Stories in Stone
Memories of Twilight
By TDR
No dawn, no day.
The light click of hooves echo across the stone as a small flicker of light shines from a spell lit horn illuminating the spiraling staircase upward. The faint rustle of wings accompanies the hoof falls, as the Princess reaches the top of the stairs. Her horn glows brightly causing several orbs placed around the room to start to glow, making the room shine as bright as day.
Thousands of paintings, photos, and trinkets lined the walls of this chamber, covering nearly every available bit of space. It had gotten to the point that there were even some on the ceiling and she had added some pillars just to make more room for those she wished to remember.
The alicorn trots along the wall slowly, her gaze tracing over the images of old friends, old students,and old loves, a smile touches her lips as memories of who they were came to her mind as she saw them once again.
After a single circuit of the room she moves to the center and a pair of tables before a cushioned bench. These two tables perhaps held some of her fondest memories. Despite all the others she had met and loved over the course of her long life it was these that she always returned to. Unlike other parts of the room these tables had no other photos or images adorning them save who they were made for.
The item on the first table was a simple book. An old weathered tome of history embossed with a golden unicorn head and written by one she remembered fondly. The book lay in the tables center, age marring the leather bound cover of an other wise pristine item.
Behind the book acting as a stand for the tome was a threadbare giant stuffed bunny. She was amazed how something that was little more than a fair prize had held up so well.
A pair of goggles were placed over the rabbits eyes one of the lenses was cracked from their owners last flight , but they were otherwise perfect.
Around the bunnies neck a heart shaped gem dangled on a simple chain set into a elegant locket, the gem still seemed to sparkle with its own inner fire.
A battered old cowboy hat that had seen better days, rested on the rabbits head, yet like the other items it showed little sign of its true age and seemed to be in its worn state simply from use.
The last item, like its former owner, baffled her. A single red balloon tied to the rabbits ear floated above the entire ensemble. A gift from the last party, the balloon had simply floated, never deflating and seemingly unable to be popped or even show a sign of its age.
On the table before the book was a framed picture of six mares with the photo of a small purple dragon taped to the corner.
She smiles looking at the picture easily remembering them, even without her spell. There were plenty of places in their lives she could have gone, but she wished to see what she considered the greatest point of their lives.
She sighs at the thought looking again over the items. What she wished to see this time was going to be hard. For as with everything she viewed she did not shy away from the heart break and sorrow that came with it, that was just as much a part of their lives as their victories.
At this point she had plenty of time to simply remember the past. Canterlot practically ran itself now it was rare she needed to step in any more. She turns her head slightly, noting a blue flame flickering along the item on the other table.
This table too was unadorned with images of others and simply focused on the ones upon it. These five were perhaps the luckiest and most unlucky group ever to exist in Equestria.
Two swords lay across the table, both double bladed with a grip in the weapons center, though one was a nearly silver weapon that was edged on both sides of the blade. The other was a darker metal and was only bladed on one side, the weapon had a gradual curve to it that gave the weapon its name.
The Waning Moon.
The flames licked lightly along this blade lighting up the table and the scant other items adorning it. Unlike the varied trinkets on the other table this one only had six necklaces of with chains of differing material all holding a single bit of jagged steel from a shattered sword as the set piece.
The painted image showed three ponies, a dragon, a zebra, and Luna.
She looks back to the blades, Luna had not wished to keep the items, she had refused to live in the past and let the blade and items join the other trinkets in this room as she moved on with her life. That was perhaps the best thing to come out of the entire series of events.
A small smile crosses her lips as she settles down on the bench, with a last glance to the glowing blade.
Her gaze falls on lightly bouncing balloon and her smile grows wider as her horn glows casting a old spell of viewing.
The spell knew where she wished to go and took her there immediately. Time had granted her the chance to improve the spell to the point where she no longer was bound to the item's location to follow what she wished.
-
The trees seem to rush past as Twilight, Apple Jack, and Pinkie Pie gallop along the path to Fluttershy's house at the edge of the forest.
Both AJ and Pinkie Pie were in a panic, Twilight however felt oddly calm at the dire nature of the situation. She didn't understand why she was so calm, particularly with a thousand scenarios going on in her mind about what happened and what to do, but still, there was no panic. Odd considering how she tended to freak out over nearly anything, even something so minor as missing a friend ship report to her teacher.
As Fluttershy's cottage came into sight, she wonders if it was her time watching the events of the War of Night that was helping her remain calm in this situation. Perhaps seeing what she had steeled her nerves more than she could have expected against disasters.
Running up the front path the first thing she notices was the over turned and smashed apple cart with a white bunny sitting atop of it gesturing wildly. Following his gaze she saw scores of birds flying around over the nearby woods searching for something.
Several bears and other larger animals patrolled around the forests edge glancing towards the small group as they ran up. The yard was covered with a multitude of dead animals, many of them sliced in two or simply crushed to death by large hooves.
"Is that … Angel?" pants Twilight.
"Yeah, seems that bunny was what kept stuff from getting worse. Remind me tah have Granny cook him up a carrot cake or somethin."Applejack gasps.
"Where are Fluttershy and Big Mac." twilight questioned.
Angel stares at them a moment, pointing inside, before returning to his directing. AJ looks to him then back to Twilight.
"Mac's in tha house and Fluttershy is under her bed prolly." responded AJ.
Twilight rushes into the house her saddlebags bouncing against her sides. She winces looking at the destruction in the small cottage. More bodies and blood splatters cover the room, large gashes were torn out of the walls and floor, Twilight thought they looked to be caused by a large blade of some kind..
Big Mac lay on the remains of Fluttershy's couch, a large gash running from his shoulder to just short of his cutie mark on his left side. The wound itself was not deep enough to even scar probably, but it was clear he was poisoned.
His breathing was labored, a trickle of blood oozing from his muzzle. Black spirals of discolored flesh spread from the shallow cut, darkening even his fur making the wound look as if it was forming a cloud pattern under the skin.
Twilight glances over to Rainbow Dash who was practically dancing in place, stressing out as she stares at Big Mac. With what had happened to Gilda it was a wonder she was not hyperventilating yet. Applejack was dancing in place right along with Dash seeing her brother like this and Pinkie Pie was muttering something about twitchy hooves.
Twilight's eyes narrow, as she became only dimly aware of the chaos going on about her. She yanks her book from her saddlebag flipping through it to when Jer'rahd was poisoned. The descriptions matched.
It was time to use this oddly clear focus to fix this.
"How long ago was this?"asked Twilight.
"Prolly an hour at most." sighed AJ.
"Then we only have a little bit of time. RAINBOW DASH !" yells Twilight.
Twilight's yell briefly froze the pegasus's dance of panic, as she looks to the purple unicorn her features still etched with a mix of fear and anger.
"I need you to go find Spike as quickly as possible, he should be at Sweet Apple Acres so start there. Tell Granny to take the girls to Rarity's and stay there. Bring Spike back here as fast as you can." Twilight orders.
"Ri~right! I'm on it!" stammers Dash.
The blue pegasus was out the door in a flash. Twilight winces flipping through the book and tearing out a page offering it to AppleJack.
"Applejack get to Zecora's as fast as you can and tell her you need all the items that are being used here."Twilight barks out.
The Earth pony grabs the list and tears out of the house in a rush.
"Pinkie Pie I need you to calm down and help Angel do something about the bodies of the animals. Take them outside or something. Fluttershy is not going to do anything if she sees them like this. I am already going to have a hard enough time getting her to talk about what happened so I can figure this out. I don't need more panic." sighs Twilight.
"Right I'm on it." pipes Pinkie Pie
Twilight sighs looking down at Big Mac as he coughs up more blood. Jer'rahd had survived this why wouldn't Big Mac?
=======================================
The cauldron bubbles under the zebra's watchful gaze. It had been a few weeks since she had seen Twilight at the library. It had been a rather calm and relaxing time.
She expected that to last a whole five more minutes. Something always came up when things were settling down. That seemed to be the joke of her life to be stuck in the middle of things.
Her door explodes inward, crashing to the ground with a massive thud as the oak struck the hardwood floor. She had predicted it and it still made her jump. A earth pony in a cowboy hat burst into her home skidding to a stop gripping a piece of parchment in her mouth.. Zecora looks down at the broken door as AJ shakes the dust free of her mane trying to catch her breath from the run.
"Applejack with your coat of orange, why have you broken my door hinge?" rhymes Zecora.
"Big Mac's in trouble Twilight gave me a list uh stuff tah see if you had any of it fer making a potion tah help him." pants AJ.
She takes the list, letting the farm pony catch her breath as she reads it over.
"Hmm, even if we take blood from Spike's paw, I do not have the ursa claw." mutters Zecora.
"Jus get what yah need an if me an Dash have tah go beat down a ursa tah save mah brother we will." shouts AJ.
Zecora nods rushing to gather what she had.
=====================================
Twilight peeks her head under the bed at the quivering pegasus hiding there. Rainbow Dash had brought Spike back rather quickly and both of them help Pinkie while Spike worked up the courage to give some of his blood.
"Fluttershy. Can you come out and tell me what happened? I need to know it might help Big Mac." Twilight said softly.
The yellow pegasus shivers and whispers something that Twilight could barely make out.
"I don't really want to remember it, but if it will help Big Mac." whispers Fluttershy.
Twilight lays down reaching a hoof under the bed to rest on her friends shoulder rubbing it.
"Tell me what you can." asks Twilight.
The pegasus swallows closing her eyes. Still speaking barely above a whisper.
"Big Mac had just shown up with the apples, and I invited him in as I had just made some soup. He just sat down when a big pony smashed in the front door. He was a sandy yellow color and nearly as large as Big Mac. His mane and tail were black though streaks of white and silver were mixed in. He was covered in scars and his left eye had a black patch over it. He also carried a sword that was bigger than he was. Mac got up to go try and throw him out and that's when I saw the second pony." Fluttershy mummers.
Two ponies, the first sounded familiar, but she could not place why.
"Go on."Twilight responds.
"Well the second pony was a black coated mare with a bright blue mane and tail. She had a cutie mark like a book. She just sort of appeared next to Big Mac, and I guess he didn't see where she came from either because he didn't move as she brushed along his side and the next thing I knew Big Mac hit the ground screaming." Fluttershy swallows her shaking growing worse.
"I don't know what she did because the big stallion was focusing his attention on me. He had a strange accent and I didn't understand much of what he was saying, but... I think he was considering using me to breed off spring or something. He kept calling me a bunch of rude names and throwing in how he was going to make me his new pet. I only saw a bit of what the mare was doing as she destroyed my house. She finally stopped when she found your book." finishes Fluttershy.
"My Book?" questions Twilight.
"The one about Nightmare Moon you have been writing. I am not sure what she did with it but she stopped breaking things after that. I was not able to pay much attention as I was trying to fend off the big pony as he tried to mount me..." whispers Fluttershy.
Twilight's eyes narrow. The mare sounded like the one Pinkie had seen and then lost track of the other day, the stallion's description was still nagging at the back of her mind.
"That's when Angel and the others attacked, most of them focused on the stallion trying to hurt me and that's when he started swinging his sword …...and I ran to hide. So many of them died trying to save me..." wept Fluttershy.
Twilight sighs not entirely sure what to say to her weeping friend. Thankfully a shout from down stairs announced the return of AppleJack. The thunder of hooves up the stairs preceded the appearance of the farm pony who was still panting from the run.
"Ah got Zecora, but she says she dun have a ursa claw. Ah need tah know where that cave is yah put tha ursa minor when that show mare was here so me an Dash ken go git one." pants AJ.
"Argh, that might take some time, it's not really close by."grumbles Twilight.
"Um excuse me, I don't want to interrupt but..." squeaks Fluttershy.
"You ain't sugar, go on." says AJ.
"I have a few ursa claws out by the compost heap. I gave one a manicure a few days ago."mutters the teary eyed Fluttershy.
Twilight nods, honestly not really surprised. She turns to head down to help Zecora when Fluttershy says something else. She glances back as Apple Jack nods.
"She jus dun wanna be alone sugar, go help mah brother ah'll stay here."AJ sighs.
The Purple unicorn nods with a worried look and rushes down the stairs.
=========================================
"Pinions of a bird of prey, eye of a hunting cat, and the chard hide of a rat ...eww. Glad Fluttershy is not down here to see this."lists Twilight.
Zecora nods mashing the items into powder in the stone bowl before her. Twilight was looking over the book's torn page and floating the ingredients to Zecora.
"Luna moths wing... Rainbow we don't need it destroyed just break the claw into smaller pieces."snaps Twilight.
"Sorry, I'm a little nervous here... this is gonna work right, this will save him?" pleads Dash.
"It worked in the past. Zecora agrees that it is cloud serpent venom though shes never seen any one infected with it." states Twilight.
"In the long past,or so I have been told, the cloud serpents were killed off , both young and old. Some poison can be found every so often on ancient spear or Kris, the effects of that poison are always like this. He has been poisoned much longer than I like, but the mix is now done save for the blood of young Spike." Zecora explains.
"Oh man I was hoping some one else had dragon blood..." grumbles Spike.
"I'm afraid not Spike and you are the only dragon any where near us that we can even ask." states Twilight.
"I know, I know, this is gonna hurt." mutters Spike.
"Fer Celestia's sake Spike just do it I'll buy you a tub of ice cream or something later but Mac needs this now..."shouts Dash.
"Alright alright, calm down Rainbow Dash." Spike ties to placate..
The dragon looks at his hand then to his other hand picking the one he didn't write with before holding it out and turning his head. Zecora pulls out a small knife from her bag making a quick cut over the dragons scaled palm bring a small wince and a cry from the dragon.
"Spike are you alright?" questions Twilight.
"I just had my hand cut open , what do you think?" snaps Spike.
Zecora watches the blood drip into the bowl for a moment before wrapping a bandage around Spike's hand and mixing the rapidly forming paste. She trots closer to Mac as Pinkie Pie works to keep the wound clean,draping a wet towel over the groaning stallions head to keep him cool. The zebra spreads the paste along the length of the wound making sure the mix is pushed into the cut as well before bandaging it.
Rainbow Dash floats over watching.
"How long will he be like this is there any way we might now if its working? I can't take the suspense!" frets Dash.
" We won't know till later, it took Jer'rahd a month to recover from this and even then he still was not fully healed for a while after that." recites Twilight.
"I may not take quite that long, this poison is not as effective on earth ponies, if I am not wrong." Zecora says.
"Yes that's about right, Jer'rahd was only a half earth pony so it took longer I am sure. Big Mac might be better sooner than he was, but it will still be a few weeks."says Twilight.
"If he survives the next few days, he will have come quite a ways. That is not the thing to be dwelling upon, we need to find out how this happened and what is going on." states Zecora.
"I'm gonna check on AJ and Flutershy and see if they need anything." sputters Pinkie.
"Right Zecora, Rainbow Dash can you stay here and watch over Big Mac?" questions Twilight.
"No problem." states Dash.
"Alright , Let's go Spike!"
Zecora nods as Twilight scoops up Spike and rushes out the door galloping back to the library.
===============================================
"Twilight I don't think I am up to taking a letter." grumbles Spike as they galloped back into town.
"I just need you to send it Spike, I think we have bigger problems than what happened." says Twilight between gasps as she runs.
"Bigger than Fluttershys's house being attacked and Big Mac nearly dying?"
"That's just the start of it. Those two are still out there some where and both of them are armed. We don't have any one here who can deal with that sort of thing. We need to get a letter to Celestia to tell her to send the guards. And I need to figure out where I know that stallion from."
"What? You recognized him? He sounded like some kinda monster from what you and Dash were talking about."
"I think Fluttershy's description reminded me of something, but I can't figure out what."
"Well it's not like you were doing anything lately except studying. And after all that writing I'm pretty sure there's no one in the book that had that description."
"I know arrgh maybe I saw him in town somewhere and forgot about it. But then how did Pinkie Pie miss him?"
"It could have been when you went after AppleJack when she ran away, or at the wedding, or even when you took the cake to the competition with Pinkie."
"There's a bunch of things it could be. Maybe the Princess knows I'll be sure to put that in the letter. I want to check the library for anything I can about that poison."
The pair arrive at the library,Twilight immediately gathering what she needs to start the letter and beginning to write. Spike lists a few things that were said that he noticed for her to write down. An odd change from the usual Spike writing and Twilight dictating.
When she finishes Spike sends off the scroll and the pair head out again to check up on Rarity and explain what happened.
Though this time she brings a large box along with her, despite Spikes protests.
==============================================
Celestia yawns softly, watching as her sister begins to raise the moon. It had not taken Lulu long to return to her routine after she returned. Though Celestia was sure her sister was suffering from depression and heavy regret.
Luna had only raised the moon from one spot since her return and she lowered it from there as well. Despite what she had said when they were last freed, she still could not leave them.
The Princess of the sun sighs, letting her sun sink below the horizon, a small smile crossing her face. Lulu would have some answer soon, Twilight and her friends should be making their decision some time today.
Oddly it was something that she was both dreading and hoping for. As much as she disliked Jer'rahd, what he had been through while waiting for Luna to return, as well as what they all had done since being placed in stone made her hope for their freedom, despite the massive issue it would cause.
They of course would need the same adjustments and training Luna had gone through when she returned, but that was a minor thing so long as her sister could be happy again.
As always however the issue was Jer'rahd. She was still not sure he could be allowed to be free at this point. She was sure he would agree, but the others would not. Only Luna and herself knew the full scale of what had happened when they last woke, as well as the danger that was now presented.
The faint click of hooves on her studies balcony brought her attention to the dark mare trotting into the room.
"Has your student sent the decision yet sister?"questions Luna.
" No ,not yet Lulu, but it should be soon. I am still unsure if you are right to withhold the information from Twilight however. That could be very important to the decision." sighs Celestia.
"Nay sister. I wished for a unbiased opinion based on the past. Once I have seen what is decided I will think to tell her the rest of the story. Or let her see for herself ... I still regret what I did."
"You were angry Lulu, seeing him alive just as he was a thousand years ago was unexpected to all of us at the time. Honestly he is not the most endearing pony any way, he did little to ease your anger."
"He is always like that. He had a task to preform and he did so without regret or remorse as he always did. My reward for that loyalty was uncalled for."
"Perhaps, though he may have also understood it."
"Aye sister, but I shall not be able to ask him if the Element Bearers are divided. The five shall remain as they are if that is the case."
"And you will sink further into your dark mood."
"There is little we can do otherwise. I simply wish... "
Celestia holds up a hoof at the feel of a familiar tickle of magic. A flicker of green flame appears before her forming into a scroll that Celestia immediately catches and opens with her magic.
"Well it seems little sister we shall find out..."
Celestia reads over the note her ears flattening as she scans it. She rereads it again to make sure it was correct.
"What is it Tia? Have they all voted no?"
"One of the Bearer's was attacked in her home along with another's sibling. They are both safe ,but to think something like this could happen now a days..."
Luna takes the scroll from her sister reading it over as Celestia begins to pen a letter back. A loud gasp escapes the Princess of the Night's lips and Celestia looks up in time to watch her sister rush to the door shouting for the guards.
================================================
Twilight and Spike had spent several hours at Rarity's, both explaining what went on and stopping AppleBloom from rushing out t try and find the culprits. Thankfully Scootaloo and Sweetiebele seemed to grasp that it was a bad idea and helped to stop her.
Big Mac was moved to Ponyville General Hospital. Zecora went along to make sure the treatment was going well , and Rainbow Dash went along to act as a messenger to every one else if his condition worsened.
Apple Jack brought Fluttershy to Sweet Apple Acres with her so that she would not be alone. Angel had remained at Flutershy's cottage and was intent on cleaning it up with the rest of the critters as well as hunting down the ones who did it.
The CMC and Spike all stayed with Rarity that night, though Twilight went home to do some research and try and remember where she had seen the stallion with out any distractions. Pinkie Pie fretted the whole time, though once they left the hospital she went back home as well.
Twilight spent the rest of the night flipping through books and pacing, trying to figure out why that stallion seemed so familiar.
===============================================
(The next morning)
A pounding on the door woke her up from the pile off books she had fallen asleep atop. She winces not even having noticed she dozed off in mid pace.
The pounding on the door sounds again as the purple unicorn groans trying to shake the cramp out of her hind leg as she hobbles to the door.
"Stupid uncomfortable floor... HOLD ON I'M COMING!" shouted Twilight.
She pulls open the door expecting Rainbow Dash or Pinkie Pie, though it turns out it was neither.
"Shining Armor?! What are you doing here?" questions Twilight.
"Morning Twily. Might wanna fix your hair, you have a lot of company." chuckles Shining.
She blinks confused leaning to the side to look around her brother , her gaze falling on a massive compliment of the Royal Guard, all armored and armed to the teeth standing on the road behind him.
She blinks looking at the Guards then back up to her brother curiously.
"What's going on here? Did the Princess send you all here?" questions Twilight.
"Yep, though it was more at Princess Luna's orders than anything else. She even plans to send the Night Guard, they will be here shortly I assume. Seems both Princesses are rather upset your friends were attacked, other wise we probably would have been bogged down in red tape for a week or so. We've never been able to deploy this quickly." responds Shining.
Twilight tilts her head looking to the strange scabbard on her brothers side, one that looked like it held a double bladed sword.
"Whats that?" Twilight asks curiously.
"Hmm oh like the new toy sis? Princess Celestia gave it to me for this mission. Seems who ever this is she expects a great deal of trouble. After the changelings and all the other stuff it shouldn't be anything we can't handle. Should be back home in time for Cadences home cooked dinner... mind if I stay here a bit longer to avoid that ? She means well, but she has been known to some how burn orange juice..." Shining whispers.
She ignores the attempt at humor looking to the guards then focusing on the blade noting the design around the grip.
"If Princess Celestia gave you the Brilliant Dawn to use here Shining, she expects this to be a great deal more trouble than you seem to think." states Twilight.
Shining seems a little surprised she knew the name of the weapon though knowing his sister he chocked it up to some odd study or another.
"Relax sis. I've been doing this sort of thing for a few years now. I wasn't made Guard Captain due to just my good looks. A couple of rouges are no match for the Royal Guard. Sending a hundred of us is a bit over kill, but I suppose we have a wide area to cover in the search. I just stopped by to let you know we are here and heading out to start the search from Fluttershy's cottage. We should have these two nabbed before they manage to hurt any other ponies. " remarks Shining.
"While I am grateful that the response was so quick, I have a feeling that there's more to this then it seems. Be careful brother." sighs Twilight.
"No need to be so gloomy I know your friends were hurt, but no pony died right? And no pony will unless these two try to resist arrest. Then I may not hold back on them for upsetting my lil sis. Any how we should have this all wrapped up in a day or so if they are still in the area Twily, so sit tight and let me handle this." Shining smirks.
The Guard Captain turns trotting to the Guards filling the town in front of her house, shouting orders to get the force moving towards Fluttershy's cottage.
Twilight bites her lip watching them go, a feeling of dread forming within her as the stallions description continues to tumble around in her head.
Princess Luna had sent the majority of the Royal Guard to search for the attackers, including the small force she had as her personal Guards. Why would she do that? Were the two culprits some one she knew about?
Twilight closes the door after watching the troops march off. Fluttershy had said the mare had stopped trashing her home when she found the book about the past. Did she actually take it, if so, why? It was clear the mare was used to using poison. She had re read all the parts regarding the poison and not found a clue about where it came from.
Could she have been a last vestige of the Order? If so why go after Fluttershy and Big Mac, more specificity why the book?
While the stallion wanting Fluttershy for breeding purposes was horrid enough, it seems she was not the target. Everything pointed to the story of the rise and fall of Nightmare Moon being the target.
Who would want that? Who would know about that aside from her five friends? There was Zecora, the Princesses, and Spike. Though none of those three would want to hurt Fluttershy.
The only other two were Vinyl Scratch and Octavia. But neither of them seemed to care about anything but the music that was around in that time. Still that put them higher on her list than any one else for little more than they had no connection to anything, problem was the pair didn't know Fluttershy had a copy. The CMC knew about the study, but aside from an interest in the sword they didn't seem to care.
This was maddening. If they were after the book how did they even find out about it?
She was going to have to ask the Princesses directly, now where was Spike?
=================================================
The drip of water was the only sound in the cavern for centuries, now now they were filled with a different sound.
A lone figure stood in the darkness in the middle of the cavern its head dipped the only light a small green glow from its eyes.
The figure lifts its head hearing a whimper accompanied by a growl and a heavy smack as another few join it. A soft sigh escapes its mouth at the sound of one of its associates knocking its newest pet to the ground with the hit.
"You should treat your toys better, they may last longer." sounds a raspy females voice.
"If they don't hold up to a little love tap like that, then they are not worthy of my seed any way." A horse male voice chuckles.
A low growl from the darkness behind the first figure announces another's presence though aside from the growl there was no other noise. The two who had spoken however do not do so again after the growl.
The first figure speaks up, the voice clearly female and sounding like a sharp blade running across silk.
"You both screwed up, you let a bunch of forest creatures run you off and you left two survivors."
"No one survives Cloud Serpent Venom." states the raspy voice.
"At last count, three have." chuckles the male.
" Both of you shut up, if you had not retrieved the book as I asked I would let him kill you, but seeing as you managed it I will refrain for the moment. So long as you two continue to prove to be more of a boon than a liability your place is secure. Fail me and I will destroy you." snaps the first figure
[" You are too lenient, I would have killed them by now."] A soft almost snake like voice says in the zebra's tongue.
"That is not your call to make, it is mine. You should address me in my own language if you bother to speak to me." snaps the first figure.
[" I do not speak the tongue of lesser races, no matter how strong individuals are, they are still inferior due to birth. Your pet feels the same I am sure."]
"I AM NO ONES PET MAGGOT!" the loud voice booms clearly coming from the one who growled.
[" Oh look it can do more than growl and bluff, how delightful. Have you taught it how to sit up and beg yet? Because if it persists in angering me it will sooo need to learn how to beg."]
"Be silent both of you. I know you are back, give me your report." The silken voice asks into the air.
"Yeah I'm here boss lady, don't know why considering all you do is bitch and plot. Aside from that last mission I am the only one doing a damn thing." grumbles a new voice from the cavern over head.
"I am aware of that mercenary and if you continue to do your tasks well the reward will be great. I am still upset you have started your own side project."
"I got bored, besides I only took three from other areas. No one will even manage to connect them. You have no idea how much work it took me to find those last two." quips the voice from the ceiling.
"I do not care, just make sure your hunts do not interfere with my plans and I care not what you do in your free time." replies the first figure. " What is the current situation?"
"The two idiots bungling got reported. Looks like the Princesses sent the best of what they have. There's about a hundred troops and the Guard Captain. Seems there more coming in as well, a couple of the back up unit look like half dragons, probably that Night Guard unit. This much force would not be called for a simple breaking and entering, or even a murder if it had happened, seems some one was recognized." chuckles the voice from the ceiling.
"I expected as much, this is sooner than I wished but it is still trivial."states the first figure.
The low growl sounds again.
"Yes, you may have your fun this time. Leave none of them alive."
"I do not need to be ordered to do that." snaps the booming voice.
"If you wish what is promised then you will continue to do so despite that. Now go I wish to study what this book may tell us." orders the first figure.
The loud clack of claws on stone fills the cavern as the owner of the booming voice leaves. The figures of the first two also depart, the male dragging his pet along, the ponies whimpers being silenced with another smack.
[" Those three will be trouble you realize?"] the snake like voice mutters after the others are gone.
"They will obey for the same possible reward you seek. That chance alone will keep them in line. Even he will follow for the chance at godhood." mutters the first figure.
["It is that promise of power that holds many in line. Though it is a thin security"]
"I could care less about the power so long as I can keep doing what I want. Living forever to hunt anything I choose, that removal from limits is all I care about. I honestly don't see what that book could tell you." sighs the voice from the ceiling.
"It is a telling of both the books and the Elements. The rest is little more than fluff..." the voice of of the first figure states as she flips through the book. She pauses suddenly looking over the first few pages her eyes glowing a bit brighter.
"Interesting. This has just become worth our time."
["Why would some study on the Elements be worth our effort?"]
"This is not a study on the Elements themselves, but on the bearers."
"Yeah so."
"The bearers that were Luna's Generals in the Second Dragon war."
The other two grow silent for a moment.
[" While that is unexpected you don't seem displeased it is not what you thought it was. Why should a history book be worth our time, let alone the trouble that came about from getting it?"]
"There is a good reason for that and I am sure you both will agree. If this first chapter is correct, the Generals are still alive."
Twilight yawns looking over the books before her grumbling She had gone back over everything that she had read in the last few months and retraced all her steps around town trying to picture the face. She and Spike had just gotten back tot he library after running about most of the day
As soon as Shining and the Royal Guard left she had gone to check up on Mac. Both Zecora, and Rainbow Dash were passed out in his room so she had left them be. The hospital staff said they had never seen a poison like that before
Although most of it seemed to have been drawn out of him by the mix, it would take time for his lungs and other organs that were touched by it to heal properly. They were quite positive that Big Mac was going to be fine with time to rest.
Fluttershy was still a wreck though she did not have any more information for Twilight. AppleJack suggested she tell Mayor Mare to make sure that ever pony was alerted, at least in part as to what was going on.
With the amount of Guard that had shown up it was not necessary to tell the mayor. She and her staff were already on high alert looking for any sort of trouble.
Twilight then checked in on Rarity and Spike finding they had spent the better part of the day trying to keep AppleBloom from breaking down or rushing off some where. The other CMC did their best to help though Rarity figured it might be best if she went home.
She set Sweetie Belle up for a stay at the farm and Scootaloo simply needed to call her parents to let them know what was going on. Rarity decided to bring them to Sweet Apple Acres herself so she could talk to Fluttershy.
Now that they were back she returns to her studies trying franticly to figure out the name that went to that description. Spike helped her for a time though hunger got the better of him and he slipped into the kitchen.
He returns as she flips through another of the piled books clutching an apple.
Twilight smacks her head into the open book before her and groans. Spike winces lightly turning the apple over in his claws looking down at it occasionally as he fidgets not even sure he was hungry any more.
"Still can't figure out where you saw him?"questions Spike.
"No and it's driving me mad. I know him, I can picture his face in my mind, but I cannot place from where or the name." responds Twilight.
Spike shrugs fiddling with the apple again and sighing as he looks at it. Twilight glances over then down at the apple.
"If you aren't going to eat it Spike just put it back."
"I can't, I already cut it up some with my claws... I just don't have an apatite any more. You want it?"
He holds up the partially mangled apple to her, his claws having cut into the peel showing the white underneath, the cuts oozing with apple juice. She sighs about to say something though she stops dead, her gaze locking with the apple, eyes going wide before she rushes off away from Spike her magic grabbing the large book that contained the story of The Five Beasts of the Moon and flips through it franticly.
Spike looks to Twilight then to the apple curiously.
"Umm what just happened?" questions Spike.
Twilight flips to the first few chapters scanning over the pages.
"I never described him, that's why I couldn't remember and no one else recognized him. He showed up back when I had to write the story by memory. I never gave his description, but the scars and the weapon . It all fits." shouts Twilight.
"Ummm, Okay … wait, you remember? The guys is in the story ? What ?" says Spike completely confused.
"Yes. I have to find Shining and tell him, he thinks this is something simple ,but this is a night mare waiting to happen, if he some how got free... Did the Princess let him out? Why... ARRGH THIS IS EVEN WORSE NOW. I HAVE TO FIND SHINING AND WARN HIM." shouts Twilight.
Spike watches her run about and grab things to shove into her saddle bags including the box with the Waning Moon inside.
"TWILIGHT! Who is it!?"
His shout fell on deaf ears as she rushes out the door still ranting and leaving the bewildered dragonling clutching a mangled apple.
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Twilight gallops through the woods following a large trail of broken branches and hoof prints. She had initially worried that she would not be able to find her brother and his unit, thankfully the trail they had taken into the woods from Fluttershy's cottage was obvious, and easily followed.
Twilight pants as she runs feeling the weight of her bags as well as the book, in hindsight she should have sent a letter to the princess first, although if they had sent this many troops it was likely she already knew or at least suspected. The presence of the Brilliant Dawn with her brother only added to that hypothesis.
A sharp curse escapes her lips as the trail ends, splitting off into multiple paths. This was likely where the group had split up to begin the random search through the forest. Twilight dances about before the multitude of paths having no idea where to go now and realizing this was a horrid idea.
A loud roar in the distance pulled her out of that particular panicked prancing. Her ears perk listening again as much fainter shouting accompanies the roar. She turns her head looking about in the fading light of late afternoon trying to figure where the voices were coming from. A brilliant pillar of light shoots into the sky to her left, several screams fill the air along with the flash.
The source was easily acres away, but Twilight swore she could feel the heat from it even here. She turns down the path that looks to head towards it, charging down the new path cleared by the Guards.
===============================================
Shining curses as he charges the clearing, this was bad, none of the Guard had expected to find anything out here like this. A couple of rogues sure, maybe a Hydra or maticore but not a dragon of this size. Particularly not one that seemed to relish the chance to kill ponies.
They had not even seen the creature before it was on the first group. The whole unit was in communication with one another with simple spells on the helms they all wore. The entire unit was converging on the spot as soon as the first cry was heard through the magic.
The entire force of a hundred Royal Guard rushing the beast as soon as it struck should have been enough to cause a dragon to flee, this one had simply laughed as if it found the charging ponies amusing.
The four that had been ambushed were dead by the time the main section of the unit got to them, Shining was on the other side of the forest practically with his small group and could only listen to what the others were saying as he ran towards the fray.
The dragons first gout of breath greeted the Royal Guards cutting down dozens of their number before they even cleared the tree line. The screams were cut off as the magic was destroyed as the armor melted to slag around them leaving molten puddles of goo and husks that were once ponies.
The pegasi Guards flanked the creature darting in and striking with their spears. The hoof forged weapons shattering on the beasts scales as the rest of the unit mobs the creature.
The dragon continues to laugh as it lashes out with its tale and claws shredding and destroying any pony near it as if they were not even wearing any armor. It's fanged maw ends the lives of several more guards before a second blast of fire incinerates the remaining pegasi The pillar of white flame likely seen for leagues.
The few Guard unicorns were cut loose with all the attack spells at their disposal as Shining arrives. The dragon was only slightly more affected by the blasts of magic than he was the weapons. No damage was being done though the arcane shots seemed to at least cause some sort of pain as they impact its hide.
The creature moves suddenly, far faster than any dragon Shining had seen before, its tail lashing out and smashing into the Unicorns sending the group of them as well as the shield bearers around them flying though the air to smash into the tree line or tumble across the ground to land in heaps, of broken bones and shattered armor.
The beast turns looking at the fallen unicorns belching forth another column of flame to finish them off. A red shield forms around them stopping the white hot flame from reaching them. The dragon blinks in surprise, lifting its head up looking around as it sits up on its hind legs as if searching for something
It's gaze passed right over the few remaining guards and Shining as if disregarding them.
"I'm down here monster."shouts Shining.
The white unicorn lashes out with the weapon the Princess had granted him, the blade his sister had called the Brilliant Dawn. The weapon sings as it spins toward the dragon. The beasts eyes widen and it dives aside roaring out as the weapon manages to glance off its arm, drawing the first blood that had been seen from the creature.
The dragon glares at the gaze on its forearm, surprise evident on its face before it focuses all its attention on Shining. The other guards rush it seeing that it could be wounded, though their weapons remain ineffective.
The creature lashes out suddenly, tail wings and claws rending and ripping into the Guards trying to swarm him ripping apart chunks of pony flesh and armor with no motion wasted as it moves stopping to stare down at the Guard Captain.
"It would seem that there is at least one here worth a damn. Pity it is still not enough to stop your death." the beasts snorts along with small burst of flame.
"Surrender now or we will be forced to destroy you." commands Shining.
" We? There is no longer any we little pony. Or have you bothered to count your troops?" chuckles the dragon.
Shining spares a glance about and winces there was not a single Guard aside from himself still standing after the beasts last attack. There were survivors, but they were scattered about the clearing in all directions as if intentionally thrown as far apart as they could be. A hundred of the best Royal Guard slaughter and beaten by one dragon. This was impossible.
The dragon snatches one of the surviving guard, tossing the screaming Guard mare into its maw before silencing her with a crunch before shining could react.
"So who do you save little pony?"
Shining roars out charging the dragon and lashing out with the weapon again. The dragon smirks grabbing the spinning blade out of the air and whirls about lashing at the white unicorn with his tail.
The spiked length connects hard against Shining's side shattering the armor and flinging him across the clearing into the side of a large tree. The great oak splinters from the impact, the ground at the base of its trunk lifting up as the force of the blow tears the roots of the tree from the ground. The large tree falls over with the bloodied mess of a pony laying atop it struggling to breath through blood filling his lungs.
"Ah much pity, if you are the best they have to offer little pony than Equestria is doomed." chuckles the dragon looking down at the blood oozing from its hand around the sword." Such a interesting blade too, the first star metal I have seen in some time."
"SHINING!"
The dragon snaps its head up seeing a purple unicorn at the edge of the clearing. Her eyes wide as she looks over the carnage of the field.
The dragon smirks watching the unicorn shake in her horse shoes. He would let this one go, let her spread the fear of what had happened. The one he was sworn to would be mad of course but what did he care about that bitches opinion.
He turns, his maw opening to fire a blast at the white unicorn laying on the tree. The white line of fire ignites the air between the two only to bounce off a purple shield before reaching the fallen guard.
He whips his head around jaw snapping shut as his gaze falls on the purple unicorn and the glow from her horn. The look on her face had changed, her eyes were no longer filled with fear, they now glowed with rage.
The shield remains on the fallen pony though others start popping up around him covering the Guards still moving His head whips about looking at the the sudden abundance of protective globes. This was getting ridiculous.
He was simply going to move forward and crush her when a box lifts from her saddlebags floating up in the unicorns magic, a impressive feat that she was casting this much at once, but pointless, there was no way this many spells by one young mare could hold up to his attacks. He moves to smash the nearest shield chuckling darkly before freezing in place his eyes locked on the unicorn and what she had.
The box had split open and a weapon had emerged. This weapon did not sing as it cut the air as the other did but screamed with the rage of its former owner as it spun in place above the unicorn. Dark fire licked along its edges as the light from the silver orb in the night sky fell upon it.
"The Waning Moon..." the dragon spits the name, taking a step back his full attention now on this mare.
The mare screams charging him, her horn glowing bright enough to cause the air around it to sear. He grins, this one was just as foolish as the others and predictable. He flings the weapon from his hand at her launching a blast of white fire behind the thrown blade. Even if the blade missed his breath weapon would not.
There was a strange noise before his fire hit, though when heat and fire passed there was nothing where the mare had been. He chuckles softly to himself before he stops seeing the blades where gone as well. Shifting his gaze around the clearing, the guards were also gone, there was nothing but broken weapons and armor, blood, and the burnt remains of the forest around him.
"What in Tartarus just happened?"
Celestia and Luna both were in the throne room, Celestia was trying to calm her sister down though at best she had managed to get Luna to at least slow her pacing. Once her sister had calmed enough to tell her what it was about the message that set her off, they both had gone to make sure her suspicions were correct.
The size of the Gardens had made it nearly impossible to tell for sure and they had returned to the castle to wait word from the Guards they had sent. It was during this wait that they heard the screaming.
At first there was no source for it yet it seemed to come from everywhere at once. Suddenly a massive wave of energy rocks the throne room, sending tapestries and the few guards present flying as dozens of forms materialized in the middle of the room. Corpses chard and bloodied, heavily wounded guards ponies, and a entire tree with a nearly dead Shining Armor atop it appear in the expanse of the room
In the middle of this chaos a purple unicorn stands shakily on her hooves a pair of star metal blades dropping to stick in the stone floor on either side of her.
The alicorns stare in shock as Twilight Sparkle lifts her head, her fur and mane singed around her horn which still glowed hot, blood oozing from her nose and running from her eyes. She locks her gaze with Celestia her whole form quivering.
"Silver Claw has been freed."Twilight whispers before collapsing.