Magi Chronicles: Fires of Equestria

by Xeadin


Chapter 10 -- Ruin

Travelling through the tall grass at sundown wasn’t an easy task, especially for him. Twilight and her friends were, easily, covering ground faster than he was, but he was not alone. Shining Armor offered to carry him along to get to his destination quicker. When the river came in to view, it was still as quiet as it was before—save for the frogs and crickets that would, soon, begin their melodious outcries.

Just as they promised, the wreckage was visible on the other side of the river. It was a complete disaster to his eyes. Celestia flew over to the twisted pod, carrying Asura with her. Cadence, quickly, hopped over, allowing herself to recognize the unknown, metallic object.

Asura squeezed through a tight gap in the crushed canopy that was missing all of its glass. The interior of the ship was caked with charcoal and black soot—remnants of electronics and upholstery burnt up in entry of the planet’s atmosphere. Large piles of dirt covered much of the floor, allowing plants to grow and overcome the vessel inside. He spotted a cabinet door, scarred black from the flames of the entry, and he proceeded to attempt to open it. He pulled on the latch, but it would not budge. He figured that the heat of the frictional forces soldered the door shut.

He held his rock in his pocket, and an orb of light appeared in his hand. This time, the orb spontaneously flickered and a bright orange flame jettisoned forth on to the cabinet door. He heard the latch give way, and put out the flame just as quickly. He pulled the door open, and saw a black box inside. It had a blinking blue strobe light on one side. The light was bright, illuminating the entire interior of the vessel. The light gave him a good view of the calamity that surrounded him.

He was inside one half of the vessel, with the other half partially buried in a marsh pit just below where he was. He took the box out of the cabinet and set it on the dashboard towards the front end of the wreckage. From there, he caught sight of a small screen with fluctuating lines and sets of words that blinked with a vibrant blue-white light. He tapped one end of the screen, and a row of squares popped up—indicating a keypad. He pressed on the screen several times, which changed the pulsating light’s color to a bold amber. A small watch popped out of one end of the box, and he took it with him. A sound emanated from the box—an electronic female voice.

“Emergency diagnostics device removed. Failsafe protocols now in effect. Diagnostic reviews active.”

The watch vibrated, as the screen flashed to life. It showed the words ‘scanning’ above an oscillating bar. The screen changed, and it became the same as what was on the black box.

Emerging from the wreckage, Asura nodded to Celestia and Cadence. “I found what I was looking for. Hopefully, I can figure out what happened to the shuttle on my way here.”

Celestia examined the wreckage one last time. “Should we try and bring it back with us for you, so that we can attempt to fix it?”

Asura sighed. “I’m afraid it’s too damaged beyond repair. Attempting a repair on it at this rate would be unreasonable, if not torturous.”

Celestia nodded. Asura hopped on her back, and she leapt off of the ground—back toward Canterlot castle.

~~~~~~

It was dark. Celestia had already finished the lowering of the sun, and Luna would, soon, bring the moon up from behind the mountain that held the castle above the valley. Celestia landed on the balcony of her room; Asura jumped off, and she opened the door leading inside. The air was cool and comforting, as a slight breeze blew past the tall golden spire. Her room was vibrantly lit by several candles, each of them putting out a modest amount of light.

Asura set the watch on the table and sat down on the couch. The screen went blank, and a bright green wireframe sphere hovered over the watch. There was a knock at the door, and Celestia marched over. “Come in.”

The doors opened, and Luna, Cadence, and Shining Armor came back in to the room.

Celestia bowed and gestured over toward Asura, who was busy working his way around the green sphere.

“Where’s Twilight and the others?” she asked.

“They’ll be here shortly,” Cadence reassured. “They had to tend to their own rooms first.”

They walked over to the table. Asura finished tapping on the green sphere, and it turned yellow in color. A window appeared on the front of it, and the watch emanated the same electronic voice.

“Identification requested—key code required.”

He tapped on the keypad below the prompt, and a string of asterisk characters appeared on the prompt below the message. Once he tapped on the green arrow next to the prompt, the sphere changed back to it green state.

“Welcome, Asura. Three critical diagnostic reports are currently pending review.”

The screen showed three prompts highlighted in red. He spoke to the orb. “Show me the one that was prompted first.”

The orb disappeared, and was replaced with a large rectangular screen that spanned the length of the table. It showed an orthographical view of the ship, with a red reticule highlighting the top portion.

“Diagnostic scans reported an unknown anomaly physically altering the mass of the shuttle. Abnormal shift in mass was detected approximately ten seconds after launch. Unknown anomaly was scanned and identified thirty two seconds after launch.”

“Next.”

The red reticule highlighted multiple parts of the ship around the original reticule.

“Diagnostic scans reported multiple compound fractures around the unknown anomaly. Scans identified the cracks to be degrading hull integrity, and atmospheric control management was unable to rectify the issue. Compound fractures continued to degrade hull integrity, and exterior atmospheric capacity was lost. Further damage later reported in failsafe sensors, and early warning systems failed to trigger due to integral hull damage. Occupant was not forewarned.”

“Next.” His heart raced as he analyzed the data that had appeared.

“Diagnostic scans reported acute compromise in hull integrity. Atmospheric management dashboard reported sudden loss of pressure. Report estimated around 3,500 nautical miles from planetary atmosphere. Early warning systems triggered from impending critical hull failure. Emergency escape pod failed to deploy. Shuttle suffered catastrophic separation—approximately 1,500 nautical miles from planetary atmosphere.”

Asura sat down on the couch, covering his face in disdain. He still had to soak in what the reports had shown, but he knew that what was shown had revealed his greatest fear—he was the target of sabotage from his enemies. He was, now, stuck in Equestria for, what may seem to be, an indefinite amount of time. There was no way for him to communicate to his allies, and, equally, there was no way for him to know if his enemies were coming. He was completely out of the radar, and critically exposed; there was no way for him to defend himself.

Celestia sat down next to Asura, who was still in shambles. She gently rubbed his back to ease his frustration. “I’m not sure exactly what is going through your mind, but I can tell you that we’ll do everything we can to help get you back on your feet as best as we can. I can guarantee that.”

Asura looked up to her, his face glittering with tears. “You… you really would?”

She tightly held him in an embrace, supporting her chin above his head. “Of course.” She wiped off his tears that snaked down below his eyes. “Twilight has some incredible friends that can help you accomplish wonders during your time here.”

It caught him by surprise that these ‘Equestrians’ cared so much for his well-being, but he had to trust their insight. He was in it for the long haul, and he had to prepare himself for the upcoming trials that had lain ahead.

~~~~~~

Asura was given a room next to Celestia’s quarter where he could stay for the night. It was a small room, but it served him just fine. It had a small love seat in one corner and a bed had been set up underneath a large window that revealed the night sky. On the opposite side of the seat, there were a few dressers and shelves—most of which were empty and/or unused. He made his way to the bed, which was adorned with a bright blue blanket on top of a lavender comforter. The comforter felt soft to the touch, and the bed itself felt even more so. It was fairly large—big enough to support three people comfortably.

There was a different presence that lingered around him—something different than what had loomed around while the sun was still high in the sky. This presence felt closer and more welcoming, as if it was urging him to climb in to the bed. He did so, and felt himself sinking in to the covers—letting out a sigh of relief. The cushion felt like he was lying down on a cloud, and felt the invitation of sleep grasping at the edges of his mind. However, at the same time, his mind rushed with the fear of his enemies, and the fear of losing connection with the elements completely. If he were to lose hold of the divine thread that clung to the edge of the civilization, what would become of him? How would he be able to survive in a world unfamiliar to himself?

These thoughts raced through his mind for several minutes, and at first it seemed that he’d be able to close his eyes and worry about getting a proper night’s sleep. The next moment, his eyes snapped open, re-introducing the same fears back into his mind. It troubled him to the point of breaking, and he couldn’t withstand it for much longer. He rolled around in the sheets, trying to find a comfortable spot to stay—only to find his mind inviting the same nonsense all over again.

He felt the movement of air rushing past him; it came from the other side of the room. He looked out from above the sheets to find Luna at the doorway. She gently closed the door and proceeded to walk over to him—an air of uncertainty hung over her.

“Does something trouble thee?”

Asura nodded, slightly trembling as his mind continued to race and circle with the same thoughts. It began to plague his soul, and Luna had, somehow, picked up on it.

“I noticed that thou art having difficulty sleeping,” she continued. “I figured that thou would require some company for the night.” She drew a soft smile, radiating her presence toward Asura. He continued to tremble, but felt the lingering presence intensify and lightly caress him. Luna stood forth before the edge of the bed, her iridescent mane flowing across the sheets and barely touching his arm. He felt the looming presence intensify and gripped his body even more.

“Lu-Luna. What…?” He found it difficult to breathe. He felt the presence tickling every inch of his body. Luna climbed in to the sheets and nestled herself just above him—wrapping her arms around him. The presence around him retreated slightly, but continued to assault him with gentle teases and tingles. Luna had moved herself on top of him, and she embraced him with tender love and care. He heard her speak right up against his ear—her melodies quelling his racing thoughts. He truly felt at peace in her presence—his gaze beginning to weaken.

Thou shalt find thyself to sleep;
Let thy princess comfort thee;
Let thou dreams depart their way,
And let thy spirit welcome me.”

The short verse sent waves of pleasure and fatigue into his mind. Soon, his eyes were closed, and his head lay slump in her arms. She tightened her embrace and planted a soft kiss on his forehead. “I shall find thee in thy dreams.” She caressed her head next to his—her mane covering most of his face. Her horn had become enveloped in a dark blue aura, and she closed her eyes.

Sister. I am in his dreams.’

~~~~~~

Celestia lay sprawled on her bed, which was a mat that had been laid on the floor. Her horn was enveloped with a golden haze that had been covered over with Luna’s magic as well.


A golden field of tall grass sprawled into view. Asura took a few heavy breaths to absorb his surroundings that enveloped his eyes. It was the same field that he had remembered in his early childhood. A quick look discovered that the field was part of a school. The building sported two three-level buildings lined with windows from top to bottom, a single story building off to the left, and a fairly large playground in front of him. He appeared much taller than the children that were playing on the sets, but he smiled at the nostalgia of young happiness. Charm overtook frustration—enlightenment overtook fear. For the brief moments that he spent analyzing a memory from long ago, he felt the weightlessness of his sub-consciousness carry him forward through the playground. The children ran right through his form, as if he was only a specter.

As more children ran right past him, he saw a woman walking right towards him—in a slow but methodical pace. He recognized her almost immediately and held his hand out. She did the same. Instead of her hand flowing through his form, he could feel her warm touch. He knew that she wasn’t just part of his consciousness. He had been summoned.

“Asura,” the woman spoke.

“Paleia,” he replied.

“It has been a while since we last spoke. Are you alright?”

“Yes. I’m fine. I managed to survive the crash, and have met with the locals of the inhabited planet.”

Her eyes flickered. “The Equestrians?”

He nodded.

She let go of his hand and gestured him to follow. The scene slowly faded from the school grounds to the courtyard of the Knowledge Towers—an environment he was too familiar with. What seemed out of place was that the environment hung with the feeling of emptiness, as if the towers had been constructed from empty shells.

“Paleia, what is wrong? I remember the towers used to be more pristine. Why do they feel empty?”

She turned around with an expression of sorrow. “A lot has changed in such little time. Our aggressors have desecrated a significant portion of our numbers. Time is now running deathly thin—I fear that the war is beginning to march forth much earlier than expected.”

The war. Upon hearing those words, the structures above him began to crumble and fade away into a dismal spiral of dust and rock. The falling fragments tumbled down and landed perfectly outside of the courtyard, sparing both him and Paleia. When the fragments fell and the dust cleared, he was stricken in mortified fear at the new landscape that revealed itself before him.

The landscape was all but desolate, and great tracts of land were desecrated. Few buildings remained, standing tall as valiant as before. He fell to his knees before the rampant carnage that littered the horizon. It was, as if, death had spilled upon the land and leveled the entire city.

“Why?” It was the only word that muttered out of his mouth.

Paleia drew herself next to him and knelt down, gripping his shoulders. “Our enemy is searching for you. They will do whatever they can to seize control of your power. You hold the key to awakening the great spirit of Cosmos to dispel of this recklessness. If that power falls in to the wrong hands, innocent lives will be at their mercy. They will kill everything that they find, and they will stop at nothing to ensure the destruction of our grand civilization.”

“Why me?”

“You have an untapped power that can restore the balance of the elemental chaos that feeds the rage of the Rygoliths. They rely on this chaos to uproot the House of the Elementals and to destroy the network that binds light and dark together. If they accomplish this, the bonds of light and dark will separate once again, and they will do terrible damage beyond our repair.”

She places an amulet in his hand. “That’s where you come in. In order for them to unseal the bonds, they need to use that essence to break the spell that he placed before his disappearance. If you were able to reach his soul and release him from his slumber, our fates would be saved and the damage they caused would be undone.”

A loud footstep was heard from behind. Paleia and Asura turned around to see both Luna and Celestia standing forth in basking winds and swirling dust of the colossal wreckage. Paleia returned an earnest grin. “Princess Celestia. We meet again.”

Asura stared at Paleia in question. “You’ve met before?”

Paleia nodded.

Celestia raised her hoof forward. “Don’t worry. We heard everything that was said.”

“We will make certain that he is granted the proper care that is needed,” Luna inquired.

Paleia bowed. Asura heard the sound of grunting nearby. Paleia picked up on it as well. They turned around to find a man crawling his way from underneath the debris. Asura identified him as the architect. “Brimoy!”

Brimoy coughed heavily, trailing behind him his blood-soaked robe. “A-Asur…a…”

Asura knelt down to Brimoy and helped him up. “Brimoy! What happened? Are you alright?”

The old man chuckled, as his mouth filled up with saliva and blood. His expression soon became wild with fear and fright. He grabbed a hold of Asura’s arms and began to crumple down towards the ground. “They… they’re coming… for you. I was helpless… to defend… myself. They will… hunt you down…”

“Brimoy, stay with me.” Asura shook the man in worry. “Where are they now? What happened?”

“They… were on… Gausis IV… where I am… now. I tried to stop… them, but…” He trailed off as his head lay slump against Asura’s arm.

“No, no no no. You need to stay alive, Brimoy. I need you to stay alive for me.”

The old man chuckled, spitting out blood in between breaths. “I’m… already dead… I’m… going to see… them now…”

“No…” Asura quelled in tears as he fought trying to recover the man from his grueling state. “No. Brimoy. Brimoy!”

“Don’t… don’t let them… stop you. Don’t waste… your life, Asura…” As he muttered the last words, the old man crumbled in Asura’s grip—heaving his last breath before withering away into a lifeless pile of ash and dust.

Asura took the ashes in his hand. His emotion getting the best of him, his face glittered with tears and he covered his face in his hands. Paleia knelt down and comforted him.

“Asura,” she whispered softly. “We need to keep moving. I need to keep going.”

Still sobbing, Asura looked up towards her. “What about… me?”

She looked over to the princesses, who were both worried. “You just stay where you are. They will protect you. They will find a way to keep you out of harm’s way.” They both nodded. “I need you to trust them, Asura. We all need to find shelter from the coming storm. You are in the best position to halt the storm’s entrance, but you must stay vigilant.” He kept a hold of Paleia’s pendant. It was her personal good luck charm that she kept with her. “I will see you when the storm passes.”

She got up and walked forth in front of him. The winds picked up, and the fragments of the towers began to swirl around the courtyard—eliminating the remaining parts of the towers. She stepped out in to the strong forces of the winds.

Asura stood up and faced the incoming winds. “Paleia!”

She turned around.

He held up his hand with her charm. “Stay strong.”

She held up her hand in response. In a single blink, she was gone. He brought his hand down and examined the charm that he had held. A piece of debris flew by—he turned around and both the princesses were gone. The maelstrom grew stronger as it closed in on him, until the forces were touching his arms. A single piece of stone flew straight towards him in an instant. He braced himself for impact.


He gasped awake, expecting the full force of the stone platform to eviscerate his soul. Luna was, also, wide awake after having to deal with a surprise concrete boulder. The bed beneath him felt comforting, and Luna’s embrace greatly accentuated that comfort. She gazed deep in to his eyes and pressed her nuzzle upon his nose. Tears began to quell in his eyes.

“Brimoy…” he muttered.

Luna gently stroked the back of his head, urging him to lay his head back down with a brief gesture. “I’m sorry.” She hugged her forehead against his. “I’m sorry thou had to witness such terrible fate.”

She twisted her head sideways and locked a kiss upon his lips—catching him off guard. The feeling was both awkward and pleasing to him at the same time. His sorrow began to melt away—she knew it wasn’t the time to mourn for his loss.

What came next was a big surprise for him. Her kiss intensified, slowly suckling more of his lips and beginning to devour his mouth. This sent a gigantic wave of pleasure to reverberate down his spine, as the princess of the night slowly coaxed him back to sleep.