Rise from the Ashes: Book 2 - Kasaitatki

Back in a hidden cave shrouded in darkness, Sol let off an irritated yet amused growl. “So, the Element of Magic decides to play her hand early. I’m surprised that assault nearly killed the group.” he said as his yellow stuck curled like a snake’s tongue. “Disappointing to say the least… but a new player always introduces a bit of spice to this. With Twilight in the game, Celestia must not be that far behind…” he added on as black magic flared around his hooves. “Twilight, Celestia, and Luna. The three alicorns back together again, not to mention they’re the trio who brought me to such a state.” he said before facing back at the shadows. “Nonetheless, we can’t say for sure Celestia is here with them…” he thought carefully as he try to concentrate on a plan before a voice spoke up.

“Oh? Those three? Are they really such an issue to you?” an unfamiliar male voice out of nowhere spoke up behind him.

Sol’s eyes flickered in panic and surprised. ‘What?! An intruder here?!’ he thought in shock before facing around. “Who's there?!” he shouted out in rage, with black magic flickering around his body. A small hint of chuckling was his only response despite his irritation and fierceness.

“What an ill-mattered shadow you are… and yet you are supposed to be the Essence of Hate.” the voice responded, simply teasing Sol. “Have you even taken into consideration that little quarrel back at Canterlot? You may have controlled the Imps… but I controlled something greater.” the voice added on as a dark red glow pierced through the dark with a horn that seem split and crooked into two narrow pieces of a horn. The head below the horn was hooded with a dark black cloak with multiple tears in it and red hair sticking out through holes in the top of the hood.

Sol blinked in confusion, stepping back a bit at this display. Though heeding the figure’s words he thought back to the assault on Canterlot, he did remember catching a glimpse of three ponies being chased by some monster. However, despite it not being his creation he used it to his advantage to escape Canterlot unnoticed. “Hmmm…. I suppose you were the one behind that little freak of nature? Is that suppose to be your royal flush and the game hasn’t even begun yet?” he questioned the nature of his own assault.

The figure just let off a pale smirk, “You could say...but now it’s time for a little proposition I was here to offer...let’s see….” he grinned teasingly as he made a little note from his magic and threw it at the shadow. The shadow barely moved but the note stabbed into the rock only inches away from his head and stuck into the stone like a pickaxe.

“The hell…?” Sol thought as he looked at the note before looking back at the figure, to see that the figure whom he didn’t even get to see his full body had vanished out of thin air. With many thoughts in his mind about the cloaked pony he opened up the note, to see words stained with magic burns.

“Watch the moonlit skies of Canterlot tonight, for you shall see the fall of Luna beneath my might.”

Reading this Sol couldn’t help but ponder over this, was the figure actually going to try to fight Luna? This was something he couldn’t miss. Without much thought he left the note behind and disappeared into the darkness of the shadows, the only thought is how long was this figure going to last?

Meanwhile…

Firebelt felt his eyes slowly opened after so long, he awoke to see a wooden ceiling and he was tucked in a bed. He looked to the left and realized he was in a wooden cabin by himself. The room was made from oak wood, the bed and blankets were made from cotton and a small table beside him was made from oak wood as well. The furniture in the room was cupboards, a rocking chair, and one small wooden table with three legs. A window on the side of the room with the sun’s lights piercing through them giving off a warm aurora. A door on the other side of the room slowly opened with a creek and a dark green stallion walked through it.

“Well, you finally woke up.” he said with a stern look. The stallion had a slick hairstyle with his hair going down his neck and had a stone with an herb on it for a cutie mark. “You’re the last one to wake up out of all of them.”

Firebelt blinked at this, “All of them? Where are the re-” he asked trying to get up before cringing back in pain from his hind leg. He looked underneath his sheets to see bandages wrapped all around his right leg, with a bit of blood poking out through the bandages.

“Well it doesn’t seem you healed completely...but if you’re wondering about the rest of the girls, they’re all wide awake and in the garden.” the stallion said, putting the clipboard at his side. “I forgot to introduce myself, my name is Stone Beam. The others seem to call you ‘Firebelt’ so no need to introduce yourself. Besides, you’re infamous already.” he said before going into some cupboards at the side.

Firebelt couldn’t help but grunt at this, “Great, not only did we nearly die and we haven’t even reached a kingdom, but my horrible reputation has spread outside of Canterlot.” he thought with a sigh.

“Don’t worry,” Stone Beam suddenly interrupted his grumpiness. “, Applejack already told us about how you were on a quest with them to ring the Cryer Bells. So, you’re safe for now.” he assured him as he pulled out a case of pills. He took one out and gave it to Firebelt, “Here, it’s just incase you have any infections. That may be a small wound, but it can give off a nasty infection if left untreated.” he said.

Suddenly a bright red young earth pony with a black mane walked in through the door, “They’ve all rested up a bit, and now they’re wondering what happened. So might as well get the whole group together to tell them.” she said before looking at Firebelt.

Stone Beam looked at the pony. “Thank you Sprint, go tell them he will be there in a moment.” he said politely, before Sprint went off back out the door. He then turned his attention back to Firebelt, and thought about the way how he tried to move his leg. “Hm...you might need to help with that nasty leg of yours.” he mumbled before looking out the door. “Hey Wild Bird!” he shouted, and before long a dark purple pegasus walked in through the door. She was quite tall, and her wings were quite wide with a black and blue mane; and she was quite pretty with an a green wing for a cutie mark. "Think you can watch our friend while we get a temporary crutch for his hind leg?” he asked her.

“Certainly.” Wild Bird replied, Stone Beam smiled at her and went out of the room. She turned back to Firebelt to see him gazing up at the ceiling, barely paying any attention to her.

Firebelt was still thinking about last night, his final bits of sight saw what appeared to be an alicorn. Not only did this confuse him, but it also fascinated and excited him. “The Element of Magic...has she returned?” he thought calmly inside his head before Wild Bird broke his concentration.

“Pardon me, but I need to check your scar.” she said, looming over him as if she was about to kiss him. Firebelt blinked at this, but nodded and showed her his leg. Wild Bird carefully removed the bandage slightly to get a peek at the scar left on his leg. “Ngh, it’s a deep one. Don’t worry though, that pain you feel when you try to move it is temporary. Should be fine again in the morning.” she said with a smile before wrapping his leg up again. “But what were those things you were fighting?” she asked.

Firebelt let off a shrug, “I don’t have much of a clue either. Demons, some sort of black magic, I don’t know what to say about it.” he said as he stretched his jaw a bit. “Speaking of which...are we at Kasaitatki?” he asked out of context.

Wild Bird shook her head, “Unfortunately not, you still have a whole mountain to go around. We just live out in the forest, but that doesn’t mean we can’t help travelers here. Me, Stone Beam and Sprint all live together here as if we’re a family.” she said as she observed through the window. “Here you can get a full view of the mountain, though you can’t really see since you’re in a bed…” Wild Bird said, poking a bit of fun as she saw Sprint walked in with a crutch.

“Stone Beam was just checking if the others were uninjured, he told me to bring the crutch here.” Sprint said as she handed it over to Wild Bird.

“Let Stone Beam know I checked his wound.” Wild Bird said before going off to give it to Firebelt, but Sprint stopped her briefly.

“Um, Stone Beam already checked his hind leg and you know that.” Sprint said, giving her friend a stern look. “Why would you check it again?” she asked.

Wild Bird let off a teasing smirk, “What? Fella’s got himself a nice fla-” she said before Sprint covered her mouth.

“Wild Bird! For goodness sake he’ll hear you!” Sprint whispered irritated into her ear.

Wild Bird took her hoof off of her mouth, “Flank.” she finished with a teasing smile. “Oh relax, he isn’t even paying attention.” she said, looking back at Firebelt who was just staring up at the ceiling before looking back at the two mares.

“Huh?” Firebelt said, completely oblivious to their conversation.

Wild Bird giggled, “Oh nothing.” she said before helping Firebelt sit up straight and attach a crutch to his hind leg. “Incase you want to know, the way up the mountain is a 2 day journey. However there is a passage through the mountain that the Diamond Dogs use which can shorten that time to a 4 hour walk.” she said with a smile as the crutch was attached.

Firebelt trotted around a bit to test if the crutch worked. “Hm...not bad. Also, thanks for the tip.” he said as he went down the hall with Wild Bird and Sprint.

In the healing gardens, Stone Beam just finished checking up on Scorchhop. The garden was beautiful with a miniature pond in the center with a giant tree right beside it. Pathways were paved it from the dirt and bushes were right beside the path. “You’re clear, just a few scrapes.” he asked before bandaging up one of the scrapes. He then peered at a door opening to see the three walk in. “Oh, by the way Ms. Flicker Blitz, Firebelt here has a bit of a nasty scratch on his leg. It seems that it hurt everytime he moved it, I suggest you should wait until tomorrow for it to heal.” he said, explaining why Firebelt had a crutch to her.

Flicker Blitz nodded, “It would be the best of action. Plus do you mind if we have a bit of supplies for our journey? Those creatures ripped apart the food and potions that a friend gave us.” she asked politely, showing him her bagged that was ripped all over.

“I think we can manage the food, but we’re out of potions for the moment. We ran out yesterday and it’s gonna take us a while before we can batch up a few.” Stone Beam said, scratching the back of his head.

Flicker Blitz grunted annoyed, but then nodded understandingly. “Okay then, we’ll just have to manage without them until we get to Kasaitatki.” she said, looking at the group again. “But we have some time to kill since Firebelt’s hind leg has to recover. Stone Beam offered us shelter here until tomorrow, but we have a long walk ahead of us around that mountain.” she spoke up. However Firebelt interrupted her thoughts.

“Hey, Wild Bird mentioned something about a rail line through the mountain that the Diamond Dogs use! It’s only a four hour walk if we-” Firebelt went on but was stopped by Scorchhop.

“Sorry to say Firebelt, it’s a bit of a risk taking that way. The Diamond Dogs aren’t that friendly and we don’t have any gems of the sorts to offer them, other than the Elements of Harmony.” she said before Applejack tagged in.

“And ain’t no way we tradin’ in the Elements of Harmony to them.” She added on, Firebelt sighed defeated and looked at them.

“But if we sneak in? You know, maybe pretend we’re other dogs or sneak in…?” He suggested, but Flicker Blitz shook her head.

“There is a way to sneak around the Diamond Dogs but that way is even more dangerous, considering that is a way even the dogs don’t go. Whatever is lying in wait in their frightens the heck out of them.” She said.

Lightning raised a question, “Hey Flicker, since you’re the unicorn can’t you teleport us there?” she asked.

“I wish it could be that easy, but I have never been to Kasaitatki nor is it that easy. The same goes for me flying there, since the rest of you can’t fly.” Flicker Blitz said, and giving a look at Lightning to still see her wing broken.

Firebelt sighed, “Hey, but don’t you have the Elements of Harmony? Can’t you just make up some stuff like ‘By order of Princess Luna...’ and all that.” he said giving them a look, obviously Applejack wasn’t amused by the thought of lying to get past. “Well we can either sneak in there, or at least tell a white lie to let us through.” he said, shirking back away from Applejack.

Lightning put a hoof on Applejack’s shoulders. “To be fair, it’s that with only the Diamond Dogs and whatever they’re scared of, or have a 2 day walk around the entire mountain dealing with every monster available in the forest. I don’t mean to disgrace your honesty Applejack, but since those things that hit us last night we may want to make the journey as short as possible.” she said, giving her a firm look. “I know it’s breaking your character, but this is the only time we’ll be doing this I swear.” Lightning promised her. Flicker Blitz gave her a look, still leaving it up to her but in the end Applejack had to agree with them.

“Ah’ll play along this time, ah really don’t like lying but if we have to…” Applejack sighed, a bit upset but understanding.

“Don’t worry, you don’t have to say a thing.” Firebelt assured her, putting a hoof on her shoulder.

Flicker Blitz stood up, gazing at Applejack and Firebelt. “I’ll be making plans for this attempt, but if something goes wrong we’ll knock the dogs out. I will be trying to make other plans first to sneak around them as well, or any form of compromise. The white lie will be a last resort.” she said firmly, wanting to do just to make it easier on Applejack.

Applejack smiled a bit, and Flicker Blitz went through a single door that seemed like her room. The others went off one by one, leaving Firebelt all by himself. “Well...okay then.” he said, and started making his way back to the room until it was night time.

In the middle of the night, Firebelt was tossing and turning in his bed amidst a nightmare about the creature they encountered in Canterlot. With a final toss, he jolted awake. “Gah!” he gasped awake, terrified of the nightmare and relieved it was only as such. He went a bit silent, as now he couldn’t find the urge to sleep and walked out of his room and back towards the garden.

Firebelt was sat down on the edge of the pond, looking at his bandaged hind leg before gazing into the pond. With how Flicker Blitz described the monster incarnate as a forgotten piece of Firebelt’s personality, and he wanted to keep it forgotten from the looks of it. “....that thing just isn’t-” he thought in his head before a voice spoke up behind him.

“Ya’ll okay sugarcube?” it said; it was Applejack. When he turned around, she looked tired as hell.

“Not necessarily, had a damn nightmare about that...thing.” Firebelt said, rubbing his eyes as he was not infallible to the effects of drowsiness. “What about you? Couldn’t sleep either by the looks of it.” he said, giving her a firm look as she leaned against the tree not too far from him.

“Nope.” Applejack replied bluntly, as she looked at him. “Yer scared by that vermant aren’t ya?” she asked in compassion, since this was a hard time he had gone through. Firebelt didn’t reply, but rather just gaze with an empty stare into the pond. “No need to hide it, fear one of the oldest emotions we ponies have.” she said, trotting up a bit.

“That I do know...but was it really Sol who made that thing? I’m just shocked of how accurate it really was…it said how I could hate the truth sometimes, hiding behind others, the useless wings, I was just freaked out at the thought if it knew if I ever saw my da-” Firebelt went on before screeching to a halt, not wanting to let out more secrets that the doppelganger didn’t spill out.

Applejack looked at him, “Ah presume you mean yer dad? Wilder Wind right?” she asked. Firebelt blinked in surprise and in shock.

“How did you…?” he asked, before Applejack cut him off.

“Yer dad was just as infamous as you, only for him he was as cold as a freezer in a snowstorm.” She said, giving him a look. “Ponies say he was rotten to the core, actin’ so smug and cruel. No pony was surprised when ya ran away, but what they didn’t expect is fer you to become a thief.” she added on, giving him a compassionate look.

“Man...sometimes having a family blows.” Firebelt said with a sigh, before Applejack suddenly stood up.

“Now now, havin’ a family is the best thing you could have.” Applejack said, rather sternly at him.

“Then what is the worst?” Firebelt asked.

“Havin’ to bury nearly every family member ya have….” she said, tipping her hat over her eyes. Firebelt blinked in surprise, at the sudden turn in the conversation.

“I-i’m sorry...but I’m sure you have somepony to turn to.” Firebelt said, trying to be compassionate.

“It’s alright sugarcube...ah have mah friends to turn to, but they just can’t replace yer own blood.” She said, leaning back a bit.

“Friends can be your family too, even if they can’t replace them.” Firebelt said assuring. Applejack couldn’t but let off a small chuckle at this, leaving Firebelt clueless.

“Y’ know, yer not as bad as Luna made ya out to be.” Applejack said with a smile. “Whenever ye were brought up, she always went on about how much of a heartless doo-doo head yer were.”

Firebelt only let off a smirk, “Wouldn’t be the first time somepony said that about me.” he said, a bit proud that he really wasn’t a jerk as the doppelganger was. However he gave a look at her face to see she was definitely more tired than before. “Say...should we head back to our beds?” he asked.

Applejack just shrugged as she laid down on the grass, “Ah’m gonna just sit out ‘ere for a bit. Yer welcome to stay if ya want.” she offered, she seemed to enjoy his company so far.

Firebelt blinked, “Erm, okay, but only for a bit longer.” he said as he sat down beside her.

Applejack just smiled a bit, “Ye seem to be cookin’ up a bit.” she pointed out.

Firebelt blinked, to realize his cheeks were heating up a bit. “Well...it’s just I never really had this type of chat with any other pony rather than Lightning and Scorchhop. So I’m just happy about it, I guess…” he said scratching the back of his head.

“Really? Aren’t ye some Robin Hood that used to sweep mares off their feet?” Applejack teased a bit.

Firebelt blinked at this out of nowhere comment, “Now now...if that was true I’m sure you’d be sweeping stallions of their feet.” he said, a bit embarrassed at this.

Applejack only smirked at this, “Nah, most ponies nowadays want a pretty unicorn like Rarity rather than a dirty cowgirl like me.” she said with a smile.

“Oh come now, you’re not that dirty and I think you’re pretty enough for any other-” Firebelt said before stopping himself dead cold, realizing what he had just said. Applejack started laughing at Firebelt’s sudden flirt.

“First time ah heard that in a while.” she said with a smile, but now she let off a giant yawn and tipped her hat again over her eyes.

Firebelt just tilted his head a bit at this, “Oh come now, I’m sure some other stallion wanted to walk up to you and say-” he went on before stopping, to see Applejack was snoring away. She had fallen asleep finally.

He just shook his head with a smile, “Well then...let’s get ya back to bed.” he said, getting up with a bit of difficulty thanks to his crutch. He lightly lifted Applejack on his back, before he heard a small crack. “Um…” he thought as he looked around, but then suddenly collapsed flopped on his belly. The cracking was from his crutch that suddenly snapped in two. As if this couldn’t happen at a worst time, now that Applejack was fast asleep on his back and wasn’t waking up anytime soon. “Applejack...get up.” he whispered irritated but no avail. “Applejack seriously, I can’t move…” he tried again and still nothing. “Applejack!!”

At Canterlot Castle.

    Luna strolled with Rarity through the streets of the now quiet Canterlot. There were no lights on, and only the torches lighted up the street. “I’m sure they will succeed Rarity...just why can’t I get rid of this feeling that I should be the one out there instead of my apprentice and the other…” she said, looking down a bit.

“Now now darling, the kingdom could simply not run without their princess of the moon at their side.” Rarity said with a firm smile as she looked at Canterlot Castle as they approached. “Don’t think about it too much deary, you still have a kingdom to run.” she said and knocked on the door calmly, expecting a guard to open it. There was a brief bit of a silence before she knocked again. “Um...Mr. Guard? Your princess and the Element of Generosity are here..” she said and knocked again.

Luna then opened the door with her magic, “Do not fret dear Rarity, they’re tired I’m sure they just fell asleep on the-” she said before jumping back in shock. Rarity squealed in fear as what Luna saw greeted her sights.

The Canterlot guards were brutally beaten on the floor, with blood painted on the walls with another guard impaled on a spear next to it. There were a trail of guards, either alive and in agony or put out of their misery. Luna rushed to one of the guards that were moaning in pain. “What happened here?!” she asked, as she used her magic to lift up the guard.

“Ngh…an intruder…broke into the castle…we couldn’t stop him…too strong….” the guard said weakly, as he opened one eye. “He went to…the throne room….”

“Sol…” Luna thought in anger. She let off a growl and handed the guard over to Rarity, “Find any survivors and bandage them up! I’m going to face off with our intruder!” she ordered to Rarity as she raced off the down the long hallway. Rarity nodded as she used her magic to pick up the guards and tried to carry them over to the nurse’s office.

As Luna made her way down the halls, she was greeted with the dead body of guards in more gruesome and grotesque positions. Luna saw a bright red glow peering from between the two giant doors that lead to her throne room, she roughly kicked down the door with her two front hooves. The throne was very high up, with steps leading up to the chair to which a cloaked figure had sat down firmly. The figure’s body was of bright orange color, and small bits of blood red hair peeked out from under the hood. The horn of the figure was split in two, with each of them leaning away from each other in a V shape. Before she could react two wings stretched out from his back, only instead of majestic wings of feathers the figure’s wings were dragon-like; scales covering them and tips of hooks attached to the bottom of the figure’s wings. Bits of red magic sparked between the split ends of the horn as a pair of eyes were revealed beneath the hood.

“Good evening Luna…… Mind if I crash the party?”