Today was a bit more special than others. Today, the Deer of Eagleand were extending their hoof to begin an alliance and trade with Shadowlogia, something that had never been done before within the ever-extending history of the Umbrum. To say Medianoche was a bit excited was an understatement. Often races didn’t want to dare ally themselves with him because he was a carnivore, but that fear was justified, so he couldn’t blame them. in fact, he was a deal with the dragon kingdom to send their convicts here to feat upon. Oh, how he wondered what their leader was like! he’d heard that they had amazing beer down there.

A messenger galloped to his king, the stallion in armour made of obsidian and diamond, each branded with the insignia of the Umbrum. A sapphire eyed raven where the tips of the feathers faded to mist, much like Umbrum manes. The messenger was called Negro Sol, a stallion that had a very dark blue base coat with splotches of black, his eyes an emerald sheen. Medianoche stood tall, letting his wings unfurl, masking his anticipation to meet with a magnificent buck he’d heard much about.

“King Erin Thorn of Eagleand has arrived, but there’s a problem…” oh? Medianoche rose a brow, awaiting to hear what was troubling one of his best messengers “King Upheaval and Emperor Yang are on their way here, and from what we’ve deduced, they’ll arrive this evening.” They must be interested in making trades with Eagleand as well? This was certainly interesting, it was very rare for the Draconeqi to ever come this far away from their lands, let alone the Doragon no Uma as well. this really was going to be an exciting day! “The, um, Draconeqi sent a letter.” What did the letter say? Medianoche took the letter into his white magic, unfurling the scroll and read it silently. the messenger asked what it meant, seeing the emotions flicker through his king’s eyes “Sir, what does it say?”

“It says: Dear King of the Umbrum, we all feel deep sympathy for your loss. Cosmo Skies was a great stallion, the very one that helped bridge us and the Doragon No Uma to be such good friends. We will hold a festival celebrating his life and not his passing. Always remember than though he is not here physically, he is still there for you, inside your heart.” He was crying on the inside, happy that Cosmo was not going to be forgotten by the world. Hopefully it would be a global holiday to celebrate the life of that stallion.

Little did many know that Draconeqi actually came from another reality, a separate dimension that was impossible to navigate unless you were being guided by a Draconequus. How did they get to the world of equine? Well, one somehow opened a portal to Drapan, the home of the Doragon no Uma. Cosmo went to their land, and with his help, they decided to sort of become part of the same ‘country’, even with separate dimensions. He should go visit some time, and maybe take those two fillies with him?

“Well, this has certainly become interesting hasn’t it?” said Medianoche’s father. The messenger bowed and left, not willing to be in the same room as Noche De Neón and Medianoche Brilliante. Colourful was understating his father’s colourings, his very presence lit the room with many colours that he couldn’t name all at once. His base colour was the darkest grey Medianoche had ever seen. His mane was like the black of sin waving like the smog from a dragon’s snout with a single red streak within it. he thought of it like magma against the neck of a volcano. His ears were a bit larger than normal and his eye shape was thin like a dragon’s, his eye colour a bright purple with slit pupils. His wings were massive feathered giants rivalled only by his own. Noche’s horn was made of a continuous swirl of rainbow lights that lit the dark even when he did not use his magic, the feathers of his wings were the same along with his ever-flowing tail. Medianoche was abnormally large, yet he had to look up slightly to be eye to eye. Noche De Neón had earned his name “You now have two daughters. And here I thought you were infertile.”

“You know for a fact they aren’t mine… and it isn’t for a lack of trying,” he said, his face slightly red and Noche’s blunt comments. The stallion always found ways to embarrass his son. especially when it came to getting a grandkid. Honestly, it wasn’t that hard. He had four young after all. three sons and a daughter. all within the span of an Umbrum decade “where’s mother? The Doragon no Uma and Draconeqi lords are on their way, and she’s such a fan of Drapan.”

“I know, we conceived you there.” Medianoche’s blush was deeper. If his father had a cutie mark it’d be embarrassing others. Mainly him “No, someone has to watch over that herd of ponies Cosmo left when he got skewered by that bitch. Your mother decided to rule them until Celestia Morningstar and Luna Nightshade are capable of it themselves.” Noche unfurled a wing and rested it on his son’s back “Armadura is already treating them like her own, I witnessed her giving the smaller one a tongue bath earlier. You might as well adopt them.” he was going to stick around to meet up again with the two leaders of Drapan. He loved Draconeqi, they were so amusing, even the miserable God of Death liked them. the Doragon no Uma were very good at playing chess as well.

“I can take them in, of course I can, but they’ve just lost their mother and father. Luna is too young to understand, but Celestia is aware I’m not her daddy, and nothing can change that… my very presence scares her.” it was a sad thing, but he was managing it. his people were surprisingly supportive with having two snacks living with their king. Yes, they ate ponies, they were carnivores, sue them “Starswirl is trying to befriend her, but even he’s having problems. She’s been here a week, father. A week, and she has barely said anything…”

“It isn’t your fault son, none of this could’ve been predicted. I imagine even Last Legacy is surprised the bitch did this. I on the other hoof called it, so you owe me fifty bits.” Medianoche glared at the colourful giant, who didn’t show a sign of remorse. He was called heartless by pretty much everybody. Yes, he was stone cold, but Medianoche knew he had his soft moments. Though they were rarely seen by none family “I shall be there for the meeting. I never got to finish my chess game with the Doragon No Uma Emperor.”

Starswirl frowned at the little white filly who refused to talk to anyone. She barely ate anything, and she disappeared a lot, normally to end up at her father’s grave. He understood she was grieving, not that she really understood, but this wasn’t the way. So far Starswirl was the only one who could get close to her, but even that was pushing it. Armadura had gotten really attached to them, Luna especially, and Celestia hated it. her magic was pretty weak, but it was much stronger than a normal unicorn. Thankfully his was stronger than hers, and Armadura had invented her own magic so far only Umbrum could use. He’d have to test that theory later though.

It was very exciting to know the leader of Eagleand was coming, a deer called Erin Thorn, a wise old buck who’d learnt many things in his old age. Starswirl wanted to learn some deer magic, and maybe teach to Celestia. She might like having another herbivore around? but then there was the Doragon no Uma and Draconeqi, they might scare her, especially King Upheaval. Doragon No Uma the dragon were descendants of an old species of Lung Dragon that evolved to be more equine like, which was a very impressive process to see the fruits of. Draconeqi? Well, they were originally from a different dimension, so nobody really knew much about them other than Drapan.

Hm, he shall ask his teacher if he could take Celestia there someday, let her see the outside world. He was sure that her mother was rather manipulative. Starswirl had met her once, and was not a fan of her, nobody was, not even her ponies. Cosmo was beloved while she was not, which was a shame really, it was likely why she killed him. Oh, maybe he could tell her that they were friends of her daddy. That might help? So, his little plan was set. Tell her about her father and him being friends with Medianoche and the beings coming here! It would likely backfire on his face like everything did.

Erin Thorn of Eagleand finally arrived to the Castle of Shadowlogia, the home of the Umbrum. he had come alone. many insisted on coming with him, but Erin knew that he was untouchable here as long as he was reasonable. they were not monsters after all, and would not risk starting a war to eat an old deer like himself. Erin was very large for his kind, around the size of an adult Alicorn, it was rather common for leaders to be such a size. Here in Shadowlogia he felt like a normal being, as everyone here were the same size as he. Erik was a listless silvery grey, his eyes a pale blue and had a white beard that was properly combed and made him seem almost as wise as he really was. he had two large antlers that were almost golden, the two sides were even and had a very small covering of fuzz. He didn’t actually look all that royal, despite being the leader of a whole country. all Erin wore was a simple black cape that covered most of his body, as he was always anticipating rain. It was subconscious at this point after living in drizzly Bitannia for all his life. honestly, it almost rained 24/7.

Erin was surprised to find he was not the only one to come to Shadowlogia. no, the rulers of Drapan had come by it seemed. this was a very good opportunity for Erin. Drapan had very wonderful tea, and Eagleand loved tea to bits, thus trading would be very good for his country? perhaps the Drapanese rulers were here to trade with him too?

"Ah! You must be Erin. i am Upheaval, the Draconequus King. unfortunately, only i out of the two of us speaks Equine." Erin rose a brow at the strange creature, never actually having seen a Draconequus before. Upheaval inwardly laughed at the bucks reaction to his very even appearance. Upheaval was just a translation of his name, but it had a nice ring to it. a nicer ring than Gekidō when he spoke Equestrian. he was an Adult Draconequus and a Titan, meaning unlike most Draconeqi his body was even on both sides, and thanks to being a Titan most of his 'even' body parts were from the same animal. It only happened to a very few, but those few were gifted with unimaginable power. He was no different. Upheaval was mostly a light brown with a dark brown stripe down his back, mane around his shoulders and chest, the colour of his front claws and the colour of his lion back legs, as well as the feathers that then lead into his red dragon tail. A common thing with Titan Stage, though rarely they were other colours. The end of his tail was a tuft of blond, his mane was spiking backwards like fire with the same colour, though near his sort of jacket of fur had streaks of the same brown. His ears were large like that of a goat, his horns from a deer like Erin in that same dark brown, and had a small pink bow made by his wife next to one of his ears. Upheaval’s eyes had dark brown spots over them, four smaller ones underlining each. The white of his eyes were yellowy gold, but his iris colour was a pinkish magenta, very rare for his kind. the golden sclera was a sign of royal blood. Upheaval also wore glasses, mostly to because he liked them, but they were enchanted for him to read other languages.

Sakura no Taiyō preferred his native name instead of his translated one, Sakura sounded a lot nicer. His body was the size of an average Alicorn, with he noted was a common trait with leaders? He was mostly a sand yellow, it should be ugly to look at and yet it wasn’t. Sakura’s hooves were cloven in a silvery colour. much like a mountain goat’s thanks to Drapan being so mountainous. Above his hooves were wisps of fur that flowed backwards even when no wing brushed against them oddly? On his knees and on the front of his back thighs were shiny orange scales that melded well with his colouring. Sakura had to very large wings tucked up next to his body, mostly scaled but a third of them were feathers at the end in the same colour was his coat. Sakura also had those scales run down from under his chin all the way to the beginning of his tail. He also had a line of them going down the middle of his face to the end of his snout. Sakura’s tail was very long, like a Draconequus’ but had a long ling of beautiful white hair that bushed at the tip of the tail and trailed upwards along the tails spine, then along his back and melted in with his mane. Sakura had two antlers next to his ears, a curved horn protruding from his forehead. His eyes were an ocean blue, but that isn’t what got the attention of the Umbrum. Nope, it was two thing that came from both sides of his snout, kinda like the feelers on a catfish. Even his long beard that only went downwards didn’t attract as much attention.

"I see...?" Upheaval had a very thick accent, but at least someone could translate the other one if he spoke. Sakura rose a brow as he looked at the old deer, not seeing how he was a leader. he had impressive antlers, but not really much else. Eagleand really was different to Drapan "So, shall we?" Upheaval motioned Sakura that they were now walking to the meeting room, which the Doragon No Uman found very pleasing as he felt awkward around this old being that looked as if he'd just drop dead of old age soon.

"彼は古く見える。" Sakura watched Upheaval raise his own blond brow at him "彼が年を取るならば、彼はほこりになるだろう、" Sakura said, looking at Erin who had a sixth sense he was talking about his old age. when you got old, you knew these kind of things. while the Doragon No Uman and the Draconequus continued their talk in their native tongue, Erin decided to take in the palace walls. there were paintings of many things, swords, battles, past relatives and old friends that were likely dead. the newest one looked to be Cosmo, a god that had actually died. how? by his own spouse! honestly, relationships were evil at this point.

Finally, they saw Medianoche and Noche De Neón, the rulers of this land. Armadura wasn't there, so that was a shame. Erin wanted to meet the creator of Dark Magic, the dark part named after her black fur. he also wanted to see her dragonic like wings that also were said to look batty. he'd be the judge of that.

"I am so sorry Erin, i didn't expect the Lords of Drapan to come..." Medianoche apologised, looking at the two. both without guards? he knew that Upheaval was powerful, but none of these three came with guards? that made him look paranoid now when he always had a guard with him at all times... although not right now, by the wishes of his embarrassing father "So, shall we discuss the trades we want to do? or, anything else?"

"I personally want to finish that game of chess with you Sakura, and no cheating this time!" Noche smiled at the shimmer in Sakura's eyes "That's right, i know you cheated!"

"かかって来い!" one of these days, Medianoche was just going to die of embarrassment...

Author's Note

I was inspired to make the Doragon no Uma (roughly translates to dragon horse) by SaturnGrl, the creator of the Qilin.

To any japanese readers, i am sorry if i've butchered your language. i used Google translate, which i know is unreliable, so i apologise in advance.

*1 = He looks old
*2 - If he gets older he will become dust
*3 = Bring it on