Only once in a pony’s lifetime could one hope to witness the Dragon Migration, the only time where hundreds of these fiercely territorial creatures could tolerate one another’s presence long enough to come together for their mating season. Since they lived for thousands of years, what would be an annual event for most other species only occurred every few decades. Like observing a comet, researchers, historians, and anypony else curious enough would travel to locations along the known migratory routes to witness the might and majesty of these beings in flight. The last migration was just over a quarter-century ago and the next one wasn’t expected until quite some time.
The ponies of Ponyville had been given notice well in advance so that they might be prepared and not panic when hundreds of dragons flew over their town. Though the dragons would have no interest in them, many ponies understandably found the idea of having multiple, giant, fire-breathing reptiles undesirable. Like Fluttershy, most of the residents of the town took shelter and hid until it was all over. A few of the braver ones snuck a peek through their shutters. Only the bravest dared to watch from outside, most notably Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and Rarity, but even then it was from the safety of trenches they dug.
On this particular morning, there had been no warning. Nopony, not even Princess Celestia or Princess Luna foresaw it. The ponies had awoke and went about their day like any other day, unaware of what was coming.
Apple Seed and Cherry Pie were already at school, Cheerilee welcoming her students to her class for a new day of learning when they heard it. When the windows of the schoolhouse began to rattle, the teacher and her students left their desks to look out the vibrating panes of glass. Sour Apple was in the orchards of Sweet Apple Acres bucking apples when the branches of the trees began to whip wildly in the wind, the rustle of the leaves sounding like the angry buzzing of millions of bees. Holding onto the stetson his mother gave him, he gazed up through the treetops in hopes to see what was causing the whirlwind. Posey was tending to the animals at her family’s animal sanctuary when the critters started to chatter in a panicked frenzy. She tried to calm them down, but they could sense that something terrible was coming.
“Here you go, Thunderbolt,” Surprise said with a wink as she served breakfast to the gray Pegasus at Sugar Cube Corner. “A plate of Triple Berry Pancakes for our newest Wonderbolt.”
“Thanks, Surprise,” he said, his mouth watering at the stack of pancakes, fruit, and whipped cream. Before he could take a bite, his ears twitched from hearing an odd noise. It was deep and heavy, like one of Vinyl Scratch’s bass cannons, but it had an irregular pattern, like it was coming from multiple sources. The way it rumbled like thunder and made his bones shake made him think of a stampede of buffalo from Appleloosa. “Hey, Surprise. Do you hear that?”
“I feel that,” she responded, also taking notice of the distant sound. Leaving his breakfast untouched, Thunderbolt went outside and saw that the ponies running their stands in the market had also taken notice. As he hovered above the ground, he realized it couldn’t be a stampede because he could feel the disturbance even though he wasn’t touching the ground. Dismissing the idea of stampede, he then looked to his beating wings and noted the noise they made when they flapped. Seeing the correlation, Thunderbolt’s heart began to beat faster and he flew above the rooftops. As he cleared the chimneys and roofs, he was greeted by the blinding sun. Squinting his eyes, he saw the outline of something hiding in the sunlight. He shielded his eyes with a hoof and then his jaw dropped when his eyes adjusted.
Midnight busy writing down notes at her desk when she too noticed the disturbance coming from outside. Placing down her quill, she made her way over to the glass doors that exited to her balcony. Stepping out onto the balcony and leaning over the railing, Midnight looked down at the streets below to see ponies coming out of their houses or leaning out of their windows to stare skyward. Turning her head to see what they were looking at, Midnight yelped and jumped back as a gray and blue blur zoomed past her.
“Dragons!” the blur, which had the voice of Thunderbolt, yelled as it sped away. The ponies barely had time to scream before the sound of the leathery wings was directly overhead. Midnight dove back into the palace and covered her head with her hooves as a green scaled dragon flew directly over the palace, shaking the crystalline castle with its passage. Midnight was about to stand up and go back outside but covered her head once more when an orange dragon also flew by. It was then followed by brown dragon and then by a red, then a yellow, then a black, then a teal, and many others.
Summoning the courage to stand back up and daring to go back onto the balcony, Midnight saw dragons of all colors flying over her hometown. She shielded her eyes against the unbearable wind created in the dragons’ wake. During the Dragon Migration, the dragons flew high above the town, but now they barely cleared the castle. With each downbeat of their massive wings, a powerful gust of air would rock the buildings to their foundations. Food stands were toppled and blown down the cobblestone streets. Ponies that were caught outside were swept off their hooves and clung onto lampposts, door frames, or anything bolted down in order to prevent being carried away in the breeze.
Midnight could only stare in wordless amazement and terror as the dragons flew over Ponyville and made their way to the Everfree Forest. It was quite a sight to say the least. There was little that was more awe inspiring or more terrifying than seeing a flight of dragons so close. In her dazed state, Midnight wondered how or why so many dragons had appeared. She knew better than most that the next Dragon Migration wasn’t due for many years.
Many dragons, hundreds by Midnight’s estimation, had passed over Ponyville and were now circling over the forest like great flock of oversized vultures. With the dragons no longer overhead, the air began to settle once more. A cautious calm settled over the town and the ponies collected themselves off of the ground and came out of their hiding places to assess the situation. They were unhurt, but were terribly shaken up and disoriented by the experience. Some righted their overturn carts and stands while parents comforted their frightened foals.
“Midnight!” The blue Unicorn looked away from the dragons to see a contingent of Pegasi Royal Guards from Canterlot flying towards Twilight’s Castle. The guards were armed with spears and were led by Flash Sentry. When her father landed, Midnight rushed to met him. “Are you alright?”
“I’m fine, Dad,” Midnight assured the orange Pegasus. “What’s going on? Why are there dragons here?”
“I don’t know,” he told her. “But we have to be prepare for an attack.”
“An attack!?” Midnight exclaimed. “But what about the Dragon/Equine Peace Accord!? It clearly states that- Gah!” Midnight cried out in pain and covered her ears as did everypony else when an unbearable pressure assaulted their eardrums. The Pegasi guards fell out of the sky and Midnight and family struggled to stand. As before, the noise of gargantuan wings flapping came from the east. Through tear-filled eyes, Midnight looked up to see the sun go dark. At first she thought it was Luna performing a solar eclipse, but then saw that the shadow was moving across the sky. A gasp escaped Midnight’s throat as she saw that the shadow belonged to the largest thing she had ever seen. She had read that dragons never stopped growing throughout their incredibly long lifespans, even exceeding an Ursa Major, but she never imagined she would ever see one.
Even as it flew over the forest, the sound of each powerful beat of it wings could be heard in the distance. The relatively smaller dragons parted and made way for the colossus, which landed in the heart of the Everfree Forest. The other dragons continued their circling overhead as Midnight wondered why would a dragon be interested in the forest. Other being filled with all sorts of magical monsters and not abiding by the other laws of nature, the only thing of importance about the forest was that was home to the ancient castle where the Royal Alicorn Sisters once lived. It was there where Midnight’s mother and her friends discovered the Elements of Harmony and where the Tree of Harmony, the source of all peace and harmony in Equestria, was located.
“The Tree!” the Unicorn Princess frantically shouted. “The Tree of Harmony! The Elements! It’s landed right where the old castle is located!”
“You’re right!” Flash Sentry agreed, also recognizing where the largest dragon had landed. The Prince Consort looked over the railing to the soldiers that were holding a hoof to their aching heads as they wobbly stood back up and ordered, “On your hooves, stallions! Pick up your weapons and fly! Fly!”
The armored ponies obeyed their commander’s orders and followed him to the sky, headed towards the ancient castle and the dragons. Seeing her father head straight towards the creature that created a hurricane with the force of its wings, Midnight called after him, “Father, you can’t fight that thing! You’ll be killed! Are you listening to me!? Father!”
She was about to run after him, but Flash Sentry turned around to call back to her. “No, Midnight! Sworn Duty, keep her safe!”
“Yes, Your Highness,” confirmed a jade coated guard, who landed by the blue mare.
“But… But…” she stammered in protest but the lieutenant's wing draped over her, leading her back inside. Sworn Duty shook his head at her, and then she looked back helplessly to her father as he and his soldiers flew on to confront the dragons. She knew that the Tree of Harmony had to be protected, but also knew that her father stood no chance against a foe such as this.
Flash Sentry was also aware of this fact. As he and the other Royal Guards approached the castle, they gripped their spears tighter with their hooves. Looking at the bronze weapon he carried and then to the scaled beasts before him, it felt puny in comparison. A dragon’s hide was nigh impenetrable and their weapons far outclassed their own. Each dragon was equipped with claws that could easily dig through a solid rock and teeth that could crush diamonds. Even if they had brought Unicorns, it would benefit them little for dragons had a natural resistance to magic and the more learned of their kind could cast spells just as easily. Above all was the dragons’ most infamous trait; dragonfire. With one burst of their super heated, magical fire breath, an entire squad could be reduced to ash.
Flash Sentry could see the largest dragon rising over the forest’s canopy. As Midnight had proclaimed, it was hunched over the castle. Its scales were a deep, royal purple and a triple row of blood red spikes ran down the length of its spine. The middle row of red spikes, along with its wings, was webbed with golden, leathery skin. Even with its back towards the Pegasus, Evening Star could see that its head was adorned with multiple, thick, crimson horns. With one clawed hand, it gripped to the side of the castle, crumbling the stone masonry under its massive weight. With the other claw, it reached down into the ravine that surrounded the castle. The clawed hand was thrust into a cave at the bottom of the moat, feeling about the inside of the cave in search for something.
“Charge!” Flash Sentry commanded as he darted towards the titanic dragon. He knew they only had a fool’s hope of succeeding in stopping the attempted theft. The members of the EUP were trained in strategies designed to counter dragon raids, but they only accounted for one dragon and certainly not one of this size.
Before the squadron could reach the purple dragon, a red dragon with a gray underbelly and wings blocked their path and roared at them. Spears flew at the red dragon, but bounced harmlessly off its plated stomach to the forest below. Unimpressed by their fruitless attempt of an attack, the dragon raised a scaly brow at the stallions. While the unarmed soldiers swooped down to retrieve their weapons, the next line of guards prepare another volley. Before they could throw their spears, a blue dragon with magenta wings and belly scales swooped over them, throwing off their balance as they hovered in the air, and a green dragon with yellow wings swooped down below and cut off the other soldiers before they could reach the trees.
The three dragons circled around the Royal Guards, preventing them from escaping. Flash Sentry and the guards closed in together, covering each other’s backs while looking in every direction for a way out. Even if a few of them got past the three dragons corralling them, the other dragons were already being to form a perimeter around them. Flash Sentry’s heart sank; he had foolish led his stallions into battle against an insurmountable force with no hope of victory, and now they faced certain doom.
He then heard the sound of stone and and earth crumbling and turned to see the massive, purple dragon raising itself on its hind legs. Even with them in the air, the Pegasi craned their necks to look up at the towering figure. The dragon spread its golden wings to its full span, which was nearly a third of a mile across. It raised a clawed hand to the sky and unleashed a deafening roar in triumph. Flash Sentry gaped at the dragon’s prize; the Tree of Harmony! Dirt fell from the roots of the bluish-purple, crystal tree, its glowing white, crystal ball-like ornament dangling from the branches.
Clutching the magical tree in its grasp, the purple dragon looked to the ponies that dared tried to stop it from claiming its prize. Its chin, cheeks, and nose were adorned with facial spikes and golden ear frills fanned out from the side of its head. Flash Sentry stared back the dragon, determined not to show fear and to accept his fate with dignity. The accompanying guard followed their Prince’s example and faced their captor. As the giant dragon stooped down and stretched his long neck forward, Flash Sentry began to nervously sweat as he was faced with the glare of those fiery, red eyes.
*****
Back in Canterlot, Twilight Sparkle watched on as Evening Star rallied the rest of the Royal Guard. Her husband had already left to secure Ponyville and to make sure that their daughter was safe, but she didn’t know what the dragons would do. If they decided to attack, there was little that Flash’s team could do to stop them. The Princess of Friendship fretted as she watched the soldiers organized themselves into formation.
Rainbow Dash was already in her form fitting Wonderbolt uniform and Soarin was with her with the rest of the squadron of elite fliers. They and the rest of the Pegasi guard were to be the first responders while the Unicorns and the Earth Ponies would stay and protect Canterlot. Even with all of the Pegasi guard backing her, Twilight feared for Rainbow Dash.
As for the rest of Twilight’s friends, they stood to the side of the of the castle’s great hall looking on anxiously. Aside from Fluttershy, none of them could fly, and Fluttershy was no soldier. The yellow mare also had an overwhelming phobia of dragons. She was already going out of her mind at the thought of there being dragons so close to her, her pink mane frazzled and her eyes bloodshot. She screamed and her trembling legs locked, toppling over on her back when she felt something touch her back, but it was only Applejack. The farmer had only meant to place a comforting hoof on her timid friend, but she nearly caused her to faint.
The doors opened and Celestia and Luna made their way across the red carpet, headed towards the castle’s main gates. The EUP snapped to attention and Evening Star quickly trotted over to the Alicorn Sisters, keeping pace with the Princesses. “Your Highnesses, the guard has been assembled. We are ready to confront the…”
“No, Prince Evening Star,” Celestia silenced him. “None of you are equipped to face this foe. Luna and I shall go.”
“Your Highness, I highly advise against that,” Evening Star tried to dissuade the white Alicorn. “There are only two of you and there are hundreds of them. You can’t possibly fight them all!”
“Your concern is duly noted,” Luna told him, a steely expression on her face. “But this nonnegotiable. You and the Pegasi will accompany the Element Bearers back to Ponyville.”
“But what about you, Princess?” Applejack asked. “Y’all not seriously thinkin’ of takin’ them fire breathin’ monsters on all by yourselves, do ya?” She then turned to Spike again. “No offense.”
“None taken,” he replied. “At least let me go with you. I’m more qualified than anyone else to face them.”
“No, Spike,” Celestia quickly shot his proposal down, stopping to face him. “I need you to stay here. If who I think it is is out there, then I want you nowhere near him.”
“The Dragon King?” Twilight asked, dreading the answer.
Celestia nodded her regal head and answered, “If it is him, then Spike would stand no chance. Remember, the Dragon King has the power to control the mind of any dragon. You would only be giving him another soldier for his army.” Spike gulped at the thought of being forced against his will to serve such a tyrant. Rarity, seeing his distress, nuzzled against him. “We will try to resolve this peacefully.” Celestia then turned to her former student. “Twilight, if we fail, then it will be up to you. You and the others need to get back to your castle and activate the Element’s power. It’s the only thing that can stop them.”
“I understand.” Twilight dutifully responded. “Come on, girls. We have to make it back to Ponyville!”
“I hate to bring this up,” Pinkie Pie spoke up, flexing her left fore leg. “But my Pinkie Sense is going off. My knee is pinchy.”
“Pinchy knee? But that means…” Twilight’s eyes darted about as she recalled the different signs of Pinkie’s strange precognitive ability. When she remembered, her violet eyes widened and her pupils shrank. “Something scary is about to happen!”
Right on cue, the terrifying sound of roaring came from outside of the castle. Everyone stood attentively, looking to the roof and listening for any other sound. Then they heard the distinct sound of wings flapping, growing louder as they approached Equestria's capital. The sound of wings was shortly followed by the sounds of Canterlot’s ponies screaming in terror as the dragons undoubtedly approached.
“So much for the peaceful approach. Secure the castle! Prepare for combat” At Evening Star’s order, the Royal Guard prepared to rush out of the great hall. Heavy thuds could be felt coming from outside, causing Twilight to look out of a palace window. A large shadow swooped by, causing Fluttershy to shriek.
“Wonderbolts, time to take off!” Rainbow Dash called to her squadron, lowering her goggles over her eyes.
“No, Rainbow Dash,” Celestia stopped her, blocking her path before she ran off. “You and the others need to get to Ponyville.”
“But the fight is out there!” Rainbow Dash protested, pointing out of the window.
“It’s our only chance. Follow me!”
“Don’t worry. We’ll buy you time,” Soarin told his wife, their team nodding in agreement. Despite her objections, Rainbow Dash nodded back and joined her friends in following the Princesses. Seeing Rainbow Dash and the others run down a corridor, Soarin led the Wonderbolts in the opposite direction.
As Evening Star raced out on to the castle ramparts, he saw that a number of dragons had already landed. Most were perched on the peaks of Canterlot Mountain, looking down at the city and its inhabitants like overgrown hawks searching for prey. Some were climbing up the side of the mountain, compromising the skydocks. Any escape attempt by zeppelin or hot air balloon was now impossible. Looking to the city’s outer wall, Evening Star could see that the dragons were already there, looking over the wall at the scurrying ponies. Like the skydocks, the train station at the edge of the city was inaccessible.
Ponies in the streets dove out of the way as dragons landed in the intersections, blocking the roads and towering over the various stores and restaurants. More dragons landed in the parks and gardens where there was more room for their massive bodies. Picnic tables, benches, statues, and fountains were crushed or knocked over as the dragons moved about, their wings and swishing tails toppling everything in their path.
With the bridges and ramparts connecting to the city walls and defense towers cut off by the invaders and the streets filled with mobs of screaming ponies, the only position available for the Royal Guard was the castle itself. The soldiers ran across the bridges to the castle’s spires, aiming their weapons at the dragons. Horns glowed, arrows were notched, swords drawn, and spears were at the ready. They waited for the dragons to make their move on the palace, but the wyrms held their position, only snarling at ponies that came too close to the city gates.
This isn’t an attack, Evening Star assessed. It’s a siege. The air vibrated, Evening Star’s teeth rattling from the intense pressure. Looking up, he couldn’t believe what he saw was heading straight towards the castle.
As Twilight, Rarity, Applejack, Pinkie, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, and Spike followed Celestia and Luna, they too felt the turbulence. The stained glass windows vibrated in their frames and the walls shook as something big landed outside. With no time to waste, Celestia used her magic to open the large double doors that led to the room reserved for ceremonies. Royal weddings and coronations were held in this room, and its large, open windows gave view to the city, which was now infested by dragons. The roars and growls of the magical beasts could be heard along with the panicked screams of the populace. As the ponies and the one dragon in Canterlot aligned with them ran inside, they skidded to a stop when they saw figures standing on the balcony behind the altar on the far side of the room.
*****
Meanwhile, beneath the castle, the two guards that were assigned to the dungeon to watch the sole prisoner walked down a dimly lit stone corridor and opened the heavy wooden door. The two Unicorns came to the security station that all new inmates and visitors had to pass through. There was an archway, within it was a magical, electric blue field. The two stallions nodded to each other and activated their magic. The device’s humming ceased and the blue field dissipated, leaving the security gate empty.
In his cell, the former Prince Narcissus looked to the ceiling. His visitor from yesterday had told him that he would be released and wondered if tremor he felt was a part of the so called escape plan. A whirling chime caught his attention and he looked up to his horn. The blue, magic disabling spell swirled off of his horn, relieving a slight pressure that had been present ever since he had been forced through the accursed field. With his magic unlocked, Narcissus smirked and focused on the lock to his cell. With a simple spell, the lock flashed blue and the barred door swung open.
As he stepped out of his cell, Narcissus froze when he heard the door at the end of the corridor open. He smirked when he saw the same two guards from yesterday. Confidently, he marched up to the pair with his head held high. Though he had been stripped of his title and his appearance was unkempt, he still carried himself with an arrogant air.
“Gentlecolts,” he addressed the guards.
“Follow us, Your Highness,” one of them urged. “We’ll take you to Lord Hargon.”
“Lead the way,” the smug Unicorn gloated, glad to finally to be free.