• Published 14th Feb 2014
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Tales in Stone - TDR



Collection of stories based on the Stories in stone universe.

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Centuries Part 4 [ By TDR ]

Stories in Stone
Tales in Stone
By TDR

Centuries part 4

So this is what it feels like to be a Pegasus Vermilion thought to herself as she looked over Krisis's shoulder down at the night shrouded landscape below them. It had been two weeks since they had left the Dragon camp, they had taken a wide path around the mountains circling around Equestria to come across from the Western sea. Currently they were flying over some woodland with the Ever Rest mountains in the distance to the south, the snowy peak illuminated by the full moon making the massive mountain almost glow with a silvery light all it's own.

She hunkered back down on his back, her body bundled up in a large number of furs and scarves. Only her eyes were visible, and even they were covered with a pair of goggles that they had retrieved from a fallen Pegasus they had found leaving the Dragonlands.

She hadn't trusted him at all when he had asked her to help him. This seemed like a build up and betrayal. Like this was the plan all along of why he captured her and kept her alive. Though after a few days of travel away from the Dragon lands, and a few nights of civil conversation it became clear to her that he had no damn clue what the buck he was doing.

For the first time he didn't ask her any questions, he simply talked himself. He told her how his mother and step father along with a large number of others were fully against the Flame Party and Forgescale's actions, though there were enough still in favor that the council of Dragon Gods simply let him do what he wanted. It was not as if any one had the power to stand up against Forgescale anyway. He was the Dragon God of Fire, and his flames could even burn those who could bathe in lava. He had full control of his fire, messaging flames, healing flames, any thing that could be done with fire he could do as well, including sheathing himself in it like armor. While some of this was well known in the Guard, not all of it was. Krisis was giving up important information for nothing it seemed.

Over the next few weeks their conversations became a bit more casual. He spoke of his place in the Flame Party, what he had to do to get to that point, then it slowly moved away from military matters. He told her about growing up in the Dragon lands, being the mixed breed runt where he had to use his brains and skills more than muscle to progress in society. He told her of the creatures called the Linorm and the agreements with the Rams that allowed them to live on the slopes with the Dragons without being hunted. Most Dragons ate ores and gems with meat being a rare thing that most never developed a taste for anyway.

She told him of life growing up with her mother and grandmother. Of her Grandmothers stories of a city made of Crystal that had been lost to time when she was a little girl. She told Krisis of her father whom his mother had met while growing up in Equestria. Of her life with them, and her reaction when they were both killed in the early days of the war by a raid of Orcs.

Despite having nothing to do with the Orc attack Krisis apologized for it. When it happened three years ago he had not been in any position to be issuing orders. His own placement as one of Forgescale's adoptive son came only two years ago when he stole information on troop movements and wiped out two of the Guard Captains on his own. He claimed he didn't take missions that would put civilians at risk and from what she knew of his attacks this was true. He might sabotage a bridge to prevent troop movements, but he had yet to be known to take out a town just to finish off a few soldiers like other Dragons.

While they were still enemies for the most part, she found herself liking him a little. At the very least she only kicked him once since they had left the cave for making a inappropriate joke at her expense.

And it wasn't that hard of a kick.

=================================

Krisis shifted his head to look back at Vermilion. He could feel her warmth through his back from where she sat between his wings.

He had fully expected her to attack him the moment she had the chance. He had returned her sword after all. Even after they had returned to pony controlled lands she didn't. Well she had kicked him after he made a joke about her butt tattoo, a red crystal rose, but in hind sight perhaps he deserved that.

Still the more they talked the more he found himself liking the mare and being very glad that he had saved her. Granted this didn't help him in his current situation. He had no idea how to stop this war. He couldn't beat Forgescale on his own and the Dragon God was the driving force behind the war. If Silverclaw was telling the truth, Forgescale had no intention of stopping with just beating the Princesses. He might have been alright with that a few weeks ago, but now he knew it wasn't right.

He had thought of a few ideas where he might offer his aid to the Princess of ponies, but he wasn't sure what sort of aid he could offer. He was tempted to simply fly to the Zebralands and just hermit himself there forever. Though Vermilion managed to convince him other wise. She was not likely to survive a second attack by Forgescale and he didn't want her to suffer more by dragging her with him and letting others suffer.

It was during one of their talks that she had suggested meeting with one of her superior officers. He doubted that would accomplish much and the word of his betrayal would be passed around far too quickly if they simply marched in. Thinking on it though he suggested speaking with one of the Princesses.

She was against it of course, but he pointed out it wasn't as if he could do anything to them. Their very presence kept Forgescale away from Canterlot and he was no where near as strong as Forgescale.

Discussing it further they decided it would be best to try and meet with Princess Celestia, Vermilion had reservations about Princess Luna. Krisis found that odd that a pony would be afraid of her own Go , but he didn't question it. Forgescale had spoken at length about Celestia's evils, though Luna was only ever brought up when something she did screwed some plan or another. Krisis thought he might like Princess Luna, the mare had once dammed up a river so her forces could make a surprise attack on a draconian fortress. After a hit and run strike the small force retreated across the dried up river with a large collection of Draconic ground forces in pursuit. Once her ponies were across the dry river bed she let the river free and wiped out over half the pursuing forces with the subsequent flash flood. Her tactics and prowess impressed him and he found it fitting that many were calling the Princess of the Night, the Goddess of War.

=================================================
[ Canterlot, One week later]

Given that Vermilion was a Pony who was supposed to be dead and Krisis was a Dragon with a sizable bounty on his head, both of them came to the conclusion that simply seeking an audience with the Princess would be right out.

Krisis shrunk himself down to match Vermilion's size and the pair of them disguised themselves as servants and managed to make it though most of the palace to the Gardens. Krisis scaled the wall out side the Princesses chambers and slipped inside through her balcony door. He had carried Vermilion up with his tail, focusing on his claw holds on the slick marble of the tower. Once inside the large room he returned to his larger size and sat in one of the corners of the massive chamber with Vermilion sitting on the floor before him.

A small fire was burning in the hearth, and a steaming tea tray sat on the table ready to be poured. The room was quite large, bigger than his cave had been even. A great many bookcases covered the walls and a towering ceiling stretched into the edges of the light above covered in murals. It was a impressive room, with one large double door on one side that likely led into the hall and a smaller door on the other side that most likely led to the Princess's bed chambers.

Vermilion was clearly nervous at this point, being this close to royalty he could understand it, they were about to address the Ponies God in person. It was a humbling thing to meet ones ruler. He felt the same way every time Forgescale pulled him aside to speak with him.

Krisis was nervous too, but for an entirely different reason. This was the mare that supposedly banished Forgescale and his family to Tartarus. It was this mare that kept the Dragon God from attacking Canterlot directly. She could probably destroy him in a instant if she so chose. Just in the few moments he had been sitting there he had planned out at least three ways to escape the room should things go wrong. He had six to start, but disregarded three of them as he wouldn't have been able to take Vermilion with him, and he wasn't going to leave her to whatever punishment might await for some one bringing a Dragon into the Princesses chambers.

“Is she asleep?” Krisis whispered after nothing happened for some time.

“It's just after sunset, she should still be awake a while yet, maybe I should go knock, I mean there is tea ready on the table.” Vermilion whispered back pointing to a low table surrounded by cushions.

“Two cups, was she expecting some one else?” Krisis asked.

“Maybe Princess Luna? One of them has a little moon on it.” Vermilion suggested.

“Lulu is that you?” A voice called from the other room.” You're early, did your morning meeting go well?”

He heard soft hoof beats in the other room and looked towards the door leading to the Princesses bed chamber. He swallowed hard as the door swung inward. What was she like? The doors were towering things, how big was the pony that frightened the Dragon God, what did she look like, was she covered in armor? Did she burn like the sun as others had said?

Krisis had built up a number of things in his mind for what Princess Celestia looked like. What he did not expect was a tall white unicorn to step out of the room, her mane and tail were wrapped up in large pink towels, and she had a massive pink fluffy bath robe that was draped over her slender form. The kicker however was that all four of her hooves were covered in fuzzy pink bunny slippers whose ears flopped as she walked into the room.

Krisis blinked in confusion, had they gotten the wrong room? Glancing down he noticed Vermilion bowing though looking back up to the Princess he saw that she had just now noticed the two of them her eyes widening.

“Um... hello....” Krisis muttered waving a little.

When the mare screamed Krisis wondered how he had ever expected any other outcome. He was moving the moment the doors burst open, a flask of black liquid smashing into the hearth, the fire igniting it and filling the room with smoke in a instant. His tail wrapped around Vermilion as he flung open the balcony window and dove out of it. He tossed another vial, this one broke against the wall and formed a crappy illusion of himself out of the wafting smoke. It didn't need to be perfect, he directed it to shoot straight up into the sky heading towards the clouds.

He himself grabbed the edge of the balcony swinging himself underneath it. He curled Vermilion up against his belly and tucked his head to his chest as he plastered himself to the under side of the balcony, wings spreading out to help with the grip. He quickly changed his colors taking on a pattern to match the balcony's underside, blending in perfectly.

He shushed Vermilion quietly and clung there listening to the sounds of the Guards rush around for a while a number of them taking off after the illusion. After a time there was some coughing and a loud booming voice shouting orders. It took some time but things started to quiet down and no one had yet noticed their hiding place. Krisis was alright with that. Not being discovered meant he could live another day.

He was highly distracted by Vermilion however. The mare was laying against him, he could feel each shift and move she made as well as every breath, his muzzle rather close to hers tucked in like they were. She remained as still as he was, they could hear the Guards talking as they searched, she was being made out as a collaborator, luckily no one had seen her very well except Princess Celestia.

Despite the effort he was going through to cling to the underside of the balcony and keep his scales matching the underside of the stone work, including shifting the shadows and the movement of the moonlight, this was rather nice. Vermilion felt strangely good against him and he chose to focus on that over anything else.

Still Krisis winced as he felt heavy hooves thud against the balcony just as dawn was rising.

“They could not have gone far Tia. Their illusion, while crafty, was of a low quality and could not mask them long.”

Vermilion flinched and mouthed to him that that was Princess Luna.

“Indeed sister... but I still find it odd. Why go to all the trouble of sneaking into my chambers only to run away without doing anything but mask their escape? Nothing was missing from my chambers and the mist spell he cast would not be harmful to any one short of a Breezy.”

Krisis knew that one was Celestia.

“I do not know Tia, perhaps they were there for something else and your cry startled them. I find it more worrying that there is a pony working with the dragons, and a decorated officer at that. “ Luna muttered. “ Are you certain it was Vermilion Rose?”

“Given how often her face was in the paper after what she did, I am quite certain. I met her once or twice as well after she gained her sword. A sword she still wore last night.” Celestia pondered, “ The last reports had her among the fallen.”

“This is true, though like many attacks often there are no bodies left, we thought her gone, but to arrive here and in the company of Krisis of all dragons.” Luna scoffed.

“Do you think she has turned?”

“I do not know Tia.... It is possible, though given her drive to destroy them I do not see it being possible, perhaps mind control?” Luna offered.

“You know as well as I do that the blades are supposed to protect from that sort of thing.”

“True, unless there is a work around the Dragons know of, I still do not trust the weapon's creator entirely.” Luna suggested. “Will you be alright sister? The day court has been canceled save for emergencies should we post more Guard before I retire?”

“Nay...in fact lessen it a little. I am wary, but also curious as to why they came. Perhaps if an opportunity presents itself they will return and I will find out what they wanted.” Celestia commented.

“I do not like this idea......”

“I expected you would not Lulu....” Celestia chuckled, the hooves that had been thudding on the balcony fading as the figures head back into the castle shutting the balcony doors behind them.

“You heard that?” Vermilion whispered.

“I did, try again tonight then.” Krisis muttered noting Vermilion nod.

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[Two years later, the end of the first Dragon War]

Beakers and dodads hummed and whistled in the room she sat in, Walls were covered in runes and various devices sat around at the edges of the room against the walls thrumming and making odd noises. Krisis had no idea what half of this stuff did. He watched as a white unicorn mare with a lavender mane and a reddish purple slash of magic as a cutiemark trotted a large machine past him and into one of the few free corners of the room.

“ What does that do?” Krisis asked looking at the device.

“Oh that's the machine that goes 'PING!” the mare responded chipperly, hitting a switch on it and showing the machine did indeed go' Ping'.

“Are you certain of this Krisis?” Celestia asked softly redirecting his attention to her. “There is only a small chance this will succeed.”

“Approximately sixty percent Princess.” a unicorn stallion with a gold mane and tail and a red coat responded his cutiemark covered by a white lab coat.

“Yes, thank you for that Guppy.....” Celestia sighed.

Krisis shifted a little, resting in his normal sized form looking rather like a puppy after it's accidentally been kicked as he tried to stay in the circle the unicorns had drawn on the floor.

“Not exactly much choice otherwise Princess.” Krisis sighed. “I was spotted by several Dragons that knew me when we destroyed Gold Scale camp. The remaining Flame party might not recognize a pony, but they knew me by smell as a Dragon and they know I helped kill Starscream and stole her eggs, eggs that are also Forgescales. There's no way I could go back to any land held by Dragons without it being a death sentence.”

“You could stay here, you wouldn't be the first Dragon we have allowed into Equestria.” Celestia mentioned.

“While I do plan to stay here Princess, I can't as a Dragon. I've done too much to your Guard for any one to truly forgive and forget my actions during the war, plus any hint of my presence will bring what ever forces Silverclaw can muster down on my head. He took his fathers imprisonment and my betrayal rather hard.”

“It always hurts when your hero turns out not to be who you thought they were.” the third unicorn in the chamber stated. The mare seemed a mirror opposite of the male, with a red mane and tail and a gold coat. She too wore a lab coat hiding her cutiemark.

“Are you certain it isn't simply due to Vermilion” Celestia questioned noting the orange dragon wince.

“I can't deny.... that there might be something to that....” Krisis muttered.

“Does she know you are here?” Celestia asked.

“No. She knows what you told us about it before, but not the risk or that I am attempting it.” Krisis admitted.

“Why have you not told her? Surely if she cares as much for you as it seems, she would be against you risking yourself needlessly.” Celestia questioned.

Krisis sighed softly at that looking away from the solar Princess. “She does.... but I can't even touch her with out her flinching. She sees me as me, but also as a Dragon. I don't want her to have to live with that or worse, not live with that and leave me.”

“I seriously doubt she would leave you. I would think after all that you two have done in the last two years, you are a staple of her life.” Celestia sighed.

“Yeah... though I want to be more than that, and I don't think that's going to happen unless I'm not a Dragon any more.” Krisis sighed.” Besides. Not sure I can bear the thought of outliving her like I would if I stayed like this.”

Celestia flinched at that, letting out a small sigh before attempting once more to talk the young Dragon out of this.

“Would dying before her be that much better?” Celestia commented.

“You were the one who suggested this to me Princess. I'm the one sitting in the circle ready to go through with it. If I die here then she still has most of her life to find someone who will care about her, but if I don't die, well, I'll make sure she won't need to find any one else.”

Celestia sighed and nodded lightly. “Fine... I see I cannot change your mind.”

“Err can these three be trusted.... if my name gets out and who I was turned into, it will be worse than if I remained a Dragon.” Krisis muttered.

“Golden Guppy , Sunshine Lollipop, and Gally Angel are former students of my school for gifted unicorns. They are also close advisers of mine. I have trusted them with nearly everything up to this point in regards to the war. The least they will do is keep your new identity a secret.

“Sparkle, Princess.” Sunshine, the white unicorn stated.

“What?” Celestia asked.

“It's Sunshine Sparkle now, or will be in a few days.” Sunshine smiled reaching a hoof up to move her mane to the side to show the gold ring around her horn.

“Really? He finally asked you? That's wonderful, I do hope I get a invitation to the wedding.” Celestia chimed.

“Really!?! Beat me to it … dang...” Guppy, the only male unicorn snorted without sounding too put out by the revelation. He was clearly trying to look upset but he was failing.

“Pity guess you'll have to settle for me.” Gally, the mare who looked like an odd opposite of the gold and red stallion stated sticking her tongue out at him. Evidently they were not related.

“Pfft that's not settling, that's upgrading.”Guppy snorted getting a titter from the mare and Celestia.

“Ummm....” Krisis muttered as the group of unicorns who were supposed to be casting the spell to turn him into a pony devolved into a giggling group of school foals along with the Princess. Still he listened in when talk of the engagement went on. If he was going to be a pony he needed to know what sort of courtship rituals they went through.

==============================================

[ Two years later]

Tiger Pelt grunted a little as he looked out the window of the small trading post that rested in the middle of what could maybe loosely be called a town. There were maybe ten buildings in the whole place, one of them was his little shop and the rest were an assortment of farms and small homesteads. There were a number of them going up in various places however as quite a number of refugees from the war and retired soldiers were coming this way. Some moved on to settlements that were springing up further south on the other side of the Everfree Forest, but more than a few stopped here.

“Da, there's some ponies on the road.” a filly called out.

Tiger looked over at his youngest daughter who had propped herself up to look out at the snowy road and the two figures walking along it.

“Travelers?” He asked?

“Look it, looks like a mare and a stallion. Stallions got a sword like Grizzly used to have.” the filly exclaimed.

The older stallions sandy orange ears perked at that and he rose from his chair by the shops little stove moving to the window as well to have a look.

Grizzly had been his oldest son, he was killed in the war, but on one of his last visits home he had shown off a sword he had been given by Princess Luna herself. He called it a dragon Slayer blade. Grizzly had been a trader since he was a wee colt at his momma's withers and he had seen a lot of swords and weapons , but never one like that.

The mare outside was bundled up in a great many furs and she walked with a obvious gait that showed she was likely with foal. Even if he hadn't noticed that, the stallion next to her was fretting over the mare like a bee over a flower. He was also carrying a huge pack on his back. Tiger could see the sword on his side and it indeed matched the one his eldest son had been given. He had seen a few ponies with them come through.

“Good eye little one, why don't you go out and invite them in. Probably could do with a bit of warmth. Nearest settlement on that road is the other side of the mountain.” Tiger muttered.

The little filly nodded pulling open the door and darting out into the snow. Tiger watched his youngest run out into the snow, gauging the couples reaction to her. Both of them tensed up a little, though his daughter did tend to be loud and surprising despite her small form. He watched as the two turned and walked towards the shop following the little filly.

“Here you go pa.” the little filly stated as the two ponies followed them in.

Tiger nodded a little gesturing to the stove, which both of them immediately gravitated to.

“Welcome. Hope Beaver didn't startle you. She's a bit loud and kinda bossy, enough that her brothers have taken to calling her maw when she yells at them.” Tiger smirks getting an annoyed snort from his daughter. The little blue filly going back to her stool by the fire and grabbing her book pretending to ignore him again. “Names Tiger Pelt. I manage the store out here and run a couple of caravans that come in an out. You folks looking to pass through or thinking of settling, town ain't much yet but it's growing.”

“Was that a sales pitch?” The mare asked with a smirk. He couldn't see much of her, though she had some rather pretty green eyes.

“Maybe. Judging from yer stance yer expecting soon. We got a doctor and plenty of land if you can deal with it. “Tiger shrugs. “More ponies means more business for me so yeah I suppose it is a sales pitch.”

“Not much of a farmer.” The mare muttered,” Though I do appreciate the invite in from the cold. Was starting to get a bit chilled out there.”

“You should have told me, I would have set up camp again and gotten a fire going...” the stallion responded. Tiger raised a brow, his voice sounded odd, like it should be coming from a pony much bigger than he was.

“If we stopped every time I felt a bit of discomfort we'd have never have gotten any where.” The mare sighed.

Tiger chuckled as the stallion grumbled.

“Tell yah what... we got a couple of empty cabins that tha caravans use when there here. Ken let you rent one out for a bit. No sense letting a mare with a foal on tha way wander round in tha snow.” Tiger muttered. “ Bunny'd have mai hide if I did that.”

“Ma would pull Da's tail right off and flog him with it.” Beaver chimed up.

“We don't have that many bits......” the stallion responded.

“S'fine, spect you ken do a little work. Sides I recognize yer sword and I know what it means. Lotta folks might be trying tah fergit about tha war and every pony who served in it. Pelts ain't gonna ferget something like that. We'll work something out fer longer term if yah wanna stay here. Town ain't been officially named yet, but most of us locals been calling it Ponyville.” Tiger shifted a little looking over at his daughter. “ So then if yer up for it , yah still haven't told me yer names.”

The pair look at each other and the stallion shrugged a little letting the mare take the lead in this.

“My names Vermilion, this is Spartan.” the mare stated. Vermilion and Spartan Kaisur.

Author's Note:

And thus ends the flash back of Vermilion and Krisis/ Spartan Kaisur's meeting and history. It was a bit challenging not to delve into the past and repeat things I've said in other stories.

In either case this is the last episode of Centuries.