Dramatis Personae of the Pony Wars

Chapters

Solarflare, Queen of Power and Passion
Lady Sky, Alicorn Visionary
Shadowfeather, Justice in Iron Talons
Midnight, Princess of the Lumahina
Aqua, Watching from the Water
Gleaming Shield, Commoner's Paladin
Rising Dawn, Unbridled Intellect
Sevian, Forked Tongue
Skystorm, Revolutionary Equalist
Cobalt Crucible, Stability of Stone
Khyten Lamellar, Reluctant Kingslayer
Moonlight, Devourer of Souls
Ormyryx, Fabled Pricetaker
Calamity, Destruction Incarnate

Solarflare, Queen of Power and Passion

Solarflare is Queen of the Sunbound Kingdom, an Alicorn, and one of the most powerful beings alive. Friendly and energetic, she is driven by her vibrant emotions and passions. When she believes that she is betrayed by her friends, her fury is equally as potent. If she can learn to control her burning anger, she could become one of the greatest leaders the Sunbound Kingdom has ever seen.

“I almost can’t believe they betrayed us… that they betrayed me! I’ll reduce them to cinders for it!”

In the mountain fortress-city of Arondight, not far from the border, were born to a lesser noble family two unicorn sisters. As a filly, Solarflare was energetic and full of life, making friends easily and only occasionally getting herself in trouble. In her childhood, as in her later life, she threw herself at whatever she was doing with a fiery passion and seemingly endless energy. Contrasting somewhat was her younger sister, Rising Dawn, who was more thoughtful and careful. It was their first tutors who discovered both had potential with magic, Solarflare due to the significant energy she seemed able to channel, and Rising Dawn showed promise far beyond what her years would suggest.

The two of them were sent off to be taught at the most prestigious magical academy in the Sunbound Kingdom, the Luminous Tower. There Solarflare proved to be among the best students of magic, throwing herself into her projects with enthusiasm. She was able to harness nexus powers in a greater capacity than even many of her teachers. Using it came effortlessly to her and earned her respect and friends among the other students, all of which she cherished. While her younger sister proved to be of only middling ability when it came to magic, Rising Dawn quickly showed she was nearly prodigally intelligent in most other matters. Expectations for her were high, but nothing prepared her for a visit from the most unexpected source.

Only in her dreams had she ever believed she would meet an Alicorn, so it was quite a shock when one flew into the dining hall and landed at her table. It was Lady Sky, the oracle, come to give her advice and guidance. She had heard tales of the visionary before and expected she would give her inscrutable advice or unclear warnings. Instead, Lady Sky shared a reasonably clear message with Solarflare. Out in the wilderness was the ruins of an ancient civilization, and within, she would find the key to her destiny. Before she left, she also warned of a coming calamity but was evasive on what that was or when it would arrive. Then she was gone, as suddenly as she had come.

The visitation by the oracle immediately made Solarflare an instant celebrity throughout the academy and beyond. The conversation had been overheard by numerous other students; there was no hiding what had been said. Several noble families offered to fund an expedition, but Solarflare refused, wanting to explore the ruins on her own. When asked why she said it would be more fun. So she packed her things and set out, following Lady Sky’s directions to the ruins.

Deep beneath the rubble of a forgotten palace, she found a sealed chamber. Thrust into the stone at the center of an arcane circle was a shaft of golden metal. Etched into the stone was written in a dead language, the name of the weapon, the Sacred Spear Solangon. Powerful magics were flowing through it; she could feel the energy in her skin even from a distance. It drew her forward, and she knew this must be what Lady Sky had told her of. The moment she touched the spear, incredible energy shot through her. A lesser Unicorn would have been utterly destroyed by it. Indeed, no Unicorn could survive that power flowing into her, so she became something more.

When the experience had ended, she was a Unicorn no longer. Solarflare had transformed into an Alicorn, her powers bound directly to one of the Nexus of magic. Ordinary magic felt somehow smaller to her now, and she could channel virtually unlimited power into her spells. Her emotional state, already volatile, grew even more intense. She took the spear and returned home, her new body a surprise to everyone.

News of her transformation rapidly reached the ears of Good King Halo, who came to meet with her. The King was impressed with Solarflare and Rising Dawn, offering both of them a place in his court. Although they had not technically completed their training at the Luminous Tower, they took his offer; Rising Dawn’s knowledge was already past what she felt she could learn, and Solarflare was powerful beyond any other student by a wide margin. The change in pace was drastic, the politics of the court surprising both of them. Solarflare drew most of the attention, and her volatile temperament made her few friends among those in powerful positions even if she did earn their respect.

It wasn’t long before they were both invited to join the King’s delegation at the Conclave, to meet with the Lumahina Empire’s rulers. The Lumahinan were quite impressed with Solarflare, and she and Rising Dawn got the chance to speak with both Unicorn Princesses Midnight and Moonlight. The four mares found they had much in common and quickly became friends. Over the next few Conclaves, the four would spend a great deal of time together, and it was widely thought this would help stabilize the relationship between the two nations.

At a later Conclave, a new face joined the Lumahina delegates. A younger scholar stallion named Dusk. Unlike most of the others who were interested in Solarflare’s Alicorn form, he wasn’t interested in how powerful she was or what magic she could perform, but instead how it had changed her personally from before. She found he was excellent company, and what time that wasn’t spent in negotiations or in the games she spent with him. He turned out to be intelligent and insightful but utterly uninterested in politics or warfare. He was at the Conclave to ask for permission from the Sunbound Kingdom to cross the border and explore old ruins. Solarflare had no difficulty convincing Good King Halo to allow this.

Dusk, although he was smart, was not much to speak of in terms of physical or magical ability and asked for an escort on his adventure. Worried for her new friend, and without any pressing matters of her own, Solarflare took the season off and went with him. They spent the summer exploring the ancient cities and ruined castles across the Kingdom, often speaking long into the night. They compared old myths and legends, trying to find a common origin to the two nations’ disparate cultures. The two grew very close during that summer, and when Dusk had to return home, he promised to stay in touch.

This would be a pattern for the next few years; during the summer, Dusk would spend in the Sunbound Kingdom with Solarflare, and during the winter, he would spend with the other scholars in the Lumahina Empire. One year, shortly before the spring Conclave, a message was delivered to Solarflare, urging that Dusk needed to speak with her about something important he had uncovered and that she needed to be at this upcoming Conclave. Unfortunately, they never got the chance to meet there.

Solarflare was conversing with the King when suddenly their encampment came under attack by soldiers wearing Lumahina armor. Solarflare engaged them, but several snuck past her into the King’s pavilion. She got inside just in time to see one drive a knife through Good King Halo’s chest. Driven into a deep rage, she unleashed her most potent magic, most of the assassins disintegrating instantly. If any escaped, she didn’t see them.

Solarflare immediately took control of the Sunbound forces. Skystorm, one of the Sunbound nobles, encouraged her to take the fight to the Lumahinan delegation, and she flew to engage them. Princess Midnight claimed innocence, that they had been attacked by Sunbound knights and were defending themselves. Enraged beyond reason, Solarflare was about to destroy them when she was interrupted by the arrival of a new Alicorn. It was Princess Moonlight, wielding powers unlike any Solarflare had seen before. The delay gave the other Lumahina Princess time to escape with most of her group.

The Sunbound collected their dead and withdrew back to friendly territory. Bereft of leadership, Solarflare took control. She had Rising Dawn begin organizing defenses on the border and calling up new troops. The Elector nobles protested, claiming she had no authority to make these decisions, no new monarch had been crowned. Fuming that this was no time to play politics, she demanded they choose someone to lead. While it took weeks to gather the Elector nobles, Solarflare continued to behave as though she were the new queen.

Even once the Electors had been gathered, they still bickered and argued over who was the new Monarch. Good King Halo had never officially endorsed anypony to be his heir. After weeks of inaction, Solarflare intruded on them and demanded they make their choice; reports showed that Lumahina armies were gathering, there was no more time to play political games. Given the situation, and knowing just how powerful Solarflare was, few were surprised when the Electors reluctantly raised her as the new Monarch.

Now crowned Queen, Soalrflare finally had the authority to raise her army and moved the capital to her childhood home of the mountain fortress city, Arondight. Cooler heads tried to convince her to speak with the Princesses of the Lumahina; perhaps there was still a way to avoid open war. Not wanting to make war on her friends, she agreed but commanded that the border forts be reinforced, and new soldiers brought up. She would not leave the border undefended.

The next Conclave was tense. Each side brought many more honor guard than before, and each was convinced the other was responsible for the attack. Solarflare looked for her friend among the other Lumahina delegates, but he was nowhere to be found. Only Princess Midnight was present. Promising no violence today, she was able to have a private conversation with the Princess. Midnight seemed older now, more severe and terse. When Solarflare asked where Moonlight and Dusk were, she was told Moonlight had been exiled for illegal magic and that Dusk was killed in the attack on the Conclave. The news her beloved friend was dead stuck her hard, and she nearly flew into a rage. Knowing the strange magic the Lumahina possessed, including returning the dead to life, she demanded they resurrect both him and King Halo. Midnight declined, and Solarflare stormed out.

Neither side was willing to speak in good faith with the other by now. Keeping her promise there would be no violence at the Conclave, Solarflare pulled the Sunbound out of negotiations and withdrew back to the new capital, in peace if not in friendship. Despondent and grieving for Dusk, she spoke to few for days. But then the Twilight Lands suddenly grew wild. A mysterious mist flowed over the valleys, monsters were seen in greater numbers than ever before, and the ways through the dark forests became shrouded by illusions. A few who managed to cross the now dangerous wilds told of a spell cast by a Princess of the Lumahina was somehow responsible for the changes.

It was clear now that the Lumahina were preparing for open warfare. Solarflare gave Rising Dawn the responsibility of chief strategist and ordered her to ready the armies. War was coming to the Ponies of the Sunbound Kingdom, and Solarflare would be prepared for it.

Lady Sky, Alicorn Visionary

Lady Sky is the Alicorn of the heavens, able to track the patterns of history in the stars to predict the future. In conversation she is both blunt and difficult to understand, having no patience for pleasantries and is often inscrutable or distracted. If you can get her attention, she can tell you much of your possible fates. Spending all her time checking data and observing the weaves of time has left her quite lonely, she has no real friends. Time waits for no pony, not even her, and the destiny of the world is at stake.

“The fate of nations might hinge on the smallest of actions, such as having mango for lunch instead of salad.”

The pony who would become the Alicorn, Lady Sky, was born as a simple Pegasus. From a young age she was obsessed with flying and the high clouds. She kept trying to fly higher and farther, pushing herself to her limits, but she was never able to reach as high as she wanted. After years of studying wind currents and weather patterns and with the aid of an enchanted belt said to grant limitless endurance, she flew higher than she ever thought possible. For days she flew, higher and higher, until she was able to reach out and touch what she thought was a star, known as the Unblinking Eye.

In that moment her mind opened to the infinite powers of the Heavens Nexus, and she saw the entirety of the indescribable patterns of the motions of the stars and the history they foretold. It nearly broke her, but in the endless circles and constellations shifting on cosmic scales she saw a convergence in the flow time. The indescribable threads of history converged on that point, but very few would survive to begin anew.

Surviving her encounter with the star, she was transformed into an Alicorn, and knew she would have to use the knowledge of the stellar pattens of possible futures to guide the races away from that fated end. Using her newfound powers she constructed an immense observatory made of crystallized snow and starlight, filled with large glass lenses, intricate planetaria, complex calculation machines, and cloudformed starcharts, and began endlessly searching the heavens for the patterns of fate that would turn history away from that cataclysmic end.

Ever since, she and her observatory have been seen from time to time passing over the world so far below. To those on the surface her purpose is unknown. Every now and then she would descend and direct some individual on a course of action. Sometimes an inscrutable design to guide them for the rest of their lives, and sometimes as seemingly insignificant as instructing them to stand a few strides to the side.

So great is her challenge that she she rarely sleeps or eats, devoting almost her entire being to tracking comets and moons and nearly imperceptible stars in her quest to prevent the end of history. Few ever meet her, as only the strongest of Pegasus can ever hope to reach her observatory before it moves away under the astral winds so close to the top of the sky. The lives and desires and petty squabbles of the individuals on the surface do not concern her, only the greater pattern matters.

With the great nations of the world about to head into war, fate is fluctuating. More so than ever before, Lady Sky must descend to the surface to nudge history along the correct path. At any given conflict, she might aid one side or another, but none should expect her aid to last forever.

Author's Note

Remember the scene from "It's about time" where Twilight is madly trying to observe everything at once? She's like that, all the time, for two centuries.

Shadowfeather, Justice in Iron Talons

Shadowfeather has all the skills of an assassin and all the morality of a paladin. As a Griffon raised among Changelings he had to learn to be clever and patient, both traits he has in abundance. To those who don’t know him personally, he can come across as severe. Gentle with the innocent and tolerant of honest mistakes, yet unyielding when strength is required.

“Justice must be done for crimes that have been committed. If that means striking down my own father, so be it.”

Shadowfeather never knew the Griffons who hatched him. He spent his first few years among other hatchlings without parents, without even a name, until he was adopted and taken in by a changeling named Khyten Lamellar. His new father raised him on stories of a brave hero sneaking through hostile lands and evil palaces to bring justice to evildoers. At least, that’s how he understood the tales he was told. Khyten taught him how to behave, the meaning behind right and wrong, and to take responsibility for his actions.

Shadowfeather took it all to heart, quietly and personally vowing to uphold justice. Once he was old enough to join the guilds, he applied to both the infiltrators and the defenders. As a Griffon, he was unable to shapeshift, although he was found to be quite adept at the other aspects of stealth and combat. He also proved to be quite capable of navigating the sometimes labyrinthine loyalties and politics of the Changeling guilds and made many friends and allies.

One day, as an adult, he visited his father and found him deep in thought. Though the older changeling had years of hiding his emotions, Shadowfeather could sense he was worried about something. Khyten was evasive about what it was, and Shadowfeather tried to put it aside, assuming his father would tell him if it were important. That was the last time Shadowfeather saw his father.

Although he looked for him, Shadowfeather couldn’t find out where he had gone, and none of the other guild members he asked knew either. He even petitioned the Quorum for help finding Khyten, but they rejected his request. The disappearance of his father rattled him, but he knew there must have been a good reason. That’s what he assumed, trying to go on with his life.

Several months later, he heard about the attack on the conclave. King Halo was dead, the Sunbound and Lumahina were already gearing up for what would undoubtedly be war. That was when the rumors began; Khyten had been dis-commendated and banished by the Quorum. Worse, the rumors claimed he was involved in the assassination of the king.

Shocked to his core than his father could do such a thing, Shadowfeather was enraged. He needed to know what really happened and gathered what information he could find, costing him favors and debts along the way. If it were true, and his father had betrayed the changelings, then he would have to be brought back to face his crimes. If the rumors were all lies, then he would have to prove his father’s innocence. Either way, Shadowfeather knew he couldn’t stay home any longer. He packed his gear and weapons and set out towards the pony nations, determined to find the truth.

Finding Khyten lamellar would prove difficult, the changeling had a lifetime of experience over Shadowfeather as an infiltrator. He knew his only recourse would be to hire his services to one side or the other to find rumors and traces of the experienced assassin. Eventually, he would discover the truth, even if he would have to fight for it.

Midnight, Princess of the Lumahina

Midnight is the ruling Unicorn Princess of the Lumahina Empire. Attentive and caring towards her people, she wants nothing less than to see the quality of life improve for all citizens. Unfortunately, she is held back by the politics of the Lumahina court and is significantly less in control than she thought. Being forced by the law to exile her sister for the use of forbidden magic is her greatest sorrow.

“My people are my strength in these dire times. I pray they can forgive me for being unable to save them all.”

Second-born to the ruling Prince and Princess of the Lumahina Empire, Midnight had a surprisingly quiet childhood. Her older sister, Moonlight, got all the attention and extra lectures on politics and leadership. Not wanting to get into trouble as Moonlight sometimes did, she stayed inside the palace rather than exploring the city. She enjoyed the solitude at first but soon realized there was no one around her age to talk to.

One day, after a childish squabble with her sister, she ran to the great tree to be alone. But she found she wasn’t the only pony there; there was another pony in the temple inside the tree, whose ordinary appearance belied their incredible age. It was one of the ancient members of the Immortal Council, the monarchs of the Lumahina Empire who had retired from politics and now only provided advice. They shared a conversation about humility and the nature of duty. Although she was too young to really understand it at the time, the words they shared would stay with her for a very long time.

She was thinking about it when she ran into Moonlight and a young colt exploring where no common pony belonged. Her argument with Moonlight still bothering her, she considered telling on them. But the commoner, Dusk, was polite and straightforward and only wanted to see the great tree. Midnight thought back to her conversation with the Immortal and realized no harm was being done. So she let them go, and with her quarrel with Moonlight forgotten, she even joined them in the future. Even trying to keep a formal distance from Dusk, she found he was a refreshingly new perspective from the adult ponies around her. He got her to think about the lives of the ordinary pony in a way her tutors had not.

Now older, she was surprised when her parents asked her to join the delegation to the Conclaves. They felt it would be good for her to learn how the nation handled diplomacy with the Sunbound Kingdom. This was the first time she had left the capital and watched the countryside go by with rapt attention. That first year she was so enamored with merely being outside the city that she didn’t see the squalid conditions most ponies lived in.

To her, the Sunbound Kingdom diplomats felt brutish and blunt, and it took her several years before she really understood how different the two cultures were. The ones who opened her eyes the most were the young Alicorn Solarflare and her sister, Rising Dawn. Solarflare was almost aggressively friendly, and Rising Dawn was a source of thought-provoking conversation. It was so interesting that the fall after first meeting them Midnight asked to be part of the delegation for another chance to talk.

Over the next years, she stayed in as close contact as possible, although the only formal means of communication were the Conclaves themselves. Whenever she could, she would speak with Rising Dawn about politics, mathematics, astronomy, or a hundred other topics. During one such conversation, Midnight asked how the common ponies lived in the Sunbound Kingdom. Rising Dawn’s answer surprised her; few Sunbound citizens lived in abject poverty, and those with promise and ability could easily find a place in society. Midnight thought about this and compared it to the older system of the Lumahina, which she had come to see on her journeys to the Conclave as rigid and unforgiving.

Then came the summer when the ruling Prince and Princess decided to retire. Midnight was preparing to congratulate Moonlight when they were both called before their parents. To Midnight’s great surprise, she was the one they choose to crown as heir. It was easy to see the shock on her older sister’s face, and she promised Moonlight that she would always be a friend and adviser to her. The promise was meant sincerely, but even as she spoke it, she could tell it was hollow somehow. Things could never be the same as when they were young.

She privately asked why it was her they chose. It turns out that Moonlight’s tendency to play with commoners and to disregard traditions so blatantly had soured her as a suitable heir. Midnight’s gentler temperament and willingness to listen to others marked her as the superior choice. Sensing something else behind the decision, which felt weak, she chose to keep her mouth shut until she could figure out what it was. Having not received the same lessons on politics and leadership as Moonlight had, she had much to learn and was kept quite busy in the next months.

The next year she was deemed ready, and on the winter solstice was crowned as ruling Princess of the Lumahina Empire. Only after the coronation that she was formally introduced to her most senior advisers. Inside the most secure chamber in the palace, she was brought to a pony she hadn’t seen since childhood, the Immortal from the temple so long ago. Along with the other previous monarchs, he would advise her on the proper way to lead the Empire from now on.

Several years later, she returned to the Conclave to sign a treaty with old King Halo to ensure peace between the two nations. Unfortunately, this was to be the last proper Conclave. Dusk had asked her to meet him and several others in the forest, but he wouldn’t say why, and she couldn’t justify running off to play anymore. Moonlight had disappeared after him when soldiers wearing Sunbound Kingdom armor appeared and attacked without warning or reason.

Several of her personal bodyguards sacrificed themselves to protect her, including the guard captain, and she did her best to organize a defense. They were able to cut down or chase off the soldiers and were still gathering their dead when Solarflare appeared in the air above them and began to attack. With her spellcasters doing everything they could just to hold off the incredibly powerful Alicorn’s direct assaults, Midnight could see no escape.

Then Moonlight returned, bearing new Alicorn wings herself, and defended the Lumahina. Having seen too many dead already and knowing she wouldn’t get another opportunity if more Sunbound soldiers came to block their escape, Midnight took the chance and ordered a withdrawal. Once safe, Midnight thanked Moonlight and asked how she became an Alicorn. Her sister was evasive, unwilling to say. Then the casualties were counted, and only one pony was unaccounted for. Dusk was missing. Moonlight was the last to see him and refused to talk about it.

Midnight, capable as she was, was still no expert prodigy at magic. But she knew enough of the Lumahina arcane secrets to know of the potential contained with a pony soul. Power such as that might well be capable of transforming a Unicorn into an Alicorn. Certainly, Moonlight had known that too. Midnight had heard from Rising Dawn that Solarflare had fallen in love with Dusk, and she suspected Moonlight had feelings for him as well. Midnight thought back to why Moonlight was rejected as heir, specifically her willingness to break the rules. Would she really have taken Dusk’s soul to fuel her transformation, either as a means to more power or in a fit of jealousy? It was, unfortunately, not that much of a stretch.

With Moonlight unwilling to speak, and with Dusk dead, there was little doubt everypony’s mind. Obviously, Moonlight had broken one of the oldest and most dire taboos, burning a pony’s soul to fuel foul magic. There was a trial, of which Midnight was forced to reside over. Moonlight said not a word in her defense. Her crimes’ punishment was death, but Midnight couldn’t bring herself to have her sister executed. So instead, she decreed that Moonlight was banished from Lumahina, she was never to step hoof in the Empire again.

The Immortal council was furious with her. At first, she disregarded their complaints, but then some of her policies were not being implemented. She had demanded all the border forts be resupplied and garrisoned with fresh soldiers but overheard a report that claimed the border being mostly undefended on the sides of the Empire not facing the Sunbound Kingdom. She brought her concern to the immortal council, fearing an enemy spy, and was stunned to discover they already knew. The Immortal council had overridden her orders. When she demanded they explain, they revealed the great secret of Lumahina politics.

The Immortal council members had never truly retired and still ruled the Empire. Midnight was barely more than a figurehead. She had been chosen over Moonlight because they believed her easier to control and manipulate. As she had done nothing against their wishes until now, they felt no need to take control. All of her commands and orders were now being monitored, changed to suit the Immortal council’s needs if necessary. When Midnight threatened to reveal this publicly, they informed her that all the great nobles already knew.

Only the Immortal council knew how to make another pony endlessly youthful and healthy, and anypony who wants to have that boon granted them must obey their commands. If somepony displeases them, they can simply deny them Immortality. It’s a price very, very few have been willing to pay for true independence. All of those that were are long dead. When Midnight threatened to go against their wishes anyway, they explained they had to replace disagreeable Princes in the past. They could do so again if they had to.

With the threat of being rendered inconsequential hanging overhead and seeing no way out of the predicament, she accepted there was little she could really do against them. With her policies being dictated mainly by the Immortal council, the next months were stressful. The Sunbound claimed the Lumahina had assassinated old King Halo, had elected Solarflare to be their new Queen, and official communications were severed. Midnight could see that things would lead to war if she couldn’t appeal to her old friend to avoid it.

The next Conclave Midnight went to meet with Solarflare personally. Before meeting in person, she secured a vow from the Alicorn Queen that there would be no death that day and spoke in private with her counterpart. To Midnight the new monarch seemed unstable, only a hair away from lashing out at the smallest slight. When Solarflare asked where Moonlight and Dusk were, Midnight told her what little she could be entirely sure of. Dusk was dead, and Moonlight banished. At this, Solarflare demanded they resurrect both Dusk and old King Halo.

Although such magic was possible, it was only done very rarely. The process is extremely costly, difficult, must be done within a scant few days of the death, and can only be performed at certain magically potent places. The magic is typically reserved only for those of most significant value to the Empire or those of sufficient wealth to afford the magic themselves. Even then, usually only if the death can be foreseen ahead of time. It had by this point been many months since both had died and would be impossible to reverse.

When informed this could not be done, Solarflare grew furious; for a moment, Midnight feared she would forget her vow not to fight. Then the new Queen abandoned negotiations, and nothing further would be said of peace. Midnight returned to the capital and dutifully informed the Immortal council of what Solarflare had done. To her disgust, they seemed not to care.

The Lumahina Empire had seen war before, surely it would outlast the Sunbound. Eventually, they thought, Solarflare would grow tired or get herself killed on the battlefield. What the Immortal council failed to realize, and what Midnight knew, was that the Sunbound Kingdom was more than willing to throw countless thousands against the defenses of Lumahina. With enough soldiers, and the raw power of Solarflare herself, they might even break Lumahina. She needed time to convince the Immortal council to take it seriously, but they refused to listen to her, believing her cowed and toothless.

Only when the Twilight lands between the two nations suddenly erupted into a maze of thick mists, devious illusions, and vicious monsters that the Immortal council suddenly paid attention. Magic on that scale had not been seen since before even Lumahina had been founded. If the Sunbound had that kind of power, then even they were at risk. Although they still watched her closely, Midnight was finally allowed to take action. Whatever her complaints with the Immortal council, the coming war would have to take precedence.

Aqua, Watching from the Water

Aqua is a Kirin tribe leader, known for using water magic to observe the other nations from a great distance. Revered as a wise-woman and oracle, her insights and advice primarily originate from observation and information rather than some mystical ability. Easily upset by surprises, even more upset by the apathy of others. She is determined to find and root out those responsible for the war.

“What are they doing? Resting on their haunches when there’s work to be done, useless fools. Fine, I’ll do it myself!”

Among the Mirakami Kirin, sometimes one develops the ability to manipulate water magic. Such was the case with Aqua, who was able to look into one pool of water and see something happening around another pool of water some distance away. With practice, she learned how to direct this water-vision to see through specific water sources and at greater distances. At first through lakes or rivers, but eventually to small ponds and even sources as little as a bowl on a table half a continent away. She used this ability to watch for threats before they could reach her tribe.

She had never used her ability to spy on anyone’s private life. Then a friend, worried her mate was unfaithful, asked her to spy on him. It was the first time she had considered using her powers in that way. It would not be the last. When others heard about how she was using her power, more came for help for similar issues. These requests slowly changed into ordinary advice requests until Aqua was known far and wide for her wisdom.

One day, while scouring the waterways for a lost child, Aqua saw something odd. Resting on the edge of a river was an Alicorn. For a while, she simply watched him, having never seen his like before. Then he turned towards the water, facing her directly as if he could see her through the water. After initially panicking and severing the connection, she grew interested and began searching for him.

It took time to track him down; he was apparently avoiding her. Once she knew where to find him, she would spend time observing him. He lived alone, wandering wide and staying far from others. Once she worked up the nerve to see him in person, he tried to dismiss her, but she was persistent.

He revealed his name, Ormyryx. It was a name she only knew from myth. The eldest Alicorn, sometimes known as the Pricetaker. A figure who could grant any wish, for a price. Intrigued, she asked to know the secret history only he knew; he told her the price was more than she wished to pay. She insisted, and he relented. Over the years, he would tell her of the civilization that thrived during the first Alicorn age and how it ended. The two grew very close, and although Ormyryx would leave for years at a time, he would always return to her when he felt the need for companionship.

One day, while they watched the Unicorn Solarflare exploring an ancient ruin, Ormyryx became agitated. His discomfort grew as the Unicorn entered into a secret chamber. When she touched the spear embedded into the stone within, he leaped up and ran. Aqua chased him down, but he was terrified of something. He said only that the Unicorn had opened a door, and Calamity was on the other side. Then he flew away and did not return.

Aqua watched the now Alicorn Solarflare for several months, but she seemed not to know what she had done. Although she kept an eye out for Ormyryx, she saw him only rarely. She did what she could to find this door he had spoken of or the Calamity behind it, but found nothing.

Then the King of the Sunbound was assassinated. The attack on the Conclave had no logic behind it, no sense she could see. So she followed the surviving assassins and discovered they were changelings. Aqua didn’t think the guilds would have the nerve to take such a risky mission, but perhaps she knew less than she thought she did. She turned her attention to them, trying to find the one who sent the assassins in the first place. Although the Isles of Hives was itself easy to locate, the Quorum continued to elude her.

The building war did not concern her at first, thinking it was distant politics. But then something strange happened. The Twilight Lands grew wild; several Kirin tribes were cut off or vanished into the mists. The few who managed to get out of the inhospitable valleys spoke of deadly monsters and paths that no longer went where they should. Aqua turned her powers towards finding the Kirin still lost within the Twilight Lands, but located few of them.

The other Kirin tribe leaders wanted to remain out of the fighting; the war did not concern the Kirin. But Aqua knew better; the Kirin’s peace was not to last if the tribes did nothing. Ormyryx’s Calamity was out there somewhere, and the world was turning towards chaos. Aqua set out in person, leaving her home for the first time in many years to take a more proactive role in the conflict ahead.

Gleaming Shield, Commoner's Paladin

Gleaming Shield is a Pony knight for the Lumahina Empire. He cares for those who fight alongside him, and is deeply protective of his friends and family. Honest, nearly to a fault, he doesn’t like to keep secrets. He is very worried the coming wars will overrun the common pony and is determined to protect them. Although he leads an army independent of the Lumahina military, he is not rebelling against the Empire.

“It is the common pony who pays the price for the wars of the aristocracy. If they won’t defend those beneath them, I will.”

Born in the Lumahina Empire, Gleaming Shield grew up among the working class of one of the smaller cities near the borders. Likable and social, he made many friends. When he joined the guard he rose through the ranks and proved a capable soldier and commander. Eventually, some would say inevitably, he ended up serving the royal family directly.

He was present at a number of the Conclaves, sometimes opposing the tactical brilliance of Rising Dawn in wargames. More often than not, he was spending time meeting with and learning from the enthusiastic Pegasus, Skystorm. They found they shared some early life difficulties, as neither of them are unicorns. While the Kings and Queens and actual diplomats discussed matters of state, Skystorm and Gleaming Shield talked about the lives and troubles that affect the lower classes and the so-called lesser races. While Skystorm was upset about the treatment he received even as a noble Pegasus, Gleaming Shield was concerned more with the condition of the public and the common Pony.

When the Conclaves fell apart, Gleaming Shield was assigned to guard the newly created Alicorn traitor, Moonlight. Deeply disturbed at her behavior, he was mortified to learn she would only be banished and not executed. Then he was the one to escort her beyond the borders. When she was supposedly outside the borders, he took some time to go home and visit his family and friends in some of the border towns. He intended to warn them of the possible war that he was worried was coming.

Although the public was worried about his warnings, they welcomed and thanked him. He was not present at the final conclave, but it was shortly afterward that he found himself in a small border town. The locals told him of the Alicorn who was performing some kind of ritual nearby, and it terrified them. Knowing he couldn’t stop the spellcaster alone, he evacuated as many as he could before the spell was completed. Those who couldn’t escape were slain by the spell, and the Twilight Lands became filled with monsters.

As he viewed the devastation he thought back to his conversations with Skystorm, about how those at the top don’t care about those below them. With the war on the horizon now more certain than ever, he knew it would only lead to massive casualties and death on a scale never before imagined. Worse, the leaders of both sides wouldn’t care what kind of destruction they would leave behind. The only way for those trampled by the thoughtless leaders of both sides to survive and thrive would be if the lower class Ponies banded together. So he began calling up every ally and friend he ever had, it was time to stand united.

Rising Dawn, Unbridled Intellect

Rising Dawn is the younger sister of Queen Solarflare and the chief strategist for the Sunbound Kingdom. Widely considered one of the most brilliant Unicorns to have ever lived. Although she has something of an ego, she tries not to lord her intelligence over others. More methodical than most, she tends to take her time and make sure whatever she is doing is being done properly. Ambitious, but she doesn’t take action unless she can be sure of the outcome.

“The right pressure applied to the appropriate stress point can bring down any structure; be it physical, arcane, economic, political, religious, or societal. It’s only the matter of what that pressure is and exactly where to apply it.”

Growing up in Arondight alongside her sister, Rising Dawn was born with considerable advantages. As the youngest child of a noble family, she naturally had the best tutors and care. But it was her mind that was her greatest gift. When she was very young, she thought that everyone was just as smart as everyone else. It was only once she got a bit older and started taking lessons that she realized she was regularly performing as well as students several years older than her. She was easily able to keep up with the classes for her older sister.

Both of them were extremely promising and were sent to the Luminous tower to learn from the best. There Rising Dawn finally met with others who were her equal, or at least close enough. While she fared quite well in all the academic lessons, her magical ability was lacking, and Rising Dawn would never perform better than middling. Although many students sneered at her for being so small, young, and not very good with magic, they quickly learned not to taunt her when Solarflare was within earshot. Her older sister was always quick to jump to her defense, always leaving an impression and sometimes bruises on those who would taunt Rising Dawn.

One day Solarflare burst into their room, more excited than she’d ever been before, raving about meeting Lady Sky. The Alicorn had told her of a great destiny, and she was going to go looking for it. At first Rising Dawn was incredulous, but thought ahead and realized that whatever she might find would undoubtedly mark her as exceptional among the students and staff and other important ponies in the Sunbound Kingdom. While Solarflare was more interested in the adventure, Rising Dawn knew that special status could be leveraged to their advantage.

While her sister was away from the Luminous tower, Rising Dawn was making connections in the nobility. Many aristocratic families were clearly interested in the sisters from Arondight and what heights they might reach. Many of them had children already at the Luminous tower, where it was easy to make contacts.

One of these means of making contacts was playing table games with the other students. Sometimes card-based games like Poker or, more often, board games such as Chess, Nine Mares Morris, or Backgammon. Once she learned the rules, which didn’t take long, she quickly made a reputation as being one of the best. At one point, she was so well known as a great player that she was invited to play against one of her instructors. Although she lost, the instructor explained it was merely a matter of experience, he had been a grandmaster for years and she was still relatively inexperienced. More importantly, he could see how she thought and suggested that she turn her mind towards military strategy. Her lack of magical talent was sure to bog her down going forward in Sunbound politics, but she could still make her own name going down that route.

When Solarflare finally returned from her adventure, she was no longer a Unicorn. Her new Alicorn body made her an instant celebrity, and the two of them suddenly had a lot more attention than before. Good King Halo even came to meet with them. Solarflare’s power and Rising Dawn’s mind endeared them to him, and he invited both of them to have a place in his court. Being as both had surpassed what they could really learn at the Luminous tower, they agreed.

Life in the royal court was far different than anywhere else Rising Dawn had been. At first, just like at the tower, most of the noble ignored her, thinking she was just a hanger-on to her much more powerful sister. To Rising Dawn, it felt like everyone had an agenda and everyone was playing their own game. It suited her just fine, although Solarflare didn’t seem to notice most of it. It was here that Rising Dawn could finally interact with other intellectuals and shared correspondences with many scholars, engineers, arcanists, and philosophers. She designed several structures, helped with collecting taxes more efficiently, and discussed strategy with the generals.

Eventually, her performance drew the king’s personal attention, and he often asked her advice on many topics. Such was his respect that she was not surprised when he asked her to join the Conclave delegations with the Lumahina. Expecting pretty faces and empty heads, Rising Dawn was pleasantly surprised with the Lumahina princesses. Both Moonlight and Midnight were thoughtful and intelligent, able to speak with some authority on nearly as many subjects as Rising Dawn. In particular, Midnight was very interested in life inside the Sunbound Kingdom and how it differentiated from Lumahina social structures.

Rising Dawn would find the princesses to be the best part of her time at the conclave in the coming years. What time wasn’t expended at the wargames or in negotiations she spent talking to one or both of them. Then one year, they brought with them a scholar named Dusk. He was remarkably straightforward and far more interested in her thoughts on history than on the politics between the two nations. Having a conversation with someone who didn’t have an ulterior motive was relaxing. He also spent a lot of time with Solarflare and even returned to the Sunbound Kingdom with her.

That summer, Rising Dawn was left in the capital to play politics while Solarflare ran off into the wilderness to explore old ruins with Dusk. One day she was called in by good King Halo, and he asked her questions covering many topics and hypotheticals about how she would handle situations. This wasn’t unusual in itself, but it was in private instead of with the other advisers, and that was strange. Over the next few weeks, she heard that many of her ideas were being turned into policy, and some of the supposedly hypothetical events he had asked about turned out to be real.

Good King Halo had never publicly supported an heir. While, historically, not all preferred heirs were elected to be the next monarch, it was the expected result. King Halo was not a young pony, and it was being whispered by many that he was considering making such an announcement soon. Her private suspicions were confirmed when King Halo spoke privately with her one night and let slip that it was a shame she wasn’t better with magic or she would have made an ideal heir. He had been drinking, and there were no others in the room, so she kept that secret to herself. Over the next years, he would keep her as a close confidant and adviser but never announced his choice to be the next monarch.

Meanwhile, Rising Dawn watched as Solarflare grew more and more fond of Dusk. When he spent the winter months in the Lumahina Empire, Solarflare would occasionally gaze that direction wistfully or would speak of him often. Clearly, she had developed an attachment to the scholar. To Rising Dawn’s amusement, her sister didn’t seem to be aware of her own feelings. Not long before the spring Conclave, a letter from Dusk was delivered to Solarflare asking to meet her in secret once they were there. In a bit of light-hearted ribbing, Rising Dawn suggested that Dusk was planning to propose. Solarflare didn’t laugh.

That Conclave, good King Halo needed Rising Dawn to stay behind and manage a construction project he was patronizing. They had expected the signing of the treaty to go smoothly. Rising Dawn had spent years assisting with the wording and compromises that went into it, and Midnight had agreed with it last time they spoke. When she saw the delegation returning, she did not anticipate to see it bearing the corpse of good King Halo and Solarflare utterly furious. The Lumahina had attacked and assassinated the king.

Upon laying good King Halo to rest, the advisers of the king were bereft of leadership. Good King Halo had never officially announced his chosen heir, and Rising Dawn was leery of claiming Halo was going to pick her. There was no proof of it, and it would undoubtedly be seen as a power-grab. Upset at the inactivity of the government, Solarflare began issuing commands. Many of the nobles and governors ignored her decrees, claiming she had no legitimacy. A few jumped to the ready; in particular, Skystorm was more than willing to start sending scouting groups across the border.

It took weeks for the Electors to gather to select the new monarch and weeks longer for them to finally make their decision. Given the situation, and given Solarflare’s obvious power, it was she they crowned. At Rising Dawn’s advice, they moved the capital to Arondight. The city was a fortress, never taken in battle, and not as far from the border as the old capital. It would be an ideal center of power.

Next Rising Dawn was named the chief strategist by Queen Solarflare and was responsible for prosecuting the war against the Lumahina. Rising Dawn knew the Sunbound armies weren’t ready for such a campaign; it would take months to marshal and train the forces needed to face the oldest empire in history. Then she looked back on the time she had spent talking with Midnight and realized she didn’t want to see her on the other side of a spear. She spoke with Solarflare, doing her best to convince her to bring the Lumahina back to the Conclave and prevent open war. Solarflare calmed enough to agree; she didn’t want to harm their friends either.

Unfortunately, that would not be the result of the final Conclave. Midnight had refused Solarflare’s requests and would not take responsibility for good King Halo’s assassination. Solarflare fumed and seethed in anger, to the point where Rising Dawn could see heat radiating from her sister’s mane. Her demands for retribution nearly forced Rising Dawn to launch the attack before she was ready and began shouting orders without fully considering the ramifications.

Her condition grew even worse when the Twilight Lands between the two empires suddenly grew wild. Strange magic had made the already sometimes hazardous area into a monster-filled quagmire. All of Rising Dawn’s strategies had relied on relatively easy access to the Lumahina border; now, only small groups could pass and even then only with incredible difficulty. Until there was a new way to cross, the armies had to remain in the Sunbound Kingdom.

The delay gave Rising Dawn time to observe her sister. In her rage, she frequently ignored the nobles and advisers' advice, and even Rising Dawn could only sometimes make her see reason. With the war on the horizon, she also began neglecting the other duties of the monarchy. If she didn’t learn how to be a proper queen soon, the war would bleed the Sunbound Kingdom dry even if they won.

A few of the Elector nobles secretly approached Rising Dawn with these concerns. Rising Dawn had seen them too and come to the same conclusion. In their fear, the Electors had chosen an unstable queen, mighty though she might be. Although Rising Dawn had kept secret that Halo had considered her for the throne, it had sometimes been whispered she was the favorite. Should Solarflare go mad, or need to be removed, these concerned nobles would support Rising Dawn’s bid for the crown. Her sister’s condition might put the Kingdom's safety at risk; replacing her might become necessary. It was certainly something to keep in mind.

Sevian, Forked Tongue

Most would expect a Dragon to be fierce and aggressive; at first impression, Sevian is neither of those. As a diplomat, he is reluctant to start a conflict; but will fight tooth and claw and spine to end one. Most of the time, he is calm and often a calming presence. Patient but unforgiving, he remembers all the slights ever made against him or the Dragons.

“It is said, do not taunt a resting Dragon. Perhaps, please, you would like to learn why? The results would be quite informative, yes, wouldn’t you agree?”

Among the Dragons, the number seven is considered sacred. Another belief is that those born with dramatically forked tongues shouldn’t be trusted. There is no known superstition regarding a clutch of seven eggs, with the seventh bearing the strange mutation of a double-forked tongue. At least, there wasn’t until Sevian was hatched. He grew up in a society that didn’t know how to feel about him; some feared him, some hated him, and some revered him. All of them whispered when they thought he couldn’t hear them.

He learned to watch and listen, to take his time when others rushed to judge him. This, even more than the superstition, marked him as strange. Dragons revere strength and power, and as he grew, he began to understand that reverence in ways others did not. It was not only the strength of his body but his mind that they feared. Sevian discovered how to leverage whatever might give him an advantage, be it his physical stature or fear of his peculiarities. Last hatched among his siblings, he was still the first to achieve any measure of power within Dragon society.

Sevian’s presence among the other Dragons was disruptive, an oddity, so the High Dragon assigned him ambassador to the Pony nations. This gave Sevian whole new societies to learn from and also had the benefit of keeping him out of the way for long months at a time. A Dragon among ponies is a physical powerhouse, significantly more robust and of greater strength than all but the most formidable equines. Sevian had to be careful not to harm the smaller creatures by accident. Already clever with his words, it was here he learned how to deceive without lying and to offer encouragement wile still making no promises.

While there, negotiating trade pacts and soothing tensions where he could, he also learned how other societies saw Dragons. They always thought of Dragons as brutish and chaotic, as barely intelligent monsters. Sevian never laughed at this, for it was a sometimes valid interpretation. The young and the stupid with nothing to prove but their own ego might behave this way, but the elder ones knew better. Strength of conviction and purity of action were more respected. So the Dragons argue constantly, and outsiders might see this as stubbornness.

Even then, Dragons respect power when they see it in others. When King halo was killed, and Solarflare crowned queen, Sevian went to the Sunbound Kingdom to congratulate her. There he smelled the tension between the two nations; he suspected they would be at war with the Lumahina in short order. Curious to see how the Ponies would wage this war, he stayed to watch. Perhaps even to interfere. The two nations might bleed each other dry and leave them both too weak to fight back if another power were to enter the fray. The war might be a threat to Dragon stability or maybe an opportunity.

Skystorm, Revolutionary Equalist

Skystorm is a Sunbound Kingdom Pegasus General. Full of energy in everything he does, but has a noticeable tendency towards aggressiveness. Looked down on due to his race, he’s determined to prove that Pegasus are not inferior. Although he’s not stupid, he is prone to rash decisions. He is quite charismatic and is very popular among many non-Unciorns.

“They lack the conviction to do what needs to be done to win this war. I don’t!”

Skystorm was a scandal right from the start. Born to a noble family in the Sunbound Kingdom, the most notable thing about the newborn was that he wasn’t a Unicorn. Clearly, infidelity had to be involved. Although never proved, this lingered over his early life like a dark cloud. The other young aristocrats taunted and belittled him for his inability to use magic. More than a few times he got into fights over that deficiency, and it still irked him years later. Still noble, he was taught at the best schools and performed well enough, despite his shortcoming, that he was able to secure a position as a military officer.

Now fairly high profile, he was able to join the conclave emissary group. There he met one of the Knights of the Lunamaria Empire, a commonborn Pony named Gleaming Shield. They found they shared much in common, being looked down on by the unicorns and the other nobility. Gleaming Shield’s thoughts on the true capabilities and hard work of the common pony lingered in Skystorm’s mind, growing into the idea that Pegasus and Pony are equal to Unicorns.

Always energetic, now a fire burned inside him. He would prove Pegasus to the equal to Unicorn, and himself in particular to the other nobles. He dove into whatever task he was assigned with gusto and vigor, ingratiating himself to the officers above him that were impressed with his drive. It wasn’t long before his efforts got him promoted to general.

That position gave him leverage to promote his new equality movement. He would advance up the ranks as many Pegasus and Pony as he could, and spoke often to large crowds of the inequality of the political and social systems in the Sunbound Kingdom. This message was appealing to much of the populace, and Skystorm was able to push his agenda through city councils. The nobility, being mostly Unicorns, were less enthused with him. They found they had a hard time acting against him with so much popular support from the common Ponies.

He was present when the Conclave was attacked and good King Halo assassinated, and he was the first to demand a full scale counterattack for the betrayal. It was perhaps not cooler minds that prevailed, but it was certainly bereaved ones that held him back. When Solarflare was crowned Queen, she saw in him a fire similar to her own, and commanded him to build her an army. He immediately went to work, recruiting as many Pegasus and Ponies to his forces as he could muster. Seeing his position as General as permission to do as he wanted, he set out on the first exploratory strikes. Flying groups over the Twilight Lands to scout out the Lunamarian forces, even without orders from Rising Dawn.

Unfortunately, although his drive to succeed was infectious, many of his troops had not been soldiers for long and lacked the fortitude for prolonged flight. Dozens, even on simple scouting missions, fell from the sky to land in the monster infested Dark Forest and many were lost. In action after action he lost more of his troops than was really acceptable. But he didn’t notice. Any victory in his mind was worth the cost. When the Twilight Lands suddenly became a deadly barrier, he refused to change his tactics. After all, in war there will always be casualties. To him it was just another wall to break with Pegasus grit and Pony strength.

Cobalt Crucible, Stability of Stone

Cobalt Crucible is one of the younger Alicorns but is still over a century old. He isn’t very comfortable in large crowds, finding them too disorderly for his tastes. Long sought as a source of wisdom, he freely shares his advice and thoughts. Mostly he strives to maintain things as they are, believing that too significant a change can disrupt the natural order. He’s not above keeping secrets or telling outright lies if he thinks it will keep the situation stable.

“The foundation of the future begins with history and tradition. Know your place, and keep it.”

Once, the city of Galatine found itself under siege by the expansionist Sunbound Kingdom. At least, that was how Cobalt understood it. The actual siege was decades previous, and now Galatine was part of the Sunbound Kingdom. Ever since the city had undergone drastic changes. Their old statues and art had been stripped away and replaced with Sunbound kings and generals’ sculptures. The shift was not only the architecture that was being replaced but also the culture. The old rituals were being ignored, the stories that guided the youth being forgotten.

Knowing there was nothing he could do as he was, he had no magic or unique ability of his own, Cobalt sought the power to save his homeland and its way of life. His only clue to where he might find that power was an ancient legend of a temple deep within a mountain. Supposedly it would answer the prayers of those brave enough to step into the deep within. The stories were not that different than the tale told of the first king of the Sunbound. Cobalt sold what little he owned and set out to find it.

It took him years to track the legends and myths and stories to a distant peak deep within Dragon lands. Although the trek was perilous, he was able to find a cave that took him deep into the stone until he found the rubble of a collapsed temple. There was no iconography to tell him it was what he was searching for, but he was tired and exhausted and desperate. He called out to whatever god or spirit was supposed to dwell there but received no answer.

He shouted and prayed for so long that his lamp ran out of oil. Believing the tales to be false, he turned to leave but could not find the way out. He was trapped in the mountain, lost in the dark, then he thought he saw a light coming from behind the temple’s rubble. He dug through the stones in the dark for days until he broke through and found the chamber contained only a deep pit and no exit. In despair, believing he had failed, he threw himself into the deep.

As he fell, he dreamed. That was the only way he could understand it. The wind could howl and try to tear down the mountain, yet it was unbowed. Such was it true of him. This was the temple, not the crude shrine above. When he felt the ground beneath him again, he instinctively knew the way out of the cave. He understood the mountain now, the strength of stone and stability. It was as if the stone told him how to leave, and he felt he could fly right through the rock. Even though he couldn’t see, he never stumbled or ran into a wall on his way out.

When he stepped out into the light of day, he found someone was waiting for him. It was an Alicorn pacing impatiently for him, Lady Sky. She told him he was late and that there was much for him to do now that he was an Alicorn. He barely had a moment to begin processing this before she told him that there were other temples, secured by ancient magic, and he was needed to seek them out.

However, he knew he had to return to his homeland and told her it would have to wait until Galatine was safe. She said the city was irrelevant; there was more at stake than a few Ponies. He refused to be diverted from his course. She sighed and complained she expected better. Before disappearing up towards the sky, she told him he would find her again when the city fell.

As he hurried back towards Galatine, Cobalt meditated on his experience. The temple had burned away his doubts and fears, like a purifying crucible. He took that as part of his name and from then on called himself Cobalt Crucible. On the way, he also experimented with his new powers, mostly control over stone and rock. He could fly now but was uncomfortable unless he had solid earth under his hooves.

When he reached Galatine, he set out to drive off the Sunbound Kingdom’s influence. But the Ponies he had left behind years ago had grown accustomed to life under the Sunbound. The city was thriving, with a strong economy, and was even on its way to becoming a major political power within the Kingdom. They didn’t want to go back to the way things were. The stories and traditions of old were lost.

The Galatine Cobalt Crucible knew was gone, fallen to the Sunbound. So he left, staying only long enough to wreck a particularly ugly plaza that had replaced his favorite park. He was unsurprised to find that Lady Sky was waiting for him, complaining about his tardiness again. She said it was better this way, that his strength was needed elsewhere.

Numerous special artifacts were scattered across the world and were essential to its safety. His task was to ensure the stability of the magic they maintained. To this end, he traveled to each one, setting barriers and wards to keep out intruders and threats. Then he would return to each and ensure it was still safe, a cycle that took years.

Along the way, he would visit cities and friends and provide advice and assistance and whatever aid he could. His regular return would be marked by herds of Ponies waiting to hear his stories and take his wisdom. From time to time, he would even return to Galatine, and although his old home was unfamiliar to him now, he still respected how the city thrived under Sunbound leadership. Contentment filled him, providing stability not only for himself and his friends but the entire world.

Then came the doubts and the dreams. He arrived at the shrine containing the Sacred Spear, and the chamber was empty. Someone had broken through his seal and taken it. The place felt ill to him now, and he hurried to be sure there were no more sacred artifacts missing. As he traveled, he began to wonder why Lady Sky hadn’t warned him the spear would be taken. He dreamed of the spear being used to split the world, of the great nations tearing themselves apart, fighting over the other sacred artifacts. A voice whispered this theft was the first herald of something much worse to come.

His long patrol brought him to several of his charges, and he was relieved to see them intact. However, he found the Sacred Mirror Hemyral was also missing. Then the Sacred Bell Tassonla vanished as well. There were signs in the stone that something sickening was coming for them, and it was starting to infect the Ponies. In glimpses, half-seen, he saw them turning against each other. They were plotting to upset the balance he had worked so long to maintain. He could see it in the way they were changing, forgetting the traditions that kept them honest.

When he came to the Sacred Jade Crest, he knew he could not keep them all safe. He was too slow; he couldn’t be everywhere. There were whispers in the back of his mind, his dreams plagued with dire warnings. The powers within the sacred artifacts were too great for mortal minds. If he couldn’t control who would use them, they would destroy each other in their stupidity. He knew what he had to do to keep the world stable and personally shattered the Sacred Jade Crest.

The detonation of the energy held within knocked him unconscious, and he dreamed again. There was a sense of relief, security, and warmth. When he woke, the shrine he was in felt cleaner and more wholesome now that the artifact was destroyed and could no longer be used to ruin. Now he knew what he had to do was the right thing. The Sacred relics were a lie; ponies could not be allowed to utilize them, for calamity would follow in their wake. He had to destroy them before they broke the world.

Khyten Lamellar, Reluctant Kingslayer

Khyten Lamellar is an older Changeling, one with a heavy heart. Years of taking lives has left him weary, and now he mostly wants to live out his remaining years in peace. To him, the weight of actions rests solely on those who take those actions, even if following orders from others. He is polite, careful, and quiet, keeping his secrets to himself. Although he makes close friends infrequently, he holds those he does befriend close to his heart.

“A single knife can do more harm than a thousand spears. Pray for the soul holding it.”

Khyten Lamellar was long one of the best assassins in the Guild of Infiltration. Years of successful missions brought security and safety to his people. Still, the deaths of so many at his hooves began to weigh on him, and he wondered if he was doing the right thing. In an attempt to pay recompense for his actions, he adopted an orphaned Griffon hatchling, impossible to know if he was the child of one of his targets, and named him Shadowfeather. Raising the child was difficult for a loyal assassin, especially when he had to leave for missions sometimes lasting weeks or months, but he tried to teach him what skills he knew and instilled a sense of honor and obligation into the boy.

Eventually, he decided he’d had enough of that old line of work and resigned from service for a more peaceful life with his adopted son. The Quorum was upset with him, but he had served long and well, and they agreed he had earned his peace. It was more than a decade before they came for him again. Khyten could tell something had changed; the Quorum members had never seemed so nervous to him before. They had a new mission for him, one so dangerous and vital they couldn’t risk it to any but their very best.

They asked Khyten to assassinate King Halo and Princess Midnight, rulers of the most powerful nations history had ever known. When he pressed for an explanation as to why they would risk such an action, his only answer was that the Changelings’ survival depended on their deaths. He knew the Changeling military was no match for either of the two nations, let alone both of them, and discovery would mean the Changeling guilds’ end. At first, he denied them their request, but they told him there were other infiltrators already moving into position and could not be recalled. The mission was already in operation, and even with some of the other best infiltrators on the task it might fail.

He had never seen the leaders of the Changelings afraid before; whatever caused the Quorum to come to him was an existential threat. So he agreed to help, but it would be the last time. To maintain the security of the Changeling guilds, he and the others would have to be cut loose entirely. If he failed or was captured, they could claim he was a rogue agent. Dis-commendation, and exile, would be his payment for his final mission. To see it survive, he would have to leave his home forever.

Khyten couldn’t force that on Shadowfeather and left quietly one night without telling his son where he was going or why. Shadowfeather was old enough to be a member of the guilds; he would survive and thrive on his own well enough.

He made his way through pony lands, joined with the other infiltrators already in place, and waited for the Conclave to begin. While half the infiltrators disguised themselves as Lunamarian soldiers, the other half did the same as Sunbound Kingdom guards. With the rest of his group distracting the Sunbound Kingdom forces, Khyten and a few others were able to slip into the King’s tent and struck down the monarch of the Sunbound Kingdom.

Seeing her King dead, the Alicorn Solarflare went wild with fury. Khyten was barely able to escape into the woods as magical fire poured down on the assassins; he never knew if any of the others got away or survived. His mission complete, he disappeared into the populace. As the situation between the two nations got worse, he found he could not sleep well, his dreams disturbed by the thought that the coming conflict was his fault. Trying to put his mind at ease, he knew he would have to help one side or the other. This war was his fault, so it was his responsibility to see it through to the end.

Moonlight, Devourer of Souls

Isolated by chance and choice, Moonlight’s story is a tragic one. Forced to kill her closest friend and banished by her sister. Hated and feared alike, and with good reason, Moonlight is one of the most dangerous ponies alive. To protect her homeland, she is willing to pay any price or break any taboo, even using dangerous and forbidden magic. Even a pony’s very soul is a weapon she can wield, and she’s willing to use it even if she hates herself for it. She’ll mourn for the dead when the living are finally safe.

“I will protect my people, even if they hate me for it. Whatever the cost, I’ll see it paid.”

Under the shade of the great tree at the heart of Lumahina, the ruling Prince and Princess had two daughters. First Princess Moonlight and then Princess Midnight. As firstborn, it was expected that Moonlight would take the throne once her parents retired, and she was taught accordingly. When she was given free time, she would explore the city, with her guard maintaining a respectful distance to preserve the illusion of freedom. The constant monitoring and constant lectures grew on her nerves, stoking a rebellious streak in Moonlight.

After an argument one day, she ran into the city to sulk; after losing her guard she ran into a colt not much younger than herself, named Dusk. A curious young pony, he deduced she was a princess even though she gave him a fake name. When the guard found them, he was unsurprised and unafraid of them, and this impressed Moonlight. Many times, when she had the chance, she would see him in the city and talk or find hidden corners of the great city to explore. Having a friend who didn’t feel the need to kowtow and grovel around her made her feel like a normal pony.

Dusk wasn’t one to mince words and was endlessly thirsty for knowledge, nothing caught his attention quite like the great tree, and he asked many times for a chance to get close enough to touch it and explore its many layers. Knowing her parents would never allow it, even if she did ask, so she snuck him in for a closer look. The one place she wouldn’t dare take him was the Nexus Temple at the very core of the great tree. Although disappointed, he agreed it wasn’t safe. She was sneaking back out with him when Midnight found them.

While Moonlight tried to concoct some story, Dusk calmly explained why he was there and was pleased to meet Midnight. The younger princess was amused and didn’t interfere with their fun, even joining in for a time. A few years went by until Dusk had the opportunity to join a group of scholars on an expedition studying ancient ruins. Although they both missed their friend, it was about this time the two sisters began their own studies into magic.

Moonlight, once proficient at ordinary magic, dove into the stranger and more arcane schools. She found the strangest of magic, manipulation of souls, to be the most interesting among her studies. The knowledge was so secret and dangerous that it was only because she was a Princess that she could even look at the spells involved. The magic involved was part of the immortality spells used by the richest and most powerful in the Lumahina, and access was tightly controlled. The most exotic and most taboo spells spoke of consuming a soul as a power source, the practice of which was considered so foul that its use was banned upon penalty of death.

While still young, Moonlight and Midnight joined the delegations going to the Conclave between the Sunbound Kingdom and the Lumahina Empire. There, they met the Alicorn Solarflare and her younger sister Rising Dawn. Although impressed at Solarflare’s power but disappointed in how she used it, She did not expect the mare to actually be an interesting pony. She spent a lot of time talking about the differing magic theories with Solarflare and politics with Rising Dawn, finding them both intelligent and worthwhile conversationalists. In following Conclaves, she found the best part of the diplomatic missions was the time she spent with the other mares.

When Dusk came back from his expedition, he was full of exciting ideas about the nature of the ruins that dotted the Empire. He was convinced that they all dated from the same era and that somehow their end had come all at once. Moonlight was pleased to have her friend back in her life, but his newfound obsession with long-dead civilizations confused her. At length, he told her of a theory involving the origins of the first Alicorns, but that he couldn’t confirm any of it unless he could explore the ruins in other nations, particularly the extensive sites in the Sunbound Kingdom. It seemed a simple enough request, so she sponsored him to come to the Conclave and make his request in person. What she forgot that meant was that he would spend the summer very far away.

That summer was when her parents finally decided to name one of their daughters as the chosen heir so they could retire. They choose Midnight. In private, Moonlight demanded they explain. It was then that she learned her rebellious streak, a willingness to bend or break the rules, and spending her free time with common-born ponies had soiled her in the eyes of her parents and the members of the immortal council. Having always expected to inherit the throne, the decision was a blow to her confidence. Although Midnight promised she would still have a place at her side, Moonlight knew their relationship would never be the same again. With Dusk far away, she had no one to talk to about it; never before had she felt so isolated.

When Dusk finally returned, it helped lift her spirits, even if he did spend the first couple of weeks back talking of nothing but Solarflare. She was glad for him and wondered if he had figured out his own feelings or not. Still, talking with him again gave her something to think about aside from her new status.

For the next several years, Moonlight had few responsibilities. She spent her time not spent on magic experiments touring the nation independently, as she once explored her home city. Traveling like that, she got the chance to see the culture of the Lumahina in a way she never had before. Seeing the ordinary pony life gave her a new perspective on what she wanted to do with herself. The political games that she once despised were out of reach anyway. Perhaps she could instead use her arcane knowledge to protect her homeland.

One year, before the spring Conclave, Dusk came to her to request she come along. He needed to have her discuss something with Solarflare, but he was evasive on what it was. Once there, he asked her to wait until he went and got Solarflare into a secluded place in the woods. But as the hours passed, she began to worry and went after him.

She found him bleeding out on the ground and gasping for breath, a dagger wound in his chest and the bloody weapon on the dirt. Not knowing the magic needed to heal such an injury, there was nothing she could do but cry over her fallen friend. When he saw her above her, he tried to gasp out a warning. Delirious from pain, it was difficult to understand him. He choked out something about a coming calamity, that she needed to keep it a secret that she knew or the herald would destroy her. Knowing he was dying, his last action was to beg her to take his soul and use it to become stronger. Moonlight initially rejected the gift, but then she heard screaming and the sounds of combat coming from the Lumahina encampment. There was be no time to get Dusk to a healer and no chance to go back for him if they had to flee from the field.

Tearfully, she accepted his last gift. Using the taboo spells she knew, she pulled Dusk’s soul from his body and burned it within herself. All the energy within flowed into her, enhancing her beyond the abilities of a mortal Unicorn. Her spell complete, she flew into the air on new Alicorn wings to defend her sister and her people.

Solarflare was already attacking, pouring fire down on the Lumahina shields. Moonlight intervened; although Solarflare was still the stronger in direct power, she was never particularly smart with how she used it. Moonlight was able to twist the other Alicorn’s spells and disrupt her magic, attacking her in ways she could barely understand, preventing her from attacking the vastly outmatched Lumahina spellcasters. Still distraught from taking Dusk’s soul, she found she couldn’t bring herself to kill another friend and only held Solarflare at bay until Midnight and the other Lumahinans could escape.

Once back in the capital, she was confronted by Midnight about what had happened to her. Unsure if she could trust those around Midnight anymore, Moonlight kept the secret of her new Alicorn body. However, it wasn’t long before the immortal council’s investigation revealed enough of the truth; Dusk was gone, Moonlight an Alicorn, and no ordinary spell could create an Alicorn. They came to the conclusion she had stolen his soul to power her transformation. Horrified by her actions, Midnight held her sister to trial. When Moonlight refused to explain why she had decided what she did, she was found guilty of using forbidden magic. Midnight’s only mercy was that she would not execute her sister and another princess of Lumahina, Moonlight was to be banished from her home.

She was escorted to the border by loyal knights, including the renowned Gleaming Shield. On the way, she begged the knights to listen to her warning. Something evil was coming, and they had to defend the Lumahina ponies. Most refused to listen; she was a traitor in their eyes. Gleaming Shield alone seemed to believe her but refused to take her side.

Now very much alone, she knew she would have to figure out what it was that Dusk had discovered. It wasn’t hard for her to disguise herself using magic to avoid suspicion and snuck back into the Empire. She scoured the same old ruins he had and questioned the scholars who had worked with him. It took her months to discover what had worried him so.

The ancient civilizations had been destroyed by a catastrophe brought on by an Alicorn known only as Calamity. Although history was silent on Calamity’s existence after the destruction, he was thought to be merely a myth, but Dusk’s extensive research indicated otherwise. Now she believed she understood; Dusk thought Calamity was somehow returned to the world. He must have been correct because he was killed for it.

Even knowing it might mean her death, she knew she had to warn Midnight. On the way towards the capital, she heard about the military buildups and raids by Sunbound Kingdom soldiers on the border. War was coming, and the Lunahima weren’t ready. If the Sunbound came in force, they would overrun the Lunahima within weeks.

Moonlight knew she had to prevent the war, but there was no time for diplomacy. So she turned to the Twilight Lands and a village on the edge of the Empire. The cost would be dear, but she knew she had the will to do what needed to be done and had the spells to do it. She began a ritual on the edge of the Dark Forest, pulling the villagers' souls out to power a dreadful spell. At the edge of her perception, she was aware that Gleaming Shield was trying to get as many ponies out of the town as he could, but she couldn’t spare him much thought. Her grand spell was completed, extinguishing most of the population as it turned the Twilight Lands into a nigh-un-traversable quagmire of monsters, mists, and illusions.

The price was high, but the one village's deaths on the border would keep the rest of the Empire secure. With the war averted, for now, Moonlight turned her attention to searching for Calamity and the powers she would need to face and destroy him. Disguised, she traveled where she needed and began to hear her name spoken of in fearful tones. They called her something else now, no longer princess, they named her as they might a monster in the night. Moonlight, the devourer of souls.

Ormyryx, Fabled Pricetaker

The Alicorn Ormyryx is perhaps the oldest living thing in existence, far older than even recorded history. He has traveled so far and wide that almost every culture has legends of the lonely figure who grants wishes for a terrible price. His incredible age makes him distant to most, having tired of the same petty ambitions of visitors. He warns that there is a price to all things and never gives out anything for free, not even advice. Guilt over an ancient crime and many lifetimes to consider it has left him deeply contemplative.

"I know the cost of forever. It means everything ends. Pause for a moment to think about that."

There is a legend Ponies speak of, the story of Warlord Destrier and his short-lived empire. As the story goes, Destrier was a king who wanted to rule a great kingdom, but his army was small and his magic weak. He traveled into the Twilight Lands and found the Alicorn called the Pricetaker and asked him for the gifts of power and glory. The Pricetaker told him he would grant that boon but pay a dire cost for his desire. Destrier was adamant, and the Pricetaker took him to become an Alicorn.

Warlord Destrier tried to use his new powers to conquer a dozen nations but was not strong enough to overcome them, and they tried to assassinate him. Warlord Destrier spent the rest of his life in abject fear, paranoid that he was surrounded by those who wanted him dead and never felt joy again. When one attempt on his life finally succeeded, his kingdom was rapidly overwhelmed. The tale is told as a warning not to trust the gifts of the Pricetaker, the strange figure who had stolen Destrier's happiness.

The Kirin Ormyryx was speaking with, Aqua, listened closely and then asked why he told her the tale. Ormyryx said that the Pricetaker had tried to warn Warlord Destrier that the cost for power was his peace of mind. Had Destrier understood and not taken the boon, he wouldn't have so ferociously invaded other lands and would have reigned long and wisely. Aqua considered for a moment and then asked him how he could possibly know that. Ormyryx then said that it was because he was there; he had been the one to make the warning. Because he was the Pricetaker.

Then he said that the price for that information was only some of her time, but that any more would be costly. He would not tell her the rest of his long, long history. When pressed on what it would cost her, he responded that he had long ago stopped telling those who paid precisely what their wish had taken, only describing it vaguely. Too many had returned in anger when they finally realized what it was they had lost.

Thinking about this, Aqua wondered if there were any who were pleased with the trade they had made with him. Indeed there were, such as an unstable young soldier who wanted to control his emotions. Ormyryx had taken his anger in payment, and although he could no longer bring himself to harm another the young Pony lived the rest of his life peacefully. Many others had found the price acceptable. It is one reason why so many kept coming to him to ask for gifts or boons.

One question remained, why? What cause did Ormyryx have to give these gifts and take such prices?

Ormyryx pondered if he should answer at all and studied the Kirin beside him. This mare he saw spying on him from the water was by no means unattractive or unintelligent. It had been a long time since he had spoken with someone who only wanted to know and not to have or take. Longer still since he had a companion. If he chose to answer her, it would steal a future from her. She would stay by his side and bear no children. Not by any physical means or magic of his, but by her own choice. It would not be the first time this price was paid, and he suspected it would not be the last either.

Still, he left her the choice, informing her the cost would be heavier than she might be willing to carry. Aqua persisted, wanting to know all he knew and saying she was ready to pay. Ormyryx began his story, although millennia's span takes long to recount, and he would not finish entirely for years. During that time, he would sometimes leave to wander for a while, but as he had grown fond of Aqua, and she of him, would return before many years passed.

Long ago, in the first Alicorn age, Ormyryx was a king. Although, he admitted his citizens saw him more as a tyrant than any honorable monarch. He used his considerable magical abilities to sacrifice his subjects' health and lives to grow his own power. His rivalry with the other Alicorn leaders wasn't remarkably peaceful, but it was stable. They each had a large city and surrounding territory they claimed and often came to violence. Only the fear of adversaries allying together in opposition should they grow beyond their borders kept them from all-out wars with each other.

Then came the first murders. One of the other Alicorn queens was found dead, and her foes quickly divided her territory among them. Decades later, a second Alicorn king was destroyed in an explosion, along with much of his palace, and his kingdom met the same fate. These deaths disturbed Ormyryx and the other Alicorns, but it was not unheard of over many years, and Alicorns live very long lives.

Many years later, a mighty Alicorn connected with the Nexus of Fire was slain in open combat. He was widely known as immensely powerful, possibly the greatest direct combatant of any of them. This shock the Alicorns to their core even as they cut his empire into shreds. The borders had just started to stabilize when another Alicorn was attacked. Then a third. By now, it was clear to Ormyryx that a terrible and powerful new Alicorn had come into being, one who was uninterested in territory or land or recognition.

Unfortunately, there was no trust between Ormyryx's kingdom and the neighboring nations. They would not listen to his warning or his concern and saw his worry as a weakness. The sieges of his own lands came quickly enough. He could have fought them back, but he knew it would only weaken everyone involved. So he went to one he believed would listen, accepting that he would probably be imprisoned. Fortunately, he was correct; the other dictator was also concerned about this monstrous Alicorn.

In order to secure the alliance, Ormyryx accepted a subordinate role. Slowly, they gathered other Alicorns to their side. By this point, the Alicorn had destroyed many others, and in many cases leaving the surrounding lands uninhabitable. Even the most recalcitrant other dictators knew they were all badly outmatched and came crawling to the alliance to beg for aid. Six of their strongest went to battle the threat together. Only one managed to escape and return to the coalition.

There was no negotiating, no demand for surrender; it was clear they desired nothing less than all Alicorns' extermination. The remaining magically astute Alicorns struggled to find a solution. He could not be defeated in open combat, not by any that remained. It was Ormyryx who devised a possible solution. By linking their magic together and focused through sacred artifacts, they could construct a prison that would contain the threat. But it would require them each to sacrifice much of their power, if not their lives.

They were reluctant to agree; many still believed he could be bested by force and wanted to retain their position and armies to conquer what was left of the world once the menace was eliminated. They continued to fall in the face of the terrible threat. Some of those left fled, trying to escape to very distant lands to avoid being destroyed. The great enemy went after them, and none were able to get far. At least their unknowing sacrifice gave Ormyryx time to convince the others there was no alternative.

So they put the plan in motion. Each took their most sacred artifacts to a place of power and together began the spell. Those few who could fight went to delay the enemy, stalling him long enough for the rest to finish their work. Ormyryx could hear the fighting coming closer, each scream a new friend fallen. The great enemy burst through into his ritual chamber before the spell was complete.

Knowing he had no choice, Ormyryx tapped into the greatest depths of his ability and connected it to each of the other Alicorns' Nexus. He sacrificed them in a desperate attempt to seal the enemy away. It seemed to work at first, his foe unable to comprehend the new magic used against him. There was a sudden flash of pain and light, the ground shook, and the enemy vanished.

But, the spell did not end. Ormyryx's magic ate into the Nexus, and then others, and more. The spell grew out of his control, the other Alicorns already dead. The quakes grew more substantial, the air quivered with unchecked power. Using his remaining stamina, Ormyryx sacrificed whatever he could to escape. When he could see again, he found himself alone in the rubble of the destroyed ritual site. The world was silent.

Ormyryx traveled to the nearest city and discovered it had been leveled. He searched but found no survivors. So he traveled to his old capital, and it too was gone. All across the powerful kingdoms, he went searching for someone who had survived his spell. What were once trade hubs were now silent, great cities reduced to mass graves. He could not find any sign of civilization between the war against the great enemy and his own magic. The Age of Alicorns had been brought to a sudden end by his action.

Years passed, and Ormyryx scavenged what he could to survive. He almost fell to despair and nearly took his own life, believing he had done the great enemy's work for him. Then he stumbled upon a tiny family of Kirin in what would become the Twilight Lands. When they saw him, they screamed and fled into the marshes. Disturbed but heartened by the survivors, Ormyryx traveled again, searching for more. Eventually, he found them scrabbling out a meager existence in small herds far from any city or Nexus Temple. Ormyryx considered chasing them down and using them to rebuild his kingdom, but his heart no longer held the desire to rule. It had been an aspect of himself he had traded for survival.

In his self-imposed exile, he meditated on what had lead to this terrible result. He and the other monarchs had never worked together, not until it was too late. They had quarreled and fought and believed themselves superior. Life under their rule was awful, fearful, and often very short. Ormyryx was all that was left. The Alicorns had been terrible tyrants and despots; it was time for the Ponies to build their own society.

Over the many years, he watched the world rebuild, his crimes forgotten by everyone but himself. From time to time, some pony or other creature would find him and speak of the legendary Alicorns' power. They would often ask for some of that power. In trying to prevent another catastrophe, Ormyryx would force them to give up something in return for their wishes. He hoped they would think about their actions and consider the full ramifications. Some did, most didn't.

That was the tale he told Aqua; it took years to say it in full. Even once it was done, he stayed with her. Together they would use her water sight to see far away places and watch events unfold. One day, they watched as a Unicorn from the Sunbound Kingdom was exploring a ruin from the First Alicorn Age. The wreckage was so overgrown and damaged that Ormyryx didn't recognize the location until the Unicorn made her way to the Sacred Spear Solangon hidden inside the ancient ritual site.

Then the Unicorn pulled the spear from its place, and Ormyryx felt fear again. It had been so long that he had almost forgotten that the prison had required the sacred artifacts to remain intact and in position to function. This Unicorn, transforming into an Alicorn right before him, had undone part of the barrier that held the horrible enemy captive. In his fear, he did not believe he could meet Aqua eye to eye and fled from his new home.

The door to Calamity had been cracked open. This new world was unprepared for his might, but destruction did not come. His only hope was that perhaps the seal was still intact enough to hold the monster inside. Several years passed without the end coming, and Ormyryx began to hope that the new magic of this age could defeat Calamity once and for all. But only if they were willing to pay the price.

Calamity, Destruction Incarnate

The Alicorn called Calamity is h̴̟̏ė̷̱̮̻̑r̵̢͌̃͝ͅe̵̘̪̘̽̏͠ unquestionably the most dangerous and lethal being in existence. Extremely clever and determined, but also very į̵̙̲̑n̷͕͔̈̉s̸͚̜̥̔̈̿ā̵͕͕ͅn̷̛̥̻̠̚ê̷̡̜̳͗ unpredictable. Those who can bring themselves to talk to him only do so with ṭ̷̝̫̆̕͠e̵̢͓͐͛̐r̵͚̈ŗ̴̼̐̎́͜ȍ̶̙̣̐́r̸̲͓͙͑͌ trepidation. Somewhere within, he remembers being decent and honorable a very long time ago, but even he doesn’t know if it was ever *false* real.

“I hate them for all the lies. I hate them for all the pain. Most of all, I f̶̡͚̽́̚ê̶̥̘̱͘å̶͈ṙ̸̝̠̙͝ hate them because they could have been better and chose not to.”

He opened his eyes for the first time in f̴͓̫̄ö̶̧̥̙͛ṙ̶͇̖ẹ̸̘͗̒͝v̷̖̼̰̋͗̆ḝ̷r̴̨̂͛ some time. His foe was missing, and he struggled to remember where he was. Everything had changed since only a moment ago, or was it lifetimes? B̶̳̟̿̍o̶̮͚̠͆̿͛ẗ̶̳̹́̑̒h̵̩͒̑͘ He glanced around, trees and overgrown stone where a blink ago were ornate pillars and lit torches. Bright sunlight filtered down through a canopy of spring growth over the gaping hole in the chamber’s ceiling. There had been another present, where had they v̴̦̳̈̋a̴̝̿̕n̵̯̲̥͊̇ì̶̢͜s̸͍̰̩͐̈́̐h̷̛̙e̸͈̍̐͠d̸̦̽ gone?

Fire and fury and death surrounded him. Hated f̴̙̬͕͌ọ̵͚̈o̸̪̔̈́̂l̴͔̍̆͝į̶̆̊̔s̴̯̑̓͠h̸͍̀ Alicorns to be slain throwing themselves against him like water on rocks, and with about as much effect. Magical energy built around him, but of no Nexus he could identify or negate. Ĩ̵̢̇͜m̵͓̗͊̌̔p̴̝̬͙̅͝ọ̸̫̗̉s̴̭̝̃̀̿s̴͈̑͑i̶͎̤̔ḇ̶̑ļ̵̅͜e̸̟̋̓̀!̸͓̂̒͂ The doors flew open as he approached, and he saw Ormyryx working the spell. Fear in the other Alicorn’s eyes, and then desperation and a prayer of apology. Something like chains snapped tight about his soul and body and mind, and then he was n̴̹̫̺̅̀͋o̴̱̣̔w̴͚̆̊h̸͓͙̤̽͊̎e̸̞͒̿͋͜r̵͍̉e̶̱͇͂ here.

He stepped over half-remembered corpses, become dust ages ago, and out into a new world. Everything was at once both familiar and at the same time n̴̮̉̍̈́e̵̟͂̎͗w̴͔͈̐̈͝ͅ very strange. Emerging from the forest, a road that was not there when he arrived stretched away from some unknown city towards distant mountains. At least those appeared to be untouched by t̵͙̙͇̒i̶̪̘̬͑̏m̴̨͖̽̈́e̵̡͉͑̈ the change.

A movement drew his attention. Ś̵̩̎̃o̵̢͔͈̅̆͐l̶͖̰̽̑̓d̵͎̘̈́̓͆ī̶̗̩ͅḙ̵͕̈́̒̓ȑ̴̰͈s̸̞̲̖͆̂?̴͎͕͔͑ It was ordinary Ponies, merchants by the look of them. They bore no marks of allegiance or ownership, or at least none he saw. He strode towards them, intent to s̴͚͙͗̑̌l̵͖̱͓̓ä̴͙́̑̾ỷ̴̖͒ ask them what had happened. They stared at him in wonder, not fear, and bowed ŕ̵̪ę̴̖̾͋ͅv̵͙̳̭̈͒ë̸̬́̾r̸̡̛̔é̴̝̣̚n̷̨͝č̶̘͙̜̑͠ę̵̠͔̃̑͋ as he came closer. They spoke, but it was no tongue he understood, and they seemed confused when he said as much. Clearly, he would get nothing ư̷̮͔͙͆̕s̸̛̳̒e̶̗̜̫̓̈́͆l̸͇̘͌ḛ̵̪̚s̶̠͐́̏s̵̠̒̈́ helpful from them, and they had already escaped his attention before he even finished unfurling his wings.

It took him time to understand what had happened. That spell Ormyryx had been performing was the h̴̖̦̮̃̽̑à̶̗t̸͓̀̑̑e̴̤̺͆̄d̶̫̿̇́ Alicorn’s last gasp, an attempt to imprison him where he could not harm anyone ever again. Where he would ṅ̶͚̩̻͋̕ō̸͔̓t̸̪̝̫͗ exist while the world went on without him, forgotten. That must have been thousands of years ago, judging by the forests that stand where there used to be empty plains and rivers running new courses.

W̸̠̄̐̒h̵̼̻̅̊͐y̸̢̛͇̭̿͠?̸̗͌͘ What cause would the Alicorn have to lock him away so long? Certainly, he was no threat to the mighty Alicorns. He was only a c̷͇͚̽ȍ̶͍̮̓͝ẃ̶͔͝ã̶̧̤̺́r̷̡̖̤͗̋d̶͚̪̖̅̽ bureaucrat and student of philosophy. Perhaps he could convince f̴̟̈́ơ̸̢̩̤̈́ṛ̶͑͋c̷̬̮͗̊ẽ̷͖̬͕̅ them to work for something more than personal ambition and wealth? He studied laws, and debated with other Ponies, and begged for an audience. They listened to his speech of a better way and then l̷̝̓a̵̹̞̠͒ü̵̥͔̲͝g̴̢̀ͅh̶̙̱̋ͅẻ̸̥̳͝d̷̻̗̆ͅ yawned and waved him away. So he went to the masses, the regular Ponies and Kirin and even the s̶͉͔̲̽l̷̬̓̎a̷̰̻̍v̵̪͖͂e̵̖̳̅̑s̸̙͍̆ Changelings, and called them to rise up and demand change. It was š̵̢̭t̸͈̗̮̿̽̔u̴̡̽͛̐p̴̞̚i̴̢͝d̵̞͉͕̂͐ unwise.

That was perhaps the w̵̥̝̍̾r̷̤̥͓̄͊o̷̫̣̥͆͂ṋ̸̄g̶͇̞̿͜͝ incorrect question, why wouldn’t they? Alicorns are cruel by nature. He lived beneath the iron-clad hooves of a dictator, literally trodden on at one point. He watched as they fought for power and glory and f̷̠̪̻͗̎̅ů̵͒͗ͅn̷̰̒̇̚ a dozen other reasons, ignorant of the lives lost in the exchange. Some could move whole mountains, others able to enter dreams and minds across continents. Once, he saw an invader obliterate an entire army with a flash of flame so bright he could sometimes still see it when he blinked. They had so much p̴̣͉̀͋͜o̶̢̢͔͑ẅ̵̡͉͚e̴̮͌͗͜r̷̫̰͖͑̾ potential, if only they were willing to use it for the good of all.

Confused, he f̶̢̼̟̃̊l̵̝͆̾ė̷̡̩̤̒d̸̡͎̽ went to the coast, hoping to find a hiding place among the many islands just offshore. It was here, in the distant past, he had found his answer in a Nexus Temple in a cave on a desolate spire of rock, ordinarily inaccessible under high tides. Fearfully he huddled there, trapped by rising waters, waiting for the Nexus’s Alicorn to come and end him. But none did.

With nowhere to go and nothing to do but wait, he thought about what he had tried to accomplish. To end the world of the Alicorns and replace it with a more fair system. He had failed. P̵̢̋a̶̱͕͐ṫ̵̻̃ḧ̴̫́͜è̴͍̘̥̎ț̸̛͋̂ì̵̲̕c̵̬͝.̶̡͑̀̃͜ Playing nice had gotten him exiled and scorned. Perhaps it was time to use their rules against them. Not knowing which Nexus he had stumbled on, and it didn’t matter if it gave him the power to s̵̗̹̓͐̐l̶̻̈a̶̢͍̫̚͠u̶̝̥̫̇̇g̶͚̜͋͘h̵̻͖̫̒ṫ̷̩͆̚e̴̙̓ṟ̶̙̇͊͑ unmake the Alicorn’s world, he stepping willingly into the swirling void.

He returned now to that cave, expecting to have a place to recover. But it was not to be; the coast was no longer lonely and empty. The isles were covered by a massive ĥ̵̛͖͚͎i̸̠̓͠͝v̸̝͚͒̔e̸̯͊̍̕ city and long thin bridges linking the disparate islands together. Skulking along the coastline, he snared a lone figure to interrogate. To his surprise, it was no Pony, but a p̷̮̔̿e̷̺̳̰̓̀̄s̷̭̈́̋͝t̴̬̞̀ Changeling. Shapeshifter minds are malleable and easily unmade, and it was not difficult to harvest enough knowledge to speak the current language.

Although the ṷ̷͂̔̄n̸̝͈̭̿͌l̵̩̱͐͂ŭ̶̙̬c̵̖͉͈̋ḵ̸͇̈̔̈y̴̡̺̜͊́̚ poor creature was not a historian, it still knew enough to paint him a picture of what this strange new world was like. No longer tiny nations and city-states, but massive kingdoms and empires. Alicorns wander and ponder and advise, not reign by terror and force and lies. S̷̻͗̿t̴̳͓͐r̴͉̎̄ȁ̴̩̝͜n̴̟̤̑͝ĝ̸̱̣͎̅ę̷̟̽.̵̮̲̃̋ It was enough for him to exist, but not enough for him to ȩ̶̭̝̐r̷̹̾͋̊ä̶̙́ḍ̵̡̥̈́̀ì̶̛͓̳̼̾c̵͜͝a̵̢̮̫̽̇́t̴̥̻͍̒e̶̜̦̍̐ understand. For several short years, he skulked and preyed on the lost and the outsiders and the occasional informant until he understood the world as it was now.

His definitive concern remained the Alicorns. Deceitful, corrupt, d̸̠̾̈́͒à̶̘̭̈́́n̴̨̠̭̆g̸͕͛̍e̷̖̩͝ṛ̸͕̝̓̋͝ő̵̤̀͠u̶̯̜͔͛̽š̸̢̞̥̿ Alicorns. Supposedly the powerful nations and kingdoms are no longer ruled by such, but this cannot be. The Alicorn Solarflare is a rising star within the Sunbound Kingdom, rumors even speaking of her as favored to take King Halo’s crown. The Lumahina has no known Alicorn among them, but a version of f̷̟͊͘a̷͕͑͘k̵̦̱̅̂͜e̷̱̪͐̅ immortality that cannot possibly be real unless it’s some kind of cloak to hide Alicorns beneath.

They have to be d̴͙̬͇̉̅e̵̗͂͛š̶͠ͅt̶̛̰̜̝͗r̸͕͎͋̆̾o̴̧̨͕̿y̷̥͓̒e̵̘̻̿̽d̶̙͍̰͊̐͝ removed for the safety of the world itself. Those that support them must be ė̶̳̙̈́̽l̴̢͕̓̈́i̷̫̳̩̐̿m̶̥̳̏i̸̗͓̚n̷̖̒͜a̴͇̎ṭ̵̂͂̒ͅe̷͔͝d̸͍́ discouraged from doing so.

However, this was not the first time he had attempted this. It hadn’t worked last time, and indeed these large coordinated nations would respond ā̸̦̔̔ͅn̷̬̞̖͋͝g̷̛̰̽͝e̵̤͋ͅr̵̳͗̐̓͜ with substantial resistance if they were to ally in opposition to him. That kind of alliance had been what defeated him in that time long ago. A wedge Ẅ̶͖̝̙́̇Ã̸̦̂̊R̸̘͚̮͑ would have to be driven between them. How best to cause this?

Of the many stable nations, the two most powerful are the Lumahina Empire and the Sunbound Kingdom. Twice each year they meet at an agreed-upon location within the Twilight Lands to discuss matters that concern both great powers, which he has repeatedly heard called the Conclave. He could attack and possibly destroy their leadership in one blow, but if there were any who escaped, they would band together, and the result would be the same. With m̶̙̾̓o̴̝̩̿s̶̗̠͙͐t̶̼͎́͝͠ much of the Nexus power still somehow avoiding him, he would have to find some way to do this more subtly.

Fortunately for him, that large Changeling city was sitting nearly atop his Nexus. Another few months of finding v̴̺̾͛i̸̡̻͗́̎c̷̡̠̩̈́̑̇ṭ̶͖͇̊i̷̢̨͈̊͝m̸̧̟͍̍ş̵̢̗̒͗ helpful locals finally taught him what he needed to know; the names and members of the Quorum, the leadership of the guilds. A quick show of m̷͎͌͐̽u̷͔̔͋r̵̫͙͒ḑ̸̩̑ë̸̢̫́̿r̸̬̝͝ force to the right people and the Quorum would fold to his will. The infiltrators would be his knife, and the Changelings his cover. E̴̢͌͜x̵̱͆͑͆ĉ̴̢̡̭̕e̵̯̙̦̒̌l̴̻̭̀l̴̦̅̐̚e̶̬̪̔͛͘n̸̢͌̃̕t̴̳̱̐.̸̤͓͝

The day came, and he followed the assassins to the Conclave. Quietly he was watching from the woods when he was stumbled on by a young academic type, who introduced himself as Dusk. Ũ̷̳n̶̜̕f̷̥̣̓̀͘o̷̧͔̙̐̀̀r̷͎̗̓t̷̰̗̬̽̄̆ú̵̮̥̩̈́͂ǹ̸̯̕a̸͉͎̰͗̿̐t̷̪̬̹͌e̴̗̻͉̾̆̕.̵̩̟̓̚͘ The scholar raised no alarm, calmly seeing that he was an Alicorn and asking some polite questions. For a moment, he indulged Dusk, amusing himself while he waited for the attack to begin. But then Dusk grew nervous, something about his answers obviously worrying the scholar. Then Dusk backed away, exclaiming he recognized who he was speaking to. Ụ̷́͋n̵̖͇̍ä̷̰c̴̱͐͂c̴̲̱̍́ͅe̵̜̱̐p̶̮̀̀t̴͙̖̊̄ä̴̗b̵̳̘̬̈ľ̷͔͛ë̴͍̱́̈.̵͎͔̒̅̐ Unwilling to expend real power on a simple student, he drew a dagger and buried it in Dusk’s chest.

The dying Dusk already forgotten, he headed towards the Conclave grounds, seeing the Changeling infiltrators already beginning the attack. He watched from the sidelines where he was hidden and witnessed firsthand the power of Solarflare as she incinerated most of them. He ţ̶̫͙̈r̶̙̿͛ọ̷̧͑ȕ̶̦͜b̷̰̲͘l̴̨̧̊́͋į̷̞͇̿̊ṉ̷̦̋̓͋ģ̵̱̒ could not properly identify what Nexus she was using to fuel her spells. She would be an issue; he hesitated moments longer, unsure if his reduced strength could defeat her in open combat. Then she flew off to engage the Lumahina, and he saw them falter under her raw power.

Then u̴̖̞̰͛͘n̸͎̂e̵̺͍͎̋ẍ̶̢̙͂̕p̸̬̖̉e̵͍̰̋c̵̮̀̀͗t̸͙̯͆̈́́ȇ̷̥d̶̞̥̰̋̎̌ a new combatant emerged from the forest, one he did not immediately recognize. Somehow, Princess Moonlight had transformed herself into an Alicorn in only the past few moments. There are no Nexus anywhere nearby; how could that be p̷̭̌̌́ó̴͖̏̕s̷̰͒ŝ̷̡̹̱i̵͖̱͌b̷͕̠̰̾l̷̲̩̼͐͌̽e̷̞̐͜? The battle did not last long, Moonlight turning strange magic against Solarflare he was unfamiliar with only long enough to allow the Lumahina to escape. She, too, wielding the powers of a Nexus he did not understand.

Caution was in order. S̷̳͍̘͠t̵͖͉̀̍͊u̵̲͖̞͋̈́̿d̵̩̉̊͝y̸̠̲̓͌̊.̸̡̧̙̇͗ Something is odd about the magic they used. The last time he encountered magic remotely like this, he vanished for millennia. He would not risk that again. Answers to his full power were out there, surely. With the Changelings slain or escaped ḯ̷̜ṛ̷̦̦̀r̷̝̪͕̚̚͝e̷̘̲̒͌l̶͎̓͌e̶̯̪͖͌͑͝v̵͓̠͉̓̊̚a̵̢͙̫͐̓ǹ̶̛̺t̷̼̯͉̒̐͛, he turned and left. There was still much work to do.

He traveled back to where he had d̷̟͉͙͠i̴̗̝̙̓s̶̫̩͆ͅa̶̝͛̇p̸͔̺̿̐̍p̴̨̬̙͗e̵͈̦͒̒a̴͇̙̠͐r̸̦͊̓e̴̝̥͚̐̿d̵̩̳̈́̈͠ been displaced into that nothing space to study what had been done to him. The chamber was as he ṳ̸̃͘͠n̷̝͚͌ţ̸̈́̕ò̵̩̣͗u̴̡͎̅͛͒ĉ̸̦̭h̷̭͈̙͆è̷̦̳̞̑̈́d̴̡͈̊ remembered, but now he was looking for something in specific. He found it as an object, a silver bell at the center of an arcane circle. Surrounding it, written in the old tongue, were the words Sacred Bell Tassonla. How the inscribed spell functioned was unclear to him, but it was clear it impacted him somehow. When he disintegrated the bell, a rush of energy flooded into him, and something like a chain link snapped. Some, but not all of his former strength returned. This so-called sacred object was restricting his access to his Nexus. If he could find them all, he would be ṵ̵̾ň̵̗̗̫̃͝s̵͓̍͗̉t̴͍͆õ̴̭p̵̬͉͐͒ͅp̴̛͎̜̔͠a̶̩͐̈͘b̸͇̪̦̈l̶̨͚̀e̶͎͎̔ restored fully.

A thought fluttered unbidden into his mind of a scholar nervously backing away from him. The poor fool said he knew who he was. Dusk had said, you are Calamity! C̴̝͌̈́̈͜a̸̯̮͑͂͠ĺ̷̜̑͠ã̶̩ḿ̶̖̹̍̓͜i̷̟͕͛͆̽ṭ̸̰̺̊y̶̳̫̻͝,̶̫͇̈́ Yes. That was who he was; how had he forgotten?

*̵̨̡̰̮͊̚͠Ì̴̦̭̬̪̗̽̈́̀͊̐̓͜ ̷̢̧͇̙͕̭̓̒͜a̶̰͖͚̫̒́̈́͛͋m̴̛͈̻̘͗͗̓̀͝͠ ̸̟̙̺̞̉̓͛̆͐Ć̸̞̕̕a̵̞̠̣̲̟̓l̴̺̇̽̋̿â̷̢͚͈̟͆̋̏̓̓̊m̸͈̖̺̪̿̒̀̆̔ị̷̡̢̩̝̙̭̒͌ẗ̴͔̩̺́̎̀͒̏͘y̸̡̛̺͕̤͖̍̈͐́̓̕.̵͙̰͖̋͜*̴̨̡͕͍͕̖͔̒

Author's Note

Our list of characters is now complete. For the moment there will be no more entries added to this story. However, as the game releases more sets and additional important characters show up they will be added to this story. As will any fan-created ones that get added to the game.