Chapter Fifteen
“Captain,” Princess Celestia murmured.
Across the dim confines of the Council room, Shining Armor nodded his head while moving to shut the heavy door. He heaved against the door, a small grunt working its way from his throat as he rammed his shoulder into it a second time. This time the door slid home with a dull boom, and Shining Armor stepped back.
He took a slow breath as magic began to swirl around his horn. It was a surprisingly delicate lilac shade, almost seeming to be a mist clinging to his horn. As more and more power cloaked his horn, the color began to darken, solidifying into a solid cone of power. Unlike most unicorns, whose magic was simply a loose cloud, Shining had reinforced the cone with layer after layer of powerful defensive wards.
He had once boasted to Twilight, saying that he could stop Princess Celestia’s magic, if she gave him enough time to prepare his barrier spell. He couldn’t hold up the shield against that kind of onslaught for long, but it was a feat nonetheless. Now, the same interwoven lattice of spells had congealed into a single, impenetrable barrier waiting to be released. At a nod from the Princess, Shining touched the tip of his horn to the metal of the door.
Magic flared with brilliant light for a moment, racing along veins of silver that traced all over the edges of the room, hidden by the thick crimson hangings on the wall. Even through the layers of silk, the flash of magic arcing around the room was near blinding. A moment later, the bands of impregnated silver dimmed, to a purple glow easily hidden behind the decor. Near the door, Shining Armor sucked in a breath, trying not to pant like a colt after his first tumble in the hay.
Straightening, only slightly red faced from the exertion, the Helian Guard Captain bowed formally to the Princess. Celestia bowed as well, a shallow dip befitting her position as his superior, and turned to face the Council members present.
“With that attended to, we may speak in privacy.” Celestia began, looking from face to face. “Doubtless, you are wondering why I have summoned so few of you?”
Her words were met with a round of nods, many confused. Only Princess Luna and Lady Snowdrop remained still. Lady North blinked slowly back at the Princesses before calmly standing.
Celestia acknowledged the silent question with a nod, sitting to give Snowdrop the floor. The grey mare nodded to her, and spoke.
“On my advice, Princess Celestia has convened a Closed Council. As many of you know, protocol dictates that the pony requesting such a council must have a legitimate claim that must be attended to, as well as one that is too sensitive for public discussion. As such, I will be putting forth my claim, after which we shall vote, excluding the Princesses, as to whether the motion is entertained.” She paused for an instant, eyes flicking to Twilight before she resumed. “As there are two members of the convened Council who have not sat upon a Closed Council, I will elucidate the relevant information. This is a private Council, one which may not be spoken of beyond these walls, unless the Council collectively and unanimously decides to divulge such information at a later date. In a Closed Council, the original protocol of the Helian Council are to be rigidly observed, including but not limited to speaking only when given the floor, and under the certain knowledge that any and all misconduct will be severely punished. It is also noted that anypony with a grievance relating to the matter at hoof has the right to call out the giver of said grievance to a traditional duel. Does anypony have a question?”
Snowdrop surveyed the room for a moment, but nopony moved. Nodding, she turned to walk to the door. She came to a stop next to Shining Armor, who was standing at impassive attention, motionless. Taking a step forward, Snowdrop surveyed the Council again.
“I have called for a Closed Council, on the grounds of both the sensitivity of the information to be discussed, and the possibility of treason by way of military espionage. Are these claims seen by the Council as valid reason to hold a Closed Council?”
Several ponies nodded, but Lord South stood and leveled a cool gaze at Snowdrop. The Lady North appeared unfazed, and nodded to the stallion, taking a step back.
“I question the nature of such claims,” he said firmly, looking at his fellow Council members. “Though preventative measures must surely be taken when discussing military tactics, there has not been a reasonable claim for the exclusion of the lower members of the Council.” He sat, seeming more interested in what Snowdrop would say than truly objecting to the proceedings.
“A valid point,” Snowdrop said, again taking the floor. “My request to exclude the minor nobles from sitting on this council is twofold. The first is that they are, frankly, largely self-serving. Helios is in a state of military preparation, if not in active war. We have little time to entertain greedy aristocrats in a time of crisis.”
She paused, and many of the ponies around the table nodded. Though there were only a few selfish members of the Council, excluding the entire ‘civilian council’ would prevent any of those troublesome agitators from adding their two bits and muddling the waters more than they already were. Many of those nobles were from hereditary lines, with little or nothing of merit to their name, save that which their ancestors left them by way of legacy or wealth.
“The second reason is a matter of necessity,” she said, leveling a faint glare at Princess Celestia. The Princess stared back in quiet disagreement. “As everypony knows, the minor nobility are under no obligation to undergo military service. Many simply refuse to join the Guard, and as such, lack both the discipline and knowledge to have relevant information for the topic at hoof.”
Twilight looked over to the Princess, who seemed unfazed by the Grey Lady’s words. She couldn’t stop the hot flash of both anger and what Twilight thought was embarrassment that rippled through the air between herself and the other two Princesses. Twilight blinked and saw Luna shake her head very slightly, looking pointedly at Lady Snowdrop. Twilight turned back to the Grey Lady quickly while everypony was again nodding to the logic in the mare’s words.
“Does this satisfy your questions?” Snowdrop asked, looking as calm as ever once more. From his seat, Lord South nodded his head. “Are there any further statements?”
Nopony moved, and Snowdrop nodded. “Then I put it to a vote. What does the Council deem appropriate in this instance? Those in favor of continuing the Closed Council?”
Around the room, hooves rose into the air. Everypony in the room, save the three Princesses and Shining Armor, raised a hoof in support of the grey mare’s motion.
“Very well.” Snowdrop said, and everypony lowered their hooves. “Then I shall proceed as quickly as possible, as haste is needed.”
“As everypony knows, the dragonkin of Rylias are moving a large force into the Waste. We already have reports from the East of several raiding parties seeking food from the surrounding countryside. We have little time to deliberate over their actions, and that is a facet of their strategy.
“As Princess Twilight said yesterday, the Waste is an area devoid of any form of ambient magic.” Snowdrop said, and Twilight felt her cheeks warm at the title. Everypony sat focused on Snowdrop though, and Luna sent a soothing pulse of calm tinged with amusement to her wife. “This was a calculated maneuver in the dragon’s favor. Their position is excellent, and they have mobilized and marched in a short time. They seek to goad us into a rash response, sending a large force to attack them, without considering that our unicorns would be all but useless in the Waste. As the Princess noted, the sudden failure of the majority of our mages would send the army into chaos, allowing the dragons to inflict heavy casualties while facing only minimal opposition. Luckily, we avoided their plan.
“However, we still have yet to answer the threat that they pose. That is what this Council must determine now, as any more delay will only strengthen their position in the Waste, while they wreak havoc in the Eastern Province. I will now open the floor, and return the control of the Council to Princess Celestia as mediator.”
Snowdrop turned and walked to her seat once more, and everypony looked around the room. A nod from Princess Celestia met their confused gaze, and she rose to speak to the Council.
“As Lady North has said, we must act with haste. I will act only as mediator and spectator to this Council, as will both Luna and Twilight. While we may speak when relevant information is needed, we act only as a tiebreaker in a vote, should a quorum not be reached. By opening the floor, Lady Snowdrop has invited open conversation in the manner of a general council session, though the various other rules of a Closed Council apply.”
“I say we meet the dragons head on.” Lady East said, almost growling. She had always been a fairly cheerful mare, often the first to laugh in a Council session. After hearing about the threat to her ponies though, she had been quite vocal about her anger at the attacks from Rylias. “If we move quickly, we can stop them from attacking and drive them away from our borders.”
“And how would this be achieved?” Lady North asked. Her voice was neutral, and her face was blank, giving no hint to what she was thinking.
“We would need the Southern Guard,” Saffron began, only to have Lord South slam a hoof onto the table.
“Now wait right-“ he growled, rising. A flash of golden light slammed into him, forcing him back to his seat, and Princess Celestia rose. Her wings were mantled about her and her horn still glowed with energy as she spoke loudly into the silent room.
“You will remain silent while somepony else holds the floor,” the Sun’s Champion said, eyes and voice both hard. “We sit on a Closed Council, and we are here to determine the best course of action. We have no time for petty squabbling, and you will remain silent until you are called upon to speak. Am I understood?”
Around the small room, heads nodded in agreement. Even Lord South nodded, though the grizzled stallion did so grudgingly. With another hard stare around the room, Celestia sat, nodding for Lady East to continue.
“Thank you, Princess.” Saffron said, trying to shake off the shiver that her Princess’s words inspired. “As I was saying, if we wish to succeed we will need the Southern Guard to move to the Eastern Border. They are the only ponies with active experience fighting the dragons, and without their expertise, we may well fail. Even in victory, we cannot hope to escape without thousands of ponies needlessly dying.”
Lord South was flushed, both with embarrassment at being told off by the Princess, and with lingering anger. Having said her piece, Saffron took her seat again, ducking her head at the stallion. Not eager to be reprimanded by Celestia once again, he looked to her before standing.
“Lady East, you seem to have forgotten what the purpose of the Southern Guard is. As you said, they are the ponies with experience fighting the serpents.” He growled, and his wings shifted at his side. “We are the first, last, and only line of defense against the snakes invading along the southern border. Pulling our troops from that front is a glorified invitation, and they will not hesitate to send a welcoming party. You speak of losing hundreds of warriors needlessly, but allowing them free entrance to Helios is no different than slitting the throats of every stallion, mare, and foal in Helios.”
Saffron stood, face contorted. She managed to contain her explosion though, and at a warning look from the Princess, resumed her seat with ill grace. Lord Fireflier went on, pointedly ignoring the mare.
“I have fought the dragons, which I hazard to say nopony else, save Princess Celestia, can boast. I know just how hard it is to kill one of the beasts, and only the restless runts invade the border. They are little more than children to their minds, and it takes two companies just to drive one off. Nothing grows in the Southern Badlands, because nothing can be farmed for fear of attack. Nopony lives there who has not suffered loss at their hands, and only the need for a defensive bulwark keeps my ponies there. They suffer and die to keep your ponies fat and happy, Saffron-”
“You will curb your tongue, Lord South.” Princess Celestia interjected with some force. “Speak as you will, but you will not insult anypony within my hearing, not during this meeting.”
“Yes, Princess,” the old stallion said, in a voice just barely more polite than a snarl. A glare from Twilight, Luna, and Shining Armor converged on him, and the warhorse let out an irritable sigh. “I apologize. My age has done my temper no good. And I apologize to you as well, Lady East.”
Saffron didn’t look pleased, but nodded her head in acceptance. Around the room, the various ponies who had been glaring at the pegasus relaxed a little and continued to listen.
“What I meant was, my ponies are warriors. Born and bred, they know how to fight, and fight all manner of serpent. But only the best are part of the Guard, and leaving them to defend the border is imperative.” He raised a hoof to Lady East, who had been about to interject, admonition or not. “I know what you will say. However, you are, respectfully, not a soldier. The Captain understands what I mean when I say that the drakes have us over a barrel. We cannot leave the southern border undefended, which forces us to keep our best forces spread thin along the border. Meanwhile, we cannot afford to pull soldiers from the Western border, or we risk invasion by the gryphons, and there is no way for us to win two wars at once. Finally, we cannot simply let them run rampant through the Eastern quarter, or we will slowly starve. They have forced our hooves into an unwinable situation.”
The old stallion sighed, and sat down. Lord West stood, and received a nod from the Princess.
The Western Lord was somepony that Twilight cordially hated. He was fat, rather than Saffron’s pleasant plumpness. Lady East’s appearance made her look like nothing so much as a cheerful, kind mother. Lord Golddigger’s girth was more comparable to a barrel than anything else Twilight could think of. He was bedecked in the same metal of his name, with heavy golden bangles around each hoof, and a necklace of thin gold chain. He had a white coat, and blue eyes under a blonde mane, and anypony who saw him would recognize him as the sire of Blueblood.
And like that stallion, Lord West shared his vanity and greed.
“My Lord and Ladies,” he began, puffing his chest out. “I think that we should use this opportunity. Much profit can be turned from a cave-in, and nopony knows just what will be revealed in the midst of action. My Lord South is quite right. We cannot strip our Southern Guard of their most esteemed members.”
Lord South snorted in agreement, and Lord East’s lips curved up as he continued. “Equally, Lady Saffron is correct in that we must do something about the Eastern situation. While the thought of starvation is an unpleasant one, we cannot move our troops away from either border. I know that I can only spare two cohorts to aid the eastern border.”
“However, perhaps there is a solution. While they are less prepared and far less hardened, Selene has a military presence, do you not?” He asked, turning to Luna. Slightly taken aback by the sudden question, Luna nodded her head. Twilight groaned mentally as his smile widened.
What is it, L'etoile? Luna sent, slipping the thought around Twilight’s mental barrier.
What did you call me? Twilight asked, surprised. She was met with a burst of merriment through their mental link, and a warm sensation filled her. It brought a faint blush to her cheeks, thankfully hidden by the darkness of the room. Never mind, this is more important. Lord West is a vain, greedy stallion. He doesn’t do anything that won’t help himself, so if he’s asking you about Selene, you need to pay attention. And don’t fall for him. He’s very persuasive.
Indeed? Luna asked, with a wry amusement as her eyes flicked over the stallion. His charisma must be purely for those who lust for power.
Twilight rolled her eyes and closed off the link again, a clear indication to her wife to shut up and listen. Luna obliged with only a moment’s hesitation, just in time to hear the stallion start speaking again.
“And, if I am not mistaken, then your own eastern border lies upon the sea?”
Luna shook her head, speaking slowly. “You are not.”
Oh, sweet Celestia’s teat. Twilight swore, making both Luna, and Celestia herself, jump. Quickly, she relayed her realization to Princess Luna, and watched as sapphire eyes narrowed at the stallion.
“Then surely our allies can see to it that we have their full support at a time as dire as this.”
“I am sorry, my Lord.” Luna said, voice cold enough to freeze the blood. “But as you are assuredly aware, Selene has only enough troops to defend our own southern border. Sparing even a century would be disasterous.”
“Then-” he began, but Princess Celestia cut him off sharply.
“That is enough, Lord West. You will not cause difficulties for Selene at a time of dire need from both countries.”
“Very well,” Lord Golddigger conceded, with a bow that bordered on insultingly shallow. “Then may I ask you a question, Princess?”
Celestia nodded to him, and the fat unicorn leered. “Why will neither you nor your counterpart take to the field. Surely, this is a matter of defense. And you have shown yourself more than capable of handling dragons.”
Celestia’s eyes went suddenly flat, so devoid of emotion that it made Twilight shudder. “I may not enter battle, save to defend myself personally from an attack. Luna and Spike are bound by the same laws of magic. Our abstinence is all that keeps the other, evil powers from rising. Helios would not survive the repercussions of our doing battle. When elephants fight, the mice tremble.”
There was a long moment of silence after her proclamation before the Grey Lady stepped forward. Her voice was calm as ever, but the chilly bite was gone from her words when she addressed the Princess. “What, pray tell, do you mean by that?”
Celestia sighed, and nodded her head to Luna. “As is evident, Luna and myself are princesses, alicorns, rather than a unicorn, pegasus, or earth pony. Magic has changed our bodies, enhancing the forms we were born with. We are not a member of any tribe of pony, but exist as a combination of them all. It was the magic saturating our bodies that have forced these changes upon us. Had they not, I would likely have died many centuries ago as a unicorn who barely left a hoofprint on history.”
A wash of amused disbelief from her wife made Twilight glance at the mare. The Night Mare’s head shook a fraction, and Twilight focused on the speaking Princess before she missed any part of what seemed to be an important lesson if ever there was one.
“As a result of the choices I made, however, I was touched by a magic more ancient than anypony knows. But in doing so, I too joined into an ancient contract.” Celestia sighed and seemed to steel herself. “Surely, everypony here understands how a magical bond functions?”
A series of nods met her words, though Twilight thought privately that both Lady Saffron and Lord South seemed somewhat less than sure of themselves when they did.
“The… power, that I joined with as a young mare was one of those bonds. The bond itself is not too unlike the imposition upon Spike herself. She is uncountable eons old, far older than even the mountains. Her power is a vast ocean, compared to my own humble puddle. Yet she cannot use her power in a way that will harm anything living. The very same magic that gives her such strength, comes from life itself, and the magic refuses to prey upon its mother, to extend the anthropomorphism.” Celestia could see that she was beginning to lose all but a few ponies with her explanation, and paused for a moment. “What I mean, is that none of the magical heavyweights can fight in any manner but self defense. That is why, when I was attacked, personally, two decades ago, I was able to repel the draconic assault. Now, however, they are not attacking me, they are attacking Helios, and I am once more bound by my bond.”
“Then what are we going to do?” Lord South asked, grimacing. “If we can’t use magic, and you can’t just stop them with your magic, what can we do?”
For a long moment, nopony spoke. With a gulp, and a look to her wife, Twilight slowly rose. “I don’t want to add to the burden, but there is a detail that I believe has been overlooked. We’ve been looking at how the lack of magic will affect the unicorns. But, there is another thing it will affect. Our supply train.” A series of blank looks met her, until she glanced to Lord South. His face, and Shining Armor’s by the door, were both blanched white.
“I read somewhere that an army marches on its stomach. And even the little bit of information in the Heart’s library seems to point to that conclusion. Our food, supplies, water, everything is supplied by a train of enchanted wagons. Enchanted to move on their own, enchanted weightless, enchanted to keep things hot or cold, depending on what’s needed. Every single wagon is laden with more enchantments than nearly anything in Helios. And those enchantments all draw their energy from their environment, just like unicorns.” Twilight’s words grew stronger as she spoke, and the tight edge of worry sounded clear in them. “However, unlike a unicorn, the wagon’s don’t have any internal energy to subsist on. Not having magic for a unicorn is painful, and debilitating, but it isn’t fatal. If the wagons cannot draw magic from their surroundings, they will stop working entirely. And, since the wagon train is linked together…
“Okay,” Twilight hedged, seeing that almost everypony was lost. “The wagons are all magically linked together. It helps them even out the energy drain that they have over a very large area, so nopony and no animals are harmed by the magic being siphoned off. But when the first wagon enters an area without magic, like the waste, energy starts to leak out. And it will leak out of the entire train of wagons at once. It wouldn’t be instantaneous, but the wagons would suffer sudden collapse, and I would need to test a few variables, but they could explode when they do.”
“Celestia’s fetlock,” Lord South swore, before wincing and turning an apologetic shrug to the Princess. Celestia looked… somewhat amused, and affronted, but nodded to him with a certain austere dignity. “They wouldn’t need to fight us. That would mire the army for days.”
Lord South turned to face Twilight. “I assume, from your mention of this matter, that you have at least some idea of how to solve this problem?”
“I do,” Twilight hedged, looking suddenly nervous. “But I’m not an expert, but I have some ideas…”
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lel ur grammer so bad
Nah but really, the only thing I noticed was that you spelled "Grammar" wrong in the author's note
References to the high noble of the western region, Lord Golddigger, are in red. References to the high noble of the eastern region, Lady Saffron, are in green.
... Apparently Golddigger and Saffron switched territories in the middle of this section.
6141246
Yes, that would be bad. Thank you for the notice, I fixed it
I guess I'm insane then. Keep it up!
...
Gah! Still don't know who her mother is. It's in the Momlestia group and there's some support that it's Celestia, but not enough to actually know. Someone could have just put it in the group.
6141296
Well, me too then. Didn't think it was bad. Yes, some of the information (IIRC) we already got one or two chapters earlier, but there's new stuff in it and it's still a nice read.
Wait, what?
This lives?
Seriously? I thought you were done with this or just author dead. What changed your mind, if I may ask?
Man, gonna need to reread this bitch from start to finish then...
~Skeeter The Lurker
6141296 I lost my marbles years ago.
6141759
You know, considering the reputation you have in my head Skeeter, I'm kind of disappointed you didn't notice the moment it was revived. Silly lurker.
As for what brought it back? Mostly boredom. I don't have to keep up the frenetic studying I do at school, and the net here is so bad I can't just veg out on something.
Though, honesty requires that I both wanted to resume writing, because i enjoy it immensely, and because I'm rather a whore for comments. I like the feedback, letting me know that people do, for some odd reason, actually like the stuff I toss at a paper. I had the entire storyline and the vast majority of the backstory already in my head, and I don't really forget things. *shrug* So I decided, what the hell. I can write pretty quickly when I'm interested, chapter thirteen took like, two hours total to write. I jsut get really finicky about what I actually post, because I don't like the majority of it. For example, chapter fifteen is garbage. I hated writing it, I hate reading it, and I only wrote it because it's needed for the story.
And, since I'm baring my soul apparently, a small, fairly greedy part of me did it to become a good enough author to make at least a modest supplement to my income. Because, doing feildwork in the summertime like I do now, is hard, exhausting, and filthy. I cannot tell you how I detest moving irrigation lines, or any other farmwork, but in the podunk town I reside within, it is the only option over the summers.
Okay, I think that's enough sharing for the evening. I need to go make sandwiches for the family.
6141861
Heh, I've fallen from my former status somewhat.
Aren't we all a whore for that attention, though? Glad to see you're back in action with this. From what I can remember, this was a top shelf story.
...Sandwiches sound good right about now, actually...
~Skeeter The Lurker
I honestly don't see a problem with a chapter like this from time to time, it's not that bad. It gives insight into characters, as well adding detail on how their government handles situations. Not to mention the huge "why we can't field the nukes" explanation.
Twilight really doesn't restrain her thoughts, she's humble and polite outwards, but inwards her mind is burning, and she's not putting any kind of lid on it - it's very amusing
I remember when I first started reading this, so very long ago. It was a new concept then.
But even now, it still stands apart from many other AUs in the construction of its world. This is not even close to the Equestria we know, or even Equestria at all. That's partly why, I think, it managed to hold my interest so firmly, and why it continues to do so.
This story is wonderful, and I hope to see many, many more chapters written.
Somehow, I doubt that ponies would anthropomorphize things very much.
(There isn't really a good alternative, though. 'Hippomorphism' would be technically correct, but it sounds too silly. 'Equimorphism', maybe.)
Well I'm glad you had a good reason for Spike and the princesses to not fight, I was admittedly wondering for a moment.
I imagine that "L'etoile" is a term of endearment for a spouse or lover so that's cute... um, so now we wait again, I'll see you at the next chapter.
6142167
I thought about it, but went with the premise that everything is being translated. Which I know, doesn't really work because everypony and such, but work with me here. Nothing else that would work sounded good at all.
6142253
Fair enough!
My issue is the whole accourd thing. Any being with a lick of sense would reject such a thing. Power of that level is ment to be used.
Celestia spends centuries building a nation and she can't come to it's defense unless she's personally attack? Hell no
other then that. have the chapter longer for as is they have just made a meeting and discussed a couple issues. that's all. it feels that it needs to be longer.
6142525 Exactly. Its obvious, so there's no fun predicting it. It's way more fun to look at it differently and be wrong than it is to state the obvious and be right. It gets you thinking more and exercises those creative muscles, sometimes you might even get a completely new story out of it! Besides, Cadance is too obvious. I have suspicions that she may be a red herring. Also, why would a mother abandon her daughter and then raise her anyway without ever telling her? They're still obviously close, so it couldn't be to protect her. Any ideas to keep that theory alive?
6142527
That's sort of what I was trying to get across, that it wasn't a choice at all. I treat magic as at least partially sentient. What I was trying to get across is that the magic itself will not allow them to use the kind of destructive power that would be involved in warfare. There is a lot more to this, but it pretty heavy into the backstory of the universe that I've got in place. I wouldn't mind explaining, but in a PM.
As for Celestia not being able to defend it, she can. She is the political and tactical head. She can't use her magic, but her mind and experience are there to be used. And it isn't like anyone else can use their power against Helios either.
6142527 While I get the idea of power at this level to be used, how many other dragons fall under this treatise that arent spoken about? It may be a numbers thing, if there are many that fall into that. We dont really know with what is said how many of them are. Just those there. Though, loopholes may or may not be present. Depending on the mood of whom made the compact.
6142775 I just dislike when writers put in this kind of thing. They don't want DBZ level destruction so they come up with these accords to nerf the characters. Much prefer what Rites of Accension does. Celestia in that story is extremely powerful but due to her connection to the sun she is harmful to allies. Just going battle mode in that story causes things nearby her to burst into flames.
Right now Nadake has it that the alicorns can't interfere other then give orders as their nation falls unless they are directly attack. That concept just does not sit well with me.
6142795 While rites shows the other side of this viewpoint. It sorta doesn't agree with me to a combination of power creep, and forcing many to the side in the overall level of what they can do. It's like being krillan or yamcha (however they are spelled) during the buu saga. You sorta sit on the sidelines really.
Both angles are a matter of perspective from the reader, and what each wants can be different to what fits. I get what you mean, but I prefer limited immortals over unfettered ones, personally, because they have to find a work around to get what magic can provide normally.
On one side, yes, the nature of buildup gives them some great moments, but at the same time. Well, the more I read of rites, the more it comes across as a different themed, but in the same nature as myths and birthrights, just less extra's.
6142846 For me this would be a prefered thing. Celestia and Luna can't use their sun and moon directly in combat but they themselves can. And even then have a defcon like system.
Again Luna and Celestia shouldn't be forced to watch their nations fall and do nothing but give orders because of some accord. It's not needed and even Nadake said the chapter didn't feel right.
I hope he abandons this accord concept.
I love how Twilight is smoking everyone with her intelligence.
6142938
It's cliched as hell, I know. But it's one of the only facets of her character I will cling to no matter what I'm writing. Twilight is smart. Not all ponies are dumb, but most are quite a bit slower than Twilight.
I have no idea what you mean. Projection puts a movie on a screen, and this is evidently not a movie.
I am waiting for somepony to suggest evacuating Selene (stallion , mare and foal all) to Helios. (maby filling the city with deadly deadly traps to make sure any invader pays the price for trying to take the city)
Concentrate the population and you concentrate your ability to protect the innocent. It puts all your eggs in one basket but if you have too many baskets (the way things are now) nothing is protected...
Luna wont like this idea but as far as i can tell her forces are doing all they can and can barely hold Selene. If they do not unite with Helios they are all dead anyway ...
6143702
....atomic
I feel stupid now.
6143719 There are other ways to accomplish that without magic. It's just a matter of whether they've discovered them or not. Or maybe they could launch some huge rock at it with magic where the leylines still work. (I mean a really, really big rock, and a couple hundred unicorns)
I love it when ponies use Celestia's name as part of an expletive...
I do wonder if the 'can't take offensive action' thing can be gamed? Couldn't Celestia go with the army and be in harm's way so she could defend herself?
6146951
When magic bonds and artifacts are ancient usually they have some kind of way to tell if you are abusing lawyer think into breaking technicalities and get really pissed if you try to screw with there rules.
6146951 6152981
Sadly, Aether is pretty much right. She can't dupe it by putting herself in danger, only by truly defending herself. It has to do with a type of ritual bonding spell that binds the shaman (it was almost always shamanistic religions and cults that practiced this) to an area. They connect with the area on a supernatural level, and to a certain extent, they basically become the limited godlings of that realm. Commanding plants to grow, summoning wind and water from the depths of the earth, all sorts of stuff. Unless she is attacked within her Sanctum, Celestia and Luna pretty much can't do anything. The reason she is traveling with the army is both logistical, and for moral support. And a few other minor details, but that's still part of the story to be told. I would have brought up the Sanctum thing in the story, but Twilight just doesn't know it, and has no reason to ask, so I'm kinda bound just like the Princesses.
Hugs and Kisses,
Nadake
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Had a feeling that something like that was the case... but thought I would ask!
Love this story by the way! Looking forward to more.
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That kinda thing about ancient magics is in the 101 course. Magic that is that old and powerful don't care about technicalities, it is the freaking literal law. It don't play around like devils and genies.
From this:
To this:
“I do,” Twilight hedged, looking suddenly nervous. “I’m not an expert, but I do have some ideas…”
"There is a spell," Twilight began. "It is more of a legend, really. Star Swirl the Bearded created it mostly as a thought experiment. He said that the consequences of its use were too terrible for any sane mage to attempt to cast it. However, I believe it's name should tell you what it is. He called it Bellium Solis. The Fury of the Sun. It was an attempt to create a 'solution to the Windigo problem' without reliance on what he described as the 'flaky and unscientific' power of the Fires of Friendship."
"And it is?" Golddigger prompted.
"In essence, it allows a group of battlemages, working in concert, to generate a small zone of energy with the same heat output as the core of the sun."
"How small an area?" Saffron asked, sounding sceptical.
"Small," Twilight responded. "Tiny, in fact. Perhaps the size of a sugarcube at the very most."
"Well, that's hardly of any use..." Snowdrop began but Twilight cut her off.
"Your pardon but I do not think that you understand what is being described here. The core of the sun is millions of times hotter than even molten steel. An exposed energy source of that magnitude, even one so small, would destroy anything living, send the very air rushing away faster than the fastest Pegasus and liquefy the very rock of the Wastes for miles around. It will stop your dragon army, my Lady. It would stop them and leave behind not even a shard of scorched bone. It would, in fact, leave nothing behind save a vast plain of fused rock like a lake made of black glass. Nothing would survive."
There was a long, dead pause. Shining Armour looked horrified and Twilight nodded at him sympathetically before continuing. "Under any normal circumstance, it would be unthinkable to do this, of course. Star Swirl himself called it a horror and an abomination and said that any unicorn that used it would certainly do so at the cost of their own soul. Ethical considerations aside, such a battle spell could never be used safely in any conventional conflict. It would destroy friend as well as foe and render the conquered lands unusable for the rest of time! It is only because the Wastes are, by definition, without any resource worth the losing that this is an option in this particular matter."
Oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my god. I cant believe this fic started back up. Out of like 2 or 3 thousand fics I've read, this is one of ten that i recommend on my account. I'm re-reading this from the start first thing in the morning. Thank you so much Nadake.
I don't know if I've said it in previous chapters, but I really like how tangible your world feels. The way magic and class structures are described just feels more... Possible. :)
6141281 ... Only partly. Currently it reads:
So... the fat guy who rules the west is still called 'Lord East' while addressing Lady Saffron who rules the East.
Ugh, I hate nobles...
what can I say, I love the pseudo politics of this, as well as the whys and wherefores of the tactics and mechanics of powerful entities and warfare in any universe.