Lyra: Journey To The Slumbering Dragon
By TimeRarity64
Prologue
The cerulean skies were once beautiful and laden by the glorious sun of Celestia, where clouds were managed by the pegasi and the light breeze of the season refreshed the many days’ worth of living on the Old Earth. The life here was livid, full of wondrous opportunities for brave souls to leave the safety of their homes and journey off into the massive world where adventures awaited their every fortune. Equestria, distant from the land of Ponysia, closer to the Isles of Griffinstone. But fortunes would come to the ones who knew where to wonder, death would wait for the lost ones in the end. Times were beginning to change, a new course was set in motion, and a particular pony will have to make an epic journey that would decide the fate of the world.
But let us not discover this pony yet, for heroes were better introduced when they discover their own inner spirit. An omen was beginning to roll in, from the skies and earth, a sign in which no place was safe from the drawing terror advent at the reach.
Two weeks passed as ponies began to recognize these ominous odd patterns. The unsettling weathers of thunderstorms and monsoons caused the pegasi to question one another at the Cloud Factory and Weather patrol if they were schedule to initiate any of these events, however, all were given disapproved answers. For the ponies below, tremors shook the earth, small ones that would occur each day at the rising dawn, next to the descending dusk.
These concerns would then find their way back to the monarchs of Equestria, the four princesses, three who maintained the country, one who was recently crowned just a year ago. In the highest regard for the safety of the kingdom and ponies of the nation, and issued a council meeting requesting the captain of the guard and the newly crowned princess; siblings they were to ensure a firm cooperation of brains and brawn. However, the Captain of the Guard who was married to one of the princesses would not be able to see his beloved for she was requested to attend important matters within the Crystal Kingdom, North of Canterlot, the capital of Equestria.
The meeting was held in the throne room where the three princesses and captain stood around a round table with a map rolled out in front of them upon the surface. Celestia, princess of the sun and oldest ruler today, the heliocentric figure stood in all her glory to glare down at the map with concern and stoicism. Beside her, her youngest sister, was Luna. She was the princess of the moon and carry an affinity that only the special ones could see her beauty in the darkness. She was frightened, nervous almost, and was most definitely concern like her sister. The siblings, Twilight Sparkle--princess of magic and bearer of the Elements--and Shining Armor--most loyal knight to the Princesses and admirable captain of the Royal Guard, awaited their rulers’ response.
“A bad omen weighs among us,” Celestia spoke first, her voice littered with concern in the specks of cautiousness that burn in her purple eyes. “With how these stories are adding up, it makes a Fool’s tale less parochial.”
One hoof tapped the top of the table where the map laid. Specifically, on a rigid drawn sign that represented mountains. It was an old map after all, used since the day of the cosmic king’s reign. The Mountain of Beordagum were rumored to be full of drakes, even an enslaved colony of Diamond Dogs.
“What I am about to tell you three, must only be shared with the elite nights of the Royal and Night guard, Princess Cadence who is sadly absent, and along with the five of Twilight’s friends. Anypony that I have not stated or referenced shall be kept in the dark. This is a priority that must be met with extreme caution. Do you all understand this?”
The three nodded their heads, giving Celestia time to gather her thoughts and explain herself to this situation. Twilight, her most faithful student, observed, beginning to listen closely to her mentor and fellow sovereign. She was always fascinated with a tale shared from her.
“Before my father was born and the First Tyrant existed, there were stories of a slumbering serpent whose dark fumes could blacken the sun and poison the sky. A cult who bled for these dragons in hopes of becoming one themselves, sought out this beast and drove it mad. Its scales were impenetrable, its fire burn hotter than the fiery sun’s embers, and its fury incinerated any beast or pony that stood in its awakening path…” Celestia spoke the tale in fear, shivering as the as she used to as told by the Great Starswirl the Bearded; chilling memories came back to her. Such stories were not healthy for a filly to listen to, but Celestia remembered being the only one wanting to listen closely to these horror-filling tales.
“Eventually, it was because of this beast, a king by the name of Aegirius united a mass amount of tribes and kingdoms to assist him in putting this dragon into a deep, deep slumber. Becursed mares also known as the Witches of Melanequiss foretold from their foresight that in the next 4500 years, the serpent shall then awaken and unleash a massive black smog upon the world, just before devouring the sun itself. Their details were less belabor and to the point, matching with exact changes to the tectonic plates that shift and caused tremors in the wakes, along with the changing climate among the weather. I believe…that this beast is awakening.”
The tale of this frightening dragon sent shivers down Luna’s and Twilight’s back, but Shining Armor felt challenged. Such tales were his favorite fascinations. Though he remained stoic to maintain his knighthood, he spoke out with question.
“Your highness, does the beast reside in the mountains or could we gain some sort of information to help guide us to placing this serpent back to rest?” He asked.
“Brother, not to bring any false hope, but the princess did say that its scales were impenetrable, clearly you don’t plan to challenge such a monster?” The Lavender alicorn, Twilight Sparkle spoken with worry. Her brother was too brash in this situation.
Shining Armor shook his head, even if his honor was concealed by the crest of his armor plate, even if the three princesses in the room were alicorns, the knight of Equestria believed in his strength and professionalism, that he could gather enough power and force to bring down such a beast. But his sister’s comment made a dent in his armored pride. He never heard of a dragon whose scales were almost impossible to pierce. Sure magic could not do much harm to it, but weapons were the closest thing to bring pain to a beast.
Twilight was careful, focused on trying to think of another way to bring down such a beast. But no idea came to mind, she was great at magic, but magic was nothing to dragons that would even feign them. “You said it was put to a deep slumber,” she said, curious to figuring out how, “do you think there possibly could be anything useful to put it back to sleep in case it ever awoke? What about the Elements of Harmony?”
Celestia shook her head as Luna took her role to speak up. The use of Equestria’s greatest devices that saved it from plunging into chaos, darkness, and domination did not spark such joy and relief into the princesses.
“The Elements of Harmony,” Luna began, “would be useful…but it would be useless against it.”
Shining Armor and Twilight were both stunned. How could the most reliable and precious items that help sealed and eventually reform Discord be useless? Twilight opened her mouth, but shut it once Luna continued.
“The Elements of Harmony were made to go against Evil. It was harmony and good that keeps chaos and evil at bay. This dragon…is neither evil or good. It is part of nature and nature is bound by its own rules. The best way I can put it is that the beast’s doing is all part of nature, it is like an animal in the woods with intention to harm anything it deems dangerous or provoking. What we are up against is nature, beyond the Everfree Forest.”
The Everfree Forest was a place where ponies prefer staying out of. Only travelers with enough intelligence to tell where they were going could pass through those woods and make it out alive, but it still did not apply to almost every traveler. Some fell to forest’s unbounded creatures that stalked and hunted their prey.
“Do not feel discouraged no matter how troubling it sounds,” Celestia said, “There is in fact a way to put it back to sleep.”
The others watched as Princess Celestia’s horn started to glow as the map eventually was wrapped by her magic. It started to glow red as a bright picture touching the ceiling above appeared. It was a picture of a lyre, with engravings of dancing dragons that encircled the crossbar. At the crossbows was the ancient language of the old Equine tongue, only Twilight, Luna, and Celestia could understand whereas Shining Armor did not. Its beauty was spectacle for the four, as Twilight attempted to speak, but could not; astonished by the ancient image that appeared.
“The Lyre or The Sige. This instrument was enchanted, created with the threads belonging to the hairs of a siren with a cold golden mantle nailed into the oak wood. This lulled the dragon into slumber, but could only be found and used by the descendants of its original owner.” Celestia explained.
Twilight finally spoke up and asked. “How did I not know of this? In fact, how could we be so sure the descendant of that artifact is even alive?”
“Let alone know where the lyre is?” Shining added.
Celestia and Luna gazed at one another, before looking back at the fellow princess and captain of the guard. They too felt the tense moment in the air. Both princesses knew the answer to these questions.
“The pony you must seek lives in Ponyville,” Luna said, causing Twilight to gasp, not because she was close to the most important pony in the world, but because of the fascination of history that resided behind it.
“And she holds that artifact in her position.” Celestia stated.
“What is her name, your highness?” Shining Armor asked, stepping up a bit.
The sisters looked at each other again, before answering Shining Armor in unison. “Lyra.”
~~~
Next chapter comes soon~
