Chapter one
Dark, black clouds covered the sky. The wind howled through the mountains, whipping snow through the valleys. Carried by it was a chill so cold that even the thickest fur would not keep one warm. Not a thing would grow in the harsh climate of the north. If any pony would ever dare to wander in the desolate waste, their blood would freeze before they had gotten far. Fortunately, he was no pony.
The wind bit at him, trying to hold him back. He wanted to turn around, go back to his brother, but he knew his brother would be furious if he did. For now he had to push on. He dragged his feet through the snow, slowly taking step after step. He was almost there. Was it across the next ridge? Maybe the one after that. He had passed the mountain shaped like a fist earlier that day. Or was it the day before? It has been oh so long. He had gone to sleep since then, so it must have been yesterday. Yes, that sounded about right.
The directions he had gotten in that book were confusing to say the least. Archaic descriptions of landscapes long past. Wind and weather had long since changed the lay of the land, leaving him with only the slightest of hints as to where he was headed. At first he had taken to the air, the skin of his wings carrying him over this harsh landscape. He flew further and further north he flew until the cold wind had gotten too strong. He still had a tear running through his left wing.
It could not be far now. Soon, it would be over. Just a bit more. Then he could finally go back south, back into the warmth. There, in the cliffside. A single cave, shrouded in complete darkness, just like the pits he was born in. To the right of it a single stone totem stood bearing strange symbols. Could that possibly be it? Maybe… Everything was so blurry. At least it was getting warmer. Just a bit more. Yes… Yes, it was this cave. There was his goal, so close, and yet, why not just take a quick rest. Had the snow always been so warm? It was like a warm, soft mattress, calling to him. Maybe…
//////
A soft hum filled the air, calling to him, bidding him to awaken. He turned wrapping himself in the soft blankets, shutting himself from the world. The soft hum continued playing its cheerful tune. Slowly he opened his eyes. He was in a room he had never seen before. Strange runes traced along the wall. He could trace them throughout whole room. It looked similar to those his brother had used in their homeland, but they did not seem to pulse with the same dark energy. Curious he got out of the bed and looked around. The room was only sparsely decorated. Only a single nightstand with a bucket full of water and a towel stood next to the bed.
He turned to the door and opening he called with all his remaining strength. „Whoever is there, reveal yourselves or be crushed!”
At first silence reigned but then, from down the halls, bells rang. They seemed so soothing that he couldn’t help but be drawn to them. He followed the ringing until he came to a large room with a burning hearth off to the far side with two large armchairs standing in front of them. In one them an old stallion sat. His coat was grey, but here and there single brown strands of fur still poked out, resisting the passing of time. Covering him was a midnight blue cloak adorned by numerous golden bells. He was playing with his long, grey beard. "Hello young traveller. I’m glad to see you are awake." The stallion said, blowing a ring of smoke from his pipe. “Please sit.”
The old stallion did not fear him? How could that be? He, who walked on two legs, bore featherless wings and held strength enough to bench-press a small cottage. Ponies saw him and fled in fear. Even the bravest of knights trembled before him, but this old decrepit stallion greeted him with… indifference.
“Are you the unicorn of the north, the one of the prophecy?”
“One could say so.” The stallion said, “Please, have a seat. The broth is still warm.”
“There is no time for that puny pony. I will take you to my brother. With your power even those two ‘Princesses’ will not stand in our way.”
“Perhaps later.” The stallion blew another smoke ring into the air. “For now, I will be eating my broth.” He smiled at him, levitating both a normal sized and a bowl large enough for him out. “You are welcome to join me if you wish. The hearth is warm, and the food is delicious if I may say so.”
He didn’t know what to say. No pony had ever dared defy him. In fact, even in his homeland no one dared go against him. Enthralled by the steaming bowl of sweet broth his stomach finally rebelled. It roared loud enough to shake the glasses lying on the table next to the pony. The stallion only chuckled giving him the bowl. He smelled it, suspicious at first. Surely the stallion intended to poison him, but his body was stronger than the stallion knew. He would not keel over by anything the stallion could do.
With one swish he emptied the bowl. It tasted purely magnificent. He detected a slight hint of hazelnuts mixed with daffodils. He never understood how the ponies could survive only on leaves. Nuts on the other hand he could eat until he burst. The warmth of the broth spreading to his stomach he let out a content sigh. He had to actually suppress the smile that threatened to encroach onto his face.
“Well, it seems I didn’t make enough.” The stallion said sipping at his.
“Eat up quickly little pony. We have a long way to go, and I do not want to stay in these wastes for longer than need be.”
“Perhaps, when I am done.” The stallion said slowly sipping as it soup. “I’m sorry, I must have missed your name. Such a noble traveller must have said it. In my late years I seem to forget such things more often than I would care to admit.”
“I am Scorpan. Brother of Tirek and lord of the fire pits.”
“Ah, I was correct.” The stallion said in a tone that was so polite that it was almost mocking. “A Lord. I must say, it’s been a while since I was graced by noble guests. Let me just finish my broth and we can talk.”
The stallion simply sat there, not ignoring him, but also not indulging him. Scorpan sat there for what felt like an hour before the old stallion finally finished his food. A sigh of relief escaped Scorpan as he stood up only to realize that the old stallion had relit his pipe and was now happily puffing away.
“ENOUGH!” he bellowed. “How dare you mock me! We will leave now. I will take you to my brother and then be done with you.”
“You will do no such thing.” The stallion said calmly. His eyes were like an endless sea, calm but a strength beyond compare under the surface. Scorpan almost raised his fist to force the stallion to come with him but those eyes. The held him in place, forced him to be still. It was similar to when his brother was angry with him. He felt a fear so similar, yet different as night and day. When his brother was angry he was knew that if he only misspoke he would die. Now, he didn’t fear for his life. He felt no murderous intent from the stallion. Instead he felt guilty. Afraid he might… disappoint this old stallion.
Scorpan lowered his fist, torn at what to do. “I will not… no… I cannot let you stay here. I must take you with me. Do not make this more painful than it needs to be.”
“You might think that. How about a deal. If I cannot convince you to leave me be, then I will come with you.”
Scorpan though on this for a moment. He was not so easy to trick, but he was not so full of himself that he would not be wary. “Very well…” He said. It’s not like he couldn’t go back on his word later.
“Very good.” The stallion said, his cold expression evaporating back into a smile. “Then let me finally introduce myself. My name is Starswirl the bearded.”
“Very funny.” Scorpan scoffed, “I may not know much of your pony history, but even I know that the one you called Starswirl disappeared over five centuries ago.”
“Yes. That would be me.”
“That is impossible. Even if it where what could make you want to spend your life here in this frozen waste?”
“No all of our destinies are easy to fulfil.” He said chuckling softly to himself. “I was born well over two hundred years before the two sisters were born. And yet I was there when they first came forth. I was also there when they first reached their namesakes. I guided them when they fought against chaos itself. Eventually, the elder will need me else she descend into despair. One final time, I will be there. As to why I live here. It turns out time distortion spells tend to wreak havoc on the surrounding area.”
The stallion smile faded for only a moment as he explained, but when he turned back to Scorpan the same warm, knowing smile came forth. “But I’m not here to talk about me. Tell me why you want me to come south.”
“As I said, my brother needs your strength.”
“But why do you want me there?”
Scorpan thought a moment. This question must have been some kind of trick. “I want my brother to have what he wants.”
“So your brother’s desire is more important than everyone happiness, including your own.”
“What do you mean?”
The old stallion sighed, his smile fading to a sad frown. “Remember when you first came to Equestria. You captured that young mare. She cried and screamed. No matter what you tired she would not be still. That poor mare only stopped after your brother had his way with her.” Scorpan felt a knot tie in his stomach. “Next was the foal. He didn’t cry. He just watched, curious. As your brother cast his spell leaving an empty husk behind. Finally the stallion came. His wife and child, drained. He fought, not for himself. With an unquenchable rage he fought for them.” The knot in Shoran’s stomach tightened until he could taste the bile in his throat. “Again and again you beat him down until he could no longer move. Then your brother drained him.”
“The mare was a baker. Every day she would get up before even the sun rose. Day in and day out she would sell pastries, spreading happiness in that small hamlet.”
“Enough…”
“The stallion was a carpenter. He spent his days making furniture. You probably noticed just how breath-taking the town was. That was his handiwork. He loved making not only his home, but the whole town beautiful.”
“Stop… I’ve heard enough.”
“And the child. He played with his friends every day. Just a few weeks ago he had earned his cutie mark. He was going to be an explorer. Discover distant land and bring trade to them.”
“Now They have lost what makes them unique.” The stallion said, a single tear working its way down his muzzle. “They sit around all day. The pastries are bland, the crafts uninspired and the child drifting from place to place. Soon-”
“ENOUGH!” Scorpan screamed. He knew all this, but this is how it had to be.
The stallion cleared his throat and then simply continued as though he had never been interrupted. “Soon, your brother will have all the power he needs. He will be strong enough to fight my two students. He will gather all the magic, leaving behind a land of husks and ashes.”
“What would you have me do? Fight him? Die?”
“You are still so young.” The stallion said sadness creeping into his voice. “I see so much potential in you. So much you could do, if you were to just let yourself try. Have you ever even tried to cast a spell?”
“I rely on my strength, I have no magic within me.” Scorpan said reverting to the neutral tone he always had.
“Boulder dash. Everyone in our world is full of magic. Magic flows through us, binds us and guides us. Even the griffons, the by far least magical race, are teeming with it. Why, of all the creatures would you have none?”
“Don’t you dare speak to me like that! I am Scorpan, Strongest of my people, and brother of the future ruler of the world.”
The stallion just sat there smoking his pipe, waiting as though nothing were the matter. Instead his horn ignited and the hearth dimmed down. Around him a multitude of candles lit filling the room with a soft aroma. With a voice smooth as silk the stallion spoke. “Close your eyes.” Scorpan refused at first, but the stallion simply waited. For some reason he eventually did as the stallion bid. “Now, take a deep. Breath in.” He demonstrated, taking a deep breath. “And out.” With his breathing he continued to guide Scorpan into a calm state. “Think of the first time you tried to use magic. Remember how you brother watched you and focus on that feeling.”
Scorpan did as was bid, but instead of the calm that had held his mind up until then, a stabbing pain hit him. He retreated from the pain, hiding behind his strength. “No… open yourself, follow the pain, embrace it and see what you find.” Reluctantly Scorpan did as he was told. Eyes still closed he remembered the first time he had tried to cast a spell. The pain hit him again, almost pushing him away. At first he could not help but fight it, but slowly he stopped resisting. The pain no longer hit him, but flowed through him.
He… He had almost done it back then. He was on the verge of casting a spell when his brother had come. What had happened? “Look into yourself. See what is there.” He followed the stallion’s directions but found nothing. Or at least he thought he did. He stumbled through the shroud until he noticed how strange it felt. He grabbed at the shroud clouding his mind. Like a wall it refused him. “You are not weak like your brother. Push ahead, find your own path. Be who you are!” He felt a strength unlike anything he had felt before. It was as though the stallion were guiding him forward, removing all the obstacles in his way, leaving him to roam free. He smashed through the shroud and was knocked out of his isolation.
Scorpan opened his eyes, a smile upon his face. He felt… incredible. So much energy… so much power. He let out a roaring laugh. This must be how his brother felt every day. With a flick of his wrist he created a fire ball and flung it into the hearth. It lit up the whole room in a brilliant red light.
“You see what your brother has hidden from you.” The… Starswirl said holding his neutrality.
“Yes… But with this, I can finally fight!”
“That is a possibility.”
Scorpan turned to Starswirl, confused at the old stallions reserved position. This was exactly what he had wanted. Scorpan would no longer blindly follow the orders of his brother. The only question as exactly what he would do now.
He thought of what his brother was actually doing. He was stealing power from others because he did not have much of his own. Still, he had already assembled so much power, and was by far the experienced in wielding it in combat. It was highly unlikely that he could stand up to him. An additional option would be to play along. Wait until they returned to their homeland. There he could stand against his brother. Tirek may have friends there, but Scorpan was no fool. He knew that his brother was loathed by most. There he could raise a host and march against his brother. Victory, while not certain, would definitely be in the realm of possibilities. All he would need to do was help his brother finish off Equestria without revealing his new power.
Disgruntled he paced back and forth. There had to be another way. He did not wish to go through the whole ordeal again. Actually, he doubted he could just stand by and watch his brother drain ever more ponies. Up until now the only thing that had held him back was knowing that defying his brother would have meant certain death, but was his situation now any different. Was there any way he could get out of this?
He turned to Starswirl, hoping that somehow he would know what to do. The old stallion didn’t seem to be bothered by Scorpan’s distress. He just sat there smoking his pipe. Much like the last stallion he had helped his brother drain. He was an old Stallion, not quite as old as Starswirl was, but still old. Or rather, he at least did not look as old as Starswirl did. That stallion had begged, not for him to spare him from Tirek, or to fight him. Even in his ignorance he could see that Scorpan stood no chance. He pleaded that he go to the rulers of the land. He claimed that they could fight him, that they could fix this. Scorpan had not believed him, holding it only for the ramblings of a senile old stallion. Tirek on the other hand seemed to know better. After he had found out he had sent Scorpan north to find a pony who would give him power. Now Scorpan understood that his brother feared those two princesses.
That was the only way he could stop this, but was it even possible for him. Even before he had been known, ponies had called the guard on him. Wherever they had seen him they had chased him off, calling him a monster. Now, after all that has happened, he would probably be executed on the spot. “How would the princesses do if I were to fly straight into the castle?”
“Who knows?” Starswirl said, toying with his beard as he filled the air with smoke rings. “They might capture you and hang you, or they might banish you to Tartarus. Of course, it’s also possible that they listen to you.” He extinguished his pipe and stood up. “The real question is whether it is worth the risk. Either way, I am quite tired. If you want you may stay, but for now I am retiring.” He threw his pipe to Scorpan. “Either way, I wish you the best.”
He left Scorpan alone in the room. Scorpan stood there, looking at the pipe, still unsure of what to do. He turned around as a creaking sound echoed through the room. There a door had opened, snow blowing through the portal covering him. With a sigh he stepped through the door, back into the cold outside world.