Frigid Winds and Burning Hearts

by Grey Prophet

Part 13+14

Note: The chapter is done, but I might split it up into two seperate ones.

Frigid Winds and Burning Hearts

Part 13

Burning like a beacon in the night, Canterlot stood on the edge of ruin. The prevailing darkness strangled the spirit of her soldiers and drove her citizens to panic and flight. Their faith in the sun goddess was put to the ultimate test; could it be that Princess Celestia had at last abandoned Equestria and her subjects to the bleakest of fates? Cries of despair echoed throughout the streets as the city's outer wall at last succumbed to the fire's blaze. The once-majestic white stone now lay broken, blackened, and brittle like a graveyard littered with charred bone. Still standing firm before the breach, the city guard silently awaited a similar doom. Like a murder of crows ominously descending to pick at a fresh carcass, a swarm of shadows swooped down from the night sky ready to fill their part of the dark prophecy.

The Eternal City was mortally wounded, its rape and final destruction inevitable.

Or so it seemed in that heart of utter darkness. But it was not to come to pass.

A mighty roar cut through the eerie silence, stunning friend and foe alike. Perching himself on the nearest battlement, a crimson drake stood defiant and proud in the light of the burning stone. Fitted with a suit of shining armor, the warrior bore a mighty broadsword in one claw and the golden banner of Celestia in the other. As the enemy renewed its advance, the drake turned to the soldiers below and gave a toothy grin.

“Blackteeth!” the soldiers muttered amongst themselves joyfully, “The steward has come back!”

“Warriors of Celestia!” Ajax shouted, “Now is the hour of our vengeance! Let us strike down the heretics who dare threatenthe golden empire of Her Majesty most high! Let no quarter be spared! May death take he who shirks from fear of it! We shall fight until the sun triumphs and the moon falls from the heavens!!”

Lifting his sword on high, the drake's rallying cry cast any lingering fear and doubt aside.

“The light of justice shines forth!”

“It shall cleanse our land!”

“Glory to the throne of Canterlot!”

“It shall reign eternal!”

“Long live the sun goddess!”

“Live her holy name!”

Reciting the chorus, Ajax charged into the enemy griffon and pegasi ranks like a blur of blood and fire. The shattering of swords and splintering of shields rung throughout the still night. Singing as he slew his adversaries, Ajax inspired Celestia's troops and drove them to greater feats of glory. Knowing the enemy would soon be crushed between the hammer and the anvil, the drake immersed himself in the zen of battle.

His blind fury was channeled throughout his being. Diffused from the center of passion, its excesses were negated, leaving the drake with clarity and focus. The intensity of his rage united with the passivity of his cunning to create both nothing and everything.

He had found peace in war, and war in peace.

His senses were heightened. Not even the subtle quiver of his foes' feathers was lost on him. Ajax could smell the stink of their bodies, taste the foulness of their blood, and hear the grim moans of their passing. Above all other sensations, he felt the final twitch of their life as his sword plunged through flesh and bone.

It was the feeling of victory.

As he cut through them, Ajax at last eyed his prize. Before him was the commander of the battalion, a Lunar Knight cloaked in black and wearing silver armor.

"Oath-breaker!" Ajax roared, "No god can protect you now, not even the Nightmare!"

Unlike his other victims, this knight showed little fear.

"I swore to serve and defend the sisters of creation," he replied firmly, "Twas' Celestia who broke that oath! Princess Luna alone is now worthy of my devotion!"

"Then we shall see whose goddess will prevail!" Ajax rejoined, "Accept my challenge and face me!"

With that, Ajax brought his sword down upon the pegasus, only to have it parried aside. Left in the open, the knight slashed at the dragon, only to find his blade break upon rough scales. Though the strike drew blood, it was far from lethal.

"It takes more than broken glass to kill Her Majesty's chosen." Ajax said with a grin.

A bit surprised, the pegasus tried to draw another weapon, but Ajax grabbed him by the neck and held the knight in place.

"But it takes so little to kill a rebel rat. Don't worry, though. I will show you Celestia's mercy!"

With that, the victorious dragon ran his blade through the knight, twisting it furiously in his entrails before snapping the ill-fated warrior's neck with his powerful claws. Lifting his victim's body up high to show his enemies, Ajax cast the corpse to the ground below.

As his foes shouted in retreat at the sight of their fallen commander, the drake took the opportunity to survey the battle at the mountain's base. The invading ground troops of the enemy army were pressed down the narrow slope, stumbling madly in the hopes of regrouping with the bulk of their forces. But it was not to be as the promised reinforcements from the north cut off the besieging forces from their entrenchments. The fractured enemy armies were decisively outflanked and cut off from one another.

His enemies dispatched in the sky, Ajax charged into the unraveling fray being fought below him. In a terrifying spiral of flame and iron, the drake brought Celestia's wrath down upon her foes. His assault on them was swift and relentless, droves perished in the wake of his rage. Not just pony-kind, but all sorts of foreigners and monsters summoned by the dark powers fell to his might.

It was a massacre.

He was triumphant.

The cheering of soldiers rung throughout the valley, but not because the last of the enemy had retreated westward. No, it was what was in the east that inspired the chorus of adulation. Ajax's focus was broken, but it mattered little to him as he witnessed the vermilion rays of dawn's early light touch the sacred heart of Celestia's domain. With a dozen guards at his side, the ecstatic drake flew to the city gate. Upon entering, Ajax looked in awe as the red light turned to the dazzling gold of morning. From the towers and streets, civilians cried and embraced one another while singing and dancing in the street. Seeing Ajax, the elderly bowed in reverence while the young cheered his name and kissed every stone he touched. Trumpets sounded throughout the city. As Ajax hastened to the citadel, mares began casting flower petals in front of his path. Dead and grey, they cracked beneath his feet like the bones of his enemies, filling him once more with the euphoria of war. The faint aroma of springtime flowers was released with every step as the withered petals sacrificed the last vestiges of life to the triumph of Canterlot's Savior.

Eagerly arriving in the outer court yard, the drake found a large crowd assembled before the castle. Ajax awaited Celestia's expected return from the heavens with unbearable anticipation.

He was not to be disappointed.

A ball of white ethereal light descended from the sky and exploded with tremendous force, bathing the city in its holy magic. A spirit of peace and serenity dispelled the last demons of disorder and fear from the hearts and minds of Canterlot's citizens as they beheld in awe the goddess in their midst.

Like the rest of princess' subjects, Ajax found it difficult to look at the Celestia directly. The intensity of the light surrounding her was incredible; it was as if a star had been plucked from the firmament and brought to Earth in all its terrifying splendor and power. As the light dimmed slightly, the crowd could at last make out their beloved princess in all her grandeur and beauty. Clad in platinum armor with her golden sword at her side, Celestia appeared even more radiant and commanding than she was in her traditional royal regalia. The princess' face was stern as her eyes passed over the ruin and destruction of war, but smiled slightly at the sight of her subjects' admiring gaze and praising cries. Immediately they bowed before her in profound respect.

“My little ponies!” Celestia addressed the crowd in a loud voice, “Arise! This day I bring forth is not mine, but yours. The trials you faced in my absence were fraught with the greatest perils and the mightiest of foes, but still you kept courage!”

Pausing, Celestia looked lovingly and protectively over her subjects before continuing.

“There is no greater wound Nightmare Moon can inflict than taking me away from you, to leave you naked and at the mercy of her ravenous vultures! For a month I have struggled against her malice to peal back the curtain of night. It is now, at last, that I can I stand among you victorious once more. Let the light I bear scatter the Nightmare's servants and send them crawling back to their queen! For I am the goddess of peace. In these difficult times let us remember that peace is far harder to tear from the jaws of war than further battle and bloodshed. There are still more trials that we must face, but it troubles me little. For I know that justice will prevail. So it was against the tyrant Discord, and so it shall be once more against Nightmare Moon!”

The crowd cheered in delight, but none more so than Ajax who let out a joyful roar.

“My little ponies, I ask you to be strong and keep faith. I left you in darkness only to bring you life; the shadow growing in the west will never overcome my love for you. For we are one, my ponies, sovereign and subject. We can never be separated for we are the flesh and blood of Equestria; to be torn from one another is to perish from this earth! Now rest and heal. Feast and be merry. Tomorrow our struggles will continue, this is true, but everyday brings us closer to peace. Once that day arrives, I swear to you that harmony shall be restored and it shall reign triumphant for another thousand years!”

Her speech concluded, Celestia descended to the castle balcony and entered the tower to leave her subjects in jubilation and her dragon in confusion.

The goddess didn't mention his name. She spoke as though the ponies of the city somehow turned back the Nightmare's armies alone, as if their cowering and lamenting was something noble or admirable.

"Celestia must not be aware of the battle," Ajax reasoned, "All of Her concentration was poured into defeating Nightmare Moon. In Her eyes, even the seat of Her Grace must seem insignificant compared to the infinite universe She fought so hard to defend."

Taking to the air, Ajax quickly flew to the balcony and thrust open the doors to Celestia's chamber. He knew that entering without permission was a grave offense, but he badly wanted to see the sun goddess. She had forgiven him in the past for his intrusions; she would continue to do so in the future. Ajax was like a son to Celestia after all; her love for him was as infinite as the swirling cosmic sea in her heavens on high.

Confidently entering Celestia's sanctum, the drake was surprised to find the room completely dark. It was as if the last shadows of the Nightmare's wickedness had survived Celestia's purging light by gathering in the safety of the sun goddess' own stronghold. No stranger to darkness, Ajax's eyes adjusted accordingly, allowing the dragon to see his mistress kneeling before an elaborately embroidered banner of a solar eclipse. She was shorn of the brilliant light and the platinum armor that so magnificently marked her glorious return. Naked, she solemnly whispered the words of some forgotten tongue as if trying to seek the intercession of some ancient and forgotten spirit. But who can a goddess possibly pray to? Ajax dismissed the thought and approached the princess.

"Ajax, son of Mikhail." Celestia bitterly addressed the warrior. Though her demeanor was tranquil as a placid lake on a midsummer's eve, her voice was filled with the terrifying turmoil of the high seas. If her tone did not shake Ajax, her use of his proper name did. As a dragonling he had learned as all young children do that you never want to hear your entire name spelled out by an angry authority figure. The invocation is like a spell that exposes the soul to a thousand shames before another word can be even uttered.

And a thousand more were ready to descend.

"I know you think little of my privacy, but must you enter my room with the blood of my ponies' still wet upon your armor? Can you not give me a moment's respite from the stench of death? I cannot bear it now, I cannot!"

Ajax was taken aback. The entire city praised his name, but it did not matter to him. All the honor in the world meant nothing if the princess didn't recognize it. Ajax wanted to show Celestia that he was strong and mature, but he was being treated like a dragonling who romped too much in the mud before coming in-doors.

"My P-princess," he stuttered in response, "This is the blood of your enemies, not your ponies. I lifted the siege and brought the rebels to justice, just as you commanded. Surely I have not failed in carrying out your will?"

Celestia did not respond right away, causing the drake to panic a bit. The darkness of the room did little to ease his mind.

"My Grace, I have not seen the light of day in a month's time and have fought hard to see your Majesty return..."

Celestia sighed and ignored him, choosing to linger in deep thought instead. A half an hour passed, but Ajax didn't budge from where he stood. Seeing that he was still there, the goddess gathered herself and complied with the clueless dragon's request.

“Very well Ajax, but I beg you. Spare me from your talk of bloodshed.”

With a flick of magic, Celestia tore the curtains from the tower windows, flooding the room with light and revealing herself completely to Ajax's sharp eyes. What he saw disturbed the drake beyond anything else he had ever witnessed. Celestia's bones protruded from her body, a clear indication that her magic, having been pushed to its highest of limits, had eaten away at her. Looking into her eyes he saw they were blood-red and filled with weariness. Her face was singed by several burns, each tarnishing the purity of Celestia's white coat . It was as if Nightmare Moon had branded the Princess for her own. The thought infuriated Ajax, but before he could say anything, Celestia cut him off.

"You disobeyed me, Ajax. I entrusted the defense of the city to you."

"And I defended it."

"No, I gave control of its garrison to you, not the army. You had no right to take control of the Northern Legion; now the enemy stands poised to take the coast and cut us off from the few allies we have. The siege has spread from Canterlot to the entire domain now...and so many already dead..."

"But-but what was I supposed to do?" Ajax replied incredulously, "Canterlot was starving and ready to fall. We were outnumbered. I had to do something to defend the city."

"I told you to wait for me or your superiors at the front." Celestia sternly responded, "I approved this past month's military strategies and contingency plans before I left. In the occasion of a siege, the orders were to hold up and conscript if necessary. I saw to it that Canterlot could endure a year-long assault if need be.”

"Princess Celestia, the United Griffon Republic declared war on us as soon as you left. But before the cowards declared anything, the griffon delegates at court sabotaged our stores and fled. The next thing I knew the Nightmare's armies were outside the gate. That's why we couldn't hold out, we had nothing. All of our plans were useless, especially when their armies threatened to breach the wall. They used some type of magic, I've never seen such an explosion in my life. It burned even rock."

The blood drained from Celestia's face as she gave Ajax a weak look.

"It was no magic." the goddess muttered "Magic is not a weapon..."

"Then what was it?"

"A forbidden type of alchemy. It seems my student is not content with sewing the seeds of but one war, but a thousand others with her foolishness."

Ajax wasn't sure to who Celestia was exactly referring to, but he guessed that it was Morning Star, the forger and leader of the opposing armies.

"A gift from Nightmare Moon, no doubt." Ajax growled, "What new madness will she unleash on this world next?"

Celestia stood up, her legs slightly buckling as she began to pace nervously.

"And I knew nothing of it." Celestia said, the sound of panic rising in her voice, "The armies, the griffons, the alchemy. Nothing."

"My Princess if I could be of..."

“Those thankless griffons! They'd still be in caves if weren't for my empire's example!”

“May I--

"Have I fallen so far that this naive unicorn can play me for a fool...again?"

"Princess Celes--"

"I..I have failed my duties to my subjects. I swore upon my mother's name that I would deliver them from this suffering, but twenty years have passed and the fires of war still burn across my lands. If Canterlot were to fall...I would die with it...and with me...everything.”

As she said these words, the goddess' knees gave way to exhaustion.

"Solnyshka!"

Ajax quickly moved to Celestia's side and caught her before she could fall. Breathing heavily, Celestia faced the drake and weakly smiled.

“It has been a long time since you called me that, Ajax.”

“I'm sorry your Grace, I did not mean to speak as children do...”

“No, no! Please don't say such things! Never be sorry for that, Ajax. It is not an insult to show me your love.”

“I only wish to treat you with the respect you deserve.”

“Mishka , my precious little dragonling, I need more from you than cold respect. Anyone can give me that. Truly, it feels like that's all they offer me in this age. Besides, no title warms my heart more than being called your little sun.”

To Ajax's embarassment and displeasure, Celestia pulled out his old nickname too. The dragon blushed. It was unbecoming for a feared warrior to be so intimate with anyone, lest of all his mistress.

“Besides, if you wanted to respect me,” Celestia smirked, “you would have knocked on my chamber door before entering.”

The princess chuckled lightly, but Ajax continued to look at her with concern. For once, Celestia's humor couldn't mask her painful weakness. The fear the drake felt was like that of a child who discovers the frailty of his invincible mother. Choking back his pride, Ajax ceased to be a soldier and became a dragonling once more.

“Solnyshka, please, you can't keep doing this,” the drake pleaded as he caressed Celestia's cheek with his rough claws “You can't fight Nightmare Moon and command the army. It's...it's too much for you to handle by yourself.”

Celestia shook her head.

“No, Ajax. I can't let my generals run free. If I were to do as you ask, they would seek to outdo the other for the position as Supreme Commander. I don't want glory hounds eating each other for power. Their loyalty I don't question, but I will not trust them with my sword.”

A silence grew between the two as Ajax ran his claws through her magnificent mane.

“...I can do it.” the dragon said, “They would never challenge me. I can take up your sword.”

“Ajax son of Mikhail,” Celestia replied sternly, pulling away from him, “I will not let you be a part of this war anymore.”

The drake recoiled as if the wind were knocked from him.

“I've studied battle and tactics under Commander Typhoon and sat on your War Council for years!” Ajax argued, “You promised that you'd let me command once I proved myself an-and I-I saved Canterlot after you gave me stewardship! What more do I need to do?”

“Ajax, I never meant for you to fight.” Celestia said in a low voice, “I thought I gave you the safest possible assignment. I did not believe they would dare attack Canterlot...”

“But you were wrong, and they did.” Ajax sharply replied, “But I won. My sword cut through a hundred rebels today and emerged with only a scratch.”

Celestia turned away from Ajax and closed her eyes. The drake knew she did not like the details of battle.

“Don't pretend I've never killed, Solnyshka.” Ajax continued, “I've fought in battles before this day and not once have I lost. I can turn the tide of war back if you just give me a chance!”

The princess slowly opened her eyes and shook her head once more.

“Mishka, war leaves far graver wounds on the mind than the body. You are too young, I don't want this war to be your life. It will only bear you pain and misery...”

“It is too late for that. I was born into this war and I will see it end, no matter the cost.”

Pausing, Ajax embraced Celestia and ran his claws through her flowing mane. His words, once fierce, were now tender and gentle.

“I am not a dragonling anymore, Solnyshka. I can help you! There's nothing more I want in this world than to remove this burden from you. I can command, I can fight! Together we can win this war, you in the heavens and I on the battlefield!”

A moment of silence passed between the two as Celestia nuzzled Ajax affectionately. After thinking and struggling over her answer, Celestia at last broke the silence.

“My little drake, you ask much from me. But what you say is true, I...I can't keep order in both heaven and on earth. You are strong and smart for your age, Mishka, I don't doubt your abilities. But I fear...”

Celestia stopped and looked tenderly into Ajax's eyes.

“What?”

“...I only fear, Ajax. But I can't afford to be its slave, not in dark times like these. Not ever...”

Breaking from the embrace, Celestia stood up tall and regal despite her weariness. With the glow of her horn, Celestia floated her sword and scabbard to Ajax.

“Kneel, Ajax.” Celestia boomed in the Royal Canterlot voice. The dragon immediately obeyed.

“Ajax son of Mikhail, defender of the throne, faithful knight and steward of Canterlot! I, Princess Celestia, goddess of the sun and sovereign empress of Equestria give to you my authority to rule the realm in my absence. Take this, my sword, as a testament to my will. With it, may you help me purge Nightmare Moon and restore order in Equestria.”

Taking the sword from the air, Ajax slowly drew the blade from its golden scabbard. As he gripped the hilt, the red drake felt a wave of adrenaline rush through him. It was as is if Celestia's own strength now ran through his veins giving him an incredible sensation that bordered on ecstasy. His goddess, his princess, his mother had at last approved of his aspirations and accepted his appeal to lead the armed forces as its unquestionable leader.

Completely unhindered.

Turning to Celestia with a big smile, Ajax dropped the formalities and hugged the princess tightly. This time, however, she felt cold as if her white coat was nothing but a mixture of snow and ice. It felt as though he was embracing a corpse. Pulling away, he looked into Celestia's eyes only to find those of a viper.

Of Nightmare Moon.

–
Ajax opened his eyes to find himself covered in a heavy layer of snow. The winter cold, being no friend to dragons, constricted his movement and dulled his thinking. As he tried to adjust to the harsh and unfavorable climate, the red dragon's mind turned to the vision Luna had left him. Was it dream or memory? It was difficult to distinguish. Though the most important day in his life, it still occurred a thousand years ago. He warmly remembered receiving Celestia's blessing, but her reluctance to give it did not fit in with the heroic narrative of his life that he played over and in his head. And those eyes...

“Enough.” he growled, “It matters little. The witch would love nothing more than to fill me with doubt. Wretched nightmares bleed into tainted memories after all. In the end both are only distractions...”

Rising to his feet and unfurling his mighty wings, Ajax shook the snow from his body and looked for any sign of Luna's presence. Finding nothing, he cursed under his breath and took to the skies to continue his search. Though limited by the freezing cold, Ajax pressed onward over the boughs of Everfree, his eyes darting about to see any sign of life unfortunate enough to cross his warpath.

After an hour or so, he saw the unmistakable light of unicorn magic emanating from below. Descending, he smashed into the earth with terrifying strength. Facing his prey, he smiled upon seeing their dress. The simple black cloak of the Lunar Guard, those apostate knights who found humility in their ragged appearance, filled him with both relief and rage.

Nightmare Moon was not too far away.

As he stared at them, the ponies began to chatter madly among themselves, their abject fear being made instantly clear to him.

Oh how he liked to see them squirm.

Laughing, he knew that none of the him would survive his judgment. He was, after all, the vicar of Celestia, pure and unconquerable.

Nothing could stop him.

–
“D-d-dragon!” Fluttershy squealed, jumping into the air and trying to make a dash for it.

“Get down, Fluttershy!” Rarity hissed, pulling her skittish friend back down to earth, “I've heard that some dragons can't see you if you don't move. They're not a very perceptive lot.”

“Quiet, both of you.” Storm Cloud whispered, “Let us take care of this.”

“What are you, Captain Butthead, Lt. Babysitter, and Private Shivers gonna do that we can't?” Rainbow asked, “This dragon's got nothing on the Elements of Harmony.”

“Sorry kid,” Lightning answered, “but this babysitter has lost his charge. If you have Twilight Sparkle hiding under your wings, by all means, send this dragon to the moon.”

Rainbow's face scrunched in displeasure.

“That's what I thought,” Lightning continued, “Like it or not, our best bet is on the captain's actions.”

“Like pig spit it is!” Applejack interjected, “You can't fight stupid with stupid. If anypony can butt heads with an overgrown lizard it's Fluttershy. How 'bout it, Shy, can you give him the ol' stare?”

“Umm, no thank you...”

As his party argued behind him, Braveheart locked eyes with the gigantic crimson dragon before him. It had to be more than twice the size of the one he had killed, and that had been a desperate fight. That beast was a young fool who didn't know his place, but this dragon with teeth like obsidian and claws like black diamonds was something different. There was a gleaming flame in his eyes that pierced the darkness and spoke ominously of a power that had been tested through the ages time and time again.

Even with Celestia's sword at his side, the captain knew this foe was beyond him. Unfortunately, this would mean that he'd have to play that game he always seemed to lose. Terribly.

Cautious diplomacy.

“All right dragon, I don't know you, you don't know me, you don't know anypony here.” Braveheart growled, “So get your ruby munching hide out of the way and we'll leave it at that. Kapish?”

As soon as the words escaped his mouth, Braveheart slapped himself for losing so horribly once more. To his surprise and chagrin, the dragon only laughed harder at his words. There was something malevolent about his cackle that struck the captain with fear, something insane. Standing his ground, Braveheart hesitated before speaking up again.

“What dragon? Don't you speak Equestrian? If you get out of the way, I promise you'll get all the treasure you could ever possibly want...to sit on. Or eat. Or whatever it is you lizards do with the stuff.”

“Ha! Yes, I speak the language, and far better than you I see.” Ajax replied, “I've gutted trolls with fairer tongues!”

Braveheart's left eye gave an irritated twitch. Normally he'd have Lightning take care of the talking, his lieutenant was pretty good at being detached and making things impersonal. However, it was one thing to have him speak to civilians and quite another to throw him in front of a dragon. Braveheart had to do this himself, for better or worse.

“Whatever, do we have a deal?”

Pausing his laughter, Ajax lowered his face to Braveheart's level and blew a billow of black smoke at the captain. As it filled his lungs and stung his eyes, Braveheart coughed and glared angrily at the dragon.

“Look pal, you don't know who you're messing with here!”

“Oh, I know exactly who you are.” Ajax said wearing a wry grin, “I've met you a hundred times. Sure, your eyes aren't quite the same, nor do you look the same color from when I last left your body hanging from the gibbet. Yet you are unmistakable to me, knight of darkness.”

“What did you call me?”

“By your title, heretic, does that not honor you? Or should I call you the Nightmare's slave? It'd be more fitting.”

Braveheart had expected this dragon to be different, but they way it spoke to him was truly unsettling. His eloquent words displayed intellect, yes, but their content was an exhibition of an ancient madness that the captain couldn't grasp.

“I have no idea what you're talking about,” Braveheart replied, “I have only one mistress, and I can sure as shit tell you it's not Nightmare Moon.”

“Liar, your dress and manners betray you.” Ajax coolly answered, “You are the spitting image of the Lunar Guard. A crass, ignorant, barbaric, and lawless beast draped in the color of sin and shadow! An oath-breaker if ever I've seen one!”

“Who are you, dragon?” Braveheart asked, doing his best to keep his calm by gritting his teeth, “Who are you to call me a traitor? And to whom? Last I checked, you dragons served only yourselves.”

Ajax loved this question, but before he could answer, he was interrupted.

“His name is Jack or something and don't get him started on it.” Rainbow Dash spoke up, “The guy has a knack for drama and long-winded stories like no other.”

Upon hearing the pegasus' raspy voice, the dragon sneered in displeasure.

“Rainbow Gnat! You insignificant little insect!”

“Hey, I call them as I see 'em.” Rainbow replied nonchalantly.

“Kid, you know this dragon?” Braveheart asked, impressed by the young mare's blunt boldness.

“Well, duh. I already told you, this is the dragon that tried to kill Luna.”

Braveheart gave pause. Once more he was confronted with a piece of the puzzle that fit perfectly with the Elements' account and what he saw in Zecora's hut. Again, he was conflicted. He didn't know whether to feel salvation or damnation from the revelation.

“Yeah, so what else do ya know, kid?” he asked Rainbow Dash.

“If I remember right, this guy says he fought in a war against Luna a thousand years ago. Oh, and he has a really, really big thing for Princess Celestia. And by big, I mean kinda psycho.”

At the mentioning of the princess, Ajax's brow furrowed and a puff of smoke escaped his nostrils.

“You have no right to speak Her name!”

“Whatever Jack...”

“My name is not Jack!” Ajax roared, “I am Ajax son of Mikhail, Supreme Commander of the Equestrian Armed Forces, Steward of Canterlot, Guardian of Everfree, and beloved ensign to Her Majesty Princess Celestia!”

“Potato, potatoe.” Rainbow said dismissively.

“Silence!”

“I mean, are you kidding me with that list? You're a dragon in the middle of nowhere who gets his kicks from giving history lectures and creeping on and on about Princess Celestia. You're not exactly the prince in shining armor you think you are.”

“You are as insolent as you are loud.” the dragon growled ,“I suppose you will deny your fealty to the moon goddess as well?”

“Tch, why'd I do that?” Rainbow scoffed, “ I stood by the princess when I kicked ya dead square in the teeth, you think I'd ditch her because you decided to swing that ugly face of yours back my way? Forget it! I'm not a yellow-feathered coward like you.”

Ajax was about to respond with a burst of flame, but Rainbow didn't let him.

“You think it takes courage to stand up for Celestia? The most powerful pony in the world? Hate to break it to you, but that's about as brave as crossing the street. I'm not perfect, but I'll stand up for anypony who's not given a fair shot or a second chance. Luna deserves one. I bet Celestia gave you one too, but you're not dragon enough to 'fess up to your mistakes.”

At the pegasus' words, Ajax grimaced as if an arrow had pierced his hide.

“I've had enough of you!” the dragon growled before facing Braveheart, “So you claim that you don't serve Nightmare Moon, and yet you keep company with her courtiers? Do you take me for a fool?”

The two soldiers stared at one another, neither blinking once.

As he stood in silence, the captain thought of the gutsy pegasus who last sparred with the dragon. Rainbow's brashness had shocked everypony, even Braveheart. The captain, despite the tense situation, found himself admiring and approving not only of Rainbow's fearless loyalty, but the way she had brought the dragon down a notch with a few simple words. The pegasus was courageous in a way few ponies were. Some would call spiting in a dragon's face folly, but this pegasus knew the dragon's weakness and exploited it: pride, the bane of many warriors.

Including himself.

Rainbow's brief lesson in humility was one he had learned early and often forgot. It was usually Celestia or Storm, though, who reminded him of it, not some kid. But then again, this wasn't just any kid. The Element of Loyalty was indeed an awesome sight to behold.

In regards to Ajax, the captain was daunted by the dragon's claims. It was now of little wonder how the beast injured Princess Luna. Not only that, it explained why a dragon spoke and acted like a noble knight of the Canterlot Court rather than a greedy scaled thug. But what was of particular interest was the title the two shared.

After a minute-long stand-off, Braveheart replied.

“No, what I see is a no-good pretender.”

With one quick movement, Braveheart tore back his hood and revealed the unmistakeable red crest of his golden helm to the dragon.

“You love to talk like a noble, don't ya? Then let me put this into words you'll get, Commander. I am Braveheart, Captain of Her Majesty's Royal Guard and Her one true ensign! In Her name I order you to stand down and submit to Her will.”

To Braveheart's surprise, the dragon didn't even blink.

“Was that supposed to cow me?” Ajax laughed, “You forsook claim to all royal titles the moment I caught you aiding the Nightmare's disciples. The only difference between you and them is what fashion you wear. What lies beneath is the same.”

Ajax moved his head closer to Braveheart and whispered sinisterly.

“A traitor.”

The captain pulled away and shook his head.

“You're crazy.”

“Crazy?” Ajax asked, “Then swear it. Swear on Celestia's life and honor. Is it not true that you are protecting Nightmare Moon's servants?”

Braveheart hesitated and thought wildly for a way out. He could draw Celestia's sword to prove himself, but he'd be an idiot to brandish the blade. Dragons didn't take too kindly to aggression from ponies, no matter who they are. Just the notion that Braveheart had the guts to challenge him would be an unforgivable insult to Ajax's honor. Battle would become unavoidable.

The red dragon, seeing the captain's anxiety, gave a toothy smile as he awaited Braveheart's admission. The answer that was returned, however, surprised both soldiers.

“He ain't servin' any Nightmare Moon!” Applejack shouted, breaking to the fore and giving the dragon a nasty look. “None of us are. Ah swear that on my Granny's good name, bless her heart.”

“Foolish little pony, oaths are not to be taken lightly!” the dragon shot back, “May I thousand plagues fall on your kin!”

“I ain't lyin', dragon, I don't hardly ever lie. I ain't got the heart for bein' a weasel.” Applejack replied with stout conviction, “First off, Ah fer one don't serve anypony. Ah help 'em. Second, Nightmare Moon's been pushin' up daisies for more than a year now. Us five and Twilight did the honors.”

“A ridiculous tale!”

“Hush up an' let me finish!” Applejack barked back, impressing everypony, especially the captain, with her ferocity, “Today Ah helped the true goddess of the night, Luna, Celestia's little sister, to search for the missing princess. That's what we're all here doin', tryin' to find a way to get Celestia back and yer not doin' us a lick of good by talkin' down to us with yer threats. All yer doin is grabbin' at anything that makes us look bad and glazin' over the truth so that you can feel like the good guy! But hey, you wouldn't be the first today.”

Applejack's eyes shifted to Braveheart, all her disdain for him present in her gaze.

“Ah must be seein' doubles now, 'cause Ah can't tell the two of you apart for the life of me!”

The captain shifted uncomfortably at the farmer's comment. At the same time, he was struck by Applejack's decision to defend him Sure, she had a lot at stake here too, but the gesture was something Braveheart had difficulty understanding. He was so sure that Applejack was no different from anypony who suffered loss. Her hatred for him should have bled over into acts of vindictive pettiness, but here she stood up for not just him, but for a reality she too had found distasteful. Her sense of honesty, although teetering between noble conviction and bitter admission, underscored her commitment to an undeniable truth. It was an unwavering principle that nopony, not even Braveheart, could change. The Element of Honesty was a pony by blood, but her spirit was something far greater that spoke of the divine, of Celestia.

Braveheart could not help but feel jealous of Applejack's strength. He felt inferior by comparison, something he hated more than anything. Though he felt challenged, the captain grudgingly found respect for Applejack.

“Luna is just another name for Nightmare Moon,” Ajax replied, unamused that he would even have to explain, “It is just as the insect so crudely put it. Potato, potatoe. She is an indivisible evil, no illusion she can conjure will ever change that.”

“My, I never thought a lonely dragon sleeping in Everfree to be so learned in matters of the spirit, not to mention current events.” Rarity said, sarcastically entering the conversation, herself breaking from the encirclement of guards. Using her horn for light, the unicorn looked intently at the dragon, sizing him up accordingly.

“Shame, you have such a refined tongue and the most beautiful onyx teeth imaginable. You could make quite the stir in Canterlot.” she said, “But your arrogance betrays your simple mind, dear. You might as well be roaring at us as common dragons do.”

As if on cue the dragon let loose a mighty roar that blew Rarity's mane back and slightly frazzled the fashonista.

“...Yes, like that.” she said, trying to fix her mane back into its original shape, “Now think Ajax. How long have you slept?”

Ajax glared at Rarity for a moment, bur answered her question nonetheless.

“...earlier this year. It is difficult to tell.”

“And before that?”

“Only ten years.”

“Yes, good. Now, consider the idea that time and life for the rest of the world keeps going on while you sleep. The one you knew has been gone for ages, and a lot has changed since.”

“Really?” the red dragon responded snidely, “Unicorns are still as condescending and pretentious as I remember them to be.”

“Forgive me if it seems that I'm spelling this out to you,” Rarity calmly answered, “but you address us so rudely in archaic terms and demeaning names. Lunar Guard? I haven't the faintest idea of who they were or what they did, save maybe protect Luna. What is even more stressful about this whole mess is that you haven't asked us our names or about the signs of the time. For Celestia's sake, you outright dismissed Applejack's news without a thought or showing her an ounce of respect!”

“Respect? The only being I respect and honor is Princess Celestia. Most of you ponies are ungrateful and weak; it only attests to Her Majesty's power that your race survives. The lot of you are like dust to me; irritating and everywhere. Complaining, fighting, sinning. Disgusting beasts unfit to kiss Her Majesty's hoof!”

At the dragon's declaration, Braveheart grew even more uneasy. Looking at Rarity, however, gave him a strange sense of assurance. The elegant unicorn's confidence and sense of dignity made her strong, this he had learned from a painful slap. Even as Celestia's servant towered above her, Rarity's composure remained unchanged. A look of determination was illuminated by the light of her horn, a shimmer of hope in an all-consuming darkness. The Element of Generosity was able to understand the dragon while also trying to guide him back to the light. Braveheart saw there was something fascinating in her demeanor, something almost royal...no, not just that. Something like a princess.

“So, you answer to power. Unsurprising for a dragon, to be frank. But tell me Ajax, have you ever heard of the Elements of Harmony?”

“They are the ultimate weapons of the sun goddess. She alone can control their might.”

“Tsk-tsk, poor dear,.” Rarity simply replied, “How wrong you are...”

Pulling the wool coat she was wearing from around her neck, the unicorn showed off the sapphire encrusted necklace to the dragon.

“See this lovely jewel and how it matches my cutie mark? This is the channel from which the power of the Element of Generosity flows. My power.”

At last something managed to catch Ajax's curiosity. The dragon reared his enormous head towards Rarity and eyed the jewel.

“Impossible, 'tis nothing but a fraud.” he muttered, “Nopony but Celestia can survive the intensity of its power, let alone wield it.”

“Oh, its quite genuine. My friends and I represent the six elements that uphold this world. Isn't that curious? Who would think that so much would depend on six friends? We were brought together and united by destiny's benign hand to be given the task of taking up Celestia's mantle when she was all but powerless. I admit that I don't know how this came to be, but it is as undeniable as your love for the princess is.”

“Blasphemous witch!” Ajax shouted, “If what you say is true, show me that you can harness its magic! Strike me down with it!”

Rarity paused, thinking quickly about how to respond. She was hoping that the dragon would blindly respect a power greater than Celestia's. Unfortunately, by challenging the sun goddess, she had inadvertently tread into dangerous territory.

Thankfully her friends had her back.

“Silly, if we did that, you'd be a big ol' rock!” Pinkie giggled, bouncing up to the dragon's face, “I don't think Princess Celestia would like us stone-ifying her most favorite and special dragon, don't you?”

Ajax did as all do when meeting the exuberant pink pony: he looked her over in disbelief.

“...I suppose...” he growled.

“Exactly! By the way, I'm Pinkie Pie, but you can just call me Pinkie 'cause that's shorter and I know when you just want to get something quick across but you have to spend all that time saying all those extra words you don't really need to say to be understood, it eats up like a whole extra millisecond. I mean, who wants to give that up just 'cause they think they need to say “Pie” every time they want to talk? I mean think about it, my friends could have wasted three whole seconds this year just saying my name! You know what I mean?”

The dragon shook himself and stared for a moment, trying to decipher just exactly what she said.

“Time means less to me than it does for your own kind, pony.” Ajax said slowly, his fury subdued by Pinkie's strangeness, “A second could be a year; a month no more than a day. Only the millenia is of any worth to me as I stand my lonely watch over the forest.”

Hearing this Pinkie nearly frowned. The way that Ajax talked so much made it sound like he had spent forever alone with nopony to listen to him. This dragon had no friends other than the princess; it was no wonder why he was so mean. If she could change that, maybe she could change him.

“What's life without time?” Pinkie asked, “Every moment is precious and unique if you have the guts to go out there and make it your own! It's like what Rarity was sayin', we can live for a better day, one full of sunshine and flowers, or we can keep fighting that same old fight the same way over and over with nothing ever changing. Remember when I said how Celestia wouldn't like it if you were a rock? Well Ajax, you're kind of like a rock all ready.”

Pausing for breath, Pinkie could see that she still had Ajax's attention. She needed to connect with him someway, and it had to be from the heart. The dragon seemed to have a flare for the dramatic, so Pinkie tried her utmost best to make her message as exciting as possible to him.

“But that's okay. I grew up on a rock farm, so I know a thing or two about rocks and let me tell ya, even a boring rock can become something that can put a smile on somepony's face. Sure it takes time, and yeah, they're hard, cold, and dull most of the time. The conditions just have to be right; sometimes ya got to be upfront: 'heat 'em up and stamp 'em down' as dad used to say. But other times you gotta take it slow and let nature do most of the work. But even then, ya gotta rotate them by the hour to make sure every bit of it gets the polishing it needs. By the time harvest comes, all you need is a little muscle to crack 'em open. And that's when you see it. A thousand brilliant shining stars locked inside, each one unique and special. Crazy, huh? Who'd think that something so rough and tough could be so awesome and beautiful?”

Patting the dragon on the snout, Pinkie smiled.

“The same goes with making friends! Even your biggest enemy can be your friend tomorrow if you just reach out and treat them in the right way! I mean what is an enemy anyway? They're just future friends we got a bad start with, that's all. Sure, first impressions are important, but as my granny said “you can't judge a book by its cover.” 'There's always something deeper down inside that brings us all together.”

Pinkie moved in and whispered none too quietly.

“Do you know what that something is?”

“Here it comes...” Rainbow Dash said rolling her eyes.

“A party!”

Pinkie's heartfelt words moved the captain profoundly. It seemed that this pink pony before him embodied all the virtues and values espoused by the sun goddess to the point of near parody. But the Element of Laughter was not a joke, she was all that pony-kind strove to become. To embrace the innocence of foals is an ancient wisdom, but it is also a paradox that does not lend itself easily to the trials of life. Pinkie defied all reason by internalizing the inherent contradiction and proving the impossible to be quite possible. Reflecting over the course of the day, Braveheart realized that the eccentric mare's gushing idealism had saved him from his own realist conceit. If it was not for her, he would have come down with an iron hoof on the night princess and the ponies who got in his way, perhaps dooming the earth. Pinkie's unshakeable faith in her fellow pony was strange and unorthodox to him, but she had shown time and again that it was not misplaced. Indeed, Braveheart was shown to be the fool for placing his faith in brute strength and authority. For this reason the captain couldn't quite understand Pinkie's wisdom, but neither could he fully grasp Celestia's at times. In a strange way, he felt comforted by this fact.

He could only hope Ajax felt the same way.

Indeed, the dragon had not taken his eyes off Pinkie Pie. Staring at her for a few brief moments, Ajax let out a light chuckle. Pinkie, happy to see this, giggled in response. Soon the two were roaring with laughter, but it did not spread to anypony else. The others looked nervously as Ajax brought himself under control to smile grimly at Pinkie.

“To think the Nightmare's jester should make me laugh like a dragonling! I have not heard such foolishness told with such a straight face since last I saw Morning Star, wretched and accursed! You honestly expect me to believe in the power of friendship, fool?”

The dragon leered at Pinkie who nervously kicked at the ground and avoided eye contact.

“Uh, well...you know...kinda?”

“Ha! Well let me tell you about the true nature of friendship,” the dragon growled, “the more 'friends' you claim to love, the weaker you become. In war or in life, you utterly give yourself to them until they become part of you, eating away at your soul like insatiable parasites. The more you care for them, the greater it detracts from what needs to be defended most: goddess and nation. Friendship dilutes reason and distills a thousand stupid ideas. War quickly teaches you this. If I had followed your example, I, would have been destroyed by Nightmare Moon and Morning Star. But you'd like that, wouldn't you proveyor of lies?!”

“That's not what I meant at all...” Pinkie replied, almost at loss of words. She couldn't believe how the dragon twisted friendship of all things into being an evil.

“Enough! I have heard enough from you pest!” Ajax interrupted raising his claw to the sky, “Judgment shall fall on your head first!”

Braveheart gripped his sword in response to the dragon's threat. He'd be damned if he let the dragon touch even one of Pinkie's curly locks.

But he would not be the first one to come to Pinkie's defense.

The captain, although ready and alert, was put to shame by the swift wings of Fluttershy, that meek little pegasus he had nearly forgotten about. She was known throughout Equestria for her reclusive, withdrawn nature and yet here Fluttershy stood between friend and foe with her wings protectively outstretched and her head held up high. The pegasus' body quivered nervously, but her expression was stern and resolute.

“Ajax son of Mikhail!” Fluttershy scolded, causing the dragon to recoil, “You should be ashamed of yourself! Life and death are not things you can give and take as you see fit. Not even Celestia can give life to the dead, so who do you think you are to deliver death to the living?”

Ajax briefly glanced away and looked back to Fluttershy. It was clear by his face that he didn't have an answer. Seeing her chance to get the upperhoof, the pegasus gave the red dragon a piercing stare, the same one that had brought the dragon of the lonely mountain to its knees. At the sight of Fluttershy, the dragon impulsively flinched but quickly gathered himself and met her gaze with his own fiery, leering eyes. Unlike Ajax, Fluttershy was not daunted by her adversary. The Element of Kindness was not about to allow wickedness to triumph.

“Please leave us alone Ajax!” she demanded, her usually timid manner subsumed by her keen sense of urgency and danger, “ Let us have a chance to save our world for a better tomorrow. If you want to live in the horrid past that made you a monster, I suggest that you...you go back to sleep and dream.”

“I will not be subdued by the stare of some yellow winged rat!” Ajax retorted, “I am the spirit of the earth incarnate and guardian of this forest! You will submit to me!”

The two stared at one another with incredible intensity as they became locked in a battle of wills. To Ajax's amazement, however, he soon found himself trembling as if his entire being was on the verge of collapse. The painful truth struck him hard. He could not defeat Fluttershy. Somehow, this pegasus had a bond with the earth stronger than his own. It was an impossible idea. He couldn't accept it.

So he didn't.

Flapping his wings to create a mighty gust, the crafty dragon weaseled his way out of the contest by blowing Fluttershy off her hooves and into the forest. Hearing a nasty clunk, everypony looked to see that Fluttershy had slammed her head into a tree.

“...Ouch.”

Ajax would have laughed, but he was growing weary of all these challenges to his power and authority.

“This trial is over!” the dragon roared, “You are all guilty, guilty of treason, guilty of blasphemy, guilty of life! In Celestia's name, I damn you all to death!”

Pinkie's tail twitched and she immediately responded. Hopping to the side she narrowly avoided being crushed by the dragon's claws.

Seeing the beast lash out at last, Braveheart knew the time for action had come. He had to meet senseless aggression with concerted aggression, the dragon had forfeit all other options the moment he attacked Pinkie.

The ringing of steel resounded throughout the forest as the captain drew Celestia's sword and thrust the blade into the dragon's outstretched claw, just managing to penetrate the thick scales. Howling in pain, the dragon withdrew his hand and looked in awe at the blood that slowly rose to the surface. With fear and anger he turned his attention back on Braveheart only to be devastated by the sight of Celestia's golden blade in the mouth of a pathetic little pegasus.

“How dare you take my own sword up against me!”

“You fucked up, dragon.” Braveheart quipped, slamming the sword into the earth, “I am Celestia's ensign, this sword I hold is hers, not yours. In her name I defend the Elements of Harmony who bear her image and...and her little sister too, Princess Luna.”

“Fool!” the dragon sneered, “Celestia is my sword, and I hers! Our union is bound by blood of which means you will never know! That piece of steel you hold is only a symbol of her love for me. If you wish a clean, quick death, give it back to me.”

“I've never been one for an easy death.” Braveheart growled, “Even if I were, I'd doubt you could give me one. You can't even win a staring contest against a timid little pegasus without having to cheat, not exactly the stuff of legends.”

“Silence! Let the fates determine who the true seraph among us is! He who reigns victorious in battle shall alone hold Her sword aloft!”

Braveheart hesitated for a moment, looking back to the Elements and his soldiers. His gaze met with Storm's for a brief second. Despite the apprehension in her eyes, she gave him a reassuring smile. He gave her a quick wink in response.

“You wanna duel? Fine, let the best soldier prove themself.” Braveheart answered, facing the dragon, “I'm not a stranger to dragon slaying, maybe I'll have Miss. Rarity here make a nice pair of boots out of your scaly ass.”

Rarity blushed at the vile comment while Storm Cloud had to assure Fluttershy that the captain was only trying to intimidate Ajax.

“Excellent,” the dragon replied, “I haven't had any good sport in ages. Your helm shall make for a lovely trophy. I have just the place for it in my hoard!”

With that, the beast unleashed a burst of flaming breath. Narrowly dodging the blast, Braveheart grasped the sun goddess' sword once more and took to the sky.

/--

Seeing the two engage one another in combat, Lightning went to draw his sword only to be reminded he had nothing but a a hunk of wood. He had hoped that the magic, cast in the unicorn's haste, was unstable and that the weapon would revert to its original form after an hour or so. But this was Twilight Sparkle's doing; it had her mark of perfection written all over it. Sighing, Lightning cursed under his breath. He had betrayed her trust twice at the edge of a sword. She would have been a fool to leave it in his care again. Once more she had left him completely powerless and, again, he could not blame her the slightest for it.

As he watched Braveheart fight, he felt compelled to join his captain against the amoral beast, weapon or no weapon. Even if he could only serve as a distraction...

Spreading his wings, he was ready to fly before feeling himself jerked backward.

“What the hay do you think you're doing?” Storm Cloud hissed, “The captain accepted a duel, that's a one on one game. Braveheat'd be pissed if you tried to mix yourself into it.”

“Are you crazy?” Lightning replied, “Let's ignore the fact the beast is 100 meters tall and harbors some sort of insane grudge against us. The captain is still fighting a bloody dragon. Alone. We have to help him somehow.”

“And what do you suggest we do? Throw these sticks at the beast?” Storm Cloud retorted, causing Lightning to look away “That's what I thought. Don't worry about the captain, he's done this kind of job before.”

“Yeah, once.”

“Have faith, he's the best of the best.”

“He's still only a pegasus.”

“I hate to rush you all along,” Rarity broke in, “ But I'm going to anyway. If we want to be productive, we should best be on our way. Your captain has given us the opportunity, it'd be a shame to waste it.”

“Normally Ah'd be with ya on that Rarity,” Applejack joined, “But take a gander over yonder, Godzilla ain't lettin' us off that easy.”

Applejack pointed ahead. With the light of her magic, Rarity could see just what Applejack was talking about. Broken branches and even some leveled trees had been left in the dragon's wake. What was even worse was the fact that Ajax had disturbed the surrounding snow, completely destroying Luna's trail.

“My, this is rather...unfortunate.”

“That's puttin' it lightly, Rarity. Ah'd say we're a might screwed.”

“Applejack!”

“Jus' bein' honest.”

Turning to the two officers, Applejack spoke with her usual candor.

“As much as Ah'd love leadin' y'all through Everfree, Ah can't. You folk are trained fer the job, so how 'bout we sweat a little less 'bout your captain and a little more fer our own skins?”

Surveying the layout of the land as best he could, Lightning quickly had an answer.

“Very well Miss. Apple, I have a tentative plan.”

Without looking back, he shouted.

“Private, front and center!”

Obeying the command, Blizzard Freeze quickly presented himself to his superiors and stood at attention.

“Yes sir?”

“You're from the EAF, correct?”

“Yes I am sir. I'm part of the Northern Legion, 2nd Battalion, Chickenhawk Company...”

“I got the picture. Have you served as a scout?”

“Yes, I mean, that's what my company does. Most of the officers are full fledged rangers.”

“Good. Listen up and listen well. I need you to check the woods ahead for any trace you can find of Twilight or Princess Luna. Be quick, I'm giving you 10 minutes so flap those feathers! We'll wait for you back here.”

“Yes sir.”

After saluting his superior, Blizzard flew deeper into the forest.

“10 minutes!” Applejack interjected, “Why don't ya give him the whole darn day? We'd be better off spreadin' out lookin' ourselves 'stead of lookin' like a bunch of sittin' ducks!”

“Look, you asked for my leadership, you got it.” Lightning snapped back, “I'm not going to let anypony, especially an Element, wander around Everfree alone. It's better to be a sitting duck than a plain dead duck, they used to say at the academy. If we stay put, we at least have the option of orderly retreating. If we run aimlessly into the forest searching for clues, that dragon will become the least of our worries.”

Applejack didn't respond but nodded her head in solemn agreement. She had made the mistake of wandering on her own already. The lieutenant reminded her that it wasn't an experience she exactly wanted to repeat again.

However, Storm wasn't as agreeable.

“C'mon Lightning, you're going to play it safe again?” the officer said sternly, “I say we make a break for it, we don't need anymore bad accidents like the one in Ponyville.”

The mentioning of her village caught Rarity's intrigue.

“Excuse me, but what do you mean by “bad accident”? Surely your captain didn't brutalize anypony in just the short time he's been back?”

Storm shot Rarity a dirty look.

“You can't pin this one on Braveheart, princess. We have a foal with a fishing pole cutie mark, blue, probably seven-or-so-years-old who's lying in the Ponyville morgue right now. You know why? Because a silver tongued 'Nightmare Moon' made a special appearance at your botique and whipped up a panic in town.”

“Wha-, wha-are you saying that I'm to blame? That I did it? A-absurd, why...why...I never.”

The blood drained from Rarity's face as she stuttered to give a response. Twilight had been right; she had carelessly played with the lives of others as if they had been faceless dolls at her disposal. But they weren't; they were her friends and neighbors with colorful, splendid lives of their own. This young colt, too, had been a pony she knew. Storm's description left no doubt in her mind.

His name had been Neap Tide, Spring Tide's pride and joy. Rarity had tailored him a dashing little suit for his eighth birthday party just a few months ago. Unlike many of the foals she did work for, Neap didn't squirm or complain while she fitted him,even when she pricked him with a needle. After the ordeal, he had asked Rarity in the most adorablely timid voice whether the ensemble she made for him would attract a certain filly. Being the romantic she was, Rarity told him that the suit didn't make a stallion. A true gentlecolt was marked by his chivalry and confidence. Any mare would fall in love with one who was restrained but passionate, noble but humble, serious but playful. Again, the foal asked her if the suit would help him out. She had simply laughed and sent him along his way with these departing words.

“You'll learn someday.”

Rarity never imagined that she would be so wrong. Little Neap would never know love beyond that of an innocent crush. The beauty of true love, that mystery of mysteries born of passion and trial, was forever lost to him. The affairs of the heart are the most noble in life, to be without them is to never have never lived. And she, Rarity, had deprived young Neap Tide of ever discovering their joys and bitterness. Not only had she done that, but she had killed that new life love kindles between two ponies. Was there a filly out there in the world whose future prince she had murdered? Was the unfortunate girl doomed to be a shade shifting lifelessly from place to place like a whisp in the wind?

What sort of evil had she done? But what had been Rarity's alternative? What choice did she have?

Tragedy. She had abused the word in the past, throwing it around everytime she lost a button or used the wrong lace on a dress. To her, it had been the stuff of high literature. Sure she had studied all the classics, but she could only pity the ponies between the pages. How could she truly empathize with their plight? Never had she truly felt the pangs of tragedy's injustice nor the infantile helplessness it engendered.

Was this all the works of conspiring Fates as Fluttershy suggested?

No, no. That would be an insult to the memory of the young colt, but Rarity could find no answer. How could there be no answer? The absence of truth left her vacant and cold. Though only ten seconds or so had passed, she felt trapped in time, a prisoner of her sin.

Rarity's catatonic expression and lapse into silence wasn't lost to Storm either. The seargent could see the guilt in her eyes, but she didn't want to make much hay of it now. Not when there was an insane dragon flying just above their heads.

“No, I have no idea who orchestrated your little prison break.” Storm replied, her words fast and heavy, snapping Rarity back to attention, “It could've been you, it could've been Princess Luna. I don't know, I don't care. You know why? Because we all share in his death, everyone of us playing this damned game of cat and mouse did him in somehow. Lightning, Twilight, me, you. Doesn't matter. So don't take it too hard and keep your head up. We're going to need you alert if we want to get out of this forest alive.”

“Wh-Why, yes.” Rarity said, still distant and somewhat frazzled, “Of course. Forgive me.”

“Good girl, now let's round up and get ready.”

Turning behind, Storm saw Fluttershy comforting a distraught Pinkie Pie. Obviously the dragon's cruelty had not meshed well with the Element of Laughter. More concerning than Pinkie's light sobs, however, was the absence of a certain pegasus.

“Where the hay is Rainbow Dash?!”

/

Breaking through the thick boughs of the forest, Braveheart and Ajax faced one another under the pitch-black sky.

No longer protected by the thick forest, both warriors felt the sting of the North Wind mercilessly penetrate them. A swirl of thick white snow hampered their vision and dulled their judgment. As both adjusted to the battlefield, they searched within themselves the strength to engage their foe. Though neither would ever admit it, they were both exhausted and beaten. Braveheart had flown from Canterlot in terrible conditions twice and had been defeated by both Luna and Applejack. Ajax, too, had battled the princess and sustained terrible blows, but a more pressing problem was the crippling frost surrounding him. Dragons of his breed tended to live in volcanoes. As such, the cold was perhaps the more challenging of his adversaries.

Nonetheless, driven by their conviction and pride, the two shook off their weariness and charged at the other. No more speeches were given. No battlecries were shouted. No grunts, screams, or growls could be heard over the wind's own terrifying roar.

At last the two collided. Ajax slashed at the captain only to be paid in kind with a swift stroke from Celestia's golden sword. The beast's hardened scales, however, repelled the blow and Ajax suffered little pain. Unaware of the minimal impact his attack had, Braveheart slashed at the dragon's leg as he passed him. Dodging a jet of flame as he prepared for another run, Braveheart was dismayed to see that Celestia's blade had done such little damage. The last dragon he fought at least bled when touched by the holy sword, but this one's hide seemed to be impervious save in one respect.

It could be pierced.

As he evaded the bursts of flame in the hopes of landing a blow, the captain's face was splashed with the melted precipitation. His sight blurred, he clumsily tried to stab at Ajax as the behemoth met him head on once more. Unfortunately, it is physically difficult for a pegasus to thrust a sword in mid-flight. Braveheart again missed his target, but, luckily for him, so did the dragon.

Like a joust, Braveheart and Ajax continued to exchange blows and retreat before returning back to the fray. Before they clashed, Ajax's flames would light up the night sky, making spectating possible.

Something that Rainbow Dash took full advantage of.

Bored and put off by the internal bickering between her friends and supposed guardians, she had decided to see first hoof if Braveheart could really live up to the legend. Although she had a general dislike for the captain based on the very little she knew of him, Rainbow had to admit that the guy was pretty, well, brave and stuff. Both of these qualities Rainbow held in high-esteem, so it wasn't too strange she'd be attracted to the battle. But there was something else too, something about Ajax.

As the pegasus watched Celestia's elite warriors exchange blows over and over in Her name, she became utterly fixiated. Suddenly, the pegasus became aware that she could see the fight more clearly and looked down to see the Element of Loyalty illuminating the night with a brilliant red light. Never had she seen it shine so intensely; it felt as though it had caught on fire. Like a bizzare, natural high, Rainbow felt a jolt of excitement and wonder pass through her. Soon she found herself in a trance-like state, unable to think of anything but the unfolding struggle before her.

This really was the stuff of legends and epics.

The battle continued fierce and heavy, with neither letting up the slightest. But as Braveheart botched yet another opportunity to stick the dragon, he began to reevaluate his strategy.

“I'll never get a good shot at that fuckin' chicken-iguana from the air,” he thought, “let's see if I can't ground the bastard!”

With Celestia's sword firmly in grip, the captain charged again at the dragon. This time, however, he didn't go for the kill. Rather, he slipped behind Ajax and dragged the blade across one of the dragon's webbed wings, leaving a brutal, bloody rip. For the first time, the beast roared in abject pain. Before the angry dragon could recover, Braveheart pierced the other wing, leaving a nasty, gaping hole. Attempting a third and final run to level his opponent, Braveheart found himself in a terrible position. Seeing the pegasus left in the open, Ajax smacked the unlucky captain back with a single strike of his claw. The bold pegasus felt himself flying back, his black cloak in tatters and his armor ripped open as if it were no more than tin. Shell-shocked, Braveheart shook himself and accessed his condition. Seeing a little blood flow from his side, it was clear that Ajax had left his mark but it was far from lethal. More pressing was the sharp sting he felt in his chest, a good indication that he had broken some ribs.

Catching his breath through the pain, Braveheart could see that Ajax was now beating his wings harder and faster to keep airborne but losing altitude nonetheless, much to the captain's relief. Sighing, Braveheart knew what he had to do to win, but he would only have one chance to get it right.

Flying high into the stratosphere above, Braveheart looked below and could just make out Ajax's massive body trying madly to catch up with him but to little avail. With time and speed on his side, Braveheart paused and readied himself for the dangerous feat he was about to perform. Like all his predecessors before him, the captain muttered a brief prayer.

“Dearest Princess Celestia, let your justice fall on he who deserves it...be it my foe or myself.”

After kissing it reverently, Braveheart took Celestia's sword by the hilt, hurled the blade toward the earth below and quickly gave chase to it. Straight and true the sword decended, its tip piercing and taming even the wild winds. As Braveheart approached the magic blade, a vortex of flame grew from around the sword and wrapped itself around the captain. Feeling the flame graze him, Braveheart's feathers caught fire as he plummeted to meet Ajax for one last time. Though resistant as any other pegasus, the burning pain was still intense.

In the skys below, Rainbow Dash looked on in awe as she saw the pillar of fire descend from the heavens. It wasn't its speed that stuck her. No, in relation to the Sonic Rainboom, it was ominously slow. Rather, it was its terrifying beauty and majesty that kept the pegasus in place. Even the wind and the snow ceased to blow as if in silent admiration and respect for the divine spectacle.

“Kid, what the-”

Rainbow turned around to see Storm Cloud burst forth from the umbrage of Everfree. At first she looked surprised to see the fire in the sky, but a sly grin soon replaced any sign of it. Joining Rainbow Dash at her side, the officer spoke with happy words as if all her worries had vanished in an instant.

“You know a thing or two about tricks, dontcha Dash?”

“Sure.” she replied, her attention still fixed on the battle, “I'd say it's straight outta Spitfire's playbook, but I got a feelin' this is way more than a trick.”

“Haha, right you are, but trick or not, you're in for a treat here. Few ponies ever get to see the Empyrean Judgement on full display!”

“This fight is done.” Storm Cloud confidently beamed as she watched Ajax trying to stay airborne, “Just look at him flail; the captain did a better job than I thought.”

But Storm misread Ajax completely. The arrogant dragon was not attempting to flee from her captain, he was trying to meet him once more. Being born of fire, the spectacular spiral did little to frighten or intimidate the crimson dragon. Furthermore, he doubted the little bastard could actually pull off the Empyrean Judgement without succumbing to its power. More than anything, Ajax wanted to snatch the sword from the sky and let the wind scatter what was left of the blasphemous heathen to the four corners of the earth. If by some stroke of luck the Empyrean's fire did not kill Braveheart, then the dragon's would.

Ajax mustered his waning strength and charged as best he could at the on-coming column of flame. Reaching forth as if ready to catch the sword, the haughy beast presented his enemy with an excellent opening. With terrifying impact, the two clashed in a golden explosion of light and fire as Braveheart drove the red-hot blade into the beast's thick scales. This time Ajax did not roar, he shrieked as he felt the captain repeatedly drive the steel into the wound. Unable to overcome the incredible force of the Empyrean Judgment, Ajax tumbled from the sky while Braveheart continued to cling to the beast's chest, wedging the blade deeper and deeper into his flesh in a desperate attempt to find the dragon's elusive heart. After crashing through the thick umbrage of Everfree, Ajax's body broke the ground beneath him. The energy released from the impact felt like an earthquake, making it instantly known to Applejack and company.

–/

“...what in tarnation?” Applejack sputtered as she tried to keep her balance. As the vibrations ceased, an eiree calm prevaded across the forest

“...is it...over?” Fluttershy weakly asked the lieutenant.

“...I wouldn't count on it.” Lightning responded after thinking for a moment, “If Braveheart's done the deed, he'll come back to us...hey, wait, it's now safe!”

Ignoring Lightning Strike completely, Pinkie Pie ran off in the direction of the crash.

“Damn it!” he cursed, “Get back here!”

“Yer wastin' yer breath, tonto.” Applejack said, starting after her friend, “She's one too short of common sense sometimes, so I gotta pick up the slack for her. C'mon now, are you guardin' us or not?”

Lightning, looked at Rarity and Fluttershy. The two friends nodded at one another in mutual understanding and followed Applejack and Pinkie Pie. The impotent lieutenant angrily sighed and joined them.

/

Braveheart opened his eyes and found himself laying in the snow just a couple meters away from Ajax. He had only been out of it for maybe a half-a-minute or so, but his head still felt fuzzy and numb. His senses were in tatters as he rose to his hooves, and looked at the massive, yet motionless body before him. Finding Celestia's sword resting by the head of the dragon, Braveheart stumbled over to retreive it. Grabbing the hilt, the captain felt as though something was watching him. Turning around quickly, he saw that his foe's eyes were closed. Seeing little life present, Braveheart sighed and clutched his side. The bleeding had stopped, but the aching pain in his chest made it difficult for him to breathe. Normally he would gloat over the remains of his defeated enemy, but this blasted dragon would never get the standard fare. No, all Braveheart could do was spit at the ground in contempt and even this cost him some blood. Before the captain could turn around, he felt the earth twitch slightly under him.

“...Shit.”

Now sooner did his curse leave his mouth did Ajax's black eye open. With an intense hatred it burned as it focused on Braveheart. Quickly, the dragon balled his claws, signaling to Braveheart that the fight had been far from won. Indeed, the dragon rose from the snow with such vigor and strength that it would seem that the Empyrean Judgement had enfused his spirit with a new, terrible power. Watching the dragon roar in triumph, Braveheart stood his ground while trying to gather his wits.

“Impressive, few have stood against me for so long.” Ajax shouted, “But few have been so foolish as to try to turn the fires of the Empyrean against me. You have only freed me from winter's frozen shackles and assured your doom!”

“If you're so sure of yourself,” answered Braveheart, “shut the fuck up and finish me!”

For all his newfound energy, Ajax felt himself hindered by tremendous pain in his chest. Looking at his wound, he found that Braveheart had wrought more damage than he had thought. The crimson color of his scales deceptively hid the flowing blood that now covered his torso.

“What's the hold-up you cocky son of an iguana?” Braveheart shouted, trying to shield his own injury from the dragon, “Did a wussy little moon-lovin' turncoat pegasus runt give you a boo-boo? Buck the fuck up and fight!”

Tired of the crude captain's insults, Ajax released a breath of flame. Narrowly dodging the fire, Braveheart his behind a tree with the hope that the darkness of night would keep him hidden.

“Coward!” Ajax roared, “You dare call me a weakling and flee? I will find you if I have to uproot every tree in this entire forest!”

Keeping his promise, Ajax ripped entire trees from the earth and cast them effortlessly aside. Breathing heavily, Braveheart knew he had to wait for an opening if he was to survive. Seeing that the Ajax's arrogance was his greatest weakness, all Braveheart had to do was wait for the dragon to leave himself exposed. Aware from his own history of service, Braveheart knew that the longer a mission went uncompleted, the more likely emotions and personal flaws would flare up. If he could keep his head straight and the dragon pissed long enough, he might just be able snatch victory back from Ajax's black jaws.

As he planned and waited while shifting from tree to tree as needed to avoid the Ajax's fury, Braveheart was disturbed by how it seemed like he was fighting against something more than just the dragon, but the extremes the beast embodied.

Cold reason masking heated passion, unspeakable cruelty born from undying loyalty and love.

In that moment, as pain and fear gripped him, Braveheart realized that Applejack had been right.

The captain felt like he was fighting himself.

In a moment of luck, Ajax turned his destructive attention in the wrong direction, giving Braveheart some more room to calculate his next move. Before he could do so, however, he heard the leaves around him crack and shutter as if the wind had picked up again. Assuming a fighting stance, he was relieved to hear the voice behind the brush.

“Sir,” Storm Cloud called, her voice subdued as she emerged from the thicket, “Are you all right?”

Braveheart didn't answer but gave his officer an ugly look that made it quite clear that he could have a dozen arrows sticking out of him and it still wouldn't be the time to ask him that question.

“What's goin' on?” asked Rainbow Dash as she joined the other two. Her element, though still shining brightly, was now contained behind Zecora's wool coat so as not to betray their whereabouts to Ajax. “Whoa, looks like you could use an extra pair of wings there, huh?”

Braveheart glared at Rainbow and motioned to Storm to keep the rather loud pegasus quiet. Rainbow didn't need to be told; she got the picture. She couldn't help but feel ticked off a bit by being ignored like this, but then again, what did she know about battle? She had always been able to subdue her foes with tactful skill, but kill them? That was way beyond Rainbow and, honestly, she never, ever wanted to cross that threshold. Though a little ashamed, Rainbow was okay with letting the captain do the dirty work. He was, after all, already guilty of brutality and murder. What was one more knotch on his belt to him?

“Geez, am I a coward or a mare?” she thought, “What difference does it make if Braveheart is the one who kills the dragon? Everypony knew that it was the only thing he could do. Aren't I just as guilty for wanting him to win? Celestia, this whole deal is messed up! ”

Meanwhile, not too far from the trio of pegasi, Pinkie Pie ran as fast as she could through the forest, a look of worry written plainly across her face. She sensed something she had only felt rarely, a slight stinging sensation in the back of her neck that signified that something really, really bad was about to happen someone. To Pinkie it didn't matter if it was either Ajax or Braveheart, she just knew she had to try and stop it from happening.

Hearing the dragon rampage ahead, Pinkie was just about ready to grab Ajax's attention when she found herself being pulled back by an unhappy Lightning Strike.

“Ligh—mmmm! Mmmm!”

“Quiet.” Lightning whispered, covering her mouth. “You had your shot with him. We're going back, the scout is probably wondering where the hay we are. Now I'm going to let go now, 'kay? Don't talk. Promise?”

“Mmmm!” Pinkie said, shaking her head in the negative, but pointing repeatedly in the direction of the clearing ahead.

A bit puzzled as to what she was trying to show, Lightning let go of Pinkie and flew closer to see what the matter was. Watching Ajax level the forest just opposite of his position, Lightning found himself joined by the other Elements.

“Well, this ain't lookin' none to good,” Applejack said grimly, “Where's Braveheart? Can't he fight without his crossbow? A real stallion that one is...”

Before Applejack could finish that thought, Pinkie pushed her out of the path of a tree Ajax had carelessly chucked in their direction.

“Thanks there, Pinkie.” Applejack said, “Ain't nothin' more dangerous than fallin' timber...”

As her friends checked on Applejack to see if she was okay, Fluttershy continued to watch the dragon. Her eyes being more keen than her friends, she could see the faint shimmer of blood dripping from the ancient warrior's chest. The sight struck her as somewhat worrying. Like any other pony, Fluttershy didn't know too much about dragon physiology but she did know that when a lizard's scales were ruptured it often enough spelled death. As she watched the dragon exert itself more and more, the blood began to flow that much quicker. A part of her wished she could reach out to the dragon, but the other firmly resisted the thought. Dragons were dragons, their nature was uncompromising, ungrateful, and selfish. Besides the whole fear of being gobbled up, it was for these reasons Fluttershy did not care much for the species.

As Fluttershy watched Ajax butcher the forest with his claws, she thought it strange that the dragon did not just burn everything in his way. Was it possible that this mad dragon still had a little self-restraint left in him?

Suddenly the dragon stopped, replacing the sound of cracking limbs and broken branches with a tense silence. Moving a bit to get a better angle, Fluttershy could just make out the outline of a young pegasus shivering in fear at the feet of the titanic beast.

“Oh no, oh dear!” Fluttershy squeeked, “The captain's scout!”

Yes, in an unfortunate combination of bad luck and inexpirience, Blizzard Freeze found himself faced with a dragon more daunting than any of the far-fetched soldier's tales he had heard back at the barracks. The young recruit wanted to run, but his fear held him in place. They had never trained him to fight a monster! He was just a lowly scout, and not even the best one in the pack. Yet here he was, smack dab in a game of goddesses, elements, elites, and beasts. Unarmed and unfit before the slayer of a thousand souls, Blizzard wish he had never taken the captain's offer. What had he beenthinking? A shot at national glory, an assured spot at the table of Equestria's finest? Maybe he should have listened to his marefriend, Ruby Blaze. She had told him that the army was filled with empty promises and dangerous duties. Oh, how she had pressed him to leave it behind! But the army was the only thing the lad knew, the only institution that meant anything to him. Even now, standing before death, Blizzard doubted if he could abandon the only life he knew. What was for certain, however, was that he 'd give anything to see Ruby one more time.

Seeing his newfound prey quake at the mere sight of him, Ajax smiled and lowered his head to meet the sad little creature. Taunting the poor soldier, Ajax blew a cloud of black smoke in the private's face, completely choking him. The dragon chuckled and grabbed the pegasus with his large claws. Rising to his full height, the dragon's voice boomed so that the entire forest could hear his words, but they were intended only for one pegasus.

“Listen well you traitorous worm!” he yelled, “If you elect not to finish this duel, than your underling here shall take your place!”

After throwing Blizzard to the ground and trapping the pegasus beneath his foot, Ajax looked around to see any sign of Braveheart. To his dissapointment, the dragon's adversary did not show himself. Turning his attention back to the private, Ajax roared, his fierce tone revealing his waning temper.

“How repulsive! Even for a slave you are a sniveling disgrace!” Ajax shouted at Blizzard as the pegasus grunted while struggling in vain underneath the giant.

“Do you hear his pathetic bleeting, captain!?” the dragon questioned his hidden audience, “If I cannot honor Celestia with the head of a traitor, then I shall spill this lamb's blood upon Her altar instead!”

Removing his foot from the pegasus, the dragon kicked Blizzard away from him, breaking the young pegasus' wing and knocking him unconscious. Preparing to immolate the helpless soldier, Ajax heard the clatter of armor and knew that his trap had worked. From out of the forest, a weak Braveheart flew as fast as his injury would allow him. Smirking the dragon waited before releasing a torrent of fire in Blizzard's direction. Before it could touch him, the Captain of the Guard pushed his soldier out of harm's way and braced himself for the oncoming assault. Left exposed to the full force of Ajax's destructive flame, Braveheart buckled under the intense pain and collapsed. As the fire subsided, Ajax wasted no time in grabbing the captain violently and slamming him into a nearby tree. Lowering his head to Braveheart's level, Ajax's eyes gleamed with a wicked light. Shaking the badly injured captain, Ajax roared.

“Look me in the eyes, worm!”

Braveheart opened his eyes, but they swirled around, unable to focus.

Laughing at his foe's pathetic state, Ajax carefully removed the captain's helm and admired it like a foal ogoling a new toy.

“Beautiful.” he said, “Be honored, your legacy will live on forever in the darkness of my den!”

“F-fuck y--...” the captain sputtered.

Ajax slammed Braveheart into the tree again.

“Fitting last words for a sinner! Now, give me my sword and I shall fufill my promise to you.”

Braveheart said nothing but spat in the dragon's eye.

“So be it!” Ajax cried, his dementia clear upon his tongue, “I will break you!”

Slowly, the dragon crushed Braveheart's body between his mighty claws. The pain ripping through the captain was excruciating as he felt bone after bone shatter. It was only out of pure stubborness that prevented shock from hold taking him.

“Haha! I concede that you are a skilled soldier, but you are also a blundering fool of a captain!” the dragon taunted as he squeezed, “A bleeding heart has no place in war! A peon dies, another takes his place! But who will replace you, heathen? That thing?”

Ajax pointed to Blizzard. Braveheart tried to respond but only succeeded in eliciting a sick gurgling sound.

Oblivious to his surroundings as he tortured the captain, Ajax was unaware of the familiar sound of rattling steel upon the wind's breath. Diving from above, Storm took full advantage of the opening given to her. Giving a loud cry, the officer drove Celestia's sword deep into one of the cruel dragon's eyes. Twisting the blade like a wasp withdrawing its stinger, Storm mutilated her foe, rendering his sight useless. Filled with a pain of which likes he had never known, Ajax screeched as he thrashed about, dropping the captain in the process. No longer able to hold on, the grey pegasus removed the sword and retreated back to prepare herself for a final go.

Ajax, however, did not take the bait. As he flailed aimlessly in agony, the prospect of death loomed over the once invincible war hero. He could not be defeated, not by a couple of ponies. Not while Nightmare Moon still roamed free. The dedicated dragon refused to die with his task left unfulfilled. The burning strength of the Empyrean's fire was the only energy he had left to spare, and he wasn't going to waste it on Storm. Taking to the air, the wounded dragon clumsily flew away, unwilling once again to face and accept his defeat.

Sighing in relief, Storm Cloud removed her helm and dropped the incredibly heavy sword. She did not want to be disrespectful, but wielding the magical blade was exhausting. Rushing to her captain's side, Storm did her best to gently prop up Braveheart against the battered tree. Quickly, Storm nabbed a flask from her side and pressed it against the captain's lips. Accepting the water, Braveheart gurgled loudly as he slurped up Storm's offering. Choking on his own eagerness, Braveheart drooled a mixture of blood and water from the side of his mouth. Seeing this, Storm took her black cloak and carefully wiped it off.

“Good....good job, Storm.” the captain said, his breath ragged and labored, “I love it when a plan comes together...how's the kid?”

“Don't worry about him, just hang tight and keep talking.” the officer responded, her voice thick with concern, “Support should be coming. Fluttershy is...”

Braveheart's chuckled at his officer's words.

“Cut that bullshit,” Braveheart said, looking past her shoulder, “I'm as good as dead, ain't that right sweetheart?”

Storm peered to her right to find Fluttershy standing next to her. The quiet pegasus had sprinted from her hiding place to see if she could help, but the grim sight of the captain filled her with dread. The maimed pegasus' flesh was horrendously charred while his mangled bones were twisted beyond repair, some even jutting out from his body. Unlike her friends, Fluttershy was no stranger to death; as a care-giver she had seen it many times before. She had waged many vain attempts against it in the hopes of giving her little animal friends another chance, but her desperation was often shown to be of little use. Over the years and especially after Philomena, the Fluttershy had learned that sometimes the greatest kindness was to let go and let her patient die with dignity. She constantly reminded herself that death was not evil, that it was all part of what made life meaningful, but it never eased the pain of their passing or her failure. How could it when so much death seemed so unnatural? Fluttershy wanted so badly to save every life she could; to see it wasted here so senselessly filled her with a heartbreaking sadness.

“What are you waiting for? Do you need something, some special herbs or magical leaves, or anything?” Storm asked, surprising the distraught pegasus a bit. Did this officer really expect her to perform some sort of miracle?

“I-I” Fluttershy stuttered, trying her best to not cry “I can't. I just can't. I'm so, so sorry...”

Unable to bear the grim scene anymore, the yellow pegasus bowed her head in shame and ran away from the officer, taking with her the little hope Storm still had.

“Told ya there, Storm.” Braveheart managed to say, his sentences punctuated by deep breaths, “I'm a goner. Now lead them on and pr-protect the princess, that...that's an order.”

“No, I won't do that sir.” she replied shaking her head. Unsurprised but ittiated by Storm's insubordination, Braveheart tried to straighten-up in a useless attempt to look commanding. Opening his mouth, he was immediately interrupted.

“Don't you waste your breath on it!” the silver-maned pegasus continued, “You might not pull through this Braveheart, but I'll be damned if I leave you out to die alone in this godless forest! My minds made up and I'm not changing it. Not for your stupid orders, not for Princess Celestia, not for anypony! And if you give me anymore guff about it, I swear on Celestia's crown I'll smack all the backtalk out of you!”

“Yeah?” Braveheart smiled weakly, “Good luck with that.”

Braveheart didn't want Storm to waste her attention on him while Lightning was left to defend six ponies on his own, but the captain didn't have the strength to back up his directive. At the same time he understood Storm's devotion; he was infamous himself for risking missions to retrieve his fallen soldiers. As such, he'd be a hypocrite to challenge the independent officer.

Approaching the two soldiers, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Applejack watched as the dying captain tried to babble some more commands. The silence between the friends was soon broken by the sniffling of Pinkie's light sobs. Falling to her knees, the pink pony openly wept. It wasn't supposed to end like this, everypony was supposed to come together and work towards finding Princess Celestia. Nopony would get hurt. That was how she had planned it from the moment she saw Braveheart ready to strike a pony. It had worked so perfectly just hours before, but it was not enough to sway the impossibly conceited dragon. She had been so close to realizing the ideal where everypony was happy and safe...where everypony won.

“Pinkamena...” the captain said as sternly as ever, “Stop that bawling already and give me a little peace!”

“O-okay. If it'll make you feel better...”

Pinkie sniffled and complied with the captain's wish, much to Braveheart's relief. He didn't want Pinkie to waste her tears on him, a sinful pegasus undeserving of her sympathy. He also didn't like watching the Element of Laughter crying over what Ajax had done to him. There was nothing more wicked that fucking dragon could do to him than to pervert the purity of this incredible pony.

Taking Braveheart by surprise, Pinkie Pie hugged the guard gently and gave him a peck on the cheek.

“Thank you...Pinkamena.” he struggled to say, “Don't lose hope, keep the faith. You'll change this bloody, swirling hunk of rock someday.”

Pausing, Braveheart turned from Pinkie to Applejack.

“Apple.”

Lost in thought, Applejack didn't hear the captain at first. She only stood silently, her face grave and pale as she observed the captain's horrendous condition. He was burned, beaten, bleeding, and broken. The old sayings went, “an eye for an eye” and “he who lives by the sword, dies by the sword”. According to those ancient wisdoms, Braveheart had deserved everything he got. But as she looked at the pathetic pegasus, she felt pity stir her. How could this gross mutilation serve as the face of justice? In the darkest corners of her heart she had wanted to see him suffer for his crimes, especially for what he did to Big Mac. Retribution, be it by her or the universe's doing, was supposed to relieve the feelings of injustice she felt. Instead, it left her feeling empty...just as the captain had told her it would. Seeing Braveheart suffer on a level on par with her brother did nothing but fill her with guilt and shame. Justice was more than simply getting even; it was to right wrongs in order to stop the cycle of vengeance and injury. In her anger and hate, that important distinction between justice and revenge had all but vanished, leaving her vulnerable to the same evil that had ensnared Braveheart, Ajax and Luna.

“Apple.” Braveheart weakily repeated.

Nudged on by Pinkie, Applejack snapped out of her daze and approached the captain. Before he could say anything, Braveheart hacked a little blood and breathed in deeply a couple of times. Applejack could see in his black eyes a stormy struggle, but when he turned to face her it dissipated. All that was reflected in the pools of his eyes now was agony.

“You were right Apple, about me and the dragon.” Braveheart said sincerely, taking in another sharp breath, “I tried to win, to conquer my demons on the battlefield, but they destroyed me. I know that this means shit coming from a deadpony...but...I'm sorry. Sorry for what I did to your brother. To you. Do what you want with it, but it's all...all I bloody got to give.”

“Ah'll keep it in mind, captain.” Applejack said with a simple nod and tip of her hat. She wasn't entirely moved by the captain's last hour apology; but neither was she going to outright accept or reject it. Instead she would tuck it between the folds of her heart and leave it there until true forgiveness could blossom someday. Nonetheless, Applejack was grateful to hear the captain's words. Empty or not, they could at least help the farmer begin to heal her troubled mind by ridding her of an inpony enemy. Before he died, she too wanted to show some civility too.

“Ah wasn't completely right 'bout you captain, you ain't the same as Ajax.” Applejack continued, “Ah said you cared only 'bout yerself, Celestia and nopony else. That ain't true at all. You risked your neck for all of us, especially that young pegasus. An' by what I gathered from yer soldiers, you really love an' care for 'em. So Ah guess, Ah guess Ah can say this fer mah brother, 'cause Ah think he feels this way too. Ah'm sorry that Big Mac beat yer soldiers to a pulp, Ah wish things didn't end up the way they did...but you know why he did it right?”

“Heh, yeah. Then you know why I did what I did.”

“Yep. Don't make it any more right. But still, Ah'm sorry.”

“Ha, you're made of tough stuff.” Braveheart said, “Not even your demons can tie you down.”

“Ah'm only as strong as mah friends are.” Applejack replied, “Ah could never have done it alone.”

“Friends...”

The dying captain shifted his watery gaze from Applejack to Rarity and then to Storm Cloud but said nothing.

Though repulsed by the sight of Braveheart, a morbid curiosity kept Rarity from shying away. In the romances and ballads she fancied there were many tales about shining knights slaying beastly dragons for the heart of some fair princess. In an inspiring spectacle of triumph and glory, the knight would valiently battle his foe until the wicked monster was cast down. In the rare instance he was killed, it was usually in an act of valorous sacrifice or redemption. In those stories, battle had been the greatest expression of love, honor, and dignity. Death, too, was noble, beautiful, and admirable. How foolish and twisted those poets were! Who were they to stroke their lyres and sing of horrors as if they were joys, of brutes as if they were knights? If they were to see Braveheart's duel with Ajax, they would be shamed for their lies. The captain, guilty of savaging her village and friends, was no heroic savior, his sacrifice being not so much noble as it was expected. And even then, it accomplished little for him. Blizzard was injured badly, the dragon remained on the loose and the party remained lost in Everfree without his leadership.

Inadvertantly Rarity chanced to glance into the captain's eyes. Just looking at Braveheart's grotesque injuries had been terrible, but to see herself reflected in the dark pools of the soldier's eyes was unbearable. Immediately she looked away, but not out of any particular love for the captain. Rather, it was because she could now see, mirrored in Braveheart's placcid stare, exactly the kind of tortouous pain and misery she inflicted on little Neap.

As she felt her guilt return, Rarity's mind turned back to those older bards, Hayschylus and Sophoofcles, and their works of tragedy and despair. Therein lay the only semblence of the truth of war and violence, of power and loss. To save the world and herself, she had sacrificed an innocent foal. What made her so different from the captain? He too had trampled on the weak in order to pursue the same goal. If anything, he had least used his power to keep order while she had used hers to spread panic. This sobering thought knocked Rarity from her pedastel and made her empathize a little with the captain. He may not be a hero, but he was not a monster either. He was a pegasus nearing his death; he should at least be treated with a sense of dignity. Everypony deserves at least that much.

Noticing that Braveheart was only covered by his crumpled and torn breastplate, Rarity used her magic to remove her warm wool coat and draped it over the captain. Braveheart did not respond, but there was a brief gleam in his eye that showed he was grateful.

“Thanks Miss. Rarity, but you shouldn't leave yourself exposed.” Lightning said from behind her, “Would you like my cloak?”

“No lieutenant, I'll be quite fine. I-I don't mind much for Zecora's sense of fashion anyway.”

“I insist. Consider it an order if you must.”

After removing the black cloak and giving it to Rarity, Lightning turned to look at his captain. Swallowing his grief, Lightning was pained to see his friend die so slowly. A part of him wanted to put the captain out of his misery, but he didn't have the guts of actually carrying it out. Shaking his head, the lieutenant always knew that Braveheart would never retire from the service. Only death could seperate him from Celestia, and only a giant dragon would be able give it to him.

Marching through the snow to where Fluttershy and Rainbow were tending to Blizzard, the yellow pegasus had the two mares lift the dazed recruit on to his back. Despite the additional armor, Blizzard was not too heavy. Lightning than turned his efforts to finding Celestia's sword, which proved to be a much simpler task than he thought. The golden blade, still warm with magic, had melted the snow around it, making it hard to miss. Grabbing the hilt in his mouth, Lightning found the sword to be impossibly heavy. Dragging it through the snow, he wondered how Storm Cloud had managed to fly with this thing, let alone use it. Braveheart was a fairly large pegasus; Storm was only about two-thirds his size. She did have a good wing-span, but that alone couldn't have done it...

What ever it was, Lightning didn't have it. He was embarrased by his inability to raise the sword and the disrespect he was showing it. How was he expected to command in Celestia's name if he couldn't even hold her sword?

Approaching Storm Cloud, the lieutenant placed the blade against the tree and spoke to his officer.

“Storm, we're moving out now. Blizzard is a bit out of it, but Miss. Fluttershy heard him say the tracks lead to Everfree Castle. Do you have the map?”

“Yeah, of course.” the seargent said, pulling the map from her breastplate and giving it to her new commander.

Lightning whistled for everypony to fall-in behind him. As the lieutenant began marching on, Storm called back to him.

“Wait, Lightning! I can't let you lead the Elements unarmed! You should take Celestia's sword with you.”

“I can't...” he grumbled.

“What?”

Sighing, Lightning marched back to Storm. Trying to keep his cool, the lieutenant calmly replied.

“Look. Remember when the dragon said ' He who reigns victorius in battle shall alone hold Her sword aloft'? Well, that's you. For all I care, that just means I'm not worthy. Sorry.”

Without another word, Lightning signaled to the company to depart. Slowly trudging onward through the snow, nopony had the heart to look back save Rainbow Dash. Seeing Storm return to the captain's side and folding her wings around him, Rainbow felt a slight urge to stay too, if only to be there for the officer when the inevitable moment came. But she had an adventure to finish; hopefully it could still have a happy ending.

Storm felt the frigid winds pick up as they grazed her face and feathers. Looking down at her captain, she was glad to find that he looked a little less lucid. Braveheart glanced up at her and gave a faint smile.

“Celestia?”

As he looked at her a bit more, it vanished.

“Sorry captain,” Storm replied, a few warm tears running down her cheek, “It's just me, Storm Cloud.”

“Oh yeah.” he said, struggling to suck in some air, “I'm glad, glad you're with me, Storm.”

As the captain tried to straighten himself up again, Storm pealed back her grey feathers and simply stood at attention and saluted. Nodding to Storm to be at ease, Braveheart then fixed his stern gaze eastwards, the desolate clearing permiting him an excellent view of the horizon. More than life itself he wanted to see the sun rise one last time. His troubled soul was plauged with fear and uncertainty, not for the next world, but for his country and princess. He had been ready to die earlier that day, but only because he was blinded by his own self-rightouesness. Now, disillusioned with his pretentions, he was painfully aware that he knew and understood nothing. All it would take was a faint shimmer, a brief ray of sunlight and his doubt would be expelled. He'd know that he was right in trusting Luna, damned for his brutality and that harmony would be restored. There was no chance for him in redemption; it was too late. All he wanted was that little bit of solace and he could die in peace.

As he stared at the unchanging nightsky for fifteen minutes, he realized it would not come to pass. It was a cruel but fitting penance for his sins.

Braveheart could feel Death's icy, creeping carress on the wind's breath as it filled his lungs for the last time. As the thin veil of death's shadow began to cloud his eyes, the captain shed a single tear as his greatest fear came true.

He would leave this world in darkness.

–
“Princess Luna, wait!”

Crossing the bridge of Everfree, Luna turned around to find Twilight Sparkle rushing towards her.

“I thought I lost you in the forest.” Twilight gasped, catching her breath, “I'm just glad it snowed or else I'd never find you!”

“But does that mean...” Luna started before Twilight interrupted.

“Yeah...the guard is probably on our tail by now.”

“Well then, posthaste! Into the castle!” Luna said, dashing off in its direction.

“Princess, wait!”

Seeing the two companions near the ruined fortress, Philomena descended from the battlements and entered the castle to lead them on. Bursting through the gate, they eagerly followed the pheonix through the foyer, up the stairs, and into the throne room. Entering the hollow chamber, Luna stopped to see Philomena fly across the length of the hall and perch atop her old throne. With a happy screech, the bird flared her wings, lighting up the room and revealing the shadowy outline of a pony staring out the window. Luna stared in disbelief as she approached the throne.

“Celly?”

Responding, the figure entered the light, revealing her disheveled pink mane, ruffled feathers, tear-stained cheeks and bloodshot purple eyes. Luna could not believe it, but it was unmistakeable.

Her sister, Princess Celestia, goddess of the sun and sovereign of Equestria, stood before Luna entirely divested of her divine power.

–
Oh thank every deity there is that this is almost over! I finally get to write the chapter I wanted to before getting off tangent with all these characters! Whoever told me to stick with Luna, Celestia and Twilight was probably right.

Comments

[BarrenBaron]

wow man this is shaping up great, brave heart may have been a huge prick but at least he learned something.
Celestia is i guess stripped of power? I guess she gave up her powers or something? Although seeing as she's more or less the villain here it could in all likelihood be a trap. I mean it's not like she sent any help to Luna and the elements besides philomina. And i really doubt at this point she'd really have lost her powers. So for now i leave thee with "ITS A TRAP!"

[Warwolf]

Interesting fate for Ajax.

Yeah, I'm here too, dude. I finally decided to make an account here and I'm glad I did. I was starting to wonder when the next update for this was gonna be on the OTHER ff.net, so I'm happy to see an update here. Also dying to see how this all turns out.

[Starcat5]

521013
You REALLY aren't getting the underlying message of this story, are you? There IS no central villain. Just a group of ignorant foals, each doing what he or she THINKS is right, and Royally making a mess of things. I believe the word used in situations like this is "Sheeple", those who blindly follow their own beliefs and their leaders, only to be led to slaughter.

In `Tia's defense, she never meant to banish Luna, only to keep her from leaving this reality. The fact that the elements sealed her away for 1,000 years was an open wound upon her soul. To add salt to that wound, Morning Star used Luna's name to rally her troops under, painting her as a monster in the eyes of those still loyal to Celestia. And then we have the issue of Celestia having a REALLY hard time getting the hang of setting and raising the Moon, thus imparting onto everyone that Celestia and Luna was fighting for control over the Sun and Moon. In the end, NOTHING Celestia could have said at the time would have spared Luna's reputation. Her little revisionist history, blaming an imaginary "Nightmare" entity who stole Luna's body, was the best she could do.

This whole story is a Tragedy of Errors. `Tia went to Everfree Castle and shucked off her power, spurned on by Luna's rant over her sudden Mortality Realization. Because she didn't TELL ANYONE, the Canterlot command structure looked at Folklore, ignored Celestia's Revisionist History, blamed Luna, and kickstarted this whole FUBAR into high gear. It's like Storm Cloud said: No one is to blame, because EVERYONE is to blame.

[Bubbler]

523550
I agree. But being simple is sometimes easier and more fun, so until we get to the big reveal, it's all Celestia's fault.

[richfiles]

Very interesting. As nasty and awful as Braveheart was... I still feel sad. For all he stood for, I still wish he had seen the sun.
And oh dear Celestia... What have you done...
You and your sister need to get passed whatever wrongs have been committed between you, and address the public together, as sisters. They need to be told that history was a lie to maintain order. They need to know, from Celestia's own mouth, that Luna isn't evil. I think the ponies of Equestria have unfortunately made it brutally clear that they are too panicky to live without their ruler... but it needs to truly and surely be rulers at this point. They were meant to rule together, and I most certainly pray that the both of them can be healed, both of their physical troubles, and of the emotional traumas that are causing them and their subjects so much suffering. I want to see them happy. That's all I want, honestly.
a.deviantart.net/avatars/c/e/celestiawtfplz.png?1 a.deviantart.net/avatars/p/r/princesslunaummplz.jpg?2

[Aenbr]

Argh!! That was the worst place to end!!

[Zobeid]

Here I am finally digging into my story backlog and catching up with this.... I've got to say, this chapter (or two, depending how you count) actually was pretty tedious for me. It seems to me like you delved way, way, way too deeply into the philosophy and backstory surrounding Braveheart's death. I mean, flashbacks... introspection... banter with the dragon... every other character's take on the situation... more introspection... a dragged-out death scene... and finally, a final author's note comparing him with Boromir? Was it really necessary to lead us (the readers) by the nose through every step, every inch, of this?

Could we not be trusted to figure out anything for ourselves, or be allowed to interpret anything in our own way? The irony is, I'm usually one to complain about stories that are too sketchy and authors who won't throw their readers a rope to pull them out of the quicksand. In this case you decided a rope wasn't enough, you had to build a suspension bridge.

Anyhow... It feels like we've been trudging around in Everfree Forest for months. Is there a light at the end of the tunnel?

[EnigmaMelody]

"Though repulsed by the sight of Braveheart, a morbid curiosity kept Rarity from shying away."

Aaaand enter The Secret Life of Rarity...