The Alicorn Scrolls

By Terrarian Pony

...

Story:

Terrarian Pony presents

The Alicorn Scrolls

Chapter 5

Returning Home

...

The flight to the Guild of Knowledge was rather moody. It was raining a lot, which usually Terran didn't mind. He trained to fly easily in almost any weather condition. However, Terran was less than enthusiastic about reporting back to the guild.

The guild master of the Guild of Knowledge, Torque the Inquisitive, everypony called him, was more concerned with results than with the safety of his own ponies, as well as having no qualms with prying into other ponies' business out of paranoia. Torque had always looked over his shoulders as if he expects that somepony was was spying on him. For this reason he also often referred to as the "paranoid old fool" of the guild, which in retrospect is highly inappropriate behavior for a guild master, and is most likely brought up at several guild council meetings. Despite this, nopony gives any effort to do anything about it, leaving the ponies of the Guild of Knowledge to suffer from a over intuitive guild master.

The official guilds of Equestria are all somewhat connected, despite their various differences. The guild masters have each come together to form a council. In the middle of the council, is the grand master, which in this case, is Runneth Belbottom. Grand Master Belbottom oversees all of the guild masters', and their actions, as well as getting rid of them if they do not follow regulation.

The guild was built on a tall hill, with stairs going up to it. Unlike most guilds, it was built somewhere away from civilization, mostly to contain experiments that are likely to end up in minor disaster. The guild is allowed to conduct said experiments, as long as they are kept within the brick wall erected around the guild.

As they landed in the courtyard, Terran and Tulip noticed a few of the scholars hard at work. An old, tall, pale unicorn, with a short, blue mane and a goatee came up to them. He looked as though he'd been working with amateurs for the past eight hours, which was practically his job as a trainer of the Guild of Knowledge. His cutie mark was of a book and quill, opened to a page with a picture of the night sky. Specifically, the north star. Terran always wandered how a pony gets that for a cutie mark. This here, was Earl Henderson, the second oldest stallion (But not second oldest pony) in the guild. He smiled as soon as he saw Terran.

"Terran." he said. "Welcome back to the guild. I trust you delivered the message to Bluehorn."

Terran nodded. "That I have." he said. "There were some... obstacles, however."

"Nothing too stressful I hope."

"Wouldn't be the first time I've been placed into a slave camp. Not to mention the dragons that have been popping up left and right."

Earl's face made a nervous expression. "I've heard about Canterlot." he whispered.

"Wow," Tulip butted in. "Word really does travel fast with you guys?"

"Ah, and is your Wyvern friend?" Earl asked.

"This is Tulip." Terran answered. "She has been assisting me recently. Tulip, this is Professor Earl Henderson, the brain trainer in the guild, and experimentation enthusiast, as well as one of my closest colleagues."

"Anyone who can pronounce WYVERN properly is a friend of mine." Tulip said with a grin.

"So if you've heard about the attack on Canterlot," Terran continued. "Then perhaps you've heard about what exactly happened in Canterlot?"

"Officially, I know nothing." Earl answered. "Unofficially, I hear that a dragonborn has been found. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, now would you?"

"Officially..." Terran said. "Of course not."

"Good. Hopefully not too many ponies within the guild have realized the development. Otherwise, you would most likely be reassigned right away."

"That is why I'm hoping to get out of here as soon as possible. I am here because I am looking for something." Terran rummaged through his saddlebag to find a scroll which has been shaded over on top of the stone tablet to copy the original map. As he walked over to sit down, Terran unraveled the scroll, and pointed to the exact spot that Starlight Glimmer wanted him to check out. "I need to see what's over here."

Earl gave him a confused look. "You mean the that big eyesore of a dirt pile?" he asked. "What could possibly be there that is so interesting? Where did you even find a map like this?"

"In Canterlot, I found what seemed to be a stone tablet, that may or may not have something to do with the dragons." Terran said.

"Well then." Earl said with a grin. "I trust you know what you are doing. I will go with you."

"You professor, doing field work?" Terran asked.

"You know me. I want to see the development in such a quest. I'm a bit tired of sitting with common Delinquents."

...

The location was close to the guild. It was a large mound of dirt, seemingly insignificant. Perhaps not, though. Terran and Earl studied the mound, as if it were a monkey with wings, but they couldn't find any significance.

"Welp, I'm all out of ideas." Terran said. "Maybe we should dig it up?"

Earl's eyes went wide. "By the sisters, no!" he exclaimed. "The previous guild masters forbade it. As to why, I am not certain, but..."

"Um, guys." Tulip interrupted. "We got biiig company."

A large shadow past over them, and they watched as the colossal figure of Alduin landed beside the dirt mound, and began speaking to it. "Sahloknir, ziil gro dovah ulse!" he spoke. "Slen Tiid Vo!"

As the last three words came out if his mouth, something began to crawl it's way out of the mound. It was the skeleton of a dragon, half the size of Alduin. As the dragon spoke, blue and green dragon scales began to form around the skeleton, creating a whole dragon. "Alduin, thuri!" Sahloknir replied. "Boaan tiid vokriiha suleyksejun kruziik?"

"Geh, Sahloknir, kaali mir." Alduin answered, then turned to Terran. "Ful, losei Dovahkiin? Zu'u koraav nid nol dov do hi. You do not even know our tongue, do you? Such arrogance, to dare take for yourself the name of Dovah." Alduin turned back to Sahloknir, wings spread as if getting ready to fly. "Sahloknir, krii daar joorre." Alduin began to fly away, and Sahloknir turned to them with a sinister grin.

"Tulip..." Terran said. "translation please."

"Basically," Tulip answered. "get ready for one heck of a fight."

"Blunt and humorous." Earl said. "I like it."

The blue and green dragon roared, before taking to the sky, and using the fire breath shout. Terran, earl and Tulip ran out of the way, and Terran took to the sky as well. He pulled out his sword as Tulip began to charge a lightning attack, but the dragon, despite his size, was quick, and appeared behind Tulip in an instant.

"I never fought a wyvern before." Sahloknir said. "This should be a nice warmup." FO KRAH DIIN!!!" A plume of frost breath came from the dragon's mouth, towards Tulip, enveloping her in frosty winds. Terran was quick to act, stabbing Sahloknir in the neck, but failing to fully penetrate his scales.

"You think a tiny toothpick will penetrate my natural armor? You have to be the mo- AAAAAGH!!!" Tulip, cold and shivering, still managed to endure the cold from the frost breath, and put a claw to Sahloknir's face, leaving a scar over his left eye. She then circled around, and zapped him with lightning.

Earl came up under the dragon, and cast a scales piercing spell, hitting the dragon in it's stomach. Sahloknir roared in fury, claws swiping every which way. Finally, Terran put a final push of his blade into the dragon's head, killing him. After Terran landed, the same thing that happened with the last two dragons happened. He began to absorb Sahloknir's soul, and his scales and flesh began to fade.

...

"So the rumors are true then." Earl asked. "How splendid."

They were inside Earl's personal office. It was decorated with skeleton models, and posters of magical lay line observations and references on mana manipulation.

"You don't really think anything of this do you?" Terran asked. Alduin is just a dragon. Surely he can die just like one."

Earl shook his head. "Alduin is all but invincible. It is said that can only be defeated by somepony of a chosen few."

Terran arched his brow, and spread his wings for dramatic effect. "Oh thanks. You make me feel like one in a million."

"Of course, you'd still have to defeat Alduin. It won't be as easy as you think."

"I bet it's easier than it sounds." Tulip said. "Did you see the way he retreated? Twice! I think he's scared of you."

"I have no doubt Alduin is in fear of me." Terran replied. "Weather or not he is right to be afraid of one such as myself, is another matter entirely. Alduin does, however, seem to recognize that I no clue as to the speech of his kind."

"Well that's where I come in." Tulip suggested. "We wyverns, after all, have speak in a similar language. Though a version of their language, I can make out almost anything the dragons are saying."

"A useful companion you have." Earl commented. "Almost makes me consider hiring an aid for my classes. Almost."

"What should we do from here, then." Terran asked.

"Well, I would suggest going back to this Starlight Glimmer you spoke of." Earl said, enthusiastically. "Perhaps she can decipher the meaning between the map, and the dragon burial site."

"That reminds me," Terran said. "how did we not know about the dragon beneath our feet all this time?"

"To be fair," said Earl. "it really just looks like a large mound. Even our most enthused historians couldn't bother to dig it up. Which means that this is something the squires will want to investigate it right away."

"They'll also want to investigate that shouting, and why there is a big dragon skeleton in their backyard." Tulip observed. "And it was only about a minute or so before we walked right in. They're going to put two and two together."

Earl frowned. "They will ask questions, and there is no doubt the guild master will have some sort of task for you. I hate to say it, but you'll have to check in with the guild master."

...

The guild master, Torque the Inquisitive, was a dirty-red unicorn, wearing gray robes, as well as a twitchy expression as he always did. He never showed his cutie mark, but one could imagine that it had nothing to do with kind manners, as the first thing he said when Terran entered was "What in Tartarus' second sister took you so long! Is that a dragon!? What have you been up to!?"

"Wow." Tulip declared with an impressed look on her face. "Forget the confusion between dragon and wyvern. What's wrong with this guy's face? I've never seen anyone's eyes pop out like that."

"I don't know if you've noticed, Torque..." Terran started.

"That's Guild Master Torque the Inquisitive to you!"

"... I've been out, getting kidnapped by slavers, chased by red and black assassins, and getting my tail cremated by dragons. I don't have time for your self righteousness and paranoia!"

"Don't you take that tone with me." the guild master said, ignoring every other word. "You knew what you were signing up for when you came here. Weather you're eaten by chimera or impaled by manticores is not our problem. Your job is to identify valuable intelligence, and report back here. Anything else that happens is just a hazard that comes with the job."

"You sit up here, high on your throne." Terran said, daringly, with a hissing tone. "While the rest of us do all the real work. You want to know what goes on out there? See for yourself. There are dragons in the sky! And not only that, they're coming back to life!"

"You speak preposterous."

"I speak what I see. I can show you proof. There's a dead dragon that rose from the huge mound in our own back yard."

"Sounds like an unfortunate turn of events. But I do not see the problem."

"The problem..." Terran said. "is that I have wind shooting out of my mouth ten miles per second. You think killing a dragon is hard? Try being chased by the original alpha."

"Technically, we've chasing him." Tulip said matter of factly. Terran gave her a look that said this was not the time. Her lips sealed closed.

"The original alpha, you say?" Torque inquired. "Alduin, was it? If that's so, then there is a good chance he came back for a reason. I want you to find out what that reason is, and decide the fate of the original dragon lord."

"Decide his fate?" Terran asked, confused. "That doesn't sound like you at all. It's clear that Alduin wants to take over Equestria. He said as much to Princess Celestia."

"I presume there is a compromise." Torque said. "After all, we have no chance against him."

"He really doesn't know, does he?" Tulip wandered. "I thought word spreads quick to these guys."

"What is your pet talking about?" Torque asked.

"Alright, being called a dragon is one thing." Tulip said. "But pet? That's just insulting. I'm going to wait outside, before I decide to throw a rock at this guy."

Tulip exited the room, leaving the two ponies to sort this out.

"I'm the dah-gon dragonborn, you crazed fool!"

"You?" the guild master laughed. "Dragonborn? Ha! Perhaps the day I reveal my cutie mark! You expect me to believe that mumbo jumbo? Sure, why don't you tell me about the manticore and the cockatrice that kissed while you're at it! I don't care what you are... I gave you an assignment. Get it done! Go!"

...

Back at Twilight's castle, Starlight didn't seem too shocked at the revelation of dragons coming back to life. "Just what I thought." she said. "This dragon tablet seems to be a map of dragon burial sites."

"Wait wait wait." Terran interrupted. "You're telling me... that you knew about the dragon, and you didn't tell me?"

"I may have... had a sneaking suspicion." she said, grinning sheepishly. "But you're alive! That's what matters, right?" Terran rolled his eyes, displeased. "Okay, okay. I'll double your pay. Sound good?"

Terran sighed. "Sure."

"Here." Starlight said, handing Terran a bag of bits. It felt like a total of at least three hundred. "If you aren't busy, I do have another task for you."

"How did I know that was the next thing that would come out of your mouth?" Terran asked.

"It's possible that you predicted as much based on my body language." she answered. She then tilted her head and brought a hoof up to scratch it. "Or perhaps it's just mercenary instinct?"

Terran facehoofed. "It was rhetorical."

"Oh." Starlight said. "Right."

"Just... what do you want?"

"Okay, okay. So... there is this pony I think you should meet. They've been looking for someone like you."

"Like me?"

"Well, I don't mean to be blunt, but they said something about you being... Dragonborn?"

"Fair enough. Who are they?"

Starlight frowned. "They refused to tell me their name."

"Well then, now I'm doubly interested." Terran said. Did they at least say where they went?"

Starlight nodded. "Mount Everhoof, he said. That's where you'll meet him."

"You mean Mount HIGHEST FREAKIN PEAK IN EQUESTRIA!!!" Tulip interrupted. Starlight grinned sheepishly. She knew they wouldn't care for that answer.

Terran sighed. "I guess I'm going to Mount Everhoof."

...

To be continued...