From the Ashes: Ember's Story

by Zoljen

Dragon Skies

Gold Star growled as he reared up to punch at the drake currently assaulting his ship. The blow connected but barely phased the drake as he swing back at him. Gold Star brought up his hooves to block, as a small shield appeared over them, deflecting the blow. The shield quickly faded afterward as Gold Star lunged and threw his hoof forward, landing a solid hit on the drakes jaw.

Gold Star kept ducking and dodging swings from the drake, and what he couldn't was blocked by a thin blue shield. This exchange of blows kept up until the drake finally got fed up and took back to the air. The drake floated out of Gold Star’s reach and readied his fire breath, just to get smacked out of the air by a pegasus.

Gold Star smirked, “Good job, Spin Helix!” He turned and surveyed the damage to his ship. He blinked when he saw Ember conjure up a shield to block a drake’s fire breath. Behind her was McCoy, kneeling over an injured pegasus. “Huh, didn't think she could make that big of a shield.” Gold Star glanced to his right as Clear Theorem trotted up.

“She did, sir.”

“As blunt as usual I see. Thanks for those shields by the way.” The edge of Theorem’s lips curled into a faint smirk.

“Couldn’t let him hit you, sir.” Gold Star nodded and dashed down to where Ember was luring away a drake from McCoy. Theorem followed and they both slowed to a trot as they neared him.

“How is he?” Gold Star asked as he looked over the injuries on the pegasus.

“He’ll live with a few scars.” McCoy said without looking up, “Dammit Star, we need a miracle here if we want to get out of this.”

“You called laddie?” A stallion popped out of the passageway down to the innards of the ship.

“No! Get back down there and get our blasted engines working again!” McCoy snarled before Gold Star could say anything. McCoy turned to Gold Star and was about to say something before a loud bellow sounded, followed by a surge of lightning passing by them. They both turned to see Ember standing on top of a drake, it twitching as little tendrils of lightning flowed around its limbs.

She jumped off the drake and trotted over to them, stumbling slightly on her way. She looked up to Gold Star. “Tell your pegasi in the air to try and aim for either the wing bases or the chest with their hooves.”

Gold Star raised an eyebrow, “Why?”

“That will stop a drake from attacking, unless they can generate electricity on the fly to shock them,” Ember grunted softly, looking skyward at the combat going on. “You drop enough with quick strikes, the rest will flee because they have the sense to run when things aren't going their way.”

McCoy stood up and walked over to her, poking at her chest. “And you should be resting! Let us handle this!”

Ember shook her head, “Not going to happen. I am still capable of holding my own at the moment.” She looked at Clear Theorem. “Unless you have a better idea, stone wall.” He merely raised an eyebrow at that, then glanced skyward.

“Her plan relies on the pegasi hearing us, and not the drakes.” He looked back down at her. “We do have unicorns, we could try to shoot them.”

“You guys decide on something,” Ember said, glancing up, her horn glowing as a pair of bat wings unfurled from her back, both Clear Theorem and Gold Star stepping back with wide eyes. “I’m going to help up there.” She said with a growl, launching skyward.

McCoy leaned towards Gold Star and whispered. “Changeling.”

Gold Star blinked and looked up, watching her quickly surprise a drake by smacking it between the wings with a hoof. The drake turned to face her and saw the alicorn-esque appearance and went wide eyed for a moment before lunging at her. She raised her arms up to block an incoming attack, but never felt any come. She peeked over her arms and noticed the drake twitched before falling.

She glanced downwards and saw Clear Theorem looking up at her, his horn glowing. She grinned and looked up at the pegasus who floated and stared wide eyed at her. “Magic spell my friend showed me.” She grinned sheepishly for a moment as she floated there. “Anyway, quick precise shots, aim for the chest or wings.”

She turned and flew off towards another drake. Gold Star watched her for a moment, then looked to McCoy.

“How many unicorns are still standing?” McCoy looked confused for a moment, before glancing around and doing a mental count.

“A half dozen, why?”

“Good,” He turned to Theorem, “Time to Macgyver a victory. Clear, I need you and those unicorns to chain a surge from our engine up to the drakes. I want you to channel the attack that will hit all of them!” Clear Theorem raised an eyebrow.

“Sir, that will drain our engines.” Gold Star just shook his head.

“We can recharge them in Manehattan, we can rely on wind power during that time. Do it!” Clear Theorem nodded and dashed towards the stairs.

“Unicorns! ON ME!” He shouted, standing at the top of the stairs as the unicorns ran over to him. Gold Star turned to McCoy with a grin.

“Time for a light show worthy of Princess Sun-butt!” Gold Star kept his grin as he dashed over to Clear Theorem to keep safe from drakes. Clear Theorem explained the plan to the unicorns, and watched them dash down the stairs.

Meanwhile, up in the air, Ember kept surprising the drakes. She detected determination all around her from the ponies nearby and soaked it in, just adding to her gusto as she bounced from drake to drake.

She took a quick glance down and noticed Gold Star making a few motions with his hooves, to round them up. She nodded in return and glanced towards the pegasi around her. Ember charged at one of the drakes, slamming into it's back as she glanced to the two pegasi it was fighting, “Crow’s nest!” She shouted at them, pointing downwards with a hoof.

The pair glanced down and noticed Gold Star still making the gestures, looking up at each pegasus in the air. They nodded and zoomed off to help others and let them in on the plan. It didn't take long before the ponies started to herd the drakes towards the crow’s nest.

Clear Theorem glanced down the stairs, just in time to see a chain of lightning hitting the unicorn’s horn at the base of the stairs. The chain then bounced to his horn and he looked upwards and fired off the surge of lightning at the grouped up drakes.

The lightning bounced off each of the drakes, leaving scorch marks along their scales and some of it tearing in and carving paths into the flesh. After the short light show passed, the drakes floated and glared at each of the pegasi who still looked ready to scrap. Each drake floated up a little and flew off back towards the mainland after that.

Ember grinned as each of the pegasi cheered. She looked downwards and saw Clear Theorem kneeling down, gasping for breath. “Good plan,” she said, before wincing and clutching her sides. She grunted as she held her sides, her magic fading as she lost focus on it. Her wings remaining as they stayed open and revealed their true appearance, allowing her to glide down. She only made it part way before passing out, the other pegasi moving over to help guide her down.

---

“Ember.”

Ember looked around and saw nothing but blackness. The voice sounded again to her left, and she looked in that direction to see her queen floating there, at least most of her anyway. Leviathan looked a bit ethereal as she grinned back at her. Ember closed her eyes for a moment, just to open them again and still see her there.

“Why?” She floated over to her and hugged her queen as best she could.

“I am sorry. Some things have to happen,” Leviathan said softly as she wrapped Ember up in her wings. “Don't worry, you will see some of your hive mates again.”

Ember started to tear up as she buried her head into Leviathans side, “I miss you already. I don't know how long I can keep ignoring the pain I feel.”

“I am sorry.” Leviathan said softly, holding Ember at arms length gently. She placed a hoof on her chest and grinned warmly, “But I will always be here for you. Never forget me.”

“I won't, my Queen,” Ember said, sniffling. She looked up at her and tried to grin back.

“It's time you wake up. And make new friends until old ones show up.”

---

Ember let out a soft hiss as she slowly woke up. She felt herself laying on a soft and familiar bed, though her chest ached like hell. She let out a groan as she opened an eye, seeing only darkness before her. After letting out another groan, she heard some shuffling, hooves stepping onto wood.

It didn't take long before a familiar face poked through a curtain with a familiar scowl. Ember let out a sigh.

“Save it, Doctor,” she grumbled as she laid there.

“I did wonder what you looked like underneath.” McCoy stepped in and closed the curtain behind him. “The rest of the crew know as well, but don't care. You helped save us, instead of running.”

Ember raised up a leg and looked at it, seeing her holey leg and let out a sigh. “Always too tired after something to hold my damn form.” She sighed and looked back at him.

“To be honest, you did do a lot of magic stuff a few days ago with the drakes.” McCoy said casually, Ember quickly looked at him, wide eyed.

“A few days?”

“Yes. You have been out for two days. You have been recovering quite nicely during that time at least. It was just a magic strain, and I suggest you only use your magic for your disguise.” He nodded sagely. “I’ll let the Captain know you’re awake.”

An hour passed after McCoy left her alone. He was at least nice enough to keep the curtain closed after he left. She was lying on her back when she heard someone clear their throat outside. She glanced over and grinned slightly, detecting both curiosity and slight hesitation.

“You can come in,” she said calmly, and Gold Star stepped in and closed the curtain behind him. He looked up at her and noticed she was a unicorn again. He let out a soft sigh as she detected the hesitation fade.

“Thank you, for what you did earlier. You helped inspire my crew, thinking an alicorn had shown up and joined them. They are still talking about you in the mess hall.” He said calmly as he stood focused.

“Nothing bad, I hope.” she grinned warmly, sitting up a little with a wince. “And I don't bite, honest.”

“Those fangs say otherwise,” he retorted with a smirk, “And no, nothing bad. Most suspected you were a cursed alicorn, or just a gifted unicorn until McCoy said otherwise.” He paused for a moment, looking her over. “You are on your way to Canterlot, right?”

“Yes.” Ember gave a short nod.

“McCoy is writing a letter of recommendation for you to show to the Canterlot Hospital. But you’ll need some bits to start out, and a home I think. It won't be much, but I’ll see what I can provide. Or get the crew to help you out. We owe you that much.”

Ember shook her head slightly, “Please, sir. You don't need to repay me for doing what anypony else would of done. I am just going to settle down in Canterlot, work at the Hospital, and hopefully avoid more wars like this one.” Gold Star just grinned widely.

“Too bad, you’re going to accept my help like I accepted yours. Now you rest up, it will be a week before we get to Manehattan. You should be back on your hooves by then, I hope.” He saluted her. “Get well. That's an order.” And with that, he turned and left before she could say anything in reply.

She let out a content sigh and laid back down, grinning to herself.

Author's Note:

Gold Star, Clear Theorem, McCoy, Random stallion (Bloody Miracle) are all Sylvian's.