//------------------------------// // Chapter XI: Fire and Ice // Story: Wings of Bravery // by Fabella //------------------------------// Part Fire The air felt like a furnace and the ground felt as though coals were set ablaze with an untamed fire. Despite this however, the grey mare did not rise from her supposed slumber. All around her she felt a burn against her skin to what felt like the falling of volcanic ash but oddly enough, it did not burn her. It did not cause her to remove herself from off the ground but in her ears did she hear the murmurings of familiar sounds. The speaking, the talking, the whispering and the playful sounds of foals rung in her ears. They begun to twitch as male and female voices were present all around her and beat itself against the bases of her ear drums. Her eyes slowly opened and as she blinked, she saw in her blurry vision small and large hooves that stumbled and stood in sight in front of her. It all sounded realistic. Was it all a dream? Was she back in Ponyville? “Will you quit your blabbing!” “Someone is just upset at the fact that I used to be under the stewardship of Starswirl the Bearded.” “Ugh, like a grand soldier like me would care about that! I am Alexandrite! The great warrior of the North!” “Looks like someone forgot the fact that we don't have a kingdom!” A feminine voice chuckled. “Even after a thousand years they still haven't changed.” “Yeah. They sure haven't.” The foal next to her answered. The mare looked towards Derpy and saw her eyelids slowly rising. “Shush you two! She is waking!” The two bickering ponies looked on as the mare walked towards the rising pegasus who groaned. “Are you alright my dear?” Derpy rose up on her flank and rubbed her still watering eyes with her front hooves. As her mind still tried to clear itself the first thought that came was expressed through her words. “Carrot?” “If you do not mind, who is Carrot?” Derpy looked over towards the mare who stood with no bearing of flesh upon her naked bones, her mane alight with the wrath of kindled flames and her eyes as golden as the material itself. Her countenance bore not one of aggression or fear but even without the life of blood and muscles, could she clearly see a content smile. For her, the sight of an undead pony did not scare her as did before. The other two and the small foal where exactly the same. Bearing little to no flesh upon their bones but the intimidation that she once had was now been diminished by her sorrows. Derpy answered her. “Carrot...is my friend.” “Your friend? Is she the one who Queen Pruina took hold of?” “She is not our queen. She lost that title a long time ago.” “Alexandrite, even you deep down still honor her.” The stallion adorned with a cape told him. The rebuked stallion cocked his head. “Hmph.” “Pruina?” Derpy sniffed. “That's the name of the mare who was suppose to lead us out of here.” “Is that so? Pruina, the mare who was to supposedly have helped you is also the one who caused the very demise of your friend Carrot. You do remember what happened back there do you?” the mare asked. Derpy choked. “Y-Yes and I need to go and save her!” “Whoa whoa there friend. That's not a simple task as slaying a dragon.” “And since when was slaying a dragon simple?” the mare asked. “Compared to who were probably going to have to go up against Rosaline, it's quite tamed.” Morion shook his head in reluctant agreement. “Small mare, how exactly did you find yourself in this sort of predicament?” Morion asked. “Me and my friend Carrot went to a library and grabbed hold of a book detailing the legend of a door that appears every hundred years in random locations all over Equestria. We wanted to go look for it out of curiosity and found it in Everfree Forest.” “A door....” Morion commented. Eyes wandering as though he was trying to jog back a memory. “How would a door lead to here, the Underworld?" The others looked on equally as confused. Doing their best to piece together the details of the grey pegasus story. “Yeah. When we got through the door we were in this graveyard like place but ended up being chased by ponies who looked exactly you guys.” “Like us?” Rosaline questioned. “Yes. They chased after us and kept reciting some mumbo jumbo we couldn't understand.” “Of course you couldn't. They were more than likely speaking in our ancient tongue. Question, do ponies of modern day continue to speak like that or at least teach it?” “Um...no?” “From the words of Faust is this outrageous!” Alexandrite rolled his eyes. "Get over yourself." “Marion please. Anyway, the undead ponies she mostly likely encountered were probably soldiers who were once part of Pruina's army. They were probably trying to warn you of the encroaching danger.” Derpy hoofed her forehead. “If only I had listened, I could have avoided this mess! Now Carrot is in trouble cause of me!” “I understand if you didn't dear. I doubt they looked very sightly but I need you to tell us what happened. What are the events that took place after such?" “Running from them we encountered some giant spiders who had these white capes on their back. We managed to run from them into a small building where we met Pruina. She promised to help get us out of here and back home.” Morion chuckled. “What a liar...” “Spiders...the Assuni?” Alexandrite questioned with a slight cock of his head. "Of course..." Morion mumbled. “Carrot had so much trust in her I-I didn't even think about turning back. But it was off, like she was acting strangely. I have never seemed Carrot so-so attached to a stranger.” “Dear, are you sure she was not under some spell?" "W-well...I did notice at the last minute that her eyes were different. Instead of being green like they usually were they were blue..." "Why would they suddenly change?" "Like you stated could have been a spell...a charming spell considering her supposed obssession." "Know anything about this charming spell, Great Morion?" "Ugh like I would know everything!" "Well considering how the Great Sage Morion likes to brag about his greatness I figured you would know about something as little as a charming spell!" "Why you-!" "I'm so sick of those two." Rosaline stated. "I don't blame ya..." the foal agreed. “I don't understand. What would she want with my friend Carrot?” “We...are not very sure.” Morion answered. Having had enough of Alexandrite who shared the mutual feeling. "What do you mean your not sure?" "We could not discern what was going on by the chaos that surrounded us. We paid no attention to the events unfolding before us. We only saw a mare who didn't belong who needed to get out of there and fast. Had it not been for us you would have froze like our dear ponies." "You...saved me?" "We all did." Rosaline stated. "Those undead ponies were soldiers and allies of ours as well as the spiders who were probably trying to warn you of Pruina as a threat. Not a friend. Of course being scared of their appearances, it makes sense that you would run rather than listen." "And who knows how they might have went about trying to warn you..." Alexandrite commented. "Carrot...." the reality begun to hit her even so more clearly. The chaos and the scene, the convulsing of her friends body and the laughter. Derpy squeezed her watery eyes and shook her head. Sadness no longer was evident but instead was placed with anger as she flung her tears all over the place. "What about Carrot! All this talk about Pruina and no Carrot! How are we suppose to know that she's safe? That Pruina hasn't killed her or done something terrible!?" "Calm now pegasus! We know as little as you do! As for your friend we shouldn't jump to conclusions about her fate." "I have reason to believe she is not dead. She is perhaps alive." "What makes you believe that?" "In honesty I don't really have a reason. But-" "But we have hope." Morion came in. "Whatever the case may be, regardless if your friend is alive or not, Pruina has a plan and one I am for certain that will not be fulfilled here." "She is filled with hate." "Exactly. Hate against not what is down here..." Morion pointed up. "...but what is up there." "Pruina's plan will not just effect or in this case has effected your friend but will effect perhaps the entire world." "But Carrot! We need to save-" "Carrot or millions of innocent bystanders? Pruina has always been itching to escape and this may just be the starting the line in doing so." "Morion..." "No Rosaline, she must understand and look beyond her friend." "But she is just a young mare!" Morion snapped his head. "Does not matter!" Derpy bite her lip and closed her eyes. Allowing the tears she had been holding back for so long to pour out in a raging waterfall. "She is a mare engaged in war for that is what it will amount to. You think Pruina is gonna march up there alone? Facing the world with a single sword?" Silence. "I didn't think so. War includes the lives of millions not just one. But in war for every life..." He looked towards Derpy. "...do we fight As per the cold of the Iron Empire Code of Valor." "That's my boy!" Alexandrite, the battle worn soldier, smiled with utmost excitement. The familiar name stunned Derpy. "Crystal Empire? Wha-" Rosaline placed a comforting hoof on the clumsy pegasus's shoulder. “My dear, on your own you will not prevail against Pruina. Only the strength of many will and even then it is just a possibility but one in which we can fulfill." “As per the code of valor I will not let any pony fall in the face of evil. No matter my relation with them. “Alexandrite is a great fighter ya' know!” a small foal spoke to which Derpy's attention was caught. They sat next to Rosaline after prancing around after a beaten up ball. From the build of the small pony and its voice, Derpy assumed it was a colt. “He has slain many warriors and he's in love with the queen!” Marion busted a laugh. “Lets not get into that now! Let what passed be the past!” Rosaline merely chuckled. “Seems like my son Siam hasn't changed either.” “He is like his father here who doesn't know how to keep quiet.” Marion rolled his eyes. “Believe as thou wish.” “My dear Derpy I must ask you, are you willing to fight for your friend but also for the world if it is at stake?” “Yes! Anything!” “Now I must ask you this, are you willing to fight for others?” “...yes.” “And last are you willing to die for it?” “Yes-! Wait- I!” “Too late! Your fate is sealed!” Alexandrite proclaimed. “But I didn't-!” “Know this now small pegasus, more than the fate of your friend lies in the balance. Prepare and be ready.” “For what?” “War." Part Ice Cold air breezed through the winds as the ground was frozen solid. Statues of the once living beings could be seen not to far off from the tomb that laid as the centerpiece of the tragedy. Inside laid a pale mare whose curiosity unfortunately caused such an effect. Her slowly begun to open and Carrot could feel just faintly something cold pressed against her hooves. She could barely feel her own hooves. She felt bitter as though icicles were eating at her but as her vision became clear the realization of her situation struck her: She was trapped. Confused and becoming distraught, Carrot moved her front hooves upon the icy tomb from inside in unbelief. Only faintly remembering the incident of before. Seeing from the back of her open eyes the paying of a memory consumed in flashes of light, shouting and salty tears. Carrot pressed against her encasement but true to rock and stone, it did not budge no matter how hard she may have tried. Carrot seeing her efforts were of no avail, looked around from inside. The ground was as bitter and cold and frozen than the coldest tundra and a blizzard aggressively came from all winds. She could not see the sky and the mood was that of a solemn case. Around her were icy statues of the frozen from her size to the great in the distance whom she believed looked like dragons if they themselves were not. Carrot's eyes picked up at the sound of light crunching and taps and as she gazed straight in front of her in the distance, she could see the figure of a pony coming towards her. A small smile graced her face as perhaps finally, a prayer had been answered but as the figure approached she could not help but notice it's similar look to her. “My my my, it seems that a certain pony is wide awake.” The pale figure walked around Carrots tomb with a smile that graced her face. Her hair as blue as the ice that encased the surrounding area and her eyes as piercing as the color that surrounded her. Carrot barely responded as she only looked at the pony who was her height and shape but carried the calming expression of the one who bought her here. "Who are you?" The mare walked in front of Carrot's tomb and laid down upon the cold, barren ground. Giving her a chilling look as she crossed her two front hooves. Using her mane to make swirls in the snow in what depicted boredom as she made no eye contact with the entrapped young pony. "The one who led you here." Carrot stayed silent until here eyes widened in realization. "You..." she growled. Gritting her teeth in anger. "Pruina! Your behind this? We trusted you! Why would you do something like this? Where is Derpy!" "Didn't anyone ever tell you that when you are speaking you ask only a question at a time?" "No more of your silly games Pruina! Where is she?" "Your friend was pulled away by those wretched soldiers of mine. Be thankful of them. Had it not been for them she would have surely been frozen..." Pruina lifted a hoof and waved it over the area. "...like all of them." Carrots eyes followed her hoof as she witnessed before her frozen statues of ponies and what seemed to be large dragons alike. She looked Pruina in the eye. "Why would you do something like this? What purpose could you possibly have?" Pruina didn't answer her question but instead gave her a side glance. Continuing to swirl her mane in the snow as though she was possessed by something. "For over a thousand years I've sat patiently for some pony...anything to walk through hell gates in order to be free from this prison." she hissed. "For over a thousand years I've bore long with your princesses happy faces as I watched them from down below enjoy a life that I myself should have lived!" Pruina cracked the ground beneath her instantly as she slammed down a hoof in rage. The small quake that came from her startled Carrot causing her to fall back slightly with the little space she had. "The princesses....what do they have to do with this?" Pruina stood and faced her. Gritting her teeth as she pushed out the words. "Everything..." Pruina turned around and gave a sigh. "Had it not been for them I would still be up there..." she looked up. "Walking among all races in power, wealth and glory. My name echoing throughout the lands. Instead, because of their own stupidity, I was destined to live my once esteemed life down in this torturous dump!" she snapped her neck at Carrot. "What are you talking about?" "Your stupid princesses. Banished by their own injustice, I've waited patiently for some pony to bear my curse..." Pruina rubbed her mane on the Carrot's tombstone. "...and that pony, would be you." "...what..." "When your princesses banished me, the cursed they placed upon me was severe. I was doomed to the bottom pit of the underworld with no real rite of passage. Simply thrown unable to be blessed with either eternity in heaven or hell, I wondered with the rest of my kingdom in isolation. My only source of company being the beasts of this place, my hated kin and a sphere ball I found and infused with magic to allow me to gaze upon the surface world and its happenings. But I knew that every magical spell has a hole, it was just a matter of time to find it." "And that was me?" The mare smiled. "Partly. Do your princesses really think that I would just sit idly by and not do anything? My magic is restricted greatly yes but not all of it. I stayed down here honing my magical abilities." "Through oral magic?" "Some pony's been listening. I needed a way to break it, the curse and it's bounds on me. I couldn't destroy it, but I could replace the pony it held which was me with another. The dead are unable to leave the underworld and by the time I had managed a plan I needed more than just a replacement in my stead...I needed a body." Carrots eyes widened and her mouth trembled in stuttering words that couldn't come out. "I was then a soul, something rotted away. I needed a body to escape, to go back to the land I was unjustly expelled fro. But first that called for a living being to enter into my domain. I couldn't leave so I needed a hook to fish for it. That door was just that." "You made that?" Pruina chuckled wickedly. "Impressed? That door was one of my greatest feats. To create even a partial or half working entrance to the underworld is a feat. Of course actually making the gates of hell appear upon the surface of the world is practically impossible but a little magic can craft a direct or indirect entrance. Even if it's half-working product." Half-working...is that why it disappears? "When I saw you two through my crystal ball having made your way here I was excited, perhaps brimming too much so. But I knew those annoying subordinates...no, rebels of mine would try every attempt to stop you. I crossed my hairs hoping it wouldn't be so but alas my prayers were answered as the door disappeared from view." "You knew about everything..." "I planned everything, with chance and with skill." "You mentioned your subordinates trying to stop us...and dragging Derpy away...are you talking about those undead skeletons that chased us?" "Them and those cursed spiders. All soldiers of my long forgotten kingdom...well, almost forgotten. Now reduced to some measly city state in the middle of a desert plain. Ruled over by a 'princess of love' and her good for nothing husband." The details hit the imprisoned earth pony. "Cadance and Shining!" "Ah yes...that's there names. How could I forget. First my banishment and the last remaining part of kingdom goes to a pressy princess by Celestia's decree." "Your empire?" Pruina sighed as she picked up some snow using her tail and swirled it around in the air. Creating a circular panaranma view for Carrot to see. "Perhaps I should start from the beginning during the reign of the Iron Empire or what you ponies now know as the Crystal Empire."