At the Twilight of Harmony

by Rammy

Taunts from the Darkness

34 days since the Nameless One’s escape
8 days since the fall of Traxti City
Early Afternoon, Hourglass City.

---

“Any sign of the intruder on the scanners?” Soul Fire questioned Golden DragonHeart as he stepped out of the council building to join the other clan members gathered.

“No other than the repressive… cloud?... of darkness surrounding the city the scanners can’t see anything, and yet, I can still tell there is an intruder.”

“Same here.”

“I don't see why we are doing this and not out there…” Metal Claws barked in frustration.

“Metal Claws! Cool it.” Soul Fire ordered. “I’m just as ticked off, but going in blind claws swiping and maw ablazing may be exactly what whomever is doing this wants… unknown dark magic rarely responds to direct approaches.”

“Don’t even try.” Golden DragonHeart growled when he noticed Metal Claws was about to go over the Secondclaw. “Soul Fire has way more knowledge of dark magic then I do.”

Metal Claws grumbled hotly but said nothing else.

Sentinel shifted into his alicorn form. His horn glowed conjuring a scrying orb for other to watch as he probed the darkness. After a few moments of tense silence Sentinel horn dimmed and he grunted. “Well this is an oddity though not unexpected.”

“Meaning?” Metal Claws held back his anger, just barely.

“The mist is blocking my alicorn magic…”

“Dragon magic is stronger than alicorn of course it would block your magic.”

“Have you forgotten so quickly Metal Claws? He spent many years among our kind don’t think he doesn’t know how to exploit the very weakness you just stated?”

Metal Claws blinked, completely confused as he didn’t stated any weakness to dragon magic.

“Pride.” Soul Fire answered. “Sure you and I like all dragons can split a rock with a single blow of our fist? But did you know that a tiny crack some water and a cycle of warm and freezing temps…can split it was well? Sure it takes longer but no one suspect a crack and a few drops of water ever of cutting a mighty boulder!”

“We don't have time for slow and steady!”

“I KNOW THAT!” Soul Fire roared readying his horn to attack Metal Claws.

“ENOUGH!” Golden DragonHeart put his hand on Soul Fire’s horn shorting it out. “Both of you! Save it for them.”

“Oh, lovely, two of my favorite ‘lings…” Soul Fire growled as he noticed what his firstclaw was indicating. The scrying orb he had conjured was showing inkings and shadowlings coming out of the mists.

“Keep those demons at bay. I’m going after the caster.”

The gathered dragons minus Soul fire grunted in acceptance of the plan. Worry etched across Sentinel's face but he nodded his agreement nonetheless.

“FOR HOURGLASS!” The clan roared in unison before taking off to defend their hoard. Golden DragonHeart flew away low to the ground. He figured that the caster would most likely be on the ground given the amount of concentration needed to cast the darkening mist and summon the demons. Which also meant that caster was most liking somewhere in the lands just around the mountain.

The defense obelisks began firing at the masses of inklings and shadowlings. Unlike the previous attack on Hourglass there was more dragons this time to defend it. So instead of letting the obelisks do all of the work while waiting for the shields to fail before directly fighting this time they would fight to prevent the shield from failing. She of Hourglass had just laid the future of the clan and was a bit weak while Twixt’d was only a whelp neither would be able to hold against them for very long.

Sentinel landed on top of the shield then rose in the air in power his mane grew and became a literal rainbow fire. His cutiemark shined and lights in the colors of the flames flew out from it and circled around him. He eyes shot open and magic poured from them like smoke. The lights that swirled around him became a rainbow of swords. A roar escaped his lips as he charge at the mass of inklings and shadowlings.

The tide of shadowlings and inklings never slowed down and never decreased as the minutes turned to hours. The shield had managed to hold but for how much longer was unknown. The dragons were beginning to wear out. Sentinel guest that the sun would probably be rising in a hour when the shields did finally fail. When they did something about the movement of the ‘lings troubled him.

Something is not right… He carefully landed on a building to carefully gaze about the battleground. As he suspected the mass of demons seemed to be heading in one direction and from he could tell it wasn’t from He of Music’s playing… it was as if… In a mixed of panic and rage in took off towards Medallion killing demons as he went.

“I got this Medallion go help He of Music near the forge.” As he managed to get close enough to Medallion to be heard.

“Are you crazy!? I...”

“Don’t question me again Medallion!” Sentinel snapped. GO.

---

He of Hourglass stood resolute at the edge of the wall of mist. The dark magic pouring from it was chilling to say the least, but he didn’t want to let whomever was casting this know that he was a bit unnerved.

“Well if it isn’t the weak Dragon Keeper.” A laughing, distorted, young dragon voice called out in the swirling mass of darkness. He of Hourglass growled out in response but held back his flame for the moment.

The voice returned and the mist began to swirl around He of Hourglass “You are a pathetic, weak dragon needed other week dragons to help you out…”

Why is it that every villain have the overwhelming need to monologue?! At least it will give me time to figure more about this dragon or if this is some trick of the mist...

“A foolish dragon is one that thinks he can solve everything on his or her own. A wise dragon knows this and surrounds him or her self with those that bring out the best and help burn away the worst. I am stronger for being a part of a clan.” He of Hourglass sparks changed from multicolored to gold.

He of Hourglass roared in frustration as the dragon appeared behind him and flicked his tongue before fading back into the cloud. “But of course, you want to be part of a clan.” The voice mocked. “Just like those scared ponies… weak... so weak that they congregate in hopes that that the others will act as a meat shield!”

He of Hourglass eyes glowing gold in power. “You lack empathy and understanding then, because if you truly had taken time to look at the ponies you would see that their true strength is inner strength. I would not be the dragon I am without two in particular.”

“No wonder I still feel fear coming off of you.” The drake sneered. “You claim you are dragon and yet you converse with ponies... PREY!”

He of Hourglass claws glowed gold just like his eyes. “Of course I’m scared and afraid. And yet here I am to confront you. Courage isn’t about not being afraid but standing up doing what is right even when afraid.”

With that he roared and his golden sparks burned away the mist around him revealing the dragon within. The dragon looked just like him but a darker version. Golden DragonHeart nearly fell backwards in shock before a rage came over him. How dare this dragon dare mock me! He slashed at the dragon cutting him deeply across the chest. The area that he hit became ashy.

This told him that this was no dragon but a magical clay spectre in the shape of a dragon. It was quite likely that the true caster was not around, but was most likely aware of what was going on. The power required for this was massive. Which meant this was most likely the ‘Nameless One’ himself doing this.

He of Hourglass growled out. “You thought to break me down but all you did is ensure your destruction.”

“Did I? Tell me Keeper… How long can you hold back your rage?” The fake dragon laughing maniacally even has more of his ‘body’ turned to ash.

The revelation shocked He of Hourglass for merely a second before, in a rage, he smashed the fake dragon with Harmony Magic causing it to instantly turn to dust and fade away. The sounds of the laughing dragon still echoing in his mind. Light returned to the world as the mist dissipated. He of Hourglass looked to see that the sun was beginning to rise above the horizon.

---

“I hope... He of Hourglass finds... the caster soon…” Twixt’d panted as he slashed another inkling dead.

“Stay resolute Twixt’d tap into your inner dragon if you must.” Sentinel blasted several shadowlings with light magic.

“Inner dragon!? Sentinel!” Twixt’d slammed an inkling into several others with a swipe of his mace tail. “We have been fighting for hours!”

Sentinel knew this, but he needed to keep Twixt’d focused and his moral up as much as he could. He prayed to The Voice that He of Hourglass would succeed soon as his alicorn magic was getting low. He would have to switch to dragon before too long. Even then, he was physically tired, and he would collapse from physical exhaustion before too long.

The dim greyish cloud suddenly faded away and the demons shimmered into nothingness.

“Thank The Voice.” Sentinel breathed a sigh of relief. Down the road he could see and feel Quartermaster rushing towards the forge. Sentinel was glad for the earth pony magic keeping him steady. Twixt’d, however, was having a bit more trouble even though his tail could counterbalance that fact he was on two legs. His weariness was making that a bit harder.

“Find He of Hourglass.” Sentinel ordered as Quartermaster bounded up to the forge entrance. Quartermaster hesitated a moment, torn a bit on double checking She of Hourglass even though it was clear she and the eggs were safe. NOW!

“Twixt’d… I…”

“No, don’t.” Twixt’d stopped Sentinel before he could manage an apology. “You’re the Secondclaw and everything...”

Sentinel eyed Twixt’d for a moment before he turned his attention back to the sky. “This is about to get interesting…” Sentinel commented as he noticed both Medallion and He of Music coming in, quite quickly, to land.

“How so?” Twixt’d open and shut his fists reflexively not sure what Sentinel could mean by ‘interesting.’

“Remember what happened during the laying?” Sentinel kept a close watch on both as he answer Twixt’d. He knew they needed to land but why did fate have to have both of them in the same area.

“Please.” Twixt’d shuddered violently at the memory. “I don’t want to remember…”

“Well something similar is about to happen to He of Music and Medallion.”

Come on I need to land. He of Music grunted as he could feel it coming, and he really didn’t want a repeat of the last time. At least the falling out of the sky... As for the other part he would have to hope he didn’t do anything during that part to embarrass himself. Although judging from where he was going to land it looked like he was going to be embarrassed anyway...

The moment he landed his mind shifted like before. He purred in excitement as the same sensational tingling went over his body. As he reflexively pawed the ground his paws double in size. The claws on the front paws however nearly tripled in size making his frontpaws more claw like. He licked his fangs as his watched these changes. A hunger overcame him, a sadistic hunger to use his claws to end the life of delicious prey.

He began panting as his neck stretched outward. It sent a ripple of sexual desire into his body and mind. I must get a dragoness to rut… He suddenly could see a dragoness nearby. However there was a puny alicorn, a perfect snack, and a spooked fake dragon between him and the dragoness. No self respecting drake would be afraid. He would end the life of the whelp soon enough. No need to have a pathetic dragon making real dragons look weak. When he stepped forward a forked tongue flicking out. The alicorn smelled so delicious and so did the dragoness. He could kill the alicorn to woo the dragoness in his hunting prowess.

Sentinel stood defiant between Medallion and He of Music. His biggest concern was He of Music and Twixt’d. He of Music because a drake was usually more aggressive than a dragoness, and Twixt’d because he was probably disgusting the mind altered dragon with his fear. “Try to relax Twixt’d.”

“You try doing that when you got a drake looking at you with feral, murderous eyes.”

Sentinel was glad he wasn’t looking at Medallion then.

Medallion was tired, so very tired, from the night long fight. She just needed to land and fast before her wings gave out. That and she was feeling weird but her mind was too tired to figure it out. She managed to make a decent landing even in her weariness.

A warmness enveloped her as soon as she landed. Her mind altered as the warmth increased. Why am I standing up like this? She would need to fix that and she lowered herself to the ground. Popping and grinding sounds could be heard as her arms shifted from arm to legs. Her body remain somewhat slim as it enlarged.

Finally to rid myself of that useless bipedal stance. So hard to get service that way. She felt so hot as her wing stretched out and enlarged twice in size. Her spikes and dagger tail and claws lengthen and sharpen. She dug the longer claws into the cobblestone street feeling more powerful and sexy. Her greed shifted from her hoard which she needed to increase as it was too modest to impress any drake to needing something a bit more pleasurable.

The musk of an aroused drake got her attention as she lookout to see see the prefect drake nearby. She so wanted to really heat up properly. Her eyes became slitted in her lust. She raised her tail to get the attention of the drake. She shuddered as not only she watched the drake start to step towards her but from her tail lengthening. As the drake size increase in size and bulk her mind began to swarm knowing that his large frame would mean that a delicious tight penetration would be a guarantee.

As the changes finished her mind suddenly snapped back to rationally. She blinked a bit but as she examined herself the sexual thoughts only increased instead of staying in the back of her mind like before. She felt no shame in letting the sexual thoughts remain.

Sentinel breath a sigh of relief as he noticed both dragons had snapped back to normal. Medallion said nothing as she examined herself in a very suggestive manner. Sentinel inwardly groaned at this. Medallion soon stopped and walk away her tail swaying in a way that would send a mate into a sex crazed lust.

“Oh, great…” He of Music nearly sang his misery at knowing that Medallion would use this moment to tease him to no end. “I’m never going to live this down with her…”

Sentinel rubbed his ears thinking it might be clogged or something. He turned to face He of Music and had to move his gaze up as he was now twice as large as before. With his longer neck and claw like fore paws he looked more like a mini full grown dragon. Great… Sentinel winced. His sore neck not in the mood to gaze upwards. If this keeps up I’m going to need a neck brace… “He of Music are you doing that to show off?”

“No.” He of Music responded in the same lyrical voice.

“Okay then… But I think it’s worse than that…”

“No, don’t tell me…”

“She kept the part the changes…” He shudder violently, “...the sexual changes…”

“I said not to tell me.” He of Music grumbled as he headed off to the park. He was tired and he needed to get to sleep and not deal with this. His feelings for needing a mate increased this time, and he didn’t need her making him more frustrated over not having a mate.

“Can somedragon please fill me in!” Twixt’d snapped, not noticing that He of Music was already retreating. He wanted to know exactly what just happened.

“Later, Twixt’d. Right now everydragon needs to recover including you. I’ll be by later this afternoon.”

“Promise?”

“Es acktsolu.”

Twixt’d blinked. That was the first time he heard draconic and yet he knew exactly what Sentinel had said and knew that he wouldn’t break his promise.

---

“Iss wiLL ENd hIsSSs liFe ANd I wiLlss ENjoY Itssss.” Golden DragonHeart started to gain a lisp as his rage got stronger.

“So will I… But I’m not going to lose my Firstclaw in the process! I will beat the rage out of you if I have to!” Metal Claws slammed a fist mere inches from Golden DragonHeart shocking the smaller dragon out of his rage.

Metal Claws again slammed his fist on the ground when he saw his Firstclaw nearly collapse in shame. “Not going to allow that either! It’s been a long battle and we all need rest.”

Golden DragonHeart swallowed his pain as best he could before he nodded. He let his wings return and started to climb in the air to return Hourglass.

Not long after that both had returned to Hourglass. Golden DragonHeart tiredly entered the library as Metal Claws carefully watched him. He turned away from the library and saw Soul Fire back in his dragon form standing near the Spiral Spire.

“Metal Claws, how bad?” Soul Fire tried to not sound forceful but he needed to know.

Metal Claws sighed heavily. “Bad.”

The way he spoke that one word was enough for Soul Fire to know that Golden DragonHeart’s descent into rage growth was worsening. Without speaking another word he walked past Metal Claws and entered the Library. Metal Claws silently watched in worry as his Secondclaw entered the library. Good luck Soul Fire, The Voice knows we need it right now.

“Soul Fire!?” Golden DragonHeart’s head shot up when he saw Soul Fire enter without announcing himself. If he had come in much later he may have never noticed his arrival. The Hoard Gem did give him free access to the library and his hoard but Soul Fire still usually announced his presence as a courtesy. “What are you doing here? It’s not my turn for you to guard sleep here.”

“No, it’s not.” Soul Fire admitted. He could see the shame and pain on his Firstclaw’s face. He knew that a deep sleep would help but only would occur if he guard slept here. “But, you need it more right now then anyone else... Liezs Slozszelts CktüisSirts i sūs aizsarzs liezu.”

Golden DragonHeart wanted to protest but between his exhaustion and the effects of Soul Fire’s Draconic utterance he could do nothing more then let the sweet embrace of sleep overcome him.