ZAE 1: Winged Dragon of Ra

The Winged Dragon of Ra flapped his gigantic wings as the land around him burst into flame.  Trees, grass and dirt were all vaporized as fire rose up from everything around him. He gave a deep, rumbling laugh, then started to roar.  He flapped his wings again as a the entire planet fused into golden flame.  The Winged Dragon of Ra flew above the star he had created, and transformed

into a large sphere.

"Very impressive" came a dull remark.  The golden sphere made no response, no movement, no sign that it had even heard.  A small pony walked seemingly on nothing as it approached the sphere.  "You are such an elegant egotist" said the pony.  He was made of blazing stone, with fires burning in his eye sockets and a short mane and tail made of blue flames.

Finally, Ra spoke.  "Spare me your pride, mortal."  His godly voice rang forth as loud as the sun.

"Cirendomor emerged.  I kicked him back to sogan."

"Zealus.  The shattered realms need a leader.  The throne of Gaia has gone uninhibited for too long now.  It's power is waning."

"Do not speak to me of that hell!  I left it far behind..."

"After your defeat?"

"Yes master, my crushing defeat."

The sphere said nothing, but started to vibrate.  Blood poured from the sphere, and as it fell down into nothingness

it changed course as if on its own, heading straight for the fiery pony.

  As soon as the blood washed over him, Zealus could feel it start to wrap around him.  It first covered him like skin, then stretched and expanded like rubber around his large, jagged, angular, rocky body.  It covered his head completely.  Zealus did his best to keep from screaming.

The red cover around Zealus suddenly shrank him down to a normal size earth pony.  The red liquid cooled and sank into him, becoming skin and flesh.

Zealus could still feel that he was made of fire and brimstone within, but now he was wrapped in flesh.  He hated the feel of flesh.  It was so guttural, so weak.  But it was what his master wanted, so Zealus was willing to bear it to see what his master had planned.  Zealus had fully formed into a red earth pony with short black mane, a short black tail streaked with yellow, and no cutie mark.

The sphere suddenly unfurled completely, revealing the Winged Dragon of Ra.  It leaned close to Zealus before it growled "Good enough.  They'll be fooled."

Zealus took a simple step forward, and spoke up to the dragon.  "What is your plan, Ra?"  He asked.

"Another sun god rules Equestria.  We have clashed before, but I have a disciple like you now.  Go there, and crush the hereatic Celestia.  Make sure you summon me fully to that world.  We will make it burn."

Zealus' eyes grew wide.  He smiled and said "Yes, master.  It shall be done."

"Good" came the reply.  The dragon flapped his right wing, and everything instantly became pitch black.  Zealus took a step backwards and nearly slipped.  Dim light revealed thick stone all around him.  He was in a cave.  He looked it up and down, then  froze when heard voices.

"Sister, why are you wandering the shadow realm?"

"Luna!"  Came the slightly anxious reply.  "I don't know, I think something is happening!"

"Sister, I have a bad feeling about this..."

"So do I, Luna-"

Zealus decided to speak up.

"Greetings!"  He said with fake happiness.

There was a small pause, then a reply.  "Who are you?"

"I am called Zealus.  I am but a wanderer, but I seem to wandered off.  Who are you?"

"I princess Celestia, ruler of the world of equestria and raiser of the sun.  What are you doing that has called me here?"

In his mind, Zealus delivered harsh judgment to the princess.  He called her a pushover and a weakling. In his mind, she had no right to rule anything.  "May I enter equestria?"  He asked pleasantly.

"Of course, as long as you mean it no harm.  Do you duel?"

Zealus hesitated.

"Well yes, it is helpful to have access to the ancient ones."

Zealus started to walk around the corner and through a tunnel, trying to locate the source of the voice.  As it started to speak again, he emerged into a large cavern.  Standing in the middle were grown alicorns, one white and one dark blue.  The white had been speaking.

"Good", she had been saying.  "I am Celestia," she said, eyeing Zealus.  "This is my sister, Luna."

  Zealus looked around, trying to discern the source of the light.  He then realized that Celestia was the source of the light.  His eyes grew wide for a moment before he recomposed.

"I have an offer for you," Zealus said carefully.

Celestia betrayed no emotion, just slight interest.

He continued.  "I want to be a noble in your world.  I want money and free roam of... Well, wherever it is you live.  I would also like a brief history of Equestria, as well as a rundown of its current events."

Celestia rolled her eyes.  "You and everybody else. I simply can't do that.  I am too busy with royal duties.  The political

atmosphere around me is poisonous, and you would never pass as noble.  However, I would be willing to make certain resources available too you-

"Be careful!"  Luna interrupted.  Celestia continued as if nothing had happened.

"-If you beat me in a duel. I would also like to play you every week while you remain in my kingdom. We will discuss, in detail, your antics."  Celestia finished.

Zealus smiled.  "If there's one thing I can do, it's duel!  ...but just a simple duel, right?  No shadow game?"

Celestia gave him a warm smile.  "I have so little time to play these days..."

Luna spoke up.  "I wanna play too!"

Zealus looked at her.  "You both play?"

"My sister and I will team up against you,"  said Celestia.

Luna nodded.

Zealus took a step forward.  "I accept your terms!  I summon divine dragon Ragnarok!"  He said proudly.

A moment passed with nothing happening, then the whole cave lit up as a small section of the stone floor caught on fire, and a small divine dragon Ragnarok rose from the flames.  He roared as they died down, the area becoming dim once again.

I better be careful, Zealus thought.  I don't want to go and reveal my full strength before I have a grasp of the situation.  "I end my turn."  Zealus said simply.

Celestia gave Luna a look.  "We summon the creator incarnate!"

A golden pony wearing golden clothes and carrying a golden staff appeared from more bright light in the floor.  "Attack!"

Zealus whimpered as the creator incarnate shot a magic blast at his dragon, killing and turning it into blue mist.  "Is that your best?" He challenged.

Celestia smiled.  "Not nearly.  But for now, I end my turn."

Zealus turned inward, looking at the five cards that made up his hand.  When a duelist looks inside himself, he can tell the five cards he can play.  "I summon the light-hex sealed fusion!"  He said as he started to glow with white energy.  "I activate polymerization to fusion summon King Dragun!  Then I use his powers to special summon Red-Eyes Black Dragon!"

The much bigger dragon roared as it swooped down from the shadows on the ceiling, followed by a Red-Eyes dragon.

"Attack!"  Came Zealus' order.  King Dragun spat golden flame at the creator incarnate, killing the pony.

"Surrender now!"  Zealus said with a little more intensity than he intended.  "Here in the shadow realm..."

Celestia laughed.  "Good show, Zealus!  I surrender, I've seen enough."  All the monsters disappeared.  She looked at her sister.  "I'm ready to wake up, Luna," she said. 

Luna returned the look her sister gave her.  Her eyes lit up and she disappeared.

Zealus gave Celestia a quizzical look, before blinding light flooded the entire cavern and Zealus felt something soft under his feet. He looked down as the light faded and he saw carpet and marble walls.  The light faded more as Zealus looked at the walls and the ceiling.  It faded more, finally settling to a dim glow coming in through the window.

Zealus squinted and saw Celestia looking down at him.  Zealus took a sudden step back and stood up straight.  "Where are we?"  He asked.

"This appears to be my bedroom". Celestia said dryly.  Zealus looked straight down at the floor.

"Right...  Uh... Where do you want me to go?"  He asked, unsure of what to say. 

"Just step outside a moment, would you?"  Zealus wasted no time bolting out the door.  Celestia noted that his hoof steps were awful heavy, even for a young stallion.

Great, she thought to herself.  I've known him five minuets and already he's suspicious.

Zealus placed his back to the wall of the hall and heaved a sigh.  He hated being, in any way, social.  Social skills could always be used for manipulation, but he didn't need to wield lies, and that was that.

Zealus took a look around the hall.  It seemed to him, very uninspired.  It was a simple straight hallway covered in golden paint, velvet red furniture, and all kinds of art and stained glass for as far as he could see.  Many doorways and arches were along the sides.  He imagined burning the place down, sowing evil and hate among the ponies here, and warping the fabric of the landscape to

his own will.  He-

"Alright Zealus," said Celestia as she exited her room.  "Let's take a walk, shall we?"

Zealus snapped out of his trance and moved to the other side of the hallway.  "Very well-"

"Greetings."  Came Luna's voice.

Zealus quickly looked left down the hall to see Luna walking towards him.

"Greetings." Zealus said simply.  Celestia, entirely unsurprised to see her sister, continued.  "Why don't we walk these halls, while i explain some things to you?"

Zealus looked up at her slowly.  "That sounds lovely." He said with clearly forced energy.

Celestia began.  "Well, to start..."

Celestia gave Zealus a quick overview of the history of Equestria under the rule of the royal sisters.  She explained some of the laws of this world,the simple geography, and a few notable people throughout the years.

"Well see about that." Murmured Zealus.

"What?"  Asked Celestia.

"I said," began Zealus "that it is impressive how low your crime rates are around here."

She stared at him for a moment, haven said nothing about the crime rates.  "Bad things happen, but indeed, ponies commit little crime."  She explained.  "Monsters and creatures, however, are a different story.  You would do well not wander the Everfree forest.  Anyway, where was I?  Ah, yes..."

Zealus quickly decided on what he wanted to do first.  He listened a little more intently as she continued, with even a few quips from Luna.  As they arrived in the reception hall, she got to the political situation in Canterlot.  Zealus gave it absolutely no mind. 

Until the last part...

"And there is one exciting development,"  said Celestia.  "I have seen fit to take a personal student, Twilight Sparkle-"

What a stupid name, thought Zealus.

"-under my wing."  Finished Celestia.

"Interesting.  What makes her so special?"  asked Zealus.

"Raw arcane talent."  Celestia said simply.

"Could I meet her?"

"Not any time soon.  She lives in ponyville.  It is in the plains down the mountain, just before the forest."

Zealus' ears picked up. 

"Wonderful!"  He proclaimed.  "I'll get going immediately!  I'll be back next week for our game, Celestia.  Til then."  Zealus walked straight out of the door.

Celestia have Luna a look.  "Drifters..."  She sighed.

Luna said nothing. Next Chapter: 2: Cirendomor! Estimated time remaining: 26 Minutes