• Published 13th May 2015
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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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An Ironic Punishment

?? days since the fall of Traxti City

?? days since Legacy Chaser’s murder

Unknown, Crystal Empire


“You got caught on purpose!?” Cadance exclaimed as she finally realized what the dragon meant by ‘who said I was captured.’

“Of course! I needed to find you first and I needed time to figure out how to deal with the thief that is on your throne… figuratively…”

“That’s all well and all but without our magic we are not going to get far and neither are you…”

“She never took my magic… she thinks she knows everything about magic because she spent years studying that she’s some sort of ‘The Voice’s gift to ponykind’…” He of Hourglass mocked. “She doesn’t even know single drop in the ocean of magic…”

“If she did, she would have known that as an adult dragon I’m highly resistant to pony magic and when you add the fact I’m an alicorn equivalent of a dragon known as a spark dragon it makes me more resistant. Plus I possess harmony magic similar to the Elements of Harmony or the Crystal Heart… Now if she had caught me off guard she may have succeeded to an extent… But I was already aware of her magic vampire powers… So three strikes and she’s out...” He of Hourglass explained. Which is a good thing as she could have killed me…

“You know about baseball?” Shining was a bit surprised that the dragon would know about baseball. It was a popular sport but was not well known outside of Equestria.

“I think ponies are cool.” He of Hourglass shrugged as he smirked. “I have been collecting Power Pony comics for a while now and I was just introduced to hoofball trading cards about two months ago…”

Choose equality as your special talent. Difference is frustration. To excel is to fail. Be your best by never being your best. Conformity will set you free. Accept your limitations, and happiness will follow. You're no better than your friends. To love is to hate. Hate is to say you are better than others...

“Gah, you’d think she’d come up with new material…” He of Hourglass grumbled. He was starting to not like that voice.

“What do you mean?”

“Outside of some slight modifications it’s exactly the same blah blah blah that she used in Our Town… She even attempted the same song and dance routine...”

“How do…”

“Well lets go voice our complaints directly shall we?” The dragon suddenly had an impossibly large grin.

“Wait, what…”

He of Hourglass waved his claws and a rush of power poured out. The two ponies and dragon disappeared and then reappeared in the throne room. Apparently his teleportation was invisible and silent as Starlight Glimmer didn’t not immediately notice the teleportation. Guh, that is harder to do than I thought… and Secondclaw makes it look so easy too...

“Ugh… a little warning…” Shining turned a bit green as he ran to a near by plant and hurled.

The sounds of Shining's protest and violent loss of his innards got Starlight’s attention. “How did you escape!?” She exclaimed in shock.

“Gah... and I thought Twi’s teleportation was…” The rest was cut off as the stallion heaved again. Cadance had moved over to help her husband. He of Hourglass flashed a bit of concern over the pony’s discomfort that he caused but time was not on their side. He needed to deal with Starlight then move on to the next crisis.

“Quite easy. You never captured me in the first place.” He of Hourglass grinned and nearly snorted in amusement as he saw a flash of anger. He waved a claw and his sparks began to flow from him again as he canceled the spell masking them. “There that’s better. I really feel naked without my sparks…” Now he couldn’t help but snort from the look of confusion mix with revulsion that the mare was sporting. “You seriously thought that my sparks were somehow my magic? They make my magic aura visible nothing more.” Well its more than that but I ain’t letting you know… “All you took was the sparks and not the magic. I guess you can use it as a nightlight.” He chuckled at the thought of the scared mare using dragon sparks as a nightlight to keep the monsters from under the bed from getting her.

“Why don’t we finish this conversation in a more public setting why don’t we?”

“Don’t you dare!” Shining Armor protested.

He of Hourglass sparks shot out and hit everypony and in a flash of sparks the throne room became empty. A few crystal ponies were mingling down in the plaza by the Crystal Heart when the three ponies and dragon were teleported in a wave of multicolor sparks. Other than being startled by the sudden appearance they made no reaction other than to smile.

“Buck you…” Shining Armor dry heaved. Luckily for him he had expelled everything in his stomach already as there was no planter to hide behind.

“Everything alright Starlight?” One of the crystal ponies called out.

“Yes…” Starlight had finally recovered enough to speak up. “I felt that maybe a lesson on true harmony out here near the Crystal Heart would be enlightening for them.”

Nice save. He of Hourglass rolled his eyes he watched as more ponies started to gather. Good. This should be heard by as many as possible... “Yeah, your version of harmony and happiness is depowering the Crystal Heart. I wonder how long at its current rate will it be able to hold back winter… or wendigos or maybe changelings…”

“Wendigos haven’t been an issue for years! There is no record of changelings attack the Empire! And winter, please!” Starlight Glimmer sneered. “Since the defeat of Sombra winter has never so much as come close to threaten a single crystal berry bush! What do you know about these things!? You are a dragon! Dragons only come to Equestria to raid not learn.”

“Where have you been?! Equestria was attacked by wendigos several weeks ago! Thousands of ponies died!”

“Lies!” She yelled out a flash of concern reflected in her eyes at the increasing crowd.

“Is it? Have you even bothered to keep in contact with Equestria? When was the last time anyone here talked with the ‘outside world’? Huh!?? Anypony!?” He of Hourglass gazed at the gathered ponies. Nopony, however, dared to answer. A few even looked downward in discomfort or shame. “Thought so.”

“This is some sort of trick! And to think we gave you a room.”

“No trick. I came here because given recent events Equestria was concerned about the Empire. And your idea of room is a prison cell.”

“Concern? You dragons only care about gold and gems and treasure! You need help not us.”

“I need help?!” He of Hourglass laughed before it changed to an angry growl. “I shall you show you my treasure!” He was really beginning to want to just burn her to a crisp. He truly liked the ponies. They had such spirit. Something that the dragons could use more of. All he wanted was to help the ponies without coming off as a beast and she was making that difficult. If he could hold out long enough to frustrate her to the point that she revealed that she was the beast and not him then it would be all worth it.

Slowly images appeared of the dragons of Hourglass. He of Hourglass didn’t want to scare the ponies by making visages of dragons suddenly appeared especially of the three larger members. He included Twixt’d in the mix even though he was officially not a member of the clan and he had Sentinel in his dragon form. He left out his the pony side of his hoard as he didn't want the ponies to get the wrong impression.

Cadance could see just a bit of pain and sadness in the dragon's eyes as he walked up to the pink dragoness. She wasn’t sure but it appeared to be grief. If the dragoness was sick, injured, or dead she couldn’t tell, and she felt that it would not be a good idea to find out which one.

“These projections… these images,” He of Hourglass explained as he continued to gaze at the dragoness, “represent the dragons of the dragon clan of Hourglass…”

“None of which have gold or gems or jewelry or any of the ‘traditional’ hoards you have in your amusing fairy tails... stories of knights and damsels in distress and dragons…” He of Hourglass caressed the dragoness’ head a moment before walking back to the center of the plaza. “That’s all they are, stories…”

“This is my treasure! This is my hoard! My friends, my family… they mean everything to me… I would do anything thing for them… He of Hourglass began to tear up. He waved and the dragon images faded away the last to leave was the pink dragoness. “Even take their place…” his voice dropped to a near whisper. “‘cause I love them.”

Cadance burst into tears at that. She knew now that the pink dragon was dead. As she gazed about many of the crystal ponies had ceased their smiling and some had even made the same connection as she did and had started to tear up.

“YOU KNOW NOTHING OF LOVE!” Starlight yelled angrily. She then flinched and calmed herself down. “You are a dragon trying to trick us with your sob story so you can lower our guard down. The Crystal Heart powered up would make for a tasty treat...”

He of Hourglass snorted at her insinuation he would never do such a thing. “True, I do eat gems…”

“See!”

“Fine. Why don’t you try powering it up? Use it to rid the Empire of my ‘evil’ influence? I mean isn’t that what the Crystal Heart is here for? To protect the Empire is it not?”

A few of the gathered ponies nodded. Shining was about to protest before a subtle shake of He of Hourglass’ head stopped him. Starlight Glimmer stammered out nonsense. It was clear to the dragon she was cornered.

“You can’t do it can you…” He of Hourglass grinned. “You want to know why? One, you know it takes the crystal ponies to charge it up but you took their magic didn’t you…”

“No I didn't, they gave it up freely!”

“Tell that to Twilight Sparkle!” He of Hourglass countered. A murmur began to grow amongst the crowd. “Princess Twilight Sparkle, the very same pony that saved these ponies from Sombra when he returned, the same one that came to a place called Our Town about a year ago. She only came to check out the town. What she found is you! A scam artist and a thief!” He of Hourglass roared. “You fooled those ponies in Our Town! When Twilight Sparkle and her friends came close to the truth you stole their magic outright then you attempted to brainwash them.”

“O really? Prove it! But you can’t can you?”

He of Hourglass resisted the urge to smirk. He knew exactly how to prove it in such a way that the mare had no way of denying the truth. “You stole Twilight Sparkle’s magic then tried to brainwash her: Jūs thozaza Twilight Sparkle ir survju tat lēzithāja slatzethu lazzāšatha vithai!”

Everypony’s eyes went wide at what he just revealed about Twilight and Starlight Glimmer and no pony was as wide eyed as the mare in question Starlight Glimmer. Starlight’s eyes rapidly looked about as she saw that everypony now looked at her in anger.

“You-You lie!” Starlight stuttered as she gazed about rapidly.

He of Hourglass laughed and soon clutched his stomach as it started to hurt. He put up a claw to motion for her to wait a second while he composed himself. When he finally did he never stopped grinning. “One can not lie while speaking Draconic. One can only speak truths with it. You can keep try denying it to them and yourself but in the end everyone here knows that I spoke the truth.”

Suddenly the plaza around them exploded in a blinding array of lights. He of Hourglass quickly cast a spell to rid himself of the spots and sudden blindness that came from the light show. He had expected that she would try something like this.

“I blocked teleportation.” He called out seeing the mare trying to teleport in the midst of the flashes of lights. “And your razzle dazzle show is not going to work either… I am aware of…”

A large magic beam came right at him. He merely flicked a single claw. A shield of sparks blocked the attack effortlessly. Her attack was just an overpowered continuous magic missile. If she wanted to have a chance she would need to be less obvious. Of course, she had no idea how to turn a dragon strength into a weakness not like his Secondclaw.

“I lived around an alicorn that has been around for thousands of years. I spent a lot of time learning magic from him… Even if your pathetic attack did hit me what part of dragons are highly resist to pony magic you didn’t get the first time?” He called out. Twi wasn’t kidding she’s powerful… I won’t be able to hold on much long… not without risking injuring the ponies around me…

He of Hourglass could feel the strain and was doing everything to not show it. He had a lot of spells currently in use. He took a risk and lifted the teleportation suppression spell in hopes it would ease the strain. How does he manage six swords! He could sense from the minute fluctuations in her attack that she too was straining. If he could keep only keep up a while longer.

A surge in magic power came at him and he dropped the invisible shield spell that he has cast around the ponies and he increased the shield protecting him. Good she’s focusing too much on me and now… He of Hourglass concentrated and stomped his feet. The force of his stomp was amplified by his magic and was directed straight at her. She was hit fully by the effects of the spell as the ground beneath her quaked violently knocking her to the ground in a daze.

He of Hourglass knew he had her. Now it was time to hang her figuratively though it was really tempting to make it literal. He made his way to the stunned mare. Once he got to her he bent down and his eye glowed bright gold as he put a single claw on her forehead. He stayed that way for a moment before he turned around and walked a few paces away.

“You are worse than Tirek.” He of Hourglass began to stalk around her, the crystal ponies that encircled them watched intently. “From what I was told he didn’t hide the fact he was a slime ball when he stole magic. You knew he was going to take your magic… You on the other hand… hoof... trick ponies into giving up their magic and then trick them into thinking it’s a good thing.”

“What did you do?!” Starlight finally spoke. She tried to get up but fell down as weakness overtook her.

“I did to you what you did to them!” He of Hourglass roared pointed to the surrounding ponies. “How does it feel to no longer have your talent magic?”

“Give it back!” Starlight growled. She tried again to get up but had yet to find her legs without her talent magic.

“I can’t.” He of Hourglass said bluntly. “Your magic is lost forever!“ Starlight’s eyes widened to an impossible size. Gasps could be heard amongst the gather ponies. “Yeah, I know how to remove magic permanently… And before you go thinking you can just trick another into helping you I cursed you as well. You will never again wield any magic either your own, anothers, or from an artifact. You will spead the rest of your days…”

“You... You... bastard of a monster! You are nothing but a lizard. You should be skinned and made into handbags! Your are evil like all dragons! The princesses should banish you to Tartarus just like that centaur!”

“I’d shut up if I were you,” He of Hourglass growled, letting his green fire leak out of his clenched jaw, “or I’ll take your voice as well. Further more, for crimes against harmony, the Crystal Empire, and three members of the Equestrian royalty I hereby sentence you to life in Tartarus…”

“You wouldn't dare…” The mare whispered death at the dragon. “You...

He of Hourglass was done with her and without any further delay he opened a portal and shoved the ranting and raging mare in. As soon as she crossed the threshold the portal closed up. Good riddance to trash. He thought darkly.

“You could have at least interrogate her for the location of our cutiemarks before doing that!” Shining Armor ran up to the dragon angrily.

“Don’t need her help with that.”

“How? I doubt after the last time she would allow anyone to see where she hid them.”

“I figure she would hide my ‘magic’ along with the rest of the talents… Which she did. I had placed a tracking spell on her and her magic. I know everywhere she went and I can tell you where she used her magic. She hid the talent magic in a hidden bunker near by.”

“Tell us where so…”

“No need.”

“What do…”

He of Harmony slammed his right claw onto the ground and suddenly the Crystal Heart reacted, spinning quickly just like whenever the heart was charged and released. A stream of magic shot up and through the Crystal Palace. The borealis shined from the top of the tower. Suddenly a multiple of lights rose from the north and streamed towards the city.

The roar of happy ponies filled the air as they recovered their cutiemarks and fully realized that they had be given back something precious. The crystal heart reacted a second time again and this time a wave of power poured out in a brilliant bright wave. To the dragon it looked like the ponies had become even more crystal like as they sparkle with the harmony magic from the heart.

He of Hourglass jaw dropped when he saw that he had the same crystal look as the crystal ponies. His sparks had nearly tripled in amount and now poured off of him in like a roaring waterfall to the point that it was hard to see that he was a purple and green dragon. “Whoa…” He of Hourglass whispered in awe. “Cool.”

The joys of the crystal ponies regaining their true selves lifted the dragon’s spirits. As much as he wanted to stay and celebrate, though, it would have to wait… Secondclaw needed him, the world needed him and he needed his hoard badly.

“Wait!” He of Hourglass stopped and turned to see that Cadance and Shining Armor were galloping towards him. “You never told us your name…”

“Dragons don’t give out their names… all you need to know is that I am known as He of Hourglass… Think you can handle everything from here?” The two royal ponies nodded. “Good. I’ll let Equestria know what happened here.”

“Wait!” Cadance again called out to the retreating dragon. “How did you know so much about what happened in Our Town?”

He of Hourglass walked to her and knelt down to address the alicorn. “Because Twilight and Pinkie are apart of my hoard. Though I normally never call them by their names because it’s a sign of respect for me to call them by titles.” He of Hourglass rambled. “I only used their names here to avoid confusion. Twilight told me everything after it happened.”

“Now I really must be going…” He of Hourglass rose up.

“Thanks... He of Hourglass.”

He of Hourglass chuckled. “No need to thank me… I am just doing my name…”

“Your name?” Shining questioned, looking at his wife then the dragon.

“My name.” He of Hourglass smirked and took off before anyone could say anything further.


“Doesn’t that dragon remind you of that statue of a dragon holding out the Crystal Heart?”

“Yeah, he does…”

“Whatever happened to that statue anyway?”

“No idea it was there one day then gone the next.”

“We should petition the Crystal Princess to commission a new one except of this dragon… after all he did save us…”

“He of Hourglass the Glorious and Brave has a nice ring don’t you think?”

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