Legends of Neirule

Twilight frowned as she stared at the barrier that cut the Geroan canyons off from the world. The Wonderbolts reported that while they couldn't get close, they did make out figures moving back and forth. Twilight stroked the box under her hoof.

“How in tarnation does sand get in everything?” Applejack muttered as she shook out her hood. “Need anything, sugarcube?”

Twilight shrugged before removing the lid of the box. The technomagical devices laid silent. Applejack wrinkled her nose at the mechanical creatures.

“Ya think it is wise to use them? Didn't you say last time, they blew up?”

Twilight smiled. “Apple Bloom and Scootaloo have improved the design. They're quite sure the Viewers are stable this time.”

Twilight extracted the controller. Carefully she ensured there were no defects or loose bolts in the Viewers. With a muttered spell, she turned them on.

The dragon-fly Viewers buzzed into operation. After using the controller, she released them. In a fit of mischievousness, she had one land on Applejack's nose. It startled a laugh out of her dearest companion.

Then in a flare of magical burst, both headed to the barrier. Twilight watched through Viewer One's eyes. The barrier only gave a token resistance. So the repealing ward was just for living organisms.

Twilight blinked. The canyon was unchanged. Not a single sign of corruption or even alterations. The scans only returned a slightly high level of mana but not enough to account.

Her mind crashed when the Viewers entered the ancient town. Skeletons and shadow-creatures were all over the place, doing errands of all things. It is one thing to hear about skilled practitioners.

'The last one was what...Barkus the Bold during the Yakazan war?' Twilight found it hard not freak.

The shadow creatures niggled at the edge of her mind but she couldn't place what they were or where they were from. However the fact the town was being repaired was strange within itself.

She found Professor Softbrush and all of the Neirulian unicorns that were part of the archaeology team. The unicorns were chain-ganged and resting under the eaves of permanent structures scattered in the central fields and gardens. The skeleton ponies stood motionless in guarding.

Professor Softbrush was also resting in the shadows of a fallen look-out tower, pouring over what looked like a text. The skeleton guarding him was a massive Minotaur and he also had one of the shadow creatures whom appeared to be getting things for him.

“Fascinating.” He mumbled, barely audible to the microphone.

Twilight landed Viewer One closer as the other Viewer began recording layout. Softbrush paused to write something down.

“Syllabic...brilliant.”

Twilight inched the Viewer closer when everything went rump up. A massive shadow burst, catching both. Twilight caught sight of glowing green eyes before the connection cut out.

“What the hay was that?” Applejack heard the sudden screech of magic.

“I think that was Lord Dragmire.”

▬

“At least, we know the camp is still alive.” Fluttershy offered in a quiet voice. “Lord Dragmire isn't like Sombra.”

“No, but that makes him dangerous.” Rarity retorted. “According to King Solaris and that Chi construct, Dragmire was highly intelligent and clever. And if he's sane, we'll have to move carefully.”

“So I wake up millenniums later than I was, what do I do?” Applejack's hoofs hit a slight rhythm on the table.

“Why, get all the information I can, silly.” Pinkie poured Fluttershy a cup of tea. “After all, think of everything that has changed? He's like four millenniums old, right?”

The room went silent. Wonderbolt Noisemaker spoke up. The young roan shuffled nervously forward. Twilight mentally sighed at the partial worship in his eyes.

“What about language? I mean, if he's from preEquestria, weren't there like a different languages for ponies?”

Twilight smiled encouragingly. “Excellent points, Noisemaker. Maybe that's why Softbrush wasn't with the others? If I recall, his specialty is language.”

Applejack flipped open his dossier. She scanned the file quickly. “He speaks Middle Old Neirulian among others. Dragmire would probably need him close.”

“So unicorns are being used to do farm work. An odd twist in expectations, ne, Applejack. Softbrush is probably teaching him our modern tongue.” Rarity ticked off. “What about Rainbow Dash? Or poor Carter?”

“Doctor Worry said he gotten exposed to some powerful leeching magic.” Twilight stared at the maps and folders on the table. “I concurred. However someone or something saved him from whatever it was.”

“You think it's Dashie?” Pinkie inquired.

“Might have been.”

The room remained silent for a long time

▬

Rainbow Dash continued forward randomly through the maze. Her companion, the shadow ghost thing, sighed.

“Shut up!” Dash screamed.

The figure pulled itself free. The small furball folded their arms.

“Was I suppose to leave Carter to die?”

The furball sighed.

Dash scowled. Knowing that the furball would have suffered instead? As if. The dimness grew a bit more. The furball's over-sized ears twitched. The amber eyes snapped to the darkness.

“What is it?” Dash's wings fluttered.

It disappeared into Dash's shadow.

“Bucking Tartartus!”

▬

“Dear Wisdom, I must make more trips outside my country if you, lovely ladies, are any indications of those beyond.

Twilight's carefully constructed facade hid a slight twitch. Rarity hadn't been kidding about Solaris's fascination with mares with purple coloring. Fluttershy hid a snicker behind a fan at Twilight and Rarity. Rarity took it with good grace. Twilight felt like ripping his throat out.

“Thank you for permitting an audience so quickly.” Twilight countered.

“So you have confirmed it?” Solaris sank down onto his pillow after guiding the three mares to their seats.

“Yes, it is Lord Dragmire.”

“Was there an armored monstrosity with him?”

“As far as we can tell no.” Twilight delicately nibbled at a cracker. “Why?”

“If he was alone, he hadn't managed to summon Kamil.” Solaris wiped his brow.

“Is Kamil a demon?” Twilight's ears perked.

“Queen Leto thought so.” Solaris leaned to rest his head on his cannon. “No one had ever seen within the armor. The only reason Leto knew it was a creature was the black acidic blood that destroy any weapon that pierced the armor.”

Twilight frowned. “Is that good that Kamil hasn't been summoned?”

“Quite.” Solaris hummed. “The reason Neirule is built using stone, concrete, and metal was avoid another massacre by Kamil. Kamil has power over plant-based materials. And how the exact way
monster did it, is not exactly suitable for polite company.”

A glance to her left showed Fluttershy, brow furrowed, as she regarded Solaris over her teacup. Rarity, on her right, seemed more interested in flirting with Solaris. Twilight let the banter wash over her as she considered the new information.

A siren pierced her thoughts.

“My king, there's an intruder in the throne room!” A harried guard stumbled in. “He just ripped through the wards like paper.”

▬

Twilight was struck at the vivid stain-glassed windows and alabaster stonework of the throne room. The guards were also vivid with their peacock blue armor lined with gold. And then there was HIM.

His dark gray pellet contrasted with the pale colors of the Neirulians. His armor, brown and leather, seemed to be more real than the polish of the Nierulian guards. He stood, crown-less head high, gazing as if there wasn't a ring of guards, archers, or mages ready to strike him down.

“Ah, you must be King Solaris.” His sibilant tones carried in the room.

“Lord Dragmire, how kind of you... to grace us with your presence.” Solaris moved to stand in front of his carved throne.

“I've come as courtesy.” His tone has a odd tone to it. “I will reclaim all that is rightfully mine.”

“Rightfully yours?” Solaris went from calm to rage in less than a breath. “You're an old relic of the past! You have no more claim now than you had in the past!”

Dragmire remained quite collect. “An old relic? No claim? We will see, colt.”

Dragmire turned towards Twilight as Solaris spluttered. “Princess.”

With a sharp beat of his hoof, shadows bubbled up from the floor. The shadows swathed Dragmire and he faded like fog before a sunny sky. On the floor were the two Viewers. The power crystals had been carefully removed.