Lost Night Graced by the Empire
It had been a few hours since Discord arrived in Celestia's room. They spent a wonderful time together to relax and comfort one another about the upcoming, stressful events that would probably once again put the fate of Equestria in their shoulders. It felt nice, to be able to talk for those hours and catch up with one another about their feelings and experiences.
After a few minutes of silence, Celestia sighed and looked up at Discord, who lay beneath her, his head rested against the headboard. "...Well, I do hope that your day was better than mine. There were plenty of worrisome, time-consuming meetings… So many reports to look over, things to supervise…"
"Oh, please, don't go on! It's exhausting enough to hear that much." He stretched a little, then embraced her again. "As I said, Miseria was surprisingly motivated, considering how distasteful the exercise was. I can't believe we spent the whole day on it… She's got the hang of it a bit, or at least the right intention… However, I'm afraid that her magic may be unlikely for the goal. You know, it might be too unstable for her to control. I've seen it myself… No matter how hard she tries; everything that she creates withers."
Celestia looked thoughtful for a few seconds, looking aside while Discord nuzzled her. "Hm… Yes, I thought as much, you know… I figured it would be very difficult for you two to manage such a thing on your own."
Discord blinked and looked at her. "So you'd already thought of that, hm?"
She smiled and nodded at him. "Yes. I brought it up with the council this afternoon, actually. We may have agreed on what may be the best solution for this problem." She put a hoof over his paw. "I promised you that no harm would come to Miseria. I promised we would find a way to hold her destructive powers back without harming or forcing her to do anything. And, Discord, I believe I've kept my word."
Her horn glowed with her golden magic to summon a book from the shelf. Once it was levitated in front of her, she flipped through the pages a bit quickly, while he looked over her shoulder. "Ah, here it is. Look."
She showed the chapter that she was looking for, and showed it to him; the picture and information of a collar that looked like a necklace (similar shape as Luna's and hers) made of beautiful crystal, with powerful stone outlines and different gems.
He blinked and glanced at the picture when she raised the book a bit. "Ah, look at that. Now, there's something that Rarity would definitely fawn all over." He chuckled a bit while he looked at the collar.
She smiled a bit, then read over the text. "This is 'The Grace of the Empire', Discord."
"Oh, what a pretty name. Quite fitting… Albeit a bit… Hm, scandalous?"
"As you may have guessed, it was crafted in the Crystal Empire a long, long time ago, by Queen Dream Song herself, and the wisest, most skilled unicorns within her council and Magic Guard. Queen Dream Song risked everything in order to hide it from Sombra, when she was defeated beyond recovery. Her plan to use the Grace failed, as it required her intact power and strength to unleash it upon Sombra… And she was no longer in her best form."
She looked up at Discord after he raised an eyebrow at her. "She did not leave it completely unavailable for the Empire's future use, were they to need it. Only her daughter would be able to find it. So, after all this time, it finally appeared before Princess Cadance, Prince Shining Armor, and Red Feather, just when we all need its power the most." She sighed with relief, looking at the picture of the collar again.
"Hm… Its power, you say? Sounds quite like a serious object to be cautious of."
"It is. The Grace of the Empire has the power to take away practically all of the wearer's magic power and energy, even natural energy among creatures that would not necessarily be magic. I think it would be strong enough to make even you completely powerless." She looked at Discord to see his alarmed expression and kissed his cheek to comfort him. "Oh, don't worry. I told you I would keep my promise, didn't I?"
"But… But, Celestia, if what you say it's true…"
"It was gone from the knowledge of the world for so long that I never even thought of it before. I thought it was some tale that I soon forgot about… I actually… I actually remember my mother and father once speaking of an idea very similar to this… I think they were close friends with Queen Dream Song."
"Celestia! Listen to me! Aren't you the slightest bit worried that it may —?"
"Discord, I would have expected you of all to figure this out. You trust me after all, don't you?" She smiled at him and tapped his chest with her hoof. "Listen… With the magnitude of Miseria's power… I daresay it would be on par with that of The Grace of the Empire's; maybe a bit lower or higher. It does not really matter all that much. The council and I made very close, accurate calculations during our meetings. We concluded that it would actually just weigh her power down to a stable level that would be close to yours. It wouldn't make that much of a difference, then, don't you think? She would no longer summon destruction with every attempt of her magic. Her powers would be much easier for her to control and understand, and easier for you to lead in the right direction. It wouldn't stress her out as much, I believe."
Discord stared at the book and the chapter's content while Celestia gave her explanation. When she was done, he simply wrapped his tail around hers, without saying much for some seconds. "Well, I'll have to convince her, Celestia. It's not a definite yes, but… With a little talking and persuasion…"
She smiled and nuzzled him when he smirked, then looked at the book when he levitated it.
"I'm sure I might get some positive results. The little sister is motivated with me, after all."
"I understand that it won't be easy. That is why I will give you all the support and time that you both need to succeed. It doesn't matter how long it takes, though… I can already see that she's not bad, just like you are not bad, either." She kissed him, then put the book away, on the bedside table.
He chuckled and kissed her back, holding the kiss for a few seconds. "Hmm… You…" He caressed her face and held him against his chest. "You sure have grown wise in all these centuries, Celestia… I'm impressed."
"Are you really? Wisdom is something that I must possess in order to rule Equestria as its princess, Discord. I still have much to learn, and am trying my best…"
"You still impress me, though. I didn't have much of a chance to see you grow; I only sensed your growth, and the rising level of your power. I still remember that young princess back then, with a cute, pink mane that I almost turned into sprinkled cotton candy…"
"Oh, don't remind me. It's not just my duty to think of the best for us all… Now it's something that I truly enjoy. I still like to learn and experience as much as possible. Guess it's good for you."
"Speaking of duties and all those serious things… Where's Luna again?" He tilted his head to the side, then smiled as he levitated her crown off her head.
Celestia laughed a bit, then relax. "Oh, you know that, don't you? She and Modest went out on a mission together. They left to the Southern Lands, to see if they could be of any help. After Luna learned of the distress message sent from Princess Talia, she couldn't stay put."
Discord looked up in thought. "Well… I'm not sure that might have been a good idea…" He smiled at Celestia when she gave him a questioning look. "What if something comes up?"
"They'll do their best, I'm sure. Luna would not want to fail the mission, you know how determined she can be. And quite stubborn, too." She chuckled with Discord, then nuzzled against him again. "We won't leave them alone, either. As soon as they need reinforcements, they will be sent. But I do need to take care of things here in Equestria. There's still a lot to get done to fix things up…"
Discord grinned at her and stroked her mane while holding her close. He chuckled again when he saw that a slight blush crept over her face. "I'm impressed, Tia. Again. Your concentration is nearly flawless now. Boy, you sure have grown, haven't you? Quite the lady you are—"
"Oh, hush, Discord. You're such a tease. You've hardly changed." She played with his beard before reaching up for his ear to bite it playfully, before giggling.
"Is that so?" He laid beside her once she turned to lay on her stomach. "I'm sure I could help you stay relaxed and focused while you work." Before she could reach out for the papers that he had scattered on the floor, he tickled her side with the tip of his tail. "Well, I don't know about focused, to be honest…"
Celestia laughed and looked at him again. "You always have liked these games, haven't you…" She sighed and picked the papers up with her magic. "You just loved catching us off guard with this." She smiled and looked at his tail while she put the papers inside an envelope.
"No, dear. I just loved to make you laugh. It's always been such an exquisite privilege. Your laughter and Luna's… I don't think I'll ever get enough of it."
"Well, your laughter wasn't that bad, either." She closed the envelope and sealed it with a stamp, stacking it over some books and other papers and scrolls. "I love spending these moments with you. I'm as eager as you are to share them more often. And… perhaps…" She nuzzled him and watched him levitate the stacked objects. "I'd love to display some affection for you out in the open."
She smiled knowingly while she caught the objects that he dropped in slight surprise. "Would you have a problem with that? It's something I'd really like to do."
Discord smiled and scratched the back of his head. "Not at all, dear. Not at all… In fact, I find it quite flattering, that you would wish to make it public… Isn't that a surprise!"
"A surprise I have no problem with, either."
"Heh, heh. I wonder what all those ponies would think of our affair. Don't you?"
"I'm glad you don't mind. It just didn't feel right, to hide it any longer." She glanced at him while he packed the objects in a box. "And, it's not an 'affair', Discord." She kissed his lips, then patted his chest. "It's a relationship. There's plenty of difference between the two."
It was Discord's turn to blush while he stared at him. "A relationship. You and I…" She and I have a relationship… Whoa, now, who'd have ever thought…? He smiled and nodded while he kissed her cheek and held her hoof. "I like the sound of that."
"That's right. Now, then… Since we've made that clear, I'll send those to the Royal Guard and the Royal Council. They'll need them to organize some—"
"Allow me, won't you?" He snapped his fingers and disappeared the box. "We also ought to prepare some supplies. If Luna and the prince left with the army, they'll need constant supplies sent to them so they'll last out there. It's quite the journey, to the Southern Kingdom."
"I know. I also listed that in the documents sent to the council. They'll take care of that. Now, while we're together…" She smiled and nudged him a bit. "Why don't we try to sort out the dragon issue? I'm sure you'll be a lot of help." She pulled out a scroll and a quill, and began to discuss with Discord about the several issues that the council had touched upon regarding the problem in the Southern Lands.
They made notes of their opinions and ideas for solutions or things to bring up to meetings, and before long, found themselves with a few full scrolls, actually having a good time while they set a whole lot of strategies in motion between them, the council, and the Royal Guard.
Celestia sighed and leaned against him, glancing at the floor while she thought about their 'relationship'. She was pretty sure that Discord was thinking the same thing, especially after they had worked through the notions and discussable issues so well together. "I could get used to this, Discord. I really, really could."
Night continued to pass, engulfing the ruined Southern Lands in darkness that still prevailed despite the torches and fires that the dragons set out all around. It merely looked like a sea of darkness with a few flickering lights floating along.
Despite the time, dragons continued to arrive constantly to the capital city of the kingdom. Luna had studied it in her history lessons, and had caught up with the different changes it underwent through the passing time. She had been fascinated, and even now she kept her admiration of the kingdom, despite its state.
But Modest had seen it on a continuous basis through his life. The Western and the Southern Kingdoms were allies. Modest had spent plenty of his childhood breaks in that kingdom, enjoying the tropical atmosphere, and the exotic feeling that surrounded the land and even the towns. The feeling of perhaps some kind of ancient civilization within a deep, great jungle still remained within them all, despite the modern era in which all of the kingdoms lived to keep up with times. Villages were no longer so small or 'folkloric', but towns as developed as Equestria's Ponyville or even Cloudsdale, for the Southern Kingdom also had its proud population of brave little winged souls, and valiant unicorn characters.
The capital city that they had infiltrated, Lakandon, was the Southern equivalent of Equestria's Canterlot, and had, at one point, held all the splendor and magnificence that a capital city was famous and loved for. He did not forget that, or any of the other wonders of the kingdom that he had known.
He remembered it all with sadness and resentment, not unlike Luna. However, he did his best to hold his anger and think things through. We're all they have now, he thought, every time he felt the urge to jump in and intercede for a mistreated Southern pony that he could hear within the broken prison. Equestria is all they have now. We can't afford to blow our cover and leave ourselves vulnerable as well.
With that determined, but unhappy mindset, Modest did his best to keep Luna in line, and discuss with her and the captain of their army the best situation in which they would carry out their strategies.
Meanwhile, the dragon-winged stallion made his way through the ruined halls of the palace. He stared mockingly at the broken decorations and artifacts that had held great value to the Southerners. He stepped on them and rejoiced at their shatter, as he did at the anguished, pained cries of his many prisoners.
He walked past his dragon servants and subordinates, ignoring their various demands, queries, and claims. He even roared at others to get out of his way. If, by odd chance, he found one of the dragons about to prey on one of the few pony slaves, he held him back harshly and made sure both the dragon and the pony were tortured. After all, he still had priority with the meal that the useless ponies provided.
He stepped down the black stone stairs that led to the dungeons, and looked around. He actually liked the dungeons better out of the entire palace. They were beautifully crafted, despite being just stone and iron. They were not crude like others he had seen and even been in. They were royal masterpieces of the palace themselves, and considered them worthy of admiration by other ponies that simply took delight in the ridiculous exotic fragrance of that world, which held much more to it than it seemed.
Rich iron, for instance. It was the most remarkable crafter in irons and other metal pieces. Never had he seen work finer than in Lakandon, and was glad he would be able to take full advantage of the blacksmiths while they lived. Those would be the ponies that he would spare the longest, until he had perhaps a good few generations that were absolutely loyal to him and easy to manage. Iron crafts from the Southern Kingdom, be they constructions, weaponry, or any other, even for labor, were nothing to underestimate.
He looked into one of the large, empty, dark cells, blocked by black bars both at the entrance and the small window. There was only one prisoner in that cell, and he saw that she slept uneasily, or at least, so it seemed, for she lay down on her hooves, her head lowered, her wings folded. She did not even shiver from the cold breeze that constantly blew, or by the smoke that he let his dragons blow inside.
He lifted one of his red and black hooves, banging on the bars to startle the princess awake, and watch her while she composed herself and backed further against the wall. "Hello, Talia. I wonder if that willful, blade-sharp character of yours has been dulled out of shape now…"
The bright yellow alicorn that stayed close to the wall, inside the cell, glared at him with her still-fierce, jade green eyes. Her mane was deep violet, cut short, with the straight ends framing her face, like curtains. She was beautiful and looked young (perhaps a few years older than Modest), but above all spirited and strong.
She tried to move her hooves again, but the chains tied to her held her in place. The cold, black chains and the shackles had replaced the green jewelry accessories that she had worn with pride till her defeat. She had also been humiliatingly stripped of her traditional royal clothing, like her cloak, feathers, weaved and beaded leg bands, and even the battle mask that she and the royals before her took pride and honor in wearing during battles and before the enemy (even while imprisoned). Only her crown had been left to her, though the once beautiful silver-colored still was now singed and slightly bent. But she still held her head high before the cruel, mocking hybrid creature that stood before her.
"It's 'Princess Talia María Cobalto de Acero' for the likes of you. What do you want now?" She spoke in a collected, yet obviously upset and furious voice that was just slightly low, and laced with the accent of her kingdom's ponyfolk.
The dragon-stallion paced in front of her cell, chuckling while he watched her struggle. "What do I want? It's easy. I want to remind you of my offer, my dear, and propose it anew."
Talia grimaced and shook her head. "My answer is still no. Burn the legacy of my ancestors… Yes, their temples. It hurts me so to have to sacrifice them to your brutes, but I will not turn myself in to you. I am all the hope my citizens have left. I will not let you have it; not the hope of my kingdom."
"Ohh… That's rich. So you are the hope of your kingdom?"
"No, you…" She stopped herself while he smirked, deciding that she would not give him the satisfaction of watching her fall to his level. "No. I embody it, there's a different. If I myself still give them hope, then it's good. But I myself hold hope in higher power. The power of our joined—"
"Anyway, as I was saying… You're the hope of your land. Quite. It's true, because my interests lay on the silly, old relic temples no longer… Those stones don't shine. They hold no value or taste to us. They're good to us for taste… We want the meat, princess; their delicious flesh. You understand, don't you? Little Princess of the Iron Savages?"
Talia gasped; her eyes opened wider with realization. "No!"
"Glad we're understanding each other. Here is your offer, Talia: your union in marriage to me. Yes, marry me, and not only will I let your ponies live till they starve to death… I might even let you save two ponies instead of one. Two ponies released in… Well, to keep tradition, how about in a new little ritual, like those silly ones you and your ponies have always fooled around with?"
"Como te atreves a insultarme así…" She shifted in her hooves uncomfortably, though she kept her glare upon the merciless hybrid. "Why must you do this to us?! My kingdom is innocent! We have done nothing to you or the dragons! We stay clear of them, actually, and you know this! None of the kingdoms have damaged you, and Equestria… Oh, I know you are after Equestria. But to hit us all like this?! You are—"
The hybrid growled and interrupted the princess before she could continue with her protests. His mane turned into a claw, surrounded by his smoke aura. "Come now, Princess Talia. Don't be so stubborn and foolish. I know you're better than this." He smirked while he caressed her face with the claw, after it floated through the cage. "I would hate to see a beautiful thing like you stuck here till the end of your days…"
Talia grimaced and stared at him while he continued to try to touch her.
"You could be Queen of the Dragon Realms; Queen of the new world made by dragons. It would be superb."
She tried to move away from him and the smoke he created. "Queen of a place like the ruins you've created? You want me to rule with a creature like you by my side, all the time? I don't think so, Pyromedes. I could never do that, and never will. I would rather die, I swear. I already have my kingdom, which I cherish."
"Hmph. Yes, some good that will do for them, once they're burned to ashes. You will be nothing but a pretty prisoner in here, and they will be snacks for my servants, and for me. Your kingdom is basically ashes already, Talia. There's nothing for you to rule over. It's only our land now."
Princess Talia moved away from his mane again. "Why can't you rule your own lands? Dragons have their reign, their areas to reside and live in. They have their territory! We have respected it, we always have. Pyromedes, just leave us alone! Go back to your land before you destroy us all. Just let us—"
"You call those deserted wastes a 'reign'?! A place to live in decency, with no hunger or thirst, or disease… That is our 'reign'?! Damn you! Arrogant pests—you don't even know what you say! Perhaps you damn hooved vermin should spend more than three hundred years trapped and forsaken in there… and see how you like it! I doubt you'd last a year in that hell, princess."
He spoke in a harsh, raised voice, while his rising temper also made the temperature within her cell rise as well, high enough to make her wince and fidget uncomfortably. "This world is ours by right, Talia. We will not have your hoofed creatures snatching it from us any longer. Not one day will you have in the land of plenty and richness that belongs to us! I will not allow it! If you try to take it back, Talia… I will make sure that we beat you back where you belong… You'll be the bones of our discarded meal. You belong in the bottom of the food chain. That's always been your place!"
Talia winced and cried out before she fell on the cooling floor. She winced again and rubbed her hooves, looking at them. She sighed when she saw that she had gotten no burns. "...We could share the land, Pyromedes… As we always have. What you say is not true. Ponies have always shared the land that they inhabit with each and every creature. Dragons are not excluded, they never have been."
She looked up at him and pushed herself up once her hooves stopped hurting. "We actually have had no problems with dragon migrations until now. No pony kingdom has had that many complaints, I would know that. I care for the other kingdoms and their problems; I try to provide them with answers, as they do with me. Their complaints against the dragons have not been significant. We have allowed dragons to pass by our lands… We have even let them take what supplies they might need through their passage and journey. We have been fair to creatures that show towards us only hostility, treachery, hatred, ingratitude, segregation, danger and general unkindness in return. Now you show not only that, but—"
Pyro snarled to interrupt her. He turned around. "I'll hear no more of it. If anyone has segregated dragons from your precious perfection and dreamlands, it's been you! You, pony savages!"
Talia stared at him while he stomped on the ground and paced around, cursing ponies under his breath. "Tienes miedo. You're just afraid, Pyro." She closed her eyes a bit when Pyro blew smoke towards her, but she did not retract from her fact. "Deep inside, I know you are a cowering creature that has never belonged anywhere, and never will. You always will be banned to the outlines of our society."
Pyro turned away and continued to pace around while he tried to ignore her, but her words were striking a nerve, no matter how much he tried to pretend otherwise. He took a breath to calm down, but she continued.
"You have no power of your own, so you use violence and the cruelty in your heart to force the innocent to fear you. You enslave every creature that you can manipulate, and those that you cannot, you destroy. You force them all to give you a place where you do not belong. To give you respect that you do not deserve, but mostly fear." She remained firm and determined, even though she knew she was upsetting Pyro quite a bit. She intended to do so. "You don't belong with us or the dragons, Pyromedes. You don't belong anywhere."
"You soon won't have a place to belong to, either, princess. I'll make sure of that. Your kingdom will soon be completely destroyed. What isn't in flames will be home for us dragons. Ponies won't have a place or use in our world. I suppose you will be satisfied, then."
"No, just disappointed."
"Like I care what you feel. I'd have you dead, you know, if it wasn't—"
"See? You will control us, oppress us, and push us as hard as you can, to make sure that we belong to you. You'll force us around instead, to feel… complete." She narrowed her eyes and spoke a bit quietly, though still serious. "It doesn't matter what you become, Pyro… You always will be little more than the cowering, misunderstood creature that cannot wash away the hated stigma that he carries. You won't ever fit in anywhere, no matter how many times you destroy it to your liking. Creatures like you do not get very far in the world, even with force. You won't get away with this, be sure of it. You are pitiful, unwanted by no one, and hated by everyone. Hated because you are different, made useless by the world."
His eyes widened after she spoke again. Black, hot smoke seeped out of his mouth while he turned around and glare at her menacingly. "I've had ENOUGH! I don't care what you say—your attitude won't last for long! I'll destroy it like I did with your kingdom! All of you pests WILL bow to me or simply stop existing! You can't stop one, no one can!" He stomped his hoof against the stone floor with such force that he made her cell rumble and knock her down to the ground again.
Talia grunted and pushed herself up, panting a bit. She was still determined despite his harassment. "...I won't. I will not. I will not bow to you, or accept you, ever. No te voy a dar el gusto. You have not earned the respect of my kingdom, or my respect and acceptance as a leader. You are not a leader and will never be."
"I said, we'll see about that. What do you know? You'll probably spend the rest of your life chained in this cell, rotting away like the rest of your kind. It will be a fitting end for all of you."
"And when everyone stares at you in fear and contempt… with hatred and darkness in their hearts threatening to take them over against you… Will you be satisfied then? Is that when you will stop? It won't ever be true acceptance. They won't ever see you as a leader. They won't follow you, but fear you. You STILL won't belong there! You'll have fears yourself, because you will never know when someone will rise to defeat you. Even if you kill all of us ponies… The dragons will never accept you, even if you give them all the chance to get rid of us and take possession of our empty land. They will hate you for enslaving them. Other creatures will avoid you. That is, if you don't kill them, like you plan to do with us. How will anyone accept you and give you a sense of belonging? How will you live with yourself then?"
Pyro snarled and threw her against the wall with his fiery energy. "Manipulative wench… I'm done with you. Tomorrow will be a busy morning…" He chuckled darkly while Talia tried to push herself up. He looked around at the imprisoned ponies that remained mostly silent, though frightened, angry, and concerned for their princess. "All of these useless ponies will be our breakfast. And I won't negotiate with you anymore."
Talia gasped and tried to get to the bars of her cell, but the chains pulled her back. "No! Ngh!" She struggled, and often tried to pry the black stone collar her from around neck, but it was useless. The gem in the center glowed with every movement, and it felt as heavy as lead when she tried to pull it off, leaving her even more exhausted. "Ngh… Just… Rgh! Get off!"
The light blue dragon that Pyro kept as one of his personal slaves glared once he went back to the throne room. Her yellow eyes were nearly lit with the hatred in them. "Hmph. My—how thoughtful of you, my king. Your offering of ponies is so considerate… How will we ever repay you? Hasn't it occurred to you that maybe we don't like ponies? They're way too sweet. Many of us actually hate even eating them. I don't know how you can stand them. We were fine the way we were… In our lands that were far, far away from these creatures."
"I could care less about what any of you fools want or think. You're useless. You would still be starving in those rotting trenches that you called your home, had I not interfered. You're just my pawns now, ever so grateful for my rescuing you." He sat on the throne and stretched as he lit a few tapestries on fire. "What matters is that you all serve me as my army. It's all that you can do."
The young dragon rolled her eyes, then looked down at the dark gray collar with a glowing ruby on the center. It was worn not only by her, but by the other dragons that Pyro commanded. The jewel encrusted on the stone collar glowed whenever the spell of Pyro's own necklace was activated.
She sighed with relief when she saw that it was not glowing, effecting its magic on her yet. "You know… This magic spell necklace of yours? It's bound to break eventually. Everyone knows that magic that doesn't belong to someone fades away, because they can't keep it up. They don't have the power. And we all know it's not even your magic, is it?"
Pyro glared at her and snarled silently. "It belongs to me now, so it's mine."
"Hah! You wish! You stole it from a sorcerer you found on your way here, didn't you? You're not tricking me, you thug. In any case, dragons of any kind don't have magic. We're immune to it, for starters. Sort of."
Pyro rolled his eyes and kept walking. "For all you know, this amulet might take a long, long time to malfunction. It might even not, in the first place. As I said, it belongs to me now. What would you know?"
The dragon chuckled. "I bet things won't end up too well for you when that happens. When the spell fades away, making that amulet nothing but a pretty, shiny, useless thing. The dragons will have your hide."
"Don't count on it, idiot. Once I have spilled the princesses' blood everywhere to make a path for my new kingdom, I'll gather your comrades and reveal my hidden gemstone mines to them. The mines I have taken away from previous foes, like ponies and other creatures that didn't stand a chance… I wonder how many of your foolish brothers and sisters will butcher one another for those mines…" He yanked on the chain bound to her collar and smirked when she winced and grunted.
She fell on the floor, but quickly pulled herself up to a crouch. "Why, you…!" She snarled, and charged at him once she finally lost her temper. "I'll rip you apart once and for all!"
Pyro calmly sat on the throne, and watched as the amulet glowed. He saw that the glow reflected on the female dragon's eyes, then surrounded her body with magic energy.
She gasped and cried out when her body was forced to stop and lay down on the ground. She growled, and tried to struggle. "Let me go! Stop it! Oh, I hate you…!"
"Everyone knows that. Like it's ever really stopped me from beating every single one of you fools. Be grateful I'm just mildly teaching you some manners. Next time you act up, I assure you, it won't be so nice. You won't be so lucky. Am I clear?" He blew smoke on her before he cast her aside and started to eat some jewels.
Modest looked back at Luna and waved her over. They had managed to sneak around the palace, through one of the hidden tunnels that he had fortunately remembered. He whispered to her once she came close. "Princess, this way!" He walked forward and opened the small trapdoor. "Thank goodness it's still here…"
Luna approached Modest, and quietly looked around the tunnel that they walked through. She also watched out for dragons once they reached the corridors of the now dark, dark palace. Everything was broken; for some reason, it unnerved her, gave her a very bad feeling about things. But, other than that, the abandoned hallway seemed clear for them to pass.
"Well, they're not here… So the princess and civilians must be kept in the dungeons. No other place. We'll have to leave the army behind, there's no way they'll be able to come with us."
"Then to the dungeons it is. It should be in our left, some stories down… I can get us there without being noticed. It looks like they haven't discovered any of the passageways that Talia's family renovated for use." He smiled and led her forward. "We'll reach them pretty soon, but what's the plan then?"
He blinked when Luna's horn glowed a bit, shrouding them in dark fog that helped them blend with the darkness of the night. "Great idea. We should be almost invisible with this…"
"We need to get everypony out, as many as we can. They're potential hostages for the dragons, so as long as they're around, we won't be able to do everything we can to help. We'll be careful; we sure don't want any attention to ourselves. I hope the distressed citizens can understand that."
"If we have the army make a diversion out there, I'm sure we'll have even more time. Dragons aren't very smart, but they're very impulsive. They'll fall for it and chase right after them. I'm sure they'll hold off on their own while we get the others out. We got the best with us."
Luna nodded and walked after them as they sneaked around the hidden sections of the palace. Sometimes they narrowly avoided detection, other times (often times), they easily made their way through empty, discarded ruins of the palace, until they were well on the low level, where the stench of smoke grew stronger, and more alarming. Soon there was company for them on the low, dark levels of the dungeons.
She stepped back and closed her eyes to concentrate on a silent spell. She put the dragon guards that stood outside the prison cells to sleep. She did not stop or let Modest get any closer until they saw both of the large dragons fall to the ground with a heavy thud, without getting up afterwards.
Once they walked closer, they heard their deafening snores, and were able to pass through the slumbering dragons without them so much as twitching, even when Luna accidentally tripped.
They both thought it was all over when she tripped with the open claw of one of them, which was even larger than she was, lying stretched out in front of him, the weapon it had held cast aside. However, the dragon remained out cold, as did the other, with no sign of ever noticing even the rough shove from her.
Modest sighed and looked at Luna, whose horn glowed as she anxiously cast the same spell to put them deeper under, until their snores deepened, and they began to drool in their sleep. "Psst! That's enough! I don't think they'll wake up any day soon now… They won't be a problem."
Luna blushed and sighed as she walked away from the sleeping dragons. She looked at Modest, but then glanced down quickly. "I'm so sorry…"
"Don't worry. It was an accident. They happen. At least we're both alright." He turned the corner with her, after they went through the entrance, only to find a large, chained door before them. "That's the direct entrance. The way that the palace is now, I'm sure there's no other way around it."
Luna bit her lip, then glanced around the shadows worriedly, gasping when two black dragons slithered in front of the entrance to guard it. "Of course it wouldn't be easy…"
"The spell from earlier should work, though. Just be careful. They seem a lot harder to handle…"
One of the dragons snarled and hissed as the other sniffed the air. "Who's there?!" He turned his head while the other growled. "There shouldn't be any ponies out here…"
"Definitely smells like pony, though. Not just one… And it sure does smell special."
Luna gritted her teeth and made her horn glow as she hurriedly cast the same sleeping spell, with all she had. She grunted with effort when she saw that the dragons didn't drop as easily as the others. "Prince Modest, I'll hold them off. The spell alone won't be able to stop them, so I'll keep them here. You go in and see if you can get anypony out! Hurry!"
Once she made sure that Modest had gone, albeit reluctantly, she opened her eyes, which glowed white, and unleashed more of her power on the approaching dragons, until they too dropped unconscious on the ground. She panted and tried to catch her breath, but did not stop. Soon, she entered their minds to make sure they did not wake up, and kept them in a deeper dream without them noticing.
Modest used his managed to summon a strong blast of fire, which was enough to knock the doors down. He smiled and leaped inside, running down the corridors, until he reached the cells where all the ponies were trapped.
His horn glowed again; to his satisfaction, the ground began to tremble. "Don't worry, it's alright! We'll have you out of here in no time." He couldn't make out what the ponies tried to tell him, but he moved closer to use different spells to break them out. "Now, how did this… Alright, I think I have a way to bust it…"
He blinked and turned around when he heard growls behind him. He gasped and opened his eyes wider just as smoke was blown at him, and the growls got louder.
Princess Luna… Quickly, you have to get—
The glow that had surrounded the dungeons briefly, while Modest tried to work his way through, vanished right after Modest's screams were heard.
Luna grunted and held her head as her eyes stopped glowing. "Ngh… Wh-what happened…?!" She gasped, smelling smoke, then quickly moved before flames could hit her directly. She cried out when she landed on the ground. "Rgh!" She quickly picked herself up and shot a blast at the attacked. No, this can't be. They found us! They already found us! "Prince Modest! Get back here! We—"
Pyro walked out of the shadows, stepping closer to her. "Don't even bother with that prince, dear Princess of the Night. He's now the least of your concerns…" He gave her a cold, wicked smirk and a chuckle.
Luna gasped and looked around when they were immediately surrounded by dragons, armed to the teeth, wearing their menacing armor while they all glared at her. She narrowed her eyes and crouched, but then raised her head and opened her eyes wider, her ears pulling back against her head once she spotted Modest. "No…"
One dragon dragged the unconscious prince by chains tied to his front hooves. He turned his head and dropped Modest in front of them, huffing in annoyance.
Modest groaned wearily and winced, too weak to come to.
"No! Prince Modest!" Luna tried to get to him, but was blocked by the large, spiked tails of two dragons.
"Surrender, Princess Luna." Pyro smirked again, as another dragon pulled Modest's mane to lift his head up, and held an axe to his neck. "Surrender… Or I will have the pleasure to feed on his royal blood first."
Luna shook her head, then gritted her teeth and glared at them. "You'll all pay for this… I'll make sure of it! You better let him go! If you hurt him…!" She looked aside and bucked some dragons away with her hind legs, then unleashed her magic at others. "I am not afraid of you, you hear?! Let him go!"
Pyro breathed fire right in front of her, almost burning her and forcing her to step back. He growled and motioned at the dragon to stab Modest. "Stop it, or I will have his wings cut off next. He can still keep his legs if you shut up and behave, princess."
Luna gave Modest a concerned look, watching as the dragons injured him. She whimpered softly, then closed her eyes and reluctantly lowered her wings, stepping down. "Stop it… Stop hurting him—it's enough. I won't attack them anymore. Leave him alone."
"Silence! You have no right to command me! You have really bad habits, you know!" Pyro walked closer to Luna, while others held her down from her wings and legs. "Bring it over here. How fortunate that we'll get to use the gems again, on a pony, no less. The perfect instrument to teach you all your lowly place…"
A few smaller dragons pushed a chest forward, letting Pyro unlock it. They grunted when Luna knocked them to the ground with her magic.
"STOP IT!" Pyro snarled, and had the dragon that held Modest stab him again, close to his wings. He glared at some of the light blue feathers that dropped on the ground. "This is exactly why I hate ponies…" He shook his head and lowered his wings again, after he composed himself. "Nice try, but you won't defeat any of us, with any spell you cast. Your little magic won't work on dragon scales, remember?"
He looked around as the dragons snarled, hissed, and laughed, mocking Luna. "Nonetheless… I'd prefer to have it out of the way altogether… Magic is so troublesome for us…"
The chest was opened, revealing a black collar with a gemstone on it, just like the one Talia wore. The gemstone gleamed an eerie light under the shine of the moon, making it look all the more frightening.
Pyro gave Luna a wide smile as his servants pulled the collar out of the chest and approached her with it. "It's beautiful, isn't it? Do you know what this amulet is, princess?"
She tried to move away from the dragons that held her and approached her with the collar, and steadily shot the collar a cautious glare. "No, and I do not wish to be enlightened."
"Aw, don't be so pessimistic, princess. It's a present from me to you. One does not reject presents and gifts, do we? Enjoy your gift, for it will be an honor for you. I shall give you the last possession of value that my lineage kept… after the Crystal Empire was snatched from my ancestor… Who had initially taken it by force, I'll admit. But he was great nonetheless."
He took the collar from the dragons and continued to approach Luna with it, watching her as she remained quiet. "Legends know it as 'The Grace of the Empire'. It was originally created by the wretched Queen Dream Song, to defeat King Sombra… But Sombra hunted her to her death before she had the chance to use it against him. He banished the damn thing; it was hidden from him without his knowing, by the followers of that damn queen. He was only able to keep fragments of its power… which my clan kept to this day, until I managed to snatch it from their possession, and inherit it."
He looked at the collar proudly, turning it in his hoof a bit. "I made a few modifications to it… So that only the one who put it on could ever remove it from the victim. The original Grace of the Empire used to be able to be removed by individuals of great power; power that matched the original strength of the victim." With a grin, Pyro secured the collar around Luna's neck, watching as it glowed and made immediate effect.
Suddenly the immense fatigue and sensation of weight on all of her body nearly overwhelmed her. Though she was utterly shocked from the effect of the magic object, her body would not let her react quickly enough. She groaned and swayed, almost fainting from the sudden exhaustion. She swayed and staggered, then struggled hard to keep herself from collapsing by using up almost all of her willpower.
Wh-what's going on…?! Why can't I—I can't even think well! Stay strong, Luna… Stay…! She shook her head and grunted again, willing herself to stay on her hooves. The power of the collar was too much for her, and it threatened to overwhelm her completely if she did not stay on her guard.
She glared at the collar, then desperately looked up at Pyro. "D-don't do this! You… Do you have any idea what you're doing?! You have to take this off! I can't raise or lower the moon without my magic connection to it! I can't use my magic!"
"That's the point, princess. It should deplete your magic power completely."
"But that's insane! You don't know what you'll cause. You can't do this! Get this… Ngh, get this off me!" She tried to command her body to move away from the dragons and fight back with all of her might.
Pyro laughed while he watched the princess struggle as she rapidly grew weaker. He laughed at her warnings, and attempts to reason with him. "As if I care about darkness or light… Once I'm done with your precious kingdom, princess… There will be only ash and smoke. The skies will be black, forever. There will be no need for night or day, as no one will know the difference. I told you… The world will be for my servants and me… And we can certainly survive in such an environment. See, unlike you… I am no weakling."
Luna grimaced, then glared at him again when he blew smoke over her. Why, you…! She glared at the other dragons that laughed and snarled in agreement to Pyro's words. Why aren't these brutes doing anything?! I never thought they'd take it so well… Being slaves, and to a hybrid, no less… What on earth is wrong with them?! She stomped on the ground just a bit before her captors roughly pinned her down again.
Modest groaned in pain as he slowly came around. He noticed that the dragons were dragging him near Luna. No doubt they'd be imprisoned in the dungeons that they discovered, along with the Southern ponies. He winced and looked up at Luna while she tried to push herself to her hooves.
Princess… Don't worry, I… He grunted and frowned with determination when he saw the open, unguarded passage that would get them out of the dungeon corridor and the palace. Not many dragons would fit through to follow them… And he doubted any of them knew where it led, or that it was even there.
He smiled a little as the idea to escape kept growing in his mind. All we have to do is make our way inside… Well, then… He shut his eyes closed and concentrated as hard as he could in a spell that would push the dragons out of their way, sending them flying. It made his head hurt, but he made an effort.
The dark fuchsia glowing aura of his magic burst into a wave of energy that shocked the remaining dragons and held them back. It pushed them away like several invisible explosions.
"Prince Modest!" Luna finally struggled to get on his feet and helped support Modest, but not for long, for he started to limp away from the dragons while they were still stunned. "Wait!"
He gave her a stern look over his shoulder. "Hurry, there's no time to waste. Hurry up!"
She caught up with him and watched his back while he opened what looked like a ventilation duct. "What… What is that?! Prince, what are we—" She cried out a bit when he pulled her up, inside.
"Another passage. It was for the soldiers that stood guard in the dungeons corridor to quickly get to the main hall and entrance, to guard the castle if necessary. It's unused, of course, so they shouldn't know about it." Modest kept crawling and leading the way out through the narrow tunnel. "Ngh, but we don't have much time. They'll catch on and seal all the entrances."
"But they don't know where this one leads to!"
"I guess we'll have to find out!"
They both looked back when they heard screeching roars behind them. As Modest thought, the leader had sent some of the smallest dragons after them. Much to his surprise, however, they were moving rather quickly, and would catch up with them in a matter of minutes.
"Crawl even faster. We can't make a mistake now; there'll be no time to turn around. Trip once, princess, and we're done for. Hurry!" He pulled her along, then smiled a little once they reached the unblocked exit.
Bright green flames from the gray dragons behind them flew out of the exit of the tunnel, but missed the alicorns when they flew out of the way and remained in the air.
Luna frowned and blocked the exit with a heavy piece of rock from the broken throne room. "There!"
"No, we're in the throne room. They'll get up here soon enough, but the guards out there are already coming." Modest pointed forward and flew with Luna, dodging some of the wingless dragons that tried to stop them. "We'll make it outside!"
As he had said, they made it out of the castle, but still had to rush their way through the city, which proved the hardest task of all. The Royal Guard was nowhere to be seen, and dragons attacked them from all directions. They heard the crumbling of the castle as it was ruined further when Pyro and his dragons charged through the stone walls to chase after them.
"Prince Modest—what now?!"
"We're almost there!" He stepped back to dodge a blast of flames with Luna, then kept running. Any more flying is out of the question… We'll just have to try to lose them on the ground!
"Don't push yourself too hard! We'll never make it if your injuries get worse!" Luna caught up with him and ran beside him to keep an eye on the cuts that the dragon had made on him.
Modest winced again while he stared ahead. Despite feeling tired and weak, his determination did not leave him. "Princess, don't worry. We'll definitely make it." He narrowed his eyes and turned a corner with her, heading for the seemingly unguarded side entrance. Or… At least, you certainly will, no matter what.
They skidded to an almost painful stop when dragon guards leaped out of their hidden positions and shut the heavy gates closed, right in front of them. The back-up guards did not waste any time to attack them.
Luna gave a frustrated glare to the shut gates and the guards holding them closed. "No!"
Modest blocked some of the attacks with a magic shield, then moved Luna and himself aside to take cover. Soon they were surrounded, but he continued to cast the strongest spells that he could manage. They think I'm gonna let them all do whatever they want with us, with the princess… They've got another thing coming!
Luna grunted and supported Modest when he swayed and almost collapsed. "Prince Modest! Hold on! Stay on your legs, Prince Modest. We have to get out of here! Don't give up now, alright?! I won't!" She gritted her teeth and glared at the large dragons that surrounded them and only increased in number. But how, though…? Just how are we going to get out of this?!
She frowned at Modest when he tried to cast another spell. "Stop it! Are you crazy?! You'll—"
"You can't use your magic at the moment, Princess Luna. I'll do everything I can before I let you get hurt. Understand? I have to protect you now, with everything I've got."
But… We're in this together…! She shook her head and grumbled under her breath. That stubborn fool… We need to find a way out of here before he kills himself! She gasped and ducked when a sharp dragon wing almost hit her. "There's no end to them!"
"Of course there's not. You stepped into the heart of a new dragon den, princess. Of course you were going to be surrounded… and eaten, though that will come later." Pyro looked back at his light blue, young dragon servant. "Sheva, take the prince. I'm sick of waiting for their little game to end."
Sheva growled while she glared up at him, but still flew down to meet the alicorns. She sighed when she watched Modest try to cast a spell, but nearly collapsed again. "Let's not make things difficult for either of us, okay? Look, he… He hasn't killed Talia yet. Most of her subjects are still alive; it's only the servants that are gone. Maybe he'll let you live as long as they have if you cooperate."
She caught Modest with her wing and set him on her back, then turned to look at Luna. She sighed when she saw the stubborn, defiant expression on the mare. She won't make things easy...
"Even if you capture us, you monster… What makes you think that I will just allow you to keep us in a cage?! We'll fight back, whether you capture us or not!" She glared at the other dragons while she stomped her hooves menacingly. "And you're not going to take me down so easily, slithering cowards…"
She huffed and lowered her head, ready to fight if necessary. I'm not some princess in distress… I came to help and it's just what I will do. I am Luna, the Princess of the Night! "Get away from me or you'll regret it!"
"Oh, will you relax, Luna?" Pyro looked at the guards that stood by the gates and nodded at them. He and the other dragons stepped aside as the gates were dragged open in front of them.
Luna blinked with surprise, but kept her guard up, cautious of all the dragons that moved.
"This is your cue, Luna. You're free to go." Pyro chuckled while he watched a confused Luna. He then pointed at a pained Modest. "We're going to keep him, though. If you'll both be so kind to let us…"
Modest looked at Luna as she gasped and started to protest. He sighed and lowered his head, speaking quietly. "Please go, Your Grace. I'll be fine."
"No! No, there's no way I'll… Prince Modest, we came together! You, the Royal Guard, me…!"
Pyro looked up and scratched his head while he thought. "Oh, yes, about that royal guard… I hope you don't mind, but… The reason why we're all fine with not eating you both right this instant is because we… Well, we had a bit of a quick meal while you were busy sneaking around the castle."
Luna grimaced and stepped further away from the dragons while they laughed, and Modest only lowered his head silently, muttering his respects for the lost guards.
"We didn't kill all of them, mind you. Others put up less of a fight. So we captured them. We'll imprison them… And those that cowered from their position as defendants of your name will be our servants until I decide otherwise. But we're not going to discuss that, are we? Right now, I am giving you a one-time chance; your precious opportunity to flee, and live a little longer."
"No."
Modest smiled a little after Luna adamantly refused. "Princess, everything will be alright with me. You don't need to worry and stay back. It won't do; everypony else needs you. And you need to go, now."
"Prince, I'm not going anywhere. Understand?! I'm not going to leave you! We made a promise—whether you like it or not, we're both keeping it! I won't let you tell me what to do…" She glared at Pyro again and stomped her hoof on the ground. "I'm not going anywhere without him! You won't get away with this, I swear! You better let him go, because I am not leaving unless he comes with me!"
Pyro laughed. "That's even better for us, princess! If you're going to stay, you'll make a wonderful plaything for the guards. Look at them. They're all eager to have something to chase… Then you can be my dinner."
"Don't you dare think this is going to scare me. I'm still not leaving him, no matter how you push."\
"Have I told you how much I like princesses with their spices included?"
"Don't you dare touch her!" Modest gave Luna an urgent look. "Princess, please… Please, leave! Don't be foolish, you won't end well in here. Please think! If you were to get hurt…" He shook his head and tried to urge her along again. "It all depends on you! Equestria won't do without their Night Princess—"
"And the Western Kingdom won't do without their Prince!"
"I'm telling you, I'll be fine! Go! Leave me behind—I'm not the one you need to focus on! You promised you'd help the Southern Kingdom. I did, too! I did my best, now you do yours! If you don't leave now, we both will be useless to them! We won't be able to call for help!"
She shook her head and tried to step closer to him. She ignored his glare and demanding voice. "Forget it; I'm not leaving without you! I brought you along for this mission, so I have to bring you back to Canterlot with me! If not, then I'll stay and help you until you can come back with me!"
Modest blinked and looked at Sheva when she released him. He sighed and limped over to Luna, who kept glaring at him. "...Thank you, Princess Luna. I truly do appreciate your concern. I do. You have no idea what it means to me." He closed his eyes and pulled her close into a hug with his wings.
Luna blinked with surprise and blushed. She looked at Modest with a small smile, but then tried to pull away. "H-hey, this is no time to—" She gasped when she realized that Modest was holding her in place. "What are you doing?! Let me go! Oh, don't you dare. Modest!"
He gave her a serious look. "It's pointless for you to stay here. Without your magic, you'll be beaten easily, and will end up injured. One of us needs to get out of here to give us all a chance to survive. I'll make sure it's you, Luna. It's my duty, understand?"
"No, it's not! Don't be foolish! Don't you dare, Modest. You hear me? I'm not going anywhere!"
He smiled a little and held her face in his hooves. "I'm not giving you a choice." He quickly pulled her close and grunted as he hit her head against his, in a strong headbutt.
"Modest—agh!" She cried out in pain and began to fall. She looked up at him, and tried to focus her blurring vision. No. He can't do this. He can't. "P-Prince Modest…!"
Pyro chuckled as he watched with a raised eyebrow. "What a nice way to treat a princess."
Modest rubbed his head, then sighed as he looked at the semiconscious princess. "Do forgive me… But you have to leave. Preferably as soon as possible… without resistance." He set her on the ground while his horn glowed brighter. He grunted when a dragon held him back, but managed to cast his spell on her. To his relief, Luna was gone, nowhere in sight, a few seconds later. Please stay safe, Luna…
Pyro walked closer to Modest, then pressed his head against the ground with a hit from his hoof. "Quite a gentlecolt you are… But you're also a fool. You wasted your only chance to escape on that useless mare."
Modest smirked and glared up at Pyro. "Hmph. You think I'm like you? I'd never do that; there was no way I was going to save myself by leaving her here. At least I'll die knowing I've got more decency than you will ever even imagine." He grunted and coughed when Pyro slammed his tail on his side.
Luna groaned while she regained consciousness. She raised her head to look around as her vision cleared and focused. Oh, no. This… This is too far from the castle! What happened?! Where's everyone else?!
She panted a bit while she searched for Modest and the dragons, finding them far away. Modest had teleported her out of the city after all. No… How could you?! I told you not to—
She stopped in her tracks, frozen with fear, when she saw that Pyro held Modest down on the ground. She could see from her elevated position in the rocky mountain side that Modest had teleported her to. "No… No, no, no… Please don't…"
To her horror, Pyro was getting ready to injure him, she could tell, even from the distance. She still couldn't get up from the ground, much less help him. Her strength was almost gone. Prince Modest… No…!
For a moment, only the anticipating laughter and growls of the dragons were heard, while Pyro raised his wing over Modest, ready to strike. Modest didn't even try to fight back.
Luna's eyes filled with tears while she continued to watch. No…! She gasped, then grimaced and looked away when Modest's agonizing screams pierced the uneasy silence of the night once his horn was broken by the strong dragon wing. They were followed by the cruel, heavy laughter from Pyro and his dragon servants. She had to grit her teeth and concentrate to remain silent. Modest… How could they…?!
She cried, but only briefly, while she managed to pull herself together. It wasn't easy to acknowledge that she had lost. She had lost soldiers, Modest, and the opportunity to save the Southern citizens. She had also lost her magic, and most likely condemned the whole world with her failure.
The rescue mission had gone horribly wrong, and she nearly broke down again while she acknowledged it. But she needed to learn and see what had gone wrong, otherwise, the same mistakes would be made. She would not allow herself to make the same mistakes.
"Prince Modest… I'm so sorry…! I shouldn't have let him come… Forgive me, prince. Please forgive me…!" She sobbed a bit while she also apologized to the guards that had been lost. She kept her head lowered while she prayed for them, wishing so badly that she could light up bright stars in their memory.
I promise I will do that… as soon as I have my magic back. I WILL get it back. They won't win… She glared up at the broken city with her eyes, though still filled with tears, renewed of their determination and courage.
"I won't let you get away with this, you monster. I will reclaim the Night as mine… I will save the Southern Kingdom, and those you have captured. You're going to regret this night… I swear you'll get the worst of it!" She growled, then stomped her hooves on the ground. "YOU ARE NOT GOING TO WIN THIS WAR!"
She let out a quick breath after she lowered back on the ground, then ran off into the forest just as some dragons flew out of the city to try to find her. She couldn't use her magic to escape, and even refrained from using her wings. They were hardly necessary; she remained hidden in the shadows and often concealed her scent with the different smells in the forest, and the rivers that she swam through.
She shook the cold water off her coat and wings, and kept walking. She searched for any remaining guards and to her fortune actually found a few of them alive, and with little injuries. Together, they cautiously made their way through the border forests, misleading the fewer dragons that searched for Luna.
There's no other choice, is there… If I want to help them, I have to leave them… And get the others. I will need their help after all… We have no other option but to leave Equestria vulnerable, if we want to protect it from these monsters… Don't worry; there must be something I can still do for them, I'll rely on anyone I can… But first… I have to recover from this…
She let some of the guards support her, and though she refused to rest, she gave them directions for them to make camp for a few hours during daybreak. "But we'll only rest for a bit. We need to move as quickly as we can. Make sure that we're all in condition to do so. I don't want to leave anypony else behind."
I willcome back. Modest… Please, I beg of you. Please hold on and fight as hard as you can to survive, until I do… Fight them until I come back to fight for you. I just hope we're not too late… Please help everypony stay strong… I promise I'll do my best. We all will. We'll get you out of there alive.
Even when dawn came, the exhausted Night Princess couldn't get any sleep. She didn't know if it was real or not, but she could still hear Pyro's deafening laughter, and soon sensed the thick clouds of ash and smoke that covered the land, even reaching their area. So she remained wide awake, ready to bolt to her hooves and keep moving as soon as the soldiers got at least a bit of rest.
I'm so excited…! I finally introduced Princess Talia! I was so eager to do so… I had so much fun describing her, her character, her background, her kingdom, her STYLE! I love it so… I especially love the fact that they're Hispanic/Latino based. And their kingdom! I definitely loved the description I gave of it, and am quite proud of it. It should be beautiful… Exotic… I based it off South America and ancient Latin customs and civilizations. I had Aztecs and Incas in mind, in case you didn't notice.
I'm particularly delighted with the little details I added to the princess' clothing. You know, traditional Inca-style robes, the spears and weapons, and of course, her battle mask! Yeah, she wears that, and has other traditions that her kingdom has had for generations, but that dragon hybrid and the other dragons had to ruin it… I'm still proud. I love her accent. I hope you guys can properly picture it. How should I describe her accent…? Hm, very much like Penelope Cruz, I'd say (I can't think of anyone else). I'm recalling her character in the fourth movie of the Pirates of the Caribbean series. I'd say she speaks very much like that. Maybe her voice is a bit lower, though.
…NO! NOT MODEST! Um… Poor guy. Everything happens to him. He's starting to become the prince in distress, like Shining Armor, huh? I'm sorry if his 'sacrifice' scene came off as too sappy… I think it did, it may seem too corny and cliche… And I may have given Luna a cliche character here as well; defiant, but yet… helpless. I'm trying not to do that.
Looks like their rescue mission obviously didn't go like they expected; at the contrary. Luna's magic powers were basically drained, she has no way to get back to them, because of that collar that seals her power away. She has NO access to any of her magic, even the innate ability to magically raise the moon that she was born with.
I'm not sure if you've noticed, but in this story, Luna and Celestia don't particularly need to stand in one spot and focus specific amounts of their magic to raise and lower the moon/sun. While they do it at times, more often than not, it's not required; you've seen the sun and moon raise and lower while their bodies glow, even though they're focused on something else (I think you've seen this mostly with Celestia). I believe it's an innate ability that they were born with; it was simply awakened and put to use once the previous rulers of the Sun and Moon stepped down from their duty and passed on the responsibility to their daughters. I believe it's a family thing that they inherit, and that power isn't precisely ability to control the sun and moon, but rather, their connection with them, which explains how they can control them without really focusing on it, and perhaps would make them stronger, because they're somehow a part of the sun and the moon.
However, regardless of their heritage, it's a complex connection, because they also do hold some magic power over it that helps them harness their link. Without any of Luna's magic… Her connection to the Moon has been very roughly severed. ...Very much like the Avatar and the Four Elements.
I don't think I've mentioned pony deaths in a very long while, huh? I had to bring some darkness back, even if I just mentioned it… I feel sorry for them, things seem to have gone downhill very quickly. Modest doesn't have access to magic now, either, and who knows if the dragons will let him live long.
The dragons are creepy. That Pyro… I extended his name to Pyromedes. Hopefully it's got a nice ring to it. He's creepy, bitter, hateful, and dangerous, to say the least. A half-breed that went through the typical rejection and isolation that someone different does. I kept thinking of Inuyasha... XD
Thank you for being so patient with this. I'm not sure when the next chapter will be ready, because break is coming over… The long Christmas break. And with next semester being rough in school and all, who knows how much time I'll have at my disposition. Don't despair, I won't abandon this. It means so much to me now. But my progress may become slower than ever, unfortunately… T_T But, as many say (particularly Sherlock Holmes with his little pony that he rode): "Slow and steady wins the race!"