Dance Under Star Kismet

Chapter 6 - With the Winds

Gamma and Pen were to report to the castle garden in three weeks with their blades. Not only will they have created a weapon they will carry for the entirety of their Cloaked Dagger service, but they will have shown what kind of Equine they really are.

In the garden Dawn stood on the edge looking over the village, by her side was Cloudfire. It was time Gamma and Pen returned. Dawn felt their presence as they walked through the doors and looked at them, “Ah yes, the new Daggers.” As they approached and bowed Dawn grinned, “Present arms.” She ordered. The two laid their swords in their sheaves on the grass and Dawn levitated Pen’s first. She revealed his sleek, smooth, streamline sword. “Elegant. Reminds me of the blade I used in War Nexus.”

Returning it to its sheathe and owner, she turned her attention to Gamma. She examined his sword, it gave her chills, “A barb.” The sword had a serrated barb on the end, “The weapon of a killer, not a protector.” She gave his sword back, “As long as you kill our enemies it doesn't matter to me.” They both bowed. Dawn turned around and looked at the village once again for a while, this was a test of patience. They were not allowed to leave without an official dismissal from Dawn. Gamma grew looking around and getting irritated. Pen was relaxed. Dawn spoke, “Cloudfire, brief them on their mission.”

”Yes, Princess. Gardok has been investigating a series of murders and disappearances throughout Equestria undercover as a Peacekeeper. You will join him in the south, where there have been reports of Tartarans. They are not your concern. Leave them to the real Peacekeepers. Follow his orders and you will not have any problems. Understood?”

“Yes, Commander.” They said. Dawn nodded to Cloudfire, “Dismissed.” He said. The two walked away and headed to the train station.

A few days after they returned to the garden with Gardok, “Princess.” Gardok said, “We must warn the remaining members of the RAK.”

“Why is that, Gardok? The RAK was decommissioned after the war.” She replied with a slight chuckle.

Pen spoke up, “It appears that even though they are decommissioned the RAK still have impact on you. There was signs of torture. Probably to extract information.”

”Information? On what?” Dawn asked.

“At the scenes a names was carved into the ceiling above where the victim was found staring at it. Lacoden. Does that ring a bell, Princess?” Gamma asked.

“Cloudfire, warn them. Quickly.” Dawn ordered she turned to the three, “Of all the stories you have heard of Fallen Star this one was kept most secret. I can't even tell you, not now. Gardok go with Cloudfire.” The two walked away at a hurried pace. Even though this was urgent Dawn still kept her cool. “Anything else?”

“A dragon sighting. First in years, Princess.” Pen answered.

She responded in a louder tone, “Did you get a description?”

“Dark gray, almost black, some say it was too hard to tell since it was so high in the sky. A large dragon as well. Locals said it was headed north.” Pen said. “Rumored to be Lord Excaelum.”

”Follow me.” Dawn quickly shuffled out of the garden into the castle, headed to the library. They walked into the library and Dawn walked up the stairs to the back, where there was another room. Her study that she went to to escape from everything. On a chair was an old RAK cloak, it belonged to her father, she swung it onto her body. She opened a drawer, where there was a yellow tassel! She tied to on tightly onto the cloak. She went back downstairs where Pen and Gamma were waiting.

“What is going on?” Gamma asked, “Are you going to chase this?”

“If you know what I know about the disappearance of the dragons you would too.” She answered.

“And what do you know?”

“I know that it isn't some coincidence. That dragons have disappeared like this before. He, or whoever this dragon is, may know why.” She sighed and paused, “….More importantly, if it was Excaelum I need him. He's…like….no, he is a brother to me. The last few of my family I will ever have. I need the princesses under the best protection. Commander Cloudfire will assume my position in the Cloaked Daggers until I return. Understood?”

“Yes, Princess.” They both said. “Don't be gone for too long. It'd be a disaster if too many Equines found out you're gone.”

Dawn smiled, “Few ever wanted me here in the first place, Gamma. I don't know when, but I'll be back.” She nodded to the two and shut her eyes. She teleported to the garden and stretched her wings. Air filled her chest and she ascended into the clouds.

Her wings began to ache. Rarely using her gift of flight has made her tired easily. A gale pushed her north allowing her to glide with little to no effort, she dozed off. When she awoke the air was getting colder, she flew down with the snowflakes into a village. Where the Equines seemed to be more cheerful than at Lalifong. She kept her hood on and walked around the town trying to look for someone who might've seen the dragon. She walked into a local shop and went to the clerk, “Hello.” The old stallion said, “You aren't from here are ya?”

Dawn laughed, “No.” She took her hood off and shook a few snowflakes off her muzzle, “Do you have any hot tea? I have some money.” She pulled a silver coin from her pocket.

“I just made a pot earlier.” He went in the back room and came out with a cup of tea and put it on the counter, “Where are you from, stranger?” He looked at her cloak.

“Thank you.” She took the cup and sipped on it, “Far from here, south.”

“That's not very vague at all,” he laughed, “How about your cloak? Seems familiar?”

“This old thing? It's nothing.” She avoided eye contact with him.

He smiled, “Someone who wears a RAK cloak is important. I had a son who was one.”

Dawn looked at him, “This cloak belonged to my father. Who was your son?”

“His name was Canon. Once he left to become an important knight I never heard from him again.” The old stallion frowned and stared at the floorboards, “A Knight Black Soul came knocking at my door with a cloak folded up after the war and told me he had passed.” Dawn recalled the day on the water. On board Share seeing Canon getting hung from the main mast of Garren’s ship by Lacoden, she nods. “What role did your father play in the war?”

“He was part of the aerial attackers.” Dawn wanted to get off the topic and attempted to change it, “I was told he fought alongside the dragon that helped win the war. He must've been a great warrior.” Dawn saw the clerk’s eyes widen a little.

“A dragon? I and a group of others saw one not long ago. Why, we almost didn't believe our eyes.”

“Do you have any idea what it looked like?” She asked trying not to sound too interested.

“Black. All I remember.”

“Where was it going?”

“It kinda just hovered above us and went further north.” The clerk stared at her, “You aren't here by coincidence are ya?”

Dawn knew she had been found out and shook her head, “I'm tracking down the dragon. It's urgent I find it.”

“It wouldn't hurt to say why, hon.”

“I must find out why for the princesses. They asked me to.” Dawn answered.

“Well, if it's important to the princesses, it is to me. It only get colder when you continue north. Please, let me offer you some supplies for your journey.”

Dawn was cold, hungry, and tired. And nodded being thankful, “That would be greatly appreciated, thank you.”

The clerk went into the back room and brought out a bag and started packing things in it. Food, a black coat, and water. “If you want I know a mare who owns an inn down the road by the town square. She's a friend of mine. You can tell her Felix sent you.”

“Thank you, I can really use a break. Thank you for everything.”

As Dawn turned around Felix said, “I met Princess Dawn once…” She stopped at the door, “It was the first time I met her. I gave her tea and a few things. She seemed to be lost, but I let her know that she could have a friend to come back to here if she needed anything.” Dawn looked at Felix, they gave each other small smiles before she walked out into the cold. She headed to the town square and looked around for an inn.

She found it and walked in. Inside it was warm and cozy. A few other Equines were there checking into their rooms or checking out. She saw a familiar face behind the desk, it was Fyn Cour. The medic for the RAK. Dawn stayed at the back of the lobby letting her deal with customers and waited until she was finished. A pair of youngsters left and went upstairs to the rooms and she was staring down at a booklet, Dawn walked up to her, she said, “Sorry we are full for tonight. You have to come back tomorrow.” Dawn had the feeling Fyn was agitated and annoyed.

“Can you check again?” Dawn played along.

Fyn thought she recognized her voice but brushed it off. She scrolled through her booklet and said, “No vacancies. Sorry.”

“Are you sure?” Dawn smirked.

Fyn groaned, “I said, no-” she paused when she saw it was Dawn, “..vacancies..” Fyn screeched in joy and threw herself onto Dawn for a hug. “I missed you” she cried. “You should've let me know you were coming.”

“You and Iril kinda went away without a word. I had no idea where to find you.” Some Wquines were looking at them, “Hey, uhh try to keep it down, yeah?”

“Right right. The night worker should be arriving soon, after he arrives we can go to my house.” The front door opens, “Speak of the devil. Hon, come on get to work. I have to leave.” The young stallion takes her place behind the desk, “We leave out back.” Fyn led her to the back of the lobby where a door leads them to an alley. “How is everything, hon?”

“Alright….listen-”

”Iril missed you a lot. She wanted to go back down there and visit you, but-”

”Fyn Cour” Dawn stopped her, “I damn missed you too, but….I'm not here to talk.”

Fyn looked away, “Oh…the dragon is what you're looking for then. Flew north. That's all I know.” She turned back to face Dawn with a forced smile.

”Felix told me where to find an inn. Led me straight to you. Maybe if you'll have me-”

“Of course you can stay!” Fyn exclaimed with joy. She hugged Dawn, “No need to rush is there?”

Dawn smiled, “No, I'll explain everything when we get home.”

They trudged through the rising snowfall to a cozy house in the middle of the village where Fyn and Iril housed orphans at no cost. Some of the older childrens look after the house and the others while Fyn and Iril are gone. When Dawn walked in she heard laughter and felt the warmth coming from a nearby fireplace heat up her coat. She took off her cloak and laid it on a chair by the fire. “?Stay here. I'll fetch Iril.” Dawn nodded and Fyn went off. A few fillies peeked around the corner to have a look at Dawn. They noticed her wings and horn. They had a princess in their house!

Dawn laughed. She heard an older child whisper to go get washed or she will have us thrown in a dungeon. Their little steps rushed upstairs. Heavier hooves approached behind her, “Dawn?” A voice said.

She turned to face them, “Hey-” Dawn gasped and saw Iril, one of the closest friends she has, with a large scar running from the center off her chest to her right side. “Oh my gosh! What happened?” Dawn ran over to check on her.

Iril chuckled, “It's nothing. I'm still alive.” She hugged the worried Princess, “Tartarans attacked me when I first moved here. That's all. They're dead now.”

“I'm so sorry.” Dawn said with a sadness.

“Geez, still a little filly aren’t you? Now come on, how have you been?”

Dawn picked herself up to show that she wasn't really affected by her injury, “I'll explain over some tea.”

They sat in the dining room and sent all the children upstairs for the private conversation. A light blizzard rolled through the village and iced the windows making it freezing forcing them to move to the living room where the fire was. Dawn explained to them The Painter and all other events that have happened. Some of the fillies eavesdropped from the staircase hearing every other word that was said. Fyn said with a light yawn, “If finding that dragon is that important I'll help in whatever way I can.”

“Me too. And if by the slim chance this is Excaelum he could help you restore a little order in Equestria. With the Tartarans running amuck and the gangs of rogue griffons, dragons would shy them away.” Iril added.

“I need you both at the castle. It's for your protection. The fillies can come too, but they can't be in the castle. It's too dangerous.” Dawn said.

“Separating us? No. That won't do. We are the only parents they have. Either we all go or none of us do.” Fyn said.

“I can not guarantee their safety.”

“You do what you have to and we will do our part. Don't worry about them. We can handle them.”

“Alright, ask for Cloudfire once you get there. He will remember you two. Leave for Lalifong once I leave to find the dragon tomorrow.”

The hummed in agreement, “Get some rest. You'll need it.” They both stood up and headed upstairs.

Dawn stayed downstairs and looked into the burning wood. The flying ambers reminded Dawn of the Timberwolf’s burial of Luster. She fell asleep quickly when the fire went out and the blizzard subsided.

Boom! Dawn jolted up and woke up to screams coming from outside. She rushed to her coat and ran outside to see a dragon standing right in front of her. She froze in the presence of this large silhouette. It towered over the houses, it's wings folded at its sides. She slowly looked up to face it and saw a familiar face. The dark color, the dragons crown, it was the spitting image Lord Dragaitas, “Excaelum?” Dawn said. She noticed a small red line by its eye, “Excaelum.” She did not feel joy nor fear finding her brother, but she felt a stranger. He was not the same dragon that had left her all those years ago.

She noticed small balls of snow slowly lifting of the ground. Carts and boxes also started to levitate. “Stop!” Dawn shouted. She flew up to his face and said, “Excaelum it's me! Dawn!” Everything dropped back to the ground. He stared her right in the eyes. Dawn thought she had reached him, then everything, even Equines, started floating off the ground. Dawn attempted to communicate to him telepathically, her attempts were futile. He was not there. Screams were filling the air as the Equines cried for help as the ground shrank below them. Dawn placed a hoof on his snout and begged to release them from his power, tears running down her face.

Everything stopped levitating, then the Equines were slowly placed back on the ground. Some Equines ran inside nearby houses and looked out the windows, others took cover between alleys. All the other objects were thrown to the ground at a high velocity. The wooden carts exploded into splinters that shot in all directions. Dawn’s instinct made her cast a shield around herself and Fyn’s house. After all the carts have been destroyed the dragon simply spread its wings, and Dawn dispelled the shields. “What happened to you, Excaelum?” Dawn said, an immense sadness grew inside her. It almost felt like her heart was going to shut down. Seeing her best friend after all these years torn up inside. Excaelum jumped off the ground and spiraled high in the air and headed west.

Dawn landed to the village surrounding her. Their faces said hate and anger to her. They bowed anyways. “Leave.” One said. “This wouldn't have happened if you weren't here.” Another stated.

Dawn faced the truth and said to them, “I will not return.” She looked around to see the wreckage, “I “I truly am sorry.” She also disappeared into the sky following Excaelum’s trail to wherever he might have gone.

Like migratory birds she had fallen asleep after a couple of hours of gliding with the wind. When she woke up she found herself over open ocean and with the moon on her back. She had no clue where she was going but she stayed with the winds that have guided her this far. She slept through the night until the morning. It was noon before she woke up. Thirst and hunger were beginning to settle in, her wings were sore. A little speck of land was far off in the distance. More details were defined as she got closer. A mountain in the center of the island, jagged cliffs, big waves. Dawn was back at her native land. Where War Nexus began and ended. Where Lord Dragaitas and Shadow both sacrificed themselves for the world. She promised never to go back here. Fallen Star.