The Lord Of Ragnarok

Chapter 31: Hearth’s Warming Part 1

Temple of Celestia Sol - Dining Hall - Twilight Sparkle‘s P.O.V.

The festive colors of red and green hung from the walls of the great dinning hall. I watched as candles floated in the air, spreading the soft light needed for a more cozy, and in my personal thoughts romantic, setting. It was hard to believe that it was already Hearths Warming. Occasionally Lord Mannulus would refer to it as a different name. Christmas, I believe it was, but the feeling was always the same.

Lord Mannulus would declare it to be a day of celebration, and on that day we would share gifts, talk about the various wonderful things we’ve experienced, and enjoy the company of one another. I honestly expected no less this day. Gifts were something that I’d had some problems with before. I had memories of focusing too hard on what somepony might want, and having a minor melt down. It wasn’t as though I had completely changed. I still felt the stirrings of worry. What would I get my beloved husband? What of my sister wives, my friends, the servants of the temple itself?

I felt an arm wrap around my waist, and a moment later I was pulled against a frame that I had come to know as well as my own. He smelled of ozone, sandalwood, and jasmin. The smells were connected to his magic, connected to the runes on his body, and it was something that tended to excite me. Worry, such as it was, was pushed back as I was held. The feeling of comfort, the feeling of love, was more than powerful enough to force whatever fears I had back away from my mind.

“Twilight,” he said, his voice sounding decidedly confident, “What’s troubling you?”

At the moment nothing was bothering me, but I would be lying if I said that nothing had bothered me at all. I sighed. I didn’t want to worry him, but I knew that I couldn’t just not answer. Oh, I could attempt to pretend everything was fine, but I understood that it wouldn’t work. It wouldn’t work because of how well he knew me. He understood me, and I loved him deeply and dearly.

“I don’t know what to get you for Hearth’s Warming.”

There was a slight chuckle, and I felt a little stab of irritation, “It’s not a laughing matter,” I said, hoping that the irritation was both present and would be ignored, “It’s a problem because I know that all of you will be getting me something.”

He kissed the back of my neck, his hands gently pressing into my stomach, and I found myself grinding gently against him. Despite being irritated I would certainly enjoy the moment. I certainly wouldn’t complain if he chose to disrobe me and take me. Since my time of joining the herd I had become fairly lewd. At times it put me at odds with my more academic side, or did until I needed to research ways to assist fertility. It was a little selfish of me, and I have to admit that it was one of the few times that I truly wanted to do something before my fellow sister wives. I had no doubt that a foal from any of would be loved equally between all of us, but I wanted to have the first one.

Part of me believed that would be the perfect Hearth’s Warming Gift, but even if I was with foal it would be months, multiple months, before I showed let alone gave birth. No, I needed something sooner, something more concrete, and I knew that he would help me. That was his way, but at the same time I didn’t want him to know what I would give him. I tried to think of someone else to ask, and a stray thought came to me. I could ask Discord. The idea seemed so simple, but at the same time it was frightening. Discord was chaos ponified, or personified, or… ugh, I wasn't sure how to state it.

Still his existence flew in the face of logic, but there was little doubt in my mind that he would have a very good idea of what Lord Mannulus may want for Hearth’s Warming. Of course I could ask one of the other supreme beings, but at the same time I was wary. Lady Clopmaniac was likely fornicating with Blackjack. Lady Trixieisagoddess was undoubtedly enjoying both Starlight Glimmer and Starlight’s pet. We were not talking to Lord Sombra, not since he hurt Rainbow, and the less said about Lordofthunder and Lightingshield the better.

I didn’t doubt for a moment that both of them were likely in various acts of debauchery, and with Lordofthunder he likely was doing something to Gin Rummy. That idea bothered me far more than I wanted to admit. While she was not my descendant, per say, she was the descendant of an alternate version of myself. The idea of it was bothering me in more ways that I wanted to admit. I couldn’t say much. Gin Rummy was older than I was, and yet from her perspective I was two centuries older than she was.

The entire thing made my head hurt. But at the same time I knew that the one thing that I really needed to do was discover what he would like. However, while he was willing to help me I would have my husband help me find presents for my sister wives, and for the rest of the servants of the temple. I felt Lord Mannulus’ hands move under the robes I wore, and a soft moan escaped me. I felt those hands moving on me, gently tickling me, causing me to squirm, and then just as suddenly he stopped. My eyes widened with disappointment. I couldn’t believe that he would so easily withdraw what I had wished for.

“Now, shall we discuss presents now that you are more relaxed?”

I closed my eyes, “Lord Mannulus, my love, you have awakened desire, and then you cruelly remove pleasure!”

He chuckled, “I have, and I will grant pleasure, after you’ve taken time to find what others want. Don’t try to obsess over it, but rather speak to the others. Find what their interests are, and go from there,” he said simply, “I truly believe that it would be the simplest way of finding what everyone would like.”

He smiled, “In addition, I plan on sharing the celebration outside of the Temple. I believe that it would do our protectorate good to be included,” he stated, “Plus it would give more options to finding gifts.”

I finally turned to face him, “But, the gifts made here are of better quality, are they not?”

He smiled at me, and I felt my heart swoon, “They are,” he replied, his voice casual and kind, “But, out there are things new to us. Perhaps they are of lesser quality, perhaps the same, we do not fully know. What we do know is that it would give us a chance to truly experience the world outside.”

I nodded, “I suppose, although there is the Hidden City,” I said, “Although Blackjack and Gin Rummy continue to refer to it as a stable.”

His smile was still sweet, “They do, and do not think badly of them for such,” he said, “They spent their lives, the bulk of them, in the Stable of their world. Our secondary base is a comfort because of what it is. It is why I have granted them both permission to live there exclusively.”

I looked into his eyes, “And that was exceptionally kind of you,” I replied, “To give them houses, to give them the chance to live there. I believe they wish to build futures there.”

He nodded, “They do,” he said, “And I know something that Blackjack desires. I dare not ask. It is within the power of myself to give, but I do not want to undo more of the delicate balance.”

The fact that there was a gift that Blackjack truly desired, but Lord Mannulus was unwilling to give meant that it would undo the balance he attempted to keep in check. True, he raised the dead, created new life, and often played with the thin line that separated the world of the living from the land of the dead. Yet, ultimately I knew that he tried his hardest to keep the balance as well as he could. It was part of what made him the great supreme one. He reigned above the others, and it was because he understood the delicate balance of harmony that had to be struck.

“My love,” I said softly, “What is it that you believe she would want?”

He looked into my eyes, “Morning Glory,” he said without hesitation, “She would want her special somepony brought back to her.”

I could see the conflict happening inside of him, “By bringing her here it would give us additional reinforcements, not to mention that she was a talented surgeon and doctor in her own right, but she would be a life brought back without another taken,” he said his voice eerily calm, “By unsettling the balance it cause problems. Before I connected with Obitus I had a basic understanding of how the balance existed, but now I can clearly see the reasons for its existence. I know that if the balance is destroyed that it could cause massive conquiences toward both the world of the living and the land of the dead.”

I watched him, “My love?”

He looked at me, “Consider what it would be like to have too many living at once. That the resources of a world were spread too thin, and slowly, but surely, those resources began to dwindle away. What was a surplus of lives begins to spin out of control. Death becomes rampant, and the over correction causes hundreds of thousands, if not millions, to die,” he said, his voice never raising, “And then once in the land of the dead those souls would be forced to wait, unable to know piece, until the keepers of the dead could finish fulfilling their duties.”

I looked at him, “And even one life out of balance would cause this?”

He smiled, “No, a single life out of balance wouldn’t cause a drastic overcorrection, but it would cause a correction. Harmony wants to exist,” he said, “And somewhere a being would perish to make room for the new soul here.”

That was more of the reason I understood. Lord Mannulus had no problem allowing beings to perish, but he didn’t look for needless death. Everything had to be connected to a design, a specific purpose, and if it did not follow the design then he did not needlessly slaughter. He wasn’t a mindless raider, a mindless ravenous beast, but instead a calculating stallion that understood the complex nature of the universe. In truth, he could possibly be capable of ruling the universe. I wondered if he would like such a gift.

It had been something we once considered. We had considered gifting him this world, and all of its treasures, to him. It was something we had talked about, and something we still wondered if he would accept. With Obitus as part of us it wouldn’t be that far out of the realm of possibility to gift him the entire universe. I believed that he would do well as the supreme ruler of all.

There was no doubt that he would ensure that everything was equal, that there was no true disturbances of the harmony of the universe, but then he would not be able to spend as much time with all of us, and that was something that I didn’t want. There was no denying that I could be selfish. I would freely admit that there are times in which I am very self centered. While I know that the universe would do well with a supreme ruler, such as my beloved Lord Mannulus, I would wilt without his loving presence.

But, to gift him this world would be different. A small smile crossed my lips. I doubted that we could do so for Hearth’s Warming this year, but next, it could be possible. We could ensure that the powers that rule over this world would bend their knees to him, and we could have them do so willingly. To see how much simpler their lives would be with him would be all that it would take. For them to see the safety and security that being with him would bring would surely take care of it all. I would express my desires to my fellow sister wives, and from there I believe it would merely be setting things into motion. I had no doubts that Rainbow Dash, Luna, and Solar Flare would want to do this for him. Obitus could be another issue, but I doubted it. She didn’t truly seem too concerned about the world of the living.

Oh, that wasn’t to say that she didn’t step in and attempt to help. She had done much to save those set upon by the raiders, and I understood that her doing so had potentially unset the balance. My eyes widened, life likely hadn’t caught up, and multiple raiders had died, it would be very possible that my beloved Lord Mannulus could give the gift he wanted.

“My love,” I said before I could contain myself no longer and I kissed him. He returned it, and for a moment we allowed our tongues to dance in one another’s mouths before I slowly broke the kiss, “My love, did not a large group of raiders die? And the scales of life and death haven’t truly balanced yet.”

His eyes widened in unexpected excitement, “Very true,” he said, his voice filled with glee, “I shall visit Discord. I believe that Obitus could do what is needed, but I have begun to work for a gift for the Lord of Chaos, and I have completed it.”

I studied him, “My love, Lord Mannulus, have you truly created him a body?”

He nodded, “Yes, but currently it won’t fully sustain him,” he said, his fingers gently stroking his chin, “The body is as powerful as I could make it with the limited supplies available to us. Unfortunately the bodies of the soldiers we killed were unsuitable for his level. It will allow him to experience things outside of Pinkie’s body, but as a sort of avatar or proxy. He’ll exist in both places, at least until I can create something more powerful.”

I felt some ease that Lord Mannulus was limiting Discord’s power in the new body, even if it was only for a moment, but I did wonder if he would truly release Discord with no restraints. At the moment Pinkie Pie was the gate that kept Discord at bay, and once he was released she disappeared to wherever it was that he had been. Of course, there was the chance that if he was provoked enough he would just escape anyway. And their shared body would be more than powerful enough for him to use in any way he saw fit.

I knew that if his avatar, as my beloved Lord Mannulus had called it, was weaker then he would be able to interact, and perhaps do some minor mischief, but all in all it would still be a way of limiting his abilities. Perhaps there would be a way of talking my darling husband into taking longer to grant Discord a stronger body. Or at least it seemed like it would be a better idea to do so.

Temple of Celestia Sol - Laboratory - An hour later - Mannulus’ P.O.V.

The body created lay breathing on the table. Making the body had been fairly easy, but at the same time I had to make it more resistant to magical energy and anything else that came with housing Discord. In the end the body that was lying on the table before me was nearly as perfect of a vessel as I could create with what I had. I looked at Pinkie who studied the body and nervously shifted.

“So, this is gonna be Discord’s new body?”

I grinned at her, “Not exactly,” I said as I neared her, “Discord himself is simply too powerful to be housed in it. I’ve done much to make it as suitable as possible, but ultimately it has limitations that I am unable to overcome. Still, it will give him the chance to interact with the world at large while you are still out.”

Her nervous expression became jubilant and I could see the brightness in her crystal blue eyes. She practically danced on her hooves, “So my brother will be able to exist outside of me while I’m here?!”

I had to adjust myself a bit. Like everyone else in the temple I had been a brony before coming here, and like everyone else I knew the canon of the show itself backwards and forwards. I had to remember that Cosmic had altered Pinkie’s backstory to make Discord sort of a sibling to her. It explained why he was able to coexist inside of her so easily. It also gave reason to her physic breaking abilities. She stopped dancing for a moment, and I could see a sort of plaid colored energy seeping out of her. It rolled across the floor like tiny rubber beads and each of them rolled into the open mouth of the body. For a moment nothing happened, and then a hand shot up snapped two fingers.

The effect was a table, tea set, Fluttershy, who was currently nude and confused, Angel bunny, and several singing candles that were dancing across the table itself.

“Mmmm, I see what you mean.”

I could hear Discord’s voice from the body as it sat up. I’d made the body a Pegasus, believing that it would suit him, but he altered it further creating a horn that stuck out from the forehead, and then curled around like a short crazy straw. Looking at it I was in awe at how quickly he had altered his new shell. He looked at the body for a moment.

“Male, thank you for that, fairly magic resistant, and able to hold about forty percent of my magnificence. I must congratulate you!” he exclaimed before hopping to his hooves and moving toward me, “I was worried that you wouldn’t even try, and yet here you not only tried, but most succeeded!”

He moved a bit, staggered, and righted himself, “Well, this having equal legs will take time to get used to.”

I watched as he moved toward Fluttershy, “Oh Tea, how thoughtful.”

“Ummm, Discord,” Fluttershy said timidly, “I’m feeling really exposed, and I would really like to go back and get my clothes.”

A snap of fingers and she was gone, along with the table and tea, “Well, now I have so much to do, but I believe you want help, right?”

I nodded, “I do, it would be similar as last time.”

He nodded, “Ah, another trip to the wasteland is it?”

I grinned, and it was far too obvious. I had a feeling that he would most likely guess what it was that I was going to do. Discord was like that. He had a precognitive ability that bordered on omniessence. Plus, it didn’t hurt that I had told him that we would be doing something similar to last time. That in and of itself spoke volumes about what it was that we would be doing.

His new body moved toward Pinkie Pie, and I watched as the two hugged. It was odd to see it happening. It was simply a matter of two siblings hugging one another. Shortly afterward the two split apart, and suddenly the new body began to go slack. A plaid mist came from its nostrils, and Pinkie breathed it in. A moment later she opened her mouth and an eagle claw reached out of it. I watched as the transformation began, and as the seconds ticked by Pinkie was replaced by Discord. The avatar of Chaos stood before me, his smile both sinister and endearing at the same time.

“Now, shall we?”

Reaching out he clawed the open air creating a hole in the very fabric of space and time. I looked through it, and I saw what looked like a small grave near a chapel in a small town. I stepped through behind him and once again I was changed into what appeared to be a pony completely.

Three fillies, two zebra and a pony, stood off to the side. I could hear them discussing the idea of traveling to zebrafrica, discussing the things that they would discover. I listened to them, but studied the graves before me. The last thing I needed was to alter this universe too much. I reached out with my magic, using it to sense the bodies buried, and slowly I found the one I was looking for. I couldn’t take the entire body with me, not without raising suspicion, but instead I mentally focused on her wing.

Picturing it so perfectly in my mind I used my magic to cut it, and then pull it up through the ground. A moment later it appeared before me, and I focused on it. Like with Gin Rummy I was taken to a place that looked as if it were simply made of stars. I could see the outline of Morning Glory, and there were two other forms. I realized that I was seeing her foals, the ones she had with P21. I could see his outline, further out, and I knew that it would be a simple matter of bringing him as well.

Yet, I knew that I wanted to leave him. Scotch Tape would eventually grow old, die, and when that happened she would be reunited with her father. Making up my mind I focused on Morning Glory, her two foals and I neared her.

“Morning,” I said, my voice low, “Do you want to see Blackjack?”

She looked toward me, “Blackjack? Yes! Oh, but what about my little ones?”

I smiled, “Come with me, and I will ensure that they will be born, of your flesh, just as they should have been.”

She studied me for a moment, a sort of uncertainty filled her eyes, and then I saw another. She too was a Pegasus, and she drifted close to where Morning Glory was. The Pegasus in question looked as if she was put together like a patchwork quilt. All of her whole, but there were parts of her that looked older. The first thing that I truly noticed was how much like Morning Glory she looked.

Morning Glory took the two unborn foals, her foals, and pulled her close, deciding to move closer to me, and further away from the pegasus mare. The patchwork mare seemed to weep, stretching out her wings, her forelegs, pleading through silent words for forgiveness, and instead something pulled her. A sort of current grabbed her, yanking her away, back to where she had swam from. Having watched the mare I knew who she was. I enjoyed Project Horizons, and I’d read it a few times. Although personally I enjoyed Pink Eyes and the original Fallout Equestria more.

Still, I knew Dawn, and that was what confused me. Cyberponies didn’t die. As long as their cybernetic bodies held out they would live. Technically Blackjack would have lived as long as her body held out, and it only quit because she had ripped her own heart out to beat the fallen star. Dawn should have lived forever. She should have had the ability to last through the ages, a reminder to all that saw her of the great folly of those that worshiped the Hoofington Core. I looked at Morning Glory who looked at me.

“Will you allow her to come with us?”

I looked toward the mare, and I could see the pleading look on her face. The ache and need she had to reconnect.

“Do you want her to?”

Morning Glory’s features were odd. She looked like herself, although she was glowing as if she was a star itself. Then again, I remembered that those that died in Hoofington more or less were connected to the stars. They became stars, and they looked down upon Equestria with fond memories. They weren’t evil, not really, but many were disconnected from the world they had been part of.

“Only if you wish for her to come with us,” I said softly, “and even then I would need to find a way to connect to her. It would mean going to the core, finding her body, and removing a piece of it that was biological.”

She shuttered, “No, nothing lasts in the core, it all liquifies,” she flittered both wings, “I’d lose my wing again, huh?”

I laughed, “No,” I replied, “You would have it, and you would be whole.”

Her eyes shined like the sun, “I’d have my wings?!”

I nodded, “Yes, you would have your wings. Although, it would it be up to you to keep them.”

She hugged the two foals, “I want to keep them, I want to go back, I want to be with Blackjack, and I want my foals to be cared for.”

I grinned, “That can be arranged,” I said before gesturing around us, “If I remove you from here, there is no coming back. Once you are gone, you are gone. Are you okay with that? There will be no returning here, no coming back to this place. You will be separated from your family, all of them, for the rest of time.”

She looked at me, and she bit her lip, “Yes, I’m okay with that.”

I nodded, took her foreleg, and she held onto the two souls she had with her. In an instant I opened my eyes, and I felt the souls as I looked at Discord. He grinned, ripped open the rift and we stepped back through. Once again I watched as he allowed Pinkie Pie to resume her place, only for her to open her mouth while rubbery teal beads flooded from her eyes. He was Chaos, and I shouldn’t have tried to guess how things would progress with him.

I walked toward the vats and I placed the wing into one. Using the spells I’d used when creating the body for Gin Rummy I created Morning Glory’s body. Once again I focused as I created it, and I began to do something that was theory only. She had been pregnant with P21’s child. I didn’t have any of P21’s bodily fluids, so I couldn’t rip his DNA from that. Instead I had to improvise. I pricked my own finger, bringing blood, and focused on a drop.

There were medical spells to change tribes, color, and even build when it came to equis. I began to use those spells, altering the DNA as much as I could. Making the outcome more toward a blue stallion, small in stature, Earth Pony, black mane and tail, intelligent, with a slightly addictive genetic tendency, and I used that. The body was growing already, and I could see the skeletal outline of Morning Glory’s body. I focused near where her womb would be, and I began helping the spell speed up some. Nerve endings began to form, muscle stretched over the bones, and her womb was mostly formed. I used the altered blood, used one of her genomes, and began creating a set of twins.

Within moments they were formed, barely a month along, and I stumbled. I felt hands on my shoulders, and I heard a chuckle.

“And here I didn’t think that you enjoyed Chaos,” Discord chuckled as he helped me, “But in one moment you’ve created a variable powder keg of chaos that will explode out with all ease.”

I laughed, knowing that he was right, “I have, and I am certain that I will pay for it, but for the time being, I believe that I have done well.”

He laughed, “Yes, I believe that you have. Don’t worry I won’t say a word. This will be a surprise to your brides, and I believe that it shall be enjoyed with popcorn.”

Author's Note

(AN: It's Alive! Alive! Alive! Hello everyone. So, yes, the story is still very much alive. I've been working my IRL job, purchasing a new home, moving, and dealing with using a mobile hotspot while our real internet is being sorted out. You know, first world problems. That said, I want to thank everyone that's been reading.

I write far more than just fanfiction, and part of the reason I haven't been exceptionally active, besides all of the other 'fore mentioned reasons, is because I have been working on my original fiction. Still, I'm happy to say that I will be updating everything. It will take a while, and my updates may come in rushes, or trickles, but they will come.

Again, I want to thank every single person that has read and favorited this. All of you rock.