Chapter 1: The Dragon Awakens *Editted*
The sound of shuffling books filled the library of Ponyville as its tenant went about her usual routine, the books flying around faster than they ever had, and organizing with an expedience she never had before. Rays of morning sunshine peeked in through the windows as the cacophony continued, defeating the purpose of two flickering candles that stood partly melted on opposite ends of the room. One after another the soft thumps and scuffs of the books coming into place filled her ears. Twilight giggled as she tested the limits of her magic, once more extracting all of the books from their shelves at once. She reveled in the gentle sound of all that wonderful knowledge fluttering through the air, practically able to smell the scent of the parchment pages between their sturdy covers. The entire book-swarmed library space around her felt just ripe with the knowledge of the volumes she still had yet to peruse.
With a few small flaps of her wings, she rose into the air and cast her gaze across the covers as they spun around her. As each one passed under her view, it would then immediately shoot into place on the shelves, one after another in rapid succession. A feat like this, while certainly possible before, was now almost as second nature as breathing to the young alicorn now.
In just a few short minutes, all of the books were organized alphabetically by title. Pulling them free yet again, she repeated the process again as fast as she could, organizing them by author, then alphabetically by title under the same author’s name. While her magic worked she kept a steady rhythm with her wings. The gentle beat of her feathers against the air kept her bobbing only slightly in midair, keeping as level as she could.
Twilight landed daintily back on the her hooves with a few small clicks against the hardwood floor, and gave her wings a liberating stretch. After tucking in her wings, satisfied with the organization, she concluded her little test with a stifled yawn. Another yawn greeting her own turned her gaze up to the stairwell to see a familiar figure of purple, soft green spines arching over its head.
Twilight smiled up at her assistant, “You’re up early today, Spike.”
“I could say the same for you, ‘Princess',” the little dragon chuckled, heading down the stairs and making his way into the kitchen.
Twilight rolled her eyes as she heard Spike rummaging in a cupboard, and called after him, “Stop calling me that, Spike!” she exclaimed, the familiar bubble of playful irritation rising in her. Her usual academic tone settled back in as she stated matter-of-factly, “I may have been crowned as a Princess of Equestria, but Celestia said that I won’t be acting as one for several years. I still have much to learn about the history of Equestria and the rest of the world. For now Princess is just a title, and my only responsibility is to learn more so I’m ready to lead ponykind.”
“Heh, I know, I know, I’m just teasing, ‘Your Highness’,” Spike chuckled, coming out of the kitchen with a sizeable ruby and sapphire set on a plate. Of course, food was the first thing on his mind in the morning, and her stomach growled slightly as she recalled her own lack of food this morning. The little dragon took a seat at the table in the center of the library, taking a loud bite out of the ruby. His bright emerald eyes wandered over the bookshelves, noting how even the books she usualy had laying about had been given firm rest among their peers. He idly mused, “So, looks like your magic is a lot stronger since you became an alicorn, huh? Sorting the whole library used to take us an hour, at the minimum... on the best days.”
The alicorn’s eyes went wide with glee as a big grin spread across her face, her tail swishing happily behind her. “Oh my gosh, yes! My magic is so much stronger now! I can do things so much faster than I could before! I’ll have even more time to study and maybe even try making new spells of my own! Just you wait, Spike!" Her chest swelled as she lifted her gaze to some unseen heavens and lifted a hoof in declaration. "Give me enough time, and there will be an entire wing in the Canterlot Archives dedicated to research and spells pioneered by yours truly!”
“Or, you know, we could have more time to spend with our friends,” Spike said, crooking an eyebrow accusingly at her. She was getting ahead of herself, as she so often did. Licking his lips hungrily, he finished the rest of the ruby in another crunchy bite.
“Oh, yes. O-of course,” Twilight stammered, her cheeks flushing at her own gusto. She couldn’t very well forget her friends! Regaining her composure, and taming her thrashing tail, she smiled gently at him. “Of course, we will have a lot more time to spend with the girls,” She chuckled sheepishly. “Speaking of which, didn’t Rarity want you to go over and help her look for more gemstones today?”
“Oh! That’s right!” Spike’s eyes lit up. Twiight recognized the same adoring enthusiasm that always brightened his adorable features at the mention of the fashionista. With sudden urgency he pushed himself back in his chair and started hurrying about frantically. “I have to get going quick! Rarity wanted me to stop by Sugarcube Corner on my way there. She said she ordered some sweets, and she promised that if I picked them up, she’d let me crumble a few of the gems we find on top of my share.”
“Sounds like you have a fun day ahead of you,” Twilight beamed. Of course he would be so excited, and she was glad that he could have so much fun while helping a friend. Not that she was all that oblivious to his reason anymore, but it had taken her longer than she cared to admit to realise the extent of Spike's feelings.
“Yup!” Spike chuckled. With a swipe of his claw, the little dragon snatched the sapphire from his plate and tossed it into the air. The stone fell gracefully into his mouth after a soft arc back down. Immediately after shutting his maw, Spike coughed hard, and his cheeks bulged. With another cough, followed by a strong belch, a burst of green flame lit up the room. The sapphire - now scorched black - was sent skipping across the floor. However, what captured Twilight's attention was what the flames had brought with them. The space on the table was significantly occupied with their latest delivery; a large tome, easily over six inches thick, and taking up nearly a third of he tabletop. Atop the massive book sat a more familiar sight; the typical rolled-up scroll written by Celestia herself, wrapped in a strip of scarlet ribbon held fast by a waxy golden seal bearing the image of a horseshoe.
Twilight’s eyes widened at the abruptness of the delivery, as well as its size. A childlike glee washed over her face as she examined the aged cover of the book. Wiping the faintest trace of dust left on its worn, leathery surface. She could tell it was a very old book. It must have been kept somewhere that it wasn’t often seen, because even in the Canterlot Archives the books were routinely cleaned and repaired. That meant this was a very restricted book, and Twilight’s excitement boiled higher just at that thought.
Spike seemed more concerned with his interrupted meal. Grumbling to himself, he grabbed the blackened gem from the ground and went into the kitchen again. Soon the sound of water running in the sink could be heard, followed by his voice, “What’s with that crinkly old book?” A huff of frustration could be heard from him as he attempted to remove the layer of char.
The scroll accompanying the book was quickly swept up by Twilight’s magic, and neatly unfurled before her. Glancing over it’s contents once, she read it aloud for Spike to hear, “My Dearest Twilight, it has only been a month since your coronation, -and also a few weeks since your adventure on the other side of the magical mirror- but I am sure that by now all of the excitement and celebrations in your honor have reached a lull. As such, I believe it is time to point you in the right direction needed for you to prepare. When we spoke last in the Crystal Empire, I assured you that you would not yet be expected to rule any part of Equestria, as you are still quite inexperienced. While you will not undertake all of the duties of a Princess yet, you will still be required to learn all that you can about our world’s history. This book contains details of history lost in the past several millennia. It is of a time before even I was born, and before I became an Alicorn Princess myself. Such history is only known to the Princesses and our chosen confidants, so we can know how to play our parts. Most importantly, this is not just the history of ponykind, but that of all the races and nations that came before us and which surround us to this day.”
The moment she stopped was punctuated by a loud crack of shattering crystal from the kitchen. “Ugh, so Celestia is giving you a boring history assignment?” Spike grunted through a mouthful of blue crumbs, coming out of the kitchen. He paused, reconsidering his statement, and relented, “Sounds like something you’ll have a lot of fun with.”
“It’s not just some boring assignment, Spike,” Twilight softly reprimanded him. He may be a kid, but he should know better than to think so little of an important message from the princess herself, no matter how concerned he was with getting out the door. “Knowing as much about the past as we can is a necessity. Not only do you never know when the past will rear its head, but understanding the origins and meanings behind other cultures can be an important diplomatic tool when interacting with the other races.”
“Yeah, yeah, important knowledge, blah-blah,” Spike said dismissively, swallowing the last of the gem crumbs. “You can go ahead and go nuts with that, but I have to get going right away.”
Spike made tracks for the door, but was stopped abruptly by a pull of Twilight’s magic on his tail, holding him in place. “Not so fast. There’s one last part you should hear,” Twilight said, holding him fast as he struggled for a moment, then gave up with a childish pout. Putting aside her mild irritation at his flippant attitude, she figured he would be interested in this. Clearing her throat, she continued, "While you are free to share the knowledge you gain with any you choose to, I would advise against reckless distribution. I recommend that this knowledge stay only between you, the other Elements of Harmony, and Spike. In particular, I believe Spike will have nearly as great of an interest as you do in the stories this book contains.”
Spike turned his head to look back at Twilight, his eyes perked with a faint bit of interest, “What kind of book is it?”
Setting the scroll aside, Twilight levitated the hefty book in front of her, examining the cover and spine. “It says; The Legend of…. Dragoon? Something related to dragons?”
“Dragoon? What the hay is a Dragoon?” Spike asked. His interest was now solidified.
“I don’t know. I’ve never heard the name before,” Twilight muttered in confusion. Thinking about it, this was all but lost history, so it stood to reason she’d be hearing entirely new words and names in short order once she started reading. Such a delightful prospect! Sweet, sweet knowledge, hidden from the masses, now rested in her hooves, just waiting to be cracked open and discovered! Her tail had quickly resumed its fervent tirade behind her, flagging her excitement for anypony to see.
Shaking her head, Twilight released Spike, who opened the door to leave. Stopping for only a moment, the little dragon called back, "How about you give me a summary tomorrow? I’m gonna be getting home near sunset today, and I’m gonna be exhausted.”
Spike’s words made Twilight smile inwardly. She understood her assistant enough to know that no matter how interested he was in the content of the book, he would never have the patience to sit down and read the whole thing. Especially when he could be spending time with Rarity. She however, was practically chomping at the bit to do just that! It was his loss and her gain.
Twilight’s eyes never left the book as she waved him away, “That sounds fine. I had no plans for today, so if I start reading now, I should know enough to give you the short and sweet of it.” She was so lost in her swell of enthusiasm that she didn’t even register the sound of the door closing and Spike leaving.
Twilight’s excitement was palpable. She knew many things about dragons already. It came hand in hand with the time she spent raising Spike from a hatchling. Still, a lot of details about dragons, both their history, and the extent of their abilities, were a mystery. There was no telling what questions this book would answer! How could anypony not be excited at the prospect of diving into such fresh and all but untapped knowledge? She certainly would never want to be such a mare, now would she?
Cracking open the cover, she examined the first page.
In the beginning, there were the Seven Lords, and the Sleeping King.
Wild and feral, the dragons held great sway over the forces of nature.
Each with their own dominion, they are the pillars of our very world.
To those who would tame their wild souls…
Be wary of the bloody path this shall entail.
For when the clash of swords echo…
The path chasing the past and the journey to know today shall become one.
Twilight’s stomach churned a little as she read the small set of lines centered on the page. From the sounds of this, the book’s tales were far from peaceful and happy. Still, Celestia said that this was important knowledge, and as a Princess – even if for now it was only in name – it was her responsibility to shoulder the bad and the good to serve Equestria rightfully. Besides, it wasn’t as though she was going to seek the power of ancient dragons and “tame their souls”.
BOOM! BOOM!
Twilight keeled forward, pressing her hooves to her throbbing head in the same moment as two distant blasts assaulted her ears. The floor under her hooves shook softly from some distant impact, but felt like an earthquake to her suddenly dislodged sense of vertigo. Pain like she had never felt before exploded in the front of her skull. Her horn felt as though it was being driven into her brain, and the ringing in her ears only pushed the pain deeper. Spots swam before her eyes and blurred together until all she could see was white. A few moments later she succumbed to the pain, her eyes rolling back in her head as she fell over. Her magic failed in that same moment and the heavy book hit the floor with a loud bang.
Before she slipped into the darkness beyond the white, blinding pain; Twilight heard a bellowing, distant roar.
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oh now, what do we have here? an intriguing story? why yes, I think we do...
2604948
Indeed, it just wouldn't feel right if they got along fabulously. Especially since Discord would obviously get on all of their nerves. I have interesting plans for all of the villains introduced in the prologue, but there's gonna be far more trouble than just them.
2604952
Glad you think so. It's not gonna be copy-pasting Legend of Dragoon stuff into Equestria by any means. I'm gonna be carefully stitching elements of the game into the history of Equestria so that they blend together nicely. Some elements from the game will be different in Equestria, to be sure.
That was one of my many favorite games growing up!
Well, best not anger the Gods, and dig in.
This has now been put at the top of my read later list, you have piqued my interest... I'm wondering, are these the dragoon spirits from Legend Of Dragoon?
legend of the dragoon? oh my god i havent played that game since i was 9 years old (currently 20) one of the first and most favorite rpgs ive ever played xD
prince albert was so awesome :P anyway despite this not being a total crossover and pretty much have only the dragoons in it this should still be a decent read
2605386
I can confirm without hesitation that the Dragoon Spirits have been unleashed. However, note in the prologue that their crystalline vessels were destroyed, and now they are seeking new vessels.
2605519
That choice was really a matter of personal taste. As a writer, I felt I could not adequately bring the characters into Equestria without gritting my teeth at horribly cliched story choices and plot devices. I found I had more creative freedom, while being able to remain faithful to both stories, if I simply incorporated the Dragoon mythos and a few other elements into the history of Equestria. As that note also said though, I am not totally opposed to making reference to LoD characters through cameo ponies/creatures in mentions of history. I do intend to make callbacks to the game wherever I feel it is appropriate without pandering or detracting from the story I have come up with.
2605550 that sounds fair enough some of the boss monsters maybe would be awesome but you already have a plan so ill just sit back and enjoy the ride as of right now ill upvote and track this story and hope to read more soon
Legend of Dragoon. OH HELL YES.
That game is one of my all time favorites. Magician Faust, the Fall of Kadessa, the 108th Fruit. Oh, I just got a punch in the nostalgia.
But there are only six Bearers, but seven spirits. Eight if you include the Divine Dragon. Who's the other wielder?
2606623
Hehehe. It definitely is not going to be that simple. It would be taking the easy road as a writer if all of the Mane 6 got a Dragoon Spirit. No, only a few of them will get the power. The group of Dragoons is going to have a colorful assortment of characters, and I would be lying if I said there wouldn't be any OCs, but those will be minimal.
I've never seen LoD in fanfiction period, let alone a crossover.
I'll take a look at this...
O.M.G YES YES YES! The first two chapters are a little short; but I love the direction you're taking with this: 1: not all the mane six will be dragon knights as that would be too easy
2: The way you will NOT just be doing a cut-paste cheap approach
3: Though the first two chapters are a little short they are wonderfully written and worded
4: TLOD; one of the best games for the original PS.
Question: Will the Virage, Winglies, or the Divine Dragons; Dragoon spirit appear? (I know the Virage were destroyed with the death of the "you know what" at the end of the game, but I feel that I must ask.)
2606690
Don't tell me if he's in here or not, but the possible presence of Magician Faust has me thinking and giddy. That guy was even stronger than Melbu, and he was obscenely hard to kill. I wouldn't doubt it if he was still alive.
Wait, the sunken city of Marelantis is actually Aglis! Holy balls!
2605519 Albert was King of Serdio especially after the end of chapter 1 with the end of the Serdian Civil War.
2606918
Serdio is also where the awful robot 00Parts was. I absolutely hated that thing with a passion because he spammed death spells and ran away like a coward.
Those are fleshlights in the cover art. Don't even try to deny it.
2606932 Actually that was "south of Serdio" lol North of serdio had the Yellow bird and you use the "sachet" item on them to instant k.o them oh and the game was released for PS3, PSP and Vita on PSN last April!
Dragoon- a soldier that uses an intimidating name to mask what is essentially just a man on a horse.
2606963
I'd totally forgotten about the Yellow Bird. I forgot what it gave, but I remember 00Parts always gave ruby rings worth 500 gold. I would swear on whatever you hold dear that I found them close to Bale though.
2606982 Dragoon- French- meaning: Dragon
Dragoon- Military-French: Soldier who rides to the battlefield on horseback, but dismounts to fight, name comes from their Carbines- Dragoons in reference to the large plume of smoke and fire when the weapon is discharged. used during the 18th-20th century.
Last known use WWI early on in European theater.
2607002 300 gold and 00parts dropped 600 gold and a spirit potion.
2607095 I was totally joking. Have a laugh.
I like your fleshlights.
2607102 I couldn't tell
sorry lol.
2607119 no worries. Does the author know that those are a bunch of fleshlights?
2606903
One thing that I would like to make clear is that I m not turning Equestria into the future Endiness. I am creating a completely new history by blending in elements from LoD and putting a unique Equestrian spin on them, as well as a few of my own unique ideas to help the Dragoon and Equestrian elements blend together better.
To put it at the most blunt, there will not be any litteral Magician Faust in this story, the a character payying homage to him is not out of the realm of possibility, ddpending on how the story goes.
2606901
On the topic of the Divine Dragon, that is an absolute yes. It is one of the eight spirits that was released and is the Sleeping King that was reffered to. For Virage and Winglies, I have a few ideaz on how to implement them, but for the most part, their inclusion will depend on where the story goes as I write it. In short, maybe, but they won't be quite the same.
2605522 I can't wait to read this story! for now you deserve a
2607116
I can't help it, that is just what the crystals look like. Besides, it is only a placeholder until I get fanart to replace it.
2606918 I said prince didn't I?
Damn it all its been years since I played xD so I'm rusty on the deep details xD
Nice! A promising tale of worldbuilding to come. I can't wait for more chapters. Great story so far and thanks for writing. Also, there's mispelled word:
'ho' should be 'how'.
Is Spike gonna be a vessel?
Seriously, listening to the OST while reading these chapters raises the interest.
This music is suitable when Twilight and Spike are introduced
I was listening to THIS one when Twilight opened the book
2936138
Actually, if you are willing to take the time to do so, that would be REALLY awesome.
I could include a note at the beginning of my summary that you have comments on every chapter with soundtrack suggestions for re-reading certain segments. I do that, and then any readers will see that they should watch out for your comments if they want to give it a shot.
It seems less forced than if an author himself says "Hey guys, listen to this chapter with this song!" and instead, it's a fan who's taken interest going the extra mile to enjoy the story and help others do the same. So, by all means, please, if you want to!
2936155 Alright then, then consider my latest comment edited
I quite like this, despite my unfamiliarity with the crossover material.
One little nitpick I have: you go into a bit too much detail in places, and use unnecessary words. I had to skip over a few paragraphs to get to the point.
Other than that, it's definitely an intriguing story, with lots of potential for world-building.
Congratulations! This story has officially been deemed an Emerald by The Gem Hunters.