Last of the Dragonlords

by Fluttershy20

Chapter 16 (part 2)

Another hour or so later, Rainbow let out a pained groan. “Is this what being a egghead feels like? Thinking for a long time, I mean? I’ve got a splitting headache,” she complained as she placed a hoof on where it banged against her skull like a drum. After not being able to come up with anything, Twilight and Fluttershy turned to the others for help. Now they were all sitting in a circle, exchanging ideas and putting down ones that didn’t fit.

“Only for you, Rainbow,” Twilight teased with a smirk. “As for those that think often. Any ideas?”

Fluttershy, Pinkie and Thowra shook their heads. “I’ve thought of one. What about books, in a plural?” Twilight suggested with a large, hopeful grin.

Everyone turned to look at her oddly. “Oh come on, don’t give me that look! Think about it, doesn’t everyone like books in one form or another?!”

“Um, sorry but I don’t read often. I find it hurts my eyes,” Thowra said, looking rather guilty.

Twilight looked at him as if he had just bad-mouthed the Princess. “Okay, but you all like reading, right?” she asked her friends.

“We all like reading, Twilight. But I don’t think adding an ‘s’ to the word is going to work,” Fluttershy reasoned. “Sorry.”

Twilight sighed and visibly slumped to the ground in defeat. They went quiet for a moment until Rarity started laughing, making Twilight glare at her. “Oh I’m not laughing at you, Twilight. I think I got it, and it seems so obvious.” She turned to face Fluttershy. “Fluttershy, darling, put in jewel in that code breaker thingy, please?”

Fluttershy looked at her for a moment, then realisation dawned across her face as she realised Rarity was right. She walked over to the code breaker and began fiddling with the letters until it played out ‘jewel’ in Dragonian. “I hope you’re right, Rarity,” she said nervously, pulling the lever on the side down.

With a huge metallic groan, the chain began moving backwards, lifting the gate from its hinges and raising it through the gap out of sight. The equines cheered, Rainbow punching the air with her hooves, as the gate screeched to a halt just high enough for Thowra to walk over without having to lower his head. “Right then, everypony,” Fluttershy said, excitement filling the tone of her voice. “Let’s get that key and get out of here!”

The six equines gathered up their saddlebags and proceeded quickly after Fluttershy who, in her haste, was up front and moving through the dark tunnels at a fast trot, hoping and praying that there wasn’t any traps or riddles left; that they passed it all and were now on the final stretch.

She didn’t need to wait long to find out. She slowed down to a stop upon realising the dark tunnel had ended and waited for the others to catch up. After a minute or so of standing in the complete darkness she could see the white light of Twilight’s horn coming from the tunnel, faint at first then brightening as they approached. “Don’t run off like that again, Fluttershy,” Twilight said to her as they came up. “You could have had an accident and we would never know.”

Fluttershy’s ears folded onto her head and she looked guiltily at them. “Sorry. I guess I got pretty excited after that. How did you know it was jewel, Rarity?” she asked, turning to face the unicorn.

“Well at first it didn’t seem right. But after a while I realised everyone loves jewels, and there’s different types of them, like diamonds, sapphires, rubies among them. After that it wasn’t so hard,” Rarity explained.

Fluttershy smiled gratefully at her, then turned back towards the front as Twilight created a light powerful enough to lighten the whole chamber. The six equine’s eyes squinted as Twilight created a ball the size of a globe then shot it into the air. The ball flew upwards, hitting the ceiling then exploding in a great white light that turned the chamber into day. After a moment the light dimmed, allowing the equines to see the chamber, and they gasped in wonder and awe.

It wasn’t a chamber they were standing in; it was a cavern, which was inhabited by what looked like an ancient city. The buildings were small squared huts that were stone built, with a single doorway but no windows. Wooden bridges connected small islands that hovered over a large dark green sea, dividing the city up into islands. The cavern the city resided in was taller than the highest tower in Canterlot, with dark blue, green and even red plant life growing on the rocky walls. While at the far end, which Fluttershy could barely make out as it was hidden by the huts and a small, rising slope, was a tower of what seemed to be part of a castle or keep. The place, she realised, would definitely be where the key is kept.

“We need to get to that keep there,” she said, pointing to the tower in the distance. Upon receiving no response, she looked back to see everyone’s jaws were low to the ground and about to fall off.

“This… this… this is,” Twilight said, her breath taken out of her by the view they were seeing.

“Incredible,” Rainbow finished for the unicorn, her own voice barely above a whisper. Twilight nodded in agreement and brought out her sketchbook and quill to start drawing the city and the cavern it dwelled in.

“It’s an eye opener and make no mistake of that,” Applejack agreed, moving forward slowly without taking her eyes off the flora that hugged the rock face.

Behind the earth pony, the six equines moved forward, their eyes unable to look ahead but instead looking at the small huts that made up this city. “How old do you think this place is, Twilight?” Fluttershy asked.

Twilight looked at Fluttershy for a moment, before looking at one of the stone built huts. “Hard to say, really,” she replied. “Huts like these were built out of mud or wood back in the past, but never out of stone like these.” She put an illumination spell on and proceeded towards one of the huts for closer inspection. Fluttershy lagged behind also while the others walked off to explore. Although she wanted to get the key now, she figured she could afford to see a bit of history – her ancestor’s history.

Twilight glanced at the hut walls and then walked inside, while Fluttershy stayed outside to look at the walls. Each brick had a sentence sprawled out across it in Dragonian, each one different and made much less sense than the last.

A quick gasp from Twilight made Fluttershy jump from the walls and gallop inside to help her friend who she thought was in danger. She looked at Twilight to see a look of shock on her face. “What is it?” she asked. Twilight just pointed at what was in front of them. Fluttershy’s eyes moved to where she was pointing, and she gasped at what she saw.

At the centre of the hut were two large rectangular caskets, built in stone. On the outside were carvings of warriors and dragons and basilisks and other creatures they know and feared. On the top were two stone reliefs of ponies lying on their side, back to back, dressed in battle armour and a sword lying on top of them: the handle at the head and the blade reaching to the tail. While above the two caskets were two large crystals that were a sky blue, and pulsated a small burst of light every minute or so. “A sarcophagus,” Twilight stated. “I’ve never seen one with so much detail.”

“Neither have I,” Fluttershy agreed. “The ones at the Dragonlord fortress where I met my father were bare in comparison.” She moved closer to the sarcophagus, followed close behind by Twilight. Age began to show in the stonework in the guise of the cracks that littered the top of the casket. “Do you want to try and open it? I’m not going to unless you want to,” she whispered to the unicorn beside her.

The idea of looking at a over a thousand year old corpse seemed partly disgusting, and yet mightily interesting at the same time to Twilight. Eventually the temptation was too much. “Oh, go on then,” she replied. The two ponies reared up and made ready to push the lid open.

“I wouldn’t if I was you,” Thowra said from behind them. With a squeak of surprise the two ponies jumped into the air at the sound of Thowra’s voice. They turned around to find him and their friends standing by the doorway, looking at them with confused expressions. “I’m surprised you didn’t hear me, Fluttershy.”

“Sorry, I was a bit occupied with this.” Fluttershy indicated with her head the sarcophagus behind her.

“Well I still wouldn’t open it,” Thowra insisted. “You could wake the draugen inside.”

A cold unearthly chill went up everypony’s spines at that moment, but they all had confused looks on their faces. “You know. Wights?” This was met with a shake of their heads. “Wraiths?” Again, this was met with a shake of their heads, forcing a sigh from Thowra. “Zombie ponies?”

“Z-z-zombie ponies?” they all stammered. Fluttershy and Twilight instantly and hastily backed away from the two coffins and moved outside into the streets. Fluttershy began to have a bad feeling about this place. In a city where every hut had a dead warrior that could possibly be cursed to walk forever wasn’t a place she wanted to stay longer than she needed to.

“Do you think we could get moving so we could get out of here, please?” she asked the others. They all agreed and soon were moving towards the keep, their eyes and ears on constant alert incase they had disturbed the deads rest.

The streets were narrow, and had sudden paths splitting off from the main road that lead to the keep. The seven equines looked at each of the huts, seeing a light blue light of the diamonds illuminating the room from within. Eventually they arrived at the top of the slope and had a good view of the keep.

It was square in shape, and rose to about two or three storeys high. The top of the keep had four turrets at the edges with arched windows, but no glass in them as they had broken off at some point. Much like the sarcophagi in the city below them, the keep was beginning to show signs of its age. And cracks started to show in the stonework, some of them so large a buck kick could send the whole thing crashing down on them.

Fluttershys eyes darted around the entrance for signs of traps or other devices that could risk their mission here. “Don’t worry, Fluttershy, there’s none here,” Twilight called from behind her.

Fluttershy turned her head around and gave the unicorn a look of surprise. “How do you know that?”

“I just did a quick magical scan of the place. Much like a medical scan, really. But anyway there’s none there, so we’re okay to go in,” Twilight said, although it sounded more of a suggestion than a statement – as if she was waiting for Fluttershy’s permission to enter.

Fluttershy nodded gratefully for Twilight’s magic, then turned around and proceeded inside the keep. The place was dark and damp, with old stone floors that had cracks in it, with weeds of various types of flora were sprouting up from. But it was at the far end of the chamber that made the Dragonlord grin. A large podium, with carvings on all four sides of a dragon reaching its claws out, while on top was an old dusty black book with the symbol of the Dragonlords on it.

Fluttershy flew over to the book, her entire body shaking with nervous excitement as she extended her forelegs out to touch it and open it. She looked up to see her friends waiting and watching with anxious anticipation. “Well go on, then,” Pinkie called. “Open that book, grab that key and let’s get out of here. This place is starting to give me the creeps.”

Fluttershy nodded, and in one quick motion, opened the book to the place where the key would be, only for her heart to drop into her stomach when she saw to her horror it wasn’t. Her friends gasped in horror when they saw Fluttershy’s reaction.

Tears began to form in her eyes. “Where… where is it?” She began flicking through the pages to see if it was on another page, but found the book to be empty. “It’s not here, how can it not be here?” She looked to the ground and began searching the corners and darkest moments. Upon finding nothing she sat back on her haunches and put her hooves over her mouth, trying to stop her tears and control her breathing as panic swept through her like wildfire. “How can it not be here?!”

“Fluttershy, darling,” Rarity said as she approached the panicking pegasus. She wrapped Fluttershy in a hug in a bid to calm her down. “Shh, it’s okay, sweetie, it’s okay. We’ll find it. You’ll see.”

It seemed to have the desired affect, for Fluttershy’s breathing slowed to a steady pace and her tears disappeared. “You’re right, Rarity. I know we will,” she whispered.

“Alright. I suggest we all split up and search the city to see if we can find it,” Twilight suggested. The ponies and horse nodded in agreement. “Fluttershy and Pinkie will go one way, Rainbow and me will go another, and Applejack and Rarity and Thowra will go another. We’ll all meet back here in two hours. Agreed?”

The others agreed, and scurried out of the old keep and back into the city, hoping it would be in there somewhere.

---

For the next two hours they searched the city, looking in every corner, every street, every hut, even the seabed. But they found nothing. Fluttershy and Pinkie had returned from scouring the eastern half the city first, soon followed by Applejack and Rarity and Thowra, and finally after a ten minute wait, Twilight and Rainbow.

The seven equines stayed silent as they realised they had failed. With the loss of the fifth and final key there would be no chance of disabling Heimdallr’s magical abilities, and with it their chances of saving the world. Fluttershy looked more devastated than anyone. She had failed her father, but worst of all she felt that she failed everyone. “I’m so sorry, everyone,” she said quietly, trying to hold back tears.

“Sugar, there’s no need to apologise for something that’s not ya fault,” Applejack said comfortingly. “None of us could have known it wasn’t here.”

“But I led you all this way.” She looked at Pinkie. “And some of you even risked your lives. And what did we get out of it? Nothing!” In frustrated anger she bucked out at the column, destroying it utterly and sending the book that rested on top of it to the ground by her side. She took a deep breath to calm down, which surprisingly worked.

“Feeling any better?” Twilight asked.

Fluttershy nodded. “A little, thanks.” She glanced at the book that had fallen at her side and began looking at the page it was opened at. The page next to where the key would have been had a very good sketched drawing of what looked like a large lake, honed in by large mountains, and what appeared to be an island that was but a blob of pencil work.

Fluttershy shifted around to get a proper look at it, her head cocked to one side as she began to understand what it was there for. The others wondered what had Fluttershy so engrossed and crowded around her. “That’s a nice picture,” Twilight remarked. “But what’s it supposed to be?”

“The Horscan Sea,” Thowra answered. The others shot their heads around to look at him.

“Are you sure?” Fluttershy enquired.

Thowra nodded. “Sure I’m sure. When you see the Horscan Sea once it’s very hard to forget such a beautiful place. It’s one of the calmest and most beautiful places in the country. The mountains are so tall that they shield the sea from the wind, so the sea is always calm. You can take a boat out and just relax and watch the world go by.” He looked at the picture once more and nodded in confirmation, as it was definitely the Horscan Sea. “But why is it in this?”

“Because it is where Heimdallr is held,” Fluttershy answered.

Everyone gasped. “How can you possibly think that?!” Rainbow demanded.

“The last place where the fourth key was held had a mural on one of the ceilings,” Fluttershy explained, “telling us that the fifth key was at the Ramshead Range. This one would be telling us where Heimdallr himself is held, and since we didn’t see it out there it has to be this picture that’s the final clue.”

“But why is Heimdallr in a place of water?” Rarity enquired. “Surely being a burning dragon he would die from getting water splashed over him. I know I would.”

“I don’t think he’s in the water, Rarity,” Fluttershy said. She pointed to the small blob that might be an island. “I think he’s beneath the water. And that thing, if it’s an island, could be the way into his dungeon.”

“But the Dragonlords surely couldn’t have moved a huge dragon beneath the water and then left him there,” Twilight said.

“There is reason to believe, Twilight, that the sea was not naturally built,” Thowra put in. “There’re some legends that say it was created by the natives of this part of the country for a purpose only they knew.” He looked back at the book. “And now, we have found that purpose.”

Fluttershy nodded. “The battle between Heimdallr and the Dragonlords must’ve taken place where the Horscan Sea is. My father told me that when the Dragonlords defeated him they created a giant lake so noone could find him. That giant lake is the Horscan Sea, and also his prison guard.”

“Then what are we worrying about?” Applejack said, a huge relieved grin on her face. “Heimdallr’s trapped under the water and can’t make his way out due to all that water above him. There’s no way he would be able to survive even that amount for long.”

The grim face Fluttershy had said otherwise. “I wish I can think the same, Applejack. I really do.” She turned to face Twilight. “You know those talks we’ve been having about what Heimdallr could be waiting for?” Twilight nodded. “Well… I think I may be right about the solar flare theory.”

Twilight sighed and placed a hoof on her head. “But we’ve already discussed this. There’s no way Heimdallr has power over the sun anymore, since the Princess controls it.”

“Um, I don’t mean to interrupt,” Pinkie said, drawing the two ponies to her. “But, Fluttershy, you said that Heimdallr was over four thousand years old, yes?” Fluttershy nodded. “And, Twilight, the Princess is over two thousand years old, yes?” Twilight nodded. “So you see, Heimdallr still has power over the sun since he technically never died. Meaning the two are sharing its power, albeit one’s weaker than the other.”

Twilight and Fluttershy’s eyes widened when they realised Pinkie was right. “Okay,” Twilight conceded, “but I still don’t know what Heimdallr will do with what power he has over it.”

“Well, I originally thought he was going to use it to create a solar flare that will ravage the planet,” Fluttershy said. “But now…” she looked at Twilight grimly as another possibility coursed through her mind. “I know I’m not as good at science as you are, Twilight. But couldn’t a solar flare warm up the planet a bit more than usual?”

Twilight looked down in thought. Her eyes widened in horror as she realised what Fluttershy was implying. “Are you thinking that Heimdallr will create a solar flare that would warm up the planet and cause it to evaporate the water? Therefore destroying the only defence mechanism that holds Heimdallr imprisoned and therefore allowing him to escape?!”

Fluttershy nodded. “Got it in one,” she said humourlessly. The others looked at each other in horror.

“Hold on now,” Applejack said, waving a hoof in the air. “I don’t know as much about science as the rest of ya’ll. But I know that solar flares can’t cause temperature changes, just huge, freakish lighting storms and such.”

“That’s true, Applejack,” Twilight agreed. “But only if the flare isn’t manipulated by magic. And by someone who knows pyromancy. If Heimdallr has a spiritual connection to the sun, and still has some power over it like Pinkie and Fluttershy say, then he would be able to alter a flare… with disastrous consequences.”

Thowra shook his head in disbelief. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

Twilight shook her head. “That is one of the disadvantages of controlling nature, I’m afraid. When it gets in the wrong hooves or claws it can have terrible results for all.”

“But what are we going to do about it?” Pinkie asked. “We can’t let this meanie take all our water and then burn the world. It would be a very boring place if he did.”

“I’ll tell you what we’re going to do,” Rainbow came in. “We’re gonna go to the Horscan Sea, watch him evaporate the water in the sea, then when he rises we send him back under the ground where he belongs!”

“For once, I agree with Rainbow Dash on this,” Fluttershy said with a raised eyebrow and a smile. Rainbow gave Fluttershy a nod of thanks for her support. The others were slower but they agreed as well in the end.

“Then let’s get moving,” Twilight said. “I’d rather be back outside than in here.” They filed out of the room chamber and headed back outside. Fluttershy felt confident once again that they could still defeat Heimdallr – even without the last key’s help, they could still try.

She came out of her thoughts when a huge booming sound like an horn filled the cavern, followed by what sounded like ten thousand glass windows shattering, and then silence.

“Oops,” Rainbow whispered, her face grimacing as she realised she was the one who caused that. “Sorry, everyone.”

The equines before her instinctively put hooves on their noses, their faces possessing the look of revulsion. “That was disgusting!” Twilight yelled. “Couldn’t you have at least waited until we got outside?!”

“Hey, it wasn’t me, it was the trigger!” Rainbow said defensively.

Twilight snorted. “Yeah, okay then, blame the trigger. What trigger?”

“This trigger!” Rainbow pointed to the plain circular stone her hooves rested upon, to which Twilight’s eyes widened in horror. “One that you said never existed!” Rainbow retorted.

“It must not be connected to something, though,” Twilight said, her eyes darting about for whatever would have been released. Her friend’s eyes moved about also, but much to their confusion saw nothing.

“Can we go now?” Fluttershy whispered. The others agreed unanimously. The only sound around them was each other’s breaths, which was quick and revealed the fear that infested them.

That fear turned visible because of the sound of thousands of unnatural shrieks that echoed from the city. “What the hay was that?!” Applejack screeched.

“The draugen. They’ve awakened,” Thowra replied, his coat becoming paler by the second. His heart dropped into his stomach as the sound of rotting hooves galloping towards them got closer and closer. “Back inside, now!”

The seven equines galloped back inside, their hearts racing as they began to understand the danger they were in. They moved themselves to the back of the chamber and saw the shadows of the first draugen closing in on them. “Quick, bar the door!” Thowra barked. Applejack and Twilight moved to the door and slammed it shut, Applejack placing a locking mechanism across, while Twilight used a spell to make it as if there were a hundred locks on it.

Twilight and Applejack backed away to join with the others. “That should keep them out long enough for us to find a escape route. How’s that coming, Fluttershy?” Twilight asked, looking back at the pegasus.

Fluttershy was moving along the northern wall, pressing herself up right against it and feeling along the wall with her hooves to find an escape route from the chamber. Her face contorted to panic when she couldn’t find any on the western wall. She darted across to the other wall and felt along there. Upon finding none she moved to the eastern wall and felt along there, her breathing becoming faster and more panicky as a result of finding nothing.

“There’s no escape route!” she cried. “We’re trapped in here!”

“There is one way out,” Rainbow said. “But it’s…” She took a second to swallow the lump in her throat. “That way.” She pointed to the door where an army of draugen converged on their only route of escape.

Thowra gulped also. “Well, it looks like we have to fight our way out of here.” He drew his bronze sword from its scabbard and pointed towards the ceiling. After discarding their saddlebags at the back of the room, Twilight, Applejack, Rarity, Rainbow and Pinkie followed suite.

They knew there was no choice in this; they wished there was but now there wasn’t. They had to fight their way out and through. Fluttershy, after discarding her saddlebags and taking a deep, calming breath, strode forward and stood next to her friends, bringing up Drage Bane to her chest. The sword sang as it appeared from its scabbard, as if it anticipated the fight that was going to happen. Fluttershy narrowed her eyes in confidence; every sense in her screaming to run had gone silent, for they knew she couldn’t run or hide – only fight.

“What are you doing?!” Twilight demanded upon noticing Fluttershy standing alongside them.

“Going to help you, of course,” Fluttershy replied. Twilight stared at her friend in horror. It wasn’t the idea that Fluttershy wanted to fight that unnerved her, it was the thought that if Fluttershy died here then their biggest advantage against Heimdallr would diminish, and then everyone would die. She couldn’t allow that to happen.

Before Fluttershy could stop her, or even know what she was going to do. Twilight lit up her horn, and wrapped the pegasus in a huge, magenta bubble, and took her to the back of the chamber. Away from where the fighting would take place.

“Let me out, Twilight!” she cried, trying to burst the bubble with her hooves but to no avail. It felt like jelly to her and would simply bounce back once she pulled away.

“Fluttershy, listen to me,” Twilight said. “This bubble will protect you from the draugen when they come. When you get the chance, gallop towards the exit and get outside. Don’t wait for us.”

“NO!” she screamed. “I left you once, I’m not leaving you again. Let me out of this bubble, NOW!”

Twilight shook her head solemnly. “I’m sorry, but you’re too important to die here.”

Fluttershy banged her hooves against the bubble in frustrated anger. “You are important, all of you. More important to me.”

Twilight ignored her. She turned around and walked back to the line where the others were waiting for the draugen to break through, all of them deafening out Fluttershy’s protests.

“Ya okay, sugarcube?” Applejack asked Rainbow upon noticing the pegasus’s nervous look.

“Yeah… it’s just, well… I’ve never killed anything in my life,” Rainbow replied, now visibly shaking.

“Technically we’re not killing them, Rainbow,” Thowra said comfortingly. “You could say we’re giving them a kindness. They’ve been dormant all this time and now we’ll put them finally to rest.”

Rainbow nodded in understanding, then looked around at her friends. Twilight seemed confident, if a little bit nervous, and was muttering something about avoiding sword swings and such. Rarity was shaking worse then her. Pinkie looked confident, even rather scarily excited about it. Applejack beside her was shaking with fear, but her sword leg was steady. And Fluttershy was still demanding to be released from her bubble. Rainbow didn’t blame Twilight for what she did; she would have done the same thing if she had the power.

“Say, Applejack, how bout we turn this into a contest?”

Applejack looked at her with a mix of disgust and curiosity. “A contest?”

“Yeah, see how many we take in the end. You game?”

Applejack considered it for a moment. Sure they could be facing their deaths, but the idea of taunting Rainbow about her win in the afterlife sounded too good to pass up. “Okay, Rainbow, you’re on. May the best pony win?”

“May the best pony win!” Rainbow repeated, slamming her hoof into Applejack’s.

The door was now just seconds away from breaking down. Even Fluttershy grew silent as she watched with despair the shapes of spears and swords breaking through the weakened wooden door. She wanted to close her eyes or look away, but found she couldn’t.

“Get ready!” Thowra needlessly called. Four of the five ponies pointed their swords at the door, forming a wall of sharp blades. While Rainbow sat back on her haunches and prepped her crossbow, taking a bolt from the quiver on her side and pulling it back on the crossbow. Once done, she pointed it at the door and held a hoof on the trigger, ready to release it at the first enemy that would come through.

A spear came crashing through the door, breaking off the last of the hinges, and then pulled back. They waited for another to appear, but none came. They waited on baited breath for the door to come smashing down, but it didn’t happen, yet none of them dared move closer to see if they had truly gone.

After a minute of waiting they began to relax, little by little. “Well,” Applejack said with a relieved grin, “we sure scared them of-”

Suddenly the door came crashing down and from the other side the draugen poured through. They were all once ponies, but their flesh had degraded into near nothingness, while some were just skeletons. They all wore dark and degraded steel armour that covered their backs and their chests. Swords and axes hung from either their mouths or their legs, and some had spears, all old but by no means blunt or broken.

Although they were basically dead, they moved like they were living, and even screamed battle cries as they charged towards the now terrified ponies and horse. Rainbow quickly fired a bolt from her crossbow, hitting one in the head and sending it to the ground with an unnatural shriek; the golden light in its eyes faded out, as it became a corpse once more. “One for me!” Rainbow cried before they draugen was on top of them, and the dance of battle had begun.

One draugen lunged its spear at Rainbow, but the agile pegasus leapt into the air and landed on top of it, stabbing into the creature’s back and sending it to the ground. She pulled the blade out, spun around and ducked as another came at her with a swing of its sword. Rainbow countered with a thrust of her own sword, but it was deflected in quick recovery by the creature. The draugen head-butted her onto the ground and moved on top to finish her. Rainbow kicked it in the groin and stabbed up through the neck. The draugen fell on top of her and she could smell the ancient stench of the creature, which was repulsive. “You guys need to take baths.” She kicked it off and called to Applejack, “Hey, Applejack, three already!”

She saw the earth pony finishing off a draugen by slashing across the neck. “I’m on six!” she called back with a grin.

Rainbow’s eyes widened in surprise. “What?! No earth pony’s going to outscore me!” She picked up a spear that was on the ground and threw it into the ranks of draugen, hitting one through the open mouth. Another suddenly leapt into the air, attempting to dive on her, while another charged at her head on. She backed up from the two, allowing the two draugen to collide with each other and fall to the ground in a heap of bones.

Twilight meanwhile was firing spell after spell at them, sending each she hit crashing into another behind. A draugen dodged one spell and came at her with a huge sword in its mouth. It swung it in an attempt to cut off her head. With a squeak of alarm she dived to the ground and let it swing over, missing her head by millimetres. She quickly got up, and then thrust her blade into the draugen before it could defend itself.

Another came at her with an axe raised in the hope it would embed itself into her skull. She raised her sword and felt the impact of the axe meeting her blade. With an amazing, almost unnatural strength it began inching its weapon closer towards Twilight. The unicorn gritted her teeth together and tried to force it away, but it was too strong. She quickly closed her eyes and powered up her horn. With a blast of magenta light the draugen turned into ashes. She turned around and steadied herself as another came at her with a spear.

Rarity was somehow able to fight with such grace. She had reared up on her hind legs and was in a guard position, with her face giving nothing on what she was going to do next. A draugen came at her, swinging its sword downwards towards her exposed chest. She gracefully spun around the creature and thrust Dancer into its side. Another moved forward and lunged its sword at her. She deflected the attack and made one of her own with a stroke, but that was blocked. She stepped back as the draugen swung its sword at a wide arc, then dived and thrust Dancer forward into it’s chest as it was about to make a sweep down.

She felt the knee joint of one of them hit her in the belly, sending her to the ground on her side. She rolled away from the draugen that hit her and got back up on two hooves, Dancer being held protectively against her chest. The draugen eyed her for a moment, and then tried to make a quick slash across her face. She pulled her head back, missing the sword edge by millimetres, then brought Dancer down onto the draugen’s sword, smashing it. She took the moment of confusion to thrust the sword into the creature, then pulled it out again as another came at her.

Pinkie had turned this into a game. “Miss me, miss me, now you have to kiss me,” she sang as a draugen swung its axes at her left, right and centre; each one missed her, however – she was just too quick. She dived when another axe came at her, but squeaked when she felt a bit of her mane get chopped off. “Oh, now it’s personal.” She met the draugen’s next attack with her own sword and then punched the stinking creature in the chest, winding it. She then backed away and then slashed her sword across its neck, severing its head from its body.

She turned to face another draugen, which was coming up behind her, only to have her mouth hang open in horror. The draugen was tall – very tall – and had a huge sword easily the length of her in its mouth. It moved its head so that the sword was raised in the sky, then came crashing down towards her in the hope the strike would split her in half. Pinkie ran forward, stepping out of the way just slightly for the sword to come crashing down on the ground. She then flung herself beneath the creature and stabbed upwards into the belly. Before the thing could fall on top of her she jumped out again and bucked the creature to fall the other way.

Applejack was hacking her way through the draugen. “Nine…. ten… eleven… twelve,” she whispered to herself as she hacked, cut, stabbed, slashed at the creatures that came at her. A draugen smashed into her and sent her onto the ground. She kicked out with all fours into it, sending it staggering. She got up, slashing up the chest and into the neck. “Thirteen,” she whispered. She looked quickly at her rival, who managed to shoot her crossbow once more, hitting another in the chest, before another came at her friend. “Isn’t there a end to these things?!” she cried as another approached cautiously.

It circled her for a moment, trying to understand its opponent, before jumping at her with a strike aiming to slash across her chest. She jumped back from the attack, and then deflected the next one as it tried again with a raised sword. The two held it for a moment, struggling to weaken the other ones resolve, before Applejack pulled away and stepped to her right, bringing the sword through where the shoulder would’ve been. “Fourteen,” she whispered to herself as the creature fell to its side.

Thowra was sending scores of draugen back to the grave. Although the horse was slower than the ponies he fought alongside, the way he used his sword was like someone wielding a claymore. He raised it into the air and struck down onto another draugen, hacking it in half. Another came at him from his left, which he swung around and sent it flying across the room, a huge gash from its belly to its shoulder.

Fluttershy flinched every time she saw an axe come down, or a sword slash or thrust forward towards one of her friends. Her heart beat to the point that she feared it might explode from going so fast. She couldn’t help but watch helplessly as her friends performed the dance of battle around the draugen, their swords slashing, hacking, and stabbing. She feared that any moment she would see one of her friends fall, and she couldn’t allow that to happen. In fact, it made her more determined to break out of the bubble Twilight had placed her in. Ignoring the screams of the draugen and the cries of her friends, she punched the bubble with her hooves repeatedly in the same place, but to no effect. She sighed heavily and looked at the magic wall that separated her and her friends, while trying her best to dim out the battle in front of her.

She suddenly got an idea that seemed ludicrous, but might work. Twilight said it would protect her from outside attacks, but not from inside. Raising her right leg, she drew Drage Bane out of its scabbard and prepared to thrust it through the bubble, hoping that it would break. She took a deep breath, a quick prayer to Celestia, and thrust Drage Bane forward. The bubble popped in an instant like a balloon and she fell the few inches to the ground.

She looked up, and gasped in horror as she saw Twilight get knocked down by a draugen, with two more to the sides with their swords raised ready to finish her. “Leave my friend alone!” she snapped. Without a second thought she dived onto the one in front, stabbing through the chest with Drage Bane and Firewing, then spread her wings out and impaled the two at her sides through the chest, neck and face with her wing blades. She pulled them out, sending the three draugen to the ground, lifeless once again.

Fluttershy looked down to see Twilight looking up at her in wonder. “You… you saved me.”

Fluttershy backed away from Twilight and helped lift the unicorn back onto her hooves. “Yeah. Let’s try not to make a habit of this, okay?”

Twilight nodded. “Agreed.” The turned their backs onto each other as four more draugen surrounded them. “You take two, I take two?”

Fluttershy nodded, then reared up and drew her two blades, Drage Bane and Firewing. One came at her with a sword, slashing at her neck. She leaned back, the sword missing her neck by inches, then attacked back with both her swords, but each one was blocked by the draugen. She pulled back, and then quickly made a feint attack to the left, hoping it would leave the draugen exposed. The draugen moved to counter the strike, and then Fluttershy moved with Drage Bane to the right. The draugen noticed the movement and moved its sword back to its chest, deflecting the attack downwards.

The second draugen attacked, thrusting its sword towards her exposed side and belly. With Drage Bane she sent the sword to the ground, then slashed across the draugen’s neck with Firewing. The first draugen attacked again, this time aiming for her hind legs. She went back on three legs to protect them once she figured out what it was up to. It growled when she did this, as did she. It made a quick slash with its sword at her chest. She stepped to the right quickly, but not quickly enough as she felt a sharp pain appear in her shoulder.

She looked to see a small cut across her shoulder, with blood weeping from it. She looked up again to see the draugen coming at her once again, this time with its sword raised in the air. She quickly rolled to her left, missing the blow of the sword as it came down, harmlessly hitting the ground, then with Drage Bane slicing its forelegs off the creature. “I’m sorry,” she whispered as she brought Firewing down into its side, finishing it.

She felt disgust at herself as she watched the golden eyes of this creature fade out. It might have been dead, but it was sort of living nonetheless. She pulled Firewing out and looked around. She could see Applejack was beginning to tire, as was Twilight and Rarity. She knew that they wouldn’t last much longer – if this needless fight continued they would die.

She suddenly remembered that these were draugen Dragonlords they were facing, and as such might understand her if she spoke in Dragonian. Well, she hoped anyway. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath and cried out, “Hold opp (stand down)!”

Everything stopped. Fluttershy opened an eye to see everyone was looking at her. “Jeg sa. Hold. Opp (I said. Stand. Down)!” she shouted again. The draugen backed quickly away from her friends, who quickly fell back behind Fluttershy. The pegasus breathed a heavy sigh of relief. “Those would have been terrible last words,” she muttered to herself.

“What did you do?!” Rainbow asked, stunned by the sudden lull in the fighting.

“I told them to stand down,” Fluttershy replied. She looked back at her friends and saw the state they were all in.

Applejack had a few small cuts where she wasn’t quick enough to dodge completely a blade or an axe. Rainbow had one wound on her right side, near her wing. Rarity had several cuts across her body, but most weren’t deep enough to spill blood. Pinkie seemed fine; in fact, she looked ready for more. Twilight had a pained shoulder where she was knocked over, and a small cut from her fight with two of the draugen.

Apart from a few scratches that weren’t serious and untidy manes, they were fine. All, except for one.

Thowra’s body was full of huge gashes and cuts that streamed with blood; he looked ready to fall over there and then. Fluttershy rushed over to his side and, after taking a towel from her saddlebag, wiped off some of the blood that dripped down his body. “Leave it, Fluttershy. I’ve had worse.”

“Forgive me if I don’t believe you,” Fluttershy replied. “There’s no way I’m leaving you like this.”

Twilight walked closer to Fluttershy, her eyes never leaving the draugen barring their way. “I don’t understand. What are they waiting for?” she whispered.

“Hvem er det som gir kommadoer her (Who commands here)?!” A voice called out from the group in slow, seemingly painful tone.

Fluttershy’s ears shot upright. “Whoever that is, he’s speaking in Dragonian.” She turned to Applejack. “Here, take this.” She gave the earth pony the reddened towel in her hooves. “Clean out Thowra’s wounds and put pressure on them to stop the bleeding.”

Applejack nodded, then proceeded to clean Thowra’s wounds. With that taken care of, Fluttershy turned around to face the draugen horde that barred their way. She gulped down the lump in her throat, and trying to keep the fear she had from her voice, responded in Dragonian. “Jeg snakker for dem, meg jeg kommandere dem ikke (I speak for them, but I do not command them).”

She waited for a response, but none came. “Vis hvem du er! Hvis du vil (Show yourself! Please)?” she asked.

A huge, bulky figure emerged from the draugen horde. It was taller than most of them, and was wider and more fleshy. It bore a beautiful bronze helmet that was shaped like a dragon’s head. Its amour was dark steel like the rest, and was worn out after centuries of neglect, but was decorated in runes, which was the written style of the dragons. And a torn, dark and dirty red cape covered its back and flanks.

“Jeg er kaptein Erlabald fra Drageordenen (I am Captain Erlabald of the Dragonlord order),” it said. It narrowed its golden eyes at the seven equines, which seemed to radiate respect and hatred at the same time. “Hvem er du og hva gjor dere ved et sted som dette (Who are you? And why are you here)?”

She felt her heart beating against her chest, threatening to burst through her ribcage. She glanced back to see her friends, and despite having fought an entire army of them, and gotten through although not unscathed but alive, they were shaking with fear. Fluttershy took a deep breath and began remembering on how to be assertive; she needed too now for the sake of her friends lives, as well as her own.

Fluttershy slammed a hoof to her chest and bowed her head in respect to the draugen Dragonlord. “Jeg er Fluttershy Ildvinge av Drageordenen (I am Fluttershy Firewing of the Dragonlord order),” she responded.

The creature snorted in disbelief. “En virkelig Drageherre ville ikke ha brutt seg inn i dette stedet. Hva er du, en forræder eller en sviker (A true Dragonlord wouldn’t have broken into this place. What are you, a renegade, or a deserter)?”

Fluttershy’s jaw dropped in shock at the accusation. “Ingen av dem! Jeg trengte å komme meg inn hit og finne en nøkkel så jeg kan drepe Heimdallr. Den eneste vegen å gjøre det var å spørre mine venner om hjelp (Neither! I needed to get into here and get the key so I can finish off Heimdallr. And the only way I can do that was to ask my friend for assistance).” She indicated with her head to Twilight, who was watching the conversation with interest. “Jeg kunne ikke spørre de andre Drageherrene for hjelp. Grunnen er at, for alt jeg vet, er jeg den siste av dem (I couldn’t ask other Dragonlords to help me, because for all I know, I’m the last).”

The draugen lord snorted once more, and stepped menacingly closer. “Løgner (Liar),” it said coldly. “Dere er forrædere av ordenen, her for å stjele alt av verdi denne plassen holder skult (You are a renegade of the order, here to steal any wealth that this place holds)!”

Fluttershy’s wings snapped open in anger. She’d been called a freak, and many other things, but never a liar. “Ngen kaller meg en løgner (Nopony calls me a lair),” Fluttershy growled, her voice and tone lacing with venom that sent a chill down everyone’s spines. “Nå, fortell meg hvor nøkkelen er, og jeg lar deg være (Now, tell me where the key is, and I’ll be on my way. Please)?”

The draugen shook its head. “Jeg vil ikke fortelle en forræder, eller en løgner for den del, noen ting (I will not tell a renegade, and a liar anything).”

Fluttershy moved so fast that it was done in the blink of an eye. She charged into the creature and tripped it up with her hind legs, sending it onto its side with its legs pointing away from her. She placed a foreleg on its neck and pressed down hard, chocking it, while another was holding it down on its side. “Jeg vil ikke skade deg, men hvis du har livet kjært, fortell meg det jeg vil vite (I don’t want to hurt you, but I will if you don’t tell me what I want to know),” she growled. “Nå, fortell meg hvor nøkkelen befinner seg. NÅ (Now tell me where the key is. NOW)!” The draugen behind them moved forward to defend their fallen lord. “Et steg til og han er død! Tilbake med dere (One more step and he dies! Now get back)!” Fluttershy roared – Firewing came out of its scabbard, threatening to go through the neck of the draugen warlord. The draugen backed away fearfully, their heads low and submissive.

“Fluttershy, sto-” Twilight started, but went silent by the glare coming her way from Fluttershy. Twilight backed away a little, her head and ears low.

Fluttershy saw this and she sighed, her ears falling flat on her head. “I’m sorry. Believe me when I say I don’t like doing this. I really don’t. But I need to know where that key is, and I can’t see any other way of getting it out of him.”

“We all do,” Twilight agreed. “But choking the life out of him is not going to get us anywhere!”

“Hestene kom for noen månder siden, ved bakinngangen. De fant hovedinngangen, men de kunne ikke komme seg inn. Så istedenfor klarte de å finne bak inngangen og gikk inn der. De tok med seg nøkkelen til et sted som kalles Jernhovefestingen. Det er det jeg tror (Horses came a few months back, through the back entrance. They found the front but they couldn’t get in, so they managed to locate the back entrance and entered that way. They took the key back with them to a place called Ironhoof fortress, I believe),” the draugen lord said quickly and breathlessly.

“Og hvordan vet du dette (And how do you know this)?” Fluttershy asked, pressing down harder to get it to speak.

“Dette stedet har ører (This place has ears),” the draugen answered. “Mens vi lå I dvale, kunne vi høre ord fra de som kom fra verden utenfor i våres drømmer (Although we slept, we could hear the words of those outside in our dreams).”

Satisfied, Fluttershy released her hoof on its neck and backed away towards her freinds, giving the creature space to breath. “It said horses came here and took the key and a few other items back to a place called Ironhoof fortress.” She turned to look at Thowra, who looked paler than before. “Do you know where that is?”

Thowra nodded weakly. “It’s a castle belonging to the Andulusians to the north of here. I think so anyway.”

Fluttershy nodded her thanks, then turned back to face the draugen lord. “Vi vil dra nå. Vi har ingenting mer å gjøre her. Hvis du vil slippe oss ut fredsomt vil vi… (We’ll be going now. We have no more quarrel with you. If you would let us through peacefully and we…)”

The draugen lord’s laugh cut her off. “Trodde du virkelig at jeg hadde tenk til å slippe dere fri fra dette stedet? Etter at du og dine venner har drept så mange av mine soldater (Do you really think I’m going to let you leave this place, after you and your friends killed many of my soldiers)?”

Fluttershy strode forward, her wings stretched out to defend her friends. “Dere angrep oss! Vi kom i fred for å kjempe sammen mot en felles fiende og dere prøvde å drepe oss (You attacked us! We came here in peace to fight our common foe and you tried to kill us)!”

“Det er fordi dere er intrengere her! Før jeg lå i dvale her, sverget jeg å beskytte dette stedet og demmes rette hvileplass av Drageherrene med mitt liv. Og beskytte nøkkelen (Because you are intruders here! When I was buried here I swore to serve after death to defend the resting place of these Dragonlords, and protect the key).”

Fluttershy snorted. “Vel du har ikke gjort en god job, har du vel (Well you haven’t done a very good job, have you)?”

The draugen lord’s eyes seethed with anger. “Jeg har fått nok av å dele ord med en forræder (I have had enough trading words with a renegade).” He glanced back at his draugen warriors. “Drep dem! Slakt dem og fang demmes sjeler (Kill them! Slaughter them and imprison their souls)!”

Fluttershy’s assertiveness left her at that moment. She backed away fearfully into the others, who also began to back away as the draugen army began to move towards them once more. “I’m sorry, girls, Thowra. I’ve messed up,” Fluttershy said, bowing her head in shame.

“Don’t be. Although I admit that was pretty impressive, and you got the keys location out of it,” Rainbow said with a half-hearted grin.

“Yes,” Fluttershy agreed, “but what’s the point if we won’t be leaving this place alive?” They felt their rumps hit the back of the wall, and sighed sadly. They drew their blades as they prepared to fight once more.

Suddenly an idea came into Twilight’s head. “Girls, Thowra, stay close to me, okay?” she whispered. The six equines squished up against the unicorn as she prepared to put her plan in motion. The draugen were now directly on top of them, and the nine or so that were in front of them raised their swords as one and prepared to finish them.

Twilight closed her eyes and emanated a bright light from her horn, so bright that the draugen were blinded by it, and were forced to back away, while the equines behind her had to squint their eyes. “Alright, everyone, run!” Twilight yelled, cantering into the draugen host before them. The six equines followed suite, Thowra limping slowly behind, supported by Rainbow Dash.

The draugen parted from them as they cantered through, not slowing despite their exhaustion, just the thought of survival going through their minds. Twilight glanced back to see everyone close behind her still. “Keep going, don’t stop!” she goaded them on.

They soon were out of the keep and back on the path. Thankfully there weren’t any draugen out here so she stopped. “Head left and keep moving, don’t stop!” she yelled. Applejack broke out of her canter into a gallop, followed by Rarity, then Rainbow and Thowra, who was getting weaker by the second, then Pinkie, and finally Fluttershy.

“Thanks, Twilight. And I’m sorry about earlier,” she said with a small, sad smile.

“Don’t mention it,” Twilight said sincerely. “Now let’s get out of here!” Twilight spun around and with Fluttershy galloped up the slope towards the exit, with an army of draugen cantering after them. They moved up an embankment that went into another tunnel, this one brighter due to a small amount of daylight coming from the far end.

Fluttershy glanced back and her heart slowed slightly to see that they had put a reasonable distance between them and the draugen. She quickly passed Thowra who needed medical attention immediately, and saw the passage turn around a bend and back outside. She looked back and the pupils of her eyes shrunk to mere pins at the sight of Thowra collapsed on the ground.

She galloped over to him and with a squeak tried to get him back on his hooves, but found it hard since Thowra wasn’t co-operating. “Leave me, Fluttershy. I’m done. There’s no way I’m going to survive for much longer,” he gasped.

“No!” Fluttershy spat. “You can forget that! There’s no way I’m going to leave you to the mercy of those things!”

“You have to,” Thowra argued. “My wounds are too great. Like I said, I’m not going to live long enough to be much else use to you.”

“Don’t say that,” Fluttershy sniffed, glancing down the tunnel every now and then to see if the draugen were near. “You are going to live, Thowra. You said yourself you lived through worse.”

“Yeah. And that’s why I think it’s time for me to go.” He looked down the tunnel where the exit would be. “Now listen, Ironhoof fortress is north of here. Keep going north until you find a river, and then follow that east. You can’t miss it after that.”

“We won’t, because you’re going to show us,” Fluttershy said, her eyes brimming with tears.

Thowra shook his head. “We all know that’s not true. But hay, I’ve lived a good life. I may have done some things that I regret, but I still wouldn’t change them for the world.”

Fluttershy felt a few tears run down her face as she realised she was saying goodbye. “Hey,” Thowra smiled, painfully raising a hoof to take Fluttershy’s own. “I want this, you know that. There is no greater wish than a death of a slayer’s choosing.” He gripped Fluttershy’s hoof tight as a spasm of pain went through him. “If you see Freya, tell her that I love her, and that I died well. Please?”

Fluttershy, nodded, and then kissed him lightly on the forehead. “Goodbye, Thowra. And thanks for everything,” she sobbed.

“Goodbye, Fluttershy Firewing. And good luck,” Thowra smiled. With that, Fluttershy let go if his hoof and galloped towards the exit, not once looking back.

Thowra watched her go with a sad smile. It was true he wanted this, more than anything, but he felt guilty for leaving Fluttershy and her friends out there alone. But he took heart knowing they could defend themselves, and with his directions, knew they would be all right.

Painfully, he got up on his hooves, and turned around to face the draugen horde coming up the tunnel towards them. He didn’t expect to go down lying on the ground, nor did he want to. He would face death standing, with a sword on his leg, as a slayer of Horsca. He saw the first of the draugen coming up the hill, and readied himself for his last battle with a sigh of content.

He’ll be seeing his wife and daughter real soon.

---

The sound of steel clashing into bronze hit Fluttershy’s ears as she ran around the bend. Her eyes were watery, which clouded her vision, but she could still make out the light of day at the far end of the passage.

As she arrived at the exit, she stopped and looked back, hoping to see Thowra emerge around the corner, bloodied but alive. Her ears fell flat when she heard the sound of swords hitting each other fade away, and suddenly there was silence.

She dived out of the cave and into the warm, yet breezy day. Her friends were sitting in a circle, all of them out of breath and exhausted after fighting and running for their lives.

Pinkie was the first to look up, and her face pulled a grin when she saw Fluttershy standing there, but it quickly faded when she realised who was missing. “Where’s Thowra?”

Fluttershy didn’t answer; she just stared at Pinkie grimly, then turned around and moved the large rock that sealed the cave across the entrance, blocking the way. She pressed an ear by the rock to see if she could hear the sound of hooves coming towards the exit, and the calls of the silver maned horse asking them to be let out. She sighed sadly when nothing came. She backed away and moved to join the others, her head low and her eyes showing her sorrow.

“You mean, he’s…” Pinkie’s eyes began to water.

Fluttershy gave a doleful nod. They all fell silent and sombre as they remembered Thowra, and what he did for them. Fluttershy was mixed in her feelings about Thowra’s loss. On one hoof she was upset at the loss of such a great friend, and a good guide. But on the other, she was glad he would be able to see his wife and daughter again. But she kept such thoughts to herself. “Before he died, Thowra said to me I need to head north, until I meet a river. Then I need to follow it east until I get to Ironhoof fortress,” Fluttershy said suddenly.

The five ponies looked at her incredulously. “Whoa right there, Fluttershy. Why suddenly this ‘I’ business? You know there’s six of us,” Rainbow asked.

“Because you’re all going home,” she answered. She gave them all pleading looks. “Please, I beg you, I implore you. Go home and let me do this alone. I don’t want to lose you like I lost my father and Thowra.”

“Absolutely no chance that’s going to happen, sugarcube,” Applejack said. The others nodded in agreement. “We’re all in this together now, and don’t ya forget that.”

“But what if you die?” Fluttershy demanded. “What if you die and I survive? My father and Thowra have already died, and I’m scared that because of me you are all going to die too.”

“It is a fool who believes they are the cause of death, Fluttershy Firewing. And I know you are no fool,” a voice came out of nowhere. The six ponies clambered closer together, their blades drawn and crossbow bolts in place, as they looked for the speaker, a speaker that seemed all too familiar to Fluttershy.

“I know that voice,” Fluttershy said.

“So do I,” Applejack said.

“Me too,” Rainbow said, surprising both Applejack and Fluttershy.

A startled gasp from Pinkie made them all turn around on the spot to where she was facing, and saw the great dragon hanging off the edge of the mountain from which they all came out of. He was slightly smaller than other dragons that they had encountered. His scales were a sunny yellow, but unlike other dragons had a long black mane like a pony’s running from the back of his head down his shoulders. While spikes came from his mane running down his back to the edge of his rather long tail, and black claws that were as dark as a starless night. His eyes were a dark green that seemed to stare into their very souls, and yet showed wisdom that they’ve only seen in Princess Celestia’s eyes. And a small smile was on his face as he looked at the ponies, who stared back at him with unease.

The dragon spread its huge wings out wide, and said in an old but wise voice, “We meet again, Dragonlord.”

“Wait, wait, hold on for a moment. Fluttershy, you know this dragon?” Twilight said, surprised.

Fluttershy brought her head out from behind Applejack to give a little nod. “He was the dragon me and Applejack met on the railway bridge, on the day we left Canterlot,” Fluttershy explained.

“Yeah, and gave us a real scare, ya did!” Applejack growled.

“I apologise for any fright I caused you, Applejack Rosaceae,” the dragon said sincerely. “And to you also, Fluttershy Firewing.”

“W-why where you there?” Fluttershy asked as she moved from behind Applejack to face the dragon. “And how do you know who I am?”

The dragon flapped its wings; the sound of the wind swishing through the holes in them met the ponies’ ears. “I learnt of your first name from your friend Rainbow Dash. Your surname I learnt from your dreams and also that of your friends,” the dragon answered.

“Wait, it was you who showed me Heimdallr’s transformation?” The dragon nodded. “Then how did…” Fluttershy looked from the dragon to Rainbow with inquisitive eyes.

Rainbow sighed. “When you were out for a month, Fluttershy,” she explained. “Me and nearly every pegasus in Ponyville that was still capable of flying went out to find that dragon and make sure it pays for what it did. On the second day we ran into him.” She pointed to the dragon.

“Rainbow Dash told me the reasons about why she and a few other pegasi where out in the Unicorn Range, and I was understandably curious, for I haven’t heard of a Dragonlords birth in a long time. So I followed Rainbow Dash back to Ponyville and kept an ear to the ground, hoping that I was right and you would wake shortly,” the dragon continued.

“A few weeks later and you indeed awakened, stronger and more keen eyed than most of your peers. I was thrilled by this turn of events, for I have thought of the Dragonlord order destroyed. So I arranged a meeting between us on the railway bridge, so I could get a good look at you, and also a good smell of you.”

“So if you knew what I was, why didn’t you tell me there?” Fluttershy asked.

“Would you have believed me if I told you?” After a moment, Fluttershy shook her head. “Besides, some things are better found out on your own. I wanted to make sure you were safe, however, so I followed you and your friends at a distance. Until I lost you in Horsca, after you were captured. After a few days I managed to pick up your trail again as you left the Horscan Highlands. So once again I followed you to the Ramshead, where I decided I had enough trailing you and now was the time we came face to face.”

“So… you’re not here to kill us?” Pinkie asked, still fearful of the winged reptile.

“Pinkamena Diane Pie, if I wanted to kill you all I would have done so by now. So that’s a no,” the old dragon replied with a friendly smile.

Any tension between them vanished at that moment. Rainbow lowered her crossbow slowly, but still kept it loaded. Fluttershy walked closer to the dragon. “So you know who my father was, then?” The dragon nodded. “So you know… what’s become of him.”

The dragon’s eyes lowered to give his face a look of sadness. He gave a brief nod. “That I do, my dear, and might I say that I am so sorry for your loss. It grieved me to learn that one of the greatest Dragonlords that had ever lived has fallen, for I knew him really well. When he became Primarch, I was his aide and his mount in times of battle, for a Primarch of the order is the only pony to ride dragons. I believed him to be dead when the last Dragonlord fortress fell five years ago to a brutal dragon attack.

“Afterwards I was lost, unable to decide what to do next as the Dragonlords were the only life I’ve ever known. That was until I learnt about you, and what happened that day in Ponyville.” The dragon jumped from the mountain face and landed on its knees facing Fluttershy with its head low, as if it was bowing. “If you will have me, I will serve you, and protect you, and aide you when you need it. You only need to shout my name, and I will come.”

Fluttershy looked at the dragon in confusion, then back to her friends for help. The five mares nodded and mouthed for her to go with it. She nodded then turned back to face the dragon, who was waiting patiently for a reply. “And what is your name, um, sir?”

“I am named after my great, great, great grandfather, who was the one who founded the Dragonlord order.”

Fluttershy’s jaw dropped. “Yo-you are related to Vidarr?!” The dragon Vidarr nodded. “Then, if his blood is running through my veins, doesn’t that make me-”

“My kin? Yes it does,” Vidarr answered, much to everypony’s shock.

Fluttershy couldn’t believe it. She was related to a dragon! One of the most terrifying things in existence and they both had the same blood! Although one part of her was horrified of such a discovery, another part was overjoyed, for she did have family after all on this world. “Wait, you said that you were his mount in times of war?” Vidarr nodded. “But my father said nothing about riding dragons.”

Vidarr chuckled. “Hardly surprising, to be honest. Your father was a modest pony, and never thought of me as his mount, more than his friend and aid. He never forced me to be his mount, and was always considerate when I was involved.” He flexed his wings. “But now is not the time for such talk. Come, I will show you a place where you can all rest until you are ready to continue.” He took to the air and headed east, stopping to see if the ponies were following.

“Should we trust him?” Twilight asked Fluttershy, still wary of the creature. “I mean he said he could have killed us ages ago, but we had our guard up. He could be waiting for us all to fall asleep and then eat us!”

Fluttershy looked at Twilight oddly. “I don’t think he would. Like he said, if he wanted to kill us he would have done so by now. We’ll follow him and see what happens.” Fluttershy galloped on after Vidarr, while the others cantered along behind, still exhausted after the battle.

---

Vidarr guided the six friends to a large clearing where a large number of tree stumps remained. On the far left end was a large pool with warm, clear water that was deep enough for them to sit in and still have their heads above the waterline. Rarity squealed with glee upon seeing it, and promptly dived in, creating a huge splash that soaked Pinkie, making her mane fall flat around her head.

Vidarr rested on the ground and watched as the six mares cleaned themselves up and relaxed and got their energy back after the mad rush through the mountain. “Say, Applejack, how many draugen did you take down in the end?” Rainbow enquired.

Applejack looked towards the tip of her hat as she counted. “I think I got about twenty four in the end.”

Rainbow drew out her bottom lip and nodded. “Twenty four? Well… that’s not bad for an apple bucking earth pony.” Rainbow chuckled. “I think I’m on the count of twenty three.” Rainbow gave a smug grin and puffed her chest out.

Applejack’s laugh echoed across the clearing. “Ya do realise, Rainbow, that twenty four is higher than twenty three?”

Rainbow’s eyes widened in surprise. She did a quick count with her hooves, and when she realised her friend and rival was right, she slammed a hoof into the water in frustration. “Darn it, just one out!”

Fluttershy washed away the blood around her shoulder, then got out of the pool and shook off the excess water. She looked down to see the cut she got from the draugen had fully closed and was now a small pink scar across her shoulder. “A Dragonlord’s wounds take quicker time to heal than a ordinary pony’s,” Vidarr explained. Fluttershy took her eyes off the scar and looked at the yellow dragon. “Does it feel okay?” he asked.

Fluttershy moved her shoulders in circles to see if it pained. Thankfully it didn’t. “It’s okay,” she replied, “doesn’t ache at all, thankfully.”

“That’s good to know,” Vidarr said. “So you should be able to continue with your mission?” Fluttershy nodded.

A few seconds later, Rarity jumped out of the pool, her mane and tail completely straight and soaked. “After that, I could do with a nice towel to dry off the water,” she said as she walked up next to Fluttershy.

“Allow me to help you with that, Rarity Turquoise,” Vidarr said. Without much warning he drew in a gust of air into his lungs, then blew out fire onto the open grass before them, creating a large inferno of flames that somehow didn’t spread, despite being on flammable land.

“How did you do that?” Rarity demanded, shocked at seeing such power.

“Dragons are pyromancers, Rarity Turquoise. We live and breathe and play with fire like a child would with a toy,” Vidarr answered. “Is the fire warm enough for you?”

Rarity scooped herself closer till she was about the right distance so the heat from the flames wouldn’t be too uncomfortable. “Oh, yes,” she gasped. “That feels so good, thank you.” She slumped down onto her stomach and let out a relaxing sigh.

Twilight, Applejack, Rainbow and Pinkie soon got out as well, their manes and tails and the cuts they received cleaned up and tended to, and joined Fluttershy and Rarity in a circle.

“So, young Dragonlord,” Vidarr said, “do you know where you need to go next?”

Fluttershy nodded. “Yes. I need to find a place called Ironhoof fortress. Our horse friend knew where to go, but…” Her ears fell flat and she slumped. “He left us,” she said, unable to say he was dead, “and now we’re lost and have no idea where to go. Do you think you can help us?”

“I will do as you command, Fluttershy Firewing,” Vidarr said.

“I didn’t say it as a command, I said it as a request. Would you like to help us?”

“My answer is still the same. It would be a great honour to assist the last of the Dragonlords,” Vidarr said with a bow of his head.

Fluttershy’s ears fell flat. “So… I am the last?” Vidarr nodded sorrowfully, to which Fluttershy drew a sad sigh. “I was kind of hoping my dad was wrong about that. That I wasn’t the last, I mean. It would be nice to have ponies with equal abilities by our side to help us.”

“I’m afraid you are, my dear. For the past five years I searched high and low for any Dragonlords that may have gone into hiding. But to no avail, except you.”

Fluttershy looked to the ground in dismay, a long sigh escaping her mouth. “Then the order will die with me.” Vidarr nodded in agreement.

“Hey, sugarcube, don’t think like that,” Applejack said comfortingly. “I’m sure there will be plenty more Dragonlords in the future. You know why?” Fluttershy turned her head to look at Applejack. “Because ya gonna have kids at some point, and then ya can train them and look after them an…”

Applejack stopped and her eyes widened when she saw Fluttershy’s look of sorrow. The pegasus drew another sad sigh and looked back to the ground. “I can’t,” she whispered.

“Oh don’t be so ridiculous, darling,” Rarity said, putting a hoof on the pegasus’s shoulder. “You may be shy and squeak and hide and blush and even faint when a stallion so much glances at you. But I’m sure you will find a nice stallion someday that will give you beautiful children.”

“No, Rarity. I mean it’s physically impossible for me to have children,” Fluttershy said. The five ponies around her gasped in surprise.

Rarity’s jaw dropped in surprise and horror. She could feel her eyes beginning to water. “Your… your…”

“Barren? Yes, I am,” Fluttershy whispered.

Rarity squeezed the pegasus in a tight hug, sniffing back her own tears as she did so. The ponies and dragon around them looked at Fluttershy in sympathy and sadness. “Why have you never told me?” Rarity asked.

Fluttershy chuckled lightly. “That’s a good thing to bring into a conversation, isn’t it? ‘Hey, Rarity, guess what? I can’t have kids’.” Her smiled faded. “I just couldn’t think of a right time to tell you. So I kept it to myself. I’m sorry I never told any of you.”

“Don’t be, Fluttershy,” Twilight said, moving into the hug. Applejack, Rainbow and Pinkie quickly moved in. “If it’s okay to ask, what happened that made you unable to conceive?”

Fluttershy pulled away from the hug, stepped back a bit, and looked at the ground. “It wasn’t long after I hit puberty, that I got a disease. I can’t remember what it was called but because of it I was told I wouldn’t be able to conceive a child.

“The doctor I saw was such a nice pony. She stayed with me and comforted me while I cried my eyes out. We must have been in that room for hours while I wept. Afterwards, I was given treatment for the disease before it spread, but the damage was already done.”

“So all that time we talked at the spa? The time where we dreamed of what our children would be like?” Rarity sniffed.

“It was all a dream, Rarity. For me anyway but not for you.” Fluttershy put a comforting hoof on her unicorn friend and gave her a small smile. “It’s okay.”

“How can it be okay? How can you be standing there with no tears in your eyes, like I am?” Rarity wiped her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to keep a level of composure.

“I cried about it for so long that I don’t see the point anymore. Besides, maybe it’s for the best.”

Rarity thought for a moment she was hearing things. “How can it be for the best?”

“Think about it, Rarity, if I could have children they could either live normal lives. They would be born, grow old and die, and I will have to bury them while I live on. Or they could be Dragonlords. Warriors, and killers.”

“But you can change that!” Rarity protested. “You’re not like any other Dragonlord. You’re a kinder soul than most. You can change the way they live and think. With you as their role model they would be exactly like you.”

“That’s what my father thought. He thought that by leaving me at the orphanage he would be saving me from the order, and my life would go in a different direction to the one he led. I don’t think that I would be able to change their fate, no more than my father could to change mine.” Fluttershy’s shoulders slumped. “But what’s the point of thinking about what might have happened, when it can’t happen.”

“There must be something we could do,” Twilight said. “Some spell that might reverse the eff…”

She was cut off by a firm but gentle hoof placed in her mouth. “Thank you for that, Twilight. I appreciate that you would go that far for me. But this is something that can’t be fixed with a wave of your horn, like so many other things. And even if there was, it would have been fixed ages ago.”

Fluttershy looked at them all and gave them all an assuring smile. “I’ll be okay, but I think we’ve got bigger problems than infertility to deal with. Such as finding the last key and defeating Heimdallr.”

Applejack, Twilight, Rainbow, Pinkie and Rarity’s eyes widened as they just suddenly remembered why they were here and what they were here for. Fluttershy looked at them all with a loving smile, then turned to face the dragon. “Do you know where Ironhoof fortress is, Vidarr?”

The ancient dragon nodded. “If you want, I can take you all there myself.”

“You can?!” the five ponies behind her exclaimed. Without warning Vidarr scooped up the four non winged ponies and placed them gently on his back. “Better hold on tight to something,” he warned them, “for I’m known for my speeds.”

“May I have a ride on your back as well, please? It would be nice to see how the dragons see the world,” Fluttershy asked.

Vidarr smiled warmly, and then lowered his head so the pegasus could hop on his nose, then hop onto his head. “And what about you, Rainbow Dash?” Vidarr asked the other pegasus.

“No thanks,” Rainbow replied with a wave of her hoof. “I prefer my own wing power to fly me, not another’s.”

“Very well, if you insist,” Vidarr smirked. “But I’m not slowing down for you.”

Rainbow laughed. “We’ll see about that, grandpa.” Rainbow suddenly shot into the air and waited for Vidarr to lift off. Vidarr twisted his neck and loosened the tight muscles in them, and then after he spread his wings he shot up into the air faster than Rainbow could on her own, and was soon heading towards the mountains with five screaming ponies on his back.

Vidarr looked back and chuckled at Rainbow’s shocked expression. “Better keep up, grandma,” he called teasingly.

Rainbow broke out of her shock and raced off after him, leaving a rainbow trail behind her. She soon caught up with Vidarr, but was unable to go faster than him.

Fluttershy meanwhile was lying prostrate on his head, gripping onto Vidarr’s mane as best she could, and shaking with fear. She really wished she could go as fast as Rainbow, then she wouldn’t have to be gripping on for dear life here. She looked back to see the others were in much the same position, except Pinkie who had her forelegs spread wide in the air and letting her mane blow in the wind behind her. Vidarr eventually stopped climbing and evened out above the clouds, allowing for a calmer ride than lift off. She slowly loosened her grip on his scales, and steadied her legs out as she rose onto her hooves, wanting to see what it was like for a dragon.

The wind was strong, but it didn’t want to sweep her off her hooves and make her fall flat on her face. Her long mane and tail blew behind her, making her look elegant and mighty, while her eyes sparkled with awe and wonder as she saw an amazing view.

Although she was a pony that could fly, she still found seeing the ground from the air an amazing sight. But from the head of a dragon seemed to make it more breathtaking than before. She could see things for miles all round: lakes, rivers, forest, meadows, valleys, hills, and mountains, and loved it. She could feel a smile growing on her face as she stretched her wings out and let them feel the breeze. She gave a great cry of joy as Vidarr thrust his wings down again and changed course, heading northward once again. “Well at least some ponies are having a good time!” Twilight shrieked, the pupils in her eyes just tiny dots as she gripped onto one of Vidarr’s spikes.

“We’re not too far from the fortress now,” Vidarr called as loud as he could over the wind. Fluttershy set herself down as the dragon began a slow, calm descent towards the ground. Pretty soon they passed a wall of mountains and dead ahead of them was Ironhoof fortress.

It was standing on a small hill, with a gentle slope leading up to it from the western side, while the eastern side ended on the edge of a cliff next to a wide river. It had three walls surrounding the main keep: the outer wall, the largest and strongest, and held the houses and living spaces of the horses that lived here. The second wall was a reasonable distance from the first, and protected the barracks, smithies, and armoury, while the third was smaller and surrounded the large keep in a small circle. The keep was about three storeys tall, with a domed roof, and four towers around it that held war engines like trebuchets. It did indeed look a formidable fortress.

And outside its front gates were untold thousands of horses besieging it.

Fluttershy’s jaw dropped in horror when she saw the large army that was standing outside its walls, while trebuchets flung rocks, trees and other large objects that they could throw into the walls or town beyond them. A large cheer echoed across the valley the fortress was nestled in as one of the towers collapsed. Fluttershy fought down the urge to scream out; what was going to be difficult had now turned even harder at this latest turn of events. She saw that the besieging army stretched far back, all in disciplined lines and formations, and all with banners decorated with a rearing silver horse – the mark of the Palominan family. Freya’s army. Behind them were thousands of tents and campfires and baggage trains that an army of this size needed to survive for a long time.

She looked to the left of the army and saw a ridge that was covered in trees and obscured from the army’s view. It was the perfect place to land. She gently tapped Vidarr on the head and called into his ear, “Take us down to that ridge there, please.” She pointed to the place.

Vidarr followed her hoof and saw the ridge. “I will take you down about half a mile away.” This was met with a few groans. “If I’m seen they may attempt to hunt me down and kill me, and may kill you also if they see you with me.” Vidarr thrust his wings in an upward motion, bringing him above the clouds, and hopefully allowing him to glide unseen past the Palominan lines.

Thankfully, noone looked up to see a large yellow dragon flying soundlessly across the sky into the forest behind, for they were too busy concentrating on bringing down the walls. Vidarr flew till he found a clearing where tree stumps were all that remained of the trees that lived here. “They must have used the trees here as ammunition for their war engines,” he realised. “Once I have set you all down, run into the cover of those trees, and I will go.”

“You’re not going to stay?” Fluttershy asked, crestfallen that her new friend was leaving.

“I’m afraid I can’t, Fluttershy Firewing. But do not fret about me, for I will not be far away. Should you ever need me again. Call my name, and I will come.”

Fluttershy nodded, and then nuzzled his head. “Thank you, Vidarr, my friend.” In her twenty years of living, she had never expected to call a fully-grown dragon her friend.

Vidarr smiled at the gesture. “You’re welcome, Fluttershy Firewing. Now hold on.” And with that warning, he let himself drop to the ground.

Fluttershy could feel her insides break out of their places and shift themselves into her back. She could hear the shrill screams from Rarity, Twilight and Applejack behind her as Vidarr descended rapidly from the sky straight to the ground, while Pinkie cheered with maniacal glee. Rainbow herself still hovered in place as she watched in awe of Vidarr’s rapid descent.

At the last moment before hitting the ground, Vidarr spread his wings out and slowed his descent, landing on the ground with a loud but gentle thud. “Quickly, ponies, get off and get into the woods!” he shouted.

Fluttershy got off first, surprisingly none the worse for wear after that. Rarity and Twilight slowly and groggily jumped off Vidarr’s back, their legs shaking and they looked like they were going to be sick. Applejack seemed okay but she looked a bit shaken from the sudden descent. “Thanks… Vidarr… for… that,” Twilight rasped.

“You’re welcome, Twilight Sparkle.” He smiled at them all, then shot back into the air. “May my grandfather Vidarr’s wings shield you, Equestrians. You’ll need them to get into that fortress,” he said. He spun around and soared off into the distance, the only sound giving him away was the flaps of his wings.

Rainbow tutted as she watched him fly away. “Pity. He could have been handy in a tight spot, him. Despite the fact he’s a dragon.”

“I’m not going to force him into anything, Rainbow. Besides, it would be harder than it is if he was with us,” Fluttershy said. She turned away from where her new dragon friend had gone and looked at the woods. “Right, everypony,” Fluttershy said, “let’s get into the woods like he said.” Five heads nodded in agreement, and they galloped into the woods towards the ridge where they would have a good view of the fortress.

A few minutes later they arrived at the ridge, and looked on as the Palominans began their assault on the fortress. A huge hole had been made in the wall and the thundering sound of hooves echoed across the world as thousands of horses charged towards the breach, all the while being assaulted by the trebuchets and arrows of the Andulusians. It was exactly like Fluttershy thought; this wasn’t going to be easy, but they had no other choice.

“We have to get in there,” Fluttershy said, her eyes and voice showing not just her determination, but also her fear as they saw another flaming shot from a trebuchet fly over the wall and into another building, setting it alight.

“That sounds fine,” Twilight said. “But the question is…” She swallowed back a lump in her throat. “How?”

Comments

[Fluttershy20]

Hey everyone, well here it is the second part of the sixteenth chapter. I have a few things I would like to say and apologise for.

Firstly, I would like to apologise for the large number of grammar mistakes and spelling mistakes that plague this story, and I would like to thank you all for sticking by it even with those mistakes blaring out at you all.

Secondly I will be putting this on hiatus until such a time as all errors are dealt with, and when I've basically finished the remaining chapters.

Finally I would like to thank Andmos for the translations for this chapter. Without his help this would be stuck completely in english.

Hope you enjoy this one, and hopefully it won't be a long hiatus.

[Nessos25]

We are all here for the story and not to find grammar and spelling mistakes.

[Fluttershy20]

1324316 True true, true true, but it would be better knowing they are not there.

[KaylinMarie]

Read later! Uhhhhh....... Skyrim crossover? Man one of those would be terribble there's so many different ways to go in that game

[Cat Eye]

Yes how Miss. Author how how how??????????

[Nessos25]

1324336
since you got my e-mail you must have started to read "Eragon", otherwise the random coincidences in the second half of chapter would be too large.

[OnlineGamer]

easy ...she's a dragonborn

[Fluttershy20]

1324574 um no I haven't I'm afraid. Been too busy reading George. R. R. Martins 'A Song Of Ice and Fire' series.

[the monkey ninja]

You evil, evil person/pony/pony-dragon hybrid! Why? WHY?!? Why must you torture me so by putting this on hiatus? This is the WORST. POSSIBLE. THING!!! I can ignore the grammatical errs. There aren't that many, and they aren't terrible ones either (in most cases).

[creeperbro]

when i read the description i immediately thought about skyrim

[Captain_Savage]

Sees an update
yay~
Sees the 'on hiatus' tag
FUCK

[andmos]

Well, got one in Norwegian my mistake. Ngen Ingen is muth better. Well, see you soon.

[Fluttershy20]

1328392 First comment, I grew up with Thomas the tank engine and I love that moment. Second comment, just a reference. Third comment, sorry, Twilight, although I don't think she would stab me, more incinerate me .

1325272 I'm a human being and I'm sorry but i want to finish off the remaining chapter so then I could release them week after week.

[E3gner]

I don't care about the hiatus. Just make sure that it is awesome when you do write it.

No real grammar mistakes, but maybe better word choice?
Just a thought.
GLHF with the story.

[Rennoc215]

Hiatus? Dovashy does not approve

But still, a great story so far. You have my like and favorite!

[Fluttershy20]

1336535 Thank you, the hiatus won't be a long one I assure you. In fact, I'm about halfway through chapter seventeen, begun eighteen, done half of nineteen, and already completed the epilogue. So I'm certain it won't be next year these are released.

Thanks for the favourite, and that goes to every single one of you who have also favourited, have a Fluttershy yay

[Fluttershy20]

1337805 Ha ha, that made me laugh, indeed fear her... if that's okay with you, that is. I won't force you...

[Fluttershy20]

1342766 I imagine bullets are for rare weapons like muskets, and since bullets have been mentioned in the show i thought I could use them.

I'm glad you liked the chapter, and I hope you enjoy the rest.

1341123 I just couldn't resist.

1338809 Indeed it does.

[Fluttershy20]

1348009 um, I don't think I put Elizabeth references in there, but I know I put some Lord of the Rings ones in.

I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter, and I hope you enjoy the rest.

[Fluttershy20]

1394392 Exactly what I was thinking of at the time of writing. Good memory

[G S tol Kriaal]

1400776 ... And now I feel silly

[Fluttershy20]

1400824 Don't be

[paper bag wizard]

1400839 lord of the ring

[Fluttershy20]

1415852 Yep. I regret nothing

[paper bag wizard]

1417637 when i read that i thought fluttershy was going to control them like aragon did with the Dead Men of Dunharrow

[Fluttershy20]

1417764 Oh that bit, yeah I wanted to avoid that path.

[Fluttershy20]

1418131 Thank you for the kind words, and for pointing out the mistakes.

I know it's a bit long to read, but I don't think of a word limit. I just think of a beginning and end and work my way through the middle with ideas that I haven't used yet or ones that come to me suddenly that I wanted to use.

I know some of it can be a bit boring (so much dialogue) but I loved writing those moments to be honest, and it evens out the action scenes throughout the rest of the story. I think so, anyway.

And yes, I did base the opening of chapter seven on Skyrim. I love that game and my favourite (although that may be replaced by Dishonored or Assassin's creed 3).

I hope you enjoy the rest.

[Fanskapet]

poor unbaby able making norwegianshy.

this is a surprisingly well made story so far

[zernoc56]

“Hey, Applejack, three already!”

She saw the earth pony finishing off a draugen by slashing across the neck. “I’m on six!” she called back with a grin.
...Applejack looked towards the tip of her hat as she counted. “I think I got about twenty four in the end.”
Rainbow drew out her bottom lip and nodded. “Twenty four? Well… that’s not bad for an apple bucking earth pony.” Rainbow chuckled. “I think I’m on the count of twenty three.”
Loved that reference. rainbow is apparently Gimli, while AJ is Legolas. i like, i like very much

[Kyoto]

Fluttershy and Twilight instantly and hastily backed away from the two coffins and moved outside into the streets

NOPE NOPE NOPE NOPE NOPE NOPE NOPE NOPE NOPE NOPE NOPE NOPE

[Snowstreak]

Ohdahviing!

[Zekromic]

Poor Flutty, she can't have big eyed foals of her own

[Midnight Loki]

1788012
Wrong way round. AJ is Gimli and RD is Legolas.

[High Moon]

The pegasus breathed a heavy sigh of relief. “Those would have been terrible last words,” she muttered to herself.

Dat Doctor Who reference.

[bronzewolf78]

I was expecting a "That only counts as one!" from RD or AJ.
Great story!

[Servant Phoenix]

Dear Fluttershy,

Yes, you had an illness that made your barren. But then you were burnt to death, then you reborn. That "damage" does not exist in your body anymore.

And also, that scene with LegolasApplejack and GimliRainbow Dash having a contest of who kills more made me into this conclusion:

The references in this fiction are
dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/40553515/normalreactions/Over9000.jpg

[Luminous Grace]

Now that they have Paarthurnax Vidaar to help them and the location of the last key in what is pretty much Blackreach, nothing can go wrong! Poor Thowra...why must all their beloved companions die?

Fluttershy and the Mane Six, there's this thing. It's called adoption, and one does not need to have a child. You don't need to cry your eyes out unless you were ridiculously devoted to having a biological child. Or perhaps most importantly, you're going to outlive your spouse and any possible children anyway.

[Tryhard McFatface]

4647526

implying Vidaar isn't this story's Odahviing.

[JediMoonstar]

I literally started crying when she said she was barren!
Also the LotR's reference was a nice touch.

[Detsella Morningdew]

4647526
Adoption is a wonderful thing. And they can live a normal life, as well.

Edit: Sorry for necro-ing. I often forget how old a story is when I read it, and how old comments usually are.

[jimerjam]

my guess would be 'GOALS'

[jimerjam]

“Well at first it didn’t seem right. But after a while I realised everyone loves jewels, and there’s different types of them, like diamonds, sapphires, rubies among them. After that it wasn’t so hard,” Rarity explained.

I don't like jewels, I mean is there a acual practal purpose to owning one? I mean If I saw one on the side of the road I would pick it up, but I would have no reason to keep it, what would I use it for a letter opener? the only reason I would pick it up would be to sell it. I see no functional and/or practial reason to own/buy one.

[Alchemystudent]

Loved the riddle, loved the fight and sacrifice, still looking fro something to hate