From The Ashes

Chapter 25

Two days after having sent troops to Baltimare, the Ponies and Changelings had returned to the main force, now camped in and around Ponyville, a few volunteers adding to their ranks.

The Diamond Dogs, lead by both Garnet and Cobalt, now stood with the Alliance. A horn had announced the arrival of Shaka Zelu and his Zebras, the Shaka having kissed each of the Alliance's leaders in greeting.

"Princess Twilight!" A Griffon shouted as he landed. "Canterlot's abandoned!"

"Abandoned?" Twilight asked. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, Princess. My team and I searched the city thouroghly; there's not a trace of the Void ever being there."

"Were there any survivors?" Princess Luna asked.

"No," the Griffon replied. "We had to burn the bodies to avoid disease. We did our best with body and cutie mark identification, but...some of them were too mutilated...I'm...I'm sorry."

The Griffon flew away, the two princesses turning to each other.

"What should we do?" Twilight asked.

"We go to Canterlot. For once, we have an advantage."

"I don't like it, Princess; it could be a trap."

"It is undoubtebly a trap, but it is the best option we have. Ponyville is too small to house all these soldiers and lacks any sort of defenses. If your brother can put up a shield around Canterlot again, we may be able to hold it until the Cinder Ponies arrive."

Twilight nodded. "I'll organize my troops."

'-'

Blackjack squinted as another thick cloud of smoke rose from a crevice in the ground. He waved it away, noticing a pair of glowing eyes peering at him from within a cave.

He slowly notched an arrow, keeping a wary eye on the thing staring at him. The eyes squinted and a menacing growl was heard.

"Come on out," Blackjack said. "I'm not afraid."

A large, brown wolf emerged from its hiding place, lips curled back in a snarl. Blackjack blinked in surprise as the wolf burst into flames, burning pawprints into the ground.

That's new, Blackjack thought.

The wolf lunged and Blackjack let the arrow fly. It burrowed into the wolf's forleg, the shaft sticking out through the other side. It yelped, its fire extinguished as it limped slightly away.

"Now get back," Blackjack threatened, notching another arrow. "Get back, or the next one goes through your heart!"

The wolf did not leave, however. Instead, it lay down and began to paw and nip at the arrowhead, whining in pain.

Blackjack's heart softened and he put his bow and arrow away. He then calmly approached the wolf. It growled at him, lighting its head aflame.

"It's okay," Blackjack said, a fireball dancing on his hand. "We're not so different, you and I."

The wolf looked at him couriously, extinguishing its flames. Blackjack then kneeled next to the wolf and broke off the protruding arrowhead.

"This is going to hurt a lot more. Try not to bite me."

Strangely, the wolf nodded and set its jaw upon a rock. Blackjack set his hands upon the arrow's shaft and quickly yanked. The wolf yelped in pain, the rock in its jaw cracking as it bit down.

The arrow was free and Blackjack threw it aside, then ripped part of his cloak and tied it around the wolf's leg. The wolf barked happily and licked Blackjack's face with a huge, pink tongue.

"Hey," Blackjack said with a chuckle, lightly pushing the beast away. "That tickles!"

'-'

"Happy birthday son," the King said. He then whistled, and a wolf pup came bounding through the room and in to the Prince's lap. The colt laughed gleefully.

'-'

Blackjack shook his head. "Rocky?"

The wolf's ears perked up, and he barked at the sound of his name. Blackjack was tackled by Rocky's huge body and nuzzled playfully with the tip of a cold snout.

Blackjack chuckled, his eyes wet with tears. He had been reunited with an old friend.

'-'

Star Swirl stood in the Canterlot Archives, reading through many ancient tomes. Almost all of them contained his own writings. He wasn't searching for any spell in particular, but one caught his eye.

It was a single scroll, hidden beneath a pile of dust and long-forgotten in a corner. The old stallion blew and the dust flew off. Star Swirl then opened it, careful of the ancient parchment.

"The Spell of Everlasting," he said with a cough. "Allows the caster to give immortality unto those of their choosing, but not themselves. Oh my old friend, why did we create this curse?"

"You and I both knew that this day would come," a voice replied.

Star Swirl instinctivly stuffed the old scroll within his cloak as he brought up his staff, a spell ready on his horn.

"What spirit walks this place? Show yourself! I command you!"

A white ghost emerged from the hour glass in the center of the Archives and decended down to Star Swirl. The old stallion knew who was before him, but dared not to say his name.

"How is it that you are here?"

The spirit frowned. "I would ask the same of you, but we both know the answer. I am here with a message: our enemy will hold nothing back this time. You must not allow for Nefaria to extinguish the sun. Celestia must live!"

"And what of Luna? What of Cadence and Obsidian? What of all of the family you selfishly took out of time, hm? What of your son!?"

"My son shall do his part. I only ask that you will do the same. When we created that...that spell, we did so out of fear. But I am no longer afraid. Star Swirl, when the time comes, I believe you know what to do with it?"

The Unicorn blinked. "I...I will do what I can. But, what if the accumilation of all those years comes upon them? What if the spell is irreversable?"

"It won't be. That is one thing I do know of the outcome of this war."

"I see...and what of you? Where do you see your end?"

The spirit chuckled. "The same fate that awaits us all."

Star Swirl nodded. "I hope to see you again in Paradise, old friend."

"As do I, Star. As do I."

'-'

Blackjack woke to find himself dangling over a pool of lava. He yelled in a panic, finding himself to be in a cage and completely alone.

"Hey!" He shouted. "Anypony out there!?"

"No!" A voice shouted back.

Blackjack looked to see a shape duck down behind a volcanic rock.

"I can see you!"

"See what?"

"You!"

The creature peeked up and Blackjack saw that it was a little filly. She was unlike any he had ever seen or read about. Her fur was black and small cracks of lava shined through it, giving her the appearance of a living volcano.

Her eyes were a brilliant bronze and her mane was ash grey. Even stranger was the set of sharp horns just peeking up over her head. A mischievious smile danced on her lips.

"Alright," she said. "You caught me. Wanna play I spy?"

"Maybe later," Blackjack replied. "What is this place?"

"The prison. How about a game of riddles?"

"Listen kid, I can't play a game right now; I have to get out of here!"

The smile on the filly's face faded. "Nopony ever plays with me! Stay and rot, outsider!"

She began to leave and Blackjack said, "Wait! If I play riddles with you, will you let me out?"

The filly's smile returned. "Sure thing mister!"

She climbed up the rocks to his level and said, "My name's Fiona, by the way. What's yours?"

"Blackjack. My name's Blackjack."

"That's a strange name. Anyway, I'll start. What runs but has no legs and speaks but has no mouth?"

"Hm...a river?"

"Yep! Your turn, Blackjack!"

"Let's see...what is covered in blades, yet is soft to the touch?"

"Um...a blanket? Wait, no, no...it's a feather!"

Blackjack shook his head. "Nope. Grass."

"What's grass?"

The stallion blinked in confusion. "You-you don't know what grass is?"

Fiona shook her head. "Is it an animal?"

"Well, no. It's a plant. There's billions of them covering the ground where I'm from, and beyond. A single piece of grass is called a blade, but they're so soft that you can relax on them all day long."

"It sounds amazing, Mister Blackjack. I hope I can see it someday; my papa never lets anypony see the surface."

"Tell you what, Fiona, I'll show you everything my home has to offer someday."

"Really?"

"Really. Of course, I can't do that while locked in a cage over a pool of lava."

Fiona hopped below him and pulled a lever and his cage was lowered safely onto the ground. She then unbolted the cage and he hopped out.

Blackjack inspected his effects and saw that his armor, weapons, and locket had been stolen from him. "Uh, Fiona, do you know where my things are?"

"With my papa. C'mon, I'll show you!"

He followed the filly out of the prison, a stallion of similar appearence stopping her in her tracks.

"Fiona," he said sternly. "How many times do I have to tell you to stay out of the prison?"

"But Smog-"

"No buts, Fiona! You're going home to your father this instant!"

"Aw Smog, you never let me have any fun! I just came out with that Outsider because he won a game!"

"You what!?"

"Yeah, he's right over-"

Blackjack had disappeared into shadow the moment Smog came. Smog ran over to a horn and blew it. Several other ponies began shouting with weapons drawn, looking for him. Blackjack followed a group of them out of the prison and got his first real look at the underground settlement.

Or, rather, the sprawling city. The whole place had been carved directly from the inside of Mount Ignis, the beauty of which rivaled Öuj'xik, Canterlot, and the Crystal City. The only light came from the boiling magma at the bottom of the volcano and lanterns.

Had Blackjack been more careful, he would've noticed that he was walking in a pile of soot, his movements disturbing it.

"Found you!" A stallion shouted.

Blackjack ducked just in time as a spear was thrust over his head. He reappeared and swept the stallion's legs out from him, then readied his fists in a fighting stance. He side-stepped as a stallion swung his sword at him, then punched him in the back.

"Form a ring around him!" Another stallion yelled.

The stallions obeyed and lit themselves aflame. The sight of this made Blackjack nervous.

"Ponies of fire," he said. "Right."

Blackjack decided to meet their challenge and lit his hands aflame. The Cinder Ponies murmered in surprise. A stallion, whose horns were larger than the others, stepped forward and stomped the ground. A geyser of flame shot out in between the two and Blackjack watched in fasination.

He then took control of the flames and extinguished them. The Cinder Pony stallion then extinguished the flames that engulfed his body and laughed.

"Good to see you again, My Lord," he said.

Blackjack was then slapped across the face.

"I take it we know each other?" Blackjack asked, nursing his face.

"We were good friends, in a past life."

"Then you will forgive me if I ask questions? This life is the only one I know."

The Cinder Pony raised an eyebrow. "Then, your appearance is not an illusion?"

"Nope. I'm happily an Earth Pony."

The other stallion nodded, half convinced. "Lower your weapons."

The Cinder Ponies obeyed, extinguishing their flames as well. "My name is Flint," the stallion in charge said. "You knew me once as your second in command, and loyal Captain of the Royal Guard."

'-'

"Flint!" The Prince yelled. "What in Tartarus is that thing!?"

"You're asking me? Hold your ground!"

'-'

"I think I remember," Blackjack said. "We...we fought an Ursa together?"

"Aye, and your sister."

'-'

"My Lord," Flint said, running up to him. "Our scouts report Celestia is on her way here, with five-hundred of the Guard. What are your orders?"

"Have our forces ambush them in the gorge. Nopony shall go after Celestia save I. Understood?"

'-'

"Wha-?"

"Yes," Flint said. "I know who you are, Blackjack. I've known you for a long time."

Blackjack shook his head. "You knew a dead stallion. Shadowblaze is long gone."

"Keep telling yourself that; it doesn't change our history, nor your identity. Who else could have extinguished my flames save the Fiddler Prince?"

"I believe you, Captain, but I don't believe myself. If I want to discover the truth for myself, I need to get to the Tree of Harmony."

"The what?"

"Right...you've been isolated for millenia. Long story short: the world is at war with an ancient foe, the very same one that turned the...other Blackjack into Shadowblaze. The Tree holds six artifacts of immense power, which can defeat the Void, our enemy. This war was long fortold by an ancient prophecy-"

Flint stared at him. "From the ashes...I...my mind...it is clear! Yes! From the ashes a Hero shall rise. From the ashes the Tyrant. From the ashes a king. From the ashes the Zuo'Trumäg. From the ashes Noble-Spirit-of-Fire. Child of Stars and Space...Child of destruction and renual...Child of Chaos through pain...Bearer of Shadow and Flame. The Courage he has will complete the fight, though it will take many to end the world's Darkest Night."