Diamond Heart

by Wayofthepen

Nightmares and Training

I didn’t sleep for very long. My dreams were nothing but nightmares. The image of a burning Ponyville forced itself upon me. Diamond Dogs were streaming in the numbers of hundreds, killing ponies left and right. There was gunfire from above, but the bullets barely made a dent in the numbers of dogs. I decided to go see Silver.

I got out of bed and flipped my hood up. Slowly, I made my way outside of my home and inside of Silvers. She had a bookshelf to the right, desk to the left, but there was only one weapon on the wall. A dual-bladed sword. ‘Again. Never getting on her bad side.’ I heard a chuckle coming from the bedroom’s door.

“Couldn’t sleep either?” She asked while taking slow steps towards me. I shook my head. “The nearby town being attacked was what I saw, for the tenth time. What kept you?” She was now directly in front of me.

“The same.” She looked confused, but quickly regained herself. “We need to prepare for the invasion. If we can stop it at it’s first target, we can at least kill the main strike force.” She nodded in agreement.

“There is still one issue.” My turn to look confused. “You managed to defeat the guards by using the power of magic, not brute force. Grim and I will have to physically fight, as will you at some point.” I thought about this. There were many weapons to choose from, but none of them I am familiar with.

A smirk grew on my face. “How much metal do we have?”

She closed her eyes for a moment. “We have some left over. Steel, iron, and some copper. Why?”

We don’t have much left, then. “I wanted to try to make my own weapon.” She opened her eyes and looked into mine. I swear if I didn’t know better, she was staring into my soul.

She gave me a smile. “I’ll help you, but first...” I looked at her strangely. “You’ll need to train.” I let out a groan. I hate waiting to do what I want. “I could pair you against Grim, if you keep that attitude.” I dropped the gloomy rather quickly. There is no way in hell I would win a fight against him. She nodded and took my paw, taking us through many pathways of our underground city.

- - - - - - - -

“That all you got?” I said getting back to my feet. This was the fifth time she knocked me down, but I got her ten times before.

She smiled at me. “I’m just getting warmed up.” She said as she struck her wooden staff at me. I blocked the strike with my sword and shoved her back. I ran forward at her while swinging the blade. She dodged right and slammed her paw into my side. I slid back a few inches, but quickly ran back towards her. I was about to strike her as the bell dinged.

“Alright you two, there isn’t a need to kill each other.” Apparently, Grim had been watching us for the past two hours. He jumped from the perch above the training circle. The room itself was farther below the regular housing level. It was loaded with every weapon imaginable. Well, all it was missing was guns.

He walked over to me and put a paw on my shoulder. “Where’s the fun in not going all in?” I said jokingly.

“You were using all you had?” Silver said to me. I growled at her, causing both leaders to laugh at me. “Don’t get your fur in a bunch, Zin. I was only kidding.” I waved my hand in a manner that said ‘whatever’. Grim patted my back with the same paw before putting both arms behind his head.

“So, why were you two up so early?” He asked, head turning from Silver to me. Silver and I both looked at each other and shrugged.

“Nightmare. I would like to call it the great pony genocide.” Grim nodded in agreement. So we all did share dreams, but were they dreams? I shook these thoughts from my mind as Grim walked over to the weapon rack and pulled out a battle-hammer. He pointed to me. “Oh hell no.” The two laughed at my reaction.

“We need to head to town soon. Our food is running short after one thousand years. Guess magic really isn’t unlimited.” I looked at him with a questioning glance. He turned towards Silver. “You still haven’t told him?” She shook her head, which made Grim sigh. “When there were still magic bearing dogs, they created an enchanted garden in which we grew food. The spell just recently ran out, and now the food has met the same fate.” Silver and I nodded at him.

“Zin and I can go into town and get supplies. I’m sure that Ponyville is safe.” She said in a joyful manner. Grim looked at her questioningly. “Does everything go in one ear and out the other with you, Grim?” He nodded to her. Silver managed to do a perfect facepalm, forcing both of us to laugh. She pulled me closer to her and threw me behind her. “Laugh at me, will you? Just get that transport spell ready.” I got to my feet and nodded, casting the spell. She grabbed my free paw and I threw the ball of fire down, causing the flames to surround us. When the flames subsided, we were already at Ponyville.

- - - - - - - - - -

We emerged from the flames on the edge of Ponyville, directly out of sight. I made sure my robe was tight around my body and flipped my hood up. Silver had kept her training outfit on. The outfit was a simple shirt, pants, and leather shoes. Why she wore the shoes is still unknown to me. She took my paw and led me into the town at a run.

When we arrived at the town, ponies were giving us odd glances as usual. Most of them decided to carry on, while others were looking past Silver and directly at me. We just kept walking towards the center of town. When we arrived at the fountain, we just sat down. “Why do you keep your hood up?” Silver said to me.

I shrugged. “It makes me mysterious.” She let out a light chuckle. “So who is shopping?” I said, breaking the few minutes silence. When she told me she was, I thought about screaming ‘Victory!’. She laughed at me and walked off. I keep forgetting she is telepathic.

I got up from the fountain and started walking in a random direction. The scents around the town were calming. I always loved taking my strolls through here, but with what happened yesterday, I might have to keep myself on the down low. After a few minutes, I looked at my surroundings. I was outside the library. I made my way inside to find most of the books on the shelves, while others sat at Twilight’s table.

“Anypony home?” I called out upstairs. I heard the sound of hooves on wood coming from the stairs. Soon after, there stood Twilight Sparkle, still groggy. I let out a laugh. “I wake you up?”

She looked at me very strangely, as if she didn’t recognize me. “Do I know you?” Well, this isn’t very nice.

“Twi, it’s me, Zin.” At this, she seemed to wake up completely. She galloped straight at me and tackled me. For a pony that is less than half my size, she is strong!

“Where have you been for the last three months? We were all worried!” She, her friends and I all grew closer after the Nightmare Moon incident. I spent most of my time with her, seeing how she and I could both use the company and study time.

“You know me, out and about. Did you hear anything about Canterlot?” She shook her head at me. Good, word hasn’t spread here yet. “Well, I am here with a friend to get supplies. I’m going to be gone for some time.” She looked worried at these words.

“Are you in trouble? When will you be back?” She asked with such a tone that made me feel bad for her.

I ruffled her mane with a paw and gave her a smile. “Sort of. I will be back in nine months. I won’t let my friends face it alone.” She looked confused at me. I had said too much. “If you ever want to see me in the meantime, go to the fields south of here and call out with your magic. I will know.” She looked even more confused. I got up and moved towards the door right as Silver walked in, carrying about two crates under each arm.

She put them on the ground at my feet and closed the door. “We’re doing it here. Try to get all the crates in the radius too.” I gave her a nod and she got close to me. I nodded a goodbye to Twilight as I casted the transport spell. The flames once again consumed us and took us to the training room, as it was the closest to where the garden used to be.

- - - - - - - -

Silver took the crates to the garden and told me to go practice my magic here in the room. I had no obligations. I got into my meditating position and focused on the energy around me. I only have nine months left to get as far as I can with my spells. My main issue was I get tired too quickly after using the spells, but the transport doesn’t take too much out of me. Maybe if I keep using the strong spells, I can make it so no matter how many spells I cast, I won’t be fatigued. I cracked my knuckles loudly. “Let’s get to it.”

- - - - Five hours later - - - -

“Zin, I have everything...Dear Celestia, what did you do?!” Silver yelled as she leaped down from the railing, landing inches from me. I was laying on my back breathing heavily. It was what was in front of me that startled her. A gaping hole in the rock wall with blue flames still burning in it.

“Magic is...Unpredictable, no?...” I said in a hoarse tone. The reason she was in such shock was because I had scorch marks over my upper body. I had taken off my robe to prevent any damages to it. I put all my effort into every spell I had cast. Next time, I am not going to try to create a beam of fire.

“You did that...?” She sounded both scared and amazed. She shook her head at me. “I said practice, not kill yourself!” There was immense worry in her voice. She took one of my arms and put it around her neck, helping me to stand. “What are trying to prove?” She asked as we made our way up the many stairs.

“What doesn’t kill you...Makes you stronger...” We stopped our ascent for a moment. She shook her head and we kept moving. After we reached the housing level, many of the dogs had been out chatting and doing their daily chores. When they saw Silver carrying me, they all stopped. “I am fine...” They took my words to heart and carried on. Things are much different here than topside.

We reached my home and she put me in my bed. She sat next to me and let out a deep sigh. “You act without thinking, don’t you?” When she turned her head to me, I thought for a moment before nodding yes. She moved from sitting to laying beside me. “Why?” She always knows what I don’t want to hear...’Get out of my head.’ She let out a small laugh.

I took a few deep breaths before speaking. “I’m arrogant. A bit too arrogant, if you ask my alicorn friend.” I let out a laugh which she joined in on. “I only thought out one real action. The first was taking a bullet for somepony. She was special to another pony, and I know what it feels like to be heartbroken. It makes you do terrible things...”

She and I laid there for about twenty minutes, laughing and joking. To be honest, she was more than just a leader I was paired with. She was a very good friend. Thank god I have my mind block working right, as far as I know.

“Zin.” I gave her a questioning look. “Would you mind if I stayed here with you tonight?” I smiled at her and shook my head. She yawned before getting herself in a comfortable position. I closed my eyes and let my thoughts roam around my brain. ‘I have had this feeling before,’ I thought, ‘Is it possible that I have feelings for her?’ I mentally shrugged and drifted to sleep.

- - - - - - - - - -

I stood in a barren field with Silver next to me. We started walking forward, not knowing why. When when reached a cave entrance, we started feeling scared. Slowly we made our way to the general living area. Bodies of our clan and the rival clan’s warriors littered the halls. Some of the bodies still on fire, others missing limbs, some even stuck in the walls by a spear or sword. When we approached the throne room, that was when we were the most disturbed.

“Silver...What are we going to do? The attack on us came a month early, and neither of us foresaw it. We need to go to Celestia, whether or not she still resents me.” My voice rang through my ears.

“You’re right...Grim is likely already there. It was a good thing we sent him out two days ago to negotiate.” Silver sounded saddened. Likely because of the loss of our members.

“Then we must go. There is nothing left for us here...Nothing but the remains of our past lives...” The two paused. We dared not enter as our bodies would not allow it. “I’m going to burn Four Fang until nothing is left but his charred skeleton...”

We heard paws moving and sobbing from both dogs. “Come on, Zin. We should make it look like we died here as well. Those other dogs weren’t as smart as us.” A teary laughter sounded from the room.

Silver and I were suddenly pulled away from this harsh reality. We should prepare ourselves for this, but the outcome seems to be the same with every scenario that ran through my mind. Looks like I will have to rely on her more than I knew...