• Published 13th May 2015
  • 705 Views, 267 Comments

At the Twilight of Harmony - Rammy



The Keeper War has begun. Can the Hourglass Dragon Clan defeat the Nameless One before harmony falls?

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The Prodigal Crystal Savior Returns

28 days since the fall of Traxti City

2 days since Legacy Chaser’s murder

Afternoon, Hourglass


“Secondclaw?” Golden DragonHeart hesitantly called out as he entered the museum. Soul Fire had entered the museum shortly after Eternal Beats’ rescue and had not been seen since. As far as anyone knew he had not even left the museum since.

He worked his way to the back of the building where Legacy Chaser had her hoard bed and workshop. There was where he found Soul Fire, staring blankly at nothing and everything. Soul Fire gave no indication that he noticed Golden DragonHeart approach. He fought tears as he looked over the dragon. Blood was still on him to the point that it would stain his scales pink before long.

Thanks to his hoard maturity he could tell that if he wanted to help and not make it worse all he should was just be there. He of Hourglass sat down and took a cue from him and meditated. He ended up falling asleep as the afternoon faded to evening.


Golden DragonHeart awoke and saw that according to Legacy Chaser’s clock that it was very early morning… Several hours before sunrise to more precise. He slowly got up from his sitting position. He looked over to see that Soul Fire had not moved and didn’t even appear have even gotten any sleep either. “Come back to us... Your family needs you more than ever…” Golden DragonHeart whispered as he slowly turned away and headed out. As much as he just wanted to sit there and continue to just be with him circumstances prevented him from doing so.


30 days since the fall of Traxti City

4 days since Legacy Chaser’s murder

Afternoon, Above Everfree Forest


He of Hourglass felt so alone. For the first time ever he was not with his hoard… He pulled up Harmony’s and Sentinel’s cords. He could see no difference in the Harmony’s cord. Sentinel’s cord, however, had dulled a bit… Mostly like lt from the fact he was is a state of disharmony. He was sure it would take the entire clan to bring him back… how else to bring a dragon back to harmony then with his hoard… especially when said hoard was family. He just hoped that the others would get through to him soon. For now all he could do is press on.

Far below him was the vastness of the Everfree forest. By his own estimates (if he read the map right) he should be able to see the ruins of the Castle of the Two Sisters any moment. A mass of green suddenly arose from the forest below. He of Hourglass stopped to hover, knowing who the green mass belonged to.

“Greetings, He of Everfree.” He of Hourglass greeted the green dragon.

“Same to you He of Hourglass.” He of Everfree smiled. “Though I am a bit surprised that I didn’t get a letter from Sentinel that you would be passing through.”

“Secondclaw is…” He of Hourglass sighed. “Not feeling well.”

He of Everfree raised an eyebrow at that. ‘Not feeling well’ sounded off. It indicated that it wasn’t a physical condition like a neck injury or unconsciousness that would prevent firemail. What could possible cause Sentinel to fall apart… unless…

“Has there been any activity in the forest that is unusual lately?” The Dragon Keeper motioned for He of Everfree to follow him. He of Hourglass needed to know what was going on in the forest but also needed to remain moving as time was not exactly on his side.

“Now that you mentioned that… Recently I’ve had to avoid groups of ponies several times deep within the forest. Outside of the zebra shaman and the path from Ponyville and the Castle of the Two Sisters it’s unusual to have ponies deep within the forest much less numerous gatherings.”

“Did you by chance get a go look at any of them?”

“Not really… the ponies that I did see remained cloaked the whole time…”

“Were any of these ponies wearing any jewelry? Brooches, clasps, pins?”

“Jewelry? Why would that be important?” He of Everfree blinked in confusion. He mentally shrugged as he looked back at the instances. “Nothing remarkable that I recall, although all of jewelry seemed to have a common theme: the moon.”

“The Cult of the Moon…” He of Hourglass growled out.

“That names sounds familiar… but where and when…”

“The Cult of the Moon first cropped up during and after Nightmare Moon they sided with the nightmare demon’s vindictive against Celestia…”

“Them!?” He of Everfree stopped midair. He of Hourglass turned to face and hovered as the bigger dragon raged. “THEY DARE USE MY FOREST!!?”

“It’s more than that…” He of Hourglass hovered to the side not sure the upcoming reaction once he told the dragon the rest. “This cult has been suspected in bombing and killing their fellow ponies the past week now. So far seventy five dead, hundreds injured.”

Flame leaked heavily out of He of Everfree’s maw before he managed to reign it in. “You go tell the pony princesses that anyone caught in my forest will be put to death by my claws or flame. I will not tolerate them using my forest as a place to spread pain and suffering.”

“And the zebra shaman or the Bearers of Harmony?” He of Hourglass questioned. There was still the issue of the castle which may still contain artifacts or books needed for the war that and the fact that the shaman lived in the forest.

“For her own protection the shaman should relocate to Ponyville, but... I will not force her. As for the Bearers if they need to enter the forest they already know how to contact me. That said, if you see them have then send an anchor for me to use as I will now be upping my patrols and the current method may not be adequate in an emergency. As for you...” He of Everfree handed over a pine cone carved out of stone. He of Everfree began to descend as they were a bit close to Ponyville for his liking.

“And one more thing, Dragon Keeper…” He of Everfree darkly added as he paused his descent. “Utterly destroy whomever hurt Sentinel.”

“He of Everfree, I can assure you if it’s the last thing myself or anyone in the clan will do is make the one responsible will wish he had never been born…” At that He of Hourglass return his attention back to his first stop over: Ponyville.


He of Hourglass managed to find his way into the Friendship Council room. He was surprised he wasn’t accosted when he landed. Though it may have helped that the palace was on the far edge of town and he made it a point to land on the other side as to not cause unnecessary panic. Twilight, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and a unicorn mare his was not familiar with were inside gathered around the map. He wondered where her assistant could be at the moment. Not that it mattered right now. As he entered the mares conversations ended. “Ascended One… Anything new?” He of Hourglass questioned as he walked up to them across from the table.

“More bombings I’m afraid.” Twilight gestured to the crystal table map. “This time in Applewood and Baltimare along with a double bombing in Manehatten… They are getting extremely bold… it’s only a matter of time before Canterlot gets attacked.”

“How are they managing this?!” He of Hourglass exclaimed, frustrated that despite the full might of Equestria rulers the Cult was still running amuck causing pain and suffering.

“The bombs are nearly untraceable… the bombs aren’t being made by chemical means such as black powder so no way to trace them that way. Instead all of the bombs use magic as the explosive agent. Normally easily traced, however, they used a mixture of magic from several different ponies as the explosive. It will take time to isolate a single signature if we can even do that and by that time…”

“They would have gone ‘underground.’” He of Hourglass grumbled.

“More Power Pony comics?” Twilight smirked.

“No detective novels…” He of Hourglass shook his head. He breathed deep knowing that what he need to discuss next would not be ‘easy’ for them. “He of Everfree has requested an anchor be sent to him. Also a warning, He of Everfree will no longer allow any pony entry into his forest. He of Everfree will show no mercy. To enter the forest for any reason is to invite death. Make sure that the other Princesses are informed as well as the rest Equestria.”

“May I ask why the change?”

“The Cult of the Moon has been using the forest as a place for clandestine meetings which has angered He of Everfree. He is dragon of honor and bombing of innocents is not honorable.”

“I would agree, but blankly killing any ponies in Everfree?! That’s a bit of an extreme...”

“The time for mercy is OVER Ascended One.” He of Hourglass growled angrily, cutting off Twilight. “How many more must die before enough is enough? The Cult of the Moon is meeting in the Everfree which is not exactly the safest place. One does not meet in dangerous places for innocent reasons... Clearly no one enters that forest to plan tea parties…”

“Ooh I love parties!” Pinkie jumped up throwing some confetti into the air.

“Pink One please…” He of Hourglass along with everyone else put their hooves or claw to their faces. “Try and control your outbursts.”

“Oops, sorry.” Pinkie sheepishly apologized. “I just get all excited about parties… and-and I…

Pinkie Pie teary rant was interrupted by He of Hourglass who went over to her and lifted her up into a hug with his wings, wrapping them around her like a cocoon. “I know Pink One. I’m not mad…” He whispered in her ear. “At least not at you… your excitable behavior is endearing… and infectious I’m sure. Don’t let anyone or anything take that from you. Whether you know it or not you and your element is life itself… For anyone to truly live they must have joy in their hearts… all I ask he you to guard your tongue a bit. Can you try?”

“Hmm mmm...” Pinkie nodded, sniffing lightly.

He of Hourglass smiled brightly as he leaned in further and whispered even softer in her ear. “That’s all I, Golden DragonHeart, can ask of you.” He pulled back and put a finger to his mouth. He blinked when she literally zipped her mouth shut.

“Any word from the Empire?” He of Hourglass questioned as he put the grinning Pinkie Pie down.

“No.” Twilight shook her head. She hoped that He of Hourglass found that everything was alright in the Empire. She was worried for her sister-in-law Candace and her BBBFF Shining Armor. They could handle themselves, but with the bombings it prevented her from going herself. The Princesses needed her to help coordinating the response to the bombing crisis by using the map in the Crystal Tree Palace as it had proven to been most helpful in indicating areas that needed the most help in easing panic. Unfortunately, it was not helping in finding those responsible, so far...

“Then I shall tally no further. Stay safe.” He of Hourglass lifted off and began to fly to the north towards the Crystal Empire.

“Do you think that one day…” Rarity wondered as looked towards the the corridor where the sounds of the retreating dragon could be hear .

“I hope so… Rarity… I hope so…” Twilight answered as she looked up at the Golden Oak Library roots, smiling at a warm memory.

“You're more than friends. You're my family.”


31 days since the fall of Traxti City

5 days since Legacy Chaser’s murder

Before Sunrise, Near Crystal Empire


He of Hourglass yawned as he awoke. He was glad he was a dragon and had an internal flame but still he was chilled. It got a bit cold during the night. Though to be fair he was quite a bit north. He had never been in this kind of cold before…or at least he assumed that given he had no idea what his hatchling/whelp self lived or did. Hourglass was always a nice warm temperature even though its location near the equator made the land below the city hot.

He stretched a few times getting to wake himself further before he took off. He had stopped the night before as the sun was setting. He knew the city was close but he didn’t want to approach during the night. He could feel the keeper artifact, The Crystal Heart, in the distance and changed his flight to head towards it.

A few minutes later he could make out the telltale signs of the empire. Green in a sea of white and a curious warming. Interesting… nothing seems out of place or different from the image from the map. He of Hourglass reduced his altitude to get a better lay of the land. The area around the empire was quite lush for the time of year and location… it would have been more indicative of Equestria then the subarctic. Well the only way to find out more is to land…I don’t want to scare them by flying into the city. This should be fun… He of Hourglass touched down near a interesting gateway not too far from the city proper. He walked towards the city and through a gateway comprising of two dark reddish crystal spires that rose out of the ground with two purple and teal diamond shape crystals hovering in mid air between them.

“That is a large crystal.” The spark dragon muttered when he gazed towards the city and saw the Crystal Spire castle at its center. He of Hourglass knew from the intel that the spire in the center of the city rose very high into the sky. A dragon's paradise with all this crystal around… He wondered if dragons had been troublesome in the past...

“Good Morning!” He of Hourglass nearly jumped out of his scales. He had gotten so entranced by the all the crystal that he lost awareness of his surroundings. He looked down to see a overly happy crystaly stallion looking up at him. He was a bit surprised as he expected some sort of negative reaction screaming, running, fainting not a friendly greeting.

“I’m sorry for startling you Mr Dragon... Welcome to the Crystal Empire! Is there anything I can do for you?” The stallion grinned very wide. Okay, I’m not overly familiar with pony expressions but that smile seems a bit… odd.

He looked over the crystal pony but saw nothing remarkable. The only thing of note was his cutiemark which was an equal sign. He hadn’t seen a cutiemark quite like that before in any of his books on cutiemarks. And yet, why did it seem familiar? It would have to wait as he needed to find out why the Crystal Empire stopped communication.

“Uh… Can you take me to whomever is in charge?” He knew from the intel that the rulers were an alicorn mare named Candace and her mate, an unicorn called Shining Armor, but if some sort of coup occurred he didn’t want to to let on his true reason for being here.

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