Dramatis Personae of the Pony Wars

by Wings of Black Glass

Solarflare, Queen of Power and Passion

Solarflare is Queen of the Sunbound Kingdom, an Alicorn, and one of the most powerful beings alive. Friendly and energetic, she is driven by her vibrant emotions and passions. When she believes that she is betrayed by her friends, her fury is equally as potent. If she can learn to control her burning anger, she could become one of the greatest leaders the Sunbound Kingdom has ever seen.

“I almost can’t believe they betrayed us… that they betrayed me! I’ll reduce them to cinders for it!”

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In the mountain fortress-city of Arondight, not far from the border, were born to a lesser noble family two unicorn sisters. As a filly, Solarflare was energetic and full of life, making friends easily and only occasionally getting herself in trouble. In her childhood, as in her later life, she threw herself at whatever she was doing with a fiery passion and seemingly endless energy. Contrasting somewhat was her younger sister, Rising Dawn, who was more thoughtful and careful. It was their first tutors who discovered both had potential with magic, Solarflare due to the significant energy she seemed able to channel, and Rising Dawn showed promise far beyond what her years would suggest.

The two of them were sent off to be taught at the most prestigious magical academy in the Sunbound Kingdom, the Luminous Tower. There Solarflare proved to be among the best students of magic, throwing herself into her projects with enthusiasm. She was able to harness nexus powers in a greater capacity than even many of her teachers. Using it came effortlessly to her and earned her respect and friends among the other students, all of which she cherished. While her younger sister proved to be of only middling ability when it came to magic, Rising Dawn quickly showed she was nearly prodigally intelligent in most other matters. Expectations for her were high, but nothing prepared her for a visit from the most unexpected source.

Only in her dreams had she ever believed she would meet an Alicorn, so it was quite a shock when one flew into the dining hall and landed at her table. It was Lady Sky, the oracle, come to give her advice and guidance. She had heard tales of the visionary before and expected she would give her inscrutable advice or unclear warnings. Instead, Lady Sky shared a reasonably clear message with Solarflare. Out in the wilderness was the ruins of an ancient civilization, and within, she would find the key to her destiny. Before she left, she also warned of a coming calamity but was evasive on what that was or when it would arrive. Then she was gone, as suddenly as she had come.

The visitation by the oracle immediately made Solarflare an instant celebrity throughout the academy and beyond. The conversation had been overheard by numerous other students; there was no hiding what had been said. Several noble families offered to fund an expedition, but Solarflare refused, wanting to explore the ruins on her own. When asked why she said it would be more fun. So she packed her things and set out, following Lady Sky’s directions to the ruins.

Deep beneath the rubble of a forgotten palace, she found a sealed chamber. Thrust into the stone at the center of an arcane circle was a shaft of golden metal. Etched into the stone was written in a dead language, the name of the weapon, the Sacred Spear Solangon. Powerful magics were flowing through it; she could feel the energy in her skin even from a distance. It drew her forward, and she knew this must be what Lady Sky had told her of. The moment she touched the spear, incredible energy shot through her. A lesser Unicorn would have been utterly destroyed by it. Indeed, no Unicorn could survive that power flowing into her, so she became something more.

When the experience had ended, she was a Unicorn no longer. Solarflare had transformed into an Alicorn, her powers bound directly to one of the Nexus of magic. Ordinary magic felt somehow smaller to her now, and she could channel virtually unlimited power into her spells. Her emotional state, already volatile, grew even more intense. She took the spear and returned home, her new body a surprise to everyone.

News of her transformation rapidly reached the ears of Good King Halo, who came to meet with her. The King was impressed with Solarflare and Rising Dawn, offering both of them a place in his court. Although they had not technically completed their training at the Luminous Tower, they took his offer; Rising Dawn’s knowledge was already past what she felt she could learn, and Solarflare was powerful beyond any other student by a wide margin. The change in pace was drastic, the politics of the court surprising both of them. Solarflare drew most of the attention, and her volatile temperament made her few friends among those in powerful positions even if she did earn their respect.

It wasn’t long before they were both invited to join the King’s delegation at the Conclave, to meet with the Lumahina Empire’s rulers. The Lumahinan were quite impressed with Solarflare, and she and Rising Dawn got the chance to speak with both Unicorn Princesses Midnight and Moonlight. The four mares found they had much in common and quickly became friends. Over the next few Conclaves, the four would spend a great deal of time together, and it was widely thought this would help stabilize the relationship between the two nations.

At a later Conclave, a new face joined the Lumahina delegates. A younger scholar stallion named Dusk. Unlike most of the others who were interested in Solarflare’s Alicorn form, he wasn’t interested in how powerful she was or what magic she could perform, but instead how it had changed her personally from before. She found he was excellent company, and what time that wasn’t spent in negotiations or in the games she spent with him. He turned out to be intelligent and insightful but utterly uninterested in politics or warfare. He was at the Conclave to ask for permission from the Sunbound Kingdom to cross the border and explore old ruins. Solarflare had no difficulty convincing Good King Halo to allow this.

Dusk, although he was smart, was not much to speak of in terms of physical or magical ability and asked for an escort on his adventure. Worried for her new friend, and without any pressing matters of her own, Solarflare took the season off and went with him. They spent the summer exploring the ancient cities and ruined castles across the Kingdom, often speaking long into the night. They compared old myths and legends, trying to find a common origin to the two nations’ disparate cultures. The two grew very close during that summer, and when Dusk had to return home, he promised to stay in touch.

This would be a pattern for the next few years; during the summer, Dusk would spend in the Sunbound Kingdom with Solarflare, and during the winter, he would spend with the other scholars in the Lumahina Empire. One year, shortly before the spring Conclave, a message was delivered to Solarflare, urging that Dusk needed to speak with her about something important he had uncovered and that she needed to be at this upcoming Conclave. Unfortunately, they never got the chance to meet there.

Solarflare was conversing with the King when suddenly their encampment came under attack by soldiers wearing Lumahina armor. Solarflare engaged them, but several snuck past her into the King’s pavilion. She got inside just in time to see one drive a knife through Good King Halo’s chest. Driven into a deep rage, she unleashed her most potent magic, most of the assassins disintegrating instantly. If any escaped, she didn’t see them.

Solarflare immediately took control of the Sunbound forces. Skystorm, one of the Sunbound nobles, encouraged her to take the fight to the Lumahinan delegation, and she flew to engage them. Princess Midnight claimed innocence, that they had been attacked by Sunbound knights and were defending themselves. Enraged beyond reason, Solarflare was about to destroy them when she was interrupted by the arrival of a new Alicorn. It was Princess Moonlight, wielding powers unlike any Solarflare had seen before. The delay gave the other Lumahina Princess time to escape with most of her group.

The Sunbound collected their dead and withdrew back to friendly territory. Bereft of leadership, Solarflare took control. She had Rising Dawn begin organizing defenses on the border and calling up new troops. The Elector nobles protested, claiming she had no authority to make these decisions, no new monarch had been crowned. Fuming that this was no time to play politics, she demanded they choose someone to lead. While it took weeks to gather the Elector nobles, Solarflare continued to behave as though she were the new queen.

Even once the Electors had been gathered, they still bickered and argued over who was the new Monarch. Good King Halo had never officially endorsed anypony to be his heir. After weeks of inaction, Solarflare intruded on them and demanded they make their choice; reports showed that Lumahina armies were gathering, there was no more time to play political games. Given the situation, and knowing just how powerful Solarflare was, few were surprised when the Electors reluctantly raised her as the new Monarch.

Now crowned Queen, Soalrflare finally had the authority to raise her army and moved the capital to her childhood home of the mountain fortress city, Arondight. Cooler heads tried to convince her to speak with the Princesses of the Lumahina; perhaps there was still a way to avoid open war. Not wanting to make war on her friends, she agreed but commanded that the border forts be reinforced, and new soldiers brought up. She would not leave the border undefended.

The next Conclave was tense. Each side brought many more honor guard than before, and each was convinced the other was responsible for the attack. Solarflare looked for her friend among the other Lumahina delegates, but he was nowhere to be found. Only Princess Midnight was present. Promising no violence today, she was able to have a private conversation with the Princess. Midnight seemed older now, more severe and terse. When Solarflare asked where Moonlight and Dusk were, she was told Moonlight had been exiled for illegal magic and that Dusk was killed in the attack on the Conclave. The news her beloved friend was dead stuck her hard, and she nearly flew into a rage. Knowing the strange magic the Lumahina possessed, including returning the dead to life, she demanded they resurrect both him and King Halo. Midnight declined, and Solarflare stormed out.

Neither side was willing to speak in good faith with the other by now. Keeping her promise there would be no violence at the Conclave, Solarflare pulled the Sunbound out of negotiations and withdrew back to the new capital, in peace if not in friendship. Despondent and grieving for Dusk, she spoke to few for days. But then the Twilight Lands suddenly grew wild. A mysterious mist flowed over the valleys, monsters were seen in greater numbers than ever before, and the ways through the dark forests became shrouded by illusions. A few who managed to cross the now dangerous wilds told of a spell cast by a Princess of the Lumahina was somehow responsible for the changes.

It was clear now that the Lumahina were preparing for open warfare. Solarflare gave Rising Dawn the responsibility of chief strategist and ordered her to ready the armies. War was coming to the Ponies of the Sunbound Kingdom, and Solarflare would be prepared for it.

Comments

[Starlight Nova]

Is this a Persona crossover?

[Wings of Black Glass]

10587659
"Dramatis Personae" is a term that means: the characters in a story.
No, it is not a persona game crossover.

[EdBoii]

Original settings are rad. You can have my like.

[TombKang]

Well you got me interested. Looking forward for more.