//------------------------------// // Chapter 10: A Dragon's Curse // Story: The Last Healing Dragon // by Gearsmash King //------------------------------// Lazarus flew the ponies back to Ponyville on his back, with the exception of Rainbow Dash, who decided to fly alongside them. His decision wasn't what they were expecting. Instead of entrusting the Poisoned Mind and Crimson Fury gems to the Princesses, Lazarus told them that he would entrust the gems to Twilight and her friends. "I still think you should have the Princesses watch over them." Twilight said, not entirely enthusiastic about guarding such dangerous items, "I'm not liking the idea of having those things in my home." "I think it's a reasonable idea." Lazarus replied, "If I recall correctly, you said that I could entrust the gems to the Princesses. But you never mentioned which princess I should entrust them to. Also, if you remember from our earlier conversation, I said that I trust spirits more than I trust physical beings. And since the other princesses weren't nearby, you were the most convenient and most practical choice." "But I can't do that by myself." Twilight argued. "I never said you had to." Lazarus remarked, turning his head to one side and looking back at her, "Besides, I still want the gems close enough to the forest so I can still keep an eye on them. And you all live in that little town near the forest." "Ponyville." Rarity corrected him. "Anyway," Lazarus continued, turning his head forward, "with the gems out of the forest, I'll have far less to worry about." "What about us?" Rainbow Dash asked as she flew close to the dragon's pony-sized eye, "Wouldn't we be in danger?" "If you're talking about others looking for the gems, then no." Lazarus replied, "As far as most of them know, these gems don't exist. As for the ones who do know about them... Well, they're either dead or too afraid to look for them. And if they were to look for them, they would never expect a dragon to share his treasure with others." He gave a kind razor-sharp smile to the rainbow pegasus, who suddenly moved several pony-lengths away from him. Lazarus' smile faded away and was replaced with a dragon's frown. He knew that he frightened them, but that was another reason why he decided to have them watch over the gems. Since Lazarus sensed that he was able to trust them, he wanted them to trust him and he believed that this was a good way of doing that. Even though it seemed a little too illogical. "I'm also doing this because I want to be your friend, rather than your nightmare." Lazarus said sadly, "And don't pretend that you're not afraid of me. After all, I am a full grown dragon with razor-sharp teeth and fire breath." The ponies exchanged looks, before Twilight and Fluttershy took flight. They came alongside the dragon's head and looked into his eyes, which were orange and sad. Rainbow Dash got closer and flew just above Lazarus' head. "We're not afraid of you, Lazarus." Fluttershy said, putting a hoof under his eye, midflight, "It's just we're not used to having a full grown dragon as a friend." "What about me?" Spike asked, "I was a full grown dragon once." "Yes, but you were only full grown for a little under an hour, darling." Rarity replied, reminding the baby dragon, "Lazarus has been full grown for far longer than any other creature. I, for one, am wondering how that's even possible." Lazarus' didn't turn his head. His eyes didn't even change back to white. He knew what she was talking about. Instead they turned a deeper shade of orange, which made Fluttershy believe that it was something that bothered him. "Healing Dragons are only supposed to live until they're five hundred years old." Lazarus explained, "But when the war happened and my family was killed, I cursed myself for not being able to protect them. I was only a hundred at the time." "But that wasn't your fault." Fluttershy said, bringing her hoof away from him, "That happened because another dragon attacked your cave." "That wouldn't have happened, if I was there to stop him in time." The dragon rumbled, "You can't imagine what it was like being a young father for a few weeks, only to see your family burned and broken. But what I didn't show you, was that I made a gem that would allow me to live until I would have my revenge on the Dragon Lord responsible for that horrible war." Fluttershy and Twilight shared a worried look at each other. "The gem actually paused my age, that's why I don't appear as old as I am." Lazarus continued, "But it's also a curse, because I can't get rid of it." "Why not?" Rainbow Dash asked, "Can't you just throw it away?" "No, because after I made the gem, it turned into a vapor and seeped into my chest." He replied, "It's a part of me and it won't let up, until I kill that monster." "How do ya know that other dragon's even around?" Applejack asked, feeling a little uneasy about his intentions. Lazarus' eyes changed back to white and he look back at his passengers. "He's still out there, because the Curse in my chest hasn't gone away." He replied, lowering his altitude gradually, "Once he's gone, then I'll be free from it. Or, until I fall in battle." Twilight widened her eyes at that and Lazarus knew that she wanted an explanation. "The Curse has stopped age from killing me." He explained, "However, it won't keep me safe from other causes. Such as, fatal injury or life threatening decisions." "That's insane!" Starlight exclaimed in disbelief, "I don't see how doing such a thing would benefit you." "You'd be shocked to know what some creatures would do, when they're angry, sad, or scared." Lazarus replied, turning his head forward again, "I've lived long enough to see beings trade their sanity for power and families torn apart because they chose a path no one else would travel. All because someone, or something, made them upset." The ponies were silent as they listened to his words. "There is no such thing as perfect." Lazarus continued, "Anyone who says there is, are lying. If perfect was real, then violence, sorrow, pain, fear, and many other forms of evil would never exist. But no matter what you do, no matter how many times you try, perfect will never exist." "You sound so sure." Fluttershy said. "Because that's how my life has been." Lazarus replied, "Moving from one threat to another, never yielding to any opponent. I realized, long ago, that all I've ever been good at is fighting." For most of the flight, everyone remained quiet. They all knew that if they kept talking about what Lazarus did to himself and why he did it, the conversation would lead down a very dark and broken path. Soon, two sets of lights came into view. The first was from Ponyville, while the other was further into the Everfree Forest, west of where they currently were. "What's that?" Rainbow Dash asked, pointing a hoof at the strange lights, "Over there." Lazarus looked at where she was pointing and sniffed the air. Sniff. Sniff. "Hunter camp." He growled, "And by the smell, I would say they're about to have dinner." Lazarus changed course and headed for the camp, speeding swiftly and silently through the air. The ponies could only hold on and follow the big dragon as he flew just above the treetops. Fluttershy caught up to his eye again and saw that it was bright red. She knew what he was thinking and it wasn't going to end well if the hunters decided to fight. Lazarus landed a short distance away from the camp, but still far enough into the shadows to stay undetected. The ponies were amazed by how something so big, could remain hidden from hunters in shadows and the underbrush of the forest. "Sssshhhh." The dragon hushed and motioning them to follow him as he crept forward. The clearing, the hunters camp was in, was outlined with thick bushes and large fallen trees. The ponies crouched and peeked from behind the bushes, while Lazarus hid behind a pile of dead trees that was big enough for him. From their vantage point, they saw traps, cages, other large beasts, several tents, wagons, and a small army of hunters. But there was something about the hunters that the ponies recognized all too well. The hunters had holes in their legs and insect-like wings, small fangs, eyes without pupils, and sharp horns. Some of them wore strange armor as well. "Changelings?" Twilight whispered, "But I thought they were gone for good." Lazarus looked at her and frowned. "You know of these things?" He rumbled quietly. Twilight nodded her head and explained what had happened at her brother's wedding. Lazarus listened closely, keeping absolutely silent. It didn't take long for Twilight to tell the story, but Lazarus was having trouble fitting the pieces together. "You should have killed them, when you had the chance." Lazarus whispered, "It would have done a lot more good, than just blasting them to some far away place and hoping they stayed there." "Ponies don't kill, Lazarus." Fluttershy replied, wiping her mouth with her hoof, as if the word "kill" was a bit of dirt on her face, "The worst punishment that anypony will receive is being sent to Tartarus. And even that's extreme." Lazarus' eyes darkened, indicating that he was getting more angry. "Let the Princesses deal with them." Fluttershy begged, trying to reason with him, "I know you said that this world isn't perfect, but, please, be the bigger creature and leave it to somepony else." Lazarus looked at the yellow pegasus and saw fear. But she wasn't afraid of him, she was afraid of what he might do and Lazarus knew that. His eyes moved from one pony to the next, each of them having the same look of fear in their eyes. The red faded from his eyes as he lowered his head in shame. "Very well," He groaned, "I'll leave it to them." He turned and began to leave, but the pile he had been hiding behind, suddenly collapsed. Crack! Whump! The Changelings looked at what had made the noise, only to see a large blood-red dragon staring back at them. Lazarus's eyes faded back to a flaming red and flashed his teeth. "DRAGON!!!" One shouted, grabbing a spear, "ATTACK!!!" RRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!! Lazarus roared loudly as the Changelings charged at him. He gave an apologetic glance to the ponies, before surging forward and lashing out at the first Changeling that got in range.