Surprise's pupils shrunk to pinpricks, “N-n-no... I-I-I-I can't f-fight her alone! She'll... I wouldn't stand a chance!” “There's always a chance,” Kataya said with a sad smile, “but I won't lie to you and say your chances are good. Chrysalis is powerful, and won't go down easily, but I believe you can do it.” “How?!” the changeling shouted, “I'm not a fighter!” “Neither were my friends and I, yet we defeated gods,” Kataya pointed out, “Even Shiro always said he wasn't a fighter. He was a friend, husband, and father who was willing to do anything he could to protect his loved ones, even give his life. That, Surprise, is where true strength comes from. Find something worth not just fighting for, but dying for, and you will find the strength to move mountains.” “Hey, don't worry about it, Surprise,” Razor put a paw around her, “We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Besides, if we get more of these sun shards you'll be stronger.” “But... she's so strong, and-and I don't want to die,” Surprise quietly cried. “Hey, you know the future isn't written yet,” Razor tried to comfort her, “And if you do have to fight her, we already know about it. We'll be ready for her.” Razor held the sun shard out and pinched the corner. With a quick tug, he pulled a gold chain seemingly from the crystal and brought it around to make a necklace, “Here, you hold onto this one.” As he slipped the chain around her neck, she felt the power rush into her, “Holy shit! What a rush.” “I know, right,” Razor chuckled, “Now you'll be ready for her.” “Thank you, Razor,” Surprise nuzzled his neck, “I love you.” “I love you, too.” --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- “Your first stop should be in the north, near the ruins of the Crystal Empire,” Kataya instructed as she handed Razor a pack full of supplies, “I've marked the location on your map.” She giggled, “You can bring up the map display by pressing the back button.” Surprise giggled, and Razor smiled, rolled his eyes, and said, “Funny. Let's just hope I don't take an arrow to the knee.” “You have enough food and water for about a week,” Kataya said, “I'm giving you my jet, so you should be able to get there in three days.” “Wait... jet?!” Razor asked in disbelief. “That's right,” answered the yellow mare. “I found an old project Jynx was working on when I was playing around with Shiro's computer, and finished it just for you. It took me four hundred years and thirty seven eyebrows to finish.” “How does a dragony singe off her eyebrows?” Kataya just laughed as she moved a picture that just said, “Not a secret button”. Beneath it was a secret button... who knew. A rumbling sound came from outside and the tigony and changeling ran out the front door to see what was happening. A boulder split down the middle and slid apart to reveal a large machine. It kind of looked like a V-22 Osprey, but with jet engines instead of rotors. Razor and Surprise stood in awe at the amazing craft. “Whoa...” Razor stared in amazement, “This is the aircraft mom was working on!” Kataya gave a cocky smirk, “That's right. She had the blueprints finished and one of the engines, but I had to make the rest. The first engine I built burned down my old cottage and about seven acres of the Everfree.” Before they could comment, Kataya held a set of keys in her claw, “Here you go, have fun you kids. Try not to get pregnant.” Razor blushed while Surprise giggled and teased, “Unless I want to, anyway.” Razor's eyes shot open, “What?! Oh, no! No way! Kataya, you can see the future, she doesn't get pregnant does she?” “I don't know~” the dragony fluttered her eyelashes 'innocently'. Razor felt a fear well up in his gut, “Kataya... please tell-” “Ninja vanish!” the yellow mare interrupted him with a sudden smoke bomb. Razor and Surprise coughed and gagged as they inhaled noxious gas. Together, they flapped their wings, blowing the smoke away. When the air was clear, they looked around expecting Kataya to have disappeared. Instead, the dragony stood upright, on her hind legs exactly where she was before... with a lampshade on her head, holding a sign that said, “I am a lamp.” The two could only stare in confusion. “Uh... Kat...” Razor tried to say something. Surprise finished for him, “Why are you wearing that?” Nothing. “Katie, we know it's you,” Surprise tapped her on the shoulder. The changeling narrowed her eyes and gave a strand of her mane a tug, trying to get a response. “Click,” said the 'lamp' and a bright light shone from within. Razor and Surprise stared, flabbergasted... and turned around and headed to the jet. “She's nuts.” “No, I'm a lamp! Can't you read?” They tried to ignore her. Their sanity was already wounded enough from this visit, and need to recover. And so, they just hopped into the jet. Razor took the controls, being more familiar with his mother's designs than his fillyfriend, and took to the sky.