Into the World of Elestia
Princess Twilight Sparkle and Fluttershy were very excited today. Which was pretty surprising coming from the shy mare considering where they were heading. Today the group of six mares and a dragon were on an airship heading straight toward the Dragon Lands. It took a lot of letters and begging from the part of Twilight but after much consideration and after the relation between ponies and dragons became more friendly thanks to her school of friendship and the wise ruling of Dragon Lord Ember. Twilight and her friends had been allowed to visit the dragons most sacred place.
The resting place of the legendary Rainbow Tree. It was surprising that a tree could grow in a land covered in volcanic ashes. But according to legends, the tree was absolutely massive and had been there since even before the Tree of Harmony.
It was also rumored that the tree was the source of the power of the Bloodstone Scepter that gave the Dragon Lords their power. ''Look we're here!'' The voice of Fluttershy cried out excitedly. Every mares gave her a startle look at her sudden exclamation and the shy mare blushed at the attention she was receiving.
Twilight glance to where Fluttershy had pointed to and sure enough the ashlands came into view. Bellow them they could see the form of Ember waving at them. She looked like she had grown since the last time they saw each other. Twilight wondered if she would become as big as her father thanks to the power of the scepter.
The airship landed on the ground and the six mare debarked to greet their host. ''All that wind completely ruined my mane! I even went to my coiffeur for the occasion too!'' Rarity whine as she looked at her disheveled hairs.
Rainbow Dash lightly snickered behind her, when Rarity turned to glare at her she looked away and whistled innocently.
''Wheee Let's go! I'm gonna throw a huge draconic party at the Rainbow Tree!'' Pinkie Pie cried excitedly and was about to dash away to do some preparations. But she was immediatly stopped as a familiar magenta glow tugged on her tail.
''No Pinkie! The Rainbow Tree is a sacred place for the dragons, you can't just do a party there!'' Twilight said in a scolding tone.
The pink mare seemed to deflate at the news. ''Alright then...''
The young dragon of the group walked toward Ember and rubbed his arms nervously as she stared at him. ''H-hey Ember it's been a while huh?''
The Dragon Lord smiled at him. ''Hey Spike, look like you've grown a little bit since I've seen you. Pretty soon you'll be as big as I am and you'll enter that awkward phase in a dragon's life when you become desperate to mate with a female dragon.''
Spike smiled awkwardly in response and didn't know how to respond to that, so he decided to change of subject. ''So umm can you tell us more about the Rainbow Tree? I'm a dragon myself, but I must admit I haven't heard much about it.''
Ember nodded before beckoning everyone to follow her. Once everyone started walking she started to explain. ''Well as you heard the Rainbow Tree is the source of power of the Dragon Lords. But it's also the subject of all sorts of legends among the dragons, which one are true and which ones are just myths is really hard to say. It is said that the first eight dragon's eggs to ever hatched grew from the Rainbow Tree branches and it is also said that if dragonkind ever went exctinct another eight eggs would sprout from the tree branches and give a second chance to our species.''
''Fascinating!'' Twilight exclaimed before she conjured a notepad in front of her and frantically started to write in it. The other ponies and dragons of the group shook their head with amused expressions before carrying on.
''So all dragons originated from that tree?'' Rainbow Dash asked incrediously.
''According to legends, yes.'' Ember responded with a nod. Before they could ask anymore questions the group entered inside a cave that was pitch black. ''Follow the sound of my voice, the cave isn't that big but it's really easy to slam into a wall with how dark it is.''
Just as she said the cave only took a few minutes to navigate. Once they emerged from the other side they arrived in a large clearing surrounded by all sides by sheer cliffs. Surprising everypony and Spike the ground was covered in lush and green grass that was in stark contrast from the rest of the island.
''Welcome to the resting place of the Rainbow Tree.'' Ember said while gesturing for dramatic effect. Everyone gasped as they saw the massive tree that dominated the horizon. They now realized why it was called a Rainbow Tree. The leaves gradually changed colors all around it encompassing eight colors in total, from left to right there was red, brown, aqua blue, icy blue, green, yellow, purple and white.
''Golly ah reckon I've never seen a tree as big as that before.'' Applejack said with wide eyes while cluching her hat in her hoof.
The group walked closer toward the enormous tree and could see a sort of circular pattern on the bark of the tree. It depicted a fox-like being that exuded grace, compassion and power in it's gaze. Eight tails was spreading from the figure each one pointing to sockets in the bark of the tree with familiar looking gems inside of them.
They each had had a different color, brown, aqua blue, icy blue, green, yellow, purple and white. One of the socket was empty and Twilight couldn't help but to stare at Ember with a silent question.
Ember nodded. ''You probably arleady guessed it Twilight, but yes the missing gem is the same gem we use in the Bloodstone Scepter. Each gems represent an aspect of nature, in the case of the gem from the Scepter, it represent fire.''
''So what does the other seven gems represent?'' Twilight couldn't help but ask.
Ember sighed at that and looked up in the sky before explaining. ''A long, long time ago dragons were far more than just creatures that could spit out fire. There were eight tribes of dragons each championing one of the Nature of this world. Fire, Earth, Water, Ice, Wind, Lightning, Magic and Death. According to our legends we were given the task to protect and guide the other mortal races of Equus by a goddess called the All-Mother, the details of who or what she was is really blurry. During that time there were eight Dragon Lords each ruling a different race of the world, they were given the task to keep the balance of nature and make sure nothing would come to threaten it.''
Then Ember frowned and shook her head. ''But the different races of the world quickly grew recentful when the dragons started to halt their progress at advancing civilisation. Everytime a race would started chopping down forests or start polluting lakes and rivers the dragons would put a stop to them. The different races began to think the dragons wanted to condemn them to live in huts and scrapped by to survive. They became recentful that they couldn't live the life of luxury they wanted to and one day they decided to attack the dragons.''
The group gasped at the revelation, Spike was especially shocked. Why had he never heard of any of this? ''No offense Ember but I have trouble believing this story. Most dragons today doesn't seem like they would want to protect anyone but themselves.'' Spike was especially thinking of a certain group of teenage dragons while saying that.
Ember nodded at this. ''As I said this is all legends so take this with a grain of salt. But according to the story the dragons also started to turned on each other at the height of the war. The different races had stopped giving offering of gems to satiate their hunger and so they started killing each other to steal the hordes from the other dragons. After the war was over only the Dragon Lord of Fire remained, the other races of dragons either went extinct or became feral, like the hydras which were once the dragons of water. The most far-fetched story also say that the Dragon Lords of Magic and Death morphed themselves to look more similar to the race they were guarding and became Celestia and Luna.''
''What?!'' Twilight shrieked in disbelief. ''There's no way Princess Celestia and Luna were once Dragons! They would have told us after all this time!''
Ember laughed and made a placating gesture toward the Princess of Friendship. ''As I said it's simply myths and legends, don't take it so seriously.''
Twilight took a deep breath and smiled sheepishly toward the dragoness. ''Sorry I guess it would make sense different races would have some legends about Celestia and Luna they are important figures in our history after all, even for the dragons.''
The rest of the group fell into a comfortable silence as they admired the tree. Fluttershy even went to touch the bark of the tree as she stared at it with wonder in her eyes. ''No offense to the Tree of Harmony, but this is the most majestic tree I have ever seen in my life! I don't often feel connected to my pegasus magic but strangely while I'm near that tree I almost get the overwhelming urge to go flying in the cloud and feel the wind beneath my wings.''
''Yeah I feel that too! But I thought it was just a regular urge, since I always like to fly.'' Rainbow Dash said while staring with contemplation at the tree.
''Now that ya talk about it ah do feel the urge to go plant some apple trees in my orchard. Ah feel like ah could make it sprout real fast too.'' Applejack said with a curious expression.
''Ember would it be okay if I scan the tree with my magic?'' Twilight asked with a big puppy eyes expression.
The dragonness rolled her eyes playfully before nodding her head. Without needing any further encouragement Twilight galloped toward the tree and lit up her horn with magic. As soon as her magic brushed against the tree she was instantly slammed with an overwhelming primal power emanating from the tree.
The Tree of Harmony was powerful too but it was a more refined and controlled type of power. This, this felt like pure and unfiltered power without any restraint. Even the Everfree Forest didn't feel as wild and untamed as this. Unlike the Everfree Forest however she could feel a sort of benelovence beneath all that raw power. She felt like she had brushed against an entity that didn't necessarily cared about her personally, but something that cared about life in the big picture. The tree looked at her similarly to how an ant keeper would watch it's colony. Not caring about the individual ants, but caring about the colony as a whole. And Twilight really didn't know how to feel about that.
She cutted the scanning spell and promply fell on the ground. ''Twilight!'' Spike cried out in concern as he ran beside the fallen alicorn.
''I'm okay Spike... I just never felt raw power like that before.'' Before anyone could ask any more question the Rainbow Tree suddenly started to glow. Fluttershy screamed in fright when a part of the cliff around them suddenly exploded outward and a red trail started heading straight toward them.
Every ponies and dragons dove away from the uncoming projectile. The comet slammed into the Rainbow Tree and when their panic subsided and they finally got the courage to look up they all realized that the 'comet' had been the gem from the Bloodstone Scepter. The eight gems started glowing brighlty now that they were reunited and without any warning eight beams of light converged toward Ember.
The Dragoness cried in surprise as the energy overwhelmed her, but then once the attack had subsided she became as still as a statue. ''E-Ember are you alright?'' Spike asked with concern evident in his eyes.
Ember eyes lit up with a powerful glow, she stared at the group with an unreadable expression. She started talking but it did not sound like her voice at all, it sounded like something ethereal and out of this world. ''I am not the one you call Ember, son of Fire.''
Instantly that got everyone on edge. ''Then what are you, some sort of demon?! Let me tell you we're not afraid to kick the flank of a demon or two, we're professionals at it at this point!'' Rainbow Dash snarled before zipping toward Ember with lightning speed. But before she could reach her Rainbow Dash was suddenly enveloped in a white light before she simply disappeared without a trace. The other ponies and dragon gasped in horror.
''What have you done with Rainbow Dash?!'' Twilight demanded angrily while lighting her horn. But much to her horror her magic suddenly spluttered and died without warning and she wasn't able to light it up again.
''Do not worry child of the Mind, you will join her soon enough. I suppose I should probably introduce myself. I am the All-Mother, I am the creator of souls and I harbor the spirit realm within my own body, the place you ponies call Elysium. I am using this servant of mine as a temporary avatar to talk to you. Do not worry she will not be harmed by any of this.'' The voice said with a gentle but emotionless voice.
''W-what do you want with us?'' Fluttershy said while hiding behind Twilight.
''The All-Father which arbor the mortal realm has an equally vast universe inside of him just like me. It is not infinite like many of your scientists think it is, but I can see why you would think so. In this universe there are a few dozens planets that harbor life, some similar to yours, others quite different. On one such planet the servants that were supposed to keep the balance of the universe and keep entropy at bay turned against me and the All-father. They nearly destroyed the fragile balance we have kept for millions of years by invading another planet and almost completely destroyed it's ecosystem. The planet called Earth by it's inhabitants was a planet devoid of what you ponies call magic. The inhabitants of the planet had impressive technology at their disposal. But even that could not help them against the raw power of Nature that came from my traitorous guardians...'' The being that had possessed Ember almost looked sad as it fell into silence.
''So let me guess, ya want us to go there and help those...inhabitants?'' Applejack asked with an unsure expression.
Surprising all of them the being shook her head. ''No, my guardians has arleady been dealt with seven years ago. They were slain by my new Champion and The World That Never Was.''
''The World That Never Was?'' Rarity asked bewildered.
The being possessing Ember shook her head. ''It would take too long to explain. Let's just say the situation has been dealt by a pair of quite extraordinary heroes and let's leave it at that.''
''No offense but if everything been dealt with, what the hay do you want with us?! And where did ya put Rainbow Dash?!'' Applejack demanded impatiently.
The being controlling Ember looked down on the ground. ''...It pain me to admit this but the calamity that occur between Earth and Celeste shook me up. I am worried of what would happen should other planets start invading each other. Especially planets that are on the cusp of discovering space travel like Earth was. This planet, Equus, has always been rather peaceful. A few beings has gone astray but not as much as other planets. As such I decided you should get ready in case another Invasion happen. I want to make Equus ready so that what happened on Earth doesn't happen here too. After what happened, I cannot afford to take a passive role in this universe anymore. Since the six of you has arleady proven time and time again you could bring balance to this planet, I decided you would be perfect for this. I will transport all of you on Earth, there you will learn how to control the eight fundamental Natures of this universe. And once you come back to Equus you will be able to spread this knowledge to others.''
''Hey wait a minute we arleady know how to control magic!'' Twilight protested as the body of Ember started to glow brightly.
''While it is true that the unicorn and alicorn races has developed the Mind Nature close to it's full potential. The knowledge of the other seven Natures are really lacking in this world. Even the dragons, while they retain the ability to produce fire they have forgotten how to control it. The dragons of old could make volcano errupt and shape new islands and continents into existence. This knowledge has been lost to time and it is time for you all to learn it again.'' The body of Ember started glowing even more brightly.
''Wait just a gosh darn minute! Ya can't just decide to send us to another planet without our consent. We have responsibilities back in Equestria!'' Applejack complained while slowly trying to back away from the glowing dragoness.
The All-Mother chuckled at that. ''Oh dear daughter of the Earth, do not worry about that. When you come back here, merely an hour will have passed on this planet. Time means nothing to a goddess.''
''Just like shame means nothing to an author who promote his original story by including ponies in it!'' Pinkie Pie exclaimed with a giggle. And for a second everyone looked at the pink pony with blank expressions, even the goddess looked at a loss for words.
Finally the light blinded everyone and everypony and dragon felt their mind slowly fade away until they drifted off to a dreamless sleep...
The blast of ether rifles filled the air. Ventus swerved left and right as he tried to get out of the way of the blasts of energy. Oliver heard the familar sound of a banshee scream coming his way and he instantly jumped off the back of the Dragonling and took a deep breath while extending the palm of his hand. The beam of energy was absorbed in his hand. Once it was done he pointed two fingers at his attacker and release his breath. The renegade screamed as his own ether bullet turned against him.
''Ventus!'' Oliver yelled, the Dragonling lunged toward him and caught him before his free fall turned deadly. Oliver readjusted himself on the back of the green feathered Dragonling and sighed. Whoever called this the Great Silence didn't know how much shit he had to deal with.
New Ringabell had sent a shipment of Draconid Gems to Bajoon City. They had received new Rangers to protect the area but had no Draconid Gems that they could use to capture Elestia. So he had sent a shipment to them by train. He was just going to enjoy some alone time with Clara when he suddenly got a call that a group of renegades were about to board the train and steal the shipment.
And of course he was the only Chosen available with a flying Elestia big enough to carry him and fast enough to stop them in time. ''Ventus let me land on top of the train. I'll deal with the renegades inside the train while you deal with the stragglers outside.''
''Am I allowed to kill them?'' The Dragonling eagerly asked with a voice that would have send shiver down the spine of most people, but Oliver only looked at him with an annoyed frown before sighing.
''Sure but do not torture them more than you need to. People are arleady worried I don't put a tight enough leash on you as it is.'' He said with a shake of his head. What did people expect? This was a Dragonling, a creature that was once thought to be impossible to tame. He was arleady lucky that he accepted him as his Chosen.
''As you wish my Chosen, their death will come so quick that they won't even realize they're dead until they stand in front of the All-Mother.'' With that Ventus took off eager to end some lives and eat the ether from those wicked souls.
Oliver let himself fall down from the rooftop and peered down in the glass of the door. When he saw that the coast was clear he slowly opened up the door of the wagon. As he entered inside he saw many crates that were still left untouched. It looked like the renegades hadn't managed to steal much of anything yet.
Just as he was about to investigate further, the door on the opposite side of the wagon opened and three men stepped inside the wagon. ''Well, well, well, if it isn't Oliver Wilden himself. I knew I heard the roar of a Dragonling outside. I guess I should feel honored that our almighty lord and savior decided to grace us with his presence.'' The man sneered at him before opening his coat and revealing two Draconid Gems the two other men also had one Draconid Gem each.
''If you give up now and go home I won't pursue you, we can all forget this until you decide to do something dumb again.'' It was a foolish idea and he knew it. He knew that the chances they would accept his proposition was unlikely at best and even then letting renegades go was not a clever idea. But he was really getting tired of having blood on his hands. That and there were other things he would much rather do right now.
''Ohhh is the mighty Champion scared? Maybe it's true what they say, the tales of your exploit are overblown. I knew there was no way a kid like you could beat four of the eight Dragons.'' He said in a mocking tone and the two other men laughed with him.
''I will admit I got lucky with some of them. However I won't need luck to deal with lowlifes like you. Turn back now if you still have any will to live.'' Oliver replied with an hard edge in his voice.
''Katrina come out and Tucker too!'' The leader yelled summong his two Elestia out in the open, the two other men did the same with their own Elestia. All of their Elestia were partly made of iron, Lightning Elestia. It made sense they could use their Elestia to recharge the ether rifles of the other renegades who didn't have an Elestia of their own.
Oliver glared at them and retreived a gem from his pocket before yelling. ''Bree come out!'' A purple beam shot out of the gem and took the form of a bipedal koala-like creature that was just tall enough to be bellow Oliver's chin. She had caramel colored fur and flowing red hair, along with piercing blue eyes. ''Make it as quick as possible Bree, show no mercy.''
The leader glared at Oliver clearly offended that he wasn't taking him as a serious threat. ''Kill him! Once he's dead not only will we be rich from all these Draconid Gems, but we will be known as the group that killed the Champion!''
The four Lightning Elestia threw lightning bolt toward the Koastrike, but she was ready for them and proceed to weave and jump above the oncoming attacks. It wasn't long before she reached her target and hit one of the Elestia with the palm of her hands in rapid succession on it's chest.
The men looked at the display in confusion when it seemed like the attack had done nothing. But then the Elestia started clutching his heart and collapsed on the ground lifelessly. ''What the fuck?!'' The leader exclaimed in shock.
''Bree don't let them recover, attack the next Elestia!'' Oliver commanded and the Koastrike did as ordered.
The Lightning Elestia saw her coming and tried to shock her when she was just inch away. But he was too late Bree hitted him in the face and the Lightning Elestia felt agony in his eyes and he started screaming in a panic when he realized he couldn't see anything. His panic was short live however as Bree silence him by hitting him in the throat and then in the lungs. The Elestia quickly ran out of oxygen and fell on the ground.
''Fuck that Koala! Katrina kill the Champion! That insane Elestia won't have any reason to fight us when her Champion his dead!'' The leader of the renegades yelled furiously.
The Elestia did what her master told her to and sent a beam of Lightning toward Oliver. He heard the familar sound of a banshee screaming, but he clearly didn't need it to see this coming. He raised his palm and took a deep breath. The Lightning was absorbed inside his body he could feel the raw ether trying to claw it's way out of his stomach and try to kill him. But he wouldn't let it, he aimed his opposite hand at the Elestia who had attacked him and pointed at her with his index and middle finger before releasing a deep breath.
With a shriek the Elestia was stuck by her own electricity and she fell twitching on the ground before laying still. Oliver glanced toward Bree and saw that she had arleady dealt with the last Elestia. The leader of the renegades glance around and noticed that all their Elestia were dead. ''What the fuck was that?! You absorb the attack of my Elestia! Are you one of those hybrid freaks?!''
Oliver sneered at him, calling someone a hybrid has been an offensive term for years. But he knew he would waste his breath trying to lecture someone like him. Before anything else could be said Bree hitted all three men on the chest and they all clutched their hearts before falling dead on the ground.
Oliver looked away not wanting to see them die, he had arleady seen enough death during the war arleady. In the Old World, back before the Invasion, people like them would have been locked up in prison. But nowaday prison was only reserved for petty crimes like thievery and Elestia cruelty, though the latter could still be ground for execution if it was severe enough.
They just didn't have the ressources necessary to keep lowlifes like that alive. Even keeping the minor criminals alive made a big drain on their ressources. Some people believe even thieves should be killed, but Oliver was unwilling to go that far. This might be a post-apocalyptic world but they should still have some standards. And he hoped that one day they could return to the way of the Old World.
He recalled Bree inside her Draconid Gem and climbed back on top of the wagon before releasing a loud whistle. The form of Ventus quickly appeared in the sky and he landed beside him on the rooftop of the wagon.
''Are you done my Chosen?'' Ventus asked, he could never tell if the dragonling was sincere or sarcastic when he called him that.
''Have you eliminate all the renegades outside?'' Ventus nodded in reply and puffed his feathers proudly. ''Then we're done here. Let's get back to New Ringabell.'' Oliver climbed on the back of the Dragonling and with a powerful flap of his wings both of them were in the air.
''I can smell the excitement coming from you. I bet you can't wait to lay claim to your mate.'' Ventus said with a chuckle.
Oliver blushed before glaring at the green feathered beast. ''That's none of your business! Beside I arleady 'claimed' Clara, we're married.''
In response Ventus laughed and shook his head. ''Marriage is just a silly human concept. It's just a piece of paper, nothing more. The only way to truly claim a mate is to impregnate her. I think it's about time the two of you get hatchlings, you've been married for what, five years arleady?''
''Even if we wanted to have children we can't yet. Elestia and Etherians haven't been able to get pregnant for the last seven years.'' Oliver looked glum about that. Clara was taking it especially hard. She had been wanting children for a long time and now that she was old enough to do so, she couldn't even do it.
''Ah yes, the Rainbow Trees you and Harmony planted still need to mature before the wild Elestia can finally get their powers back and allow them to go throught their estrus cycle. I haven't been able to change my gender for seven years either. Not that I mind that much, I always prefered being male anyway.'' Ventus said with a chuckle.
Oliver was really weirded by that statement and he knew he would regret his next question. ''So you've been a female before?''
''Oh sure, like all dragonlings I laid a few eggs when I was younger. But taking care of hatchling has never been my strong suit and they can get really annoying when they suckle on your teat all day.'' He said with a frown while reminiscing of the past.
''Dragonling have teats?! You're not even a mammal!'' Oliver said in horrified disbelief.
''You'll learn that Elestia are made to be compatible with as many species as possible. That's why so many males and females Elestia share the same genitals, even thought they're completely different species.'' Ventus snorted and grinned when Oliver tried to block his ears. ''You humans are such prudes, no wonder you were so close to extinction. You always beat around the bush to court with your future mate. If you went directly to business like the All-Mother intended you would have arleady repopulated the Earth at this point!''
''la la la, I can't hear you!'' Oliver yelled but his flushed face contradicted his words.
''Umm strange.'' Ventus said while looking down. They were flying over the ruins of a small town. Oliver recognized it instantly, it was the ruins of Fluotti Town the town his mother used to live in before she died of cancer when he was four years old and was forced to go live in the city with his father.
''What is it Ventus?'' Oliver asked hoping it wouldn't lead to another perverted comment.
''It look like there's a bunch of Elestia collapsed in the street.'' Ventus replied, Oliver peered down and could see that indeed there were beings laying motionless on the asphalt. They were too far up for him to make out what they were. But the fact that a bunch of Elestia were unconscious was worrying.
''Ventus, fly down I have to go see what's wrong.'' Oliver said with a determined scowl on his face.
''Really? You know normal people would continue on their way when they see a bunch of injured creatures like that. Whatever hurted them could still be close.'' Ventus said with a forced neutral expression, but Oliver could tell that deep down he was worried about him.
''I'm a Ranger, Ventus. Taking unnecessary risks is in the job description.'' He said with a carefree smirk.
Ventus scoffed at that. ''Don't I know it, you're the only human insane enough to have tried to tame me.''
''And it worked didn't it?'' Oliver responded confidently.
''I'm not tamed, I just took pity on your sorry ass.'' Ventus responded with a huff.
''Sure, whatever you say.'' Oliver responded with a shaked of his head.
Ventus landed on the ground and Oliver disembarked from the Dragonling. As he approached the creatures, he could see that all of them saved one were of equine origins. But all of them had a different color of coats, one of them had a horn, two of them had wings, two had neither and one of them had both wings and a horn. ''Mmh, maybe they're like the Kitsubi tribes and they change of appearance depending of the Nature they have. Let's see what the G.E.E.K. has to say about them.''
He took a rectangular machine from his pocket and began scanning the lavender creature. The familiar voice of Professor Dogwood started speaking in a monotonous voice. ''Error, Elestia not found in the database. Scanning for research purposes.'' The machine lit up and started scanning the equine creature for further details so that the information could be sent back to the lab in New Ringabell.
Oliver heard a squeaking sound the moment the machine had litten up. When he looked at where the sound had come from he could see a pale yellow equine looking at him with wide terrified eyes...
Author's Note
This story is a semi-canon entry in my World of Elestia series. What I mean by that is that a lot of the events that will happen in this fiction will be canon to the rest of the series. But obviously the part about the Mane Six being there is not canon, due to copyrights.
