Heart of Magic

by TheCrimsonDM

Chapter Twenty Seven: Burning Wood

Heart of Magic

Chapter Twenty Seven: Burning Wood

Written by TheCrimsonDM

Twilight sat there, stunned by the living revelation in front of her. Queen Chrysalis was there, in the flesh, standing tall as a giant and facing the hordes of her own corrupted and undead children. Twilight’s legs held tightly to Cozy Glow, who had been somehow rescued by the evil queen. Queen Chrysalis’s horn lit up with intense green light that was almost blinding.

The horde charged and Twilight could only watch as Chrysalis drew a line across their ranks with a beam of magical energy. Everything the beam touched burst into flames and was knocked back. The first line of enemies were virtually incinerated, the ones directly behind them were burned and charred. The third wave marched and stomped over the fallen without a second thought.

Queen Chrysalis raged against them. “How is it that you only fight with this much devotion AFTER you die!”

From this angle Twilight couldn’t see Chrysalis’s face, only the back of her head. But the tone in her voice was filled with such anger and disgust that even Twilight felt the burn of her words. The horde charging them however, had not a single care.

Beam after beam hit the oncoming horde but there numbers had increased and were enough that whatever was killed was so quickly replaced by two or three more that the horde was slowly growing closer. Circling Twilight’s group so as to ensure there destruction. Even Chrysalis’s rage wouldn’t be enough to defeat this horde.

Twilight tried to rise. To force herself to fight these monsters. Yet looking upon them a new memory tore into her mind with such power that she couldn’t defeat it. She recalled how she had once faked the death of every pony in Ponyville to ‘prank’ Rainbow Dash and teach her a lesson. Is this what Rainbow saw back then, a horde of undead that were familiar, ones she might have to put down herself?

Twilight was paralyzed with the fear of what she’d done and the fear of the mass of undead ahead of her. She knew she needed to act, to help out, yet she just sat there, clinging tightly to Cozy who watched out with terrified eyes. Twilight was no hero, she was just a mare who’d gained too much power and never needed any of it.

A bright orange flair of light burned from behind them and Twilight turned to see Sunset Shimmer landing on the cliff. Her horn blazing with fire and fury. The flames stretched out and burned into the horde of undead. With Sunset taking the right and destroying their foes with a constant torrent of flame, Chrysalis was freed up to focus on the left half of the horde. Together the two of them worked in tandem to annihilate the horde. Another pony, a pegasus landed beside Twilight. An older Stallion she had only met once before at a social gathering of Celestia’s. Wind Rider.

Twilight blinked. “What’s, what’s going on?”

Wind Rider smirked. “Looks like we’re saving your royal hinny, is what.”

***

Trixie sat with her back against the wall. Celestia was nearby at a table and looking over a few schematics for the device they’d discovered. What would arguably be Twilight’s most powerful creation, and possibly the most devastating weapon. Of course Celestia had already expressed her concerns on with it, Trixie shared many of those concerns herself.

Applebloom was at the other side of the table and chewing on a piece of hey. “Okay, Ah get it, she made something that even Ah didn’t understand. But, these blueprints don’t make too much sense.”

Celestia was eying them with a hard look in her eyes. “If you understand alicorn magic they make more sense. They are… a mess. I’ll admit that, but I can see what she was trying to do. The real question is; does this device poses more of a threat to our enemies or to us?”

Applebloom shrugged. “She was probably drunk when she made these schematics, an Ah think that says a lot about how much we can rely on this device right there.”

Celestia nodded. “I think that when I next see her, I will inquire about this device in person. Until then I cannot allow it to be used.”

Applebloom nodded in agreement. “Ah think that’s fer the best. After all fer all we know it’s a dud, but it could also be a bomb that would make the destruction of New Slate look like nothing.”

Trixie pushed herself back up and walked to the table. Once more she looked over the blueprints. Some of them were smudged. Most had almost illegible mouth writing, and what was readable made no sense. Diagrams showing the device exploding with some kind of light were mixed in with images of the device shooting a rainbow out of it. Did Twilight even know what it was supposed to do herself or was she just letting the alcohol drive her creation?

Trixie looked at the others in the room and made eye contact with each of them. “We’ve seen what is here. Some of it looks useful, and might even be needed. Other parts don’t look like we should touch them. Regardless we don’t have the time to sit here trying to solve the mystery of what Twilight was trying to do. We need to take action, to defend Equestria, and to stop these corrupted alicorns that are threatening us.”

Celestia nodded. “I’ve spent far too much time here grieving, and this mystery is too much for us right now to solve.”

Applebloom looked at Trixie. “Twilight’s already filled me in on a lot of what was happening. If I can be of any help, just let me know.”

Trixie nodded. “We need to start training an elite group of soldiers on how to use this equipment. We’re dealing with creatures that can fly out of a pit of lava, who knows how much destruction it would take to bring them down. Just one of them nearly killed Luna, and there are at least two left.”

Celestia stared at the blueprints one last time and closed her eyes. “I… reluctantly agree. But after we deal with this threat, these weapons, armors, and this orb Twilight made will all need to be locked away or destroyed. This is the only time such weapons should be allowed to be used.”

Applebloom exclaimed, “Destroyed? Now hold on a darn minute, Ah’ve worked mahself half to death to build these. We are not destroying mah metal babies.”

Trixie stepped in. “I don’t think we should destroy them either. But what we do after this fight doesn’t matter if we don’t win this one. Our entire world is at stake and if we have to break any and every rule to save it, then so be it. So long as there is still an Equestria to save after we’re done.”

Celestia nodded. “I agree.”

Applebloom bit her lower lip and then sighed. “I agree as well. If the world gets destroyed there is no point in keeping my creations safe and sound.”

Trixie nodded. “Then we’re in agreement. We are going to finish what Twilight Started and save Equestria.”

***

Amber hit the ground and slid through the dirt a few feet. Her entire side was burning but she knew what was coming next. She rolled over just as the yellow hoof smashed into the dirt where she’d just been. Amber’s horn lit up and a bright light flashed around her blinding even herself but she ran forward, now familiar with the terrain around her.

Fluttershy’s voice was like a dagger right next to her ear. “A trick like that won’t stop me.”

A blur of yellow motion slammed into Amber’s side. Pain shot through her body as she was lifted off the ground and into the air once more. She must have flown a good five feet before she hit the earth and dug a trench in it with her body.

She felt more than saw Fluttershy near her. Amber’s horn lit up and she sprayed a gout of flame around her. Amber saw a yellow and pink blur dance around the flames before landing on top of her, a hoof forcing her face into the dirt with just enough pressure to let Amber know how easy it would be to crush her skull.

Fluttershy’s voice came out quiet, but strong as steel. “You’re defeated.”

Amber glared into those blue eyes. She didn’t speak she just nodded in acceptance.

Fluttershy backed off and her demeanor shifted into something more relaxed and gentle. She reached out with a yellow hoof and Amber reluctantly grabbed it. Once she was dragged up to her hooves Amber felt it, her entire body ached, she had scrapes, bruises, and maybe even a broken rib. Twilight had never trained like this, this was something on an entirely different level.

Fluttershy frowned. “I’m sorry, Amber. I thought… maybe Twilight had trained you to fight better. Maybe I should dial it down even more.”

“Even more?” Amber asked. She shook her head and forced a grin on her lips. She tasted copper in her mouth as she did. “Nah, I’m fine. Once Val heals me up we can continue.”

Fluttershy nodded. “You’ve got spirit. I’ll make a real fighter out of you yet. Even Rainbow Dash will be hard pressed to defeat you.”

Amber didn’t want to mention it, but during her study of martial arts she had already beaten Rainbow Dash once. Of course they weren’t going full force, only using martial arts with no flying or magic. Fluttershy’s combat skills were on an entirely different level. Amber had to wonder if it was possible that Fluttershy wasn’t just the best fighter in the group but in all of Equestria… then again she’d heard tales of how badly she’d beaten Rainbow Dash in the past for a few ‘pranks’.

Probably best not to think too hard on that and to focus instead on making sure she could be strong enough to protect her family. This time Maud’s life will never be put in any danger. Amber would keep her safe.

After all, with Twilight gone, who else was going to do it?

***

The edge of the forest had been charred and burned to a crisp. Lumps of charred or melted changeling lay in piles across the field. Twilight sat there trying not to smell the scent of rotten flesh mixed in with charred meat. Next to her sat Cozy who wouldn’t look directly at Twilight.

Sunset Shimmer had just finished burning the last of a twitching corpse before heading Twilight’s way. Behind her stood the imposing height of Queen Chrysalis who was looking at the bodies around them with an unreadable expression. Wind Rider was circling the sky above checking for signs of anymore hordes.

Sunset spoke proudly. “Good job, Never thought you’d bring her here, but hey you did it.”

Twilight cocked her head to the side. “You wanted me to bring Cozy Glow here? But why?”

Sunset narrowed her eyes. “Uh… not quite. I tasked Cozy with the mission of bringing you to me the moment you landed here.”

Twilight laughed. “Sure, and I’m still an alicorn princess.”

Cozy cleared her throat. When she spoke her voice was quiet, fragile. “Were you really going to fight these monsters by yourself… for me?”

Twilight nodded. “Of course I was. You’re my friend, one of the only ones I have left.”

Cozy shivered. “But you’d die.”

“At least I’d die for a friend.”

Cozy wouldn’t look at Twilight; she instead looked at the ground. “I’m sorry, Twilight. I’m not a very good friend.”

Twilight put a leg around Cozy’s shoulders and drew her into a hug. “Don’t say that. You’ve just never had one before. Your learning.”

Cozy grumbled. “Even I know that lying is not something you do to friends.”

Twilight swallowed. “Lying?” She glanced back at Sunset who stood there patently.

Cozy mumbled. “Sunset’s telling the truth. I… was supposed to drag you into a meeting with her. That’s why I started talking to you, so you would trust me enough to follow me out here. I didn’t know that I’d… actually care about you. I’m sorry, Twilight.”

Twilight let out a sigh. “I only have one question; am I really a friend to you?”

Cozy shot up straight and looked into Twilight’s eyes. “Of course you are! Just because I’m a liar doesn’t mean I don’t like ya.”

Twilight smiled. “Then I’ll forgive you. Celestia knows I’ve done far worse to ponies I’ve known for far longer.”

Cozy looked away again and closed her eyes tight. “I… thank you.”

Twilight looked back to Sunset and her smile faded somewhat. “So… you have a new party I see.”

Sunset nodded. “Yeah, this time we’re facing a threat that is grave enough we need all the magical help we can get. Wind Rider, fastest pony out there next to Rainbow Dash. Cozy Glow, her knowledge of magic, artifacts, history and planning abilities might even surpass yours. Chrysy here,” she nodded at Queen Chrysalis, “One of the most powerful alicorns in all of Equestria.”

Queen Chrysalis nearly spat the words, “I’m only here to get revenge against the Pony of Shadows for what they’ve done to my people. There is no ‘friendship’ happening here.”

Sunset smirked. “She’s a hard rump sometimes. Anyway, there are only two other ponies that I need. First I need your help, Twilight. You’re a formidable, loyal, and intelligent adversary that even the Pony of Shadows has reason to fear.”

Twilight nodded. “I’m not sure I’m up for fixing the world.”

Sunset replied, “That’s fine cus I’m not asking you too. I’m just asking for you to help. I’ll save the world this time.”

Twilight nodded. “I’ll… I’ll do my best. Just try to remember I’m not an alicorn anymore, I’m just a unicorn now.”

Sunset rolled her eyes. “Oh, yeah cus that’s so hard to remember with your lack of wings and height reduction.”

Twilight growled. “And who is the last pony you needed?”

Sunset’s eyes lit up. “Not exactly a pony, but someone you are very familiar with. I need the God of Chaos himself, Discord. And I think I figured out where he’s been hiding all this time.”

***

“My Queen,” an echoing male voice said in the Golden Halls.

The Red Queen looked up from her golden throne. Crimson tapestries lined the walls and a long red carpet lined the food of the throne all the way out to the front doors where she saw a lone alicorn guard come in. His armor was more crimson than it was gold indicating his higher rank among the Empire’s soldiers.

“Speak,” She said as he stopped at the foot of the stairs leading up to her throne.

“My Queen,” He said as he bowed. “I have news of the outside world.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Oh, what did you find out?”

He rose nervously. “This infection, the dark plague as some have began calling it, it comes from the world below.”

She nodded. “Where from?”

“Rumors of it spreading in Equestria have sprouted up. Though from what I hear it is only affecting animals and the changelings.”

The Red Queen scoffed. “Of course those insects would be infected. Where are they?”

“Gone.”

The Red Queen stood from her throne. “What do you mean gone?”

“Their homes, their tribes have all been destroyed by some kind of powerful magic. Nothing but craters, cracked with glass have remained. There are similar reports of several villages in Equestria suffering a similar fate.”

The Red Queen glanced toward her wall where a long tapestry hung. It showed an image of the return of the Alicorn Empire. It’s golden city returning in a flash of bright light and floating above a world of red. They’d had peace so far, and nothing was dumb enough, or at least powerful enough to interfere with that. Now something was threatening her peace, and it wasn’t Princess Celestia. It wasn’t something entirely new.

“What’s the oldest reported sighting of this disease?”

The guard answered. “The oldest one we found is actually from hundreds of years ago. Of course the disease was blocked off and not allowed to infect the world then. Seems a wizard of some sort had discovered a pool of pure dark energy. It killed all who entered it, and would sometimes reanimate them into a twisted dark force. Rumors circulate that this is what created the Changeling race.”

“What did they do to stop it back then?”

“Much like Equestria does with all its problems they sealed the cave off and forgot about it.” The guard explained. “Of course the lower life forms would do that. Only an alicorn could recognize the threat of such a pool and destroy it accordingly.”

The Red Queen spread her wings wide, blocking out the sun rays from behind her and casting a long dark shadow across the room. “And what of the message I received?”

The guard raised an eyebrow. “You mean the one from the lower life forms? They are still awaiting a reply from you I would assume. As a mortal should after praying to their gods.”

The Red Queen nodded. “Then I shall answer those prayers.”