A Pact to Live

by OblivionShadow

11: A Hearts Gemstone...

Nix went still as his vision swam and he gasped as his hooves gripped the counter. His ears pinned against his head as he gasped out a breath. His eyes were wide as the dragon's words echoed through his mind, his body shuddered.

“Nix?” Twilight said to him.

He looked to her for a moment as his vision went dark.

---

Twilight yelled as she tried to grab his hoof but the island was too wide for her to get a grip on him. She heard him hit the ground and she slid out of her seat and went to him, Applejack on her heels.

“What in the hay?” Applejack called out as they got to him.

“I have no idea,” Twilight said to her.

“Is he breathin’?”

“Yeah. I think so.”

Twilight picked up his head and she could hear his breathing and it was steady and even. She looked over him and she couldn’t see anything physically wrong with him. Her magic picked him up and she motioned for Applejack to clear the way to the couch so she could set him down. The earth pony moved a chair out of the way and made sure the pillows on the couch were moved. The Unicorn mare set him down gently and Applejack put a pillow under his head. Twilight set him down and looked at the clock on the mantle.

“A little under a minute.”

“Huh?”

“That’s how long he’s been out. Sorry I was keeping track. The longer it is the more likely it’s not just exhaustion or something like that.” She explained.

“We need ta get ‘im ta a doctor?” Applejack asked.

“I hope not. Hopefully he just…” She stopped as Nix groaned.

---

“Ouch.” He said aloud and tried to sit up.

“Stay still. You fell pretty hard.” Twilight said to him as she pushed him back to the couch cushion.

“Ya okay, Pardner?” Applejack asked him.

Nix looked up and saw the two mares sitting close to him. “Yeah. Just a killer headache.” He said to them and Twilight helped him sit up.

“Are you sure? You passed out and hit the ground pretty hard.” Twilight said to him.

He rubbed his head and nodded to her. “What the hell, Kahl?”

“We will discuss this later.” The dragon snarled.

Nix gave his head a slight shake and put his hooves against his temples. “I’m fine. Just long days and short nights.” He replied, hoping that they would buy the excuse.

Twilight looked uncertain as he got to his hooves and walked toward the kitchen once more. He opened one cabinet and pulled out a bottle of pain killers. He swallowed it down and rubbed one temple with a hoof. Applejack had followed him to the kitchen and was standing a couple of feet away from him, watching him to make sure that he was okay. He smiled to them as he leaned on the counter once more.

“That was not how I imagined this day would go.” He quipped.

Twilight shook her head slightly and Applejack chuckled at him. “You sure you’re okay?” Twilight asked him, her voice quiet.

“Yeah. I’m okay I promise just too much work and not enough sleep.” He replied.

Twilight finally seemed to accept his excuse and she smiled and walked up to him. “Get some rest, Nix. Was going to ask if you wanted to come over to the Library to help me with a project but you need to get some sleep.” She said to him. “Maybe tomorrow?”

“Yeah. That’s fine. I should be fine by tomorrow.” He said to her, a smile on his muzzle.

Applejack patted his shoulder as the Unicorn led her to the door. “Take it easy Pardner.”

He followed the mares to the front door and closed it behind them after bidding them good night. The doors lock clicked and he spun to brace himself against the door, his flank pushed against the door.

“Okay. What the hell did I do?” He asked aloud.

“When did you come into contact with pure dragon’s blood?” Kahl growled to him.

“What? Dragon’s blood? Are you serious?”

“I can sense my own and you have it on you.” Kahl replied, his tone angry but not headache inducing.

“Okay. I have no idea what you are talking about. Dragon’s blood? The only dragon blood I came into contact with was yours. And even then I don’t think I touched it.” Nix replied as he pushed off the door and went to the couch.

He sat heavily on the couch and rubbed his head with his hooves. He could feel the dragon’s agitation within his mind as he tried to think of anything that could have put the dragon into a frenzy.

“What happened after I left you?” Kahl finally asked him.

“I was writing down the notes, deciphering them and rewriting it, umm…, I went through the gemstones that were sent with the project and then I found a few that were not part of the original project.”

“What gems?”

“Princess Luna sent them. She felt that they would be useful and that I would be able to use them. I looked at them and then Twilight and Applejack came to visit.”

Nix heard a low growl come from the dragon as he listened. “What kind of gems were they?”

“I can only name the normal ones. There were two types that were not normal to me.” He admitted.

“Show me.” Kahl replied, his tone clipped.

“Right.”

Nix walked out of the kitchen and pushed open the basement door. He trotted down the stairs and he groaned at the headache that still bit at him. He didn’t dare ask Kahl to fix it, he knew that the dragon was more than a bit angry about something. He reached out to the lockbox and his horn slid into place to pull them out. His magic gripped the box that held them and he set it to the side. The midnight Unicorn was quiet as he pulled the various boxes out and found the two that had been given to him by Luna.

“Okay, these are the ones that I can’t identify by sight,” Nix said aloud.

“Show them to me.”

Nix opened the first one and his eyes scanned the gemstones, allowing Kahl to look as long as he did. “Anything?”

“I know these gems. They come from mines that are deep within the dragon lands. Normally they are not given to ponies so I am not sure how she got this many of them. But they are normal in terms of their creation.” Kahl supplied.

“Okay.” Nix closed the box and set it aside as he picked up the other one. “Here are the other ones.”

He opened the lid and he felt something within him buck and he fought back the urge to throw up onto the table. He held onto the table as he leaned down to the side of the table and tried not to be sick. Kahl said nothing as Nix struggled to keep his stomach from crawling up his throat and running away. He nearly lost the fight when a sense of peace and calm went over him. His headache was gone and the feeling of revulsion faded to nothing, leaving him panting and gripping the table. Strength flooded him and his magic pulled a chair over to him and he sat down heavily.

“Explain?” Nix snapped. “Now!”

“I am sorry.” Kahl replied to him.

He could hear the regret and pain in the dragons tone. “Okay, so you need to explain what the buck is going on.”

“Those gems…they are called Dragons Tears.”

“And that should mean something to me?”

“No.” Kahl replied. “They are made of dragon’s blood.”

Nix looked at the box of gems and his eyes went wide. “Oh.” His magic closed the lid and he pushed it away from them.

“Did you touch one?”

“Yeah. Just one. But it felt like it bit me, I dropped it and then I put it away. I should have called out to you, huh?”

“You had no way of knowing what they are. While I do wish you had called on me I know why you didn’t.” Kahl said to him.

“How did Luna get them?”

“I have no idea. But I would very much like to know.” Kahl growled. “They are precious to my kind.”

“Why?”

“They are made of pure dragon’s blood.” Kahl replied. “To explain their creation I will need to explain how we treat our honored dead.”

“That sounds personal,” Nix said to him.

“It is. But you will find out one way or the other. It is better than I explain it.” Kahl reasoned.

“Okay. I’m listening. And thanks for stopping me from puking on the floor.”

“I caused the problem. It is only right that I fix it.” Kahl replied. “Now to explain. My kind is not the typical dragons that you think of normally. There are many types of dragons and there are sub-breeds within each type. There are some dragons that are descended from other Elemental Dragons. They do not hold the power of their ancestors but they are strong in their own right.”

“So you have kids?”

“No. I do not.” Kahl chuckled in reply. “Mitsu does, as does Ice. There are also the descendants of our predecessors. They live close to where the Elementals rest but not with us. They are built differently than the typical dragons.”

“So it’s a matter of lineage and type?”

“Basically.”

“So when they die?”

“They are interred in our own catacombs. They are kept far within the mountains. The honored dead are those that have gone great things for themselves and others. Not all dragons are interred there. The bodies are permitted to decay naturally, with the exception of their heart.”

“Heart?”

“Yes. The heart is removed and is placed within a crystal phylactery. The heart is the essence of a dragon. It is what holds our life force and much of our power. By keeping the heart free of decay it is believed that the dragon does not truly die. Their power and soul continue. It is believed that they watch over those that live on.”

“So their souls keep an eye on the dragons that are still alive?”

“Yes. That is the belief. In truth, the hearts still decay but is much slower. What is left over it what you have with you.”

“Meaning?” Nix’s eyes went to the box and his eyes widened at the implication. “So what I have sitting in front of us is the hearts of dragons that have been dead for a really long time and have turned into gemstones?”

“Essentially yes.” Kahl replied.

Nix felt bile rising in his throat and he staggered to the sink in the basement. He threw up into the sink and he dry heaved as the reality of what he held in his hoof hit him over and over. He held onto the edge of the sink as he began to cry. His body ached and his heart broke for the dragons.

“Nix.” Kahl’s voice was calm and soothing as the stallion sobbed.

“I am so sorry.” Nix cried.

“Why? You did not know. It was unfair of me to be angry at you.” Kahl said to him.

“No. You had every right. I would be furious.” He cried as he slid to the ground and sat in place, his back against the sink. “Why did it hurt me to hold it?”

“You have my blood in you as well and my blood recognized what it was and it called out to me. What you hold is the essence of that dragon that carried that heart. While they are not alive in the literal sense of the word the essence, the power, of that dragon still recognizes others like it.” Kahl explained.

“By the Goddess. How do we put them back?”

“I am not sure we can.” Kahl replied.

“Why not?”

“They are no longer pure. They have been ruined in a sense. The pain you felt was the death cry of that dragon.”

“Wait.” He put up a hoof and tried to get to his hooves but slid back to the floor. “So that dragon was killed in a bad way?”

“That is what I think yes. Without knowing who it is I cannot be certain.” Kahl replied.

“Can you find out?”

“I can yes. But it might hurt you to do so. I would need to channel my power through you to speak to the dragon inside that gemstone.”

“We can’t use them for a project like this. That’s…cruel.” Nix said as he finally got to his hooves.

“I agree. What I want to know is how Luna came to possess these.” Kahl admitted. “The fact that they left our lands is concerning to me. We do not permit outsiders into the sacred caves that house the honored dead. To get to them they have to go through the realm of the dragon that they are descended from.”

“Meaning they have to go through Mitsu’s house?”

“Basically. If they come from that dragon’s line then that is how they are interred.”

“Can you tell who they come from? Without talking to them?”

“Perhaps.” Kahl replied, his voice thoughtful. “Might take time.”

Nix went back to the table and he reached out to pull the box to him. He flipped open the lid and stared at the gems. “There are eighteen of them. Eighteen dragons that aren’t supposed to be out here.”

“Yes.”

“Their families can’t see them anymore?”

“No. They have not seen them since they were interred in the catacombs. The entrance is sealed to all except the Elementals.”

Nix was quiet as he thought over what Kahl had said so far. “Don’t get mad at me for saying this but. Could one of the others have let somepony in?”

Kahl said nothing in reply and Nix was afraid that he had offended the dragon. “I am not sure. I have not seen the others for over a hundred years.”

“Seriously?” He replied. “You guys don’t meet up for dinner or something?”

“No.” Kahl chuckled in reply. “As I have mentioned we do not always see eye to eye. But the thought of them allowing anyone besides us to enter into the catacombs is…an unsettling thought.”

“You okay?” Nix asked as he closed the lid to the box.

“I am fine. But the thought that our sacred site has been desecrated is…worrying.”

“So do we need to go see your fellow Elementals Dragons?”

“Not right away. I can send a pulse through the Flames to them to gain their attention and see what they can report. I will need you to allow me control.”

“Sure.” Nix didn’t even pause at the dragon’s request. “Whatever I can do to help out.”

“I will need to find a volcano.” Kahl said to him.

“What?” Nix paused as the thought of a volcano hit him. “Why?”

“I need an active font of flame. A volcano is the easiest way to send the message. Otherwise, I need to use the Element of the others and it will take more out of us to use.”

“So either a volcano or the ocean?” Nix responded.

“Essentially yes.”

“And if I want to use the ocean?”

“Then we can.”

Nix was about to celebrate when he paused. “What will be the cost if we don’t use your element?” Kahl didn’t reply and Nix could tell that the cost would be huge without the dragon saying anything. “Kahl?”

“The cost could be great.”

“Such as?”

“My power could be drained bringing the sea to heel. That would leave you to send the message.”

“Okay, so your power would come back right?”

“In time. Since our magic has been merged it could also have an undesired effect on your own as well.”

“So it could drain both of us?”

“Yes.” Kahl replied. “While I do not think it would cause permanent injury it is better to be on the safe side.”

“I agree,” Nix admitted. “So does it need to be an active volcano?”

Kahl was quiet as he considered the question. “We can use a dormant volcano. One that has fallen to death would be useless to us.”

“Why?”

“It no longer has the flames of the world pulsing through it. The volcano needs to be alive in a sense. Otherwise, the channels that the message would be taking would not make it to the others.”

“So a dormant or an active volcano,” Nix said to him.

“Yes.” Kahl replied. “A dormant one might be better. By using the volcano it would advance its activity and could cause an eruption or advanced timing in an active volcano. I do know of a few that are close by that have recently gone dormant.”

“So one of those is better for us to use?”

“Yes.”

“Isn’t the mountain Canterlot is on a dormant volcano?”

“Yes. But that one is older and tampering with it could cause it to become more active.”

“Oh. Yeah, bad idea. Okay, so when do we do this?”

“Not at this time.”

“Why not?” Nix asked. “I thought this was really important?”

“It is. But asking you to do this right now will hurt you. Your magic and mine are not fully merged yet and our Pact is still young.” Kahl explained. “If we were to push the limits of it without being fully attuned it could be fatal.”

“Oh,” Nix commented. “Okay yeah so waiting is good. I thought I merged our magic?”

“You began the process. It will slowly finish the process on its own so there is no need to worry about it at this point. I am sorry that I took out my anger on you. That was untoward.”

“It’s fine. I would have been pissed off too if I was in your shoes. It made perfect sense once you explained it.” Nix assured the dragon. “I do wonder how Luna got them though. And why she gave them to me?”

“That is a good set of questions. I do wonder how she got ahold of them. Anypony that touched them would have known that something was different about them. They resist any tampering and cannot be cut into smaller pieces. The question of why she gave them to you is a good one to ask her. I am tempted to ask you to send a letter to her to ask.”

“How would I even ask her about them? I mean if I tell her I know what they are then it would bring in questions about how I know them.”

“True. But if you ask her about the fact that you cannot cut them then it would allow us to remain separate.”

“That’s true.” Nix agreed. “Maybe later. Now I’m just tired.” He admitted with a chuckle.

“I do not doubt that. Again I am sorry for my misplaced anger.”

“No need to apologize Kahl. Like I said I’d have been furious as well.”

Nix closed up the boxed gems and set them back into the lock box and locked it with his horn. His head and body ached after the roller coaster ride that had been his day so far. He looked to the notes he had made from the journals so far and went to the chair he had and sat down heavily. He moved the notes into a pile and set them aside as he groaned and leaned back in the chair, his head falling back as his eyes closed and he breathed out through his nose.

“Shit.” He said aloud and pushed himself out of the chair and set his notes aside and pushed them to the side.

“Nix?”

“Yeah. Just trying to talk myself into working.” He replied with a laugh.

“We are in no hurry. As Celestia said she prefers quality over quantity.” Kahl acknowledged. “So take your time and figure things out in your own time.”

“Yeah, I know. But I still feel like I should be sending something off by now. It’s been a couple of weeks. I guess you’re right though.”

“You have a strong work ethic which is admirable but if you enjoy your work then you will never truly work a day in your life. Take your time and you will get the results you want.” Kahl assured him.

“Good point. Okay, so I am going to get a light dinner, shower and then got to bed. I’m exhausted and haven’t done anything.” He commented and pushed himself out of the chair and up to his four hooves. Kahl gave an assenting noise as Nix walked up the stairs and locked the door behind him.

---

Nix rolled over and buried his head in his pillow and tied to ignore the fact that he was waking up. Several minutes went by and he groaned in defeat. He kicked the blanket back and sat up, a groan escaping him as he jumped up and walked to the bathroom a wide yawn escaping him. He looked up at the mirror and a look of horror crossed his features as his mane went in every direction and he reached for his brush.

“By the Goddess I, look I got in a fight with a tornado.” He complained.

“You actually do yes. It looks as though Suki sent one your way just for fun.” Kahl responded with a chuckle.

“He’s the one that a bit of an asshole right?”

“No. That is Ice, who hates everyone. Suki is just an asshole to me.”

“Right. Not sure why. Fire and wind don’t seem to have much in common. I mean you’re within the world and outside of it and…oh.”

“Yes. Exactly. Nothing in common.” Kahl laughed as he figured it out.

“That would do it.” Nix replied as he set the brush down and moved out of the bathroom to the front of the house.

Nix trotted out into the kitchen and his magic pulled out two pieces of bread for toast and his magic slowly toasted them as they were held in place. He glanced to the every few seconds to check on them and He added butter when they were toasted as much as he liked them. The fire that sat within his own magic allowed him to monitor the fire and get them just the way he liked them. He looked to the toaster that had been put into his kitchen and his brow furrowed as he realized that the fact that it was there had not occurred to him.

In the back of his mind, Kahl laughed as Nix pondered the toaster and the fire in his magic. “You have been doing that for a while now.”

“I just now noticed, to be honest.”

“It’s nice to see you unconcerned with the added fire. You’re improving well.”

“I guess having a fire dragon attached to you helps to get over things.” Nix admitted.

“Perhaps.”

Nix went quiet as he went to his kitchen table as sat down to eat. His mind went over the gems that were sitting in his basement and he couldn’t help but think of the dragons that were stuck in those gems and how they must have felt when they died. “Hey, Kahl?”

“Hmm?”

“All of those gems. Did all those dragons die badly?”

“Without placing a hoof on each one I have no way of knowing.” Kahl replied to him. “Each dragon is different and their deaths are the same. The one that you touched probably did. Each one is different.”

“I’m not sure I want to tamper with them enough to find out.”

“I can understand that sentiment.”

Nix was quiet as he finished his food and leaned back in the chair. His heart ached for the dragons that had been taken from their resting places. “How would a pony, dragon, anyone get past Mitsu?”

“I am not sure. If he was in his Lair then they would not be able to get past him. He does not stay there at all times. But his Lair is guarded the same as mine and the others. We have Elementals that guard our Lairs. But still, the door to the catacombs is well guarded by dragons that have been chosen to protect the dead.”

“How the hell would anyone get past all of that?”

“I am not sure. It’s baffling.”

Nix grumbled and got up from his table and started to walk toward the basement when a knock stopped him. He looked to the front door and his magic pulled it open and he found Twilight smiling as he came to the door. He smiled at her and stopped at the door.

“Hey.” He said to her.

“Hi. Can you help me out this morning?”

Nix paused and his eyes went wide as he remembered the day before. “Oh. Yeah, no problem. Sorry, it took me a second.”

She smiled and shook her head. “No big deal. Thanks for the help. You’re doing better today?”

“Oh yeah, I’m fine. Was just over tired.” He said to her.

“That’s good to hear. Come on.” She said to him and led him away from his house.

“Do I need to bring anything?” He asked her as he paused before locking the doors.

“Nope. I have what we will need.” She assured him.

Nix locked the door and sent the key into his own pocket storage.

Author's Note:

Was working on one of my stories but Thunder came over and begged me to post it first. he's getting more confident and truth be told I didn't have the heart to stop him. So here we go.