//------------------------------// // Chapter 16: Alliance // Story: The Last Healing Dragon // by Gearsmash King //------------------------------// Chrysalis journeyed to a far away land, with twenty of her best soldiers. The land was dark and grim, showing signs of unforgiving dangers. It was a place that could only be described as a nightmare. To most, this place didn't have a name. But there are some who call it, "The Dead Barrens." It was home to some of the most fearsome creatures in the world. There were only a few who traveled to the Dead Barrens and returned with their lives. "Your Majesty?" A Changeling asked, "What are you planning on finding out here?" Chrysalis kept her eyes forward, but still replied to her subject's question. "We are looking for some help." She answered, "Preferably, something that can deal with that dragon General Hornet showed me." "But, aren't our Iron Jaws enough?" Chrysalis rolled her eyes at the Changeling's oblivious nature. She began to wonder how he had managed to become one of her best. But decided to answer her subject's simple minded question. "Of course, my dear idiot." She groaned, "But I want to make quick work of him and the ponies. Some Iron Jaws will be used against the dragon, yes. However, I believe in fighting fire with fire." They continued their journey, until the sky above them darkened. Large black clouds rolled over head and strange blue lightning flashed. The wind began to pick up and rain poured from above. CRACK! BOOM! A bolt of lightning struck very close to Chrysalis and her little group, causing them to stop and shield their eyes. Whump! Chrysalis opened her eyes again, after feeling the ground shudder. Before them stood a big insect-like creature, with ten eyes. It was hideous and looked at them, the same way a starving animal would. It slowly advanced towards the group as a strange ooze seeped from it's mouth. Swiftly, Chrysalis drew her sword and was about to strike, but stopped when something appeared in the corner of her eye. GRRRRRRRAAAAAAAA!!!!! Chomp! EEEEEEEECH!!! Before the insect creature could attack the Changelings, a giant dark grey dragon swooped down from the clouds and bit down on it. It wasn't much of a battle, because the dragon crushed it's prey and ate it. Slightly bewildered by what just happened in front of her, Chrysalis studied the dragon. It had black claws, a long neck, slit yellow eyes, large wings, a spiked tail, and a crestless head. As it chewed the bug-beast, Chrysalis could also see the sharp curved teeth that shredded flesh with ease. The dragon finished it's meal and looked down at the group. "Are you waiting your turn?" The dragon asked in a low masculine voice, "If so, please make it entertaining. I like it when my food fights back." The dragon approached them, causing Chrysalis' guards to back away. But, Chrysalis, herself, stood her ground and put her sword back in it's sheath. The dragon stopped and lowered his head down to her. "Either you're very brave or very stupid." The dragon rumbled, "That's why you're not running away, yes?" Chrysalis smirked at him, not yielding to his intimidating size. "You're not going to eat me." Chrysalis said, feeling confident that she could persuade this brute into helping her. "Is that right?" The dragon replied, "What makes you so sure?" "Because I can offer you so much treasure, that you won't have to scavenge and hunt like a common animal." The dragon raised an eyebrow, which told Chrysalis that she had some of his attention. "Do you think I'm a petty creature that needs help from puny insects?!" The dragon growled, sounding slightly insulted, "I am a Dragon Lord and I'm more than capable of providing for myself!" "How fitting." Chrysalis chuckled, "A Royal in the audience of another Royal. Or, at least, a fallen Royal." "How dare you mock me, bug!" "I'm not mocking you, my large lizard. I'm telling you what I see. However, I'm beginning to wonder how someone like you managed to lose such a title." "I never lost that title! I lost the respect of my subjects when some of them decided to abandon the rest of us. Their leader even had the nerve to call himself their king." Chrysalis' horn lit up and a throne appeared. She took a seat and propped her sword against it. "I'm rather... interested in knowing more about you." She said as a challis filled with a green liquid appeared on the arm of her throne, "I sense it's a tale that might be worth my time." "Do I look like a story teller?" The dragon hissed, "I don't have the patience to entertain you, nor have I satisfied my appetite." "I can fix that." Chrysalis' horn glowed brighter and a pile of treasure appeared between her and the dragon. The dragon looked at the pile and began to salivate. It was a mixture of gold, silver, and various gems. Chomp! The dragon drove his head into the pile and shoveled as much treasure into his mouth as he could hold. Shortly after, the pile had been completely devoured and a smile fit for a nightmare appeared on the dragon's face. "If you wish for more," Chrysalis grinned, "tell me about yourself." The dragon looked back at her with satisfaction and nodded. "Six thousand plus years ago, I overthrew the Dragon Lord who lead us." The dragon began, "He was weak and soft, not to mention, he lacked vision. He believed in being friends with other lands and sharing our riches with them. It was something that had been going on for many years. And it was something that many dragons didn't like doing, myself included." "What did you do?" "I challenged him to single combat and killed him. One of my best fights, even though it was one of the quickest. We weren't the same species, but we were the same size. It was disappointing how fast he fell. All it took was one claw strike to the throat and another stab into the heart. Anyway, after the battle, I became the leader and told the others that we should be storing our treasure, not openly giving it away and giving other lands a reason to invade. True, we were dragons, but there were some that would do anything to get it." "I take it, you had some followers in your vision?" "Yes, almost every other species agreed with me." A dark look appeared in the dragon's yellow eyes as a memory entered his mind. "Every other species, except the 'Healing' Dragons. Weaklings, the lot of them." "What is a Healing Dragon?" "They were the dragons who could heal, fly, make gems, and revive the dead. All by using magic. They kept to themselves most of the time, but they were in charge of providing most of our treasure. So, naturally, they were called upon a lot. But after I defeated the Dragon Lord, who was a Healing Dragon himself, they refused to make anymore gems. Said, it was unfair that we kept the treasure for ourselves, while others might've needed it. I wasn't too surprised when I went to one of their caves and found it empty." Chrysalis took a sip from her drink and raised an eyebrow at him. "Are there anymore Healing Dragons?" She asked, looking at the dragon with interest. "I doubt it." The dragon replied, "After we tracked them down, we wiped them out. I gave their king a chance to return home and continue their daily lives, but he refused. It was a shame too. Because after they were gone and we began to die out from old age and other natural causes." "Then how is it that you managed to survive this long?" "I ate some kind of enchanted jewel, that I took from one of the Healing Dragons. I'll admit, it wasn't the tastiest jewel, but it has kept me alive. I'm most likely the oldest being in the world." "Interesting. Now, this Healing Dragon King, did he have a name?" "I think they called him, Lazarus. But I could be wrong, I never paid attention to the names of weaklings." Clink, clank! Chrysalis dropped her challis and stared back at the dragon with wide eyes. She had heard that name before, from a recent memory. "Did you just say, Lazarus?" She asked, getting up from her throne. "Yes." The dragon replied, "Why?" Chrysalis answered by showing the dragon the memory. The orb glowed and the memory danced as the fight within took place. Once the dragon heard Lazarus' name, Chrysalis could see the fire burning in his eyes. "This is a lie!" The dragon protested, "Their all dead and gone! I made sure of that!" "I can assure you, this is no lie." She replied as the memory faded away, "This memory belongs to one of my generals and that dragon lives among the ponies of Equestria. That is why I am here, looking for someone who could dispose of him." "If what you say is true, then we must act immediately." "As much as I would like to, I can't, because the time isn't right. The ponies may appear to be weak, but trust me, they're very capable of defending themselves." The dragon went silent as he began to think. "Then what do you intend to do in the meantime?" The dragon asked, after a moment. "For now," Chrysalis began, "we wait and watch their movements." "And how are you at doing that?" "Very good, because we hide in plain sight." "I hate to break it to you, but your very easy to spot in a crowd." "Not if we do this." Green flames erupted around Chrysalis as she began to transform. Her wings twisted and grew dark blue feathers, her skin was covered with a dark blue coat, her hair flowed and shimmered like a night sky, and on her flank was a black blotch with a crescent moon. "What do you think of me now?" A false Princess Luna asked menacingly. The dragon appeared to be impressed by her magic trick. After seeing what she could do, the dragon raised his head and shot a ball of lightning into the black storm clouds. Cra-BOOM! The ball exploded and the clouds faded away as quickly as they had appeared. After the last of the clouds were gone, the dragon looked back at the fake alicorn and grinned. "It seems we both have surprises." The fake princess said, before changing back into Chrysalis, "Two more questions. First, what kind of dragon are you? And second, what is your name?" "I'm a Reaper Dragon and my name is, Stag." The dragon replied, "Now, tell me more about these riches." "Does this mean we could be allies?" "As long as you promise to give me every last bit of treasure, I'll help you. I was almost tempted to do it for nothing, upon hearing that there is one Healing Dragon still alive." "Then we have a deal. You can have their riches and I'll have their country." "Agreed." With that, Chrysalis lead her group back home, with Stag following behind them.