Chapter 27: Aftermath
Spike had never liked the Dragon Lord, nor Ember for that matter, even before he found out she was a Princess; both of them acted mean to his big brother, and thus were worthy of his ire. The feeling ran deep enough that when Lady Blaze, a dragon Spike thought of as nice and pretty, had shown up the previous evening with Ember in tow and with terrible news about Torch, he’d felt tempted to say Ember’s father deserved it for punishing Garble after his brother had stuck up for Ember. Spike opted not to, because of how distressed Blaze had looked when talking to his mother.
So, instead, he’d settled for waiting until his mother would take Ember to see Torch the next day. The Dragon Lord was being tended to by Grandma Topaz, of course, and his mother would have to bring them. His Father was asked to assist Blaze during her reign as Dragon Lord, acting as the power behind her temporary throne. Spike was sure Grandma Topaz likely wouldn’t reprimand him if he gave the Dragon Lord a piece of his mind. She had quite the sharp tongue herself, at least where Torch was involved, though never for her grandchildren.
However, when the time came, upon seeing the Dragon Lord all bandaged and bloodied, Spike felt struck mute and couldn’t have spoken a word if his life depended on it. There was something wrong about seeing Torch like this. Spike thought him a jerk, but he was the Dragon Lord, he always thought that Torch being injured was like he himself scraping his knee, meaningless, something to walk off after someone gave comfort. Torch seemed small for the first time ever.
Seeing Ember clinging to her father’s knee reminded Spike too much of Smolder and their own father when he’d been slashed. Smolder had remained at their father’s side after he’d got injured, weeping and begging for him to get better. Just like then, Grandma Topaz had done all she could, wrapping enormous bandages around the injured dragon’s exposed hide. Spike’s thoughts turned to his own scars. He could only cover his injuries, feeling a slight phantom pain. He heard a low sound arise from the prone mass of Torch.
“What’s happening?” mumbled the Dragon Lord, in barely a whisper. “Where’s your mother?”
His daughter answered him. “Mom’s the Dragon Lord, until you get better,” Ember sniffled, bringing her head to rest against Torch’s snout. “She’s ordered Garble’s dad and another dragon to help her keep the jerks in line.”
“Thank goodness,” Torch muttered, letting out a small sigh of relief.
The mantle of Dragon Lord was unforgiving. Brilliant as Blaze was, as much as she could wrap him around her finger, she was still so small compared to other dragons, and physically lacking as well. If she didn’t have guards to enforce her authority, she might get hurt if a dragon felt belligerent or angry enough. Having a dragon like Flare or any Ironscale at her side would be a boon beyond measure.
Torch’s gaze met Ember’s. “Who’s watching you?” When Ember pointed out Amber, he said, “I see.”
His eye drifted to Garble, then to Smolder, and finally Spike, who looked as if he’d just managed to resist the urge to stick his tongue out. If Torch was honest with himself, the feeling was mutual. He still remembered that day Amber had brought the newly-hatched whelp to his cave, then dared chide him for mishandling a crying child. Despite how he could see the value in the Ironscale as allies, he wished he could count on more of them individually than Flare to show him deference. Did Blaze not have just one other friend whom she could call on? Preferably one without a son around their daughter’s age?
But Torch pushed his reservations to the back of his head. “You’re being good?” he asked Ember. She nodded quietly. “Good. Good.”
Torch lightly bobbed his head, before letting his eyes close. Soon, snoring filled the cave.
“He needs his rest now,” Topaz told the others, using her claw to push Ember away from her father and towards the mouth of the cave. “It’s best to run along now.”
The old dragon’s advice was not immediately heeded. Ember ran back past the older dragon and hugged her father’s muzzle one last time, after which she did follow Spike’s family outside the cave.
Standing with the children gathered around her, looking out upon an unusually drab and gray morning for the Dragonlands, Amber brought her wings to shelter the five of them, and did her best to sound comforting, particularly where Ember was concerned.
“No need to worry, dear,” Amber assured the little princess. “My grandmother will make sure your father makes a quick recovery. In the meantime, is there anything you'd like to do today?”
Rather than reply directly, Ember whispered something to Smolder, who then whispered it to Amber, much to the annoyance of Spike and Garble.
“Ah, your mother told me about that,” Amber said, nodding at Ember. “Well. Come now, everyone, we’re going to stop by and visit Uncle Smog. You have fun with him, Spike, Garble.”
“Wait, where are we going?” Spike asked in confusion.
“The girls and I are going someplace secret,” Amber told him, certain she’d successfully hidden her grin. “You and Garble, on the other hand, are going to stay with Uncle Smog for the day.”
Ember dried her eyes and managed a smirk.
“Girls only!” she said, sticking her tongue out at the two.
For Spike, this was the ultimate betrayal, one that he would never forget, until the next day. But for Garble, fair was fair. There were countless times Spike and he had their boy games, so where was the harm in Ember and the other girls doing the same?
As for Smolder, revenge never tasted so sweet.
There was no worse-kept secret in the land than that of the Lord Consort's Hot Springs.
The Springs were a secluded group of pools warmed by underground magma, surrounded by flora and fauna, and a healthy wing-span away from the typical crags and volcanoes of dragon territory. Here further South, where the expanse of the Celestial Sea was widest between the Dragonlands and the Great Continent, the area may have been light on dragon population, but it was also low on dangers coming from across the sea. Upon the closest opposite shore, many miles away, lay only the Bone Dry Desert, a contrast to the lushness on offer here.
It made Amber feel a bit rebellious to visit the springs, moreso as she watched Smolder splashing about in the water with Ember. She’d found it humorous to see the smug look on their little faces when she had dropped off Spike and Garble at Smog’s. She hoped it might teach Spike a lesson about leaving people out of games.
“Watch this, Ember! Watch me!”
Still, Amber never stopped being vigilant, making sure she could see the girls at all times. At that particular moment, Smolder looked as if she was showing off, taking a dive from the highest rock she could find and straight into the deep end. She landed with a colossal splash that soaked a giggling Ember.
Seeing Ember so unusually carefree, Amber smiled, thinking there must be a magic to the whole thing.
This place was supposed to be a refuge for Consorts, typically females, to relax with their little hatchlings. However, some Dragon Lords were young and flirtatious, and brought many prospective mates to the springs. As such, what had started out as a private retreat was soon public knowledge. Every dragon knew about these springs. But their sense of honor and tradition kept it reserved for the Lord Consort’s usage, and the Dragon Lord’s.
Flower petals and wild berries littered the pools, allowing steam to give off a sweet-smelling scent that tickled the bathing dragons’ noses. Amber reckoned that the same smell also explained why Garble thought Ember smelled so nice all the time, which was precisely what kept giving her away when she tried to sneak up on him. Blaze likely took her here to bathe every so often.
Even while she kept an eye out for Ember and Smolder, Amber gave a wry little chuckle as she let the warm water lap her scales. At not even ten years of age, her eldest son may already be fearless in a fight, but if Garble had one weakness, it was water. He certainly wouldn’t have looked jealous if he’d known where she was going. She could not picture him getting enjoyment out of a bath like the two girls were; even rainfall, rare though it was in the Dragonlands, would send him scurrying for cover.
Frankly, Smolder wasn’t always easy around water either. But watching her with Ember, if Amber had to make a guess, her daughter was having too much fun with a friend to care. Spike was the only one of her children who never made a fuss.
Soon their games ended, and both looked tired yet happy. After a quick blast of fire from Blaze, the two were again dry and warm.
The rest of the day came and went, and night fell upon the land.
Back at the Ironscales’ home, Spike’s head was resting against Smolder’s body, even though he’d disowned her as his sister not two hours ago. Not that anyone had thought much of the declaration. They all understood it was typical of three-year-olds to over-dramatize the smallest infraction. However, Spike was struggling to find sleep. He was the only one still lying awake, when his whole family, and Ember, had long ago shuffled off to the land of nod.
But Spike had sensed something in the air lately. Small hints, scattered at first. Yet time went on, and the nagging feeling in his brain just kept growing, and growing.
It wasn’t hard to pinpoint when it had started. Every dragon, grown-up or whelp, knew what had happened with the Steelspines’ egg. A great crime, committed by ponies. You couldn’t simply walk away from a loss like that. His grandfather had once mourned a loss similar. How the great Coal Ironscale had been felled in his prime, and how those dragons closest to him had lamented long and hard; until, with the passage of time, their hearts began to heal, and they moved on, though they never forgot.
What filled Spike with unease was that nobody seemed to be moving on from the accursed raid. His father, although his injuries were patched up and healed, had been away from home a lot more since that day the criminals were handed over to Lord Torch. While Flare had promised the Dragon Lord wouldn’t be asking him to do anything dangerous, this wasn’t exactly true. Obviously, now that Ember’s mom was Dragon Lord, she’d want only the best dragons for her guards. Ironscales, though few in numbers, had one of the best defenses in the world, it would be foolish to procure one as a guard.
And Uncle Smog had done his best to keep up a cheery outlook when Garble and Spike spent time with him, but Spike knew his uncle well enough to spot the little tells. There were things going on, which the grown-ups in their family didn’t want the kids knowing about.
Then there was Ember. Although the games she played with Smolder helped her mood, anyone that looked at her could tell she was putting on a brave face. How else was she supposed to feel? Garble tried to have Spike imagine what it would be like, if it had been him being left with another clan, with his family hurt and overworked. He’d be miserable.
There was not much he could do, though. Ember was a stubborn girl, after all. To her, and perhaps all young dragons, death was preferable to accepting help of any sort. However she didn’t seem to mind Garble’s company at night. Nor Smolder’s. Nor Spike’s.
The only one that seemed to be able to handle everything well enough was Garble. He wished he could be more like his older brother. Nothing ever scared him, least of all with his special knife. And Ember and Smolder, so far as he could tell, had gone on a relaxing day out with his mother. He still felt a bit jealous about that, yet they would be alright. Perhaps it was one of those things he had to let grown ups handle. It was an annoying sentence that all children his age had to hear. He could take solace in one thing though, his brother could handle it. In fact, his brother could handle anything, never wavering. For the most part.
He looked towards his brother, and his cheeks inflated due to sheer annoyance. He was with Ember, their spines lay flat against their backs, their backs were against each other. Worse, their tails were entangled. That wasn’t anything too alarming, they were tail wrestling before bed so it was to be expected. He shifted uncomfortably, and for a brief moment, Spike wondered if Ember was stealing away his siblings, but that thought quickly faded. They were still there for him. Ember just needed them more at the moment.
Celestia first heard a beep. Then another. And then the third, at which time she finally was stirred from her slumber. Her dreams were ripped away from her as she opened her eyes to a blinding light. But this was no light like the comforting warmth of her Sun; nor an ethereal shimmer such as the mystic plane where she’d once encountered Mi Amore Cadenza, years ago now, a little flightless pegasus who’d unlocked the door to alicornhood.
This light was cold, harsh, electronic. And today Celestia was the one who felt so vulnerable, so painfully mortal in her marrow, as Cadance had on that night.
‘Equestria?’ she thought to herself.
A pony saw her moving, and the clamoring began. She looked to her left, to find she was surrounded by ponies wearing white coats and scrubs.
What happened next was something of a blur. But soon she had the room to herself, a hearty slice of cake before her, along with a large sandwich, and a sports drink.
Celestia seemed to inhale her meal. She didn’t know the name of her drink, nor the taster, but the word ‘blue’ made the most sense to her. As for the sandwich, it had been made with all her favorite add-ons, of beetroot, lettuce and tomato. And finally, the cake was so light, fluffy, and moist. It must have been made in the last hour or so. Definitely a higher caliber than the usual hospital food. She suspected an import must have got specially ordered in from the Palace.
Blade Sentry could have told her, for he was the first face she recognised from the mass which had crowded her upon her awakening, the only one to remain after all others were shooed from the room, their jobs as physicians and trauma surgeons done for now. But this was a rare time in which Princess Celestia could do nothing except focus on what was right in front of her, and was driven to attend to her immediate physical needs. The Guard waited patiently as she sated herself.
It did not surprise Blade that the Princess was so hungry. Ravenous, even.
Magic exhaustion took a toll on the victim’s body. To pass out for a few days was the fate of a lucky pony. A spell cast was not a process that could be halted. When the spell required too much energy, the caster would start consuming their own body, starting by converting non-essentials such as body fat and even excess muscle into mana, which would keep going until the spell was cast successfully – or a vital was hit. The only course of action for someone as lucky as Celestia was to rest and eat, and avoid casting spells for a couple of weeks. The more unfortunate souls had months or years of recovery to undergo.
“Where are we?” Celestia asked, once she had drunk the last of her drink. “How long has it been?”
“Canterlot, ma’am,” said Blade. “Royal Hospital. You’ve been asleep for a few days.”
“What happened after I passed out?”
“We carried you to Griffonstone,” Blade sighed.
Despite the stoic mask he wore, Celestia could sense how much tribulation her Guards must have gone through, just getting her out of the Dragonlands. While Griffonstone was a shorter trek away than crossing the Celestial Sea, they would still have needed to transport her over a body of water. In fact, if memory wasn’t playing tricks on her, she’d been falling towards the sea when she’d blacked out.
“Once there, we managed to flag a sky-boat. Stopped by the first hospital we could reach, in the Griffish Isles. Then we got an airship to circle back to Manehattan, and from there, back here.”
That made sense. Although they had supplies in case of an emergency, field medics could do only a fraction of what a fully-staffed medical facility could. And even in the Guard, not many truly expected they’d need to heal their Alicorn Princess.
“How much do we owe the griffons for their kindness?” Celestia asked, aware that everything in Griffonstone came with a price tag attached. ‘We need an airship, now,’ had to be like telling a griffon ‘here’s a blank cheque’.
“It’s in the thousands,” Blade said wearily. “Besides which, we had to have the guy pick you up outside of town to keep anyone from trying any funny business.” He chuckled some, plainly recalling the reactions when they’d announced they needed a ship. “What was funny was watching every captain on the port scramble to undercut their competitors’ prices.”
“That’s good, I suppose,” Celestia murmured. “And the dragons?”
“A few stopped by Fillydelphia with a chest full of gold,” Blade explained. “That’s as far as we were going to let them into the country. They didn’t get the warmest of welcomes, but Prince Blueblood’s already been to talk with them. The Dragon Lord wishes to call a truce. I’m paraphrasing, but the gist is, we let bygones and bygones, and just go back to ignoring each other. If there is an altercation, the criminals will face justice in the invaded kingdom.”
Which was a grim reflection of what had happened to the would-be dragon slayers, with the exception of Air Break. Or to the murderous dragons who’d razed Squires Gate. Celestia felt her eyes close, the eyelids gone heavy. The dragons could mete out their brand of justice however they pleased, but she had no taste for capital punishment. Yet in the heat of the moment, there’d been no recourse other than to enact a swift and immediate execution for no less than three marauding dragons.
One of whom upon she’d brought down the ax herself.
“Wait. The Dragon Lord,” Celestia said, frowning. “The envoys, did they mention Torch’s condition? Last I saw him, he’d sustained a quite terrible wound, inflicted by one of his own.”
Blade coughed. “Well, no,” he said, “not exactly. Dragons, they’ve got their pride, you know? But if I understand what Prince Blueblood reported, Lord Torch still lives. The mantle of rulership has passed to the Lord Consort while he is convalescent.”
“I see. That’s a relief,” Celestia said. “And the envoys, where are they now?”
“Gone back,” Blade said simply, pulling out a scroll. “His Highness was able to catch a few names, if it helps,” he added, lightly unfurling the scroll to read. “Razor Windwing, Gladius, Golem, that sort of thing. A gesture of good faith, they said, in accordance with the truce’s terms. Ponies stay out of the Dragonlands, dragons stay out of Equestria.”
Mutual isolationism was not a perfect solution, but it was the best that could be done, in light of everything. Celestia wondered how Topaz Goldwing and the citizens of Squires Gate would fare, robbed of the tidy trade arrangement they’d lived on for centuries. Then again, what the government didn’t know about any visits wasn’t going to hurt them. There was still the promise to Smog she made after all to consider.
And despite the pledge, other, newer problems were bound to arise, further down the line. Somehow, she felt doubtful the dragons would detour their Great Migration, which would be a great inconvenience. Or that the Dragon Lord could account for every wandering dragon who nested in Equestria. Ponies did have short memories, perhaps when the time came, everyone would be over it.
“I can live with that,” Celestia said, asking herself how true that was. “Does anyone know about me?”
“We tried to contain the news until we made it back to Canterlot, Your Highness,” Blade said, “but I fear every stallion has his price. Someone leaked information. We guess that it was either a hospital staffer, or some griffon on the sky-boat. The papers say you’ve come down with magic exhaustion, but leave out why. That’s because we never told anyone. Not that it’s stopped the rumors from flying.”
Her heart seized before going into overdrive. This was the best news she’d heard all day. If her people were still in the dark, she could control the narrative, smooth things over.
“Get me my niece and nephew,” Celestia told him. It was an order, not a request. “Now.”
Blade obeyed her on the dot. Within the hour, both Prince Blueblood and Princess Cadance were standing before Celestia. To say the two were looking fatigued would be an understatement. Bags were clearly visible under Cadance’s eyes, and she moved like one experiencing a malaise.
“Cadance,” Celestia said softly. “You have been moving the Sun and Moon in my stead?”
“I have,” Cadance replied, her voice weak, before letting out a donkey’s yawn. “Oh, Auntie, how long have you been doing this on your own?”
“It’s a necessity.” There was no way Celestia could sugar-coat the duty. She’d been forced to adapt, as Cadance was forced to for the last few days. “And Blueblood, how about Court?”
“I’ve been managing day-to-day operations,” Blueblood said wearily, rubbing his eyes. “If anything, it’s Kibitz who deserves a raise for his assistance.”
“I’ll see that he gets one,” Celestia nodded. “The chest with the dragons’ gold, where is it?”
“In the treasury,” said Blueblood. “I was adamant we wait for you to decide what to do with it.”
“Thank you.” Celestia looked at them both. “Cadance, have someone deliver the gold to Squires Gate. Make sure they are told it was given to us by a Dragon Lord seeking to make amends for the atrocity his committed by one of his subjects. Then, take a nap. You desperately need one. Blueblood, I need you to do a press release. Listen carefully, write it down if you need to. Near the end of my meeting with the Dragon Lord, there was an attempt on his life. I felled the assassin, but not before he grievously harmed the Dragon Lord. I healed the Dragon Lord’s injuries, draining myself in the process. When I moved the Sun and Moon later that day, I overexerted myself, and came down with magic exhaustion.”
Blueblood nodded in turn. There was likely something which Celestia was still leaving out, but he knew politics to be a dirty game. Sometimes, that meant skeletons in the closet. In rare instances, it was literal.
Equestria had treaties in place with less-than-savory nations, as well as their nobler brethren. Saddle Arabia, Griffonstone, Arcania, Those nations were better to be allied with than be made enemies of. He would find out the truth soon enough, and then proceed from there.
The two royal ponies bade goodbye, but Cadance paused at the door.
“Oh, Aunt Celestia, there’s someone else who’s been aching to see you.”
As if on cue, Twilight Sparkle dashed past the pink princess and into the room, and leapt on top of Celestia, hugging her tightly.
“I heard you were hurt, and I freaked out! Then, I was finally allowed to read the newspaper, and it turns out dragons attacked! Was that your Princess Business, fighting dragons?”
Momentarily, Celestia was too overcome to reply, focusing all her faculties on returning the hug, stroking Twilight’s back with one of her mighty, if currently weakened wings.
“No,” she said quietly. “No, Twilight. I went to talk to the dragons. They were very sorry for what those two did. At least, those I talked to were.”
“Then how did you pass out?” Twilight exclaimed. “You move the Sun and Moon like they’re nothing and it never seems to bother you!”
“Oh, there was an incident,” Celestia began to explain. “I had to use a very, very powerful spell. One that I haven’t tapped into for a long time.” She paused, letting the memory of the fiery mane and the glowing eyes wash over her, so terribly akin to the last time she’d seen her sister, on that unnaturally prolonged evening when she’d had to banish the Nightmare. “I endured it. But when I had to move the Sun and Moon, it was the drop that made the cup run over. Enough about me, though, Twilight. How was your break; did you do anything fun?”
“I played with Flash, and Timber, met a filly named Apple Bloom, and did you know Apple Jewel is real?”
“Yes, yes,” Celestia said, beginning to smile despite herself. “I’m the one who told you about her, remember?”
“But she tolerates Blueblood!” said Twilight. “And she’s got this accent that I thought he should hate, and he doesn’t make fun of her, not much anyway. Who can tolerate Blueblood? He’s Blueblood!”
“Many ponies, Twilight, me among them,” said Celestia, thinking fondly of her wayward, goofball nephew. “What else did you do? Spare no detail.”
Twilight eagerly began to regale her teacher about her stay in the Castle, delivering it just as she might have written a report for school.
Nothing that day could have made Celestia happier.
The day had grown late, and after the Royal Guard had finished dragging the last reporter out of the Palace, Prince Blueblood retreated to his bedroom, wishing that he had a stiff drink that his aunt sometimes nursed after a long day. After dipping his hooves into the waters of Canterlot politics, with a lifetime of these horseapples to look forward to, he could hardly blame her for having a personal stock. Other teenagers thought they had problems, that they carried the weight of the world. Peanuts, compared to being a royal pony, for whom this was actually true. He had nicked a small bottle of wine one time, Rosewine it was called. Blueblood took a sip, grimacing at the taste. It became clear that it was not for him.
The press release went about as well as it could. He could bet that the papers were running the presses at this very moment. Those muckrakers were too clever for their own good. Several had asked the same questions as he regarding Celestia. One had even pointed out that, although healing spells might take a lot out of an ordinary unicorn, the Princess moved the Sun and Moon on a daily basis, which would surely make this child’s play to her. The reporter was right, of course, but Blueblood had declared he was taking no further questions, adding that healing a dragon was not in the same vein as a pony, and left it at that.
He ran the scenarios through his head, trying to determine the spells that could drain her like that. Logically, there was only one conclusion. Daybreaker had made an appearance.
Alicorns were said to inherit traits of all pony tribes. Most would assume this meant the strength of an earth pony, the flight of a pegasus, and the magic of a unicorn. However, there was a fourth race, which brought with it a fourth trait – the shadow of Umbrum.
All alicorns had this trait. Celestia, his Aunt Luna, and even Cadance as well. No one knew exactly where the Umbrum came from. Some believed they were ponies who’d sold their souls and were punished to walk the earth as shadows. Other legends said the shadows were fallen Celestials, otherwise known as Angels, much like how alicorns were said to be from an angelic lineage.
Celestia had informed him otherwise. Alicorns were simply another brand of pony, just more powerful than the rest. No angelic lineage required. Outside of being born an alicorn, something unbelievably rare, there was only one way a pony could become an alicorn, transformation.
There was a wellspring of mana in all ponies that they normally couldn’t access. If they did, it triggered the alicorn transformation. Starswirl himself tried to achieve this for decades, but failed each time. From what Blueblood had been told, all a pony needed to do was find a way to channel that mana once in order to access it. It couldn’t be done by normal means using a standard conduit, it needed to be done by understanding an Aspect. Celestia did her best to try and explain it to him. An Aspect was an abstract concept in the world, like love. If a pony could understand it, embody that concept, and cast a single spell using the concept itself as a conduit, then the wellspring was unleashed. However, this also gave birth to what his aunt called the Umbral State. The Umbral State was Daybreaker, Nightmare Moon, and whatever lurked inside Cadance, waiting for just the right time to break loose. It was the Shadow of the Umbrum brought forth.
Blueblood had asked about the Umbral State, but Celestia herself wasn’t sure if it was another personality, a murky part of the wellspring that amplified someone's negative traits, or some other entity that possessed the alicorn. Whatever it was, it took a great deal of mana to push it down, and lock it away. His aunt said that when it first happened, the first time she’d unleashed Daybreaker and put her down, the Sun and Moon had ceased to move for two days, not until Arcanian mages had got involved and done it for her. If Daybreaker had come out again while confronting the dragons, it would explain her exhaustion.
He was the only one privy to this information outside of his royal Aunt. The reason this was the case was because he was descended from Princess Celetia’s brother-in-law on her late husband’s side – thus, he was family, and entitled to the knowledge. Some might think that this would drive him to a state of madness to attain that power, but the steps sounded so tiring and tedious. He would much rather have a political or legal career, a lovely wife to come home to, maybe three or four foals.
Cadance knew part of the truth. But so far, she believed Luna and the Umbral State to be legends Celestia was telling her to keep her on the straight and narrow. Yet according to his Auntie, legends often came with a name, an address, and a TBD on their return ticket to Equestria. Auntie’s infamous ex-boyfriend was still a lawn ornament, after all. However, that was something to ponder another time. For now, things were returning to normal.
He leaned against the door to his room and slid down to his haunches. “She’s okay, she’s okay,” he repeated to himself, a weight easing off his shoulders.
There was a knock on the door, a familiar rapping. Had it been anyone else, Blueblood would have turned them away, but he recognised the rhythmic secret pattern he’d developed with a certain pony. Special somepony, one might say.
Raising himself and opening the door, Blueblood was soon joined by the very pony he wished to see.
The hug was a surprise, but a welcome one. “Ah can’t imagine how ya must feel,” Apple Jewel said, resting her head on his shoulder. Something of a lie, but Blueblood didn’t need her turning his scare into a competition.
Blueblood’s head fell on top of hers. “At this point I’m relieved. Thanks for staying a bit longer than expected. Your presence has meant everything.”
“Shoot, no need to mention it!” That being said.
“It should though, I can only imagine your family needs you more than me,” Blueblood said, though in truth, he still felt sad to know he wouldn’t see her next year.
“Ya know, if ya ever need something to take the edge off, I can get you some good ol’ Apple Family Cider. Warms the stomach, twice the goodness, and none of the same bad habits as that stuff your aunt drinks.”
Blueblood smiled faintly. “That’s a good sales pitch, Miss Apple. I’ll consider it.”
“‘Sales pitch’?” Apple Jewel imitated him teasingly. “Ah’m saying this as a friend! We Apples treat our friends like our family, and family always sticks together.”
“For that, Applejack… I am thankful.”
“Shucks, ‘Applejack’? Who are you and what have you done with Prince Blueblood?”
“Your father has been slain.”
Slicer had known the moment he saw the Paladin that something had happened. He was expecting to hear the worst, but it did nothing to ease his shock. He only stood in the Sunwing family cave, stunned, staring at the Paladin kneeling before him.
He knew the Paladin was still talking to him, he could see his maw moving, but all he heard was static.
“Who?” he was finally able to ask.
“The Princess of the Ponies. I’m sorry, little one.”
Sorry. He’d heard that word so many times. First Onyx, then Gemstone, his mother, and now his father? They were all dead. What did anyone saying ‘sorry’ to him accomplish?
“Dragon Lord Blaze is making arrangements for him,” he heard the Paladin say to Scales’ mother. “Once her mate is healed, we will come to take him to his new lodgings.”
“Dragon Lord Blaze?” she asked.
Everyone knew that such a thing was possible, however, none had expected it to actually happen during their lifetime. What could have happened to Torch’s mate that she would need to take up the mantle?
“Torch is incapacitated for the time being. A dragon made an attempt on his life.” The Paladin momentarily glanced towards Slicer. “The attacker has been dealt with, but Torch was gravely wounded and needs rest. As such, the Lord Consort has shouldered his duties. She respectfully asks that you watch over the child for the time being.”
“We will. I’m sorry to hear about Torch.”
Whereupon, the Paladin left. Slicer followed the dragon out of the cave, as if meaning to got after him. But when the bearer of bad news spread his wings and took to the skies, Slicer went no further. Moving without knowing why, he found a rock at the cave entrance, and sat down.
The rest of the day went by in a blur. He couldn’t recall hearing anything, he didn’t recall doing anything. It was like he was just a spectator in his own body.
At some point, his only source of sunshine crept behind him, and wrapped her arms around him.
“It’s okay to cry, you know,” Scales said in a soft whisper, as if she didn’t know what else to say or do. “Come on, Slicer. Let’s get you up. You can’t stay sitting there all day. I’ll take you to the quarry.”
Of course Scales was still there. What else could he expect? She was always there for him. He’d often heard drakes and girls gossip about her, and each jeer made him furious. They didn’t know her as he did.
But, how long until life took Scales from him as well?
She rarely left his side, typically staying in the dark corners that he shoved himself into. The only reason he’d begun to go outside again was because watching him wallow in his misery made her as miserable as he was. She didn’t deserve that.
Time at the quarry brought no relief. Dragons came and went, offering him their condolences.
“Sorry for your loss.”
“It will get better.”
“This will pass, and it won’t hurt as much one day.”
There was more, however. He heard dragons whispering about him as he played. Some sympathetic, others less so.
“That’s the traitor’s son, right?”
“How long before he goes insane as well?”
“Think he might start a war?”
It didn’t take long for him to piece it all together. His father had injured Torch. And then the pony princess killed him. Who were any of them to judge his family? Who were any of them to judge him?
“Are you okay?”
Slicer spasmed as he was torn out of his thoughts by Scales, who’d seized his wrist.. She looked worried, frightened even.
“I don’t like that look on your face,” Scales murmured.
He felt her grip on his wrist tighten.
“I’m going to take a walk.”
“Where?”
Slicer remained silent, but Scales already knew the answer.
“Can’t you just let it go?” she pleaded. “You’ll die!”
Death. Was that supposed to scare him? At this point, what did it even matter?
“Haven’t you been hearing what everyone’s saying about me; Who would miss me?” Slicer sneered, tearing his arm away from Scales.
She stood in a stunned silence, as he walked away from her.
“I would,” Scales whispered, too far for him to hear.
Atop a volcano’s rim, Elden Emeraldwing sat watching the land, counting down the days until the Gauntlet arrived. How long was it now, ten years? The length of a courting period before two dragons wedded, barely any time at all. Not that he could participate; he would be over fifty, the cutoff age for participants. He was excited because his companion had often said that a wrong would be righted. He was anxious to find out what said rightening would look like.
In the meantime, he was on guard duty. Ever since the incident with the thieves – he adamantly refused to call them slayers, after hearing about them – he had been watching out for ponies, and any other outsider, taking care of them if needed. So far, nothing. It was boring, but he did his duty without complaint. Normally the outskirts were barren, save for the rare first-time diggers out looking for gems under the watchful eyes of their parents.
However, today was different. A lone whelp traveled further and further from the main kingdom. Curiosity got the better of him, or perhaps it was a moral issue. A whelp, alone, so far from home? Something might happen, if someone didn’t keep an eye on him.
He started to follow the whelp. If some outsider did attack, he could always save his life. The boy’s posture told a whole story. He was angry. Punching the air, kicking stones, letting out grunts of frustration. He even slashed at a boulder. Many whelps broke their claws doing that. This one’s claws cleaved through the stone cleanly.
‘The Steelspine boy,’ Elden thought, examining the marks after the boy moved on.
Elden had always found the name to be confusing. While there were many clans, two stood out above the rest in his opinion, other than his own and those of his friends. The Steelspines and the Ironscales. Two powerful, yet deceptively simple abilities. The first was the ultimate weapon. Claws that could cleave through anything. The second was the ultimate defense. Scales that could block any attack. If not for Flash Magnus discovering what platinum could do, and the fact that punches and bludgeoning didn’t need to break through scales to be effective, the Ironscale Clan would have been seen as mythic dragons. All the same, he’d been instructed by his late parents to never seek out a fight either unless his life depended on it.
Not that he would even consider fighting a child. His trajectory was on course to hit the coast, if he continued straight. What was he doing? Was he following in his family’s footsteps to attack the ponies? Elden allowed himself a chuckle. Was the whelp’s plan to swim to Equestria? Unless Steelspines had a hidden ability that allowed them to breathe underwater, this lad would drown before making it a tenth of the way there. And if he did somehow make it, without becoming a geyser-eel’s next snack, then a roc would see him, and make a meal of him.
Elden’s smirk fell, the longer he followed and the closer they came to the coast.
‘Sweet Asgorath, he’s actually planning to swim to Equestria.’ Elden stood dumbfounded. He recalled being taught that children could be thick, but this was another level of dense. Not that he couldn’t understand. He could see the anger in Slicer, even from a distance. That, and the boy’s ability? Why not help him out?
He decided to make a move.
Slicer nearly jumped out of his scales the moment a towering emerald figure appeared before him.
“Hello there little one,” said Elden, looking down at the whelp, close enough to see the feral anger in Slicer’s eyes. “Let’s you and I take a walk.” He reached out his claw and grabbed Slicer by the scruff off his neck and carried him away.
It was rare that a dragon could cast magic. Elden prided himself for his clan’s ability to do just that, if only that granted his clan the status of Mythic. Magic was versatile, useful, powerful, but now he knew why the Steelspines were considered the ultimate weapons. Slicer’s claws cleaved through even a magic shield like wet paper if it wasn’t strengthened enough. The brat now hung in a fiery green aura, thrashing in the air, weeping, spitting out streams of fire.
He was finally released into a cave, as the towering emerald figure took a seat before him.
“Why did you stop me!?” Slicer yelled, speaking through bitter tears.
“Because what you were doing was a fool’s errand,” the emerald dragon said. “Ignoring the fact you had no way of getting to Equestria, Celestia felled your father with little effort. What chance do you have? That’s if you didn’t drown, or get torn apart by a sea predator, or have a roc snatch you up!”
Slicer opened his mouth to argue, but nothing came out. Even he could admit that his plan was less than ideal, logical, or realistic in any sense of the word.
Elden sighed. “Dry your tears. They’re of no use to you, nor your family.”
Slicer did as he was told. Crying didn’t bring Onyx back. Crying wasn’t going to bring anyone back. But what did the emerald dragon want with him?
“Where are we?” Slicer asked, sniffling.
“A safe place. There are a few dragons you should meet.” Elden gave a whistle, and slowly, more dragons came out of the shadows of the cave.
“Who the hell– You brought a kid into our cave?” cried an amethyst dragon, floating down from the roof of the cave, landing on the floor without so much as a sound.
“Looks like a runt, and sounds like a whiny runt,” sneered a shimmering blue dragon. A cold chuckle left his lips. “Did a mean bully steal your gem, is that why you’re crying?”
“Throw him out, I don’t need some brat making more noise,” snarled a yellow dragon from further within the cave.
Slowly, they surrounded the young dragon, jeering and taunting him, until a flash of light filled the vicinity, blinding the group and making everyone see spots for a moment.
“Enough crowding him!” shouted a feminine voice.
A white dragon, her scales glistening as if they were made of pure diamond, pushed everyone away from the whelp, even the calm green dragon. She soon lowered herself and smiled at him “Hello there. My name is Cream Crystalclaw. What’s yours?”
“Slicer Steelspine,” he said, once he was able to find his voice.
She was warmer in demeanor than the others, it seemed. There was even a certain glow about her that made him believe she was a kind, gentle dragon. More amazingly, it was as if her claws, and her spines glowed with light.
“That is a very nice name, Slicer. Very strong. I’m sorry about my friends. They get fidgety when they meet someone new. And between you and me, they’re not too bright.”
She began to introduce each dragon, starting with the green one that had brought him here, and following the order they had approached him in.
“This is Elden Emeraldwing, he’s the calmest of our little group. The others are Aero Amythsttail, Surr Sapphirespine, and Thal Topazhorn, I’m sure you can figure out who is who by their clan name. They’re nicer once you get to know them.” Cream turned towards the green dragon. “Elden, I suppose there’s a reason you brought him here?”
“His father was killed by Princess Celestia of Equestria, the rest of his family was slain by ponies. Slicer wanted to hunt her Royal Highness down, but I decided that he wasn’t going to throw his life away.” Elden glared at the three idiots he called his friends. “Perhaps you three have something to say in light of the circumstances?”
The three dragons, who had been taunting Slicer seconds earlier, fell silent, and murmured both their apologies and condolences, only for Elden to wave them off, while Cream gave him a much-needed hug.
“Fools, all of you,” Elden said, glaring at the three dragons. “Sometimes I wonder if you have anything in those skulls of yours.”
There came a cold chuckle in the back of the cave. “You and I both. But why do they need brains of their own when they have you, Elden?”
Slicer watched as a cloaked dragon rose from the shadows, and turned towards the group. He slowly strode towards them, humming a tune that was too light and optimistic to be from their lands. The dragons seemed to stand at attention, save for Cream, who put her arms behind her back, coyly rocked her body from side to side, smiling at the dragon dreamily as he approached. He gave her snout a playful poke before squatting to look over Slicer.
“Let’s have a look. Oh, there’s a fire in you, boy. Not too surprising. It takes courage to hunt a demi-god. Foolish, but brave nonetheless,” the cloaked figure said, giving him a smile. “My name is Shard Obsidian. A pleasure to meet you.”
Slicer got a look at the dragon’s face under his hood. His golden eyes seemed to fiercely glow. He was covered in scales that seemed to be made of onyx, and his face was cracked, as if he were made of glass. Strangely, the longer Slicer looked at the dragon, the more he got the feeling of something off about him. The feeling soon became overwhelming and his instincts screamed for him to run.
The cloaked figure frowned when he saw Slicer step back. “Hmm. I do have a face that makes dragons want to run,” Shard said with a sigh, adjusting his hood. “I’m sorry for your loss, little one. I also know what it feels like to let your family die.”
This insult had the whelp seeing red. Slicer’s attack came quickly, his claws slashing across Shard’s face. Before the other dragons could move, the cloaked dragon bade them to calm themselves with just a wave of his hand.
Slicer’s anger quickly faded, and he took several steps back. “I-I didn’t– I’m–”
“An amazing hit,” Shard said. He drew back his hood a few inches. Not a single mark was present on his face, save for the cracks already present.
Slicer trembled in his place. He was certain that he’d hit his target. His claws could cut through the hide of the Ironscale clan, they cleaved through rock and stone like water, yet not a single cut was present on this dragon.“I-I’m sor–”
“Do not apologize,” Shard said. “I can’t blame you for lashing out. I would have done the same thing. Make no mistake, though, I do know how you feel, all too well.”
“How do you know anything about me?” Slicer asked, his body relaxing.
“Because even now you’re wondering what you could have done differently to keep them alive. Wondering why you let them die.” Shard stood, and stared at the back of the cave. “Foolish thoughts. You’re a child, you couldn’t have done anything. That doesn’t make you feel any less alone. You just want to fade. Huddle into some dark corner somewhere and vanish. Dragons say it gets better, but you also know that’s just a comforting lie they’re telling you– or maybe one they’re telling themselves, so they don’t have to care about you. And the whispers, they sneer at you behind your back for what your family did. Who are they to even speak their names? And that anger you have, that unrelenting anger, it calls to you constantly, even now. Their precious princess murders your father, her people come to our land and kill your sibling, and she acts as if they are the victims in all of this.”
“How did you–?”
“Because, my father was murdered by a pony.” Shard’s claws dug into his palms. “A pony he plucked off the side of the road. Whose life he saved. A pony he sheltered and nurtured, protected and comforted. A pony he showered with riches and gifts and love. Can you imagine that? A paragon among mortals, and he gave a wretched little equine his love. Her gratitude was shown by stealing from him, and then murdering him in cold blood.”
Shard let out a deep, deep sigh.
“I refuse to lie to you. This will never be better. The pain you feel will never truly leave. No one will even want to try and punish that wretch that the ponies fawn over. And those thoughts running through your head, not a day goes by when I wonder what I could have done to save my father.” He sat in sad recollection, giving Slicer a sheepish smile. “But that anger will get you killed if you do not rule it. Tell me, before the ponies, where did you see yourself ending up once you got older?”
“I was going to be the Dragon Lord. I was supposed to teach my little brother to fight, my sister would teach us to read, and then– and then–”
Slicer’s mind went blank. He always saw them there with him, but now what did he have?
“You didn’t think much, did you?” said Shard. “Understandable. I was like that too. And what do you wish to do now?”
Slicer didn't need to even think about it. “I want to burn them all,” the whelp spoke with a growl. “When I’m Dragon Lord, I’ll order every dragon to burn Equestria to the ground!”
Shard frowned. “I’m afraid you’ll have to discard that thought, someone else is destined for that mantle.”
“Destined? There’s no such thing as destiny!” Slicer shouted.
“True, which is why I try to make sure we avoid our worst instincts. I might not look like much, but I am something of a soothsayer, if you’ll believe it.”
Slicer gave him a questioning look, but Shard only chuckled.
“It’s true. I have seen the future. These colorful dragons before you can attest to that.”
“Yes,” Cream said reverentially. “He predicted that four years ago, a pony would cause a Rainboom. Not only was he right, but he also predicted other occurrences with great accuracy. Elden saw a filly rescued by butterflies, who then coaxed animals from their dens with nothing more than a sweet voice. Aero saw a giant lizard burst forth from Canterlot castle. Surr followed an orange filly from a city to a farmhouse. Thal saw– what was it you saw?”
“I saw a pink pony get a poofy mane and then throw a party.” That earned a chuckle from the group. “She gave me something called a cupcake, and it tasted fantastic.”
“Yes, now I remember,” Cream nodded. “I watched as the cutest little filly used her magic to find countless gemstones. I have a feeling more and more of his predictions will come to fruition as well.”
“Indeed they will,” said Shard. “Such as the new Dragon Lord. I have foreseen him taking the scepter, and to make sure he does, I’ve been keeping certain things on track. That includes ensuring other dragons do not hinder him directly or indirectly.”
Slicer’s eyes narrowed. “They killed my family–”
“And his clan has lost legions to those ponies when the slayers were first born. Rivers of blood flowed freely as dozens of their sons were culled. A once mighty clan, bordering on the title of Mythic, nearly wiped out because ponies used their own sacred metal against them.” Shard sneered. He quickly calmed himself. “Dear boy, while I may empathize with your plight, don’t fool yourself. Many, many other dragons have lost far more than either of us.”
“Then what am I supposed to do!?”
“Be his loyal sword. Cull the ponies under his banner when the time comes. Make those animals know your name, fear it, like dragons fear the name Flash Magnus and Grimhoof. He will be our Celestia, but you will be our legend.”
He gave Slicer a smile.
“Consider this proposition, if you would, Slicer. You can spend time with our little group for as long as you want, and we can make sure you’re kept in fighting shape for when the time comes. We’d love to have you. And, since fate is a fickle thing, if I foresee the winds changing, I see an excellent Dragon Lord before me. No reason you shouldn’t be prepared to take the mantle just in case.”
Shard saw his eyes light up. He could already see that Slicer had made up his mind about joining them.
“This dragon that’s supposed to be Dragon Lord, what’s his name?” Slicer asked Shard.
“That’s a secret,” Shard put a finger to his maw. “I know I’m asking a lot, but patience is a virtue, dear boy. You’ll get your chance to meet him, and your chance to cull those wretched little creatures, but not yet. The time will come, but until then, bide your time. Do you have anyone you’re close with?”
Slicer nodded. “Scales Sunwing.”
“Cream, see to it that he gets to his friend safely. And Slicer, we’ll be in touch.”
Cream led Slicer out of the cave, but as they walked, his body wavered. A miasma seemed to wash over him, draining his stamina. He felt like he was about to collapse, but he was able to keep himself standing through sheer force of will, and kept moving forward inch by inch.
She glared at Thal, who stood grinning, leaning against a nearby wall, before cursing him in Draconic. He raised his hands and Slicer seemed to instantly recover. Not wanting to waste another minute, Cream picked Slicer up and hurried out, apologizing to him on Thal’s behalf.
“I like him,” Thal said, once Cream was gone. “I think I’ll look after him if we bring him on board. Hey, if we’re taking runts under our wings, think we should bring in that one drake you keep telling us about?”
“No,” Shard's voice was stern, like a father talking to his child after asking to break a rule in place to protect him. “It takes patience and precision to truly change the future. The worst thing you can do is try and rush things. Usually, such actions only ever benefit ponies. I will tell you when to move. Until then, we wait and relax.”
“Kid seems like an emotional wreck,” Surr said. “He attacks you, and you don’t even want to raise a hand to him? You really think this kid is worth the effort?”
“Yes. And that is final,” Shard said. “Three of us empathize with him. And we are partly responsible for his plight, after all.”
“Right, that ripple effect guff you keep spewing,” Surr said. “Speaking of that, the future Dragon Lord you’re always droning on about, how do you even know he’s going to do what you say he will? Shouldn’t your ripple effect change things?”
“It will. But that’s not always a bad thing. What we did removed an obstacle, the main obstacle, in his way to claim the scepter. Add the happy accident involving that egg, his clan’s already fuming hatred for ponies, and you have a dragon who’d love to see nothing more than that miserable little country burned. His ego will cause him to mouth off, and he’ll be too cowardly to take back his words.”
“If he’s that spineless–” Elden began, but Shard was quick to cut him off.
“I never said he was perfect, just the right tool for the job,” Shard said, sighing. “If he does grow a backbone to back out, we can apply leverage, but it needs to be done with care. Certain events need to happen to make sure the flames are fanned.”
“Do you even know who this kid is? You say you can’t tell us about him so we can’t screw things up, but part of me thinks you’re going to point at whoever’s the strongest when the time comes and declare him the one.”
“Oh, ye of little faith,” Shard smirked. “I can predict the moment a foal breaks through a magic barrier, I can predict what will happen to a pink pony living on some backwater farm. I can name the destination of a bumpkin leaving a city, but for some reason, you don’t think I can name the next Dragon Lord? That’s what I like about you, Thal, you’re adorably skeptical. Does anyone else share his concerns?”
The remaining dragons all raised their hands.
“I see. Yes, I know who he is.”
And he did. Shard had memorized the dragon’s face, his scales, his wants and desires, even his embarrassing little secrets.
“Tell you what, come his molt, I will introduce two of you to him. There’s an important event that we need to be a part of, one that will give us a foothold in his life. Surr, Elden, you two will be the ones to accompany me. I’ll need your hunting skills, Surr. And Elden, just make sure you can cast a spell that can kill a dozen or so soldiers all at once.”
That seemed to shut them up. Shard just needed to make sure they didn’t do anything too damaging when they finally met his Champion. A Champion who was filled with potential, yet that potential could be realized if, and only if, it was allowed to grow properly. He’d seen a future where that growth was impeded by the unworthy and the weak.
Now? Who could impede him?
Ember Brightcrest? With how things stood, she was destined to die in a little over a decade after bumping into his Champion mid-flight and falling into the sea. Drowning, or taken by sea predators, it was all the same either way. The land would be better for it, too. Shard pondered if his Champion would have gotten off so easily saying sorry after razing a village over the title of Honorary Yak. Considering that the drake in question wasn’t someone who looked cute and seductive, he doubted it.
Lord Torch? His reputation would be in the gutter after all that transpired the last few weeks. The Champion’s words would rally dragons together and they would surely trample the old dragon in their wake.
The Chaos Spirit? Paladins would make quick work of Discord. If there wasn’t a call for his head as soon as he was released from his stone prison, then it meant that the Platinum Paladins saw him as a non-threat. There was a reason the coward hid away in Equestria. Shard pondered if that fickle friendship with that pathetically mewling mare was stronger than his own sense of self-preservation. Given Discord’s nature, and how easily he’d stab her in the back time after time, Shard was convinced he’d run if he didn’t join the winning team. If he did stand against them, there was no need to worry, his beautiful Cream would send him to the Nine Hells where he belonged.
Speaking of mares, the Elements of Harmony could prove an issue, but they had one weakness – all six Bearers needed to be present. Slay one, and all would fall. Lady Twilight was by far the most dangerous, followed by Rainbow and Applejack. However, Rarity, Pinkie and Fluttershy were so out of place. He wondered if Pinkie’s mane would deflate once she had a horrifying realization that he was going to kill one of them. Fluttershy could get a burst of courage and ferocity, but what would that amount to? Once the shock wore off, she was just an average mare, facing off against dragons. Shard was almost eager to see what a firm backhand would do to her newfound bravado. Finally, there was Rarity. She had skills, but a seamstress was a seamstress, so how useful was she?
Perhaps he’d roll a die to decide which one he'd kill. It’d be more fun that way.
Smolder Ironscale? She had yet to meet her little friends. As things stood now, Ember would never be Dragon Lord, so why would she turn against her brother? There would be no school, thus no lonely griffon, moronic yak, sickeningly cute Changeling, annoying Hippogriff or bland and boring pony for her to make nice with. No lessons to weaken her, no disloyalty to be had. But he was nothing if not cautious. If she started down that treacherous path early, a pony spear would find its way into her heart, and his Champion would have one more reason to burn Equestria.
Of course, thanks to his actions, Shard had to help that wretched little country until the time came. Sombra could prove difficult to deal with if left to his own devices. He didn’t want some upstart Umbrum getting in his way, nor did he want the mare that’d keep his bed warm becoming a nuisance. Starlight Glimmer? It was a gamble to let her run loose, and he detested gambles. Perhaps he could let her and Twilight come to an agreement, but it would be simpler to have her explain the reasoning for her ideology to the citizens of Our Town, and then have everyone laugh at how pathetic she was. Maybe he would arrange a meeting with Sunburst before she got any stupid ideas, to spare her that humiliation. After all, Equestria had a mail system, why not have her take advantage of it?
What about Sunset Shimmer and the Dazzlings? He’d check on them, but if push came to shove, the Crystal Mirror was breakable. He was curious about that realm himself. Why was he able to see events there? If it was another world, he should be blind to it. Questions for later.
And if his Champion somehow failed, there were so many other calamities to look forward to.
The Changelings’ invasions. The Storm King. The Pillars of Equestria returning alongside Stygian, who’d be throwing his tantrum. And if all else failed, he had the last resort. Precious little Cozy Glow and her magic-draining spell. He was blind beyond the moment of the Tree of Harmony’s intervention, so he had five chances to get things right.
But Shard wouldn’t have a need to go past the Gauntlet. Really, there was only one person in the world that could have been a threat to his plans. Perhaps Spike the Dragon would somehow stand tall and claim the mantle himself, or perhaps he could empower others to do so as he was so fond of doing. Shard had to keep himself from bursting out laughing at the thought.
In his mind, there was no dragon that deserved more ire than the elusive Spike. He was a meddling wretch that could do nothing on his own, but whine and pontificate, praying that he rallied someone with actual strength to his cause. A weak and pampered, half-impotent whelp with delusions of grandeur. This was, of course, if he didn’t turn out to be some hypocritical, violent narcissist with a feckless harem at his beck and call. Shard honestly didn’t know which was the bigger threat to his plans.
Yes, Spike the Dragon could have proven to be a problem.
The memory of that night, the ponies crying out in agony, pleading for mercy. The weeping, half-dead mother begging and screaming as her wailing son was torn from her arms, still brought a smile to Shard’s ruined face. His only regret was entrusting the deed to Aero, and not being there to witness the glorious moment Spike was slain.
His disappointment was probably for the best. Spike's mother was an unknown factor in the grand scheme of things, and for that, she needed to be taken care of. True, he’d saved her from her initial fate, but that was because he needed her alive for just a moment. Then that moment passed. Now, there was nothing to stop his Champion from claiming the title of Dragon Lord, and nothing to deprive him of watching Equestria burn. He merely had to wait until Dragon Lord Garbuncle Ironscale at long last claimed his scepter.
But the boy needed guidance, a hand to keep him on the right path, and to make sure major events were kept on the straight path.
It was easy to do. He had foreseen it. In just four years, young Garble was going to be abducted, chained up like an animal. It would plant in him a seed of distrust of all outsiders. Oh, but Shard would be there in his time of need. When the hour seemed darkest, Shard would be there with his elite dragons to part the cloud and deliver a ray of light. From there, he would teach Garble, train him, mold him into becoming a warrior beyond comparison. He couldn’t wait for it to happen.
Little did Shard know that Spike the Dragon had already ruined his plan.
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Ember dried her eyes and managed a smirk.
“Girls only!” she said, sticking her tongue out at the two.
Talk about changing attitude but I'm glad she's starting to feel a little better I guess
Or something between ember and garble that they started to like each other and I mean more than that who knows
I mean she has a quiet of an appetite when it comes to cake as evidence back in season 2 lol
Oh yeah you got to love the rumors spreading everywhere despite trying to keep a secret I'm looking at you Hasbro you have a pretty bad track record trying to keep things secret especially back in season 3 finale
Hmm never really thought of that I thought it was just like they're evil self when they get consume what too much power or something
Celestia's
I know it's not going to bring them back but you have to understand we wish it didn't have to end like this but they let their anger and revenge got the best of them and they pay the price I just hope this kid doesn't follow suit or this is going to be another never-ending story of Revenge
And that's a pretty dangerous combination there's nothing more dangerous than a creature who has nothing to lose
Oh dear see what I mean he's already want revenge I felt bad for him but this is going to end really bad for him
Once more, you did a wonderful job on this chapter. It took quite a while but was WELL worth the wait. REALLY loved the work going into the exchanges, characterizations and future chapter set-up. Especially liked how well you did mixing the humorous stuff (the interactions between Spike, Smolder, Garble and Ember as well as Twilight's describing her interactions with Flash, Timber, Blueblood and [two of] the Apple Siblings to Celestia after she woke up) with the appropriately emotional stuff (Torch's injuries, Slicer's reaction to his father's death and the description of how Cadance, Blueblood and a few others helped out while Celestia was out cold) with the descriptions of things like the chest of dragon's gold, Shard's observations concerning possible obstacles in his schemes as well as all of the opposition he could set up and the ironic point-out that Spike ALREADY put a massive monkey wrench in his plans.
Most assuredly looking forward to more of this.
That's sick twisted dragon even though he may be powerful but he has to come Over My Dead Body because he dares to hurt them there will be a Tartarus to pay future or not 64.media.tumblr.com/4785d9e0575e67967977ccef8cf7702d/daeeea4fe43ce5cc-e4/s500x750/3c71f8a99b56b4e732703b30f4eb7b8bd409c26e.gifv
Holy mackerel there are so many things just happen but right now this is pretty exciting and very worried as well because things have really going to get worse somehow and by the way nice to see the storyso ember will be living with garble and the family while her mother is taking over torch precision as the dragon lord and she needs to have a little fun after these event going on and Spike is conflict about this whole situation but kind of understand a little and it looks like both garble and ember are starting to develop a feelings for each other Maybe meanwhile Celestia have already woken up after the ordeal she had with fainting from the lack of magic and blue blood told everything what was happening and Cadence as well and I really like the interaction between Applejack and blue blood back at the dragon lands slicer is already determined to kill Princess Celestia and scale is really worried about him and basically he's on a suicide mission but a dragon caught him and taken to the other dragons which apparently those dragons are the special kind who has special abilities especially the leader Shard and what makes things very interesting that he can predict the future and he already saw what was going to happen especially the alternate timeline about the main six the young six the pillars the events about the other villains and probably the Gauntlet of Fire and they've been keeping an eye on them for a long time this is so like it was it's been Agatha all along or Humpty was there the whole time in the movie Puss in Boots but apparently something will be a minor bump in the road and hopefully Spike will be the one helping us to stop this crazy maniac with the other ponies and creatures but I wonder he knows about the generation 5 who knows which I'm surprised he did not mention about Opaline since she kinda exist in g4 giving the backstory of the old Equestria from the recent episodes of Make Your Mark and even from the comic but it just blew my mind that everything just happened because of him I wonder what's going to happen next guess we'll find out next time
That sick bastard of a dragon thinks he’s got the upper hand he better think again because I have a valance will go down eventually even if he read to the future
I wonder if spike will have a dragon ability like the ironscales and slicer? Maybe it will be a magic ability like that one dragon that caught slicer but MUCH stronger (although now that i think about it, im guessing due to him not being hatched by twilight he wouldn't have any magical ability) So maybe like some sort of ability that soothes the minds of dragons around him?
Shard is sick and wrong. Can't wait to see him go down thanks to Spike.
Wow that ending took a turn - can't wait for the next update!
The classic tale of revenge brings nothing but more pain.
Hopefully things don't get too out of hand.
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Oh, lol
One often meets his destiny on the road he takes to avoid it.. To quote a wise turtle
...And this is where I check out.
I'm sorry, I wanted a light, heart-warming story about family, where Spike's love might be enough to make dragons less awful than they usually are. A story where nobody gets hurt.
I should have noticed the significance of the "drama" tag.
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I'm sorry to hear that, but I can understand. Thanks for giving it a chance though, I hope there were some chapters you enjoyed!