Flames. Flames took to the air, like a young eagle preparing to take off into the distant sun. And as flames were sporadically shot into the sky and exploded like fireworks at a celebration, the sun shined its rays of beautiful twilight through large mountains and reflected its ochre hue on the musky waters below.
Looking on as the sunlight faded and strong winds took its place one could only hear the sound of beating wings as many dragons gathered around the mouth of a long inactive volcano. The volcano, of Lord Magma. And the resting place of only one unknown dragon.
Flame after flame shot into the air. Trails of smoke followed each one before the balls of fire exploded on their own, out into the distant sky, obscuring the stars above for only a second, mixing various hues with the colors of the night before dissipation took over entirely.
Out of all the dragons that had participated. Out of all that came, one struggled to tear his gaze from the volcano below and look towards the dragons that floated around him.
Dragon Lord Torch, now Lord Torch, snorted heavily. Waves of smoke billowed forth and with each beat of his massive tattered wings, did the dragons surrounding him struggle to maintain their position in circle formation.
A second went by, then another. Before Torch knew it an hour had passed. He could almost hear her voice now if he thought about it. Telling him to quit the theatrics and just get to the point already. If it hadn’t been for the years to centuries he’d served as LORD OF THE DRAGONS! ...then Lord Torch wasn’t sure how he’d be reacting right now of all times.
In all these years he’d been planning for this moment he never thought there’d be a day this would happen through all that careful planning. An unexpected outcome, at an unexpected time. He’d even planned the whole trial for the Gauntlet of Fire, just for her. But... there had been problems. Complications.
Problems, or rather errors Torch wished he’d sought by himself to be corrected. But... it was too late for that now. Looking around Lord Torch looked at all the dragons gathered. Let out a heavy mental sigh, then with the rise of the tiny scepter pinched between two massive claws, he pointed it in the direction of Lord Magma’s volcano, then said one word.
“Go.” He commanded, it echoed across the rocky terrain, through caverns, and trenches. His voice still held that raucous and brazening shout to it that always gave him that annoying yet surprisingly understanding sparkle. But this time, it lacked the cheer or vigor from before. Regardless, given the situation the dragons didn’t need a swing of some scepter to obey. They listened willingly.
One by one the circle of dragons, the swarm of tatzelwurm, the ancient dragons of the east (Yinlong), and the very few dragons that held the ground either descended or moved closer towards the mouth of Mount Magmus.
Once all had landed and Torch could see all that were present, the largest dragon of them all took one more look skyward to the looming clouds above bereft of the rays that were the sun and watched as a cloud slowly drifted by, till the moon casted its bright luminescence on all.
Lord Torch allowed wind to keep him aloft then just as he began to drop, a powerful gale blew forth from tattered wings. With a slight turn of his head, he looked to his right to the group of young dragons that carried a body, led by his successor. His successor looked his predecessor in the eye, nerves taking over when they locked with the older’s. Lord Torch studied his inheritor and almost frowned. Even now he could see it in the younger dragon’s expression. The mirth and all it brought. To him, this dragon wasn’t ready. To him, this dragon didn’t have what it took. Then again, the rules of the dragon lord and the gauntlet were final. Not even he could change what had happened once the scepter had accepted a new owner. He’d simply have to make due with what he had. At the very least, it’d be amusing to watch the young dragon squirm. Meanwhile the inheritor to the scepter felt a strong sense of pride at what he was coming into. Confidence, glory, joy, excitement. All of these emotions and so much more melded together as he thought of what he was going to do.
What he was going to be.Then, in an instant the moment the moonlight hit his predecessor’s face, Garble felt all those feelings dwindle greatly as he was brought back to reality. For a second... he wasn’t sure what to feel. He’d won... but if he was going to gloat he’d wanted to have done it in front of her. The petty princess who made him look bad in front of all those dragons during the beginning of the trial. But now he couldn’t even do that. All because she couldn’t handle a little bit of water.
Several seconds went by, then Garble forced away everything along with the swelling pride that had grown when he held it and felt that surge. That strange indescribable surge.
Tossing all those thoughts away, Garble realized Torch was staring at him, waiting. The Lord had never looked so disappointed in his entire life. It made Garble take on a look of dismay. He allowed reality to take effect and as such, he too took on a more respectful form before he looked back up at his predecessor.
Garble nodded. Torch looked at him for what felt like a minute or twelve. Then, Torch nodded with the faintest of signs of his bright yellow razors peeking out from his maw.
Lord Torch gave one order. “Go.”
And with that Garble looked to the group behind him, pointed to the ground and followed after them as they accepted his order and took the late Ember to the hardened ground below.
Somewhere deep inside as they landed, Garble thought to himself, I could get used to this.
Lord Torch landed and when he did, a moment of silence passed through his fellow dragons. After that he raised the scepter up only slightly into the air, his claws firmly wrapped around it before he thrust it into the air as a sign.
The dragons that surrounded Mount Magmus’ disk, one-by-one blew a wave of fire into the air, incessantly. That fire went on to form a ring of flame in the night sky above the dead volcano. Dragon Lord Torch moved forward and then after a second, moved towards the massive cave that had formed after centuries of shifting and volcanic action, but had since hardened into solid molten rock. It’s size made him look small. Something that actually intimidated the other dragons greatly, judging from their distance.
With a single motion of his claw, Torch motioned for those that carried his daughter to follow and without a word entered, leaving his soon to be predecessor watch him go inside. It was a full ten seconds before Torch stopped and casually glanced back at Garble from within the shadows in silent scrutiny. Time passed and he made a movement with his head that he could follow.
The young dragon did so gleefully despite the situation. Only to remember and correct his habit. For a long while the group moved in silence, ducking bats, walking through small puddles, and avoiding stalagmites and stalactites. And then after minutes of suspense, they stopped as the sound of silent breathing could be heard through the dripping waters.
“This was where Ember’s mother, took her resting place, before she decided to Sleep.” Torch informed, more to Garble than to those that carried his resting daughter. The young drake made no reply, because his eyes were soon ensnared by the sight of another dragon that soon came before them.
Almost as large as Torch himself, Garble found he was at a loss for words. Scales as clear as aqua and spots as blue as the night sky, Garble found himself entranced by the image of the dragoness that lay sleeping on a pile of bounty lost to ages long before his time.
For a second Garble was stunned, then he realized so were the others. Whether it was out of curiosity or interest, Garble took the chance and looked at the forever slumbering Ember... the resemblance was uncanny. Aside from the shape of her snout and the horns she no doubt inherited from her father, the two dragons were almost similar if not in size than in beauty.
For the first time since the Gauntlet of Fire had ended, Torch’s laughter filled the air. It was bright, merry, and actually cheerful. It filled the air, felt like it caused quakes and unsurprisingly enough did not awaken the two sleeping beauties. In time (at least eleven seconds), Torch’s laughter died as the group slowly managed to tear their eyes away from the Dragon Lord’s consort.
Soon that merriment died and it was filled with a serious atmosphere once more. Torch’s smile died as he stared at his wife, then to his daughter. Reality sunk in again. Everyone stared, but for different reasons. Finally, Lord Torch moved to the large group of teenage dragons that carried his daughter like she was a treasure more precious than any could ever hope to achieve, and handed over to her father.
Slowly, carefully. Lord Torch moved his daughter to her mother’s side and then gently laid her down by her just like she used to do on her own when she was young.
Lord Torch watched over his family for some time. The other dragon’s had at some point understood the atmosphere and left. Garble hadn’t. He still stood not too far away from the massive dragon watching. Seeing. Torn really. Ember had been his enemy, his rival. Now he wasn’t sure what to feel. Bad? Yes. Sad? Sort of. But there were also other feelings within that desired to fester, and he wasn’t sure what to do about them.
His thoughts were interrupted when a massive cloud of smoke hit him and made him start to choke. Garble looked up with watery eyes and to his surprise, Torch held the scepter to him.
Garble the rebel. Garble the dragon, the leader of a bunch of teenage dragons from within his inner circle, that bullied and pushed and flaunted their wings, ferocity and girth, gawked in awe and shock. He didn’t retrieve the scepter. He didn’t even reach for it despite how much he wanted to. A part of him refused to as he could sense-- feel the power that radiated off it just as it had when he first touched it.
Then Lord Torch’s voice broke the silence with a resounding boom that drove him to his senses. “Take it”, the lord stated.
Garble looked up. Then looked back at the scepter. For a second he hesitated. Then he looked down at the massive claw that held the tiny object in its palm, waiting. The size, the strength, all of it. Garble took all of Torch’s image, the power he’d displayed before and even now after losing his remaining family in and the weight of the great dragon's nature almost made the younger shudder as he stared longingly at the scepter.
The claw moved closer in gesture and Garble heard his name bespoken. “Take the scepter, Garble. Take it, and do what you earned the right to do.”
He swallowed. Then after a second of debate, Garble reached hesitantly, shaking with not just his hand but entire body as fear, excitement, pride, joy, honor, all of it and so much more overwhelmed him; by the time he realized, the scepter was in his claws. In his talons, and then he felt that wave of immense and indescribable energy flow through him as the scepter recognized him as the new Dragon Lord.
The world was silent. It broke when Lord Torch’s tail slammed into the ground demanding attention. Garble looked at his predecessor and swallowed at the sudden difference in their size.
“Go out that cave Dragon Lord Garble. While this was not the way we usually do it,” the lord flashed him a weary toothy grin, “this is what it has to be, I suppose. Now go. Let those louts out there know who’s boss. And don’t you dare let me down.”
Garble took in those words, looked out towards the light in the distance that was the cave's entrance, then with one final glance and tired grin from his predecessor he puffed his chest, spread his wings, and took off towards the entrance.
He paused for a moment, wings flapping as he looked back at Lord Torch.Wondering if he would follow. When he did look back, Lord Torch merely goaded him with his head to continue before he turned back to face his sleeping jewels. One that slumbered for an unknown time, one that slumbered for eternity.
Without realizing he’d done it on his own, Garble took in the strong image Lord Torch represented. He wanted that. He wanted to do that. Become, that. Even after losing Ember, he didn’t hear a sniffle or a cry. No moping. No groaning. No wailing. He was firm, solid. Stalwart. From the point after they found her, to now, Lord Torch hadn’t shed a single tear nor lashed out at anyone in anger.
The young dragon felt his claws tighten around the scepter. As they did, it hummed silently in response.
Casting a glance towards the moonlight that shone at the mouth of the entrance, Garble felt a pressure build in his chest. He took that as pride and ambition, flapping his wings towards the entrance. When Garble got outside, all the dragons stared at him in silence. Eyeing him. Studying him. Judging him. Many were his age. Many had participated in the Gauntlet. Few were older, and even less were fully grown adults. His breath felt restrained. Then one of his chums stepped forward, and with a mighty intake of breath, roared in acceptance. Other dragons followed soon in suite. Dragon Lord Garble, hesitated, then in a puff of smoke that blew away with the wind all nervousness vanished as he raised his scepter with pride. Whispering a promise, he stated. “I’ll do my best, to bring back glory to all dragons.”
Canterlot, the capital of ponykind. And a city that Garble and his newly titled generals, had recently finished exploring as part of their introduction to equine society.
Many sights had been explored, many places had been seen, and many nobles had been... introduced. One thing was for sure though for both Dragon Lord and his generals, neither enjoyed too much of noble company.
Thankfully time flittered by, as the sun shined from above. It’s rays came through open or closed windows in the surprisingly dim atmosphere where six dragons now waited, patiently. Half an hour had passed since four guards had led the group into this luxuriously kept parlor that Princess Celestia had so kindly provided. Say what you will about ponies, but their buildings certainly are more decent than anything I’ve ever seen, Aldera thought in the ‘silence’ that prevailed in the room. Apart from the other’s, the dragoness had to admit, she was slightly interested in Equestrian society, nobles being another story. The guards certainly looked weak, but then again from what she’d heard and the little knowledge she had on pony history, they might not be completely useless after all, even after centuries of being at peace.
The hands of a nearby clock ticked the seconds away to minutes as time went on. Accompanying its sound, the tapping of claws and in intervals, grunts and snorts of impatience as those minutes accumulated into yet another hour.
Many found the device’s ticking annoying.
There were a few attempts in trying to smash it till one guard had ended up walking in to check on the group when it was about to happen. Aldera had never seen dragon’s immediately try to pass off scorch marks as accidents after someone ended up sneezing too hard. The moment passed soon enough with a somewhat skeptical understanding from the pegasus guard known as Caleum. He went on to inform them that the meeting would be ending soon, and if they needed anything they should just call.
A second after he left the ticking continued. A minute later and every dragon in the room was getting tired of that sound. Even Aldera wanted to put an end to its grating ‘nck’ noise, but no one found it as annoying as the dragon impatiently tapping his talons on the painted white furnished roundtable they all sat around.
Tapping became impatient drumming, impatient drumming went back to tapping. Till finally the dragon that had been mumbling about something or other snapped, picked up the empty box of pastries they’d been given and hurled it as hard as he could at the mounted clock.
A reverberating smack sounded through the parlor as everyone’s attention turned to their fellow general who’d been in nothing but a sour mood for quite some time now.
“Two months”, a voice of fruity nature stated in exhaustion, filled with pure agitation. “Two MONTHS!” the drake cried in anger. “Two months and what has Dragon Lord Garble done? Nothing! That’s what. He’s done absolutely, nothing! Nothing except make us, his top generals in a non existent army that we don’t even use let alone have, I might add. Plus-- will someone please get rid of that infernal thing!” the dragon shouted with sparks of ember flying into the air.
A frightened mare rushed into the room immediately and looked at the group of dragons nervously. “Y-yes?” she asked.
The only wingless dragon in the room and source of the display, pointed to the clock. “Please. Remove it” he stated in as controlled a voice he could muster.
The mare looked confused for a second, then looked at the other dragons nervously as well to see if they desired the same thing. Some nodded. Others, well it was tough to tell, they were still trying to figure out when they’d be getting that next box of sweets. They wanted more of those “dough-nuts” and “coup-cakes”.
A dragoness with amaranth red scales, nodded in gesture that the pony just do it so they can just move on. The clock was taken down. It was only a second after the mare left before she turned to ask if they needed anything else, only for the door to be slammed in her face by a stray tail.
“Thank you!” the drake called to the fading steps of the secretary, rubbing his temples as he tried to calm himself. “As I was saying, the only thing we ever do is go on expeditions with other dragons only out for themselves. Flapping wings or in my case using magic, to cross the barren lands of Badlands, prohibited islands near Zebrica -which could seriously get us in trouble if Lord Torch ever found out- searching for nothing but, treasure. Treasure. Gems, pearls, rubies, name it. It’s all treasure! Trea-sure, to build what? A HOARD!! I know he said he’d be doing this from the get-go, but he isn’t even distributing our bounty! Where is the plan?!! The elders don’t need them but what about the others?! Seriously, what was with him and all that talk and vigor from before.” The palulu complained, finishing his sentence with a loud huff and snort of mint green smoke.
A moment of silence passed as grumbling soon began. Coming from the sole talker in this entire conversation, a silver scaled dragon’s maw moved as he continued to complain about everything. Particularly how Garble had told him off for trying to act like he was the Dragon Lord, when he just got in because he and the new lord’s closest friend were cousins. As for the other five generals in the room, they maintained their distance. Occasionally casting glances at each other.
“ ‘Don’t worry guys,’ “ Shrnouwel grumbled mockingly. “ ‘ I’m gonna be the best lord of the dragons ever! You’ll see.’” He stated, going on to stand up and mirror every move he could recall Garble had made the week after his inauguration. “‘Just you wait, count on it. Those ponies won’t even knoooow what hit ‘em as soon as they figure out just how awesome we are! I’ll even make Lord Torch look like old news once my reign is over.’ Oh and look at how great my horrible leadership skills have ticked off over 30% of the dragons our age!
“If we weren’t his generals, we’d. Be. Dead!” Shrnouwel shouted with a slam of his fist on the sun emblazoned table. A table that soon became covered in frost.
Heavy breathing of the huffing and puffing sort followed, as the older drake let out long heavy breaths. Shrnouwel or “Stool” as his fellow generals refer to him (much to his chagrin), sat back in his seat slowly beginning to feel a little better after speaking his mind.
To bad no one else seemed willing to speak theirs.
“Well?” he asked after he’d finally calmed down and the temperature in the room no longer felt frigid. “You all aren’t going to say something? Anything?” He asked, eyes staring at his comrades in curiosity.
One dragon with lemon yellow spines that covered most of his face, crushed the cup that had that strange dark caffeinated drink he was told was coffee and sighed. “Stool--”
“I’ve told you that is not my NAME!”
“Riiiight”, Ikris replied with a sly grin. “Look. I get you’re new to our region and everything since you’re from... where again?”
“North Amareica” the dragon hissed through barred teeth.
“Riiiight” Ikris, nodded. “Anyway, I’m just sayin’ here”, he said glancing around to the group. “Garble’s doing his best. Cut him some slack why don’t you. Not like you were there when all dragon’s were being called for the Gauntlet, so frankly you’ve got no right to complain. Besides, you’ve got you’re own Gauntlet don’t you? Wasn’t your uncle the last Vic Duke? I don’t see you holding the title of Duke, now do I?” The mockery in his voice almost dripping.
For a brief second both generals stared at each other in silence. Then slowly but gradually the entire room’s temperature began to drop to the point where Ikris could see his own breath. He grinned at the implied challenge. “Oh, I get it. Wanna, have a little tussle while we wait huh? I’m cool with that. It was gettin’ borin' in here anyways, plus it’s been awhile since I had a ‘friendly fight’ between ‘friends’ “ the dragon stated as he rose from his seat.
“I’m warning you Ik.” Stool said firmly. “Never bring up the Trial of Ignea before me like that again, unless you want me to have Garble demote you entirely from your pseudo position of general. You know, the one where you did nothing but gloat to all the others when it was announced about the power he gave you.”
Ikris’ grin turned to a tight lipped stare. The forest green dragon didn’t even bother moving any further from his seat. Him and Stool stood on opposite sides of the roundtable gauging each other. The temperature dropped another degree once more and one of the dragons on the sidelines growled at the display.
“Enough already.” Draut ordered, his beefy tail curling closer into his side for warmth. “You two want to fight, wait till we get back to the lair then you can bash each other’s brains out or whatever your pent up frustration is all about. Don’t do it in here unless you want to seriously tick Garble off, Shrnow. And those princesses.”
Both dragons didn’t budge. They continued to degrade each other through eye contact alone, Draut’s wings twitched in irritation at the display his cousin and friend were making. It wouldn’t do good for anyone to get on Garble’s bad side, since he hadn’t been looking forward to this meeting in the first place. “I said: Break it, up”, he commanded.
Shrnouwel’s nostrils flared and released a long trail of cold air before he sighed after a few seconds had passed. His claws unclenched and the frost that had been forming around him began to break and dissipate as the room gradually began to regain its normal temperature.
Ikris dropped his wings back to his side and let them fold in as well. He moved a seat down away from the others while Stool remained on his side of the table, alone.
Awkward silence became everyone’s companion after some time had passed and the tensions had settled. There was a cough that could be heard outside every now and then through the gates, making the atmosphere even more uncomfortable. No doubt from a listening guard.
“So...” Stool said trying to clear the air. No one made an attempt to respond. He decided to go along with it, not wanting to start something again or bring up his issues with Garble he began quietly tapping away at the table.
Rugilith was the one that eventually came to speak. “So...” she said, picking up where Shrnouwel had started. “Why exactly did the princesses decide now was the time to meet Garble after he’s been the Dragon Lord for two months now? It’s almost been three and they pick now to meet him? What’s up with that?”
Some shrugged, others didn’t make a real response. Ikris was the one that spoke after a couple seconds went by. “Apparently it’s some kind of rule or law or somethin', that the dragon lord before Lord Magma made about the previous dragon lord showing successors the rules or somethin’, one of the reasons why we didn’t see him so much whenever he sent us on those hoard scavenges.” His shoulders moved with indifference. “I don’t know, complicated stuff.”
“I’m amazed.” Stool commented with honest surprise.
Everyone in the room looked at him. “You know what ‘scavenge’ means?” genuine shock imbued into his tone.
“You know what” Ikris began, only for the doors leading to their parlor suddenly being thrown open by one particular red scaled dragon. Garble waltzed right in, scepter in hand with a jaded expression on his face as he looked to his generals in exhaustion.
“I’m done. We’re leaving” his voice stated with utmost finality. From his tone, there was no room for argument and it didn’t sound like they’d be going for any detours either. Ikris and Shrnouwel completely forgetting what they were about to argue about before, simply looked to the others, all nodding in agreement.
“Right.”
Garble cocked a brow, expecting something else to be said in that sentence. Aldera and Rugilith rolled their eyes, knowing what he was after and obviously relishing how he enjoyed this next part. “Right, Your Majesty” they all said in unison. Garble grinned.
“Excellent” he said with a smile. The group of generals and the Dragon Lord were escorted outside the castle within the next seven to ten minutes. Complimentary pastries were provided for the long flight back. Garble made a note to ask those pony princesses to bring some over when they met with him and Lord Torch in the following weeks to come.
“He did what?!” Lord Torch exclaimed.
Princess Cadance and Twilight had to cover their ears from the sheer force and volume, but Luna and Celestia did no such thing. They didn’t even flinch. The four princesses sat in small gaps that acted as their seats from within a hilltop that was a part of the historic meeting ground of Gavaerrok. Lord Torch sat perched upon the collapsed remains of a cliff staring at the four rulers with narrowed eyes.
Once the echoing had dimmed and Twilight no longer felt her ears ringing, she opened an eye and directed a glance towards her mentor, Princess Celestia. Celestia in turn nodded once she was sure her niece and student were okay to continue listening.
“From our meetings with Dragon Lord Garble--”
“Or His Great and Powerful Magistrate” Twilight saltily added.
“Yes”, Celestia replied in soothing undertones. “Garble seems to still lack some of the necessary...mannerisms that would be due in a meeting of diplomatic importance. And while I do understand he is still a young dragon, it has been almost four months since his ascension to power I would at least expect him by now to understand the importance of his position, Lord Torch.” The sun princess stated kindly. Voice full of understanding. You don’t go a thousand years and then some without having to deal with your runin with new rulers, figurative heads, and high officials some if not many, acting as if they should be bowed to and praised at every second, of every hour of the day. Especially when the one the leaders of Equestria now talked about, was one who had used one of Cadence’s guards to polish his scepter and allowed one of his generals to use a staff member to act as cushions for their feet.
Lord Torch didn’t say anything. His nostrils flared as he rose back to his full height on his perched seat and looked down upon the princesses in silent consideration. The blazing afternoon sky did nothing much for the princesses as Torch’s gargantuan size provided enough shade for more than two hamlets and possibly an entire town, but regardless both moon and sun regarded him with the same consideration as he did them.
Raising a claw and scratching beneath his jaw with a single talon, Torch looked past the never ending supply of copious dust, cliffs and small signs of vegetation accompanied with meager mountains, before he looked back towards the princesses, focusing his eyes on the youngest then the second youngest before moving his eyes over to his old allies.
“What else?” Torch asked. It lacked that loud depth it carried before but it was still loud enough to get the point across.
Luna’s serious expression broke and a small smile plastered her face, peppered with amusement. “It seems you have informed him well of our past, Lord Torch. I praise thee for such accomplishments. However,” the businesses expression returned. “While we understand young Dragon Lord Garble is still learning the ropes of being Lord to all dragons, we do not understand why he showed us and Princess Cadenza more respect than he did to Princess Twilight Sparkle.”
Lord Torch’s tail swung lazily to his back and the massive dragon leaned forward to peer down at the princess of the stars with a quizzical look in his eye. “You expect me to know about a princess I only found out about a moon ago?” he demanded.
At least to Twilight that’s how it sounded. She found herself frowning at that statement. She’d done a lot since her ascension that could have at least earned her some recognition, heck she even fought an all powerful centaur that could’ve literally ruled all of Equus if he wanted. Not to mention stopped, then reformed and now fosters a surprisingly powerful unicorn that actually damaged the present and almost went on to do worse (although Princess Celestia still had no idea about that second part soooooo...)
Princess Luna rose from her seat and flared her wings. With a light jump and flap she hovered into the air to reach the lord’s eye level, and when she did, she simply stared him down right back.
The staring contest went on for a full minute with Celestia saying nothing through the entire thing. If Twilight didn’t know her mentor at all she would’ve missed the small sign of a smile that adorned her features. Luckily she didn’t. This was her first time meeting the Dragon Lord and he was... pretty intimidating, but he definitely displayed characteristics uncommonly known in draconic kind and while size was something to be wary off she’d certainly dealt with worse by now. Cadance, didn’t seem as troubled. Nervous, absolutely. Troubled? Not so much. She had caught on quite quickly to what was transpiring between Aunty Luna and the great lord that had managed to keep dragons and equestrians in line, and soon found she didn’t even need to inform her sister-in-law on what was even going on.
After the minute was up, dragon lord and alicorn princess snorted at the same time before a strong gust of wind blew through. It was disrupted when Lord Torch suddenly bursted out into loud cackles that seemed to create quakes on the ground itself.
Luna returned to the ground- gently, having a triumphant smile on her face, seemingly having won a silent battle between wits. Torch’s laughter died within the following seconds but its echoes carried on for quite some time. “Fine then lunar knight. I see your time on the moon didn’t weaken your stubborn nature.” The behemoth taunted.
Princess Luna merely beamed at the comment. “We assure thee, we are as stubborn as the skies are bright” the alicorn replied. “But we digress, Torch. We--“
“Yes, yes.” He stated dismissively. “I understand, Princess Twilight should have been given her due respect since her invitation to Garble had been nothing more than a congratulatory meeting. But you and Celestia know by now that dragon’s-- especially the ones that come from horde’s with hoards aren’t the brightest or most well-behaved.
“Besides”, the lord’s eye turned to Princess Twilight and stayed there. “Garble informed me on his return that he’d met you before.” A brow furrowed. “What exactly does that mean?”
Twilight having the spotlight on her now, nervously laughed. “Well...” she said kicking a pebble, “My... assitant/brother, may not have had the best interaction with him during dragon migration. And by extension when we went to help him, my friends and I didn’t exactly see eye-to-eye with him either.”
“Brother?” Torch inquired.
Princess Celestia didn’t shift in her seat as Cadence did, but her ears did flicker for a second. “Yes... Twilight as you know was” -her eyes glanced over to the alicorn in question- “is, my student. She was the one who took in the baby dragon egg we found and her family helped me raise him as one of our own.” Celestia explained calmly.
The lord’s eyes moved back to Twilight who slightly flinched as his pupils dilated before returning slightly to what could be considered “normal”. Torch’s nostrils flared for a second then he snorted a puff of smoke in the air before leaning back onto his seat. “I see.” He said silently. It was the first time Twilight or Cadance had heard him speak in what could be considered a normal volume.
“Twilight Sparkle, yes?” the lord asked. To that Twilight nodded with a small smile.
“That is um, correct. Your Lordship” she replied. Lord Torch said nothing further in response. He simply stared at Twilight for a couple more seconds in silence, almost like he was studying her. It was nerve wracking and exhilarating all at the same time. Finally after eighteen seconds, the lord shifted for the first time to readjust himself on his cliff before speaking.
“Bargh” he grumbled, “what were we talking about?”
“I believe we were discussing Dragon Lord Garble’s behaviour if he plans to maintain peaceful relationships with other nations?” Celestia reminded. Torch nodded, slowly.
“Right. Right...” his tail slammed into the ground and sent up a clump of dirt into the air before he made another another attempt to speak. Only he didn’t. Lord Torch seemed to be lost in thought for a couple seconds before speaking again or maybe trying to find the right words in what he wanted to say. “That dragon...” he started. “That dragon you call your brother, what’s the little drake’s name?” Torch asked.
The silence that filled the air could freeze water. Princess Celestia tensed for a quick second but it went completely unnoticed after spending centuries in situations like this, she cast a careful glance at Twilight and Cadence and nodded to them that either one could speak. Twilight, too caught off guard gave Cadence the opening.
“His name’s--”
“LOUDER!” The lord ordered, something that only caused Princess Cadence to wince. She casted a quick look at Aunty Celestia who merely offered her an apologetic smile before gesturing for her to continue.
“Of course. Sorry,” Cadence said spreading her wings and taking to the air. Twilight soon followed her. “His name is Spike” Cadence informed. The former dragon lord merely nodded silently in response.
“He is well?” the lord asked. Twilight thought for a slight second she heard something else layered under that strong deep voice but it could’ve just been her imagination. Torch’s question however and the way it was asked shortly after the previous, resounded like a bell to Cadence who seemed a little less displeased with being yelled at and a little more sympathetic for some reason.
“Yes...” she said gently. “He’s just fine, isn’t he Twilight?” the older mare asked. Twilight looked at Cadence slightly confused and didn’t register what was happening but after a quick look, gesture and movement of her sister-in-law’s head, she got a vague squiggly picture of things. Kind of.
“Yes, he’s um, fine. He’s in the castle handling certain issues with the other Elements at home.”
Torch blinked then nodded but said nothing more. Back on the hill Celestia and Luna exchanged looks before they too joined their fellow alicorns in the air.
“Lord Torch, excuse us for asking, but you seem to be out of sorts” Princess Luna inquired. “Something bothers you?”
The old dragon grumbled in reply, muttering incoherent words at a surprisingly low volume. “Nothing bothers me, Luna. I am- was a Dragon Lord, I’m fine.” he stated. Celestia and Luna looked to each other as Cadence and Twilight shared a glance of concern.
“Torch”, Celestia said. She glided over to the dragon’s muzzle and rested a golden horseshoe on a small point near his nose. “What’s wrong?” she asked.
There was no reply. The dragon lord’s eyes as large as they were, didn’t look at any one of the princesses but instead looked off to the distant lands that were occasionally overshadowed by passing stratus clouds above. For a long while, Torch said nothing and Celestia felt nothing but the exhales of his hot breath. After a minute passed, Celestia distanced herself and flew higher to align herself with the lord’s face.
Lord Torch wasn’t surprised at what happened next. Even when he was just a young dragon, the princess had always shown kindness when it was due. He felt the tingling feeling of magic gently drape itself like a blanket around the right side of his face, guiding him slowly to look at the sun princesses that now floated in front of him. For a long while the two completely ignored the existence of the other’s, Luna made sign for the other two princesses to follow her in distance, so that they could get a better look of the lord.
Twilight had to admit, while Lord Torch wasn’t the most charming dragon (considering there weren’t many dragons she knew aside from Spike and the one that inhabited that river in the Everfree), he certainly had his own decent attributes that could be taken note of. One of them, the many scars and scratches around his muzzle alone. It made her wonder what kind of challenges he had to face in the earlier points of his career as a leader to all of dragon kind. Well... not the only leader but certainly the head monarch. From what she’d learned in her most recent studies prior to Garble's arrival, dragons had more than one leader in their own nations outside of Dragonia colloquially known as Dragon Lands.
There were four other titles that dragons in other nations could have that went through a similar trial like the Gauntlet of Fire. Duke, Baron, Count, and Earl. These titles like the dragon lord also had to be ‘earned’, but they were nothing compared to the title of Dragon Lord. A position considered to be the highest in the nominal hierarchy.
It made her wonder if Lord Torch had thoughts on Garble being his successor that weren’t tied to any political cause or reasoning. It also made her wonder if that was the reason why he hadn’t said anything in almost two minutes.
Torch and Celestia looked each other in the eyes for an unknown amount of time. Finally having enough, Torch shook his head free of her magical embrace and flared his nostrils in slight annoyance. He turned his gaze the other way, refusing to look at any of them.
Celestia frowned. She lowered herself back to the others and looked to Luna with a sagely nod, a nod which her sister returned. Luna cleared her throat then spoke on the same level as Torch. “We apologize if the mention of Spike has brought up... unpleasant memories of Princess Ember, Lord Torch.”
The dragon didn’t respond to that either. Celestia continued, “It was not our intent to bring back anything you did not wish to dwell on. We understand how dangerous the Gauntlet of Fire can be and so we offer our condolences on her untimely accident.”
Cadence frowned as her ears drooped. Twilight stared at the lord in shock. Slowly she turned to look at her mentor, then to Luna, then to Cadence, lost for words at what she was hearing. For a second Twilight, wasn’t sure how the lord wasn’t lashing out at them for even mentioning the princesses name. Then she recalled the different behavior Lord Torch displayed in comparison to other dragons and felt like scolding herself for even thinking that way.
“I...I’m sorry I didn’t know. Lord Torch, I apologize if--” The lord finally turned his gaze to the four and offered them a weary grin. That grin spoke volumes more than any words ever could to Cadence. She felt a warm sensation coming to her eyes when the dragon lord rose himself to his full height again and simply nodded, in appreciation for their words.
“Thank you, Celestia, Luna.” His eyes locked on to the other two and he offered them that same grin, “And you, Twilight, Cadence. I’m alright, I just dislike thinking about it is all.” His wings flicked after that remark and his smile died away soon after.
Awkward silence save for the whistle of wind and flapping of wings was the only thing that filled the land of Gavaerrok. No one said a word for a while, all for different reasons. Twilight wishing she could do something to lighten the mood, Cadence wishing she had had the chance to meet another princess from another nation, Celestia for the loss of the hatchling she used to visit when she’d just hatched. Luna for the dragon she never truly got to know.
After a second of silent thoughts and deep contemplation, the group was snapped out of their dour mood by Lord Torch’s small chuckles of clearly forced but well disguised mirth. “Relax, princesses. What’s passed has passed, we aren’t here to discuss the departed. Besides, you have nothing to be sorry for. You played no hand--” a brow arched up, “err, hoof in what happened. Now then,” he stated in change of topic, “where was our discussion headed?”
Twilight frowned, feeling as though this shouldn’t be something simply brushed aside. She opened her mouth to speak but feeling a tug on her tail made her stop when she noticed Cadence staring at her like a babysitter coming across a child having done something wrong. She shook her head and whispered, “Don’t. I don’t think it would be a good idea.” She said gently.
Twilight’s ear flicked and she sighed in defeat. “Alright.” Another minute of silence went by as Torch waited for anypony to speak, his tail gently tapped the ground and created another ditch, before he took note of the clouds forming above.
“What do you think, of Garble’s ascension as ruler?” Twilight blurted out.
The cry of an eagle filled that void when no one responded. Celestia and Luna looked at Twilight with patiently raised brows and Cadence simply held her tongue, wanting to see what exactly the former Dragon Lord would say. At first, Lord Torch said nothing. He clearly heard Twilight as she saw his eyes look her way, briefly, but he didn’t really make any other response or show any motive to reply.
Then all of a sudden Torch grinned. He thrusted a large talon at Twilight and asked her the same question but rearranged it considerably and said: “What do you think of Garble’s ascension as Dragon Lord, Princess Twilight?”
Twilight was caught off guard. The large talon thrusted in her direction, while still a good three to two feet away surprised her and made her throw a hoof to her barrel as her heartbeat quickened. Well, at least now I understand why Fluttershy’s so wary of dragons she thought with a nervous chuckle. Flapping her wings, the distance between said talon and herself increased greatly before she dared to respond. Torch merely chuckled at the display before he rested his claw back on the ground and waited for her response, a smug smile still present on his face.
“Uh, well I-- I don’t um”, she fumbled trying to think of the right words. “Uh, hehe. Wellll, I mean... when I first heard that Garble was going to be Dragon Lord, (and then I found out what a Dragon Lord actually is)” she muttered the last bit to herself- Torch raised a brow in response his grin fading. Twilight coughed and spoke up, louder.
“Well I just, honestly wasn’t sure how to react. When we met Garble, he didn’t really come off as the sort of type of dragon that could really handle something like, ahem, this” Twilight gestured with a squint and shrug of her shoulders. Torch responded by moving closer to the flying alicorns and raised an amused brow but kept his expression blank.
“Oh really?” Torch asked with amusement.
Twilight simply smiled nervously. “Hehe, yeah, kind of. I mean when we were there, I noticed how the other dragons around him kind of just followed and did what he said, so I guess he has some charisma to be a leader, but he kinda seemed a bit...” she coughed into a hoof and looked at the others for help. There was none. Cadence acted like she had found an interesting fly to stare after. Princess Celestia merely kept a small smile in place, while Luna watched with pure amusement as she squirmed at the massive dragon’s gaze. Twilight could tell Lord Torch was enjoying the situation out of her expense from the mischievous grin that threatened to break his stoic stare.
“He just kinda seemed, um- a little too close-minded and maybe a bit quick to anger if he was crossed in the wrong way” Twilight finished, after expressing her disapproval of the others lack of support with a look of her own. She quickly flashed the Lord a smile as compensation.
Lord Torch chuckled, “And now?” he asked.
Twilight looked at the others again, but this time she knew there wasn’t going to be any help.
She was wrong.
“Well as Twi-- Princess Twilight said, Garble does seem to be a bit short tempered or easy to upset. He didn’t express any of that sort of behavior when I was there, but Twilight seems pretty sure about it and I don’t really doubt it too much from what my own staff informed me went on, when I wasn’t around. Also, he does seem to still be a little”, -Cadence’s face turned to a thoughtful expression as she searched for the right way to say this.
She bit her lip and spoke carefully, “He still seems a little, arrogant about his position. I’m not saying I don’t understand the feeling or reasoning behind it. But, there are limits. He told my husband to get him a glass of water because he thought he was our secretary not long after I introduced myself, just before I could introduce Shiny.” She explained.
Lord Torch’s grin widened. “And you, Celestia? Luna? What does the new Dragon Lord’s impression imply to you?”
Princess Celestia had to clear her throat before she dared attempt to speak, after the amusing explanations from her niece and student, she simply had to. “As you know, Lord Torch. I’ve dealt with these sorts for, centuries. I’m quite happy to inform you that Garble, was well behaved and as Lulu said, I commend you greatly for informing him ahead of time of our history as well as his generals.”
Torch snorted. “Generals” he said the word with some varying degrees of aversion. “Why he wanted ‘generals’ to begin with, I’ll never know. The Dragon Lord is meant to be firm and the sole figure in our monarchy. A pillar for all the other heads in other draconic nations, even though I advised against it he ignored my suggestion and went ahead with his own ideas.” A snort mixed with fire and smoke blew forth. “Stubborn, would be something else to add to that list.”
Celestia held back a laugh and let out a light chuckle instead. “Yes, well, as the princesses have said Lulu and I do agree, that Garble is quite prideful of his position.”
“Quite”, Luna intoned, with a roll of her eyes.
Torch’s smirk returned. “HA!” a claw slammed into the ground and the wave of air it brought accompanied by his own laugh, forced Twilight and Cadence to flap harder to stay with Celestia and Luna.
“Yes, he is something else. But since he will be arriving in the next hour or so and we have the time I’ll inform you of my initial thoughts then and my own thoughts now.”
“At first I’ll admit to you, I wasn’t at all pleased when I found my daughter had not won as I intended.” He paused for a second and then continued, “Regardless, what happened, happened. And Garble won, but I did not think he deserved to win. On few occasions he pulled one or two cheap moves that earned my disapproval as I watched the course go through its transition. But, most of them if not a majority he did on his own. He got reckless and carefree when he thought he was pulling ahead a few times, then got serious once more when he saw he might not win. It was a constant flux, that I found both annoying and irritating to watch. But” he added with another playful smile. “It was amusing.”
“I hadn’t expected him to win, but he did win. And to be honest my initial thoughts on him was that he was unworthy. He may have passed some of the trials but even a dragon that had done nothing but hoard all his or her life, could complete those trials eventually. He wasn’t exceptionally skilled, but he was a strong fighter. I’ll admit he impressed me to some degree that he could face off against other dragons that were far above his own weight class, but he seemed like a fighter to me. Not fit for a ruler. To rule these dragons as I have done for centuries, you need to use your head sometimes.”
A claw slammed into the ground and picked up a boulder. “Not just simple brute force and strength.” He stated, crushing the giant rock and then watching it crumble back down to the earth below.
“Are you saying that you don’t need as much power in the physical department to lead dragons?” Cadence asked.
A loud laugh was the response she got. “Of course you do. At some point you’ll need to display some form of strength if you want all dragons in all nations to fall behind you. If you just have wits and don’t manage to balance both out in the long run, rely on one or the other, the dragons will begin to doubt you no matter how much our law and custom states you are to follow the Lord without question and unequivocally. Ember’s mother, Flare, taught me that before she went into Slumber. Ember reminded me of that as I watched her grow. It was why I set up the trial intending on her to win because I expected she would. It was meant to push her and all the other dragons that participated to make sure a leader would be chosen that was worthy. I suppose I should’ve known there would or could, have been... problems.” He stated with a scowl.
Luna was quick to move the discussion along. “Are you saying that you think Garble is still unworthy of the title of Dragon Lord? I admit, we still do have our own doubts. He is young and still full of youth. He’ll make mistakes, but given what you say--”
“Make no mistake Luna. I still believe Garble is unworthy. How--”
“What?!” Twilight cried, flying right up to the dragon in anger. “You can’t say that about your own student or apprentice or-- URGH! Whatever a title would be given to someone in his shoes. That’s awful! A student looks up to his or her mentor no matter what. While I do agree with you that Garble is more of a fighter and in my personal opinion I don’t really think he has the temperament to be a leader--” she paused. “Anyway!” she said quickly, “saying that’s just plain unacceptable.” She chastised.
“You didn’t let me finish” The lord growled. Twilight’s ears slightly dropped but she held her ground.. Or place in the sky, sharing her own glare with the dragon.
Magic wrapped around Twilight and pulled her back down. Princess Cadence rested a hoof on Twilight’s head to appease her. “Please continue” Cadence said.
“As I was saying. Garble to me is nothing but a fighter. To be Dragon Lord means more than just being big and strong, and being a fighter more or less implies both terms. The title of Dragon Lord is unworthy for a fighter, and Garble still is a fighter. But,” he began when he noticed Twilight begin to speak.
“I was a fighter also. If Magmus hadn’t helped me out here and there, I still may be a fighter now. Being ruler, means growth and progress. Learning to do what is right and what is necessary when the time counts and how to handle difficult situations when they come. As you’ve informed me, Celestia, Luna. Garble is young, but he will learn if he learns to throw away his arrogance and head-strong behavior to actually listen to my words of advice and those around him. If he does that, he’ll outgrow his ‘throw and brawl’ nature and finally be fit for the Dragon Lord title. It’s why I haven’t said a word about his actions as of yet, he needs to get it all out of his system while he still has the chance. And from what your meetings tell me, he is.
“With time, he’ll make a good Dragon Lord. Maybe even a great one, but as of now he’s still unworthy. That doesn’t mean he isn’t growing yet.” Torch finished with a smirk and flap of his wings.
“And from the looks of it here he comes now”, Torch announced. From the distance, Torch saw several specs heading their way. He smirked and blew several large embers into the air as a signal before looking back to the princesses.
“Now we can finally get this meeting on it’s way.”
“What do you mean ‘not worthy?’ “ Garble demanded.
Brock let his wings fold behind him and shrugged. “C’mon dude. You saw the way he looked at you when we went to lay Ember to rest. It’s obvious, he doesn’t think you’re fit for lordship. Besides”, the sepia colored dragon looked around and leaned in closer, moving away from the sturdy rock wall and whispered: “You and I both heard him say it once while we were heading in their direction yesterday. Who else could he be talking about?”
Dragon Lord Garble shoved Brock and stared at the scepter firmly gripped in his hand. His reflection on the gem showed the anger and complete disbelief in his eyes.
Garble snorted loudly and looked at Draut and Ikris. “What do you guys think?” he asked, small doses of uncertainty laced in that question.
Draut and Ikris looked at each other and shrugged. “I don’t know Garb. There were a lot of whispers going on when you announced you’d be making us you’re generals, cause you know war and all, but we just shrugged it off as paranoia.” Draut stated.
Garble’s scowl deepened as he turned his back to the others and stared out through the crevice that acted as a window in their lair. “I bet that pony princess, Twilight and her pansy, wamby assistant Spike had something to do with this. Them and that love princess or whatever it is she represents.” A puff of smoke left both nostrils. Garble’s expression darkened.
Brock, Draut, Ikris, and Shrnouwel -who just walked in- looked at each other. “What’s going on?” Stool asked.
Garble ignored the question as his tail wagged slightly in agitation and uncertainty. After a second he gave the others an order. “Leave”, he stated.
Draut hesitated. So did the others. Stool repeated his question, louder. “Hey, what’s going on here?” he asked. Demanded if one listened or knew him well enough.
Garble turned on his heel, looked Stool right in the eye and pointed with his scepter. “I said, get out of here. I need to think this over.”
Brock glanced at Ikris, then the rest of the group. Then looked at Garble. He froze. After several seconds of Garble’s ever increasing repugnance of their hesitation the dark brown dragon left. Ikris followed next, glancing back at his buddy before leaving through the door. Draut and Stool remained.
Garble flared his wings and flexed them. “I said: GET OUT!” Embers went by like rain and died in the air.
Draut and Stool looked at each other, then Garble. Stool looked at his cousin with a slightly peeved look before he began trudging away, angrily. Mumbling insults under his breath.
Draut looked Garb once more in the eye, then clearly seeing that he wasn’t wanted here at all, (unless he wanted to get into a fight with the lord, something that not only was, but is practically impossible on his part) he left offering one word of advice. “Try to take it easy.”
Garble was left alone in the slightly dimming room that acted as their meeting quarters, to stew over what he'd just been told. Several minutes went by with him pacing and thinking about everything that happened yesterday and every other precursor to those days.
Restless and uneasy, Draut's words made their way into Dragon Lord Garble's head as a reminder that he should relax.
Being told what to do somehow only angered Garble more. So he didn’t take it easy. In fact, he spread his wings and decided to go outside for a fly.
Unworthy the thought kept repeating itself in his head. He'd been outside for eight minutes now just flying around, and that one word that didn't even bug him that much, would get out of his head. Garble's scowl only deepened into a look of pure rage. He didn’t even notice the stream of smoke he left behind as he breathed out. He kept on heading south, watching trees blur together as that one word kept replaying itself in his mind like a broken record.
This was stupid. All of this was stupid. How could they even think that. More importantly... How dare they! he thought with blistering fury. I worked hard for this. I’ve had to listen to Lord Torch go on and on about history lessons I frankly feel I don’t need to hear over and over again.
The complete nerve of those princesses, after I tried to act so nice and kind after everything. ESPECIALLY Twilight and that stupid little dragon, Spike-- RRRGH! Descending into an open grove and slamming the scepter into the ground Garble landed, with burgeoning breath. Looking around and feeling the urge to hit something, Garble spotted a tree that looked sturdy enough to take a beating.
He moved to it without even thinking, before he even knew what he was doing he'd been punching the bark off of it for almost ten minutes. It still wasn't enough, he moved to another one and repeated the process.
Still not enough. He moved again. By the time Garble realized how tired he was, he'd severely damaged eight trees in all. But not even beating up innocent vegetation could take his mind off that word. Unworthy his mind kept reminding him. Unworthy it said over and over again.
Garble couldn't take it anymore. It was too much. So freaking annoying, “SHUT UP!” He shouted.
Unworthy
“BE QUIET!”
You’re unworthy.
“I SAID SHUT IT!” He growled.
You’ve always been unworthy
“You--” Garble felt constricted, that constriction burned away with rage. “You- don’t know what you’re TALKING ABOUT!” he snapped.
Unworthy it taunted.
Unworthy it mocked.
You've been a jerk to others more than once in your life, now *suddenly** you think you're fit to rule?* mocking laughter Garble couldn't recognize filled his ears. Then he knew who's voice it was that laughed at him. His own.
You can't rule. His doubt told him.
Can you rule? His courage questioned.
Unworthy the wind whispered all around.
Unworth-- the noise was drowned out when Garble released a torrent of flames at the tree he’d been punching and went on to do the same to the grass, bushes, and shrubs in his vicinity. Squirrels shrieked and scattered. Birds cried vengefully as they took to the air. Before Garble realized what he’d done, he’d burnt a large part of the groove to the ground. Smoke filling his lungs, making him cough for a second, as it went on to fill the air with the scent of burnt wood.
For a second Garble thought he might get in trouble for doing this, then he realized he frankly didn’t give a crap.
With slowly returning breath, Garble picked up the scepter he'd left in the middle of the grove, broke into a run, spread his wings widely as the speed and rushing current of the wind slowly took him into the air before he flapped once, twice, then three times. He was off. Looming overhead cumulus clouds became cumulonimbus, storm clouds that shouted thunder and released rain. Garble didn’t even glance back to the smell of smoke or sounds of crackling fire behind him.
The damn skies would take care of his mistake. He wished he could just burn away his problems like he’d done just now.
Nine seconds went by... He stopped. Burn away my problems. The thought slithered through the flames of anger. He flapped once, and didn’t move any further. Cold air caressed his cheeks and hugged his body. Silence was his friend. Lightning and thunder were its cousins. Rain, was its horrible nagging mother.
Garble’s eyes widened as a plan began to formulate in his mind. Soon enough he was clutching his scepter tightly and it in turn ignored the rain that soaked it and its owner, humming with power.
Garble took off back to the lair as fast as he could, a twisted grin mixed with anger, scorn, and rage made its way to his face as he saw the entrance towards the far north.
“Oh I’ll burn it away alright. Then they’ll take back what they said, about me not being worthy.”
Thunder and lightning. The latter struck first while the former boomed second. Rain poured furiously from the sky, making a racket as it hit the ground through the humid and growing murkiness that was the atmosphere. Quite a bit of time had passed since Garble had left and Draut was actually starting to get a little worried. Whenever Garble was royally pissed, he’d always storm off on his own to get some time off to calm down.
He’d just disappear for almost an hour at most and when the time came to look for him or when he chose to come back, something always seemed to be broken or destroyed during his “cool off time.” What it was exactly that he was wrecking, wasn’t what had the dragon on edge though.
It was the amount of time that had passed.
The portly dark blue scaled dragon paced back and forth, occasionally glancing out of a random crevice that acted as a window whenever he passed by it.
It’s been almost an hour, where is he? Yet, the only reply he was given was just the simple sound of rain.
A couple feet away, sitting on crude grey thrones of hard dolomite was Brock, Rugilith, Ikris, and Stool. None uttered a word as their burly blue friend stomped back and forth in impatience.
Draut was never really the type that liked being kept on hold in these types of situations. Five minutes of pacing back and forth, a loud snort of embers fly by and Draut finally decides he’s had enough worried pacing and just drops into his seat. “Where the heck is he?”
“Why exactly are we waiting for him? He told us to give him space. I don’t think, sitting here, waiting not too far away from the main entrance is going to do anything but tick him off even more.” The amaranth dragoness said, commented really.
Draut merely grunted in response. He knew that. He knew Garble and his antics. They’d been together since they were hatchlings, so duh. That was obvious. It’s just... he couldn’t help it.
He hadn’t seen Garble this angry before in a while. Not since that whole situation with that baby dragon and those ponies.
As far as he could recall that’d been quite some time ago.
Thinking about what Garble was up to, right now as the rain pounded away at everything, made Draut shift uncomfortably in his seat of stone. Rugilith had a point, but there was something about all of this that just told him--
“We should probably stay here just in case- y’know, in case he comes back and is looking for us or something.” Brock had said, practically reading the larger dragon’s mind.
There was a moment of awkward silence that filled the room. Silence that was overpowered with the pounding of rain, the flash of lightning, the howl of wind and the boom of thunder.
Every dragon in the room busied themselves with something as time just went on. Ikris sat lazily, staring at the glowing crystals that made up their ceiling. Brock twiddled with his thumbs. Draut just focused on a window, and Rugilith remained tense.
“Well. I guess I’ll ask it if no one else will.” Stool’s voice came, breaking the spell that kept everyone quiet. “What exactly do you think made Lord Torch and the princesses say that Garble was an unfit Dragon Lord?”
“We don’t know what they were conversing over. We just heard them say it because we were farther in the front. We don’t know the context of what they were discussing so we shouldn’t be making baseless assumptions.”
“Oh, please Rugy. You and I both know, that LT was talking about Garble.” Brock interjected.
“No.” she firmly answered. “You and the others assumed he was talking about Garble.” She calmly replied. “I...I don’t doubt, he wasn’t. I have my own reasons for believing he might or might not be, referring to Garble but I don’t think we should assume he was, in the case that we are wrong. We only heard a few words out of an entire conversation that we were clearly not a part of, and as I’ve already said before”, her gaze now directed away from a window and onto Brock. “We don’t know what they were talking about.”
Brock not satisfied with that answer or excuse as he took it, made an attempt to reply only when he opened his mouth to speak he found no words he could use to start an argument. Instead his mouth just stayed slightly open then would purse now and then when he thought he had something but couldn’t find the right way to phrase it. After about a minute of this constant attempt to rebuttal, Brock’s maw clamped shut and he decided to end his side of things with a frown.
That frown turned sour with displeasure when he saw Rugilith giving him the subtlest of smirks behind that inexpressive facade.
“Can we please stay on topic?” Stool’s voice interjected before an argument could start. “It’s good to know you aren’t making baseless assumptions Rugil, but let’s look at things in a different light. Let’s say what we heard and what we’re all thinking now, actually happened. If and I’m just saying if, Lord Torch and the leaders of Equestria had been talking about Garble then they probably would be talking about his position or maybe even his future as a figurative head. Right?”
A round of nods from the others was all Shrnouwel needed to continue.
“Alright then. Let’s say Torch did say Garble was “unworthy” somewhere in this conversation-”
“We don’t know that” Rugilith interrupted. She would have said more but the look Draut shot her, made her cease any further engagement.
“Thank you”, Shrnow said to his cousin. Draut nodded and waved a claw for him to continue and continue he did. “I understand you’re a bit reluctant to suggest Lord Torch would say such a thing Rugil, but for the sake of this conjecture let’s say Torch did say Garble was ‘unworthy’, why would he say that?”
“We already know ‘why’, Stool” Ik answered. “We all know Lord Torch still hasn’t fully recovered from what happened with Princess Ember. I mean, four months isn’t exactly a lot of time to cope plus I don’t blame him. Still though”, Ik’s tone changed “ya gotta admit if he did say that because he somehow felt Ember’s death was tied in with Garble winning, then c’mon. That’s pretty low, even for him.”
“Whoa, whoa whoa whoa.” Brock cut in. “Who said anything about Garble having something to do with Ember’s accident? We all know she drowned, Lord Torch confirmed it himself.”
“I know that, but we can’t just rule that out.” Ikris answered. “ Sides, you, Draut, and I, were all there when we saw that look he gave him. You know the one. Right before he sent us all down with the other dragons to Magma’s Summit. I wouldn’t doubt it if he was a little ticked that Garble or anyone else for that matter became Dragon Lord aside from her.”
“Okay no.” Draut’s firm tone stated. A tone that very well implied he did not like the current route of this conversation..
Stool didn’t say a word when he heard that tone. It was the a tone he hadn’t heard in years. The no-no tone didn’t ever welcome anything friendly. And the silver palulu decided to keep his mouth shut as his cousin shook his head in disagreement to what Ik was saying.
“No?” Ik repeated, in a very confused voice. “What- what do you mean, ‘no’? Draut, we all saw that. You can’t sit there and tell me for a second that you don’t think that it’s even slightly impossible that Lord Torch could be blinded by, I don’t know, grief or maybe even possible distrust, where somewhere along the line in that conversation he might’ve said somethin’ a little demeanin’ towards Garble?”
Draut hunched over in his seat and didn’t reply for a good five seconds. “No.” He said again, straightening out and shaking his head. “That’s just not how I see it.”
“So you’re basically sayin’ you think I’m just making this stuff up?”
“I’m saying what your words imply are making it sound like Lord Torch is an inexperienced hatchling, when he’s been Dragon Lord longer than any of us have been alive. You make it sound like he’s throwing a passive tantrum rather than make it sound like he has a real reason behind any of this.” Draut simply replied.
Ik stared through the lemon yellow drapes that covered a large portion of his eyes in complete disbelief. After what felt like seconds, he sported a sneer. “You have got to be kiddin’ me, right dude? Like, seriously? You can’t tell me, you’re boner for Lord Torch is what’s making you say this, right?”
If Shrnouwel hadn’t been even slightly upset for his cousin at that very second, then the certain change in temperature certainly punctuated his distaste at such a remark.
Then again it could just have been the rain.
“Save it Stool, my beef isn’t with you” Ik warned, his gaze never once leaving Draut who now levelled his glare.
“Excuse me?” Draut asked. He leaned forward a bit in his seat, lightning making itself well known from the distance of a window as everyone’s shadows flashed in briefly before the room’s light from multiple fluorescent emeralds took charge again.
“Say that again.” Draut dared. “My what, for what?”
“You heard me ya giant lout.” Moving away from his own throne, Ik slowly inched closer to where Draut sat. “You’ve always admired Lord Torch, heck”, a claw circled around aimlessly at them all. “Who hasn’t in this room? But you’ve always had a spot for the guy in your heart and we all know it. You’re lettin’ that blind you.”
The blue dragon’s maw clenched shut when his friend stabbed his shoulder with a claw and then shoved it, to make his point. He and Ikris fixed each other both with expressionless stares. Silently daring the other to make a move that even meant to start a fight.
If they had a clock, a minute would have ticked by as their silent bicker with simple looks ended, with Draut’s long sigh. He hated when Ikris might be right. It always came back to annoy him at some degree he couldn’t help later on in the future, particularly with Ik going on to remind him how right he’d been and how wrong the former was.
“Fine. Whatever”, Draut griped. He took a second to lean back into his seat before continuing. “I still don’t think you’re right. But suppose Lord Torch is a bit biased, that doesn’t mean he’d call Garble a unfit successor just because of what happened to Ember. There has to be more than just that.”
“And let’s not forget Lord Torch did exempt every drakon of having anything to do with Princess Ember’s unfortunate demise.” Rugilith added.
Ik scoffed and moved back to his seat. “Right. So what then? If he doesn’t blame Garble or isn’t mad about the end results of the Gauntlet, what could make him say that?”
“I have an idea.”
Every dragon in the room turned their attention towards the alabaster gates in front of them, where jade green polished scales now leaned on. Aldera stood with her back against the rough frame of the door, watching the others with interest.
When the shock had settled, Stool sighed a frosty breath of air. “Don’t do that. We thought that was Garble.”
“If you’re worried about Garble listening in our conversation, then you should be paying more attention to your surroundings” she advised with a playful flick on the silver drakon’s snout.
“Our conversation?” Brock inquired, at the remark.
“I’m in on it now, aren’t I?” she answered smugly. Taking her place between Rugilith and Brock, she beamed at the others. “What are we talking about?”
Draut had to rub his temples after hearing that, while Rugilith just shook her head. “You don’t even know what we were talking about?” The annoyance in Ik’s voice was clear as the storm outside, but went completely ignored by the jade dragoness.
“Your point?”
“Why did you say, you ‘have an idea’ when you don’t even know what we’re talking about?” Brock asked.
“We’re getting off topic guys.” Stool reminded.
“I’ve been reading those books the princesses gave us and stories that Princess Twilight sent over and I learned moments like these are perfect for dramatic effect” Aldera shrugged. “Get over it” she instructed. “And while you’re doing that, fill me in.”
The collective sigh that left everyone’s muzzle didn’t go unnoticed. “Alright already, next time I’ll just ask what you’re talking about instead of trying to make things a little interesting. You’re talking about Garble, I got that, but what is the topic on?”
“The topic is on what we heard yesterday.” Draut informed, though he sounded a bit more tired then engaged.
“Oh. I see.” Aldera paused. “This is about Lord Torch mentioning something about ‘being unworthy’ and how Ik and Brock automatically assumed it was about Garble, right?”
Stool confirmed with a nod, and the “hey” both males shouted went without a response, while the “Thank you” from Rugilith earned the amaranth dragoness a claw bump.
“Anyway, I came in here because I heard shouting. Didn’t think you all were just talking about that. Since we’re on the topic though how far did we get?”
“We,” Brock corrected. “Were getting along fine till you decided to drama it up. Seriously, take a break from reading those books already you’ve had your snout stuck in them all day.”
Aldera shrugged the suggestion off and moved the topic back into focus. “If we’re talking about that then I do have an idea about-- hey I am being serious this time!” she scolded at Brock’s eye roll.
“Enlighten us” Stool stated.
“Gladly. Look we all know, Lord Torch takes the Dragon Lord position seriously. Ever since Garble made us his ‘generals’,” two claws punctuated, “Lord Torch has made sure with every session Garble gets, he gives us something similar if not close. And we all know by now how he gets the moment he sees any of us slacking, right?”
A group nod. “Good, I’d be surprised if someone forgot” she innocently said as she “innocently” looked between Brock and Ik. “Lord Torch clearly doesn’t want any of us slacking. And I’m sure that goes double for Garble, who is his successor. I’d just say it’s tough love. We should all know what that is.”
“You can’t tell me you don’t doubt he wasn’t a little upset about Garble being the Dragon Lord? I mean, he had that look in his eye for like four days after Garble’s inauguration!” Ik started.
“You're forgetting that was also the same week we put Princess Ember to rest. I don’t care what any dragon says or what our past says about Lord Torch and the wars he fought in long after Equestria’s stability was upset during Nightmare Moon’s defeat, that was his daughter. Even if he is a statue, he’s still bound to express something even if it is symbolic or hard to notice on the surface.” The jade argued.
The pitter patter sound of rain and thunder filled the room. That was a... strong claim.
“I can’t say I don’t see why,” Shrnouwel finally said. It wasn’t laced in anger nor any other negative form to imply insult. It was just a neutral statement.
Every eye turned on him, but despite the sudden attention Shrnouwel didn’t seem to care that much. “I’m just saying; I know Garble’s trying but, the past four months haven’t exactly been his best. Two months ago we were doing nothing, but hoarding minerals and gems and storing them across various caves. We only gave a portion to the dragon’s that helped us, because they were the ones that scouted those areas in the first place and we haven’t done a single thing with that treasury since Lord Torch asked Garble to quit before we ran out of 'barren islands' to loot.
”On top of that all that those gems we took, aren’t being used by anyone. Garble never even announced we have this treasury to any of the neighboring territories. They’re just sitting there in that cavern west of Rocky Enclave. Plus, Garbe hasn’t really done much to get all the other dragons in this particular region, to pay him much attention. As far as we know, all he’s done so far is just take lessons, skip a few, and go to meetings, two of which we were invited to. He hasn’t really changed anything so no one as far as we know seems to really notice or care
“If anything I’d guess that had something to do with Lord Torch’s reasoning. After all if you’re going to get the other dragons to listen to you, don’t you need to get them to notice you first?” And with that rhetorical statement done, Stool sat back and waited for someone to bring up a rebutter.
No one did though.
It was just as good no one tried. Because soon enough the sound of steps could be heard, hastily approaching them about a minute or so after the palulu had finished speaking. Not a second later and Garble had burst in through the doors, heaving heavily, absolutely drenched.
“Guys!” His cry stopped anyone from saying a thing. “I’ve got an idea I think you’ll love!”
“You want us to do what?” Draut asked.
Garble now sat in his throne at the head of the room. His generals all facing him with mixed expressions from each individual. He knew this would be their reaction, he hadn’t expected anyone to just simply follow with his thought process but whether it was the blood rushing through his head or sparks of anger that still filled him, Garble was determined to see that his generals saw his way of thinking.
“No, no, no.” Stool interrupted before the Dragon Lord could say another word. “Don’t repeat it. Please, just don’t. You must have hit your head on the way here right? Tell me you hit your head.”
A pseudo smile was the only reply Garble gave Shrnow. “Haha, very funny, but no. I’m not joking, I’m serious.”
“Dude, I feel the same way you do about ponies and all but, that’s pretty harsh.”
“I’m with Ik on this one.” Brock joined in. “We can’t fake a war with Equestria and then act like we’re the heroes. Where’d you even get this idea?”
“Does it matter?!” A cloud of smoke dipped and twisted in the air, at Garble’s sudden outburst.
Brock slowly raised both his claws up defensively, when he noticed the scepter hum with static.
The shift in atmosphere was instant. Everyone noticed it almost immediately as their friend now glowered at their other ally.
“Garble”, a scowl turned in Draut’s direction. “Take it easy, okay.” Draut spoke gently. “You’re acting a bit” he winced as he tried to search for a better word but couldn’t find the right replacement, “crazy.”
Muscles in Garble’s maw clenched at that remark and his grip on the scepter tightened. “Garble” another voice, lighter and calmer yet feminine. His eyes swivelled over to Rugilith who was now slowly rising from her seat.
The careful nature everyone around him now donned went completely over the teenage dragon’s head. Somewhere in the back of his mind he felt like they were judging him at this very moment and that seemed to spark a sense of fear in him that his closest peers might even think he was unworthy. All those feelings of doubt and concern were allayed when courage and stubbornness sprung forward to beat that fear into submission before kicking it to the curb.
“Garble, you’ve got to take it easy alright. You’re just stressed right now. You aren’t thinking straight.”
“I’m fine!” he snarled. He hesitated from speaking anymore when he saw how Brock took a quick step away from him.
Swallowing saliva, Garble closed his eyes tightly and exhaled. Let's try this again. “Forget about me, what about the plan? Hiring anyone to take some of our profit wouldn’t be a problem. The Diamond Dogs, maybe even one of those guilds in Canterlot, heck we could even try South Dragosis, plenty of dragons in those areas that are obsessed with priceless objects. It’s not that hard if we just gave it a chance!”
“Dude!” Ik shouted on even level. “Think about what you’re saying. Waging war on Equestria now, after all this time and everything we’ve recently done would ruin your image if the princesses or anyone else for that matter found out that we planned this whole thing. Sides, Lord Toch won’t let you--” Ikris was silenced immediately by Brock’s claw.
Smoke, embers, and teeth. Garble’s scowl turned into a look of pure repulsion as that word found its way back into his head yet again. Before he could even stop himself he was yelling.
Screaming, all in attempt to ignore that hateful word. “He can’t do anything! I’m the Dragon Lord now. Not him, me! And if he doesn’t like it he should’ve said something himself before he ever gave me this scepter!”
“Garble!”
Ha! Look at you. No better than that drake, Spike.
“Garble!” he heard another voice call.
Throwing a hissy fit like a hatchling!
“Dude this is so not cool!” Ik’s voice came from somewhere. Garble wasn’t sure. His eyes were closed now that his building headache had turned into a migraine.
“Garble, you’ve got to calm down! You’re making the scepter react to--” the rest of Stool’s voice was drowned out by a buzz.
Garble felt it. That power. That power he’d felt in Torch and that power he still felt whenever he was around him. The scepter was humming. It hummed and buzzed, reacting to his anger as part of his subconscious told it to silence all his worries.
Garble was unaware of what he was doing. He didn’t know he was telling the scepter to make it stop. Make his doubts and all his concerns disappear or at least lighten the burden, so that he could become the ideal dragon he knew he could be. As strong as Torch and as formiddable as Metriosa.
The dragon he felt he could become.
He didn’t realize he was making the scepter react to his emotions, unlike a wand that reacted regardless of whether it was being used for a spell or not. The scepter was of different craft. It answered his call, and before Garble even knew what was happening.
He sent a powerful blast of magic into the air that the ceiling was barely able to contain.
Bits of debris rained down on everyone, while Garble was practically knocked to the ground from the force of the blast.
Stunned, confused, dizzy. The world spun round and round while Garble felt as if all his strength had suddenly been drained. The scepter’s glow slowly died as far as he could tell from the fading of red, he envisioned through his closed eyes. His headache had somehow calmed down, but now his whole body felt sore.
When Garble finally opened his eyes, all he saw was the murkiness that his outburst had caused.
The cave was clouded, green luminescence flashed on and off as the emeralds that gave the room light all flickered to calibrate from the sudden shock. Within a minute, light flooded the room once more and Garble could hear distorted noises making their way towards him.
Not wanting to look weak, he tried to get off the ground but his arms shook with the effort before he collapsed back to the cool stone beneath him.
“Garble!” Aldera’s voice came from miles away. “Garble!”
“I think he’s unconscious. Dude! Snap out of it!” Ik said.
“Garble! Garble! Gar-”, everything doubled in distance before all that was, was silent as Garble slipped away into an unconscious embrace.
As Garble passed out, his grip on the scepter became weaker and finally, he let it go.
