An Umbra in an Illuminated Future

An Umbra in an Illuminated Future

“EMBER! YOUR FATHER SUMMONS YOU!!!”

It was the most heart racing and fear inducing way to wake up, let alone after a night of peaceful sleep. While an erupting volcano would have never awakened her before, Torch’s booming voice could only ever truly cause worry.

Her eyes shot open, her body launched forward and her heart raced a million miles per second. But worst of all, the back of Shard Obsidian was to her and facing the entrance.

Dread filled her heart and her mind couldn’t compete with the grueling punishment that awaited her. From both her father and Shard for she had never let it known that her father was the one to imprison the black drake for half a millennium.

“EMBER! AWAKEN! WE NEED TO SPEAK!” The urgency of his voice and easily identifiable anger that it carried shook the cave. Her dread was growing higher and she was praying that whatever was going to happen, she wouldn’t lose him

“S-Shard?” She managed to barely speak as her voice was broken and unable to really form words.

For a moment, he didn’t respond, as if still contemplating it but after said moment, he turned to her slowly. His eyes… portrayed a sense of calm that she couldn’t see but his voice showed volumes. “Your father is Torch.”

A statement, not a question. It was simple but yet a million times more powerful than anyone can expect to believe.

She quickly stood up and tried to approach him, her body shaking with fear and her anxiety that plagued her form. “S-Shard, I-I-I was g-going to-” No, that was a lie, for she never would have unless it ever came up and now the time has come.

His eyes met her own, knowing that it was a lie, but seeing that fear, that pain, that anguish of what would happen, burned away any doubts he had for her.

Leaning in, he pressed his larger head to her. “I’ve always known.” Her breath hitched, her mind froze but a comforting brush slowly eased her racing heart. “From the very moment I opened my eyes, I saw him through you. I knew it to be and no one else. While you look similar, you are far from the same dragon.”

She tried to speak but her father called out again. “EMBER!”

A sudden rage left her, with tears leaving her eyes as she screamed back out of the cave. “I’M WAKING UP! LEAVE ME BE FOR A MOMENT!”

That alleviated her father’s ire for the moment. “Then be quick to rise and meet me soon!” Then she heard his giant footsteps move away from the cave. She almost broke down as she felt so weak at the moment. Her body was sore but in a wonderful aftermath of what had transpired last night, yet this crueling wake up call had her shaking with ache.

Shard wrapped a single claw around her and whispered, “I forgive you for not telling me.”

She sniffed and looked up into those silver eyes of his. He meant it; he truly forgives her for her fear of keeping the truth from him. Despite the secrecy for the last few weeks since his awakening, she felt like an obligation to keep him from seeing the truth, if not to protect him. But yet he was now comforting her, pressing himself unto her like she needed protecting.

She swallowed and laid a claw on his cheek. “I-I’m sorry.”

He didn’t retract from her palm, his calm and eased tone towards her said it all. “I understand. But know this my Ember, I swore to never attack Torch for vengeance and I never will. Yet if he attacks me, I am… powerless to defend myself. As it stands, I would find out what he seeks from me.”

She blinked. “W-Why would he want you? He doesn’t know that you are awake.”

Shard brushed his larger head to her. “A black scaled dragon seen around the Dragon Lord for days on end would warrant an investigation. Whether it's him trying to see if it's the same black drake he imprisoned almost a century ago or… it's a father trying to see who is courting and falling in love with his daughter.”

“I-I-”

“What you said to me last night may have been a throw of passion or lust, but know that my heart for you is true. What short time we had, I enjoyed far more than any in my lifetime. You are my light in the world where I saw only darkness and hate and should we be allowed to live in peace, I would pursue my goal to court you to be your eternal life mate.”

Her mouth we let open and her heart was beating rapidly due to the situation yet before she could respond, her father once more called her.

“EMBER!”

“Go to him, I’ll be fine.” He whispered to her, giving her a gentle brush of his snout to him.

She wanted to say anything and everything, but her time was shortened. With a sigh, she gave him a quick lick to his cheek and nodded. “Stay here.”

He nodded back and watched her leave. However, he stalled her. “Ember.”

She stopped and looked back. He motioned for his head towards the Bloodstone Scepter on the wall. She hesitated but realized, it may be best to have it. A quick retrieval and strapping it to her back, she flew out of her cave and headed outside.

The morning sun was just over the horizon and dragons were either still asleep or just moving around. Her father, being a colossal dragon that he was, sat watching the world around him.

Ember had quickly put on her angry face, the same one she wore just like him with a slight touch of annoyance as she flew upwards.

Torch heard the flapping of wings and turned to her, seeing her reach her height in eyes. When he saw her form, he was instantly reminded of the beauty of her mother and how she was the whole and the heart of his world. That despite the few years they had together, it was memorable, as a family.

Ember gave a faux yawn, before fixing her father with a glare. “What do you want? Why did you wake me up so early in the morning?!” While her voice did show her irritation and anger, it was not the same energy he was used to hearing from her.

Their form and energy always seemed to match when they wanted to argue or yell at one another but even with the early morning rise, Torch noticed the decline of it.

Pushing that down for a moment, he snorted and finally spoke in a decent manner for a dragon of his strength and size.

“I heard that a pure black dragon was roaming the dragon lands.” He frowned further and fixed his eyes over the area as if trying to scan for said dragon. “One that has me concerned that he has escaped his confines.”

Ember hid her worry and just rolled her eyes. “Really father! You're going after the color scales of a dragon now? I thought we were above profiling a dragon based on their scale patterns, wing size and all that years ago! There are many black dragons here now and if you have a problem then-”

“THAT IS NOT WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT!” He suddenly snapped at her, the sheer force of his voice almost blowing her away.

Ember growled at that, but adjusted herself to glare at her father, only now he was not just angry but there was a vivid boiling rage hiding within him. While he was looking at her, it was not directly for her. She tried to hide her fear and disprove any notion of involvement but that only had Torch lean closer to her. “I know that he is here. The dragon with scales of the blackest of nights, currently residing here. He is dangerous, Ember, he has done harm and no doubt he is the most evil of us.”

Ember now grew defensive though she didn’t reveal anything. “Then if he was so evil, why hasn’t he caused damage or hurt other dragons, huh? I am the Dragon Lord now, I know what happens around here and if it's a problem, then I can deal with it. More so, if you truly believe he was that evil, why didn’t you end him in the first place?” She crossed her arms and fixed him with a leer that almost matched his own. “Last I check, you didn’t mind ending the lives of a few dragons if they went against you and your rules.”

Torch didn’t show anything but a small squint to her but that betrayed all the emotions he had to her in that moment. He felt that bite in her tone, the callout and the uncensored truth of his ill-faded past. He knew he was no saint, especially in the eyes of his daughter. She had bared witnessed at a young age those who have tried to oppose him and failed miserably by losing their lives. The public executions or the mangled bodies in his ire, were left there to be dealt with to nature or to be cared for by those that were forced to remove it from view. He had tried to keep himself rigid and strong for her even after her mother had…

Torch stayed silent for a moment, not wanting to show his own weakness to his daughter. He did give her a terrifying truth. “I wish I had, but he was too young to do anything that would be considered extreme even for a Dragon Lord.”

Ember’s face morphed into anger and even a slight horror. Torch saw this on his daughter’s face and felt a bit more of a pinch in his heart but he remained firmed.

“I only imprisoned him, for half a millennium of sleep, lest the ponies called their gods upon us.”

Ember shook her head. “You know nothing of them, father. They are kind, they are forgiving and they are capable of grand things. If you could have talked to Celestia at the time, she would have been merciful.”

Torch gave a slow nod but then sighed. “It wasn’t her I was talking about directly, but regardless, the prisoner is free and I must now deal with him again.”

Ember rebutted against the idea. “He has done nothing yet, nor provoked anyone!”

“And you protect a murderer?” Her father barked. “You know nothing of what he has done, Ember. You know nothing of what he is capable of.” Torch then paused and this time, studied his daughter further. His brows furrowed more and a slow rage began to rise. While his voice was low, the growl that left him vibrated the very air around him. Ember’s fear grew with it as her father’s eyes began to burn with rancor. “You have interacted with him.”

A statement, not a question. A callout and one that she could not deny. If at any moment, she was forced to tell her father, it would perhaps ruin any trust of her in the future. Yet, she wanted to protect him, but how could she?

“Where is he?” Her father demanded as he searched around for him. Yet, either foolish or bravery had him commit to it, Shard slowly revealed himself from the cave. The very cave that Torch’s daughter slept in, further fueling the fire and anger radiating from him. Shard met the eyes of the towering dragon, unfazed and undeterred by the coming storm.

Ember all but gaped, trying to understand why he would reveal himself, but unable to.

Torch all but growled out, “YOU!!!”

Calmly, Shard Obsidian responded, “I.”

Torch immediately tried to go after him with his large palm but Ember intervened and quickly stood in front of the paw’s approach to him. “FATHER STOP!” Her voice now loud and full of fear and dread, though in her need to protect him, she had reached behind her back for the Scepter.

Shard noticed this but stayed focused on Torch. He however did not like knowing that Ember was carrying the Scepter, which even he felt the need to hesitate. “Why are you protecting this beast?!”

Shard made sure not to respond towards his hostile attitude. While he swore to never take vengeance, he knew that he could do so without ever having to lift a claw or say much to him. There was an alternative… but it may hurt.

“Father! Shard is not the evil you think he is!” She yelled back to him, still protecting him. “He has been kind and calm since his release from imprisonment!”

“Did he even tell you his crimes or did he lie to you and snivel his way to your ears?”

“I told her what you did not and failed to do.” Shard answered with just as high of a tone to match the two dragons. “I even swore on it.”

“YOU KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT, WYRM!!” Torch roared with fury, slurring him with a bile word.

“Father! Enough!” Ember roared back with her own anger, though now the Scepter glowed dangerously behind her back. “He told me what he had done and those lives he took. While I do not approve of them, Princess Twilight and I agreed that he can be reformed.”

Torch eyed his daughter wearily. “The Princesses know of his crime? And unpunished?”

Ember gave a small puff of flames and leered back at her father. “Goes to show how much you really knew of them. Princess Celestia is not a vengeful goddess as Twilight had told me and while you would have met her, she would not kill other dragons for the sake of one dragon. Your punishment for him was invalid but his parents deserved his punishment instead.”

Torch continued to stare at his daughter, scrutinizing her for any lies but finding none. Still, he hated the creature that hid behind her and he still bared his teeth. “He still needs to serve out his crime, as I have deemed it.”

“-Unless degreed by another Dragon Lord, in which you would tell them of my crimes and make sure they never let me go,” Which came almost as a taunt from Shard without the tone or the sarcasm, but a well meaning reminder. “You failed to tell her about me and you failed to keep me contained.” Before Torch could roar, he cut him off. “And I swore to Dragon Lord Ember,” Emphasizing on her title more than his. “-That I would never harm or pursue vengeance to those innocent ponies and dragons alike.” A pause before the bearest of smirks could be seen. “Or you.”

Torch was now on the verge of a full blown rage to unleash upon him, but what only slowed his wrath was by what he said. “Your swears means nothing!”

Shard agreed, but Ember answered. “He swore to me that he would not harm or attack anyone.” She then added. “And he swore to me that he would remain loyal, honest and servitude as well.”

“A BLOOD OATH!?” Even that was something he wasn’t expecting yet more astounded and appalled that the drake knew of it. By now, a few dragons have begun to eavesdrop from a distance, unnoticed by them but building attention.

Both young dragons nodded but still remained unfazed by the larger dragon’s immense wrath. “And he has been honest since I have awakened him from slumber, father, unlike you!” She then waved to Shard. “The Princess has already agreed to reformation, my friends have already accepted him to our group and I plan on making sure that the rest of the dragons in the lands know that he is not the threat you made him out to be.”

Torch was heavily conflicted and it showed, as he morphed between anger, rage, contemplation and other non-positive emotions in an aura that radiated from him that they could feel it. Yet he held little to no ground to stand on, despite his best efforts to prove the vileness of this drake before him. No, the only thing that stopped him from truly unleashing his rage was the fact that his daughter held the Scepter and the Will to control all dragons, including him.

What would break that ability to stop him?

Only one thing…

“And why did I see him leave your cave?” The ground itself shook with his tone.

Ember blushed almost instantly and tried to look away from both her Father and Shard, though the implications could mean a variety of things, Shard offered a dangerous solution to that answer. “I had no cave to speak of, as is since the exile of my sire and dam in part because of you, their former cave is resided by others.” A pause but then came the truth. “And I plan on courting your daughter.”

The air stood deadly still and while Ember knew what he said was just suicidal, it only burned her embarrassment further.

Her father didn’t say a single word, nor did he flinch or hesitate when he managed to not only strike, but he did so fast and hard, missing his daughter by feet as he used his tail to send him flying.

Time slowed for Ember, with all loss of embarrassment and anger, turning to horror and dread as she saw the smaller form of Shard was sent flying by her father. His body was flung at high velocity towards the cave wall near the entrance. The black dragon cratered into the wall before crumbling over and landing on the floor unconscious.

Torch took not a second longer before he made an attempt to do so again. Ember, fully appalled and distraught by her father’s actions, screamed in rage and in fear. Before she gave her father a chance to strike again, she pulled the Scepter from her back and pointed to her father.

Enraged with burning tears, she roared, “STOP!!!”

Torch froze, grunting at the command and with anger that seemed unending turned to Ember. “Release me!”

“YOU WILL NEVER TOUCH HIM AGAIN!” She roared at him, as tears fell from her face. Torch bore witness to the emotional and traumatizing state she was in. Never had he dealt with her like this, but didn’t believe she was seeing to reason. Her state made him hesitate and even become worried as she quickly flew to check on him.

“Ember, listen to me-” She turned him in a sharp manner, like a snake ready to strike

“NO!!!” she continued to roar at him. “YOU DID NOT GIVE HIM A CHANCE! HE WANTED PEACE AND LOVE, SOMETHING HE NEVER HAD!”

“He-” Trying again, but feeling the weight and strength of the Scepter, the glowing red matching the rage of his daughter, reflecting on her eyes.

“SHUT UP!!!” His mouth held shut, forcing him to growl internally but then, a slow pass of fear came to pass as she continued to point with the Scepter. “YOU WILL NOT COME NEAR HIM OR ME EVER AGAIN! IF I SEE YOU EVER AGAIN NEAR ME, I WILL EXILE YOU FROM THE LANDS!”

Torch felt a powerful sword pierce his heart, almost physical to the point where it almost staggered him. He… he wasn’t sure that he could handle it. He tried to talk but her will inflicted had her give a final command. “LEAVE ME ALONE AND DON’T YOU EVER SHOW YOURSELF NEAR ME AGAIN!” The glow of the Scepter grew brightly and with almost impossible will to resist. He tried to beat the command of the Dragon Lord herself, yet seeing the raging anger and tears that was across Ember’s face, made him weak but failed as his body moved without will to walk away from his daughter.

By now, dozens of dragons had witnessed the former Dragon Lord strike a young and unthreatening dragon. While many had been weary of him from the start, seeing him being struck and then falling to the ground, made a few sympathize. They gave Torch a wide breadth of space as he walked away from the area, hearing his daughters cries and desperate attempts to waken that… dragon. What came next, no one knew.

“Come on Shard, please wake up!” She desperately tried to shake him awake but not knowing what else to do. There were no medical or healing dragons, not yet since the union between Equestria and Dragon Lands, but now because of this situation, she regretted not bringing it sooner.

‘Equestria! Twilight! They could help!’ But she needed to get him inside her cave. She turned and saw that dragons had witnessed everything and were now watching her. With a wave of her Scepter, she called them over. “Help me get him inside!” While a command, it wasn’t a true demand, rather a beg for help.

Six dragons helped her secure Shard and lifted him to the inside of her cave, with her heart pounding as she prayed for him to live. She followed in, not glancing back to her father’s retreating form in the distance.

Once inside, she had them place him near her hoard and gently lowered. As he was lowered, she saw that he was still breathing but seemed labored, perhaps with some internal damage. She quickly sent the dragons away from her cave, before jumping to a nearby area where a rock had been flatted to a desk like area where she held quills and scrolls. An unlit candle was next to it and she gave a small blow of her flames, igniting it with her colored fires and she quickly began to write to Twilight.

Her shaky writing was all over the place, she kept stumbling over her words which only caused her further frustration as she desperately tried to write something comprehend and not smear her tears across the scroll.

She growled as the jumbled words didn’t register properly until she inhaled, held it then released to calm her nerves. Finally, she managed to control her writing enough to send a letter to Twilight whom she hoped Spike was with.

‘Twilight, I know that you may have other things preoccupying your time at the moment, but I desperately need your help! Shard was… attacked and I can’t help him nor can any dragon here either. I know we were supposed to discuss the medical field for dragons but we pushed it back. Please, if you know of anyone who can help wounded dragons or can at least care for them, I beg you send them over as soon as possible! I desperately need your help!

Dragon Lord Ember.”

A once over before she rolled the scroll and then held it up on the candle. The flame from the candle enveloped the scroll sending it aflame before the magic consumed and sent it zipping off out of her cave and to Equestria, where she hoped that Twilight could help her.

She broke down again and cried in her palms, forcing her to shake as the stress and anger washed over her like a volcano on grass. It was a strong, brutal and an untempered wave of agony that mentally tore at her, breaking down any self esteem she had. How could she allow this to happen? Was it her fault for hiding Shard or saving him? Or did she do the right thing and hope that the result would have yielded to something different?

Her mind wracked with how she opened up her heart to someone who closed it off because of how her father and the world saw him. A blight amongst Dragon kind, that deserved to be destroyed from history. Why?

How could fate curse such a dragon from birth to be hated? Why would the gods allow such a painful hardship for one like him? Yes, a dragon’s life can be a bit cruel and dangerous, but he wasn’t given a chance to be strong since hatching. His sire and dam only cared for him long enough until he could walk and eat on his own before casting him out of their own home. Most dragonlings don’t leave the nest until their first molts let alone until after their wings have grown in.

Yet the dirt he was tossed to was still fresh and the icy grasp of death could have come at any moment for him. He bore it through and even when he felt like he had little hope that his parents would nurture his siblings, they took away his heart for good.

No dragon, no creature deserved this and now… now because she opened her heart, she may have caused him more harm than good as she tried to show him hope in this world. That the light can be found and that love… love was possible no matter where it came from.

She limped over to his form and collapsed on his head, still hearing his labored breathing but just thankful he was still alive. she just wasn’t sure for how long. Sniffing, she licked under his eye and whispered to him. “Please… please be okay. I need you, I need you to stay with me! Please, I-I-I love…” She sobbed and pressed her head against him as she struggled to say it coherently. “I love you, Shard. Just please stay with me!”

Her body laid on his form, soft sobs echoing the caves and hoping that help came soon.

An hour later she got a response back from Dragon Flame, stating they were coming but it would take a few more hours to get hold of proper help for him. Since Dragon anatomy wasn’t fully explored, it would have to be researched and as well as get medical equipment to help a dragon his size.

Ember was thankful nonetheless but begged for quickness if possible as she replied in quick response.

By mid afternoon, Twilight and a group of ponies and non-ponies teleported in mass, including Smolder and Spike. Upon seeing them all, she broke down once more and cried, both dragons quickly hugging her as she did so, not judging nor saying anything as they held onto the Dragon Lord. Twilight remained sympathetic, though she gave her time to grieve and hope that after, she could explain what had happened.

Twilight being who she was, got who was available not just to help him heal but to further study dragon biology to get a better understanding of them in the future. That including Fluttershy, who was apprehensive of a giant dragon at first, quickly overcame her and began to check his vitals with the aid of other medical workers. Ponies, griffins, and even a changeling alike had assisted her. Smolder and Spike came to help on any explanation on biology questions or explaining anything draconic anatomy.

Once Ember had finished, she was coherent enough for her to explain what had happened, including her father’s rage towards him and the fear driven reason to exile him. To save their kind from Celestia’s wrath and more. Twilight furthered her brows and spoke only within reach of her.

“Celestia didn’t even know of this incident that she could recall.” She answered Ember seriously. “I don’t even think that this came up to her in any way since that group of ponies did not join Equestria until almost a century later when the borders were created.”

Now Ember grew quiet and a bit of bile anger rose from the sadness of her heart as she whispered back harshly. “Then… why did my father believe that he would cause ‘the very heavens’ to strike upon us? That Celestia or other pony gods would come to kill us for his mistake?”

Twilight placed a hoof on her chin in thought. In the background, the others were continuing their work on Shard, checking vitals and any physical damage.

“We don’t really have gods that are vengeful,” Twilight answered truthfully. “I mean, well Discord may be our ally now but he was only recently reformed. Luna was still in exile and there have been no other Alicorns in history. Only Faust herself would know if there were others but I am not sure who your father was referring to. Celestia may have been our ruler for a millennium but she wouldn’t slaughter or kill other dragons for the sake of one.”

She knew that but Ember had to be sure and now… now it looked like her father was lying about the whole thing. About Shard, about dragons with full black scales and more. Had he been lying to her, her whole life or was it just about him?

Strong feelings stirred in turmoil and while she felt weak right now, more than ever she felt a strong resolve to deal with her father and get a straight answer from him.

A few more moments of talking things out, did Fluttershy and a changeling approach the two. Ember was quick to worry as Fluttershy gave a quick sympathetic glance back before focusing on her.

“For now, he is stable and nothing major is endangering him right now.”

The changeling, wearing a medical uniform, with three different green colored hues over her body spoke up. “However he was knocked unconscious and an x-ray scan has shown two cracked ribs but nothing else. In short, he’ll recover eventually and may just need to recover on his own. While we are not sure much more about your biology, we are studying it as we help him, to possibly further aid in the future.”

Ember released a shaky sigh of relief, almost falling back as she heard the good news. While cracked ribs were a part of Dragon’s usual list of broken appendages when it came down to rough housing including arms, jaws, legs and tails, hearing it still made her worry but calmer nonetheless. “Thank you, for this. For coming so quickly.”

Twilight nodded along with the other two. The changeling then added, “It would help to know what dragons need in order to recover quickly as well as what will help if dragons get injured in Equestria, to aid them there. If you have the time, Dragon Lord Ember, perhaps we can learn a bit more from you and your kind.”

“If it's to aid our kind for the future, I will gladly help in any way I can.” It was a resolve that they could all work to, especially if this helped Shard and others.

Ember did her best to explain much of it for the next hour as the other focused on healing Shard. A few magic users managed to lift him off his side to wrap bandages and applied magical potions on his scales near the area of cracked ribs. Smolder was only able to guide part of it, but his body had to deal with the rest.

Once secure and notes had been taken, most of the staff left and Twilight, Spike and Smolder were left with Ember. “So, who attacked him?” Spike asked.

Though she didn’t want to bring it up, it wouldn’t do well to hide it. An angered sigh left her. “My father… the same one who imprisoned him.”

Both dragons went wide eyed hearing this, though Twilight’s brow furrowed. “I knew that Torch did not like him but I didn’t think he would attack a young dragon, unless provoked.”

Ember shook her head. “He was only explaining to him that he was in my debt and that he would never harm me.” She didn’t bring up that he was courting her nor that they had almost mated last night. A small burst of flames left her nostrils. “He believes that some stupid prophecy that Shard would enact would spell doom for us.”

“But… Shard has been so nice and kind,” Smolder responded. “There is no way that he could be some kind of… evil dragon incarnate or something, right?”

Ember gave a firm shake. “No. After everything we’ve been through, he has a kind and gentle heart. He deserves better!”

“I agree, Ember,” Twilight confirmed. “Prophecies and such shouldn’t be taken lightly but if it can be changed or altered to a better outcome, I would hope that it can left to Harmony to-”

“My father is not one for Harmony, Twilight!” Ember snapped, though she instantly regretted upon seeing them all jump at her voice. “Sorry, but it's true. My father, he is not keen to pony ways like I or most dragons today are. He is still stuck in his own idle ways of how dragons should be and such.” A sigh left her. “And because of that, it almost cost Shard his life.”

For a tense moment, no one spoke and while it felt like it was a poor outcome of old ways, neither creature had a proper way of changing the situation. Smolder did offer a small incentive. “Why not ask Torch why he created that story of the Blackest Night Dragon?”

Ember looked up and towards her. “Huh, what do you mean?”

The lithe dragoness shrugged. “Me and Garble never heard of this ‘blackest night’ dragon thing until some older dragons brought it back up when we came to visit. I mean, I think that our generation and last may be the only ones to either forget about it or not know about it.”

Ember frowned at this, though it did in part make sense. While she did notice that dragons avoided Shard in the beginning, none were really more frightened about him than her own father and perhaps one or two adults. Even then, it all felt super stitious on how they treated the situation. Her fury however would be targeted to her father however and the pain he has caused.

This was not lost to the others however when Twilight spoke once more. “Ember?” The dragoness locked eyes with her. “Don’t be mad at your father. He may have hurt you and Shard but it shouldn’t mean he is beyond redemption. Just by talking to him and finding out why he created this prophecy or tale of Shard, may help you understand his situation better.”

“He shouldn’t have-”

“It doesn’t matter now,” Twilight affirmed. “Just like some ponies can be stuck in their traditions and their old ways, doesn’t mean they can’t change. We are all creatures of habit and stuck with routine, but if something comes along the way that can alter our course of views, then we may be better for it. Some will die with their ways, but there are many of those out there that will change if given the chance. That may include your father.”

Ember mulled over her words and despite the annoyance and bridle rage that swirled within her heart, she couldn’t hate her father. Even if he had caused pain by creating this tale, that he perhaps could see Shard the way he saw her, albeit less romantically.

She rubbed her arms, feeling a sense of utter confusion, but it was until a call from one of the medics that alerted them to Shard. Ember turned and saw from a distance his eyes slowly opening.

A quick hop flight and she was on him in seconds. “Shard! Shard!” She begged, almost becoming hysterical once more. The large black scaled dragon gave a slight groan as he roused awake, making the others slowly retreat but Ember to approach his head. “Are you alright? Please tell me you are okay?!”

He gave a sigh and a pained groan left him, but he focused his eyes on her. “I am… alive, my… Lord.” Unsure if he could even call her anything else at the moment. He saw that he was surrounded by ponies, changelings and even the return of Princess Twilight, Spike and Smolder.

Tears fell from her face as she hugged him, though he tried to move, she quickly held him down. “Don’t move! You are injured, you have a few cracked ribs.”

A groan left him. “I feel like I have more than just that.”

A medical unicorn came forward. “You do also have some internal bruising that we have just detected but with your hardened scales, we couldn’t detect it for the first moments.”

Ember sighed and rubbed his head. “You should have stayed in the cave,” She whispered to him. “He could have done worse to you.”

A soft wheeze could be heard from his mouth, the pain echoing through his voice. “Is he still here?”

“No, I sent him away!” The bite in her tone made it well known what had happened.

Despite all this, Shard was satisfied with the vengeance he had acquired. His life had nearly been taken but the outcome was once more favorable to his liking by the dragoness that lingered in his heart. If he would have died, he would have done so knowing that at least one dragon in the world cared for him, one that had loved him and that she was willing to give herself to him in these final moments of life. But now came the part of where that left him and their future and whether or not, he felt the need to continue this pursuit further or perhaps change. Alter what his heart desired originally and then become a staple of what will be the rest of his life and perhaps her own.

He owed it to the beautiful dragoness before him that much.

The drake brushed himself against her and muttered. “G-Go to him.”

Ember blinked, unsure she misheard him. “What?”

He looked her dead in the eyes, weak as he was but just as determined. “Go. To. Him. Forgive him and try to gain back his love.”

“Shard… He… He…”

“He loves you like a father should have and was trying to protect you. While it's his fault for this, he is still a father that cares for his daughter.” He then licked the side of her body as much as he could as an affectionate gesture. “Don’t lose something that I wish I had. You have a father still and would regret it if you lost him. Forgive him and then if he can be changed, then show him what makes me special.”

She couldn’t believe it. He was nearly killed by her father and he wants her to forgive him? Despite causing all this pain and suffering, he still asks for this from her?

Twilight and the others approached, having heard all of this. “Ember, listen to him. It's easier to forget than to forgive but your heart will be better if you make an effort to do so. We all have regrets that can come around later in our lives if we choose not to forgive those who have wronged us. If Harmony has taught us anything, the best things come from us choosing to be better than what we were and overcoming great odds, including forgiving enemies and loved ones.”

Ember wracked her brain as those around her begged that she forgive her father, to forgive his transgressions towards her and Shard. The mental turmoil was strong but the pain in her heart was stronger, as for the one in her heart was nearly taken. How could she forgive easily?

She sighed and shook her head. “I-I don’t know if I can, yet.”

“No one is saying you have to forgive him Now, but you should give him a chance.” Twilight nodded. “It will take time but you can overcome this.”

Perplexed, she pulled away from Shard and looked towards them all, feeling outnumbered by their guilt-tripping themes. She turned to Twilight and nodded. “Fine, I’ll go, but please take care of Shard.”

“I am in… no shape to move,” He admitted begrudgingly as he laid once more on the floor. “Though I beg that I may at least eat something to endure this pain.”

“You shouldn’t eat right away,” Explained one of the medics. “As is, we need to start the process of mending your bruises and cracked ribs. It may take an hour or so to finish, depending on how cooperative he is.”

A small bit of playfulness managed to force its way to Ember. “I can make him compliant with a little help.” As she indicated with the Bloodstone Scepter pointed behind her.

Shard eyed her, noting the small smirks and smiles of those surrounding her, indicating they knew of her playful nature. He closed his eyes and groaned loudly, either in pain or because he felt left out of the humor. “Just… let me rest then, I'll recover eventually.”

“With an attitude like that, it will take longer,” The medics amused before returning to their work.

Ember smiled briefly before her frown returned and she walked out of the cave. Before she fully left, glanced back in, seeing the support of Spike, Smolder and even Twilight. It made her appreciate the friends that she had for support and care, feeling that perhaps Harmony was on her side for the choices in her life.

Now came the part where she hoped she would be helped by Harmony to forgive her father or condemn him. Wings flared, she launched out of her cave into the sky, in search of her father to deal with him.

Torch was far from her home but not far enough to lose sight of. He was one of the few alpha class dragons in the lands, so finding him was no hard feat. His form was sitting hunched over an area facing the ocean towards the western sea, where in a few hours, the sun would set.

His mind was fractured and his heart felt lost, feeling ill of the thought of his daughter hating him forever. His actions towards her and that… dragon, felt justified and perhaps even deserved but at the cost of losing her.
He now wondered if he would spend his days without her, knowing that the only dragon he still loved in this world would love him again.

“Did I make the right choice, my love? Was… Was I right for doing it?” He asked out loud to the skies. Despite the scales, the gentle kisses of wind across his face felt like the gentle licks of his beloved once before.

He knew he had a heart, he knew he could love and he knew that he was capable of it all, but… he knew he could cause pain, he knew he could create chaos and he knew that he was far from innocent in his life. The lives he had had taken, the fear he had inflicted, and perhaps most of all, driving away his daughter because of prophecy?

The sheer thought alone weighed heavy on his heart and he wasn’t sure if spending the rest of his life without his daughter was a life at all. He was Torch the Indomitable after all… but he was not Torch the Heartless.

As he sat there, the soft tiny flaps of wings could be heard approaching him and he recognized them as his daughter’s, even without turning to see her. She had a unique flap that he recorded in his mind since she could first fly and it reminded him of his beloved.

She didn’t enter his view, instead choosing to stay in hover behind him. He didn’t turn to her either, as the order of her commands were still in place. His head lowered as he spoke out loud but indirectly to her and away.

“Did I lose my daughter?” His voice weighed with sadness and remorse. “Did… Did I fail my beloved for failing to protect you? To raise you to the best of my ability as I had promised her?” A tear fell from his ducts. “Are you here to send your father away?”

For a moment, the tense silence between them seemed to give an answer to them both, the air more tense then a moments before a volcanic explosion of intense proportions. While it would be fitting for a punishment of his own to do what he had done to Shard Obsidian, the heartbreak would be more as painful as a Heart attack for him. Eventually.

Then the firm voice of his beloved daughter came and she spoke loud enough for them both. “I’m not here to exile you father. I am not here to yell.” Her tone dipped a bit. “I-I am just here to ask why. Why the hate, what the anger and why if you don’t say the right thing, you will lose me. So far, you have only lost my trust.” A small snort of flames left her. However, my friends, my….” A pause as she would have said lover, but responded with, “...my closest ally that you hurt, are begging me to forgive you despite your faults and your attack on Shard.”

Torch raised his head and turned to her. His orange eyes met her own, the restraint anger held within, only quelled by those that she surrounded herself with in heart and mind. The fact that Shard himself asked her to forgive him, despite the actions and pain he inflicted on him, was asking her to forgive him too, had him questioning his motives.

The giant of a dragon opened his mouth, but could not speak, as the will of the Dragon Lord was still set on him. Ember rolled her eyes and pulled the Scepter from her back and pointed. “Speak, but only in a calm manner.” She emphasized on that last part.

Her father sighed as the feeling passed over him. A grunt left him as he did so. “Why… why would he ask you to forgive me?”

Ember shrugged. “You tell me? You made him out to be this evil dragon. You created this prophecy about ‘blackest nights’ and what not that you spread.” Torch tried to refute that, but was cut off. “I am not done!” She snapped. He closed his mouth. “You also attacked him, even when I begged that you would leave him alone. So tell me father, why would the dragon that you condemned to imprisonment and hate, beg that I forgive you for what you did to him, huh?”

Torch didn’t have a response that would warrant a good answer, outside that the dragon had wanted vengeance. Yet, even if he had, he already had it by making Ember hate him or at least, remotely lose her trust in him, but he also had her heart. It was no mystery now that they were infatuated with one another, but it was more so that they now shared a bond that he knew would lead to a union. They could elope in many ways without him ever knowing, blinded by his hatred and now a fear that he may lose his daughter.

Torch gave a slow response. “I-I am not sure what else to tell you Ember. My fear, my hate, my anger got the best of me because of him and the past. Yet, the fact that he stood by you, being near you and saying what he said… I couldn’t control myself.”

Ember didn’t say anything, rather she expected him to go on. Torch met her silence with another sigh. “What happens next, I am not sure. Just as many dragons that are set in our old ways, I am as well.”

“That is no excuse!” Ember barked with a spit of flames. “I told you, I begged you! That he was not the monster you set him out to be and you still attacked him. Right under me and without hesitation!”

He flinched at that, though he knew that he would never harm her, as his move had been precise. But the lingering thought of her throwing herself before him…

Shutting his eyes, he bowed his head. “Then… I am unsure what else to explain my actions other than this old dragon’s ways. Regardless, the outcome was not in either of our favors. So I ask my daughter, what is to be my fate?”

He couldn’t look her in the eyes, mostly because he wasn’t sure he could if she banished him or imprisoned him. Torch wasn’t even sure he could speak without begging for her forgiveness and sounding broken. He had yet to ask but he knew that harming that dragon, it would not come easy.

Tense moments hung in the air between Dragon Lord and Subject, a perpetual enticing of two titans in their ways of who would remain strong and who would falter.

Finally, after a moment far too long, Ember gave a heavy sigh and shook her head. “I just don’t understand why you created that stupid prophecy in the first place. I mean, you did so because you hated him that much?”

The accusation of creating said prophecy had Torch frown and look up to Ember. It slowly morphed into confusion. “Ember… I did not create the prophecy of the Blackest Night,” Torch then straightened as Ember now matched his confusion at stating that. “That has its place in history of our kind.”

Ember slowly took that information in as the news struck her. Her father… hadn’t created the prophecy? But then, what about the younger dragons not knowing about it? Only the older dragons knew of it but that was because…

“I-I thought you created it, as a way to keep the dragons in fear of Black Scaled Dragons.” She tried to respond though sounding completely unconvinced herself.

Torch shook his head. “Ember, that prophecy predates even before I was a hatchling,” He then cocked his head. “Do you still remember it the way I told you?”

Though she hated the idea of repeating it outloud, she did so just to find out a bit more about this prophecy. Ember took a deep breath and remembered the part of the prophecy she had come to hate.

“Beware the shade in Blackened Scales, A terrible blight amongst these horrid tales. The Blackest Night buried in hate, only to burn and set upon the world in fate. To be tempted by cold gray eyes dead, to capture your heart in sorrow and dread.” A strong, annoyed sigh left her as she finished. “Lest he be the one to eventually bleed, the scales of purest white, will they succeed. To rise above the Blackened Scales, the light of white will send his ashes to the gales.”

It left a bile taste in her mouth, but seeing her father nod only furthered that poison on her tongue. Torch pursed his mouth a bit before responding. “You are missing a few pieces from what I told you years ago.”

“What does it matter?” She almost snapped. Torch calmly responded in turn.

“The part where the Scales of Purest White, will succeed.” A pause as he thought back on it more. “ The interpretation is that a Dragon of Pure White scales will be born and end his life.”

Ember slowly turned a bit fearful at the thought, but kept a more steady and neutral face. “And what else?” She asked, trying not to let this go further into her mind.

“His temptation to your heart and causing sorrow and dread seemed to be more adept to what you are experiencing now, is not?” His eyes stayed evenly dark as he continued to watch her. “And the truth was not that he would destroy your heart, but to make it his own.”

Ember remained quiet, not liking where he was going with this, opting to remain silent. Torch knowing that he had to fully explain it, would be difficult but he pushed it down to gain back her favor.

“Regardless, the ending is not, ‘Lest he be the one to eventually bleed. It is ‘Lest the one he loves; should they bleed, the Scales of White will rise and succeed. Into his heart, they’ll be raised above by Blackened Scales, where their light will burn and send his ashes to the gales.”

A slow dread did fill her heart as the prophecy started to look grim on her. Her father looked at her now with worried anger and had moved surprisingly closer now to her. His face only a few feet away and he responded slowly and with the fear that only a father could have. “It would mean that, should there ever be a pure white egg and that a pure white dragon is to be born, he will raise them.” His eyes then moistened and he closed his eyes. “Should you ever let him capture your heart, the part where the one he loves will bleed, that could mean you will get hurt… or die by his claws. That could be a reason why the dragon in white will eventually kill him.”

The soul crushing was visible for him as he watched Ember morph through many emotions at once. Anger, sadness, dread, betrayal, loss and more until she finally inhaled deeply and closed her eyes as the air filled her lungs and held it all in. She then slowly exhaled in a calm manner, letting Harmony flow through her veins. She did again once more to expel all of her negative emotions out. Another one before she exhaled, opened her eyes and looked at her father dead set on the eyes and responded calmly, “No, I don’t believe in that father.” Torch stayed silent. “I refuse to believe that Shard will be killed or die by this ‘White Dragon’. He has already proven to me and my friends that he is a kind, gentle dragon. That prophecy that was created a long time ago is ridiculous and will be forgotten about.”

She then hovered higher than him so she seemed bigger to her father. “And I ask… that you forget about it too. That you forget the past of his mistakes, just like I have with yours and move on. I will and so will other dragons when they see Shard for who he really is. He is no more dangerous and evil then any other dragon on their greed growth or on a rampage for a lost hoard. If you can’t accept that, then… you will remain away from me until you can convince yourself and others that.”

Torch remained neutral, holding his emotions a lot more this time around as he looked up to his daughter. The Bloodstone Scepter glowing but not actively being used on him yet.

“I can’t forgive you today for what you did but I will eventually, father. If Shard asks to be my mate, I will accept and we will court. The most wonderful dragon has entered my life and not even a stupid prophecy will keep me away from him. I choose him, I can look past this all and see a good heart.” A sigh left her as she turned away. “I beg that you still have a good heart to either leave us alone or accept my life with him.” A pause and a softer, ‘Please,’ was her final word to him before she flew off back towards her future mate, leaving her father behind.

While it was not the outcome he expected, Torch understood what has transpired and what may eventually lead to a union of two opposite souls. Regardless of how he felt or dreaded doing to Prophecy, he felt that he would forgo it all and forgive himself if he allowed his daughter to be happy in life. Despite the ill he wished to inflict on Shard Obsidian, he could only pray that if the darker aspect of the Prophecy had him come in to protect his daughter in her moment of pain, that he would unleash pure hell on the drake and make him regret his existence. He wouldn’t have to wait for the Scales in White to kill him, he would do it himself.

His breath slowly left him as the form of his daughter eventually disappeared and what was left alone once more. He did feel a breeze against his face and it almost felt like a comfort feeling that perhaps… things would turn out well in the end.

After all, there was no greater feat in life than defying fate and prophecy…

Author's Note

Fate rarely comes about when we chose lest it be to tempt it and overwrite it ourselves.
Next the epilogue