//------------------------------// // Brimstone Part 1 // Story: Tales from the Ruby Hive // by Zoljen //------------------------------// Three days before Hives destruction. A blue dragon looked over one of the few griffin ‘captives’ the dragons had taken in after a skirmish nearly a week ago. The blue dragon kept his eyes trained on the griffins side, where a large number of scorch marks were, as he held a faintly glowing paw above it, his nose horn glowing faintly as well. “How’s that?” the dragon asked, barely glancing to the sky blue griffin with eagle features who was wincing, despite appearing to ignore the pain. “Good,” the griffin hissed out. “Still annoyed about being healed by dragons.” “Princess Celestia wanted it this way, so you can blame her,” the blue dragon chuckled softly. “Since she is wanting this war to be over as soon as possible.” “Yeah, good on her,” the griffin sighed, wincing as he did. “Well, that should do for now. Your fur and feathers may grow back in that area. It was a light burn that hit it.” The dragon lowered his paw, looking over the griffin. “I suggest rest for now, and hopefully you should be sent back to your family.” “I don't know why you're bothering to heal us when we are just gonna get messed up again,” the griffin sighed with a faint growl. “Because hopefully this will be the last time,” the dragon nodded slightly. “Get rest.” He stood and walked over to an emerald green colored dragon who was currently arguing with a grey tabby colored griffin with blue raven features. “Get yer glowy paws offa me!” the griffin screeched. “I will not be healed by a dragon again!” The emerald dragon just sighed and sat back. “Keep that up and you're going to reopen those wounds that I worked to so hard to keep closed.” The blue one walked up, and sat by the griffins hindquarters with a sigh. “He causing you problems again, Haze?” The dragoness just sighed, looking at the blue dragon. “Yes, Dust. He is, again. I swear he is as stubborn as a mule.” Brimstone looked the griffin over. “He does look to be high ranking. And you know how stubborn the birds can be. What needs to be done?” “Just reapplying the bandages.” She kept her eyes on the griffin before them. “So all we need to do is that, then we can be on our way,” Brimstone said as he turned to the griffin, who relented with a huff. “Thank you sir.” The pair managed to quickly change the griffin’s bandages. He had one on his arm, and one across his side that covered a small burn, and another on his hind leg. “So, do you have any family?” Brimstone asked as they worked. “A wife and a son,” the griffin muttered after a short silence. “And you’ll get to see them again, I’m sure of it.” Ember grinned as she replaced the bandage on the arm. “Even if I fall in battle, they will know I died with honor.” Both dragons just rolled their eyes. “Are all griffins as dramatic as you?” Brimstone ran a clawed paw down his face when the griffin glared back at him. “Whatever, we are done tending to your wounds today. Enjoy your rest.” The pair of dragons left the griffin and stopped by the tent entrance. “Well, you go help out anyone who needs it, Brimstone, I’ll go inform the commander in charge we are nearly done for the day.” Brimstone watched Ember trot off, then turned back into the tent to resume helping the others. Two hours before Hives Destruction. Brimstone grinned as he glided along the air currents, following behind Ember and a few other changelings from his hive. He angled himself a little to glide above a pale blue dragon that had silver highlights along her frame. “Hopefully the dragons and drakes weren't too bad for you, Opal.” He called out, as the dragoness below him turned her head to look up, grinning widely. “Nope! A few pokes, prods, and ice packs cooled those guys down fast! Course, throwing the ice packs at their snouts didn't help much at first. But hey! They calmed down after we began poking at their wounds with disinfectant.” She kept the wide grin as she rolled over, gliding along with her back to the ground. “So, the same thing for us who tended to the griffins. Those two species have so much in common it's no wonder they don't get along.” “Yeah, they are both stubborn like mules!” Opal smirked as she reached up and poked Brimstone. “Like certain changelings we know!” “I bet Talon is reading at this moment.” Ember said over her shoulder towards the pair. “Yup! Ignoring his stomach too!” Opal giggled as she looked towards Ember. Ember shook her head in response. “Well, another hour or two before we arrive, enjoy the view before we go underground again.” Ember shouted back to the collection of changelings behind her who all nodded back to her. The pack flew along, commenting on how the dragons whined when they received healing, and the griffins doing the same. They eventually neared the mountain they called home. They all let out a soft grin as the familiar chatter of the hive mind filled their minds. They were close enough to hear, but not really speak in it yet, not until they got into the mountain. They angled themselves towards one of the entrances. Ember landed in the clearing first, looking confused as the gazed at the entrance. It was closed, rocks had fallen over it and sealed it up. Brimstone landed next, looking over the sealed entrance as the other changelings landed behind him. “What happened?” Brimstone asked, stepping forward. “I don't know,” Ember looked around. “But something isn't right, keep your guard up.” Ember took a step forward, just to stop and turn around as Opal behind them yelped. Brimstone turned partly as well, seeing a red dragon on top of Opal and holding her down. A few moments later more dragons and drakes leapt out of the foliage, tackling various changelings to the ground. As a dragon pounced at Ember, failing to connect with her as she ducked, he shouted, “Restrain them all, by order of the prince!” Brimstone turned to watch that happen, before getting tackled himself. He noticed Ember take to the air, and conjured up a ring to keep the dragon that had leapt at her again, to the ground. “Run Ember!” Brimstone shouted, Ember looked over her fellow changelings, just as each one got tied up and restrained. Brimstone kept his hold on the dragon as Ember flew up a little, stopping just as a thin rainbow shockwave passed out of the mountain, passing over everyone present and going just a little into the forest before fading out. “Flee!” Brimstone heard through the hive mind, as he watched Ember stare in shock at the mountain for a moment before looking down at her family. She waited a few moments before flying away as fast as her wings could take her. Brimstone nodded as he watched, his magic fading around the dragon as it turned back to him and stomped up to him. Brimstone just glared up at the dragon, who raised a clenched paw and brought it down on him to knock him out. Brimstone awoke with a groan. His head hurt like Tartarus, and the sound of a wagon being pulled certainly wasn't helping. He grunted, slowly opening his eyes, just as the wagon hit a pothole, making his head bounce off the wooden floor of the cart. “Ow!” He yelped as his head bounced. “Oh, you’re awake!” He heard, once his ears stopped ringing. He opened his eyes and saw the worried expression of Opal. Brimstone groaned as he slowly sat up, rubbing at his head. He looked around and saw there were more changelings had joined the group that had left to tend to the wounded dragons and griffins. “What happened?” Brimstone asked as he rubbed at his head, noting he was still in dragon form, as were most of the others. Opal shrugged weakly, moving to sit by Brimstones side as Cinder moved into his view. “We have been captured. We don't know exactly what happened to cause that shockwave,” she sighed, looking down. “Even the dragons can't explain it. But as far as we can tell, we are all that's left of the hive.” She gestured to the ten or so changelings that were all sitting in the caged wagon. “Ugh…” Brimstone groaned, looking around. They were on a large wagon, that was being pulled along by a pair of dragons. They were walking along a dirt path, and a good number of other dragons were around, two gliding above and two trotting along at the sides of the cages. With one trotting up behind the caged wagon. “So where are we being taken?” He looked at the colorful variety of his capturers. The one behind the wagon, who looked to be wearing a form of armor, merely growled in return. “To the Czar. You changelings will be put to various uses around the grounds as servants. Your wings will be clipped and your magic restrained in your dragon forms, if you comply, you will live. If not, you will be left on the edge of the griffin kingdom to starve to death without the use of your magic as we will break your wings and horn.” The dragon growled, glaring directly at Brimstone. Brimstone growled back, standing with a wince and moving to the edge of the cart towards the dragon. “And why are you doing this?” “The prince has ordered that the changeling hive be captured.” “WHY?!” Brimstone shouted at the dragon. “Because the prince wanted the capture of the changeling that beat him!” The dragon snarled. “He was not found, and is probably dead within the mountain, along with the rest of your hive. Face it changeling, you’re all that's LEFT!” The dragon glared as he finished, snarling. Brimstone blinked for a few moments, before leaning forward, getting close to the bars. As he got close to the bars, he could feel the energy of lightning arching off of them. He glared and growled at the dragon. The dragon returned the glare with equal force as he slowed back to his place, a yard or so behind the cart. Brimstone kept the glare up until the dragon returned to his place, then turned away and went back to where he woke up and sat. Opal instantly clung to his side once he did so as he looked to Cinder. “How many escaped?” He asked quietly, chittering in the changeling tongue. “Spark and Gemstone, and a few others from the southern exit.” She whispered back, mimicking the tongue. “And Ember?” Brimstone looked down to Opal, who was clinging to his side as much as she could, she looked absolutely terrified, and had been crying. “Ember managed to get away, as I haven't seen her.” She gestured to Opal. “She hasn't left either your side or mine since we got captured, and she hasn't made a noise since except for a whimper,” Cinder sighed, moving over and resting a wing on Opal. “What's the plan?” “Plan?” Brimstone looked up at her, slightly confused. “To get free; we can't become servants,” Cinder shook her head with a grumble. “We are meant to be free!” “Yeah, I agree.” Brimstone looked back at Opal, laying a wing over her as well and hugging her to him. “I’ll think of something, my head is still pounding.” “Alright, I guess for now we are safe.” Cinder sighed as she laid down and curled up next to Brimstone, who kept a paw on his head as he looked down the path they were going. The changelings huddled together, and a few of them looked brave as Brimstone took a look around. A few looked worried about their future, and others were putting on a strong face for those that were terrified. Brimstone let out a soft sigh as he looked down at Opal, who was still clinging to his side. “I have an idea,” he started, getting the attention of every changeling. That night, as the wagons slowed down and the dragons argued who would take first watch over the changelings, Brimstone nodded towards his siblings. A few nod back to him as the armored dragon stomps up to the cage. “Whatever you’re planning isn't going to work changeling.” He glared at Brimstone who looked back at him defiantly. The dragon glared for a minute more before gesturing to two other dragons, they very carefully slid in pouches of food off of sticks. Just as the sticks carrying in the food made it part way, the dragons paws getting near the bars, Brimstone and Cinder both shouted. Which made him and a few others grab the sticks in their mouth and pull. Both dragons got yanked into the bars, getting electrified as bolts of lightning shot out over them. The force of the dragons spasming broke a good number of the bars, which allowed all the changelings inside to break out and scatter. Brimstone took the path that lead him into the armored dragon and plowed him over. Cinder and Opal took to the air, as did a few others, while most just ran along the ground to get to freedom. Brimstone grinned as he did a quick glance around, noting how most of the dragons were scrambling to recapture the changelings, and failing. “You really are an idiot.” He shifted his hoof to a set of claws and swiped at the dragon's face, digging in deeply. The moment he lifted his paw, he heard a scream from behind him. “I'm not the only one!” The dragon snarled as Brimstone quickly looked over his shoulder to see Opal on the ground, one of her wings horribly burnt and Cinder standing above her. Brimstone turned back, just in time to see the dragon swiping back at him, but his paw bounced off a thin shield as Brimstone’s horn glowed brightly. Brimstone growled and brought his paw back down on the dragon, shifting it back to a hoof at the last moment and hit the dragon's head, hard. The dragon went limp after that, his eyes closing as his head bounced off the ground. Brimstone quickly turned to face the mares, and put up a wall in front of them, making the dragon that was about to attack them, turn to him instead. “RUN!” He shouted as he pounced at the drake, Cinder scooped up Opal and ran into the forest, not noticing one of the dragons chasing after them. He slapped his hoof against the dragon, momentarily stunning which allowed him to sink his fangs in its neck partially. He took only a little bit of the emotional energy he needed, but enough to daze the dragon before letting go and floating into the air. By that point, most of the other changelings had escaped, with a few remaining, getting recaptured again. He looked around at the chaos, seeing a few dragons glare and start towards him in the air. He sighed inwardly and took off, leaving his fellow changelings behind. He flew away from the mess, only one dragon following after him and even he didn't follow for too long before just letting the changeling go. Brimstone kept flying, going higher up and passing through a few clouds and staying above them as he just flew and flew. He kept going until his wings could no longer carry him, landing on a cloud that had caught a good breeze to keep on sailing as he curled up, closing his eyes and sniffling. “I hope they are okay…” Eight days after Hives Destruction. Brimstone glided towards another cloud, landing on it softly and looked down at the ocean below him. He sighed and looked forward again spotting a cloud off in the distance. He had been gliding from cloud to cloud using as little of his energy as possible to get as far away from the dragon lands as possible. So far it was working, but in truth, he didn't know just how far he had to go. He groaned as he opened and closed his wings, they were certainly getting a lot of use at this moment, and aching each time he used them. He sat with a groan and looked at the cloud. It was drifting the direction he wanted to go, so he figured he could use some rest. He had been hoping from cloud to cloud for the past day nearly non-stop. He glanced over his shoulder, seeing nothing but darkening sky beyond. Perhaps, he thought, I should just sleep on the cloud, regain some strength before moving on. He sighed and peered over the clouds edge, seeing what looked like a pony freighter below him. He ignored his stomach and curled up on the cloud, sighing and eventually getting some sleep. He awoke maybe a few hours later, and it was dark. Thankfully he could still see from the moonlight above as he gazed towards it. Seeing the outline of a unicorn mare on its surface, he sighed and muttered. “I know how you feel.” He gazed for a bit longer before his stomach grumbled again. He peered over the clouds edge, and saw the ship had moved on further, leaving him behind. At least he was going the right way. He lept off the cloud and dive bombed down into the water, shifting his wings to pegasus wings as he thrust a hoof out, impacting the water and quickly looking for a fish of some kind. His eyes quickly adjusted to the aquatic landscape as he found his prey. He swam for it, grabbing it quickly before shooting up and breaking past the water and going back into the clouds once more. He cooked it a little his magic before sinking his fangs into it, tearing at it and enjoying it like a hungry beast. He kept doing this as he journeyed across the water. Going as long as he could gliding and bouncing to each cloud, and barely stopping to either eat or rest. He eventually outpaced the ship that he had been following a day or so ago. After what he suspected had been a few days has passed since he then, he felt energy reserves start to run dangerously low. Thankfully, he noticed he was somehow above land, and there were clouds in the distance. One sat closer than the others, and was over a small section of forest. He groaned as he angled himself towards it, barely making out another shape on it before his vision started to blur. Fatigue and exhaustion started to catch up as he glided along towards it. He shook his head, grunted and refocused ahead, finding the cloud much closer now and the shape of a pegasus resting on it. That's really all he was able to make out before he collided with the cloud, hearing a scream of terror from the pony, and slowly sliding off the clouds side, passing out as he felt his body fall.