A Blaze Brought Forth Again

by Tyler-the-Brony

Part 3-2

The Lost Era: Warriors Past and Present

Chapter 2: A Royal Decree

“And that is the Lost Era.” Shining Armor finished, finally breathing in again after a long while as his memories were finally allowed to slumber within him again.

“It is a time Equestria must forget but cannot be ignored for the aftereffects it left upon the land.” Zuli added, his knowledge of the inner workings of ancient Equestria clearly influencing just how he responded to things such as this.

“Sweet Celestia.” Sky Wing spoke up, shocked at just what he had learned about something he’d never intended to ask about.

Peach remained silent for a long time, his mind thrown into overgear. Even though he was a soldier when he was needed, Peach was always more of a technical fighter than a physical one.

“Was the Zebrikan Seal ever further researched after the Lost Era?” Peach asked, needing to have as much information as possible before presenting any hypotheses to his superiors.

“Indeed. I myself have studied it as well now that I have reawakened. It is a seal of magic. All magic. Not simply the magic of a unicorn. This seal will banish the innate abilities of the Earth ponies and the Pegasi as well. This effect is temporary should one escape a lot of impact from it or escape very quickly, but it is near permanent in every other recorded case.” Zuli explained his findings on the spell, curious still as to how the Zebras had managed to make such a powerful seal so very powerful.

“Near permanent? What does that mean?” Sky Wing asked, hoping to speed along Peach to another conclusion.

“In some cases, the afflicted ponies were able to reawaken their powers for short stints of time. However, the spell always kept the abilities within them.” Shining Armor elaborated, wondering just where Peach was going with all this.

“So the spell didn’t inherently cause death or harm aside from the removal of their abilities?” Peach questioned, almost entirely ready to state his idea.

“Not in any recorded case we were able to document after we returned. The only one we never got to examine was Commander Blaze Bringer.” Shining Armor added, the pain of losing the third ruler still heavy on his heart.

“…What if Blaze Bringer never died though?” Peach near whispered, worried about speaking too loudly about his idea.

Shining Armor was strucken silent at the believed insolence of the Lieutenant. Zuli himself had other ideas though about Peach’s statement.

“What makes you say that? All the ponies that returned recounted that he appeared to be disintergrating within the orb of light he created to destroy the Charred Mountains. How do you believe he would have survived?” Zuli asked Peach, curious about this bright young Lieutenant’s assumptions.

“Simply the way you said the seal affected ponies. Even if Blaze Bringer were to have taken a far larger dose of it than any other recorded, the effects should only have been magnified on him. And I’ve never heard of any spell, even ones that only Alicorns can cast, causing full death. Blaze Bringer might have been severely hurt or unconscious for a long time, but he should have eventually regained his original form and been able to return.” Peach concluded his findings, hoping he wasn’t assuming too much on his part.

Zuli and Shining Armor both remained quite silent this time. Both contemplated the ideal that Blaze Bringer very well might have survived his last stand in the Lost Era. Eventually, it fell to Zuli to speak again.

“It is a quite logical and somewhat possible idea Peach. I ask this to us all though; Even if Blaze Bringer had survived and regained mobility, why would he have never returned?” Zuli asked, curious about this idea as much as he had been about Peach’s.

“Maybe he couldn’t return? Even if he did indeed survive that battle, he might have been gravely injured or trapped by rubble and not been able to make his way back here to Canterlot.” Sky Wing added in, as convinced as his superiors that Peach’s idea was grounded in reality.

“If all we’re talking about is as true as we think, we need to go and inform the Princesses immediately.” Shining Armor spoke up, enticing nods from all other ponies present as they prepared to head to Princess Celestia’s chambers as fast as they could.

***

“This is certainly shocking and enlightening information Shining Armor and Zuli Archer. I did however hear of something similar from Breeze Rider a few days ago. Do you both swear to its authenticity such as he did?” Princess Celestia asked her two most trusted Captains of all her years as Princess of the Sun.

“I swear to it Princess Celestia. I could not find a single true illogicality to it.” Zuli spoke up, knowing his words will carry the wisdom Celestia had wanted from him.

“I did not think of it myself until Peach here came to me and told me, but I can’t believe how I never did so now that I’ve heard it Princess Celestia.” Shining Armor added, bowing before the Princess as he did so.

Both Cream and Sky Wing had remained silent throughout the meeting with Princess Celestia. Both had felt confident in stating their ideas and claims to their Captains, but Peach and Sky Wing had silently agreed that their Captains were far more suited for informing Princess Celestia personally than they were.

Princess Celestia remained silent for a few more moments before deciding to speak again, the ideal of Blaze Bringer being alive accepted within her mind now.

“If this is indeed the case, we must go and inform my sister as well as the remainder of the Starswirl Council. They will be able to locate him if this information proves as true as we believe it to be.” Princess Celestia announced as took flight in order to guide the others to her sister chambers.

All the other ponies present nodded and began to follow Celestia’s path. Within a very short matter of time, Celestia stood outside Luna’s room with Shining Armor, Zuli, Peach, and Sky Wing a short ways behind.

“Luna? May we enter please? We have information of dire importance to impart on you.” Celestia asked aloud as she faced Luna’s doors.

“Celly…Help me…Please” Luna weakly cried from the other side, in clear pain.

Within seconds Celestia’s magic had blown off the double doors to Luna’s Chambers as she heard her little sister call out in need.

“Luna!” Celestia nearly screamed as she galloped over to the Princess of the Night, who lay in agonizing pain in the center of the room, drenched in sweat.

“Celly…I can barely move…I feel as though I am bonded to this section of Canterlot…What is this dark magic?” Luna pleaded with her elder sister as she slowly turned towards the gathered ponies, each minute movement proving to cause her unimaginable pain.

“Zuli! Do you know what this is? This is clearly ancient and evil magic. What is it?!” Celestia cried at her eldest captain, hoping Zuli would know the reason for Luna’s pain.

Zuli approached carefully, not wanting to cause Luna any more pain or discomfort than she already felt. After a few moments of careful observation, Zuli felt certain he knew the only possible cause for such a thing.

“I do not know how this is possible, but Princess Luna appears to be suffering the effects of an impalement by a Celestial Blade.” Zuli calmly spoke, hoping he had formulated his ideas properly for this diagnosis.

Celestia’s eyes went near bloodshot as Zuli spoke his last words, the true terror of them only felt by her, Luna, and Zuli.

“A Celestial Blade? But how is that possible? I thought they were all rounded up, accounted for, and then destroyed?” Celestia questioned Zuli as she was unable to formulate proper thought as her sister lay there in such great pain.

“That’s true Princess. But there has always been one Celestial Blade that eluded us. It never occurred to me before now though.” Zuli breathed heavily as he came to realize the great meaning of his own words.

“What…does thou mean Zuli Archer?” Luna pleaded Zuli from the floor of her chambers.

“The only Celestial Blade that could remain in existence is…Blaze Bringer’s. And if he is indeed using it again, or somepony else is using it on his behalf, and for a purpose such as this, it can bode nothing good for Canterlot nor for the rest of Equestria.” Zuli quietly explained as silence fell over the entirety of the Royal Court, as though all could feel Luna’s pain and Celestia’s fear.

***

“MUWAHAHAHAHA!”

Blaze Bringer’s laugh echoed menacingly and slowly throughout his cave, causing much of the rock to shake and some of it to even collapse. Chrysalis protected her eyes until the quaking had finished.

“At last. I am whole again.” Blaze Bringer spoke with a new edge to his words, one that snapped open Chrysalis’ eyes in fear and directed them then directly at Blaze Bringer.

Blaze Bringer’s form had changed greatly. Flames of dark ocean blue now licked his form almost entirely at its edges. Wings of the same colour and material now protruded from his sides as well. Blaze Bringer’s horn had reformed, black as the night sky with an intricate pattern of blood red laced within in. The Zebrikan markings that had laid hidden on Blaze Bringer before now stood out prominently, died blood red now. Blaze Bringer’s eyes had shifted as well, to an almost somehow dark golden tone.

“At last I am ready. And far more powerful than ever before as a Helios.” Blaze Bringer spoke aloud again, the dark magic that fueled his body coursing through his voice.

“You intend to attack Equestria alone? I wish you luck in becoming like Discord then brother.” Chrysalis weakly taunted her brother, most of her strength still sapped away.

Blaze Bringer turned slowly towards Chrysalis and approached, his flames parting all before him, even the solid rubble of boulders from his initial elation.

“I do not head for Equestria now dear sister. Equestria shall fall last.” Blaze Bringers taunted Chrysalis as he cooled his flames to allow them to brush her being.

“Then where do you head now in such high spirits?” Chrysalis earnestly wondered, her brother’s action confusing her greatly.

“I head to your ‘home’ sister. Farana shall fall first.” Blaze bringer smiled as he felt the terror within Chrysalis grow at his words.

Uninterrupted by Chrysalis, who was now struck entirely silent by fear, Blaze Bringer continued.

“Then Zebrika shall kneel. And Dragaria and Griffalon shall do the same. And then, and only then, will Equestria burn beneath my hooves.” Blaze Bringer paused to look over his shoulder one last time before he shattered the magic of his barrier and left to begin his reign anew.