A Frantic Search Leads to Desperate Measures
42 days since the Nameless One’s escape
16 days since the fall of Traxti City
Early evening, Hourglass
Sentinel peered through the shadows of the now thinner orchard. He watched a squad of earth ponies as they struggled, in unison, with a plow. It was clear this group had yet to overcome the leyonic interference disrupting their earth magic. Judging from the sweat and heavily
breathing they had been at it for several hours.
“How’s the Guard coming along Secondclaw?”
“Quite well Firstclaw.” Sentinel responded to He of Hourglass, still looking at the ponies. “Better than expected, actually. A little over two thirds have managed to regain their magic… The orchards near Twixt’d silo are almost thinned out to healthy amounts. The exception is my bird nest, I had them keep the trees around it the same.”
“The ground for the wheat fields are still a ways off… as you can see. Twilight is planning on administering a dragon code test tomorrow to check the progress on that front. From what I have been able to ascertain and from what Quartermaster has told me, the ponies seem to know the codes that they need to understand, but there are some that are choosing to ignore some of them.”
He of Hourglass sighed. He wasn’t too surprised as he would probably have issues too if he was forced far from home to defend a country he knew nothing about and for creatures that are out of scary campfire stories. “What would you recommend?”
“As much as I hate it, a demonstration on the fact that we will defend them with our lives… that we will do for them what they are here for: to protect and defend to the point of death if necessary...”
A scroll interrupted their discussion. He of Hourglass read the contents of the scroll. Whatever was on the scroll caused him to frown. This got Sentinel’s attention.
“What is it, Firstclaw?”
“Not sure, but we need to head to the library to consult the charts…”
Sometime after sunset, Hourglass
“Soul Fire you have been staring at those charts for hours…”
“Sorry Golden DragonHeart… I zoned out…” Soul Fire yawned. “I’m just exhausted… I…” A scroll interrupted Soul Fire. He was not happy to see it as it surely meant more trouble.
Secondclaw
We were just attacked in the same area as before from a herd of at least nine wendigos… Wendigos are no more. Going to rest and warm up. Please advise.
“Well…” Soul Fire sighed. “It seems that I was right… I hate that…”
Golden DragonHeart had to agree, of all the times for his secondclaw to be right it had to be over something as dangerous as wendigos. “Are they in danger? The Keeper Memories on wendigos is... limited…”
“Not likely, though the number of wendigos is odd… I have no idea if he ever encountered such a large herd before. Usually wendigo herds only contain three to five.” Soul Fire messaged his head in an attempt to end the headache forming. “I’m going to memory walk on this… this is a long shot, but is there any books on wendigos here?”
“There are are some books on magic creatures and constructs. Nothing specific to wendigos that I can recall. Unfortunately, I have yet to get into the restrictive archives. Heck, I only managed to finished cataloging and restoring the public part of the library just before you Chose.”
“The wards giving you trouble?” He knew about the restrictive section as that was one of the areas that was looked into for information on the malfunctioning defenses. Unfortunately, the library was still in a state of disarray and the tunnels to the restrictive section were blocked.
“Yeah, I’m being careful as I don’t know the nature of the wards. I don’t want to set off one by accident.”
“Understandable… when we have time let’s see if some alicorn magic will help…”
17 days since the fall of Traxti City
Before sunrise, Hourglass
“Brah? Wha?” Soul Fire groggily awoke. He let out some of his white flame and it coalesced into scroll. He groaned as it could only mean one thing: more wendigos. Golden DragonHeart had ordered him to bed after he noticed that he was struggling to memory walk. He didn’t argue as his firstclaw was right… He would be liable to miss an important clue if he couldn’t keep his focus due to exhaustion.
He carefully opened the scroll and was immediately awake. Whatever it was was bad, very bad. The missive was written in secret code...
Secondclaw
It appears that an ice dragon has been tracking the same herd that we just eliminated. He of the Barren South has pearl white primary scales, pale blue almost colorless stomach scales, minotaur like horns, needle spines on the head, and no tail weapon but scales curled upward along tail.
I know that ice dragons tend to be ‘colder’ but something about him is off… He has made it very clear that the wendigo problem was his alone but he did concede to let us render assistance to South Crystal City. He is acting like his territory is the entire south arctic. No idea if it’s a bluff or not I can’t get an accurate enough ‘read’ on his song to tell one way or another…
He of Music
“He of the Barren South? Name does not sound familiar at all…” Soul Fire muttered, yawned, then stretched. He groaned with pleasure as his spine popped several times. The tension of watching hoards while the owner was gone and the stress of getting the ponies into a fighting force when an attack could occur at any moment was affecting his sleep. “This is going to be another long day…” He pulled out a fountain pen and a scroll that he kept stashed in each of his hoard beds.
Its wasn’t enough to talk with Golden DragonHeart just yet… so he felt no need to wake him… Right now, though, he needed to send a letter off to Eternal Beats. Then while he waited for his firstclaw to awaken for the day, he would memory walk to see what, if anything, he could find on this dragon. The dragon could just be benign, but he also could be trouble. Too soon to say.
Soul Fire knew he had tons of memories to go through and it would take way too long to go through it properly. He wondered if he had a spell to help with finding memories. He was sure he had one. Finding something like that would be easier. He recalled a moment where Starswirl was helping Harmonious Knight with his Magic Wasting Disease. At the time Starswirl was quite old and while his mind was sharp there was times when he needed some help to remember something from his distant past. Soul Fire would start there and if he didn’t find anything soon that would help he would move back to looking for more on the ice dragon.
He had been deep in his memories for a while when he felt another letter coming through his fire mail.
He of the Barren South’s hoard contains Wendigos! His ward is strange too, familiar somehow but I can’t place it.
If it wasn’t for the fact that Soul Fire was in his hoard bed he would have started to pace.
How in the Voice would any sensible dragon would ever do such a thing! This is bad, very bad I need to find out about this dragon and fast. But my clanmates have to be cautious with this dragon… what is this dragons agenda? If he wanted to kill them he would have killed them already unless he is like Quartz… but it would have been clear in his song unless he keeps his sadistic tendencies hidden which is possible as he is an ice dragon... Argh!!!
I need to get help from Golden DragonHeart and Twilight for this. I need to figure out this dragon and fast… Think! How can I get them to help me without revealing anything that could compromise the secret I am holding until the right time and I know it’s still not the right time. Maybe if I limit Golden DragonHeart to memories prior to his egg… and Bearer of Magic could search Starswirl's old journals though it's unlikely there is a possibility of a clue about this specific dragon there… as long as I can keep her focused...
Soul Fire scrambled out of his nest and rushed towards the library. He didn’t even glance back when he could hear the sounds of gems slipping out onto the ground.
“Dragon Keeper!” Golden DragonHeart snapped awake from Soul Fire’s yell. “Find bearer.. Magic…her to Northern… Oasis. Starswirl journals... You, me... Harmony Plane… wendigos… wendigos part of a dragon's hoard!”
If he wasn’t already awake from Soul Fire barging into his hoard bubbling like a mad dragon the part about wendigos being a part of a hoard really got him awake. His secondclaw wasn’t one to panic unless there was a huge and dangerous problem so he ran out of the library to do exactly what his secondclaw needed him to do. He would get more answers in a bit.
Soul Fire was in the Harmony Plane surrounded by dozens of screens playing memories when Golden DragonHeart returned. He had no idea what they were about about except one that was right in front of Soul Fire. That one showed Twilight heading at high speed to the Northern Oasis. Why the plane would allow such a live and narrow focus was curious. Nothing in the Keeper Memories indicated that one could do that without express permission, and he knew that Soul Fire had not gotten it from her. However, for now, the more pressing matter was the phrase ‘wendigos part of a dragon's hoard.’ “Soul Fire what is going on? And please tell me I heard wrong earlier.”
In answer, Soul Fire handed the most recent scroll from Eternal Beats to him. The contents of the scroll was very disturbing. No wonder he was in a state of panic…
“I see…” Golden DragonHeart gave the scroll back. This was going to be tricky. His Keeper Memories indicated that wendigos were technically a universal Keeper issue but given that wendigos seemed to prefer ponies over any other races it became the Alicorn Keeper’s responsibility. He was glad that Soul Fire resigned from his leadership position. Soul Fire seemed comfortable being merely second in command, but now he would have to take the lead. “Okay I’m giving you the lead on this Soul Fire... What can I do?”
Soul Fire handed over another scroll this one with the detail description of the ice dragon.
“The thing is, a dragon of this caliber would be well known… I have already figured out all the dragons that were apart my firemail network before I choose. He is not one of them. Without He of the Flight we now have to do this the hard way as neither one of us as a dragon in our network that far south yet…”
“Using an alicorn memory hunting spell I have gathered all instances where I have a memory dealing with ice dragons, south arctic, barren south, wendigos, and snow demons. I have also included Migration memories given how gossipy that could get it is possible he may have overheard a small tidbit that may prove helpful.”
“Bearer of Magic is checking Starswirl the Bearded personal journals. He traveled the world when he was young and adventurous… there was things he saw and people he met that may give me a clue.”
“Okay, so we are looking for any information on our ice dragon? This could take a while.”
“Yeah… we are going in chronological order I’m going from the present back you are going the opposite.”
Golden DragonHeart groaned before he dragged himself over to a series of memories that Soul Fire directed him to and began to slow process of looking for anything on He of the Barren South.
Hours went by and neither dragon could find anything. Twilight was, with help from Soul Fire and Scorpan, going through the journals. Given how extensive and analytical the unicorn was even in his earlier writings it was slow. Not only that Twilight had to interpret his shorthand and sometimes rambling notes.
Soul Fire watched with the corner of his eye as Twilight read an journal entry dated Marevemeber 17, 876. What got his attention was the rough sketch of an ice dragon. It was either a whelp or a young adult. Below that was information on the ice dragon, wendigos, and Harmonious Knight. This was an interesting lead. As he suspected, Starswirl the Bearded did have an encounter with wendigos in the south arctic what he did know was he also encountered an ice dragon. Now that he had a date to work with in which to narrow his focus. He closed his eyes so he could memory walk without distractions.
Harmony watched a young, bearded, pale blue grey unicorn walk up the street. This was a surprise. Of course given that the unicorn wearing the strangest clock and hat he had ever seen. I guess I shouldn’t too surprised as why would anyone adorn their hat with bells unless they are crazy... The fashion of the unicorns! Give me a simple brown cloak any day.
Wait...bells, bearded? In a flash he remembered who this unicorn was, a young brilliant if a somewhat eccentric unicorn with an adventurous spirit.
“Starswirl the Bearded I presume?” He called out.
“Starswirl. Just Starswirl.” The young unicorn grumbled.
“Hmm my intel seems to be wrong… o well.” Harmony shrugged. He didn’t really care if the unicorn like being called ‘the bearded’ or not what got him curious was what a pony was doing in the south arctic. The south arctic was not exactly a safe place for most creatures other than golems and dragons. Too cold and desolate, never mind the wendigos that wandered about. Harmony would love to be able to do something about them but tracking down coldness incarnate in a just as cold of an environment was an exercise in futility. Damn that ‘Dark One’ and his ‘brilliance’...
“Just who in Tartarus are you?”
“I’ve gone by many names over the years, but the one you might be familiar with is the ‘Warrior King.’”
“You have got to be kidding!” Starswirl scoffed. “That garish armor in the Castle of the Two Sisters!? That is yours?”
“Yeah… never liked that armor but it kept ponies from seeing my fur.”
Okay I need information on the dragon not Starswirl… Time to speed through this...
“You met up with an ice dragon?” Harmony raised an eyebrow. This was an interesting development ice dragons were extremely solitary mainly due their cold disposition and the location that they lived. He found it hard to believe that a pony managed to meet up with an ice dragon much less on friendly terms. At least if he was to believe Starswirl, which he did not. Harmony had been an acolyte for several millennia and he struggled to get any dragon to talk to him much less an ice dragon.
“Yeah I did… We parted ways north of the city in the place the locals call the Barrens… right after a short battle with some wendigos.”
“A battle?!” Now Harmony was really curious. “Okay, stay here I’m going to go check this out then I want the full details… Wendigos are not to be trifled with… Nether are ice dragons... I want to make sure the dragon is fine… When I get back I will know everything about this dragon.”
With that Harmony took off in full gallop to the north. He stopped several minutes later in the area that Starswirl indicated. Harmony looked around and could see nothing. He then scanned around using his magic. All he could sense was the dark magic of the wendigos… but found nothing else. It was possible there was a battle but the dark magic of the wendigos could have overpowered it or the battle was more one sided then implied. He followed the trail of dark magic for a while until it just stopped. It was as if the wendigos has just disappeared… which made no sense… even if a dragon had ended them he would have seen or felt something, anything but what he found was nothing…
Odd… why did I miss this important of memory during my initiation memory walks into major pony harmony issues… which begs the question: how many other important memories did I miss… At least now I’m positive who this dragon is. But how to reach out to him...The sounds of sobbing stirred him from his thoughts. Soul Fire looked over to see that Golden DragonHeart was crying.
“Firstclaw?” Soul Fire walked towards him.
“I hardly knew him…” Golden DragonHeart finally spoke, staring at the memories still playing in front of him.
“Very few did Golden DragonHeart…” Soul Fire put claw on his shoulder. “It’s something that every Keeper but one has had to deal with... the burden of being alone.”
“Every Keeper but one?” Golden DragonHeart finally looked at his secondclaw.
“You Golden DragonHeart... you were never alone…”
“You don’t know that, Soul Fire. All I know is from my Choosing onward… everything else was taken from me from every dragon but you… When I first chose, like I’m sure every dragon before, I didn’t care for my past. I was dragon... and… then... I found out…”
Soul Fire put a wing around his firstclaw. He so badly wanted to help him but he knew it wasn’t time yet… He hated that it wasn’t time… the suffering that his hatchmate was going through was harsh…
“One last thing…” Spike raised a claw as Harmony and the white dragon started to turn away from the hatchling.
“Yeah, Spike?”
“Not for you, Harmony, for him.” Spike shook his head and pointed at the dragon. “Remember to wait until the time is right don’t let your emotions dictate when. Timing is critical if it is to work and not be rejected. You will understand what I mean when the time is right…”
“Taking a page from my playbook, Spike?”
“I learned from the best. Now, go on.” Spike smirked as he shooed them. “He won’t be able to hold it for very long.”
Soul Fire headache spiked. He really should not flashback with both perspectives at the same time. “Yes, I alone have managed to escaped most of the curses and by escaping them I have become even more alone Golden DragonHeart...” Soul Fire sniffed. “To be the only dragon to have memories, and to know that the one’s I care about can’t… Look at Eternal Beats he has his mother's ocarina… and the guitar I gave him… the one that inspired his name… and I can’t tell him because it risks setting off a rage growth… You know this, every dragon knows this…”
“I will relish the moment that the ‘Nameless One’ is dead and the curse can be lifted…” Golden DragonHeart growled darkly.
“Get in line…” Soul Fire weakly chuckled. His smile faded a bit as his thought went back to what he was about to do. “Dragon Keeper…” Golden DragonHeart looked at him at the mention of his title over his name. “I’m about to do something very stupid…”
“Do I want to know?”
“Uh… no.”
“So you are going to do something very stupid… and you used my Keeper title…” which means that he must having a feeling similar to when he took notice of Twixt’d though that could have also been his secondclaw instincts coming out… either way... Secondclaw’s has yet to be wrong… “Okay go for it.”
Soul Fire wrote a short letter then set it off.
He of the Barren South
I know who you really are, and why you chose to have wendigos in your hoard. I know what you sacrificed. You stripped yourself of lust, of love, of any and all warmth. You willing and forever froze your heart to save others didn't you, He of the Barren South? I am life debted to you for what you have done. You, He of the Barren South, to me, are a dragon of the highest honor.
Alicorn Keeper of Harmony
Tvēsele Uzuthszrēüs
Stats
Page generated in 0.041 seconds
Total duration
1,044 users online
1,674,987 hits today, 2,561,572 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
Just so you know, you're going to Tartarus for this.
... I like this scene of the research.
Was GDH reminiscing he barely knew Starswirl? The same memories that SF was looking at?
Also:
There's something that removing their memories when they choose would screw up: would forcibly isolate them, meaning that bonding with others becomes a struggle, rather than something that simply grows out of growing up.
... There are a lot of things with the code that seems like ritualized bonding. I wonder how much of that grew out of this need to figure out a way for dragons to bond after the removal of their memories after a certain point. (you know... assuming that magical instincts work apply to evolution even a little, which might be completely wrong)
6283534
No he was talking about the memories that was assigned to him (I edited a few lines to clarify that)
This is like the second chapter in a short time where you haven't been critical. Are you trying to scare me
?
You bring up some interesting points about the code... The only thing I have to say is you may be onto something...
6283592
I sorta suspected it was whatever GDF was looking at... which just makes me wonder what he saw.
Er... I don't really wanna be as critical. I'm trying to tone it back because I kicked some shit up somewhere else where it is less desired.
But...
Why would he hate it? It's Soul Fire though, and he basically requires others to acquiesce to his version of manners or he treats them like they're the rude ones. Also it's ponies, and he might just hate to show that he actually would defend ponies, when they're supposed to be there to serve him dammit.
No that one still sounds like I'm taking his attitude hyperbolically because I am.
6283633
wouldn't you like to know...
Yeah Sentinel/Harmony has had a rough life and it show in his attitude never mind he a a battle scarred warrior... However the type of demonstration he's referring to his a life and death battle. He doesn't hate to demonstrate that he would actually defend them... he hates that it might cost lives to do so.
I never once had an issue with your critiquing of my stories but I can see how your bluntness could be seen as 'undesirable' to others. Sometimes tough love is needed just as much as a gentle hand. As I have mentioned before my stories would be worse for wear without you.
6283717
The circumstance was very different, it was clear for a long time it wasn't welcome (and their definition of criticism might be different from yours...), but I still ignored it in frustration. Now it's just got me a little gunshy.
6283741 understandable... as long as you know you don't need to be gunshy when commenting here... I'm okay either way