Shadow Play

The frozen wastes before the two travelers slowly began to morph and change as they carried on their westward trek. Before them, the ice choked world let out into a vast area of unfrozen stone that shone in the midnight. The winds held still as the two of them marched on, entering the warmed land.

About them rose plumes of steam from geysers and the ever rising heat from deep crags that opened up deeper into the dying world that tried its best to continue on living. The world was warmed, if not for only the power of the earth itself. The invisible trail they followed led them deeper and deeper into this place, a place that otherwise might've made for a wonderful spot to settle.

The Interloper and his follower opened the clasps on their enchanted furs, releasing the warming bubble they projected around their wearers as they marched deeper. It was quiet, save for the burbling pools of liquid water and jets of active geysers about them. Then again, perhaps it was too quiet.

Suddenly a bipedal form broke through the gloomy fog of the place and stared them down. It wore nothing on its scaled hide - and if that were not enough to tell the two of them what they looked on, the brief flicker of flame that shot from its maw gave them all the understanding they needed.

"You enter the land of the Dragons, ponies." It said in its raspy voice, looking between the two of them. "What business have you here?" He - if it was a he - stood a good deal taller than the ponies. The Interloper's follower, being given to such knowledge, placed the dragon at a young age of fifty years, possibly even as old as eighty. He still had his bipedal form, after all, so he certainly had yet to reach full maturity in the very least.

"We are but travelers looking to pass through." The Interloper replied calmly. "We have no intention on causing harm or any damage. We merely are traveling westward towards the Celestial Plains. We intend to take the Gutto Pass across with the ultimate goal of the Shining City." The young dragon seemed to consider this for a moment.

"Most take the long way around, pony." He noted severely, eyeing the two of them suspiciously.

"Most are alright with stopping in Griffonstone to wait out the Maelstrom. We rather wait it out after we complete our crossing." The Interloper explained. "Griffonstone is not well known for its hospitality to ponies who aren't merchants or diplomats - and even then. We'd rather be in territory that doesn't perceive us as hostile or actively try to take advantage of us while we wait for weeks on end for the weather to clear enough to move on." This gave the young dragon some pause, and after a moment, he nodded slowly.

"I see your dilemma. I will have to bring you before the Dragon Lord, though. Only the Dragon Lord can determine if you are true and so are allowed to pass through our lands unhindered." The dragon said eventually. "Follow me, unless you wish to burn alive, ponies."

Presented with no options beyond this one, the two of them followed after their guide. Expertly, the dragon led them through a path that wound carefully around the dangerous areas, which became far more plentiful as they drew closer to the heart of the land of the Dragons.

The fields that were once so monotonously covered in white powder now stretched on before them as varied tones of black and brown with dashes of red and orange. It was both reprieve and a terror to them as they weaved their way through in the dragon's footsteps.

Eventually, the young dragon stopped at the mouth of a cave that sat on the side of a rising volcano's slope and turned to the two ponies. "You must enter here. The way is narrow, but safe. The Dragon Lord will judge you, deciding whether you may carry on through our lands or must take another way."

"We will do our best to abide by his judgement and not abuse the confidence you showed us by leading us this far." The Interloper said with a short bow to the dragon. The dragon snorted contemptuously and spread his wings, taking off to the heavens with a few strong beats of his leathery appendages. Both ponies watched in awe as the dragon flew away for a few moments before finally returning to their sense. Gathering their courage as best they could, they turned to the cave and entered.

The path was, indeed, quite narrow. It was barely wide enough for them to pass through without turning sideways. It showed why the dragons likely used the higher entrance to the main area. This fissure in the rock was likely to accommodate peoples who weren't of the sort that could survive plunging through the rising plume of an active volcano.

Eventually, after squeezing through a few tight spots, the two of them broke into the open chamber. The wide expanse of the natural cavity before them held their awe for several moments as they gazed upon its beauty, with each sight either terrific or terrible.

Sparkling, untouched gems glittered tantalizingly from the walls - as if asking to be plucked like ripe fruits. Scores of dragons of all shapes and size lounged around the cavern on the higher levels, and as one, leered down towards the ponies with gazes that promised worlds of undiscovered pain should they be provoked - and, perhaps, even if they weren't.

The narrow path behind them that had very little in the way of turns suddenly felt far more insidious than it had a few moments prior.

"Magnificent, isn't it?" A voice called out from the other side of the chamber. There, broad chested and slightly shorter than the other dragon that had led them here, sat a young dragonling. upon a stone chair - it might've once been described as a throne, but the years had not been kind to it, and now it was little more than a glorified stool.

"It's been a while since I've entertained some ponies in my home. Tell me, what brings you out here?" The dragon said in a youthfully smooth voice. The two ponies slowly lowered their hoods and looked at each other with open skepticism before looking back to the dragon who was no older than his early forties, and more the likely in his mid-thirties - exceptionally young for a dragon.

His scales were a dull purple that was shading closer to lavender, and his long, curved spines that ran from the crest of his head down to his tail were a pale green. His wings, many times an indicator of age for a dragon, were relatively small for a dragon - hammering home how young he truly was. On the whole, this dragon was quite the odd one to find in such a position of authority.

"Are you the Dragon Lord?" The Interloper asked in a clear voice. "It's just that I was made to believe the Dragon Lord was a dragoness by the name of Ember." The dragon paused, a moment of silence passing as the two ponies and the many dragons silently took stock of the other.

"I, indeed, am the Dragon Lord. You are also right, though, but she is no longer with us, and so left it to me to guide our people." The dragon said, taking up his staff that had sat by the side, as if an afterthought. It was most certainly the Bloodstone Scepter, and - by the lack of reaction of the host of dragons about them - this dragon was certainly the rightful wielder. Its gleam was dulled with age and the aura of magical power it once held seemed either gone or severely diminished. It was a shadow of its former self, much as the world was.

"I've introduced myself. Why not be so kind as to introduce yourselves?" He said, bouncing the staff against his open palm as he waited expectantly.

"I am known by many names, but most simply call me 'The Interloper'." The stallion said, his voice unwavering in the presence of a Dragon among Dragons.

"Mysterious fellow, then." The Dragon Lord smiled. "And how about you?" He said, turning to the Interloper's follower. "Don't tell me, The Wanderer? The Traveler? The... Passerby? How about," He held his hands up and then spread them in an arc, as if to present something truly remarkable, "the FOLLOWER!"

"N-no." She stammered, stepping a tad closer to the Dragon Lord. "My name is Evening Star. You wouldn't know me but... I... the pony that raised... the pony I call - or called - mother, I... I think she might be somepony you know." The Dragon Lord cocked his head slightly, regarding Evening Star carefully as she gathered up her courage. "Starlight Glimmer?" She offered hopefully. The Dragon Lord then paused. He seemed frozen on the spot for a moment or two, but then he nodded slowly.

"Starlight Glimmer... yes, I know her. Knew her." He gave a small grin, as if struck by a fond memory - or several. "She was quite the pony. Bet she still is if she's still kicking." The Dragon Lord looked back to Evening Star. "I doubt she told you much about me."

"I think she did." Evening Star smiled faintly. "The dragon that Dragon Lord Ember trusted the most. Possibly the smartest dragon according to mother. It's a pleasure to meet you, Dragon Lord Spike."

~ÞE END~