Power of the Dragonflame: The Resurrection of Torch

by Mystic Mind

Act 1/Chapter 7: Revolution and Revenge

Rain Dancer's funeral was held the next day. No other dragons had appeared after the tragedy, though a few retired Canterlot Guards volunteered for perimetre lookout regardless.

Peridot remained close to Hazy throughout the funeral. She could only imagine how vulnerable Hazy felt at that moment, but she hoped what little comfort her presence brought would be enough. Nopony asked Hazy to speak. They were a timid pony at the best of times, so expecting them to talk in front of the whole village would’ve been insensitive at best.

Instead, Silver stepped up to the podium. “Words cannot express the scale of this tragedy,” he spoke on Hazy's behalf. “We have all suffered from this loss, not just from the long months of work put into the crops, but also from the senseless murder of our dear friend. Rain Dancer was not just a worker, she was a motivator, always seeking to elevate the work of others. She encouraged personal growth in everypony, recognising the challenges we faced, and our efforts to overcome them.

“Her legacy will not be forgotten. She was a hero in every respect, none more so than to Hazy Spark, whom she loved and cherished with all her heart. Though the scars from her unfortunate demise run deep, I am certain she would want us to persevere through life. If there was anypony who could both understand the pain of loss, while also giving us time to heal, it would be Rain.

“We each deal with grief in our own unique way. Nopony can tell us how to deal with it, nor how long we will take to heal. But what I do know is that we can heal. I encourage you all to support each other in this difficult time, especially for Hazy, at their request. The magic of friendship will help us rebuild our lives together.”

A small round of applause sounded from the crowd as Silver stepped down. The only thing left to do was light the funeral pyre.

“Do you want to do the honours?” Silver asked Hazy. They didn’t reply, keeping their head low to hide their face behind the funeral veil. Silver decided not to press the question. He knew it was immense for them just to attend, and he’d only asked out of common courtesy.

“I’ll do it,” said Peridot, looking at Hazy. “That okay with you?”

They gave a small nod.

Holding Hazy’s hoof, Silver watched as Rain’s shrouded body was placed on the pyre. As Peridot took the torch and began the cremation, Silver couldn’t help but wonder how everypony would cope with the dark times ahead. It was ironic, given the speech he’d just made, but beyond the mourning process, there was a larger question left unanswered: how to deal with the dragon who caused this tragedy?

Silver would always be an advocate for peace, but in his heart of hearts, he knew this wouldn’t be a common sentiment.

---

It took a full month to rebuild the barn. It had not been easy, given both the lack of food and the constant threat of dragons every time the villagers ventured out. But through dedication, cooperation, and a little ingenuity, the challenge had been overcome.

They had been lucky only it was targeted. The destruction of homes would’ve made it all infinitely more difficult, if it would have been possible at all. But as it was, the foundations of their society stood strong.

Hazy hadn’t left their home since the funeral. Silver and Peridot made regular visits to drop off food and offer emotional support, but they were often rejected for the latter. Hazy re-assured them that they weren’t in danger of harming themselves. The pain of loss was crushing enough.

This all changed when a council meeting was announced. Everypony knew what the topic would be.

Since Garble’s attack, all trade or aid agreements became moot. However, Dragons could frequently be seen flying overhead, putting the whole village on high alert, even if none so much as looked their way.

The meeting was to be held at the town hall at ten o'clock, exactly one month after the attack. Built next to the church, it was constructed from the same materials of ashen wood and mud as the other huts, containing little in the way of decorations. Since there was no singular mayor, all issues were decided by the village populace, removing the need for such distinct statuses.

It did, however, contain a table long enough for everypony in the colony to gather around, with the chosen delegates for any given issue sitting at each end. To the villagers’ surprise, Hazy Spark was the first to arrive, taking the one end as Silver Soil took the other.

Hazy was looking more than a little worse for wear. Dark bags sagged under their eyes, and their mane was a dishevelled mess. They tapped their hoof on the table impatiently, grumbling under their breath. As the townsponies took their place, there was some chatter about Hazy's odd behaviour. Despite this, nopony objected to their position. They were the most affected by Garble’s atrocities, after all.

“I guess I'll kick off today's discussion,” Peridot cleared her throat. “We all saw what happened last month, so I won't go into details. What I want to know most is how our plaintiffs feel about Garble's words; has Lord Ember truly abandoned us?”

“Of course she did!” Hazy slammed their hoof on the table, making several ponies jump. “Are any of you surprised at all? I bet she was challenged by a stronger one and fled like a coward! Now, as always, they run amok, burning, killing, destroying! So why discuss? Huh?” her mouth twisted even further. “Why discuss? Words won’t fix anything. What I-” she blinked, “we need is payback. Twofold.”

By Equestria, Peridot thought. The lightning-like spark in their eyes, cracked wood under their slammed hoof, the sheer power behind their voice. What have you stirred, Garble?

“Hazy, please,” Silver interjected, keeping his tone even. “I know you're angry, as you have every right to be. But if there's even the smallest chance for justice, why not pursue the matter with the dragon leadership? Twilight Sparkle would never ally herself with Dragons unless she knew they were trustworthy.”

The room broke out in a frenzied, uncertain chatter.

“You have to admit, Hazy,” Peridot joined. “Silver has a point. Why let one rotten apple spoil the bunch?”

“Rotten apple? Rotten apple?!” Hazy kicked away their chair and shot to their hooves. “Dragons are not rotten apples! This is dragon culture! They've always hated ponies, and now they've led us into a trap with this stupid bucking colony! How can we be safe in a land ruled by monsters?!”

Several ponies cheered, including a Unicorn stallion with a stone-grey coat, raising his voice in support. “You all saw how easily Gable killed Rain Dancer! Without the Elements of Harmony or Alicorns to protect us, who's to say he's the only bigot amongst them?”

“That's not the point,” argued an orange earth pony mare opposite him. Like Silver, she spoke with a much calmer tone, adjusting her glasses. “This could easily be a rogue faction. If Ember wanted to kill us, why go to the trouble of trading peacefully?”

The crowd's chattering grew louder.

“I concur,” Silver added. “This was a terror attack at the claws of a single, mad dragon. Why target our food stores if they wanted genocide?”

More shouts of agreements, but also scoffs, particularly from Hazy. “You're one to talk, old man,” they sneered. “You've always been against me. Ever since I started experimenting with magic for the crops, you've been against it! They've seen what we can do, and now we're a threat. They want to chase us out.”

“No chance in Tartarus we're running away!” cried the grey stallion. “This is our home! We will never let dragons stifle our progress.”

“I understand your concerns,” Peridot tried her best to remain calm amongst a sea of flared tempers. “But we have precious little data to go on. We only have one dragon shouting gibberish about Lord Torch returning from the dead. Would we truly be better if we jumped to violence like Garble did?”

“Well said,” the orange mare smiled softly. “I don't know much about Ember, but I do know what Princess Twilight would do; she'd want us to talk. If we find allies among dragonkind, we can bring Garble to justice.”

“And what if they don't?” Hazy narrowed their eyes at the orange mare.

“Well... um,” she hesitated. “Why wouldn't they?”

“See? You see this, everypony?!” Hazy gestured toward her. “This is what cowardice gets you. Uncertainty, lack of foresight, and meekness against injustice. Twilight is the Princess of Friendship, but even she knew when to fight! Do you think she defeated Nightmare Moon with kind words? Or Discord? No, they were reformed because Twilight had power on her side.

“Dragons only ever listen to force,” they concluded. “If we stand up for ourselves, they will have to take us seriously!”

“Yeah!” cried the grey unicorn. “Revolution! Revolution!”

Now the talk broke into full-blown arguments, with many joining in with chants of revolution.

Peridot looked at Silver, her expression carrying both worry and hope. “Silver, surely you’ve got a counter-proposal, right? You've been through more wars than any of us. What's your perspective?”

Silver hesitated. “I hate to admit it,” he sighed dejectedly. “But Hazy has a point. Their methods are extreme, but they're rooted in love. Specifically, love for Rain Dancer, and for the colonists who attended her funeral.” Clearing his throat, Silver stood up and announced, “We will put the conclusion to vote; revolution or diplomacy.”

Peridot slumped back in her chair. This was not the answer she was hoping for. “Alright,” she conceded. “I will give everypony a blank ballot. Once we've decided on a course of action, we'll discuss the details. Please either vote for Revolution or Diplomacy, as all other suggestions will not be counted.”

It took all of ten minutes for the ballots to be completed, so Peridot went to a separate office to count them. When she emerged, her smile had vanished. Ears drooping, she announced the results. “It's unanimous. By an overwhelming majority, we will revolt against the dragons.”

A loud chorus of cheers spread throughout the crowd, with only a hoofful remaining quiet. Among those who were silent was the grey Unicorn. He was busying himself with a note, which he zapped away with his magic upon completion. On it, he had written a simple message, addressed to the Cult of the Dragonflame. 'Phase one successful.”

Author's Note:

I'll be honest, I feel like kind of a dick for killing off Rain. I'm too good at writing romance XD. Still, bigger things are coming, and Hazy will be front and centre when things kick off!

Comments

[Seyking]

Damm this is going wild