This story is a sequel to A Growing Fire In My Heart
It's been twenty years since Ember and Spike have gotten together as a couple and much has change. Not only have The Dragon Lands prospered, but they, and other nations, have come together to form the Alliance of Harmony. United by friendship, it seems a golden age of peace have come to the world as their tenth anniversary approaches. Spike believes it is a good time to finally propose marriage to Ember, having decided to take her as his life mate.
However, the shadows of the past have returned as Tyranus Redskull, the last of the clan that sought to usurp Ember, has been gathering strength and an army of exiled dragon clans for the last twenty years for revenge. He seeks now the legendary blade of the First Dragon Emperor, Imperiax , and use its near divine like power to unite the dragons under his rule and restore the Ancient Dragon Empire with war and blood. To do this, he must travel to the unknown lands of the west that none have returned from.
Spike, Ember, and others are forced to travel there to stop him for the sword is so powerful it could bring every creature to its knees. Can Spike and Ember find the strength to stop Tyranus? Will their love be a weakness or a strength in the end? Will the peaceful world where all creatures are united survive or will the flames of war burn it to ashes?
At long last, after nearly three years of patient waiting, the sequel to A Growing Fire In My Heart is finally here! That was one of, if not the best Spike x Ember fanfic I have ever read, so I was always excited for this sequel to it.
It is looking good so far. It looks like Tyranus has been busy for the last twenty years. I bet we'll learn more about his lover Dájǐ-Lǐ eventually too. I am definitely looking forward to the action in this story, like the last few chapters of its predecessor had, but I am equally looking forward to seeing more of the romantic moments between Spike and Ember too.
Well, as I eagerly await the next chapter for this I'll be sure to update its Tv Tropes page.
Well, it seems Tyranus worked quite faster than his father expected at the end of A Growing Fire In My Heart.
Given that Brutanus' farewell note posited that Tyranus might take a few centuries to have a big enough force to fight Ember, yet in twenty years only he's ready to make a move, one can't say he doesn't rise above expectations. Whatever powers Imperiax has, it will clearly give him and his followers quite the edge, if it's enough to stand against the bulk of the dragon clans and at least five alicorns. And that's assuming that the number of alicorns didn't grow via Cadence and Shining Armor having more foals or Twilight getting married and becoming a mother (though I will give that any children Twlight has or any of Flurry Heart's eventual younger siblings will be of less help in battle on account of their young age).
And besides working faster, Tyranus clearly works cruelly, given his treatment of Chantler. May the poor deer be given mercy by Cern and be welcomed into the Eternal Halls of Peace, considering he acted to protect his apprentice. And props to said apprentice for escaping. Hopefully he goes straight to Ember or Twilight and tells them everything, and manages to get there without any major hiccups.
All in all, a great beginning! Tyranus is shaping up to be every bit the threat he promised, and Dájǐ-Lǐ shows she's nothing to sneeze at either given the unique skills that dragons like her have and what seems to be her general personality. I can only wonder just how twisted she actually is, and what other surprises she has in store.
Wherever things go, though, I look forward to what's to come!
This was a pleasant surprise to see the new chapter ready so soon. Seems like everything has been coming along nicely over the last two decades.
It looks like a few more couples have formed besides Spike and Ember. I'm not that big of a fan of the ones listed here (except for Gallus and SIlverstream) but they aren't the main focus so it is no big deal. It is amazing how far dragon-kind has come as well, and Smolder being the new captain of the Scale Guards. Garble would be proud of her if he could see her now. With the way Smolder talks I almost expect her to find love herself at some point in the story.
The best part of the chapter though was getting to see how far Spike and Ember have come together as a couple. Spike getting an engagement ring for Ember but also wanting to get a God's Blessing for her in a way shows that he wants the best of both pony and dragon cultures, wanting to be both husband and wife and life-mates. It is pretty clear things are going to go to hell before he can officially pop the question, but hopefully when this is all done he can do it. But at least until then we can enjoy the time they have together before their big adventure.
Well, it seems Spike has been busy over the last twenty years - and while I realize the kind of euphemism that such a saying implies, I was referring mostly to the literal sense of it, even if the way he and Ember behave also conveys the more metaphorical one. XD
It's nice that his exile already ended and that he still managed to get the post of Equestria and the Dragon Lands, and kudos to him for also having made improvements in physical fighting over the years. I liked the nod to the general pony attitudes towards dragons and how Twilight and her family tried to shield Spike from them, as well as how Spike ultimately didn't let such a sentiment keep him down.
And as far as directions go, seeing how Smolder managed to move up the ranks and fit into Ember's circle was nice. Though I kind of worry she has a bit of a 'prove herself complex' due to both Garble's legacy and Lord Redskull's shadow, I still praise her for her achievements. And props to her for not being a party pooper when it comes to Spike and Ember's effusive displays of affection. More bitter dragons might not do the same.
And speaking of affection... the many ways in which love has bloomed over the years were enjoyable to see, and it did give me an answer regarding a matter I brought up when I reviewed the previous chapter - apparently, any further alicorns that may help in some form when the mess begins will only be Flurry Heart's eventual siblings, if she does have them.
The tease regarding Smolder's eventual future with Ocellus was nicely done as well. If it does go somewhere, I look forward to seeing how you develop that. I also liked learning that Twilight did get to open the School of Friendship, as I did learning that the Student Six attended it and formed at least an equivalent of the bond they have in canon.
The incident (or rather, the accident) in Yakyakistan was less nice to learn about, though. Hopefully there will be no follow-ups in at least the near future. That said, it's good to see that the School of Friendship did have positive repercussions and the yaks are getting help. I can easily see how they'd have more trouble on their own.
Back to bonds, though... Spike looks like he's serious indeed about forming a very deep bond with Ember. I have to confess I kind of agree with Rainbow Dash, in that he might want to wait a little longer, given he has more time than a pony... but at the same time, I respect his choice, and do see the counterpoint that whether one's a pony or a dragon or any other race, one never knows how much time they have, and it's true that both he and Ember already came close to dying more than once, so they'd both be aware of that.
Hopefully Ember will enjoy both the ring and the God's Gift, and they'll get to have at least some time to bask in their joy before the hammer inevitably drops.
Now the questions are when that will happen, and what their exact response to it will be.
Such an amazing story and I love the progress. While I hope this has happy endings, I cant wait to see the conflict this will all bring.
Also like the Dragons Lord Consort reference!
This was another great chapter!
Nice to see how much Smolder has grown up and how she is able to train the Scale Guards. The way she describes all the other creatures and what they can do helps to show not just how dangerous they are, but how much respect she has for them. Shows how far she has come since her first appearance when Ember had to drag her by the arm to attend the School of Friendship while she complained how "the dragons are better than this".
Maybe it is just me, but the way these behemoths are described and how they try to invade from "The Wall" kind of reminds me of White Walkers from Game of Thrones.
It was also nice to hear Blitz and Aquafire are still doing well too. I was wondering what happened to Blitz's engagement after Aquafire's confession in the previous story, but a polygamy relationship between all three is quite clever. Also, even though Spike's proposal plans hit a small snag, at least he and Ember got to have some fun together while expressing their love. That was sweet.
Hopefully once this big adventure is over he will finally be able to pop the question to her.
Chantler Leafseeker's apprentice seems like he will meet everyone soon, which probably means these happy romantic times will come to an end soon as well, as we begin another epic adventure.
Well... it seems that there is more than one storm front building up. Having to deal with Tyranus and his followers would be more than bad enough already (even if Ember and company don't know he's about to strike yet), but the news about a new Overlord of these Behemoths (if this one does turn out to be more than a rumor) are something to be wary of indeed. And the delay in getting Spike a God's Blessing because of those Gas Spores certainly isn't nice either, although at least there one finds the silver lining that no dragon died.
Still, Ember and Spike have their work cut out for him once the real mess starts to unfold, and it may be a massive one indeed.
On the bright side, though, it's nice that Aquafire and Blitz managed to be together and that Blitz's fiancée (though I suppose 'Blitz's and Aquafire's' might be more appropriate) accepted Aquafire into the relationship and even grew to love both of them.
It's also nice to see more of Smolder in her role as Captain of the Scale Guards, as well as of how she is a good choice for the job. May she fill the position for very long.
Though as far as time goes, it seems there won't be a lot of it before Chantler Leafseeker's apprentice shows up with the news. Now the main questions are exactly how long they have before the storm starts, and what they intend to do in order to get ready.
This was fun! You did a good job giving characterization and backstories to each of these different clans. Plus, all these clans have pretty badass names. Tyranus has a massive army, and the Alliance of Harmony has no idea what's coming.
It kinda feels like in a way, Tyranus and Dájǐ-Lǐ are a dark parallel to Ember and Spike. It seems like the two of them love each other just as much as Ember and Spike do, and Tyranus saying he wants Dájǐ-Lǐ by his side as they get their revenge together, similar to how Ember told Spike nothing she dreamed of would have been possible without him, right before both couples had some "fun" together.
Though it is clear this army of dragons are still the villains, this chapter helped to "humanize" them in a way by showing their motivations and why they have joined Tyranus.
I like worldbuilding in general, and I certainly liked the worldbuilding you made in this chapter also. Each of these dragons was very interesting to learn about, both regarding the overall group and the individuals you show.
Tyranus certainly found himself quite the diverse group to join up with him against Equestria, and I admire the general dynamics you convey between him and the leaders. While it is true he is mostly accepted as leader and that the force as a whole is a very formidable threat to be reckoned with, there is something about the many differences between each individual group and their different wants that gives off the vibe that this alliance is one bad day away from being dissolved.
For plot reasons, I do think that such a thing won't happen, but Tyranus does look like he will have his claws full until he manages to get them on Imperiax. But once he has... I can only guess things will be bad, especially given there's a quarter of a million of them...
Regarding the characters... I commend you for making them so 'humane' and at the same time so disturbing. Scarscale sounds like a nice uncle and Drogo seems like he has a normal cousin bond with Tyranus, but then comes Scarscale's order to Drogo, and Drogo just goes along with it so willingly... it's seriously unsettling. It says a lot about the family that even this universe's version of Garble came across as moral and mentally balanced compared to most of them (the only other exception being Smolder).
Still... there is a very noticeable twisted sweetness between Tyranus and Dájǐ-Lǐ in the end. They're both very messed up beings, but they do seem to really love each other. If either of them dies before the other, I can only imagine the results won't be pretty.
Not pretty at all...
This is really nice, seeing a bit more of the history that happened over 20 years and what has changed. I see that the backstory for Gallus here is similar to your Home story, where he returns after being presumed deceased by everyone, and his son being named Garrus. I supported it in that story and I support it here too, and I still love the name Garrus.
I swear though, with seven kids and two more on their way, it looks like Pinkie and Cheese are breeding like rabbits! Are they going for a dozen?
It also seems interesting that not only has Chantler's apprentice arrived in Canterlot, but a group of dragons in Tyranus' army are there too, plotting to assassinate Ember behind Tyranus' back. It feels pretty intense, but if I had to guess I bet the apprentice will help save her and Spike and thus they will have a reason to believe his warnings. I am excited to see what happens next!
There is just one small thing I noticed though.
In the last story, Thorax was a king, so either something happened to him in the 20 year time skip, or that is a typo.
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Typo
It's nice to see more of what has happened over the last twenty years.
The story of how Gallus became Captain of the Guard is fitting in the best possible way, in that it again puts forth the maxim that what matters is what one becomes, not where one comes from, considering the juxtaposition between his actions and those of the original Captain that he replaced. My only concern is that the old Captain somehow breaks out of jail sometime soon and becomes trouble... but if that is to be the case, I doubt Tyranus would want anything to do with her given she's a pony. Though then again, Lord Redskull didn't mind allying with Chrysalis, so if Gallus' predecessor manages to prove she has something to offer, Tyranus may consider it.
Pinkie and Cheese being such a big happy family is both fitting for them and sweet in its own way, though at the risk of spouting sacrilege, they might want to dial it own just a teensy bit before they become a more widespread safety hazard. That said, Bouncy Betty is an adorable filly, and I can see how she takes after her parents. And while she had less of a presence, I did like seeing Luster Dawn. Should you give her a big role at some point in the story, I'll be looking forward to it.
And I confess, I laughed at Twilight's reaction to the notion of Spike withdrawing coffee, even as I felt for her, and only feel all the most, due to how serious things are about to get. Interesting that these dragons are acting without Tyranus' consent - but mighty foolish of them as well, considering that their attack will alert Ember, Spike and the others to the fact they're planning something. Granted, it may make little of a difference given that the deer apprentice also is on his way, but still, they might want to hope that they're executed, because if Tyranus gets his claws on them, he'll not only kill them anyway, but likely torture them a lot to make an example of what happens to those who act without his permission.
I do admit I'm somewhat worried about Twilight and her friends, but considering the kind of creatures they have on their side, I really don't see this ending well for the dragons. Still, I worry they'll cause loss of life before being taken down. Hopefully, that won't be the case.
Wow, this was another great one! We learned a lot again, and that's perfect as far as I am concerned.
First of all, the scene in the beginning with Dawn Winds, the former Squad Leader from last chapter's backstory on Gallus, was a big surprise. I was not expecting her to show up again, but in the short time she was here you managed to flesh out her backstory more, show the consequences of her cowardice and lie, and had her contribute to the plot in a surprising way. Her death was pretty brutal but given her attitude and what she just did beforehand I find it hard to feel sorry for her.
The scene with Spike and the Mane 6 was pretty calm, but the revelation that Rarity has cancer hit pretty hard. It can be pretty sad that even a hero can potentially be brought down not by a heroic sacrifice or battle against evil forces, but a terminal illness. I've even seen it in comics, like when Captain Mar-Vell died due to lung cancer. I hope she can make it through this. The other topics, such as Twilight trying to reform the Legion of Doom (with Sombra replacing Chrysalis since she's already dead) and the surprising passing of Celestia and Luna, were also fun too though.
The meeting with Skystar and Thorax was pretty interesting too. The brief lesson on Changeling anatomy was fun, as was the reveal of Thorax's married life, but I personally thought the recap of how Skystar became Queen was much more interesting. I never would have expected that from Novo, especially to her own family. The three contests certainly sound awesome though, and I almost wish we could have seen the final combat trial. I wonder if Novo will play a significant role in the future?
That ending though… Flurry Heart is engaged to Sombra's son? I did not see that one coming. I wonder how Erebus and this revelation will be important to the plot going forward. Looking forward to the next chapter already!
Well... I have to confess I was surprised to see Gallus' predecessor appear so soon, and with such a pivotal if brief role too. Though honestly, after learning more about her, I can only imagine she must have been really good at hiding her true nature, considering not only her real reasons to have joined the guard in the first place and her general stance towards duty, but how quickly she fell so far down. Seriously... what she did to help those dragons is beyond low. One can only say she paid the price for it, though, given the dragons clearly decided she had outlived her usefulness after showing them the passage. I can only imagine she's keeping Chrysalis company by now.
On nicer ends, if still bittersweet ones in a few respects, I like how you showed Spike having to come to terms with his lifespan being so much greater than that of most of his friends, both on his sadness and his choice to treasure the time he still has. Learning of Rarity's ordeal is sad, as is learning of Celestia and Luna's passing (and suspicious in addition to sad, and worrisome because it means Tyranus has much less powerful forces to fight against), but it's good to see Rarity trying her best to deal with it and all her friends being there for her. And learning that they're still trying to give this universe's Legion of Doom a chance, even if it seems to be fruitless, is nice in its own way, as it shows they're not just giving up on them.
As for more plain nice fronts, it's nice that Thorax found love, and I liked Garrus' interaction with Spike, as well as seeing Silverstream and Skystar and learning of Apple Bloom's relationship with Terramar. Novo's stance towards Silverstream's relationship with Gallus was sad, though. And massive props to Silverstream for standing up for herself and being willing to give up so much, as well as to Skystar for choosing to take matters into her own claws. I kind of wonder why it wasn't mentioned that Terramar had trouble in his relationship with Apple Bloom, but I'm guessing they started dating when Skystar was already queen and thus there was no repeat of the issues with Novo.
Though speaking of issues... while it seems Flurry Heart and Erebus are happy enough from the little we have been able to tell, I can't help but feel some unease. I'm willing to give Erebus a chance... but others might not be, and depending on the circumstances of his conception and how much dark magic was involved in the process, he just may not have much of a choice over his eventual destiny...
Hopefully he will, though. Because being stuck in a destiny where you're just doomed to be evil is something no one deserves, especially if they want to avoid it.
All in all, Equestria and allies certainly are having a lot of things to deal with. Wishing them all the best of lucks in overcoming the challenges that lie ahead.
This was pretty cute. The last chapter left me a bit worried about Flurry Heart being engaged to Sombra's son, but they are actually pretty cute together and I'm glad he is nothing like his father.
I see you decided to use Sombra's backstory from the comics. I am not a fan of the comics too much myself and consider them non-canon, but they certainly make Sombra seem more tragic. I can say though, hearing what happened to Erebus' mother was probably the saddest part of this chapter.
This was a nice chapter that helped explain a few things and we got another nice moment between Spike and Ember, but it looks like we might start to get some action next time.
An overall sweet follow-up to the previous chapter, even if there is quite a bit of a bitter element to the backstory.
It was well-applied, though, and I like your mixing of Sombra's FIENDship is Magic volume with your own elements. While it's sad to learn what he did to Radiant Hope and how long the war that followed was, the first seems sadly true to Sombra's character as he was reconfigured for Season 9 and his alternate timeline, while the second is logical considering the kind of power and resources Sombra had at his disposal. Good thing indeed that Celestia and Luna got there to stop him so soon, otherwise I can't imagine what sort of damage he could have caused (even if both said alternate timeline and Season 9 offer a pretty good idea).
As it relates to Erebus, though, while the circumstances of his birth are very tragic indeed and the same is true for his mother's fate, it's good to see that Thorax, Skystar, Cadence and Shining Armor and all the creatures that actually matter don't hold his personal history over his head. And Erebus himself is a very endearing sort with both his clumsiness and his earnestness to just 'be good' in general, and he and Flurry Heart are a heartwarming couple. Looking forward to seeing more of both of them.
The moment between Ember and Spike was a sweet one also, and a poignant one with the two of them reminiscing on their lost loved ones.
Unfortunately... from the looks of things, sweetness and calm seem to be about to come to an end. The main question for now is exactly how big the first strike of the storm will be, and what will happen once it's over.
I thought that DC villain's name was Imperiex.
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That's the name of the sword
I always love seeing an update from this story, but you don't need to stress yourself. I know how things can get out of hand sometimes.
I absolutely lost it when Ember said she is going to propose to Spike. My reaction is pretty much the same as Twilight's. I was grinning like an idiot and knowing that just confirms they are meant for each other. I think the two of them proposing at the same time would be adorable, though I realize that while Spike doesn't have a God's Blessing yet, Ember doesn't have a ring yet. I wonder if that will be important later.
They also demonstrate great skill as a battle couple together, killing that Shadow Hound. But they still have the others to deal with first. Looks like the action is finally here and it is only going to get better!
Well... it seems things keep happening... and from the look of this chapter, it seems that at least the majority of the last good things to come in this story have already happened. Good in terms of happiness, I mean, not in terms of well written. I'm sure all of it will be well written, but I don't see more than a few slivers of happiness coming until this whole mess is over and dealt with, considering the kind of bunch Tyranus and his followers keep turning out to be.
That said, it was sweet that not only Ember is planinng on proposing to Spike at the same he's planning to do so to her, but that Ember acknowledges and even loves Spike's 'pony side', for lack of a better term, and wants to include it in her proposal to him, even if she's also planning to get a God's Blessing later. And I both laughed and awwwed at Twilight's reaction when she realized her younger dragon sibling and his girlfriend are planning to propose at the same time. It really sounds like her. And on the same front, it's good to see that she's comfortable with ruling now. It's one of the things that shows she has grown.
Alas, things seem to be quickly taking a dark turn. Not only have Tyranus' goons claimed even more lives, but they (or at least, one of the creatures they summoned) also almost managed to claim Ember's. If not for Spike's accidental exit, it's very likely indeed Ember wouldn't have made it. At least she did, and she and Spike together took down that Shadow Hound before it could hurt anyone else... but the question still remains of what happened to the others. Hopefully they at least didn't kill anyone yet and will be stopped before they can do so.
All in all, another great update indeed! I look forward to the next one!
But that said, please take as long as you need. :)
That... would explain a lot really
. Still, way to go for Thorax and Sky
!
This battle is awesome! Seeing Spike and Ember briefly fight back to back was cool. Looks like Twilight and Ember will wrap this up soon, and thanks to the arrival of Rowan Forestheart the big main adventure of the story will probably start soon too.
I was a bit surprised to hear Thorax and Skystar are dating. Not really because of their pairing, but because Thorax said he had a husband already. I guess they're going to be a polygamy relationship. Still happy for the two of them though.
Classic, and I never get tired of seeing it in action.
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Changelings are polygamists. I knew I forgot to write something. Thanks
What, no spicy scene for us?
SMH
This was awesome! The assassination attempt has been thwarted thanks to Ember and Twilight, and now everyone is finally told about Tyranus Redskull's true plans and how it involves Imperiax.
Sadly, it looks like Spike and Ember's double proposal will have to wait, but now that they know about this new threat they can start a grand adventure to stop Tyranus before it's too late.
I'm pretty sure at least 50% of people on this site have asked the same question Ember
.
Space needed here
. Right where it says place at the end of the first paragraph.
Just another needed here, where it says, Correct?
Oh boy. I guess this is the end of the first act. Now on to the main event.
It was fun to hear more of the history behind Imperiax, like the meaning behind its name and the perpetual storms that have made it impossible to obtain until now. Imperiax Was already described as being more powerful than the Elements of Harmony, but hearing Twilight herself confirm it really puts things into perspective.
Sad the party had to be cancelled, but it’s completely understandable.
Most people wouldn’t survive the week if they had Spike’s life. I wonder how bad his average Mondays are?
Glad that I come upon this thing. I am a great fan of A Growing Fire In My Heart, so it was a nice surprise to find a sequel. The story now feels more epic and bigger in scale. It's amazing that you dedicate so much efforts into describing the antagonists (I hope it will pay off in the end).
Didn't expected Queen Nova to be a racist. Wow.
I'm a little confused about Erebus. Is he there just as a fanservice or will he play some bigger part in the story?
R.I.P Scaleburn...
. Didn't know you for long, but you were a true soldier.
Just when I thought things couldn't get any worse... it does
.
Oh dear. When something is so bad even Tyranus is hesitant to do it as a last resort you know it is bad. He's basically going to use the Behemoths as a distraction to give his army more time to prepare, and in the process is spitting on one of the most important parts of Dragon history.
At first I thought The Wall was a Game of Thrones reference, but then I understood how it was based off the opening of Mulan and realized it was the dragon version of The Great Wall of China! Pretty awesome.
Heard the music and everything in my head reading the ending!
I could have sworn you updated this last week. Either that or I just stepped into the Twilight Zone.
I don't mind that it took you awhile to update this. This is my favorite of your current stories, so I am always happy when a new chapter comes out.
It looks like they're going to focus all their attention on the Behemoths for now. But that means Tyranus will have plenty of time to gather his forces and prepare for his journey. For everyone's sake they need to end this as fast as they can.
If only they knew. Maybe if they're lucky the Overlord will do some classic evil gloating and let slip Tyranus' name.
Ah, I see that's another Mulan reference you worked in. Well done.
There's only so many chances you can give
. It's always important to have limits.
Yeah... about that girls...
.