Blazing Dragon

"So what you’re telling us, is that Ubenox spoke to you?” Twilight questioned. Sparks nodded quickly,

“Yes, Miss Twilight.”

“Are you sure?”

Sparks let out a slight frustrated huff, “With all due respect, any Unicorn worth their salt knows who he is. I know it was him.”

“Why did he choose to speak to you though?” Dash jumped in. “I mean, we haven’t had a vision from him in like what, 60 years?”

“He didn’t show up in a vision.” Haze stated. “He was actually there. Even I could feel the power he gave off.”

Pinkie slammed a hoof down, “No way! You two would be loco in the coco if you saw him for real!”

“I had Haze keep his eyes closed, and I used a ‘Mind’s Eyes’ spell.”

Applejack rubbed her chin thoughtfully, “So…'a dark weapon that breathes'…what in tarnation are we supposed ta do with a clue that weak?”

“Hold up.” Dash pinched the bridge of her nose with her hooves, “Are we really gonna try to follow a clue from someone who hasn’t spoken to us in over half a century?”

“He has yet to lead us astray.” Rarity defended. “We must keep our faith.”

Dash scoffed, “He’s someone that the Unicorns worship, not us.” She gestured to herself and Pinkie. “He can’t ‘lead us astray’ if he’s not here to begin with. Where’s he been since the world went to shit?”

“Dashie…its not like he’s some folkloric being.” Fluttershy placed a wing against Dash’s back, earning her attention. “We’ve seen him. We know he’s real. We know the evil that he’s talking about it real. Which means, we’re really on the brink of having our planet destroyed to restore balance…”

They all looked at one another. Twilight rose to her hooves,

“If he’s giving us this clue after six decades of silence, then perhaps…we’re nearing the end.” She drummed her forehooves on the table thoughtfully for a few moments before speaking again, “Rainbow and Patchwork, you two are going to go to the armories and make sure the staff are ready to start passing out weapons. Pinkie and Purple Haze, I need you two to go down to the bio-wing and start having our teams loading up the battle potions into their respective bottles and cases.”

Pinkie and Dash nodded.

“Applejack, you and Skye Wave are going to have the armorers start getting ready to pass out their stock, and when you get there, please make sure pick up the additional pieces for your hindlegs.

“Ah don’t need all that extra garbage on mah flank!”

“Jackie please, just go get the upgrades!” Pinkie implored. “We don’t have time to sit here and bicker about that!”

Applejack let out a defeated sigh, “Yes, Sugar…” she ignored the giggles from Rarity and Skye, while Dash made whip sounds. Twilight rolled her eyes, but still had a small smile on her face before looking over at Fluttershy and Dee, “Can you two start having our nocturnal fighters return to their barracks? They need to be getting rested up. Any of our support teams can get their weapons for them.”

Fluttershy nodded in understanding. Twilight turned to look at her Rarity,

“I need you and Bright Spark to let the council know to start sending the children, elderly, and injured into the fallout shelters.”

“What are you going to do, love?”

Twilight’s face hardened. “I need to speak with Sylphina and Scarab to have them have their troops start preparing as well.” She looked around at the group, “Does everyone know what their doing?”

The remainder of the group gave varying response of affirmation. Twilight gave them a friendly smile,

“Then good luck to you all…”

-MLP-

Twilight stood beside Sylphina and Scarab on the castles main balcony that overlooked that overlooked the Hive’s courtyard. It was filled to the brim with a mixture of the Hive and Rebellion. Sylphina took a couple steps forward,

“The First Fallen has requested that she speak you with you all.” her voice boomed loud and clear, commanding the attention of her subjects and those who followed the Fallen. “I ask that you give her your undivided attention just as we had done so.”

She stepped to the side, allowing Twilight to approach the railing.

“For decades, your kind has lived in relative peace and tranquility, despite the chaos and destruction that continues outside of the caldera.” She started. “And then, your Sovereign had the kindness to allow us into your home. They gave us food, a home, and more importantly, a chance to rebuild and share in the comfort that our Rebellion has not felt in decades. It is a gesture that even as the First Fallen, I’m not sure I’d ever be able to fully repay in turn, but and forever thankful for.”

There was slight roar of creatures in support of her words. She let a small smile flash across her lips before stomping her hoof loudly, making them fall into silence once more.

“But myself and the other Fallen, shall do our best to return in kind. We have shown your our ways, combined our forces, and fortified your home. Through this alliance, we have made ourselves stronger than possible alone, and now it’s time for us to show the enemy what we’re made of.” She looked around the courtyard, “The Hell King and his minions have started to rise up again. They bring with them a new weapon. Something that could destroy our hard work. Something that could kill our loved one. Something that not only threatens our home, but our way of life. We are in the process of bringing hope from the verge of extinction, and we shouldn’t let him take that from us!!”

Another round of cheering began.

“So we will don our armor! We will pick up our weapons! We will rally our troops! We will stand against our foe, and fight! And for generations to come, they will make songs of praises and share their stories us, of the mighty force that defeats the Hell King!!”

The cheering reached a new level of intensity. Twilight’s horn and eye glowed bright, as she reared up on her hind legs, and boomed out in the Royal Canterlot Voice,

“NOW, LET’S PUT AN END TO THE HELL KING’S REIGN, FOREVER!!!”

The cheering turned into a deafening roar in response to her command. sparks and Rarity, who had finished their task pretty quickly, watched Twilight’s speech from the crowd. Chills rippled through their spines at the power of her words.

“Wow, she’s…awesome.” Sparks stated slowly, nearly at a loss for words. Rarity got a proud and grin on her face,

“My dearest Twilight has always had a way with words.” Her eyes got the dreamy glaze of a lovestruck filly, “My silver-tongued warrior…”

Sparks smiled as she briefly looked at the other mare, who had a slight blush while she giggled and stomped her hooves in a cheer. She hoped that the time would come that they’d be able to cheer for the final time.

-MLP-

“Ah heard ya lil’ speech earlier!!” Applejack patted Twilight’s back, “Good on ya, Twi! Way ta light a fire in their souls!”

Twilight pulled Applejack into a half hug, “They need to be pumped up. None of us have had to deal with any of Spike’s warriors in five years, and its been…35 years since we’ve come face-to-face with him…”

“Yeah…if he knew where we were, he would’ve come straight for the colony.” Dash pointed out.

“Exactly. Which means, the next time we meet him…the fight isn’t going to end with a retreat from either side…”

Rarity stood beside Twilight and lovingly nuzzled her cheek, “We’ll do everything we can to get Spike back…”

Dash flicked Applejack’s barrel with her tail, “Let’s go AJ, I need to get those upgrades in place. I don’t wanna wait until the last minute to get them on and risk messing them up.”

Applejack let out another sigh of discontent before tailing being Dash to her ‘Awesome Room’, as her friend called it. Pinkie giggled and trotted behind them, disappearing from the room. Fluttershy’s brow was furrowed as she had been stewing in some unknown inner monologue. She decided to speak up,

“I just don’t understand how they can be so…calm about all this.”

Rarity’s head tilted a bit, “What ever do you mean, darling?”

“We’re about to, one way or another, put an end to a war that’s been going on far longer than we’ve been alive…” she started a slow pace in front of them, “And what if we can’t save him? Luna was possessed by the Corrupted One for years, and this was something far stronger than whatever dark magic turned her into Nightmare Moon. Once she surrendered to it…she had to be killed to stop it.”

Twilight and Rarity exchanged worried glances as Fluttershy continued.

“And then, there was you.” the Pegasus’ gaze hardened a bit as she looked at Twilight, “I have a question.”

Twilight arched a brow, confused by Fluttershy’s sudden change in demeanor. “What is it?”

“We saw Luna make her choice. She to become that thing that killed hundreds of creatures, including our daughter and Applejack’s sister. And those are the ones we knew of. So…I can’t help but wonder…if you made that same choice.”

Twilight’s jaw locked as she stared at Fluttershy, whom had lost all traces of her meekness. Rarity shifted nervously as she looked between the two,

“Fluttershy…what happened in the past should stay there.” She looked over at Twilight, “Love, you don’t have to answer that.”

Fluttershy gave her a sharp look, “What she did doesn’t lessen in its vileness just because you’re sleeping with her.”

Twilight stepped in front of Rarity, “Leave her out of this, Fluttershy.”

A growl rumbled deep from Fluttershy’s chest, “I love her too, but she involved herself. And for how long this continues, is up to how long it takes for you to answer me.”

The tension in the room shifted, and the pregnant silence that filled it was palpable. Twilight finally spoke,

“I did…make the choice...”

Fluttershy’s irises flashed crimson, “So you chose to become that monster.”

Twilight’s expression was one of regret, “When I made my pact, I only wanted to better the kingdom.”

“You turned Celestia into a helpless filly!” Fluttershy snarled.

“I didn’t know things were going to spiral out of control like that!”

“You betrayed us!! Treated us like we were your lesser!!”

“I wasn’t myself by the time-”

The Pegasus irises faded to crimson, “You murdered us!!!”

Rarity stepped in between the two, “Fluttershy, please, that’s enough!-”

“Look at you!!” Fluttershy hissed, fangs now bared for them to see, “She made Spike burn you alive!! She made you look like that!!!”

The air was sucked from the room as Rarity bit her bottom lip. Tears pooled into her eyes, and the crimson left Fluttershy’s eyes as she felt instantaneous regret.

“R-Rarity…I’m..I’m so sorry-”

“You may think I look like a hideous beast, but I have someone who loves me as I am. You say Twilight was a monster…but the only monster I see right now, is you.” she turned her snout upward, “Twilight, if you need me, I’ll be taking a soak to soothe my nerves.”

With that, she left. Fluttershy stared at the door, before turning back to Twilight, who dominated over her with her posture. She shifted under the intense glare.

“I was…upset, that Celestia wouldn’t let me prove what I was capable of. To let me show her that I could just be a pretty face to the royal lineage. The Corrupted One took advantage of that weakness in me, and I allowed it when I made my choice. I didn’t just fail her, but you girls too. Not only did I not better the kingdom, I helped in the near destruction of the planet. And…while in hindsight, we know it wouldn’t have worked, I was too weak and afraid to let the Corrupted One die off with me.” she took a couple steps towards Fluttershy, “I still feel that pain, that regret, and I don’t need you to make me feel shittier than I already do.”

She made her way past Fluttershy, leaving to go and comfort her partner. Fluttershy sighed softly to herself. She didn’t know how she would, but she’d do whatever she could to make things right…

-MLP-

Hell King looked down at his precious new creation. Beside the dragon, stood Eternal, Trixie, and Sombra. The three ponies looked at the Unicorn with distrust in their eyes,

“If I may ask, Great Dragon, who is he?” Sombra questioned.

Hell King let out a throaty chuckle, “This is Dark Star…a little experiment I’d been working on for the past 16 years.”

“I feel like I’ve seen his face before…” Eternal said softly.

“Because you have…” Hell King replied. His smile got even more sinister as he stared down at Dark Star, “But worry not…everything will be revealed in due time. But, I will point out, some of his strengths come from you.” he pointed at the trio. They looked at one another before bowing to him,

“It is an honor that you found our genes worthy of your creation.” Trixie stated humbly.

“I’d be honored too.” Hell King replied, his ego seeping between his teeth. He looked back down at Dark Star, who looked up at him with an unreadable expression. The drake arched a scaly brow, but ignored the pony’s expression,

“Dark Star…I have brought you into this world with but one purpose; To serve me. you will be my claws upon the world, doing my bidding without a moment’s hesitation.”

Dark Star gave a sneer that rivaled that of Hell King’s, “But of course, Hell Father. I will gladly carry out your darkest desires.” He replied, the base in his voice reminiscent of the deep rumble of a distant volcano.

A slight shiver jolted though Trixie. She looked between Eternal and Sombra. They both gave her a looked, giving confirmation that they could feel something…strange…radiating off the stallion. Hell King nodded in pleased content,

“You’re going to make a fine addition to my warriors…”

Dark Star’s horn sparked with a big of black magic, “I sense magic that is not of your own…”

Before the Hell King could ask what he meant, an armored Hellion rushed into the room. Her body appeared to be more beaten and twisted that normal. Her armor was badly damaged, showing clear signs of a recent battle that did not result in victory. She stopped in front of the group, gasping for air as she reached for something in one of her saddle packs,

“Mighty King of Hell…forgive my sudden intrusion.” The Hellion started, still struggling to breathe. “But we…we were ambushed…by…by the Fallen.”

Hell King knelt down, a dark sparkle lit in his eyes,

“You were attacked by the Fallen? Are you absolutely sure?”

She nodded, “Yes, Your Majesty…Applejack and Fluttershy were with a group of rebels. Their numbers were s-so vast. We were no match…”

The dragon’s brow furrowed, “So you fled for your worthless life like a coward?”

The Hellion shook her head, “They sent me here. Teleported me to the front of the castle.” She pulled out a large crystal, “They told me to give this to you….”

Hell King snarled as she snatched the crystal from the creature’s claws. They knew where his castle was? How long had they known? Did they know of he newest creation?

He snapped his fingers, engulfing the crystal in dark magic. it spun in his claw before hovering above his palm. It then sparked with its own lavender magic, dispelling the dark magic enveloping it. Hell King grunted at this observation. It would seem that Twilight had indeed grown in strength, if a simple messenger crystal could hold so much power. It flickered and displayed an image of Twilight, and Hell King couldn’t help but smirk,

“Wow, Trixie really did a number on you.” he chuckled, “You look like an experiment gone wrong.”

‘My gods…she did that to you?’

Twilight mirrored him, “You’re worried about my looks when you should be worried about the damage we’ve done to your army.”

His smile immediately dissipated. “Big talk for an old mare in hiding. What was the point of sending me this comm-crystal?”

“Hidin’?” Applejack suddenly appeared beside the Unicorn. She tilted her Stetson up and grinned at him, “But in order fer us ta be hidin’ we’d have ta afraid of ya, an’ that ain’t the case at all.”

Dash entered the hologram as well, placing her chin on Applejack’s hat, “And not only are we not afraid of you, we’re gonna kick your scaly ass all up and down that castle!”

“HOLD YOUR TONGUE, FOOLISH PEGASUS!!” Eternal bellowed, “HOW DARE YOU SPEAK TO THE MIGHTY KING OF HELL IN SUCH A MANNER!!”

Fluttershy scooted herself into the camera, a gentle smile on her face, “Spike…we’re going to do everything we can to get you back, okay?”

‘I look forward to it!’

“Give up your silly dream of seeing Spike. He, as you know him, is no more.”

Pinkie bounded into view, resting her chin underneath the farmer’s chin,

“Yeah right, we know he’s in there. We’re gonna make him come back to us.”

‘My family…’

Rarity trotted into view, sitting beside Twilight and curling her tail around the other other Unicorn’s prosthetic leg, “It would honestly be wise for you to surrender, and return Spike to us immediately.”

“We know where the castle is.” Twilight declared in a dangerous tone. “You’re not going to win this, Corrupted One. We’re going to destroy your kingdom, put an end to your tyranny, and we’re getting my brother back.” Her gaze softened, as if she knew she was looking at Spike behind the Hell Kings evil gaze, “Brother…I know you’re in there, and I just want you to know that I love you…very very much.”

“I LOVE YOU TOO!!”

Everyone gasped before the room fell into silence. Before any of the Fallen could say anything, Hell King smashed the crystal into dust. He belted out a roar that shook the very foundations of the castle. He snarled and raged on, and everyone in the room vanished in an instant to not be caught up in his fury. How dare this pathetic, insolent little soul still lodged in his body spoke out! He hadn’t actually spoken out in over six decades! Where did this sudden burst of willpower come from? He took a couple deep calming breathes in an attempt to bring his rage to a simmer, and snapped his fingers, summoning the mirror. The reflection gave him a snarky grin. Hell King’s rage started to boil again. He pointed at the mirror,

“Don’t speak. If you utter a single word, I will personally see to the rape and torture of your little family!!”

Spike’s grin evaporated, replaced with bared fangs and a rumbling growl.

“You think this is over, don’t you? You really think the Fallen are going to be able to kill me? This world already belongs to me, and I will not some weak, miniscule little rebellion take it from me! I’m going to destroy them, and after making you watch, I’ll take care of you next!!”

He snapped his fingers again, making the mirror vanish. He teleported himself to his balcony. He belted out another fierce roar, one that summoned all of his nearby minions into the courtyard. He slammed his fists on the railing, making certain that all eyes were on him,

“My legion…the Fallen have done us a great favor! They’ve done of the kindness of bringing the battle to us! Soon, you shall all have countless bodies to feed upon!!”

The creatures of brimfire and darkness snarled and hissed in a vile cheer.

“They think they stand a chance against us, but the power I can give you is limitless!! You will bring about an end to the Rebellion, and the Kingdom of Hell shall rule for eternity!!”

The cheering rose. He smiled and belted out a final command;

“GO FORTH! RIP AND TEAR! DESTROY THEM!!”