Fire and Steel

by shirotora

Chapter 40: The Gauntlet of Fire

Finally, the big day dawned; the day of the Gauntlet of Fire.

It was the day that we would finally take the first step toward creating a new nation and bring dragon kind out from the hole they buried themselves in.

First, I had to calm Ember's nerves.

"I told you, I'm not nervous!" she yelled as she paced back and forth in our cave.

"You do remember I can sense emotions, right?" I said, as lovingly as I could. "It's okay to be nervous. Hell, I'd be more concerned if you weren't."

Ember scoffed. "Sometimes I hate you and your weird powers."

She sighed as she sat down heavily on the bed. "Okay, fine. Yeah, I'm nervous. I mean, what if I fail? What if somedrake else gets the scepter?"

"I very much doubt that will happen," I assured. "And if, as unlikely as it is, someone else does get it, we'll figure something out. We're smart. Besides, your dad probably stacked it in your favor."

Ember chuckled. "If Star helped him set it up, yeah. Otherwise, no way."

"Good thing Star is his most trusted advisor that he consults about almost everything, then," I said with a grin.

Ember laughed. "Yeah, of course she helped. She's been grooming me for taking over for the longest time."

"So, what are we waiting for? Let's go find out what you have to do." I stood, offering my paw.

She accepted it, pulling herself up and into my arms. "What would I do without you?"

I shrugged. "I really am the best thing to happen to you."

She let out a bark of laughter but didn't deny it. Instead, she just leaned in to get a quick kiss. "Let's go."

I gave our egg a quick kiss, assuring it of our swift return before grabbing my cloak and a satchel with some stuff to take notes for Twilight, and following Ember outside.

Ember flexed her wings, looking back at them nervously. "You think it's good?"

I had used my healing pulse on Ember's wing, and it seemed to be healed, but she hadn't wanted to risk it before. She didn't want to reinjure herself.

"Why don't you wear your cloak, just in case," I advised.

"Yeah, good idea." She ran back in, threw on her own cloak, and rejoined me. "Ready."

I spoke the command word while she spread her own wings.

"Nothing fancy. Just take it easy. You don't want to push yourself," I warned.

"Okay, doc," she teased. "Let's do this."

We lept into the air, our wings giving great flaps and pushing us higher.

"They're working! I'm flying, again!" Ember cheered. "I can't believe I'm healed!"

Her joy was infectious, and had me grinning like a fool right along with her.

I could tell she was wanting to let loose and see what she could do, but she wisely held herself back.

With our wings, the distance between our cave and the place where the Gauntlet was to take place wasn't far. It wasn't quite an hour, by wing.

The meeting place was a great caldera, and already it was full of dragons, great and small.

It was a much wider variety of dragons than at the Gathering. Where the Gathering was mostly young dragons looking for mates and old dragons looking for news of the world, this was dominated by those in between. They weren't the gargantuan, ancient dragons, but nor were they the small, young ones. They were big, not huge.

I actually recognized a few faces from the Gathering, too. Barb's mom was there, as was that one dragon Ember beat the snot out of.

We came in for a landing near the front of the group, where Barb's mom was.

As soon as we landed, we heard a voice call out as a familiar little hatchling came jogging from under her mother. "Hey! Miss Ember, Mister Luke!"

I smiled. "Hey, kiddo. How've you been?"

"Great! What about you?" she asked.

"We've been awesome," Ember said. "We have an egg, now."

Barb gasped. "No way! That's awesome! I can't wait to see it!" Her tone took a slightly more bashful tone. "So... have you heard from Spike? I'm just curious."

Ember and I shared a knowing look, as Ember replied, "Yeah, we actually went to visit him."

"Funny, he actually asked about you, too," I added.

"Really?!" Barb's face lit up with the biggest smile I've ever seen on such a small being. She quickly switched gears, trying to put on a nonchalant tone. "I mean... cool, cool. Good to know."

"If you want, you can write him a letter and we can send it to him, for you," I said.

"Really?! Awesome!" she cheered. "I'll go find something to write on!"

"I can help with that." I opened my satchel and pulled out a piece of parchment and a spare quill and ink pot. "I'm going to need the quill and ink back."

"Okay, thanks, Mister Luke!" she cheered as she snatched them and ran off to write her letter.

"Those two are totally going to end up mates," Ember stated.

"Probably."

"Come on, let's find out where the competitors are waiting," Ember said. "I want to see my opponents."

We made our way deeper into the caldera until the crowd ended at a line of stones.

"Only those competing in the Gauntlet of Fire are allowed past this point," a massive yellow dragon said. "And only dragons can compete." He glared at me.

"He is an exception," came the familiar, booming voice of Lord Torch. "He shall be chronicling the competition, so future generations can look back on its glory. He will be accompanying my daughter, though he is forbidden from helping."

I gave my kinda father-in-law a bow. "You and I both know she won't need it, my lord."

Torch bellowed out a hearty laugh. "Yes, but we don't want these pitiful excuses for dragons thinking otherwise."

I felt a wave of anger come from the crowd. Apparently they didn't like that declaration. Well, too bad for them.

"Well, my daughter," Torch said, much softer. "Are you ready to take your destiny and lead the dragon race into a great, glorious future?"

Ember nodded. "As ready as I'll ever be."

"Good. We will begin, soon," Torch said before lumbering away.

As he left, Ember turned to look at me. "Remember what he said. No matter what, don't help me."

Part of me wanted to object, but Torch was right. If I helped Ember, the other dragons might try to claim she didn't truly win.

So, I nodded. "Okay. I won't help you, no matter what."

I just hoped there wouldn't be a reason for me to.

"Oh, you won't be able to, even if you wanted to." We both jumped at Star's sudden comment.

"I swear to God, I'm going to start punching you for that!" I growled as I gasped for breath.

Star just laughed. "It would be well worth it."

"What did you mean he wouldn't be able to? Did dad change his mind?" Ember asked.

Star grinned as she said, "Not at all. Luke will be chronicling the events, but he'll be doing it from here."

"How can I chronicle what I can't see?" I asked.

"With these." Star produced a simple, wooden box and lifted the lid. Inside was a necklace and a pair of what looked like goggles with emerald lenses. "This is a remote viewing set. One being wears the necklace and whoever wears the goggles can see what they see."

I gave an impressed whistle. "Nice. James Bond meets Harry Potter."

Star handed the box to Ember as she said, "It will only last an hour or two, but I have a feeling you will have finished the task well before then."

"You stacked the deck in her favor, didn't you?" I asked.

Star gave a gasp of mock indignation. "What? No, of course not. It's Lord Torch that decided on the task, not me."

Ember gave an amused snort. "Yeah, and I'm sure you totally didn't advise him what that should be."

"Oh, no, I absolutely did," Star said with a sly grin. "Can't leave the future of dragon kind completely to chance, can we? Now, come along, Luke. This area is for competitors."

I gave Ember one last kiss before saying, "Good luck. Not that you'll need it."

"Damn right, I won't," she replied with confidence.

---

I found a nice spot, perched right on top of Barb's mom's head, right next to the hatchling.

"Thank you again, for this, ma'am," I said.

"It's the least I can do for my soon to be emperor," she replied with more than a little mirth. "I'm just glad that I get to live to see the day the Dragon Empire rises again."

"Not too many dragons seem to know much about the old empire," I commented.

"Yes, but that, too, will change."

I could feel the pride coming from her in a torrent.

"I don't know why other dragons don't," Barb said from beside me. "I love the stories of the empire. It was so awesome! I can't wait for the new one!"

Her excitement was infectious. That was what I loved about kids. It was hard not to get excited about something when they're excited about it.

I was going to sit with Smolder, but the little ass hole was nowhere to be seen. Knowing her, she was either still asleep, found some secret spot to watch from, or decided to participate without saying anything.

I couldn't ponder on that for long, though, as Torch stepped up and addressed the crowd.

"Shut up!" he bellowed. Everyone immediately obeyed. "I'm getting tired of keeping you lot in check, so I'm retiring. That means I need a successor.

"Now, before we even begin, I got a few things to say. First, if any of you think all you need to be in charge is strength, just give up now and save yourself the embarrassment. You're never even going to come close. In fact, you won't even get through the first challenge.

"You will need cunning and intelligence if you even want to find the place you're going."

He let that soak in to the crowd of participants.

"Now, for any of you morons that don't even know the most commonly known history of our people, tens of thousands of years ago, the great dragon empire spanned these lands. The ruins of the capital city lie in the nearby forest. Within these ruins are said to be the remains of the last Empress, Aurora.

"Whoever brings me these remains shall be dragon lord."

I had to resist facepalming. This was so obviously Star's idea. I mean, who else even knows those ruins exist?

One dragon spoke up from the participants' area. "Those ruins are too small for most of us to even fit, and those who could would never survive the monsters that nest there!" There were murmurs of agreement.

I blinked at that. I had thought those ruins weren't known.

Barb asked, "What ruins is he talking about, mom?"

Her mom replied, "Dangerous ruins that we try to keep from the young ones until they are too big to enter, lest foolish youths eager to prove themselves enter and are never seen again."

"But, if it's that dangerous, why is Lord Torch sending everydrake there?" Barb asked.

Her mom chuckled. "To ensure his daughter wins without just giving her the scepter. She is the only one that can enter with the power to survive the creatures within."

"But... what if she can't? What if whatever's in there eats her?" Barb asked.

"She'll be fine," I said.

"How do you know?"

I grinned at the hatchling. "Because we've escaped from there before, and Ember has only become more powerful since then."

Barb's mom chuckled. "Torch always was more clever than he lets on."

"Ember had to get it from somewhere, I guess," I replied.

As the voices died down, Torch continued. "If any of you can't cut it, or are scared, leave now. If you stay, know this; I expect some of you to die."

I felt a wave of fear from the participant areas. A few dragons even left, bowing out.

"Smart," Torch said. "The rest of you... have at it!"

With that, a mass of dragons took to the sky.

The Gauntlet of fire had officially begun.

Comments

[Black--Soul]

Fuck yeah! Time to get the party started:

[Fox Jones]

Shit is about to get rowdy!

[Vulpine Dynamic]

Woohoo!
Also, I feel like Star is plotting something with the sea dragon remains.... she has been shown to be crafty. I guess we will have to wait and see:)

[Greenhorn]

"If you want, you can write him a letter and we can send it to him, for you," I said.

Cadance: Why does everyone try to do my job?

[redsopine]

10572107
A note appears written on chocolate. Because your to lazy love buut from discord

[harts fire]

this is going to be good and i can see shit going down.

[Master king]

First Torch you sly smart son of a bitch,second this is about to get epic let's rock!!!!😆😆😸😸

[Gizmo Gear]

Yeah, she's winning by a landslide with this one.

[DNC]

"Whoever brings me these remains shall be dragon lord."

Now how many smart ones are going to stay back and wait for some one else to get them from the ruins, and then try to take them from the tired possibly Injured dragon?

[Herald of Opera]

"Those two are totally going to end up mates," Ember stated.

"Probably."

Gabby is still crying. (Griffonstone is a special kind of awful)

10572090
Considering she's still in contact with the dragoness in question, we probably have nothing to worry about.

[lainverse]

10573135
Well, you already seen next chapter, but at this point it isn't that clear because she have to carry these remains back. If she won't use a gate that won't be that simple to accomplish.

[DockingWater17]

Star grinned as she said, "Not at all. Luke will be chronicling the events, but he'll be doing it from here."

How can I chronicle what I cantaloupes see?"

Can’t Lucario see surrounding area with Aura? I remember seeing something like that on YouTube.

[shirotora]

10782705
They can sense what's around them, but Ember is going well out of range of his aura sense.