Tree of Harmony

Chapter Two:

Before the dawn.

Ironwood stood in the middle of what remained of the guard, fanned out in a loose circle formation.

“Briar Heart”, his trusted second, lover, and cherished wife turned to face him. “Let’s give the fallback time to prepare and show these overgrown lizards what our magic can do.” Embracing his wife into his arms, Ironwood gave the signal. Pressing his lips passionately into hers, the tanglewood bursting from the ground around them gave little interruption. Forming a shield of venomous thorns from the castle gate to the courtyard, the tanglewood encased the remaining defenders. The castle gates rose slowly to the battlefield as from under them came two files of five Dryads; the remaining high nature weavers, the hierophants.

“You’re girls are here, my love”, Ironwood grinned as he watched their eyes surge with green magic. “Don’t keep them waiting now.” He watched as his Heart left his embrace and took her place in front of her students.

“We are few, sisters, but each of us carries the strength of the entire wilds.” Briar smiled gently and placed her hand to the ground while her students mimicked her actions. Looking overhead, she watched the dragons foolish enough to attack the tanglewood with their talons fall stricken to their demise; the poison tearing their insides asunder. Dark soil sprang from the ground and encased her deep purple bark.

“Arise my friends and defend our home”, Briar’s glowing eyes as well as her students sharply brightened. The first fire breather that finally cut thru the poisonous wall found itself slammed against the ground by the powerful earth elemental towering over it.

Entering into the royal throne room my eyes shifted to each of its inhabitants; a small band of unicorn mages, earth caste warriors, pegasi knights, and the even smaller cluster of Dryad surrounding the throne. Running up to the group, eyes met the faintly glowing weapon around my armor. Silently, I shook my head and offered the first words, “How many?”

A quiet voice replied, “Ten, eleven counting you.”

“Tree Song”, I looked inquisitively at the smoldering petrinite helmet in disbelief.

“Don’t”, she muttered and I withdrew my gaze.

“Mendy”, she question hesitantly, her voice quivering asking for her friend.

I shook my head again and she simply returned to her post around the throne. The throne, behind it sat the two royal Alicorns and both of their treasured daughters. I recognized Celestia’s pretty pink mane as she did her best to hide behind her father, the king. Luna, held by her mother, was crying. She was so young I doubted she even knew what was happening around her; the poor little filly. I approached them and knelt deeply onto my burnt armor.

“The rampart has fallen, your majesties”, the words fell out more than drifted off my tongue.

“I see”, the deep voice of the king replied, “What of the courtyard?”

“Littered with countless dragons and the hierophants have joined the battle by now.”

“Will it hold”, his question burned worse than my wounds into me.

“No, your majesty, I do not think it will.”

The king eyed the blade I carried, “The sword you now wear was a gift from my wife to your kind.” Pausing for a moment his gaze turned down to the pink fluff that shivered behind his legs. “That blade is the symbol of trust we gifted when the Dryad swore their oath to us.” The king stood suddenly and nodded to the earth caste warriors that flanked him. The strong ponies lifted up his armor, made from the mix of hardest metals and strongest of magical Dryad woods, and began arming the Alicorn king. “I command you”, his helmet locked into place as he brought his weighted gaze to me, “protect my daughters with it.” The king’s eyes softened as he spoke, “Little Tia and Luna are my greatest achievements as a father or a king.” Leaning down he hugged the startled white filly, “I love you, my golden sun.”

“Daddy, don’t go”, the little filly recovered from her freight, though still shaking badly, and had placed her front hooves against her father’s decorative armor.

“Daddy, has to”, never breaking his embrace, the king continued. “Daddy, must go.”

“Why”, I watched as the little Alicorn’s horn lite up a faint yellow and attempted to hold the king as she pleaded. “Why, daddy”, tears fell from her pure eyes unto his fur.

“Daddy, daddy has to go because he loves you”, I watched, heart aching, as our king, our queen, and our gods wept. The moment was broken by a massive tremor hitting the castle as if a star had just fallen on it. The Dragon King had finally come.

“Quickly Aura, there isn’t much time left.”

“Yes, my love.”

The king turned to face us one last time; adjusting his armored wing before he spoke. “You, Dryad,” –he pointed a hoof towards me- “will hold the princesses secure in the room behind the throne.”

“Protect my daughters, I beg of you.” Aura’s grieving eyes fell on us.

“My Ponies,” he turned to his selected guard, the only ones brave enough to face the Dragon King. “Hold the throne room and allow not one of those possessed monsters to pass.” The ponies saluted their king and took position around the throne as we hurried the princesses to safety.

“Come, Aura.” The king smiled as the concealed door began to shut in front of us.

“Ironwood,” Briar screamed as the Dragon King’s claw slowly clenched around his armor. The blackened petrinite falling off in large chunks to the fiery ground around below. Her eyes flared as a golem reassembled its smoldering body and slammed into the monstrous beast.

“Still you fight; still you fight knowing that the battle is already lost.” The claw closed shut as bark and sap rained to the blazing ground.

“No,” Briar screamed as the magic welling in her eyes erupted outwards around her.

“Oh?” The largest of dragons regarded her with mild interest. “Perhaps you might be able to break my boredom of these weaklings.” The earth thundered as he turned his form to face her; his tail lashing from behind and cutting the elemental back down in one swipe.