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A brush discolored in red was pressed into a bucket of clean water, the already brownish red discolored water turning into an even darker shade. The soaked wet brush was pulled out and shaken, removing the majority of the stained water. Then it was pressed against a stone wall with large splatters of dried blood and it began to scrub the stained stone clean.

This brush was held by the levitating grip of a unicorn who was utilizing ten different brushes to remove the stains of pony and dragon blood on the city walls of Canterlot. Around the unicorn were soldiers pulling stones, wood, and tools, repairing the destroyed sections of the city.

Outside of the city were teams of hundreds of ponies working together on another vital clean up of the city.

A group of ten earth ponies was coordinating together next to a large wooden frame. Standing in groups of ten they were gripping ten long and thick ropes with their teeth. A pegasus was coordinating their work from above while a unicorn was beating a drum to give them a rhythm to give them better synchronization.

"Pull!"

With a tug, the earth ponies pulled with their necks and dug their hooves into the ground. A loud thump was heard as something big and heavy rolled over and struck dirt. The earth ponies kept gripping the rope, moved a bit further away until the ropes went rigid. And then the unicorn cried out again.

"Pull!"

This time it took them a bit more effort. Pulling their bodies in rhythm and in sync as to make the large object roll back and forth, back and forth. Each time the object rolled with a larger margin. And finally, after thirty pulls they put all of their strength behind one final pull and the large object rolled over not once, not twice, but three times. And with the final roll it slammed into the wooden frame of the gigantic wagon.

Collapsing from overexertion the earth ponies took a breather while looking at their work.

The final corpse of the dragons had been packed up in a massive cloth made out of plant fiber. It was one of the larger dragons that had been killed during the invasion and landed in the moat. Thus it had been a pain in the flank to remove. The other corpses had taken a lot of time to remove as well but this particular corpse had been sunken into the moat and with the magical resistance of the large dragon's hide, not to mention the massive weight, could the unicorns not properly remove it.

While Princess Celestia may be able to use her superior magical strength to remove the corpse was she too busy to do so. So the ponies had to rely on their physical strength, technology, ingenuity and enchantments to properly handle the larger corpses.

Thus physical labor had to be used and it had taken three months to get the corpse from the moat, one o those months had been just to construct a large and sturdy enough wagon frame to carry the corpse. And now finally they had managed to get it to the main road.

Even the corpse of Talos had not been so time-consuming, but that was mostly because the horses used their flying ships to remove his head and corpse, claiming it all as spoils of war. Apparently had the horses a bit of a tradition to keep the heads and/or bodies of dangerous monsters, beasts or villains. A bit of a grim taste in tradition but none the less the ponies were more than grateful for the horses aiding them with removing the corpses.

Said bodies were all being buried in a massive valley in the foal mountains. Which had been named the Dragon Bone Valley, it just felt fitting. The bodies were not just left to rot and decay, but buried in graves and caves, each marked down by the dragon's coloration, elemental breath, horns, and body size.

A time-consuming effort but the Princess was hoping that if any dragons came to reclaim their fallen or avenge them, she hoped they would listen to reason by being offered their dead brethren. Not to mention she did not want rotting corpses in the vicinity of her lands, the Chronicles of Golden Cross spoke of plagues and epidemics caused not just by vermin and filth, but rotting corpses as well. So she needed to be careful.

Especially considering that more then fifty dragon eggs, in total, had been inside some of the dead dragonesses, horrifying many of the ponies as it dawned on them that they had killed pregnant females. It was a very demoralizing revelation, but some ponies seemed to not care or wanted to destroy the eggs to prevent more dragons from arriving.

But Celestia had, had the eggs put away in a safe location, sealed to not age or mature. It had taken some effort on her own part as most ponies had not the capacity to utilize such a spell or rune craft, but she had made the Preservation Chamber soon enough and had the eggs sealed away until they could be returned to their proper homes.

Five months have gone by and the city of Canterlot has recovered from the Draconic Incursion, as many have come to call it. With the aid of the Horses of the newly founded Horadrim Kingdom were the repairs of the city finished four months after the attack. This deepened the bound between the two equine nations.

The Horadrim Kingdom was the officially chosen name, but many just called it Horadrim as there had yet to be a King named for it. Many had asked about the meaning behind the name and had been told that the name was chosen by the Ancient Ones. The newly restored horses had chosen to honor their descendants who had freed them from petrification. As Horadrim was the name of Cursed Blessing's clan.

Many had been curious about the horses and their origins. The fact that many of them had been hiding among the ponies ever since the end of the Unification Wars boggled the mind of many. And these large equines were more then willing to trade stories about themselves and their home, Ancient Hellas. But those talks about old tales were not wide spread yet as the ponies had to escalate the harvest to recover much of their lost crops and supplies that had been destroyed by the dragons.

And it was a good thing too, since the once Summer all year around weather of Equestria was starting to show signs of disappearing.

The Winters of Equestria had been mild with warm sun ever since Discord was defeated. But many of the tales of the old times spoke of a time when the lands of the region were seasonal, shifting between cold and warm. And yet was there no pony alive, not even Princess Celestia, who had ever seen a proper winter before. Only the unnatural winters of the Everfree Forest.

But as the winter month started out, a shift in the weather was note by the Pegasi as a sudden chilling wind from the north made plants wilt and leaves to turn into colours never seen before.

The first chilling winds of the winter time had come since before the Age of Chaos. After almost constant summer weather, had the central region of Equestria started to experience its first real natural Autumn weather since its founding.

Many of the scholars and mages of the Magical Academy and the many independent researchers had come up with an assumption of why the weather had begun to act on its own rather then being controlled by the Pegasi like it had in the past before the Age of Chaos. The Pegasi themselves were rather frightened by the concept of a weather they cannot manipulate or control, reminding them too much of the terrifying weather of the Everfree Forest. Said forest HAD brought winter weather into itself during the century long isolation of the two Princesses, but it was never considered natural weather by any of the ponies.

But to consider the possibility that the weather of the Everfree Forest was NATURAL, was making even more ponies nervous at the implications. Some even thinking that the corruption o the Everfree Forest was spreading somehow. Yet there was no one who could provide proof to confirm those theories.

Yet it had become clear to many that the weather was starting to become seasonal for the region. One of the more accepted theories was that the after effects caused by Discord's actions during the untold years of acting out with his madness, damaged the entire planet's weather pattern. And it was only now that it was starting to recover.

And yet it also brought a lot of strangeness to the ponies. Especially the Pegasi, as their magical abilities to create and utilize clouds with their magic had become much power powerful in recent years. But at the same time, they had taken note that they could no longer control the weather as easily at a large scale pattern even when in groups. The recovering weather and seasonal patterns were making it difficult for their weather magic to alter it.

Even Unicorns could no longer manipulate the weather for too long. Even the Earth Ponies with their fabled abilities to farm and care for nature, could not bring forth seedlings or sprouts with their tender care during the colder weather. It was simply too cold for the plants to grow.

Some of the more illogical theories that were brought up was that when Princess Celestia invoked the name of Asgard, the God of the Heavens, she caught the attention of the Ancient Deity. And thus, caused the weather to resume its old pattern before the Age of Chaos. It was viewed with skepticism but Celestia could not say if it was wrong or right as she herself did not know the answer for that.

Her chant had been on a whim after all. Something she had wanted to make to fight against Maleficus, she had never intended to use it against another foe or at such a large scale. But she had and now she had to live with that.

There was a lot of assumptions and theories. But in the end, was no one able to properly explain why the weather and seasonal pattern was starting to shift on its own. Only that it was. And thus the ponies of Equestria had to work hard on their harvest to make sure to keep themselves feed during this Autumn like Winter period.

The Horses of Horadrim were making some preparations of their own for the Winter months, but not for farming as far as the Ponies could tell. But their focus laid not on the Winter but on something far more important. Namely the final orders of their Creator to their official leader and diplomat, Lord Asclepius, or Cursed Blessing if refereed to by his Pony Name. To complete the habitats of the horses, Project Skyheim.

For while the Nation of Horadrim was recognized as its own nation, would the horses now have to develop and utilize their new borders to properly care for them. It was a good thing then that the defence of the lands of the Horadrim would be rather easy to handle, as they were all located in rather unorthodox locations.

Horadrim had a few cities and towns marked down along the mountains from the north to the south. As well as one by the east coast and one by the unexplored west coast. But apparently was one of their ancient cities located there. But there were no proper regions or borders. And for a good reason.

It was kind of difficult to put down borders on a map when said borders were constantly moving. Not that the ponies knew that particular reason just yet.

The chilly winds blew across the top of the battlements of the walls of Canterlot. Tossing the manes and tails of the equines working on them as they prepared for the departure of their long time guests.

Lord Cursed Blessing had spent a good deal of time with Princess Celestia talking about trade deals, lost lore and about Achilles' ancient past. It had been an educational time and while the temporary leader of the Horadrim Kingdom would leave a group of four hundred horses to interact with her subjects, did he have to return to his people and help them properly establish their borders.

The fact that he had not marked down the borders of his nation on the map was a bit concerning. But when he explained that everything would be revealed by the next decade at the earliest, she realized that he had a lot more work to do then she did. While she and her ponies had been able to establish this new kingdom together, was it not as easy for the Ancient Ones, those horses would have a hard time interacting with the world since the world they had lived in was lost a long time ago.

She did not envy the modern horses as they would have to work with their prehistorical ancestors to get them to realize the difference of equine society. Just the manner that the Spartan Clan had been treating their foals had turned her stomach if any foal was found crippled, weak, deformed or sickly, they were tossed off a cliff or given to one of the other Clans. She was just glad that such a thing would not occur again as the Horadrim Clan would guide them into a more acceptable social standard.

"We art grateful for thy people's aid to Our nation Lord Asclepius. We do wish thee and thy kin a most fortuitous future alongside Equestria." Princess Celestia said with a smile to the elderly scholar as he was about to walk up onto his flying ship that was currently levitating off the edge of the gatehouse of Canterlot.

The old horse gave her a smile and patted her on the shoulder. "You take care of both yourself and your nation now Celestia. I know you have been working overtime to handle all of the repairs and constructions in your land. But you need to take some time for yourself or you are just going to collapse one of these days."

She snorted and rolled her eyes a bit, the old horse had been like a dotting uncle to her and her high ranking members of not just the court but the military as well. Telling all of them to not overdo it and to take it easy from time to time. It was kind of sweet but no less annoying to her, seeing how she was older than him. Just about as annoying as her subjects could be at some times. "Hmph. We would probably hath taken heed of thy words if Our subjects were not so... how do We put it?"

As she said that a loud boom could be heard from one of the many wizard towers in the city as a pillar of lightning and fire erupted out of the cone-shaped rooftop. The pillar of illuminating fire and sky plasma roared for a few seconds before disappearing, leaving the city silent as the top of the tower was now burning with blue fire. Cursed Blessing raised an eyebrow at the sight and turned to her. "Eccentric?"

"Yes, We find that term more polite then the one We hath been about to speak." She said with a grimace on her face as she looked at the burning tower. Oh, how she wished her subjects could NOT give her a headache for one day. That burning wizard tower was going to give her at LEAST half an hour's worth of paperwork! Sure! She knew that her nation needed to experiment and research magical development to properly function but there was no need to work on such reckless experiments in the middle of the bucking city!

*Oooohoohohoooo... Whyyyyy doest the Gods keep Us from Our pastries....* She internally cried as she knew she had once more lost more time for one of her favorite past times, trying out new sweets. It had been four months since she last tried out a new sweet, it was like cold turkey treatment. Whoever had caused the incident was going to be given a very, very large fine or possibly even community service for the damages, risking the health of the city and disturbing the peace. If they could not come up with a VERY compelling explanation for this incident.

Cursed Blessing just chuckled and walked up to his ship. The land bridge was pulled in and Princess Celestia waved with a smile, while she was mentally wailing in self-pity as she could hear the approaching paperwork on her desk even halfway across the city!

Horns and trumpets sounded across the walls as the ships' wooden frames floated away from the stone structures. White clouds bellowing beneath them like waves of mists as the winds of the sky took hold of their sails.

The three cogs flew up into the air and the fleet of Sky Ships that would be protecting them flew around them. And as their wooden frames gracefully flew over the mountains the ponies were waving and cheering as the magnificent structures disappeared from sight one by one.

Sighing Celestia walked dejectedly down the stairs of the gatehouse while her subjects went back to their ordinary routines of enjoying life. *Back to Our duties...*

"Well, that was five interesting months. Who knew that the natural state of the ponies was loony toons worthy insanity?" Cursed Blessing stated with a grin to the rest of the horses, who all let out chuckles at that.

The elderly looking stallion then shook his head and walked over to the captain's cabin. Once past the doors, he had one of his fellows unfold a large map onto the large table in the cabin. He then put his hoof on the detailed map of the continent of Equestria, made from the image sent from their Creator's orbiting spell matrixes. "The locations we have chosen for our new home have been prepared, correct?"

One of the Horadrim nodded and pointed out with a floating piece of chalk on several different spots along the mountain range south of the Foal Mountains. "All ready Lord Blessing, ten locations have been picked, each made up by a vast location of high altitude mountains rich in soil and various types of ores. We made certain to investigate each spot before we began to the constructions of the havens."

Nodding at that the elderly horse pulled out one of his creator's scrolls and unfolded it, revealing the Mana Engine's structure and functions. "Excellent. Once we have the infrastructures prepared we will prepare the Mana Engines for their initial tests. We cannot leave anything to chance."

Another horse nodded and pointed at the blueprint of the engine and began to point out parts of the design. "We can be certain that the Creator's design is sturdy and will function. But the runic matrix array it is going to be connected to is going to be difficult to prepare at such a fast rate as the creator when he created the Sky Fleet. The phase of development and construction he made was beyond insane."

"Indeed. Speaking of transportation. How fares Project: Bifrost?" Cursed Blessing asked as he pointed at one of the spots they had been talking about.

The one who spoke first pulled out a small message he had received by carrier pigeon a few hours back before they left Canterlot and gave it a quick read before reporting to his fellow horse. "It is still in its initial testing phase but our brethren has assured us that the runic array will be ready to use before the Creator returns. They are still taking every security measures to make sure that nothing goes wrong. Not that I blame them."

Cursed Blessing sighed and rubbed his forehead. Project Bifrost was a dangerous endeavor and one that would lead to a brighter future for all equines, but it could be potentially devastating if it did not work out. Not only that, it would be the foundation for the Creator's attempt of fulfilling his long time promise. But the danger of this type of magic was far too large to rush through with it.

Thus he knew all to well how much care and safety you had to prepare to even attempt it. "Aye, working on a way to create a stable Portal Gateway system is going to be difficult even with the Creators knowledge in our brains. We need to work out all the dangerous or fatal quirks and faults before we even attempt to activate it."

He then looked back at the Mana Engine and pointed at it before he pointed at the marked locations on the map. "For now have Project Golden Apple and Project Skyheim marked as high priority, we need to have our nation properly structured before we can even start to establish and proper culture for us and our Creator. And the mana engine he made the base design of is to be properly refined and constructed for our new nation to work. Let us make him proud once he returns to witness our homes made in his honor."

The old horse then raised a hoof to his chest and raised his head high to look skywards. And praised his creator. "Ave Maleficus."

"Ave Maleficus!" The rest of the Horadrim horses echoed his praise before preparing to send words to the other locations b carrier pigeons, orders had to be sent and there was a lot of work to prepare and do.

*We will complete your work Creator... no... Father. And we will make you proud.* Cursed Blessing thought to himself with a small smile as he looked down at the blueprint of the mana engine.

It is the playground of the Warm Care Orphanage in Baltimare City, a late evening. Most of the foals are either sleeping or playing inside. But one was not.

Sitting along on a wooden log among rose bushes near the large wooden fence sat a lone filly. She was a small bright pink pelted and clear blue maned/tailed unicorn. And she was silently carving a block of wood with a knife she was holding with her left hoof. Her dull and lifeless, yellow, eyes staring hollowly at the wooden surface as she slowly shaped the wood.

Her name was Bright Light, a unicorn from one of the many coastal villages that had been demolished or ravaged by the dragons. Ever since the night her village had been destroyed she had just become a silent and empty shell of the once bright and warm person she had once been.

The villagers who had survived had traveled to Baltimare City to seek shelter and safety from the dragons. Her father had survived, but he had lost both of his hind legs and was thus forced to spend the rest of his life cared for by others. He could no longer work as a sailor and his eyes had become hollow and empty just like Bright Light's had become.

He lost it. Taking the blade he had been given by his father, and slit his own throat, and died a day after the assault, unable to handle the sorrow.

That dagger was the one she was using now, it was the last thing left by her family. It was all she had now.

When the news arrived about the flying ships hunting down the dragons a sliver of light shone in her eyes as she saw those flying wooden boats chase after the dragons as they fled. But when the ships did not pursue them over the sea she felt a cold sensation of anger in her heart, as those who had hurt her family had escaped.

Then the Funeral of the Achilles had happened, she had witnessed it, the weird songs and the burning of the small ship. She thought it pointless to waste arrows and a good boat on a single pony, or horse in that case. But it had soothed her soul a bit, for a while at least, knowing that the Princess and her allies had been fighting the dragons.

Not that they had been able to save her family. All they had done was offer her a new place to stay at the newly established Warm Care Orphanage. But while many of the foals were either recovering or ignorant of their loss, was Bright Light unable to stop her growing anger and hatred.

Her train of thought was broken when she almost stabbed herself as she sliced off another scrap of the wooden figure. And she looked at it, it was the head of the dragon who had eaten her sister. The same dragon who haunted her dreams every single night.

Her yellow empty eyes narrowed and a twisted sneer grew across her muzzle, she reared back her dagger and with a brutal downward swing stabbed the dagger straight into the forehead. Tears began to leak from her eyes and she jerked out the dagger from the wooden head before she tossed it aside. The wooden head struck the ground and cracked apart from the force of the impact, splitting into smaller parts.

The filly then clutched her father's dagger to her chest, tears dripping down her chin as her choked sobs echoed out from the corner of the playground.

Happy Meal hummed softly as she skipped down the halls of the Temple of Law. For five months had she and Grand Music been declared an official couple and while their daily routines had mostly remained the same had she grown to enjoy their new interactions with one another.

And today she had a big surprise for her special somepony. He had been stuffed far too long in his office ever since the construction of the Magical Academy had been completed. Though he was the Grand Master of the Order did he need some time to relax as well.

She grinned at the two guards outside of her coltfriend's office, the two mares giving her salutes and smiles as they saw what she was carrying with her. Happy Meal gave them a smile in return before using her foreleg to slam up the doors, making a certain unicorn stallion jolt in his seat as he was reading a report.'

"Hi Music! Time fer a break!" The mare cheerfully cried out as she skipped into the office, carrying a basket on her back. The stunned stallion blinked a few times as he struggled with mentally realizing what she was talking about.

"W-wait. You mean right now?" He asked with a slight stammer in his voice, looking over the piles of papers on his desk, and mentally cried as it felt like they had grown even larger since he started working on them.

But his marefriend just grinned widely and trotted over to his side and began to push him out of his seat and push him towards the door. "Yes! We are gonna have a picnic!"

"B-but I got to-" He tried to protest but then let out a yelp as his marefriend gave him a stern look, while still somehow looking cheerful.

"Is stupid paper worth more then time with me?" That question, spoke in a cheerful and yet hostile voice, made warning bells ring off in the Grand Master's head and he quickly shook his head at even the mere suggestion.

Her eyes turned cheerful and she said out in a less hostile voice. "Then everythin' is fine!"

Grand Music still tried to make an effort to protest, but by then had Happy Meal pushed him out of the office, causing him to trip as he suddenly lost balance and land on his stomach with a loud thump. Happy Meal just giggled and petted his prone shape while the two guards giggled.

As the Grand Master of the Order of the Golden Cross turned to glare at the guards he suddenly felt a tug on his tail and felt himself being dragged on the floor. His expression turned from one of anger into one of horror as he realized what was happening.

Happy Meal had taken a hold of his tail with her mouth and was dragging him down the smooth stone floor of the hallway, uncaring about how humiliating it was to him. The unicorn covered his face in shame and let out a loud, suffering, and drawn out groan as laughter and wolf whistles filled the temple a the sight of the Grand Master being dragged out by his tail by his marefriend.

*When I get back from the picnic am I going to have everypony doing exercise drills and examinations of the city sewers for a week!* He grumbled in his mind as he was dragged down the stairs leading down from the main gates to the streets of the city. With his face still covered he felt his face turn red as murmurs from the ponies on the streets could be heard, as well as giggling mares, laughing foals, encouraging stallions and all around cheering ponies.

He had never felt so humiliated in his entire life and his face was burning against his hooves for the twenty minutes it took for Happy Meal to drag him through the streets and onto the soft moist grass of the park where his grandfather had once lived. Once she let go of his tail he just laid there, whimpering in shame, unwilling to move and wish that he could burrow himself underground to escape the humiliating experience he had just gone through.

"Oooh Music! Cheer up! Ah got ye some blueberry pie!" Happy Meal's voice broke through his demeanor and made him want to shout at her in anger and frustration. But when he finally removed his hooves and opened his eyes his eyes went wide as a piece of blueberry pie was stuffed into his mouth, and a pair of soft lips with a said piece of pie held in them kissed him.

Their lips clutched against one another, the crumbling pastry shared between their mouths as their tongues rubbed against the crust and berry filling within their mouths as their shared saliva broke it down even further. Then their tongues no longer could taste the sweet blueberries or the pie dough, and instead rubbed against each other. But even as their mouths swallowed the grounded down mass of pastry, they did not stop kissing each other for a good couple of minutes.

When finally they broke off for air, a trail of blue colored saliva connecting their blueberry stained muzzles, they stared at each other with intense heat and passion as they panted to regain their breath. Happy Meal's wings were spread out to their maximum capacity while Grand Music's eyes were glowing a little.

Then the mare's lips turned into a wicked smile and she suddenly tackled him and rolled him onto his back. The blushing stallion stared at her with wide and nervous eyes as she looked down at him with predatory eyes that reminded him far too much of a hungry cat.

Happy Meal then pressed herself against his body, pressing her strong and warm body against his, her toned muscles pressing down onto his own. The mare slowly leaned down and pressed her cheek against his, her voice murmuring in a husky tone into his ear while tracing her tongue over it. The hot air from her lips tracing over the freshly licked ear gave him pleasant shivers while her voice vibrated his very soul. "Is that big carrot pressing against mah tummy all fer me?"

Blushing even redder then his own mane he tried to find words to say, to make any kind of noise as the amazonian mare began to nibble his ear, his growing erection by now pressing up against her toned stomach. In the end, he only managed to gasp out a single word. "Ah... ah....yes...."

The mare hummed in satisfaction before she began to trace kisses down his cheek, along with his neck and down his breast. Grand Music could only whimper as he felt her slowly trace her kisses down deeper and he could already guess the goal of her teasing lips.

"Mama, what are sister Happy and Grand doing?" The voice of a foal made both of them tense up and slowly turn to look to where it was coming from. and paled when they saw Grand Feast, carrying a big basket, with her husband Applejack, who was trying to hide a grin behind his hoof. Their little foals looking at the almost fornicating couple.

"...What. Indeed. Are. They. Doing. In. The. Open. Park. I. Wonder." The cold voice and chilling glare from their mother made their once-hot make out session in the grass turn into the two grown ponies groveling on the grass, bowing their heads to their mother.

"I am sorry!/Ahm sorry!"

"You better be sorry!" Their mother shouted out before she started scolding them for their behavior out in the open like a pair of frolicking rabbits.

But even as their mother scolded them the two ponies glanced at each other and smirked, their bodies and breaths getting warm once more. They intended on following through with their little escapee somewhere else. Well, after their mother stopped lecturing them.

While his wife lectured the two adult ponies walked Applejack over to the picnic spot picked by Grand Feast and Happy Meal. He then took and unfurled the picnic blanket next to the one already there and sat down to watch the show. His children trotting over to lay down and watch their mother lecture their older half-siblings.

*Heh. Ah'm certain those two are just gonna get all frolicky again once she turns her back.* The earth pony thought with a grin as the lecture finally ended and the two scolded ponies followed their mother to the now shared picnic spot. And Applejack almost started laughing when he saw their tails wrap around each other while they're pressed against each other.

*Oh yeah those two are just like a pair of bunny rabbits in heat. Hehehe love is an amazing thing.* He thought before helping his wife take out the food from the basket she had been carrying.

The surface of the moon was quiet and silent like it had always been. And yet it had, had a lot of activity for the last decade. But now, it was once more a place without so much as a hint of anything going on.

Partially buried in the sand laid the motionless body of the alicorn Maleficus. His malnourished body looking almost like a mummified corpse. He had not woken up for over five months since he foolishly allowed a million sized horde of souls to use his body's as a medium to reach the physical realm.

The stallion would normally have recovered because of the regeneration ability granted by his alicorn physiology.

But something was off. His body was utterly drained and even though the dense magical field of the moon should have aided in his recovery, was he still in a coma and looking like a dried out husk. Even though he had received care, food, and water for several days had he not recovered his total body mass. Worrying, as the magical energy of his alicorn body should have restored his body instantly.

He had been partly melted by plasma and still recovered almost instantly. He had been torn apart by explosions, flesh ripping winds and magical weapons. All damage had been restored in an almost instant manner and he had not even lost consciousness even for a second. And yet there he laid, unmoving and unresponsive to the world, comatose for several months.

So it was little to no surprise that this was greatly concerning for a certain alicorn princess residing within his mindscape.

Luna walked through a twisted cavern, all around her the darkness was like a constricting force with the walls and ceilings making it feel like everything was shrinking. But that fear was dispelled by her knowledge that this was the mindscape of Maleficus and thus it was not any real danger to her. Plus she had a floating sphere of light ignited on her horn acting lie a comforting light source.

For an unknown time had she been wandering the dark tunnels that had taken shape after Maleficus foolishly made a deal with the dead spirits that called themselves the Fallen. She had tried to scream out at him, even going as far as to fire large scales spells and explosions in his mindscape to get his attention and warn him to not make any foolish mistakes.

She had been unsuccessful and now had Maleficus lost his conscious once more and essentially been rendered a prisoner to his mindscape like he had been ten years back when he had a mental breakdown. Only now it was not an emotional breakdown that had torn his psyche asunder. No, it was almost the opposite. As if rather then his pent up emotions, thoughts, and guilt broke his mind, had his mind been rendered dull and void by having all of his mental essences drained empty.

It also made it far more difficult to find his mental manifestation, with the dark maze-like hollow feeling masking his presence. She felt like she was a hero chasing after a cowardly minotaur that was constantly trying to avoid her, in a labyrinth. The dark and cavernous appearance of the mindscape was not helping

"Bloody hell Maleficus where have you gone to now..." Luna muttered as she reached a crossing, one that was identical to the earlier thirty she had passed through. Reaching out she pressed a hoof against the stone surface next to her. There was a gentle blue glow from her hoof and when she removed it from the wall was the wall marked with a glowing horseshoe print.

Sighing she looked left and right, trying to see anything out of order. Even going as far as to send out a blast of light down the tunnels. Nothing thus far. Snorting she shook her head in frustration before she kept walking forward, no need to take turns yet, it would be simpler to keep her movement straight until she either found a dead end or the terrain changed.

Deep beneath the streets and buildings of Canterlot was a certain group of ponies gathering once more. Their faith in their princess shaken even further with her inability to properly defend their home from the draconic invaders.

Things were tense and the mood bad. It would not be long until someone of their numbers was going to lash out in anger and frustration because of the helplessness of the situation. And indeed, it came.

"Princess Celestia failed us all. She could not properly defend this city even with the aid of the horses. In the end that... THING! Came to our rescue! It be shameful to us all!" A mare shouted out with utter rage in her voice as she punched the stone table in front of her, shaking it and leaving cracks where her hoof had struck.

"So it is decided then?" A stallion said as he levitated an unfurled scroll into the air, showing the detailed plan that had been proposed by Bloody Courage.

"Aye. It hath been decided. We shalt enact Bloody Courage's long term plan. We shalt have several short term plans as well should things turn sour. But for now, let Us focus the majority of Our resources on this plan." Another stallion said as he held up a sealed scroll in his left hoof, sealed with red vax.

"Very well then. Meeting adjourned! All Hail the Society of Heraldry, Independence and Trade!"

"Hail!"

As the group left the chamber was one of them thinking of something as they left the room. *Why doest it feel like we art the butt of some manner of joke whenever a meeting ends?*

Upon the mountain top of a secluded mountain were massive pine trees covered its solid rocky surface with a green and brown layer was something going on. Several trees were shaking and twitching as if trying to move out of the soil holding them rooted in place.

Then a loud crack was heard as a particularly large tree fell down, its massive shape crashing down and pushed down several other, though smaller, pine trees with its massive trunk.

Snow, rock, and dust erupted from the impact. Then the massive trunk began to glow in a mixture of colorful auras before it was slowly levitated off the ground. The forty-meter long tree floated through the chilling mountain air, snow and dirt drifting off its massive shape as it was slowly put down on a large plateau on mountain opposite of the one it had been growing on.

A Viking horse dressed in furs and leather bearing a massive long shafted axe walked out from among the branches and gave a wave at the group of forty Horadrim horses who had utilized their magical abilities to lift the massive tree. His long mane and beard braided and decorated with small iron axes. "Want me to get another one or is this fine for now?" The warrior asked as he jumped off the massive tree as other horses began to chop off the massive branches.

"No need Axe Beard we will spend all that we can get out of this large tree first before we gather another one." One of the Horadrims said as the larger horses hummed softly while sharpening the blade of his axe.

"Good. Good. So when is the Allfather's project getting done? I mean. We have almost finished the living areas and the Shrine is complete." That was a thing that appeared different among all of the horses when it came to their preferred reference of their creator and father Maleficus. The Vikings called him Allfader (Allfather), the Samurais called him Otousan (Father), the Knights called him Sancti Patris (Holy Father), the Spartans called him Patér (Father) and the Horadrims simply called him Father.

There had been some arguments from the Horadrims that simply calling him by the title Father or Creator would work, but the other horse clans wanted to speak the terms they found most fitting to their creator. And so it had been agreed that each clan would be allowed to call Maleficus by their own chosen titles. But all of them would be allowed to just call him Creator or Father if they so sought.

One of the sages rolled up a large parchment and examined it for a bit. Turning around the robed sage looked up towards the mountain peak rising up into the clouds, were hundreds of horses were working on carving buildings out of the mountain's surface, a most peculiar manner of constructing a town. The entire peak was being reshaped into a city of a similar architecture of a middle age castle citadel. "We will have the citadel's external parts finished before the next winter, but the internal work and the runic arrays we need to insert are going to take a lot more time and effort to complete, however. The complexity of the runic arrays will be difficult to carve in a precise manner. Thus we might need to utilize a lot more of our stores of iron and gold then we'd like."

Blinking, slowly, as if trying to figure out the meaning of life, the Viking finally gave a response. "Ah. Okay. I see... I will be going to get me belly some food. Call me if you need another tree chopped!" The Viking said with a wave as he walked off to get some food from the nearby campsite on the plateau rather than getting confused by the technobabble, or rather arcanospeech. As he did so the Sages just returned to their work, trying to work out how to best utilize the stone of the mountain for their creator's project.

Even if they had been given the knowledge of their creator, were not all of the horses able to utilize it or understand it properly. Something that limited their productivity. When their Creator had been physically working with them it had been so easy to work through everything, but for some reason had their mentalities changed slightly. Some of them were not able to work with others like they had been able to do a year ago.

It was rather obvious by this point. The horses were changing, not physically but mentally. They were starting to develop their own personality traits outside of those given to them by their Creator. But those personalities were still based upon the same foundation.

Thus the Five Clans of the Horses, were rapidly developing into their own cultures. Something no one, not even their beloved Father could predict the outcome of.

Beyond the vast oceans to the east were far less calm then Equestria. The Five Dragon Clans were in great upheaval. The Rockfire Clan, once the strongest of them all, had left for the annual Great Feast. But after less than a month returned around a hundred out of the eight hundred that had left. The entire clan had been torn asunder and rendered fewer than the former weakest clan, the Stormfang Clan.

And it had all been done by the weak herbivores known as ponies.

The survivors of the massacre spoke of flying huts, massive villages of stone, contraptions capable of killing grown dragons from a distance. And the worst news of all, how Lord Talos had been slain by the ruler of the ponies, a pony of both pegasus, earth pony and unicorn power. Called an Alicorn, and her name was apparently Princess Celestia.

Many of the dragons felt a great unease as they realized that one of the oldest and strongest of dragons had been slain by a pony by all things, sure a magically powerful pony but a pony none the less. The Rockfire clan had drawn into themselves, deciding to seclude themselves from the rest of the world. More than a hundred families grieving the loss of fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, cousins, sons and daughters.

Not all of the Dragon Lords believed in the tales. Only the Stormfang and the Ironclaw Clans' Lords believed in the stories. While the Frostfire Lord was skeptical while the Skyhorn Lord was not even going to bother fancying such a thing.

But the belief of the Lords did not affect the belief of the common dragons. And with the tales of ponies killing dragons spreading like wildfire through out the Dragonlands, was it no wonder that many grew uneasy.

It was a great unrest for many of the dragons. Realizing just how much the species around them had adapted, evolved and improved. While the dragons had become stagnant and idle, growing lazy with arrogance and hubris. It caused a great upheaval of ideals that had stood unshaken for millennia, now broken.

Their faith in their racial superiority had been shaken and something had been fundamentally broken in the hearts and souls of those who had fled from the west. The Rockfire Clan would take no more efforts to endanger themselves or their families. A once mighty, powerful, arrogant and self-assured clan, now reduced to quivering wrecks, flinching at the smallest of shadows, their once burning eyes hollow and soulless.

And so a meeting had been made between the other four dragons clans. They could no longer act carelessly and just let the time pass them by. If a weak herbivore species like the ponies could usurp the skies, create weapons to kill dragons and slay the oldest of dragons. Then they had to develop themselves as well.

But how they would proceed to do so. Would take time, but thankfully, time was something they all had in abundance.

Princess Celestia looked out from her office window and smiled a little at the sight that greeted her.

Standing out by the western city walls, stood the recently completed Magical Academy. A central building containing a large circular shaped room like a theater for large events, discussions, debates, experiments and so on. With over ten towers for various matters of research and teaching.

It was a wonderful sight. The white marble stone of the walls, the varying red and blue colourations of the roof tiles and the sparkling crystals hovering above the towers. It looked quite a lot like the sparkling buildings of the Crystal Empire, only not made out of crystals, but still with a magical glow to their colour and shape. A most glorious view. And a most glorious purpose, where her mages would learn and develop all manners of discoveries. Perhaps she would indulge herself in teaching or even learning at the place from time to time?

"Luna and Starswirl would no doubt hath loved it." She muttered with a sad smile on her muzzle before she returned her focus to her work. And in an instant her ears folded, her eyes grew wide and teary and her lower lip trembled as she let out a whimper at the sight of the already big pile of paper, which looked like it had grown another hoof's length (About 4 inches) during the two minutes she had been looking at the Academy.

The year went by with an almost unnatural speed. Equestria restored its homes and fortifications steadily. Princess Celestia's recently completed Magical Academy and the recently made Public Education Act had both been great successes, bringing a lot of joy to both the nobility and the commoners with the promise of their children being granted an education.

As well as a lot of angry pouts from foals who did not want to go to school.

Smaller school buildings ha been constructed in the Central Region of Equestria, the Public Education Act would make it so that all foals from the age of two to eight would receive a six year education for the basic of knowledge of some very vital subjects. History, Math, Literacy, Basic Crafting and Nature Lore.

The teaching would be done by one or two teachers who would have gone through the education themselves by educated scholars and officials, before being given the needed materials and books to teach foals. Foals would have school from varying hours of the day, mostly depending on the places the schools were located. But no more then eight hours and no less then four hours were allowed to be spent teaching the foals.

At first were many parents worried or frightened that their children would be unable to handle the teaching methods or end up outcasts among the smarter foals. But before even six months had gone by had the Public Education Act been made an astounding success, with foals learning far quicker then an adult pony ever could. It was frankly amazing how quickly the little ones could learn from their teachers.

Although a certain phrase had begun to circulate among the teachers as a 'sign of warning' whenever their students would speak of it. And many parents would also agree to it being a rather... nervous causing thing.

Before the Public Education Act were most foals taught at home or being given chores. The life of a foal was one of helping their families while being taught whenever their parents had the time. But with so much free time now opened up for both parents and children, were the foals starting to get eager to use their newfound knowledge and curiosity to discover what every little foal wanted in life.

Earning their Cutie Marks.

To discover their special talent and earn themselves a Cutie Mark was the dream of the majority of all foals. Thus had the words 'This will certainly earn us our cutie marks!' had been the sign of a lot of chaotic situation for the adult ponies as the foals got into all manners of shenanigans to discover their special talents.

While it was charming and sweet to see their little ones play around so much, were some of the things they attempted doing rather stressful for their teachers and relatives. But whenever one of the little ones discovered that special something that earned them their special talent and cutie mark, the happiness and cheer in those big eyes as the little ones discovered their special talent would make it all worth it in the end. Well for the most part.

But things were not all cheer and joy within Equestria. Far from it. The aftermath of the Draconic Incursion was still not over.

Almost fifty villages, up to twenty towns, one hundred and two towers, thirty one keeps and four castles had been destroyed during this event. The amount of work it would take to restore the damage was enormous. And even with the aid of the military and the Order of the Golden Cross, was the repairs of the nation not even halfway done after one and a half year had gone by.

It was still impressive for such a vast amount of damage to be repaired so quickly. But that was only because the majority of the towns and villages destroyed were made out of wood and stone and were fairly easy to repair in comparison to the cities, the keeps and the castles which were made almost entirely out of stone and enchanted metal support.

Only one castle had been restored completely and that was Blackstone Keep, which had only lost one tower and parts of its walls and central keep. And even had a major task force of its own to handle the repairs.

No the repairs would take a long time to complete. Possibly even half a decade. But the repairs and restorations of the lands were not the only issue. Insubordination and crime had run rampant in the East for months and even with the Order of the Golden Cross doing their best, were they too understaffed and busy with repairs to be everywhere at once.

Not to mention the fact that the dragons were not all gone from Equestria.

Many straggling and/or wounded dragons were chased out of the nation's borders before the end of the summer. But many of those wounded were far too crippled to be able to ever fly or even walk again. Over a dozen of the badly crippled dragons had stopped eating or drinking. They just allowed their bodies to waste away until finally they died of starvation, unwilling to live as cripples.

It was a disturbing sight to many the ponies. The sight of such a broken being deciding that they would rather die then ask for aid or try to adapt. But some ponies took delight in the dragons' suffering and some even killed some of the wounded dragons themselves to satisfy a desire for vengeance or a deep hatred.

Both the Three Armies and the Knightly Orders had these individuals, even the Order of the Golden Cross had some ponies who developed a paranoia, hatred or out right phobia for the dragons.

Grand Master Grand Music of the Order of the Golden Cross would be forced to give the order to exile almost a hundred promising members of his order for the coldblooded murder of incapacitated dragons.

Princess Celestia did not involve herself in the matter as she felt it was something the Military should learn to handle on their own. But she did not support the acts of murdering the dragons, taking them prisoners to interrogate and either exile or execute, but not just killing them on the spot.

The Horses aided in the capture and protection of the remaining dragons still within the borders of Equestria. Over fifty dragons were captured in the end, of which ten were murdered by ponies within their own prison cells. The remaining forty had committed, or been part of, quite a number of grave crimes, including murder, eating ponies and destruction of property. But around one hundred dragons died either by suicide, murder or in combat.

Those captured would be either exiled or given forced labour to repair the damages they had caused. But the date for the trials were not going to be decided for a long time so the dragons would have to remain prisoners of the Blackstone Keep, Baltimare Castle and Filly's Fort in Fillydeplhia. The reasoning for this delay was two folded. There was a lack of time to properly judge the dragons. And the rising hatred and spite for dragon would make it impossible to make a non-lethal judgement without causing riots.

Not to mention, one of the dragons captured, was too valuable to just exile or force with labour. But this was kept a secret to not cause anger among the general populace.

Equestria was grateful for the aid of their new allies. But the horses could not be everywhere and the negative feelings for the dragons was high among the ponies. With a certain group of hidden manipulators actively fueling the flames of hatred from the shadows.

In the end would over five hundred ponies within the military and the various knightly orders be dismissed from their positions for allowing or taking part of these murderous activities. Helpless victims, even dragons, were not to be murdered in cold blood. But the fact remained that there were still ponies who seemed unwilling to punish these acts, and some even encouraged them.

And through this turmoil period came an old face of the Pony society from before the Age of Chaos. directly after the horrifying events of the Draconic Incursion there was a great distress among the pony population. And many began to do what a common pony would do when faced with such haunting memories, they would seek aid from others, they would preserve through the hurtful memories with sheer will, or pray.

This solemn mood was noticed by those who thought they could bring an answer to the sorrowful ponies of Equestria. What emerged to give comfort to the grieving and the lost were groups of individuals who sought to do something forgotten by many of the current and older generations.

Preach.

It was a spread out mass of Priests, Priestesses, Shamans, Monks, Scholars, Acolytes, and many others. There were even Horses of Religious Belief of the Horadrim Kingdom who left their lands to offer comfort and guidance through either faith or miracles. And all of them came out of hiding to spread the words of the Gods. Many were meet with either apathy or scorn.

The Church of Clucking Chaos had made Religion a dangerous topic among the older generations of ponies. So many feared the prospect of active worship through an established religion. Even though the so called Temple of Law was called a Temple, were there no active worship.

Even with the story of Golden Cross and the Gods offering him aid in combat against the Rattenfänger, were there too many old tales and stories about the horrific acts of the CCC. Thus the only active worship of the gods were private or in the Order of the Golden Cross, and even were there no one to teach the old ways. Not even Golden Cross' Chronicles held clues to the worships of the Gods.

It only held a few prayers to the Order and the guidelines of the Order itself when concerned with the Worship of the Gods. One may pray to the Gods, but do not expect answers for everything, for the Gods are not your caretakers. They are a higher power of which you may follow in return for aid or guidance, but that does mean they will answer to everything.

It was a confusing sentence, one that made many a debate among the Scholars of Equestria. But all ponies could agree that Golden Cross' view of the Gods as Guides and not Caretakers, were pretty fitting. But it made none of the old fears disappear, only more confusion.

But the Believers of the Old Ways, as they came to be called, preserved through the persecutions, the disdain, the scorn, the distrust, and the fear. Many were charlatans or mad ponies seeking to take advantage of others and while some made getaways with ill gotten gold or items, were most given sentences befitting their crimes.

And after a year went by and the Believers kept going, began some of the ponies to act less hostile or cold against them. And soon, strange things began to occur. Miracles began to emerge out of the Believers of the Old Ways and those who experienced them, were those they offered comfort and aid to. And more began to turn to the Believers to seek aid from them.

The one incident that changed the view of Religion in the entire land of Equestria. Was when Princess Celestia, was asked by an elderly Priest, if he may preach to the Knights of the Order of the Golden Cross.

Celestia had been a bit concerned at first. But she saw no harm in allowing the Priest to speak to the Order. There were still many injured knights working as staff at the temple who could use help. Even if they rejected the Priest, would it at least have been tried to give them comfort. And that by itself was worth something.

She contacted the Grand Master of the Order, Grand Music, and he gave the approval of the Priest to preaching at his Temple to the distressed members of his Order.

The next day the elderly Priest entered the Temple of Law, went straight to the Grand Hall, were Grand Music meet him. They shook hooves and the old pony was guided to the shrine in the Grand Hall, bearing the faceless statues of the Old Deities.

Before the Priest began his preaching ,he asked if he may pray to the shrine first. Grand Music told him no one of the Order was ever forbidden from praying, as long as it did not take up too much of their time in the temple. But few did and thus the shrine was not used as often as one might think. So the Priest, an active worshiper, was more then welcome to pray at the shrine.

The Priest knelt before the shrine, clasped his foreleg hooves together and and lowered his head. Before speaking out a prayer to the shrine. The prayer was in a strange language, one that Grand Music had never heard before, but it felt... slightly otherworldly, or at last so foreign it was like a pony was not meant to speak it.

That's when a beam of light shone through the painted glass window above the shrine. A golden ray of sunlight had breached the cloud covered sky, and was covering the priest in a beacon like pillar of sun light. The activity of the Grand Hall went dead silent as the light shone upon the Priest.

Grand Music got an eerie feeling that he had seen something like this before. and he realized that he had. Back when his adopted grandfather Golden Cross, or rather Maleficus Victoria, prayed to the Gods at the final battle of the Siege of Canterlot during the Rattenfänger Invasion. It was so alike he almost wanted to ask the Priest if he was his grandfather in disguise.

And he almost did.

But before he could mistakenly ask the Priest anything, had the old pony opened his eyes in awe, tears streaming down his cheeks. He then turned to Grand Music and spoke up in a joyous and warm voice. "The Gods have spoken to me. You and your honourable grandfather's efforts to keep ponies safe has reignited the Old Ways back. And with the return of the Old Ways will the powers and the miracles of the Gods be returned to the world as well. The Gods will commune with us once more thanks to your Order and the pony it was based upon. And for that, you and he have their gratitude and blessing to keep up your efforts."

Grand Music, his mouth open to speak, or rather ask, went still, frozen with his left foreleg hoof raised and mouth open. He then closed his mouth with a loud clack. Stared at the old priest for a bit. And then decided to leave the hall to think. Leaving the Priest covered by the glowing beacon behind, as well as the hundreds of staring and gaping Knights and Trainees at what they had just heard.

The Grand Master of the Order of the Golden Cross had to keep his head from spinning by the sheer fact that the Gods were actually a real thing. And apparently both he and his grandfather were blessed by them for protecting and aiding ponies. And were more then willing to let his grandfather commit his various schemes, act out his shenanigans, and play war with Celestia. He was not certain how to feel about that.

Back at the Grand Hall was the Priest, still glowing, smiling at the retreating back of the Grand Master. He had never received such a clear message from the gods before. It had nearly given him a heart attack. But now he felt so enlightened. So proud of not just his faith, but the acts of these wonderful ponies who now needed his aid. And so he turned to the stunned hall. And began to preach to them. And they all listened well and long.

Things became drastically different from there on out.

Religion was no longer the persecuted subject it once was. With the revelation of the Gods' approval of Golden Cross and the Order based upon his methods and teachings, for restoring their power. It became clear that the Believers were there to say.

The news of the contribution to the Gods made by Golden Cross and the Order spread like wild fire. All manners of Believers began to find their prayers answered, the Gods speaking to them once more. And soon they could do more then just speak to the Gods. They could act as mediums for them, and act out miracles in their names.

One such instance was a young Priest giving a foal born blind, sight. A child that was born without vision, was granted it by a prayer to the Gods. Of course, the prayers were not always answered, especially if not very complex, unclear or power taxing. Minor things, healing injuries, restoring virility, curing diseases, blessing foals, and other various effects,

The Believers of the Old Ways would be converted into the Old Religion, the restored Faith of the Gods of the times before the Age of Chaos. And all beings in the world, felt a change occur during this great restoration of faith. It was as if the very planet itself, was gaining a bit of strength, from the restored faith of the ponies.

But this, sadly enough, was just a small band over a large wound for many. With deaths from starvation, disease, or banditry was still high because of the great calamities brought forth by the Draconic Incursion.

It was a harsh and enduring time for many, even with the return of the Old Religion were things still unstable, though not at
a breaking point. But the following year would remedy the tragic and bloody events.

The warm interior of the office of the Grand Master of the Order of the Golden Cross was crackling with the hot glow of a burning fire place as a certain unicorn knight was sitting by his desk, looking at a wooden box. He had not been moving for at least two hours and just staring at the box, intently, as if it was going to disappear from sight if he looked away.

He absently rubbed his hoof along the smooth edge of the pine wood making up the box's structure. The box itself was expensive, what laid inside it even more. It was a good thing that Grand Music never actually spent much of his income as the item inside had cost what he would have earned in three months, easily three thousand bits.

But all the expenses for producing the item would be worth it in the end. Well... if he could build up the courage to enact his plan. So far he had been trying to muster up the guts to move out of his own office and enact his plan. He had been wanting to make it a special moment and had even waited for Hearth's Warming Eve, but now that the day had come and the holiday was bringing warmth and cheer to the country was he unable to act upon his plan.

It was like he was chained to his chair, unable to break free of a containing pressure that had him glued in space.

The fire place sparked for a bit as he kept staring at the box in silence. Then a particularly loud crackle was heard from the fire place and he nearly fell out of his seat as his body went tense in an instance and he looked around to figure out where that loud crack had come from. And facehooved when he spotted the crackling fireplace.

"Gods... I cannot just... sit here but... what do I do?" He muttered to himself solemnly. Then he looked around his office, it was rather lacking in decor when compared to the rest of the Temple of Law. There were two bookcases, large windows with thick purple curtains, a large desk with a comfy chair, two large comfy chairs by a large stony fire place, and five decorations spread out over the otherwise plain walls.

The fang of a hydra of the Everfree Forest. A glass case containing the broken gemstone weapon of a gemstone eating dog creature. Another glass case containing a row of medals. And a big painting over the fireplace, bearing the image of his honorary Grandfather, Golden Cross, or rather, Maleficus Victoria, standing tall over the defeated shape of the leaders of Rattenfänger, the bloody details not included.

And as he looked at the painting he could almost see the eyes of the painting looking at him. Telling him to stop hesitating.

Shaking his head he rested his head against the smooth surface of the red painted mahogany and mumbled through the edge of his lips. "Great. Now I am hallucinating.... just great."

Then his ears twisted as he heard a strange shifting sound. He looked up and saw the painting swaying from side to side, as if something had moved it. and yet there was no one else in the room and there was no wind coming through the fireplace, the closed doorway or the closed windows.

For a few seconds he pondered if his mind was just playing tricks on him. Then the rope holding the painting snapped ant it slammed into the floor in front of the fireplace and slammed forward onto the tone floor, the glass on the painting splintering at the impact.

He jumped out of his seat, grabbed the box, and ran towards his office's doorway. Screaming out in a frightened voice as he scrambled across the floor. "I am going! I am going!"

Grand Music opened the door and rushed out, and returned a few seconds later to telekinetically put the painting against the wall on the opposite side of the room as to not risk it getting further damaged. Then he closed the door and ran down the hallway. As he left the room, a small squeak was heard as a mouse crawled out of the small hole in the stonework of the fireplace that had been blocked by the painting.

It blinked in confusion, wondering why it got bright all of a sudden. And where that tasty string hanging in front of its new home had gone.

Happy Meal was sitting in the great hall were the many knights of the orders off duty were celebrating Hearth's Warming Eve, there was a big abundance of food and many gifts and kisses were being shared among old and new couples through out the Temple of Law. It made her happy to see so many loving couples in the Temple, and made her also a bit displeased as she wished that her coltfriend was with her at the moment.

It was their second Hearth's Warming Eve together as a couple, and they had been together for seventeen months now ever since the final day of the Draconic Incursion of Equestria. She had given him a nice ginger spiced apple pie last year, it had really... spiced up, their bedtime fun. He had given her a scarf he had made himself, and that had been a shocker, knowing that her coltfriend knew how to knit and sew.

So it was to no one's surprise that she was a bit put off that he had not joined in the festivities like last year. Why was he absent? "Ah will just have ta drag him out of his darn office if he takes too long."

After having muttered that little sentence she heard something from the doorway leading towards the staircase leading to the upper floors. It was the sound of horseshoe equipped hooves trampling down on carpet covered stone floors in rapid succession. It sounded almost like some kind of weird dance.

Then the doors to the grand hall flew open and a frantically running Grand Music appeared from the doors. Every one in the hall stopped moving and just stared at the sight of their Grand Master running over the marble floor until he finally made a screeching halt in front of a staring Happy Meal.

He then got down on one knee and presented a fine box to her, containing within it was a silver ring with a heart made up by two gemstones, a topaz and a ruby. The Leader of the Order of the Golden Cross then took a deep breath before practically shouting out to his marefriend.

"Happy Meal. Will you marry me?!" There was a very awkward silence for a few seconds.

Then Happy Meal snorted and covered her mouth with one of her hooves and looked at him with warm eyes. And spoke to him in a voice that just felt like it was spoke with such warmth and joy that it made the entire worm feel jolly. "Ya never needed to ask me. Ahm already yers ye know."

Grand Music opened his mouth to speak, and closed it. He then slightly looked away, his face turning into the same red colour as his mane and tail. Muttering a bit to himself as the moment he had built up for so much had turned out to be a bit anticlimactic. "Still, I thought you would appreci-apmmh!"

The mare silenced her coltfriend's muttering by grabbing him by the collar of his ceremonial robe and pulling his muzzle against hers. And then she tied her lips to his and began a very drawn out and passionate kiss in the middle of the temple of law.

With the rest of the ponies in the hall string at them in utter shock. No longer confused but rather shocked to the core at what they were seeing. Several of them blushing scarlet at how the passionate couple were almost moaning into their kiss.

"Mmmmmmpha! That clear enough fer ye?" Happy Meal stated after having released their long and passionate make out session.

Grand Music, no longer blushing, and having lost his nervousness, smiled at her before warping his forelegs around her and pulling her off her seat, making her squeal, and he hugged her close to his, rubbing his nose against her, murmuring passionately to her while looking into her eyes. "Hmmmm... I am not sure. I might need another reminder."

His fiance smirked and pressed back against his nose with her own and confronted his confident words with her own. "Oooh yer going to get one right now Mistah!"

The great hall then erupted into cheers, laughter and whistles as the newly engaged couple began to passionately make out in the middle of the room. And the warm festivities of Hearth's Warming Eve filling out the Temple of Law once more, the light from its windows glittering over the frosty rooftops and streets around it..

"Be Boop... You know that you are my best friend right?" Commander Rock Steady stated as he stood in front of a large wooden door, nervously rubbing at his ceremonial clothes, the chain decorating his neck marking his rank as a knight.

Next to him stood his second in commander Sir Be Boop. Who just nodded and stated in a calm manner while looking straight at the door without even twitching in the slightest at his commanding officer and old friend's plight."Aye, sir."

Rock Steady turned and glared at Be Boop who did not return his stare. "Then why the bucking hell are you letting me suffer like this?"

"It is just my duty as your best stallion to keep you secure and ready for the big event sir." Was the smartass reply of his old friend.

The large unicorn pressed a hoof against his face and let out a long and drawn out sigh. As he did so he absentmindedly pocked his hoof against a black iron ring engraved with runes that was decorating his horn.

But it was not a decoration, it was a form of Anti-Magical Shackle that utilized the refined Anti-Magic Chains utilized during the First Crusade. It was not able to keep the magical power of an alicorn at bay but it could seal up the majority of the power of an even highly powerful Unicorn.

Like Commander Rock Steady for example. "...That still does not explain why you have put a Anti-Magic Shackle Ring on my horn."

"To keep you from utilizing magic in a fit of panic, sir." Was the straight and blunt answer from the other pony.

Rock steady turned his head to stare at a lower pot, trying to keep his cheeks from showing his fluster as he felt a bit shameful. When the Chieftainess Ancient Ruin had started visiting him during his recovery from 'wartime injuries' they had grown rather close. And as the time had gone by had the two entered a relationship. Heck her little colt had even started calling Rock Steady papa of all things.

The two had gotten engaged six months into their relationship and marked the date for the wedding during Hearth's Warming Eve. And in the time between that declaration and the planned event, had Rock Steady grown steadily nervous and panicky to the point that he would start acting overly dramatic to the point of fainting. It had happened thirty times thus far and had not been the Commander's proudest moments."...Ah... Well I can't deny that I guess...."

"Yes, especially since your beloved asked me to do this to keep you from repeating the 'Cake Incident.'"

Rock Steady just sighed while looking up at the ceiling of the grand hall. "...The ONE time I try to bake a cake without supervision and it ends up filling the entire kitchen with vanilla sponge... it was still delicious though..."

"Totally agree sir. Although your Lady was less then happy about the clean up the kitchen staff had to do because of your mess." Indeed Lady Ancient Ruin had not been amused when the kitchen staff had to spend all day to clean the kitchens, forced to cook outside in the courtyard to feet the inhabitants of the fortress.

Rubbing his neck Commander Rock Steady kept looking at the ceiling, his entire body felt anxious and uneasy. Today was supposed to be a special day but he was having such a hard time not thinking of what could go wrong and it was making him feel like his nerves were about to collapse. "Well that's fair.... So... how much longer?"

"We are to enter in one or two minutes sir." Be Boop said as music began to resound through the door and fill the fortress. His Commander and foalhood friend growing more nervous.

His hoof now rubbed the neck area of his robed and he was taking deep breaths while trying to calm down. His ears were beating like something was bashing against his skull from the inside. He was having a hard time properly breathing and his body was feeling far too warm to be healthy. "Gods... Oh Gods.... I feel like I am about to choke..."

"That would be your escalating blood pressure causing your uniform to feel tighter around the neck sir." Be Boop said in a helpful manner, which only made Rock Steady feel nauseous.

"Great... how do I fix it?" The Commander of Blackstone Keep said as he rubbed his throat, trying to swallow properly without choking as he was feeling an awful lot of saliva gather in his mouth.

Then a sharp sensation of something poking his flank caused him to jump two meter up and let out a frantic neigh as his body went rigid in mid air. He collapsed onto the cold stone floor and just laid there as his rapidly beating heart calmed down and he turned to glare at Be Boop.

"By calming down sir." His friend just said, the barest hint of a smirk on his lips, while swirling a sharp dagger in his hoof.

"You can be an absolute jerk sometimes Be Boop." Rock Steady finally growled out before standing up again, brushing off his uniform and straightening the fabric. He did not bleed and the painful poke had helped him calm down so he would not punch Be Boop in the face. Did not mean he wasn't going to give him a punishment for it later.

"Thank you sir Rock Steady. Oh look it's starting now." With one final glare at his friend Commander Rock Steady took a deep breath and slowly let it out. And then as the music shifted into another theme, the doors to the grand hall of Blackstone Keep opened and the duo entered.

There was a crowd of ponies gathered in rows, there was a group of priests standing before a shrine made out of solid marble, as a site of worship for all the deities of the Old Religion. And there, at the end of the red carpet leading up to the shrine, stood Lady Ruin, dressed in a white and green robe, with a similar coloured veil over her face

And so Commander Rock Steady walked forward. His head held high, as he proceeded to the moment that would become one of the happiest memories of his life.

Horses were gathering upon a round shaped stone square in the middle of a large town, a town made out of oriental designs of the ancient times of Japan. All of them were horses designed for Samurai Faction of Maleficus' Ancient Forces.

And they were gathering for one purpose, to celebrate the completion of their new home. The mountain town that would be forever known as Yamale. (Rough Translation from Japanese: Mountain Home) It was the first town to be completed for the Horadrim Kingdom and it was a glorious sight.

From the housings based upon the Japanese suburbs to the big stone and wood wall, which was based upon the Japanese design for castle walls. Said town wall rose up in a straight pattern across the mountain with several large defence towers rising out of its structure, with no city gate to be spotted. The first set of walls had been built along the outskirts of the town while another set rose up at an higher altitude around the middle of the town.

The city was built like a network of broad streets, there was no proper way for a stranger to properly orient themselves because of the high buildings and walls, making for excellent defence against intruders or invaders. And to reach the upper area of the mountain, you had to either use a large crane like elevator or walk around a spiraling pathway donned with ten gatehouses.

This split up the town into two sections. With the lower one being the Earth District, it was the one mainly used for housings, farmlands, schools, planted woods and artificial lakes. With the second section of the town being called the Wind District, it was the housing of barracks, workshops, labs, temples and dojos. But the most important structures laid on the peak.

On the top of the mountain peak rose two large castle or monastery like structures, unofficially called the Water District, with the western being a bit lower but far larger in width and mass. It was the Sky Harbour, the place were the Sky Ships would be built and where they would be landing. While the other taller structure was the Palace, where the chosen Daimyo of the city would be housed.

At the top of the city between the two large structures was also a large reservoir of water was located, being constantly refilled by artificial rain clouds, thus its unofficial name. And from this endless source of water came a tall waterfall that poured down into a horse made network of channels and ponds through out the entire town, creating a great source of water for the town. And it all was connected to a single exit point where all the water would pour out into a massive waterfall to gather in a hoof made large lake at the farming area of the Earth District.

A secondary but still important structure was a smaller tower standing in the middle of the mountain town. A four stories tall Japanese tower with a massive crystal structure on its top. It was the Lighthouse, and not in the manner one would think. It was based upon the same principles as the Shield Cone, only refined and based upon another power source. But when not used to shield the city, it could very well act as a source of guidance for ships with its bright light.

What had once been a tall and lonesome mountain peak in the southern corner of the Foal Mountains had now been remade into a city sized town that had been carved out of the stone of the mountain itself.

The Samurai horses stood proud upon the stonework they had made together, the snow of the chilling air of the mountains lightly flowing down upon their furs and armour. Upon a large shrine like structure in the center of the square stood a large samurai pony dressed in thick armour, his helmet strapped to his side, with two mares dressed in finely decorated kimonos.

This stallion was a bloodied warrior, having fought and lead a one of the ten Samurai Sky Ships against the dragons, a Kensei, bearing the best armour available for all Samurai warriors, wielding the long handled katana known as the odachi. Having shown Valor, Heart, Strength and Skill in battle as both a warrior and a commanding officer was he the First of the newly chosen Daimyos of the Samurai, the First Warlord out of all of the Four Factions. He would be making his first announcement as the new ruler of this town very soon. All of the preparations had been made and now it was just a need to wait for the sun to settle and for the moon to rise.

As the twinkling lights of the stars began to appear as the sun settled down, were all manners of colorful lanterns lit and hung up over the streets and buildings of the new town. A pair of muscular horses with white bandannas on their foreheads began to beat their forelegs' hooves against a pair of large barrel shaped drums. As the beating drums bean to echo over the town, the Daimyo of Yamale stepped forward, his large frame easily spotted upon the wooden shrine he was standing upon, behind him, a massive bell of green coloured iron hung, engraved with the oriental imagery of a dragon facing a horse.

The crowd fell silent, their eyes looking up to the First Daimyo. And as the beating of the drums settled, the Daimyo stood up on his hind legs and spoke out to the crowd. "I welcome you all to this wonderful moment in our race's history. We have completed the first of many towns for our Creator, our Outosan, may his name resound through the heavens."

As one the entire crowd pressed their left forelegs against their breasts, bowed their heads slightly and spoke out together a prayer to their creator. Their voices echoing out over the mountains around them.

The Daimyo pointed his left hoof towards the Water District, where the Palace and Sky Harbour stood like two giants. "Our work is not done and we will need a lot of time and effort to even finish a fraction of it. But I know we can do it. No. We ALL know we can do it. We shall make Him proud, and show him Our worth! And this town of Yamale is but the foundation of our dedication to Him!"

He then spread both of his forelegs wide, as if to embrace someone and spoke out with a wide smile to the crowd as streaks of light flew out of the top of the Palace and blossomed into colorful explosion of firework created through arcane means. "Now let us drink and celebrate! Let us forever know this date as the Founding Day of the First Mountain City! Yamale! And with I! Strong Valor! Also known by the name of Kyouyuuki! As your Daimyo! Long live the Horses! Long live the Horadrim Kingdom!"

A loud cheer erupted across the crowd and the two mares stepped up to the massive green painted bell and together they bit onto the ropes by its side and together they gave a simultaneous tug. The massive wooden log behind the bell swung back before slamming into the large metal frame, and a loud resounding clang erupted over the mountain range.

With the signal given, the horses began to celebrate their new home with gusto. Food made by trial and error was eaten, drinks, also made by trial and error, were drank. Many a poor soul would ended up with a painful head and/or stomach the next day.

But none of that mattered. For this night was a night of celebration, the first of many if they had any to say about it. Music would resound from the mountain and across the peaks of the Foal Mountains for the entirety of the night. With the moon looming over them with its burning specter staring down upon them, not frightening them, but bringing them comfort.

In the cities of Baltimare and Fillydelphia were the festivities bright and warm, even more so then last year. As the damage of the Draconic Incursion were still not done being repaired had the spirit of the holiday been rather dampened. But with the repairs on the city progressing much better in the recent year has the ponies begun to experience a lot more holiday cheer.

The streets were lit up with bright lights, stands with various kinds of food, toys, candies, clothes and other things were spread out all over the cities. With hundreds of ponies walking around eating and having a merry good time celebrating the holiday in a proper manner of spirit since the horrific incidents that occurred during the Draconic Incursion.

Many of those who had gone through a lot of hardships were feeling better about the future at the sight of the smiles, and the sound of laughter, filling the streets. There was very few faces without a smile on their lips as the citizens of Equestria began to truly recover from the horrors they had lived through.

But not every pony was having a cheerful time in the east. In a slightly obscured area of the city's recently restored park, was a teenage filly hitting a wooden pole with a heavy wooden stick. Loud whacks and thumps could be heard as the filly swung the wooden structure in a mad frenzy. The wooden pole was well scratched up and cracked at several places from her constant hitting it.

She swung it in a sideways arch, the pole swaying at the force behind the stick made its shape bend slightly. The filly felt her forelegs shake from the impact but she let out a gutsy cry and swung it back in a reverse up going diagonal swing, and the pole swayed to the other side as another loud thwack was heard as it was struck once more.

Bright Light had not recovered from her traumatized experience of the Draconic Incursion. If anything had her hatred, anger and motivation only grown ever since. Half a year after she ended up at the orphanage she stopped isolating herself, if only to keep up a facade of false mellowness to the mare handling the place.

But when she was in private she would study what books she could, she would sneak off at nights and spend hours training combat techniques described within many of the books she read. All for one clear purpose. To become strong. Strong enough. To one day take her revenge. And kill all the dragons.

Rearing back both of her forelegs she swung down the stick and a loud crack erupted and splinters flew around as the wooden stick in her hooves shattered. The young filly slumped forward and panted loudly as sweat dripped down her face and onto the grass. Her forelegs were so strained that they felt numb, she could barely move them.

She grit her teeth as she struggled to stand up, unwilling to let herself quit just because her body was protesting. After five minutes she struggled up on her rear legs again and reached down to pull up the more intact part of the stick, changing her grip from a two hoof grip to a one hoof grip instead. Wielding it not as one would a sword, but a one would a light blade or a thick dagger.

Rearing back her left foreleg she screamed out a wordless battle cry and made a stabbing movement at one of the larger cracks of the pole. And when her broken weapon struck the wood there was a loud crunch was heard before a loud thump followed, a the wooden pole finally had, had enough and splintered off at the middle. The fibers of the wooden pole tearing themselves apart as the force behind the strike finally made them break and caused the upper half of the pole to hit the soft grass on the ground.

Panting Bright Light felt her body fall forward, unable to stand as she had finally exerted herself too much. Her small body struck the ground. Exhausted enough to not be able to move her head without a painful sensation, the filly leaned her cheek against the base of the wooden pol. Breathing heavily she just laid there on the grass, feeling the strain on her body as muscles all over it experienced spasms and twitches from overuse.

Bright Light's muzzle was pressed into the grassy ground, filling her nostrils with the scent of sweat mixed with dirt and moist grass. Her eyes were still acting though, unwilling to stop burning with such an intensity one would assume she was ready to spring back up and rip apart another target, if it was not for the fact that she was lying down in a state of utter exhaustion.

Growling out in utter frustration she grit her teeth and tried to struggle up again. Only to slump back down with a groan. She hated how weak her body was. It was infuriating how little she could do. She was not able to train, not able to fight and not able to kill dragons.

As she laid then grumbling in anger about her own weakness, came the sound of hoofsteps from behind the bushes blocking out the sight of her tiny training ground. She went dead silent and tried to make herself as soundless as possible, even going as far as to close her eyes and slowly try to enter a state of sleep.

Nopony was to discover her actions. She did not want to be restricted from leaving the orphanage, that would delay her plan to grow stronger! And so she tried her best to just lay down there and pray that whoever was walking in the bushes did not spot her.

Her hopes were dashed when the voice of a mare spoke up from behind her. "Oh you foolish foal. You are going to kill yourself like this."

A pair of strong hooves lifted her off the ground and the young filly could do nothing but play unconscious as she laid there on the pegasus mare's back. The feeling of soft wings against her hind and forelegs giving away the species of the one carrying her.

But none of that mattered to little Bright Light, for her mind was focused on one thing at the moment. Why did the mare speak as if she KNEW that she had been training like this before tonight? Had she been spied on and not realized it!?

She had to grit her teeth as to not scream out and demand answers as the mare carried her through the streets o the city. Everypony were too busy partying to take much notice, and even then it just looked like a young foal who had fallen asleep and was being carried home.

Bright Light did not make a sound as the familiar outskirts of the orphanage came into view, the mare carrying her opened the door to the orphanage. How she had the key made no sense to Bright Light as far as she knew was only the caretaker allowed to have the key and she was an earth pony.

She felt herself being tucked into a familiar soft and warm bed, her sore muscles twitching even as the mare was very gentle and careful when putting her down on the bedding. Bright Light felt a hoof gently rub her head before the mare spoke up with a solemn tone. "I cannot fault your behavior. I too lost much of my home and family when the dragons came. The Gods only know how much I have overworked myself, mentally and physically, for these past two years."

A soft and drawn out sigh was heard before the hoof rubbing Bright Light's head was removed an the mare left the room. Before the door closed the mare spoke up one final time before closing the door. "If you still desire to learn how to fight, seek out the Order of the Golden Cross. There, you can learn at a phase suited for your age. You do not need to join if you do not want to, but you can still learn."

Bright Light opened her eyes as the door closed and looked up at the ceiling of her room. She was not certain how, but that mare had known she had been awake the entire time. It made her feel insecure and awkward. But at the same time, it also made her think about what the mare had said.

Seek out the Order of the Golden Cross. She had no idea one could do so as an orphan without financial support. But if what the mare had said was true, then there was a chance that she could learn from the order. She did not need to join it, only learn from it.

That was all she desired.

Five days after the celebration of Hearth's Warming Eve would young Bright Light leave the orphanage to seek out the Order of the Golden Cross, and from that decision would a legend rise from Equestria. One spoken of for countless generations.

Princess Celestia was standing in the garden of her castle. The roses starting to push out of the spring warmed soil. Her eyes were looking upon the statue of Discord as he stood there, like a mocking insult to her with his cheerful visage. She truly did not wish to be reminded of his insanity and wicked pranks.

But she needed to keep an eye on him, especially considering that he had nearly broken free two months ago. One of her guards had reported it to her. He had spotted small cracks taking shape on Discord's petrified form.

In a panic she had retrieved the Elements of Harmony from the sealed vaults beneath her castle and rushed out to reinforce his petrification. It made sense, the Lord of Chaos was locked within stone by the Elements of harmony over a century ago. It should not have deteriorated so quickly and certainly not like this!

When she had used the Elements to empower the petrification had she at first felt relieved. But, as if to mock her, had new cracks appeared upon Discord's body after seven days.

Thus she had to utilize the Elements in a way she had never considered before. She positioned six pillars of marble around Discord's body, and by utilizing the techniques she had learned from the Horses she crafted a suppression field, powered by the Elements of Harmony's magic to keep Discord's petrification in place.

So far had nothing wrong happened since. But she made sure to make regular checks on Discord's prison from there on out. and kept a constant watch over his prison with patrolling guards.

It had been a terrifying event. One that had distracted her a bit from her regular duties. But she had pulled through. Discord would not be getting free just yet.

But she was concerned, deeply concerned, for why Discord's petrification was being released so early. According to the information she and her sister had gathered would the Elements of Harmony's magic last for a thousand summers. It had not even been one fifth of that period of time.

Though it concerned her deeply, she made a note to investigate it later. For now, she had to keep an eye on another important project of hers. One involving an important prisoner that could very well end the threat of another Draconic Incursion. Said prisoner had made a deal with her, one that she had been reluctant but willing to agree to, as long as he kept his end of the bargain.

So for now. The issues with Discord and the Elements of Harmony had to be put aside for a while. At least, until the immediate danger had passed.

Glancing at the stone statue that was her old foe she let out a long suffering sigh before walking back towards her office. She needed to get in contact with her forces at Baltimare City. The future interaction with the dragons depended on it.

Captain Rapid Fire looked out at the training area in the courtyard of her HQ, the Iron Castle, the recently finished castle had been named after her father who died in his attempt in stalling the dragon's first assault of Equestria. It made her both proud and sad knowing that his sacrifice would be remembered long after he died.

She was dressed in her uniform, but still had her greaves and shoulder pauldrons on even when off duty, a habit she developed because of her experience with the dragons. She would normally wear all of her armour, but her belly was swelling because of a pair of growing foals inside and thus she could not properly wear her armour's belly and breast parts. It was a joyful event for her and her coltfriend, turned fiance, Sure Shot.

But currently those warm thoughts were not what was occupying her mind. Her mind was focused on another matters. Out in the courtyard were a group of ponies going through various stances and movements while wielding wooden weapons.

These ponies were all part of the Recruitment Test Period. A test made by the Order of the Golden Cross to give ponies an option to learn basic combat skills and several basic skills like survival, medicine, magical treatments and tactics, just to name a few.

But the true purpose of the Recruitment Test Period was one rather obvious. It was the basis for the recruitment drive of the Order of the Golden Cross, were ponies with potential, skill or other positive values, were offered positions as Recruits of the Order. Ponies showing good talent, character, body, charisma and heart.

Even should the ponies not be able to pass the trials of the Recruitment Test Period, would they still have obtained a great deal of physical and mental discipline for any danger that may befall them in the future. And should they wish to retake the test, they would be allowed to try again.

Each Test Period lasted half a year and those who passed the requirements were offered to become Recruits by the Order. This way of seeking out recruits had been decided by the Grand Master of the Order, Grand Music, after the Draconic Incursion. For he had foreseen that his Order needed a different way to recruit new members, while at the same time offering aid to those outside of the order.

Thus the RTP had been formed. Causing the popularity and recruitment of the Order to skyrocket within the last two years, nearly doubling its recruitment result since its foundation.

And one of these current recruits was a certain young filly that Rapid Fire had grown rather attached to. It had been an incident really, she had been going on a walk, visiting various parts of the town, when she got to a certain part of the park. There she had found a young unicorn filly swinging a wooden stick at a crude but sturdy wooden pole.

At first she had wanted to offer the filly support and guidance. But then she saw how the filly let out a wordless cry and swung her wooden stick into the poke, breaking the stick in half. Before breaking down into tears. She realized that the filly was one of the victims of the Dragons, she was not the first she had witnessed bearing anger and sorrow ever since those horrible days.

So she kept her distance, but kept watch of the filly, helping her out with minor things from outside of her sight. Repairing her wooden pole, putting down wooden swords in the bushes. Putting down a bag of apples, making it look like they had been dropped. It had been a year since she started secretly supporting the young unicorn.

And when she saw her work herself to exhaustion, the first time she had ever actually seen it, she knew that the filly would only endanger herself if she kept going like she did. So she moved out of hiding and gently carried the young foal back to her home, entering by using the key given to her by the mare who ran the orphanage. And before leaving she offered the young foal an advice, to seek out her Order and participate in the training offered by them.

It was a decision she was not regretting. The young filly was training hard, but at a pace better suited for her body. She would spend the time she was not training or taking lessons, by reading various books and scrolls in the castle library. It was free for anyone to seek knowledge, one of the creeds of the Order of the Golden Cross was that a healthy mind was just as important as a healthy body.

The subjects mostly involved dragons, various kinds of weapon techniques and combat spells. But she also read about tactics, history, herbology, mechanics, engineering and any other subject that she could find. It made it clear that the filly was not learning things just for the sake of learning. She had a goal and it was one that Rapid Fire had realized long before she suggested the foal to take this path.

"She reminds me of you a bit Rapid." Her fiance Sure Shot said as he walked up next to her by the window. The Earth Pony wore a black eye-patch and had tattooed a dragon skull, with the number 1 on its forehead, to his left shoulder, marking him as the first pony to kill a dragon. He was not as decent a shoot as he once had been but he could teach and he was still a better shoot then most even with his handicap.

"Hmmmm... how so?" She asked him while looking as young Bright Light swung her wooden sword at another potential Recruit who blocked it with a shield, before kicking said shield, and making her opponent fall on her back. Bright Light then pointed her blade at the throat of the other filly, and the instructor announced her as the victor, before going into a long lecture about stances, unpredictable opponents and using tricks in combat.

"She is constantly training or studying, she does not speak much to others. No one seems to be willing to approach her as she acts cold and focused to the point that she seems emotionless. Oh, and she apparently has a secret enjoyment for sneaking into the kitchen to steal cooking, while pretending to be training stealth." A loud whack sounded through the office as the chuckling stallion got a loud, but painless, slap on the back of his head by his fiancee who was blushing crimson.

"I told you, sneaking into the kitchen is an excellent way to train yourself for infiltration! Avoiding those stingy chefs is an effort in itself!" Her fiance just raised his hooves in surrender as she denied his awful accusations. She was Captain Rapid Fire! A powerful commanding officer of the Order of the Golden Cross! She did not have a sweet tooth! And going by the gentle kicks in her belly was her little darlings agreeing with her!

"Sure, sure." High Knight and Herald Sure Shot said with a grin as she glared at him.

He then turned serious and looked out of the window at the young recruit as she was being shown the way to use an axe to destroy or remove shields. "So I take it you have spoken to our... guest, about the circumstances for his release?"

She let out a suffering sigh before walking over to her desk and pulled out the paperwork she would have to work on. "Aye. He is willing to teach them what he knows, but in return he wants something peculiar."

"What would that be?" Sure Shot wondered.

Rapid Fire pulled out a sheet of paper and stamped her sigil on it before showing him it. "He wants some of our recruits as students. So that he can mold into ponies who can show his kind the errors of their ways. Through violence."

The knight looked at the paper sheet in his hoof and his eyes grew wide. "You cannot possibly mean to give him Bright Light as one of those recruits."

With a heavy sigh the Captain of Iron Castle began to write on the paperwork on her desk. She did not like what she had to do but it was for the best for everypony, and non-ponies. "I do. Young Bright Light is a promising student and would no doubt fit all the marks that he wishes for in a pony to teach. And I doubt she would refuse the offer, after all, she desires it just as much as he does."

"I can get that he is an important figure. But why are we giving him so much leeway with our recruits, he is a prisoner!" Rapid Shot bit out in a loud growl. He disliked the prisoner in question on principle alone, but he knew the reason why they were to treat him with such respect.

As his pregnant fiancee was swift to remind him of, not that he needed it. "A ROYAL prisoner. Who is not just the oldest of the few dozen remaining members of his family but also one who has lost all will to fight against us. And Princess Celestia stated that we are to keep him safe until he has recovered enough to return home to his homeland so his kind keeps away from us. Or at least stop seeing us as prey or weak targets."

Sure Shot pressed his left hoof against his face and let out a long and drawn out groan as he tried to think up something, anything, that could make his headache lessen. He did not find any solution. "I don't know why but I feel like we're not going to be the only ones who feel like we've won and yet lost at the same time."

And going by the sour look on Rapid Fire's face he was clearly not alone in thinking like so.

After all, how could they not feel like the battles fought had a bit less value, when one of those who assaulted their lands, was to be sent back. Even though crippled physically and mentally he was still one of the monsters who had killed and wounded ponies all over the kingdom.

No matter his purpose, he was still a bloody monster of a dragon in their eyes.

Then her door opened and she looked up as a soldier arrived. A mare earth pony dressed in bronze armour, carrying a glowing orb in a basket strapped to her side.

Saluting to the two knights the mare then reached into her basket and held out the orb to the two officers. "Messenger Steady Phase reporting in Captain! I am carrying a Comm Orb connected to Princess Celestia! She intends to watch the interaction of the Prisoner and the Cadets from a distance!"

And Captain Rapid Fire felt a headache rising.

Bright Light swung her wooden axe at the left side of her opponent as she blocked his own wooden axe with her shield. The wooden blade struck the joint of the armour and dug into the older pony's side. She did not smirk, smile or frown at her defeated foe. She merely nodded at him when the Knight watching over the spar announced her victory. "Bright Light wins!"

As the two ponies stopped fighting the trainer turned towards the others, all of them battered and dirty from fighting each other. "That's the final sparring match for today. Line up in proper order and wait for now. Captain Rapid Fire has a special announcement to make today."

The two ponies left the sand filled square and walked over to join the rest of their fellow trainees as they were getting into a line as they had been instructed. Soon the line was established, ordered by size and age. Each of them were standing at attention, trying to keep their shaking legs from showing as their trainer inspected their postures.

It was not a harsh inspection, they were not true soldiers or knights, just volunteers who were being trained and tested. So complete military discipline and training tactics was not on the menu. Though their physical training was harsh was it meant to push them to their limits, while motivating them to keep going past them.

A work in progress but the results were very promising.

Ten minutes went by as the group of thirty or so trainees stood at attention in the courtyard, then the two large doors to the central keep of the fortress opened. Out came a group of thirty knights, and the two leading officers of the castle. Rapid Fire and Sure Shot.

Behind them were the gates still open, and the trainees could all see even more knights moving inside of the great hall of the keep itself. They were moving in a large group, armed to the teeth, some even wielding their weapons with their mouth. they were guarding something that was being taken out of the keep.

But no one could see what it was, except it looked big, and red.

Had Rapid Fire not started speaking would their attention been entirely on the doors behind her. "I am glad to see you are all progressing well. It has been a good few months since you all started training with us and I am proud to say that you all show great promise."

Most of them grew smiles and stood a little straighter, but some, among them Bright Light, did not show any clear reaction to her compliments. But that did not bother Captain Rapid Fire, but she still made a slight frown as a loud stomp was heard from behind her and she really did not want to speak about what she was about to, but it was a royal decree so she had to do her duty.

"As you all may have heard is Princess Celestia working to prevent any further conflicts between us and the dragons. But as you might have guessed, are we rather limited in connecting with them since they live on the other side of the Celestial Sea. Thus Princess Celestia has gotten into contact with someone who... can help us bring words to the dragons." The recruits looked at one another at those words. They had indeed heard about the Princess' efforts in handling the dragons, it had been hot news for a year now ever since Celestia made it clear that she intended to ensure that the dragons would know the consequences if they decided to try another invasion of Equestria.

But the fact that she was going to use diplomacy was news to them. Many had believed that Celestia would be utilizing her military or even her magical abilities, to force the dragons to submit. The fact that she was not going to do so, made some of them unease, but many felt relieved, since no one felt like invading the dragon's home turf, which was unknown territory.

Bright Light felt frustration and anger fill her body at the thought of ending hostility with the dragons. She did not enjoy the thought of those monsters escaping judgement for their crimes.

Her thoughts were muted however when Rapid Fire spoke up again, and made a sweeping motion with her left foreleg towards the open gates of the central keep. "And we, have the 'privilege' to be housing said person, until he has recovered enough to return to his kin. Presenting Prince Clash, the eldest heir of the Rockfire Clan."

Out of the gates came a red dragon the size of a small house. A long serpentine neck, a snake like head with two curved horns, yellow eyes, thick crimson scaly hide, four large muscular limbs, and two large bat like wings. The body of the dragon was large and clearly powerful. But it was badly injured. His left wing was half covered by white bindings and wooden straps, while his left hind leg was supported by a wooden frame with a wheel. Slash marks all over the frontal portions of the body were covered up by either salves or improvised bandages.

It looked like the dragon had flown into a forest of swords, and somehow survived.

As one the cadets opened their mouths to scream out in either fear, anger or shock. Bright Light glared at the monster and reached towards the dagger she had strapped to her left side.

But before anyone could do anything, was Rapid Fire's voice cracking out like a thunder burst and every pony in the courtyard went stiff. Even the dragon reared back a little at the strength of her vocal cords."No interruptions!"

She gave a stern look an a strong glare at the recruits, all who felt a little ashamed of their lack of discipline. But then her expression softened and she let out a sigh before speaking out to them once more. "Believe me none of us are happy with this. But the alternative is that the dragons may attempt to invade us again. What Prince Clash is meant to do, once he has recovered. Is to go back and tell the other Dragons, in the best manner he can, to cease all hostile actions with us and in turn, we won't be killing them on sight, unless the dragon in question deserves it."

At those words the dragon let out a rumbling snort, a gush of smoke erupting out of his nostrils. And for the first time since he had been revealed, he spoke. "Hmph. Believe me pony. None of my kind would have considered that threat of yours even worthy of attention, once. But that's no longer possible for either me or my other kin. You ponies have defeated and killed some of the oldest and largest of my kind. Proving that we need to change like you have, or our lives, if not the existence of our very race, might be in jeopardy."

At those words the cadets went silent and looked at the crimson beast with confused, shocked, angry and slightly, wondering gazes. This was the first time some of them had even seen a living dragon, most of them had seen or encountered dragons before. But none of them had heard a dragon stating that he considered ponies to be a threat not just to his family and home. But his very species.

It felt slightly sickening for some of them, and yet they also felt slightly... proud, that such a creature would show their kind respect, when before all they had been in their eyes was talking food.

But Clash did not take note of this. He was young for a dragon, but that just meant he was able to adapt better then the elders of his kind. But it was the leadership of one such elder that had nearly caused the death of his entire clan. So those old slugs could go fuck a volcano for all he cared, their traditions would not become the death of the dragons. Even if it took him or them, preferable them, dying while he was trying to beat sense into their thick skull.

Sighing softly the large dragon rubbed his left cheek, were a deep gash covered by red stained white cloth was stretching over his cheek, jaw and left eye. He had been lucky he had not lost the eye, and even then he might not be able to see properly through it for years. "The old ways have lost their purpose now that you ponies have proven yourself more dangerous then my kind. If we dragons are to survive in a world with dragon hunting ponies, we have to change too. I will have to take control of my clan and tell them how things are going to go. Spread the word to the other clans and try to convince the elders that we cannot remain as we are. Even if some of them die because of their refusal to change, is the death of a few stubborn fools a better alternative then you ponies killing us all because of arrogance and stupidity. Flaws that I myself, was guilty of before you ponies defeated me and left me near crippled."

The group of recruits, heck even some of the knights, looked rather uncomfortable with what the dragon was saying. For a dragon to be willing to literally commit murder on other dragons to ensure his race was not rendered extinct by ponies was... disturbing. Both the fact that the dragon was speaking so casually about murdering his own kind, and that he actually thought ponies would hunt his kind to extinction if he did not go that far.

The only pony not uncomfortable by all this was Bright Light and the veterans of the Draconic Incursion. But while the veterans were jaded and hardened to such brutal truths, was Bright Light actually finding the whole thing inspiring, and amusing. For a dragon to be willing to kill his own to keep the rest safe from ponies was the peak of irony.

Rapid Fire took the chance to explain further to the slightly pale ponies. "Which brings us to one of the reasons why Clash has been let out of his cell today. You see, we have been gathering intel and volunteers all over known Equestria for the last year for not just recruiting and training ponies. But we have also done so to complete one of the two requests made by Prince Clash. It may seem a bit odd for a prisoner to request something in return, but in this case, it makes sense."

"I will explain it to them." The pony knight let out a snort of disgust when the dragon spoke up but let him have his say.

The large draconic being stepped forward and sat down before the gathered trainees. Their bodies were shivering at the close presence of the massive predator, but their training and will made them endure his close presence. but some of them looked more skittish then brave when the dragon opened his jaws, and began to speak to them. "Now listen up. What we dragons use to mark our status among the clans are the following, Wealth, Size, Power, Age, and Cunning. While you ponies are lacking in Size, Age and Power have you overcome us in Wealth and Cunning enough to overcome the other three."

"But there is going to be those who will dismiss these factors even if it would mean their, or our very race's, doom. Thus I made two conditions for me to help you stop my kin's self destructive ways. One of them was that I wanted students. I want to recruit some of you ponies, to teach you how we dragons act and fight. I want to develop a group of dragon hunting warriors, for the sole purpose of showing my kind, just why we have to break down our traditions." There was a long silence a the recruits stared in shock at the dragon. Even Bright Light had lost control over her facial expression and was staring with wide eyes and slightly agape mouth at what she had just heard.

"You intend to teach us, to hunt your own kind!?" One of them finally shouted out in a loud and baffled voice.

Clash, just nodded and confirmed the insane statement, as true. For that was indeed his plan. "Yes. For I know, as many of my surviving kin know, that we cannot hope to return to the old ways. The world has changed a lot in these short centuries, with the banishment of the Chaos Lord and the sudden growing strength of your kind. We dragons are slow to adapt, some say that it is not us who adapt but the world around us adapt to our presence. And in some ways this is true. But this time, the world has adapted in a way that could end us. If we do not start adapting we will be lost, piles of bones of a dead species."

He lowered his head and looked at the cadets, slowly scanning their faces and eyes while he kept talking. His breath, stinking of sulfur, ash and burnt flesh made some of them cough, but no one was willing to look away from his scanning eyes. "Thus I ask of you, are you willing to learn from me? To learn the ways of my kind, so that you can help me in making them change those ways. Are you willing to learn from your former enemy, so you may hunt those of us who will not change their ways? And prove yourselves, superior. What say you?"

There was an eerie silence as the recruits mentally digested the cascade of emotions and thoughts running through their brains from the overflow of information they had just received. Many of them almost went blank, on the edge of going into shock, at the concept that if they agreed to this insane scheme, they would be made into a group of ponies, trained to hunt down dragons.

It was not an easy concept to swallow. Especially when considering that the one who would be training them. Was a dragon himself.

The young adult dragon looked at each of the cadets and his yellow eyes almost glowed as he looked at them. None of them were backing down, sure some of them were shaking or even flinching, but no one physically backed away from his gaze. And so he asked, one final time, for their answer. "What say you?"

While laying down on a large cushion in her personal room was a certain alicorn levitating a glowing orb that was glowing as an image of the occurring scene in Iron Keep.

And as she looked at the dragon as he offered to teach the young ponies how to fight his kind she felt both disgusted and curious, of how things would proceed. She personally could not figure out why he would be willing to teach ponies how to kill his own kind just to make a point.

Had it been one of her own ponies willingly offering to teach an enemy how to kill ponies, she would no doubt had considered them either insane or deranged. But she knew that she could not compare the behaviour of a dragon to a pony. They had another way of thinking and acting.

The world would be so much easier if all creatures behaved like ponies. But that was wishful thinking. She knew that even among her own kind are there those who can act just as violently as a dragon, and find that they had done no wrong, or had acting for the good of the many.

Sighing she levitated the Comm Orb closer as the dragon asked once more for an answer. And examined the faces of each recruit as they were given the option, to be taught by the dragon. "We cannot tell what may occur in the future. But We know this much. Things art not going to be boring."

Putting down the, no longer glowing, orb on the table by her large cushion Celestia flopped over onto her side and let out a suffering drawn out groan. With a flick of telekinetic magi she tossed off her tiara and covered her eyes with her forelegs. She laid there in contemplation of what the future would bring her nation and people.

But those thoughts were momentarily shrouded, as her eyes shimmered green for a few seconds and she found herself snarling as the memory of Maleficus' confessing his sins to her all those years ago.

Slowly pushing herself up from the cushions she slammed the glass doors to her balcony shut and shrouded her room in a zone without sound, effectively rending the entire room mute. And then she let out a scream of rage as tears began to pour down her cheeks and she launched bolts of energy at the white marble wall inside of her own room.

A few moments of rampaging later she was sitting on the cushion, her eyes glowing while her mane and tail were clouds of flames. Her entire room a ruined mess. She turned her head to fire another bolt of energy when her eyes went wide at the sight of the painting hanging on the undamaged portion of her room's southern wall.

The painting of her and her little sister, sitting together on a pair of thrones, smiling. It was an old painting, one of the few things she managed to save from her old home in Everfree. It had gone undamaged in her rampage, but she realized that had she fired off the bolt currently sparkling above her horn, it would have been torn asunder.

Her magic sputtered out as her temper cooled. And thus her mane and tail turned back to their rainbow like cloud like state. But her tears kept flowing, her forelegs started trembling, and then she finally cracked under the pressure and broke down. Her forelegs went limp and the Princess of the Sun's went from sitting to collapsing on the cushion.

She laid there, her tears unable to stop flowing. Her body was shaking as her emotions ravaged her soul and mind. When her strength started to return to her limbs, she slowly pulled them up and crossed them beneath her head. And then she buried her face into the folded space of her forelegs and started weeping. Her wings, roughed up by her rage, were folded out in a downward angle, touching the floor, in an undignified manner.

The ponies outside would never hear her pained cries as no sound could be sensed from the room. Nor would they see her washed away tear stains or red shot eyes as she left it after repairing the damage had caused. And yet, a deep dark shroud fell upon the castle that day and night. With many ponies feeling rather uncomfortable inside of the castle until Princess Celestia went to sleep.

She dreamed of lost times and lost battles. Constantly reminded of her own failure in defeating her hated enemy. Needless to say, Celestia was not in a good mood for quite a while.

Within the jagged snow covered peaks of the mountain chain known as the Foal Mountains stood a tall tower, carved out of one of the earlier mentioned peaks. A grey snow covered stone tower with thick straight lines going up its cylindrical shape, four in total, one marked for south, north, west and south. The thick lines moved upwards along the entire length of the tower, before ending up into four thick obelisks which stood out at the top of the tower, making it look almost like some manner of grown or misshapen claw.

Inside of one of the chambers of this tower, was a group of robed individuals gathering within a large chamber. Large equine beings dressed in well made common robes. Horses, members of the race created by Maleficus, his secret agents acting in his absence to protect the ponies and the land they live in.

These specific horses were the Horadrim, the leaders of the Horadrim Kingdom, and today, was one of their important meetings to discuss matters not for others to hear.

"How is the progress of Project Skyheim and Golden Apple going?" Lord Asclepius, also known as Cursed Blessing, asked his fellow Horadrims as they gathered once more by a large wooden table, bearing the map marking their developing cities and strongholds.

One of the horses pulled out a scroll and unfurled it. As the mare read the scroll she gave him the report verbally. "Skyheim has reached fifty percentage in completion. While Project Golden Apple has reached thirty percentage of completion. Of the ten spots we have chosen have seven reached 100% completion in structure and architecture. Yamale of the Samurais was the first to be completed. Followed by Järngård of the Vikings. The Saints' Chapel of the Knights was completed a bit afterwards. Then the Spartans finished with Póli ton Álogo a few months ago. While the two larger farming spots have completed their neutral trading towns just this week. Both of the farm towns have been given names, after the main crops they produce. High Corn and Grand Grainosa."

Muffled snickering erupted from some of the horses as she told them the names of the two trade towns. It was obviously humorous, but most kept a straight face. The mare kept talking, not even reacting the snickers of her colleagues. "Two of the remaining three spots are the resource rich spots we have prospected for acquiring ore, wood, herbs and other things we are not capable of producing ourselves en mass, not yet at least. Since these spots are the largest will the time for their completion be the longest. At least another two years by our worker's best estimates. Eight by the worst estimates."

There was some nods from the other horses in the chamber, the time they had to finish the job was well beyond the estimated timeline made by their workers. As long as the work was completed before the next Red Solar Eclipse then all was well.

The mare then finished her report with the words on the final spot. "And lastly there is the Tenth Spot, which is not only our intended Main Stronghold, but also the spot for where we shall be developing and producing most of our tech and magical projects. One of which is the delayed Project Bifrost."

Ears perked and the horses listened with deep interest to know of the progress of the project for their main stronghold and research facility. The importance of the Tenth Spot could not be questioned. It was vital for not just the future of their nation, but the future of their Father.

"The location in question is secret to anyone except for us horses. As the place we have chosen is isolated and with a lot of snow and rock has progress been slow. But they believe that they will be able to finishing the carving of the exterior and interior of the fortress within the next three years or so. As it does not cover such vast space like High Corn and Grand Grainosa. Project Bifrost is still on stand by since we do not wish to risk working without the proper working space and gear." She took a deep breath before letting it out. The mare drank some water from a wooden cup by her seat by the table. And then cleared her throat a bit before she continued reading.

"Project Golden Apple has reached the experimentation phase, and should be completed within the next four years or so. The team working on the project has notified that a smaller test model has been created and functions as intended. So both of our current Priority Projects have reached a total progression of forty percent. And out of the two is Project Golden Apple the one that may take the longest because we need to finish Project Skyheim first." And with those final words spoken she closed the scroll bearing the written report and looked at the other Horadrims.

"Thus I conclude the report." Happy smiles and eager murmuring filled the room as the report was concluded. The fact that one of their most important projects would be completed within less then half a decade was great news to their efforts.

Cursed Blessing tapped the table to get the attention of the others and spoke out to them as they finally stopped talking. "A great result of our current efforts. I have even personally witnessed the prototype of Project Golden Apple. It is currently being tested in a secret location. And even though it is just the size of a large building is the very fact that it is working proof that we are on the right track."

He then raised a hoof and levitated a blueprint bearing the blueprint of their father's prototype mana engine. "As for my personal efforts. I have managed to create a prototype of Project Uru, the mana engine works as described by our father's notes and theories. It converts atmospheric mana into power and can even store a large amount of mana indefinitely from what tests I have conducted. The prototype alone was enough to power the prototype of Golden Apple for almost six hours. And it had only been allowed to absorb mana for ten minutes. It converts the raw mana into a far more potent power, nearly ten times more efficient. The energy does not appear to be harmful but tests are still being made as we speak.. "

After that report went things to less important, but still essential matters.

Things were going great and not just with their planned projects. But some were a it worried about ho the population of the horses had grown exponentially ever since the end of the Draconic Incursion. Almost to the point of recklessness.

With partners picking out one another and having foals to raise. The first natural born horse had been a mare, and after it had been proven that they had not been made sterile in their creation ,had the horses exploded into a population boom.

What had once numbered in less then two thousand, had become almost six thousand in the past three years. With more then one average case of twins, and even triplets, accounting for it. Not to mentions that many of the mares somehow found the process of raising foals and wanted more to raise. There was even a case where a single mare had given birth up to nine foals, three once a year, and she was already pregnant again.

It was almost so that the stallions could not keep up with the mares. But the horse were made equal in physical stature, which included stamina and strength, and thus had there been no reports of unsatisfied relationships as of yet.

The happy murmurs and smiles spread once more and more reports were spoken, not as exciting as the great efforts and successes of their projects but still a great morale booster to the horses and their efforts. Two hours went past and drinks were shared, before the meeting was adjourned and the Horadrims left the chamber, taking their notes and reports with them.

Leaving behind the large map, with the markings of their Holdings along the Foal Mountain. Each marking in the shape of a triangle of either blue, green, black or red. With another, Eleventh Marking, located not in the Foal Mountains. But further south east, in the thick unexplored Marshlands of the east coast. And unlike the other markings, it was only marked with a yellow circle, not with a coloured triangle.

The cold winter night blew across the city of Baltimare. Thick specks of snow falling down upon the region as the firs naturally occurring snowfall of Equestria was brought upon its lands. The streets were empty except for a few guards patrolling, while pushing aside the snow to better move across the now white covered streets.

But not just the guards were active. Within the first lower floor of the dungeons was a large cell located net to the courtyard. A large iron barred window was located on the upper edge of one of the four falls inside the large cell. Flakes of snow was flying into the cell, dancing with the wind and moving through the dim light of a burning candlestick.

A large shape was lying down on a pile of pillows, a large talon gripping a large wooden pen the size of an oar, while slowly writing upon the surface of parchments the size of war banners. It was the red dragon Clash, the oldest heir to the Rockfire Clan.

Clash silently sat by the large table he had been given, his heavily bandaged body had almost recovered to the point where he could fly again. Thus he only had about half a year before he would be returning home. He had to write down what he could about his grand father's failed feast and of the progress of the ponies. But Clash was certain his documents would be ignored by most.

Very few dragons outside of the ruling families of the clans even knew how to read or write. Nor did they write on such thin material like parchments, nor with ink. They wrote down their records on solid stone walls or flat marble slabs, using their claws as writing utensils. It had taken Clash a good month to learn how to write with this over-sized bird feather and the strange black ichor called ink on the flimsy parchments the ponies had given him a year back.

It had taken him a good deal longer to learn the alphabet and written language of the ponies to write his reports. He had, actually had no idea that writing a report in his own language would cause such a strange reaction from the ponies. It was as if they expected the dragon to be illiterate, or even know what words and letters were, even though he had asked for something to write on even before he made his efforts to train his volunteers.

It was still a whimsy tool, but at least it was an efficient whimsy tool. Plus it gave him something to do while he was recovering or when he was not writing down the progress of his students.

As he contemplated this he heard a soft thunk in the hallway beyond his cell. But Clash did not bother looking up from his work and verbally greeted his visitor. "Good evening Bright Light, I see you have completed your final task of the day."

A dirty and exhausted filly dressed in thick clothing walked down the hallway to the cell. She was covered with snow and mud, and by the scraps on her hooves she had been doing some rather straining physical work for a long time.

She did not respond to the dragon's greeting and just stood in front of the bars of his large cell. Clash did not speak up for a bit and just kept writing, and Bright Light remained silently standing in front of his bars.

As the final strokes of the claw like letters was drawn the dragon rested the large quill in its ink bucket and turned to face Bright Light.

"A test. Your mind is your most vital weapon and thus you need to hone it. If you fail, you are to work for the rest of the night on digging the trenches outside of the keep." Bright Light raised her eyes and looked at him coldly, the dragon good a smirk on his lips at that determined face. It reminded him so much of what he was like just a few years back.

"Never whispering, Never speaking, Never screaming, Never howling, Yet you always hear me. What am I?" The riddle echoed through the dungeon for a few seconds and a drop of melted snow slid off Bright Light's coat and struck the rocky with a loud prickling sound.

She answered just before a second drop hit the ground. "Your heart."

Chuckling Clash nodded and pulled out a small emerald from a bowl on his test and rolled it between his talons. "Yes, very good. Now this one."

And the dragon spoke out yet another riddle. "Always there, yet never seen. Always breathing, yet never speaking. Always moving, yet never stopping. What am I?"

"The Wind." The answer came almost instantly and the dragon tossed the emerald into his mouth and chewed the gemstone slowly before nodding with a content smile. The sweet taste of gemstones was always joyful to his mind. And so was Bright Light's answer. He missed the sensation of the wind while flying, and soon it would be returned to him.

"Correct. Now for one a bit more difficult." The dragon curled up onto his pillows and rested his head between his folded forelimbs. His large head resting a few meters in front of Bright Light's cloth covered body with the bars between them, even though he could very easily just break with his large frame or melt them with his fire.

"Broken in an instance. But always returns. A companion for the loner. Yet an enemy for the blind. What am I?" This time there was a bit more effort for the young filly. But before even half a minute had gone by, she knew the answer.

"The answer is Silence." A low chuckle filled the air as the dragon once more nodded to her successful efforts.

"Good. Very good. Now how about this one?" As he spoke the next riddle, he lazily stretched out his tail and grabbed hold of a sack in the corner of his cell.

"I last forever and yet you might have too much or too little of me, either way you will have enough of me. What am I??" The dragon opened the sack and moved his claw inside of it while the filly worked on the riddle.

The filly pondered this one a bit more, but before a minute had gone by she realized the answer and spoke it to her teacher. "...Time."

"Indeed Time is after all, something that all have, but will never have enough of. But it will not stop even if times run out for you. Very good. Now. This one is a bit tricky."

"I am whole when I am broken. I am broken when I am whole. The Poor have Me. The Rich want Me. The Dead know Me. The Blind sees Me. The Deaf hear Me. What am I?" There was a moment of silence, before the filly looked up.

"Nothing."

Erupting into laughter the dragon nodded. "Hahahahaha excellent. Now. The final question."

He reached out with his right claw, holding the retied sack in it. And spoke his final riddle. "What do I have in my sack?"

"Huh?" The sheer absurdity of the riddle made Bright Light fumble her words and she tried to figure out what he had just said. Since it did not feel like a riddle. It was more, like a question.

"Your answer?" The dragon asked with a wide grin, his jagged teeth showing as he looked down upon the filly.

Said filly untied the thick cloth over her head and glared at him. She then opened her mouth, and gave him her answer.

"..."

The dungeon erupted with the bellowing laughter of a massive dragon. The answer for that riddle, was indeed, something special.

Canterlot was covered with a light layer of snow. The rooftops looked like frozen mountain peaks and hills out of the windows of the taller buildings of the city. A bright shine of illuminated white covered the entire city and the mountain it was built from.

And yet, even with the snow covered roofs and streets, were there a great deal of colour hanging over the streets, decorating the entire town in festive decorations. These were no decorations for Heart's Warming Eve, no, this was something else.

A celebration of a most wonderful of events that would involve some of the city's most beloved citizens.

The weeding between Grand Master Grand Music and Master Knight Happy Meal after having been engaged for over four years now. And though most of their efforts to plan the wedding had taken a hit with the rising disturbances through the lands ever since the Draconic Incursion ended, were they finally going to commit the deed.

Although with the fact that Happy Meal was four months' pregnant had made their mother finally put her hoof down at them putting aside the Wedding Day for so long. Grand Feast was NOT going to let her children create trouble for their foals, and her grandfoals. While many ponies did not care about unmarried pregnancies, were there still plenty who did, especially among the nobility.

So when she was told about the pregnancy, a MONTH after Happy Meal got her buns made, she gave both of her foals a big lecture about proper sexual intercourse and the benefits of not telling your mother you were with child, spoiler alert, there is none. After thoroughly making her children blush into the colour of tomatoes she went from scolding mother, to scolding yet concerned mother.

Although she was surprised that Happy Meal had not gotten pregnant earlier considering how much of a pair of hornballs her children where ever since they started dating. It was like they were part rabbits.

So after scolding them for a bit she turned on her 'mothering' phase. And the two thoroughly embarrassed adult ponies found themselves convinced to pick a proper date for their wedding by their mother. Words got spread like a wild fire after the date had been decided, and even Princess Celestia was surprised, and yet delighted, by the news.

The Princess had been so busy working on the military build up of her forces for the Third Crusade that she had not even noticed the state of Happy Meal until she made a visit to the Temple of Law. She had been thoroughly scolding herself afterwards for forgetting to check on the ponies of Canterlot in her fervor to improve the military.

So the Princess decided to personally help with the wedding preparations, it had given her a most needed break from her self indulged guilt and fury. It also gave the military a chance to actually go through with several of the Princess' plans without her making them work overtime.

And now the date for the grand event had come.

Banners were drawn between the rooftops of the main street leading up towards the Temple of Law, flowers were decorating the city in numbers never before seen. Foals were laughing and playing among the adults as vendors were selling various types of food, toys, decorations, and other such items. While parades of music playing soldiers and knights were walking the streets, filling the city with a cheerful spirit.

But while the city was filled with music and laughter, was the Temple of Law filled with knights, nobles and commoners, talking and laughing together within the Great Hall of the temple. Lines of benches had been prepared, a large table filled with food and drinks had been prepared. And even a row of Horadrim visitors had arrived to the festivities.

Princess Celestia herself was standing at the end of the large hall, dressed in a fine golden armour with a decorative white tabard bearing her cutie mark surrounded by patterns made by golden threads. Over all this she wore a fine and elegant looking cloak that reached down from her neck to her rear legs. Upon her brow rested a golden crown bearing a purple gemstone.

Next to her stood an old earth pony mare by the name of Old Faith. Once a member of one of the many tribes wandering the world after Discord was defeated. She was the newly designated High Priestess, chosen by the various Priests of Equestria's recently restored religion.

This would be the first established marriage committed by the High Priest, or Priestess in this case, of the Old Religion. IT would mark the start of the return of the Old Ways and restore faith for the ponies that they could openly believe and pray to the Gods once more.

On Celestia's other side stood a cold faced, but slightly smirking, Solid Pink, dressed in her finer uniform, which was essentially the same only with some medals on. That mare was a bit lacking when it came to non-professional attires, but she was more then professional enough to get a pass for it. But Celestia felt like it always made her appear less personal and sensitive then she actually was.

"The bride and groom should be approaching soon." The Princess said with a grin as she looked out over the crowd, it almost felt nostalgic. She had never witnessed the old ceremonies of her mother's kingdom before the Age of Chaos, it had been told to her by her mother in stories. But it had never actually been detailed just what the ceremony would entail.

"Aye. Them youngsters are very nervous and yet eager to be wed. Ah can see that much. Reminds me of mah own wedding when ah was younger. Aaaaah those were da days. A nervous winter flower Ah was, while mah hubby was such a sweet and shy thing, and good in the hay too. Ah gave him lots of foals before he expired one warm summer night with a smile on his wrinkly face." The Priestess said with a wide grin. The Princess blushed a little but still maintained her poker face, while Solid Pink just looked as cool as ever. Although her lips had had turned slightly and taken on the look of a slightly cheeky smirk.

Then the music started, the large piano and orchestra on the western wall of the temple, began to play a warm and cheerful tune as the large gates opened. The crowd went silent as a pair of ponies began to walk up the long red carpet leading towards the shrine.

One of them was a pregnant pegasus mare wearing a white and blue coloured dress with a hoof knitted veil covering her face except for her eyes. Her hooves were decorated with golden horseshoes and her mane and tail braided while her wings were decorated with straps holding a set of golden beads and feathers.

The other was a unicorn stallion, dressed in a ceremonial robe of purple, orange and black colours. On the back of the robe was the symbol of the Order of the Golden Cross. Lines of golden threads decorated the robe and the cloth covering his chest and legs were decorated with medals, sacred symbols and even bore a decorative set of chains over his neck, marking him as a knight and noble.

With steady steps the two ponies walked up along the red carpet. Behind them came a slightly middle age looking mare, with a group of smiling foals carrying baskets with glowers they were spreading behind the couple. And as they did, the crowd began to toss out flower petals and bouquets over the couple. No words were spoken, only wordless cheers, but the spirit of the Grand Hall was high and bright as the pair finally reached the Princess, the High Priestess and Solid Pink by the shrine.

The old Priestess smiled kindly upon the duo and bowed to them both in a polite manner before speaking out to them. "In the view of the Gods, may the blessings of Fertility, Love, Health, Prosperity, and Virility grant these two a bright future together. May their bodies and minds be joined in the Herd they will shape and may they enjoy all the joys of life."

She then reached out, holding up a cup of water and gently poured the water over the head of the two ponies. And even as the water poured down over their manes and fur, did it not stain or ruin any of their clothes, in fact. The water almost seemed to make the pair appear more... bright and clear to the group in the temple.

Then the old Priestess raised her head and spoke out another set of lines. "May their hearts be true, their blood strong, their fields green, and their minds clear. Bond together by love, by truth, by trust, and by faith."

"Gods bless these two young ones. Grant them the bounty of your divine might. And let them remain happy to the end of their time on this world, and even beyond it." As this line was spoken seemed a pair of bright sun light beams to grace the temple for a few seconds, passing over the two ponies by the shrine, it lasted just for a few seconds. but it looked almost like a force of divinity had reached down, and touched the Grand Hall, to grace the couple.

And then the Priestess spoke out the final line. "Grand Music, do you take Happy Meal as your mate, your wife and your love?"

Grand Music gave a bright smile and looked Happy Meal in the eyes as he answered. "I do."

The Priestess turned towards the veiled bride, who you could still see the smile of even as she had her face covered. "Happy Meal, do you take Grand Music as your mate, your husband and your love?"

The mare stared into her stallion's loving eyes with an equally warm look, as she gave her own answer, mirroring his. "I do."

"Then in accordance to the Gods and the Law, I, Old Faith, proclaim you, Husband and Wife. You may now kiss." Grand Music gently lifted the veil, and captured the lips of Happy Meal, and the two embraced right there before the shrine and the crowd, in a passionate embrace with one of the most searing kisses they had ever done.

And the ponies went wild. Their voices practically shaking the foundation of the city.

The cheering filling the temple spread out of the halls and reached the streets. And from there it seemed to infect the city like a virus, spreading cheers all over the city as the wedding ceremony ended.

It was truly a wonderful moment in the history of Equestria.

But it was not over yet. For as the newly wed couple walked down the carpet towards their waiting carriage, Grand Music, and Happy Meal, began to sing.

"All is fine, all is cheer. We are alive, we are glad, that we're here." Their voices rang out over the temple as they walked down the carpets. Music began to flow over the ceiling, as their voices rang out together.

"We will strive forth, carry through with faith and pride. There is no reason to hide." The duo reached past the crowd, and were now standing before the large staircases leading down towards the carriage down on the main street.

With a smile on his lips Grand Music began to sing of his memories when he lived on the streets. "My life was once cold, wet, and dark. My only comfort was the end of the misery."

Not even as the cheering crowed began to fall silent did he top, he did not care. It was no secret, and he did not feel like it was needed to hide it. After all, that was how he meet his honorable grandfather. "But then he came and lifted me up, like a torch in night. Carried me home to you and the rest is history."

Happy Meal picked up after him, her own voice singing of the time her clan was raided and she was hiding inside a wooden barrel. Uncertain if she would live or not. "My life was once in danger, from fire, steel, and murder. My mother was hurt, and my cries were silent."

By now had every pony in the vicinity stopped cheering an were listening intently as the pair walked down the stairs, Happy Meal singing out of how she meet a certain knight. Who saved not just her but her mother and clan as well. "But then he came, like a knight of old. He slew the evil and brought down the tyrant."

Then they began to sing together once more, stopping before the carriage. But everypony nearby could tell they were not looking at the carriage, they were looking at a statue, one recently made to honour their grandfather, depicting him standing in his armour before the Temple of Law. "To others he was a Hero, to others he was a Godsend."

They smiled at each other as they sang. Knowing that no ponies would ever truly know the truth, not even they knew everything about their grandfather. But they were content with what they knew. "To us he was our Grandfather, to us he was our Friend."

Turning around they faced the silent crowd, stood up on their hind legs, gripped each other with a foreleg, and spread the other out, as if greeting a crowd on a stage. And sang out even louder! "So here we are! Two unlikely souls! Saved by a stranger who broke us free of our roles!"

The music was still going and the crowd began to feel their spirits and cheer reignite, as the two sang out to them. "So we shall seek to do the same. Save others and relieve their pain."

Leaning their heads against each other, Happy Meal and Grand Music, sang out together. Proclaiming their intentions of the future. "Let us make a brighter world. Together we're strong!"

The crowd began to cheer again, this time less for the occasion. And more by the cheer will and pure intentions projected by the two singing ponies before them. As they sang out their intentions to the citizens of Canterlot. "Nothing shall stop us! Those who might think so are wrong!"

They pointed their free forelegs' hooves upwards, towards the heavens. And the crowd was mesmerized by the performance, their cheers growing with the music. "For we shall carry his will! We shall stand defiant!"

They hugged each other and kept singing as they did so. The cheers of the gathered ponies around them raining over them s well as the hundreds of flowers and petals being thrown into the air. "We shall cry, we shall smile, we shall laugh, but we shall not be compliant!"

They then spread out their hooves again and sang out to the crowd. "So hear us now! For we won't be backing down!"

At first no pony truly knew how to react by what followed. But it was a glorious declaration, one that could be appreciated by all who had gathered there. "Let us make the world a better place!"

Once more the couple hugged and sang out together. Turning their heads to look at the statue of Golden Cross once more. "Let's make Granpda Cross proud with heart and grace!"

"Let us make the world a better place." And now the crowd was joining in with the singing, as the couple stepped up onto the carriage. The four knights pulling the wooden carriage began to trot down the street, and the music was being spread all over the city.

The voices of Grand Music and Happy Meal was carried out over the crowds in the streets. And as they did, the ponies joined in with the song. "For your families, your home, make the misery disappear without a trace!"

The carriage went through the main market of the main street, the crowd around the street were singing ,cheering and throwing petals and flowers like never before seen. "Let us make the world a better place."

Happy Meal leaned against Grand Music, who warped his left foreleg around her neck, and they both looked towards the painted statue of Golden Cross, the first one to have been raised, as they slowly rolled past it. "Yes we say let us make the world a better place."

"Let us make the world a better place." The city was still singing with them. But this time, their voices were almost unheard, as their voices were not meant for the city, but for themselves.

And as they passed through the gate house and over the drawbridge and out of Canterlot, they hummed the final parts of the song into each other ears as they left the city behind. To travel to Baltimare for their honeymoon. "Like he did for you and me."

But even as they disappeared beyond the city walls. Were shadowy figures scowling at the cheerful singing emanating through out the city. Their plans were still far from coming to fruition, thus with the leaders of the Order of the Golden Cross occupied with their honeymoon, they would have more space to prepare.

And a certain Princess, was fighting with herself. As she liked the music, the message and the intentions of her two friends. But something inside of her was screaming out at her to put down those weak thoughts and to focus on what was important. Vengeance.

For now she ignored it, content in enjoying the mood of the city as its citizens sang together. But her smile never reached her eyes, as she stood there by the altar, struggling with her internal turmoil.

Luna sighed as she scratched a mark on another wall. She was so bloody sick of this endless network of tunnels. It had been at least five hundred thousand crossroads since she first started. And she hadn't even found the first marking she had done so she was not going around... she thinks.

Hard to determine your location while inside a mindscape.

"Ooooh... this has got to be the most frustrating thing I have ever experienced..." She then blinked as she gave that statement a long thought. For a while she just stood there, contemplating.

And then she buck kicked a wall and screamed out in utter fury. "AND THAT IS UTTERLY CORRECT! I HAVE BEEN WANDERING DOWN THIS STUPID PLACE WITHOUT A SLIGHTEST CHANGE OF SCENERY FOR WHAT FEELS LIKE AN ETERNITY! IT IS BORING AS FUCK!"

She let out a deep sigh, and then suddenly, she heard something from behind. Turning around she looked at where she had kicked the stone wall and dropped her jaw as sparkling twinkles were emerging from within the cracks on the wall.

But those twinkling little sparkles soon turned into an almost liquid like mass of pure white slime. Pouring out of the cracks like molten magma. She did not want to touch the stuff but it had been the only thing to happen since Maleficus lost himself, again.

And she felt rather off put that she had not done it earlier and smacked her own cheek while growling in frustration. "Stupid think outside the box, don't just follow the path."

The Princess of the Moon made a decision and turned her attention to the small crack bleeding the glowing white slime. She reared back her right foreleg before slamming it into the wall. There was a loud resounding crackling sound of stone splitting apart, more shining slime emerged from them.

Luna reared back her hoof for another blow when suddenly the entire cavern began to shake and rumble. Stepping back she looked at the slime as it began to pour out of the now swiftly growing cracks. She kept backing up until she was at least a hundred meters away from the growing cracks. Then a loud crumble was heard and the alicorn gaped in shock as the entire cavern suddenly began to crumble apart.

The white slime poured in like a torrent and Luna thought to fly away to safety when suddenly the ground beneath her disappeared and she fell down into a deep void. She spread her wings and attained flight and looked up at where she had fallen from and stared in wonder as a massive cube of stone, made up by several smaller cubes, was revealed. Even as cracks emerged from the massive stone structure and white slime began to pour out of its parts, she could see the various pieces move back and forth like a constantly moving puzzle.

That's when she realized just what had been going on. She had not been going into circles, every time she had reached a different part of the stone cube puzzle it would move her back to the spot she started. She had never left the spot she originally began to travel from. The markings she had left had just been removed, she could have been marking the same spot this entire time!

"What manner of fiendish mind could think up such a horrible thing!? I have spent years walking around that fucking stone maze and I never left the first fucking room!?" Luna screamed out in utter outrage and anger at the unfairness of it all and pressed her forelegs' hooves into her face and let out a muffled wordless screech of anger.

Then a loud crumbling sound was heard, echoing out across the voice, like stone crackling within a deep cavern. She removed her hooves and stared up and watched as the massive stone cube, now cracked all over, with white slime pouring out from the fissures of its surface, finally broke apart.

At first, she wanted to fly away and thus avoid the falling mountain-sized stone pieces. But then she spotted something.

The falling rocks were breaking apart into fine white dust. Becoming a swirling cloud of white that fell down upon the void, and she noticed how it began to land on something, and just a hundred meters below her, began a massive field of white to emerge. And there, at the center of the field of white, she saw the pony she had been trying to find for so long lying motionless among the whiteness.

Maleficus. She had finally found him.

Luna flew down and landed upon the field, and let out a shriek as a sudden cold sensation filled her body as the white dust, felt like ice to the touch. Lifting up a ball of white dust she looked at it and then realized what it was.

"Snow. This is snow." And as she realized this she felt a warm wind stroke across her wings and looked around to see where it had come from. That's when she saw them. The sparkles were now trickling down from the space where the giant stone structure had floated. But they were no longer slime nor white in hue, instead the once slime-like mass of white had broken apart into glittering sparkles of golden light.

*Beautiful.* Luna thought to herself as she watched the sparkles rain down from the dark void above the white field of snow. It looked like fire flies floating down from a dark night sky.

But then something odd occurred.

As the golden sparks fell down upon the field of snow. A strange melody began to fill the air. And that's when a chorus of voices began to hum out from the sparkles as they reached the snowfield. And stopped falling and just kept floating a meter above the ground, creating an image of a million of twinkling stars or candle flames floating above the snow.

The floating sparkles began to shift and move. Not all of them, but a majority of them began to spin and focus into a single point as if being gathered by a vortex. Their golden shapes combining together.

Two golden shapes began to take shape out of the golden sparkles, growing larger as more and more of the sparkles joined the growing masses. That's when Luna noticed something. Maleficus had raised his head, his eyes were open, but they were dull and blank. Looking dead to the world.

She kept watching as the two growing golden masses became larger and larger. Soon they had grown to the size of young foals, but they were still growing. And as they grew in size the humming voices grew louder and stronger.

While all this occurred was Maleficus just lying there on the ground of his own mindscape. His red eyes were dull and lifeless. But he was reacting to the music, his left ear was twitching as the music and vocals grew in strength. He was reacting, which was something he had not been doing ever since he made that a pact with the Fallen.

The two glowing masses of light had by now begun to take shape of something. It was hard to distinguish features with their bodies being made out of light. But Princess Luna could only think of one creature that stood so straight on two legs, standing almost as tall as Maleficus when he was standing up. Clearly larger than your average pony.

Human. They were human in shape.

As she realized this, the two shapes slowly walked over to Maleficus, one of them was holding something, a plain looking candlestick made out of silver, holding a single unlit candle. Before she could rush forward to stop the strange beings from harming his fragile self to ruin, the two shapes knelt down by the lifeless shape of the alicorn and then, one of them lit the candle the other was holding.

And then, they began to sing.

Their voices were strange and otherworldly. Spoken by vocal means she had no clear idea of. And yet they felt...warm. A familiar kind of warmth she had not heard or felt for... centuries.

She stood there, watching as one of the shapes gently reached out and began to stroke a five digit appendage through the black unruly mane of Maleficus' head. The strange being gently began to rub his head through his mane, rubbing the back of the large stallion's left ear. He made no outward reactions except for a small twitch in his ear as it was being rubbed.

The song kept resonating and Luna felt mesmerized by the words and the meaning they carried. And she began to realize just who these glowing specters were. A pair of people the former human had told her about a few months after their first meeting. Two humans who had meant the world to him and who had cared for him.

*They are the souls of his dead parents! How are they here? The dead should not be able to traverse into a mind scape. Especially not if they come from another realm of existence.* Luna thought to herself as she looked at the beautiful scene before her, as the two spirits of light, gently petted the still alicorn. It looked rather sweet actually and she actually considered walked over to see how it felt to be petted by humans.

The Princess of the Moon watched closely as the two specters sang for their son. She could make out more of their features as time went by. A tall and slightly thin looking, yet intimidating, older looking man with glasses and a strong face with gentle eyes. And a slightly shorter and quite a bit thicker looking woman, neck long cut hair, slightly curly, a kind motherly face with a slightly wrinkled face.

She felt like she was intruding upon their reunion. The two long since dead parents, breaching death and worlds, just to offer their son comfort. It made her feel shameful to watch it, it felt so private, and yet, she yearned for something like it herself. To feel the comforting touch of a mother once more. Even though she never knew her father, she would have liked to meet him.

The singing was wonderful, it was a balm to the soul just to hear the lyrics and the music accompanying it. Luna had not felt so comfortable since she began to hang out with Maleficus in his mindscape. She had always felt so isolated and alone, the month period she was unable to commune with the stallion was like a reminder of hell. And her last expedition through his mindscape during his recent mental collapse had not been the most endearing of situations.

She then realized that she was standing directly next to the three forms, almost as if she had unconsciously walked towards them in the mindscape. Luna felt both silly and shameful and made to step back, when a gentle hand patted her head. She looked up in surprise to see the kind smiling face of the woman and let out a light yip of surprise when the hand began to pet her right ear. Magical was the best way to describe it as she felt her disappear as the wonderful sensations flowed through her as the kind woman rubbed her ear.

Slowly Luna lay down on the other side of Maleficus and just leaned her head against the kind hand petting her head. Closed her eyes and just enjoyed the sensations and the music, she could feel all of her fatigue disappear as she relaxed. It was such a great feeling that she wanted to try and transform into a human, to share this wonderful sensation with her sister and maybe even her mother, once they were reunited.

The twinkling lights, the soothing music, and the warm comforting presence and touch of these people. It was something Luna had always thought she'd never experience, and yet here she was. Inside the mind of the only living friend she had, being sung to by his deceased parents inside of his mindscape. It was surreal and yet she was too grateful to even bother feeling uneasy.

She had no real clue what Christmas was but it was probably some manner of holiday that involved the start of a new year. Luna was not certain how, why or when it would occur. But it felt... fitting. And she could not help but wish to know more. Perhaps she would ask them after they finished singing?

The music faded away, far too soon in Luna's mind. But the two glowing people and the twinkling specks of lights remained.

Then the male of the two gently stood up, his hand still stroking the head of his motionless son and spoke up in a firm, and yet warm and kind voice, towards Luna. "Greetings miss. I am certain you wonder who we might be."

Luna just remained sitting there, enjoying the hand stroking her ear and simply spoke back with a smile. "No need, your son told me much about you. I am Princess Luna, daughter of the last Queen of the Unicorn Kingdom, Laura Faust. I am glad to have meet you, parents of Maleficus."

The female spoke next, looking with sadness upon her silent boy who had been through so much. "Not his true name, but it has been so long, I do not know if he even remembers it. But he is still a good boy, trying his best to satisfy the needs of others before considering his own. He should act a bit less selfless, but I know he will just feel guilt about it."

The Princess nodded, she knew exactly what his mother was talking about. Maleficus was many things, stubborn and kind, but one thing he was rarely was selfish, at least when it concerned other people. "Yes he is a bit of a head strong person, but most males are like that. But at least he's not just some random violent stubborn person and actually cares. I am glad to have meet him, even with the circumstances as they were, and are."

Chuckling Maleficus' mother rubbed Luna's head, making her let out a content humming. "I am glad that our son meet such a kind girl like you to keep him company during the harsh moments of his life."

She let out a content sigh, the sensation of being petted by a human hand felt truly wonderful. Sure it made her feel a bit childish but she could care less, she was not a Princess to these strangers so why care? "Thank you, your son spoke highly of you both. About how you raised him and his siblings and kept your family happy as best s you could while not letting them derail into bad behavior. And I can see him sharing some of your traits through, kindness and stern will, just to name two. You should be proud of him."

Maleficus' father smiled a sad and bitter smile as he petted his son's head. But there was great pride in his eyes, even as he spoke to Luna. "Yes we are, and we would wish to remain here longer. But we do not have much time. All we wish to ask of you, young lady. Is for you to keep our son safe."

Luna felt confused as of why they could not remain a bit longer. It should not be any kind of limit for how long they could remain here as long a Maleficus did not banish them or they left willingly. "I will do my best to keep the stubborn pony safe. but why can't you be here for a while longer?"

Maleficus' mother gently patted her head one last time before walking over to her husband and she smiled sadly at her son's unresponsive shape. Before turning towards the kind mare who had kept her son company for so long, and gave her a solemn response. "Sorry but no. We have broken some rules by being here, and no doubt will someone come to collect us soon."

"I am sorry but what do you-" Whatever questions or answers could have been brought would never be given answers. For as Luna was about to voice her question, was she suddenly blinded by a golden light erupting inside of the mindscape. And an echoing voice spoke out of the light, holding within its verbal cords a deep sense of pride, arrogance and self righteousness.

"They mean someone like me, abomination." The golden light grew more intense and filled the mindscape for an instance. Then it grew more dense and took on the shape of a sphere, and out of the sphere emerged a human shaped being dressed in golden armour. It was tall, easily twice the height of Maleficus father. Almost four meters tall.

Said sphere disappeared after the winged humanoid completely left its embrace.

The being was covered in a golden plate armour, decorated with blue and white sigils and runes Luna had never seen before. Floating above the head of the being was a golden circle of light that was surrounded with an external four pointed star shape aura, while the internal part of the circle looked like some kind of inverted sun. Sticking out of the back of the being was a large pair of slender, almost tendril like, wings of yellow light. It looked almost like bat wings, but without the skin between the wings' indexes, and the bones replaced with solid light.

Upon the head of the being was a helmet with a full face covering wedge folded face visor. Where the mouth would be located were six dot shaped holes, half located along the sides of the central line of the wedge of the visor in a triangular shape. While were the eyes were located, was a pair of cross shaped eye holes, and within said eye holes was a pair of white glowing orbs of light hidden within a veil of darkness.

It was gripping some kind of weapon but the light was too bright to take note of immediately.

"What are you doing here!? What are you!?" Luna shouted out as she stood up from the ground ,she moved to summon forth what powers she had within the mindscape when a blast of golden light struck her and sent her tumbling at least fifty yards away, rolling through the snow like a rag doll before ending up on her back in a pile of snow and bruises.

Even as she struggled up from the pile she found herself in, her bruises disappearing, the winged hum... No. Luna did not think this thing was human, not one bit. *Whatever appearance it might have is it not of human nature!*

So the winged, CREATURE, pointed a sword at her, the weapon had a four feet long silver like blade that was attached to a wing shaped golden cross guard, the entire length of the blade was glowing with an otherworldly golden light. And as it did so it spoke out in the same echoing arrogant voice. "Stay out of this you vile thing, my quarry lay not with you or the twisted monstrosity that maintains this realm. no, my business lay with these two. For having broken the rules of the Heavens."

The two human souls walked in front of Luna and Maleficus, their eyes looking in defiance at the winged being. And the man spoke out against him, rebuking the creature's actions. "There is no need to act so violent against this woman. You said it yourself, you have no business with her or our son. So keep them out of it angel."

"We accept our punishment, for we know, we did the right thing. Something we doubt you can truly understand." The woman said in turn, they stood next to each other, holding each other by the elbows, unafraid of the winged being before them.

The so called angel just flew forward, and with an effortless swing of its weapon, sliced through the two golden figures. They shattered apart into golden sparks which were absorbed by the sword the celestial was wielding. Snorting in disgust the angel spoke as he looked at his blade as the final piece of the human souls were absorbed. The sparkles that had been floating in the air, died down and disappeared into nothing, leaving an empty snow covered field. "Admirable. But pointless, for the punishment will still be performed upon them. No matter how much they might cooperate, their sins are too great. They shall be cleansed."

And that's when Maleficus, finally began to stir. His body suddenly twitching, and the sound of air being sucked in and muscles shifting stiff metal bones could be heard from him. And then, he spoke.

"..................What.........................did...................................you...................................do................to..................them........" It was barely heard, but Maleficus' lips were moving and his once dull and blank eyes, were starting to gain focus. And Luna from where she lay on the ground, could see the familiar looking burning spark within those eyes growing. Whatever this intruder's answer would be, it had better be good or he would be in for a lot of pain.

"You have no need to know abomination." The winged humanoid, an angel by the looks of it, answered in a cold and stoic tone while sheathing the blade he had used to absorb the two souls. His answer, was by far the worst one he could have picked.

Maleficus slowly stood up, his head rose, his eyes slowly starting to glow crimson as his voice rose in strength and volume. The rage barely contained with his vocal cords, exploded out of his lips and his eyes began to shine red. And took a large heavy step forward, and then another, and another, towards the angelic being. "I......said....what....DID....YOU.....DO....TO....THEM!?"

"And I said, you do not need to know." The glowing angel stated before turning around, unconcerned about the approaching alicorn, and spread his wings a if to fly away. Not even glancing over his shoulder pads.

He would come to regret that decision.

A loud resounding crack was heard and the golden armored figure flew into a tumble across the snowy field as the hoof of the black alicorn slammed into the back of his helmet covered skull. Snow bellow through the air and Luna had to shield her eyes as Maleficus marched through snow, his eyes literally burning with crimson fire.

As the alicorn stallion marched through the white snow-field loud clicking sound could be heard as metal began to appear out of thin air. Metal circles knitted themselves together into chain mail, metal plates with nails and screws attached to hardened leather covered up the chain mail and began to cover his body except for his head and neck. A set of scale like metal plates covering his entire spine from the lower neck, between his wings and to the base of his tail.

And finally, a pair of pauldrons emerged upon his shoulders, the white bony head of a bull-horned dragon emerged upon his right side while a pauldron covered with sharp teeth emerged upon his left side.

Reaching down he grabbed the angel's sword with his right hoof, and with a glow of his horn he levitated up the angel who reached out and grabbed onto the crossguard of his sword to wrench it from the alicorn's grip

With a wordless scream Maleficus slammed his forehead into the angel's visor, a loud crunch was heard and golden ichor erupted from the holes of the visor. The Angel cursed and stumbled back, when suddenly his back slammed into a solid surface, a wall of solid ice appearing behind him from the snowy field.

Stepping forward Maleficus stabbed the golden sword into the icy wall, just next to the angel's neck, even stabbing through the angel's floating halo in the process. He pressed his left foreleg up against the angel's throat and screamed out into utter fury into the angel's visor as his eyes burned with crimson fire. "WHERE ARE THEY!?"

The angel struggled, trying to get the equine being to release him, trying to grab hold of the so called abomination's foreleg with his right mail covered fist, only for his divine strength to lose against the alicorn. Said alicorn pressed the angel even harder against the wall of ice, cracks forming within the ice itself, while the angel coughed up golden ichor as more pressure was made against his throat. "ANSWER!"

Realizing it could not get free of his grip the angel decided to taunt him instead. Letting out a drawn out and strained chuckle it verbally provoked the alicorn, practically spitting in his face. "Kuhh...kuhh...kuhh...kuhh... You will never see... them again... you freak... Kuh... They have broken... the laws of heaven.... Thus they shall... be punished by... the Seraphim..."

The taunt worked, thought not as intended by the angel. As rather than breaking down into tears of despair, the alicorn's eyes narrowed and he flung the angel against the ground, pulled out the sword from the ice wall. Then he walked over to the angel, put one of his hind legs' hooves on his torso and pressed the blade against his throat.

Glaring down at the celestial being he snarled out, his angry eyes glowing like a pair of red suns. "Unless you want me to rip off your wings and stuff them up your ass. You better tell me where they went. NOW."

"Kuhuhuhuhu! Fool. No one can breach the Heavens, least of all an unworthy heathen such as yourself. The All Mighty One will never allow- GAAAAHH!" The angel's taunting was interrupted when his own blade stabbed into his shoulder, straight through the bone and out the back, nailing his torso to the snow covered ground of the mindscape.

Looking down at the angel with burning eyes Maleficus spoke up in a steady and cold voice. The atmosphere of the mindscape was both chilling and burning, the physical shape of the alicorn stallion flickering with black and green flames. "That is all I need to know. All I need to DO now. IS to get there."

He reached down to the angel, grabbed him by the throat and hefted him up into the air, tearing him and his sword off the ground, spraying golden ichor into the wind. As he held the angel up in the air, his black fur and hair began to spark and shift into fire and his shape began to grow, taking on the near feature shape of black and green flames. Soon his spectral shape stood ten times the angel's size, holding its entire body with a hoof of fire. His horn had melted away in the darkness of the fire as the last of his fur and flesh transformed. In its place was a massive green eye upon the forehead of the draconic and equine shaped head of fire.

Thus Maleficus had transformed entirely into being of dark flames, the same manner of transformation he had used, when his mind was invaded by Nightmare moon over fifteen years ago.

The angel struggled in his grip, even as the jaws of his maw opened, revealing a mass of various manner of horrors within the center of the jaws. He struggled as panic began to settle into his celestial mind, for what lay beneath those jaws, was unnerving even for an angel. And so did the thought of what the former human, was planning. "Wh-what are you doing?"

"You invaded my mind. You apparently thought yourself hot shit and all powerful. Thinking you could punish my mother and father for their apparent sins. Well you are about to learn something very important you pigeon shit." The burning head of Maleficus growled as he slowly lifted up the angel he was now holding with a talon of fire, who was starting to struggle to get out of the claw of fire gripping his torso.

Maleficus' voice cracked like thunder while screeching like iron nails dragged across a blackboard. His jaws opened and closed, each time revealing the horrors sealed within his spectral flames. While the surroundings began to becoem a burning inferno. While the darkness above them, began to shimmer and twinkle, with twisted eyes appearing where there had once been stars. "In the world of dreams. He who is awake. Is God. This is something I learned, when I devoured my first unwelcome visitor and absorbed their knowledge into my own."

And as those words rang through the mind of the angel, it felt chills. The implication of what he alicorn had done to another intruder of his mind. And what he had said about needing to know how to reach Heaven, gave the celestial being all he needed to know to realize, that he was fucking screwed. "...No... no you can't mean to. This is insane! THIS IS BLASPHEM-URKGH!"

The talon gripped the angel tighter, ending his crude attempts of speaking. And the burning phantom shape of Malefics, snarled out , before raising the angel above his head. Glaring at the struggling angel within the grip of his claw. "No. What this is. Is simple. It is Poetic. Justice."

"Now. Learn the folly of your Pride. Angel. For it will be your doom." And with those final words Maleficus opened his jaws and the angel let out a horrified scream as he fell down into the twisted neither of the Lord of Terror. With a loud crack the jaws closed, the burning teeth pierced through his divine armour and flesh, spraying olden ichor into the air.

He screamed out in agony. And then the jaws opened and the angel tried to struggle free to fly out of the burning maw. But that option was denied when a hundred limbs of claws, pincers, hands, stump, talons, hooves, tentacles and more, reached out from within the throat of the fiery jaws, and grabbed hold of his body.

Then the jaws began to close as the angel found himself being dragged down into the abyss that was the core of the Lord of Terror. He was barely able to let out one final scream of horror, before the mouth snapped shut. Silencing him forever.

Closing his burning jaws Maleficus' swallowed the anger and his burning shape began to glow for a few seconds. His three eyes narrowed and he lowered his head for a few moments, remaining silent for a while.

Then, slowly, his burning shape began to shrink. And soon he was a pony size again, though still made out of green and black fire, with his three eyes bared.

"Luna... Keep my mind safe. I am going to save my parents." He said after a while his voice no longer rumbling and crackling like the combined voice of a tyrannosaurus and a sawmill. Luna, who had been watching the entire spectacle just gave him a reassuring smile and gave him a gutsy foreleg pump.

"Give them a taste of Tartarus Maleficus." Was her contribution to his agenda. For she knew, if the roles had been reversed, she, and her sister, would have done the same.

Maleficus' fiery shape smiled and he nodded, feeling relieved to have such a good friend. And so he stood up on his hind legs and spread his forelegs apart, and a crack emerged within his mindscape. soon taking the shape of a swirling portal of gold and white. "Oh believe me."

"I intend to." And with those final grizzly words he stepped into the portal and left his mindscape. Leaving Luna to keep things in order for his return.

It was night over Equestria and the moon was steadily shining with its bright silvery glow, while the dark green and black flames of the specter was giving it an eerie green glow. All was well and quiet through the soothing cool winds of the winter times. A layer of white snow lay over the streets and rooftops, twinkling in the moon and starlight as crystals of frost had grown over the white powder layer.

Over the streets lay flower petals, wrappings, candy sticks, dropped food items, and small vermin scattering over whatever edible remains they could find. And through the silent streets, were small beacons of light slowly moving along the alleys and over the walls of the city walls.

The Town Guards of Canterlot wandered the streets with their lanterns, shields and spears, keeping safety and order through the streets even when night had fallen over the tired city.

No pony could have been expected for the vigilant protectors of Canterlot to cause the next great unrest of the city, especially when not even a day had gone by since the joyful celebration of the wedding between Happy Meal and Grand Music. With their wonderful melody sung to the honour of Golden Cross.

Yes, no one could possibly have known.

A group of young guards were walking over the main street leading from the main gate of the city and directly towards the Royal Castle. Five young ponies, two unicorns, two pegasi and one earth pony, each wearing the uniform and armour of the town guard. While being armed with round shields, bronze spears and carrying brightly glowing lanterns hanging from a set of curved hooks sticking out just beneath the spearhead.

"It's very quiet. It's almost weird, just two hours ago the party was still going strong. And now, it's as quiet as a graveyard." A unicorn stallion murmured as he raised his lantern to get a better look down an alleyway.

The two pegasi mares just rolled their eyes and spoke to him in unison. "Must you keep comparing every quiet moment to a graveyard? / Must you keep comparing every quiet moment to a graveyard?"

The earth pony mare just shook her head and patted one of the two pegasi mares on a shoulder to get their attention. "Stop bothering him, there's not much else he can compare it to. I mean, heck, we have been here a year longer then him and we keep comparing silent nights like this to graveyard duty."

The other unicorn, a mare, just sighed as she levitated her spear and lantern to scare away a small group of rats nibbling on a pile of syrup apples. She levitated the pile of rotten food into a oiled leather sack, which was already nearly full, before closing it up with a set of ropes sewed into the neck of the opening, sealing it near air tight. "Well the smell can be compared to it. Why must we be the ones to clean up whatever junk we find?"

Rolling his eyes the lone male of the group levitated a half eaten pie into his own sack after having wrestled it out of the teeth of a particular large rat. "Because since we are the only ponies working night shift in the streets are we those who gets wrestled with the duty for cleaning up the streets. Since leaving all of this garbage about will only attract vermin and wild animals and we do not need a repeat of the 'rabid squirrel incident'."

There was a shared moment of horrified shivers at the mention of that particular disaster.

In short words. A group of ponies had left a lot of food in the park, the squirrels had eaten the food. And the unbalanced sugar levels of the food caused the squirrels to go into a sugar rush rampage across the park and to all nearby streets. Tearing up wood, fabric and denting metal as they ricocheted across the streets like projectiles. In their mad frenzy of energy they consumed up to a ton's worth of sugar.

The incident only ended after an hour but by then was two blocks torn apart ,five buildings needed to be demolished and the fifty squirrels died of a collective heart attack as the collective sugar in their bodies clogged their already worn out hearts after the sugar rush ended, and ended up dead all over the streets.

Since then was it forbidden to feed the animals in the city sugar rich foods, and even then was no one to feed wild animals or leave food behind. But the rule was only two years old and thus had not been enforced as it should have, thus the clean up duty came to the unlucky sods of the Town Guard who patrolled the city day and night.

After a moment of contemplation of the horrid incident the group returned to their duties. And that's when the pegasi sisters noticed something was off. The normally white, and slightly green tinted, snow, looked much brighter now, although still a bit green. "Hey. Does anypony else think that things are a bit bright right now? We've never had a night as bright as this right? / Hey. Does anypony else think that things are a bit bright right now? We've never had a night as bright as this right?"

The others looked around a bit, a bit confused but soon took note of the oddly brightness of the moonlight hitting the ground. But the earth pony mare just snorted though and rolled her eyes. "Oh goody. The night is a bit brighter and now we are all doooooomed~ For buck's sake if you're that concerned why not just look at the moon to see if its still fucking there and not replaced by a second sun if this is a matter for concern."

And one of them did do that, the unicorn mare looked up towards the moon, something many did not enjoy doing because of the glowing spectral fire upon its surface creeping them out. And she let out a strangled meep as her eyes grew into tiny dots and her body froze.

The stallion noticed her odd behavior and walked over to her, the others taking note as well as he approached her. "What's the matter Night Watch?"

"T-the P-phantom of the Moon. I-it's, it's, look, just look at it!" She squeaked out in a tiny almost choked voice filled with fear, while reaching and hugging herself to the surprised stallion. Tears streaming down her cheeks.

While the stallion tried to calm down his fellow unicorn the other three mares looked up and they too suddenly darted towards the young stallion and hugged them, while letting out screams of utter terror. The group ended up falling into a pile on the street, their reinforced lanterns clattering over the cobblestone street.

The stallion looked up from his trapped position as the frightened mares screamed and hugged him, not really something he minded, but it still felt incredibly awkward. And he nearly blacked out at the sight of the moon.

Up there, on the silver surface, bearing the formation of the Mare in the Moon, was the burning specter known as the Phantom of the Moon. But it was not the same. Normally the Phantom would be resting its head on the opposite direction of the Mare, which was the left side of the surface of the moon. With the Mare being on the right side of the moon's surface.

However now, was the mass of black and green flames, rearing outs its neck, outside of the surface of the moon, revealing a trio of bright glowing eyes upon its draconian skull, the third, being on the forehead, glowing a bright crimson. All three eyes were glaring and the normally grinning jaws of teeth was open in a vicious looking snarl.

And reaching out from beneath the neck, from behind the visible surface of the moon, was a massive limb of black and green fire, ending in a five clawed talon that was gripping a glowing golden orb of light that was just a short distance away from the moon.

It looked as if the Phantom of the Moon, had taken hold of one of the stars of the night sky. And was attempting to either destroy, devour, or throw it down at the world beneath the moon.

The poor town guards could not be blamed for reacting as they did, collapsing into tears while sobbing and screaming in utter horror. And this group was not the only one, the other patrols soon took notice and while many ended up reacting like the first, would some raise the alarm or rush to report to the sleeping military officers of the city.

And thus ended the joyful day of the Wedding of Happy Meal and Grand Music. With the ponies of Equestria being woken up at after midnight, to screams of horror, ringing alarms, and the horrified sight. Of the Phantom of the Moon, clutching at one of the stars of the night sky with a massive claw.

Not even the calming words of the Believers or Princess Celestia herself, could make the ponies calm down. And for nearly a week, the ponies of Canterlot, could barely sleep.

Inside of a glowing realm of white clouds and clear blue skies, stood a massive wall of clear white and silvery blue crystal. Spread out like a vast line of crystallized glory and wonder it stretched for miles through the realm, seemingly acting as a border of reality rather then a wall. The vast fortification reached an height, unimaginable for a mortal being to even consider for a wall, it dwarfed most mortal castles with its height.

And beyond it lay an even more brilliant sight.

Buildings, towers and floating crystal structures filled the space behind the vast walls. Each made out of the same silvery blue and white crystal material, stretching upwards until nothing could be seen, for miles upon miles. And there among the top of the skies. From the very peak of the tallest and largest of the structures, there was a bright light shining like a sun, bringing a glorious light upon the realm.

And then there was the gate itself. It was tall and made in an oval shape, with the crystalline material shaped into blue and white wings stretching for quarter of a mile up from the midsection of the gate, until the very peak of the gate was reached, where a massive gemstone of some kind, was shimmering in a light of comforting blue.

While beneath the large winged shaped top of the gate, laid an upside down pyramid shape made out of a pure white material, with a large exotic looking eye embedded with a golden orb as the pupil. Two prismatic cones were sticking out of the ground beneath the oval gate up to quarter of a mile, and thus covering the lower half of the gate.

The two tall cones were framing in the pyramid shape of the lower half of the gate, and it seemed like they were merged with the gate, and thus one could imagine an identical pair of cones were sticking out of the other side. Each of the cones were made out of a dark blue material, not seen on any other part of the walls.

Before the large gates was a pale blue staircase of glass like material, reaching down to a square shaped layer of clouds. And other opposite side of the oddly shaped cloud layer, was a prismatic stream of light flowing downwards towards a floating platform of crystalline like the walls and gate were made of. And upon the center of this platform was a circle made out of what one could imagine being a glowing slime or jell from a distance.

But up close was a different matter. It was made of what looked like glowing solid light, and it was not in a state without motion. No. Within the glowing matter that made up the circle there was a swirling image, something that would remind a human from earth of a vortex one sees when flushing the toilet.

The surface of the circle looked to be flat and motionless, but the imagery upon the surface of the circle was a chaotic vortex that seemed to be flushing golden light and black matter into a endless tunnel that did not appear on the other side of the circle. And just seemed to appear as an image upon a flat surface.

It had been in a state of activity for an unknown time, and it had never changed it shape, colour or size ever since it was active. But as of right now, as of this moment, would something change that.

A green tint of light seemed to spark within the center of the vortex tunnel. At first it seemed like nothing, just a small speck of green discoloring the center. But then it grew more potent and brighter and soon a bright green glow appeared to be moving through the swirling vortex within the circle. Coming towards the flat surface.

And then the surface was broken as a pair of crimson eyes appeared within the green light and an intense rush of heat erupted from the swirling circle And then it erupted. A bright flare of green intense light seared across the cloudy landscape, smearing a bright and intense green glow upon the once white and blue coloured walls of the massive citadel.

The circle was gone. In its stead was a burning pit of jagged stone, spewing forth ash and molten magma upon the once pristine surface of the platform.

And then something moved out of the fiery pit, climbing out of the flowing mass of molten rock and green fire. What emerged was the black furred shape of a horse sized equine, with an exoskeleton like claw for a horn upon its forehead and a large pair of crow like wings sticking out of its side. Dressed in an exotic and dangerous looking armour.

The crimson eyes of the alicorn looked upon the realm around him, and then he let out a disgusted snort. Before he stepped out of the molten pit of stone and fire. As his metal hooves struck the glass like surface of the platform, it obtained a greenish colour upon where he stepped. And as he took another, the green 'stain' he was making spread, like oil upon the surface of water, like an inky mass of green sickness.

He stepped towards the prismatic bridge of light and stepped onto it, the multi coloured bridge let out a loud static like noise as he stepped upon it. And as he stepped upon its surface, turned that point of the bridge into a mass cloud of ash and green cinders.

The bridge of light was slowly transformed from a brilliant beam of solid colour into a bellowing bridge of smoldering ash filled with green coloured cinder.

The stairs before him looked to be quite long, about a mile at least, so he decided to speed things up. And just leaned forward, focused his energy through his legs, and leaped. He came about halfway across the stairs, almost slipping when his hooves struck the glass like staircase. But he could care less, he took another leap and landed before the large gates of the citadel.

Once upon a time he would have been in awe of the place. But because of what he knew, what he had gone through, he knew very well that it was all a lie. The knowledge he had absorbed from the so called angel, offered much information. And thought it was not easy to understand it all, did he get the gist of it. And he knew, that this realm might appear divine and holy. But it was anything but.

He reached out to push the massive gates open when he heard something from above. Leaping back he saw a burning sword strike the ground he had been standing at, it was not the same as the one the angel that invade his mind had been wielding, it was a silvery colour rather then gold and looked much more plain ,except for being on fire. And then an angel, even larger then the one he had fought within his mind, with even thicker wings of light, fell down from above, dressed in a highly refined plate armour out of some silvery blue metal. The large angel had landed before the sword, reached out and gripped the handle, pulled the weapon free, and point it at Maleficus.

"Intruder! Turn away! This is the Gates of Heaven, you are not welcome within the Divine Citadel or the Realm of Heaven! Begone abomination!" The echoing voice of the angel rang out over the silent cloudy realm and the glowing eyes beneath the silver helmet were of a golden colour, rather then white like the other angel's eyes had been.

Maleficus had come to gates that would take him to the inner core of the realm of the heavens, to seek out those who had punished his parents. And he was not going to let some pumped up pigeon winged man with a torch for a sword block his way.

Standing up on his rear legs Maleficus turned his neck, cracking the bones properly into place with metallic cranks. He raised his left front leg and a telekientically pulled the golden sword strapped to his back free and held it out, pointed at the angel before him. "I have come here to give you a resume about one of your employees. They lacked the skill for their services and I did you a favour by terminating their contract. And now I am here, to give you a deeper education in pain, free of charge."

The angel's reacting was hard to discern, the glowing golden light beneath the visor seemed to fade for a few seconds, before reigniting. And then he made a jabbing movement towards the alicorn with a cry of anger coming from his helm. "Foul beast! You shall pay for your insolence!"

A stream of golden fire erupted from the sword and engulfed Maleficus' form, ash and smoke erupted from the impact, but the angel did not let up the assault. More and more fire seared forth and the floor beneath the angel began to to bubble and hiss as the heat of the flames made the glass like surface to melt.

The golden flames suddenly erupted into an explosion of green light. The angel felt his body being pushed back by the explosion, and as the explosion ended, was the upper half of the staircase covered with toxic green and tar black flames.

A thick scent of burning tar and sulfur began to fill the air, and within the sea of green flames, emerged three glowing eyes, two red, with an even darker green eye above the two. And a rumbling voice spoke out from within the fire. "Ooooh? Did I hurt the turkey's feelings? I guess I will just have to leave you alone, with a complaint."

There was a sudden movement from within the fire, and the angel had no time to react as a massive red skinned muscular multi segmented limb lashed out from the fire. At the end of the thick meaty limb was a pitch black stinger the size of a lance. The tip struck the silvery breastplate of the angel, pierced through it, and erupted out of the back. A splatter of golden ichor erupted from the front and back as the angel let out a echoing cry of pain.

Reaching out the angel tried to grip the limb and tear it apart. But then he felt his power begin to fade, and he looked down and stared in horror as the golden ichor that was bleeding out of his body, was being absorbed by the stinger. Thick glowing green veins began to appear over the red flesh of the limb as the ichor was being absorbed. And the limb shivered and twitched, shaking the bleeding angel around like a rag in the wind.

And there was a rumble coming from within the flames, and the limb, and the stinger impaling the angel, began to expand in size. The angel let out another cry of utter agony as the stinger impaled through his torso expanded into twice the size. Then there was a loud sickening crackle as the metal plate split apart, and the angel's upper body split apart, erupting into a spray of golden ichor before collapsing into a pile of ash.

The limb retracted into the flames and the eyes glared up towards the large gates blocking the way. The misshapen form of Maleficus Victoria took a step forward out of the flames. Most of his body was still shrouded by the green flames, but out of the flames, came a thick meaty limb covered with red blood coloured flesh.

Upon its massive tree trunk sized limb were several finger like appendages growing out of the outer sides of the limb, out of the flesh were the joints were located, and along the back of the hoof. At the end of the thick finger like growths were claws sticking out, some just a few inches ,others up to six feet long and bout five inches thick at the base. And at the end of the thick limb, was a large thick and cloven hoof the size of an ox.

The flesh twitched and squirmed beneath the crimson hide as the limb moved, the cawed fingers twisting and grasping as if trying to tear everything nearby apart. The thick hoof was hefted off the ground by the massive limb, raised high, and then it was pushed forward with the speed of a truck. And as the massive hoof struck the crystalline like gates, was a loud crack hear as cracks appeared all over the surface.

The limb was reared back for another punch when a rain of golden spears of light struck the ground before Maleficus' twisted form. with a loud crackling boom was Maleficus sent back into the flames as a shock wave erupted from the strike of golden light. His three eyes glared out of the smoke, ash and flames at where the light had come from.

Up on the top of the gates and the walls was a host of angelic beings, wielding various kinds of silver weapons. Their glowing wings and halos making it appear as if an army of saints had come to battle the lone invader.

"Hear my words abomination! I am the Valor of God! General of the Angelic Host! Your doom shall be swift Intruder! None have dared to invade the Realm of Heaven ever since its foundation! And you and your soul shall pay the ultimate price for your Sins!" A particularly large angel shouted out from the top of the gates, wielding a pair of sickle like blades and dressed in an ashen grey robe with a helmet of red tinted gold on his head.

Maleficus just glared at the anger and his eyes seemed to rise up higher within the flames. "And yet, here I am. Unimpressed. And Unharmed. Geez, who knew the so called 'Angels' of Heaven were such push overs."

It was a taunt, not a complex or even a well hidden one. Most of the angels knew it and did not react to it. But there were far more among them who did NOT enjoy this freak of nature mocking their angelic brethren, or themselves. And sought to bring the truth of Heaven's might to him, through example.

"Kill him!" No one of the angels knew who cried that out but a swarm of over a thousand angels flew toward the flames, bearing swords, spears, axes and many other types of weapons. and then they charged into the flames, unafraid of the consequences, seeking to impale the intruder upon their weapons.

When the first angel flew into the toxic green and tar black flames his glowing wings and halo was practically swallowed out of sight. The angel flew straight towards the three eyes he was watching, only to suddenly feel a sudden pain in his back, and everything went dark.

Next came a group of thirty, they flew like a stream of comets towards the glowing eyes within the fire. But as they came closer upon the eyes, were they intercepted. A forest of blackened claws and jagged spikes erupted out of the lower parts of the flames around them. Before they had a chance to scream, were their celestial bodies impaled upon the spikes in multiple areas, rendering them dead before even a sound could be uttered. They would then disappear as the spikes and claws retracted down into the flames.

Another group, this time a swarm of over a hundred angels, flew like a row of aerial fighters, throwing glowing spears of light into the flames as they flew through them.

A blackened shape came rotating out of the flames around them, an inverted curved claw that looked like a combination of a praying mantis claw and a scythe. The claw had jagged teeth across its entire edge and in a brutal show of strength the claw swung into the row of angels, who had no time to evade or block the ambush, and slammed straight into them.

But they were not just cut in half, no, they were grasped by the saw like claw which then folded itself, and crushed the angels against the rows of jagged spikes and finger like claws coming from the lower portion of its limb. Those who survived the initial impact let out gargled screams of agony ,as the claw began to grind itself against the rows of clawed fingers and spikes, essentially sawing them apart.

Finally a horde of over three thousand swarmed the sea of flames, essentially flooding it with their numbers. they flew towards the glowing eyes, wondering where the earlier attackers had disappeared to. A row of over a thousand lances and swords stabbed towards the glowing eyes, only, for them to pass through the coloured fires that had made up the eyes.

Nothing more then an illusion, or rather, three eye shaped fires coloured differently then the rest.

"Where are you coward!?" The leading angel of the assault force cried out into the realm of fire they found themselves within.

There was a moment of silence, before suddenly a low rumbling was heard, and suddenly the flames went from harmless, to intensely burning. And the angels within them screamed out in pain as they suddenly caught fire within the fires.

Before the first angel could die as he began to fall as his body was being incinerated by the toxic flames, came a giant trio of eyes out of the lower parts of the fires. The massive misshapen head upon which those eyes rested opened its twisted maw and snarled out in a voice that made the area shake and shiver. "Right here."

As the screams died down within the fires the remaining angels outside looked at the toxic green flames in worry. The large angel, who had called himself the General, by the massive gates raised one of his sickles and pointed towards the growing area of green fire. "Fear not his deception! He is but a harmless worm of a twisted mortal soul! Unable to fight our combined might without his trickery! Bombard his cursed sea of fire with our holy light! Cleanse this area of his taint!"

The angels upon the Walls of Heaven reared back their arms, and conjured spears of light in their hands. Before throwing them at the toxic green fire. it was like the stars of the night sky had all decided to gall down at the same spot. The searing heat and brightness of the holy spears were like a second sun.

Sinking into the sea of fires the angels watched patiently as explosions upon explosions erupted within the flames. After a few moments was smoke and ashes flowing out of the flames, but nothing else occurred. Many of the angels looked at each other and their leader with anxiety.

The General frowned and conjured a spear of light himself and chucked it at the sea of fire. This spear was far more powerful then the other spears had been on their own, the explosion it caused was like nuclear bomb, the powerful shock wave, bright light and almost mushroom cloud like effect proved this.

And yet the large angel's eyes widened in as the sea of green and black flames seemed to grow in size after his explosion ended. "Impossible! This mortal may be powerful his he does not have the strength to withstand our combined might!"

A loud chuckle emerged from the sea of fire. And large, heavy and steady crumbling footsteps, which sounded more like large boulders striking ground, began to resounded out over the area. As the intruder within the fires, began to talk, as he walked towards the gates once more. "Ooooh you are partly right about that. I might have been unable to fight you all, ONCE. But as of a few moments ago. That is no longer the case."

"Gather in front of the gates! We shall prevail against this twisted evil and destroy his cursed soul with our might! Let his lies not deceive you from the truth and justness of Our cause!" At the order of the General the angelic hos flew down before the expanding sea of fire, they conjured shields of light, and created a solid phalanx wall of massive shields linked together.

The shield wall looked like a wall of half round lamps, shining like a wall of skylights at the twisted sea of fire before them. Behind the slowly growing mass of fire, were the clouds started to grow darker, sparks began to emit from the blackened clouds as green cinders and blackened ash flew out of the dark flames and into their sky.

All the while the massive steps echoing out from within the flames grew louder and heavier as they came closer to the gates and the wall of angels protecting it.

"Hold fast! No being can breach our shields! Hold strong and add support to one another! Let us all hold back the approaching plague and render its efforts futile!" The General cried out as he flew above the Angelic host, his sickles held out, one of them pointed at the sea of fire, while the other was pointing at the angels bellow him.

The steps grew more rapid and the entire foundation of the ground that supported the angel's city began to shiver and quake. And a loud rumbling voice, erupted like thunder out of the flames. As a massive shape could be seen, moving with a steady galloping momentum towards the angels. Three enormous eyes staring out from the upper portion of the massive being. "Oh that's where you're wrong. Here. Let me show you."

And then a massive cloven hoof the size of a truck erupted out of the flames, and a massive spike and claw decorated limb, covered in black flesh decorated with cracks of red, the size of a tower followed. The angels stood fast and tried to repel the massive limb but it was no use. The large hoof crushed a large group of shield bearing angels beneath its massive shape. Then a second limb reached out and did the same.

Then emerged a twisted head, in the shape of a mixture between a horse, a dragon and what could only be described as a spider's lower jaw. The upper portion of the head had a equine shape, with draconic features, scales, horns and spikes sticking out of it, all in black and red colouring. With a pair of crimson eyes upon the sides with a third toxic green eye staring out from the forehead, where a unicorn's horn would normally be growing.

The lower portion of the head had a split jaw, which ended with a pair of hook like triangular fangs, a row of triangular fangs along the inside of the split jaw, which open and closed with thick slimy membranes and veins acting as muscles to move them. A long blood red tongue with black veins hung out like a thick meaty rope, drooling green slime over the ground.

Down the neck was a row of thick plate like scales, reaching down to a thick lower body with the lower areas from the throat to the stomach covered in thick scales. the upper back from the base of the neck was covered in thick black spikes with green veins, their jagged forms going down the entire back, even along the shoulders, and eventually down along a long serpentine tail with spikes growing along its entire length until ending into a row of claw like spikes.

The rib cage of the front of the creature was bare and twisted open, revealing a thick ooze of green slime filled with dark shapes pressing their skeletal wings and hands against the surface of the slime ,as if trying to get free.

Out of the back where a pair of wings had been in his Alicorn form was a pair of massive multi jointed arms with a row of large meaty fingers with sharp claws sticking out of them along the elbows. On the inside of the elbows were lines of pulsing green skinless flesh, almost insect like, that looked like cables. And out of the end of the massive limbs were black, long, sharp, and needle like claws reaching the size of flagpoles, they were not straight, instead they had in a slight inverted curve.

As the massive creature emerged out of the sea of fire, ash and smoke, it roared out a gargled screech that was like the combined sound of a stone grinder and a screeching bird of prey. The sound was so intense, so vibrant and loud, that the shock waves from it was visible to the naked eye. And they struck the angel who had called himself the Valor of God, and even as the massive creature stomped through the gathered angels, was the General screaming out in pain while clutching his eyes as he flew backwards.

Right into the central section of the cracked gate.

There was the sound of cracking and breaking glass, before the massive crystalline gate shattered and began to fall apart. And a deep resonating music began to sound through out the realm of the Heavens. And as the massive body of Maleficus Victoria, smashed through the parts of the collapsed gates, and his voice began to sing out without his jaws moving.

The Angelic Host, scattered by the massive monster that had just torn through the very Gates of Heave, flew up to retake formations as the intruder slammed down a massive hoof upon the prone shape of the general, crushing him.

Maleficus charged into a massive crystalline structure and broke through it, the shards of crystal like material flew out across the streets as he stomped forward. The collapsing structure fell with a loud groan, causing several more buildings to be torn apart by the impact.

A swarm of angels flew aroudn his head, trying to spear his skull with their magical spears of holy light. But his scales were too thick and as soon as they got too close, his jaws opened and he lout a horrific screech that shook the very air around him.

The strength of the screech was enough to tear dozens of angels to shreds with sheer pressure alone. All nearby buildings and structures shattered by the intensity of the shockwave, while the taller buildings collapsed as the lower sections shattered.

Rearing back a massive limb Maleficus punched through another building, his clawed limbs lashed out like a pair of spider legs and actively impaled angel after angel, until they had to slam the twitching corpses against a structure to get room for more.

A swarm of large winged beasts bearign a strange resemblance of angel winged cherubs the size of yachts, flew down from the light coming from the massive tower at the center of the crystalline tower. The sixteen wheel sized winged babies let out holy Gloria choir like cries, as their bodies began to emitting intense light so bright it was burning the lesser angels.

One of the Cherubs flew like a suicide bomber at the charging creature destroying the holy city by the gates. Maleficus answered the glowing giant baby's challenge, by grabbing hold of a large sharp piece of a fallen structure, and chucked it like a javelin.

A loud and meaty thunk was heard, followed by a choir like cry of agony, as the Cherub found its massively over-sized head impaled by the improvised weapon. As it fell into the ground, Maleficus stomped over the corpse, and impaled the head with one of his talons. And then he reared back and used the cherub as an improvised flail to swat down a swarm of angels.

Then something weird happened, as Maleficus' claw was impaling the Cherub's head, began his shape to twitch and spasm, as if experiencing nerve twitches. And as it did so, began his muscles to expand, the spikes upon his back began to grow. His tail grew out as he grew in size, and suddenly, out from a geyser of green goo, erupted a pair of massive insectoid claw like limbs out from the rear part of his body where the tail had been expanding.

Maleficus rushed towards a tall egg shaped building, his new pair of limbs adding to his speed as he ran up onto the egg and jumped off it and onto a large tower. And began to use his clawed legs and arms to climb the crystal structure like a siz legged lizard.

Two Cherubs flew towards him, their glowing shapes melting parts of the crystal structures as they approached. But Maleficus was unconcerned and just focused on climbing, until he was on top of the tower.

The two massive baby angels let out Gloria choir calls as they released golden lasers from their eyes at the twisted shape before them. Maleficus went low, slide down to the edge of the tower's peak. And then with a hefty push of his six lower limbs, jumped off the tower, making it fall as the force behind his push broke it off its foundation.

He flew through the air for a few moments, before his two forelegs slammed into the emotionless faces of the massive Cherubs. As he did so were several dozens of angels, impaled upon the spikes and claws upon his body, covering him in a rain of golden ichor. With fine precision, even as he began to fall down with the two giant baby angels held by his forelegs, he impaled their heads with his talon like arms.

Maleficus and the Cherubs struck the round rooftop of a large temple like structure. They crashed down upon a garden of crystal trees and fountains. The weight behind Meleficus' massive body shattered the cherub's heads beneath his hooves, spraying golden ichor across the area, without any meaty parts.

Once more the golden ichor was absorbed and Maleficus' shape began to twitch and spasm within the collapsing structure. His three eyes were narrowed as he gazed towards the sky above the collapsing building, where he could see an army of Cherubs and Angels fly down the the massive pillar.

As the building collapsed upon him, shrouding his shape in a dust cloud of crystalline matter, began the Cherubs and Angels to bombard the area with beams and spears of light. After a few moments of nonstop firing they relented and waited for the strike point to be revealed.

What was revealed as a section of the massive cloud of dust and smoke opened. Within this crack in the sea of smoke and fire was a massive area of molten crystalline glass. The angels let out a cheer of victory over the intruder. But then they noticed something. The song the intruder was singing, was not over, and his voice had not stopped singing either.

And that's when a massive clawed limb the size of a skyscraper erupted out from beneath the angels and cherubs. It impaled seven Cherubs upon it before a second limb reached out, this one in the shape of a three fingered talon, grabbed hold of five Cherubs and several dozens of angels, before crushing them like grapes.

And then a massive tail covered in jagged spikes swung out and hundreds of angels were smashed apart by the force of the strike and the wind of the limb itself. As the tail finally disappeared emerged out of the burning city below, the remaining forces of heaven began to desperately to fire upon the large black shape that was now revealed, moving across the ruins like a massive snake.

The sound of flesh tearing, bones grinding, body fluids pumping and ooze bubbling could be heard from the massive cloud of ash, smoke and fire. And that's when the angels took notice of another horrific revelation, one fourth of their city was burning with green and black coloured fires.

A massive trio of glowing eyes appeared within the smoke, larger then the limb that had emerged out of the smoke a few moments prior. The eyes moved forward, up and out of the fire and smoke, and revealed, just how big Maleicus had become.

His head was the size of a castled, his body had grown and expanded over a hundred new limbs along the length it had grown, he looked like some kind of demonic centipede combined with a demonic horse slash dragon at the front. And the massive head, opened its monstrous jaws, and let out a sound that made all of the angels above it, break apart.

Maleficus ignored the raining drops of ichor and resumed his march towards the massive tower. Even as large as he had grown was he but a small worm compared to the tower's size. But he was not concerned about this. He was not her to bother with the technicalities.

He was there for a very simple thing. Vengeance.

As the monstrous hundred legged creature that was Maleficus reached the base of the tower, reacted the glowing sun at the top of the pillar. And a swarm of Cherubs began to pour down, as well as another being that flew down with them, whatever it was was it even larger then the Cherubs. Even larger then Maleficus' current form.

Maleficus took no notice of this as he was focusing on using his vast number of monstrous limbs to grip and climb the crystalline surface of the tower in a circular motion. Intent on climbing up to the top.

A beam of light struck at him, not damaging the tower at all, but nearly splitting his body in half as it seared his flesh. He turned and glared at what was approaching, and almost lost his grip at what he saw.

It was an island sized angel in the shape of a buxom woman dressed as a nun, bearing two large glowing wings and a veil over her large face. In her left hand was a Sword, and in her right, was a scale. Her skin was pitch dark and she had no halo, only hair of golden fire.

"I am the Justice of God, and you are to be punished for your crimes." Her booming voice did not stop his ascent, but he could not risk her hitting him, instead he made a move across the circular surface of the tower, and as the large angel reached out to crush him, he jumped off and landed on her hand.

He crawled beneath the sleeves of her outfit and began to crawl up her arm towards her shoulders. The angel screeched out in a strange and alien voice, but it was clearly not pleased by having him crawling on it. A large hand the size of his own body tried to crush him beneath the cloth.

Maleficus crawled around and into the armpit as the hand tried to crush him. Not stopping he went past the armpit and onto her back ,where the joints of her wings were sticking out. And even as she screeched at him to stop, he reared back both of his claws, and strapped them into the base of her wings, and began to tear and rip into the flesh, spraying golden ichor out like fountains as the angel screamed out in pain as Maleficus began to dig his way into her body

The angel let out a cry of despair as the misshapen creature tore his way into her back. She could feel his skittering limbs tear and rip through her sacred flesh. His voice rumbled out from her body even as she stabbed the places she felt him move with her sword.

The pain grew larger and she could feel him growing within her body, his shape was squirming within her flesh and appeared like a large centipede was growling beneath her black skin. She slammed her back against the tower and tried to crush him within herself, even going so far as to have a swarm of Cherubs tear and rip at her skin whenever his crawling form could be seen. Her outfit was torn to shreds, thus leaving her naked shape laid bare to the Real of heaven as she twitched and squirmed against the Tower while trying to tear out the thing burrowing within her.

There was suddenly a moment of nothing as the shape stopped moving, Justice thought he had perished and let out a breath of relief. But then her eyes widened, as she felt her stomach bulge.

In a geysers of golden ichor, and what could only be described as 'intestinely' awful, erupted Maleficus out from the angel's lower stomach, his shape now growl to equal her size. And as he crawled out of her was her intestines dragged out ,as well as her other internal organs. The angel let out of a wailing cry of utter agony, unable to take the pain and horror she was experiencing, so when the creature climbed over her head she did nothing to stop it as it, in a brutal show of mercy, crushed her head.

The Justice of God fell down from the tower, her headless, naked and nearly dissected body turning into ash before it even hit the ground. While Maleficus resumed to crawl up the tower, his shape was still growing and as he reached the half point mark was his body expanding as much down as it was going up.

With Justice dead the Cherubs were inactive, unable to act without a command, and no angels had approached the battle or been seen since Maleficus screamed them to death. But his progress would not be left unchallenged, as when he reached the halfway point he came upon a large platform sticking out around the large tower, and two large winged behemoths, equal to the size of Justice, stood before him.

They hefted their weapons, one holding a large sword and the other holding nothing but a massive thick shield. Their bodies dressed in fine white robes, one of them bearing a hood with a crimson halo while the second had a helmet with a cross visor on it, with a blue halo. They spoke as one as they stood in his way. "Halt Intruder! You shall not pass! Prepare to face the might of the Sword and Shield of God!"

Maleficus charged forward, his body was almost half the length of the tower by now, but his thickness was about one third greater then the height of the angels. So he would not bother playing games and just rushed at them. Shield rushed in front of Sword, and hefted his shield against the massive centipede like demonic force before him.

A shield the size of an island, a force to defend as much as to protect. And yet its massive form, was dented by the impact of the rushing shape of Maleficus as he slammed his two forelegs with their now mountain sized hooves into the front of the shield. The force of the impact was enough to send Shield crashing into the wall of the tower.

"Die abomination!" Sword cried out as he charged from the side, having used Shield's shield to hide from sight as to flank the enemy. His efforts were proven futile however when a bulge of flesh grew out of Maleficus side and a limb bearing a sharp looking mutated crab claw, erupted out like a mutated tumor growth, and grabbed his sword.

"Sword!" Shield cried out as he charged to aid his fellow angel, his large shield held for a large tackle against Maleicus' shape. But Maelficus was not playing games, and even if he was would he not even bother playing fair. He ripped the sword out of Sword's hands and brutally threw it, point first, at Shield.

The sword penetrated not only the shield, but Shield's head behind it, making the angel fall down with a slump ont othe ground. While Sword cried out in despair at the sight of Shield dying by his sword. "Shield! No!"

His cries were silenced into gurgling as three spike like claws impaled his body from behind through the neck, the chest and the head. The angel splattered and twitched before falling limp. Maleicus then impaled the dead shape of Shield, and kept going up the tower, his size expanding ever further with the absorbed powers of Shield and Sword.

Even as his song began to reach its end, even as his flesh and bones expanded beyond the height of the massive tower, even as the he saw the top. He knew his goal, and he would fulfill it, one way or another.

And with a final roar he reached out with his cloven hoof and heaved his body up onto the top of the tower.

Seven tall angels dressed in fine robes and armour were gathered upon the peak of the tallest building of the Divine Citadel, the Tower of God. They were the Seraphim, the Arch Angels of Heaven, and it was their sworn duty to protect God and the interests of Heaven.

Already had five of their numbers fallen to the intruder, Gatekeeper, Valor, Justice, Sword and Shield. But the remaining members were unconcerned. For while the intruder may have dealt with the five weakest of their council, would he no doubt fall to the collective might of their remaining seven members.

Floating above the massive open top of the tower was a massive clear glass orb, the size of a large island. Within its clear surface was a swarm of white shapes, moving in a rotating pattern within the orb like a swarm of fish. They were the source of the strong light emitting over the Heavens.

The orb was decorated with a massive triangular shaped band of gold, bearing countless sigils, symbols and runes. With a circle shaped seal upon the center of the triangle bad, bearing a triangle with a circle inside of it ,with a smaller triangle inside of the circle, with a smaller circle within the smaller triangle. All of these markings were glowing with a bright blue light.

Above the massive orb were two floating platforms the size of small islands. Each of them were bearing seven golden swords embedded into seven pedestals. Well one of these swords were missing on the right platform as one of the pedestals were empty.

Connected to the two platforms with a pair of ramparts was a hexagon shaped platform with a four clawed bottom, and a circle shaped contained on the top of the platform, holing a pool of blue liquid.

The calm and serene nature of the area was being disturbed by screams, explosions, the sound of battle, and the tell tale roar of a monster. But the seven remained where they were standing, completely assured of their superior strength. Even as the tower began to shake and shiver and massive heavy clicking and cracking sounds could be heard.

Then a massive cloven hoof reached up from over the edge of the top of the tower and rasped onto the flat surface, and then the monstrous head of Maleficus rose over as his second row of legs grasped onto the top of the rows, sinking twisted and jagged claws into its surface. The massive centipede like monstrosity that his body had taken shape of rose up higher and higher, until he was almost at the same height as the lower half of the floating orb.

The angels were not intimidated by his size, even as he stood above their mountain sized bodies, they felt assurance in their own might to make him pay for his crimes.

"You know why I am here." The monstrous voice of the abomination rumbled out as his three eyes glared upon them.

"Foul twisted mortal! You have invaded the Realm of Heaven, broken the Sacred Walls and Sanctum of the Divine Citadel and desecrated the Tower of God with your presence!" A female Arch Angel spoke out in defiance to his words, nto answering his statement.

"Oh I highly doubt this place could be called heaven, nor do I think any God worth his salt would let something like this occur. After all, with parasites like you draining the power of human souls for your own ends, doesn't strike me as very Holy, at all." There was a collective silence as the Arch Angels gripped their weapons.

It was true, they were not in fact divine beings. This realm was one they had created, utilizing the souls of dead humans who had passed on. Taken before they could reach their intended afterlife.

In other words, this Realm of Heaven, was nothing more, then a Realm of Thieves. But they would never reveal this to anyone, not even those who knew the truth.

After all, once this intruder was dead, there was no need to fear him spreading the truth.

"In the name of God, I the Voice of God, say this. Destroy this foolish mortal for his lies." The female spoke out once more, holding out a golden scroll before her, and the arch angels held out their hands. And began their attack upon the intruder.

The Arch Angels fired beams of golden light out from their palms. All were aimed at Maleficus' massive head.

But he was prepared for this, there was a sickening crunching and ripping sound as his scales and flesh split apart on his head from his snout to his neck. And then, the split skin began to pull to the sides. And there was a loud sickening crack, as his skull, brain, throat and spine were cracked apart, and fell left and right.

He had effectively split his own head apart. And thus made the powerful laser beams fly past his split skull and then reassembled it together. A massive limb lashed out, the angel with the ribbons cried out as her stomach was pierced by a massive needle like claw.

Another Seraphim tried to save her by cutting off the claw with his scythe, only for one of the large finger claw on the limb to reach out and impale him through the head. The female died a few seconds after he did.

"Death and Hope are gone." Voice stated to the remaining five who refocused their efforts in destroying Maleficus, this time summoning forth pillars of fire, swarms of insects, swords of ice and other mass area attacks. But the thick body of the transformed alicorn was able to tank the strikes.

Maleficus opened his jaws and a swarm of skeletal angels erupted from his maw, they flew like howling banshees towards the Arch Angels. Crying out for aid while tearing at them with skeletal limbs.

The two remaining male angels combined their spears and fired a focused blast of plasma upon the specters, the swarm was dispersed, for a few seconds. Before it overwhelmed the pair, as they struggled to fight off the spirits, were they slowly but surely torn apart, bit by bit until nothing remained and the specters disappear, as Maleficus closed his jaws.

"This is not good, both Wisdom and Sight are gone now, this just leaves three of us." A Seraphim stated as she swung her axe through a set of tentacles with screaming beaks.

Voice spoke out to them, even as she conjured a swarm of diamonds to tear a massive claw to shreds. "Do not falter Courage and Love! As long as I remain I can restore everything that God has let us create through the Divine Scroll!"

She realized the error of what she had just said when Maleficus turned his eyes on her and spoke up with a smirk on his draconian jaws. "Oooh? So as long as I take out you or your scroll, there will be no more issues in taking out the rest."

"Voice look out!" Courage cried out as she tried to shield her from a limb of flesh covered with jagged iron spikes. She was crushed for her efforts.

The silent Love, even with just her and Voice, swung her morning star at Maleficus' head. But he just caught the orb, ignoring the searing holy fire burning his flesh, and yanked it. Love blinked in surprise when a limb that ended into the jaws of a shark appeared before her, and bit down, devouring her whole, before a row of saw like tear, ripped her to shreds inside.

She never made a sound even as her ichor was released out from the closed teeth, it looked the shark mouth was drooling gold. And Voice, realizing she was on her own. Decided to take desperate measures.

The Voice of God flew upwards, bearing her scroll, and raised it high to summon an intense fire equal to the surface of the sun upon the top of the Tower of God to incinerate the intruder. Or she would have, had not her left arm, which was holding the scroll, and her two legs, to been sliced off her body when a swarm of piranha faced worms erupted out of a massive boil on Maleficus thirty seventh limb. She fell crying out in agony and shock, but still alive.

Maleficus snorted at he downed angel, one of his many limbs reaching out and taking away her golden scroll. He then looked up and raised his upper body high to look at the massive orb the so called angels had called God. "I learned more and more of you and your race of parasites as I devoured you. But you 'arch angels' held the most knowledge. Especially about... this. The so called 'God'."

He looked at the swirling shapes within the orb with am upset expression on his monstrous face. "A massive orb used to trap human souls. Constantly growing to adapt for the constant influx of souls you thieves take. Using your Soul Stealing Swords to steal souls form other realms, before absorbing them into the orb. You also take those who have died or hoped for a peaceful afterlife, lie to them, give them a false sense of hope, false promises and a fake heaven. Fooling them to think of your Divine Citadel as Heaven. And then you seal them here to power your sick little race of soul snatchers."

Voice coughed and placed her remaining hand at her bleeding stump and glared up at the twisted freak who had invaded the realm she and her kind had worked so painstakingly long to build. But she had an ace, as long as the freak killed her she would resurrect by using the power of the souls making up God, it was a crude way to reassemble yourself but she knew she had little other choice if the Realm of Heaven was to survive.

So she kept her mouth shut and began to trace the magic upon herself as the thing kept talking. "I can only guess my parents were only able to contact me because they had yet to be taken to 'meet' God. Feh. God. It's nothing more then a giant battery for you parasites to utilize the power of human souls for your own purposes. This is not the Heaven my parents were told of."

Then she knew things were starting to turn bad, when the unnatural mortal did not just kill her after speaking those lines. And she looked up, to see him glaring at her. But not approaching, and she felt a chill, wondering if the creature knew about her power of resurrection by sacrificing human souls.

"And this is not the Heaven they were promised. Trapped within a large glass orb to be processed into power for you parasites to use like common batteries." Maleficus growled out as he glared down upon the badly wounded arch angel as her golden ichor poured out and stained the once clear blue crystal floor of the tower.

His massive centipede like body raised its front part and the monstrous form of Maleficus began to gag and hack, before with a loud wet splat, he barfed out something from his split jaws. A golden sword fell down, covered in green and black slime from the interior of Maleficus' massive body.

Before the weapon could strike the ground it was gripped by a pincer like claw sticking out of one of the many misshapen limbs of Maleficus' body. The sword was raised up and Maleficus glared upon it, before glaring towards the orb that was 'God'. "This Soul Taker was used to take my parents within it. Now it shall be used, to free not only them, but all whom you have held prisoner here."

"Look upon your false God, one last time. For now. It ends." He reared back his twisted limb and with a wordless shout threw the golden sword like a javelin, it flew with a screech towards the clear glass frame of the orb with the speed of a falling star. The swirling mass of white figures within the orb, watched as the sword flew towards their prison.

But then the voice of the arch angel cried out as she flew up and held out her one remaining arm, and conjured a shield of diamond like crystal to block the sword. "Nooooo! You shall not destroy God!"

There was a loud resound king crackle, like lightning striking ground, as the sword struck the angel's shield. There was a bright blinding light from the impact, a loud pained scream, and then a loud crack was heard. And as the light subsided, was the angel slammed into the frame of the massive orb. Cracks had taken shape upon the surface behind her. But compared to the rest of the orb's massive size were they not even one thousands of the size.

Panting the angel held up her remaining hand and glared at the demonic creature that had nearly cost her everything. Her hood had been torn off by the explosion, exposing a humanoid head of black energy, with hair of golden fire. With the golden hair exposed, and her hood gone, was her once glorious halo no longer there. Even with her bright white wings she looked far from angelic in Maleficus' eyes.

"You insane freak! You nearly destroyed everything! Countless years of efforts! This entire realm is tied to God! If you destroy it will Heaven be no more and these souls lost! All for your misguided sense of right and wrong! There are no such things! They are inventions made up by your human society! All it takes to alter them is your own opinion which may as well be clay with how much you change them!" Her ranting echoed over the decimated tower, her fury almost making the entire area shake and shiver.

Maleficus just stared at her, unimpressed. "Well that's just YOUR opinion then."

She sputtered and almost frothed in fury. But then Maleficus spoke up again,and her eyes widened. "But your opinion matters little, parasite. The opinion of those you have held prisoner, matters more if you ask me."

And he turned to look up at God, and she looked over her shoulder, and felt a slight shiver as she saw that the souls within the orb of God, were no longer moving. They were all motionlessly still, floating in place like a horde of onlookers, looking down at her and the intruder, as if noticing them for the first time.

Then that accursed interloper opened his jaws and spoke out to their audience. His voice echoing out over the peak of the tower, resonating across the Realm of Heaven.

The word echoed over the area and for a few moments a breath was held.

Then the arch angel let out a sigh o relief and turned with a smirk towards the demon like creature before her and spoke at him with an arrogant voice. "Your efforts are futile, they do not wish to forsake God by breaching the orb! Humanity will not submit to the whims and lies of a twisted creature like-"

And that's when it happened. A single spectral being of white, almost transparent, moved towards one of the cracks, and reached out with a spectral hand. And gripped the handle of the sword, and began to visibly try to pull it. It did not budge and inch.

"Fool you cannot hope to breach my power with such a futile attempt! Return to God and know peace again! Do not listen to the monster before you!" The angel said with an unconcerned tone. But Maleficus' face just smirked at her as he witnessed the soul struggling to push the sword through the diamond like shield of the angel.

And that's when another soul flew towards the cracks. It too squeezed through the tiny gaps of the cracks in the glass. It too reached out with spectral hands and began to tug at the sword. Still no real effect.

The angel started laughing at this point. But Maleficus just smiled and slowly raised his head up closer and looked upon the soul's struggling to push the sword. And then he looked at the rest of the human souls trapped within the sphere. And he could see them looking at each other in contemplation. Before slowly, another brave soul left he hesitant billions and slipped through the cracks, and also joined in the efforts.

Now three souls had pushed out of the cracks and were pushing at the sword. And then a group of four slipped out. They too gripped the sword and began to pull and push it towards the orb. Then a group of seven followed. And a group of ten. Twelve. Twenty. Thirty. Forty. Fifty.

And then, like an invisible dam had been broken, flooded the souls of humanity towards the cracks and urged over the startled angel to grip the sword holding their salvation.

More and more spectral being flew out of the orb and gripped the sword, it was like a spiraling hurricane of ghosts trying to push the final nail into their own coffin. And as thousands upon thousands slipped through the cracks, the pressure of the sword began to increase.

And slowly, cracks began to appear upon the surface of the angel's diamond like shield.

She let out a scream of utter despair at the sight and frantically swung her wings at the mass of souls before her, they scattered like locust for a few seconds, before returning like angry wasps and pushed even harder against the sword.

"Noooo! What are you doing!? Stop it! This is blasphemy! Do not defy God!" She cried out as she frantically tried to push even more power into the shield while pushing away the souls.

But her efforts were in vain. As when the sword slide deeper and deeper through the shield. The resounding echo of a billion voices, rumbled out from the orb that was 'God'.

And then the sound of breaking glass was heard, as the sword split through the angel's shield. The golden blade's tip penetrated through her chest, right below the throat, making her release a strangled echoing cry of agony. Then the blade, and the angel, were impaled into the cracked surface of the orb.

As the blade struck the orb, the sword itself began to glow. And the souls of humanity, were sucked up by the sword, and entered the arch angel's body, and exited through the tip of the sword inside of the orb, then moved out of the orb, and entered the sword.

Resume and repeat.

The arch angel's body was growing bloated and crackling with golden light, as more and more power went through the sword, through her body, and into the orb. Cracks began to grow over the orb as the arch angel's power began to run out of control and she screamed out in strangled agony while the smirking form of Maleficus looked at her.

"Poetic Justice. At its finest, don't you agree? Enjoy your final moments with your 'God', parasite. Let this wicked place end with you, your lies and your false Heaven." With that final taunt spoken, Maleficus' massive body broke apart into blackened ash and green cinder, the corpses and ichor of countless angels spilling out of his grotesque form as it broke apart.

Like a massive organic domino filled with corpses of angels, the massive centipede like body began to burst apart, spilling its gory content all over the Divine Citadel from the top of the Tower of God an down towards the Celestial Wall.

Back by the Gates of Heaven, the tail end of the massive body burst apart and Maleficus, back to his alicorn form, ran down the cracking and burning realm that was the so called Heaven. The burning pit that was his exit out of this realm was looking rather unstable and the alicorn speed up his momentum even more.

And then ,as he was mere inches away from the portal. The false arch angel, known as the Voice of God, let out a final gargled cry. Before detonating, and the Orb of God, shattered along with her. A bright light shoot out from the ruined peak of the Tower of God, breaking apart everything it touched. Right at the same moment as Maleficus jumped into the portal pit.

The light reached his location in a near instance and the no longer transformed alicorn found himself flung faster then intended through the pit and felt himself lose the connection he had on the other end. As both it and the fake realm known as the Realm of Heaven, disintegrated into nothingness.

In a realm of pitch dark sky and snow fields was a single portal of black and green flames was illuminating the landscape with its sickening glow. Just a bit away from it was Princess Luna watching the vortex intently, now that the mindscape was more or less restored she could sense the proper passage of time again.

It had been a week since Maleficus left his mindscape through the portal he had opened after devouring the strange intruder who had taken his parents' souls.

She was getting a bit worried that he had bitten off more then he could handle. But then the portal began to pulse and shiver, as if it was being stretched and torn at by invisible claws.

At first she intended to move forward to try and stabilize it to keep Maleficus from being lost to his own mind. Then she saw something moving through the center of the portal's vortex like structure. And decided to get out of the way as the familiar shape of a certain black stallion came flying towards her.

The portal detonated like a small bomb and a loud collection of meaty thumps was heard, but Luna saw none of the actual movements as sh e was busy having her head buried into two hooves height's worth of snow.

As she pulled her head out of the snow she saw the rising shape of Maleficus as he struggled to stand up, only to fall over a bit.

Walking over to the disoriented stallion she gently reached out and helped him stand. "Are you okay Maleficus? What happened within that portal?"

Maleficus rubbed his head, trying to remember he was not in the shape of a massive monster centipede, nor did he have the power of several thousands of angels anymore. It was disorienting to go from being so powerful to less powerful. It was like he would have to learn how to walk all over again.

"Let's just say that things did not turn out as intended. Though I still managed to free both of my parents, did I do much more then that. I will explain later, for now, I really need to wake up and move my body. I need to be alone for a bit." His body faded from the mindscape and Luna looked after his disappearing shape in concern, but then the snowy field vaporized, and reformed into the familiar looking building she had been hosted inside.

"Well I might as well go and watch something, been too long without a TV." She said to herself before striding into the entertainment room and sat down on the couch, and for the first time in over half a decade, she relaxed. Which was only possibly now that Maleficus had recovered.

It is day upon Equestria, but on the other side of the planet, is something most interesting occurring. Upon the surface of the Moon, the clutching shape of the Phantom. And as Maleficus returned to his mindscape, with the fake divine realm destroyed, the Phantom broke the star.

Its burning eyes grew narrow as it clutched its talon one final time around the golden star, and a bright flare of light illuminates the world beneath it. Those down upon the surface staring in fear at the sight of the dark fire burning upon the surface of the moon, destroys one of the stars of the sky.

The spectral fire retrieved its limb back and laid downs its head upon the surface of the moon once more. Returned to its original position, it stopped moving. But the action it had taken had been noticed the world over through out the week. And thus, things were going to get a bit different, now that the denizens of the world had realized something.

Whatever the fire on the moon was, was it not as inactive as they had once thought.

Maleficus' eyes opened and he stood up from the sand of the moon's surface. His body was heavy and unsteady, but he felt much better then inside of his mind. Slowly he walked towards the Interface, the floating structure of solid light screens began to shine and shift as he approached it and he smiled a bit as several screens lit up with images and texts.

Sitting down on the snow he reached out to the oldest of the reports and began to watch and read it. He had a lot of things to catch up on before he could resume his work.

And so the alicorn sat there, swiping through the screens, watching, listening and reading. Scowling at some parts, smiling at others. And when he saw the wedding of his two young charges, he smiled and cried tears of joy, tracing his hoof over the image of the happy couple hugging each other. *I wish I could have been there.*

He let out a deep sigh and kept going through the flux of information. And that's when he came upon a specific set of information about a specific set of beings, his eyes grew wide. He quickly reached out and activated the viewing function of the Interface, the screens with information floated away and the large floating line of circle shaped disks shifted in angle towards a specific point of the planet above him.

Standing up on his hind legs Maleficus conjured forth a sphere of moon sand and infused it with magic, forming its once grainy mass into a fluid mass of light. And then he shaped the mass from a shapeless lump of clay into a pyramid. He then focused and lines of runes began to etch themselves into the surface of the Solid Light, before being absorbed.

As the final line of runes disappeared he let the pyramid float up a bit and closed his eyes, and the pyramid, suddenly went fro ma white colouration to a mixture of black and green. Before erupting into a black mass of almost oil thick gas. The gaseous shape suddenly altered its form and took on the shape of the front body of a pony, with the back body being a black, almost slime like, mass of smog.

Three eyes appeared upon the head of the gaseous shape, two red on the left and right sides were the eyelids were, and a green one appeared upon the forehead. The shape looked around a bit, testing out its body movements, then it looked upon the still form of Malefiucs, reached out, and poked him on the nose.

No Reaction.

Nodding the shape suddenly imploded into the pyramid once more, leaving the once white mass of solid light as a black pyramid that looked like it was made out of solid darkness. And Maleficus opened his eyes again and shifted his neck, left and right, stretching out the stiffness of his bones.

He then reached out for the floating pyramid, held it out to the first of the circular shaped lenses of the Interface's Telescope, and pressed the pyramid against the surface.

There was a black flare for a few seconds, then a black blur shoot along the lenses until erupting out like a flying blob of tar towards the planet.

Maleficus activated the Interface's viewing functions and utilized his floating satellites of solid light around the surface of the planet to keep track of the pyramid. Making sure it went were it should.

The black pyramid did NOT land where it should, instead of landing among the Foal Mountains if flew further south, past the Haysed Swamps and straight into a large tropical jungle, yet to be explored by Equestrian ponies.

Frowning Maleficus conjured another pyramid of solid light from a hoofful of moon sand, his accuracy was far off then it once was. He would have to try several times to hit the right spot. Until then he would have to try and work on his control and focus, he was not looking forward to it. But he knew it.

He had lost a lot of his control over his magic and that would not do well for him in the long run.

It had been six nights of bone chilling fear of Equestria ever since the Phantom of the Moon grasped one of the stars of the night sky. But just as abruptly as the fearsome image came, it disappeared.

As on the seventh night had the ponies of Equestria grown fearful of what manner of plans of the Phantom of the Moon, or rather, Maleficus Victoria, was preparing. But as they looked upon the moon once more they felt a great sense of relief at the sight of the burning specter once again having assumed its rested position on the opposite side of the Mare.

But that did not remove the fact of what had occurred.

The disturbance would cause many to wonder, just HOW well sealed are Maleficus Victoria and Nightmare Moon for one of them to be able to manipulate the night sky in such a horrifying manner. It would leave many sleepless even weeks after the events that had caused them such great distress.

All the ponies knew, was that Maleficus Victoria was still active, even when he was sealed upon the moon. And it made many of them wonder, just what manner of horrifying acts had he been committing during these long years?

A wave of blue water splashed up against the frame of a large wooden vessel travelling over the clear blue sea known as the Celestial Sea. A large dual masted boat beating four sails each was moving across the water towards a large land of crimson sand, black mountains and thick jungle vegetation. The vessel was long, wide and had a sculpture fastened to its front in the shape of an pegasus mare spreading her wings.

The Dragonlands was what it was named. A fitting name for the main home of the winged creatures that had struck awe and terror upon the world for untold ages. And now was one of its inhabitants, returning.

Sitting on top of the wooden deck of the Reckless Spirit, the name of the ship, sat Clash the heir of the Rockfire Clan. He had recovered, his wings restored, and his wounds mended. Only scars remained, ones he bore with pride, to show that he had survived something few could.

He was sitting alone on the deck, except for the various crew members and soldiers working. No one interacted with him outside of his students, and he was fine with that. Clash had not spent the last three years working with the ponies to let their behavior disturb him right before things could improve.

The red dragon puffed out a small gust of smoke and inhaled the smell of the sea and the ash and sulfur coming from the volcanic mountains beyond the thick jungle. He let out a pleased humming sound before turning his head to look out to the other ship sailing next to the Reckless Spirit.

It was an almost identical ship, only with a longer body with the head figure of a merpony. It was the Sea Maiden, and it was there with the weapons to kill him should he act against his students or Equestria itself. But they were also there for a secondary purpose.

To colonize.

If things were to turn for the better would the ponies have to have connections with the nations on the other side of the ocean. Which included the dragons. And so the first ever Colonization Project had been made by the Equestrians, gathering not only materials but volunteers as well.

While it had been a bit concerning at first was Clash more then willing to allow it, as long as it meant less hostilities between his kind and the ponies. But for that to work out he needed to prove that he and his students could bring forth reason to the rest of his kind, by force or other methods mattered little to him, as long as it got done.

And that's when he noticed it. A black shape flying out from the volcanic mountains, he looked and nodded, it was a small shape, near his own size. Clearly a young and curious dragon who wanted to inspect the boats approaching. Ignorant of the dangers.

"We have an approaching young drake, I suggest you ponies prepare yourself it it should prove hostile." At his words the ponies went into a frenzy of activity and the two boats brought out their weapons and troops, ready for a confrontation should the approaching dragon prove hostile.

A young blue dragon flew over the boats, but did not attack, instead it circled around a bit. It looked rather confused but at the same time intrigued. It then spoke out to the ships, it was male.

"Hey you! What are you doing on these floating things and what's with the ponies!?" Clash was at least glad the stranger did not ask if he could eat them, it probably meant he was from one of the less aggressive or predatory clans.

"My name is Clash, of clan Rockfire, and I am returning home. After having been defeated in battle by ponies ,as was the majority of my clan, when we enacted our annual Grand Feast." That stumped and shocked the blue dragon who almost fell out of the sky by surprise alone. But he quickly regained his balance and slowly flew over to the front of the ship, flapped his wings as to slow down, and slowly landed on the front ,careful to not break anything as he was unsure how stable the boat was.

"Okay. I was NOT expecting that to be the answer. Normally you Rockfires are all about eating and being stronger then others. This is a big change. Did the ponies actually beat your entire clan?" Clash just sighed and nodded at that, it was a fair point.

"Why don't you fly over to the pony nation, which is called Equestrian, and ask my grandfather, Talos. I believe his head is being mounted as a trophy in one of the cities." Again the other young dragon felt shock and almost lost his balance when the boat was hit by a particularly heavy wave.

"Aahh.... you're joking right? Talos the Terror? The Magma Spitter? The Strongest of the Five Dragon Lords? Killed by ponies?" The bafflement of the dragon was clear and Clash knew that had he been in his situation ,he would probably have reacted worse.

"No. I am not. You can ask young Bright Light over there just how skilled ponies are at killing dragons. She's been holding a knife to your throat ever since you landed." At those words the dragon went still and slowly turned his head and almost went pale at the sight of a young mare dressed in a mixture of leather and plate armour, with a helmet with a bar lined visor covering her head. A curved dagger, held against the softer scales of the young dragon's throat.

"Ah. Yes. I totally believe you. And I am not going to make trouble, I am not into eating ponies." The pony held the dagger in place for a few more seconds before removing it, and jumped off his shoulder. She landed almost completely silent, except for a soft shifting of her plate and leather, and gave the dragon a final stare before walking away. The dragon rubbed his throat nervously while looking at a smiling Clash.

"She is one of the Equestrian Dragon Hunters, they are trained to hunt and kill dragons who would cause harm to her nation. But even the common warriors of Equestrian can kill dragons if they have the skill or the equipment to do so." At those words the other dragon just nodded and slowly took a breath before letting it out, calming himself down.

"Well. Okay. This is going to baffle father when he gets to hear about it." The blue dragon said with a sigh as he looked at the ponies who were no longer pointing strange looking devices and weapon at him.

At the mention of that, Clash got interested. He did not know who this dragon was, let aloen their father. "Oh? Whose your father? And for that matter, what is your name?"

"Oh sorry, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Torch of the Ironclaw Clan, the only hatchling of Pyre, the Dragon Lord of the Ironclaw Clan."

"Greetings Ironclaw. I hope you and me can prevent the possible extinction of our species." Clash said with a slight smile as he held out his claw in greeting to the other dragon. Talking as if he was talking about the weather and not about the end of their very race.

"Yeah, that would be a real bummer." Torch said with a twitchy smile and reached out to shake Clash's claw.

And so Clash the heir of the Rockfire clan, meet Torch, the only hatchling, and heir, of the Iron Claw Clan.

Once upon a time would the worlds holiday, semester or honeymoon have about as much relevance as a common work day. But with the development of Equestria had many such days become great events of festivities, joy and recovery of the mind, soul and body.

Ponies could take longer breaks, enjoy days without physical or mental efforts. To spend time with family or friends. Even go on vacations or long trips during their honeymoons or anniversaries.

Grand Music and Happy Meal were no expectation and many expected them to take a while to enjoy their new life as newly weds before returning to Canterlot.

But none had foreseen a three years long honeymoon. Ponies had almost gotten into a panic when it became clear a year later that Happy Meal and Grand Music had not returned yet from their honeymoon.

Although to call it a honeymoon would be bit of a stretch. The two knights were constantly pulled into one adventure after the other as they journeyed the Equestrian roads and towns. It was like the Gods wanted to keep them distracted from enjoying themselves.

And for some unknown reason would they always be forced to move to the next problem as if fed breadcrumbs of mysteries and dangers along the entire time.

Luckily were there no real issues among the Order or Equestria for the past three years, it was peaceful period. And the married couple had more then one reason to enjoy their lives.

Happy Meal had given birth to twins, a pair of fillies. Cutie Pie and Twinkle Twinkle. But apparently had two fillies not been enough and during their honeymoon she had gotten pregnant a second time and given birth to a colt by the name of Grand Symphony.

At first they had wanted to name their little colt after Maleficus, but they felt like Grand Symphony was more fitting for some reason.

And so the duo returned to Canterlot by carriage once more, with Happy Meal and Grand Music dragging said carriage. With their happy foals sitting on the back, cooing and awing at the sight of their parents' hometown.

"There she be little ones, this be ye ma and pa's home. Canterlot." Happy Meal said with a grin while her husband smiled. They were happy to be home once more, the time spent away had been some of the most fantastic adventures they had been through. But they were more then happy to be back home.

"Your grandmother is going to be so disappointed she missed your first couple of birthdays, so be prepared for a lot of food and lecturing." Grand Music said with a grin while his wife gently bumped him in the side with her hip, giving him a mock glare, which he returned with a smirk.

A single black streak fell down the night sky. It looked like a piece of the night sky had been gathered together in a blob and fallen down from the dark heavens. It streaked down across the clouds, over mountains, seas and lakes. Before finally it slammed into the side of a lone mountain peak.

Just on the other side of the valley next to the mountain, stood a tall mountain city built from the middle of the mountain to the peak. It was a large city made with stone and wood structures. This was the city of the Vikings, Järngård, or Jarngard as it was spoken of by the ponies and other horses.

It was the main home of the Vikings and held a larger structural significance then one would expect, as the city of Jarngard would become one of the most famous cities in the known world very soon.

It was a large place, built with four great walls, splitting the city into four district because of the tall stone structures circling the mountain. Each wall had a large gate, and gatehouse, located in a different navigational direction.

The lowest wall, the one separating the city from the lower parts of the mountain, had a large wood and metal gate decorated with fine tribal carvings and symbols of dragons and horses. Two great statues stood on the other side of the deep moat before the drawbridge, each one in the shape of a pair of large horses, dressed as vikings, one a mare the other a stallion.

This gate was located in the direction of the valley, which was East. The inside of the district, known as the Stone District, was home to most of the town's farmlands, common homes and public markets. There was also a lot of woodlands and smaller shrines through out the Stone District, with wild animals, priests and shamans being common sights.

The next gate was on the other side of the mountain, located to the West. It was separated from thee Stone District by not only a drawbridge and a gatehouse, but by a secondary gatehouse behind it. It was the thickest of the four walls. Behind this gate was the Bronze District.

It housed much of the shops and stores, as well as many housings. It held the most taverns, breweries, parks and arenas. The Vikings were not just warriors but merchants and knew how to handle both steel and gold as any soldier and merchant could. There was even a few auction houses and a large lake, where most of the town's fish and water was gathered.

The next gate was located to the North, and was located on an out sticking cliff side a good fifty meters above the ground. It was the tallest of the four walls, being seventy meters tall with the natural stone below it, and had a large gatehouse with two draw bridges. Behind this gate laid the Iron District.

It houses most of the military facilities, the blacksmiths, the training grounds, the barracks, richer housings, several specialized shops, meeting halls, judgement circles and a large Colosseum that was essentially a massive fighting pit. Outside of the architecture there were also several temples, shrines and even monuments dedicated to worship and important horses.

The following gate was located in the direction of South. The wall it was connected to was the smallest of the four walls but it was the most defensible. As it had more then twice the number of towers, the gatehouse itself was connected to a tower that was one hundred meters into the Iron District. One needed to walk a one hundred meter long draw bridge to even reach the gate, at an height of thirty meters.

Behind this gate, laid the Steel District.

It housed the Palace, a large stone and wood castle built in the accordance of the old Viking traditions, but with stones replacing much of the wood. It was the housing of the Great Jarl, the chosen leader of the Vikings. It housed the Jarls, the lesser members of nobility and military matters. It housed the Sky Yard, a large tower that stuck up like a giant cylinder of stone with a circle shaped platform on top with a large ship shaped building on said platform.

There was also the main military headquarters, the Main Temple, the Sacred Garden, a garden of various trees and plants made in reverence to the gods the the Allfather. But most important was the large pond of water, not as large as the lake in the Bronze District, but much deeper, with its artificial rain cloud pouring down an endless source of water for the city.

Out of the side of the mountainside in the Iron District, poured a waterfall down into a system of channels and artificial rivers, and poured down to the mountain until it reached the lake in the Bronze District, where it poured out into a single river into the Stone District.

And upon each of the four walls, laid a collection of towers and fortifications, holding soldiers and siege engines at the ready for unexpected assaults.

This was Jarngard. The home of the Vikings.

And they had taken note of the black star which had struck the mountain opposite of their home. The Great Jarl, wasted no time, and had words sent out to send scouts to find out what had happened, while also conversing with his Horadrim adviser located within the keep.

What they found, would change many things, and not just for the horses.

The following day had the leader of the Horadrim gotten words of the matter and swiftly traveled to Jarngard, luckily he had already been nearby when words reached him through the message sent by his fellow Horadrim.

As the elderly looking horse entered the Palace where the Viking Leader and his Jarls were waiting for him around a large oval shaped table. And upon that table, rested a pitch black pyramid that seemed to be so black, it was absorbing the light around it. When one put a candle next to the triangle, it looked as if the shadows caused by the candle ,and the light itself, were being sucked into the darkness of the small pyramid.

"Well this is interesting." Asclepius, or Cursed Blessing as he was sometimes called, muttered as he looked at the strange artifact. It reeked of magic, so much that it was almost like one could taste it in the air. He slowly reached out, and touched the triangle, before slowly grabbing hold of it before lifting it up to examine.

"What is that Asclepius?" The Great Jarl, Mjölnir, or Thunder Hammer as his pony name was, asked as he walked over to the Hroadrim leader's side. He was a tall muscular stallion with red mane and tail with a dark brown body pelt with black hooves.

"It's defiantly magic, very magic. I am having a hard time determine what it is or where it comes from. But the magic within it feels... almost famili- ack!" His trail of thoughts and words were broken as the pyramid suddenly let out a loud crackling sound, and thick black smog begins to trail out of its surface.

The Vikings draw their weapons while Thunder Hammer pulls back Cursed Blessing as he drops the pyramid. And he pulls out a war hammer and stands at the ready as black bellowing smog erupts out of the pyramid, shrouding it from sight. The moving mass of darkness then seems to shift and become more dense, before the shape of a large equine front body, floating from a cloud of dark smog like matter, grew out of the darkness.

It looked almost like a black version of a genie. And when three eyes of red and green opened upon its head, with the green eye upon the forehead, the horses began to realize what they were seeing.

And then, the being spoke, in a familiar, if echoing, voice. "Testing. Testing. Ahem. Can you hear me?"

"Ah... Creator? Is that you?" Cursed Blessing asked nervously as he walked past the baffled Thunder Hammer.

The black shape looked upon Cursed blessing and nodded. "Yes. I have managed to develop a way to by pass the Elements of Harmony's block on my ability to transfer my consciousness onto the planet. I have been trying for the past three years to send you messages through these, let's call them Black Beacons, for now. But I haven't been able to reach you until now. And not to mention have not all of them remained intact when hitting the ground, or lasted past the atmosphere."

"But Creator, you have succeeded, and that is all that matters for now. What do you wish of us?" Cursed Blessing asked with a wide grin as he felt relief and joy fill his heart at the thought of serving his Creator directly once more.

The black smog figure let out a sigh and rubbed a limb of darkness against a non existing forehead, since it too was only darkness. "I have been keeping track of your progress with your projects. I can see you have finished the preparations for completing Skyheim and Golden Apple. The ways you have built the cities and the foundations of the projects make this very clear."

Cursed Blessing nodded with a proud smile on his lips. "Indeed Creator, we have almost completed project Golden Apple. We just need to find a proper way to utilize the Mana Engines to power the array to enact the project in practice."

Maleficus nodded before reaching out and grabbing hold of a blank parchment and began to write across it with his black murky hooves, as if the letters were being written by an invisible writing utility. "You have completed most of the requirements for the engines. But you need to think of the scale you are going to be using it for. Thus you need to consider the amount of power necessary for the array to be able to function without the power being to little, too much or too unstable."

"Indeed Creator, thus far have we only been able to utilize Golden Apple on two places, and they are only the size of large monuments not anywhere near the size of the Skyheim Projects." Cursed Blessing said with a sad frown on his lips.

"Then the answer is simple. Create a network of multiple Mana Engines, and add sympathetic links to the arrays. Keep the arrays spread out as to not cause interference between them. And make sure to add a back up system in case the mana engines fails, gets sabotaged or are destroyed." After saying that Maleficus held out the parchment and Cursed Blessing accepted it, and began to read it, his eyes slowly widening as he read.

"Follow those instructions and you should be ready to construct and activate Golden Apple with Skyheim within the next year or so. Might be later but that's only if you run into trouble. But I cannot foresee the future. I will be leaving you this Black Beacon. If I need to contact you will I be sending a cloud of smoke from the Beacon." The vikings bowed to their leader's commands and Cursed Blessing nodded eagerly as he kept reading the parchment, memorizing everything upon it.

"For now I need to return to the moon and rest. I haven't been sleeping for two days straight. And that's not even counting the amount of time I have spent overworking the past three years. So be well." With those words spoken the smog like form of Maleficus dissolved as the darkness was once more absorbed by the pyramid, leaving it laying down on the table once more.

Asclepius (Cursed Blessing) smiled bright and quickly left the room, speaking eagerly with Mjölnir (Thunder Hammer) about the future of the Horadrim Kingdom and the way the creator's instructions would escalate Project Golden Apple into completion.

But in their haste they, and Maleficus, forgot something rather important.

While it was true that many of the beacons Maleficus had sent were destroyed during the transfer. What about those that remained intact?

A group of gathering figures meet upon a circle shaped table once more. Their robed shapes hidden from view, this time not even chairs had been prepared. With the return of the Grand Master of the Order of the Golden Cross and his wife things could not be done as easily as before.

But that was not the only reason. Princess Celestia's Magical Academy had started on a project, to produce Communication Orbs, in a larger quantity and quality. The change in development was worrying ,especially for a hidden group of conspiring traitors such as themselves.

As the one of them spoke, could no one tell from where the voice was speaking, it was being distorted among the chamber. So that it could not be pin pointed where the voice was coming from. yet another safety measure.

"We hath completed the preparations. The initial part of the plan shall be engaged within the next year."

"And then We shalt incubate the project for at least twenty years until it hath become good enough for the secondary part of the plan."

"Indeed. Without a long stage of preparation art Our plans doomed to failure. We shalt need to investigate the Sun thoroughly, not just her history, but her personality, her likes, her dislikes and so forth. We shalt need to be able to foresee and prepare for everything."

"We hath to prepare not just for the Sun, there art unknowing interlopers who could shake Our plans if they get involved. We shalt need to make certain that no pony be able to interact with the Sun so closely that it be risking the success of Our plans."

"Indeed. We shalt not let it go to chance that the Sun will meet others that can cause disorder for Our plans if We art unaware. So We shalt hath to find ways to 'handle' anypony who art unwise, or unlucky, to get close to the Sun."

"And in the end, We shalt be free of the alicorns and Our nation and people, in turn. shalt be rid of them."

"Aye. Keep the progress recorded and keep the incubation period in mind. Our initial strike will be within the next twenty years or so."

"Oh just to be clear. When thee sayth 'handle' thou art insinuating We kill them correct?"

"...Aye. We thought it obvious that, that was what We hath meant."

"Just wanted to make it clear."

"On another note. We hath received words from one of Our... supporters. They hath discovered something of extreme magical power that they think will be interesting to study."

"Oh what could it be this time? A magic mirror that already hath been broken? Oh wait! We know the answer! It hath to be a book that devours thou very soul!"

"Nay. By the description given, is be a pitch dark pyramid the size of a pony's head. The entire surface of the object art pitch black, but if one were to flows magic through it. One may see a complex networks of runes and arrays within it shouldst one do this."

"...Okay We doest admit that be slightly more interesting then We hath been expecting."

"We will discuss the matter of this... pyramid item once it hath been retrieved. But for now doest We call the meeting adjourned. Unless anypony else hath something to mention?"

"..."

"Very well then. Meeting adjourned! All Hail the Society of Heraldry, Independence and Trade!"

"Hail!"

And without further sound the ponies left the chamber. Unwilling to risk of their plans or ambitions being taken note of, not with the rising magical and military strength of Equestria turning towards communication. They could not risk anyone overhearing, even if by mistake, so they had to be careful. And for some reason that included while talking inside of a sealed underground chamber deep within a mountain.

Princess Celestia looked out over her city, down in the courtyard were several lines of troops doing drills and plans. The time would soon come that the Third Crusade would commence against the greatest foe of her nation. As she looked out she could see twinkling snow drops fall down over the city's white covered roofs and walls.

So many ponies had come to her nation in the past twenty years. It had been two decades since the Second Crusade, many of those who had fought in the First were not as strong as they used to. But they served as mentors, seniors and even as teachers to the next generation of soldiers. It was a very warm thought just knowing that her ponies were working together to end the plight of their nation.

Even those who were not working to aid in the war effort were contributing in different ways. Among them being the Dragon Hunters who were working out from the first Colony of Equestria, located in the Dragon Lands. Though she was uncertain if the name the colonists had chosen was... appropriate. She could not really understand why someone would name their town Bangcolt. It felt... a bit off.

But the Hunter's Guild, as it had come to be named, was well worth the weird name of the colony. With the aid of Clash the Hunters had been hunting down any hostile dragon with brutal efficiency. Over fifty dangerous dragons had been brought down this year alone and none of the Dragon Hunters had died.

One particular member had been responsible for twenty of those kills on their own. There was never any official names written in the reports, as to keep the hunter's identities secret from ponies not involving in the matter. Least things could turn badly for the colony if somepony or some dragon figured out how to take advantage of the information.

But the pony had a nickname a most fitting one. Dragon Slayer. Apparently it was a mare, well trained and armed. Dressed in a leather armour with protective chain mail and some enchanted metal plates on various vital areas. As well as a strong helmet decorated with a pair of dragon horns, a bar lined visor.

This mare had brought down a lot of dragons and Clash in his letters admitted that she was his best and most liked student. And not just that, she was creating a reputation as an unstoppable hunter of the wicked dragons, it was resolving a lot of morale issues that had once been cropping up after the Incursion.

Clash was in contact with his clan and was going through a set of tests to determine if he was to be the next heir, as there were still others that wanted to succeed Talos. And thus was there were promising reports. The turncoat dragon was even on good terms with one of the future heirs of one of the other Dragon Clans, a certain dragon named Torch of the Ironclaw Clan.

So things were going excellent on the other side of the Celestial Sea. Even at the western edges of Equestria had some ponies been exploring what was now called the White Tail Woods, one of the larger forested regions to be discovered to the west. And to the north had large fields and thin woodlands been discovered beyond the Neighagra Falls. There was even reports of sightings of tall mountain ranges covered with frost and ice.

But she knew those areas, after all, she and her sister had fought and sealed away a great danger there before the Fall of the Green Star. The Crystal Empire was still gone so there was little point to explore the region, least someone might disturb the foul creature who had sealed away the Empire and escalated events even further. No better to leave it alone.

Though much of the regions had been changed with the fall of the Green Star, like how the Ever Free Forest covered far more of the region south of her city. And the mountains that had been blocking her path to the place she founded Canterlot, had not been there before the Green Star fell. So many question unanswered for how things have been changed so much.

But except for an uncertain amount of altered landscaping had things been going pretty excellent thus far.

And that was a bit of a problem.

She could feel a certain amount of unease however. With how peaceful the last couple of years had been it was almost unerring how well things were going. She felt anxious, uncertain, itchy and constantly watched. It was like danger was constantly around her and she could not see or find it.

And with the Elements of Harmony now used as anchors to keep Discord sealed within the statue in the garden, was she no longer able to utilize them to keep herself calm. Many nights after the First Crusade when she had been depressed, angry or anxious she had went down to the secret vault where the stones were kept and utilized them to calm herself down, it had been working for several years before Discord's statue started breaking.

Now she could not properly handle her emotions ,she had been lashing out in anger and frustration at things. No ponies, thank the gods. But she felt like she was about to crack. Not to mention, she knew that the next time she had her heat period, she would not be able to handle it like she had done before. An alicorn was only fertile during their heat period, unlike ponies who could breed every time of the year, but were most fertile during their heat period.

She had bee negating her heat by utilizing the elements to suppress the urges. She had been doing it one time ever since she and her sister defeated Discord, an alicorn's heat period was once a century and Celestia's heat would come within the next forty years. She had never experienced an uncontrolled heat period before. But now she was without the elements and she did not have her mother to offer her guidance, nor could she ask another pony for help. How would they react knowing that their Princess did not know how to handle her heat period?

Celestia felt trapped with her own body and uncertain if she could handle the strain of the heat period she was to experience. And most of all ,she felt frightened what she would do and what the consequences would be.

Not even the approaching Crusade could make her feel distracted from the unease and fear eating away at her soul.

The Princess of the Sun was gradually losing control of herself. And there was nopony there who knew about it, and nopony that could do anything about it.

Her eyes glowed green for a few second as she contemplated the anxious future of her heat period, and for a moment she blinked. Before her eyes narrowed, and she turned to look towards the training troops outside. Her mind, as if given a new focus, seemed to burn with anger and fury once more as she put down the cause for her suffering as one certain pony.

Maleficus Victoria. He was the cause of her sister's fall and now he intended to cause her own fall. She would seal herself into the Sun before she let him win.

A large green dragon was walking past a set of rocky hills. His eyes were narrowed, his nostrils were flaring and his mouth was in a frown. His name was Haze, a member of the Stormfang Clan. He had been a scout for his clan for over six hundred years and he had never sees such things as he had the last couple of months.

Several dragons had gone missing. Only bloody trails could be found at most, and even then was there hardly any sight of a struggle or battle. Even the hoards of gemstones they so painstakingly had been gathering and guarding were left pristine and untouched. It was unnerving many.

And now had words reached his clan that the Rockfire clan was not as inactive as they had thought. They were not leaving their region of the land but they were no longer hiding among their caverns and lairs. Instead they were gathering by one of the larger volcanoes and had been there for over a month now.

The Trial of the Burning Rock was no doubt occurring. But the timing was off, the remaining heirs to the clan had been either unwilling to take the Trial or been too young. And yet now someone was taking the test.

It was worrying his clan's Lord and thus he was sent out to scout the borders between the Stormfangs and the Rockfires lands.

Thus far had he found several empty caves and a few aggressive mothers guarding their eggs. But nothing unusual.

At least. until he reached the north western edge of the border.

He caught a smell of blood i the wind and the sound of a roaring dragon, possibly someone hunting for food or fighting a rival. But the latter was not possible since he could not hear another dragon.

So he decided to investigate and as he passed by a few rocky hills, after having landed as to not be noticed, he looked up over the top of the hills and was shocked by what he saw.

The dragon was someone familiar to him. It was a dragoness by the name of Flare. A member of the Rockfire Clan. She was a notorious hunter and aggressive dragon, even fellows of her own clan avoided the lands near her home.

She was tall, easily twice the size of Haze who was as larger then a small hill. Flare was not the oldest of dragons but her unusual size and aggressive behaviour made her one of old Talos' favourite subjects. A merciless killer and hunter of anything that caught her fancy, even other dragons.

And she was currently wounded, severely wounded. One of her wings were hanging limp to the side, clearly broken. she was clutching her side were a deep cut was made. And she was running on two legs, she was not fighting, she was fleeing. And where there had once been a smirking face of arrogance with eyes filled with barely restrained ferocity and blood lust that was now a face of utter terror and eyes that looked broken and hollow.

He looked past her and he gaped in shock at what he saw further ahead.

It was not Flare who was screaming out in a battle cry. It was another dragon, this one a male, and he was brown in colour with a set of bull horns and a barbed tail. And he was fighting a small four legged figure wielding a small round disk and what looked like a fang on a stick.

The brown dragon was Gorge, a well feared hunter, of lust. He was one of the more notorious dragons, he belonged to no clan and was among one of the most hated. A brute who forced himself into the nests or lairs of female dragons and beat them up before ravaging them ruthlessly, even going so far as to eat their young or eggs if he's feeling particularly nasty.

For some unknown reason had Flare been chosen as his next victim, it would explain why she looked as she did. But the small figure who was fighting him was no dragon. That much Haze could tell.

Gorge was breathing acid in a great green cloud of melting death, but the small figure seemed to run out of harms way. The rapist tried to swing his tail into the tiny figure, only to cry out in pain as something sharp suddenly flew out and struck him in the armpit of his left upper limb.

The big brute reached down and pulled out what looked like a stick with a pointy metal tip out from his flesh. He then glared at where the shoot had come from and roared out again as he let out another burst of acidic gas. Only to cry out in pain a few seconds later as the small figure suddenly jumped down from the cliff side behind him and stabbed him in the neck with its weaponized fang.

Haze was distracted from the struggle as he saw Flare, still running straight forward, which was in the direction of the hill he was behind. She was limping and looked unnaturally pale, she was clearly losing blood quickly and would more then likely bleed out before she could get to safety.

And while he might just be a scout and not the bravest of dragons, was he not willing to let a wounded dragoness run off to bleed out. He raised his head and waved at haze with one of his wings and called out to her, trying to not draw the attention of Gorge and his opponent.

"Hey! Over here! Take cover behind the hill!" Flare did not appear to notice at first as she kept running ,but she did not change direction and ran over the hill, and stumbled over and would have severely injured herself further had not Haze managed to reach out and catch her.

Haze took hold of his long green mane and cut off a big chunk of it. It had taken a century to grow but it was for a good cause. He quickly began to use the hair as an improved way to seal the whimpering dragon's wounds. And tried to verbally comfort her as he covered the deep gash on her side. "It's okay you will be okay."

Flare reached out and grabbed hold of him and spoke out in a voice dripping with fear. "Keep them away from me. They're both monsters."

"What?" Haze was baffled why she wanted protection from the tiny figure and Gorge when the tiny figure was clearly helping her, at least that's what it looked like to him. But that's when he heard a loud and heavy thump and quickly turned his head to look towards the fight.

Which had ended with an unexpected result.

Instead of Gorge chewing on the dead corpse of the small being, as Haze had been expecting the fight to end. Was he not. In fact lying there, on the ground, on his side, not moving or breathing, was Gorge, dead. And standing on top of the side of his skull, stood the small figure. Which Haze now could see and recognize as a pony, dressed in a metal and hide outfit. And it was currently pulling out, from the back of Gorge's skull, a blade made out of sharpened dragon scales.

The pony then pulled out a whistle of some sort and blew into it. And a few seconds later, came a group of thirty winged ponies, carrying ropes and chains. And began to drag away Gore's corpse.

Gorge's killer sat on top of his head even as his corpse got dragged away and stared in Haze's direction, making a slicing motion over its throat with one of its front legs before disappearing beyond the hills and cliffs with its kill.

And Haze got pale himself as he slowly realized something.

It was not Gorge who had been causing the disappearances of the dragons.

It was the ponies.

The ponies were hunting dragons.

"We're getting out of here." He whispered to Flare, who just made weak nods. Haze glanced back at the site where all that remained of Gorge was some blood splatters and some melting ground, before slowly guiding the dragoness away from the site and towards Stormfang territory.

The Lord of the Stormfangs would have to be informed.

Maleficus stare with a smirk upon the imagery he was looking upon. For the past year had he been improving his deteriorated control over his powers. It had taken some efforts but now he felt like he had obtained control once more. And that he could focus on a project that he had been eager to try out ever since he found out there were dragons in this world.

The image before him was the collective scans of the corpse of Talos, the dragon who had tried to burn Equestria to the ground. His horses had been more then willing to utilize the Black Beacons to let him scan the dragon more closely and now he had all the data he needed to start his experiments.

He walked away from the Interface, with a single Solid Light screen next to him to record his attempted transformation. Once he got about fifty meters from the Interface's location he stood up on his hind legs and held out his right foreleg. Like when he created the flesh body of Achilles did he attempt to conjured the image of what he wanted to transform into.

He focused his eyes upon his hoof and began to alter his physical form like when he did when he transformed into a pony. It began slowly but surely, his hoof began to melt and shift, becoming almost like a liquid metal. Shifting and altering into a skeletal claw with no flesh or skin. That was stage two.

Strands of flesh and nerves began to grow over the bony appendage and then began a network of thick scales to cover the flesh. The stumpy ends of the appendage twitched and shifted a bit before long sharp claws grew out of the tips. And he had it. His right foreleg's hoof had been transformed into a dragon's four fingered, including thumb, claw.

Clenching and shifting his new appendage he smiled a bit. It felt enjoyable to be able to move fingers again. And he slowly undid the transformation, remaking his hoof by removing the scales the flesh and molding the bone back into a hoof.

Letting out a silent sigh into the empty void around him he slowly turned towards his left foreleg, and began to repeat the process. slowly transforming it into a claw, and then removing the transformation.

Doing it like this had several points and reasons.

It would let him learn to transform his body into a shape it was not used to, which was logical since he had never actually transformed himself into anything that was not a pony .he had been possessing flesh golems, but never actually transformed his physical self. So he had to be careful.

The process was slow but it would get him the familiarity of transforming into something. Since normal transformation magic did not affect him, it had been painful to realize that he could never actually use the transformation spells developed by the unicorns. An attempted transformation from alicorn into a griffin only ended up with him reverting to his old self, although, very painfully.

By repeating the steps, over and over, he would soon not need to focus so much energy and effort into the transformations. And thus require less time for it. It was a mental, magical and physical training exercise to let him transform at a quicker rate then what he currently could.

And most important of all. It would let him feel the new body bit by bit until he got used to it. And thus not have to relearn how to walk, move or breath while in the shape.

It would be a time consuming effort of mental strain and fatigue. But the opportunity, just the smallest of chance, to become his favourite mythical creature? To soar and fly with wings like hurricanes, tail like thunder, breath of fire and death, claws like spears, teeth like swords, and a hide with the size and endurance like a mountain? It would be beyond priceless.

And he had time, it was one of the few assets he had, being on the moon.

Plus Luna was not helping in restraining him as she found his fascination with dragons and possibly being a dragon, both cute and interesting. That he could still retain his childish desires and dreams after experiencing so much pain and suffering, it made her admire him a bit.

"Grandma! Grandma!" Grand Feast smiled brightly as three voices cried out a greeting as she opened the door to her eatery and got tackled by three happy little foals. She gently warped her forelegs around them and hugged them close. The three foals were dressed in winter wear and were covered in slight amounts of snow from the snow covered streets outside.

"Oh this is a wonderful surprise. Ye all came to visit your poor ole grandma did you?" She asked with a wide grin as she looked down at the giggling foals hugging her.

"They were eager to come mama. After all yer foods da best in da world." Happy Meal said a she came walking over to the entrance. Grand Music was there behind her, levitating a basket of exotic fruits and vegetables.

"We bring some exotic food we got as a gift from General Rough Stock last week. It's apparently imported from Bangcolt." Grand Music said with a kind smile as his adoptive, and step, mother smiled at him before patting the heads of her three grand children.

"Well do not stay outside now. Come inside. We were just about to get ready for the big day and We can't have Our cute little foals and grandfoals stand out in the cold." Grand Feast was pushing seventy, a respectable age for an earth pony mare. But she still looked rather healthy and spry for her age. Or as her husband like so say. She looked not a day past thirty.

"Sour Green, Sweet Red, Grand Harvest, Pink Lady, Grand Meal! Your older siblings are here with your nieces and nephew!" The two older ponies were greeted by their five younger half siblings who came over and hugged their nieces and nephew warmly. As they all went inside could they see a large group of ponies with apple shaped cutie marks, some members of the Blue Grass Clan and Grand Feast's own husband waving over with his part of the Apple Family waiting for them.

Their half siblings were mostly active with the Apple Family or worked in their mother's business at different locations.

And so the annual Family Reunion of the Grand, Meal and Apple family began. A tradition that would grow to become a common sight once every year. The specific time of the reunion would wary, but it would mostly be occurring during great times of celebrations or convenience. As there were few times that all Apples were gathered together.

The only thing that could have made the reunion better in the mind of Grand Feast and her two oldest children. Was that if a certain honourary family member could have been part of it all. They were certain he would have enjoyed it, and that the rest of the family would have liked him.

Perhaps he could be part of it the next time he returned from the Moon?

The Warlords of the Horses of the Horadrim Kingdom were gathered upon one of their Sky Ships, the Skeid longboat named Sky Dragon. They were flying above the city of Jarngard were Project Golden Apple was about to commence.

Upon the deck stood the Great Jarl Thunder Hammer, the Warlord of the Vikings, dressed in a leather armour with fur and chain mail, his trusty warhammer hanging over his side. Next to him stood Daimyo Strong Valor, the Warlord of the Samurai, dressed in his samurai armour with his nodachi resting on his side.

Next to the Daimyo stood a tall mare dressed in a thick plate mail armour, with her long yellow mane and tail braided. She had a dark orange fur colour and had a longsword strapped to her back. Her name was Sacred Sword, also referred to her Horadrim name, La Tizona, she was the Warlord of the Knights, and their Knight Commander.

Next to Sacred Sword stood another mare, this one with a white mane that was cut short, while her tail was kept tied in a braid. Her fur was reddish brown, a red wood like colour. She was dressed in a segmented bronze armour over a red silk tunic. Her legs were covered with engraved bronze plates and a red mantle was draped down over her back. She had a longbow of dragon bone and a pair of gladius blades sheathed to her back.

Her pony name was Wild Mare, while her Horadrim name was Hippolyta. And she was the recently chosen Archon and Warlord of the Spartan Horses. The Spartans had decided to pick their leader based upon skill, deed and personality. She had been one out of a hundred candidates to be chosen as she was not only a good fighter but also skilled tactician and had a keen mind to adapt to unexpected situations, she was also well spoken and knew how to interact with those who were not horses.

Which was rare among the Spartans.

And behind these four Warlords stood a group of warriors, scholars and officers of the various tribes of the Horses. Most of them were Horadrim mages and scholars but there were plenty of members from the other tribes as well.

And in front of them all, facing them, stood Lord Asclepius, also known as Cursed Blessing. The chosen Elder Sage of the Horadrim and the temporary leader of the Horadrim Kingdom. He had a wide grin on his face and was looking over them all eagerly. "I welcome you all to this grand moment of our history. We shall soon engage Project Golden Apple for the first time and start an age of wonder never before seen in this world."

He held up a Black Beacon, which was swirling with darkness, three glowing eyes staring out of the interior of the pyramid. "Our Creator will be watching us as well and though he may not be able to openly appear, as he does not wish to cause unnecessary trouble for us all. So be will watching from this Beacon. So let us all make him proud and show the world what we can do!"

There was a collective cry of 'Ora's and 'Hurray's from the horses before him and the old horse smile almost seemed to grow impossibly wider. He then placed the Beacon upon a small pedestal that was standing by the edge of the ship and when he got the confirmation that Maleficus could see properly, he walked over to the railing and raised his right foreleg.

A sphere of blue light emerged out of the air before his hoof and he shoot it out into the sky above the city. And it exploded into a shower of glittering sparks.

Down below a lone horse was looking out with a pair of binoculars from a small wooden tower located by the mountain side in the Stone District. At the sight of the blue explosion he turned towards a bronze pipe sticking out of the floor of the tower and he shouted into the pipe. "Blue Light Confirmed! Activate the Mana Engines!"

The voice echoed down the pipes, flowing down beneath the wooden floor of the tower. Crawling past dirt, soil and through stone. It kept moving, sliding past meters upon meters of solid mountain. Until it emerged out of an opening, within a large chamber, within the center of the mountain.

The chamber was circular in shape, almost like a dome, it was the size of a football stadium. And yet the voice echoed through out the chamber like it was spoken from an elder dragon. There were several lines of crystals embedded into the walls, runes of gold and iron were engraved upon the surfaces, a vast networks of arrays and runes were lining the interior.

A massive pillar of crystal like material, engraved with runes and arrays upon its surface, was standing in the center of the room, piercing through the rock from floor to ceiling and beyond either surface for an unknown length.

Standing at ten different points along the walls, were a set of large stone cubes. The cubes were around the size of a human jeep. And upon the front of each of these stone cubes were a set of runes engraved, along with four large levers, each one marked with a set of symbols.

Inside of this chamber were over thirty horses standing. And there were two of them standing by the stone cubes as the words echoed through out the chamber. And they grabbed hold of the first lever to the left, and pulled it down. While crying out to the room- "Initiating Phase One!"

A great humming sound began to fill the chamber, the runes, once dormant and colourless, began to glow with a light green glow. And the pillar of once clear, almost glass like ,crystal, gained a toxic green glow.

Ten horses were standing by the crystal pillar, checking instruments and readings from various areas around it. And then one of them cried out to the rest. "The power levels are stable! Phase One is Complete! Proceed to Phase Two!"

"Initiating Phase Two!" The horses by the stone cubes cried as they pulled down the second lever to the left. This time the entire chamber was vibrating and the runes were glowing a dark purple. The crystal pillar in the center of the chamber took on a bright indigo colouration.

After a few seconds the team around the pillar cried out to the other horses. "The Mana Output and Power Flow are still too weak to Initiate Activation! Initiate Phase Three!"

The third lever was pulled down and once more the voices of several horses called out to the others in the chamber. "Initiating Phase Three!"

Now the entire chamber was almost shaking, but not as much as a speck of dust was falling from the ceiling. The runes were glowing a deep red now and the pillar had taken on a bright yellow colouration. And then something seemed to change.

A streak of red flew up along the pillar's inside. And then another, and another. and soon it was like a constant stream of laser beams were flowing upwards along the pillar. The horses around the pillar cried out in joy as the shaking stopped and cried out to the rest of the team.

"Power levels are nominal and stable! The Mana Flow is steady and has attained circulation through the Power Arrays! Initiate Activation of Golden Apple!" One of the horses cried out and a single horse, who was standing by a particularly large lever, nodded and buck kicked the lever. There was a loud crank as the lever was kicked down. And then a loud shiver could be felt as the runes suddenly lost their intense glow, still glowing, but just gently. The pillar was still flowing with red streaks of light but it had lost its yellow glow and once more almost transparent, only the streaks of red light giving it colour.

And that's when a loud crumbling could be heard as, the mountain city of Jarngard, began to shiver and shake. And the horses on the sky ships above the city, and the horses within the city, began to cheer and rejoice. Music began to flow through the skies, and as one, the Horadrim Kingdom, began to sing.

Jarngard shook and shivered, loud fissures were taking shape down at he base of the mountain's roots. The horses' structures were unshaken by the vibrations, having been prepared for the approaching events. It was like the mountain was a sleeping giant that had been woken up and now wanted to stand up.

A loud crack was heard, and a line of glowing crimson runic lines and arrays engraved into stone and iron plate, emerged from the shattered stone of the base of the mountain. As the horses sang out the Mountain of Jarngard, broke free of its foundation, and began to rise up.

Horses began to dance and chant as the mountain began to float up from the ground it had been broken free of. The lower parts of the mountain was covered with miles lone bands of metal plates and stone columns, engraved with a vast network of runes and arrays.

The mountain continued to rise further and further upwards. Its massive size covering the mountains and valleys beneath it in a vast shadow as the sun shone brightly upon it from above. Flags of the Horadrim Kingdom were hoisted upon flagpoles and standards, waving in the strong winds as the mighty mountain and the city upon it flew past the tallest peaks of the mountains it had once been part of.

The sky ships flew after the rising mountain, their crews singing together with the townsfolk as the mighty structure of Jarngard, flew skywards. Like a sight out of living myth, the tale of a castle in the skies, or the giant whom dwelt among the cloud within his fortress. A vast and otherworldly sight that only those who were watching, could understand just how mighty such a view was.

Cursed Blessing cried tears of joy as he watched the city and the mountain it rested upon float through the winds. The time and effort spent on not just research but construction of the arrays utilized to allow the mountain to attain altitude had been harsh but worth it. All for the sake of watching a mountain become airborne.

The mountain split through the cloud layer above the mountain peaks, reaching higher then any mountain had ever done before. And as it reached through the sea of white and reached past the cloud layer, was the banners glittering with droplets of moisture in the winds, while the horses were singing out together.

Beneath the mountain were three waterfalls flowing down from the edges of the Stone District. The pouring waters flew down and began to spread out across the winds and into the clouds below. And a shimmering image began to take shape beneath the mountain, until finally, were a group of rainbows taking shape beneath the water falls as the sunlight flew through the spread out water and took o nth image of multicoloured rainbows.

The mountain stopped rising, its massive mile high shape floating like a divine sight out of the old tales above a sea of clouds, which broke apart in the distance to reveal the sight of the Foal Mountains and in the distance beyond them, the Hayseed Swamps. The horses' voices rang out over the cloud layer and echoed through the skies, bolts of light were fired out from the airships, detonating in bright explosions while the city sang.

The mountain began to float northwards, the clouds beneath its moved like waves as its large shape began to gain a slight amount of speed. And as it did were the airships followed it from all sides. The voices of the horses echoing out one final time, as the sight of a mountain flying through the skies of Equestria, disappeared towards the north.

Maleficus watched the events with a smile. The sight of a mountain attaining flight was amazing. He had never thought his mana engines would have been utilized like so when he first designed them, but the horses had developed a way to utilize them in a way he had never foreseen.

*It makes me wonder what else they may be capable of. I had designed them to be not just strong but above average intelligence, well in most cases. Perhaps I can have them work on some of my own projects in the future?* And as he thought this he never actually considered the possibility that the horses had been developing on their own. He had never considered the possibility, or had outright told himself that he could never have created something with a will of its own.

They say that the biggest critic of a person's work is that person's doubt. And doubt, can cause a great amount of misfortune for those unable to bear or ignore it. Even for those considered to be powerful beyond mortal limits.

Author's Notes:

Staadnauthursil: Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, Happy Valentines Day, and happy whatever else I completely missed. I apologize for my long absence but I have recently gotten into a lot of economical issues. And I also received the news that one of my oldest DnD friends, and my first DM, has recently passed away. And some other stuff I'd rather not talk about.

Pinkie: Oh no worry Staady! You are back and better then ever!

Staadnauthursil: We will see. For now am I going to state this. I am officially opening my first ever Patreon page. And will be posting the link at the end of this Author's Note and upon my Profile and on my story's front page. This is to give myself a chance to keep not only being an author but to also to prepare myself for starting my own first Youtube Channel. I am planning on recording some of my old DnD adventures, in honour of my first GM, and hopefully some people will find them fun or interesting enough to read.

Pinkie: Ooooh! That means that if you get enough bits, you can write more! Excellent plan Staady!

Staadnauthursil: Thank you Pinkie. But that also means that I will have to work on meeting the goals I am going to be setting for my Patreon. If someone pays a certain amount of money, I will have to offer them something in return for their financial efforts. And I am pretty limited in what I can offer, but I can say this much. I will never offer any spoilers of my story's progress, as I do not wish to spoil anything, at most I will offer OC spots, Plot Twists, Songs and maybe even some artwork. But not much more. As I am pretty limited in what I can offer right now.

So be sure to check out my Patreon Link if you want to support my future work as an author and possibly even my future work for youtube.

Thank you.

Patreon Link: https://www.patreon.com/TreasureHoard

On a Side Note: In a few days will be the second year anniversary of this story. And I am thankful for all of you readers for reading, commenting and rating my story. And I hope you will keep enjoying the future chapters I have planned.

Thank you everypony.