Chapter 18. Prisoners.

After the order was given out, we walked in the veil of night to a location where I could bring out my ship without causing a stir to the local Griffin population. I smiled as I got to be a dragon again, but the others...Not so much. Raven freaked out and tried to run away, begging not to be eaten. I smiled in sadistic glee as she couldn't get far with the chain binding her to me.

Once she finally figured out that I was the cute little Griffin she tried to murder. I had to explain to her that I did a transformation spell and since I figured out that making Tomes greatly reduced mana cost. I could do a permanent transformation into my old dragon form. Rave, of course, went back to swearing at me for being a Void Knight to which I replied with picking her up, and began scratching in all of the right places. I chuckled as she melted in my hands and began to purr like the kittens she was, then she called me a peasant when I stopped because I had more important matters to attend to.

Thankfully, my mercenaries treated me like the boss and didn't question anything and did their job, but what they don't know was that I was writing another tome to act as a medium for hen I add them all to the HiveWill spell. As we walked down a broken and misused road with the prisoners pissing themselves in their cage. I kept an eye out for any had blood.

When Sunset told me that she had to bring them all and trick them into a trap she made to avoid suspicion. I was worried that the Sun Tyrant would know if something was off. As it stands, she could easily fuck with everyone to the point that death would be their only cure. They only way for them to become invisible to her gaze was to be linked with me. Otherwise, hiring the mercenaries was pointless. Although, Sunset did do her job with bringing the targets that I had marked for her. Having the Elements of Harmony after they have returned the rocks back to the tree was a headache that was avoided. If I could get them to willingly aid in my quest. Then the final battle would be so much easier, with the rainbow death beam aimed at the corrupt tyrant.

But there was the problem with Luna. Knowing her, she would have directed herself at the closest creature that could use dark magic, or she can't enter the dreams of said creature. To her, Raven and I are walking beacons that I know she could see. I knew it was only a matter of time before she catches up, and if my assumption was correct. I was going to have to bind her to me as well. The less raw power Celestia can't control, the better.

“Hey! Tall, scary and ugly! Over here!” shouted Rainbowdash from within her cage. I sighed, knowing that her gag was out and I was going to have to put it back in. I walked to the center of the line where the cage with the seven prisoners was being kept on a wagon. With the night being as dark as it was, it was hard to find even when I was only a few meters away from it. Once I was beside the cage with the seven, tied up girls with on of them swearing at me that would make Satan blush. I opened the cage while we walked and punched her in the stomach, causing her to tumble over in pain and without breath.

“You need something? “ I asked in a bored tone as I reclosed the cage. She slowly got back up while her friends stared in fear for what was to come.

"Fu...ck, you," she wheezed. I rolled my eyes and pulled out my Tome that I was working on, and finished writing in it while the cyan pegasus recollected herself.

"Sir," called out one of the mercenaries just as I was about to start writing again. I sighed and closed the book and tucked it back in my chest plate, giving the 'merc my full attention.

"Yes, Sergent. What do you need?" I asked the thestral with red eyes. She stiffened up and spoke in a slightly shaky voice.

"We are arriving at the location that you have put out on the map. Captain Black wants to know what we are to do while we are there."

I turned around to check to see if she was right, and sure enough, she was. Just over a small crevasse was a deep, rocky valley that was just big enough for me to deploy my ship in. I made note of the clearing that was shaded by an overlook of rocks, perfect to make a temporary camp. I cracked a smile and spoke in a lighter mood.

"Tell the Captain to make camp at under that overlook. Once there, we are to rest up while I get us transportation to traverse the Sea of Death," I ordered the thestral. She and all those around her stared at me in horror at what I just said. What they didn't know was that Eden was protected within, but they didn't need to know that until we are there.

"O-Of course, Sir," she choked before she flew off to tell the Captain while I continued to smile and an evil smile that I get to fly the Aria once more. I gave my attention back to the cyan pegasus who was staring, just like her friends and Ruby, in fear for what was to come.

We made camp as I finished perfecting the Tome. If all my spells were correct, then I should be able to alter a gem to act as a control center for the HiveWill spell, even though I don't have a big enough mana pool to add them all. With this fact in mind, I knew the downside of the transformation of being turned into a dragon. Not being able to build my mana pool bigger was a problem and was going to be an even bigger one for a month until I could turn back into a Griffin. But I'll make do for now. If worse comes to shove, I should be able to invoke Music Magic to give me a temporary mana boost. If that doesn't work, then my two little sisters; Nix and Lumen, will have to taste blood again.

As I watched the ponies do their work, Raven decided to join me as I sat on a boulder. She didn't say a word as she was too focused on the looks that Rainbowdash was giving to the brainwashed Gilda. Like the gentleman that I was. I listened in on her thoughts.

'I wonder why she has the eyes that belong to a heartbroken maiden? So sad and betrayed, one would believe that she and the Griffin were lovers, but with the way that Solstice is controlling her and how she looks so lost. One would also think that she was never supposed to find out that she belonged to someone else.'

I stopped listening in on Raven with a peaked curiosity and a quick plan of action. If she is saying that Rainbow and Gilda had a thing, then I could use that to make her bend without the need of the Hive spell. All it would take was to convince her that if she wanted her lover free, then she will have to work for it. 'Thank you Raven,' I thought as she turned around to talk to me.

"Sol, even though I hate you, I have to wonder how you plan on getting us through the Sea of Death?"

"I want to know that too," joined in Captain Black," as he joined us with two other ponies. I raised a brow and pointed to my heart.

"I have a ship that has sailed and fought in some of the worst hurricanes that the world could throw at it. After all, from what could be so bad about a sea called The Sea of Death?" I chuckled. Raven, as well as the Captain, just stared at me like Murphy was looming over our heads.

"Don't you know about the great stone colossi that guard the island hidden within, or the giant storms that destroy even the strongest of steel? What about the great sea and sky serpents that call that place their home? I would be hard pressed to believe that you have a ship that could even last a minute in that storm," the Captain said with a worrisome hiss. I, however, just grew a big smile of what was waiting for me in that storm, but before we enter it. I need my memories back.

"My ship isn't made of steel, Captain. It is made out of the scales of a black, world eater. One of the strongest breeds of dragons that patrol the Void to end anyone or anything that dare enter it. It was also a gift from a very dear friend of mine."

The reaction I got from the Captain was disbelief while Ravens was of sheer, terror as she didn't dare to talk about how I came to have a ship build out of a body of a dragon that could, quite literally, eat an entire planet like popcorn. Not sure why Dex told me that when she did, but it was good to know.

"I have no clue what the hell a, 'world eater' is, but I suppose I should take you word for it that it could survive a trip through super hell. Tartarus's angry father," Captain half-joked half didn't believe a word I was saying and decided to just walk away because I was sounding like I was insane. I shrugged and began to scratch Ravens chin to calm her trembling body down as she tried to move away from me.

Once Raven was calmed down, I left her be and walked up to the prisoners to enact my plan of action. They immediately took notice of me and began trying to back away and pretend to be afraid, even though I could see that their bonds were cut. I sighed and motioned for Sunset to come over as well as Gilda to help me out with my plan. When they joined me, the six ponies in the cage looked at the two in confusion before Twilight spoke up, in a much more confident tone.

"Sunset, what are you doing, I thought we were friends?!" she said almost shouting. I chuckled and patted Sunset's head, causing the mare to turn slightly pale in worry while her friends stayed silent in wonder. 'And what she doesn't know was that she, herself, was under my spell, but I won't tell her yet. I need her as a trump card when Luna shows up.'

"I hate to break this to you Twilight, but Sunset here is under a mind control spell, and a very strong one at that," I paused and flicked Gilda on her shoulder. "So is she, but not the mercenaries."

"It can't be that strong, I know how to break her from all three types of mind magic!" Twilight boasted with new found confidence. I just smiled.

"Really? Last I checked there were six types of mind control. There is; Hive, Database, and Soul writing. The three forbidden arts, and I know how to do all of them. So tell me Miss Sparkle. What would you do if I said that I altered their very souls? How would you repair that?" I asked, watched the light in her eyes die as fast as it grew. "Anyways, I wouldn't waste my time on Soul writing as it takes a long time. So you can assume it is Hive as I don't have the materials to do Database."

"B-But that's impossible!" she shouted, causing some of the 'mercs to look our way. "There is only three types; Will, Rend, and Control!" I rolled my eyes that she didn't hear the forbidden part.

"Well, have a visit in the Black Archives that is locked away within Canterlot Castle. Celestia has quite the collection of Black Magic ready to be used," I smirked. "So, behave and I might release your friends here. Don't? Well, let's just say that they will forever be my slaves," I laughed as I turned around and walked away as a couple of 'mercs saw that they were out of their bonds and put them back on without a problem.

Luna watched in horror as the dragon punched Rainbowdash in the stomach, causing her to writhe in pain from the impact before a thestral mercenary came up to him and asked a question before she left to the front of the line. Luna has been following them since they left the castle, using the cloud coverage to hid her from the powerful dragon and the Necromancer that hides amongst the group.

She wanted to fly down and save Twilight and her friends, but if she did, then she wouldn't know what they were planning. Another thing that she couldn't use her power to annihilate them was the dragon and the Necromancer. Those two sent a chill down her spine as she didn't know what they were capable of. Especially the dragon.

Never had she seen such unique weapons or armor on a warrior. The second she saw him leave the Tree Castle, she knew that he would be a formidable opponent both on land and in air, however. The two swords with the winged crossguards sent pure terror that screamed at her to run. She had to force herself just to be as close as she was, in order to hear what they were saying. Those two weapons told her that they could kill immortals with ease, and has done so before, but as much as she wanted to run. She had to find the one that knows about her past and save the Elements of Harmony and their bearers.

Luna floated on the cloud for quite some time before the group decided to take a break under and an overhang of rocks on the side of a mountain that lead to a deep valley. She watched as they made camp and studied the dragon as he wrote in a strange looking book.

She needed to know when they would rest for the night, and when to strike to save the Elements. She watched in silence as they made camp and fed the prisoners, wondering what they are doing all they way out here.

She assumed that they were treasure hunters of some kind like the eccentric maiden, Daring Do. What they were looking for went over her head as she spotted a peculiar sight that frightened her to the core. 'Why is Sunset Shimmer aiding the Black Knights?' Luna thought as she watched the mare behind the mirror portal feed the prisoners.

She didn't want to believe that the former student of her sister was back on the path of villainy, that she was being brainwashed by the necromancer that hides in the shadows of the group, but after she watched her feed her friends. The dragon got up after talking to the leader of the group and walked over the cage.

Luna couldn't hear what he was saying as her cloud was too far away for even an audio enhancer spell to be effective, but she understood from the expressions that Twilight was making to the dragon. Luna let loose a sigh of relief as the dragon confirmed her fear that Sunset was under some kind of spell, as well as Gilda, Rainbow Dashes Griffin. With this fear displaced, a new one was made.

The dragon was sitting back in his old spot with the baby kitten on his lap, sleeping soundly as he rubbed her back while he was looking right at her with a grin on his muzzle. Never had Luna felt so much fear being caused by staring into those deep, old, azure eyes that have seen things that no mortal should have ever had saw. All Luna wanted to do was run. Run and never come back. Her heart was racing a mile a second, her wings itched to flee, her muscles tensed up and her eyes dilated, but she didn't move. She couldn't for she had to save those ponies from a fate that she could only imagine that was bad, but now that the dragon knows that she was there, watching from behind a cloud. She had to act now before he acted for her.

Luna gulped down her fear and flew down from the clouds to confront the group, and hopefully force the group to give back the ponies with words, rather than a fight.

"I just hope that Tia doesn't come. Faust knows that she will burn everyone for kidnapping her student that she treats like a daughter," Luna mumbled under her breath as she watched the group scramble for their swords.