Equestria's Ray of Hope

by The_Darker_Fonts

Friendly Intimidation

“Good evening, Princess Twilight Sparkle,” the strange insectoid creature introduced as Ray and the Princess entered the main foyer. He was taller than Twilight by a fair few inches, but the orange horns the bug sported grew to Ray’s neck. He seemed much more colorful than every other member of the party he had seen so far, which contrasted with his austere expression. Even the other members of the party hadn’t looked so grim or malcontent with the prospects of the evening. His eyes resembled a Fallen’s strangely enough, though a purple pupil allowed him to tell that the changeling’s gaze was solely on him.

“Good evening, and welcome, King Thorax,” Twilight greeted him formally, giving a modest bow. “We’re glad to host you for the evening, and invite you to enjoy yourself and relax for the night.”

“Hm,” the changeling beside Thorax grunted, giving a slight glance at Ray. This one was a dark turquoise color with red, spiky horns, a bit smaller than his brother, though still taller than Twilight. Both brothers were staring intensely at the human companion that stood by the alicorn. Prompted by a prolonged silence broken only by the larger doors closing, Ray spoke up.

“Well, get a good look now,” Ray said, throwing his arms up a little. The statement caught all three of the others by surprise, and spurred on by his newfound eccentricity, spun slightly. “When dinner time comes around, I don’t want anyone staring. The food here is better than it is on Earth, and I’d rather like to enjoy it without an audience.”

There was a brief pause after the statement before the other changeling chuckled slightly. “I warned you to not be so uptight, Thorax,” he stated. The insectoid reached out a hoof which Ray took, shaking it firmly. “It’s good to meet a leader who has a sense of humor, even in a situation as dire as ours.”

“It’s best to laugh before you may cry,” Ray responded with a smile, though the statement did dampen the changeling’s mood.

“Yes, I know that all too well,” the changeling agreed somberly, nodding his head. He looked up at Ray with a half smile and introduced himself. “My name’s Pharynx, Thorax's older brother and captain of the Changeling Patrol Force. It’s a fancy name for what is essentially park rangers and tour guides for whoever visits our hive.”

“Well, I’m glad you two like each other,” Thorax stammered with an unsure smile, reaching his own chitinous hoof up to Ray. “I'm sure Twilight has already told you who I am, and probably more. Needless to say, you are both a strange yet welcome character in Equestria.”

“Well, I’m surely not the strangest thing you’ve had to deal with,” he commented politely, attempting to clue the changeling in on his passive knowledge of Equestria’s history.

“Oh, most certainly, and being strange isn’t bad, at all! I mean, look at me! I’m practically an overgrown technicolored beetle,” he exclaimed, a broad smile on his face. “Y’know, we changelings were kinda shocked when we first took on this sort of body after metamorphosis. We had spent so much time as monochrome black beetles that any actual color to our exoskeletons was a pleasant and exciting change. Many of us renamed ourselves as well, but seeing as I had spent so long among ponies with my hive name, I didn’t want to change it.”

“I was a heavy traditionalist, and still mostly am, so I too kept my hive name as well,” Pharynx explained too. “You see, I didn’t much miss Chrysalis, more just the traditional strength I thought we had, so for a few years, I refused to change. It took a little convincing and a weird mole creature to finally get me to see that I was just being stiff about the truth and clinging onto the past a bit too much. I have to admit, it’s much funner to be a reformed changeling than a leeching one.”

“Well, it’s never fun to be the villain,” Ray joked, receiving an appreciative chuckle.

“Come on into the ballroom, Thorax. The others will be glad to see that you’re here,” Twilight told him with a friendly smile, gesturing with a hoof for him to go ahead of her. The doors to the ballroom opened up and the two entered, greeted by exclamations of welcome by the others within. As he expected, Pharynx shut the door behind them before he was able to follow the pair of leaders.

“More talks behind closed doors,” he sighed, turning back to Pharynx with a thin frown.

“Unfortunately, I think you’re going to have to get used to it,” the changeling responded sadly, giving him a shrug. “It’s the unfortunate side of having the care of thousands under your jurisdiction. In my few years in the role I took, I’ve had many conversations like even though there has been continuous peace between everypony in our nations. The only discrepancies have been individuals like the Terrible Three, as we call them in the Hive. It takes many inner workings to keep a nation and its people at peace and to come to agreements. Besides, complete transparency, even among other leaders, can often be seen as either weak or insecure.”

“Yeah, it just feels exhausting,” Ray admitted. “So who put you up to this one? Twilight or Thorax?”

“Myself, mostly,” Pharynx replied with a slight smile. “Although, I told Thorax I would, and he’ll know everything said and done between us, and I’m sure you’ll inform Twilight as well.”

“I’m independent of her,” Ray stated, causing the changeling's eyes to widen. “Basically, we came to an agreement that I and my army would be completely independent of Equestria, including her rule, on the premise that we would fight the minotaurs.”

“You have an army,” Pharynx asked, clearly surprised by the news.

“Oh, I guess you’re the first to know about them besides Twilight and I and a few of the ponies,” Ray surmised. He almost couldn’t believe he had actually relaxed enough around this stranger enough to let something like that slip. The changeling held such a familiar tone as him, and seemed to be genuinely friendly, in a way that was still not completely trustworthy of him, but understanding. “There are about seventeen thousand soldiers, all of them great ponies who made one bad choice many years ago. They fight for Equestria now for their own redemption. I’m honored to fight for them.”

“Aye,” Pharynx nodded in understanding, looking down distantly. “When I led the armies of Chrysalis, we lost a few changelings to many different things, including a failed Canterlot invasion. It was hard for a good many of us to conceive how it could happen when basically none of the ponies but the Elements of Harmony fought back. Many gave up on inhibitions of retaking Equestria after that, and that was when my brother became the first changeling ‘traitor’. I’ve regretted never joining him for a long time, especially now that I’ve changed.”

“I’m certain your brother has forgiven you for that, and more importantly, you’ve made up for it by helping him,” Ray assured him, reaching down and resting a hand on his shoulder. A chill went up him as he felt the cool chitin of the bug’s natural armor.

Looking up, the changeling smiled lightly at the action, stating, “I know he has.” After a brief pause of consideration, he said, “Come on, let’s join the others. I’ve heard all I need to.”

Ray nodded in response, turning around as the door opened, lagging behind Pharynx slightly and allowing him to enter first, smiles on both of their faces as they entered the main ballroom. A few of the guests there took note of their entry, but for the most part continued their casual conversations as the pair entered. Only Redar gave them more than a glance, turning and beginning to walk towards them.

They met halfway, with Redar bowing graciously to the both of them, grinning specifically at Pharynx. “Pharynx, my good friend, I see you too took to a private conversation with our newest member as well!” Pointing at his own chest and the small scratch across it, he commented, “Mine didn’t go nearly so smoothly. This stringy meatstick knows some moves to get him out of a rough spot.”

Pharynx laughed at the wound, looking up at the human to see as Ray allowed an arrogant smile cross his face. “You did that to him? Dragon scale is a tough thing to get through, almost as tough as Redar’s skull!”

“Yes, but he admittedly had me by the throat pretty well,” Ray confessed, crossing his arms. “The only reason I might be considered the winner in that little scuffle was because I had my knife at his side.”

“Knife,” Pharynx questioned, looking for the weapon on Ray, though wrongly guessing it would be near his chest. Sweeping aside a fold in his black overcoat, he revealed the knife within its scabbard, taking it from its sheath discreetly and handing it over to the changeling with a spin. The trio smiled at Ray’s showmanship for a moment before Pharynx began to examine the blade appreciatively. “Quite a fine craftsmanship, and still good as new even after breaking through dragon scale. I’m sure that the smith who built this would be rightly proud.”

Noticing Princess Cadence glancing at the weapon warily from across the room, Ray quickly reached out and took the weapon back, sheathing it and straightening out the fold to conceal it once again. “Perhaps it’s best not to review weaponry at a social event,” Ray suggested. Watching as Gabby passed by, he added, “And around younger friends of ours’.”

“Fair point,” Pharynx agreed. The bug’s attention was suddenly caught by something behind Ray, and before he knew it, he was being introduced to Queen Novo and Princess Skystar of the Hippogriff and Seapony Nation, the Consulate of the Bison and his daughter, and finally Prince Rutherford of Yakyakistan and Yona, who also lived in the School of Friendship on the opposite side of Ponyville. The whirlwind of greetings and brief explanations failed to hold the same importance as his interactions with the dragons and changelings, as none of the other nations attempted to have a private conversation with him. In fact, they seemed to be passive to a point, giving him very little notice besides polite greetings, as if they had met him before or that such an occurrence wasn’t such an oddity. Even the bison seemed to only notice him as an honored guest, which though true, wasn’t what Twilight had warned him to prepare for.

Within what seemed like only a few minutes, it was being announced that dinner was to be served, and everyone was to be seated. Ray found his own spot at the right end of the table, rolling his eyes at the intentional placement that would give him a fair amount of attention. Strangely enough, however, Twilight sat at the opposite end of the long table, the true head of the table. Frowning as he sat, he watched as Ember sat down beside him to his left while Queen Novo sat down to his right, her back to the window. They both were seated by their companion for the evening, followed by the griffons, bison, and Crystal royals to the left and the yaks and changelings to the right. Even odder, however, were the two empty seats to his far right, which virtually everyone took note of as they sat down.

Raising an eyebrow across the table to Twilight as she sat, he failed to catch her attention, so instead simply glanced around at the contents of the table. As more guests had arrived, more utensils and even some food had been placed out. There were three different plates of differing size and color, two bowls of different size, and a series of forks, spoons, and knives. There were four different displays of fruits and four more displays of different plants and flowers that he presumed were for the herbivores seated, and not simply visual. There was also a variety of spices placed out as well, not just salt and pepper, but also pepper flakes and basil among other things.

“Dinner is served,” a voice suddenly expressed loudly, and within a few seconds the doors to the kitchen burst open as several servants brought in different carts of trays and bowls. As they began to be served out among the group, he noticed that a male griffon in a different outfit than the palace servants began serving the hippogriffs and griffons their trays before coming over to serve him. When the servant removed the platter from his plate with a small bow, Ray saw why. For the first time in several months, there was meat provided in the meal on his platter.

It was fish, cooked well and steaming slightly still, and though he wasn’t sure exactly what kind it was, he immediately felt his mouth watering. Seeing other members at the table beginning to dig into their meal, he lifted his fork as he had been instructed by Skalos and cut a generous portion of the fish from the bone and ate it. He chewed evenly, and in spite of the heavenly taste, refused to show more than just a simple nod of appreciation to the retreating servant.

“Tell me, Ray, is this the first time you’ve eaten meat here,” Gilda asked suddenly, chewing on her own fish.

Setting his fork down and wiping his mouth with a napkin, he replied, “Yes, this is my first meat in months.”

“It tastes delicious,” Gabby exclaimed before shoving another bite into her maw. Several of the members of the party glanced at the human, though notably the three seated ponies kept their eyes on their own plate.

“Do you enjoy meat, Raymond,” one of the bison questioned, the hulking beast eyeing him behind bushy brows.

“Of course I do,” Ray answered, picking up his utensils and cutting another slice. “I’m a predator.”

The table relapsed into silence briefly before someone started up a conversation that got the entire party to join in. Ray didn’t exactly understand the subject at hand, as it had something to do with a political blunder between residents of their respective nations. It was a fiscal matter with little consequence and in the end only proved entertaining in the end for all leaders present. Still, he sat there listening in and laughing at the few jokes he understood.

At the end of the story, the servants reentered, revealing the true main dish. The platter they presented to each guest was the same, a completely vegetarian meal consisting of noodles, a thick creamy tan sauce, and several different swirls of spice. As the meal was served, the different members of the table broke off into individual conversations.

“Have you been to the sea in Equestria yet, or even better the seas of Seaquestria,” Princess Skystar suddenly asked from beside her mother.

Swallowing a bite, he looked over at her and asked, “Pardon?”

“Have you been to the sea yet,” the hippogriff clarified with an evergreen smile.

“Oh, no, unfortunately I haven’t had the opportunity to visit the ocean my entire life,” Ray informed her with a half smile. “Maybe I’ll be able to visit the ocean in the summer. I know I’ll see it someday, though.”

“Well, when you do visit, do it in the spring,” Skystar suggested with a wink. “That’s when most seaponies and ‘griffs enjoy their breaks, since in the summer everycreature else comes to our island. You get to make some fun friends, and meet a few nice ladies…”

“I doubt a human is too interested in hippogriffs as a partner,” Queen Novo politely corrected her daughter. Looking up at him with a smile, he added, “No offense meant, of course, but, if you are interested in them, no judgment from anyone here. Ever since the unification and opening of borders of all nations, there have been many different interspecies couples, even a dragon and a seapony! Besides, as far as we know, there’s only one of you in this world, and nopony, griff, hippogriff, drake, or anything else deserves to be alone.”

“Precisely,” Skystar agreed heartily before consuming a healthy sized bite. Wallowing quickly, she added, “I’m getting married next year sometime, and we’ll be doing it on the beach!”

“Really,” he exclaimed softly, once again genuinely surprised by the prospect of someone who seemed so young getting married. This hippogriff seemed almost like a younger Pinkie Pie, and, in suit with the mare, she seemed to do the opposite as expected.

“He hasn’t even proposed yet,” Queen Novo pointed out.

“He wiiiillll,” Skystar sang in return.

Before he was able to reply, however, there was a slight tap on his shoulder, and turning, he found Ember leaning in. He leaned in slightly as well as the Dragonlord whispered, “Redar is about to issue the challenge. We just need to wait for dessert to be served with champagne, and then he can make a formal- and formidable- declaration.”

“Okay,” he responded, leaning back in his chair to look more casual. He should probably have been more nervous about the challenge, especially since he knew Redar wouldn’t necessarily hold back anything. However, he was actually relaxing a fair bit around the leaders, and, in spite of the truth behind what this entire convention was truly about, he found himself enjoying the night. He had met two creatures of different nations and species that he related to and enjoyed talking with, and aside from their kinship, befriending them so easily bode well for his political endeavors.

For a few minutes, he ate in silence undisturbed, listening in to a conversation between the hippogriffs and the yaks. The yaks spoke with a thick broken accent, though briefly they lapsed into their native language, which somehow sounded both like a mix of Russian and Arabic. Having known a few immigrants working minimum wage with him, they had taught him the words that mattered whenever they’d dropped the random piece of garbage on themselves. The strange language of the yaks flowed melodically yet was performed gruffly with harsh noises. None of the other creatures seemed to speak a different language but English, or technically Ponish.

However, one particular conversation caught his attention in a concerning way. Across the table, he heard Gabby ask Twilight, “Um, Princess, who are those two seats by you for?”

“Oh, well, initially they were meant for delegates from the Zebrican Federation, however, they weren’t able to make it this year thanks to a tropical storm that rolled in south yesterday,” Twilight explained. “There will still be two… special diplomats who take the place of those spots, though: my second and Ray’s second.”

“Wait, I thought Ray was your second,” Gilda said, looking over to Ray. Their eyes met briefly, revealing that Ray had been listening in. He quickly ducked his head down for another bite before the griffon could ask him any questions.

“No, Ray isn’t my second for the night, but you’ll find out soon enough,” he heard her explain.

“So human is own nation,” Yona surmised, joining in the conversation. The others seated at the table also paused their private conversations, turning to look at either him or the princess.

“It’s more complicated than that, but in a way, yes,” Twilight smoothed over, somehow remaining completely unshaken by the sudden bombardment of tricky questions. “In short, Ray isn’t a citizen of Equestria, simply a temporary resident at the moment. As some of you know and the rest of you will soon find out, his task gives him a special agency that means he is an ally, but not subject, of any of our nations.”

“So what are you, the president of Humania,” Gabby asked curiously.

Once again wiping his face clean with the napkin provided, he sat up and replied, “It’s not called ‘Humania’. I am the proud leader of a place called the Harkening, but I’m certain nobody here knows where that is but Twilight. Let’s just say that the sun never shines in this place, but the population there is more than fine with allowing themselves to light the town up.”

“So there are actual residents in this town of yours,” the bison consulate vocated, sounding surprised. “How many?”

“Seventeen thousand and twenty two,” Ray responded confidently before inwardly cringing. The flash of pain must have shown in his voice as he corrected, “Sorry, seventeen thousand and twenty one.”

“Oh,” Gabby muttered, looking down solemnly at her food.

“I’m sorry for your loss,” Queen Novo consoled, resting a clawed talon on his wrist briefly. “In our struggle against the Storm King, several of our seaponies went missing or… otherwise. It truly hurts as a ruler to lose one of your beloved subjects.”

“Yes, it does,” Ray agreed with a slight smile. “But sometimes the most meaningful lessons are learned through pain.”

There were mixed reactions from the statement across the entire table, but before the words could settle too deeply, the doors burst open, and the sound of rolling carts and clattering trays interrupted the abrupt silence. Glasses of champagne that clearly wasn’t the champagne he knew it as were passed out with a luxurious chocolate mousse layered in what Ray could only describe as marshmallow fluff. The cook, yet another pony, introduced the dish and accompanying champagne which- as he had guessed- was nothing more than a carbonated, creamy aged juice of peach and mango. The delicious drink was served from a large bottle that would take Ray two hands to hold, the orange liquid fizzing as it was poured. The dragons, however, were served a different, blood red drink that looked almost like liquified rubies, and upon inspection, even seemed to be. As it was poured, it made a tinkling sound in the special metallic cups they were given, the little droplets that spilled out solidifying into tiny crystals.

As the servants left, Shining Armor took to the room’s attention, standing up with his glass in hoof. Raising it high above his head, Ray watched as the other guests did the same, standing with their drinks, so he joined them as well. Even though he stood over all of them save Redar, he too raised his glass above his head.

“A toast,” the stallion called, smiling broadly as he looked around the table. “To another year of prosperity and friendship, to friends across nations, oceans, mountains, and tundras, and to more members and new friends! A toast to the whole continent of Equestria, a toast to the rulers, both present and not, old or new, and a toast to a night of joy and entertainment, enjoying the fruits of the philosophies we stand for. Cheers.”

“Cheers,” the small crowd echoed, everyone tipping their glasses before taking a sip. Ray took a generous swallow of the champagne, his tongue tingling at the flavor and carbonation. Smiling, he sat down with the rest, though Redar remained standing a moment longer.

The dragon gave him a brief glance, and for a short moment, smiled at him, before raising his glass once again, declaring loudly, “Allow me your attention for but a minute, if you please. Tonight, I made a friend, and also a rival. I have challenged Ray in the contest of language, and now wish to contest with him in the field. If the Princess would allow for the Palace in Canterlot to host such an event, it would be my greatest pleasure if all in attendance would join us after this wonderful meal for a challenge of honor and physicality.”

Instantly the entire table was murmuring, and when Ray looked across the table, he found Twilight with her eyes wide, obviously not having been properly informed on Redar’s intentions. She glanced over at, mouthing a question to him. Knowing he was being watched intently, he gave the very slightest of nods, and with the affirmation, Twilight stood with the confidence of a god.

“I accept the invitation and am glad to be the host of the first duel in many years,” Twilight declared as she slowly spread her wings. “You have my blessing to proceed with the challenge. There is an old dueling grounds right outside the main garden, next to the statues.”

With that, many of the attendants began to vocalize their assurance that they too would spectate the duel. None of them seemed to think too seriously of it, either not recognizing the significance or identifying what this duel would truly be. As Redar sat down, Ray saw the dragon’s gaze flicker to him for the briefest second, and he knew that there would be blood drawn, regardless of their newfound friendship. Grimly, Ray stood and accepted the challenge, though it was obvious that nobody had doubted that he would step up to the duel.

As he sat back down, he drained the rest of his glass and straightened out his overcoat, which had begun to fold from standing and sitting so quickly. His hand brushed over the discreetly concealed knife, and as he felt it, his hand lingered, unsure exactly what his intentions to use the weapon were, or even if he should for the duel. However, Redar had challenged him with full knowledge of the weapon, so either he was anticipating Ray using it, or was simply relying on Ray to decide how to arm himself for the duel. Either way, he found himself too distracted to finish the dessert provided and simply pushed it aside, deep in thought.

Once everyone had finished eating, there was a few more minutes of conversation before the servants came in and cleared the dishes from the table, marking the end of the meal. Not waiting for anyone to tell him what to do, Ray stood and pushed his chair in as the servants left, thanking them. A few of the others did the same, though a few more remained in their seats. Looking over to Twilight, he asked, “You said over by the garden, right?”

“By the maze, yes,” Twilight replied, looking doubtful. With a nod, Ray turned and nonchalantly walked away. Pushing open the double doors of the foyer, he walked to the main doors, surprised to find it now guarded by a pair of ponies in armor. They both eyed him as he approached but didn’t say anything as he pushed the large doors open, exiting the palace. As they closed behind him, he turned right, remembering that the garden was facing towards Canterlot and not the ledge of the mountain. There was a well paved path that led around the palace and to the maze Twilight had told him about. The maze itself was a good fiftyish feet away from the walls of the palace, though the space was filled with a small field with green grass that seemed to have been allowed to grow out.

As Twilight had said, there were several statues around the small field, which was boxed in by pavement paths. There was an intricate statue of some sort of ornately decorated mare who was cloaked, a horn peeking out from beneath the hood. Her face was nondescript, but still gave her a wise, young complexion that contrasted the strikingly mature plaque titling the statue as “The Last Hope”. Frowning, Ray glanced over to another one, this one much less concerning, a simple bust of all four alicorns facing in the four cardinal directions. Each one seemed to be given the utmost regality, which was funny considering how misleading it was comparing Twilight’s stoic, heroic stance next to her timid, nervous self. Still, it wasn’t hard to imagine the expression on Twilight like the artist obviously had. The small plaque at the base called this one “For the Future”, surprisingly, even though it didn’t look like a single one of the alicorns were in a very frontward stance.

The most surprising statue, however, was the last one, a horrific marble bust that he knew in an instant wasn’t really rock. Approaching the reprehensible creatures encased in stone at the entry into the maze, he frowned at their forever frozen expressions of fear and panic. One of the creatures seemed almost to be lunging towards the viewer, angry at their imprisoner. It looked almost like a changeling, but if it was corroded into a worse state, holes in its thin wings and stiff legs. Its horn was crooked and bore a few holes as well, but the most detracting feature was the forked tongue that stuck out of a mouth filled with sharp, shark-like teeth.

The other creature that shared its imprisonment was also a quadruped, however, it also shared the strange top half of a bipedal creature. It was almost like someone had replaced a centaurs top half with a mangled monkey with horns. The beast’s complexion was thin and mangy, its stone fur unmanaged and sticking out in every direction. The beast wasn’t attacking whoever had imprisoned it like its comrade, instead crumpling over on itself in agony or fear. A hideous scowl of defeat was forever engraved on its face, its hands only reaching halfway to cover its face. It was turned away from the viewer, so Ray had to circle it to get a better look at the creature, which gave him an opportunity to see that there was a strange disturbance on its shoulder where the fur had been flattened.

From his new perspective, he could also see the plaque that had been nailed bleakly into the statue’s base, reading “Cozy Glow, Tirek, and Chrysalis”. Looking back up, he realized that the changeling one had to be the same Chrysalis that the changelings had been freed from, the one Pharynx and Thorax had briefly mentioned. The other one, the strange centaur, had to be Tirek, since he already knew Cozy Glow was a pony name. The only question left… where the mentioned pony was?

Ray didn’t have any time to ponder the question as he refocused on the task he had at hand. Turning back to the field, he noticed how even the land was, perfectly flat like the paths that surrounded it. It wasn’t like the ground around the lake, or even just normal ground in general, but was perfectly smooth to the millimeter. Frowning, he stooped down and began to scuff the ground, tearing away some of the dirt and causing little mounds to form. He kept doing that until the center of the field was much more uneven than even the water-logged lake shores.

There wasn’t any time to appreciate his work as he suddenly heard a myriad of voices and footsteps. Looking up, he quickly stepped off to one side of the field, farther off from the oncoming group that rounded the side of the building, Twilight leading them. Everyone was present, even Gabby and Yona, though they seemed more hesitant about the proceedings than even Thorax. As they approached, Ray casually removed his overcoat, though he left the silk undershirt underneath it on. Knowing that Rarity would be most upset if he were to damage it or get it dirty in any way, he calmly hung it from the outstretched hoof of the statue of Chrysalis.

“Well then, Ray, here we are,” Redar said broadly, spreading his arms as if to encircle the area they were going to fight in. “Are you adequately prepared for battle?”

“Well, before we get started, I do have a single request,” Ray replied. Looking over to Twilight, he asked, “Since Redar was the one who made the official challenge, then it only seems fair that I set the rules, no?”

“Hmm,” Twilight muttered thoughtfully, glancing at both the dragon and human. Her eyes narrowed as they landed on his dagger, which he hadn’t bothered to remove yet. Hesitantly, she finally answered, “Well, what rules do you propose?”

“Everything goes,” Ray replied immediately, causing the entire crowd to begin murmured conversations with each other. “Wings, claws, fire, weapons, teeth… All’s fair. Duel ends when the other one is no longer able to fight.”

“I accept these terms,” Redar quickly injected, stepping into the grass opposite of Ray.

Before Twilight could respond to either of them, Ember declared, “The grounds have been set. Let the duel begin!”

Both opponents moved into action immediately, Redar lunging forward across the field, propelled by his scaled wings while Ray dodged sideways, careful not to cross into his opponent’s side. Redar reached out with a clawed hand, swiping quickly at Ray, though the attempt was so far off he didn’t even need to avoid it. The drake had obviously expected Ray to lunge at his as well, but quickly was able to spin around to keep facing the human. Ray held his ground now, just a few short steps away from Redar as a momentary pause settled while they both weighed their options.

This time it was Ray who moved first, though he stepped carefully into the no-man's land. The movement initiated Redar’s own re-engagement, as he lunged once again at Ray with a swift punch. Barely managing to clear his face out of the path of the strike, he was able to catch the dragon’s outstretched limb and yank it before he was able to retreat. The drake was set off-balance and stumbled forward ever so slightly, though he was able to regain balance thanks to his tail. Using the advantage of a lighter body weight and better agility, Ray was able to encircle the dragon as he recentered himself.

Noticing Ray’s movement, Redar swung his tail at the human, and while the strike landed squarely in his chest, there wasn’t nearly enough force behind it to cause any harm. Still, it gave him time to flip around and prepare yet another swift lunge at the human. Anticipating the move, Ray ducked underneath his attacker’s arm and right behind him, stepping on his tail and pinning it down by the spear at the end of it. Redar roared in pain as the sensitive area was crushed by Ray’s foot, wheeling around with his mouth glowing. The close proximity of the two, however, allowed Ray to strike the dragon swiftly in the throat as he prepared to breathe fire, causing the drake to hiccup a small ball of flame out his mouth instead.

The action obviously hurt Redar by the sound of a raspy growl, but Ray knew that this fight wasn’t going to be about showing mercy. Reaching out, he grabbed Redar’s right shoulder with his left hand, pulling the dragon into his own squared shoulder. The hit caught him right in the chest, a gasp escaping the dragon as the wind was knocked out of him. As the dragon slipped backwards, Ray lifted his foot off the dragon’s tail and used it to kick him away. Redar fell to the ground wheezing, but in an instant was back on his feet, smoke trailing from his mouth.

In a show of strength, the dragon spread his wings above his head, blotting out the setting sun as his arms stretched out, claws fully extended. The dragon roared primally and in an instant charged Ray with the last of his remaining strength. This time, however, Ray didn’t attempt to sidestep the move or dodge as Redar anticipated, standing his ground truly and lunging forward. The drake had angled himself to the right in an attempt to predict Ray’s movement, but having anticipated wrong, it allowed Ray to wrap himself around the larger biped’s shoulder and whip him around, sending him into the ground.

The dragon lay still for a moment panting, exhausted and in pain, but upon seeing Ray unsheathe his dagger, the metal singing as it was freed, he attempted to stand. The knife flashed through the air as Ray slid to the side of the dragon, and with a loud crack, brought the hilt of the weapon to the dragon’s temple, instantly rendering the dragon unconscious. Holding the pose, his blade pointed towards himself while his opponent lay on the smattered ground he looked over to the crowd, who all stood in shocked silence.

“Redar is no longer able to fight,” he declared, spinning the knife around expertly in his fingers, sheathing it. “I win the duel.”

As if the statement was a wakeup call, Prince Rutherford yelled in broken Ponish, “The human is strong, more than a dragon!”

Nodding in acknowledgement of the comment, Ray turned and helped Ember lift the unconscious dragon off the ground. The dragoness seemed slightly concerned, her brow set and her eyes refusing to meet Ray’s for even the briefest moment. Ray decided to let her hold her piece and simply put one of Redar’s arms around his shoulder, lifting him up. The fight had gone much better than Ray had anticipated, without even his luxurious undershirt receiving a scratch. Obviously the others had no way to guess Ray’s fighting prowess beyond his physical stature, and pitting him against a dragon that they knew as a warrior and formidable enemy that weighed in well over Ray, to them it might have seemed like at best for Ray a draw match.

Helping Ember prop Redar against the nearest bench, he turned curtly and without a word retreated back to the frozen duo. He gave them a bleak look, their faces scowling and hissing in defeat and fear, the strength they had once used to oppress their foes seized in stone with them. Frowning, he reached up and grabbed his overcoat from off of Chrysalis’ marble hoof, wrapping it around his shoulders and buttoning it up tightly around himself, concealing his knife once again. It was strange how little time felt had passed since the arrival of the first guests, but now that he was looking at the statue, there was only the dim moon and stars behind it, the light gone.

“Sometimes I forget that I wasn’t the one who encased them in stone,” Twilight suddenly said from beside him, her voice hushed. Ray looked down momentarily, but the alicorn was only staring intently at the statue. “It was Discord, Celestia, and Luna who actually imprisoned them. The only thing I did was leave them defenseless against it.”

“You and the others, from what I hear,” Ray reminded her, crossing his arms over his chest. Silence followed the comment as they both stared at the defeated villains, though their thoughts were quite obviously not on them.

Finally, Twilight complimented, “That was a very unconventional duel. Well done.”

“Unconventional,” Ray questioned quietly.

“Well, yes,” Twilight defended, looking up at him. “I saw what you did with the field, turning the ground up like that to make it more treacherous to cross. That forced Redar to fly over the area regardless of if you attacked or defended, which you both knew. However, he expected you to defend your ground, but you didn’t. This was surprising and since he had weighed so much on you being predictably defensible, it threw him off the rest of the fight. It’s also why later on, when he expected you to be elusive and avoid frontal conflict, your attack was completely surprising too. Very smart, I must say. If I’m being honest, I knew you would win, but… I thought you might not show mercy, to prove a point.”

“I did to prove a point,” Ray replied calmly, kneeling down to be face level with Twilight. “But for a brief moment, I considered it. If I didn’t know him at all or that he had Ember, I may not have held back. Though I guess I was merciless in other ways.”

“Yes, that hit in the head did look rather brutal,” Twilight agreed, glancing behind them to where Ember and someone else was taking care of Redar. Looking back at him, she told him, “The others that know were quite frankly frightened by the performance, but at the very least it confirms your ability to fend for yourself without even using a weapon. Some of the others that didn’t actually have any clue what was going on were completely shocked that you both won the duel and used an actual knife to finish the fight. They're waiting for your response now.”

Ray hummed thoughtfully, looking back up at the stone face of Chrysalis, her sharp teeth attempting to grasp his face, the only thing holding it back being the stone that encased her. Frowning, he looked back at the mare, pointing to the statue as he asked, “Where’s the other one?”

The mare looked uncomfortable for a brief second, before responding, “I actually don’t know where she is exactly, but she’s free from the encasement, as you can see. She’s living with one of my closest friends, Starlight Glimmer, or at least, the last I knew. She’s reformed… ish, and she likes to keep her secrecy since she’s still kinda mistrustful of me. Overall, though, she and Starlight have become a weird family thing, and with Sunburst and Starlight dating, they might actually become your average family.”

“Alright, I just needed to know I wasn’t harming her either,” Ray responded, straightening his coat as he stood up.

“Wait, what do you mean,” she asked, looking up at him, concerned.

Whipping his hand out from beneath his coat, he rammed the knife deep into the stone side of Chrysalis, the marble crumbling as if it were sandstone. Cracks splintered the entire body of the stony changeling, the force of the impact shattering pieces off as well. He had half-expected the statue to gush blood, but the only excretion was a plume of dust that formed with the breaking of the stone. Ripping the blade from the depths of Chrysalis, he raised his foot and kicked the statue over, watching the two wobble for a brief moment before crashing onto the concrete bellow.

A loud cracking sound filled the air as the frozen figures shattered into hundreds of pieces, large and small, as they collided with the ground. Dust shot through the air, and in spite of the fact that it was the very foundation of the two, Ray breathed in deeply. Letting out a sigh, he carefully took a step back, avoiding chunks of stone littering his surroundings. The pile was no longer recognizable as the statue it had once been, and seeing the final destruction wrought by the villains encased in the statue, he sheathed his blade. If all else failed, at least he had ended the era of these tyrants. Nothing could ever be contained forever.

“Sweet Celestia, why in the wide world of evergreen Equestria did you do that,” Twilight exclaimed from beside him, her hooves holding her head as she stared with wide eyes at the ruins of the statue.

Turning around, he found not only the mare but the entire party staring at the rubble. Each and every member, even Ember, had turned their attention to where the villains were no more, and they each held similar expressions to Twilight’s. Instead of answering Twilight, Ray took the opportunity the silence and attention gave him and proclaimed, “My name is Ray of the Harkening. I’m not one of you, an Equestrian, and I will never be one of you. The world you live in now may be a cheerful, peaceful place, but the world around you is unkind to the concept of peace. There have been many attempts to destroy the harmony of this land, some by the very villains that I just now shattered, and they will not be the only ones to be destroyed by me. From my first days here I have found myself loving the populace of this land, but I cannot truly associate myself as an Equestrian, because as you have all seen, I am a killer.

“This isn’t the first time I have killed, not even in a land such as Equestria, and it will not be the last so long as I live. You see, some of you know my purpose, some of you may even have come to accept that I am a murderer. Well, let this example show you the true nature of my being, a testament to my will to end the lives of enemies of Equestria. Violence should never be the answer to any problem, but, unfortunately, it is the only answer to the challenge we face. You see, thanks to your Princes Twilight Sparkle, we know now that in less than a year, shortly after the next anniversary of her crowning, an invasion comes.

“These invaders aren’t anything like you have seen before, not even on the level of the Storm King. The Storm King was evil, truly, but he wasn’t senseless. What will come from across the ocean, from beyond the islands of Seaquestria. These invaders will be monsters, minotaurs as we know them, that have no conscience, and will slaughter every living being they come across. They have no will to live, only the want to kill, and if they land on our shores, we may lose more than we can afford in defense of Equestria. Therefore, I and my army of Fallen will go and strike preemptively against them, and hopefully beat them to the punch.”

Taking a breath, looking at the mix of confusion, horror, determination, and… admiration, on the faces of the leaders before him, he nodded his head slowly. “As you can see, I and my people are an independent branch of Equestria, ruled by no other nation but ourselves. She most likely would have preferred this discussion to be had at the dinner table, sitting down in an official meeting, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. This side of the world has seen endless conflicts and issues for the past several years, with only a few months of true peace, but even then I hear of and know the rumors of what is going on in other ponish cities. It’s time for this plain to have peace and for those who would think to attack its inhabitants to pay for their transgressions.”

“Everything Ray has just said is true,” Twilight suddenly spoke up from behind him. He turned around and looked at her, surprised to find her approaching him, a firm et to her jaw. “The world we know is in danger once again, and this time there is nothing the Elements can do to prevent it from happening. Shortly after I was named Princess, I decided to use a spell that nopony had ever attempted to use before, a spell that looked into the future. It’s a dangerous spell that almost sent me insane, but I was able to control myself long enough to see the future. I foresaw the issues with the Yakyakistan passages, the border crisis with Seaquestria and the griffons, and even the attack of a rogue dragon, and when all of those things came, I knew how to react. The one thing I didn’t see coming, couldn’t have guessed would ever happen, was the invasion of minotaurs, exactly two years, two months, and thirteen days after my crowning. Today, that number is eleven months and two days.

“In my vision, I saw the shores suddenly flooded with large boats containing hundreds of strange creatures that looked like monotaurs- the species here in Equestria- with overgrown fur and dangerous weapons. They tore apart the ponies, wore their skins as clothing, and once they were done with the ponies, they move on to other nations, killing off the changelings, griffons, bison, yaks, seaponies, hippogriffs, and eventually, even the dragons. At first I had hoped that, perhaps, I would be able to buffer them with the Elements, but then I realized two things, One, the Elements can only give beings the chance to be good, but when the enemy at hoof is an entire race of vicious killers, there is nothing that can be done to befriend or ally with them. And Two, the Elements are instilled in each of us, and using them would require us to be put in the line of danger.”

“But surely we fight back,” Prince Rutherford shouted, his eyes briefly showing from behind his thick hair, thin and thoughtful.

“Yes, some of you could fight back,” Ray agreed, holding his hand out to Twilight to show that he would take it from here. “Many years ago, however, before many records were kept, there was a large war that killed thousands. At the time, Celestia and Luna were both so devastated by the loss of life that they removed the ability to kill or commit violence from the ponies. By doing so, other equine creatures, such as hippogriffs, bison, and yaks were also prevented from violence. This all meant that they were defenseless against attack, but for millennia, the solution worked, and the Princess’ plan seemed like the permanent solution to war. After all, until most recently, there hadn’t been a single war. They could have never known that there was a much worse war to come so far ahead into the future.

“They did, however, leave us with a back-up plan unintentionally, a hope that we could hang onto in case we ever needed it. The Fallen, the soldiers I discussed of, were once ponies that fought in the terrible war eons ago. However, they betrayed the Princesses and killed innocent civilians, and so when they were captured, they were punished. Princess Luna damned them to live forever in the bottom of Tartarus, to stay there unchanged until they were called upon again. It was there that they adopted the name the Fallen, as they recognized the mistakes they had made. For hundreds of years they have lived down there, in the nigh on dark of the bottom of hell. They called the town they carved into the cave walls the Harkening, a place where they would learn and grow out of their mistakes, and it is there that they still reside. These are the soldiers that will now defend the land they once betrayed, both to redeem themselves and to rescue Equestria.

“They, however, needed a general, somebody who could live as one of them but lead all of them. Somebody who could kill without fear and fight without holding back, somebody who would do whatever necessary for both them and for Equestria. They needed someone who could take hits and retaliate ten times what they’d received, learn to love them, yet hold them to their ancient oath. That person did not exist on Equestria, though there were candidates. They needed someone fresh to peace but well accustomed to conflict, a person who had nothing to lose but everything on the line. A person who could die for them, but may live.”

“You,” Princess Skystar hushly whispered, a claw held up to her mouth in shocked realization. “You’re not just the leader of the nation politically, but also as a…”

“You have killed,” Thorax asked grimly as Skystar trailed off. He seemed less friendly now, a dangerous frown on his face as he glared Ray down.

“Indeed I have,” Ray confirmed without delay. “Including Chrysalis and Tirek, I have killed five.”

“Five,” the bison’s daughter exclaimed in surprise.

“Yes, only five,” Ray restated. “I didn’t do it because I wanted to, however. I don’t like killing, in fact, it hurts that I’ve killed so many already. Personally, however, I believe that each death was necessary for both the defense and security of Equestria and myself. Today marks the end of an age of defenselessness and insecurity. Today is the beginning of an age in which Equestria must prepare for the future, a future that will forever be rocked by the introduction to the new world we must fight. Tonight, the sun sets on fear and obliviousness, and in the morning, it will rise to the strength of every nation of Equestria standing together in fullest support of each other. It is a great deal to ask, but I must know that I and my nation have alliances not of paper and ink, but of mind and body, a trust that goes beyond contracts. The conflict we face is no longer able to be stopped by the politics of this plain, but by the war of the new world.”

“The bison support the Fallen and their brave leader in this endeavor,” the Consulate suddenly stated, stepping forward with his head raised. “We bison have fought many a time with ourselves and the ponies, though peace has now been maintained for over five years without relapse. Perhaps this war will lead to a greater peace across the world. Suffering, after all, is a great motivator for peace.”

“The hippogriffs and seaponies were forced out of their homes and into the depths of the ocean once already, and while I am still queen, I refuse to allow it to happen again,” Queen Novo declared fiercely. “Upon return to Seaquestria, I will immediately order a scouting force to find the coastline of this other continent. We have explored far and wide the ocean around us, however, we have not gone past the Deep Point. Even if we must cross over it, we will find the enemy’s coast and set the proper navigation information to reach it.”

“Yaks will not fight, but we will send plenty food, and warm clothes too,” Prince Rutherford stated thoughtfully. “Yaks can help build boats with plentiful wood. Pykrete too!”

“From the start, the Crystal Empire has been supportive of Ray and Twilight’s mission, and now we too will strive to work for the defense and betterment of all Equestria,” Princess Cadence added. “In whatever way we can, we will support the cause with all of our heart.”

“The dragons support this cause,” Ember stated shortly as she lifted up a dazed Redar. “No grudges held, and no support withheld.”

“Well, I don’t speak for all griffons, but I’m sure that we can help in whatever way possible,” Gilda said uncertainly. “If you have any need for us, we’d be most glad to help.”

Silence fell over the crowd as they all looked over to Thorax and Pharynx, waiting for the changeling’s response. Thorax stood there, a hoof thoughtfully stroking his chin as he carefully weighed his options. He looked intensely focused, but not entirely aggressive, simply sitting there in thoughtful silence. Finally, he muttered, “The nation of changelings is barely three years old. We as a population have not been forced to face the tremendous weight of governance required to support citizens during a war. The changelings are still recovering from the reign of Chrysalis and the changeling queens that came before her. We have never had to make a harder choice than standing by our allies in times of trial, and though the stakes are much higher this time, we will continue to stand by our friends. Both old and new.”

Ray felt himself smile gratefully at the changeling as Thorax looked up at him and returned the gesture. “So it is decided then,” he summarized, looking around at all the other leaders. Once again, nods of affirmation and small comments reaffirming their loyalty. “Alright then, Ray, Twilight, what is the plan?”

“Well, depending on what the seaponies discover, we hope to set sail to the other continent in time to prevent the minotaurs from sailing out as well,” Twilight explained thoroughly. “As stated, Ray will be the military leader of the Fallen, which will be the only force allowed by any nation to fight them. We know that many will be willing to assist, however it would mean putting dragons and griffons under the control of Ray completely, and while we trust your leadership, not every individual would be keen to follow every order from Ray. Along with that, we have no idea what opening up multiple fronts would mean for the war, if it would alleviate the pressure off the main force or encourage harsher fighting conditions. There is also the consideration that by attacking them, we might inspire them to completely forgo the fighting and head straight for Equestria to inflict as much damage as possible.”

“I will be delegating a small force of Fallen to remain along the coastline once we take it, and from there we will attack and destroy as many ports as possible, if any exist,” Ray continued, stepping forward. “Though it wasn’t originally part of the plan, now that we have all of your support, we can plan more aggressively. For starters, the seaponies, dragons, and griffons could most easily scout out our own coast to defend it if any ships slipped through. Mostly likely we’ll have to set some counter defenses out at sea to deter any scouting efforts such as sandbar spikes and entangling patches of seaweed once we have sailed beyond our coast.”

“Currently, we haven’t planned for Ray and the Fallen to return to Equestria yet,” Twilight detailed. “We have plans for in case the minotaurs do break through and send a massive invasion force to attack us that involves the use of the Crystal Empire’s tundra and Yakyakistan, the most hostile locations in Equestria, to escape to, as well as diamond dog tunnels. That is just a backup plan however, as the main goal is to force the minotaurs into a position that they cannot negotiate out of. Ray will handle the affairs of the minotaurs and after their defeat we will extend friendship with trade negotiations and cultural trades. Hopefully this war will not end in extinction for either race, but in case Ray deems it as… the only solution, then we will seal that part of the world off from us out of respect for the lives lost their, whether Fallen or not.”

“I hate to be the one who asks this,” Redar suddenly began quietly. “But what is the plan for if Ray dies?”

Silence followed the question as the entire party once put all of their attention on Ray. Many of them looked as if they were just now realizing what the war entailed and could possibly result in, more than just beyond fighting. With a sad smile, Ray answered, “It’s unfortunate how likely that is to happen, but then my second-in-command, Skalos, will take the role of general from there and continue leading until Twilight arrives to finish directing them. While Twilight may not be able to kill or witness death in any healthy way, she can instruct and lead battles from the rear guard. It is hopeful that the war never gets to that point, and the plan, though it may be naive, is for the whole conflict to be over in between four to six months.”

More silence followed that statement as the party somberly chewed on what Ray had told them. It was hard to see how many of them looked as if they pitied Ray, the strange hopelessness they looked at him with as if he were going off to war at the moment. Ray felt himself almost feel bad for them, that they would have to be hear behind the lines without knowledge of what all was happening while he and the Fallen fought. He caught the eye of Gabby, the young griffon sitting silently with her claws wrapped around her tightly. The griffon looked away immediately, a slight frown crossing her face as she scrunched herself up even more.

“C’mon now, everyone, today was merely a day to make friends and inform you on the meaning of my being here,” Ray exclaimed with a forced smile. “We still have a whole party to complete inside. The war will come one day, so let's enjoy the time we have before we must face it. Today is for learning, growing, enjoying life as it is, and the future is uncertain, no matter how many dates we set for it, or how much we plan. Today isn’t just the present, but also a present.”

“He’s right,” Thorax suddenly agreed with a bright smile. “The future is dark, but the night is still young, full of starlight.” Turning confidently to Twilight, he asked, “Princess, if you allow it, might we have our ball outdoors tonight? It’s too beautiful of a night to simply stay inside.”

Nodding slowly, Twilight said, “I agree. I’ll have the musicians set up outdoors, on the patio and refreshments.”

As if the words of the alicorn were a reality check, the others seemed to finally shake the somberness off, small smiles and little conversations springing up like flowers through the cold winter ground. Ray breathed in deeply, letting it out in an exhausted sigh. It had certainly been a long day, and now he could finally start breathing normally again. Glancing over at Twilight, who had begun to set about preparing the patio quickly as a small ballroom, he excused himself.

He didn’t particularly need to go inside, but simply away from the others. Turning around, he walked towards the entrance of the plant maze, intending to lose himself in it for the hour. Casually passing the broken stone of the statue that Twilight had already begun to clean up into a large pile, he felt a calm settle into him as he entered the walls of the green labyrinth. Silence crept gracefully, gratefully, across his ears, a peace he hadn’t felt in a long time allowing his shoulders to fall and his chest to fill.

In between the branches of the maze, he saw a small flash of glowing blue, and rounding the corner, he found Skalos sitting there, his back to him. The stallion glanced behind him slowly at his approach, but ultimately neither of them said anything, the soft whistling of a sudden light breeze the only sound and carrying the last of his evicted stress with it. Ray strode up beside the Fallen, wordlessly taking a seat beside his mentor and friend. Silently, the pair enjoyed a rare moment of silence and victory.

Author's Note:

1 of 5 chapters coming out today! Two years of this story now!

Comments

[DrekiDarksteel]

Not sure if I agree with Ray's decision to off Chrysalis and Tirek, though I can see the thought process that likely led to that outcome. Wonderful story so far, I've been binge reading it for the past couple of days. Can't wait to see where it goes from here.

[The_Darker_Fonts]

11502358
Hey, thanks so much! And that's the thing, you aren't supposed to, really...

[Bronyshot2020]

Haha rereading this cause I forgot a whole lot but I remember this is my favorite chapter

[The_Darker_Fonts]

11624272
Oh, awesome! Why?