The Flame Prince

by Schlat

Final Preparations

A blueish mist surrounded me on all sides, completely impervious to sight. It seemed to emit a low hissing sound as it circled me.

A mighty flap from my wings didn’t seem to do anything at all, and I gave up after a second try. Instead opting to try and make sense of what I could see.

I seemed to be standing on some type of rocky surface, similar to that of the Badlands, a region south of the Firelands and west by southwest in relation to Equestria in general.

However, the ground was… a lot whiter than the rocks in the Badlands, too white.

Flap

I frantically recalled my memory of the last two seconds and did not remember flapping my wings a third time.

Flap

What is that, maybe a dragon. This does look like the badlands.

Whoosh

The creature flew by right in front of me and back into the fog as a hawk would circle its prey. But it didn’t look like a bird, nor a dragon. It looked… equine.

Where did it go, what is going on, where am I?

With me. I jumped immediately upon hearing the creature whisper directly into my ear.

Once I landed I attempted to spin around and face it directly. However I was swooped off my hooves and then slammed onto the ground. My face having taken the brunt of the landing.

I was then grabbed by telekinesis and thrown into a crater. However this time I managed to roll into the impact and stumble to my hooves. The mist seemed to be blocked from entering said crater, no doubt some kind of spell.

“Hmm, quite impressive for a colt” the voice spoke once more. Now that my head didn’t feel like it was being rammed into a bell over and over again I could tell that the voice’s owner was female.

“Who are you, and where am I?!” I said, however all I got was chuckling.

“Well coward, show your face. Or are you all bark and no bite?!” I added.

Almost immediately the chuckling stopped, and I heard a soft clink clink noise. ”So she has hoofguards, likely some kind of suit of armor too”.

At last the outline of the pony came into view through the fog, and they were quite large.

“Hmm, thou is quite knowledgeable. To recognize the sound of metal upon stone. Thee must have spent quite a lot of time in a barracks, or perhaps thou is a cook in a mess hall”. The pony was annoyingly staying just out of sight.

“I am neither, now tell me who you are and why you’ve-gah…” Once more telekinesis wrapped itself around my body, or more specifically my throat.

The pony also choose this moment in time to finally reveal themselves. She slowly sauntered forward, her blue slitted eyes coming into view first.

Then a pure black muzzle pierced the fog, with a ethereal dark blue mane, horn, and two black ears accompanying it.

Next came her neck and front legs before her barrel made itself known. She slowly began to circle around me, giving me a view of her flank, wings, and ethereal dark blue tail.

Although she was wearing armor it was only relegated to a peytral and helmet. Leaving her cutie mark, that being a crescent moon that looked like it was plopped onto spilled purple ink, exposed for all the world to see.

If the history books and few pictures were to be believed then this was The Mare In The Moon. Nightmare Moon, and she was currently choking me to death.

Only when I thought that I was actually going to die did she let me go, and I fell to the ground with a thud.

“Though it still seems that magic prevails over all” she added. Her air of confidence having left her and replaced by a sense of boredom.

“What… do you want from me?” I gasped.

“Oh not much, in fact yesterday thee were nothing but an insignificant little pony. In line to rule an irrelevant backwater nation” she replied.

“Alright, so what changed” I growled.

“Thou shall address thee as her eternal highness! she roared. As lighting and thunder shot down around us.

”Oh this is bad, this is oh so bad”.

“Where-where am I… your eternal highness” I asked, barely keeping my cool. Seeming pleased with my compliance Nightmare answered my question.

“Thou is in the realm of dreams, an eternal domain outside of time and what some might say ”reality”” she explained.

“So why am I here?” I asked.

“Thee ist here because thee intends to make off with the Elements Of Harmony” she explained.

My blood turned cold. ”The Elements, but why would those get her… wait, the legends said that she was defeated by… no. But she couldn’t be… returning, could she?”.

Nightmare’s face soon bore a grin. “Hmm, I have given thee less credit then thou is due. You are smarter than most, I will give you that”.

“But know this, when we return we will defeat that tyrant Celestia, and with our army of loyal Thestrals we will conquer Equestria and bring eternal night” she added.

Suddenly I was choked by telekinesis once more before being picked up and slammed back to the ground. I was then rolled onto my back before Nightmare slowly climbed on top of me, her muzzle now just an inch from my own.

“In addition, if thee does pursue thou’s plan and attempts to change fate, We will raze the city of Ashen to the ground”. As if to punctuate that statement, Nightmare light her horn and immediately my flame was extinguished. With a stinging pain erupting all throughout my body.

“Gah... I’d like to see you try. If you even attempt to scale its walls you’re gah you’re army will be… decimated” I squeaked out. Her response was to only choke me harder.

“Thee would be wise to take our threats seriously” she stated.

“Kind of difficult to do when I know you can’t actually harm me when in a dream, you can only bring me pain” I retorted. Nightmare’s eyes actually lit up in surprise.

“Hmm, thou actually knows a bit about dream magic. Tell me, how did thou find out about this information?” She asked.

“Books mostly, along with mareuscripts and other documents. You’d be surprised how much has actually survived, and even more with the methods of how I got it” I gloated. Hoping to seem confident and make her think twice about attacking Ashen.

“Hmph, we would call your bluff on that but we grow tired of this and have more important matters to attend to tonight. So we shall just lay out Our foal-proof plan and show thou how unmatched thy truly are” she replied.

And so she explained how she was going to defeat Celestia the moment she returned, locate and secure the elements, and then conquer Equestria.

Suffice to say she had a well thought out plan, with plenty of magic to back it up. It seemed that Equestria would fall, the only question would be when.

“Now that thou sees the futility and overwhelming odds stacked against them. We will make thou a proposition, stay in the Firelands and don’t interfere whatsoever in Equestrian affairs and we will not raise arms against The Kingdom Of Fire”.

“However, if thou does test us we will bring the might of the moon itself unto thou’s doorstep, understand?” she said. Before I could reply however, she spoke up again.

“Though, given thou’s… uniqueness. We almost wish for you to go ahead and call Our bluff” she added.

“Wha-what?” I asked. But Nightmare had already begun to disappear. Shortly after the dreamscape? Buck it, the dreamscape began to collapse, and I woke up with a splitting headache.

Suffice to say I did not get much sleep for the rest of that night.

---

I jumped just in time to avoid a shock wave of magic. Then, with a flap from my wings I did a twist mid-air and three throwing stars were on the way to their target, a unicorn.

Her name was Star Fire, and somewhat of a rising star in our ranks. As well as a soldier in the mage company ”Aeternum Unicornium”. Or simply just known as the unicorn legion.

We were currently running through many different types of spells and to an extent magic in general, as to help better prepare me for my mission to Equestria.

It had been five days since I had returned from defeating the deathworm. Of which the last three I had spent training myself in combat after catching up on my political duties. Though mother would take over those for the extent of my absence.

Star Fire once more demonstrated her effectiveness in combat as she grabbed two of my throwing stars through telekinesis and sent them hurtling back towards me.

They connected… but not with any important parts. Instead I had expertly blocked them both with my hoof-guards. Which were made of an anti-magical material known as adamantium. Which absorbed magic and by extension cut off Star’s magical connection with them.

Adamantium was rare. Found only in some of the deepest parts of the earth it was next to impossible to find enough to make a chest piece with, let alone an entire armor set like I was currently wearing. Though with time several of our mining colonies solved that issue.

It was also quite hard, as in near diamond level durability. Which meant that even if you could find some it was a pain in the flank to get it out of the ground. Though there were ways.

Star suddenly teleported and reappeared right behind me, managing to swing one of her hooves under my own and almost trip me. However I recovered and managed to block two blasts of life-ending magic with my hoofguards.

Then I decided that it was time to go on the offensive. Star managed to get one more blocked strike off with her sword before I conjured a fireball from the bowels of my stomach, which forced her to back off or be incinerated.

Using this bought momentum I leapt over her, with two throwing stars to keep her down and distracted, before landing behind her, grabbing her tail with my teeth, and sending her flying into a stone wall.

She managed to teleport just in time before coming into contact with said wall, before reappearing right above me. Effectively tackling me to the ground. We began wrestling with each other, each trying to overpower the other. Until I once again bore fire from my throat, which managed to set her fur alight before she teleported again.

She reappeared about 15 hooves away. The teleport spell having put the fire out for her, since when she teleported they’re was no matter left for the fire to burn. I assumed she was ready to call it before her horn lit once more and ethereal tridents began bearing down on me.

I either dodged or let the spears collide with my armor, the adamantium working overtime to dispel the magic. At the same time I dispersed fire and smoke throughout the room, in order to blind the unicorn and throw off her aim.

The effect was immediate. The spears became erratic and soon stopped coming. But by that point I had already flanked Star and was charging her.

I barreled into her at full speed and knocked her to the ground, finally managing to pin her down before disarming and getting a magic inhibitor ring around her horn. Cutting off her ability to cast magic and signifying my victory.

“Hmph, well played Flameheart, well played” Star conceded. The spectators around us either began cheering or were disappointed and conceded their money to other ponies in bets they had made.

After taking a second to calm down I helped Star to her hooves and took the inhibitor ring off her horn.

“You’re not a bad fighter yourself Star, keep fighting like that and you’ll be an absolute juggernaut on any battlefield” I replied.

We continued talking for a few minutes, going over battle strategies and tactics. As well as potential upgrades for our gear when Captain Plasma arrived. She went on to explain that she was sent by my mother and that I was to report to the throne room immediately.

“Very well then” I replied. I said my goodbye to Star and left for the palace. We decided to go through the citadel since we didn’t want to have to deal with the end of Public Court. Where petitioners would come and make requests to my mother. This however made it a bit of a trek, a long and boring trek.

“Private Star Fire seems like she’s turning out to be quite a good fighter” Plamsa pointed out. “Indeed, I wouldn’t put it past myself to say that given a few years she could become a good captain” I teased.

“Oh ha ha, fat chance of that Flameheart. She may have skill, but it takes years of experience and leadership to command a legion of soldiers. Something that you yourself are still learning” she shot back.

“Well, when I return I might allow you to educate me on such matters. Besides did I not lead a legion just last week against a Death-…” I trailed off as Plasma looked away, towards the ground.

“Um, Plasma, are you all right?” I asked.

“Flameheart, I know that it’s not my place. But… what is your mission?” she asked. I debated telling her, one on hoof you did not share information like this. Even to fellow comrades-in-arms who weren’t part of said mission.

But Plasma, she was a friend. Like Ruby and Firestorm we went back many years. When in politics you could not trust many individuals… but Plasma, she was different.

She was not a politician, noble, or even involved at all in court life. Ever since I was old enough to wield a sword, be it with my mouth, hooves, or wings she had been there to instruct me. Whereas my mother had focused more on the political side of things.

They’re weren’t many ponies who I could trust with this information. But Plasma was one of the few ponies I could, and so I made my decision.

After checking for any eavesdroppers and finding none I turned back to her. “Plasma, I’m going to Equestria to steal the Elements Of Harmony” I told her.

“Wha-what! That’s what you’re mission is!” she hissed. “Why the buck would your own mother make you, her only heir do this” she added.

“I don’t know, most likely because I am the most capable and in the best position to do so, if you want to know so badly then just ask her yourself” I replied.

“Plus… things are moving forward and if we wish to survive then we need to be prepared for them” I added.

“What do you mean, prepared for what?” Plasma was now more confused than ever. I needed to be blunt if we weren’t going to be late.

“Plasma…” I did a quick check again for any passerby's again before I spilled it. “Nightmare Moon spoke to me last night”.

At the mention of that name Plasma was understandably shocked and horrified, and after five minutes were spent calming her down I finally told her of the situation we were in.

“So, let me see if I’ve got this right. Nightmare Moon is apparently returning, knows who you are, knows that we want the elements, is bringing an army of thestrals with her, is probably going to immobilize and defeat Celestia within seconds of her return, and is going to seize power as well” she said.

“Pretty much” I replied. Plasma looked at the floor in deep thought. “Buck me”.

“Buck all of us Plasma. But the fact of the matter is that we are not going to solve this sitting on our flanks, we need to be proactive” I replied.

“Have you even informed your mother yet?” she asked. “No, I didn’t get a chance too this morning so I plan on doing it as soon as I can tonight”.

Plasma let out a long sigh. “Well we’ve wasted enough time as it is, let’s get to it”.

Upon arriving at the throne room we caught the last few stragglers leaving. A small band of unicorn nobles. They bowed and I gave my signature nod before we passed them and entered.

My mother was seated on her throne as usual. Her regal appearance not quite hiding the exhaustion plastered on her face, however once she saw me it seemed to melt away.

“Ah Flameheart, how did your training go?” she asked. “Very well mother. Captain Plasma here always seems to produce good soldiers, private Star Fire is an excellent addition to the guard” I replied.

Plasma, ever the gentlemare that she was, gave a me a small nudge with her hoof and motioned for me to get to the point. Upon seeing this my mother spoke up as well.

“Flameheart… is there something that needs to be brought to my attention?” she asked.

“… Guards, leave us” I responded. Everypony in the room seemed surprised at what I said but complied regardless.

“Flameheart, what is going on?” my mother was serious now. I waited for the guards to file out before I answered her.

“Mother, Nightmare Moon visited me last night in the dream realm”.

Instantly her eyes shrank to the size of pinpricks, and she began slightly hyperventilating as well.

“What, bu-but why, why you specifically?” she asked.

“I don’t know, and I don’t know why. But she could be returning in the next few days. Probably with an army to conquer Equestria, and I’m afraid that we could be next on her list” I replied.

“…You’re absolutely certain that it was her?”

“I don’t know about any other Alicorns besides Celestia and that upstart Mi Amore Cadenza, but who knows. Though the cutie mark was definitely correct” I answered.

My mother took a long, slow deep breath before slowly exhaling. “Okay, this changes nothing. If anything your mission is even more important now”.

“Tomorrow morning we, the military, and the court will meet to discuss this” she added.

“Very well mother, am I to receive a legion of guards for my mission now?” I asked.

“More like a legion of knights, though stealth and surprise is still to be valued over strength. At least until the Elements are located”.

“Very well then, now if that’s all settled I would like to know why you summoned me in the first place?” I asked.

“Ah… right, I almost forgot. The reason I called you here was to see how well you have performed in the past few days, and see if you’re truly ready for this mission” she answered.

“Of that I can say with certainty that he is, nothing short of an entire legion of the finest guardsmares or the princesses themselves could defeat his highness” Plasma spoke up. Mother seemed pleased with her answer.

“Very well, while I did want to have a small tournament before this. To gauge your readiness. I see now that we don’t have much of a choice, we either succeed or fail” she said.

“Do not worry mother, I will not fail” I replied. Though in truth I said that more to try and calm her nerves rather than my own. I was honestly terrified of the prospect of fighting Nightmare Moon. Especially if I couldn’t locate the Elements.

“All right then, let us retire for the night. It has been a long day” mother stated. Plasma escorted us to the dining hall before dismissing herself for the night.

We ate in practical silence, only engaging in the barest of conversation required to get through dinner.

After that I retired to bed to get some shuteye, and tried not to lie awake all night. Since I was still terrified of meeting Nightmare again if I entered the state of sleep.

Suffice to say I did not get much sleep that night.

Comments

[AstralFlare42]

Does this mean next chapter is the beginning of his journey to Equestria?

[Aiwhisper]

Ok so biggest gripe about this new race of flame ponies . paper requires a temp of almost 400F to combust and if that happens any time they touch the stuff it also means their bodies are always giving off that amount of heat. There is no way normal ponies could live with them as the very air around them would have to be hundreds of degrees and burn the lungs of normal ponies. The only reason I could see a species like this existing was if they lost the ability to self regulate their output at some point or if the fire was completely magic and only burned when they wanted but then they wouldn’t have issues with paper if that was the case…

[Schlat]

11765112
Well I did not know fire burned that hot, though I guess it makes sense. Regardless you've given me some new food for thought on how a unicorn may be able to cast a spell to keep the temperature down, so thanks. Though Ill be sure to address this problem in the future, cheers.