Prologue - Through the Fire and into the Dungeon
A man stood in what looked like the remnant of a great arena, or what may have been a great circular theater of some kind. Molten walls made up its edge, cooled after centuries of the ritual that took place here was last enacted. Heaps and piles of ash lay strewn about, covering so much of its structure, the steps or seats perhaps, were otherwise covered in the stuff. Old and tarnished weapons were collected together, stabbed into these piles; the only thing left of those who had come before this man. Those who had failed.
Here he stood in the center of it all, staring into a familiar object; one that he had become rather close within his journey. A coiled sword, embedded into a pile of ash and old bone, left to strengthen the flame that gripped its blade; a bonfire. Though, not just any bonfire. This was the bonfire that all others were connected to, through the power of the First Flame.
Here he stood, his eyes affixed to the flame at the center of this great ash pile. His duty was nearly complete. All that was left to do was to link the fire, as was his right, as newly ascended Lord of Cinder. All he had to do was reach out to the flame, and sacrifice himself so that the Age of Man would continue, as it had for hundreds of years.
But he hesitated.
After everything he had been through, all he had seen, all the trials and enemies he had conquered and vanquished... He hesitated. It was a tall order to throw yourself into the fire, even for the sake of those who would remain. Still, he stared, pondering his choices.
In his journey, he had gone to the depths of the Abyss and seen a vision of a World Without Fire. No flame to light his path, no light to guide his way, no purpose to drive him. In this vision, he came across a peculiar set of orbs, hidden within the illusion. When he returned from the Abyss, they had come with him and were later given a name; the Eyes of a Firekeeper.
One of the previous Lords of Cinder who still sat upon his throne had warned him about these orbs, that they would only show visions of betrayal; that he would forget his duty, to Link the Flame.
He glanced beside this bonfire, and near the base of where the coiled sword was embedded into ash, he looked again at the writing that appeared within the ash. Ancient scrawlings that would call the Firekeeper here, to his side, and commence his Grand Betrayal to all of man.
Her words to him rang out in his mind as he stared at her sign, "...Ashen one, are these... Are these eyes? How gracious of thee, ashen one. The very things we Fire Keepers have been missing... Ashen one, my thanks for the eyes thou'st given. But Fire Keepers are not meant to have eyes. It is forbidden. These will reveal, through a sliver of light, frightful images of betrayal. A world without fire. Ashen one, is this truly thy wish?"
He took a deep, heavy breath. Could he truly bring himself to make this kind of sacrifice? Could he throw his life away for the sake of however many people were left in this world, that he had never even met? Could he trade his life for his dying race?
"My Blade of the Darkmoon, thy deeds merit great worship. As captain, 'tis my duty to honour knights of great accomplishment. Please, it is thine, and not lightly given. As a shade of Father Gwyn and Sister Gwynevere, Persevere in thy knightly duty, hunting down the gods' would-be foes."
In what little light shone onto him from the embers that remained of this fire, a glimmer on his finger caught his eye. The Darkmoon Ring, given to him by his Company Captain Yorshka, rested on his right index finger; a reminder of his other role in this land. First, and foremost, he was a defender of the weak and the innocent. He couldn't falter and abandon his duty now.
With another deep breath, he steeled himself and reached out to the bonfire, as he had done countless times before, and called out to it.
"As Lord of Cinder, I hereby Link the Flame, and preserve the Age of Fire until the time should come again when the next chosen should be called upon."
The flickering embers ignited almost instantly, wreathing the entire blade in flame and licked out at his hand. Even were he not clothed, he would have been swallowed by the flame just as quickly, the air sapped from his body. He felt himself crumbling, becoming part of this Kiln, as so many others had before him. Those who had been chosen to Link the Flame. In a great combustion of fire, the ritual was complete, and the Chosen of Ash was no more.
Princess Celestia of Equestria, Ruler of Canterlot's Day Court, hated meetings. She despised holding court, gathering with nobles, signing "important" documents, and otherwise entertaining most high society bureaucrats. There were a few among their ranks who she found more pleasant than others, such as Fancy Pants and his usual entourage, but most of the others usually bored her to tears with petty requests to gain more bits to line their pockets, or equally petty arguments or disputes over, and she was quoting from earlier this morning, "somepony taking the last banana at breakfast."
She, of course, loved all her little ponies, but sometimes they could be rather foalish. Rarely would somepony come to her with a matter of gravity or important these days; that was usually left to more eventful parts of Equestria, like Ponyville. She, of course, was thankful that the days that passed her by were relatively peaceful, but few and far between were events like the Summer Sun Celebration or the Grand Galloping Gala to liven up her life. Even the occasional pranks on her castle staff would get boring now and again.
Oh, what she wouldn't give to have something ridiculous or, dare she say, chaotic interrupt the current gathering of ponies in her courtroom.
While she was listening to another pony ramble on about an issue that had once sounded important, out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a wisp of a familiar-looking tail in the corner of a window she had occasionally been glancing out of. She almost cracked a smile then, that tail was unmistakable. What game would they play today?
"...And as you can see, Princess, that is exactly why I need- no, deserve compensation for-" The stallion suddenly began sniffling and wrinkling his nose, taking small breaths through his mouth, almost like he was about to... "Ah... Aaahh... Ah-cho!!" ...sneeze, on a guard. Celestia covered her mouth, which had cracked into a smile as he saw her guard's face curl in disgust, but to anyone looking at her, she simply looked surprised.
"Are you alright, sirs?" Celestia asked in her most concerned sounding voice.
The noble had begun wiping his nose with a handkerchief. "Of course, ma'am, nothing a cleaning and polish won't fix." The guard said with a roll of his eyes toward the offending stallion.
"How did my beard even begin to tickle my nose, when it hangs from my chin...?" The stallion said, clearly confused.
"Maybe it's because you're so old, and have such big nostrils?" A voice came from everywhere, and nowhere all at once.
"I certainly am not, and my nostrils aren't big! Who said such a thing?" The stallion growled.
"Oh, relax grandpa, it's just me, Discord, Master of Chaos, and- ahem- reformed Spirit of Disharmony." The Draconequus in question appeared with a snap of his digits and a blink of light, as he usually did. "Oh, I'll be needing that back, though." He reached forward while the ponies were still in semi-shock and plucked the stallion's beard off his chin and planted it on the tip of his tail. "Much better."
The stallion shook himself out of his stupor, once again back to his angered demeanor, "You give that back this instant!"
Discord considered the pony for a moment before shrugging and plucking his new beard tail once again, the former tip of his tail coming back with a small pop sound, and placing the pony's beard back where he found it. "There, all better. Now then, where was I- Oh yes, Celestia!" He spun around on his cloven heel to face the princess of the sun, finding her trying just as hard to not smile as she had been before his arrival.
She took a moment to compose herself fully before answering in her usual greeting tone, "Hello, Discord. To what do I owe this unexpected visit?"
"Oh, friends can't simply drop in on each other to say hello every now and then? Say, that reminds me; when was the last time you visited me?" He said with mock disappointment.
"I believe you were still in my garden at the time." She responded coyly.
Discord's face dropped in annoyance, "Right, don't remind me. Anyway, I was in the neighborhood and decided to pop in, but it seems like you're awfully busy with important business, so maybe I should go." He responded, equally as coy. If Celestia weren't already white as a sheet, Discord would have sworn he saw her go pale.
"Yes, as a matter of fact, she was just about to sign my appeal for-" The stallion began, but was interrupted by the shrill screeches of a distressed phoenix.
Celestia was on her hooves in an instant, "Philamena, what's wrong?"
The mythical bird in question was struggling to fly straight as it entered the Court of the Sun, stumbling and falling out of the air just before the start of the stairs. With quick reflexes, Discord reached out and caught the avian with his tail, setting her down quickly, as she began to peck and scratch at him.
"ACK! Watch it, bird brain, that stings!"
Princess Celestia trotted down to her faithful pet and reached out a hoof, repeating her earlier inquiry, "Philamena, what's wrong?" but only received the same treatment as Discord.
She pulled away, thankful that her regalia had protected her from the sharp beak of the flaming bird. She and Discord and all the other ponies present could only watch in distressed confusion as the Princess' pet writhed and flopped around on the floor like it was in agony.
"Please, Philamena, tell me what's wrong?"
"Couldn't she just be pulling your leg again? Hasn't she done this before?"
"Never like this. I can tell when she's faking, and she looks like she's hurt."
"Let me go and get Fluttershy, she'll know what to do."
As soon as Discord finished speaking, the ground beneath their hooves began to quake violently, as though the mountain that Canterlot rested on was being shaken by a giant. Several ponies began cowering, several more falling off balance and onto the ground. Celestia looked to Discord, as though he had an answer.
"It's not me. I'm as much a fan of earthquakes as you are, and we can both fly."
Philamena began rising into the air, though she looked like she were being pulled up by a string, while still writhing in place. The tremors got worse, windows began to crack and ceiling began to crumble, bits of dust and debris falling into the room.
Celestia started calling for an evacuation, for Discord to get her ponies out of Canterlot but stopped when Philamena burst into flame, as she had done countless times before, and began to melt away into ash. Just as suddenly as the violent quakes had begun did they stop, though Philamena did not stop melting. Before long, a large pile of ash collected under her, and she exploded outward in a wave of flames.
Thankful for her own quick reflexes, Celestia shielded everyone in the room from the flames with her magic, though the blinding light was too much to see through. Once the flames subsided, however, an entirely new sight was left in Philamena's wake; a strange creature now lay in the ashes of Celestia's pet.
For several moments, all was silent. Ponies could hear the sound of a pin drop, and some were left with a soft ringing in their ears; the sudden absence of sound after loud or continued noise sometimes did that.
Then the creature began to groan, an awful, pained sound. It appeared to be clothed, though whatever it was wearing was heavily damaged. What the ponies could see of its body was horribly malnourished, lackluster, and charred, as though it had been starved before coming through the flame. It was also carrying various objects, most notable were the large sword and stick that somehow survived the flames on its back.
At the same time, the ashes began to swirl around it; the phoenix was possibly beginning to reform.
Several ponies began to whisper to each other, frightened of this strange new being. They gasped as it began to twitch and stretch its limbs, pushing itself unsteadily onto all fours.
Celestia stepped forward, her regal hooves making small tak tak tak sounds upon touching the now somewhat sullied courtroom floor.
She looked down upon the creature and asked, "What are you?"
The creature took a horrifying, gasping breath, and lashed out at the princess, grabbing onto her chest piece while trying to lift itself up to her eye level, making sounds they couldn't understand.
The Princess, understandably, rose up on her hind legs and kicked out with her forelegs, knocking the creature away and back onto the ground. She wasn't startled easily, but that was a jump scare. The creature, now once again unmoving, lie in a heap on the floor where he was kicked.
"Guards, take that creature to the dungeon and make sure it is isolated. I must consult with the Elements of Harmony."
Author's Note
Added some grammar fixes.
Chapter 1 - Are you Afraid of the Dark?
"Ugh, this thing stinks!" One of the guards who helped levitate the unconscious creature commented as they descended into Canterlot Dungeon.
Together, there were four ponies; two unicorns, and two pegasi, one male and one female each. The unicorns flanked the creature while carrying it and carefully walked down the steps into the lower levels of the dungeon. The pegasi walked slightly behind them, having been assigned to aid in escorting the prisoner if it woke up and became violent, or in the case of the creature overpowering the group, to flee and call for backup.
"You're telling me, it's like this thing never bathes." The male pegasi responded, covering his nose with a wing.
The dungeon itself was divided into three levels. The first was for petty criminals, thieves, and peddlers who scammed and extorted other ponies by tricking them. The second layer was for more brutish types, ones who would attack others and damage their property or kidnap ponies and hold them for ransom. The most secure and isolated level of the dungeon was located deep inside the mountain, close to the caverns that lay far beneath the city. This third layer was reserved for embezzlers, anarchists, and anyone else who would attempt to destabilize or overthrow the Princesses outside of official channels.
The first two levels of the dungeon were well lit by torches and each cell came with a cot and chamber pot. Sentences that landed ponies in the first two layers varied in length in accordance to the severity of the crime; while stealing an apple from the shopping district might net you one day in a cell of the first level, getting into a scrap with the intent to do harm to another pony could last up to thirty days in the second level, depending on how badly the other pony was hurt.
The shortest sentence that could be served in the third layer was one year, and this was for the lightest of offenses such as fraud or thefts from the castle treasury. Anarchists and other chaotic offenders usually spent anywhere from two to ten years in a cold dark cell, but thankfully the ponies who were crazy or stupid enough to even attempt things like kidnapping one of the princesses or other nobles were few and far between. The criminals that did the unthinkable or unspeakably horrible things to other ponies were sent to Tartarus and were usually never seen or heard from again.
This wasn't to say that anypony who was simply accused of a crime were thrown in jail. In most cases, the accused were innocent until proven guilty, and were given a fair trial and offered legal representation. In the case of minor crimes like food theft, ponies also had the option of simply returning the stolen goods and apologizing, usually only getting a slap on the wrist from the party that had been stolen from or a guard who happened to catch them in the act.
"Well, we're here. Let's lock it up and get out of here, I don't want to stay any longer than we have to." The female unicorn said with a slight shudder.
Each level of Canterlot Dungeon was secured with a heavy thick wooden gate made of strong oak wood that had been magically reinforced to be both more physically resilient and resistant to most magic. Dragon fire was likely the only source that would burn the wood, while ice formed from the presence of a Wendigo was the only cold that could make the hinges brittle enough to shatter.
Today the first floor was empty. Only the sounds of hoof against stone echoed through the quiet area making it almost serene, not unlike a library. The infrequency of inmates coming and going from this level of the dungeon was something that most guards were proud of.
The second level, however, was something that each guard who had to haul troublemakers and vandals into their cells dreaded. Some of them were more violent than others, continuing to fight when ordered to cease, and this usually meant the guards had to defend themselves. Nopony amongst the guard enjoyed getting rough when it came to dealing with disorderly ponies, instead preferring to rely only on the authority of their voice. There were a few stories passed around during the training with some of the more seasoned guards where jumping in the middle of a fight to break it up got them dangerously hurt. Having to carry a strange creature past a few already occupied cells with scowling prisoners did nothing to set this group at ease.
The four ponies had made their way to the furthest point of the second level, close to the door leading to the third. Each cell door was made of strong iron bars that fit the frame from floor to ceiling, with bars running across to hold the door in place. Each door swung open on hinges made of the same metal and had large square locks on one side to secure prisoners. The bottom of each cell door also had a small slot where guards could slide in plates or bowls of food and water. After placing the creature inside and locking the door to the cell, they were greeted with a light breeze of cold air. Each of the guard ponies turned their heads toward the gate to the third floor where the breeze had come from with wide eyes.
"Go make sure that gate is secure." The female unicorn said to the male, with a hint of fright in her voice.
"Why do I have to? I don't-" The male started to respond, his voice equally shaky before the other unicorn gave him a stern look.
He trotted over quickly and looked the gate over top to bottom and side to side, making sure everything was in place. There was no damage to the wood, bar, or hinges, and there were no cracks or spaces for even a light breeze to have come from. Deciding that it was nothing to worry about, the unicorn turned back and shook his head.
"All clear, the gate is secure on all sides." He said confidently. Each of his fellow guards breathed a sigh of relief and turned back toward the entrance of the dungeon making for the stairs as quickly as they could without running. Each of them was just as eager to get out of this place as the other.
"I can't thank you enough for coming to help with the sanctuary today, Twilight. I'm usually so on top of my chores, I don't know what I would have done without you." The lovely yellow pegasus said after delivering the last few carrots to the herbivores.
"Not a problem, Fluttershy. You know I'm willing to lend a hoof whenever I'm not busy." The smiling purple alicorn responded, straightening out her mane again. She'd had a somewhat close encounter with one of the carnivores; an over-excited wolf had decided to express his thanks for his food by bathing her in kisses. Part of her mane kept sticking out, even after rinsing her face with water.
"Really, I'm not sure how I managed to get so unorganized. I even have my own list of chores so I can do them in order." The pegasus put a hoof to her chin with a confused expression.
"We all make mistakes. What's important is that we managed to get back on track and finish up on time."
"You're right. Now that everyone else is fed, it's time to-" Fluttershy had begun turning towards the basket she had prepared for their late lunch but stopped and let out a sharp eep! as a certain Draconequis appeared in front of her with a snap.
Discord was just as shocked, "Oh dear, I'm so sorry Fluttershy, I didn't mean to startle you like that!" holding his claws up in a non-threatening gesture.
The pegasus breathed a sigh of relief. "Oh, it's just you, Discord. It's alright, I'm okay." She gave him a reassuring smile. "What brings you by today? We were just about to have lunch."
Discord's head swiveled like an owl and took a peek down at the basket, smiling and stroking his goatee with a claw, "Well, now that you mention it, I am feeling a bit peckish." before shaking his head and looking back at the ponies in front of him. "Never mind that. Fluttershy, you're needed in Canterlot, Celestia wants you and- Oh, hello Twilight." He stopped and gave a friendly wave. "Celestia wants to talk to you both as soon as possible. We should get going right now." Every time he opened his mouth, his expression changed from concerned to friendly and back again.
"Why didn't she just send us a letter through Spike? Is everything okay?" Twilight said, unable to keep the worry from her voice.
"I'm a lot faster than dragon fire. Are you ready to go?" He rolled his eyes impatiently. Both ponies nodded and with a snap of Discord's fingers, all three of them (and the basket) were gone.
The next thing they knew, Discord, Fluttershy, and Twilight all stood in the royal throne room. The spacious area was largely vacant, save for the Princesses of Sun and Moon and a large pile of ash on the red carpet that led from the entryway to the regal thrones at the other end of the room. Luna greeted the new arrivals with a smile, a steaming mug floating in her magic field next to her while Celestia came to a pause in her pacing once she'd heard the familiar snap she had been anxiously waiting for and likewise looked up to the trio.
"Thank goodness you're here." The regal Sun princess spoke, looking visibly relieved.
"Celestia, what's going on? Are you alright?" Twilight galloped past the pile of ash and sidled up to her former mentor.
"I am fine, Twilight. I'm sorry I didn't have time to explain sooner, everything happened so fast, I didn't have time to draft a letter before Discord left to retrieve you two." She smiled down at the smaller alicorn and nuzzled her fondly.
The yellow pegasus had approached at a slower pace and bowed to the princesses with her wings spread to either side. "Hello Princess Luna, Princess Celestia."
Luna nodded to Fluttershy, motioning for her to rise. "No need to be so formal, Fluttershy. Just our names will suffice." Luna rose as well, stepping down from the throne and standing next to her sister. "We are glad you are here."
Twilight took a step back to give them all enough space while remaining face to face. "Why are we here exactly? All we know is that it was urgent." She said, curiously. Fluttershy nodded, having wondered the same thing.
"Allow me to explain," Celestia began. "The day began like any other, raising the sun in the morning before opening court for the day. Ponies came and went, speaking their peace and making their claims as they always do, when something unusual happened. Philomena flew in for a visit but she looked like she was having difficulty flying. She landed on the floor while screeching in pain, and scratched at Discord and I when we attempted to help. Then, she burst into flame, like when she undergoes her molt, every so often. However, unlike her previous molts, she left behind only a pile of ash and did not reform." She looked up from the pair in front of her at the pile they had walked past with a grim light in her eyes. "I fear I may never see her again... However, as much as I love my friend and am worried about her well being, there is more pressing news. In her place appeared a creature unlike any I have encountered before. It did not seem immediately hostile, though it startled me before I could learn more about it. It seemed incredibly malnourished as well, no more than skin and bones, and it wore strange clothing. I would like for you both to assist Luna and I in identifying this creature and determining if it is a threat to Equestria."
The smaller ponies looked to each other with as much worry and confusion as they had seen on the princess of the sun. "Philomena disappearing and a strange creature remaining in her place... What in Equestria could cause such a phenomenon?" Twilight wondered aloud.
"Oh my, this sounds serious... I hope Philomina is alright, wherever she is." The yellow pegasus responded. She tilted her head slowly while looking to Princess Luna. It was the middle of the day, shouldn't she still be resting? She noted the mug floating in front of her, and suddenly registered the warm scent wafting from it and gave an involuntary shudder; coffee. She gave the princess a small frown, "Are you going to be alright, Luna? Have you had enough rest?"
"There are times when the luxury of rest is something we cannot afford. Do not worry Fluttershy, I will be fine." The lunar princess gave a small bow of her head, "We should not wait any longer, let us make haste to the dungeon." speaking in a matter of fact tone.
"I'll take care of your pet, Celestia. No need to leave her on the floor." Discord offered, his voice making an attempt to be jovial despite the tension among the group. With a snap of his claws, the pile of ash was gone and in its place was an ornate looking urn modeled after a phoenix. Strangely, a bag was left in place of the pile, perhaps covered by the ash. "I wonder who this belongs to?" The Draconequis picked up the bag and inspected it. It was no bigger than a saddlebag and wasn't heavy, and looked to be made of a similar material.
"It likely belongs to the creature, since it was left in the place it appeared in." Twilight observed. "Let's take it with us, it might help us understand what kind of creature it is."
Celestia floated the phoenix urn over to the paired thrones and placed it between them, a small sigh escaping her. Luna lay her wing over her sister's withers in a small gesture of condolence. Even Discord looked just a little concerned for the princess of the sun. Fluttershy offered a bright smile. "I may not know how to help Philomena right now, but since we still have her ashes, the best thing we can do is wait and hope for the best. I'm sure she'll be okay, Princess Celestia."
A small smile crept over Celestia's lips, "Perhaps you are right, Fluttershy. Only time will tell..." but it faded just as quickly when she thought about the creature that took her pet's place. Wordlessly, the princess began walking toward the dungeon, while the other two princesses, pegasus, and Draconequis followed.
A short while later, the group of four ponies and Discord were standing in front of the cell containing what Fluttershy thought looked like a monkey. It was curled up in the corner of the cell, tucked behind the provided cot. It lacked a tail and the hair patterns of a monkey, but it shivered like an animal would when it was frightened. The group seemed to have gone unnoticed by it so far until Fluttershy gently cleared her throat.
"Um, hello there? Are you alright little one?" She tried. Curled up as it was, it looked a bit smaller than she or Twilight was. The shivering slowed to a stop and the creature peaked over the cot at the group. It didn't do anything immediately, only continued to stare at the ponies. "I know you must be scared, but we won't hurt you. Can you come a little closer so we can have look at you?" She put on her best Fluttershy charm and gave it a big warm smile, making sure to keep her voice soft.
The creature hesitated, curiously tilting his head before looking down and hiding his face and making a few unintelligible noises. Fluttershy tilted her head curiously, prompting Twilight to speak up. "What did it say, Fluttershy?" She made an effort to keep her voice as low as the pegasus' so she wouldn't spook the creature.
"I couldn't really understand it, but I think... Can you say that again, a little louder?" She said to Twilight before pausing and speaking to the creature again. A short moment later and the same noises could barely be heard from the thing. Fluttershy frowned, "Goodness, this must be what it's like trying to get me to speak up. Once more, please?" and tried again. This time, the same unintelligible noises were spoken at a volume that everypony could hear them. Whereas a look of confusion and curiosity spread across the alicorns' face, a look of realization passed over Fluttershy's.
"How about that time, did you understand what it said?" Discord asked with a strange look of unease.
"I... Wouldn't say that I understood him exactly, but I get the feeling he doesn't understand me either. It's strange, I don't think I've ever found an animal that I couldn't talk to before. But, I think we're both sort of communicating what we're trying to say, just in a broad sense." She thought for a moment. "I think that he thinks we'll react like Celestia did if we saw what he looks like up close." The pegasus thought out loud, putting a chin with a hoof.
"Him?" Twilight blinked, "You can tell that it's a boy?" Fluttershy nodded.
"One of the sounds, erm... he made was similar to an Olde Ponish word." Luna paused, frowning. "It means to be frightened," She stated.
Fluttershy shook her head, "You don't have to worry about us being scared," speaking to the creature again, "we've all seen things like Dragons, and Hydras, which are much scarier looking than you, I'm sure."
This made the creature look up again and stare at Fluttershy. There seemed to be some kind of nonverbal communication happening between them, and a moment later, it slowly turned its body to face the ponies at the entrance of the cell. He remained curled up, his legs tucked into his chest with his face hidden behind his knees. He spoke again at the same volume as before, the sounds still incomprehensible. To the alicorns, they sounded too foreign to be words. Stressed in different ways and some sounds held out longer than any word they had ever heard. Whatever he was trying to communicate didn't sound anything like words or language to them. The sounds did have a feeling to them, though. It was... Sad. Just a slight or vague sense of sadness could be heard in the sounds he made.
Fluttershy's ears perked. "Not scared, but ashamed. He's not scared of us looking at him, he just doesn't want to be seen." There was a slight perk of his head and an utterance of another sound.
Twilight groaned. "This is like the world's hardest game of charades! If none of us can understand each other, how are we ever going to make the slightest progress?"
Fluttershy hummed. There was no reaction from the creature when Twilight seemed frustrated. She frowned and groaned just as Twilight had done, "Yeah, how are we going to make any progress if none of us are able to understand each other?" mimicking her slightly frustrated tone as well.
The creature didn't react immediately but made an all too familiar noise; it sighed. Fluttershy paused and blinked. He didn't have the slightest clue of what the others were saying and didn't even show any ability to interpret their tone either. However, the moment she spoke to him, he was able to sort of understand what she was saying? "It's like... My ability to speak with animals is working on him, but something's getting in the way."
Celestia turned her head to look at the pegasus, "A barrier of some kind, perhaps?" she provided.
"Perhaps not, sister. Were it a barrier, it would be held in place with purpose. This seems an effect of happenstance. Speaking to each other through a window, our words muffled and misunderstood." Luna's horn and irises ignited in a soft glow, her magic enhanced sight scanning over what she could see of the creature. She could see no sound altering auras on him, or in the cell, and expressed as such.
Twilight raised an eyebrow, "Discord, why don't you take a look at him? Maybe you can see what's wrong, something we can't?"
The Draconequis in question winced, pausing mid-bite of a cucumber sandwich. "I was really hoping not to?" He shrugged with a sheepish smile.
The purple alicorn blinked in confusion, "Why not?" and asked with an upturned hoof.
Discord hummed and hawed for a moment while considering the sandwich in his paw, "I don't, erm, well, he's uhh... The thing is, I'm just, pssh, well you know..." stopping and starting several times but never committing to a single thought in an attempt to dodge the question.
Twilight, Luna, and Celestia were all far from convinced. "Discord, please. If you're able to help us..." Celestia trailed off, a strangely pleading look in her eyes.
Discord winced yet again, "Look, it's not that I don't want to help. There's nothing I wouldn't do to help Fluttershy." giving the pegasus a small smile, "But there's... Something about that guy that just makes my spines crawl." and turned to show the draconic fins along his neck frantically skittering up and down his body like spiders.
The two smaller ponies recoiled slightly from the sight, Twilight taking a step back in surprise. "Didn't need the visual, but thanks."
Fluttershy smiled warmly up at him. "It's okay to be scared of things you don't understand Discord."
He huffed in response. "Me? Scared?" He rolled his eyes. "Of something I don't understand? I don't need to understand things, they just happen when I tell them to. Who cares about how or why?" He looked down at Fluttershy and met her gaze for a few moments before sighing and returning her smile. "Alright. For you, Fluttershy."
The ponies stepped to either side and let the chaotic being take center stage. He tapped his chin with a claw and tilted his body to one side, squinting his eyes through the bars at the creature. He pulled back and righted himself, turning to Fluttershy and shrugging. "I can't see anything wrong with him."
The ponies frowned and deadpanned. It was Twilight's turn to huff. "Come on Discord, you didn't even try!"
"What? I looked at him, didn't I?" He stretched his eyes down to look Twilight in the face.
"Please, Discord. Just try? For me?" Fluttershy said patiently.
"Oh alright..." Discord said dejectedly like he was on the verge of whining. He took a breath and exhaled slowly. The creature peeked up from behind its knees. Their gazes locked with each other. The creature didn't react. Discord's face went pale. He tried to speak, but something was caught in his throat. "...What...!?" He managed to squeak.
Confusion spread across the faces of the ponies, Fluttershy seeming more concerned at the Draconequis' expression. "What is it, Discord? What can you see?" The pegasus tried but received no response.
Moments passed, agonizingly slow heartbeats of suspense as they watched Discord's eyes dart in different directions. He suddenly took a step back, recoiling like he had been struck, his eyes turning to pinpricks. He gasped like he'd breached the surface of a pool too deep to swim, as though he'd been drowning. Then, without warning, Discord let out an otherworldly shriek of absolute terror. He shot back, snaking his way between the bars of the cell opposite the creature and cowering in the opposite corner.
"GET AWAY FROM ME!!"
Fluttershy had fallen over in fright, Discord's sudden outburst knocking her flat. Twilight was similarly low to the floor but had only ducked and covered her ears. Celestia and Luna's faces lit up with alarm. "What did you see?!" Luna demanded.
"S-Stay away! Don't let it close! Don't let it take me!" Discord frantically cried.
"Discord, what did you see? We need to know now." Celestia Insisted.
The Draconequis desperately continued gasping, like he couldn't get enough air. He was starting to hyperventilate. "I couldn't! Couldn't see! Nothing- There was NOTHING!" He shook with every word, physically vibrating to pieces. His eyes strained furiously in an attempt not to blink. "Dark! Way too dark! Totally completely absolutely DARK!" He began sputtering inane ramblings over and over about the dark, unconsciously reaching up and grabbing one of the torches from the wall and setting it on the ground next to him so the flame would illuminate the cell better.
Twilight and Fluttershy shared a worried look after a few moments, while the princesses wore mirrored grim expressions.
"I don't understand. Discord is nyctophobic?" Twilight guessed after getting back to her hooves.
Fluttershy slowly crawled over to Discord's cell, silently reaching for him through the bars to try and show him she was there. A disembodied claw inched its way over and held her hoof, despite still shaking violently.
"I do not think the solution is so simple Twilight Sparkle," Luna spoke in a low tone. She turned back to the cell with the creature, her eyes once again alight with magic. "Discord may be the avatar of chaos, but anyone who stares into the dark long enough may sometimes find it looking back." Her eyes narrowed on the creature, her magic attempting to emulate the effect Discord achieved at a lesser, safer level. It looked just as scared as Discord, curled into the tightest ball it could manage and shaking uncontrollably. After nearly thirty seconds of concentration, Luna let out a gasp of her own. "I can see magic inside of the creature, flowing through it like a unicorn. That is not all, however. I can see something I never thought I would find in any creature..." She paused and nearly grit her teeth. "A pit of darkness at his core." Letting out a slow breath, she looked to her sister. "Tia, this calls for caution, but we should not assume the worst immediately. We need more time to learn the creature's true nature."
Twilight turned to look at her former mentor and saw something she felt she had never seen on her face before. True anger. She had seen Celestia upset or annoyed with villains such as Chrysalis or Tirek. This was something much more intense. Something much more focussed. It wasn't the boiling rage she had experienced from either of the villains she had helped vanquish, but it was still something she never expected to see in the white mare's eyes.
Celestia sounded like she too spoke with nearly grit teeth, her usually calm and clear words having a very unusual heat and tightness to them, "Thank you for the reminder, sister. I will heed your advice for the time being. Please continue the investigation." and ended with a snort of her nostrils that Twilight swore she could see steam come from.
Luna turned to face the purple alicorn, "Twilight Sparkle, accompany me to the archives. I recall reading a scroll or book that describes a spell that may be useful for translating spoken languages. I may need assistance locating it." walking past her without waiting for a response.
Twilight looked between Celestia and Fluttershy for a moment before turning and following Luna. She wanted to help them. If she was going to help, this would be the best way. Discord would probably be okay after a while with Fluttershy consoling him. Celestia on the other hoof... Twilight wasn't sure what she could do to help her. She didn't understand why Celestia and Luna were angry. The thought of a deep dark pit was certainly scary, and a pit of darkness inside of somepony was definitely a cause for alarm in her mind. But why would it make somepony so angry? They knew something she didn't, no doubt about it. A checklist of questions began forming in her mind as she and the dark blue mare made their way above ground.
Author's Note
A note about the prologue, I'm just gonna say that Celestia meant "Former Element Bearers" when she said she was going to consult with the Elements of Harmony. I had forgotten at the time that I wrote the prologue that all the other former bearers had equally important jobs and responsibilities in addition to being heroes.
...To whoever called the delayed update, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I'm not even gonna pretend that this is okay, but all I can say is that I'm gonna try and upload more frequently going forward.
