Black Winter Chapter 6
Skywishes looked at the sleeping form of the stallion in shock nopony ever dared to order the princess around and for them to listen to him! ‘Who was this pony to have such gall to say such things?’ Skywishes thought as she stared at the stallion in wonder.he had fallen asleep maybe half-an-hour ago and she was doing her best to let him sleep as he had requested but she kept noticing that he was shifting very minutely but violently in his sleep. This meant that he was having a nightmare. After a particularly large twitch she started to get really worried about him. Skywishes moved towards the sleeping stallion carefully avoiding the other creature that looked like a dragon, and went to touch his shoulder, but before she made contact he grabbed her hoof.
“I am up.” Ember said as he turned towards the pony who had tried to wake him.Seeing it was Skywishes he got to his hooves looked at her in concern.
“What is wrong Skywishes? Is there something wrong!?” Ember asked with concern.
“I just say that you were having a nightmare and so I was going to wake you up and end it…” Skywishes said sheepishly as she rubbed her right fore leg against her left fore leg.
“Oh, well I am fine there is no need to worry, but How are you doing?” Ember replied with a hint of surprise in his tone.
“Oh well I guess that I am Ok, although I probably won’t forget what happened last night.” Skywishes said with a full body shudder. “ That reminds me, How did you know that chocolate ice cream is my favorite?” Skywishes said with an inquisitive look. Ember blinked before he started rubbing the back of his neck absentmindedly, and mumbled something that Skywishes couldn’t here.
“Sorry didn’t quite catch that, could you repeat it please.” Skywishes said as she leaned her ear closer to here him better.
“I didn’t know, I just gave you my favorite…” Ember mumbled softly as he glanced away. Skywishes blinked in surprise before her cheeks flushed and she quickly looked away trying to focus on anything else than the stallion in front of her but as she glanced at him her wings betrayed her, snapping out in a spontaneous wingboner. The sudden action surprised Ember shaking him from his embarrassment. He looked at Skywishes in shock before, he smiled and startled to giggle, then full on laugh at her. Skywishes face was a dark beat red, and as she Thought ‘FAUST. KILL. ME. PLEASE. RIGHT. NOW!’ Skywishes pleaded in embarrassment, as Ember laughed louder. Then a thought struck her mind. With a evil grin she slowly started to slink her away, before leaping into the air and hovering her pray. Ember started to calm down and went to tell Skywishes that he was sorry for laughing at her, but found the previous area that she was in vacant. ‘Where did she go, I really hope that I didn’t hurt her feelings to bad…’ Ember thought worriedly as we looked around noticing the other ponies all awake and struggling to hold in their giggles as they looked at something above his head. Confused he looked up and found Skywishes hovering ten feet above his head making faces at him and swooping around him like a warbler in lazy glides above his head. just then Skywishes swooped down at him and tackled him. he let out a “oph” of air as the pair landed on the ground, with Skywishes on top of him, and looking into his eyes with a predatory stare in her own eyes. Emb er blinked and gulped as he started to become very nervous. As Skywishes leaned closer towards Ember, he froze with anxiety. Then Skywishes spring her trap, She kissed him full on the lips causing the stallion squeak in shock and then she jumped off him as he was launched into the air by his powerful wingboner. As he spun in the air shrieking, having never been forced into flight in such a way before, he cursed Faust because only she could have devised such a cruel plan, But before he could finish his thought he landed face first onto the throne room floor with a loud ‘SMACK’.
The room erupted into laughter as the group started over to the poor stallion who was now an interesting shade of red. Skywishes flew over to the stallion with a smirk, but a pair of voices drew her attention away from Ember.
“I can’t believe you did that Skywishes That was Priceless.” Both Brass Shield and Discord said between their laughs as they rolled around on the floor.
“What could you possibly be talking about, I’m as sweet as an angle.” Skywishes said in mock innocence as she put on a face of sensor confusion. “Who knew that you were such an interesting Pegasus, Ms. Skywishes. I am laughing my wings off right now.” Discord said as he laughed his wings off, and they fell off his back before they started laughing themselves.
The group stared in shock before they started to laugh as well. Ember got up off the floor and noticed Skywishes sweating As she looked around nervously, forcing a fake laugh to hide her panic.
“Discord, you are so random.” Rainbow Dash said as she walked over to the draconequus and gave him a hoof...paw...poof bump? Pinkie jumped up and landed on top of Discords antler and started to twirl like a ballerina. They three burst into Laughter as the continued their antics.The three pranksters had become best friends over the years and were use to each other's antics. Even sometimes they would add to each other's plan causing udder chaos and destruction rivaling that of the cutie mark crusaders themselves!
Ember walked quietly over to the laughing trio and pushed Discord, making him trip over his wings and falling on top of Rainbow Dash, while Pinkie Pie hovered in the air still spinning before falling onto Discords gut, causing the air in his lungs to disappear. Ember smiled before declaring,
“One, Two, Three, Four, I declare a prank war.” Discord looked at Ember with a surprised look before smirking and finished the rhyme.
“Five, Six, Seven, Eight, whoever loses must make a me a cake.” Discord said with a cackle of laughter. Ember lit his horn and helped all three to there hooves.
“ It seems that being in stone hasn't affected your memories, Mr. Discord.” Ember quipped with affection.
“And it seems that you are still alive, and just as…” Discord started but was interrupted.
“Handsome, or how about swift as ever?” Ember smirked
“Ha, Ha, Ha, I guess I would say just as chaotic as ever.” Discord said with a cackle of mirth.
“Wait, wait, wait. You two know each other?” Twilight said in surprise.
“ Yes dear Twilight, we do know each other and we were good friends before I became mad with power.” Discord said with a airy tone as he glossed over the discussion.
“So were you like us, like good,good friends, Oh, Oh like that one time we all had a slumber party and had lots of ice cream and had a contest where we tried to toss as many ice cream cartons onto Twilight's horn and then she woke up with one on her horn still. Or are you kinda like kindasorta friends…”Pinkie Pie’s rambling was quieted by a hoof .
“Good Friends. Pinkie Pie, We were Good Friends.” Discord said in a wistful tone. Ember rolled his eyes and went back to his Sleeping bag and rolled it up. He noticed Asmoday the dragon, He didn’t really see Asmoday the night before. He was a big white and electric blue dragon. Ember walked over to Asmoday and nudged him awake.
“Hun...wha… ugg vas is vrong, vhats going on?” Asmoday stuttered as he woke.
“It’s time to wake up Asmoday. Also you still need to apologize to Skywishes.” Ember said gruffly as he packed away his sleeping bag.
“Oh, Okay, and I will. I swear to you.” Asmoday said as he got up. Ember nodded his head in acknowledgement before summoning his Phantom window to put his sleeping bag inside.
“What are you doing?”
Ember jumped startled and turned around to see Twilight and the rest of the group staring at him.
“What do you mean? I am just packing away my sleeping bag-” Ember stated nonchalantly as he shut his phantom window. Before he was interrupted.
“No not that, How did you create that window. If that was what I think it was, how are you able to make that.” Twilight said with a scowl. Ember blinked in surprise, then started to sweat nervously.
“Window, Well the windows are made of glass and metal-”Ember started trying to weasel out of the question. But was interrupted again by Twilight.
“NO I Am Not talking about normal windows. Do I look stupid to you?! I was Princess Celestia’s star pupil for many years. I Am Not Stupid. Now,How Did You Produce A Phantom Window. They are nigh Impossible to produce. Not to mention To open them and furthermore hold them open for any amount of time.” Twilight snapped at Ember. Ember sighed and looked away.
“Lets just say I am just bad ass, and leave it at that, Okay?” Ember replied. The answer angered Twilight and the other five of the friends. The sound that exploded from the six was like a cannon blast. After waiting a minute before he got tired of their endless stream of noise and used his magic to zip their mouths shut, silencing the clamor.
“Now if you are quite done I will answer any question that you want as long as it doesn’t bother me to much. Is that Satifactory?” Ember asked. The six ponies nodded with irritated eyes. Ember nodded before he released their mouths from their magic. Rainbow Dash got in to his face and glared into his eyes.
“If you ever do that again I will clip your wings, break your horn and then drop you off the highest mountain of Canterlot.” Rainbow Dash threatened.
“That may be, but If you do either you will lose your wings by my sword, of you will fall dead to the earth with my sword in your chest. But I hope that never has to come to pass. Yes?” Ember said in a fierce rebuttal. Rainbow Dash’s Face held shock for a moment then it Resorted to anger.
“Why you little-” Rainbow Growled as she lunged at Ember. She found herself on her back and then froze in fear as she felt the tip of a sword blade at her throat.
“Don’t ever try that again…” Ember said in a deathly stern tone. Rainbow noticed his glare and all her emotions disappeared. His eyes held power, even Rainbow could tell that, His eyes could freeze armies or cause the tides to falter. She slowly and carefully nodded her understanding.
“Good.” Ember said before he removed his sword tip from her throat and sheathed it, and turned around to be hit in the face with two orange hooves, sending him flying over Rainbow Dash who had just gotten to her hooves, and into the wall behind the wooden thrones which were now broken from his body hitting them.
“Ya’ll Stay away from her, Ya here?” Applejack called to him standing in between him and Rainbow Dash. Asmoday rushed up the stairs and helped Ember out of the wall. After shaking his head, Ember glared at The orange pony.
“I admire your desire to protect your friends, but know that If I wanted to I could kill everyone in here in less than a minute, Yes even the princesses Twilight. You wanted to how I can summon a Phantom window, it’s because I have more power than you could ever imagine. You want an example, here Tirek would explode before consuming even twelve percent of my power. I am Ember Spirit Shield and I am hunting those demons that some of you have seen because of the death of my family, One thousand and twenty six years ago. I have lived among dragons for twenty years for a wrong that I did not commit.” Ember exploded in anger and shouting at them to release his pent up energy so he did not kill them all.
“You lie. Your a lier. You murdered your Family. I remember You now, You fiend.” Celestia accused. Trembling with suppressed anger. The group gasped and looked at the pair of enraged alicorns. Ember's anger had almost broken through his will. He tried to suppress it to save their lives.
“You will never be forgiven for that and you will be arrested to face trial.” Celestia Said as she approached him. Ember’s will shattered. Ember rage shifted. His hair and body erupted into flames, his fur a liquid orange, and his hair a bright purple fire. His voice shattered the windows and cracked the stones themselves.
“YOU DARE ACCUSE ME OF MURDER WHEN YOU HAVE COMMITTED GENOCIDE TO PROTECT YOUR NATION, YOU DARE TO DISHONOR THEIR MEMORY WITH YOUR FILTHY LIES. YOU KNOW NOTHING!”Ember screamed at the solar alicorn drawing his sword with his magic. His eyes flited among the group noticing their fear and disregarding it without care. Then his eyes fell on a pair that held pity and concern. Skywishes was concerned for him this calmed him slightly, before he returned his attention on Celestia.
“I DO NOT WISH TO FIGHT YOU, AND NOR WOULD ANY OF YOU WIN THE BATTLE NOT EVEN THE ELEMENTS OF HARMONY COULD STOP ME FOR I AM THE ELEMENT OF SACRIFICE! Now If you want the truth I will show you, but don’t ever say that I murdered my family or I will destroy Equestria, by my word.” Ember said as he returned to normal as his rage shift ended. Ember Summoned his memories of that fateful day, and projected them in the air. He closed his eyes in pain of the memory,Tears welling up in his eyes, before stopping himself. He spread his wings and flew out of one of the broken windows.
~~~
Skywishes watched in horror as they watched the memories with the rest of the group. The watched as Ember was dragged, bloody and beaten into a room filled with demons like before in the forest. They were laughing at him.
“You are weak, and there is nothing that you can ever do to change that.” A large cloaked figure said with derision.
“I will kill you, I swear it.” Ember said before he coughed up blood.
“That May be but They will die first. Do with them what you will.” The Figure said as he left the room. The demons started laughing and then parted as two ponies were thrown into the middle of the room.
“Emder, help us!” Screamed a young earth pony mare with a light red coat and purple hair, as she held a alicorn foal with a light purple coat and white hair.
“Daddy, please…” the foal cried as she stretched her fore hooves out towards the stallion.
“Your daddy can’t help you now.” A demon said as he grasped her by the throat and wrenched her from the mares arms.
“NOOO” Ember screamed, but the damage was already done the claws had pierced her neck and the blood seeped from her body, Ember struggled fruitlessly trying to get to his dying daughter.
“Oops oh well there is always another.” the demon said before burning the body. Ember was frozen in shock.
His wife's screams filled the room The rest of the demons grabbed her and started to rape her, their claws piercing her flesh all over her body. Then there was an explosion and The demons fell to the floor all of them dead and as their bodies dissolved into golden mist. Ember was stopped at the last demon and pulled his hooves from the corpse and let it fall to the ground before rushing to his dying family and collapsed near his wife's body.
“Lilla Rose please hold on, Please don’t die.” Ember pleaded as he held her in his hooves.
“Ember… My dear… please don’t worry...about me...you must live and...enjoy life…find others…to love...and protect them… Thank you...for loving me…” Lilla rose said with gasps as her breathing faded. And with a last gasp of air she died.
“ Lilla? Lilla! No Please Lilla Rose! Celestia Please don’t take her from me Please,Lilla Rose!” Ember cried as he held her. Then the doors burst in and a royal guard stallion burst into the room and said
“Lilla Rose what… Ember you killed her. You kill her!” And jumped at Ember.
“No I didn’t Sterling Shield, I didn’t kill her, wait!” Ember cried as he dodged the stallion's hooves, Before he was struck in the chest and thrown through the wall of the building.
“LIER!” Stirling Shield said as he pulled his sword from it’s scabbard and slashed at him, but missed. Panicked Ember fled. He cried the entire way and said one last thing before the memory ended.
“I swear that I will Find him Lilla, I will.”
The group was silent All in shock in what they had heard and witnessed Skywishes turned on Celestia.
“How could you say that Celestia? I know It may not be my place but by Faust it needs to be said. You really have no Idea what you were saying.” Skywishes said with a snarl as the the group gasped at her words. But before they could say anything she left the room as fast as she could and went to find Ember.