Escaping the empire and fighting the darkness
Harald scrambled across the rooftops, putting plenty of distance between him and the castle. It had been ten, maybe fifteen minutes since he had killed the changeling and locked eyes with the unicorn. Only now were the sounds of alarm beginning to go out across the city. "Han så meg definitivt! Men hvorfor angrep han meg ikke? Eller rope ut et varsel? Øynene så ut som om... som om det ventet meg.", he said softly to himself. Taking a quick pause, he looked at the roads, noting the lack patrols searching for him, for anything. As his eyes scanned across the city, he heard hoof beats from nearby blocks heading towards the castle. Taking a quick moment, he stopped where he was, forcing himself to breathe deep and slow, he managed to get his heart to slow down.
As the adrenaline burned off it left an acrid taste in his mouth, almost like he was chewing on rusty nails and charcoal, his muscles trembled with fatigue, looking down he saw he was still clenching his sword in his fist. "Far ville bli opprørt over meg og skjelle meg skarpt om ikke å sørge for at våpenet mitt er ordentlig stuet. Han ville si noe beslektet med 'en krigers våpen representerer hans sjel, og hvis han ikke beskytter sitt våpen, så hva sier det om hans sjel?'", he said to himself before wiping the sword across his pants leg and returning it to its scabbard.
Harald lowered himself to the ground, readjusted the sword to hang along the outside of his thigh and lashed it in place with the length of cord. He knelt, closed his eyes and refocused the weirding. Instead of focusing it to gather shadows and silence around him and allowing him to track the magics with his senses, he focused it to increase his speed, agility and to push fatigue out of his body. Slowly he opened his eyes and felt the fatigue bleed out of his muscles after a few seconds. Quickly he sprung up to his feet, grabbing a blanket from a nearby clotheline, rolling it up he tied it across his body and bolted off through the night.
Shining Armor still feeling a bit unnerved by the sequence of events that happened this night, his thoughts drifted to all the things that have happened, the premonitions his daughter had tonight, the appearance of discord, the scrimshaw tube, the old map it contained, the warped and twisted changeling whose remains laid on the ground before him, the blade that slayed it and those blazing green eyes that peered out at him from the shadows. He shoved those thoughts aside for now as more pressing matters at hand.
"General! Use every available pony under your command to scour the city and see if this Celestia forsaken changeling is alone or if there is a nest!", he barked at General Golden Baubles allowing anger to fill his face, "I'll be cast headfirst into Tartarus before another one of these cursed creatures kills another pony under my protection!" Golden Baubles quickly snapped a salute, "Yes your majesty!"
Shining Armor had used a spell to reveal if any ponies were changelings disguised. He allowed a unicorn guard to apply the spell to him as a show of good faith. "Every foot patrol is to have at least one unicorn with them to apply the reveal changeling spell to every pony they come across., he said sternly. Several voices murmured discontent amongst the gathered companies. "This is not a request or a suggestion! A changeling has infiltrated the empire and has killed at least three ponies!"
"Suh? A moment of yuh time is yuh please?", Big Oak spoke up as he approached, "Ah've got a report from the three ponies who were found unconscious a few blocks from here."
"Yes Lieutenant Colonel, I'll take it., Shining Armor said to the massive pony. "The next time you're back in Appleloosa tell Braeburn he still owes me twenty bits from the last buckball match.", he said with a sly smile. Big Oak returned the smile as he passed him the report.
Harald ran hard, his legs pumping furiously as the moon roseIlgah in the night. The houses flew past him on the dark street as shadowy blurs. He didn't notice the shadow that drifted silently across the ground. As the barrier grew nearer he pumped his legs harder until he thought his muscles would burst.
Cadance flew through the night sky and spotted the upright running through the dark streets hard and fast to the west. She flew over him several times using her sharp alicorn vision enhanced with her magic to get a good look at him. His long braided red not-quite-mane flowing out from under is helmet and chin. He was tall, easily the match of Celestia's height when she drew herself up fully. He was broadly build, though his strange clothes and metal jacket covered him concealing his musculature, His was build probably at least equal to Big Mac in his prime. She alighted on a house just ahead of him using her magic to conceal herself. Watching him as he barreled past oblivious to her. "I'll let you get away because you protected the Crystal Empire and though you had the opportunity, you chose not to attack my husband. I hope to meet you properly soon.", she thought to herself. She closed her eyes and focused her mind, pulling up the images of the upright in her mind's eye, "Aunt Luna, hear me. Look upon the images I'm sending to you. Contact the upright in his dream, he must sleep sometime."
Back in Canterlot Luna was standing vigil on her watch over a sleeping Equestria when she heard a voice calling out to her. Closing her eyes, she centered herself and focused on the voice. In her mind's eye Cadance walked up to her and their minds linked. Cadance showed her images of the upright, sensation and feelings seeped through and around the images, they were fear, anger, confusion and...gratitude?! "Fear not dear niece. We...I shall assist thee...er...you in contacting the upright.", she said in her mind's eye back to Cadance, projecting images of comfort. Luna sat down thinking about her task ahead.
A few minutes later Celestia came out wiping the sleep from her eyes. Her face a mixture of grogginess and concern. "Luna? Is something wrong in the Crystal Empire? Or with Cadance?", she said concern filling her voice, "I felt her presence and saw your two minds linking."
Luna took in a deep measured breath, "Sister...Tia. The Upright has been spotted in the Crystal Empire by Cadance...possibly Flurry Heart. It is hard to interpret the finer details because her emotions kept seeping through."
"Luna, show me. Maybe with the both of us we can piece it together." Celestia said with concern in her voice.
"Ok sister, but be warned, Cadance's emotions are strong and have couded the finer points of her message."
The two closed their eyes, centered themselves and entered into the space of their mind's eye. After a few minutes of the link Celestia's face turned into a scowl of worry. Celestia broke the link with a worried look filling her eyes. "The changeling is concerning but appears to have been dealt with. The human is on the move and will arrive at our old castle in about a week. But what is truly disturbing is that Flurry has been having strong premonitions. I haven't seen an alicorn that had such strong premonitions before.", Her face showed deep concern, "They could drive her mad."
Celestia yawned, "I need to go back to bed, I have much to do tomorrow. Keep me informed of any new happenings."
"Rest well dearest sister. I shall keep watch and inform you of any changes."
Harald had ran at full tilt past the barrier and into the forest nearly a mile away. He continued to run into the forest for a half mile before stopping next to a tree and releasing the weirding back to his ancestors. Immediately fatigue flooded over his body, every muscle and joint screaming out in pain. He collapsed to his hand and knees, his breath coming in uneven, ragged gasps, the air feeling as thick as mud in his throat. His vision blurred and his head began spinning, only through sheer force of will did he stay conscious. His guts started doing back flips and he retched hard enough to make every muscle in his body lock up. Looking at the small puddle of bile in front of him, he instinctively recoiled from it. Crawling over to a tree, he grasped a low hanging limb in his hands and summoned up all the strength he could to drag himself upright, "Kom igjen, kom deg til føttene dine!", he said to himself through gritted teeth. After what felt like an eternity, he drug himself up to his feet and leaned against the trunk of the tree. After nearly twenty minutes his ragged gasps gave way to deep even breaths, the pain and fatigue began slowly draining from his body.
Once he got his strength back, Harald set out westward searching for the road. After an hour of walking he stumbled, tripping over a rock. Turning in frustration to kick the rock he froze, in the dim light he saw not some random piece of rock that had tumbled from the mountains and washed up in this spot, but the purposeful cut octagonal shape of a paving stone. Kneeling down he cleared away the leaves, sticks and dirt revealing more paving stones all heaved up or sunk down in an uneven pattern. "Jeg fant veien fra kartet... Jeg tapte. Men det ser ut som det har blitt forlatt en stund. Hvis denne veien har blitt glemt, hva med slottet i Sky Queens? Står den fortsatt eller har den også forlatt?", he said to himself. He traveled down the old abandoned road for a couple of hours before pausing to look around him, turning his head upwards, squinting his eyes to try and make out the night sky through the treetops. "Jeg har noen timer før soloppgang. Jeg må finne et sted jeg kan hvile litt.", he thought to himself.
Nearby he found an old abandoned stone building in a small clump of trees. Picking up a tree branch from the ground, he hurled it through the old doorway. Other than the flutter of the wings of a few roosting birds and the rustle of a few small sleeping critters, there were no signs of it being inhabited. Still he wanted to be sure. He fumbled with one of the buckles on his chest, undoing it he lowered the shield from his back, freed it from the carrying hook and secured it to his arm. He drew his sword, holding it flat over the top of his shield ready to attack if the need arises, he entered a ready stance and slowly approached the abandoned building. As he entered the doorway he had to duck and turn his shield at a slight angle. Giving his eyes a moment to adjust, he quickly darted them around.The ceiling had long ago collapsed and rotted away leaving the slowly crumbling stone walls. Seeing he was alone he let out a sigh and relaxed slightly.
He removed his shield and weapons, laying them against the wall. He untied the blanket from around his chest and sat against the wall, drawing his knees up to his chest. He arranged the sword and axe on either side of him and placed the dagger in the crook of his hip between his thigh and body. Soon exhaustion brought sleep on.
Luna was watching over the dreams of the ponies across Equestria when she came across a dream that belonged to no creature of Equestria. Luna entered the dream and was immediately in a burning village, the bodies of uprights laying around her. As the smell of burned flesh assailed her nose, she saw another upright run to a collapsed house and struggle with a beam, under the beam she saw a female with two younglings crushed under it, nearby the body of a male lay twisted, its face frozen in a mask of dread. She felt the panic and fear of the upright fill the dream. Suddenly she felt the upright wake up, but the dream did not end. She immediately knew what was happening, a waking nightmare caused by a terrible trauma. She reached out with her mind to calm him.
Harald snapped awake, his breath coming in ragged, panicked gasps, his eyes trembling in their sockets. The images of the nightmare refusing to disperse upon his waking. The bodies of his father, mother, brother, sister all laying crushed and twisted under the ruins of their home. The nightmares were always bad, but this nightmare was particularly bad. He sat against the wall unable to move, fear had paralyzed him, he was unable to breath, panic had seized his lungs.
From a long distance away a female voice called out to him softly in his mind. "Frykt ikke. Du er våken nå. Marerittet kan ikke skade deg." The nightmare began to dissipate and the control of his body returned. Sitting in the dark he didn't want to go back to sleep as the nightmare was too much for him. Sitting quietly in the dark, tears welled up in his eyes and rolled down his cheeks. He would not go back to sleep, but instead would sit quietly in the gloom and await the first rays of daylight before heading out.
Luna, her mind still in the dreamscape felt the nightmare disperse. She traversed into Celestia's dream. Celestia was dreaming about a never ending cake buffet as usual. "Sister, I found the upri...human in his nightmare."
Celestia slightly cross that she had interrupted her in the middle of a particularly delectable Manehattan chocolate and cherry cheesecake. "*mmff*...Let me finish...*mmff*...this slice...", she said between mouthfuls before picking up picking up a slice of angel's food cake with buttercream frosting..
Luna rolled her eyes, "Ugh!" Her horn glowed and a pink pony with a frizzy mane appeared.
"Funny I was just in the Crystal Empire attending a flugglehorn party and now I'm at a never ending cake buffet! Llluuuunnnnaaaa? Did you summon me here because of what happened a couple of paragraphs above", she said with a sly smile on her face. Celestia and Luna just blinked with shocked looks on their faces. " Oh well! Never look a free endless cake buffet in the mouth!", she said before excitedly descending on the buffet. Celestia quickly woke up.
Back in Ponyville Pinkie Pie sits up in bed with her husband Cheese Sandwich sleeping next to her, " Well that was weird, even for my dreams. I'll never get back to...", she slumps back full spread eagle, "...zzz!" Cheese sandwich gently pushes her forelimb off his face while mumbling something about boneless.
"Note to self, never bring Pinkie into a dream about cakes again!", Luna says to herself while tapping a hoof on her forehead as if to drive it in to brain.
The behind Luna the door to the balcony violently slams open, nearly flying off the hinges. Luna turns to see Celestia storming onto the balcony practically fuming. "DON'T YOU EVER DO AGAIN! EVER!, Celestia shouts jamming her hoof into Luna's chest to accentuate every word. She put her hoof back on the floor, closes her eyes, takes a few deep breaths and chuffs to breathe the fire out of her lungs. "Now what is it that you need to show?", she says in calmer tone.
"As I said I was able to locate the upright by his nightmare. It's not a normal nightmare.", Luna says with a small twinge of fear and concern in her voice, "It's not caused by fear or doubt or guilt. It's caused by trauma, his nightmare didn't disperse when he awoke, it clung to him leaving him paralyzed.", she closed her eyes for moment, her face became a mask of pain and fear, a single rolled down her cheek, "So much pain, so much loss. He is driven by more than duty, he is driven by sorrow and vengeance."
Celestia's remaining anger immediately evaporated upon seeing the way her sister's face changed. "Night terrors. It's common for those who have suffered through traumatic events." Celestia angled her horn forward slightly, "Show me sister so I can see his terror firsthand."
Luna tipped her horn towards Celestia's, when their tips touched a blue light flashes over them. The sisters find themselves in a burning village, bodies of uprights lay strewn about the ground, the reek of burning flesh polluted the air. An upright comes running through the village and up to a collapsed house. They watch as he digs frantically through the rubble. He recoils as he finds the body of an adult male, its face frozen in dread. The sisters watch as he looks under a beam, terror erupts across his face and he stands frantically trying to lift the beam. Celestia walks over and looks under the beam. She covers her mouth with her hooves to stifle a shriek. She sees the body of an adult female with the bodies two younglings under her. She tried to shield them from the collapsing beam with her body. Celestia started to weep.
"Sister, brace yourself.", Luna says, "This is where he awakens."
The dream shifts to an overwhelming assault of of bodies. His father, mother, sister, brother. Celestia feels like she can't breathe, like panic has made her lungs collapse. Luna sensing her sister's panic ends the spell.
Celestia stands frozen place panting and gasping for air like someone just saved her from drowning. Tears streaming down her face she sobs bitterly. "Luna! His village, his people...his family! All killed by Sombra! He must be incredibly lonely! Like...like...like...", she falls to the floor weeping bitterly.
Luna lays next to her draping a wing over her, "I know Tia, let it all out. For the time draws nigh when a new champion will weild the flaming wrath of the sun and the freezing rage of the moon.", Luna put her hoof to her chin in thought, "We'll also have to gird him with the fury of the elements and the vengeance of love. That just leaves foresight."
"Why not shield him with the strength of foresight?", a voice said from above them after a small flash of light.
"Cadance!?", Luna exclaim simultaneously.
Celestia rises to her hooves, her eyes still puffy from crying, "What are you doing here? Any news from the Crystal Empire?"
Cadance alights on the balcony, "Well my dear aunts, to answer the second question first. A changeling twisted and warped by dark magic attacked the Crystal Empire, killed three ponies and tried to steal the Crystal Heart. That's when our mysterious champion revealed himself, slew the creature before fleeing the empire. The few ponies that saw him said he was running faster than any creature they've ever seen. Other than a couple of broken windows, three soldiers knocked out and a stolen blanket there weren't much other issues. As for the first question, I bring you these." She lifts a wing and levitates a folded up cloak and scrimshaw tube to the sisters.
They take the objects in their magic to study them.
Luna unfolds the cloak, using her sharp alicorn vision to inspect the cloak inside and out. "Sister! The stitching on this looks similar to the clothes Jorgen's wore."
Celestia started rolling the tube over in her magic, she had taken up the odd habit of wearing spectacles when looking at something up close, not that she needed it, just a bit of vanity. She popped the end off the tube revealing the rolled up map. She removed the map, returned the cap and unrolled the map. While studying the map she smiled broadly, "Jorgen, you old iron toothed devil! You knew that great evil would show its head again, so you ensured that one of your descendants would would find their way to us."
Celestia passed the tube to Luna. Luna looked over the tube quickly then beamed back at her.
"Jorgen! Your foresight was something to truly behold.", Luna said with a broad smile.
Cadence felt a bit confused. Her aunts spoke of this Jorgen like a fond friend. "Aunties? Who was Jorgen to you two?"
"I think it would be better if we showed you.", Celestia said still beaming.
"Yes. Come along Cadance, all will be revealed.", Luna beamed.
Cadance still feeling confused followed her aunts.
The three entered into the palace archives. The sisters levitates the cloak, map and tube to the head archivist. "Put these in a stasis spell and be very careful, the map and tube are very old", Luna says. The archivist says nothing and bows.
The three walk to back of the archives where there were no filing cabinets or shelves, just two wrought-iron wall sconces. The sisters turn to Cadance.
"Before we show you what lies beyond, you must swear to never reveal what lies beyond.", Celestia said with a stern look on her face.
Cadance raises her right hoof above her head, "I swear to never reveal what lies beyond.
"No niece! You must Pinkie Pie swear.", Luna said.
With a heavy sigh Cadance said, " Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye."
The sisters took a regal pose, their horns lot up and the wall sconces turned. The wall split and swung inward silently creating a massive doorway.
The sisters excitedly gestured for Cadance to follow, then with a squee they began skipping through the door.almost drunk with glee.
Cadance followed her aunts with a surprised look on her face. "Did they just squee? I've never heard them squee.", she thought to herself, "Now they're skipping like two giddy school fillies...or Pinkie on a slow day."
They walked down a long narrow hallway that led to a massive room with a ceiling so high that the light from all three alicorns horns could not illuminate it.
"Aunties? Where are we?", Cadance asked fear making her voice crack slightly.
"We are deep underground.", Celestia said prancing in place, still giddy.
Luna cleared her throat and calmed her countenance slightly. "We are at least a dozen leagues under Canterlot.", her voice calm, but her grand gestures betrayed her emotions, "We are in the layer of Stormrunner and Earthshaker!"
Almost as if on cue two voices like thunder called out, "Who has entered into our layer and disturbs our vigil?", the voices seemed to echo from everywhere at once.
"PRINCESS CELESTIA, SOVEREIGN OF THE SUN, CO-DEFENDER OF PONYKIND, AVENGING FLAME OF THE INNOCENT! PRINCESS LUNA, SOVEREIGN OF THE MOON, CO-DEFENDER OF PONYKIND, ICY RAGE OF THE INNOCENT! WE ARE THE RULLERS OF EQUESTRIA! WE ARE COUNTED AMONGST THE DEFENDERS OF THIS WORLD!, the sisters call out in the royal voice.
Two pairs of massive eyes appear in the darkness. As the eyes move forward into the light and Cadance sees that they belong to the two biggest dragons she's ever seen.
"Princesses, it is good to see you both again.", the first dragon says in a voice rumbling like a distant thunderstorm.
The princesses hug the the dragons snouts like one would hug an old friend after reuniting with them. The two dragons turned their gaze towards Cadance. Suddenly fear overtook her and she fled back towards hallway. A massive green clawed hand blocked the passage. She turns seeing the faces of the two dragons coming towards her, she wanted to scream, cry out for help, but all that would come out is a feeble squeak.
"Now who do we have here? Ah, a young princesses! Please introduce yourself highness. I promise we won't harm you.", he said in a soft rumbling voice like a distant earthquake. He then gave a big smile filled with teeth as massive as swords.
With that Cadance was overcome by the greatest fear she had ever felt. She screamed, fell to the floor covering her eyes with her hooves, whimpering and trembling like a leaf.
"Earthshaker! I know you're trying to be friendly, but look at this poor filly, she has the dragon-fear upon her.", the first dragon said in a voice like distant thunder.
"I'm sorry Stormrunner. After hearing about the new princesses ruling Equestria, I got so excited I didn't notice the poor thing overcome by our imposing presence.", Earthshaker said apologetically in his deep rumbling voice.
Stormrunner gently stroked Cadance's mane with a claw, shushing her that sounded like wind rustling leaves in a distant forest. "There, there young princess. It was not our intention to frighten you. Just breathe, let the dragon-fear wash past you. You are amongst friends here. And your mothers are here.", Stormrunner whispered in a voice that sounded like gentle rain on a warm spring afternoon.
"Aunts actually, Stormrunner.", Celestia said calmly.
"Is she the daughter of one of your kindred sisters or brothers?", Stormrunner asked.
Celestia shook her head, "No. Cadance was born a pegasus and ascended to an alicorn."
"Now we are truly humbled!", Earthshaker said in a voice like boulders tumbling down a mountain, "A mortal pony ascending to the same level as the gods and elder dragons."
"And what of the other two?", Stormrunner asked with a voice almost as quiet as the calm before a great storm.
"The first is my sister's faithful student Twilight Sparkle" Luna said proudly, "She was born a unicorn and ascended when was nineteen."
Cadance rose to her feet feeling the fear leave her. "And the second is my daughter, Flurry Heart. She was born an alicorn."
Earthshaker clasped his clawed hands in front of him, looking like he was about to burst. He threw his head back and gave a great celebratory laugh that sounded like a volcano exploding. He put his hand over his mouth. "Sorry princess, I hope I didn't frighten you again. I got exited and couldn't contain my joy.", he apologized in his low rumbling voice.
Cadance waved her hoof, "No harm, no foul. No offence intended, none taken. Now it is time for proper introductions.", she said standing to her full height, flaring her wings and taking a deep breath to summon her royal voice, "PRINCESS MI AMORE CADENZA, SOVEREIGN OF LOVE, CO-DEFENDER OF PONYKIND, DIARCH OF THE CRYSTAL EMPIRE, IMPLACABLE SHIELD OF THE INNOCENT! But you may call me Cadance."
Earthshaker responded in a voice that sounded like the mightiest earthquake, "EARTHSHAKER, ELDER DRAGON OF EQUESTRIA, DEFENDER OF THIS WORLD, MATE TO STORMRUNNER, WEILDER OF THE MAGIC OF THE DEEP MOTHER, MY VOICE SHAKES THE EARTH, MY TALONS TEAR THE MOUNTAINS LOW, ALL ENEMIES WHO BEHOLD MY GAZE WILL SEE THEIR DOOM!"
Stormrunner responded in a voice that sounded like the mightiest hurricane, "STORMRUNNER, ELDER DRAGON OF EQUESTRIA, DEFENDER OF THIS WORLD, MATE TO EARTHSHAKER, WEILDER OF THE MAGIC OF THE FAR ABOVE FATHER, MY VOICE CAN SPLIT THE HEAVENS, MY CLAWS CAN LAY THE STARS LOW, ALL ENEMIES WHO MEET WY GAZE WILL KNOW THEIR DOOM!" Then the two faced each other, angled their heads upwards and released a massive hour of green flame each.
Cadance stared with wide-eyed amazement at the display. She began to notice the coloration of the two dragons. Both were green with purple frills leading down the backs of their heads to their tails. "Aunt Celestia? Why do they look like Spike?"
"Because he is our son.", Earthshaker said, "How do the ponies say it? Biologically? Yes! Biologically."
"So why didn't you raise him?", Cadance asked.
"Cadance, don't say something to offend our gracious hosts.", Celestia scolded.
"Nonsense Celestia!", Stormrunner retorted, "We are all equals here. No offence given, none taken. Young Cadance, when a dragon hatches, even an elder dragon, the first being they lay their eyes on becomes their family. They latch onto them and the youngling will learn their ways. Their traditions becomes its traditions and they will unconditionally love them. We were fortunate it was such a good natured pony that he imprinted on."
"In due time he shall seek us out", Stormrunner continued, "and we shall teach him about the deep mother, the far above father, the great river and the great wheel. It is his destiny to defend this land from above while it is our destiny to defend this land from below."
"Earthshaker, Stormrunner. As I am well sure that you've sensed that a great evil has returned after fifteen hundred years and a champion from the far north has arrived to challenge it.", Celestia said sternly.
"The great evil?", Earthshaker said thoughtfully tapping his jaw with a knuckle, "A champion from the far north? Has the great enemy returned? And why only one champion and not all six champions from all the tribes of who walk upon two legs?
"Nay! The bones of the great enemy are but ash and dust.", Luna replied, "The one who weilds the power of the great evil is but a pretender to that throne. Thank the great river that it weren't him. The ambitions of the great pretender are are small and petty. He prematurely struck in the far north and provoked the champion."
"Who is this great pretender?", Stormrunner asked, "And he struck prematurely in the far north, provoking the champion? Then he has sealed his own doom."
"His name is Sombra.", Cadance spoke up, "He fancies himself king of the Crystal Empire and he has allied himself with an evil changeling called Chrysalis, she is growing a new brood. One of these new twisted abominations killed three of my subjects and attempted to steal the Crystal Heart. The champion slew that abomination."
"It is disturbing that the new brood is taking lives instead of just stealing love, but we all know how dark magics can twist one.", Stormrunner said sternly, "Who is the champion?"
"It is the heir of Irontooth!", Luna beamed giddily.
"Irontooth? Irontooth! Hah!", Earthshaker bellowed as he clapped his hands, "He did say that that the men who travel upon the hoarfrost and seas of the north would be the first to hear the call and that one of their own would first counted amongst the champions."
"Earthshaker, Stormrunner. The vault of the Rimewalker please? The hour is late and I feel our enemies may be on the move.", Celestia said bowing slightly and giving her wings a curtsy.
Luna mirrored her sister. Cadance feeling unsure, remembered her royal training and mirrored the gesture.
The dragons returned the bow and curtsy. All five rose.
"Very well princesses." Stormrunner said, "Because you you all were so polite to humor us, we shall humor you all. But young Cadance, you must come back to visit us and bring your family too."
"I will. ", Cadance replied with a smile.
With that the two dragons slipped off into the darkness softly conversing. Off in the distance a loud scraping could be heard, than a loud crunching noise, followed by a loud bellow and a green gout of flame.
Celestia and Luna winced at that sound. "I think the dropped it on his toe again sister.", Luna said. "I'm afraid you're right Luna.", Celestia responded.
After several more minutes the two dragons returned a large round vault between them. They set it on the floor with a loud crunching thud. Earthshaker slunk back off into the darkness grumbling in a low rumbling voice.
"Will he be okay?, Cadance asked concerned.
"He just hurt foot dearie. He'll go sulk for a few days and be back to his usual cheery self.", Stormrunner replied.
Off in the distant darkness Earthshaker growled.
"No need to be rude darling! You know this to be true. How many times have I done the same thing?", Stormrunner called out towards the direction of the growl.
A low flat rumbling was the only responce.
Stormrunner sighed, "I'll go tend to him. Farewell for now princesses. And young Cadance you make sure to visit us some time soon."
Stormrunner disappeared into the darkness. After several minutes bellowing and growling could be heard off in the distance, followed by a short time afterwards by low soft rumbling.
"Don't worry about them Cadance. You're married, you and Shining have arguments when one of you is in a bad mood. That's all this is.", Celestia said
Celestia and Luna ignited the magic in their horns and the lock opened with a loud thunk and hiss. The door swung open with a small, almost imperceptible creak. A massive circle of wood covered with similar scrimshaw to the tube was in the center of the vault, on the shelves were intricate carvings and detailed drawing of ponies long dead and buildings long crumbled into dust or fallen to ruble. Every one of them a masterwork of art that was at least as beautiful as the old artwork sitting in the museums in Canterlot from hundreds of years ago that were made by artists long dead and turned to dust.
"Aunt Celestia, Luna? What is all this? Who made these masterpieces?", Cadance asked.
"We don't have time to explain, nor do we have time to explain why we don't have time to explain.", Celestia said levitating a necklace with a medallion made from ivory and azure depicting two standing alicorns intertwined, their eyes made from diamond chips, she floated it to her, "Cadance find him! If our enemies don't know of their failure in the in the Crystal Empire, they will soon know and they will be out in force hunting him. Find him!" she said her eyeswith a deadly serious glare in them
"It shouldn't take you more than three day to find him. Remember the road on that old map. It's still there, just forgotten and buried from centuries of disuse, he'll be somewhere along that old road. When you find him, put that necklace on him, it's enchanted so that only he can take it off. It'll let him speak and understand out language as if he's been speaking from birth. His people are stubborn and fierce, but they are also not stupid. If our enemies attack him, he will stand, he will fight and he will die. DO...NOT...LET...THAT...HAPPEN! By the great river don't let it happen!", Celestia said sternly, "Once he's in your presence, his oath will bind you to him to you as it would me or Luna . His desire will be to fight for you and protect you, use that to protect each other. Get him to Twilight, I'll have a message sent to Shining and Flurry to get to Twilight as fast as possible. You have a couple of hours before dawn, go with all haste!"
Cadance tucked the necklace under her wing and teleported out of the chamber and into the skies high above Canterlot. With great speed she flew towards the forest outside the Crystal Empire.
"Luna, handle the sun and send out messages to every Wonderbolt to set out in force and tail Cadance. Send special orders to Rainbow Dash that she ensures the heir makes it to safety at any cost. I'll finish up here and be along shortly. And have strong coffee made, I don't think we'll have the luxury to sleep for the next few days"
"Yes sister! We will see to it!" Luna teleported out of the out of the chamber and onto the balcony, she saw Cadance flying off into the distance. "Fly with much haste dear niece and may favorable winds carry you.", she whispered before summoning parchment, ink and a quill with her magic.
***
Sombra walked through the damp and dark cave that was serving as the hive for the newly growing brood. There were changelings in his path who were gnawing on the bones of dead ponies with bits of flesh still clinging to them. They hissed and snarled at him as he approached. He barred his fangs and growled at them. They thought better of it and drug their grisly meal off to elsewhere to finish it. Elsewhere in the hive there were moans and screams of ponies being tortured or murdered to provide suffering and meat for the newly hatched broodlings. He walked up to a pool of dark magic, three bodies of barely alive ponies were suspended above it by their rear hooves, their blood dripping into it from gashes deep gashes in their bodies.
Chrysalis rose from where she was submerged in the pool, licking the blood from her face with a long disgusting black tongue. Several changelings shoved a mewling pegasus colt to her. "Sombra! You'll have to you'll have to tell me how you came about this absolutely ecstatic dark magic.", she said before lifting the colt in her telekinesis up to her face and taking a bloody bite out its face. She licked the wound on the colt's face before saying, "I find the suffering of the foals to be especially delectable, don't you?" The vile display did nothing to impress Sombra.
"Our spy has failed, or else it would have returned with the Crystal Heart by now." Sombra said coldly, "It won't be long before the ponies around here start to figure out where their kinfolk are disappearing to. They're already sending search parties out. By the end of the week have this hive split into three and send them out to set up in new places. When the search parties find this place, I only want them to find the bones of their loved ones here."
"This is not the changeling way! Let them search for us, when they find this place, we'll-"
Sombra's eyes flashed with malevolent power.
Dejectedly Chrysalis tossed the colt away to a group of changelings. They immediately leapt upon it and ripped its body apart. "Fine! I was very hungry anyway. In seven days this hive will split and set up in three new places."
"You will also lead a significant force to Griffonstone to kidnap as many of their young as possible, do with the adults and adolescents as you want, but bring the young to me alive. I will twist them into an elite shock for us to use."
"Why? We already have enough changelings to-"
Sombra raised his hoof and struck her across the face.
She fell hard on the floor, greenish-black blood trickling from the corner of her mouth. "Bastard!", she snarled.
"YOU WILL DO AS I SAY! NO QUESTION! OR I WILL STRIP EVERY OUNCE OF DARK MAGIC I GAVE TO YOU, BURN THIS BROOD AND TOSS YOU BACK IN THAT HOLE I FOUND YOU IN TO ROT!", he shouted.
She rose and bowed, hatred burning in her eyes.
"Also I need a small force of twenty changelings. There is a force in play and I intend to root it out."
"Yes King Sombra.", she said venom dripping from her voice.
"Good!", he said in a wicked tone, "I'd hate to have to have to discard a valuable tool."
***
As dawn broke Harald rose from where had been sitting for the night. He quietly gathered up his shield and weapons. The forest was unusually quiet, no birds were singing, no small animal were scampering through the undergrowth. A quiet forest was a scared forest. Something was hunting him. He closed his eyes, summoned the weirding and directed it to enhance his senses. He could feel the creature walking along the road. Whatever it was it had a powerful aura and it was hunting him! He realized that it was following the trail he has left last night. He cursed himself for not being more cautious.
In the predawn gloom Cadance reached the edge of the forest and banked eastwards towards she had seen the heir fleeing the empire. In her sharp vision she had picked up his footprints in the ground. She swooped low along the ground following the trail until it entered the forest. Landing she she ran easily following the trail. She paused where she found he had collapsed and vomited. "So this where he finally overexerted himself.", she said softly to herself allowing her eyes to follow the trail, "No creature can push itself that hard without needing to find a place to rest for the night. He shouldn't be more than a few leagues from here." She ran along the road using her magic to keep hoofbeats silent. She paused as the first rays of dawn began pouring through the trees. Up ahead she saw where saw a small patch of debris and dirt had been cleared from the forest floor. She quietly walked up to it and saw paving stones of the old road. She followed the trail with her eyes as it led to a clump of trees, she saw among the trees the ruins of an old stone building. "He spent the night in there.", she thought. She reached out with her aura and felt his life force. "He's still in there!", she thought, "I must take this slowly, a cornered animal is the most dangerous." As she slowly approached the building she heard several slaps of metal on wood. "He knows I'm here and has just issued a challenge!", she thought, "He might not know I'm a ruler of Equestria. Time to answer his challenge!" She formed a shield around herself and prepared to teleport.
Harald slipped his shield on his left arm and quietly drew the axe from its ring on his belt. He slowly backed towards the rear wall assuming a defensive stance. He felt the prickle of its aura across his skin and then felt the creature walk towards the ruined building. The creature knew he was here but he wasn't going to let himself be taken without a fight. He shifted his stance into an aggressive one, preparing to lunge. He slapped his shield with his axe in a challenge, raised it and prepared to strike. A brilliant light flashed in the ruins and Harald lunged forward, swinging his axe downward with all his strength. Instead of feeling the blade bite into flesh, he felt a shockwave travel up his arm. Before he could recover a telekinetic field seized him. Harald blinked with astonishment, he found himself face to face with a pink alicorn, her mane had purple, pink and blonde streaks in it.
Cadance lowered her shield, levitated the necklace onto him and released the telekinetic field. "Are you the heir of Irontooth?", Cadance asked.
Harald dropped to one knee, laid his on the ground, lowered his head in reverence and placed a fist on his chest. "I am.", he replied, "Sky Queen, I apologize for attacking you. My actions were inexcus-"
"Your actions were wholly justified.", she interrupted, "You were simply acting in self defense. I would have done the same in your place. Now gather your things, we must leave this place. Our enemies may already know you're here."
"Yes Sky Queen.", Harald replied grabbing his axe and rising to his feet. He returned the axe to the ring on his belt.
Cadance closed her eyes and focused her mind on Celestia and Luna, "Aunts I have found him! He's safe. I'll be taking him to Ponyville.", she focused her mind to Twilight, "Twi, prepare yourself. I'm coming your way with the heir.", finally she focused her mind to Shining Armor, "Shining! You and Flurry make your way quickly to Twilight's quickly! I have the heir!" Cadance lowered herself to the ground, "Climb on and hang on tight. We must take flight, I'm taking you to my sister-in-law in Ponyville. You'll be safe there."
Harald attached the shield to hook on his back his back, climbed up on her back, tucked his knees under him, leaned his body against her neck and gripped her mane in his hands. Cadance rose up to her full height, flared her wings, summoned her magic to compensate for the added weight, flexing her legs she launched them both upwards above the canopy of the forest and spread her wings. Harald thought he would be flung clean off her back, but to his surprise other than having to shift his weight slightly he stayed in place. Flapping her wings she hovered in place gaining her bearings. Harald's hand shot forward pointing, "Sky Queen! Movement on the ridge!" Cadance looked to where he was pointing. She saw a familiar black unicorn with a red horn flanked by several changelings warped by dark magic. "Sombra!", she snarled. Igniting her horn with magic, she blasted the ridge. Dust and splintered rock filled the air where the ridge used to be.
Sombra manifested above the dust cloud in his smoke form, laughing his horn flared with dark magic. "You'll have to do better than that pri-", his face froze in shock and horror seeing the creature standing on her back hold its sword over in its head bellowing a challenge. "NO!", he shouted before recoiling and disappearing. Sombra below the ridge, his body trembling. "No! It can't be! An upright tracked me back here. I slaughtered every village and hamlet I came across.", his face twists into a mask of fear and anger, "Now it is here and the princesses have it as an ally. And it dares to challenge me?! Me! King Sombra!" He turned and screamed above the din of tumbling earth and boulders, "KILL THEM! KILL THEM BOTH!", he then teleported away. Six changelings flew out of the dust cloud and started firing red bolts of energy at them.
"Get down! We are leaving now!" Cadance shouted before turning into a diving bank to avoid the blasts of energy. Harald dropped to his knees sharply as a bolt of energy sizzled above them. She winced slightly at the impact of his knees but didn't let it affect her flying. He sheathed his sword and ducked down as another bolt sizzled overhead. She swooped upwards and two more bolts of energy exploded in the forest below setting the tops of a few trees aflame. She leveled off flying fast and hard, banking left the right as more bolts sizzled past. He leaned up to her ear and shouted, "More flying creatures ahead. The lead creature is far ahead of them and leaving a rainbow trail behind it and it's coming on fast!" "Praise Celestia and Luna! They've sent the Wonderbolts to assist us! Rainbow Dash is leading them!", she shouted, "Hang on! This is going to get dicey!" She pitched into a high speed arcing roll as they felt the heat of an energy bolt pass by their head. As she leveled off a bolt crackled past her ear.
"Hold level for a quick second!", he shouted as he spun re-positioning himself farther back on her, wrapping his legs around her midsection and locked his feet under her. "What are you doing?", she shouted. He reached over his head grabbing his shield with both hands, pulling it over him and slipping it on his arm. "I'm going to use my shield to try and deflect some of their shots! Their aim is getting better! You focus on getting us out of here!", he shouted back. She heard a crackle then a loud thwack as she saw a bolt of energy angle away from them. "Quick thinking.", she thought, she then remembered Celestia telling him he would do anything to protect her. She readjusted her magic to alter the wind currents around them both. She continued to swoop, climb and dive to make it harder for them to hit them.
A rainbow blur streaked past them and into the group of pursuing changelings. It shot upwards creating an expanding ring of multi-colored light that scattered the changelings. A second later it caught up to them with a loud boom. Cadance leveled her wings and Harald ducked behind his shield as the rainboom buffeted them before passing. A blue pegasus with a rainbow mane and tail and fierce violet eyes swooped down beside them from above.
"Princess! I'm here to- Whoa!", she shouted in her sandy voice as a red bolt of energy streaked past. She banked into a roll dodging the bolt. "That was extra spicy!"
Harald raised his head above his shield. The changelings were regrouping in a wide formation. He gave a quick count. Five. Before he could scan the sky for the sixth, dozens of pegasi streaked past. The sky behind them erupted into brawling and bolts of energy lancing through the air.
"Rainbow!", Cadance exclaimed, "I'm guessing Celestia and Luna sent the Wonderbolts to help."
"Yes Cadance, Celestia and Luna gave me an order to escort you and your companion to Twilight.", she replied.
Harald saw a shadow descending from above. He raised his shield to defend himself, but was too slow.
The sixth changeling had used the force of the rainboom to propel itself upwards through the air. It a shifted its form into a falcon to fly with speed. Arcing high through the air it watched as dozens of pegasi streaked past. Seeing its opening it tipped into a steep dive. Flapping its wings hard it aimed for the upright. The upright moved to defend itself but was too slow. The changeling transformed back into its original form before slamming into it. It slammed its forelimbs into the upright's shoulders knocking it on its back, it then kicked its rear limbs into the upright's gut.
Harald felt the air rush out of him as the changeling pinned him on Cadance's back. He threw a punch at it. The changeling transformed into a snake, coiling around his arm and neck, constricting it started squeezing the life out of him. Harald tried to lift his shield to bash the creature of him but found his strength momentarily failed. He struggled against the changeling strangling him, focusing on trying to stay conscious. His vision blurred at the edges as a blue streak flew in from his left.
Rainbow Dash saw the changeling strangling the upright. She flew in fast and hard, slamming her forefoot into the changeling. The stunned changeling snapped back into its original form and tumbled backwards off Cadance's flank. Cadance bucked at it, narrowly missing.
Sucking in air, Harald lifted himself up ignoring the pain of the spasming muscles in his midsection. Rainbow wrapped her forelegs around his arm to help pull him up. He grasped her forelimb to help her pull him up. He raised his shield and propped it on Cadance's flank.
Suddenly his grip went tight as he yanked her behind the shield. "What are-", she shouted as a bolt of energy slammed into his helmet. Shards of metal filled the air as he reeled backwards. He leaned forward. He had a disoriented look on his face. He blinked hard, the fierce determination returned to his face. The right side of his helmet was blown away, the cheek guard dangled by the chin strap below his face.
"Whoa! Are you okay?", Dash asked.
"That's why I wear a helmet.", he replied sharply
Suddenly his hand moved, shoving her down hard on Cadance's flank. Rainbow grunted in protest, she heard a crackle, the crack of wood and a wet smack. A bolt of energy pierced Harald's shield and slammed into his chest.
"Guh!", he exclaimed. He moved his hand to his chest and leaned forward, resting his head on the edge of his shield. His eyes closed tight as his face twisted in a grimace of pain. His breathing became wet ragged gasps. He coughed and flecks of bright red blood stained his lips.
Rainbow Dash flew out from behind his shield. "You're hurt, bad!"
"It's nothing! I've had worse. Just a scratch." His voice sounded like he was talking underwater. He gave a wet spluttering cough.
Cadance formed a shield around them and turned to face the changeling. It fired a red bolt of energy that deflected harmlessly off her shield. She ignited magic in her horn and fired and bolt of brilliant blue energy at the changeling. As the bolt impacted it, the changeling exploded into smoldering chunks. Dropping the shield, she flew down to the ground and landed. "Dash! Help him down so I can see how bad it is."
Harald unhooked his feet and forward. His chest burned and he felt like he was drowning. He leaned to climb off her back, spots danced before his eyes and his body felt like it was made of lead as his strength gave out. He fell to his left as the world felt as it was tipping. A warm body braced against him.
"I've got ya big guy!", Rainbow Dash said bracing her body against his, "Just lean on me. I'll get you to the ground."
Harald let his shield drop to the ground. He reached out with his arms, wrapping them around her body. Rainbow helped him to the ground. Once his feet were on the, he dropped to his hands and knees. He gave a series heaving wet hacks. A small pool of bright red blood and was in front of his face. He reached up with a trembling hand a wiped the blood off his mouth.
Cadance stepped over to Harald, lowered her horn to him and reached out with her magic. She felt his injuries, she felt his strength wavering, she felt his unwavering resolve, strong as iron, keeping him conscious, she felt his intense sadness, she felt his anger and rage. She used her magic to stabilize his punctured lung. "You have a partially collapsed lung and a concussion.", she said softly to him, "I've stabilized your lung, but it won't hold. I'm going to call for help. When it gets here, we're getting you medical help." She reached out with her mind to Celestia, "Aunt, get here fast! I need your help! He's badly injured!"
Celestia and Luna were sitting at a table in one of the gardens sipping thick dark coffee and eating breakfast. Celestia's head snapped up, a concerned look spread across her face and her cup dropped, shattering on the table. "Oh no!", her voice quavered.
Luna reached out with her hoof and touched Celestia on her shoulder, "Go sister! I'll meet you at the Ponyville hospital." Both sisters teleported away.
Rainbow Dash had lifted Harald's shield, inspecting it, she noted where the bolt had penetrated it. "If he hadn't shoved me down, that blast would have hit in the head.", she said sternly, "He saved my life."
"He saved both of our lives.", Cadance replied, "If he hadn't shielded me that blast a few blasts may have hit me."
Celestia appeared with a flash. She quickly account of the situation. The heir on his hands and knees wheezing, Cadance using her magic to keep him stable, Rainbow Dash standing nearby. She reached out with her magic. She felt the hole in his lung, she felt the arteries in his lung bleeding, she felt Cadance keeping his lung from collapsing. "It's good I got here, he's bleeding to death and his lung is filling with blood.", Celestia said, "It's good he's not dead. How did this happen?"
"I found him a few leagues away from the Crystal Empire.", Cadance replied, "When we went to leave, Sombra attacked with some changelings. He protected me and Dash. He wouldn't have been injured if one of their blasts hadn't penetrated his shield."
Celestia looked over at the shield seeing the hole burned in it. She walked over to Harald, "Are you strong enough to speak?"
He wheezed then responded, "Yes Sky Queen."
"Are you strong enough to stand?"
He rose to his knees, planted a foot under him and attempted to stand. He collapsed back to his hands and knees. He gave a wet wet cough and spit out more bright red blood. "I'm sorry Sky Queen, my strength appears to have fled me.", he apologized with a wet wheeze.
She close beside him and knelt down. "No need to apologize. You are badly injured. It was cruel of me to ask you stand without help. Put your forelimb across me and I'll lend my strength to you."
"Thank you Sky Queen." He rose to his knees, laid his left arm across her shoulders and leaned his weight on her.
Celestia reached out with her magic to brace him. Slowly she rose helping him to his feet. "Easy does it. Just get your legs under you. I've got you.", she said softly. As she rose to her full height he planted his feet. Celestia used her magic to hold his up. "What is your name?"
He tipped his head in reverence and put his fist to his chest, he would have knelt if Celestia's magic wasn't holding him up. "Sky Queen. My name is Harald Irontoothson."
"Okay Harald, we're getting you out of here. I'm taking you to a hospital to heal your injuries.", Celestia said calmly, "Just brace yourself on me until we get there. Rainbow Dash, bring his shield over and stay close. Cadance keep that stabilizing spell spell on him until we're in the hospital. Harald, hang on. Long distance teleportation can be taxing on ponies who aren't injured, I cannot speak on what it's going to be like for one as injured as you." Celestia summoned the teleportation spell and the four of them vanished in a bright flash, a small patch of scorched grass was the sign they had been been there.
Light and heat played across Harald's skin. His insides lurched as reality warped around him. Suddenly he was standing in a room, the clatter and rustle of loose objects filled the air. Pain like fire erupted in his chest. Giving wet gasps, he tried to catch his breath. A midnight blue alicorn stood on the far side of the room across from him. He tried to raise his fist to his chest in a reverent salute. Instead the floor started rushing up at him while his vision faded into darkness. Just before the world disappeared into darkness a pink figure darted under him.
Luna had ordered the waiting room of Ponyville medical cleared in anticipation of Celestia and Cadance's arrival.
"This pony must be pretty important for two princesses to bring him here.", an ER nurse said to Luna.
"He is not a pony.", Luna replied with a measured calmness, "But he is very important to us and all of Equestria."
"Is it a griffon?", the nurse asked.
Luna shook her head calmly. "No , Nurse...", Luna looked down reading her name tag, "...Chipper, this is a creature that hasn't been seen in this country for many, many centuries. Its kind come from far beyond our borders and have fallen into legend. My sister and I are the only ones old enough to remember their kind."
Nurse Chipper tilted her head slightly in thought. "The only creater that I can think of from old legend that no sign of them has ever been seen is hoom-muhns."
Suddenly light flashes in the waiting room as loose papers flew about and clipboards clattered. Several ponies felt their bodies lurch as Celestia, Cadance, Rainbow Dash and Harald materialized. Luna watched as Harald tried to raise his right forelimb before collapsing forward.
Cadance dashed in front of, catching him across her body. "I've got him!", she shouted.
Luna gestured for the gurney. Two earth ponies ran up pushing a gurney, rolled up next to Cadance and helped lay him down on it.
"Luna! Stay with him. Keep him calm.", Celestia called out as the gurney rolled away, "I'll take care of the paperwork."
Luna nodded her head and followed the gurney back.
Cadance found a place to sit, stared off blankly and started to tremble as the weight of everything that had happened began to weight on her.
Celestia walked over to the admissions desk, levitated an admission form, a clipboard and pen to her. "Crazy morning, huh?", she said to the nurse.
The nurse nodded with a stunned look on her face.
Celestia walked over to a seat, sat down and started filling out the form. Where it asked first name, she didn't know how he spelled his first name, so she spelled it H-a-r-o-l-d.
"Um princess?", Rainbow Dash asked in her sandy voice, "If it's all the same to you, I think I'm gonna go home. I know I'm supposed to be back tomorrow, but I think Applejack will still be happy to see me regardless."
"Hmm?", said from behind the form, "Yes, go on home and give my love to the family." She looked from behind the clipboard and smiled at the blue pegasus walking off with Harald's shield on her back. "Oh and Rainbow Dash, leave the shield."
Rainbow laughed sheepishly as she slid the shield off her back and propped it next to Celestia. She looked at Cadance and her face became serious, she placed a hoof on Celestia's forelimb, "I think you should check on Cadance, she doesn't look so good."
Celestia looked over the top of the clipboard, a grimace of concern spread across her face. "Thank you Dash.", she said softly, "How are you holding up?"
"To be honest, this has me kinda shook up inside. When I get home I'm gonna see if Granny Smith has anything leftover from breakfast, help buck some apples, take a nap, maybe get a hot bath and see I can get myself sorted out.", Rainbow replied.
Celestia smiled at how resilient Dash was as she quietly walked off. After Dash had left, Celestia turned to Cadance, "Cadance, why don't you go splash some water on your face?"
Cadance didn't register, just kept staring blankly and trembling.
"Cadance?"
Again didn't register her aunt's voice.
Celestia laid down the clipboard, cleared her voice and raised her voice slightly, "Cadance!"
Cadance snapped out of her trance, blinked a few times and looked over at her concerned aunt, "I'm sorry auntie, I was a million miles away."
"It's okay.", Celestia replied, "Go to Twilight's, get something strong to drink and calm your nerves."
"Yes auntie.", Cadance replied. She slowly rose, still trembling and quietly left the hospital.
Lights passed over Harald as consciousness drifted back to him. He was laying on his back being pushed on something. Several blurry figures were tugging at the buckles holding his shield hook and weapons. "Get off!", he wheezed. He threw a weak punch at one of the figures, his fist connected and one of the figures grunted. He winced and groaning as he started sitting up.
A limb gently pushed on his chest. "Sir.", a voice said calmly but firmly, "You're in a hospital. We need you to calm down so we can he-"
Luna gently placed a wing on his shoulder, leaned in close and spoke softly in a soft voice, "Calm down. You're safe. Do as these ponies say, they're trying to heal you."
"Yes Sky Queen.", Harald replied. He then slid his arms out of the shoulder straps of his backpack.
Luna levitated it on her back.
He helped the ponies undo his the buckles for his shield hook and weapons. He watched a nurse with bruise forming on her eye pulled them away. He laid back on the gurney. "I am sorry for striking you.", he wheezed.
"Think nothing of it.", she said brushing the apology aside, "My ex-husband did worse to me."
The concept of one harming their spouse was alien to him but not unheard of.
"Let's get this armor off so we can see how how bad your injuries are.", one of the nurses said.
Harald grunted in protest but didn't resist as they helped him sit up and pulled the chainmail tabbard over his head. He then slid his simple tunic off.
A cold metal circle was placed against his chest, a tube ran from it and forked into two tubes up to a pony's ears. "Just breathe as normal as you can.", a pony said wearing a white lab coat. The pony slid the circle around his chest and on his left side. "As far as I can tell, his heart sounds good. But the lower lobe on his left lung has collapsed and there is definitely fluid in his lung.", the white coat wearing pony said, "He's probably lost a lot of blood too. Do we have any compatible blood."
"We'll have to run some lab tests doctor. But I doubt we have any compatible blood."
The doctor grimaced at that. "Give him something for pain. We need to prep him for surgery so we can get his lung properly inflated."
The nurse pulled out a syringe and needle, pushed it into a bottle, filling it with a clear liquid. "Okay, you'll feel a slight pinch.", she said to Harald.
Harald scrunched his nose slightly at the stabbing pinprick of pain in his hip. After a few minutes the burning in his chest reduced slightly.
As they entered the surgery theater, several ponies had taken seats around the theater. Several nurses helped Harald to the cold metal surgery table.
Luna looked at the doctors and nurses scowling. "If you aren't vital to this procedure, leave.", she lightly stamped her hoof, "Now!"
The doctors and nurses in their seats around the theater got up and left grumbling.
"We have never seen his kind before, princess.", the surgeon, a light green unicorn, protested from behind his mask, "As you well know, this is a teaching hos-" The surgeon stopped mid-sentence when Luna's gaze met him.
"His people are very proud surgeon.", Luna said sternly, "Having a bunch of ponies stare upon him like some oddity during his time of weakness for him would be a fate worse than death and he would refuse any help, even if it meant his death." In a calmer tone she continued, "I'm sure if you ask him politely after he has healed, he may allow you some non-invasive tests."
"Very well princess.", the surgeon said tipping his head, "If your sister were here-"
"If I were here,", Celestia said walking through the doors to the surgery gowned up for surgery, levitating a mask to her face, ",I'd say mind your tone with my sister." She looked at the surgeon, "You will assist my sister and I with the surgery, we're the only ones who have familiarity with his anatomy."
The surgeon bowed his head. "Yes your majesty. Though this is most unusual.", the surgeon sniped.
"You must agree that this has been a most unusual morning.", Celestia retorted. "Luna, go scrub up for surgery."
Luna quickly leaves to wash properly clean her hooves and get surgical scrubs.
Celestia ignites the magic in her horn. "Brace yourself Harald, this will feel strange." She reaches out with her magic, feeling along his ribcage. "Good,", she thought to herself, "no broken ribs, at least we won't have to deal with bone shards." She continued probing with her magic, feeling along his left lung. She felt along the collapsed lobe, she sensed in it, something small, metallic, tangled up in a few threads of fabric. "Doctor, have nurse inspect his shirt, there is a fragment of metal and cloth in his lung."
The doctor nods and gestures to one of the attending nurses. She quickly leaves.
Several minutes later Luna returns scrubbed for surgery. She sees what Celestia is doing. She quietly trots up and stands across from her sister. She ignites her magic and reaches out with her magic feeling where her sister is feeling.
Celestia locks eyes with Luna for a split second with a knowing look.
They probe his heart and though they find its rhythm steady, it is starting to become strained from the loss of blood. Luna closes her eyes, reaches out with her mind and magic. At a nearby nurses station a pen and paper levitates, it writes out the ingredients for a tincture. Then the paper folds and the pen writes "To Twilight Sparkle".
The bewildered nurse stares at the note for a second before handing it off to an orderly. The orderly just nods before running for the nearest exit.
Luna leaned in close to Harald's ear and whispered, "I'm going to put you in a deep sleep. You will awaken in a few hours out this room." Blue magic flares across Harold's forehead. His eyes close as he drifts off into a deep sleep.
Celestia marks a spot on Harald's chest, "Alright doctor, cut here so we can get that out of his lung. If you're unsure, my sister and I will guide you."
Harald found himself amongst the familiar forests of his homeland. The smell of fresh grass and the brisk chill in the air told him it was early spring. The only thing that seemed off was the sun and moon was shining brightly overhead. But he didn't care, set out running feeling the brisk air rush over him and past him. Suddenly the light faded as roiling clouds rolled in, pregnant with malevolent energy.
Celestia and Luna felt something dark push against their magic and they felt the edges of his life force begin to unravel. "Hurry doctor!", cried out, "We can feel him slipping away!"
A black unicorn with a curved red horn manifested in front of Harald. It smiled with fanged teeth and spoke in an evil tone, "I have you now! No use in running or fighting, you're here with me. Though it will give me pleasure to see you try."
"All...most...got...there!", the doctor exclaimed withdrawing surgical instrument holding the small piece of metal tangled in a small piece of cloth. "Nurse, let's reinflate that lung."
The nurse inserts a tube in the incision, blood drains out into a container. The nurse gently pushes a long needle into his chest, once it is far enough in she slowly presses the plunger down.
Harald lunged at the black unicorn.
Sombra knocked him away with his hooves easily. "You don't give up easily.", Sombra said laughing with a viscous smile, laughing at him mockingly, "Good, that'll make killing you so much sweeter."
Harald heard familiar voices come from around him, near and far silmutaneously. He felt a sharp pinch in his chest and air rush into him. He gave a quick blink of realization. He locked eyes with Sombra and returned the viscous smile. Silver and gold lightning arced across the clouds.
Sombra looked around with fear and confusion. "What?! How did?!", was all he splutter.
"You were right about two things, evil one.", Harald said his shoulders hunched menacingly, the lightning playing shadows across his face, "One, you're here with me! And two,we Rimewalkers don't die easily." An axe manifested in his hand. "But it shall be me who tastes the sweetness of your death.", he hissed. Harald gripped the haft of the axe tightly in both hands before charging the evil unicorn bellowing. He swung the axe into Sombra's cheek. As the blade made purchase, Sombra vanished in a puff of smoke. "Flee while you can coward!", Harald shouted, "I will find you and I will slay you!" The clouds rolled away and the last few arc of lightning played across sky. He faded into the deep dreamless sleep of exhaustion.
In a fetid cave far away Sombre sat in a circle of candles, arcane symbols scratched in the floor. Dark magic played across his horn, his eyes closed in concentration. Suddenly his magic extinguished with a loud crack and he was sent tumbling across the floor. He held a hoof to his cheek and removed it looking at the blood on it.
A few hours later at the hospital, Celestia was sitting in a chair close to Harald's bed, Luna was sitting in a chair in the corner asleep, lightly snoring. He stirred and groaned, waking up. Celestia stood and walked over to his bed.
Harald slowly opened his eyes, he found himself looking into the brilliant blue eyes and fair skin of his betrothed. "Oh Ilga! My beloved!", he said leaning up kissing her and caressing her cheek.
Beside him a door creaked open and a voice said, "Celestia, Luna? I've brought the ti...eep!", the door snapped shut with a loud click.
Luna snapped awake with a snort."I'm up! Did I...", Luna gaped at Harald kissing her very surprised sister.
Harald snapped fully awake from not feeling his betrothed's face, the voice at the door, the door snapping shut and Luna's voice. He was not staring into the eyes of his betrothed Ilga, he was staring into the eyes of a surprised Celestia. He immediately recoiled, falling off the bed with a shout, snatching the IV out his arm and knocking the IV stand over with a loud crash. He rose to one knee, placed a fist on his chest and bowed his head in reverence, "Sky Queen! Forgive my indiscretion!"
Celestia and Luna gaped at what just happened when the door clicked open.
Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Cadance, Shining Armor and Flurry Heart were walking down the hallway to Harald's room. Rainbow had a wing over AJ's shoulder, she whispered in AJ's ear.
"Dashie! You're so bad!", Applejack responded playfully, "Later." They kissed lightly.
Flurry smiled lightly at their display of affection even after all these years being married.
Cadance and Shining nuzzled lightly.
Flurry scrunched her face in an over-exaggerated display of disgust at her parents display of affection and made a gagging sound.
"Okay, I'll go in first and deliver the tincture.", Twilight said, "Then we'll filter in so as to not overwhelm him." Twilight pushed the door open with a soft click, "Celestia, Luna? I'he brought the ti...eep!", she snapped the door closed with a loud click. A surprised look was on her face.
"Twi?", Applejack asked, stepping forward placing a hoof on her friend's shoulder, "What's wrong?" Applejack was expecting the worst.
Twilight looked at Applejack. "He...he was kissing her!"
"What?", Applejack said tipping her head to the side. Twilight's response had confused her.
"He was kissing her AJ! On the mouth!", Twilight exclaimed softly.
A second later a loud crash came from the room.
Applejack opened the door with a click. "What in Equestria is goin'", she paused looking at the two princesses staring with surprised look on their faces at the creature with the red mane with bedraggled braids kneeling on the floor, its right forelimb on it's chest, its head bowed. Applejack raised her voice and clicked her hoof on the floor to get their attention. "What in tarnation is goin' on here! Twilight said she saw somepony kissin'on Celestia!"
Celestia and Luna snapped out of their stunned stupor. They looked at the orange earth pony mare with a blonde mane. She had a stern look on her face. Both alicorns regained their regal composure.
Celestia cleared her throat, "Yes he did kiss me. He awoke in a confused state thinking I was his beloved. When he realized what happened, he panicked slightly." She walked over to Harald, placed a hoof gently on his shoulder, smiled slyly, bent her head down to his ear and spoke softly to him, "Though it was pleasant, next time ask my permission."
"Yes Sky Queen.", Harald responded, "But it doesn't excuse my indiscretion."
"So you await my judgement?", Celestia said, "Very well!" Celestia rose to her full height, flared her wings and held her head in full regal pose.
Harald trembled in expectation.
"Oh boy, my sister does love her theatrics.", Luna teased, "I really wish I had brought popcorn for this." She sat in a chair to watch the "trial".
Celestia shot a quick glare at her sister before getting back to the matter at hoof. "We Princess Celestia Rubicon Invictus hereby pass out judgement upon thee!", she said in a clear voice, "Harald Irontoothson, heir of Jorgen the Irontooth! We find thee...innocent of any malicious intent. Rise as a free pony and let none accuse thee of wrongdoing." Celestia sighed, "I hate taking in such an outdated way." She folded her wings back against her flanks.
Harald rose to his feet slowly.
Luna clopped her hooves together. "Brava sister! Encore!", she said teasing her sister.
Celestia glowered at her sister for a second before collecting herself. She turned to Twilight, "Did you bring the tincture?"
Twilight nodded. "Yes I did.", she levitated a bottle of liquid and packet of powder out of her flank pack, "You'll have to mix the powder in and shake it up before drinking it." She levitated it over to him.
Harald took the bottle and packet out the air. He popped the lid off the bottle, opened the packet, poured the powder in, placed his palm over the open lip and vigorously shook it for several seconds. Removing his hand, he placed up to his face, taking in a deep breath to brace himself, placing it to his lips he upended the bottle and drained it in a few hard gulps. Lowering the empty bottle, he smacked his mouth hard while wincing his face in disgust at the bitter, oily taste of the tincture that clung to his tongue.
"Now that's done,", chimed in, "Yer gonna stay at our place on Sweet Apple Acres. It's the least I can do fer you savin' my wife."
Harald looked the orange earth pony with brilliant green eyes, blonde mane and tail, then to the blue pegasus with blazing violet eyes and rainbow mane and tail who walked up next to Applejack, placing a wing across her. Harald tipped his head in respect, bowing slightly, "Thank you ladies...um..."
"Applejack.", AJ responded, "And this here's my better half, Rainbow Dash. Just Applejack and Rainbow Dash or AJ and Rainbow if you prefer."
"Yeah!", Dash chimed up, "We might be co-rulers of Equestria, but we ain't a bunch of hoity toity stodgy nobles."
Harald bowed again with respect, "Thank you ladies...*ahem*...", he paused awkwardly for a second, "...I mean Applejack and Rainbow Dash. You do me a great kindness."
"Don't think it too much of a kindness. We're gonna put ya to work. Can't have ya jus' sittin' around doin' nuthin', yer gonna earn yer room and board.", Applejack said.
"But of course. I'd dishonor myself if I took from your family and gave nothing back.", Harald replied.
" Now that's settled, Twilight lead the way to your castle.", Luna said, "We have the business of proper introductions. And don't worry about your things, my sister and I had them sent to the castle. Except for your shirt and cloak, Rarity insisted on cleaning them and inspecting them."
With that the ponies awkwardly stuffed past each other in the hallway. Twilight took the lead and they started walking down the hallway in near total silence, only teasing whispers between Applejack, Rainbow and the occasional "blech" from Flurry in disgust at her parents flirting nuzzles were spoken.
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My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
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10127514
quite a lot, but just for you...
i.imgur.com/Vf6XdFd.gif
In any event, good job and keep writing :)
10127769
*basks in the glory of double Techno Viking*
Holy crap! I wish I was half as jacked as he still is at 20!
Why did you make the chapters so long?
10127899
It's a combination of manic creativity and inspiration from Tolkien and Herbert.
HAROLD? who is harold?! why did you put a picture of king ragnar lothbrok on the cover!!! You made me think that this was a Vikings crossover
10329444
No it's spelled Harald. I chose that because the other pictures I found depicted mostly naked muscle bound guys wearing loincloths and horned helmets, though I'm not opposed to that, it didn't fit what I was looking for image-wise as I seriously lack Photoshop skills. Have you been enjoying the story so far? Other than my choice in name and picture, are there any other criticisms?
....
Fricked it...
Oh yes, fourth wall Pinkie. Of course.
Has Dota 2 flashbacks. Shivers. "Does he too have infinite stun?"
Funny, same time as the EROH universe's Twilight.
The Wheel of Time? Well, the Wheel weaves as the Wheel wills.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pb1eMwm7fS8
10354616
As a pagan I actually drew from my own personal spiritual beliefs as mystic time is often a factor in spiritual practices.
Accuracy IV