Chapter 9 Origins

Ember, was transported into another plane of existence. She appeared in a castle, at first she assumed she was in Canterlot castle.

“Ember, you are not in Canterlot. This is my own castle, and the place it all started everything you know, and don’t know, started here.” The dragon stated calmly.

Ember thought he could read her mind; she didn’t put it passed this strange spectral Dragon after all, he had just knocked out her father without much effort. He had been the strongest dragon she knew, even at his age.

“How did we get here?” Ember inquired, realising how stupid she must of sounded.

“I’m a Sage dragon, we control time and space, and we can alter it as we see fit. But there are some things we cannot change. What you are about too see is not a dream, but what had happened many years ago.” soon after the Sage dragon finished speaking, Ember found herself in a spiritual form similar to a ghost, inside a throne room. She instantly recognized a younger version of her father Torch. He was adorned in gold armour with perfectly polished talons and scales, with brilliant white teeth.

He wore a proud expression upon his maw, he knew he was an esteemed guard, protecting his sovereign.

A moment later; a Black dragon entered the throne room, before he spoke to the other dragon sitting upon a throne of gold.

“Shamilth, how is the mighty Sage Dragon lord.” The Black Dragon stated.

“Keselth, it is a pleasure to see you. What brings my younger brother here?” Shamilth Replied in kind. The dragon upon the throne was a dragon with brilliant pearlescent white scales, what would change in colour, when the sun would hit his scales.

“I have a request my lord.” Keselth inquired humbly.

“Anything for my brother. What is your request?” Shamilth replied enthusiastically.

“My Lord allow me to take over the throne you hold. You have become old and you have a family to attend to now, it’s only right that they become your priority. Retire and leave the care of our kin to me.” Keselth replied, bowing Graciously.

“My brother, any other request I’d grant you. But my throne you are not ready to take over, you are too rash to decide what is best. I have seen the future, and if you were to take my throne now, you would plummet our world into chaos, and our kin would suffer. You are only 500 years old, you are only but a teenager in dragon years.” Shamilth replied wisely.

“You dare say I am naïve! You are mistaken Shamilth, I am ready for this responsibility!” Keselth replied indignantly.

“Your impudent conduct proves me to be right, you are not ready, please understand mature a little more, you will have your time of reign.” Shamilth declared, with kingly authority

“If my lord wishes it, I'll abide by your command, your majesty.” Keselth stated spitefully, before storming out of the Throne room.

Ember then found herself inside another room of the castle, and she recognized the dragon she saw as Keselth, she assumed that she was now inside of his chambers.

“My brother had the gall to call me naïve and impudent. I will have that throne, I am ready and I must show him that I am. I’ll start a coo against our lord, and usurp the throne by force. Show him that I can rule.” Keselth stated to himself, and as he did he heard a knock at his door.

“My lord, your brother has requested your presence.” Ember recognised this voice as her fathers it was a little less deeper, but still had the gravel like tone, she remembered.

“Torch, come in please.” Keselth stated. Torch entered the room, and closed the door behind him.

“Your majesty is everything alright?” Torch replied humbly before his ruler.

“Yes all is well. But I believe you deserve a promotion for all of your hard work.” Keselth stated cunningly.

“Your majesty what do you mean? I thought I was already at the peak of my rank.” Torch replied, curiously.

“Yes you are as a guard, but what If I told you that I could make you a noble.” Keselth said in a manipulating tone.

“A noble... is that even possible?” Torch replied with increasing curiosity.

“Oh yes, you will gain land, and riches, all you have to do is one thing for me.” Keselth stated temptingly.

“My Lord, what would you have me to do?” Torch replied before bowing.

“All you have to do, is swear fealty to me, and all of your dreams will become a reality.” Keselth purred.

“I don’t know, I'm loyal to Shamilth. He is my sovereign.” Torch stated, weighing his options.

“Tell me, what has Shamilth done for you?” Keselth stated.

“He has given me an estate, a comfortable wage, and it allows me to provide for my family.” Torch replied in a grateful tone.

“What if I told you that he hasn’t done anything for you, and all that you have was my doing.” Keselth replied persuasively.

“I don’t believe you, our king is a gracious ruler.” Torch replied in disbelief.

“But what I say is true Torch, why don’t I show you his true colours, behind closed doors.” Keselth replied.

“Show me? How do you plan on doing that?” Torch replied in disbelief.

“I am a sage dragon, like our lord. I can show you with a scrying stone.” Keselth replied matter of factually.

“Okay I’ll take you up on your word. Show me how our king supposedly acts.” Torch replied in agreement, hoping he could prove Keselth wrong.

“Follow me Torch.” Keselth made his way towards a large table with a precious ball of crystal upon it. Torch followed Keselth, as Torch did, Ember did also.

The crystal started to glow a dim white colour, and the image suddenly became clear. It started showing Shamilth telling his advisors not to pay the guards, or the armies he had. Soon the image suddenly changed into another room, it was the treasury filled with gold and jewels.

Another image appeared, showing Keselth walking down to the village and handing out gold, and jewels, from his treasury, until he had very little left. Then image changed again and it showed a guard complaining to Shamilth about his family, how they were starving. Soon after the complaint, Shamilth touched the guard on the head, with his talon gently.

His talon started to glow, causing the guard forget what he was doing there. Shortly after that the guard walked out of the throne room, as if nothing had transpired after the final image ended, the ball returned to its original form.

Torch was quiet for some time, before he spoke.

“My lord, you have showed me what Shamilth is doing to his kin, and I don’t like it I will swear my fealty to you, putting an end to his tyrannical rule.” Torch had a painful expression on his face, he felt betrayed by the one who he fought tirelessly for, before continuing. “I Torch Black Flame, he by declare myself the humble servant of Lord Keselth."

Ember was soon transported into another room, she recognised one of the dragons as her father; she also noticed a female dragon that resembled her, but she was much taller and older, she assumed that to be her mother. This was the first time she had seen her mother since she hatched.

“Kaleth, Shamilth has betrayed us, it was Keselth that provided us with all of the comforts we enjoyed.” Torch stated with despair.

“What do you mean? Our lord Shamilth, has always been there for his kin. How do you know that he has betrayed us?” Kaleth replied, with both confusion and disbelief.

“I saw it, Keselth showed me with a scrying stone. I didn't believe it to begin with, but the evidence is there.” Torch replied.

“No this cant be right, I have always seen him helping out orphaned dragons in wartime, where their family had been killed during battle. I witnessed it, he was kind and caring.” Kaleth stated firmly.

“Its true though, but how have you witnessed this?” Torch stated confused.

“It’s because I love him.” Kaleth slipped up in her state of emotional distress.

“You mean you have betrayed me too for that TYRANT no less.” Torch stated as he felt like his world was falling apart around him.

In a fit of anger, Torch struck at her with his razor sharp talons. They met there mark, slashing at her vulnerable under belly, knocking her to the floor. Kaleth got back up limping from her mortal wounds. She sprinted out of the building, Ember followed her mother just to see her collapse onto the ground, unable to move any further, laying there lifelessly.

Ember Saw her father come out of the building, with tears in his eyes. He saw his bleeding wife on the ground. He ran to her, passing through Ember. He fell to the ground, and yowled in heartfelt pain up into the sky.

Then Keselth appeared out of no where, and placed a gentle talon on Torchs’ shoulder, then he spoke

“You see what Shamilth has done to you, he stole your wife, and your potential family it’s his fault that your wife is dead, not you my dear friend.” Soon after Keselth finished reassuring Torch, he picked up Kaleths' limp corpse, and buried it with Torch by his side.

Soon after Ember witnessed the death of her mother, she was in another area. She had been transported outside the castle now, and saw a large army of dragons standing off against an army of Sage Dragons and Alicorns, the two sides soon charged each other, and started to fight viciously against each other. Dragons, Alicorns, and Sage Dragons, soon littered the battlefield.

Ember then found herself in another room. It was Shamilths’ room now, he seemed panicked adorned in his armour, he chanted a spell on a small magenta egg, with little purple dots on it. After he finished chanting, the egg started to glow a bright white, before vanishing.

However beside the magenta egg before it was teleported was another egg, that was turquoise with little dark blue dots on it. Shamilth started to chant his spell, but was abruptly cut off as Keselth and Torch stormed his room, breaking the door down.

He flicked his tail, slamming both dragons out of his room, before charging at them. However her exploration of her supposed origin soon ended. She was back in Ponyville again.

“Young Ember, you now know of your origin, and how we are all connected.” The Sage Dragon Stated.

“Are you Shamilth?” Ember Inquired.

“Yes Ember, I am Shamilth.” Shamilth answered.

“Can you tell me something, who’s egg was the one you failed to teleport?” Ember inquired, feeling as if she already knew the answer.

“That is your Egg Ember, I am your Father, and Spike is your brother.” Shamilth stated, matter of factually.

“You mean... that I was going to marry my brother?!” Ember stated with astonishment.

“Yes, you are a Sage Dragon... and you and Spike may never marry because of that. Blood calls to blood. I’m sorry Ember, your father should of told you everything.” Shamilth stated, with a great sorrow to his words.

Author's Note

Bam Plot twist, what a way to publish a new chapter. I'll be updating this story more frequently, now that I have the time. Thank you for your support, and waiting for me to publish a new chapter.