The Mane Six must save Equestria from a war the gods started and learn the truth of why.
Since the beginning, the four gods have ruled the world in various ways through manipulation, leadership and friendship. There are those who would fight back against the gods and those who are pawns. Pawns who would lead the world into its first world war. Twilight and her friends must try to avoid war and along the way find out the cold truth of why history has been building up to her own ascendance to royalty and beyond.
My curiosity started when the world seemed to have come to an end. But my amusement ended with my arrest. I was framed for something that wasn't my design but I happen to be pushing it forward. Wrongly accused when the mastermind had been controlling the very worlds events itself throughout all of history.
I was brought to an old castle and was confined to its prison tower deep in the dreaded Everfree forest when Canterlot found out that I could not die. They tried execution but it did not work even though I appear to be just a normal unicorn. Trying to keep me from the rest of the world, they hoped to keep me trapped for the rest of time. Day after day it was the same solitude and I was powerless to escape from it.
While I slept, the whole prison shook violently causing the door of my prison cell to fall off its hinges. Strangely it was the loud clang that woke me, so I got up and walked out onto the balcony. The stairs had long been destroyed. The sunlight shown down on me as I looked around. Underneath my prison, the world was a dark swirling abyss of mystery. A black fog that had not been there before had engulfed the rest of the castle as my tower hung over it all. I was uncertain, but then dove into it. - Fhillip
Along time ago but not to long, I was appointed ambassador of Equestrian Interest by Princess Celestia and was sent to the Griffon Kingdom to help lower tension between our two countries. Well, needless to say I was successful and her majesty Princess Celestia being there with me, witnessed my incredible negotiational skills. As a result of my success, our nations were allowed to mix. Years later, my success was visually pleasing. The ponies and griffons were going to school together and were effectively part of each others lives. This accomplishment made me a hero to many and afterwards the princess knighted me, Sir Fhillip Buster. Simply put, Fhil, Fhillip or Mr. Buster, depending on the present company I'm in.
You see, as a filly I often had the talent for resolving issues between conflicting parties. In other words, I'm a natural peace keeper. It was no surprise to anypony when I got my olive branch cutie mark. My parents often had arguments that I would have to step in between. They are important figures in Canterlot society and because of this, her majesty Princess Celestia noticed my talent once during a visit to the royal castle. The princess decided that I would pursue foreign relations and I would be able to have the best political teachers. At first I refused her offer and she looked at me with those kind magenta eyes. "You would see the world and all it's wonders." she told me. We took a walk in the Canterlot garden and she told me all about the different animals and distant lands. She convinced me that I would have a rewarding future.
Well sometime after Princess Cadance was married, (we remember that day mostly for the changelings attempt to kill us all), Celestia had learned of a plant that grew deep inside the caves of the Changelings home, Chanolis. This plant along with the species help, grew to cure certain illnesses that were incurable with our current medicines and magic. The problem being that it is Changeling exclusive. It was a challenge to ally with them because of our violent past and more importantly since we knew very little of them in general. Celestia recalled me from the Griffon Kingdom and needed me to go to Chanjahaart, Capitol city of Chanolis, to speak to their queen, the very monster that tried to invade the royal city of Canterlot.
Luna went with me and I believe it is because Celestia knew Queen Chrysalis would hate staring at her during these talks and would deny our plan before we even told her everything or anything. It is important to remember that the queen had altercations with three of the four princesses. Luna is the exclusion and is more capable of relating to the queen, being dark and vengeful. That was a good call on Celestia's part.
Now, I'm good, I admit that but when it comes to something I know nothing about in this profession, I get very frustrated. I have this colt I trust to get me through those small matters. My aid Mr. Sharbo, researches the finer points of mannerisms when it comes to dealing with different cultures. I realize that this is not really a small thing but honestly, I only want to put up with so much.
Mr. Sharbo gave me a necklace made of stuffed parasprites and tells me that this is a very acceptable gift to start negotiations with the half pony, half insectoid queen. These parasprites are known for eating non-stop and become a plague wherever they go. Looking at the necklace, I have never in my life seen something this bizarre and cruel but I wondered if it could be a fashion statement in Chanolis. Believing I were prepared, Luna and I are brought into the throne room and that's when the trouble starts. A day I regret indeed...
-------------------------------------
Luna and Fhillip made their way towards the dark throne while Chrysalis watched with interest as the group approached her. The castle walls were draped with darkness, darkness with eyes. It meant that the changeling soldiers had completely surrounded them clinging to the walls and shadows of the underground throne room.
Princess Luna started the talks intending to advance them into the next stage of negotiations. "Greetings your majesty! I am Princess Luna of Equestria and my associate here is Sir Fhillip Buster, our ambassador. We have come to talk about peace between our countries if you will allow us this pleasure."
Luna and Fhillip both feeling very nervous with only a small compliment of guard accompanying them, cast a glance at each other as Chrysalis rubbed her chin with a hoof while she stared at Luna. "Where is Celestia? To afraid to show herself in front of me?" Chrysalis smiled.
Luna scoffed at this but kept her cool, "No. She feels that it is best that I handle these proceedings and it would make the atmosphere more progressive.”
"Fine." Chrysalis said with a frown waving a hoof in a forward motion that meant to continue. Fhillip took a small step towards the queen. Looking into Fhillip's green eyes, Chrysalis noticed that they went well with his brown hair. She also admired the way he looked so handsome and professional in his suit.
"Your highness, first we bring a gift of peace to help ease us into these talks. We appreciate your time and that this discussion will help establish the best Equestrian-Chanolis relationship for future generations to come." Fhillip pulled out the necklace from his satchel and showed it to Chrysalis.
Her admiration for the appearance of this tan unicorn fell short when her eyes focused on what he was holding. "What is that?" she said eyeing it.
Fhillip didn't expect that response from her but he would explain just in case she secretly had poor eyesight. "Parasprites made into a necklace your majesty. I understand that this is a welcomed accessory among changelings." Fhil looked back into the queens eyes trying to find acceptance.
Chrysalis started to frown. "Real Parasprites?"
'Yes...?' Fhil said as his confidence waned.
At that moment every changeling in the room looked angry. The queen rose really fast out of her throne and started in on her guest. "You understood wrong and it seems that this is a poorly planned attempt to piss me off!" Chrysalis yelled baring her teeth.
No words came from Fhillip, only beads of sweat as his eyes looked at his companion. Luna nodded back to him and spoke up. "We don't understand, we thought this would please you?"
After hearing this, Chrysalis put a hoof to her forehead. "Parasprites are distant cousins to our kind and this monstrosity is beyond insulting!” Chrysalis was furious, standing on the edge of her throne. The changeling guard seemed to be ready pounce as changeling and pony were about to go down fighting.
"Wait!" Fhillip sputtered as he tried to find the words to calm the situation. "This was my mistake! I am responsible for this! Had I studied more I would have known better! My intentions were good, I swear!"
Chrysalis wasn't amused. "You make it sound like we weren't good enough to take the time to learn about, you incompetent, lazy, fool!”
Fhillip could have sworn he saw bits of tears in her eyes which surprised him. The queen made good points and making his laziness apparent overwhelmed both of them emotionally it seemed.
Luna raised her voice even higher. "We know hardly anything about your species let alone enough on how to please you! We apologize for the misunderstanding and any insult this may have caused but we refuse to stand here and let you degrade us! Calm thyself down!"
Chrysalis was taken by surprise at the boldness. She was speechless for the moment but then Fhillip waved his hoof, "It's okay Princess, the queen has a right to be angry."
"Yes and you should leave!” The changeling queen demanded.
Luna's eyes opened wide "But!"
"LEAVE!"
With that, the ponies bowed, turned around and walked out...
------------------------------------------------
When we got home back to Canterlot, Luna explained the situation to her older sister Celestia and disappointment was an understatement. Not only the Princesses and the politicians, everyone knew of my failure. As soon as my political enemies who were gunning for my job and pay found out about my massive screw up, they spread it like wildfire through town. I was called lazy and heartless, that I had lost my touch. I never put blame on my aid because it was my fault. I knew I had got a lazy in my fame and I never cared until now. Luna told me that even though I had failed, they would still try to reach the queen with their offer. I'm sure they will work it out and all my problems will be over.
They suspended me without pay for what seemed like an endless amount of time. I tried to get another job to help cover some of those higher expenses but my reputation in town preceeded me. No one wanted that kind of attention. Hell, I even went to Donut Joe's to see if I could help bake donuts. "Nothing against you" Joe said, "but I cant risk my sales going down because ponies think you're the reason why people aren't getting better."
That's right, now people can't get that herb they need to cure that illness we can't and it's my fault.
It got to a point where we had enough in our savings to live comfortably for the next three months and then things after that would be critical. Desperation was at an all time high and my wife, my poor Lillian had to watch me go through this. We have no kids yet but it is in the forseeable future, or it was. She was always supporting me and tried to make me feel better about the mistakes I've made, not by deterring blame but coming up with ways that I can fix this within my control.
Sitting at home with my wife while reading the paper at the kitchen table, there was a knock on my door. I got up to answer it to find that it was some orange colored Victorian dressed Earth pony who immediately introduced himself as the great excavation-ist 'Notch.' He looked refined like a gentle-pony and wore a bowler cap. He had a lot to talk about and among them, an offer I could not afford to refuse.
Notch took off his hat and gave a polite bow, "Greetings Sir Fhillip, I have heard a great deal of your monetary troubles and I wanted to drop by to let you know that I'm going on a journey of great importance and it pays very well."
Fhillip was shocked by this news but had to ask, "What kind of journey?"
"Well my employer has paid me up front to hire a crew and to go to the distant jungle country of South Rhymica to find a temple.” Notch explained still standing at the door.
“A temple?” Fhil said curiously. “Please come inside Mr. Notch.” Fhillip escorted Notch inside his Canterlot home. Going into the kitchen, he let Notch have his previous chair at the two seated window side table. Fhil's wife, Lillian sat across from him with a suspicious look on her face.
“Lillian” Fhil said to his creme colored unicorn wife, “This is Notch, he has a job offer for me and I didn't want to be rude and not invite him in out of the heat.”
“A pleasure madam.” Notch kept his hat off and repeated the courtesy bow from before.
Lillian nodded at both of them then magically lifted her tea cup for a sip.
Notch took this as a sign to explain further. Delighted he continued his offer, “The pony that has hired me tells that there, at the temple it will show evidence of an ancient culture but all he needs is confirmation.“
Fhil, standing beside his wife magically lifted his wife's tea cup and took a sip from it. Lillian looked sourly at her husband but he didn't notice.
“My employer has told me that we can keep all the treasure we find and he gave me instructions on how to go about finding the place.” Notch said scratching his chin with a hoof.
“He made it really hard to object because he has paid me up front." he tapped a hoof to the satchel he's wearing around his body. "It is full of very rare gems and bits. He also told me to never let it out of my site and I couldn't agree more."
“Well, that's great and all but why me? My reputation is not the best right now, don't you care about that?” Fhillip asked inquisitively.
"Not at all. I'm actually a very big fan! After all, you once did a lot of good for the ponies of Equestria and I want to help you." Notch had a look on his face that told Fhillip that it was an honest answer. Lillian looked pleased to hear this too. It was so easy to forget the good you do when mess up's happen.
Fhil looked at his wife and she gave him a 'go on' forward motion with her hooves. "Well, how long are we going to be there? Is there danger? Also, how much am I getting paid if we do not find anything?"
Notch nods his head, "If we find nothing, your wages from this satchel may increase significantly. Minimum wage right now is 7 bits every hour. But this trip you will be paid on the whole, that's 3000 bits. Of course this is the basic pay, it may increase on top of what treasures we find. As far as how long... well, I believe were are bringing enough supplies for a month. But I honestly expect us to be done with it before then."
Fhillip thought deeply about this. It must have been a sign because all this was coming together exceptionally well. "Alright, I'll go on this trip with you. Celestia knows I need to get out of the house although I must warn you, I'm new at this."
Notch clapped his hooves together in excitement. "Brilliant! We will leave in a week once I have the rest of the crew ready. Until then please get some exercise and be sure to be on a schedule that fits our working hours." Notch looked at his pocket watch, "We will wake up at the crack of dawn, which is 6:00 A.M. and then we will sleep at 10:00 P.M."
"Very well Notch, I look forward to working with you on this historic venture." Fhil shook his hoof and escorted Notch out of the kitchen and to the front door, opening it for him. Once again the orange pony bowed then turned and left the house as Fhil shut the door behind him.
Fhillip turned around and saw Lillian looking at him from the kitchen doorway. He wanted to reassure her, "I think it will go well. Notch looks like he knows what he's doing. I mean, I know who he is prior to this visit, so I know he's good on his word.” Fhil walked towards her and into the kitchen to take his spot beside the window. He sipped his own tea noticing that it had lost flavor. Lillian took her place across from him and listened as he went on about the visit. “Just knowing him in person puts my mind at ease when I go out there."
A week later, Notch came by Fhil's house and was dressed in exploration gear. The unicorn gave his wife a kiss goodbye, then grabbed his new pickax and followed him to the Canterlot train station. "So where is the rest of the group?" Fhil asked as they waited for the train.
"They are at the Manehattan harbor. We are taking a cargo ship to South Rhymica's capitol town of Alexandra.” He told Fhil. “Do you know about the country?”
Fhil knew a little about the place. He never was told to go there so he always shirked the need to learn about it unless it was significant and it never was. “I've heard of it and I know that the locals are all zebra's.”
“Alexandra is a decent size town but it is the only one that is pony friendly in the whole country. So needless to say there is much trade going on there for its resources." Notch explained. They heard the whistle of the train coming and every pony who waited boarded when the time came. Notch and Fhil got on and found their seats.
Picking up the conversation, Fhil continued. "I hear they are uncivilized, that's why I always refused to stay at its embassy." he shrugged at the thought of being scalped in his sleep by savage zebra's in the middle of the night.
"Mr. Buster, we will be fine. I have a guide waiting for us in Alexandra to lead us to that temple. Well, I know who to look for anyways, I don't know him personally."
On the train ride there, Notch peered at his instructional paper then puts it away in his treasure satchel. "You know, I want to thank you personally. If not for your griffon feat, I would not have been able to adopt my son."
"Your son is a griffon?" Fhillip had a look of bewilderment on his face.
"Yes sir, my wife can't have kids, you see. We wanted something different and she had the idea of adopting a griffon to show the world that we can indeed get along.” Notch told his new friend.
“That's really noble of her.” Fhil admitted.
“I love that kid with all that I am. See, look." Notch showed Fhiilip a picture of a griffon child behind the clock face within the pocket watch he wore. "His name is Alphonse. We aren't familiar with griffon names but we couldn't give him a traditional pony name. So we did some research and we both liked this name." Notch put the watch away into his coat pocket. “You have my thanks, once again sir.”
Fhil looked away from Notch, "I see, well I'm glad someones singing my praises. It's been a rough month for me."
"Well that's all going to change my friend, fame and fortune await in the mysterious lands of a civilization untamed!" Notch proclaimed and Fhil too felt and then shared his excitement. He saw it in his own reflection on the train window.
The train ride took them to Manehattan and when they arrived from the train station to the harbor, both Fhillip and Notch finally got to meet the rest of their crew of twelve. They were all Earth ponies and all of them looked tough and they had packed miner gear. The group boarded the cargo ship and Notch told them to line up on deck so he could get a head count and inventory. After every-pony was accounted for, Notch then whispered to Fhillip, "We Earth ponies have a sixth sense that helps us find our way around jungles and undergrounds. We'll find treasure if there is any to be found.”
Notch took account of what all the crew had brought and then dismissed us for the night. The cargo ship left harbor after sundown and the captain told Notch that they would all be at Alexandra in the next several days.
The time on the cargo ship was well spent, Fhillip got to know more about his team and Notch told stories of his adventures. Even more proof of his earlier claims about Earth pony craftiness, Notch has every-pony on the edge of their seats. Fhillip was reminded of another hardcore adventurer, Daring Do.
"Have you ever met her?" Fhil asked Notch during one of his stories.
"Yes." Notch said simply. He kindheartedly refused to talk about it so Fhil and the others went on talking about past experiences with mares. Every-pony was having a great time and Fhillip finally had something genuine to smile about, his future seemed bright.
During the last night on the boat, Fhillip had a dream of a robed creature in a skeletal mask calling his name from the shadows. It was standing still and staring him down with the holes for eyes as the creature faded in and out of the shadowy mist that surrounded it. “Fhillip”, it said, “Whatever happens in the jungle, keep going forward. I will protect you from the monsters.” Fhil awoke to the rising sun. He didn't think to much about it and got on with his day.
Fhillip got ready and met the crew on deck. He could see the town of Alexandra from the boat. Some houses were made of sandstone, other homes were huge tree's that stood out from the surrounding jungle. He could see the zebra people going about their business and he recognized the market place near the center of town.
"Alright every-pony, just sit tight and I'll be right back. I'm going to retrieve our guide from town. The boat isn't leaving for awhile and the captain knows the situation so no-pony will ask you to leave." Notch waved a hoof at his crew then trotted off the boat's ramp as the crew watched as he disappeared into the zebra town.
The sun was at its peak in the sky as all the ponies on the boat waited for their leader to return. Thirty minutes go by and they spot Notch coming into the harbor with a hefty size zebra colt with dreads. They both trotted up the ramp leading onto the boat and into the gathering of his crew.
"Hello again every-pony, this is our zebra guide, Chad. He will lead us deep into the jungle and into the general facinity of the temple."
The crew nodded in understanding but Fhil took a closer look at the zebra. Chad looked a bit rough on the edges. The few zebra's Fhil had seen in his life were all dressed well and had long been intergrated into Canterlot society. Chad is the first homegrown zebra he had met so it was safe to assume that they all lived hard lives. Looking into his eyes, Fhillip saw the coldness and the struggle to live within them.
After Notch gave the introduction, Chad decided to start off with a warning. "Careful. Dragons and zebra's." Chad looked off the side of the boat and into the distant tree's of the jungle that surrounded nearly the whole town.
"Oh yes, right.” Notch perked up. “The jungle is home to a tribe of a canabalistic zebra herd. That is why we are so few as to not attract any unwanted attention or else they would be all over us like a mare in heat.”
Some of the crew laughed at this and Notch continued. “We are to get into the temple and get out as fast as we are able without harming the overall quality of our mission." Fhillip saw that this made the miners uneasy but he knew they were willing to go foward with it. They had better be willing, he thought.
The explorers and their guide left town and went along a pathway that led deep into the northern jungles with Chad in front. The rest of the ponies looked on into the tree's with wonder at it's untamed beauty. Unfamiliar flora littered the area and every-pony took care with what they wanted to touch. The ponies had been hiking for hours and conversations were had among them. Often the topic would be, 'what would you do with your share?' or 'wonder what we will find in the temple?'
"It was a politician I think." Notch said to Fhil as they hiked along the trail in front of the crew out of listening range. "Some unicorn wanted me to find this place and as you know, he paid up front.”
Fhillip thought for a moment on who he could be talking about but Canterlot is full of unicorn politicians. Fhil was interested in more details because there was no reason why some-pony like that would be interested in finding proof of a lost civilization.
Notch continued his tale of the mysterious unicorn. “If I had decided to run with this money, he probably knew I couldn't run anywhere civilized without him finding me.” Notch laughed at his own thought of commiting a crime. “He'd be right. Everyone knows me and Equestrian territory is only so vast.”
Fhil was surprised by all the thought the earth pony put into this. Notch continued his confession, ”Well, maybe I'm just nervous. What we are doing is very dangerous..." Notch had a worried look about him but he quickly found his composure.
Fhil remembered something and quickly changed the topic. “Chad mentioned dragons. I really didn't want to ask about them because everypony was on edge about the cannibals but I am curious.”
Notch nodded, “Recently there was a dragon attack on Alexandra. She burned the jungle and killed many zebra in their homes. What's worse is that there is another dragon entirely that watches over this jungle. Obviously we have a lot of danger to worry about.”
All this threat of danger reminded Fhil of the dream that woke him up. It was nothing because he didn't look to much into things like that. It was only a dream.
“Did you know about this?” one of the miners spoke up who had got close enough to listen in.
“Hey, no need to worry, were doing this thing right.” Notch assured the worried earth pony miner.
As the day went on, the ponies kept going for miles occasionally passing statues of dog like creatures with warped faces and a few abandoned huts made of zebra skins. Everypony was on edge but eventually they arrived at a small clearing at the base of a mountain and Chad advised the crew to make camp there.
Notch spoke to the group, " Righto, we will make camp here at our generous guides request. Unpack your tents and afterwards we will go in groups to scout the immediate area."
Chad nodded at this. "Temple on mountain. Behind bush."
"You mean the entrance is hidden?" Fhil asked without thinking about it.
Chad nodded again and every-pony got to work on setting up their tents and organizing the campsite. After another half hour, the group was split into smaller teams and went to scout the area. Fhillip walked to the base of the mountain and noticed a small trail leading up. Not looking for permission, he went up the mountain trail alone.
As Fhil got higher, he stopped when a familiar voice called to him in a whisper from the mountain top. It was almost like the wind itself carried its voice down to the unicorn. He couldn't make out what was being said but Fhil did notice that Notch had come up the trail behind him. "I'm going to check a little bit ahead of our position. I'll be right back." Fhil told Notch.
"Alright but don't die." Notch laughed at his own bluntness. He turned around and with the two ponies he picked, began to look around themselves.
Fhillip went up the trail as the rest of the group split into the jungle on their own paths. He noticed Chad standing back at camp and the zebra was looking straight at him as he started up the mountain path.
Eventually the rocky trail came to another trail that went off the beaten path and circled around the cliff face and into a cave. It was blocked from view by a tree but Fhil could make out stone structure scaffolds and finally the temple entrance as he curiously approached it. He could hear the call deep from within the temple cave but because it looked really old and unstable, he shook the feeling and ran back to camp. Notch was already there along with the two ponies that went with him.
"I found the temple. It's behind that tree way up there under the cliff face of the summit." Fhillip pointed a hoof to the tree.
"Good to know, but it's getting dark. We will start in on it when morning comes." Notch then went around telling each pony the plan. The night had come and some stayed to enjoy each others company over a campfire but Fhillip was to tired from all the walking and went to bed.
---------------------------------------
Another dream occured much like the last one, a robed figure and a skeletal mask. “Do not be afraid. You will not die today.”, it called from the abyss. All Fhil could do was stare at it, frozen by fear at this unusual creature. The dream began to blur the more he tried to make out more detail of this things form. Soon the dream was over and Fhillip woke up hearing loud movement outside his tent.
Notch poked his head into Fhil's tent. "Half our crew is missing! I think they started without us!" Fhillip was awake now. He got his pickaxe and left camp in a hurry with the remaining crew to attempt to find the others.
"Strange thing is, they left their things behind. If it was the zebra's, we wouldn't have woken up this morning." Notch confessed. “So I believe they are around here somewhere.”
Chad was at the temple's entrance already. He was peering inside, only looking at us as we got closer to him.
The group arrived at the cave entrance and Notch saw that there was a massive amount of stairs that led down into the darkness. "We'll need torches for this."
Using a simple flame spell, Fhil lit everyponies torches and the nine of them began the descent down into the temple. Seven earth ponies including Notch, a zebra guide, and Fhillip the unicorn was all that was left.
Going down the stairs, Notch asked one of the earth ponies about last night. “You didn't see or hear anything?”
“No, I went to bed early and some stayed by the fire.” This was the truth and Notch suspected that the ponies who talked by the camp fire were conspiring to take all the treasure for themselves since they knew the way back to town. Had he not had his own satchel close to him at all times, he was sure it would have been gone too.
They finally reached even ground deep inside the mountain. Fhil noticed that the walls of the lengthy hallway had holes half the size of a pony, that dotted them. He noticed that the others had made notice of this too. Notch, Fhillip and Chad led the crew deeper into the hole lined hall.
While they trotted deeper into the temple, they stopped when they began hearing skittering noises echoing all throughout the darkness. Looking around tensely, they tried waving the torches around for the source of the noise. Suddenly without warning, a mob of creatures that resembled diamond dogs, jumped out from the holes and started biting the earth ponies.
Notch and Fhil looked on in horror as the team were eaten alive. The ponies fought back with their pickaxes, swinging blindly as they dropped their torches in the confusion. The dogs were persistant, even though being hit, they clinged to their prey. Fhil saw one of these creatures hanging onto a ponies neck for dear life as blood sprayed everywhere. There were to many to count but none had noticed Chad or Fhillip. Notch had fended off a few but decided on a different plan of action.
"RUN!" Notch screamed. The three took off down the hallway and as they heard the screams of their comrades they looked back to see more dogs chasing them.
The dogs were closing in, Chad stopped and shouted at the two yelling, "GO! I'll stop them!"
"I guess they don't always rhyme." Fhil panted at Notch.
"We are going to die and you are making jokes! He hasn't been rhyming because he doesn't speak much English you asshole!" Notch yelled at his running mate.
Soon the hallway became a very steep slope, not unlike a slide but it seemed to disappear into more darkness. Fhillip and Notch heard the horde of dogs coming down the hallway.
" Poor Chad. I guess if we don't slide down this, were going to die." Fhil told Notch.
"You first!" Notch hurriedly replied looking down the slope.
More dogs came from the holes that dotted the hallway, coming out beside them catching both ponies by surprise. They jumped on Notch and one bit into his throat causing him to fall backwards into Fhillip. The two fell onto the slide and were hastily sped down into the center of the temple.
Fhillip made a rough landing on his hind quarters and knew Notch just landed behind him because the colts satchel slapped him in the back of the head. Looking behind him, Fhil saw the bloodied corpse of his employer and very brief friend.
Fhillip saw the dogs scurry up the slope back into the darkness. Surprised that he could see anything, Fhil turned around and saw that there was a green light coming from the somewhere in the chamber. The unicorn took a brief moment to look around. It was a large room, stone pillars with vines growing on them filled the room. At the other end, there was a large round stone door with a symbol of eight arrows protruding from the center. The light he saw, came from a creature standing in front of that door. He was the figure from the dream, a robed creature with a skull mask. The mask shape looked familiar to Fhil but what it belonged to was currently alive. He could finally make out the details of this creature at last and he dared reality to stop him. A antelope horn, a goat horn, two different sized eye holes and a single pointed tooth.
The creature stood on two legs and had two arms. Where it's hooves should be there were hands, lke a minotaurs but without fur. On it's left hand was a golden gauntlet that resembled a birds talon. The creature beckoned to Fhil with it. This thing stood like a Minotaur but it wasn't and Fhil assumed that it was something far more dangerous. He noticed the robe had blue feathers coming off the left shoulder and fur, like a lions mane went around its neck. The unicorn got back on his feet and approached it cautiously.
"Hello?" Fhil said to it.
The creature looked beyond the unicorns messy brown hair and into his green eyes for a moment and then it walked past him. It went to the corpse and grabbed the satchel full of money. "What a wise investment." it said with a semi high male voice.
Fhillip stood and watched him walk back to his original place in front of the giant stone door. He looked at the unicorn again and the creature shook its head. It then took a deep relaxing breath through its mask.
"Glad you made it this far without dying. I bet you were pretty scared."
The friendly tone in his voice was comforting but Fhil decided to take care of what he said to it. “Yeah, it was quite the trip here but who are you?"
"You can refer to me simply as Chaos." it said looking at Fhillip.
"Chaos?"
"Yes. I am also your boss.” He said scratching the hair coming out from behind the top of his skull mask.
Fhil looked around the room trying to find other ponies who may be playing a prank on him. “Is this a joke...?”
Chaos shook his head slowly much to Fhil's discomfort. “I hired the man who hired the man who hired you. Crazy, I know but now that you are here, it means that you have done what I needed of you." Chaos said, still starring Fhillip down with those soulless holes for eyes. "You're going to do many things for me in the coming days and it's going to be so much fun for you. You may even get your old life back."
Fhil was taken in by how much Chaos knew about him. He began to feel a little bolder desiring answers. "I'm not sure what you mean but I just want to go home. It's been a long day and all my co workers are dead and I'm not sure what the hell you are or how you know me." Fhillip said frustratingly.
"Your cutie mark, it's an olive branch. It means you have the talent to negotiate, that's why Celestia chose you to be her top representative. Therefore I want you for this new job! You will get to go back home, eventually, so don't worry your precious pony head." Chaos nodded.
"So this plan to get me here relied on me accepting the job? I could have said no." Fhillip told the creature with a smug look on his face.
Chaos laughed a little, "True Mr. Buster, but I sent him with all this money!" He held up the satchel and showed Fhillip the gold and jewels within, "And at a very desperate time in your life, am I right? I made it so easy for you to say yes." He trailed off with a malicious tone.
"Wait, so was Notch really a friend or just acting this whole time?" the pony frowned.
"Ah, he didn't know anything about me or my plans, I had someone hire him in my stead. His interest in you was truly his own. It's a shame he won't ever get to return home to his family. Poor Alphonse." Chaos said coldly looking over to the corpse.
Fhil looked back at the broken pocket watch that had flown on the floor. The griffon child was seen through the cracked glass. "I don't understand how you can be so blunt about that. He was just a pawn in your plan? So twelve earth ponies died just to bring me here?"
"No, Thirteen." Chaos chuckled.
Fhillip realized he was getting to angry at the situation. He didn't want to die here so he chilled his mood. "Ugh, whatever. And those dogs won't come kill us?"
"Na, they are my pets and I had them save you for me." Chaos mused scratching something under his mask again.
"Can I refuse this job?" Fhillip asked cringing.
"So soon? Well the dogs are still around you know.. I could call them and see if they want to play.” Chaos threatened playfully. “At least hear me out before you say no."
"I don't like your methods of getting me on board but I'll hear it, not like I have a choice..."
Chaos clapped his hands at this. "Exactly! Now you're getting the idea. Okay, the job, I will have to start from the beginning..."
Deep in the temple under the mountain, Fhillip stared at the strange looking creature who had hired him. “What do you mean beginning?” the unicorn asked scratching his head with a hoof.
Chaos snapped with his talon gauntlet and a potion materialized out of thin air. Fhillip looked at the newly formed object, white liquid within a flask. “Drink it.” he heard Chaos say. Fhillip thought against it but felt that he could not afford to argue. Drinking it, his consciousness fell into a vision that was narrated by Chaos.
Fhillip opened his eyes to a black abyss, the one similar to his dream. He heard Chaos talking somewhere hidden in the nothingness.
“Along time ago, before any living thing existed on the planet, there were four gods that shaped the world and everything that lived within.”
Fhillip saw four orbs or light, each a different color of red, green, purple and yellow.
Chaos continued with his narration, “these Gods were known to each other as Harmony, Chaos, Creation and Destruction. They were only sources of power with no physical form at all but one day, they changed that. Chaos suggested that they make for themselves, avatars, physical living beings that represent them on the planet as they make the world. They all agreed with this except for Harmony. It desired to live as an object, so the four thought up and created their avatars.”
Fhillip then witnessed the orbs create new creatures in front of themselves.
“Harmony became a crystal of pure magic that took the form of a power giving tree. It's purpose was to prepare a way for its power to be used among the creatures of the planet.”
From the purple orb, a diamond like tree slowly came into existence from being transparent. It was nothing like Fhil had ever seen but reminded him of the strangeness of zap apples.
“Chaos created the most odd being it could think of, an ape like creature with no fur.” Chaos continued.
Once again the same thing happened but from the green orb, a tall creature standing on it's hind legs with strange limbs came into the abyss the same way the tree had. However the unicorn noticed that this creature had no clothes or mask. His facial features terrified Fhil but he could not stop looking at it until Chaos went to the next portion of his past.
“Creation used it's desires to make something that gave creation a image and became the first alicorn to ever exist.”
A white coated beauty with a red mane appeared from the yellow orb. Fhil looked for her cutie mark but did not see one. He was confused by this but enjoyed the view of this beautiful creature.
“But Destruction, it created the most fierce of the four. A dragon who would put fear into what beheld it.”
A black dragon bigger than any Fhil had ever read about came into being from the red orb. It had six red eyes, dark gray hair and two silver horns. It towered over the other avatars although it stood lifeless. Soon, the abyss changed and the world started to form.
“With their avatars they began planning the creation of life. Harmony created the basic elements first and set up the living conditions for everything. Creation created life in her image. From her, all the different kinds of ponies were born including the first alicorn princess and prince. She continued to add diversity, making unicorns and pegasi and earth ponies. Eventually she would add more basic animals and plant life. Some would had traits similar to ponies.”
Fhillip witnessed all the creatures and plant life come into being on the new planet.
“Chaos would create various forms of twisted monstrosities and they would prey on the weak.”
Coming from this, many predator creatures went forward and Fhil saw them eat the other things.
“Destruction had no hand in any of the worlds creation. However Creation took pity on that and made for it a species after it's image.”
Fhillip saw the dragons emerge from nothing and take for themselves whatever they wanted.
“The four Gods were happy with the world they created and lived in it for thousands of years. They decided to make a place on the world for their original bodies, the orbs you saw earlier. Deep in caves that were guarded by creatures, they were safe from anything that would discover them.”
The caves came into view, one in a jungle, another under snow covered mountains, and the last that was shown to him was deep in a forest.
“However, one day, Chaos began cloning the powers of his avatar into lesser copies. It made a creature of gargantuan power but its deformity was chaos defined. The first copy was made and the other three gods looked on in great skepticism."
A flashback of Discord appeared and showed Fhil what he did to the populace of Equestria. Fhil saw the creature torment with endless pranks and overall was being a giant asshole to the tortured ponies.
"The gods watched it and realized it was unstoppable to all that tried to fight it. Harmony then aided in turning it into stone with the help of two sisters when the other gods could no longer tolerate the instability. With this disagreement, they told Chaos never to do it again. But Chaos didn't listen and tried to attempt another.”
A memory of a green magic ritual took place before Fhil. Chaos was trying to create something. He saw a creature coming out of it but a suddenly it became ash and the remains blew away.
“They were enraged and the three Gods used their combined might to seal away Chaos' source of power behind a magic vault deep within it's mountain. Chaos avatar however, vanished, never to be seen by them again.”
Chaos ended the vision and Fhillip stood there speechless.
"So you see, I want revenge against the others for keeping me from doing my job." Chaos was pacing slowly around the temple sanctuary. "This skull mask I wear is the attempted creation of my daughter. They killed her in front of me!” he shouted. “I wear it because one day, I will undo what has been done and you're going to help me."
"So I betray my own kind for you?"
"Well I just need you to talk some sense into some folks." Chaos laughed a little.
"And then I can go home right?" Fhillip hopefully asked.
"Yes." Chaos said simply.
Fhillip thought hard for a moment. He really had no choice but maybe if he did what was asked of him, he would be able to fix everything later. "Let's get this over with.."
"To complete this task, I don't need you to die, so I'm giving you immortality. A very rare gift and you should be thankful for it. After you complete this job and at anytime you decide not to want it, I'll take it away."
"Okay..." Fhil was eying Chaos seriously. Such a spell was unheard of but from what he had witnessed in that vision, anything was possible with Chaos.
Chaos put his talon hand on Fhil's head cast a spell. Fhil felt most of the feeling drain from his body but not all.
"Now we can leave this place." With that said, Chaos emitted a flash of light and then they were gone from the room.
Fhillip opened his eyes and saw that he and Chaos were both in a vast wasteland of charred ground, dead trees littering the area and a red mountain. In front of him, he saw that they have been put at the base of it.
"You're going up there to talk to some dragons." Chaos said bluntly as he and Fhillip stare up the mountain.
"Great, another mountain to climb... wait a minute, you can teleport? Why in the hoof did I have to come to you in that jungle? All those deaths could have been avoided!" Fhil looked at Chaos desperate for an answer.
"I'm in hiding, pony. They haven't found me to kill me yet. Once this is over though, I won't need to hide anymore." Chaos grinned under his mask.
"Well what do you want me to say?" the frustrated unicorn asked.
Chaos scratched his chin under his mask. "You ponies know next to nothing on dragons. I believe it is time for a brief history lesson about them."
Fhils ears perk up as Chaos tells his story.
"Dragons do not have one leader, they have several, seven at this moment. The leaders lead tribes across the world to conquer new territory. For a dragon to be a leader, it must go rogue first, meaning it is exiled for leaving. Then it has to successfully conquer a capitol city of any country. Therefore when it does, the dragons name becomes the cities name. Like if a dragon conquers Canterlot, it's name becomes Canterlot."
Fhil listens with great interest at this amazing new knowledge that is not found in any book at any library. “They have to do it alone?”
"Yes, dragons follow strength above all. When the dragon is victorious, it is allowed to lead a new tribe. So the dragons you seek are the alpha dragons, the leaders of each tribe.”
Fhillip had a huge frown on his face hearing this tidbit bit of information. Chaos noticed and quickly cleared up the ponies fears.
“I know what you're thinking and no, you will only have to visit two. The only two I know of but they are important never the less. Seek out this dragon here called Atlas, persuade him to go to war with Equestria."
"Go to war with Equestria?!” Fhils eyes widened. “I change my mind, I'm not doing this. I have family and friends, well some friends, that live there!" Fhillip shouted at Chaos.
"Alright, we will go back to the temple and you can live there for the rest of your long, long, LONG life! A fate worse than death, I should know. Besides, we are already here!", the creature said teasingly.
Fhil, upset by this asked the god, "Er.. how do you even know if I can succeed? I mean, dragons aren't pony friendly."
"I've come prepared... well you did." Chaos gives the satchel he was still holding with his regular hand to Fhillip. "Give this to the dragons at the door. When I say door, I mean the first ones that come to say 'hi'". Also, to convince him, I'll give you information that nopony knows. The dragons main goal is to conquer the world and rule its economy. Put that into consideration."
"Well If I succeed, I hope the dragons get their asses kicked. If I don't get eaten first." he said bitterly starting up the hill.
Chaos calls out to him, "Don't worry, you'll live!" Fhillip looked angrily back at him and kept going up the beaten pathway. Chaos then whispers to himself, "My desires come on the wind and you will heed its call."
Fhillip climbed higher and higher, every step he took he grew more anxious. He thought about Notch and his son. He thought about his wife and the princesses. "I just want to go home." the unicorn whined.
Reaching the summit, he learns that the mountain is actually a volcano. As Fhil stood at the rim of the volcano's crater, he felt a strong gust of wind as two adult dragons come down and land in front of him with a giant thud, knocking lose dirt everywhere. The little pony shielded his eyes from the fragments and then managed a look at them. One green and one red ordinary looking dragon greeted him.
"Are you lost little pony?" The red one asked as the green looked on in amusement.
"No, I need to see Atlas." Fhil said looking up at the two trying to remain calm and to not empty his bowels.
The dragons stared at each other and then back at Fhil, "How do you know of Atlas?" the green dragon asked with a deep tone.
"I was told to deliver a message to him and I have this for you two." Fhillip throws the satchel on the ground and the gold and jewels spill out much to the dragons surprise. They nod at each other and scoop it up.
"Alright pony but you will have to find him yourself." the red one told him.
At this point, many of the adult dragons sitting around the rim saw him pass by the two dragons and watched with great curiousity.
That wasn't as hard as I thought it would be, Fhil thought to himself as he saw the dragon leader curled up by a lava pool. He was a decent size dragon, a story bigger than the two he just talked to. He was also a different shape, like a serpent shape than a normal bulky one ponies usual see flying around Equestria. Long black hair came down from his head and into his neck, similar to how a ponies mane went. He had two long horns that jutted out of his hair like bent spikes. Atlas had black around his green eyes from the unique color of his scales.
Fhillip approached Atlas with caution as the leader noticed him coming.
"What a change the world is coming to when food walks up and presents itself." Atlas said with a smirk. He didn't even bother getting up.
"I'm sorry to disturb you, great one, but I have news that you may need to hear." Fhil told him.
"Really, news huh? Must be worth something for you to come all the way out here." Atlas said plainly while staring into the pool of lava.
"Equestria is on the verge of allying itself with Chanolis, the Changeling country." Fhil started.
"Okay, good for them." the dragon said turning away from the pool.
Atlas stood up looking down on Fhillip. Now he realized just how tall this snake-like dragon was. Although every dragon was far bigger than he himself was, this dragon now standing, towered over him about eight stories high he assumed. The intimidation was increasing but Fhil tried to keep his cool. The dragon bent down to hear the pony better while flapping his wings to keep him from falling.
"Well, I was a ambassador for Celestia, the princess of Equestria, and I was there when she allied the griffons. Anyways, if they ally with the Changelings, they do plan on marching on the dragons in a combined effort to wipe you out." he told Atlas.
"They will die if they try. And why would they? The ponies have always left our territories in peace." Atlas said to Fhil, the dragon still flapping his wings.
This was his chance. Fhil knew this was the breakthrough he needed. "Not if they attack your tribes individually and without warning. They are close to a breakthrough and the princess knows of your plan to dominate the entire continent, the world even."
Atlas's eyes opened wider to this news. "She knows? Well, you're proof enough that she knows, but why tell me? Why betray your country?" The dragons in the nearby area were listening to this story too.
"Because there is a creature that threatens to kill me if I didn't tell you. I'm pretty much being blackmailed." Fhillip and Atlas both frowned at this news.
"This is some news alright, come with me to the elder dragon, I want you to discuss this with him." the red dragon told him.
"Alright, I was told to talk to him as well." Fhil assumed it was the second dragon, just to get things rolling.
Atlas's curiosity got the better of him this time. "Who is this creature you speak of?"
"I'm not sure what it really is but I'll bring him here once we speak to the other dragon." Fhillip didn't know if Chaos would agree to this outright but knew that he would have to.
"Well, lets go." Atlas then swiped up Fhillip and put the pony on his back. He lifted into the air and shot off to the east with formidable speed. “What is your name?”
“It's Fhillip.” he knew that he was getting somewhere now. The flight itself went on for hours even though Atlas's skill in flight appeared top notch.
The realm Atlas spoke of was on a cape that hung off a larger continent of a vast jungle. Those trees looked familiar to Fhil from the air before they landed in a empty clearing. “Elder, where are you?” Atlas called out.
A figure came out from hiding in the tree line. "I'm right here." a small black dragon with the size of a large pony spoke. "I see you have a friend with you Atlas."
This dragon had hair too, messy boyish grey hair Fhil noticed. His horns reminded Fhil of a deer almost, but one horn was broken.
"We just met. He has some news for all of us, so we need to get with the others. I brought him to you because you love the ponies so much." Atlas continued rolling his eyes.
The small dragon looked up at Atlas, “What news?”
Atlas frowned and explained to the elder what was said while Fhil still clung to his back trying not to fall off.
"We need to go to old Skaholm then." The small elder said plainly.
Atlas nodded. “We leave now?”
“No, your friend looks very tired. Rest until tomorrow.” Elder nodded.
The elder dragon was right, so Fhillip decided he should take a nap even though he was in the company of dragons. Something about the elder dragon made Fhillip feel at home. He hasn't slept since the morning he woke up to Notch in his tent. That was a good twenty hours ago. The flight to this place was a long one from the charred lands of that volcano.
Fhillip laid down on the ground. "I wish dragons had teleport." he told Atlas.
"Ha, right, then we would be to powerful." Atlas responded.
The unicorn drifted off to sleep. He dreamed of the figure in the shadows again, Chaos. “You're doing so well, I'm so glad I chose wisely. Almost done with this part of the job but still a little more to go." He heard Chaos's voice say in the darkness.
"So you want to destroy it because it is the home of ponies? The children of Creation's image?" Fhil asked.
"It is both Luna and Celestia I hate, their existence spits in my face. They have done me wrongly and once they lay dead, Creation will feel my pain."
Then darkness and silence was all the dream became.
Fhil heard a voice calling his name. "Fhillip, wake up, it is time." He woke up to see the black dragon standing close to him. "We need to go now.” the dragon said. “I hope you have a speech ready because every-dragon knows they have to listen to a pony."
"Oh, I'll be alright." Fhil said as he got to his hooves.
Atlas was ready to take Fhillip to the meeting spot, so he grabbed the unicorn and once again put him on his back. Atlas flew into the air and the two dragon leaders began to fly over the ocean. That's when Fhil realized where he was. This was the same cursed jungle of South Rhymica. Atlas was flying close enough to the elder for Fhil to yell at him. “Are you the dragon that guards this jungle?"
“No! I just live here!”
“By yourself?” Fhil yelled back, shielding the wind from his eyes with a foreleg.
“Well, no! I just had a group of suicidal zebra warriors try to kill me yesterday! Unfortunately, we live in the same jungle together!”
“Oh, that's bad!” Fhillip remembered hearing of the cannibalistic zebra tribes.
“For them!” Elder laughed.
The rest of the flight was a quiet one, Fhil had got enough sleep to make it. Soon they came to a mountainous region and there was a huge city in view. It had stone walls that surrounded the inner city and several towers dotted the wall. But the most noticeable was the huge tower in the center of the cities circle. It jutted up like a skyscraper but was more vast in circumference. The next thing he noticed that it was broken off and that the top half of the tower had fallen on a mountain side that lined the back walls of the city.
"I'm so glad I don't have to climb this one at least." Fhil told himself remembering the mountain climbs.
The city was in ruins and needless to say, vacant of its original inhabitants. Only mass amounts of dragons filled the streets and bones and treasure littered the houses. They flew to the room at the top where the tower was severed. Fhil could make out the figures of five other large dragons there. Because the tower was broken off, the large room had no roof. They landed in the center and Fhillip got put off the dragons back. Atlas and the elder took their place among the leaders in the circular room with a throne of bones.
The throne was occupied by a large purple dragon with black hair. His eye's were a dark shade of gray and like Atlas, had black around his eyes from his scale color.
The other dragons were of mixed colors and unique features. One dragon was lime green and had black hair too but with large goat-like horns. She had strange looking eyes with several red rings that circled her green eye. This dragon was smaller than the others except the black elder dragon.
Another was sky blue and had blond hair with pig tails. Her snout almost looked like a beak yet Fhil thought she was a cute dragon. She seemed to be emotionally attached to the purple dragons side because she was leaning against the throne and stroking his hair.
A obese mountain sized yellow dragon with brown hair over his eyes, sat still as they arrived. Its horns bent straight back and it's four wings were way to small for its girth. Fhil didn't know if it was looking at him or not because it was entirely possible that the dragon was asleep.
Finally, there was a white dragon with gold horns that were similar to the green dragons goats but they were more like a rams. His body shape was more muscular than the others and he had multi colored feathers protruding from his head that shaped his hair. His yellow eyes stared at the unicorn intently which disturbed Fhil.
Atlas was the first to speak. "Brethren, this is Fhillip the unicorn and he has come from Equestria to warn us."
The dragons all laughed at this besides the elder and the white dragon. Fhillip knew now that the sleeping giant was awake after all because he was the loudest of them all.
“That's what I did too, but as he told me his tale, I became convinced that this is a very serious matter and I need you to listen to him with open minds." Atlas then opened his claws at Fhillip as a gesture to start.
The blue dragon stopped stroking the purple dragons hair and they all listened to the small creature.
“Hello every 'dragon'. The princesses of Equestria intend to ally the Changelings and with the Griffons already by their side, they plan to attack the dragons individually, with surprise attacks.”
All the dragons stayed quiet knowing now that this threat could have devastating results if true. Fhillip noticed they were listening more than ever and continued his warning.
“I was once a politician and I was there during peace talks of both species. I am here on orders of a higher power to have you attack Equestria before it attacks you." Fhillip took a deep breath, "and my life depends on you destroying it."
There was silence until the yellow mountain dragon decided to talk. "Whose this higher power eh?"
Every dragon nodded at this. "I was wondering this myself." Elder chimed in.
"Atlas would have met him already but he was busy. I will have them meet once I return to that region. If Atlas approves of my masters wishes then he can confirm things but aside from tonight, I cannot say much or else or I may have said to much." Fhil added somberly.
Atlas nodded, "Alright. Don't worry Huxio, I'll see what this higher power really is.”
The yellow dragon smiled. “You know me to well.”
Another alpha dragon spoke, the blue and cute looking one who was the same size as the purple one, about seven stories if Fhil was to guess; "It's true that they have been allying nations lately. Look at Saddle Arabia! I think we really need to strike. How long must our tribes dwindle between these... advancing nations?"
"For the good of our kind? That is our motive, Ryalon?" the purple dragon said still sitting on his throne.
Ryalon turned to the dragon she was fascinated with, "It makes sense Skadholm. We intended to ignore Equestria based on Elders opinion of them but now it seems we have no choice. It has to be our next campaign."
"I cannot go with you if you decide to do this. I have told you all over and over again that we will not attack the pony nations until it is time." Elder said with every dragon looking down on him to hear him out.
"This is the time." Skadholm cut in. "War looms and your constant excuses for restraint are getting old." his grey eyes focused on the smaller dragon.
"They aren't a threat." Elder told them feeling more annoyed.
"And you want us to wait? We shouldn't underestimate them!" Atlas said.
"We won't.” The female green dragon assured Atlas.
"Well we will have much to contend with if we wait." Ryalon said.
The black dragon saw that every dragon had finally decided to go against his own wishes. "During our migration through Equestria, did any dragon take notice of any armies or war machines? Anything strange?" Elder asked as he looked around at the others who ironically towered over him and his unicorn friend.
"We do not watch ants." Atlas said with a laugh.
Huxio looked at the red dragon with a grin, "We could always start eating them."
Atlas thought about this for a moment before answering with a question. "How long has it been since we even had ponies for a meal?"
Fhil noticed that all the dragons were in deep thought but the green one answered first. "Do zebra's count?"
Elder looked pissed. His attempts to stir the conversation to a more passive view had failed and he lost all ground in the argument until a decision was made for every-dragon to agree on by a silent spectator.
"Ok, well I have listened and decided what must be done." A final dragon stepped out of its place of silence. The white dragon with the golden ram-like horns came forward. "We will stay the night here. Atlas will return with the unicorn and he will get more details of this invasion. Afterward you are to return to us, here, and tell us what you have learned. Does every dragon agree?"
Atlas had taken Fhil back to his region on the volcano. Once there, Fhillip bid farewell to Atlas and started traveling back to the base of the volcano. It was not to hard to go downhill as it was to travel uphill so Fhil was relieved that he didn't have to push himself to hard.
Atlas watched Fhil disappear after he went over the rim of the volcano and turned to a smaller dragon who wandered up to him. "Follow that pony." Atlas told a dragon whelp.
Fhil saw Chaos meditating where they had originally appeared the day before and walked up to the god, panting from the walk down. "It's done but I may need a small favor from you." Fhil said catching his breath.
"Look's like you're finally getting into the spirit of things." Chaos grinned.
"Yeah right, I need you to talk to Atlas about the plan of attack. The dragons aren't stupid, they want to know more about you." Fhillip frowned.
Chaos nodded. "That's alright. I will send you onto your next mission and while you are at it, I'll mozy on up there and speak to him."
"What do I have to do now?" the unicorn shook his head slowly in disapproval.
"You're going to go visit an old friend. You are going to tell her about Equestria's impending doom and how it will benefit them all. However, you must tell her that the dragons will pull back from the fight before they completely take the city."
Fhillips eyes opened wide at this. "Pull back? How do you know that? Wait just a minute. Her? Oh, no you don't mean-"
"Yep!" Chaos cut him off and snapped his gauntlet finger teleporting Fhil away.
The dragon whelp saw this transpire but could not hear them. It ran back up the volcano stealthily so not to be seen. The whelp told Atlas about the creature it saw but Atlas wasn't sure what to make of it.
A flash of bright light brought Fhillip to another kind of wasteland with orange soil. Looking around, he recognized the place and the fact that he was indeed right. It was Chanolis, the Changeling territory. The creatures mostly lived underground but they have been known to live on the surface. The queens chambers were in a cave deep underground and he knew his way there.
As he started to move towards the underground entrance, a group of Changeling guards had detected his presence and met him. Asking to see the queen again got him entrance immediantly. Following the underground tunnels, he was walked through a large set of heavy wooden doors that went into the dark throne room. Chrysalis was relaxing on the obsidian throne with her eyes closed when she was interupted by one of the Changeling guards.
"My queen, the diplomat from Equestria has returned." the guard said to her.
"They were already here earlier this week, what do they want now?" She asked it curiously.
"We don't want anything." Fhillip spoke up, cutting off the guard. "I've changed employers."
Chrysalis looked at Fhillip and then the guards. "Oh, I know whats going on. You were brought to me by my children in hopes you would screw these relations up so that we wont ally Equestria. My people are no fans of Celestia's 'kingdom'." She giggled. The guards smiled at each other, they wanted Fhillip to fail.
"Well they are right. But I'm not representing Equestria this time. I represent a creature that has want for the destruction of my homeland." he explained with a frown.
Chrysalis too, frowned. "You sound very enthusiastic.” she said sarcastically. “Enlighten me then on how you will top the Equestrian offer."
"The dragons plan to attack Canterlot in one big invasion. I have been to their lair and have met with their leaders and convinced them to do this. My boss will plan a day when this will happen." Fhil explained confidently.
Before Fhil could continue Chrysalis began her inquiries. "How did you manage any of this?"
"Well, we had info on the dragons plans and I used those to persuade them that Equestria and the Griffon Kingdom wanted to invade as soon as they allied with you."
"Why would anyone desire to attack the dragons outright?" Chrysalis asked with interest. "How did you convince them that we would even want to contribute to that?"
"They want to dominate the world, country by country." Fhil said bluntly. “No one likes that idea. They also don't know that I came here to tell you all this. Before they finish the job though, they will pull back, leaving Canterlot wounded."
She clopped her hooves together at this tidbit of information, "But how do you know they will withdraw?"
"Because my boss told me so." he kept his frown.
Chrysalis looked skeptically at him, "You will have to excuse me if I don't believe you."
"Well, that's okay. All I ask is that you watch Equestria with close attention. When the time comes, make your move. You will have the country and because of the dragons withdrawal, you won't have to share it with them. Oh, and you can keep the secret of your plant too." Fhillip turned around to walk away.
"True, I don't have to trust you, I can see results with my own eyes." She waved him away.
Fhillip started walking back to the throne room doors. "He may be in touch with you, so that you can prepare better!" he called to her.
“Wait!” Chrysalis commanded. Fhillip stopped right before the door as the guard blocked his way out. His heart ponded hard once then he turned and walked back towards her.
“You know you broke my heart last time you were here, Fhillip Buster.” she frowned.
Surprised by this, Fhillip quickly started explaining himself. “Well, your highness, please forgive me. I wasn't doing my best that day and I've been punished for it.”
Chrysalis grinned. “You don't seem to be happy about today either.”
“Can you blame me?”
“Not at all, but break my heart again, I will steal yours.” she kept her grin.
The unicorn didn't know what to make of that. “You will have what you want, I promise.”
“I know.” she laughed. “You may leave now.”
Fhillip was escorted from the throne room and went to the place he appeared on the surface with Chaos, exiting the many caves that make up the Changeling home. Chaos was waiting for him. "Glad I didn't let you get hurt while you did these dangerous things."
"That invincibility joke is getting old even though I am grateful. What do we do now?" Fhil asked with a sigh.
"You return to the dragons! I have talked to Atlas so most likely the other dragons know that I am legit. However there is one problem." Chaos shook his head sympathetically at Fhillip.
Fhil sighed. "What?"
"The dragons want you to go with them when they assault Canterlot." Chaos told him.
"And you told them I would be busy? Right?" the unicorn frowned.
"Look, I told you that you would get to go home.", Chaos laughed a little. "This is your ride."
"Where will you be? Won't you come along?"
Chaos nodded. "I'll be there eventually but I must see to it that this goes off as planned. Now if that's all you need, lets get out of here, dust keeps getting in my eyes." He slapped the back of his own head and dirt sprinkled from the eye holes of his mask. He then grabbed Fhil by the mane and they both flashed out of the area and back to the volcano.
They teleported right beside Atlas catching the dragon off guard and making him stumble backwards. "What the?!" Realizing what happened he calmed down, "You and your magic!"
"Sorry." Fhillip apologized to the red dragon. "Were back from making sure this goes off as planned."
Chaos nodded in agreement.
"If I am allowed to ask, what is it that you did?" Atlas questioned.
"I had to make sure the ponies that bare the Elements of Harmony are out of the capitol. They would delay everything and hurt your chances. Thankfully they are not there." Fhillip lied. He really didn't know where they were. He assumed Chaos knew all about the bearers whereabouts. Fhillip wished they would be there to help save the city. Just maybe they were there.
Atlas nodded. "Good then, when is the attack?"
"Tomorrow." Chaos simply stated.
"Want to kill the royal family that bad huh? Then we will meet at Skadholm and move together. It's what Av suggested anyways." Atlas told them.
"He is the large white dragon with the gold horns, right?" Fhillip asked him and the red dragon nodded.
Atlas made the commanding order to all the male dragons to begin the move. There weren't many dragons in this territory but if one were to guess, it had to have been at least fifteen male dragons. "We need to fly with them, It is my job to make sure they all get there."
"Then you will meet us there. I will teleport Fhillip ahead." Chaos said.
"Very well." Atlas acknowledged.
Another flash and Fhillip found himself by the elder, again at one's surprise. The small black dragon frantically jumped away from the pony. Fhil noticed that Chaos did not come with him which he assumed for good reason. "Atlas is on the way with his clan." the unicorn told the alpha.
"I'm not used to seeing teleportation these days. Let me have a moment for my heart to stop pounding." the elder laughed.
Fhillip looked around the tower. He noticed that the green dragon was asleep towards the edge of the tower. Ryalon the sky blue dragon was also snoozing next to the throne where the purple one, Skadholm stirred. The white dragon was nowhere to be seen. There was a huge firepit going and Huxio was cooking something over it. The elder took notice of the unicorns eye movements.
Unbothered, Elder continued where he left off on the subject of being surprised. “I suppose it could be worse. Like waking up to the zebra's that try to slay me. They have been using some new magic I've never seen before but I make sure to get out of its way.”
“What does it look like?” Fhil asked.
“The magic?”
“Yes.”
“Almost perfectly round objects of different colors. Almost like balls of magic but they don't appear to be magic from the looks of it. I'm not sure what it is.” the elder said frustrated thinking about it. “They are in serious need of therapy I think, worshiping some sort of shaman.”
“Shaman?” Fhil asked.
“Yeah, they worship some kind of shaman. That's what I know anyways, never seen him around.” the dragon admitted. Fhil knew who he was referring to.
"So, I was told that dragons get their names from cities they conquer. I just hear your name to be elder?" Fhil asked without thinking.
"Well, I'm very old if you can believe it. I can't remember my name." Elder said smiling.
"Oh, well its kind of .. plain. No offense of course. It just surprises me." Fhillip looked away.
The miniature adult dragon smiled at the unicorn. "Well, when you live as long as me, you tend to take many names. This one stuck."
Fhil laughed at the simplicity. "Well, can you tell me more about yourselves since were going into battle together? And may I say that I am honored to even have been at the meeting from earlier. A pony can't say that he met all the dragon leaders."
Elder looked around for nearby leaders. The other alpha dragons noticed when Fhillip came back and sent messengers to go retrieve participating dragons from each territory. They didn't go back to sleep though, to interested in Fhil to even bother.
The closest Elder saw was Huxio, the large yellow dragon with hair over his eyes.
"Hey, Huxio, come tell Fhillip about yourself." he called out to him.
"Why?" Huxio turned in his direction and frowned.
"He's going to fight with us. Now is your chance to reassure the pony." Elder laughed.
"Reassure me? What for?" the unicorn was puzzled.
"That we won't die Filly." Huxio explained.
"Oh, no I didn't even think that was possible. Alone maybe but not like this." Fhillip shook his head.
“Come over here and I'll tell you how I became a leader. Once you hear me out, you will know what will happen to Canterlot.” he invited menacingly.
Fhillip walked over to the giant fire and smelled what was cooking. It was meat but he didn't know what kind. Ponies don't eat meat but they can stand the smell if they do not think to much about it.
"Well, once upon a time, I conquered the capitol of the diamond dog nation, Huxi-Ovehn."
“I've never heard of it.” Fhil admitted.
"No surprise, it was certainly enough to undo them. Everything they held dear was in that city and after its fall, they were scattered." the black one nodded.
"How did you do it?" Fhillip looked on curiously.
Huxio put a claw to his chin and pondered for a minute before retelling his story.“This was shortly after Atlas joined up but I decided to go on a walk around unfamiliar territory. I found them hiding in some stone houses in the southern area you now call Equestria. Some buildings were big and some were small but it didn't matter to me. I ran through the city smashing everything I saw. That's until I spied the most extravagant house there. Well it didn't surprise me that it was the royal castle. I ripped off the roof and I saw the royal couple and.. I ATE THEM!”
Surprised by the outburst Fhillip hid his face with his hooves out of reflex while the other dragons laughed. "Well, just ate the important ones." He patted his giant stomach. He was indeed the biggest dragon here by girth size.
"He could kill them by just walking." Skadholm poked fun at Huxio as he flew over to them.
"Shut your snout Skadholm. My size makes everyone tremble so you should too." Huxio boasted.
"Right, because you're so heavy you shake the planet!" Skadholm laughed. "But seriously, lose some weight. It's bad for your health."
Huxio fumed. "This is how I am. It is the way I kill my prey. And you best not forget that!"
"Yea well, you won't be out of sight, out of mind anytime soon." Skadholm said plainly.
Elder cut in, "It's actually an impressive story, he was just wandering around. He had no previous plans to kill anything. He just went for it and I happened along to see him do this."
“Well, I won't get on his bad side then.” Fhil assured them. “So, Skadholm, what's your deal?”
Skadholm looked at Fhillip with regret. "Skadholm was... a pony capitol."
"Eh?" Fhillip looked at the dragon as if he were crazy.
"Yep, it existed at the time before the ponies came to Equestria although it is much further south. Needless to say I have been around a long time, not longer than Elder or Av but you know." Skadholm admitted.
"You looked sad when you told me that." Fhil observed.
"It was my home, once. Things change when dragons grow up, they want more for themselves." He turned his eyes downward. "It's ancient history, Fhilly."
"Oh. That's not so odd though. Ponyville had a similar thing happen with a dragon that lived there." Fhillip nodded.
"Was it destroyed?" Skadholm asked with great curiosity, drawing his head closer to the unicorn.
"It was getting there but if I was told right, he had help from some friends in finding his good self. Went back to normal after that." Fhil explained.
Skadholm looked away at this news. "If we could change the past..."
Elder and Fhil nodded in agreement.
Huxio was eating what was previously cooking on the large fire near them. Fhillip still couldn't make out what it was. The yellow dragon snickered at Skadholm's last words. "Don't regret becoming what you are. Embrace it." he rubbed his belly.
"Some wise words Huxio." Elder again nodded.
"I'm forced to destroy my home tomorrow too." Fhil told Skadholm with a hint of despair on his voice.
"I know. It's strange, you look so willingly but then so sad." the purple dragon told him.
Fhillip nodded at this. "I'm so mad at them all for abandoning me like they did. After one small screw up!” The unicorn yelled in frustration. The dragons looked on finally getting Fhils side of the story. “I'm sad because I want my wife to be safe. I don't hate the princesses but.. they did little to stop my unpaid leave. All because I got a little bit lazy, yeah. So what? I've done more good than bad but my wife doesn't deserve what is about to happen!" he finished looking down trying to hide his teary eyes.
"I'm sorry to hear of your misfortunes." Skadholm shook his head, "I'll tell you what though. Tomorrow, when we fly to Canterlot, tell me where you live and I'll take you to your home. You can try to get out of town with your wife." He stepped closer to the unicorn and reached out a large claw. "Deal?"
Fhillip had a bit of wetness in his eye as he saw that the alpha dragon was sincere. He put out his hoof in the awaiting claw. "Deal!"
The unicorn went to bed and with mental preparation of the day to come. He dreamed of Chaos again. The vast abyss had become less as more detail of the creature was apparent.
“When you get home, you are free. You will still be safe from harm because you have done so much for me. I'm proud of you Fhillip.”
That is all that was said as the unicorns dream faded to black.
Since that talk, Fhil could not sleep properly and the unicorn woke up before the sun rose. He noticed Atlas had made it to the tower and was awake.
“Hey there Atlas. How was the flight?”
“No problems, every-dragons ready for war. Are you ready?” Atlas had his green eyes on the unicorn.
“I'm running when I hit the ground.” Fhil told him bitterly.
“Smart.” the dragon turned to look toward the horizon.
“Hey, I've gotten to know some stuff about you guys. I'm curious about you. How did you become a leader?” Fhillip questioned.
“Ah, well I was a lesser dragon under the watch of another dragon named Atlas. This dragon earned his leadership by very cheap means. He found a weak race of mules who, at the time were a slave race and decided to destroy their home city. Well it was a loophole in the rules but ultimately no dragon had respect for him in the end.” Atlas shook his head.
Fhillip frowned at this tragic news.
“Well, I'm the ambitious sort so I decided to kill him. I succeeded and threw his corpse to be eaten by the dragons that followed him. Av recognized my victory and most were pleased by my methods.” Atlas looked at the rising sun. “Huxio was eating something last night. I know you were not here but what does he usually eat?”
Atlas frowned because of the obvious truth he was about to tell the unicorn. “He eats everything but I know that for this occasion, it was most likely a pony.”
Fhillip knew deep down that this was a possibility. “I don't know how the dragons treat their guest, if they ever had any but didn't Huxio consider the fact that it may have been rude with me around?”
“It wasn't to offend you. He was getting his desire for the taste of ponies ready for today.” Atlas saw that Fhil put his head down. “Our kind has always planned ahead. We have so much strength in this union but I feel that it's going to be a long day.”
Fhil didn't know what the dragon expected to happen but he knew one thing.
That morning they all got together at the broken barred gates of Skadholm's outer wall gatehouse. Atlas once again took Fhillip on his back feeling that the unicorn was comfortable with his certain body type compared to the others who had thicker bodies. Elder was gone by the time the sun rose, headed back to South Rhymica. He didn't want to be apart of this. So Skadholm gave the orders and they were off into the sky traveling in the direction of Canterlot to the north.
The attacking force was around sixty dragons strong and during the flight, Skadholm gave the attack plan. They were to enter the city with only the leaders while the other dragons surrounded the outskirts to keep out the nearby pegasi reinforcements from Cloudsdale. They would be trouble if they managed to get through the blockade and into the city. It was a sound plan but Huxio was a very slow flyer. He was also their trump card and Fhil knew that once that monster entered the city, it would all be over.
Fhillip saw the stretch of land below him and looking ahead, he saw the familiar mountain with the magical city hanging from it. Canterlot was in range. Av was already here and flew up to greet them. Apparently he had been sent ahead to make sure all was clear. He waved us foward and the dragons flew faster towards the city. The attack started and the dragon force quickly encircled the sky above Canterlot as the leaders crashed into the city spreading out to cause mayhem. Skadholm took Fhil off of Atlas and flew to Fhillips house with the pony in his arms.
“It's on the street that green dragons on!” Fhil exclaimed. He remembered her from the way her eyes looked. “You mean Alexandra? Yes, I see her. We better hurry then.” Skadholm said looking at the female dragon stomping around the street in the distance. She had a huge grin as she tried to crush them beneath her feet.
Skadholm took flight with amazing speed. On the way there, Fhillip noticed all the chaos in the streets as ponies ran from their houses towards the cities entrance, trying to escape from the devestation. The guard were using spears and magic against the attacking dragons but to no real effect. Their defense was completely blindsided.
Skadholm got Alexandra's attention and waved her elsewhere. She saw these motions and aknowledged them, flying off. He then put Fhil down on the street, nodded and flew off to another part of the city.
Fhillip ran to his house, dodging all the fleeing citizens and passing guard in the street. Now that the dragon from the area was gone, they found the opportunity to regroup. Fhil made it to his house to find it untouched by the violence. He ran inside to make sure his wife was still there.
Thankfully he found Lillian packing in their room. “Lillian!” he cried.
The female unicorn turned around with disbelieving eyes at what she saw. They trotted to each other and embraced lovingly. Even though this was a nice moment, explosions rocked the foundations and echoed outside, they were still in danger. The couple went outside onto the street.
Fhil turned to his wife in a voice of desperation, “We need to get to the castle! It's our only chance at stopping this!”
Lillian looked at Fhillip in confusion but pointed her hoof to the town entrance. He wished she wasn't mute because he knew that she had much more to say, especially at moments like this.
“Don't worry, the dragons won't do anything to us, unless we stick around too long. I know it sounds strange but I have a pact with one of the leaders that I'm to get you out of town but I know the outside isn't much more safer.” he explained to her.
She arched an eyebrow and pointed a hoof at the male unicorn then pointed it to the dragons flying above. She suggested that he was the cause. She was right but he wasn't going to tell her, not yet. “I'll explain the details later, we have to go honey!” The mare didn't question it anymore and being lead by Fhillip, proceeded down the streets towards the castle.
Fhil understood that he was told that the dragons would pull back before Canterlot was completely destroyed. The unicorn didn't care and didn't take that chance just in case Chaos was lying or that it was a situation much like a monkey paws wish.
Outside of Canterlot, the dragon horde was being met by heavy resistance by reinforcements from Cloudsdale. The pegasus city had sent the Wonderbolts along with several battalions of pegasus military. They were fighting hard to get into the city but were mere ants compared to the might of the dragons. Working together, the pegasi force were racking up wins in some area's of the battlefield. Suddenly the tide of battle became the dragons completely as a new foe appeared. It was Huxio who had been slow to arrive but the image his form represented was frightening. He was a small mountain by himself and he was headed towards the Canterlot city gates.
Fhillip and Lillian passed more guards stumbling to get past the downed buildings in the roads. He wasn't sure where the princesses were or even if the Elements of Harmony were fighting. They were drawing closer to the castle when they heard a loud crash from the other end of the main road towards the entrance gates. The two unicorns looked back at the source. It was Huxio in all his monstrous glory grinning ear to ear.
If that thing makes it to the castle, it's all over! Fhil thought remembering that dragons story about the Diamond Dogs.
True enough that the dragon was a tank, he was the end of a city. Why he was so massive compared to the others, Fhillip didn't understand. But now that Huxio was in town, Fhil compared and could see that he scaled more than twelve stories compared to the other dragons whom stood around eight stories. Fhil saw Atlas fly down to greet Huxio and said some things to him. After the red one left, the yellow dragon proceeded to walk towards the castle.
“I can't allow him to eat the princesses, we have to trot faster!” Sure enough they started moving faster as they passed even more panicked unicorn and earth pony guardsman. Huxio was smashing all the buildings that were tall enough to be smacked by his hands.
Shortly the unicorn couple made it to the stairs leading to the castle's main hall. The castle grounds were empty so Fhil had no trouble getting inside the castle. Once inside the two raced for the throne room that was adjacent to the halls entrance. Surprisingly, nopony was there but then the structure shook and the ceiling above collapsed as Luna was shot through the puncture. She laid unmoving on the other side of the room from them as they rushed to her. The roof still crumbled from the new hole that the two made sure not to be hit by falling rock on the way over to Luna.
“Your majesty!” Fhillip called to Luna with his wife standing beside him. She wasn't conscious. Shortly, her sister flew down through the hole to make sure she was okay. Celestia worriedly checked her vitals with magic but was relieved to know it wasn't a fatal hit.
She looked at Fhillip with a questioning expression, “What are you ponies doing here? It's dangerous, you should have evacuated the city!”
As she was telling them this, Huxio ripped the hole in the ceiling a little more. He reached his hand in and grabbed a random pony. He squeezed it with all his might hoping its blood would ooze out of the openings in his fingers. On the castle floor, Celestia looked on in horror. The blood never came though. Suprised, the dragon opened his yellow fingers and saw in astonishment what he picked up. It was Fhillip and he was unharmed.
“Fhilly? What is this? Why you still here and why aren't you dead?” At that moment, Luna shot up through the new opening of the room and delivered a devastating punch to Huxio's face causing him to stumbled backwards, tossing Fhillip in the process. Luna caught him and put him next to Celestia back inside the castle. Lillian crowded him with joy seeing he was unharmed but Celestia and Luna were not amused.
“Fhillip, it sounded like that dragon knew you.” Celestia said.
“Well, um, I..” Fhillip trailed off as Huxio's face appeared through the hole.
“WHY DIDN'T YOU DIE?!” he yelled, unaffected by the fall.
Fhillip looked up at him and both Celestia and Luna had taken off through the hole to fight him. “Looks like he didn't get the message sister!” Luna yelled.
He was ready for their physical assault but Celestia started using combat magic against him. It burned and was effective but it would take a lot of it to actually have visual success. Huxio was there to dominate. Luna's magic was weaker but she had more diverse spells than her bigger sister did. Luna decided she would keep using her physical strength which happened to be greater than Celestia's.
“Die dragon!” Luna shouted as she punched and kicked at Huxio's face. She got out of the way when he blew fire out targeting her. Celestia flew around to get at his eyes with beams. He kept defending them with his hands though. They kept his defensive limbs and magic busy as they flew around him like flies.
Meanwhile down on the floor Lillian tried signaling questions about why he was unharmed and what he knew. “I'm being kept against my will and this is all the plan of some mischievious god to get revenge on the rulers of this place.” he told her bluntly.
She gave him a disapproving stare but then showed concern for his well being with her usual loving hug. He felt her heart racing. “I need to find a way to stop this madness. It's kinda my fault but I will make it right somehow.” he assured her.
His wife began to tear up then looked down to the ground to hide her face but Fhil saw it. All this was a little to much for her. He felt bad but his resolve to fix things got stronger.
Outside the city, Av the white dragon was taking on the Wonderbolts. Atlas was breathing fire streaks down the streets and it looked to Fhil like Skadholm and Ryalon were taking their time with the rest of the city.
Meanwhile back in South Rhymica, in the forest clearing, Elder put himself down on his stomach with the Canterlot attack weighing deep in his mind. He let out a sigh and rolled on his side in a restless manner. “She's going to hate me for this.” he said to himself.
Elder then saw the figure of a shaman appear out of nothing before him.
“Yes she will.” Chaos said menacingly.
“Chaos! So are you the one these zebra follow?” The dragon got on his feet.
Chaos looked down at his own clothes and realized something he already knew. “You never saw me with clothes on before. Very impressive you managed to link me to those zebra. I came to visit, after all, it's been to long! Ever since you killed my lovely Discordia.” he said flatly.
The black dragon's eye's started glowing red as Elder stared down the Chaotic god. “You are finally going to die Chaos. The others and I have been looking for you all this time. Your sealed power is all we have to worry about once your avatar is completely destroyed.” Elder said angrily.
“Nah.” Chaos said. With that, a small group of zebra's trotted out of the woods. They were all equipped with bags and blow pipes. “I've taught all my friends how to make dragon slaying poison.” The dragon was completely surrounded by the tribe. “It took some time but I managed to get my hands on some serious ingredients to make it.”
“So that is what was being used against me? I doubt it would do anything to me.” Elder told Chaos while looking at the rag tag group of tribal looking equines and then looked to the creature who was dressed like a shaman.
Chaos looked back at Elder through the black eye holes of his skeleton mask. “At first it was innocent target practice using something else. If you were hit, it would have not hurt. You would come to trust that it would never hurt you.” Chaos laughed. “Destruction, you may be a divine being but you still are a dragon in your avatar form.”
Chaos motions for a bigger dread locked zebra to come forward. “Show him his mortality, Chad.” With that said, the large zebra tossed a liquid filled green balloon at the small black dragon. Destruction side stepped the balloon with ease.
“So you are afraid of it.” Chaos laughed.
“Enough of your games!” The small dragon then flew at top speed towards Chaos. The shaman teleported in front of the dragon and punched him in the snout with his golden gauntlet hand in midair. Holding in the pain, the Destruction was surprised and flew higher to get a better look at the field. He noticed the zebra's standing there doing nothing, just watching. Destruction began to glow with a red aura, transforming into a much larger and more deadly looking dragon.
Destruction was still black but he was much more bulky and his size overall was as large as all the other leaders. Flying in place, Destruction kept his eyes on the chaotic god down below as he cast a shadow over the the clearing. He wings beating hard made the trees of the jungle sway with the wind. The clearing below caught most of the wind and Chaos' robe and the hair on the zebra's blew with it as they were looking up at the newly transformed dragon. Destruction was a fierce sight but the zebra's did not flinch or cower.
Chaos laughed at Destruction’s will to fight. “Ah, so now you're serious. Let us see the true might of the God of Destruction!”
The two gods looked at each one another as they were ready to fight seriously. Destruction spoke in a deep demonic tone that vibrated the ground. “I'm going to enjoy this. You have caused the other gods and I far to many problems.”
Still flapping above them all he pointed his claw at Chaos. “You couldn't just be happy with your genesis rejects, you had to go clone your own avatar, twice. I will make sure you stay locked up forever.”
“Sounds boring.” Chaos mocked. “I agree though, it is time to finish this. Not sure how you plan on killing me though, we are even in power. But...” Chaos put out his bare right hand, pointing it at the dragon.
Chaos shot out a magical green beam that spiraled continuously towards the dragon. The dragon returned the blast with his own fire breath. This fire was glowing like the red aura around the dragons body. It smashed against the beam and the reaction from it was devastating. Flaming particles from the beam were flying away from the impact and caught fire to everything they landed on. The grass on the ground and the surrounding forest were set ablaze. The two magical forces were in deadlock and evenly tied as fire and beam still connected.
Chaos grinned, “But one more power can tip the balance!”
The zebra's watching, not at all worried about the fires, threw the multicolored water balloons they had brought at the dragon in unison. Destruction sighed and flew sideways to dodge both beam and balloon barrage, ending the deadlock. But the zebra's took out the blow pipes and took shots at the flying balloons with deadly accuracy. Popping them all released the liquid in a wide area that managed to hit the moving dragon.
Destruction felt his strength fading and started falling. He moved his claw in a circular motion and the ground below the zebra's caved in turning the clearing into a huge hole that revealed a underground chasm. Every zebra was lost to the fall and the dragon caught the edge of the surface, holding on for dear life. He was grounded but he wouldn't be for long. Chaos shot another beam effectively hitting him in the chest causing the dragon to cry out in pain. Chaos didn't let up, he laughed maniacally until the screams from the beast ceased. The dragon let go and fell into the grave he himself made. Chaos looked on at the corpse of his former foe as it disappeared into the darkness of the Earth. Chaos heard it, not to far from where he stood, the door to his prison opened and he felt all his power return to him. The seal of destruction was removed from the door, weakening the other seals and allowing it to open. Chaos laughed in triumph at his plans success.
The ponies fighting the dragons within the city held their ground and their magic and craftiness kept them alive. Only a handful had actually been killed. Most of the citizens had been evacuated safely but the dragons were far from defeated. Canterlot's damage was only in specific area's, namely the main road that went straight from the city gate all the way to the castles doorstep and the places where the leaders had landed. The princesses were still fighting Huxio in a losing battle. Smoke from the city could be seen from miles and the Elements of Harmony were likely on the way.
Luna and Celestia were still doing the same thing. They were attempting to wear him down using hit and run tactics. It started getting more predictable because Huxio managed to swat Luna out of the sky and back into the castle.
“Luna!” Celestia yelled after her sister. Huxio used that distraction to smash his hand into her too. She went down into the same floor as Luna. Huxio reached down at them to finish the job. He was going to try squeezing them again but he would get it right this time.
Suddenly and without warning, he stopped and turned his head towards the other dragons who were looking in the distance. All of them had stopped what they were doing. Every dragon in the city took to the sky and left. The dragons outside the city followed suit and this left Celestia mystified. She got up and slumped to her sisters place. Luna didn't look alive lying on the ground motionless.
There was a loud fluttering in the skies above the castle. “It must be the rest of the pegasi force.” she said. Looking outside, she saw what was coming. Her eyes closed and her body fell to the castle floor. Fhillip who was hiding in the corner trying to protect his wife from falling rubble, left his place to see what Celestia saw. The sky was filled with darkness, darkness with eyes.
Chrysalis and her minions swarmed the battle weary city and she went straight for the broken throne room. She saw Celestia and Luna on the ground beaten badly. She trotted gingerly over to Celestia giggling. Chrysalis saw Fhil and the unfamiliar mare looking terrified.
“Well well well... looks like you were right my little pony. The city is mine and the smoke was a clear enough signal to let me know that.” she sang happily.
Fhillip walked toward her. “I don't think it's over. There is one last part of his plan and I think it involves us all perishing.”
Chrysalis laughed a little. “Perish? No. Every battle able changeling is here. Your friend will have to pry this place from my cold dead hooves.”
Fhil frowned and looked at his wife. She looked more upset at hearing all this. Her husband had put her through a lot today and she learned much about what he had been up to. It was a far cry from her usual life of peace and quiet when he had brought back hell with him.
“I think it is time to finally claim my birth right as true ruler of this land, after I dispose of these pretenders.” Chrysalis kicked Celestia's body and started conjuring a deadly spell with her horn. She aimed it at the white alicorn. “Good riddance.”
Before she could act on it, a bright light filled the room and it knocked Chrysalis backwards a few feet. She looked up and saw another white alicorn mare with a red mane and a quill as a cutie mark looking back at her with golden light glowing from her eyes.
“Stop this at once Chrysalis!” the mysterious new alicorn yelled at the queen.
“Wha..?” Chrysalis was speechless as her own eyes tried to adjust to what she was seeing and her mind to what just occurred.
“Go home.” the white alicorn said sternly at the changeling queen.
Chrysalis's face reddened but she did as commanded and flew out of the castle, her swarm following at their queens command. The white alicorn walked over to Celestia and healed her using her horns magic. Celestia opened her eyes and saw the figure standing over her. The sun princess had a look of surprise but got to her hooves all the same. The new alicorn hurried over to Luna and repeated her spell. Luna opened her eyes to see the mare standing over her.
“Hello mother.” Luna said.
“Hello sweetie, looks like I got here in time huh?” she said to her with a small smile.
“Look at the city mom.” Celestia told her frowning walking over to the two.
“I only just realized this was happening.” the mother admitted.
Luna got to her hooves too, “I haven't seen you since we inherited the Elements. It's been a long time mom!” Luna nuzzled her moms neck. The mother alicorn returned the affection. “Well I came and saw Celestia several times after that but you weren't around.”
Luna and Celestia knew why and they shared a frown.
The godly alicorn knew why but comforted her youngest, “There will be more time for us.”
Luna smiled at this news. “I hope you will be around more.” to which the mother nodded.
Fhil came forward to introduce himself. “Hello miss. I'm Fhillip and this beautiful mare is my wife Lillian.” Lillian had since calmed down after seeing things get better. “I didn't know you had a mother, Celestia!" he told her excitedly.
The mother smiled at Fhil. “Call me Lauren.”
Remembering the darker details of recent events, Celestia approached Fhil. “Fhillip, I heard Chrysalis talking to you. Did you have anything to do with today?” the look on Celestia's face begged for innocence. Lillian looked down at her hooves in shame. Luna however was amused, she really had no idea about Fhil's treachery.
They all heard clapping coming from the room outside the throne room entrance. That was the main hall inside the castle and walking up the stairs leading to the throne room was none other than Chaos.
A toothy grin hidden in the shadow of his mask, he slowly walked to them. “Fhil did help me and I owe all this success to him.”
Every eye was on the Fhil as his own green eyes shifted between his peers. They looked at him with disgust and mistrust, even Lauren. He didn't say a word to dispute Chaos' claim.
The chaotic god stepped through the doorway and made his way closer to the group stopping a dozen feet from them. “Actually we are even, my freedom for his.” he nodded to Fhil. “You made it home and you have done what I have asked to the letter. I knew you could do it.”
His last statement made Celestia's eye twitch. She didn't know this creature but it deepened her dislike for it. His voice also sounded similar to another creature she wasn't to fond of.
Fhillips eyes watered. “But you made me.”
The mares in the room looked disappointed in him but listened as the god and unicorn conversed.
“You had a choice although it would have hurt you more to decide against me.” Chaos turned to look at Lauren, “Anyways, Creation, or is it Lauren now? I've killed Destruction's avatar and he won't revive anytime soon.” Chaos nodded.
“You despicable..” Lauren started.
“NO! YOU DESERVE THIS! THEY ALL DESERVED TO DIE. YOUR DAUGHTERS TOO!” Chaos yelled at her. This surprised the others so much, they all took a step back.
The shaman god flew up out of the giant hole in the ceiling and shouted at them again.
“In the coming days, everything you know will be wrong!”
“You won't get away with this Chaos!” Lauren screamed at him her voice echoing off the throne room walls.
The creature dressed in robes took off his mask revealing an older man with white hair and a beard. “Call me John.” He bowed and smiled at them, then teleported away.
“What in the hoof was that?” Luna asked the others. “I've never seen a creature like that before.”
“He calls it a human. He is the only one of their kind but his power allowed for the creation of the most chaotic being.” Lauren explained. “He never had clothes on when I knew him.”
Celestia remembered what she was getting to earlier and decided to pursue it for a punishment.
“Speaking of chaotic creature, Fhillip, you assisted in the potential and confirmed deaths of so many of my little ponies. You have tried to destroy my city and caused us to go to war with two races. You were the reason of an attempted assassination on the royal family and you have freed a great evil from its prison. All because of your actions!” Celestia told Fhil.
Depressed at his crimes, Fhillip nodded in admittance. “I wanted to make things right but I failed. As I went about my task, I had hoped that I would fail trying my best so that the creature would let me off easy. My failure never came..”
“I'm going to assess the situation here. We will have a formal punishment for you later.” she continued. Celestia flew off into the city to search for survivors.
Luna looked at Lauren, “What will you do now?” she asked her mother.
“I'm staying here because there is much to discuss with you two. But right now, I will assist in helping the wounded.” Lauren said. She took flight and was off to some distant neighborhood.
Luna, Fhil and Lillian were left in the throne room. “I need to rest, Fhil. I'm sorry to hear you are involved in a lot of stuff, so please don't leave town.” She fell on her side and passed out. Fhil assumed it was from both being tired from battle and that it was day, when she usually slept.
Lillian let out a sigh. She started trotting out the door and motioned for Fhil to follow her. They went home to spend the next few days together until the fated day when he would be gone from her life forever.
The next several days were spent treating the injured, repairing the city and preparing funeral services. Neighboring ponies came to the city to help rebuild and recover. Some parts of Canterlot was in ruins but it was a simple task to fix. Celestia focused on making sure everypony knew about the impending war and how it was going to effect them. A lot of military might was lost during the attack but the Crystal Empire would donate soldiers to the cause. Both Luna and Celestia wanted to delay going to war until the city was back to normal. Lauren assured her that the dragons and Chrysalis would not return in a long time.
Twilight and her friends still had not made it to the city. Celestia sent letters trying to find out where she was through Spike the dragon only to receive replies stating that they were delayed because the train station was busy. Twilight desperately wanted to be there by Celestia's side but the war being over, she wasn't needed as badly as Ponyville needed her. Ponies were pouring in through the city trying to get to Canterlot to help with the rebuilding so the railways were busy.
Celestia assumed Twilight would not come without her friends knowing that she would need them to use their magic against the invading forces so she wouldn't fly or teleport here alone. In Twilight's first letter, she said that the trains were to stay put because of the smoke plumes coming from Canterlot and the over-all dragon presence so her friends couldn't get there in time.
Six days after the attack, Celestia summoned witnesses and a small audience gathered at the palace courtyard for the sentencing of Fhillip Buster. Celestia and Luna both stood next to each other at the podium. Lauren was not in attendance but looked out a castle window at the proceedings. Fhillip was brought before the two in cuffs by the royal guard and Shining Armor. Shining was in town for clean up and decided to help with the trial.
“Fhillip Buster”, Celestia started, “for all the devastation brought on us earlier this week, I, Princess Celestia.” she looked at her sister, “and I, Princess Luna”, “hereby find you guilty of all charges relating to it and have come to agree on a punishment.” Celestia finished.
“We sentence you to banishment and confinement in the place you are banished to. It would have been death but seeing personally that you can not die, we decided another option.” Luna announced.
She and Luna let the guards escort Fhil away. She wouldn't say where he was going to keep people from knowing but the guards knew where to take him. Lillian was in the crowd of people, sobbing uncontrollably. Her sister from Manehattan was there comforting her.
Fhillip was taken deep into the Everfree forest to the abandoned fortress where he was put into a prison cell located in a tower overlooking the gorge.
“You will stay here until the Princesses say otherwise and that may take lifetimes, not that you have better things to do.” a white Pegasus guard said on the other side of my cell bars.
The forest had monstrosities that would keep away those who would come save me. But there, in that castle they left me all alone, my shadow the only company I kept.
My curiosity started when the world seemed to have come to an end. But my amusement ended with my arrest. I was framed for something that wasn't my design but I happen to be pushing it forward. Wrongly accused when the mastermind had been controlling the very worlds events itself throughout all of history. I was brought to an old castle and was confined to its prison tower deep in the dreaded Everfree forest when Canterlot found out that I could not die. They tried execution but it did not work even though I appear to be just a normal unicorn. Trying to keep me from the rest of the world, they hoped to keep me trapped for the rest of time. Day after day it was the same solitude and I was powerless to escape from it. While I slept, the whole prison shook violently causing the door of my prison cell to fall off its hinges. Strangely it was the loud clang that woke me, so I got up and walked out onto the balcony. The stairs had long been destroyed. The sunlight shown down on me as I looked around. Underneath my prison, the world was a dark swirling abyss of mystery. A black fog that had not been there before had engulfed the rest of the castle as my tower hung over it all. I was uncertain, but then dove into it.
Falling fast through the haze, Fhil didn't see the ground coming. He hit the dirt on his side with a loud thud and bounced a foots distance. He looked at the old castle and followed the walls to its entrance. He saw a green glow coming from within and decided to investigate it. He had no idea where he was inside that forest so exploring the castle may tell him something, including the source of that light. Walking through the old abandoned halls of the once great fortress, he followed the glow. Coming to a large room in the center of the building, Fhil saw something he didn't want to see. It was Chaos, now John, standing in the center of the room in middle of a green spell circle with his eyes closed.
“Was hoping you would come see me.” John said with his eyes still closed.
Fhil wasn't used to seeing him without the mask but remembered him in the flashback. Chaos' facial features still disturbed him a great deal.
“I've been stuck here awhile. I didn't know it was you because I just recently got out.” Fhil told him.
“You're welcome.” John laughed a little, still focusing on his task.
“What are you doing here anyways?” the unicorn asked looking around the great hall.
“Summoning a being that should have existed so long ago. My poor, sweet Discordia.” he said as the circle started glowing even brighter.
“After all thats happened, after that history you had with the other gods, you still want to clone your power in other avatars? You will just lose again.” Fhil told him in frustration.
“The other two gods need Destruction to seal my source of power. Right now we are at a stale mate. They can do little to stop me from getting what I want, besides I have a lot of things I need to take care of. Those Elements for example...” he trailed off.
“I don't understand. You are a god, don't you already have enough as it is?” Fhillip questioned.
The god nodded, “True. In the beginning, I gave idea's to Lauren about what I would have liked to see in the world. Harmony did the same thing.”
“Like what?”
“Well, I wanted things that could not normally exist and things that were two creatures instead of one. For example, the creatures of the Everfree. Look at the Hydra and its many heads but one body. Have you seen how it runs? It looks funny.” He laughed at his mental image of the clumsy creature.
“The chimera, half chicken, half snake, turning things into stone. Imagine such small size to be so mind blowingly deadly. The manticore is also a good example. Mind its tail.” John smiled at this.
“Outside of the forest I made a very successful species. The griffins, half bird half lion and they eat meat you know! I'm sure ponies are on the menu even with this peace treaty you've managed to make.”
“That's amazing.” Fhil looked astonished. “These were all your ideas?”
“Yeah. Lauren was also impressed and really loved my creative mind.” John said in deep thought but not losing focus on the circle.
“It sounds to me like you should be satisfied with things. You don't need to do this.” Fhil argued.
“No. I do. I always wanted a daughter. I mean, one that I liked. One that I didn't have to babysit, that could already be intelligent and know and talk and walk.” he prattled on.
“So what about Discord?”
“He is my 'son'. I had a informative talk with him earlier this week. Turns out he's a 'good guy' now.” John said plainly, his face unmoving.
“You sound disappointed.” Fhil stated.
“I am. He doesn't listen to me anymore. He forgot why he exist. Well, Discordia will fix all that.”
“So you're disowning him?” Fhillip asked while walking around the hall while having a casual conversation with the god of chaos.
“For now.”
“Your daughter won't live long. The Elements will stop her.” Fhil said trying to change the gods mind.
“I already have an idea of how I will take care of them. You know how good my idea's are.”
“I will warn them!” Fhil threatened.
“I'm tired of talking to you.” the skull John always wore appeared in his hands and he let it levitate within the circle as he backed out of it. A skeletal body materialized under the mask and soon, meat and flesh started appearing on the bones. Soon a full new draconequus body stood in the circle. She had long black hair and the same large tooth Discord had. She was pretty cute Fhil thought.
“Now I'm sending you back to Canterlot, without the invincibility.” He held out his gauntleted hand and a yellow mist rushed from it and into Fhil's body, he could feel again. “
“You. Lauren. Nopony. None will stop me.” He waved a dismissal motion with his gauntlet hand and in the blink of an eye, Fhillip had teleported away.
Meanwhile back in Canterlot, Celestia was speaking with Twilight Sparkle and her friends in the throne room. Celestia was sitting on her throne as the new princess and her friends were before her. “We are sorry we couldn't make it in time!” Twilight Sparkle told her mentor.
“You don't have to keep apologizing Twilight. I understand you can't teleport everypony here instantly yet without feeling drained. That is a hard thing to do.” Celestia assured her pupil.
Rarity spoke up. “But Princess.. we were absent in your greatest time of need! What does it say about us if we let this happen?”
“Yeah, we could have really kicked those dragons to the curve!” Applejack said bucking one of her hind legs.
“Oh Aj, you couldn't do anything to a dragon! You don't have wings or use magic! Me and you would party instead!” Pinkie shouted giggling.
“So! I can still help ponies get out of the city or somethin'!” Applejack insisted.
Celestia nodded. “Well, what's done is done.”
Twilight wasn't happy about it. After her coronation, Celestia and Luna wanted Twilight to attend this years Summer Sun Celebration to show the nation her equality and another reason to be happy on that day. To prepare for it, Twilight had gone to Ponyville to gather her things for another extended stay in the capitol.
Suddenly, a familiar unicorn teleported into the room.
Fhillip found that he was in bad company when he found himself in front of Celestia in the throne room of Canterlot. Her bored expression quickly changed to one of concern.
“Hi.” Fhillip squeaked.
“What are you doing?” Celestia asked him with a furious look on her face.
“Uh. Chaos teleported me here?” he explained.
She shook her head in annoyance. The guard in the room were standing still waiting for orders.
“I guess you should go back?”
“Who's this?” Twilight Sparkle asked.
“This is Fhillip. He was the one who put all this in motion, he's only half to blame though.” Celestia told her.
Refusing to take more blame, Fhillip spoke up louder. “And you're going to have more problems if you don't stop Chaos!”
“What is he up to now?” Celestia's brow arched.
Fhillip had a look of regret about him. “He has recreated his female Discord.”
“Then it's as I expected.” Lauren walked through the throne room doors. “He's trying to throw the world out of balance. He doesn't understand that if the world ceases because of the chaos, he will be destroyed too.. I honestly think he doesn't care though.” she shook her head approaching Celestia.
“A female Discord?” Twilight asked. “And WHO is this Celestia? I didn't know there was a fifth alicorn!”
“Everypony”, she addressed them, “this is my mother, Lauren.”
The elements had amazed looks but Fhillip remembered her from the vision Chaos showed him in his genesis story. She was the god of creation but in the vision, she had no cutie mark. Yet, here she stood with one. “It's official, I've met two gods and all the dragon lords and lived.” he said to himself out loud.
Lauren laughed. “No, you've met all the gods and all the lords.”
Fhillip looked bewildered. “What?”
“Craig was the god of destruction and Harmony stands before you as well. It lives within the Ponyville friends, within the artifacts.” Lauren smiled.
The friends were hearing one bomb of information after another.
“Craig? Who's that?” Fhil asked.
Lauren put her hoof to her chin, “Oh, he may have went by Elder to everything else. Craig is his real name.”
Fhil felt himself get light headed.
“Impressive Fhil, I've only met two dragon lords.” Celestia said. “The purple and blue one.”
“Ah, that's Skadholm and Ryalon” Fhillip answered. “Skad's a real nice dragon. Not including the attack on this town but he let me get to my wife first. I don't know Ryalon much, just that she really loves Skad.”
Everypony was listening to the conversation with great interest. It scared Fluttershy because she didn't like dragons to much.
Rainbow Dash was flying a little above ground with an eager expression. “I wonder if we can race them someday!” she said.
Applejack laughed at Rainbow. “Hah, you just want somethin' else to race besides griffons.”
Rainbow nodded and Twilight's curiosity peaked, she wanted to know more.
“Who are the gods you talk about? I know you told us about the dragons that attacked the city but Fhillip seems like he knows them personally. I'm sorry if all this is a lot but I want to know.” Twilight asked with sincerity.
Lauren looked at Twilight, then she looked at Celestia. It was time to tell everypony the truth. “Well..” she started.
“Wait.” Fhil interrupted. “I want to tell my story first.” Lauren nodded at this and held out a hoof allowing him to proceed.
Fhillip told them about losing his job, then about Notch and the trip to South Rhymica. He continued on about the god Chaos and his plans. About getting Chrysalis and the dragon lords to agree to everything. How the war started and everything after that up until the present.
“It's awful. But you obviously want to make things right.” Celestia said and Fhillip nodded.
“I have something to tell you Celestia but not you alone. If you would, please go wake your sister.” Lauren said with a serious look.
With a serious demeanor, Celestia teleported away from the throne. The six friends talked amongst themselves as Lauren told the guards to leave the room. Unsure of the order, the guards obliged because Twilight nodded to them.
Celestia teleported back in with Luna by her side. The night pony was rubbing the sleep out of her eyes and despising the light.
“We should have brought her in before we had story time.” Pinkie said shaking her head.
Everypony knew she was right and put hooves to their foreheads.
“Yeah, you can fill me in later.” Luna said.
Lauren took a step towards Luna. “To be short and to the point, John has made another Discord. He intends to kill you and your sister and throw the world out of balance.”
Luna's eyes widened. “After all the trouble to deal with one Discord? Why me and Celestia?”
“Jealousy.” Lauren said simply.
Celestia and Luna looked at each other then back to their mother.
“We must stop this before it truly begins. We have John, the dragons and now Discordia to worry about.”
“What do we do?” Twilight asked.
Lauren understood this. “I'm sorry that my daughter has asked you to do so much already. It's to be expected of you though, wielder of Harmony. History is repeating itself and from the bottom of my heart, I beg you to keep fighting. Stop the cycle!”
Twilight and her friends were shocked by this. A god begging them for help. Celestia could only look sad at this scene and Luna also was sympathetic for her mom.
“We love Equestria and we will do what is needed of us!” Twilight said and her friends nodded at the sad alicorn god.
“I'm glad to hear that.” Lauren smiled, “You must go to Chaos and fight him.”
Fhillip spoke up, “Won't they be evenly matched?”
Lauren nodded, “Yes but that is the point. I want to keep him busy so he can't do anything to hinder my other plans.”
“What plans?” Celestia asked. Luna was still trying to wake up but was listening.
“You, Luna and I are going on a little trip.” she started. “I need your help reviving Craig.” “Why do you need us?” Luna asked yawning.
Lauren took a deep breath. “Because he is your father.”
Canterlot restoration was going nicely and the ponies of the city were in high spirits when more ponies came from different towns to help with the rebuilding. Celestia and Luna were alive and still able to lead the country and Twilight and friends finally managed to make it to the castle in time to hear the most bizarre news.
“WHAT?” both sisters screamed. Fhil looked on in amusement. The elements were looking on as the dramatic scene unfolded. Rarity was loving this, revealed by the huge open mouthed smile on her face.
“Well.. A very long time ago, we fell in love and eventually had Celestia with our avatars.”
“So I'm part dragon?” Celestia asked. “I mean, we?”
“Yes. I know we have opposite personalities but eventually, you start talking about the things you have in common. You don't let differences get in the way of how you feel.” Lauren said smiling.
Twilight was blushing thinking of a dragon and Lauren mating. “How was this physically possible?” she asked Lauren.
“He's just a little bit bigger than she is.” Fhil said.
“Oh...” Twilight hid her face behind a forehoof. They all laughed at her as Lauren rolled her eyes.
“I know some-ponies thinking way into this!” Rarity said. Fluttershy started blushing too because she just realized what was going on thanks to Rarity.
“They don't look like dragons because my body does not work the way yours would.” Lauren said. “The girls take after me all the way. Celestia was to be our only child but because of her cutie mark, Harmony told us to have another. You were both children of prophecy, to lead the world into co existence.”
“That's strange but I'm starting to make sense of my past more.” Celestia said while rubbing her chin with her hoof.
“I left you both with Platinum to take care of, after they migrated into Equestria." Lauren continued. “Your father convinced me to abandon pony kind when the three races couldn't get along. I was disappointed every-pony and did so.”
Twilight and the others looked sad. Fhil listened, not phased by what he was learning.
“Reviving him will be faster if his kin help, so I need you girls to come with me across the barrens of Chanolis to his place of power. John will stop us if you elements do not intercept him.” Lauren looked at Twilight and friends.
They nodded knowing what they had to do. Luna and Celestia looked at their mom, still trying to take in the story. So much was starting to come together. “History has repeated itself sister.” Luna said. “I know Luna, and I told you that I'm trying to fix it.” Celestia answered. Luna frowned.
“We must be off then.” Lauren told everypony.
“Wait!” Fhillip said. “I want to go with Twilight and her friends. I may still can talk him out of this madness.”
Lauren looked at the unicorn and studied him. “You're no longer invincible though. You will risk everything going.”
The feeling in Fhils body had returned not to long ago and he knew that Lauren was right. “I have already risked everything, everything that doesn't belong to me. I need to do this...” He wanted redemption and the friendship with the sisters he once had.
With time and preparation, the two groups separated and Twilight and her friends began to travel to the Everfree Forest, a place down from the mountain and the three alicorns took off flying towards the barrens. Shining Armor was left to run the guard until they got back, a position he was well familiar with. He had been there for a week now but did what he had to in order to feel right when he would be able to go home to his wife, Cadance.
Wearing the Elements of Harmony, Twilight arrived at the edge of the forest with her friends. They looked into its darkness which caused Fluttershy to make a high pitched squeal. “There is always something wrong with her.” Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. “It will be okay Shy, I'll protect you.”
“I don't mean to be a burden but I think I'll be okay.” she replied. Rainbow smiled at her.
They trotted into the awaiting mass of trees and vines. The day disappeared behind the canopy of tree's as they took a very familiar path to the old castle that lie in wait. Working together they climbed down steep hills, crossed valleys and made it through scary tree's. Traversing the rope bridge, they saw the castle in the distance.
Walking inside, they were led by Fhillip who knew where to find the evil god. Chaos and Discordia were inside the element chamber talking, where Fhil had been teleported from.
“It appears we have guest.” Discordia looked at the doorway as the ponies entered.
John nodded. “Come to stop me? I knew you would try.”
Fhil was the first to speak. “You need to chill out. This war that you have caused is chaos enough without you being selfish.”
“I'll do as I please.” John said simply.
Twilight found her turn to talk. “We will stop you here!”
“No, I'll end you all and go after the sisters of prophecy!” John yelled at the purple alicorn.
With that said, the bearers of Harmony activated the elements and a huge rainbow shot out at John. In return John shot a green spiraling beam back at the rainbow which caused their power to deadlock. Laughing, John signaled to Discordia and she teleported away in a flash of light followed by another flash. Left alone in the castle, the deadlocked entities were at a stalemate.
“I think we should stop this nonsense and talk.” John said.
“We tried talking, there is nothing more to say to you!” Twilight yelled back.
“But there is so much to tell you! So much that you don't know and you will love to learn this important bit of history!” his eyes brightened.
“Don't listen to him Twi!” Applejack yelled. Fhil looked on as usual, feeling powerless to do anything, hoping that his cutie mark would see him through this exchange.
Twilight nodded at the earth pony and turned her attention back at the strange creature. “I'm not talking to you, monster!”
“How rude!” John then made his beam push and deflect the rainbow causing it to turn in another direction. He quickly teleported to Twilight and grabbed her throat with his eagle claw gauntlet. “You will listen.” he demanded.
The power of the elements started burning his hand. He dropped Twilight and yelled out in a quick note of pain. “Still rude!” he mocked.
The deadlock ended and both parties stared each other down. “Say Twilight, is there anyone in the world you love?” he asked.
“I love my friends.” she focused on him.
“I mean, are you in love with somepony?” he quipped.
Her thoughts went to Celestia. “Even if I did, I would never tell you.” she told him angrily.
John put his hands behind his back. He turned away from them and walked to a nearby window that overlooked the forest. His voice echoed in the chamber so that everypony could hear it.
Lauren, Celestia and Luna flew towards the mountains that lined the distant borders of Chanolis. Lauren slowed her flight as she descended downwards to land. Celestia and Luna, puzzled by the sudden change, followed her lead to the ground.
“Why stop mother?” Luna asked. “This is changeling territory.”
“I know. I wanted to visit her before we go further.” she replied.
Celestia looked around at the barren land. She saw in the distance that Chrysalis was approaching them. Lauren started walking toward the queen to meet her halfway.
“Why do you need to talk to her?” Celestia asked.
Lauren ignored her until they got close enough to talk to the changeling. Celestia wore a frown as she was close enough to see the details on Chrysalis' unwelcoming face. “Hello? What does she have to do with anything?” Celestia repeated to her mother, not caring that Chrysalis was standing mere feet from her.
“I haven't seen her in more than a thousand years.” Lauren told them.
“Yes, since I was left alone all that time ago.” Chrysalis said bitterly.
“What is she talking about, mother?” Celestia semi-demanded at Lauren. A look of worry filled her face, she didn't want more bad news.
“Chrysalis is the product of a very unlikely union.” Lauren shook her head. “I'll explain everything.”
-------------------------------------------
When the world was still young, Creation was filling the world with things made from her will. Harmony and Chaos contributed idea's and Creation listened and put them into existence. Destruction had no part of it but Creation made a kin for his own to have. However, at this time, Creation was very fascinated with the oddities that Chaos had come up with it. A type of creativity that was new and it interested her. She asked him if he could come up with more and he happily obliged.
As time went by, the world had many creatures that had a chaotic element or design to them. Harmony rejected most idea's but allowed for several to pass into the world, as long as it could create a counter balance. But no god could prepare for what came next...
John and Lauren came to spend more and more time together and as a result, they soon developed something of a relationship. It was all based on the common creative mind they shared. The artistic form of monsters that defied logic to beautiful disasters that littered the world, they eventually made their creativity physically. Out of it, a creature was born who had a insatiable hunger for love. Holes in her body, insect and pony looking alike, a creature that John didn't want anything to do with.
John hated the fact that he had to babysit and didn't want that commitment, he left Lauren to take care of her. While raising her new child, Lauren took note of Chrysalis's spontaneous outburst of anger. She was raising her kid on the outskirts of future Equestria in a barren, lifeless place where no danger could come to her child. When Chrysalis was old enough to take care of herself, Fifteen she decided, Lauren told her to follow her instincts and she would 'be able to raise a family of her own someday'. Leaving an upset Chrysalis, those were her last words. Lauren had left her only child.
Chrysalis then wandered the waste until she eventually came upon a pony settlement to the north. She was an attractive filly but odd looking and did get stares. Chrysalis managed to meet a young stallion who was a farm hand at the biggest farm in town. He saw her trying to eat some fruit from a stand that sold his farms product and while she was being yelled at by the merchant, came to her rescue and paid for it.
He asked her if she was hungry, he would feed her. She told him that she never saw food before and he looked surprised and asked her how she lived without eating food for ponies. She told him that she was a creature that craved love instead and saying this caused him to feel frisky, so he invited her to his home. She seemed skeptical at first but went along with him with promises of getting to know each other and seeing what could be done to 'feed' her.
She was too sheltered to know better and kept secret from the everything, Chrysalis never knew what was to come. Once they got to his home, inside, his unwanted physical contact with her amplified her power so that she could fight him off. In her anger she had killed him. She had been violated and felt no remorse for what she did.
Chrysalis ran while the other ponies came to investigate. She ran all the way back home to the barrens. Chrysalis didn't know but she was pregnant. She gave birth much later to several eggs that would grow up to be her first changeling minions. She would have her family even though her first time was a painful one both physically and emotionally.
Lauren turned from her daughters to the weeping Chrysalis. “I'm sorry I did you that way. I just believed in time, there would be some way you could co exist. There is a slim chance today but your race is so needy, it would still endanger the lives of my ponies.”
Chrysalis didn't say anything, she just kept crying.
Luna looked in shock at her own mother. “So Chrysalis is...”
Lauren confirmed her fears. “Take a look at the alicorn queen, your eldest sister.”
Celestia shook her head. “I can't believe this! So much war and turmoil from a sibling and for what?”
Chrysalis stopped crying and started yelling at Celestia. “YOU WERE GIVEN EVERYTHING! I WAS LEFT WITH NOTHING! IT ALL BELONGS TO ME AND I HATE YOU FOR IT!”
Luna stepped up at this. “You had so much more time than us to make something of yourself! It's true we had been handed to royalty but we struggled after that to build a nation! I had been banished for a thousand years! That was a long time! Now here I am doing something about it, making amends! Getting everypony to love me although I am... undesirable!” Luna had tears welling up in her eyes.
“Oh Luna...” Celestia whispered.
“We are different!” Chrysalis yelled at Luna.
“Enough!” Lauren cut in. “I'm here for a reason. We tie the knot and decide the future between your two countries here and now. We are at war with the dragons and it's up to you Chrysalis to help us fight and rebuild. That is a great place to start.”
“That's a lot to ask for.” Chrysalis mumbled.
“Is it?” Lauren asked.
“I need to think about it.” Chrysalis answered sourly.
“Were going to continue our journey. Come find us at those mountains if you change your mind.” Lauren pointed to the distant mountain range. Seeing Chrysalis nod, she lifted off into the air and started off in that direction. Luna and Celestia followed suit.
“Are you sure about her?” Celestia ask Lauren.
“It will be okay. There has to be a way to solve this problem. Their hunger for love has to have a weakness.”
Luna shook her head. “Well we need to figure it out or this supposed peace won't last long.”
“I know.” Lauren replied.
They continued flying when they reached the mountain range. Soaring downward toward the base, Lauren guided the siblings to the entrance of a temple. It was at the top of a trail that led up the mountain, similar to Chaos's temple. The mountains were padded with frost and it was unnaturally cold around the temples door.
“This is it.” Lauren nodded.
As they stood there looking at it, ready to proceed, six huge dragons appeared in the sky.
“This is it for you.” a deep voice said as every dragon leader flew down at them, putting themselves between the alicorns and the temple door. It was Av, the white dragon.
The Earth trembled as the six dragon leaders landed on the ground in front of the alicorns. Lauren and her daughters had been caught off guard by the dragons who had come to stand in their way. So close to the temple entrance, she wondered why they put themselves between her and her goal.
“What is this Av? Why do you stop me?” Lauren looked nervously at Av. Celestia gritted her teeth and Luna stared daggers at Huxio who was licking his lips in anticipation.
“You know, it all started when I personally fought Elder that I knew by his sheer strength and power that he was no ordinary dragon. I kept an eye on him after that but you, you coming to apologize during his burial proved everything.” Av's memory refreshed itself.
It was after the attack on Canterlot a week ago, the dragons had returned to South Rhymica directly from Canterlot to find that their elder had been slain. No living thing was there as proof of the murder, just a gaping hole. Atlas pulled the black dragons body from the chasm and laid it down among the horde.
“This is impossible.” Av said to the others. “He can't be killed!”
Atlas looked skeptical. “I don't know Av, he wasn't much to look at.”
“Because he has a bigger more powerful form. This has to be some sort of blind sided attempt to take us out.” Av continued.
“ We are not going to fall for this again.” Skadholm said. "There were many zebra corpses at the bottom of the pit."
“The ponies? Were we betrayed? How did they know?” Huxio asked every-dragon.
“Alexandra, gather all the dragons and take them to Skadholm. We will regroup there and plan.” Av said.
“What are you going to do?” Alexandra asked.
A bright flash of light illuminated the area and every dragon looked at its source to see a unfamiliar white alicorn standing beside the corpse.
“You're not going to do anything.” Lauren said. “It wasn't the ponies. It was a chaotic god who's powers matched that of this dragons. It's so strange.. this is the first time I've ever seen his eyes closed like this.” she said sadly nuzzling the dead dragons face with her own.
“Another pony? Why should we trust you?” Ryalon said, her blue skin melting into her background like camouflage.
“Because I am like Elder. I am also like the chaotic god so do not cause war for the ponies!” she said angrily. “I will revive Elder and he will be among you again soon.” With that, she teleported away.
Back in the present, Av stood between the alicorns and their goal. He was very angry at them along with the other dragons that made up the leadership.
“I've decided that we are and have always been pawns of you gods. I followed you to make sure that ends, once and for all.” Av nodded.
Lauren was pretty sure she had teleported from that burial scene so she didn't believe Av that he followed her. “Well if you insist on a fight, you're going to get more than you can handle.” Lauren told them.
“I'll take my chances.” Av laughed.
He then lunged at Creation attempting to grab her in his claws. Luna was quick to the draw and kicked his hand as hard as she could. He yelled in pain and withdrew it back into his chest. Atlas and Ryalon came after Celestia. Huxio chased down Luna after she flew from Av's impending rage, Alexandra followed closely.
Lauren was stuck battling Av and Skadholm. Using her magic, the ground below began to shake and giant vines came shooting out at Av intent to ensnare him as he was flying. Skadholm pushed him out of the way getting caught himself. The vines squeezed the purple dragon so hard that he began turning a darker shade of purple. Av set the vines on fire with his breath to weaken their grip on Skadholm. Lauren shot Av with beams from her horn and it left black marks on his perfect white scales. He screamed in pain at its burns. The flaming vines still trapped Skad but they no longer held him in midair. He dropped to the ground trying to free himself in the burning cage.
Huxio chased Luna but he dared not fly after her. He wasn't a fast flier and she would get the advantage by using ranged magic on him. Luna did just that. She began shooting a barrage of magically charged beams at Huxio's torso. It didn't do much but it did annoy him. Suddenly Alexandra appeared behind Luna and whipped her with her tail. Luna hit the ground face first. She rolled a bit but quickly recovered getting to her feet before Huxio could grab her. She went straight for Alex in a blind rage but the green dragon blew fire out at her. The night alicorn dodged and flew into Alex's head bucking hard at the dragons temple. Alexandra fainted and took a dive towards the ground but before she hit, Huxio caught her.
Celestia was in trouble. Atlas was relentless as he flew toward her at speeds she rarely see's a creature can go. His snake like body made him hard to dodge especially when he was whipping it around. Fortunately her flying was above par too so she managed to dodge his fire breath attacks. What got her was Ryalon, this dragon would appear out of nowhere with the rare ability to camouflage. When Celestia was to busy focusing on hitting Atlas and dodging his claws, she would appear out of nowhere and hit Celestia with an attack. The sun princess got the better of the situation when Atlas accidentally shot the hiding Ryalon with a barrage of fire breath. The fighting was intense, the alicorn team had to come up with tactics to take out their foes.
If things weren't bad enough, a green flash caught the corner of their eyes and there, the female version of Discord appeared.
"I told you that they would be here, Av." Discordia winked at the white dragon. She looked around and saw Lauren, and with malice in her eyes, the draconequus pointed a finger and started shooting green fireballs at her. The projectile magic made it's way toward Lauren but without warning, vanished.
“Celestia, I love you dear but I have found someone else.” a familiar voice said as a male draconequus appeared beside Celestia. “Shes quite the looker too!”
“Get over yourself Discord.” Celestia said angrily. “How long have you been here?”
“Long enough to see if you would get your flank kicked.” he chuckled.
“You!” Discordia said narrowing her eyes at the new arrival.
“This is exciting for me too.” Discord told her.
Suddenly they were at it, casting magic at each other, teleporting all over the place, using diverse magic to get the upper hand. Discord would wrap himself around her winking, she would chop him in half only for him to appear as a smaller draconequus dancing on her head. The dragons and the alicorns went back to fighting each other.
“You need to get your priorities straight!” she yelled at him.
“I don't know about you but I do more when I'm not trapped in stone, so no thanks.” Discord gagged.
They continued to fight with no winner in sight because like the gods problem, they were equal in strength.
Twilight and her friends listened to Johns tale of failed fatherhood. Jaws were on the floor because they all knew what this meant. Celestia, Luna and Chrysalis were all siblings. Fluttershy and Twilight blushed trying to not think of this creature mating with a pony. Rainbow Dash and Applejack rolled their eyes and Rarity giggled. Pinkie Pie was being... quiet.
“It seems that a fight for the future of Equestria is being fought in the north.” John said.
“What fight?” Twilight demanded to know, still angry at this monster.
“Between your princesses and the dragons.”
“Take us to them!” Fhillip begged to the creature.
“Why? Aren't we having a good time here?” he mocked. "I'm shocked that you haven't said anything to me until now." He put his hand to his chest and frowned. "I thought were friends..."
“You may have done some good for me but not enough to put up with your bullcrap! We need to save them. I know you don't care for Luna and Celestia but I owe the dragons a buck for destroying Canterlot!”
John scratched his chin behind his gray beard. “Well, I suppose we can go watch. After all, I wont let you do a thing to help.” He snapped his finger and the room was empty.
The battle was interrupted by another flash of a teleportation spell. John had shown up with everypony and their eyes were on the battlefield. The fight continued and Twilight rushed to be by Celestia's side but John teleported her back beside him. “Not a thing.” he whispered. Twilight frowned and tears started building up.
“Don't listen to him Twi” Applejack said.
“Yea lets kick this guys ass!” Rainbow Dash said.
Pinkie smiled and Rarity nodded. Fluttershy however, was frozen on the spot. She couldn't take seeing these huge dragons in all their ferociousness fighting before her.
“Come on Fluttershy, we have to help the princesses!” Dash told the petrified yellow pegasus.
She looked at Rainbow Dash and slowly nodded. Once again, the elements on their jewelery began to glow and another rainbow shot out at John. Like last time, the chaotic god countered with a green spiraling beam that put them back into a stale mate.
“Isn't this a waste of time?” he yelled at the ponies.
“No!” screamed Twilight, “We must help them and you stand in our way! I'm not just going to watch!”
Celestia heard her pupil screaming and looked to her direction. Atlas took this opportunity to knock her out of the sky with his tail. She went flying at a accelerated speed hitting the ground which sent dirt and rock flinging about.
Luna looked on in horror as Celestia didn't show any movement after her landing. The moon princess flew as fast as she could away from her two enemies to her sisters position. Huxio wasn't letting her get away, his large form stomping after her. Luna landed next to her sister and shook her trying to get a sign of life. A large shadow formed on the ground around her and Luna saw that Huxio had jumped, intending to land on her. She looked up with fear in her eyes, pupils shrinking, believing she was about to die. Huxio grinned with satisfaction but then that expression turned to one of pain as his entire body was lit up in a green light.
It happened so fast, literally hundreds of green magical beams filled the sky as they were targeting every dragon specifically. Huxio flew far and fast landing similar to how Celestia landed but this creature shook the Earth. Lauren was surprised that her dragons were lit up in the same manner and her enemies flew from the sky and hit the ground too. The mother alicorn looked to see the origin and saw that Chrysalis had come to help with her entire changeling army. They were flying in like a strike force from the shadows, intent on destroying their target.
“Chrysalis!” Lauren yelled, looking very happy to see her daughter.
“I can't let the family down now, can I?” the queen said smirking.
The dragons regained composure and split up. Av continued to fight Lauren while Skadholm took off to kill the changeling queen. Alexandra wanted to help because Huxio still wanted Luna. Celestia was down and out so both her foes, Atlas and Ryalon went in to kill the new arrivals.
Atlas snapped at many changelings like a whip hitting many with his giant body, whatever didn't get hit by his fire. Alexandra did something nopony had seen before. She focused her eyes on the enemy in front of her and the lines in the dragons eyes began to glow. Her foes were transfixed on her and they could not move freely but only listen to her as she guided them all into her mouth.
Ryalon was nowhere to be seen in that air battle. She was disappearing in and out trying to strike down the commanding units. The dragons were trying their best to stay out of the barrage of magic missile fire. Skadholm was surprised to see Chrysalis holding her own. He blew fire at her and physically tried to hit. The queen was very agile and smart so she could devise a strategy against them soon. This is what Skad was assuming so he wanted to end it quickly.
Meanwhile the Discords fought, still in equal footing. That is until Discordia managed to get to Discord mentally.
“You know, freedom from morality will get you places that you really want to be.” she said as they stood opposite of each other, both breathing heavy from constant magic usage.
“Like I told you before girl, I want to keep my friends.” he said angrily.
“They don't need you. You don't need them. Besides, I'm here for you now! Chaos is free again! We can turn this world inside out the way you always dreamed! The way I never had the chance to dream...” she said somberly.
He looked at her frowning. They both looked at John in stalemate with the Elements of Harmony. “Only you can decide who will win this war.” she finished staring at him with bedroom eyes.
“I'm sorry, but I can not do this to them. I used to rule this land for a short time. In that short time I made ponies lives completely miserable. I used all my magic to do that and I never had mercy for any-pony. Even then they forgave me and gave me a chance to show that chaos can be a good thing.” he explained to her.
Discordia was furious and all of her might when into the green spiraling beam that shot Discord in the chest. He fell down flat on his back. He looked at her in disbelief while she walked over to him.
“Our powers are not limitless in it's endurance but the strength of it knows no bounds if we retain our core personalities.” She shook her head at him and laughed. “You are strongest when you are having fun dear Discord. But the moment you stop that attitude and you come over to my territory, when you get serious...” she stuck her tongue out at him, “that is when I can getcha.”
He looked at her, furrowed his brow. “You bitch.” Discord couldn't move, he was too exhausted.
“I'm going to go help dad now.” she said and vanished.
Skadholm was clueless because sometime during his fight with Chrysalis, she had transformed into one of her changelings. He didn't know which one was her so he along with the other dragons participating, began fighting them. In truth, Chrysalis used this time to sneak off towards Lauren to help deal with Av.
Without Skadholms help, Lauren was a great deal more of a threat to him. Size didn't matter if you couldn't swat a fly and this alicorn had more magic and strength than Luna and Celestia combined. He found himself being blasted by two different magical beams. He looked and saw Chrysalis coming at him. “Damn Skad, couldn't handle this!” he grunted.
In that instant Av was distracted, he was engulfed in more vines, similar to how Skad was earlier. He struggled but couldn't escape, he knew he had lost. But death didn't come to him, instead he had to listen to Lauren and Chrysalis talk.
“I've got this now, thanks hun.” Lauren told the queen.
“You're welcome.” Chrysalis rolled her eyes.
Lauren smiled and looked over at the John and Harmony battle.
“I know this is a bad time but you should go say hi to your father.”
“Father..?” Chrysalis asked her.
“Yeah..” Lauren said sullenly.
Lauren told her the quick version of the story. How John didn't want responsibility and that its his blood is reason for her unending hunger for love, for wanting. It explained the way she looked and how oddly her form worked. It also made sense of her changing ability. She was lost for words but a deep seated anger, one that she held for pony kind for a thousand years, boiled over. She shot across the sky towards him.
John was still caught in the never ending stalemate when he saw her coming at him like a bullet. She hit him in the face with a fore hoof. He stumbled backwards still managing the deadlocked magic. “Oh it's you.” he said simply.
“That's all you have to say to me!?” she screamed at him.
“Yes.” he said simply, wiping the blood from the cut on his lip caused by her hoof.
“Why don't you give a damn about me?” she frowned.
“I have new children and you simply cannot compete.” he winked at her.
The rage built inside of her festered and came out in a glowing green aura that surrounded the black alicorn queen. John looked on in curiosity then realized the imbalance that having two foes would cause him. Especially Chrysalis being kin to himself. After all, John had worked so hard to not be in the same place as Chrysalis herself. He had her abandon her home when she went to take Canterlot so that he could steal the Chanolis plant for the poison. He showed up at Canterlot after she had left and one mistake in his plan is that he never expected her to be here, among all situations and places.
“I wouldn't do that. That is not a great idea.” he said nervously.
“Shut up.” was all he heard. A large green magical burst of energy penetrated his chest and the rainbow of Harmony overcame him.
He lay on the ground, hole in his chest, the bottom half of his form started vanishing. The light caused by the attack of Harmony caused every creature to stop fighting. Lauren flew over to him and walked to his fast decaying body. “It's over John.” she said quietly.
“No my dear. Were all going to have to get together... and do this again sometime.” he chuckled.
His avatar disintegrated into the air while the ponies looked on. Fhil, who stood behind the Ponyville friends during the battle, didn't feel anything for his 'masters' death. Lauren too didn't feel much for him although she knew him since the beginning.
Discordia appeared and looked on in disbelief. Av yelled at Lauren from where he was being released by the other dragons. “I'm tired of you gods and your fates. I'm sick of hearing how you controlled everything even from the start. I will personally see the world burned to the ground.”
With that, he and the other dragons flew away in retreat, Discordia vanished as well.
The battle was over and many changeling gave their lives to help the cause. The field was littered with the dead and Chrysalis was sure to remind the others of her sacrifices. Every-pony walked over to Luna and Celestia who were lying on the ground next to each other. Twilight had a look of worry, getting next to Celestia's body to see if she was okay. Celestia had been asleep the entire time.
“I think you have spoiled her Twilight.” Luna said with annoyance on her face.
“What?” Twilight looked confused.
“You always take care of things for her.” Luna replied.
“And I always will...” Twilight said smiling while petting Celestia's mane with a hoof.
Luna rolled her eyes then violently shook her sister, waking her in a abrupt shock. Celestia's eyes came wide open as her pupils looked around to see everypony surrounding her.
“I guess its back to work?” Celestia half grinned. Lauren just shook her head and began walking away. Celestia saw Twilight and the lavender alicorn stopped stroking her in embarrassment.
“Are you okay Twilight?” Celestia asked.
“Yes, princess.” she blushed.
Celestia got on her hooves and walked with her mother. They both found Discord in the field lying on his back and he was blowing on a dandelion nonchalantly.
“Well?” Celestia asked.
“Well what?” he sighed.
“Are you going to help us in this war?” she asked.
“I don't know. I try to stay away from actual violence.” he frowned but didn't get up.
Lauren and Celestia were met halfway by the others. “What now?” asked Rainbow Dash.
“Well, Luna, Celestia and I are going to climb the hill over there and wake up their dad.” Lauren said.
In the distance Chrysalis was talking to what was left of her changeling army as they were taking care of the sick and dead.
“Only his kin can help reanimate him at a faster pace. Once he is revived, we will begin to seal Chaos again. He will have no chance at returning because his avatar is no more. I want everyone to be there when Craig comes back.”
They all nodded and traveled with Lauren up the hill to the temple. Inside it was dark and Fhil noticed it was much similar to Chaos's. Leading straight into the main room with a door that had a strange symbol on the wall of a circle with two arrows combining into each other. It reminded Fhil of two heads eating each other in a never ending cycle.
The door opened and a red light filled the dark room. “Go into the light, Luna and Celestia.” Lauren told them.
Luna wanted to meet her dad, Celestia was uncertain about it. They walked into the light and it engulfed them. The blinding light made everypony shut their eyes and when it receded, Luna and Celestia were standing next to the newly reincarnated black dragon.
“Hello girls, it's finally nice to meet you.” Craig smiled.
“But unfortunately, we cannot catch up with you two.” Lauren cut in.
“That's true. We have to seal away Chaos for good and then after that, we will not get into the affairs of mortal beings anymore.” Craig said sadly.
“But..” Luna started.
“Discord and Discordia still have the power to change that. He knew this was coming and if you don't stop her, she will release Chaos again.” Craig said.
“How?” Celestia asked.
“Possession.” Lauren said grimly.
“They have the exact magical signatures of his avatar although they are less powerful, he will have to make due with that.” Craig said.
“We will stop Discordia.” Celestia said angrily.
Luna looked at her sister. “And we need to stop these dragons too.”
Lauren shook her head at Celestia. “You will not. You will go with your two sisters to Canterlot and finish rebuilding. I want to give the task of the dragons to the Elements of Harmony.”
“They can't take on those dragons by themselves!” Celestia said frantically.
“True but you do have him.” Craig pointed at Fhil.
“Me?” Fhil said backing away slowly. “Look I tried but I cannot do a damn thing physically or magically to anything. I want to help but that is just suicide.”
“You've heard some of the dragons stories. You will know how to avoid this war.” Lauren smiled.
“I doubt it..” he grumbled.
Craig stepped forward and held out his hand. “We will show you all of the history of the one they call Av.”
Lauren's horn lit up with a golden magic and using it, the entire group was watching a flashback of event's a millennium ago.
Once, there was Craig and he walked alone in the world while Harmony scattered all of Creations beings. His kin, the dragons, went with him and from egg to adult Craig raised them and was known to them as the Elder Dragon.
Craig taught his kin everything he wanted them to know, mainly his plans to cover the world in fire. Many generations passed and his dragon force grew in size till Craig started thinking about a successor to handle his charge of leading them. He went to Lauren, the god of Creation and commissioned a new kind of dragon, one who would be able to lead his kin to their destiny.
Lauren used her magic and a white egg with golden dots appeared before them, floating with the help of her horn's power. “In this egg beats the heart of a leader. Refine it and he will not disappoint you.” Lauren told him. “It's amazing really, this is the second special thing I've made this week.” Craig didn't know what she meant by this, but it was the birth of Chrysalis.
Craig left and put the responsibility of raising the egg on the shoulders of some of the female dragons, telling them that it was their future, so it was carefully taken care of. He then took responsibility of taking care of the creature when it hatched. The ways of the dragon were taught to the new hatch-ling and Craig carefully laid out his plans so that the newborn would do things he intended for the future.
When the young one became of age, eighteen years to be exact, Craig flew with the young dragon to a distant jungle. “You will remain here until you conquer the evil the plagues this land. You will know what it is soon enough. Also, be creative. They are creatures of Chaos that seek to rival us in the destruction of this world.” Craig then left the young one there to discover his destiny in that land.
Craig was right, it did not take long for the young dragon to notice there were almost no animals in the jungle. He flew up and saw wild fires spot the area. In the distance he saw charred and burning land and a large mountain in its center. He assumed that it was the source of the devastation. Flying straight there, he was attacked by birds that were engulfed in flames. They were so vicious that he was forced to flee and lose them by dropping below the jungles canopy.
Over the next few days, he had learned of various nest scattered around the jungle. These nest were made of thorns and usually circled phoenix eggs. He realized by causing a distraction elsewhere, its guardians would fly off in that direction to investigate. This gave him the chance to smash the eggs. It made sense to him because they didn't die the usual way. He saw that they came back alive when they lived long enough. The dragon didn't take the chance that this was a never ending cycle, he just needed to kill the leader or perhaps mass genocide the entire nest he knew was located in that mountain.
The successor had a plan. He took his time using the distraction method but instead of smashing the eggs, he kept them. The dragon succeeded in amassing a large collection of eggs from all the nest in the territory. He then proceeded to walk into the mountain with eggs in tow using a makeshift vine net. The creatures dare not attack him in fear of losing a lot of the next generation of their kind. He made his way through the tunnels while they all kept a steady flight behind him. Soon he came to a large area inside and he discovered it was a dormant volcano. But a large phoenix roosted on a rock towards the centers edge. He got close enough until the phoenixes looked as if they were about to disregard the hostages and attack him anyways. He swung the vine net off the cliff into the awaiting magma pool. Most of the birds flew after it but they didn't realize that the dragon used this as another distraction to get at the Queen.
The dragon put his hands around the flaming bird and decided to close its throat. This bird was smaller from a distance needless to say, so the teenage dragon was swept up in its flight. Holding on while the phoenix climbed, it went through the small opening in the roof of the volcano. The scene was wild. Flames shot forward as the Queen emerged through the hole with a newly transformed dragon much larger than it clutching its throat still, the bird had died in his grasp.
Then Craig flew down to him, the new dragon towered over his master.
Craig spoke to Av. “ This mountain is called Mount Avuruad and because you have killed its owner, you are now called, Avuruad.” With that completed, they both flew back home.
The phoenixes have since then died off to low numbers thanks to the dragons martyr of nearly a whole generation. Soon, the dragons would inhabit the volcano, keeping eye on their former enemy and teaching their young to smash the eggs when and if they see them . Craig explains to Av that he is to lead the dragons and to find others who will help him. Ones that have done what he has done today. Craig then leaves the world and Avuruad sets out to build his horde.
The flashback ended and everypony stood in silence. “You must go to Skadholm and end this.” Craig said.
Lauren cut in, “Knowing you for such a short time and that my daughter, Celestia has come to rely so much on you, I have faith in you all.”
Every-pony nodded knowing what lay in wait. Celestia and Luna went to speak with Craig in private, catching up just a bit as Lauren wanted to talk to the ponies from Ponyville.
Fluttershy was the most nervous so Lauren spoke to her first. “You've been very quiet all this time. Tell me... what's on your mind?”
Fluttershy trembled at the intimidating aura this holy alicorn brought with her. “I.. um..” she stuttered. “I'm scared of the dragons.”
“You won't have to fight them, if Fhil does everything right. Believe in your friends and you will come back home safe.” Lauren put a hoof on her shoulder for reassurance. The scared pegasus nodded and walked away.
Pinkie was next, Lauren could tell she was dying to talk. “Only say what is most important to you. We have little time Pinkie Pie.”
“Do you think dragons need to eat meat? Cause, I want to bake them a cake!” she giggled.
Lauren put a hoof to her chin and thought about it. “You should be the first to try that Pinkie.” Pinkie smiled and hopped away.
Rarity came next. “All this traveling is bad on my mane.” she said bitterly. “BUT, a small sacrifice for my friends. The things I do for them!”
“What do you think about your future situation?” Lauren asked curiously.
“I'll give it my all until I can give no more.” Rarity told her smiling.
“I hope you mean that. You may just have to.” Lauren nodded.
Rarity looked puzzled at this. She strolled away to her friends.
Applejack walked up and took her hat off. “I appreciate all you've done for us miss.” she said.
“You're welcome Applejack.”
“I know I can't fly or use fancy magic but I'm sure there will be other ways that I can help my friends other than being part of Harmony.” she sighed.
“Each of you possesses a special quality that make up Harmony. I'm sure you can use that to your advantage if fighting fails for you.” Lauren smiled.
AJ smiled and left and Rainbow Dash hovered over to her.
“I was talking about racing dragons earlier. Do you think we can ever live in peace?”
Lauren laughed. “Yes. Look at me and Craig. Opposites but we use what we have in common to strengthen our bond and what we don't have in common, we share with each other.”
“I hope that applies to them too.” Dash said flying away.
Lauren looked towards Twilight and beckoned her. Twilight was unsure of what to say. “I'm smart?” she laughed nervously.
“You know you are.” Lauren laughed too. “You can use that.”
“I never asked for this.” Twilight told her.
“Celestia tells me that around the time you came to Ponyville, you found interest in the tale of Nightmare Moon. You were given the power to backup your curiosity and the will to save your friends.”
“Yeah..” Twilight nodded smiling.
“She knows you can do it Twilight Sparkle.”
After that, everypony said their goodbyes. Luna and Celestia were teleported back to Canterlot. Chrysalis had some issues but went with them. Celestia would go before her subjects to help ease the changelings into helping the city.
And then with a flash, Twilight and friends opened their eyes to a large castle among the mountains.
Fhil stepped forward. “This is Skadholm, city of dragons.” The sun was setting and the city cast long shadows around and within.
The castle was the largest constructed building any of them had ever seen before. A wall surrounded the entire city and guard towers dotted the wall. The city was old and looked more like ruins, a shadow of its former glory. A town resided inside the walls, with a pathway going straight from the main gate into the the main castle-tower in the center of the circular city. The tower was as large as any of the mountains in the range that surrounded the city, despite the fact that some of the top was missing, broken off years ago by a force unknown to them. The part that broke off, lay rested on some of the close proximity mountain sides behind it. Another noticeable feature was the spiral ramp that climbed the entire thing until it reached the broken room. Lining the side of the ramp were the occasional pillar that bent at the top to form a complete threshold connecting to a higher part of the circular wall.
“I want to discuss what I know about the dragons.” Fhil told the group. “We've heard about the white dragon known as Av. He seems to be a warmonger so peace with him seems unlikely.” he shook his head.
“He looks a bit mean.” Rarity stated nodding. "And this place looks old and dirty! Were actually going in there?"
Fhil looked at Rarity with disbelief. "Are you serious?"
"Darling, if were going to talk these creatures out of war with us, we have to make sure we at least look professional. You of all people should know that." Rarity winked at Fhil. He was about to answer her but Apple Jack beat him to it.
Applejack put her hoof around Rarity, "I don't think dragons care about how clean and well dressed we look..."
Rarity wasn't having this, "Well the sooner we can win this war the sooner I can put some culture into their society!"
Fhil decided to continue telling the strategy before the dragons found them and decided to gang bang them then and there.
“The red snake-like dragon, his name is Atlas and his story involved overthrowing another dragon leader because he was deemed to weak to lead. So this dragon has ambition to lead, as long as he believes he can win.” Fhil looked at the gate of the city. There was a giant hole that broke the iron bars. “The big yellow one, that would be Huxio. He found a diamond dog city and ate everything in sight.”
“He sounds like Pinkie Pie!” Rainbow Dash laughed while hovering off the ground.
Pinkie's face turned a shade of red. “Hey that's not true! I don't eat dogs! I eat cake and candy and cookies and-” she rambled.
“Okay Pinkie!” Twilight interrupted her pink friend. "Go on Fhil, we are listening."
Pinkie stopped talking smiling sheepishly.
“Well you could probably use that.” Fhil suggested to Pinkie.
“What?” Pinkie replied.
“Your love for eating, I don't know.” Fhil shrugged his shoulders.
“You want to feed a dragon a cupcake? Oh that would be the biggest cupcake ever made! Think about it, record breaking at the fair, everypony gather around to see it! Come from miles and then I give it to a dragon to eat!” she rambled again.
“Yea. Do that.” Fhil put a hoof to his forehead.
Applejack stepped in front of Pinkie and put a hoof to the pink ponies chest, "Hey now, you better not compete with me for biggest food cause my apples will win that contest!"
"But Applejack, making a huge cup cake sounds like so much fun!" Pinkie's face begged Applejack to reconsider.
Applejack sighed, pet Pinkie's mane and walked away.
“What else do you know?” Twilight asked Fhil trying to keep the urge to choke her friends at a minimum.
Fhils eyes found the top of the broken tower. “The ruler of this city who resides on a throne of bones formed by the remains of ponies. That's the purple one, Skadholm. That is also the name of this city.”
“That's just lovely.” Rarity grimaced.
“Oh, I don't think I'll go after all.” Fluttershy whispered with a high pitched squeal at the end.
“He's actually the friendliest of them all. Skad let me find my wife before they really went to town on Canterlot.” Fhil told them. I never got a clear answer of his past but I know he grew up under ponies and it didn't work out well.”
“Like Spike?” Twilight asked.
“Yea but he didn't have somepony like Rarity to make him normal again.” he said.
Rarity blushed at this with every pony looking her way. Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes, “It doesn't take a genius to figure out why.”
Fhil nodded, “Use that too. That is all I know about the dragons. There is still Ryalon, the blue one with blonde hair who can go into a invisibility like state. There is Alexandra the green one who is probably the dragon that attacked the zebra town with the same name...”
“Dragons name themselves after towns?” Twilight asked.
“Ah yes, so you can probably guess that Skadholm has either conquered this city or made it himself. I'm not sure but we'll probably find out.” he shook his head thinking about the events he went through up until now. “Well, this Alexandra dragon appears to have hypnotic abilities using her eyes, other than that, she is a normal dragon, smaller than the rest of the leaders.”
“You know, Fhil, you are almost like a seventh Element of Harmony.” Twilight smiled at him. He blushed at this. “I don't know about that.” he replied to her.
“Purple, blue, red, yellow, white and green.” Applejack said. “I think that's all of em.”
Fhil and the group walked towards the city with Fluttershy trailing several feet behind. “Keep up Fluttershy or you'll miss the party!” Pinkie yelled.
At the top of the tower, Ryalon looked over the edge and saw the ponies approaching as a colorful line of dots in the distance. “They have come as you planned.” she looked at Skadholm who was sitting on his throne.
“They want to end this as soon as possible.” he replied.
The yellow dragon stood up and stretched. “I think I'll be the first to say hello.” Huxio took a running jump off the edge and into the ruined city, gliding down with his small four wings branching outward.
Ryalon shook her head at Huxio's grace. "You're right Skad dear. That is one fat dragon." They both laughed. Atlas looked on at the scene as well but didn't say anything. His flight was soon to come and a grin appeared on his face.
Av and Alexandra were talking to each other about her plan of action. Atlas heard her laugh at Av and scurry down the ramp leading into the tower beneath them.
Arriving at the gate, the hole in it was comparable in size to the large yellow dragon that chased after Luna during the battle. Soon enough that same dragon came through it, licking his lips. His eyes were hidden from them because of his long brown hair. Fluttershy was the first to react to the immense size of this dragon because she quickly turned a shade of grey.
“Hello”, Huxio said. “I'm here to eat you.”
Fhil stepped forward. “Hello to you too, Huxio.”
Huxio couldn't believe what he was seeing at first so he parted his hair with a claw to get a better look at the unicorn. “Fhilly? Why are you here?" He quickly figured it out and his laughter echoed off the walls of the dead city. "Wait. You want to turn all this around don't you?” the dragon asked.
Fhil just grit his teeth.
“You can't do it.” Huxio laughed again slapping his knee in dramatic fashion.
"Wait!" Pinkie's high pitched scream mimicked the dragons laughter, echoing around them. Pinkie Pie pulled out a cupcake and showed it to the dragon.
“What the hell are you doing?” Huxio asked curiously.
“I was saving it for later but... I really want you to try this!” Pinkie yelled at him.
Huxio bent forward to see what it was. “What is it?”
“A cupcake!” she screamed again. Cupcake parroted several times before stopping.
Fhil looked at Twilight. “Where did she get that? I didn't see it before.” in which Twilight replied quickly, “Do not ask me that, do not worry about it. When it comes to her, anything is possible. I got a headache stressing about it once.”
Huxio scratched his chin, “What?”
“I wanna win the fairs contest! I want to have the biggest cupcake in the world!”
Applejack took her hat off and hid her face in it. "Not this again."
“Are you nuts? I don't understand what you're talking ab-.” he said angrily.
Pinkie threw the cupcake into the mouth of the dragon who was still talking.
He chewed it and tasted it slightly. “I liked what I could taste but I need more. You say you want to make a giant cupcake?”
Pinkie smiled. “Yes. I can make more than just that! Cakes, cookies, candy! Anything sweet. I'm surprised that you have never had one before.” she admitted.
Twilight and Rainbow looked on in shame at Pinkies question. Rarity face-hooved and Applejack kept her face in her hat while whispering to herself, "We're all going to die."
“I'll call a shop up and tell them I'm coming.” Huxio replied.
“Ohhhh yeah...” she laughed at herself.
The large dragon moved out of the way and sat down near the pink pony. “You have the resources to make a large cupcake?”
“Yes, I work at a cake shop back in Ponyville and I think Mr. Cake and Mrs. Cake would be on board for it!” She said still screaming at him because of his size.
“Tell me more about these sweets.” Huxio said, pointing to the city allowing the ponies to pass.
“I'll stay and talk to him.” she said as they began moving.
“Be careful Pinkie.” Twilight said as they passed the dragon walking into the city.
The city was a ghost town and some buildings that once harbored shops had crumbled under their own weight. Most of the city was still intact though, clearly the ponies of its time had used expensive material to maintain it. The road they walked was still recognizable, albeit cracks from the dragons who had stomped it into the ground. The group trotted down the road that led to the cities center tower. Each pony looking in a different direction in awe.
“Do you like it?” a feminine voice said from the shadows of the buildings the lined the road.
“Who's there?” Twilight yelled using her horn to light the area.
“My name is Ryalon and I see you have Fhil with you. I bet he told you all about me!” she said giggling in the shadows. “He doesn't know a thing about me.” she corrected.
They heard her moving in the shadows, falling rocks coming off the buildings she touched. The ponies stayed close to each other and focused on the noise.
“I know you learned a little about us. You tried to deceive us along with your master.” She kept moving, her movements more forceful and revealing. “We are not tools of fate. Not pawns! We choose to kill and destroy! YOU CANNOT LIE TO ME FHIL! YOU ALL ARE LYING FILTH!” she roared.
“No ponies lying to you dragon!” Applejack yelled at her. She didn't like to be called a liar.
“And where is the pink one? What of Huxio?” she looked up from her hidden place and saw the yellow dragons large form past the gate. “Wait, I see him sitting down over there. What are you ponies up to? He always eats first then ask questions later.” her angry tone started to turn into a more curious one but her she remained suspicious.
“Let's just talk for a minute Ryalon.” Fhil said.
The dragon appeared between the group and the way into the tower, her blonde hair blowing in the wind. “Not with you Mr. Negotiator. I want to talk to the insolent cow-mare.” she pointed a claw to Applejack. The orange pony with a cowboy hat on, stepped forward.
“We can talk this out but I promise you, none of us are here to fool you.” Applejack nodded.
“Are you so sure?”
Applejack nodded at the female dragons question.
“Then how about we make a wager?” Ryalon said with a quick flap of her wings.
“We have nothing to hide from ya.” Applejack told her looking back at her friends for approval. They nodded to her.
“Stay here with me. Alone. I will let your friends continue onwards. But while we remain here, you must convince me not to kill you if you truly come in peace.” she smiled wickedly.
“No Applejack!” Rainbow Dash yelled.
“It's okay Rainbow, I got this.” Applejack said confidently.
“Then by all means, my little ponies, pass into the tower and try as you may to survive.” Ryalon mocked as she pointed to the towers door.
That is the second pony Twilight was forced to leave behind. She could only hope for their survival until she finishes this. The group proceeded down the stone road towards the tower, hoping this would end peacefully. Their next challenge would test that resolve more so than what they have already done.
Entering the tower, the ponies found a massive room that's only inhabitants were more shops that lined the circular walls, going many stories up on many step platforms. It was a city within a city Twilight thought. The buildings here too had aged and showed signs of falling apart. In the center of the room was a very large statue of a pony in royal attire although its head was missing, lain at its hooves. It was an earth pony with a long beard and glorious looking crown. This statue was in middle of what looked to be the remnants of the towers inner marketplace. On the other side of the tower, opposite of the door, was a spiraling ramp that went above the city and outside of the tower walls. She assumed that it connected to the outside ramp they saw earlier.
“We need to get up that ramp ponies!” Twilight told her friends.
They started trotting fast towards it but as they passed the statue, a strong breeze came from above and its cause landed in front of them. The dragon Alexandra appeared before them with that intense stare that immediately ensnared them.
“They say I'm weak but I've proven myself worthy of leadership time and time again.” she said angrily. None of the ponies could speak, just stood there staring into those eyes of hers, the ones that had many rings around the pupil, glowing an intense color of red.
“As long as you are under my stare, I can devour you without a fight.” she boasted. However one of the ponies started moving on her own. A yellow pegasus with a butterfly cutie mark. Fluttershy shook her head snapping out of the trance and shot a stare of her own straight back at the dragon. “What?!” Alexandra was shocked.
Instantly the trance was broken for the others as the dragon used her strength to keep herself from being overtaken by the stare of such a fragile creature. They stared off for minutes, nopony saying anything to ruin Fluttershy's concentration until they started talking themselves.
“How is this possible?” Alex asked, visibly struggling to maintain focus.
“I do this a lot!” Fluttershy said angrily. “Ever since I lost to Discord, I've been trying to stare down bigger foes.”
“Hah, well it seems it's paid off but for how long?” she mocked.
“I won't lose.”
“I'll eat your friends once you do.”
“No you won't.” Fluttershy gritted her teeth.
“Well they can't take me out while I have you in a trance either, they are to weak.”
“Then let them go on ahead and we'll settle this here and now!” Fluttershy suggested.
The ponies looked on in worry for their friend but decided to follow her suggestion and made way for the ramp again.
“Ah damn, you will be a satisfying meal once I win.” the dragon threatened.
Rarity, Fhil, Twilight and Rainbow went up the ramp leading to the top of the tower leaving once again, another friend behind. The female dragon smelled their scent leave the room to her great annoyance.
“Great, now I have failed too.” she said, a memory swirling into her mind.
She was born with the ability to stare down foes and convincing them to see things her way. Although it was rare for a dragon to have a unique talent like hers, Craig never saw anything more than a regular dragon from her. She desperately wanted to be a leader and begged Craig to reconsider. “I'm sorry but I do not see your sight as a useful ability.” she remembered him telling her.
However, the white dragon Av, had an idea that he could use her as a tool to stir up trouble. Av suggested that she go and attack the lead zebra settlement in the south and by destroying it, she would rise to leadership. This plan, unknown to Craig, was carried out in secret behind his back, for he loved the pony race because he loved her, the one that made them.
Craig had made a home of a nearby mountain in order to keep tabs on the temple of Chaos. The black dragon saw smoke in the distance from this zebra town and with haste, flew to its rescue. What he found, angered him greatly. Alex had set the forest on fire and cooked the zebras in their own homes. It was one sided and she was victorious. With great disappointment, he accepted her into the fold of leadership. Av attended the ceremony and grinned the entire time.
The ponies made it to the outer tower ramp, leaving Fluttershy in the cold dark of that temple. Three friends were left behind to deal with dragons single-hoofly. Fhil didn't know how this would work out but Twilight seemed to have faith in her friends so he decided to roll with it.
“I'm just going to teleport the rest of us to the top, just really tired of climbing all these stairs. I think I can afford to do that now.” Twilight told the others. They nodded in relief at this news.
“If it helps you Twi, I can just fly up there and meet you. It would use less of your magic right?” Rainbow Dash suggested.
“I'm not sure Rainbow. You may run into trouble and we won't be around.”
“Well, we've been handling these things one by one anyways. I'll be okay Twilight.” Dash reassured her.
She was proud to call them her friends. This was not an easy journey but they have all come so far together. She must have faith in them, in her friends.
Rarity came forward and put a hoof on her shoulder, “Be careful Dash.” she said to the cyan pegasus.
“I will. I'm awesome remember?” she laughed at her own boasting.
The sun had been down making it hard to see anything but lighting up the sky, more trouble appeared in the form of a fiery flying snake circling from the top of the tower and spiraling downwards towards the ponies at a very fast speed. Atlas was coming to greet them from on top.
“Let's see what we can do about him.” Fhil said remembering him to be reasonable.
The dragon soared past them traveling downwards intending to intimidate them with the full length of his body as they watched from the ramps edge. Atlas turned around and gently flew up at their level and hovered there.
“You've come so far Fhil. Your want for peace is stronger than we believed.” the dragon said flapping his giant wings. “But I am a dragon of honor and I want to see you make it to the top.”
“Why is that?” Fhil asked Atlas with a arched eyebrow.
“Because I've been bored and I want to see how you will handle Skad and Av.” he said with no tone in his voice.
“So you will let us just pass?” Twilight asked.
“Sure, but only if the one with wings races me to the top.” he laughed.
Rainbow Dash was paying attention now. “Me? You don't know who you're asking. I'm the fastest pegasus ever!”
“Then you should be fine. My terms are acceptable?”
“Yes!” she yelled happily.
“Good.” Atlas said still flapping away. “We will race the path of the ramp, all the way to the highest rock on the tower. If you win, I will not interfere in your talks of peace but..” he grinned. “If you lose, you will have a large fight upstairs.”
Rainbow Dash grimaced. But Twilight answered her worry, “If you believe you can do it, go for it.”
“Atlas.” Fhil called to him and the red dragon looked back at the unicorn. “We will find peace. I know all this is my fault but I will undo it.”
Atlas laughed heartily. “If you say so pony.”
Rainbow Dash was ready to go. “Are you ready snake breath?”
“Soon to be pony breath. But yes, on my mark.” he replied.
“Three.”
Twilight felt a bit light headed, her heart worried for Dash.
“Two”
Rarity rooted for her friend she always believed in.
“One”
The future was in her hooves at this moment, Fhil thought.
“GO!”
The dragon and pegasus shot off up the ramp flying in a swirling tornado straight up the tower. The ponies that got left behind felt the gushing wind pulling them in that direction.
Rainbow and Atlas stayed tied for a minute until Rainbow was done playing with him. She started accelerating which put her in the lead. She grinned proudly and kept her pace, her strong wings holding out. She looked back and didn't see Atlas anymore. “Hah, left the old geezer behind.” But suddenly Atlas came crashing out of the wall from the center of the tower at her, mouth open, ready to devour her. Her eyes got big and she successfully dodged his blindsided attack. He continued up the ramp with her, trying to crunch her in his mouth but she turned up the pace.
“WHO ARE THE MASTERS OF THE SKIES? IS IT THE GRIFFONS? THE BIRDS? THE PEGASI?” He yelled at her still trying to grasp her in his maw. “OR IS IT-” he almost had her with that mid sentence chomp. He missed as she went faster. “OR IS IT ME!” with that he matched her pace. Rainbow looked back and saw the darkness of his mouth.
Twilight readied the group for teleportation. She cast the spell and they were gone from the doorway. They appeared at the top of the tower, in the broken mess that was obviously the remnants of a throne room. Tattered tapestries hung on the walls, the carpets were ruined by weather and the floor was coated in gold plating. In the center of the throne room was the throne, countless bones of ponies made up the piece. Skadholm sat patiently waiting for them to approach him. By the looks of it, he was the only dragon here. This worried Twilight because Av was the warmongering one.
“Where is Av?” she yelled at Skad from across the room.
“You must go to him.” he said and pointed out the broken window across the city to the mountains. The direction of the cut off piece of tower. “You will fight him alone.” Skad told her. She looked out the side of the broken room to the place of destiny. “No harm will come to these two, as long as you don't lose.” he clarified to the purple alicorn.
“I'll go. My friends have all risked their lives to get me here.” She took off before anypony could say anything.
Skadholm looked down on Fhil who had approached him. “So what is this about Skadholm?” he asked the purple dragon.
“It's all as planned. To get you to separate and kill you off.” Skadholm said with a bitterness in his tone.
Fhil and Raritys eyes opened wide at this realization that it HAD been too easy to get here.
“So are you going to kill us, Mr. Skadholm?” Rarity asked with sadness in her tone.
“Not before I tell you my story, and why it is important that either Twilight die, or Av.”
Fhil and Rarity listened in on his tale of the past and how he became ruler of such a place.
At a young age, Skadholm was put into captivity by mercenaries that sold his egg to the ruler of a southern earth pony king. This king, King Solomane, built his kingdom from the ground up using his own fortune. He was an exceptional trader and invested in the mountains around the town to bring him his riches. Riches indeed, it held very rare minerals and metals that were sought after all over the world.
Skadholm was the name of this city but Solomane liked to call it Solomane's Tower. It became the most important trading center for miles and a tower rose up to shout its glory to all other creatures who looked down on the earth pony race. That's what the king intended anyways. He bought the dragons egg to have one of these creatures as a pet to show off his power and hubris.
When the dragon was born, it grew up in such a tame way around the ponies, co existing with them up until when he started getting urges. Living in a city of gold quickly activated the dragons natural instincts and he changed.
The purple whelp grew so large, all eyes were upon him when he changed in the throne room. The king screamed in horror as the dragon picked him up and smeared his body along the walls effectively breaking them, killing his master and collapsing the tower he resided in. He flew away with much of the gold in his arms after the damage and hid in the nearby mountains.
Av received word of the incident by nearby scouting dragons and went to the liar of this dragon. He called him Skadholm and together they returned to the city and utterly tag team destroyed it. The tower remained in tact while the rest of it was burned. Afterwords, Skadholm lived in the city with his own clan and became loyal to Av. They planned for the future, only the two of them to lead.
The purple dragon finished his story and looked at the ponies for a reply to it. “So that's the story behind this place.” Fhil said.
Rarity looked around in sadness. “This is what Ponyville could have been like had we not stopped Spike.”
“Are you the one who changed the dragons heart and reverted him?” Skadholm asked curiously.
“Yes but even though he loves me, I cannot give him any sort of answer to his feelings. I can only be kind as I've always been.” she told him with a regretful slanted smile.
“So you think we can all live in peace?”
Rarity nodded immediately, “Yes. We have grown fond of spike and we look after him as he does the same for us.”
“He won't for long, his frustrations will build if you keep neglecting his true feelings.” the dragon warned.
“Even so, he won't abandon his friends!” she told him. Fhil could only watch as the two debated.
“You are our food!” Skadholm reminded her loudly.
“And the changelings too feed off of us! But their queen is in Canterlot right now trying to rebuild it all! The griffon race eats meat too and yet we can co exist in schools and towns together!”
“And what of our size?” his gray look of intensity on her.
“Has your race ever know peace with another? How can you be so sure that Spike will collapse on us, instead of keep his size and be a good dragon to everypony!” Rarity proclaimed
“I don't know the answer to that but you risk it all on that chance.”
“We have to! Spike is our friend and I don't think I can imagine my life without him, or anyone who cannot so easily be replaced!”
The purple dragon frowned. “You sound a lot like her on that day... Feels like forever ago.”
“What do you mean?” Rarity asked, feeling frustrated.
“You ever wonder how Spike came to be in your society?”
“I already know, he was part of Twilight's exam.” she explained.
Meanwhile back at the foot of the tower, Applejack talked to Ryalon about life and how she became the Element of Honesty. She told the dragon about farm life and her decision to leave it once. Ryalon lay on her side with her arm supporting her head so that Applejack didn't have to yell to be heard.
“Ah so, they really depend on you huh?” the blue dragon asked Applejack.
“Well, sorta, they just recognize what ah do on a daily basis.”
“So you have anyone you like there? A cute colt perhaps? You can't work all the time and get no play, if you know what I mean.” she giggled.
Applejack blushed at this question. “Well it's mainly family ya know? I don't get to do much in town, maybe get out about four times a week.” she admitted.
“Well, not saying you should but I do recommend you find someone to share you passions with.” the dragon told her.
“Well, yeah but nopony wants to be cooped up on a farm all day. Not tah mention, it would probably hurt my resolve tah work hard.”
“True. I work with a loved one and it can be tough sometimes but we have passion for it.” Ryalon admitted looking at the top of the tower.
“Who is it, if you don't mind me askin'?”
“It's the purple one, Skadholm. He's at the top of the tower right now but I can't tell you how it will all end. I just hope he will be alright.”
“Have ya been together a long time?” Applejack asked.
“Over a thousand years. The only thing that has truly come from it though is a single child.”
“One?”
“He isn't very affectionate and we can't have kids so easily.” she shook her head. “There was a deal made not to long ago by that pony princess with the sun mark.”
“Princess Celestia?!” Applejack's eyes opened wide. “What happened?”
There they were in the jungle, Skaholm, Celestia and Ryalon. The blue female dragon handed her purple egg to Celestia's magic. Ryalon looked so sad almost to the point of tears.
“Thank you, Skad, Ryalon. I will prove you all wrong. We can co-exist and I promise you will see this child again. He will be different than you.” Celestia said with a calm voice.
“Or he will be like us because you have failed and were wrong.” Skadholm corrected.
“Well see in time. For now we have peace between us.” Celestia smiled.
Ryalon spoke through her sadness. “It was Elders idea.”
“He is wise.” Celestia nodded. “I can't prove anything but please have faith in our two species.”
“We want to name it.” Ryalon told her.
“No.” Celestia said. “I cannot let you.”
Ryalon got angry hearing this. “Why!?”
Skaholm answered for her, “Because we will just grow attached to it.”
“And you don't know if it's a boy or girl.” Celestia giggled.
“I'll give you two names.” Ryalon said out of desperation.
“Fine, I'll hear them. But no promises.” she smiled.
Applejack stood there in silence, thinking deeply about what this all meant. She caught Ryalon removing a tear from her eye. “I'm sorry, but its rough when you could have been a parent.”
“You still are!” Applejack assured her. “He's doing fine and if the princess said you'll see him again, then you will!”
Pinkie Pie was at the large gate of the city with the large yellow dragon, Huxio, who seemed deeply interested in all the assortments of foods he was unfamiliar with and how to make them. The dragon just nodded at all the talking the pink pony did. She told him about her life in Ponyville and living with another family. Describing the parties and the jokes she did with Rainbow Dash, the dragon couldn't help but laugh at the simplistic life that made these creatures happy.
“So you made a cake, put it on a train and came out with a deformed creation of sweets?” Huxio smiled at this.
“Pretty much! My friends just could not help themselves.” she giggled.
“I've had a moment like that. I accidentally stepped on a group of living things and I had a mass of-”
“Woah woah!” Pinkie quickly stopped him. “You gotta stop eating innocent creatures! I mean, once you've tried more sweets that is.” she laughed.
“Maybe. That's a tall order for someone like you.” he frowned.
“I don't mean to interrupt but Pinkie you are needed on isle nine.” said a familiar voice coming from above.
“What the- isle nine?” she looked up and saw Discord. He unzipped the sky and chocolate rain poured out of the hole.
“OPEN YOUR MOUTH HUX!” she screamed at him.
The dragon was seriously confused but did so. His mouth filled with the dark liquid and he swallowed. He didn't stop and like a statue, did not move from that spot.
“Pinkie”, Discord continued, “Grab my paw.” he held out his paw for her to touch with her hoof. In doing so, she vanished and appeared on his back. They rode through the castle gate with Huxio still standing there in the chocolate rain, tasting more of the foreign substance in pleasure.
Discord saw Ryalon and Aj still talking about Spike when he flew by grabbing Aj's hoof. “Come a long dear, time to go!” he told her as she appeared on his back as well. Ryalon couldn't help but watch the group disappear into the castle door. She quickly took flight to the top of the castle. Alexandra and Fluttershy were still in the stare contest when Discord came flying through. He slapped Fluttershy on the flank with his paw causing her to appear on his back. The dragon was free from the standoff and looked at Discord trying to get him under her power. He looked back at her with wonder on his face. “Uh, I'm not spending the night with you.” he said and looked at her with dazzling eyes that put her to sleep instantly. She lay snoring, echoing her noise through the entire tower.
“Up we go!” Discord yelled, the ponies holding on tight.
“Weeeeee!” Pinkie screamed.
He took off up the ramp at a rapid speed not stopping until he got to the top of the tower.
When he got there Discord saw Rarity talking to Skadholm and Fhil.
Meanwhile, Twilight Sparkle had landed inside the the broken window of the other tower. It looked to her like the royal bedchambers. A huge room with a dangling chandelier that was swaying in the direction of the tower. The leaning tower had made the room uneven so Twilight stayed flying above the floor. A giant bed had crashed against the wall where gravity had called to it. Av was there flapping his wings too and looking smug.
“Glad you could make it, alone.” he said.
“We managed to hold off your friends!” she pointed a hoof at him. “Noponies been hurt at all.” Twilight told the white dragon with pride.
“This was on purpose. We dare not under-estimate the Elements of Harmony. We saw what you did to that creature and we witnessed that it was the combination of you six that made it possible.” Av grinned.
A females voice sounded from nowhere.“So cliché, I know it's been done before by the other draconequus. He didn't do it right though, I learned from his mistake!” Discordia appeared beside Av and smiled at the impending victory. “Harmony dies with you, dear.”
Discord grabbed Rarity and put her on his ever extending snake-like form. Skadholm the purple dragon, nodded at Discord's actions and looked on as they crossed the gap between the towers.
“What about Rainbow Dash?” Rarity yelled at Discord.
“She's coming.” his eyes focused on the broken tower.
Above the throne room, on the highest pillar, Rainbow Dash sat on a curled up Atlas whose body snaked around the structure. She had clearly won the race at any cost. Both heard the tale of Spike the dragon and witnessed Discords arrival. “They need me too.” she said to the red one.
“I know. You won that race so I'll allow you to go. You're going to die if you go though.” he told her.
“Why?” Rainbow asked with worry.
“Discordia is in there and even though your friend Discord has arrived, she can still stop him because she knows how to take advantage of his weak points.”
“Well, Discord's up to something. I'm going anyways and if we have to, we'll stop both dragon and draconequus.”
“Be warned pony! If Av see's fit to call on us, we will come crashing down on you all.” he said.
“Well find a way to make it out of this alive, all of us!” she grinned that arrogant smile of hers.
She flew off towards the tower after Discord. “This is the last time we see each other, master of the skies..” Atlas whispered.
Twilight was worried now with the appearance of Discordia, she had no chance. “Two on one doesn't seem very honorable!” she tried to talk him into a one on one fight.
“All my dragons followed my plan, all but one. Alexandra wanted to try killing you all even though I told her not to. She never listens so we laughed after we watched her fail.” he shook his head. “It was all of you versus each dragon you happened upon. So you tell me whats fair and what's not fair.”
“Oh, well, you guys are much larger?” she frowned.
“Fine, come to the roof and fight me.” he blasted a hole through the roof with a super charged fireball and flew through it. Twilight followed him through the hole onto the roof just as Discord arrived with the other ponies on his back. They got off his back and at that moment, Discordia readied a chaotic spell to counter the other draconiquis. But as she did, Discord flew into her forcing them both into the bed against the wall. She opened her eyes and saw that he was kissing her.
She started blushing at this gesture. She pulled away from his face, “What are you doing? Get off me!” she said to him angrily stuttering a little, blush still apparent.
“Not until you tell me you love me dear.” he winked at her. “That fight we had was very romantic.” he cooed.
“You're crazy!” she screamed at him, kicking him off of her. She got to her feet and started throwing green balls of chaotic energy at him.
“You're blushing. I know you like me, I can see it in the way you try to kill me.”
“You're crazy”, she repeated, “and you need to get over yourself.”
“I get that a lot but you will see it my way. You're so cute when you're mad.” he laughed.
Where they had landed in the window, the other ponies couldn't stifle laughs at Discords bold advances.
Twilight was flying on the roof after Av. He shot flaming breath at her causing the roof under her to ignite for a short time. She shot purple magical energy beams back at him from her horn. He dodged them easily. “I think if you were a better flier, you would hit me.” he mocked.
“I just got these wings not to long ago, give me a break!” she screamed. It was true, flying and shooting beams in accurate succession was really hard, not to mention on a moving target.
“Try learning this!” he swallowed a great amount of air, put two fingers in front of his mouth and breathed all of it out in the form of fire. The two fingers caused the fire to separate into many directions filling the area's with flaming particles at a high pace. Twilight formed a protective force field from magic to keep her safe. One of them hit Twilight causing her shield to ignite. She tried rolling in midair trying to put it out without landing on the already ignited roof.
She couldn't handle the heat anymore, she started falling unconscious while still in danger of being burned alive. Av laughed victoriously while watching her suffer but suddenly it started raining real hard. It put out all the fire and Twilight felt the first relief since she got on the roof. They looked up and saw Rainbow Dash above a cloud. “I hope you liked the rain this time Twi!” Dash yelled.
The other ponies came up from the hole using Discord as a step ladder. Discordia lay on the ruined bed, holding both lions paw and eagles claw over her eyes. “He got me out of being serious by flirting with me. Damn him, damn him!” she mumbled.
Av, still flapping his wings above the wet roof mocked the ponies. “So you've all come to help your poor friend.” he smiled flying above them all.
“It's over Av! Give up on your hope for war and your bitterness towards the gods!” Twilight yelled to him still managing to keep her flight.
“No. This world will be mine! Not because the gods said so but because I will make it so!”
“Then Harmony will decide your fate!” Twilight told him.
The six bearers started glowing and floating around each other, a massive power started to form. “I'm not a fool, ponies. I will dodge your spell and then I'll kill you all if my kin doesn't do it before me!”
Av opened his mouth to yell for his fellow alpha dragons but he was stopped mid roar. “Eh?” Av said looking down at his feet. Discord smiled at Av because he had made his body large enough to grapple onto the white dragons feet to hold him in place. The harmonious spell went off. A light engulfed him and blinded all that looked on. The flying dragon started turning to stone from the feet up.
He stared at the ponies, the determined look on their faces. “ We were meant to lose to fate, to the gods.” A single tear rolled down his cheek as it and the rest of his body turned to stone.
Discord had let go before the petrification set in as to not get caught in it. The statue fell from the sky landing on the roof of the tower bursting into pieces. Discord looked down at the broken form. “Whoops.”
Twilight rolled her eyes at his comment. Discordia appeared beside the broken statue picking up some of the pieces. “What do I do now?!” she started to cry. “My purpose in this world has come to a dead end once again!”
Discord teleported beside Discordia putting his eagle claw around her shoulders. “You know, Celestia is very tolerable of our kind. Maybe there is a place for you in our world.” he nodded to her.
“Whatever.” she replied.
“We need to get back to Fhil, we left him over there with Skadholm.” Rarity confessed with a frown.
Discord snapped his finger and they all teleported back to the throne room. Skadholm was sitting on his throne as normal with Ryalon beside him. Fhil stood in front of them anxiously waiting for one of the victory parties to return. A flash of light lit the area and the winners were revealed, Discord has brought everypony back.
“So Av is dead?” Skadholm asked frowning.
“I'm sorry Skad.” Rarity said to him.
“He gave us no choice.” Twilight finished.
“That's fine. Although he was like a brother to me and we ran this dragon invasion together since the beginning. I will truly miss him.”
Ryalon looked at Discordia. “What are your plans? You're welcome to stay among us.”
“I don't know just yet. I may check out this Equestria place.” she looked at Discord smiling.
Discord smiled in return.
Skadholm looked on at the scene and stood up. “Enough. It's time for me to decide what happens to the dragons now. Time for 'us' to decide.”
At this, the other dragon leaders flew up surrounding the broken throne room. As usual, Huxio was first, “Av is no more. We should regroup and decide the fate of the world after what we have learned.” He landed on the floor and bend down for the pink pony that talked to him earlier. “We will not cause you trouble for a time but until then, I look forward to having more snacks made by you.”
Pinkie laughed hard at this. “Well, I'll arrange something for you but keep your promise about not eating anymore ponies!” she screamed at him.
“You purge me of fine taste little lady. I'll try though.” he admitted.
“I guess I'll take that answer.” she said seriously.
Huxio walked over to the side of the tower he always stayed on and Alexandra flew down and placed herself on the floor before the ponies.
“This little yellow pony matched me and my stare.” the green dragon confessed to the others watching. They all laughed at this and Alexandra continued. “It says a lot that she was able to do it.”
“Can't wait for a rematch.” she smiled, her green eyes visible through her black bangs. She turned around and flew off.
“Yea..” the yellow pegasus said.
The next dragon to come out of the group was Atlas. He didn't bother landing but curled around a nearby pillar close to Rainbow Dash. “Master of the sky, I will also require a rematch in the future.”
“Yea, anytime buddy!” she smiled big.
Atlas smiled back and stayed in his position watching them all intently. Ryalon, still standing next to the throne of pony skeletons, looked at Applejack. “Thanks for the talk. I think it helped to vent my frustrations and learn to trust your kind, if by a little bit more.”
Applejack took off her hat and bowed to the blue female dragon. “Your mighty welcome Mrs.”
Skadholm nodded and called forward Rarity with a beckoning claw. They all were hesitant to let her approach but she didn't care. She walked in front of the sitting dragon wondering what he was about to say.
“You are the crush of my son Spike. You have a unique opportunity, to guide our species and yours into a co-existence, or else history will repeat itself. But be aware that his frustrations and your dismissal will lead to nothing good.” Skadholm told Rarity.
“I know Skad. But I'm not sure if I can like him that way, ever. He is like a kid brother to me.” she confessed.
“Then I hope one day he changes that title and becomes something more to you.” Skadholm suggested.
Rarity didn't say anything but she had a sad look about her.
“The future is yours Rarity.” Ryalon said.
Rarity slowly nodded, still saddened by the incumbent truth.
“Now you all must go and never return here.” Skadholm cut in.
The ponies didn't argue. Twilight took one last look back at the broken tower where she did battle. Together, she and her friends were allowed to ride on the draconequus backs all the way to Canterlot. They talked to each other about the future and what they would say to the princesses as they rode off into the sunrise. The two creatures in unison started glowing a green color and together along with their passengers, blinked out of sight.
The friends saw the city of Canterlot coming towards them fast. From the looks of it, all those days spent rebuilding appeared to have paid off. Discord had made it a goal to get there fast but not so fast that he would lose his passengers. They landed safely at the castle and the ponies all rushed inside to tell the Celestia what had happened.
In the main hall, Celestia was busy talking to a colt in construction gear. He had a look of interest on his face as he listened to her instructions. She dismissed the colt and looked towards the new arrivals direction as they started toward her from the front door. The princess of the sun trotted to Twilight giving her a loving hug. “I'm so happy you made it back Twilight.” she whispered her ear.
“Thank you princess. I had a lot of help.” she replied affectionately.
Luna came into the room from the throne room entrance and hurried over to her sister. She saw the seven ponies gathered around the white alicorn. “Sister!” Luna said to Celestia, “I just saw two Discords flying this way!”
“Yeah that's us!” Discord said out of nowhere. His physical form was nowhere to be seen but appeared behind Luna. She jumped in surprise at this bumping into her older sister. “Don't do that!” she told him angrily.
“We have a lot to tell you.“ Twilight told both princesses. Celestia and Luna listened to Twilight's story of Skadholm and what became of the dragon known as Av. About thirty minutes later the story was at its climax and Celestia knew where this was headed so she spoke up. “ And Discordia needs a home now?”
Discord nodded with pleading eyes. “At least it means I won't crush on you anymore.” the creature chuckled.
A look of happiness filled Celestia's face. “She can stay!” she spouted. Everypony laughed as she blushed from embarrassment. “But you must keep her under control.”
“I'll do my best.” he rolled his eyes.
Discordia appeared beside Discord and took a bow. “I hope I won't let you down.” she said seriously. Celestia nodded and the two creatures disappeared.
Luna poked her sister and nodded her head towards Fhil. “Right, unfinished business.”
Fhil knew what was coming to him. It was time to finish out his sentence. “I know that I must return to the dungeon but if I can make a request, I wish to be here in Canterlot's dungeon. I'm not invincible anymore and I don't want to be alone.” Fhil looked as if he were about to cry. “If I have earned anything throughout my efforts for redemption, it's this.”
The other ponies looked sad at this and waited for Celestia and Luna to make a decision. Both sisters looked at each other. “Ambassadors are coming from all over the world in the coming days. They will all be here in this room to discuss a potential threat to their nations.” Celestia told Fhil.
“We need you to be here and tell them what you know. Convince them of your views. If they are in danger or not, if we can ally or not.” Luna finished.
Fhil was surprised at this. “Are you sure you want me to do that?”
Celestia nodded, “Yes, if you succeed, you are pardoned of your crimes because you have saved the future and much more.”
“I'll do it and show you that I can still be your peace keeper.” he smiled. Celestia smiled in return.
“Now go home Fhil, be with your wife until you are sent for.” Luna commanded.
Doing as Luna bid, Fhil bowed, turned and smiled at the other ponies on his way out the door.
"Lets go into the throne room and out of every-ponies way." Celestia giggled. The castles main hall was a busy place to be for guards and staff alike.
“We have questions for you princess.” Twilight said as the doors to the throne room shut.
“As do I.” Celestia frowned taking her seat on the throne. Luna looked on in curiosity. “I've listened to you tell the whole story up to the end. I want to know more about these dragons.” Celestia said.
“Like what?” Twilight asked.
“Pinkie Pie.” she called to the pink earth pony. Pinkie had been uncharacteristically quiet the whole time. She knew when to act silly and when to not, learning from her time when she cloned herself and had to prove to be more mature during times of great importance. She came forward for the princess. “Yes princess?” she said bowing.
“I know of Huxio and how ruthless he is. Are you truly willing to keep your end of the bargain?” the sun princess asked.
Pinkie thought for a moment, “I told him that I would be there with as much cake and candy as I could. I've never let anypony down!” she smiled real big and giggled. “I definitely won't let a dragon down. I want to be his friend.”
“I'm not sure how you will satisfy his hunger though, that is a lot of cake.” she replied shaking her head.
“I'll find a way.” Pinkie raised a hoof determined.
They all laughed at this, not because it seemed impossible but because knowing Pinkie, it would be possible. Celestia turned her gaze towards Fluttershy.
“ Hello back there, Miss Fluttershy.” Celestia said looking behind the group towards a very shy yellow pegasus.
“H-hello princess.” Fluttershy said as she came into better view.
“I understand you stood up to a dragon head to head.”
“Yes.”
“Never forget that.”
Fluttershy smiled with watery eyes. “I'll never let anything push me around again.”
Luna grinned at Fluttershys courage. “Indeed.”
Fluttershy crept back into place next to Pinkie who gave her a hug. Celestia then called for Rainbow Dash to tell her story. “Rainbow Dash, are you going to keep in touch with Atlas?”
“Probably not.” Rainbow said simply not moving from her spot in the air, constantly flapping in place.
“Oh?” Celestia said with a questionable look on her face.
“Yea, we raced and talked but I think we both knew that we would never see each other again. But you never know.”
Celestia nodded. “Now, Rarity and Applejack. I understand you both heard the story about Spikes origins?”
They nodded to each other.
“This was to keep the dragons from invading. At the time, I had no idea that my father was leading them. I wanted to broker a deal with them that a dragon born among ponies could live in peace with us. Both Ryalon and Skadholm agreed to these terms. If I were wrong, the dragon would have destroyed us.” Celestia frowned. “I never knew that my father had been keeping the dragons at bay the entire time. It must have been amusing to them because they knew they wouldn't, couldn't attack us.
“Where is Spike anyways?” Applejack asked.
“He's taking care of the Library, getting all my essentials together. Were still doing the festival, right?” Twilight asked the princess.
"The city is in great shape so it will still be held." Celestia nodded.
Twilight remembered something strange, “But then why was I the one to hatch Spikes egg if it were apart of your deal? What made me so special?”
Luna and Celestia looked at her intensely. “There is much to tell you Twilight Sparkle.” Luna said.
“We will have to go all the way into the past though.” Celestia mused.
Twilight looked confused. “I'll try to understand.”
“We know.” Celestia grinned.
“But it's only for you to know, Twilight. No offense to the rest of your friends.” Luna replied.
The other ponies nodded in understanding except Rainbow Dash. “We stick together through these kinds of things!” she said irritated.
Luna looked at her angrily. “This history is personal to my sister, Twilight and myself. Were not holding out on you because of some royal secret or just because.”
Rainbow sighed and accepted it. “I'm sorry, I just hope we can always keep your trust.”
Celestia nodded. “Of course you will, Rainbow Dash. Busy days are ahead of us, so I advise everypony to be ready. Twilight, we'll talk more of this once we know this land is safe after the meeting.”
Everypony agreed and went about their day in Canterlot. They wanted to stay and help Twilight get read for the Summer Sun Celebration that was to happen in a few days. Twilight was to attend the meeting of the ambassadors as a equal representative of the nation. Several days had gone by and Twilight had been told what to expect and how to prepare for the meeting. Fhil was left to his own devices until the day came and was notified by a unicorn guard at his door and escorted to the castle.
Entering the throne room, there were many prominent ambassadors from several nations standing before the three princesses. There was a griffon who Fhil recognized as their nations equivalent to himself. Fhil met Adolf while traveling around the Griffon Kingdom in his time there. He looked more and found that the zebra, diamond dog and mule nations all had representatives there too. Then, there was the changeling in the room.
Fhil walked down the isle until he got before the princesses. Celestia began speaking, “This is Fhillip Buster. He will be speaking to you on behalf of Equestria.”
All ears were listening to him and all eyes were on him. Fhil turned around and started taking questions.
Adolf, familiar with Fhil, started his inquiry. “Is my home safe?”
This was the main topic that had to have major reinforcement. No one likes a surprise attack on their home by a horde of dragons, a Canterlot repeat. As the discussions progressed, Fhil told the stories of reassurances he had from the dragons and that they were generally an honest race. He warned them that the peace would probably not last and to keep an eye out anyways.
All representatives besides the changeling left the throne room to go back to their embassies. The changeling spoke to Fhil about a different matter entirely. “I have a message from the queen.” it said. “Since our queen was here yesterday, she has decided to mull over her decision to help you.”
“Is she still bitter?” Fhil asked it.
“She still has problems with your kind and the fact that her mother still questions our ability to co-exist with yours. However she will send word if she reaches a final decision.”
Celestia nodded and the changeling bowed and left the room.
“You've done a nice job Fhil.” Twilight said looking for reassurance from Luna and Celestia whom nodded at her statement.
“Thanks.” he sighed. "But I thought Chrysalis came back with you two to help rebuild?"
"She did but changed her mind when she saw the city." Luna told him.
"Mother was the only pony keeping the peace and she didn't come with us. We can't truly be friends if mother isn't here to help our bonds." Celestia admitted.
Fhil frowned because they had told the dragons that even a changeling could change.
“Well you are off the hook for now.” Luna told him.
“For now?” he questioned her.
“The changelings.” the white alicorn stated, “You need to visit Chrysalis again and stay there if she allows it. I want you to live and learn from their culture and show your interest which you failed to do last time. Make it up to her.” Celestia said.
“Very well.” Fhil said simply, knowing this was truly the right thing to do.
“I will not come with you this time. Go home and get ready, you leave tomorrow.” Luna told him.
Fhil nodded and trotted out the throne room door. Luna and Celestia looked at Twilight who had yawned after a long day of preparing for the meeting and Summer Sun Celebration. "It's three days away." Celestia said.
"What about everything you have to tell me?" Twilight asked.
"This celebration is stressful enough, Twilight Sparkle. You can wait one more day and after you are told, I bet you will be glad you did." Luna said. Twilight nodded in understanding and went to bed early. Her friends had one last bout of training tomorrow morning and she needed the rest.
That morning, Twilight and her friends practiced her aerial stunts for the celebration. The mayor of Ponyville was having a celebration of their own and desperately needed Twilights friends back home to help out. They said their goodbyes and rode the train back home. That night Celestia told Twilight a little about the time she had to banish her own sister.
That morning, Twilight learned that the princess had disappeared and that the Everfree Forest was invading Ponyville. Hurrying to her friends, they discovered that the answer to their problem was deep in the forest itself and eventually leading to discover the avatar of Harmony.
Celestia and Luna were rescued and Discords vengeance seeking seeds were destroyed. Now a certain little box has come into the ponies possession and after the Summer Sun Celebration, the princesses gathered in Celestias room for the final explanation that was owed to Princess Twilight Sparkle.
The sun had been raised and the day started. Twilight, Celestia and a very sleepy Luna lounged Celestia's bed. "After all that has happened, you finally have met with the avatar of Harmony." Celestia said.
"But I thought these elements were its avatars? I assumed anyways..." Twilight admitted.
"No Twilight, they are how you connect with it." Celestia told her.
Before the unification of everypony, before the Crystal Empire existed, before Luna and Celestia came into the world, the ponies lived in a snow covered land. This wasn't always so, because ponies used to love one another equally. There was no hate between them because they had grown from fillies who were under the rule of the royal family, the original alicorns. These alicorns had known the mother of pony kind and kept her peace and love lasting. Lauren was apart of the ponies lives for awhile but it got scarcer over time because her nature kept her creating more things in the world.
Years passed and the ponies started feeling more and more angry towards each other and the differences they had, came into focus as controversial subjects arose. Eventually, even the royal family couldn't keep the peace and the three pony types separated into their own towns. The royal family stayed with the unicorns because they believed the problem would have to be solved with magic.
When the break happened, Princess Platinum was ruler and the times had affected her too. She wasn't as peace loving as she once was but she still tried to hang on to old traditions that all ponies shared. She had two unicorns she called her favorites named Starswirl and Sombra. They had the task of reuniting all ponies in friendships bliss. The two also had different views of handling the situation. Starswirl was older as was his idea's, to force ponies to reunite using magic. The princess wasn't to pleased to hear that her subjects should be brought together this way but had him pursue it anyways remembering the magic of friendship. The black unicorn, Sombra, had a similar idea but its method was very different. Instead of using magic, he would use physical force to have them come together. He brought to the princess, rules and laws that had to be followed to maintain peace.
The princess didn't like Sombra's idea at all because she didn't want to become a tyrant. She remembered her mother's love and tried to call on her for guidance but Lauren never came.
Celestia, Luna and Twilight were laying on Celestia's bed as Celestia told her story. It was a relaxing atmosphere and the room was lit by the sun from the windows. Luna was reading the diary that Twilight found in their old castle.
As Celestia finished telling this portion of the story, Luna stopped reading and turned to Twilight. “This is the information that had been passed down to us. What she told us about the history of pony kind.”
Twilight nodded, “Yes you can read these in history books too but why isn't Lauren ever mentioned?”
“Because we can't prove she exist.” Celestia shook her head.
“But she's been staying around the castle. Even if nopony knew who she was, they would still wonder who the new alicorn was.” Twilight argued.
“True Twilight Sparkle, but this is the first time she has come around ponies since the ancient days... I think she was testing the waters.” Luna said.
Twilight's expression told the sisters that she accepted this reason. The lavender alicorn nodded and let Celestia continue. “Father and mother told us why they really left.” Celestia confessed.
“We never knew our father before hand so she never answered the question. She just always told us, 'someday you may know', things along those lines. It was very frustrating.” Luna added rolling on the bed to lay on her side. She saw her parent's at the door.
“Yes it was and I felt your frustrations.” Lauren added.
Every-pony saw that the motherly alicorn was in the room, along with the dragon, Craig.
“How long have you been there?” Celestia asked.
“I just came to help tell the story.” Lauren giggled.
“And mine.” Craig added.
“Why?” Twilight asked. “If you told them already I mean.” Twilight realized how rude she was being and quickly corrected the situation. “I mean, I hope this isn't wasting to much of your time. I don't think I'm THAT important.” she blushed from shame.
Celestia and Luna eyed each other for a moment then looked back at their mother. Lauren smiled, “Too much to tell them in such a short time. Your future and past Twilight are tied to this story. My daughters do not know everything about it.”
Craig nodded. “My past is also tied in with yours, little one.”
Twilight felt a bit noxious. “I don't know if I like where this is going.”
“Well, hear us out, please?” Craig asked.
Twilight frowned but nodded.
Lauren continued from where Celestia left off. “But I must backtrack a little bit. When the break in unification happened. I was there in the castle that is unknown to you, Platinum's castle.”
Craig frowned because he knew what was next and the others noticed his change.
“When I saw my ponies fight, I grew sad that my love did not live among the ponies as strong and as long as I had hoped. I realized it was my fault for always disappearing, always leaving them.” Lauren looked down trying to hide her face.
“But... one day...” she continued, “Craig came to me in the castle, and he pointed at the ponies and asked me to come with him.”
Craig nodded, “'Do not stay and be betrayed' I told her. Then, I pointed to the horizon, 'Let us wander over yonder'.”
“I cried a lot at that moment.” Lauren confessed. “I didn't believe in myself anymore, my children didn't love each other and their mother couldn't stay and be a mom.”
Celestia and Luna both looked hurt but remained understanding, letting her finish without interruption. Twilight looked on in curiosity, hearing the affairs of the gods of old. Lauren still had her head down and her face still out of sight. Craig comforted her with a hug to her slender neck.
“So with a heavy heart, I followed Craig and we traveled the world trying to find peace of mind with what we have done and become.” she lifted her head. “Chrysalis had been born along time ago and my fling with John was over at this time. I just had a lot of regrets and it seemed to get worse.”
“It doesn't appear to be easy, being a god and a mother.” Twilight said. “Everyone wants you but you're too big to share.”
Lauren nodded. “But I can be shared if I put in the time.” She sat down on a cushion next to Celestia's mirror and Craig sat next to her on the bare carpet.
“We have done our best to understand but we can only relate to you a little.” Luna told her mother. “As rulers of a country, we are always needed and it is very tiring.”
Celestia giggled. “She just has to get used to being around ponies again.” Luna rolled her eyes at her sister's words.
The black dragon began talking. “Lauren's relationship with John had been over for hundred's of years, ending with the birth of Chrysalis. It is also when she made my successor and I had Av run the dragons for me.” Craig nodded. “During my absence, Av had recruited Skadholm and then Ryalon.”
Twilight's eyes perked up, “Now that you mention it, we never learned her story.”
“For good reason.” Lauren told her. “Her domination story is the Crystal Empire.”
“WHAT?” Twilight shouted unintentionally. “Sorry! Ahem, continue.” once again blushing.
“The Crystal Empire was, in the beginning, a diamond dog settlement.” Craig went on. “They were the original inhabitants of Equestria before the ponies came and claimed it as their own.”
“Should we write this down?” Twilight asked in earnest.
“You will decide that once you hear the whole story.” Celestia explained.
“Anyways” Craig continued, “The diamond dogs built those stone colored houses but they did not construct that tower. Before they could truly expand, they were invaded and wiped out by a foreign force.”
“What happened to them?” Twilight asked him.
“Griffons.” Craig told her.
“Wait, wait wait.” Twilight sputtered. “They didn't come to Equestria until after Fhil let them into the country.”
“This is half true.” Lauren claimed.
“Yes. The griffons came to this place after fleeing from their own war torn home. A warlord had decided to unite the griffon tribes under one banner and these unique creatures that came from the northern side of their land, tried to colonize here. They face hopeless numbers back home, you see.” Craig explained.
“What made them unique?”
“They had snow leopard legs and white feathers.”
“Wow, that sounds pretty, I've never seen one.” Twilight said.
“Because they are all dead.” the dragon revealed.
“But..”
“They killed the dogs, built that tower and renamed that city to Ryalon. I suppose you can figure out the rest.”
Twilight frowned. “A race of griffons destroyed..”
“Ryalon is vicious as she is deceitful.” Craig said simply. “She wanted to prove herself to her love, Skadholm and absolutely conquered that place. She became a leader after returning home to the ruined city of Skadholm.”
Everypony listened to Craig's story.
“Afterward, The city had been abandoned for 120 years. Ryalon guarded her treasure when she could but could not stay because of her other duties. The dragon leadership was still small and she had to protect the dragon capital. During this period, I had already asked Lauren to leave the ponies and they had began to migrate out of the snow covered lands when they couldn't keep their growing population fed.”
Lauren nodded, “When the ponies reunited in that fateful cave, the crystal heart was created that day and they felt the love and joy of another's company. They didn't travel far and found the abandoned city. Platinum ruled from the castle and the other two leaders went out to expand their claim to the land. The pegasus leader founded Cloudsdale and the earth pony went on to build Manehattan. The Crystal Empire remained diverse to hold onto the peace they earned.”
“However it was threatened.” Craig added. “Ryalon saw that her city had been inhabited by ponies so, furiously, she attacked them.”
Twilight raised a brow to this.
Craig went on, “Princess Platinum still had Sombra and Starswirl around and the two of them were able to defeat her. She retreated back to Skadholm and the dragons planned to recapture the city. But that attack didn't go unnoticed, Lauren found out and asked me to do something.”
“Right. I asked him if he could tame the dragons for me.” she giggled.
“At that moment, Lauren was pregnant with Celestia and I wanted to keep her happy.”
“So he went to Skadholm in hopes of stopping future attacks on all pony kind, even after he gave the reins to Av.” Lauren said.
“My arrival didn't go as planned.” Craig admitted. “Av was surprised to see me but the other two didn't know who I was. I told them not to attack the ponies but Ryalon and Skadholm ignored me and took off towards the empire. Av began arguing with me about how he was in control and if the dragons were to conquer the world, there would be no holding back.”
“So what happened?”
“We fought.”
Twilight, Luna and Celestia were surprised at this news.
“I won of course, transforming and harming him a great deal. Av couldn't believe it. He did manage to break off a piece of my horn before I transformed though. Since that day he did as I commanded. I don't think he believed I was really a dragon after that but he held his tongue.” Craig laughed. “The other two dragons made it to the empire, but they were defeated.”
“By Sombra and Starswirl?” Twilight asked.
“Me and Av made it there to see that they were beat by a single pony.”
“Who?” Twilight's curiosity growing.
“Only Starswirl. Av saw Sombra's rage. He saw Sombra's jealousy. Starswirl made Sombra watch as he beat them alone and afterward Sombra went off on Starswirl in a very vocal manner. Starswirl surpassed Sombra in magic and the dark unicorn wouldn't have it.”
“That's right, but he got over it.” Lauren said. “The Empire was safe and when Celestia was born, I wanted her to live a normal life, not one among a god, so I handed her to Princess Platinum to take care of.”
“Right, but Harmony told Lauren and I that we needed to have one more child, to maintain harmony because our kids would be the future.” Craig said. “We got to work.” he finished, grinning.
Lauren rolled her eyes as Luna and Celestia had disgusted looks on their faces. Twilight was blushing again.
“So after some time we managed to have Luna and also gave her to Platinum. The world of Equestria had grown and peace was still maintained. That dragons hadn't been seen since and Sombra was still around but kept a low profile. We all believed he was just trying to find ways to have stronger magic, which we all encouraged because it would be an asset to us. Sombra was part of the family, no matter what rivalry he and Starswirl held.” Lauren continued. “Celestia finally got her cutie mark and became a great deal all over Equestria. She could raise the sun alone and that was an omen that a new age was dawning.”
“I remember that. Ponies from all over came to see me and my mark.” Celestia said looking at the sun mark on her flank.
Lauren sighed. “But when Luna was born and came into her mark, she wasn't as well received. The only thing they did was put her on the flag.”
Hearing this, Luna frowned and Celestia comforted her little sister.
“Ponies loved the day more than they wanted night around.” Luna said.
“Well, ponies didn't have fun at night like they do nowadays.” Celestia added. Luna looked at her sister with uncertainty.
"In that book talking about the Nightmare Moon, it shows that you had pink hair in the drawing. Did you have pink hair as a filly Celestia?" Twilight asked.
"Nope. That was to keep our hair colors, one single color to not draw attention away from the other. Equality in representation of two equal beings. You should have seen the first Equestian flag, my hair was green on it instead."
"Oh! I see now." Twilight accepted this. Luna looked at her with sadness because she was about to drag out a lot of her awful past.
“I remember it all, after I got my cutie mark.” Luna went deep into thought because she wanted to explain everything that happened after that in detail.
It was a warm day in the Crystal Empire and filly Luna would wander the castle in order to keep her mind occupied. The staff and guards treated her well but she had no real friends besides her sister and Princess Platinum. Celestia on the other hoof was loved by all and Luna understood that Celestia didn't mean for everyone to care more about her so she often suffered alienation alone. Both sisters grew up in the Empire, under the guardianship of Platinum because Lauren's lifestyle was not stable enough to raise kids in the atmosphere they needed. Now that the ponies had been united again, the princess and Lauren were back on closer terms.
As the years went by, Celestia and Luna would attend class with Starswirl and occasionally Sombra to learn more about magic. Sombra did know some things about magic that Starswirl didn't bother touching. The dark unicorn saw that Luna was the underdog of the two and felt compassion for her situation. He would teach her diverse spells that Celestia did not know, such as bringing inanimate objects to life for a short period of time. Celestia noticed the time spent between the teacher and her sister but felt that it must have been making Luna happy to have another friend.
Luna had read about the attack on the Crystal Empire before she was born, by the dragons and she asked Starswirl how he had achieved such greatness being able to beat off a powerful dragon by himself.
“It's not as interesting as it sounds, little Luna.” he told her. Starswirl protested against telling her but after he saw Luna's pleading face, he couldn't help but tell her. “Alright, but keep it a secret!” he demanded.
“Okay.” Luna smiled.
“It wasn't a permanent power but I utilized the energy of the heart to boost my magic for a time.” He showed her a diagram of the Crystal Heart and how one could use magic endowed minerals to amplify one's power.
“How?” Luna asked him, wanting to understand just in case one day she would be called to do the same.
“The Crystal Heart is a stone formed from unique conditions, some objects exist like that in this world.” he confessed.
Realizing that he was getting to deep into the subject, he told her nothing more about it to her disappointment.
Luna wanted his friendship but Starswirl was very... eccentric. He didn't really have time for friends because of his latest work. He told the princess that he could develop a spell to turn one into an alicorn but he needed time to complete it. Sombra found out about this and hurried his efforts to surpass him.
As a teen, Luna would witness Sombra's rants while she spent time with him in his office that resided in the castle. Feeling sorry for her friend, she decided to tell him about the heart. He knew that it could amplify magic but didn't realize that it was what Starswirl did.
"How does the heart bring happiness to every-pony anyways?" Luna asked Sombra one day.
"Who ever controls the heart, in this case the princess, can exert their will on every-pony in the area by using the amplifier."
"Amplifier?" she asked curiously.
"The Crystal Palace itself." Sombra said while staring out the window from the very same palace.
"That doesn't make sense." Luna pouted. "Because it's shaped like a tower, you think it broadcast?"
"Oh, I know it does, little princess." Sombra laughed. "Ponies forget that this very building is made of magic enhanced crystal. So the palace is one huge enchanted rock!"
Luna's eyed opened wide at this realization. She always thought it was for looks. After telling her this though, Sombra began to pace around the room. The look in his eye's told Luna he may be up to something but she didn't ask. "Thank you Luna." he said.
She smiled at him, feeling glad to help some-pony. Afterwards she saw less and less of him as he too, had a huge project he was working on. It was all a race to be Platinum's student and to be handed down one of the most powerful spells in the magical arsenal, the sealing spell.
Eventually, Princess Platinum decided to take on Starswirl as her student because of his contributions and that was the final straw for Sombra. He gathered what he needed and left the city without saying goodbye to any-pony. Luna partially understood his reasons but she desperately wanted to go with him. She went into his abandoned office and searched his room for any sign of him, any clue to help her find him. There was no trace and despair fell on the young princess. She cried because she had lost her only true friend.
Princess Celestia tried to comfort her but she rejected her sisters warm embraces. Luna believed that Celestia was only her friend because she was related and would not have anything to do with her had she not been. Celestia was hurt by this but told her sister that they would be by each others side for the rest of their long lives.
Luna finished her story and Craig picked it back up.
“Sombra went off to find minerals with special properties.”
“Why didn't he use the heart then?” Twilight asked Craig.
“Because it was far to big to carry around. You see, he was looking for something to put into an accessory.” he explained.
“The heart would have lost its power had he chipped away at it.” Celestia told her.
Lauren saw where this was going. “It was perfectly fine that he went to look for more power. But what he found would change the Empire for the next 1000 years.”
“Sombra went to the only place he knew to find any gem he needed, the dragon city of Skadholm. When he got there, he found Av and the dragon struck a deal with him. Av had my horn and he figured out that it had power. Av gave it to Sombra telling him that the bone had more power than any gem in existence.” Craig said proudly.
“Uh-oh.” Twilight responded.
“That white dragon was still bitter that he lost, although he followed my 'orders', he has gone behind my back several times to betray my will.” Craig said. "Dragons collect gems and gold as you know. Once the Earth is ours, we would have all the gold and all the power. Gems could challenge our power, thats why we horded them."
"I bet that's why Rarity has the ability to find them!" Twilight realized.
"And if she falls in love with Spike and the two manage to somehow, have offspring, these dragons will be able to find them on their own probably." Craig told her.
Twilight blushed at this. "Is that possible Lauren?"
Lauren giggled because she knew the truth but decided to tease Twilight, "You will have to wait to find out." she winked.
Luna and Celestia laughed as Twilight's mouth opened in protest. "What? You can't leave me in the dark like that! I guess I'll have to play match maker with the two!" she thought about what she was saying and she was saying and blushed again uncontrollably.
Every-pony in the room was in tears, laughing at Twilight being crazy. Craig laughed too but decided to get back on topic. "We've been collecting gems for as long as we had things to do it for us."
Twilight was done blushing and got serious again. "Things? What kind of things?"
"Dragons aren't miners, and when Skadholm conquered his city, we knew we needed help getting the gems. Gems for gold, gems for protection, gems for not being attacked by a horde of dragons." Craig told them all. "We lied to Fhil when we told him that Huxio just stumbled onto the diamond dog nation but in truth, we struck a deal with it's master to mine our gems for us. When he got greedy and started holding out on is, we sent a new candidate for the leadership and he impressed us. I saw personally what happened." Craig said bitterly. "So many died that day."
“When Sombra got his hands on Craigs horn, it was explained that it could be reshaped because it was not a mineral so it could be arranged into something else.” Celestia explained. "The blood from the horn had long hardened into a stone like shape inside."
“Twilight Sparkle”, Luna spoke up. “Can you name a certain object that drives its user mad with power?”
“The Alicorn Amulet?” she guessed.
“Correct. The horn was forged into the Alicorn Amulet. Sombra believed he could become an alicorn with it. He was right, but only if he had the power of the heart too.” Luna added.
“So years later, he comes back and his mind is completely somewhere else. He gets into a fight with Starswirl, killing him and then he enslaves every-pony using the palace to do it!” Luna put it bluntly. “I begged him to stop but he said he didn't know me.” she frowned.
“Yes and the princess was pregnant so she had to flee the city.” Celestia said.
“Pregnant?” Twilight asked.
“Yea she started relations with the pegasus commander.” Luna rolled her eyes.
“Anyways, every-pony looked to us to save them but we didn't know how.” Celestia confessed.
Lauren laughed. “This is the crazy part. Celestia had a decent friendship with Starswirl and took Luna to his room to find the magic book he loved so much. Within it they found the sealing spell he learned from Platinum. Both of them learned it but when they confronted him to use it, they ended up sealing away the entire Empire and every-ponies memories of the Empire itself within 1000 miles!”
“Well, yes but we thought it would just seal him away.” Celestia said blushing.
“So that's why the crystal ponies couldn't remember much after re-appearing!” Twilight figured.
“Yes. It didn't affect the casters though.” Celestia said. "That's what we get for reading Starswirl's book, full of problems."
“But why did it appear when it did? The Empire I mean. I know now why it's not in the books but why did it come back?” Twilight asked.
“Well Sombra almost became a alicorn, and was way too powerful to defeat even for Luna and I. We sealed him away when he was split between here and the astral plain. This resulted in his incomplete form which you fought. So me and Luna had to become stronger when we would face him next... so we waited until it was time to unseal the Empire.” Celestia nodded.
“You waited a long time.” Twilight giggled.
“John saw this too and decided he needed to act before it was too late.” Lauren said. “He sent Discord to find the Tree of Harmony and to also be rid of you. After the events of the Empire, I sent both Luna and Celestia to the tree, that is how they found it.” Lauren giggled.
Twilight nodded. “I see. That's why the vines captured them and..”
“They were the seeds of an old hatred.” Lauren confessed. The tree is the avatar of Harmony and its elements are its copies. It did what John did but in smaller controllable doses. The tree expected the sisters to show up, it was bearing their marks already and accepted them. They are after all, my daughters and being both sun and moon, had a piece of Harmony in them already.”
“Is that why they didn't become jewelry?” Twilight asked.
“Yes.” Lauren admitted. “They didn't divide themselves among the two, because the two are one, in the same way they shared blood.”
Luna yawned, “So we went back and stoned Discord. After that we had to rebuild what he did and also we needed a new castle so, we built one above the tree to keep it safe.”
Celestia agreed with a nod. “Then we planned to unseal Sombra and use the Elements on him. But... Luna...” she paused.
“I tried to kill my sister.” Luna said coldly.
They all got quiet. Then Twilight broke the silence. “So it stopped you from doing what you needed to do for the Empire? Because Luna was needed to help unseal the spell right?”
“Yes...” Celestia said sadly. But when she returned, she came straight for me in Ponyville. I told her that I was no threat to her anymore and if she wanted to rule, she would have to defeat you and your friends.”
“You made her come after us?” Twilight frowned.
“I knew you would be safe.” Celestia told her.
“How!?” Twilight yelled, “My friends and I were in danger multiple times! I wasn't even sure if we would survive.”
“Did you ever notice that the tree had your cutie mark on it?” Celestia questioned her.
“Yes but that's because I have the element right?”
“Wrong. The tree doesn't have your mark on it. You have the mark of the tree on you.”
“Well.. yeah I figured that was the symbol of harmony.” Twilight frowned.
"No Twilight, the symbol of Harmony is a Yin-Yang. The starburst was the cutie mark that represented the pony who would bring balance back to the world. No pony will ever have our personal marks." Lauren sternly told Twilight.
Craig nodded. "No one will have my Oroboros, or John's diverting arrows."
“Or my multi-circle." Lauren added.
"Then why is your cutie mark a quill?" Twilight arched her eyebrow.
"I didn't have this at first but decided with Harmony that all my children should have a destiny. So starting with my own mark, Harmony wrote our destinies. I don't have the mark of the multi circle because no living creature can be the gods our true powers are, not even our avatars. Twilight, your mark is a big deal though. The gods of harmony and chaos are fate and destiny, so Harmony intended to bring you to a certain point and that would be the end of it.” Lauren explained.
“You were never in danger.” Celestia said. “When I first saw you after you beat Nightmare Moon, what did I say to you?”
“I knew you could do it...” Twilight said remembering that night.
Twilight Sparkle had heard many details of a unknown past over the course of an hour. After all that she heard, one thing was nagging the back of her brain. It honestly had been a question since she became the bearer of harmony. She decided now was the right moment to ask the gods and the princesses.
“Why me?”
Princess Celestia and Lauren looked at each other. Lauren nodded and Celestia smiled back at her mother and then continued her story.
“Mother told Luna and I how to find the tree. After Nightmare Moon, the elements stopped working because of what I had done. It's true that eternal night would have brought unbalance and chaos, so Harmony allowed me to use it against her but in doing this, I banished my other half to the moon. The elements sealed themselves up because I now had power over sun and moon. I was one being with power over the sky and that itself, much like Discord was a chaotic element.” Celestia explained looking to see if Luna was effected so to comfort her. Luna appeared to be okay for the most part but Celestia had to always make sure.
"So Harmony would not allow control over everything and allow you to be connected too..." Twilight stated quietly.
“Well, after the battle, I decided to move the capital to a location I was fond of. High on the mountains was the perfect spot for my new castle and so we began to build Canterlot in hopes that it would be a symbol of a new age.”
“But why move? I thought you wanted to protect the tree? And you LEFT the elements there?” Twilight asked then remembered, "Well I guess no-pony could use them..."
“Well it was obvious the tree could protect itself. The time we were there, it never came under any danger because of how vicious the forest was naturally. There is another reason too...” Celestia trailed off once again looking at Luna who returned the stare. “I couldn't live there anymore. I didn't regret my decision but it was a heavy price.” Celestia teared up because of what she was about to say. Twilight looked on with a sympathetic expression. “They may say that a thousand years on the moon alone is a long time and it is. They say that it is a form of loneliness beyond compare. However, I too had lost my long time friend and sister. While everyone I knew had always died around me, Luna was always there to comfort me, as I, her. But without her around, my rule felt surreal. I wake up one morning to my friends, go to sleep to wake up again to another set. I was in hell without her.”
“Celestia, I'm so sorry.” Luna said tearing up too. “I didn't realize that you went through so much. I figured you enjoyed ruling while waiting for me to return.” she admitted.
“Well, that's only half true. I ruled because I had to and I did it seriously. Don't forget Luna, we need each other, always and forever.” She smiled at her little sister who returned it. “I waited for your return and tried to prepare you a place but what I got told, put me at a tense 1000 years.” Celestia nodded turning to Lauren. “Mother told me about the elements coming back, about bloodline that would harbor the conditions.”
“Bloodlines?” Twilight asked curiously.
“Yes. The bloodline that would create conditions for the return of Harmony.” Celestia explained. “She told me to look for Harmony's starburst on a pony and I would know for sure.”
“That's why you took me as a student?”
“Correct. But I knew before you got your mark.” Celestia giggled.
Twilight put a hoof to her forehead trying to figure this out. “How in Equestria did you know?”
“Well Twilight, who else has your cutie mark?” Celestia asked.
Twilight Sparkle thought for a moment thinking of various ponies with stars and shapes similar to hers. She remembered growing up around somepony who did. “My brother?” she asked hoping it was the answer.
“That's right Twilight. When your brother was growing up, he did attend the school you did. I was informed of his mark because the teachers couldn't figure out his talent when he got it but they had a idea.” Celestia grinned. “You know he got it defending you from school bullies on his first day when you and your parents dropped him off.”
“I remember, I had my smarty pants doll with me. We were almost as inseparable as I was with my brother. Dad went in with him to see him take his entrance exam but mom and I were outside because the judges didn't want a foal in there just in case something went wrong. While we waited, mom had to go to the bathroom and told me to stay seated. As she was gone inside the bathroom, some kids decided to trot by me really fast, snatching my doll away from me!” Twilight said angrily.
“But your brother heard you crying outside the room.” Celestia smiled.
“Yes. He came outside to see what was wrong, ignoring his exam in the process. I pointed a hoof at the running ponies and he ran after them.” she sighed. “He got so mad he intended to grab the doll with his magic to return it but that's not what happened.”
Luna never learned this story but her ears were listening because she noticed Celestia's excitement. “What happened then Twilight Sparkle?”
“Well magically making things huge, it runs in the family because the doll grew fifty sizes too big.” Twilight laughed.
“Casting spells on that doll runs in your family too.” Celestia rolled her eyes as Twilight blushed. “And those students were stuck in the hallway underneath it. The judges saw this and decided he had magic potential.” Celestia went on.
Twilight regained her composure, “He was so happy because after that he got his cutie mark.”
“A Harmony crest with a shield.” Celestia said. “As you know, I own the school and was told of the incident. I was told of his cutie mark and hurried to meet him at your home.”
“That's when I first met you face to face.” Twilight blushed again.
“Yes, Twilight. When I saw the mark on your brother, I managed to also meet you. Your brothers mark I assumed at the time meant, 'protector of harmony' so I pegged you as the chosen one.” Celestia admitted.
“I see. Then you chose me to be your student?”
“Not quite. I wanted to keep an eye on you until you were ready. I was way to busy to do it but I knew somepony who could.”
“Eh?” Twilight scratched her head.
“I asked your parents if it would be okay if you had a baby sitter because a certain somepony could use a good lesson in what a job and what earning money are really worth.” Celestia groaned. “She's so careless sometimes.”
“You mean, Cadance?” Twilight asked.
“Right. I didn't expect her to fall in love with your brother but, that worked out in the end right?” Celestia laughed.
“Yes princess. I really like Cadance and I'm happy for my brother.” Twilight smiled brightly.
“Well, when the day came, your brother went off into the military and you went to your exam. I had a test just for you, to hatch that egg I got from Ryalon and Skadholm. I was supposed to be there watching but I ran late and while I were on my way, the events that took place became your cutie mark story.” Celestia smiled.
“I see..” Twilight's eyes got bigger in realization.
“So, you were the one and I got you under my hoof and now here we are.” Princess Celestia laughed.
Twilight looked around and saw that her peers were smiling back at her.
Lauren took the reigns of the conversation. “Now you are no longer with the elements and have that box.”
Twilight frowned and nodded back at the god.
“I am not one who see's the future but I can tell you that Harmony has something great in store for you.” Lauren admitted.
“I hope so.” Twilight said.
“Me and Craig are done here my daughters.” she said as they all hugged one another. “We will return to where we came from but I know we will see each other again after this is over.”
Luna let go of her father. “I hope so. I've missed you mom and I want to hear more from you dad.”
“Someday!” he said happily.
“Goodbye mother.” Celestia said with a sad expression after retreating from their hug.
“You'll be okay darling. You're always okay.” Lauren smiled.
“It's hard but I do it for everypony.”
“Do it for you.” Lauren gave her rub on her neck.
Celestia half smiled at this. “I'm learning.” she looked at Twilight and Luna. “I have friends to teach me.”
Both smiling, Craig and Lauren vanished into nothing. The room was quiet for a moment until Twilight broke the silence. “I'm sorry you two but what about my princess-hood?”
“What do you mean?” Luna asked her.
“Was this planned?”
“You know it was, we gave you the book to figure it out.” Luna replied.
“Well, was it part of Harmony's plan?”
“Oh.” Luna shrugged her shoulders.
“No. It was all my plan.” Celestia admitted with a serious expression. “I told Luna about you and at the time she was skeptical that you could actually do it.”
“No offense Twilight but I knew Starswirl personally and if he couldn't do it then I didn't think you could.” Luna admitted.
“Princess..” Twilight said sadly.
“This is before I really understood your talents though. When you did prove me wrong, I was excited to see where this plan of my sisters would go afterwards.”
Celestia laughed loudly. “You know, I didn't know if she could do it either because this was not on Harmonys grid.”
Luna put a hoof to her forehead in shame of her sister. Twilight had a look of annoyance on her face. “Thank you guys for the vote of confidence.”
“You saved my sister and have brought harmony back to Equestria. That is what Harmony had in store for you. My plans to turn you into a princess are my own and I'll tell you why!” Celestia said feeling anxious.
“Yes sister, why is she one of us?”
“Because we are two ponies who need each other yet we are very different.” Celestia told her. Luna and Twilight looked at her with demanding eyes, demanding Celestia to explain herself. Celestia took a deep breath, “The ponies may always have problems with one of us. They may see one of us better than the other. It will always be like this little sister.”
Luna knew this to be true. Ponies in Canterlot are proof enough, the shallow views of the rich and influential. “So what are you getting at?”
“Twilight is a worthy princess and has shown she can defend Equestria, so I propose we step down Luna.”
“WHAT?” Luna and Twilight said in unison.
“She is the only one who can replace us. That's the only reason I can come to this decision. I want us to step down so that the stress of ruling doesn't cause us to fight and so that we can bond stronger without the ponies trying to drive us apart with favoritism. Twilight can handle both sun and moon if she wishes. Her taking up this duty is of course optional and it won't effect her elements now that she has none.” Celestia said with a worried tone.
“What has gotten into you sister?” Luna asked angrily.
“I'm with Luna, I dont even have the elements to protect Equestria anymore!” Twilight said, rapid breathing starting in.
“That is true Twilight. This was unexpected that you would lose them but Luna and I can stay rulers till you find out whats in this box. My point is, that you are a princess now and you need your own country. At the time I considered this plan, you had the elements and still needed your friends whom none would follow you to this new place.” Celestia said seriously.
“What?” Twilight asked stunned.
“Applejack tried once to leave the farm. She can't go anywhere. Rarity has family too and a business. Pinkie might follow you, as will Rainbow. Even though Fluttershy has animals he has grown attached to, she can release them into the wild.” Celestia explained.
“I see..” Twilight replied, Luna still having a look of disapproval on her face.
“But you lost the elements now. I didn't count on that so we will hold off on it all.”
“I've been gone for a thousand years sister, I really didn't have a lot of time to rule or get to prove myself to our citizens!” Luna told Celestia.
“I want to do this for us, Luna.” Celestia closed her eyes trying to not cry.
Luna stayed silent. Frustrations rising with each others opposite opinion on the situation. Twilight spoke up though trying to diffuse it. “We can all rule together.” she offered. “I just can't see Equestria without you two. I can't see my life without you.”
Celestia sighed. “I'm sorry Twilight. I just tried to decide what was best and recent events with the tree have strengthened my resolve.You have corrected Luna and my mistakes, piece by piece. You released my sister, you beat Sombra and now the Empire is free. You beat Discord AND helped him! Not to mention what you've recently accomplished with the dragons! Lest we forget that you actually beat some-pony who had her hooves on the Alicorn Amulet? You are fit to rule and Luna and I, are not...”
Luna was mad now, not saying anything about her sister's outrageous proposal. Twilight however, had another way.
“Celestia, please don't give up. If any trouble you face in the future from now on, I will be there. No matter how long you live in this world, I promise I will be there to straighten it all out between you, after all, I'm an alicorn now.” Twilight smiled and rubbed her face against Celestia's neck. Luna watched and her anger evaporated at Twilight's love for her sister. Luna smiled and was happy to see Twilight so determined to talk her sister out of this. It made her more happy to see how much she cared about the two.
Celestia spoke through her shaky voice. “Thank you... Twilight.”
Weeks have passed since that day and Twilight has collected almost all the keys for the mysterious Harmony box. It was night and the castle in Canterlot was mostly dark except for a noticeable light coming from Luna's room. She stared out the window at the street lit city and pondered about many things. The princess noticed when she got back that ponies had been more active during the night because of street lamps and lights on businesses. These things didn't exist and the only light back then was the light of the moon. The ponies liked the night sky but if you can't see much, you cannot do much so it was no true surprise to Luna that the citizens played at night these days. They didn't play all night though leaving Luna alone in the late hours aside from the castle staff that had cleaning duties or guard duty.
Celestia had mulled over the decision to step down with her sister but Luna still worried about it. She doesn't want to give up the throne so easily when she just got settled back into it. She doesn't want to rule without her sister there because she wants Celestia to be by her side through all the politics and experiences that they never truly shared together. On a darker note, ruling without Celestia would make the dark princess out to look like she was trying to rule alone. Like the day when she turned into that demonic mare that ponies remembered and celebrated her defeat for years.
So many secrets have plagued the past of Equestria and even time before then that Luna just wanted the future to be a lot more transparent. Perhaps Twilight's involvement was a great thing after all. Honestly, she didn't want another princess ruling between them but it may just be okay.
Fhil was still in Chanolis with Queen Chrysalis and doing a great job at changeling relations. His wife is being taken care of while he is gone and visits the castle every so often to show his letters she receives to Celestia so that she can read his part to her. Apparently he can't send letters to anyone else because the queen has trust issues and his mail gets read and approved before it's sent. To make sure the unicorn is even alive, a convoy of guards with supplies of goodwill travels to check in on him weekly. Lillian worries about him but knows that his success is important to Equestria's medical future.
The god's haven't been heard from since they disappeared that day. The Ponyville friends are all adventuring collecting the keys for that box nopony know's anything about. Discord hasn't been around much and his girlfriend left him. Apparently they kept getting into arguments so she went back to the dragons. This was bitter news because now we don't know what the dragons are planning and Discord keeps flirting with Celestia!
Luna's thoughts came to an end as she finally pondered somepony whose destiny was like Twilight's destiny. Cadance's grandmother Princess Platinum once ruled the Crystal Empire but she survived the sealing by coming down to live with her lover in the castle in Cloudsdale after fleeing the city while pregnant. She died before I became Nightmare moon and her daughter was very young. Life went on these past thousand years and eventually she met a pony and had Cadance. Unfortunately, Luna was told that she died while giving birth. Cadance never knew her dad either, it was a sad story of an unknown father. When Cadance got her mark, Celestia knew that she was born to rule the Crystal Empire. Everything came together so perfectly for both Cadance and Twilight.
Even so, Luna could not help but feel angry at her sister for even suggesting this retirement. Destiny may have been good to Celestia so far but Luna wanted more. She wanted the admiration of her ponies and to leave her own legacy behind when her reign was over, only because death had come for her. She hoped her sister would change her mind. She hoped that she wouldn't be forced to do it if Celestia went through with it. She hoped for a brighter future with Equestria... or perhaps, a darker one. A gleam of light from the moon caught Luna's eye and just for a moment, the familiar dragon shaped eye of a certain demonic mare, looked back.
