The following days found the priest named Xellos flying on a direct course for Canterlot castle. While it looked as if he was enjoying himself he was in fact rather bored just watching the landscape fly by below him. “Hmm, maybe I should have taken that airship to Equestria instead of flying there. At least then I could have just slept the entire time if there was nothing worth paying attention to. Good thing I’m almost there though, that looks like the mountain the city is located around.”
He was about to pick up speed as he flew by a lone mountain when the sound of yelling from somewhere nearby which was odd considering his current altitude. “Get out!” What followed that was a loud echoing roar and when he looked around for the source he noticed a cave near the top of the mountain he had just passed that had some colorful figures outside of it. Another one soon joined them as it was rapidly ejected from the cave causing it to collide with the others and a nearby rock.
“I guess I take that back, this looks like it could be rather interesting, especially if I heard what I think I did.” After a quick scan of the area he saw nowhere that was appropriate to hide behind so with a sigh he shifts from this plane to the astral plane. I hate having to watch from this place, it’s just not the same and… hello, what’s this? It’s been a while since I’ve seen ponies that shine like that, not since old Swirly’s apprentice. Looking over the six figures, one hiding behind the large rock, he took in the dazzling radiance that was emitted from each.
White, blue, lavender, yellow, orange and pink forms shined like stars in the washed out terrain visible in the astral plane. Each was shaped much like they were in the mortal plane but their mane and tails flowed in the non-existent wind of the plane. Xellos reclined in a small depression above the cave entrance as he examined them and he raised an eyebrow as a more earthy form came stomping out of the cave below him. So that’s what that roaring was from, I didn’t expect to find dragons already trying to muscle back into this territory. I think I remember that one as well, I wonder how those six were planning to deal with him and why.
He looked at the six figures as the dragons roar echoed between the planes to see how they would react. His look of interest turned to one of surprise when he noticed the pink one looking right at him but he didn’t have time to ponder it when the yellow one began to act. “How dare you... How dare you! Listen here, mister. Just because you're big doesn't mean you get to be a bully. You may have huge teeth, and sharp scales, and snore smoke, and breathe fire. But you do not-- I repeat-- You do not! Hurt! My! Friends! You got that?”
Xellos almost took off in the opposite direction in panic as a wave of mental force was projected at the dragon from the yellow pegasus. Now that is rather scary and that was without it even being targeted at me. Whoever that is I don’t think making her mad is a really good idea. Too bad her power isn’t working quite like she is expecting though. The energy of her attack was pressing on the dragon but most of it was rolling off his body as waves of anger and hate boiled up from it. Hmm, not much could be able to resist that, too bad this dragon has seen things scarier than her before. It seems that I might have to step in to prevent someone from doing anything drastic.
~~~~~~~
Twilight and her friends watched in shock as, of all ponies, Fluttershy flew out of her place of hiding to start berating the dragon for hurting them. The shy little pegasus continued berating the large beast who just stood there staring at her with no change in its demeanor. “What does she think she’s doing? Is she crazy?”
Twilight’s words were whispered to the others who were piled around her by the broken rock. All of them had their eyes locked on the two above them, except for Pinkie Pie who was looking somewhere behind the dragon Twilight noted. “I believe she is using the Stare on it, Twilight. The darling doesn’t like using it but when she does nothing has been able to disobey her.” Twilight nods at Rarity’s words but she looks a bit worried as she watches the two.
“Don’t look now, but I think this might be the first time that this Stare of hers isn’t working.” Those familiar with their friends ability do a double-take and look closely at the dragon to see that it indeed not being affected and actually looks angrier.
“But that’s impossible, nothing can resist Flutters when she gets serious, can they?” Rainbow Dash starts looking worried as smoke starts leaking from the dragon’s nose as Fluttershy finishes up her tirade. “Ponyfeathers, we’re in trouble aren’t we?”
Fluttershy looked to be expecting a response from the dragon and started to look a bit worried when none was forthcoming. When it suddenly opened its jaw to roar directly into her face her wings snapped shut as she froze up in fear causing her to plummet to the top of the pony pile below. As the dragon reared its head back in preparation to unleash its burning breath on them as they tried to escape from underneath the paralyzed pegasus a voice echoed from behind the behemoth causing all involved to freeze.
“Now now Ragoth’Aeros, we wouldn’t want to do something that we would regret now would we? You remember the last time your kind tried to attack the ponies of Equestria, don’t you?” The ponies, barring Pinkie whose gaze never wavered, looked around in confusion for the source of the voice. The dragon’s reaction was much more drastic is his eyes were open wider than normally possible as his read color paled to a bright pink color.
Suddenly the dragon started groveling in a random direction while pleading helplessly. “Please don’t hurt me oh merciless one! I wasn’t trying to hurt them honest, just scare them a little so I could go back to sleep!” The ponies were shocked by the sudden change in demeanor of the dragon but they were even more shocked when a figure appeared out of thin air above their heads.
Xellos glared at the dragon with his violet eyes that were now visible to the intimidated being. “I’m sure that I said no aggression would be accepted, and that includes acts of intimidation. You might want to consider whatever request they had since they decided to climb up here or do I have to do something drastic?”
The dragon whimpers and nods before it slithers back inside the cave before it streaks out again carrying some large sacks as it rapidly vanishes into the distance. Twilight stares in awe at the figure before them that managed to scare the dragon off just with a few words and his presence. “Um, thanks for your timely help, I’m Twilight Sparkle and-“
She was interrupted as a flash of color sped by her and glared at the back of the bipeds head. “Enough of that, who and what are you anyways? And why is a dragon completely terrified of you?” Twilight face hoofs at the brashness of the rainbow maned pegasus. The tall figure remembers that he still has an audience and turns around to behold the ponies through his once again slitted eyes.
“Oh, sorry about that. He and I go a long ways back and I just had to take a moment to catch up with him. My name is Xellos, the Mysterious Priest.” They all stare at him in confusion after his introduction before Twilight shakes her head and gathers her thoughts.
“Well as I was saying before being interrupted, my name is Twilight Sparkle and these are my friends, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Fluttershy, and... where did Pinkie Pie go?” Her friends each nod in turn on being introduced but look around when they realize one of them is missing. Rainbow Dash and Applejack glare at the bipedal figure suspiciously moments later, the former due to her usual nature and the latter as something feels off to her about him.
“Do you mean the pink one? I believe I saw her take off towards that town I can see over there once that dragon left. Should I have said something about that?” Twilight wonders how he knew that since he was focused on the dragon the entire time but there were more important things to worry about.
“I can probably guess what she is doing, but how did you happen to find us up here? It’s rather isolated and considering we are near the top of a mountain there would be little reason to come up here anyways.” Xellos looked towards the sun for a moment before turning back to them again.
“Oh I was simply flying by at the time on the way to visit an old friend of mine. It’s been a few years since I last visited and it felt like a good time to do so again. Speaking of which, I should be going now since my help is no longer required. We’ll meet again Twilight Sparkle.” Before any of them could stop him he walked behind a nearby boulder before vanishing from sight. When the ponies rounded the obstruction there was no sign of him or any clue of where he went.
“Where did he go? There’s something odd about him that I can’t explain. He mentioned flying and was even doing so but I’ve never seen a spell like that before. I can’t even tell if he teleported away, went invisible, or cast some other spell after he got out of sight.” The others looked at Twilight worriedly as if it was something that even she didn’t know about then that meant trouble.
“Sugarcube, ah don’t know what he was or how he did that, but ah can tell that things are about to get interestin’ around here soon.” The others nodded to each other as they made their way down the mountain again wondering what the coming days would bring.
<><><><><><><>
Celestia, Princess of the Sun gazed out over her city as the end of the day steadily approached. She was sitting down with a cup of tea at a table next to one of the many windows the castle had as she wondered how her student was doing. The smoke on the horizon had stopped so she knew she had succeeded so she was just waiting for direct word from her.
Spying a flicker of green out of the corner of her eye she turned to see a scroll materializing above the table and she smiled. “I was wondering when she would get around to sending that. Let’s see what Twilight has to say today.” Unrolling the scroll she did a quick scan of the contents as she took a sip of her tea. On spying a name that should not be there she accidentally took in more tea on accident before spitting it across the room before she read the letter again carefully.
Dear Princess Celestia,
I am happy to report that the dragon has departed our fair country, and while I almost expected my good friend, Fluttershy, to be the one to convince him to go it was in fact a surprising third party that was in the area that convinced him to leave. Some creature by the name of Xellos showed up when all our efforts had failed and saved us at the last moment. I don’t even want to think what would have happened if he hadn’t shown as that dragon was very angry until he arrived. Still I learned an important lesson that true strength can come from the most surprising sources at times. Fluttershy was terrified the entire way yet when things were looking down she still risked everything for us even at the expense of her own comfort. I am ashamed to admit that I would never have expected it from her yet it shows that you should always have faith in the hidden strengths of your friends.
Always your faithful student,
Twilight Sparkle.
“Why does he have to come back at a time like this? I need to find Luna before he shows up and warn her before she does something drastic.” She rose from her chair and was preparing to go in search of her sister before a whistling sound distracted her. Before she could turn to find the source of the sound she was blinded as the world was engulfed by a flash of pink.