"He is the Chainbreaker," the platinum dragon explained with a groan as Fluttershy wrapped him in large, large bandages in the airship docks, on the rim of Canterlot.

"And that is?" Twilight asked, her mask of steel donned as she looked up at him, betraying no emotion to the wyrm.

"Cursed...and blessed..." the dragon croaked.

"Explain further, please," Starlight pressed, glaring at the drake.

"He is...kin...to Dov...and woe...to the Chained..." the dragon continued, wincing as Fluttershy pulled his bandages taut.

Twilight's eyebrow twitched. "In case you haven't noticed," she began testily, mask cracking almost instantly. "You have just caused an international incident by attacking OUR capital, helped a wanted felon COME BACK IN, and now you're telling me that this felon is bucking 'blessed'?!?!" The dragon simply glared at her. She glared back, as did many of the others. Twilight stomped up to the dragon's snout. "I don't want vague riddles, drake, so spit. It. Out."

"The man you found is just as this gentleman explained," said a familiar voice from above. All present looked up to see Discord hanging out of a portal, arms crossed and a more serious and ancient look to his features than any of them had seen from him.

"Discord. Good, maybe you can explain this," Twilight said, stepping back from the drake. "Because at this point, I'm about ready to arrest everyone."

Discord sighed. "Even that would do little to help you or your ponies, Twilight dear. In this case, at least."

Twilight frowned, looking up at Discord. Fluttershy did much the same. "Honey?" she asked.

Discord shook his head, giving a small smile to his wife. "It's...fine, Flutter dear. I just need to do this." He looked back to the rest, clearing his throat. "This drake is a Timeless Dragon, a child of my mother, Eris. And no, she was not chaos incarnate like me. I was...an unwanted, child." He shook his head, suddenly looking older, somehow. "His kind are rare, as are the type of dragon that attacked Canterlot."

Spike blinked, quirking his head at Discord. "You mean they aren't the same race?" He gestured to said drake. "They're both dragons."

"You, Spike my boy, are a Terran Dragon, born of the offspring of both Timeless Dragons, and the kind who attacked Canterlot, Chained Dragons. Chained Dragons are arguably much more rare nowadays than even their cousins," Discord explained, snaking down out of the portal and floating lazily around the apparent 'Timeless' Dragon, who remained silently glaring at Discord.

"Ah'm sorry, but...yer saying there's three different kinds o' dragons?" Applejack asked, giving the draconnequus confused eyes.

"I'm kinda wondering about that too," Rainbow added, raising a hoof.

"I'm wondering what this has to do with the felon," Twilight said, tapping a hoof impatiently.

Discord sighed. "The Chained Dragons are not like Timeless Dragons. Timeless Dragons are born immortal. Their souls go back to my mother in her plane when they die, and they do not stop aging. Chained Dragons are born mortal, and made into Chained Dragons after killing a True Chained Dragon, born of my...father, Faust," He continued to float lazily around the drake, seeming to droop as he did. None of his usual bluster was present.

"Wait, Faust is a guy?!" Pinkie cried, zipping up to Discord and grabbing him by the cheeks.

Discord gently pulled her off. "Yes, Pinkie." The others stared in shock. He sighed again. "Regardless, Chained Dragons are born when a True Chained Dragon takes a mortal's heart and curses them with immortality, and then fail to kill the True Chained Dragon," as they all made to interject, he waved them off. "Not the 'I can't die', type of immortality, but the 'live forever' type." They closed their mouths. "Chained Dragons were also made to create chaos, all under the weak pretense of testing mortalkind. Timeless Dragons," Discord tapped his tail against the platinum drake's snout, who snorted out smoke. "Were made to manage mortalkind, keep them orderly. Naturally, they both butted heads, and the Wyrm Wars were started."

"Wyrm Wars? I've never even heard of it," Fluttershy said, frowning as she hopped down from the drake's side.

Discord shook his head. "Simply ask a Dragon Lord. After this, I'm sure they'll spill everything about it. They can't afford to hide it all now."

Spike's eyes widened. "You mean Ember knows about all this?!"

Discord nodded, pointing to Spike. "Bingo. Every Dragon Lord learns of it, from their predecessors." Discord let a small smirk play on his face. "If you'd kept the title back then, you would have learned for yourself."

"But this still doesn't explain the whole 'Chainbreaker' thing, darling," Rarity pointed out, stepping forward.

"Exactly," Twilight said through grit teeth.

Discord rolled his eyes, but nodded and flipped onto his back. "The Chainbreaker is a legend stemming from...well, honestly, no one knows. Legends tend to pop up like parasprites," he shrugged. "Regardless, the Chainbreaker is a mortal born with the soul of a Timeless Dragon, but bereft of a heart like a newly Chained, or Arisen, as some hicks call it." He waved a claw airily.

"The Chainbreaker can steal the soul and knowledge of a Dov directly, and instinctively use the Thu'um, the Voice," the drake spoke up again, interrupting Discord. "However, much as when the legend began and my brethren panicked over the sheer thought of being slain so permanently, most of us have come to an agreement, and have decided to aid the Chainbreaker, and give our knowledge freely."

"Okaaaay, but...how did Terran Dragons come about?" Starlight piped up.

"Dissenters and deserters in the Dovah Kein, whom eloped or simply did not agree with either side, and procreated," the drake explained tiredly.

Twilight, meanwhile, was not so curious about such things. "So, what, this bucker who maimed two of my guards is destined for greatness?"

"Twilight, calm down," Fluttershy said, fluttering over and placing a hoof on her barrel. "I know you're still mad, but-"

"But nothing, Fluttershy! He maimed two innocent ponies!" Twilight spat, stomping a hoof and cracking the stone beneath.

"You may try to contain him, Kiir do Uth," the drake began, "But you cannot. The Chainbreaker is unbindable." He glared up at Discord. "For the Chainbreaker bears not just the soul of a Dovah and a silent heart, but the blood of a Fatemaker, something you, Kiir do Tahrovin, seem to have forgotten."

Discord shuddered. "More like I didn't want to," he muttered under his breath.

All present, save the dragon, stared at Discord.

"Discord, are you saying you're...scared, of that guy?" Twilight asked slowly, carefully.

Discord laughed, waving it off. "Oh please, not in the least! I could take the poor thing out with a snap, just like everything!"

Fluttershy frowned, flying up to her husband and placing a hoof on his shoulder. "Discord...please. Don't lie to us."

Discord winced at this, looking across all of his friends. "I..."

The Dragon laughed, interrupting the moment. "Hah! Of course the Kiir fears the Chainbreaker! The Chainbreaker destroys fate, makes his own by right of might and power!"

"Thaaaaat's it," Discord said, curling in on himself. "Black. Blades. Knights. Queens. Torture. 'Teaching'," he shook himself violently.

All present paled.

Twilight took a step back, mane slowly fraying. "You...you're lying." She looked to Discord. "D-Discord, tell me he's lying!"

Discord shuddered, looking away. Twilight's mane frayed more as Fluttershy covered her mouth with her hooves, eyes wide, before she rushed to try and calm Discord as he fell into what seemed to be a panic attack.

Spike looked off to the medical wing. "What...what do we do, Twi?" He asked, looking shakily back to her.

Twilight shook. With rage, fear, or something else, not even her friends were sure. Then, her horn lit up and a guardsman appeared in a flash of violet light. The guard squeaked in surprise.

"You! Tell the Guard to increase watch on the felon to maximum! You hear me? Maximum!!" She released him from her magic. "Now go!!"

The guard 'eep'ed and scurried off at that.

The dragon chuckled again. "Foolish Kiir. You have just made things worse."

Twilight stomped off, towards the castle. "Starlight, keep that dragon under watch too! " She barked. "Spike, send a letter!"

Starlight uneasily watched as her friend and Spike walked off, Spike sharing a look with the rest of his friends before following his sister-in-law.

A week had passed since the attack. Canterlot was reeling. It's citizens were reeling. Outcry and outrage against dragonkind was twofold now. Ponies, and even yaks, minotaurs, changelings, hippogriffs, griffons and other races blamed dragons for the attack.

Some families and indeed many reporters claimed that dragons had been planning this all along, that they had been secretly marshalling forces to attack Equestria. The Yak Coalition, The Hippogriff Kingdom, The Griffon Empire, The Changeling Republic, the Minotaur Principality and many other nations worried that the dragons were planning an attack on them, as well.

The claims from the media that this was simply a threat to the world at large did not help, either.

As such, many nations were deporting dragons back to their home in the Dragonlands.

Dragon Lord Ember tried time and time again to deny the claims, to call for a World Council, but the nations refused to gather together.

"You could try to annihilate us all after gathering us up! Forget it!" The Minotaur Prince stated in an interview with the press.

The Changeling Republic was about the only nation that remained silent on the subject, but still spoke volumes with its acts of rapid deportations of dragons.

And all the while, Twilight was consulting with her old mentor and peers, the Sisters, Cadance, and the Pillars of Equestria. Turmoil was abound in Equestria and the world at large, and Twilight distanced herself from the Friendship Council.

The Council tried to assuage fears of the dragons, and many citizens even pointed at Spike, the Friendship Ambassador, claiming he was a spy for the dragons, that he was only trying to 'corral and ease the masses for another strike'.

Above all, however, was the rapid influx of beasts all over the globe. Many ancient and forgotten horrors now prowled the lands, preying on the innocent and coming from all manner of hidey-holes. Some speculated they came from Tartarus, but none could confirm.

Some even wondered if Grogar had actually, finally returned, yet no sightings of the old, mad, diabolical Goat had been made.

And yet, there was also talk of how a strange biped had managed to wound the great dragon whom had attacked Canterlot. How he rode a platinum dragon in the dark of night, raining fire upon the she-devils who swarmed the Marble City, and taking the beasts' eye, forcing it to fly off to the unknown and lick it's wounds.

Many wondered what had happened to the biped. Some rumors said he was in Canterlot Castle, under heavy guard.

One thing was certain, however. The world had fallen to utter chaos.

And Discord, for once, was scared of it.

"I really am sorry, Twilight, but I'm afraid I just cannot find anything about this 'Fatebreaker', there are simply no records!" Star Swirl said apologetically as he walked down the halls with Twilight.

Twilight sighed deeply. "It's fine, Star Swirl, really. We've been searching for two months now, and with Ember closing off her borders, we can't really get in to her own archives. Especially since she'll only talk to Spike at this point." She looked at the path ahead, lips turning down into a thin line. "The prisoner is another problem. He's healed up way quicker than expected, but he's still in a coma."

"And we cannot question him, yes," Star Swirl ran a hoof through his thoroughly storied beard, age having taken far more of a toll on him recently. Gone was the surprisingly spry old stallion, and in his place was a weakened, shambling old mage, complete with a few liver spots under his trusty cap. The mage's legs wobbled, and he nearly collapsed as he walked.

Twilight caught him easily, smiling sadly down at the withered stallion she once looked up to. "I'm sorry I've pushed you so hard." She sighed, steadying him with her magic gently. "Come on. Let's get you to your room."

Star Swirl wheezed out a laugh. "I'd almost be sad that I'm so pathetically old now, but," He smiled up at Twilight, mirth in his eyes. "If it means I can still pass wisdom on to the youths of tomorrow, I'll take it."

Twilight giggled. "Getting sappier with age, aren't you?"

Star Swirl wheezed out another laugh.

"So you can't reach him?" Twilight asked for the umpteenth time.

Luna sighed, putting her book down. "No, Young Sparkle, I can not."

Twilight sighed herself. "It just doesn't make any sense... You've entered others dreams when they're in comas, so why not his?" She similarly put her book down, staring at the coffee table.

Luna let out a breath and placed a hoof on Twilight's. "I know this is difficult, Young Sparkle. But for now, we must simply wait. We can do naught else."

Twilight frowned, looking off to the side. "Yeah...I know..."

It was cold. So cold. So very, very cold. Yet...I didn't care.

I looked around me. All was peace. I was at rest, sitting on a high, high mountaintop, overlooking the vast world below and all it's splendors. Lush, vibrant forests, beautiful sky, tundra, the beauty of nature reclaiming it's own, taking cities back to forests and jungles, more breathtaking mountains...it was amazing.

Finally. I was finally, finally at rest. A part of me said I shouldn't be resting, that I hadn't done enough, but...I was dead now.

Right?

That's why I was here, right? This was Heaven? I reasoned that I had to be in Heaven. Sure, I didn't see God, or hear him, or even Jesus, but...it just felt right. Still cold...but...right. And it made sense, too. It was supposed to be cold on a mountaintop, right? I guess even Heaven didn't stop that. Or maybe it was because this was my personal Heaven and I subconsciously wanted it to still be cold?

Whatever. It didn't matter. What did was how peaceful I felt. That I was actually, finally at peace.

I watched with a smile as a hurricane milled through the landscape below, only doing as nature intended, and supplying me with a nice little show at the same time. I was given yet more when I saw a storm spawn around it, complete with flashes of lightning.

I witnessed the majesty of both, the ferocity of both, and yet saw how they renewed land afterwards. How the hurricane removed most of the ruins, leaving only nature behind. How the lightning struck and burned trees that were too stubborn to leave life, and left them barren. It was terrifying...but, beautiful. I saw how the rain of the storm gave the ground nutrients to grow, watched as said ground sprouted flowers and grass and plants abound, saw trees grow anew from the seeds that had fallen from the boughs of the other, now dead, trees. It was beautiful.

Weird shapes danced in my eyes, but quickly went away. Probably some errant snow on my glasses, so I wiped them clean to be sure.

I soon saw a snowstorm below, and after felt it reach me, felt it pelt it's frigid payload on me one load after another, but, the cold, while it bit, didn't bother me. I shivered, but I wasn't bothered.

Soon enough it washed over me, and I still felt peace. I watched animals go about their routines, hunting and scrounging for whatever bounties they could find to nibble on.

More weird shapes danced in my eyes, a bit less this time, but still only a minor annoyance as I scrubbed my glasses clean again.

I closed my eyes, laying back on the snow of the mountaintop and relishing in the cold. This...this was bliss.

This was my Heaven. Solitude, but not the totally quiet and unnerving kind. Just the exact right kind.

This...was my Rest.

Ayyyyy, it's the old maybe-maybe-not-cliffhanger! Sorry, but, this is how it'll stay until I can figure out a better cliffhanger. Still, I hope you all enjoyed, and that you can understand the hidden messages!

For now, have a good one, and look forward to more, because I'm pumping them right out!

-Timeless