Sins of Harmony
Volume 1: Balance of Power
Chapter 35: Varkan's Vindication
March 27th, 1005 ANM
Ponyville, central plaza.
Late Afternoon.
It seemed almost cruel that the Sun, low in the sky now, shone a faint red through the almost clear sky. Like blood.
The royal chariot flew down, with a tow car behind it guarded by Luna's night guards and the remaining sun guards, along with Sleek Slammer beside them.
As he saw the prisoners being marched up to the prison chariot, he cast a look over to some nearby medical tents.
Flash Sentry had taken it on himself to check on the guards that survived Discord's short lived, blind attack on them. 6 other guards had died as soon as he slammed them to the railyard ground, but the other 7 had got away with broken limbs or cracked bones.
Flanked by night and sun guards, Al'kur was first, but even while under watch he was helping his female changeling underling with a covered stretcher. Faral and the youngest changeling brother, who was struggling not to break down, readied the 2nd and 3rd makeshift body carriers onto the chariot.
Al'kur looked dejected as he laid a black paw on top of the body bag, but he turned to begin loading the first of the 2 brothers after the female's friend.
Sleek Slammer sighed, and stepped forwards to get the other end of the bag.
Al'kur looked at him with utter contempt, but Sleek Slammer said quietly:
"Nobody should die helplessly."
The diamond dog changeling stared at him for a few moments, but wordlessly lifted his end of the bag with Sleek's.
Behind them, Faral's eyes widened briefly. The changeling female and youngest brother saw other guards coming forwards to help with the final brother's body.
She stood back, hoping this was a sign that their eyes were opening.
The watching crowds didn't betray any hostility, but seemed to be conflicted about these losses.
By now, word had spread that Discord had been infected, and had been set off by a few words Varkan had said.
Now, 3 changelings and 6 guards were dead, Twilight's dragon had been exposed as an Eastern affiliate, and some sort of battle was taking place in the mountains.
Stood among the crowds, Fluttershy had the images of the 3 bodybags, and the knowledge of the 6 dead guards, burned into her.
Discord killed them. He would never do that.
She shook her head, while Pinkie sat beside her, quiet and looking quite sad for the new dead. Rarity kept her composure, and commented quietly:
"That disease, its horrid. Discord, even as his old self, would never do such things." She breathed.
"He was playful, funny, even when he was bad." Pinkie lamented.
"I just hope he can be cured. He's come too far from his old self to be ruined by this." Fluttershy said, the restrained tears of worry caught in her voice.
Rarity looked south, saying: "And Spike, he's caught in that fight right now. How will he be after all this?"
"We can't lose him, or Discord." Pinkie said.
From the distance, a faint roar sounded again, and a distant rumble from the south. They had begun 4 minutes ago, yet still held the ominous meaning.
Something big had come out in the south, and it wasn't Discord.
Circling above the plaza, watching the prisoners and their dead getting loaded for transport to Canterlot, Luna couldn't help but cast her worried gaze south.
The mountains, 5 miles away, were bathed in green flashes and a large dust cloud obscuring it.
She recognized those green flames anywhere.
Little Dragon, your destiny was not at all what it could have thought to have been. I pray that you are accepted by them if ponykind rejects your dark history, as they did me so long ago.
5 miles South of Ponyville
Mountain range
Rainbow Dash had been flying high overhead, getting a view of what the battlefield looked like while the princesses and the guards went in to help at closer range.
She had been suitably in awe when Spike had been boosted to his current, gargantuan form, and used a mountain melting blast of fire to weaken Discord.
Flying down, she knew the stakes were high, as Discord had managed to draw Spike further, managing to hold his own against such a force of nature.
She saw them all gathering in a neighbouring canyon to where Spike was trying to take out Discord, whom was flying about Spike and landing blows and blasts in more vulnerable spots.
Varkan had flown into an entirely different canyon, while Spike thrashed about with claws, colossal limbs and fire breath eruptions to catch the now defensive Dragoneraqus.
He double checked his equipment, and saw Smoulder being carried down to the mountain side by Celestia's 4 guards, Unicorn magic helping lift her body.
Varkan flew down, as Celestia, Twilight and Rainbow Dash arrived also.
The earth shook as another mountain face began to crumble, while a purple aura explosion detonated against Kurze's back in the distant other canyon.
"Ugh! I'm out of this fight." Smoulder admitted painfully.
Varkan looked her over, while Rainbow and Twilight grimaced at the harm she'd had done. Bruised, with her leg at an odd angle, and her wing now filled with more holes than ever. The hole Discord had burned through at the railyard had been painful, but didn't stop her flying. Now, she'd be lucky to glide.
Her chest was worse, with deep scorch marks on her scales, even having burned through to the vulnerable skin beneath the scales. Discord's new technique was hot enough to burn through dragon hide it seemed.
Celestia said with great honesty: "I'm sorry."
"Argh, save any of that for after Discord is brought down." Smoulder gasped. The guards laid her on the ground, while Varkan spoke.
"Kurze is holding up. His current power can't last forever, but Discord's can. We need to get him cured now. The cure has a sedative, but at this stage it will save him while merely slowing him down. He will have to be knocked out."
Varkan looked at Smoulder, then at the guards, Rainbow, then the Princesses:
"Did anyone see where Cal'vel came down? The dark blue dragon that Discord fought before Smoulder."
Nobody replied, while Rainbow said: "I saw him go up, but I'm not sure he'll be coming down anywhere near us."
"If he comes down." Varkan said with a cautious look skywards.
Varkan said: "Discord's attention is taken by Spike, but I have magic resistance with my body and armour. I'll get in close with the cure and sedative, but any more distraction to Discord is welcome." Varkan looked to Celestia, holding out his hand.
Celestia looked at him, saying: "How can I trust you with this, when you said you needed a reason to see Discord live?"
"Because now you clearly see why we fear you, and that we have a chance against you, even if limited. But, if Equestria's leaders are going to have fail safes, especially ones self imposed, trusting you to do it yourself is something I've been blind to."
Varkan looked at Twilight, and said: "I'm not wrong. But, I and others have been foolish to think you would never understand our fears, and resort straight to actions to set things in balance ourselves. Balance can't be achieved if one side if blind to work with the other."
Twilight almost smiled, as she had got the Wyvern to see sense in his narrow minded, but not incorrect goals. Smoulder's look of pride at Varkan's humility said it all. She'd trusted him, but she'd kept quiet about his dogmatic views and paranoia out of respect for his goals and what he'd helped accomplish in the Oceanic Alliance.
Rainbow Dash's hard gaze softened, as she saw Varkan was beginning to see he wasn't 100% right.
Celestia knew now she could trust him for this task, but not alone.
"Discord will recognize me. We have a, further, relationship than other ponies."
Her admittance was no surprise to the guards, as it was also not to Twilight and Rainbow Dash. Smoulder's eye ridge arched briefly, but Varkan was if anything all in.
"Odd, but helpful. You can help distract him, I'll sneak in with the cure. Once I get him, its just a matter of waiting for him to slow down enough to knock him out."
"How will you do that?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"A blow to his temple, the side of his head. If only Cal'vel were here." Varkan said.
"You're strong enough, aren't you?" Celestia asked.
"I'll wait until his shield is weaker. My suit can disrupt it, and drop it, only if its lower." Varkan said. Celestia used her magic to get the cure out of her gold collar pocket, and let it drop into Varkan's hand. He tucked it into his armour belt pocket, and said:
"Its your move. I can have Caarim hold off Kurze if Discord seems fixated on you. Keep him busy."
His words were in general, but most aimed at Celestia. He took off, going to sneak closer to Discord as he said on the radio:
"Caarim, Varkan here. Be ready to hold back Kurze for a few moments when I say so. We're going to cure him."
"Okay, but he's really getting into trying to kill Discord. I think I can manage for about a minute each time, then he'll override me." Caarim replied.
"Do it." Varkan said. He flew low, hugging the ground as he rounded over the ridge.
Below him, the canyon was blackened, and Discord flew around Kurze as he flew in and landed magic enhanced punches on Kurze's neck, while Kurze angrily snapped with his immense jaws to grab this small pest.
Celestia took off, saying to Twilight: "Twilight, Rainbow Dash. Watch my back, in case Discord is too far gone. Guards, stand ready in case the fight comes here. This drake here may need help moving in her condition."
The Sun princess took off, with Twilight and Rainbow Dash following close behind. Smoulder lay on the ground, whil the guards stood by on alert. She whispered:
"Cal, where are you? Our son can't hold out forever on his own."
4 miles north east of southern mountains.
5 minutes, and one 70000 foot ascent and fall after Cal'vel's 'exit'.
At the southern tip of Everfree forest, Zecora was out picking assorted weeds and mushrooms for her usual brews. She'd attracted a market for her exotic concoctions with various medicines and treatments she could make, but still used only local ingredients.
She'd been spared from the carnage of the dragon migration infection, but she had heard how some had died. From her view, she'd seen the railway yard fight in the distance, as a pink meteor seemed to flee towards the south mountains.
Turning with her ingredients in hand, Zecora heard the deep rustling of large wings.
Turning, she saw a dark blue and red shape smash into the nearby trees, right at the forest edge. Dirt, grass and debris flew in the air as it came to halt, motionless.
Alarmed, Zecora galloped over, placing her ingredients in her basket on her side.
Reaching the shape, she stopped when she saw it was a dragon. Carefully, as she heard it weakly wheezing, she approached its head.
She stopped as he weakly raised his head, blearily looking about. He was shaking badly, as there was some traces of frost on his body melting off.
"D-Disc-ord. Nothing, about, the eyes."
Cal'vel struggled, but he only just got on all fours as he had to stop. He felt so weak, beaten, and battered.
"I sense you are noble, but you are in no shape to fight. Let me help you, so you may again take flight."
Zecora spoke up. As soon as he'd spoken, Zecora had sensed he wasn't a normal dragon. His shrunken form, but mature behaviour, were obvious, yet his determination showed years of experience.
Cal'vel looked around, and said: "My friends need my help. I'll take what I can."
Zecora wandered up, and asked:
"Show me the biggest pains, so I may first treat that bit. Your strength you will regain, but you must relax to allow it."
She got out her herbs, and Cal'vel asked: "If rhyming a common thing for you?"
"Common, but not always. I cannot do it all days."
Cal'vel felt her rubbing herbs on his body, where the altitude had cold burned him badly. He had recovered from the oxygen loss shortly before he crashed, but the freeze burns were torture.
Slowly, he let he odd Zebra heal him. He didn't question her knack for reading people, or dragons. Just her unusual speaking ways.
5 miles South of Ponyville
Mountain range
Kurze's fire turned a pile of boulders to molten slag as Discord fired a palm blast right into the behemoth's ear.
Roaring, Kurze stumbled back, but managed to catch Discord with a swipe from his massive hand. The dragonerasus bellowed as he flew past a peak, and into a different mountain entirely.
Kurze regained his composure, and slowly began spread his wings.
NO! Wait a minute for something!
KILL THE MAGIC SOURCE! KILL THE STINGING MAGIC THAT FUELS ME!
Yes, but in a minute! Wait for what happens, then you can have a chance at killing him.
Caarim's voice kept Kurze relatively motionless, but he still slowly began to crawl over the mountain, letting Caarim's minute last for right until he'd be within striking range.
Dazed, Discord's reddened vision narrowed on the distant behemoth, crawling over the mountain.
Suddenly, a white, glowing shape obscured the creature in the distance, as the white sun mistress floated before Discord, the late afternoon dusk red sky highlighting her presence.
Discord demeanour calmed slightly, but he saw visions of her and her sister using the elements to trap him, and how she had been leading him for the past few years as if his feeling were a mere toy.
He growled as he floated in front of the peak, pink and purple energy floating around him as Celestia approached slowly in the air:
"Its okay Discord. Its okay, you're going to be fine."
Angrily, Discord yelled:
"No, I'm dead now! That Wyvern pushed me to do, these things! I won't let anyone take me in like an animal! And you! How do I know you're not just teasing me around like the last 2 years have been!?"
Hovering a hundred metres away, hidden beneath a ridge, Twilight and Rainbow Dash watched as Celestia tried to talk down the rabid Dragoneraqus. Beyond them, the ground trembled as Kurze slowly drew closer over the next mountain.
Twilight saw the black shape swiftly land in the ridge below Discord, crawling unseen as he focused on Celestia.
"Discord, please. This isn't you, I'm trying to help you!" Celestia pleaded.
"NO! You've toyed me around for too long Celestia! I'm not letting my feelings for you be blocked any longer! I am dying! I WILL TAKE WHAT MUST BE MINE!"
He advanced, grabbing Celestia violently from the air as he magically slammed them down on the nearby mountain side.
Hidden in the ridge, Varkan swore as he had to quickly move down the mountain to catch them up.
He eyes flicked as Kurze's silhouette emerged over a ridge. He had 30 seconds.
Rolling, Discord pinned Celestia beneath him on the rocky slope, the position he had her in making it very clear what he would do.
"Discord, please!"
"My sunshine, at last!"
Straddling the Princess, Discord blasted a pink energy bolt at Twilight and Rainbow Dash, blowing them back as he moved to claim his prize, struggling beneath him.
Before he could claim it, claws with metal coatings grabbed Discord by the neck and dragged him down the slope. Trying to twist out, ready to kill whomever dared interfere, Discord screamed as electricity began to coarse through him.
Something jabbed his neck, as his shield faltered under the direct electric current in his body. Over the spasms of Discord, Varkan pushed the injector plunger in fully.
Twisting, Discord spun quickly, flinging Varkan off and down the mountain.
"YOU!" Discord bellowed, the looked at Celestia quickly.
"You're with him? He tried to kill you!" Discord said.
"No! I'm just not going to let you take my glory of taking down Celestia, because I got it first!" Varkan yelled. It was a shallow boast, but one that Discord's compromised mind would buy into. Celestia had played her part.
Discord suddenly felt his vision swimming slightly, and said: "What did you do to me?"
"Something to slow you down before you get taken down."
"Letting me die by the disease wasn't enough!?" Discord yelled. He began charging the bolts, but immediately it was seen that his power was already diminishing slightly, as drowsiness and lack of focus set in.
Problem was, he wouldn't fully go to sleep.
Right as he charged at Varkan, Kurze reached them, his immense shadow covering the small ravine they were in.
Kurze let loose an earth shattering roar, the very ground shaking as Varkan almost went deaf from the noise.
Discord was blown back, his rabies enhanced hearing making it torture for him. Behind him, Celestia, Twilight and Rainbow Dash flew clear, as Kurze's mouth began to glow with an upcoming eruption of green fire.
4 miles north east of southern mountains
Everfree forest edge.
The last of the freeze burns was treated, and Cal'vel stood up with some effort. He still felt pain, but he could manage his usual performance.
Zecora stood back, reassuring him: "Go help your friends in need. If only more dragons would follow your lead."
"If only." Cal'vel said.
He leapt skywards and flew at maximum speed, and saw his destination ahead. Kurze's immense shape, which he'd only heard the theory of, was a landmark if there ever was one.
Kurze's bellow of fury reached him, heard even as the wind rushed past Cal'vel mid flight. His great vision let him see Discord about to engage Kurze and Varkan.
He made a call: "Varkan! Cal'vel here! What's happened!?"
"Discord is cured, but the sedative's only weakened him. Get in here, and stop him. Knock him out, or help me to."
Varkan was obviously in too much of a hurry to ask about his return, so Cal'vel pushed his pained wing hard, bearing down on the mountain ravine at around 300 mph.
Just under a minute. But ahead, green fire flooded the ravine already.
Varkan knew Cal'vel was incoming, and saw his chance to get Discord's attention.
He flew upwards, pursuing Discord as he dodged the green pillar of flame Kurze sent his way. It seemed smaller than before.
In horror, Varkan saw Kurze beginning to tire, and some scales were starting to shed along with a fair amount of liquid exuding from his scales.
Kurze's power was beginning to run dry, he couldn't keep up this gargantuan form forever.
Flying after Discord, Varkan twisted as a pink beam came his way. A white eye beam burned his chest armour, but was weakened by his electro disruptor layer. Grappling in, Varkan gripped the Dragoneraqus by his lion paw, and swung his wing around.
Discord spun away as Varkan saw him cradle his mouth briefly. He'd missed Discord's temple, but cracked his snaggletooth.
Bellowing, Discord flew at Varkan, who tried to twist to dodge. Now, Varkan's artificial wing ends showed their weakness. He wasn't quite as agile as his natural wings would allow him.
That difference may have saved him.
Discord head butted Varkan, the wyvern not twisting fast enough to not get stabbed in the left arm by Discord's twisted Unicorn horn. As Varkan cried out, Discord grabbed the left wing and began spinning Varkan around violently.
Faster and faster, until he saw his target.
The artificial wing tore off, and Varkan screamed as he crashed down into Kurze's head. He'd been charging one last breath, but Varkan had been thrown right into Kurze's eye. Bouncing off the eye, Kurze coughed as he half released the breath in shock, it merely spilling out slowly.
Gleefully, Discord fired eye beams into Kurze's open mouth, earning a pained screech from the beast. The large creature stumbled as it fell onto all fours, more scales and liquid shedding as he began to shrink faster.
A sudden pair of magic blasts hit Discord in the back, and a set of hoofs smashed into his head. Turning, Discord saw Rainbow Dash flying off quickly, while Twilight and Celestia hovered nearby, horns shimmering.
"Weak." Discord charged his eyes, and fired.
Having expended much magic to Kurze, both couldn't fight. Celestia dodged, but Twilight's lesser aptitude for flying was her downfall.
The purple alicorn screamed as the beams burned into her flank, and she span to the ground, only for Rainbow Dash to quickly catch her before she hit the ground too hard.
Gasping, Celestia saw Discord about to fire again.
A roar sounded from behind him, as a dark blue shape grabbed him from behind, hands covering his eyes as he dragged them to the ground quickly.
Cal'vel slammed Discord to the mountain side, grunting as Discord's eye beams fried the palms of his hands. But he roared as he held on.
Rolling, Cal'vel restrained Discord, squeezing hard to try and suffocate him. But he couldn't, hit grip was wrong.
A shuffle sounded, as Varkan staggered over, a bitter scowl on his face.
"Hold him still."
Cal'vel nodded, and shifted his arm slightly.
Varkan swung his undamaged wing, claws and fingers enclosed in a fist.
As it hit his temple, Discord's eye beams suddenly stopped, and Cal'vel immediately let go as soon as they did.
His hands were scorched, but it was a small price. Discord keeled forwards, completely out cold on the rocky mountain side.
All over the mountain, all was relief as the fighting stopped.
Kurze collapsed into a wheezing slump as he became unconscious during the shedding of all the magic he'd taken in. He needed to take in more magic to sustain this form, and Discord had been smart in his rabid state to deny him enough.
Caarim released control, praising the young dragon mentally for his goals bringing Equestria and Oceania possibly together, and not apart.
Smoulder and the guards relaxed, as the fire drake finally felt the pain set in from her injuries.
Twilight winced as she felt the burns from Discord's eye beams, but saw the fight was finally over. Rainbow Dash slumped on the mountain side, more from relief than exhaustion.
Overhead, Celestia flew down, silently nodding in thanks as Cal'vel slumped onto his front, completely exhausted and still recovering from his high altitude stint. Varkan forcibly stood up, getting on the comms to get an update now that this incident was over. He still had a team heading to the tree of harmony for that last, unknown collared dragon.
Celestia knelt over Discord, who was out cold on his side on the mountain. He was less injured, just a cracked tooth. But he was finally still.
What he'd done in his rage, made her realise there were some issues she'd left unresolved, some things left unaddressed, that she needed to do with Discord. But for now, she saw that despite his savagery at that moment, he still had feelings for her even at his worst.
She sat down beside Discord's unconscious form, her unlikely allies, her former student and Princess of Friendship, one of her friends, a dragon-turned-weapon and her loyal guards all taking solace in the calm of the early dusk.
A red sky, but with no bloodshed to mar it any further.
The battle is over, but one last set piece remains. The tree of harmony situation, where Ohmen, Kynok, Razak and Lucius have all been preoccupied with. It won't be as action packed, but it will open up the sequel's story for later.
For now, the incident that brings both sides closer, but not necessarily too close, is over, sans the aftermath.
As usual, please review/critique as one would.
PS, I did the calculations for Cal'vel's altitude trip, and it works when Discord's palm beams pushed him to fly upwards at an acceleration that gets him on par with if he instantly launched from the ground at about 1383 mph. If anyone else, like Varkan, Smoulder or Celestia had taken that hit, its likely they would have died from the speed alone. Cal'vel is uniquely strong, which is why Razak and Kurze/Spike took genomes from him during their creation, mostly.
PPS, In his anger, Discord was about to venture to a very dark place when he had Celestia pinned beneath him. But, that would warrant an M rating. C'mon, 2 years of teasing, on-off/will they, won't they bollocks, and he's compromised by a virus that enhances anger? Something I felt would likely happen.