//------------------------------// // Chapter 12: A Glimmer of Hope // Story: PonyFable // by Omega_code //------------------------------// The icy terrain made it difficult for Jack to climb down. Of course Jack has been in these types of situations before back on Lore, but not like this. Yes he won the fight with the teen dragons but he loss as well. He lost the helm, the girls and himself. This was his second…or was it his third…time of using power of a Doomknight, but like the last time he couldn’t fully control it. He was aware of all his actions, actions he won’t normally do, and was fine…fine to kill in cold blood and other things he was ashamed of. If it wasn’t for Wistala, Jack could’ve ended up just like Sepulchure the first time he accept the evil blade when Rebecca died. Jack look ahead in front of him to see Wistala and Spike far in the distance. Wistala was flying and Spike was having a hard time to keep up with her. She was furious at Jack for using the Doomknight power. Wistala, from the moment she hatch, never like the element of darkness, and doesn't truest anyone who used it. Which was why Jack didn’t use his Dragon Amulet to make her grow for a flight back to Canterlot; she just grab Spike and fly off to Canterlot, or she’ll eat Jack, grab Spike, then fly off to Canterlot. Spike himself seemed ever afraid more than ever of Jack, which Jack couldn’t blame him. To see a person who called himself a hero, loss control and unleash darkness itself upon five dragons is not a pleasant sight to see. Jack shivered as a cool wind blow in the air. Normally his armor would’ve protected him from the bitter cold, but it was beaten, bent and some of its parts were missing after the battle Jack had. Jack would have to send it back to DragonsGrasp to have it repaired. The problem is he couldn’t get back to Lore and now he had no armor to defend himself, not like armor would be any use for him later on. Those golems were designed to counteract Jack’s Dragonlord armor and the way Jack used it in a fight. How did Obsidian even know how I fought with it when I first face those dragons, Jack thought, unless he was there himself? What am I even going to do? Jack looked up again and saw that Wistala and Spike stopped their advance and were talking to each other. I hope Obsidian kept his word and let the girls go, otherwise... “It’s Rainbow Dash,” he heard Spike’s voice shouted out. Jack looked up to see the cyan pegasus flying in the sky and didn’t by attention to his footing. His foot slipped on a hidden patch of ice and he felled on his back screaming in surprised. He rolled down for a few seconds in the snow and was stopped by something hard. “Owe,” he said out loud. *************************** Wistala flew against the icy wind trying to get down the mountain as fast as she can. She was happy that Jack snapped out of the blade’s control, but she was still mad at him. She wished he would throw that blade away, but it would only come back. “Wistala,” Spike shouted out, “wait up.” Spike carefully jogged up to Wistala. “Shouldn’t we wait for Jack,” he asked as he walked a fast pace by Wistala. “Jack can take care of himself,” she harshly replied. Spike ears flatten to Wistala bitter tone. “Wistala,” Spike carefully said, “what exactly happen back there?” She halted flying forward and landed right in front of Spike, “Someone letting evil control their action.” She looked up the mountain at Jack who was climbing down its side. “Someone trying to do his best, but went down the wrong path,” she looked back at Spike who seemed to understand. He glanced over her head and his face brightened. “It’s Rainbow Dash,” he shouted pointing one of his claws at the sky. Suddenly Jack started screaming. Both of the dragons look at Jack a saw him rolling down the mountain slope and boulder stopped his roll. “Owe,” they heard Jack said out loud, which caused Wistala chuckle for a bit. She heard a set of flapping wings and hooves landing in the snow behind her. “Wistala, Spike, glade to see both of you are all right,” Rainbow Dash said. She looked at Jack, “Is Jack alright?” “He felt worse,” Wistala responded. She turned her head to Dash, “How about you and the rest of the girls?” Rainbow’s ears flatten. “He took Fluttershy. He released us and took her to make sure we stay out of his way. I tried to find him, but he was nowhere to be found.” Her front legged pound the ground furiously as she talk. “How about those dragons that attack you, what happen to them?” “I was able to defeat them,” Jack voice spoke in as he descended the mountain side to them. “It was a, ruff fight.” Liar, Wistala thought, but she could understand, having the power of a Doomknight is not happy news that one just spread the around. “You look you took quit the beating,” Dash said referring to Jack’s armor condition. “It can be fixed, but that’s not important right now, we need to back to Canterlot as fast as possible. The chariot was destroyed so we need to start walking to Canterlot now.” “Or we could let Twilight teleport us to Ponyville,” Dash said. “She’s waiting with Applejack farer down the mountain; I’ll lead you to her.” She took off and head down the mountain side. Jack, Spike and Wistala follow Dash, none of them saying any word. ********************* “There letter sent,” Twilight said after Spike burn a letter for Princess Celestia. Twilight was able to teleport them to the edge of Ponyville, which much have taken a lot of mana, if ponies have mana that is. Jack was sitting under a tree trying to think of a new plan. Sadly none came to him. “Hopefully we get a response soon.” She looked at Spike, waiting for a response. “Don’t worry sugar cube, we get Fluttershy back,” Applejack, “right Jack?” Jack remained silent. “Jack?” “I don’t know,” he replied. He lowered his head, “I run out of tricks and plans. I can’t out match Obsidian with the equipment that I have.” He got up, “The only way that I can get an even playing field is a path that I don’t want to go down again.” He kicked the trunk of the tree causing it to shake frenziedly. “You’ll find a way Jack,” Wistala said, “you always have in the past.” “I need a miracle for a plan to even to form,” he yelled out. There was a loud bang and everyone jump. They all look towards the sound and saw a simmering circle, and in that circle was a familiar face. “Lim?” “By Lore it worked,” Lim cheerfully said. “I done it, I made a dimensional portal.” “We done it,” another voice spoke in and Warlic step into view. Cysero lean his head in view. “Hiya Jack,” he said. Jack’s mouth was open wide and then it give into a smile. “Jack,” Twilight asked, “who are they?” “Friends,” Jack walk up to the edge of the portal. “About time you got a doorway working, because I need it. How long can you keep this portal open?” “Uh…I think about twenty minutes. Why?” “Let just say I involved myself in stopping a villain plan. I need something from my house real quick.” “Oh,” Cysero said, “then I need to get something.” In a green flash he ran off. “Jack, I know how good hearted you are, but after this portal closed I need to let this machine to cool down. I don’t know the next time when I can open another portal.” “I can’t abandon this quest; somepony’s life is in danger, and it’s my fault.” Warlic spoke, “Then you should stop wasting time and start running.” Jack nodded his head and his head turn to the ponies, “I’ll be back.” He leapt through the portal and ran out of Lim’s shop to his house. ******************* Wistala watch Jack leapt through the portal as if he was heading into battle. She didn’t have any idea what he wanted, but she trust him that it was important for this quest. “So Lim, how did you get the portal to open so close to us?” Warlic answered instead of Lim, “I used a complicated location spell just as the portal was opening. I made sure it open a few feet away so it won’t open on top or inside of Jack.” He looked at the ponies, “So these are the local inhabits of this world, interesting.” He eyed Twilight and his eyes slightly widen. “You are very gifted in the field of magic.” “How could you tell,” Twilight asked. “I’m an Archmage, a person who’s very powerful in magic. It’s not hard to tell if one know the signs.” He looked at Applejack and Rainbow Dash, “And you are both link to a powerful magic object.” “You mean the Elements of Harmony,” Applejack said. “I think that what he means,” Twilight said, “since they are the most powerful magic in Equestria.” Sudden a burping sound came from Spike and a letter materialized in the air and drop to the ground. He picked it up and read it. “Celestia is coming to Ponyville with Rarity and Pinkie Pie; they will be here in half an hour,” he summed up the letter. “Celestia is here,” Lim asked. “Not ours Celestia,” Wistala said, “but she does act like ours.” “Wait, you have Princess Celestia on Lore too,” Twilight asked. “Priestess actually, she mostly liked to be called by Lady Celestia. She’s the one who gave me as an egg to Jack three years ago and made him a Dragonlord.” She looked at Lim, “Didn’t Jack said you were going to give him a new weapon of yours to him before you send him here.” Lim looked up, “Yes, I did…I’ll go get it.” He walked out to grab it. ********************** Jack opened his front door and rushed in and went down the hall to the main bedroom. In his room there stood a cabinet that was made to hold all of his armor. He opened it and looked for the one he need. He grabbed it and quickly stuffed it in his backpack. He slugged his backpack back on and headed to the front door. Before he left the front door, another type of armor caught the corner of his eye. Well, the more the merrier, he thought. He took his backpack off and put the big single piece of armor in his backpack. Putting his backpack back on Jack took a couple of deep breaths and head out the front door heading back to Lim’s shop. His house wasn’t that far from the shop, but it was still quite the run. People got of the hero’s way, confused of what was going on since nothing major was happing in Lore. Analog the way Jack saw a familiar Dragonwarrior walking down the road, who had also saw him as well, “Hay Captain Jack, I was looking for you, I need to ask…” “No time to spare Eric,” Jack shouted as he passed him and went into Lim’s shop. Bewilder, Eric blink a few times, “Ok, maybe next time.” Jack burst in the back room, breathing heavily, “Ok…I’m ready.” “Jack,” Lim said, “before you head back, take this.” He held out a small black hilt but it had no blade. “It’s my last energy weapons, I call it Darth Laser.” Jack look at it with disbelief. “Press the button.” Jack pressed it and a yellow energy came out, making a humming noise. Jack smiled, “Lim you never cease to amaze me with your inventions. This will help me with my plans greatly.” He looked at the portal to see everyone waiting for him. “Let do this.” “WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIITTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTEEEEEEEEEEE,” Cysero’s voice screamed out. He ran in the room so fast he bum into Jack and both of them tumble forward through the portal. “CYSERO,” Lim shouted out just as the portal closed when the two went through. Both Jack and Cysero land on the ground with Jack on bottom, with a hard thud. “Opps, sorry Jack, I guess I should’ve look while I was running huh.” DARTH LASER...see I did not make that up...it's a true weapon. Dragonfable is copyright to Artix Entertainment, LLC. MLP: Friendship is Magic is copyright to Hasbro. All charters that belong to their companies are rightfully theirs. This writing is for fun and nothing else. Next chapter: The Sound of Green.