//------------------------------// // Chivalry Ain't dead... Yet // Story: Fate's a Funny Thing // by Honest Wisdom //------------------------------// Concord helped Prosper shrug off the last of the once magical chains. She shot a glare at the limp gryphon watching for any remaining signs of life. If she could have it her way she'd crush the beast under hoof and relish in her death, but Prosper needed her. "Are you alright my lord?" The Alicorn coughed and ruffled his wings. "Fine, but I'll need time to recover." he limped towards the cave exit before turning to look at the pale blue unicorn. "Are you coming?" She forced a smile. "I'll be right with you." The alicorn nodded and left. The moment he was out of earshot her expression darkened and she scowled at Wisdom. "Well, well, well. The mighty warrior brought down to the dirt, NightFall, First Captain of the Night Guard, Gaia, Warmage of the Gryphon Empire, Onyx Cloud, Queen of the Crystal Empire. You've always had to go and be the hero every time you saw an opportunity and all that ever did was get you killed. Over, and over again." Concord giggled. "And here I am, still in my first form while you thought it would be a good idea to travel the world and immortalize yourself in the History Books. That never works, Ponies can't even remember their Princesses, how do you expect them to remember you?" Concord lit up her horn and a small sphere, "I got this from a friend of mine, she told me to shatter it at the hooves Of your greatest enemy and It'll cast a terrible curse on them. Enjoy." She trotted off and tossed the Orb at Wisdom. After a moment she realized she didn't hear the shattering of glass she spun around suspiciously. A tall dark Alicorn Stallion with a ghostly mane held the cursed sphere in his magic. He eyed it casually while standing protectively over Wisdom's body. "Rather rude to curse and run." The orb shattered and curse dissipated. "Shoddily done too, She probably could've undone this the minute she reached half power. You need to think things through a bit more." He dropped the Shards of glass. Concord's ears folded back as she flinched away from the God. "L-lord Thanatos. W-what are y-you doing here?" He shrugged. "I felt a Spirit in anguish, It's my job to personally escort those souls to their next lives. they have a habit of getting lost." He looked down at Wisdom as she released her final breath. "Ah there we are." His horn glowed as he caught the soul before it could scamper off to whatever dark corner of the world it fancied. The bright flashing ball of energy and memories squirmed and fought against the magical grip until finally settling down and dimming a bit. Concord snapped out of her stupor and stomped her hoof. "You're taking her!?! Just like that? I had plans for her!" He glanced at her and shrugged. "You'll get your chance. Go back to your patron, He need's you now." the God disappeared in a puff of smoke just as Concord charged at him. She released a howl of frustration and the last of her influence shattered. Discord snapped out of his cat nap as he felt something snap, shattering glass rang in his ears and his whole body shook from the imbalance. The feeling vanished as quickly as it came. He flicked his tail and contemplated going to the princesses, after a few moments he shrugged and went back to sleep dismissing the idea completely. Blueblood jolted out of his sleep. He felt sore, like his skin had been stretched out and used as a tent. He raised his head and nearly screamed like a filly at the carnage around him. Many of the ship's crew were sprawled about the beach, clawed open or burned beyond recognition. He carefully got to his hooves, his legs wobbling. "Well, Well, Well, Prince Blueblood of the Solar Spirits rises again... Or should I call you Lord Ivory?" Blueblood snapped his head toward the voice, his horn aglow. Grease Stain sat before him with a cocky grin plastered across his face. "I'm pretty impressed that you survived. that means you either managed to resist Connie's magic or she has plans for you." He frowns. "You better hope it's not the second one." "What happened here?" Blueblood growled. "The beginning of the New Golden Age." He shrugged. "Sure, we had a few losses. But soon Our Lord will reach full power and wipe the usurpers clean from Equis." The greasy Earth Pony's mad grin never left his face. "And then he will rebuild it all in his image. 6,000 years of imprisonment and now he is free to bring the end of the Sun tyrant's riegn." A clawed green hand shot out of the sand and snapped Stain's neck. Blueblood's ears folded down in fear as the sand fell away from the dragon's scales and Greenscale shook his massive, bat-like wings. the Dragon eyed Blueblood fro a moment. "You are a Spirit?" He cleared his throat to speak. "I am." The dragon smiled. "So am I." "Really?" Blueblood squeaked. "Of Death." "Oh dear." Blue fainted. Twilight felt her wings go numb and her magic fizz out. her knees collapsed under her and she felt shockwaves of pain shoot through her horn and down her spine. It wasn't a magic surge, she had plenty of those before. This was something else... like somepony was causing it. She heard distant whispers that seemed to call her name. they grew louder until they sounded like they were screaming in her ears. Pressing both hooves to her ears she called out for Spike, who barreled into the room with a concerned look on his face. Before she could say anything A single voice cut through the screams. Twilight Sparkle, Goddess of Magic and Friendship, Sister-soul of Shade, Bearer of the Element of Magic, My kin. The war approaches, Prosper will be more powerful than anything you've ever faced and even my sisters will fall when the time comes. In one years time you will be given the Spirit my Father says will save you all. I pray to you to raise her right. Everything went silent.