Conflict of Elohim

Chapters

Prolouge: Antediluvian Era
Chapter 1 - Warlords of the World
Chapter 2 - Far from Paradise
Chapter 3 - Rarity of House Silvershine
Chapter 4 - Tales of the Two Houses
Chapter 5 - God's Tree
Chapter 6 - The Prince Arises
Chapter 7 - The Cat Council

Prolouge: Antediluvian Era

No creature knows how or when, but at some point in time, an omniscient creature called, "Elohim," was born into existence with the ability to create anything its imagination desired.

Its appearance is said to be a light-blue transparent winged beast that towered over any form of matter surrounding it. For millions of years, it spent the majority of its time creating various planets and beings, giving them complete freewill over their lives, but, there was a problem with every single being it brought to life. It always resulted in them fighting each other, no matter how much its imagination tried to stop them, they would always fight each other.

So, it destroyed all its creations, one by one. After all of its failed attempts of creating the perfect world it desired, the will of doing its goal slowly faded, and it didn’t take long before it was gone completely.

For millions of years, Elohim roamed through the void of nothingness around it, figuring out why it was created... and that's when it stumbled upon a light. One that shined brightly around the nothingness around it. It was... so unique. Nothing like the stars it created.

The light then spoke to Elohim in a deep, overarching voice that echoed beyond the Universe, telling Elohim to create a world where all the creatures of its previous planets coexist with one another. Elohim was quick to deny, stating that if it did, more chaos would be brought. That's when the light showed it a vision of one, single being. No creature knows what the light showed, of course, but whatever it was, it gave Elohim the courage to use up all of its magic and pour into one world. One that would be called...

Earth.

Where all creatures like Ponies, Dinosaurs, Lions, Turtles, and many more beings coexisted with one another, all having their unique abilities; hoping for peace among them....

And at a certain point, it achieved that... this led to the start of Antediluvian Era. An Era where powerful creatures such as the Kraken, Kelpie, Yakumama, Kappa, Sphinx, Sirens, Phoenix, and other powerful creatures, roamed the Earth.

To prevent all of these creatures from going to war. Four creatures banded with powerful abilities formed what the Creator's Four. A group of the four legendary creatures that were Elohim's first creations.

Draconques (Discord), Centuar (Tirek), Hippocampus (Sardinia), and Goat (Grogar)

Four unique creatures with powerful abilities, whose purpose was to help maintain the lands of all of the creatures.

But, it didn’t last long as the Great Creature War would soon erupt many years after the Earth's creation, leading to the death of the Hippocampus and the goat, while the Centaur and Draconques were imprisoned in different realms. One in Limbo, while the other in a realm of nothingness.

All because each creature thought they were superior to one another....

"Every single creature was created in the image of our creator...

All the creator strived for was for all of her subjects to live in harmony...

I'm sure every creature knows that...

But, if that's true... then why did this war have to happen...?

I'll probably never know...

But, I have to put an end to it...

It's my duty as the order of chaos."

Discord knew it was finally his time. He had been stuck in the realm of nothingness for far too long now. A dark and endless pit where time doesn't exist; completely powerless and witnessing every single agonizing event of the Great Creature War. From the very beginning, to the very extinction his own race just thirty-five years ago by his former friend. No matter the event, whether it'd be insignificant or big, he was there for it all, watching from the few fabrics of reality visible from the realm of nothingness where no one saw him.

Little did they know, Discord was nothing like the others of his race, nor other creatures. He was given an ability like no other, one he considered to be "the ability of the creator," Chaos Magic. The ability to warp reality into anything he wanted with the just a snap of the finger. He had been discovering and mastering this ability while in the realm of nothingness for thousands of years; learning its strengths and weaknesses, and how to harness it. Now, he believed he was powerful enought to fulfill the very thing he believed to be Elohim's duty for him. Discord believed that the reason he had this ability was to fulfill the very thing that the creator wanted when she created these creatures.

For all Creatures to live In harmony

It angered him to see all of its subjects fight each other like this. It completely went against the creator's wishes and he couldn't bare to sit around and watch any longer. He knew he was possibly the only being who could stop this war. So, with the snap of his fingers, the realm of nothingness disappeared and created a ripple in the sky, where Discord would break through and enter the war - or, so he thought...

Just as he was about to snap his finger to warp down to stop the battle below, he suddenly felt something grip his tail and pull him away from the ripple and back into the realm of nothingness. He immediately stood up and looked up to see a tall, frightening figure standing over him, and it only took a mere give seconds for Discord to know who that figure was.

"Oh, my dear old friend, Lord Tirek..." He addressed the tall centaur that stood before him. "Looks like you've been freed from your so-called never-ending prison in Limbo. How did you escape, let alone find me here?"

"The magic surrounding limbo was so powerful, I couldn't help but take it for myself." Tirek said, smirking, his right fist radiating with an yellow aura. "After all, I am a centuar, a creature who steals magic to make themselves more powerful."

"Huh, brilliant." Discord scoffed, standing up and walking past Tirek, not fazed at all by his intimidating appearance. "Out of my way, I have a duty to fulfill."

"You're planning to stop the war, by yourself?" Asked Tirek.

"This entire conflict has been raging on for far too long and I can't stand to see the creator's wishes of peace be for nothing." Discord responded, not even batting an eye at Tirek.

In response to this statement, Tirek let out a hysterical laugh. "Funny, you still believe you're the chosen one even after I destroyed your entire race. What you're forgetting is that I, Lord Tirek, is the one who sealed you here a millenia ago, so that I could carry out my dream of conquering the world. What makes you think that I won't be able to seal you again?" He asked.

Discord suddenly stopped walking towards the ripple and looked at Tirek with an intense glare. Tirek was delighted to finally get his attention, and grinned as he felt the almost bloodthirsty intensity within the eyes of Discord.

"I'm not the same Draconequus I was a millenia ago, nor like the others of my race. I've been mastering my abilities while being stuck in this accursed prison you created. Even with my race destroyed, I still have enough power to send you back to Limbo with the snap of my claw. Meanwhile, you had almost all the magic in the world and still wasn't able to satisfy your father." Discord said.

As shameful as it was, it was indeed the truth. Throughout Tirek's entire life, he had never been able to satisfy the one Centuar who mattered to him most--King Vorak. It seemed no matter how much magic he absorbed and how powerful he grew, it was just never enough to satisfy his father. This sudden revaluation of the truth brought back all those terrible memories with his father, and it angered him to his core, especially coming from the creature he saw as an inferior being.

"Even after all these years, you still whine and mourn for approval like the pathetic whimp you are." Discord mocked, a wide grin appearing on his face. "It's really no wonder why you were disowned by the Creator's Four."

Tirek gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. "Keep your mouth shut, creature!" He shouted, angrily. "The only reason I was disowned from the Creator's Four is because you, Grogar, and that foolish hippocampus, Sardinia couldn't see my full potential!"

"Potential?!" Discord chuckled. "The only reason you were even accepted into the four was because of your father! Without him, you're nothing. In fact, you're even more pathetic than the last time we met-"

That's Enough!

Tirek rushed at Discord in a fit of rage and stopped just right in front of him, giving him an intimidating glare which radiated the same intensity as Discord's. Despite Tirek towering over him, Discord stood his ground, showing absolutely no sign of fear in his eyes. Tension crackled in the air the longer their eyes gazed into one another.

"Look at you, throwing a temper tantrum over one little insult." Said Discord.

"How dare the creator mocks me with an insufferable creature like you!" Growled Tirek

"The creator cares not a wit for you, Tirek." Discord responded, hate hidden within his voice.

"Then allow me to send you to him!" Tirek said.

Knowing that Tirek was about to attack, Discord quickly leapt away from, snapping his claws with a loud crack. Instantly, Tirek felt his body begin to harden, as if he was being held down by a greater force. "What is this?!" Tirek shouted as he watched his body slowly begin to turn into stone.

"It's Chaos Magic, Tirek." Discord said, reluctantly turning his back to Tirek. "Oh, and don't bother absorbing it. I'm the only one who can control it."

"You little-"

"Goodbye, Tirek. I have a job to do." Discord interrupted.

As Discord would begin to walk towards to ripple, leaving the statue of Tirek behind in the realm of nothingness. A sinister laugh would be heard from behind him, and once he turned around, he would be met with the horrible sight of the statue cracking, and it didn’t take long before Tirek finally broke free with ease. It was so unbelievable, no creature had ever broken out of this spell with such ease.

Tirek then taunted Discord, stating that all the magic he that had absorbed during his time in Limbo has made him even more powerful than any creature that ever roamed on the earth.

In a moment of desperation and adrenaline, Discord was quick to snap his fingers to make Tirek dissappear, but it was no use. Tirek quickly blasted a powerful magical at Discord's chest before he could even react, causing him to fall back.

This wouldn't stop him, of course, as he would quickly fire a magical beam of his own. One even more powerful than Tirek himself.

From there on, the two clashed in an intesne and long battle, using every single trick, ounces of their magic to stop each other. This was a long battle that shook even the heavens. Lasting more than over three-thousand years.

As the two great warriors contined to fight to their very last breath, Tirek had finally gotten the best of Discord. The Magic he stored was just too powerful for Discord to withstand. Even with the Chaos Magic, Tirek had the magic of an entire realm, along with the thousands of creatures he had absorbed years before his banishment.

In his final moments, Discord would cast a powerful spell. One that would ultimately cost him being sealed for eternity, in the realm of nothingness

The Seal of Death.

Discord originally planned to use this spell for when he arrived in the war to seal himself to prevent the creatures from using their magic, but he couldn't let Tirek get control of his Chaos Magic, especially with how powerful he already is.

On the brink of being sealed, Discord casted the spell on Tirek. Preventing him from using any of the magic he had stored previously, while also destroying the realm of nothingness and sealing his magic away in an unknown place.

The War would rage on, and end in total destruction. Causing many legendary creatures to fall.

Kraken...

Phoenix...

Sphinx...

They were all gone...

But, when one story ends... another begins.

Thousands of years pass, and the magic inside creatures began to evolve, leading to the evolution of many new creatures, with characteristics similar to the creatures in the previous Era.

This eventually led to the beginning of a new era...

But...

The War still rages on...

To be Continued!

Author's Note

Fun Fact: "Elohim" means "God" or "Mighty one" in Hebrew.

And yes, I know, I said this would be visible on the sight in September. However, in all honesty, I just couldn't wait to show this to you guys. It's going to take a while to finish, but I'll be Able to pull through. So sorry if this feels a bit reckless.

(Well, it's finally here, and it's taking a different approach this time. You see, I felt that my stories were very limited from the lack of mythology and fantasy, and ever since I've been researching Greek Mythology creatures, I've came up with many more ideas with world building and characters.)

Anyways, I hope you enjoy this story, and yes, I will finish it this time! Promise!

Chapter 1 - Warlords of the World

Author's Note

Yes, this was changed drastically.
So, the story will now be multi-pov story, similar to game of thrones. Twilight is sort of the main character, but the story will follow other characters in different locations.
This story is also on my Ao3 account.

This story will also include some G5 characters, unfortunately, I can't mention them due to the shortness of tags. I hope you enjoy this story, though

Chapter 1 - Warlords of the World

(400,000,000 years after the Antediluvian Era, and 200 years after the Resurrection Era.)

East of the Majestic Sea (Lionstone)

The battlefield drenched with the smell of fire and blood, stretched out as far as the eye could see, a vast expanse of scorched earth and billowing smoke. Above, the sun blazed high in the sky, casting its golden light upon the clash of armies. On one side stood the majestic forces of Celestia and Luna, their loyal soldiers organized in perfectly disciplined formations. On the other side, the Lion army, fierce warriors adorned in fiery regalia, their eyes burning with a primal power.

At the front of the army was none other than the king of Lionstone: Crimson Crestwood. He completely towered over those of both his and Celestia's army. His fur was fiery and brooding with confidence, as well as his gold, shining eyes.

As the battle horn sounded, the clash began. The ground trembled beneath the pounding hooves of Celestia and Luna's cavalry charging forward, their armor gleaming in the sunlight. With a wave of her horn, Celestia summoned a blinding beam of pure light, piercing through the Lion army's ranks, scattering them like leaves in a storm.

But the Lion army was not so easily defeated. With a roar, their mages unleashed torrents of fire, engulfing the battlefield in a blazing inferno. Flames danced and leaped, consuming everything in their path. Luna, her eyes gleaming with lunar magic, called upon the night sky to shield her soldiers, creating a shimmering barrier that deflected the deadly flames.

Amidst the chaos, Celestia took to the skies, her wings beating with powerful grace. From above, she rained down bolts of searing sunlight, smiting the Lion army below. Luna, on the other hand, used her magic to summon shadowy tendrils that reached out and ensnared the Lion warriors, rendering them immobile.

But the Lion army fought back with unwavering ferocity. Their fire-wielding mages conjured massive fireballs, hurtling them towards Celestia and Luna's forces. The explosions shook the earth, scattering soldiers and leaving craters in their wake. Yet, the Alicorn sisters stood strong, their magic shielding their army from the worst of the onslaught.

In the midst of the chaos, the tide of battle shifted. Celestia and Luna's forces, bolstered by their unwavering determination and the power of the sun and moon, pushed forward. Their soldiers fought with unyielding courage, their swords clashing against the Lion army's fiery weapons. Magic clashed and crackled, illuminating the battlefield with bursts of brilliant light.

While the war raged on, inside of the wide Lionstone castle made up of ancient bricks, resided the son of the king: Songar Crestwood. He was hidden underneath the floorboards of the castle, a false set of bricks, to be exact. He hid with his mother, Shasa Crestwood, quivering in fear, curled up in a corner, bolting in fear at the sound of the bombs dropping outside, Shasa's paw over his mouth. It'll all be alright, my son. She said, obviously scared out of her mind.

Another loud band was heard, and so were the sound of hoofsteps pacing around the castle. They were searching for the Boy, they two had no doubt it. Shasa brung her son closer to her, tears falling from her eyes. Songar felt the tingling yet terrifying feeling of his skin crawling. Never in his life had he felt such fear and helplessness.

"Hey! There's a trap door over here!" A voice shouted from above. Their fur rattled in response and Songar leg out a yelp.

Shasa took one more gaze at her son. It was filled with terror and utter despair.

The door then slightly open with a creeking sound, and then, his mother roared... and then... there was silence...

As the battle raged on, the air became heavy with the scent of smoke and the cries of the fallen. The clash of steel and the crackling of fire filled the ears of all who fought. Both sides refused to back down, their determination etched upon their faces.

Finally, as the sun began its descent, casting long shadows across the battlefield, a triumphant cry rang out. Celestia and Luna, their manes flowing like molten gold and silver, stood side by side, their eyes blazing with victory. Leaving the Lion army decimated and defeated... or so it seemed.

Though almost all of his army had been wiped out, the king refused the pleads from his remaining soldiers to surrender. Screaming to them, "Pride is everything, the very reason our society has ran strong for all these years." He said, pride evident in his eyes.

"But sir," A soldier stepped in with a face of fear. "If you die, they'll be no future for the kingdom of Lionstone!"

Crestwood smirked, his face drawn in acceptance, he then turned his gaze over to his soldier and ordered him, "These ponies have been bringing terror upon our land for three years on end. I think It's 'bout time we fight back. Tell my son that I died an arrow to the heart. He'd be whining for days if he heard I gave my life up for pride."

Without a word or hesitation, he charged into the battlefield towards the position Luna was in, letting out a fierce roar that echoed throughout the battlefield, startling Luna's soldiers as well as his own.

He blazed through Luna's soldiers with a great inferno, being stabbed with numerous spears and swords; his determination was so powerful that his fire destroyed any magical barriers the soldiers place in front of him. The remaining soldiers of his army were smiling in relief as they killed their enemies, in the reassuring belief that their king was going to win the war... if only they had realized how wrong they were.

Luna looked at Crestwood with a sorrow look on her face. No matter how much his army believed or he believed that he could win, Luna knew that his fate was decided the moment he stepped onto this battlefield. However, Luna had never seen such pride in the eyes of any creature quite like Crestwood. Here he was, facing death, tethering onto nothing but false hope.

"Surrender, Crestwood!" Luna shouted, stomping her hooves in defiance. "You're outnumbered and your castle is on the verge of destruction! If you don't surrender now, you and your race will pay the price!"

To Luna's surprise, all the king did was laugh. "Do you think that our lives are that precious to us?" He asked, staring deep into Luna's eyes as an arrow hit his back leg, yet, he stood there, completely unfazed. "We Lions yield to no one! That's how the creator made us!"

Luna gasped and sighed deeply, clenching her teeth with anger and intensity. "Is the life of your son and wife precious to you?" She asked

Crestwood smirked and let out a light chuckle, which left Luna completely dumbfounded of his arrogance. She just couldn't find a reasonable explanation as to why he wouldn't surrender. She didn't want to admit, but she did not want to take his life or anyone else on the battlefield, she just knew it had to be done.

She used her magic to create a spear of darkness out of thin air. "Is this.. really how you want to die... in front of your own blood?"

"You may have grew up learning friendship and love, but I grew up with deadly soldiers, learning how to survive... I laugh in the face of death." He said, circling Luna as prepared to pounce.

"So be it..." Luna sighed.

Without warning, the beast launched towards Luna, its claws sharp and at the ready. The two armies watched in shock, some soldiers even using their distraction to kill them.

Luna reacted swiftly, her spear held firmly in her grip as she leapt high into the air, evading the fierce flames of the Lion's mouth.

But she had no time to celebrate as she realized she was not out of danger yet. Suddenly, flames erupted from the Lion's mouth and towards Luna's direction.

Luna gasps and immediately summons a wide shield in front of her, which prevented the flames from reaching. Even so, the flames had already begun to make cracks within her shield.

Crestwood observed with a confident smirk, and his troops erupted in jubilation as the shield shattered. Still, he was well aware that the fight wasn't done yet. He readied two more fireballs and launched them with pinpoint precision to the same spot, ensuring that the battle would be won.

As expected, it was not. Luna soared higher into the sky, smoke from the fire following her. Crestwood took a deep breath and exhaled with inferno.

Luna swiftly evaded the inferno, flying in an unorthodox manner which made hitting a direct blow difficult for the king. "She'll attack at any second now."

"I just need to time this right!" Luna thought as she maneuvered through the air.

Luna's horn began to hum and crackle with energy, the menacing black aura swirling around her like a raging storm. She raised her head, her gaze set upon Crestwood, and with a roar of determination, she released a powerful beam of magical energy, her force of will guiding it towards its target.

Raging flames circled around the body of Crestwood as he laughed confidently. Then, with a roar brooding with bloodthirsty intensity, he launched the cyclone-like flame towards Luna's magical beam.

Then, they clashed, creating a blinding light that matched the majestic glow of Celestia's sun. The two beams struggled for power; both their makers grunting in rage, tethering onto the little bit of strength they had left.

Crestwood was certain that his fire would not be able to withstand Luna's powerful beam for much longer. He had exhausted much of his energy while fighting in the war, and as Luna's beam drew near, his flame began to diminish drastically. His face etched in worry.

With one final push from Luna, the flames diminished and the beam hit the ground, causing a large Shockwave. The Lion's army gasped in shock as smoke covered the battlefield. Meanwhile, Luna panted heavily, barely managing to keep her head up from exhaustion. "You should've just... stayed down." She said.

As the smoke cleared, Luna doubted that the king was dead, as it's flames were still burrowing through the smoke. At this point, Luna felt that there would be no point of unleashing a final attack. Essentially, this battle was over, no matter how courageous the king was. His army roared and cheered on, but Luna just sighed in response.

Another pattern of flames formed inside of the cloud of smoke, barely visible in the eyes of Luna and her army. This pattern seemed very different then before, however. Instead of a cyclone, it was an asymmetrical spiral circle, that distorted with each flare.

Not that it mattered to Luna, anyway. This battle was already over in her eyes. Crimson Crestwood knew this too, but he couldn't simply just give up In front of his army. As long as he was still alive and breathing, then he wasn't dead yet.

So, with the last of his might. He unleashed a spiral inferno from the smoke. It jolted in all different angles and directions, shooting fire balls as it moved, making it difficult to dodge.

Determined to finish this fight, as impossible as it seemed, he formed a large spear of fire, floating from an unseen magical grip. "Die!" He shouted, launching it at Luna as she was in perfect position. Luna noticed far too late, and knew she wasn't able to dodge. Just as she was about be skewered, a blinding light flashed through the battlefield. The two foes looked in shock as they knew Celestia had arrived.

She effortlessly flew through the numerous arrows and fireballs being flung at her. Crimson Crestwood felt a sensational feeling of excitement and insanity. He had been itching to kill Celestia. He forgot all about Luna and bellowed in rage, flames of sheer anger surrounding his body.

"You've murdered so many of my blood, goddess of the sun! However, they all still live on in my flames!" Bellowed the king. "Your tyranny ends here!"

Celestia payed no attention to his words of anger. Strangely enough, she felt terrible for not feeling an ounce of guilt for his rage. She couldn't decide whether it was right or wrong not to, but she tried to ignore those feelings.

Crestwood unleashed one last flame, filled with his anger and sorrow, but it was useless. Celestia countered with a grading beam of light that Crestwood was too weak to withstand. As he looked at the light of death coming at him, he thought of his son and wife, he didn't why because it seemed so unimportant at the moment, but he did anyway, and that was his final memory.

And with the king dead, the battle had been won, but at a great cost. The fallen soldiers were mourned, and the scars of war would forever mark the land. Yet, in the hearts of all the Equestrian soldiers who witnessed the clash, there remained a glimmer of hope.

Even knowing that, as Luna stepped over the amount of fallen corpses of the two armies, wondering how they were once just normal creatures.

"Sister," Luna asked, her voice quivering in fear. "After all these years... all these wars... there's always a question that pops into my mind when I see these corpses..."

"And what is that?" Celestia asked.

"Is all this death and carnage... really worth it?"

Southeast of the Majestic Sea (The Golden Islands)

12 hours after Lionstone's defeat.

"The King of Lionstone was killed in war. Celestia and her army rage victorious." The orange cat snarled in anger as he read the scroll, gripping his black hat with fury. "This can't be possible be true."

He said, glaring at his men in the room with an intense glare, his glowing green eyes shining against Celestia's sun.

"It's true, your furiness." Said one his men who sat at the far end of the table. "It was sent by one of the king's remaining soldiers."

"What do you suggest we do now, King Leo?" Asked another one of his men. "Without their trading systems we won't get as nearly as much resources that we need to survive."

Leo slammed his fists indignantly onto the table and let out an angry grunt. "Well dammit. Why'd we have to lose such a valuable man, Elohim? wait," His face suddenly softened. "What about his son? Is he still alive?"

"There's still no word regarding the survival of Songar Crestwood nor the king's wife, yet, your furiness." Replied the black male cat at the end of the table.

"And what about the king's guard?" Asked Leo.

"Dead," Replied Siloam. "He was assassinated the day before Equestria's invasion on Roark Island."

"Well ain't that a shame." Leo sighed, standing up and looking over at a portrait of his late father with a glare of determination.

"What should we do, your furiness?" Asked Siloam.

Leo smirked and turned around, unraveling the eye-patch that covered the deep gash in his right eye. While smirking, he reached right for a feather-pin on a small table, and began writing something on a scroll. His men exchanged confused glances at each other, and began whispering.

"Liam." Leo commanded, standing up with his scroll in hand.

"Yes, sire?" The white cat stood up.

"Send this to the Croc King." Leo replied, handing Liam the paper.

Liam hesitated before picking up the scroll and reading it. As he did, his eyes began to dilate in shock. "But sir, you can't possibly be serious! The Crocodiles will never accept this!"

"Oh? And why not?" Asked Leo.

"they're just as ruthless now as their predecessors from the Evolution Era, the Archosaurs." Siloam Argued. "Besides, their leader, King Sobek, is one of the most powerful leaders in the world. Even the rulers of the sun and moon fear them."

"Well, if you know Sobek so well, then you must know that he is man of business, right?" Asked Leo in a snarky tone. "Creatures like us made an entire living off stealing from other creatures."

"But sir! Those were the old days!" Siolam said, bolting up out of his seat. "We've never crossed the sea after the Hippogrifs attacked us."

“Well, I guess we’ll be bringing it back then.” Leo said. “Don’t you all know our maddow?”

They all hesitated before standing up and putting their paws to their chest. “High risk, how reward! You either do or die!" They shouted, Leo failed to hear their indifference.

Even so, it felt so satisfying for Leo to hear those words again; like a weight was lifted off of his chest. He knew this plan was risky, but he also knew that this was the only hope for his people. Essentially, they were the last of the Lions, Tigers, and Cheetahs, and needed to carry out their will, while doing it their way.

“Time to sail north.” Leo thought, tilting his black hat over his face.

INT. ROYAL MEETING CHAMBER

Equestria, Canterlot.

One day after Lionstone's defeat.

The room is adorned with regal decor, illuminated by the soft glow of magical crystals embedded in the walls. Celestia, Luna, and Cadence sit around a large, round table, their expressions weary yet determined.

“Even though we defeated the Lions, the war has left our military in tatters. Almost half of our forces were depleted, and it will take time to rebuild what we have lost.” Celestia said. “On another note, our technological advancements have suffered setbacks due to the war. We must invest in research and development to regain our edge.”

“Well, at least for now, you won’t have to worry about another war.” Cadence replied with a soft smile. “Since the Lions are–well, were one of the main powerhouses in the entire world. Their history shows. And yet, you defeated them within a year.”

“Well, yes, but with our main source for our weapons growing weaker, it doesn’t really make a difference.” Celestia said. “The Pysian crystals are scarcs on this land, and the majority of it is sealed with a spell even us Alicorns can’t break.”

"Well, queen, I'm sure we all saw this comin. Our time is running out." Chancellor Neighsay sighed. "While we were busy spreading our colonial sightings, other creatures who lacked our magical abilities have been developing weapons to combat us. If they keep at it, our magic and Pysian will be surpassed, and all we'll be able to do is watch.."

Perhaps you're right." Luna nodded. "What you're saying is, if we keep relying on our magic, this nation will soon be crushed."

Celestia sighed deeply. “You’d think being goddesses of the sun and moon war would become easier.” She said, hanging her head low. “But, nothing has been easier, in fact, it just seems like things are getting harder.”

Luna nodded, trying to hide her smirk. “Responsibility is always necessary being a ruler, sister.” She replied. “And we’ll be stuck with responsibility for another hundred years, unfortunately.”

“Even so, Indeed, the cost of conflict has been high. We must prioritize the restoration of our military strength while ensuring the well-being of our subjects.” Luna said. “Is this news public in your kingdom yet, Celestia?”

Celestia shook her head, "no." She responded.

"Good," Neighsay said, turning his gaze over at the stained glass window. "At least public won't know that this land will be screwed soon."

"And let us not forget the Lions, Celestia. The atrocities we committed in the heat of battle... I can't help but feel remorse for the pain we caused them." Luna said with a somber look.

"Luna, we were driven to desperate measures to protect our realm. But I share your regret. Even so, we need to protect this nation at all costs, and show them why Elohim deemed us worthy of being his children." Celestia said, rubbing a hoof through Luna's hair.

Luna angrily slapped her hoof away. "Do you really think that all that carnage is a good way to showcase that? Why do you always use him as an excuse to make everything seem right?!"

Celestia gasped and took a few steps back, hanging her head low in shame. "Luna, I—"

"We have better matters to discuss than this, queens." Neighsay said, annoyed.

"Agreed. On another note, the foals who homes were destroyed need a bigger and more sustainable foster home to stay." Cadence said. "Many of those homes were destroyed during the raid not too long."

"I shall oversee the restoration of our technology, sister. We owe it to our subjects to provide them with a prosperous and secure future." Luna said, determination, accompanied by an edge of sadness etched within her voice.

"Our economy took a hit as well, but with careful planning and resource management, we can rebuild and stabilize it. We must focus on trade and partnerships to aid our recovery." Cadence spoke with optimism.

"I appreciate your optimism, queen Cadence, but Equestria is essentially an enemy of the entire world. True, reconciliation is crucial. But we would need to open channels of communication, offer reparations, and ensure a future where such conflicts can be avoided," Neighsay explained, turning back to the three princesses. "I guarantee you that not a single creature will give them out support."

"You're wrong, Chancellor." Celestia said, causing Neighsay to raise an eyebrow. "What are you talking about?" He asked, Celestia

"Tommorow, in the far west of Equestria. Rarity of house Silvershine will be announced queen, making her the fourth Alicorn of Equestria. The Silvershines aren't our allies, yet, but their army is huge and well-trained."

Chapter End

Chapter 2 - Far from Paradise

Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.

Chapter 3 - Rarity of House Silvershine

Rarity began scrambling to put on her blue dress, the bits of fake diamonds attached to it shimmering in the reflection of the gold edges of the mirror on the wall. She put the golden necklace sitting on the table in her magical grasp and steadily wrapped it around her neck.

She put on her golden horseshoes and went over to the mirror, glaring endlessly in disappointment. She couldn’t quite get over of how much she despised the dress. Nothing about it spoke to her, nor stuck out.

The light-blue fabric was so unbearably plain, and the diamonds obviously weren't real, diminishing any kind of its value. "Oh well, I have to be perfect today." She muttered to herself, letting out an angry snort with an angry look.

She took one final glance over at the never-ending horizon. May the creator watch over me. She thought before running down the stairs where her father, Glamor Silvershine and sister, Sweetie Belle Silvershine, dressed up in the exact same outfit as hers, only smaller. In contrast to Rarity's reaction, she looked was completely fixated on it, her eyes shimmering with amazement at the fake diamonds. Rarity was kind of delighted that her little sister was enjoying the dress, even though she was completely oblivious to how fake it was.

Her father's coat was a beautiful shade of sliver, with a mane and beard of blood red. The color of his eyes matched Sweetie Belles, but they were slightly darker, resembling a tiny sort of uniqueness.

Father Glamor noticed his daughter slowly walking down the steps above him, trying her best to shield herself from making eye contact. "Don't be shy, my daughter." He said, gracefully. "Your prince must be dying to see you. Come."

Rarity silently groaned, reluctantly. She couldn’t fathom how much she despised those words. If I uttered the words, he would most surely have my life. She thought. "Just a minute, father." She replied, annoyance dripping from her voice.

She eventually made it down the stairs, flipping her mane out of the view of her right eye. Her father went up and greeted her while Sweetie Belle continued to stare at her dress, starstruck.

"You look so beautiful, dear." He said, rubbing his hoof through her mane.

"The Canterlot guest, are they here too?" Rarity asked, dodging Glamor's compliment.

"They couldn't make it, unfortunately." Anwsered Glamor. "Their ship sank last Night. But, that doesn't matter now, this is your wedding day."

"Woah, wait—what?" Rarity was baffled. "What do you mean It doesn't matter? Those were biggest supporters... there were children!"

Glamor gently raised Rarity's chin up to face him, his glare bringing an eerie feeling upon her. "Do you honestly believe that a few deceased horses would prevent my daughter from tying the knot?" He asked in a tone too weird for Rarity to describe. "No, I would never. Forget about them."

"About who?" Asked Sweetie Belle, breaking out of the trance the dress had put on her.

"Your grace!" A pony with a dark-pink coat walked in, half of her horn broken off from a previous war. "The ships have—"

"Sunk, I know." Glamor confirmed, causing Rarity to groan in anger and disappointment. "Where is the Blueblood boy?"

The pink-coated mare hesitated to answer. "They're. . .just outside, sir." She replied.

"Good." Glamor said, he then turned back to Rarity and licked his lips. This union shall reinvigorate our home, rendering it as mighty as it ever was in ages past. He thought. "You must go out to your lover now, my daughter. The future of our house depends on it."

You mean the future of your house? If so, I wish it nothing of it, and I'm sure Sweetie Belle thinks the same. You unkempt foal. Rarity wanted to say, but she kept quiet and smiled. Even if she were to say that, it's not like it would change his mind. She was certain. "Yes, father." She said, wrapping her hoof around Glamor as he did the same.

Glamor lead Rarity outside of the golden door along with Sweetie Belle who followed. As expected, there Blueblood was, waiting for her with an arrogant smirk along with the rest of the Blueblood family. A white coated filly with a brown hair and green eyes of eight, a young beautiful mare with the same coat, but blond hair of twenty-eight, and an old, bearded black-coated, white haired stallion of fifty-five, all wearing black and red tunics with gold accessories.

She groaned and hung her head low. She couldn’t bare Blueblood's arrogant smile. Her father insisted that she'd keep her head up, but she found it quite difficult as the Blueblood boy had little to no attractive quality in her eyes. Those eyes. . .how horrible. She thought. But even if he was ugly, he dressed quite elegantly, that was what Rarity hated the most.

"Greetings, Blueblood." Glamor said, gently shaking Blueblood's hoof. "You must be tired from the long travel."

"We are," Replied the father. "But, then again, us northerners are always traveling."

"Hey, you must be Tempest, right?" Asked the mother, Tempest stared back at her, her face serious. "You were a servant of the storm king before—"

"Yes, malady, I was." Tempest interrupted, trying not to recall her past. "But, the storm king is dead and his reign is no more, I serve for Silvershines now."

The mother nervously chuckled and took a step back, batting an eye at the ground for a moment. "Well, yes, how honorable!" She said, nervously.

The father then took a look at Rarity. "That's the girl?" He asked.

"Yes, sire. This is Princess Rarity." Glamor said. "Step foward, my dear."

Rarity angrily stepped foward, causing Blueblood to get a full view of her. He was stunned by her beauty, too stunned to even speak even.

"You're quite pretty, my future queen." Blueblood said, taking a step foward. Rarity tried to step back, but the thought quickly faded from her mind. "I'm honored to stand before you today."

Rarity wanted to gag, but she wanted to please her father so she smiled and said, "You too, my future king." It made her angry to even utter those words.

"The preparations for the marriage have already been made, sir." Glamor stepped foward towards the father. "But what of the Alicorn ritual?" He whispered.

"Celestia will be here in three hours to commence it. She shall also say their vows." Anwsered father Blueblood.

"Good," Glamor said. "Now, shall we give the two some time to get to know each other?"

The Blueblood family laughed and nodded. They're going to leave me with him?! Rarity thought to herself.

Glamor told Sweetie Belle to come along with him, and the Blueblood family bid their farewells to the young prince. An wave of awkwardness filled the air as the two stood in silence for a moment. Please don't talk. . .please don't talk. . .please don't talk. Rarity prayed in her mind.

Unfortunately, the prince walked up to her and rubbed his hoof through Rarity's mane. "What bothers you, my queen?" Asked Blueblood, arrogance brooding through his voice.

"Nothing, I'm just. . .quite nervous about our marriage." Rarity said. "House Silvershine has never joined houses with others, so it's quite new."

"I see," Blueblood said, scratching his mane, searching for something to say that would comfort the mare. "I'm quite nervous too. When I'm nervous, I like to endlessly stroll through the Celestial garden. Would you like to accompany me?"

He tried to sound innocent, but his voice told otherwise. Blueblood cared more about becoming the ruler of the west rather than marrying Rarity and joining houses, despite her unbearable beauty. If I don't act smoothly, I won't have her heart. I need her heart. Or else, our bloodline means nothing.

Rarity quickly nodded, "Of course, my king." She said, putting on a fake smile. She didn't bother to argue or rebel against him. Father would be furious if I refused. She thought, following Blueblood blindly away from the castle.

Chapter End

Chapter 4 - Tales of the Two Houses

Rarity and the prince walk through the lush garden maze, adorned with vibrant roses, dandelions, and Verbena in a variety of colors - some in full bloom, others just beginning to show their petals. The tall hedges provide a serene barrier, obscuring the hustle and bustle of the city beyond. During their walk, they constantly found themselves batting eyes at each other.

"Aren't they beautiful, my future queen?" He asked, offering her a rose.

"They are, my king." Rarity replied, this time, she meant it. The scent smelled excellent.

"They are said to be from Briddlewood, the birthplace of Unicorns." Blueblood mentioned. Rarity already knew that, so she didn't react much.

"I know." Rarity replied, vaguely.

Another wave of silence laid over them as they wondered deeper into the garden maze. As they did, the prince noticed the soft look in Rarity's eyes. "What’s wrong, my queen?"

"Nothing much." Rarity replied, chuckling. "I'm just very nervous about the joining of our houses. It's never been done with the Silvershines before."

Blueblood's voice softened, his tone betraying a hint of vulnerability. "Do not fret, my queen. Yes, the weight of our houses' legacies can be burdensome. The responsibility to maintain our reputation, to ensure the stability of our lineage, can consume one's every thought."

"Indeed." Rarity's eyes met Blueblood's, searching for a connection beyond their shared duty. But she struggled to find any in his disgusting eyes. "But sometimes, I can't help but feel suffocated by the expectations that come with my heritage. The pressure to conform and uphold the family name can be overwhelming. And yet, in the midst of it all, I yearn for something more. A love that transcends politics and obligations."

Blueblood's expression softened, a genuine warmth in his eyes. "I too, share that desire, Rarity." He lied.

They walked in silence for a moment, the weight of their unspoken desires hanging in the air. Rarity's voice trembled as she broke the silence. "But alas, our marriage seems to be more about uniting our houses than about the connection between us. It feels as if we are pawns in a game we did not choose to play."

Blueblood felt his body tense, a touch of sadness in his voice. "I won't deny the political aspect of our union, Rarity. Our houses intertwine in ways that demand this arrangement. But I promise you, I will do my utmost to ensure that we find happiness within this alliance."

Rarity's gaze softened. "I appreciate your honesty, Blueblood. But, I still feel indifferent about this..."

Those were the words Blueblood did not want to hear. He could just feel his crown slowing slipping away out of grasp. It was clear that she didn't want to commit to the marriage, but, then again, Blueblood knew she had no choice. And yet, thoughts of worriness still flooded his mind. No, no... you have to marry me, or else, my chance of being king will—

Blueblood then broke the silence among them, "Well, perhaps, in time, we can forge a bond that goes beyond duty." He suggested, his voice wavering. "After all, understanding is essential in marriage... So, would you like to tell me more about your house? What was it called again, the house of Exciliber?"

"Excalibur." Rarity corrected, her tone more angry yet still silent. "Has your father taught you very little about our house?"

Blueblood blushed and nervously rubbed his hoof through his mane, slightly making it more messy than before. "Um… yeah?" He answered, trying to hide his nervousness.

Rarity sighed. What a fool she thought. "Would you like to hear it?"

"Hear what?"

"My house's great conquest. The creation of the Excalibur." Rarity replied, Blueblood nodded in approval. Many generations ago, Chisaki Silvershine, a white-skinned unicorn with a spiky red mane and a cutie mark symbolizing a sword, was honored to be chosen as Princess Celestia's personal advisor. His admirable loyalty and bravery, along with his being the only pony able to wield the legendary magical sword Excalibur, which was said to combine the swords of his father's enemies, were the reasons for his selection. He served her loyally and became one of her most trusted court members. Over time, other members of the Silvershine family followed suit and grew close to Queen Celestia and the royal family.

"Well that was… quite the tale." Blueblood replied.

"And yet, many ponies despise us, because we weren't loyal to the first emperor of Equestria, Grogar." Rarity said, hanging her head low. "I don't understand, he wasn't even that good of an emperor. Sure, he was a member of the Creator's Four but he wasn't as honorable as they say."

"Disbanded?" Blueblood asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes," Rarity nodded. "We rebelled against the previous queen of Zephyr Heights two-hundred years ago. It was the Diamond rebellion, I believe."

“Is that true?” Blueblood asked.

“My family tells no tales as far as I know.” Rarity told him. “But what do I know? I am only a young mare who knows very little about the ways of war. I don’t think I have a say in the matter. Well, if the creator is kind, we’ll have another dragonslayer in our family.”

Blueblood smirked and took a quick glance at the flowers. “You shouldn’t bet on Elohim, my queen. It won’t get you very far.” He told her, causing Rarity to raise her head up and turn her gaze over to the prince.

“What do you mean?” Rarity asked. “Do you not believe in the creator?”

“Oh, I do.” The prince assured her. “However, I don't like him very much.”

Rarity’s eyes sparked with interest. “Ah, I see, and what would be your reasoning for that?” She asked.

“Well, for one, the war involving all creatures still rages on. If this god, as almighty as he seems, loves all of his subjects equally, then why let it happen? Why let countless creatures die? If it’s truly magic that bonds the world together, then why do we still continue to fight over it? Why create some creatures stronger than others? That’s not equality, now is it?” Blueblood explained. “Well, to be fair, the world needs order. But the ones who wield that order aren’t worthy of it. And he’s yet to answer the prayers of his subjects."

“You mean the wielders of the sun and moon?” Rarity asked. “If that’s what you mean, then I understand, and, in all honesty, don’t want to be a part of such tyranny.”

“You resent the Alicorns as well, my queen?” Blueblood asked, turning his gaze over at Rarity in curiosity.

“Yes,” Rarity answered. “But more so of their flank-kissing. Just like the first emperor, they aren’t as noble as they seem. Sure, they were handed the responsibility by the omnicorns of Skyros, but what have they done to prove their worth to it? That is, if proving their worth was the extinction of countless creatures in the Evolution Era. They were the spawn of devils as they claim, but were they really? Were the reindeer wrong when they told them visions of the future? Were the Elephants guilty for not committing their efforts to Equestria years ago? I think the answer is clear there.”

“And now again with the Lions,” Blueblood added, his eyes searching for an answer within the clouds. “When will it all end?”

“Well, if the creator is kind, Discord will make a grand return.” Rarity said in a joking tone. “Maybe if he snaps us out of existence, this war will end. Now doesn’t that sound like a good solution?”

The prince chuckled in response.

Rarity couldn’t believe it, but the prince she hated so dearly had similar opinions of the world. It didn’t make him any more attractive, but it did interest her. Rarity's eyes then met Blueblood's, searching for a connection beyond their shared duty. “Say, since we’re getting to know each other so well, why not tell me more about your family?” Rarity asked. “I’m interested to hear more about the so-called house of gold.”

The prince’s eyes dilated in interest as Rarity smiled, he then closed his eyes for a moment and turned head to the ground, staring aimlessly, smirking. “Tell me, Rarity.” He opened his eyes and looked back at her, the smirk still on his face. “Have you heard of the fall of the whispering woods?”

Rarity’s eyebrows rose with mild surprise. “The Forest Rebellion.” she muttered to herself, loud enough for Bluebood to hear. Strangely enough, she had heard that name before, her grandfather mentioned it one time when she was a filly. She’d never heard the full story before, as she told Blueblood.

“So you’re unaware?” Blueblood asked, his smirk growing wider. “Well then, I’m honored to tell you the tale.” He came to a stop, and Rarity did the same. He then walked right in front of her, and their eyes met. Rarity felt her hooves trembling, she couldn’t bear those eyes of his. They reeked of evil and arrogance, and pierced through her soul like a knife through her skin. He then slightly leaned forward, and he spoke in a sinister tone:

Ah, Whispering Woods... Once a tranquil sanctuary of harmony, where earth ponies communed with nature and claimed they could hear the leaves speaking. Alas, after my ancestors' decree of deforestation, their haven became a battleground of misery. The clash between the oppressed and the oppressors was a harrowing reminder of the pain endured in the pursuit of autonomy. Throats were slashed, trees were burned, and a thousand screams echoed in the blazing forest.

Despite their valiant efforts, the ponies of Whispering Woods were powerless against the insurmountable odds and their extinction became an inevitable truth.

This harrowing event serves as a warning of the repercussions of unchecked power, and a reminder of the price paid by those who challenge it. It is quite amusing to me, that even in their meekness, the earth ponies of Whispering Woods still chose to take a stand... Why?

The tale was more sinister than Rarity would have imagined. "The decree of deforestation, why?" She asked, her voice whimpering.

The prince chuckled once more. "Malum the terrible had that name for a reason, you know? He didn't hate the forest, no. He just got tired of their constant chanting. It annoyed him and they paid the price. Simple as that."

Blueblood finally took noticed of Rarity's discomfort, and stepped away. "I apologize for my rudeness." He said.

"It's... fine, my king." Rarity said, trying her beat to control her labored breathing. Blueblood then gestured to her to continue their walk, and Rarity accepted his offer. Those eyes, how dreadful. She thought

Once again, Blueblood noticed Rarity's look of discomfort. Did I scare the poor girl? He asked himself.

"Is something wrong?" Asked Blueblood.

"No, it's not that." Rarity said in a reassuring tone, waving her hooves in the air. "I just… I'm indifferent about the dress…"

"You are? But your sister wore the same dress and she looked fine." Blueblood mentioned.

"I'm not my sister." Rarity's face flattened in disappointment to Blueblood's comparison. He stared down in shame for a moment, and they continued to walk, an immense wave of awkwardness filling the air. Blueblood, hoping to break Rarity's silence as well as his own, he turned and asked her, "So, about our marriage—"

"I do not wish to get married, if that's what you want to know." Rarity blurted out. She just couldn't hold it in any longer.

"What?! But, the vow! Both of our fathers agreed on it!" Blueblood reminded. "You must marry me!"

Rarity sighed. "My father, he forced into this, as I stated before. I never wanted to get married, nor become queen." Rarity stated once again. "Look, It's not like I hate you, or anything, I just despise having to get marry like this..."

Blueblood pouted. "Am I not worthy enough for you?!" Blueblood asked.

"N-no! It's nothing like that!" Rarity assured, "You're definitely worthy of a thousand honorable mares, my king!" Like hay you are! She shouted in her mind.
"However, I still wanted a chance to choose my beloved, and know very little of you, even now, and even less so of your house. My father never said as much as a peep."

Blueblood's eyebrows narrowed in anger of Rarity’s words. “Don't worry about your father, queen." He said. "Under my rule, there will be no such thing. My queen will be free to do whatever she likes without any complaints from her father.” Blueblood vowed, placing his hoof on Rarity’s chin.

“And how are you so sure?” Asked Rarity, trying her best not to gag. Blueblood removed his hoof and walked over to a statue of queen Celestia in the heart of the garden.

“Once we tie the knot, I’ll announce a vow renouncing the order of your father. He shall no longer be in control of your decisions as queen.” Blueblood offered, turning his gaze over to Rarity. ‘I will also place the vow upon my family.”

“But if you announce that vow, your claim to the throne will weaken, and so will my family's.” Rarity stressed. “Are you sure that such a law is necessary?”

Blueblood’s eyes dilated in confusion. “You said it yourself, my queen. You yearn for the freedom of your own choices, correct? That’s the offer I’m giving you. Furthermore, my claim to the throne will hold its strength. I’m Tavern’s firstborn son, and the laws of order state that once two ponies of royal descent marry, the claim to the throne will be certain for both.”

Your claim... that's all you ever think about, is it? Rarity thought.

Blueblood then approached Rarity, and firmly kissed her on her muzzle. Rarity tried to refute, subtly stepping away, but Blueblood wouldn’t allow it. He pulled her closer to his face, kissing her once again in the same spot. “Blueblood, please!” She shouted, yanking away from his hoof.

“Why do you resist, my queen?” Blueblood asked

“Because it’s my choice, my king. I don’t want to be touched right now... or possibly ever” Rarity said. “And you won’t force me too, not the day before our marriage, and not after our marriage either. It’s ill to do so, as they say.”

Blueblood pouted and snorted, steam releasing from his snout. For a moment, they stared aimlessly at each other. Blueblood’s eyes radiated anger and shock, and his face told the same tale. Rarity wanted to turn flank and run away, but her body wouldn’t allow it. Her hooves were shivering, nearly bringing her to fall.

The tension continued to rise for a few more moments before Blueblood eventually nodded and walked away. I just… disobeyed my husband… oh dear, what will father think if he knew… he would most surely have my life…

Chapter End

Chapter 5 - God's Tree

400,500 kilometers west were eight gigantic boats of the cats, still quite far from the land of crocs. The entire crew were dressed in fancy black Velvet coats and jackets, swords in their paws. Leo, of course, was the one leading the ship.

Siloam made a command to the rest of the crew, and then turned over to his captain, who gazed forward, his eyes searching for the end of the sea. His chest was puffed out, brooding with confidence, his fur blowing against the wind. Though Siloam couldn’t help but admire his confidence, he did not agree with this plan, it just seemed way too ambitious.

As his hand, he knew he had to reason with him again, or at least try to convince him to turn back. “Your furiness.” Siloam approached Leo, his paws tied together, Leo turned back at him and jumped off the deck in an epic fashion, which Siloam claimed to be unnecessary, but Leo said otherwise. He then walked over to the edge of the boat, looking down at the water below.

“So, what do you need?” Asked Leo, tipping his hat.

“Please don’t take this the wrong way, your furiness,” Siloam said, hesitating with each word. “But, it’s still not too late to turn back.”

Leo took his gaze off the ocean and back at Siloam with defiance. It was only for a moment, but in the short time, his face spoke so many words of annoyance. "Why do you worry so much?" Leo asked, annoyance dripping from his voice.

"It's my duty as your hand, my king." Siloam answered, the nervousness of his voice lessening. "And I hope that you hear me out."

"Go on." Leo sighed, gesturing his right paw.

"Like my brother Liam said, this plan most likely won't go as planned. The Crocodiles aren't known for being good negotiators, they're known for their ruthlessness. And besides, what could we possibly offer them that they already have?" Siloam asked.

The two then broke into a short silence, and Siloam began to doubt his question. Leo then sighed and walked over to Siloam, putting a paw on his shoulder with a reassuring smile. "We have the best ships to ever set foot onto this sea. What creatures could turn down such an offer?"

"The wielders of the sun and moon!" a crewmember said nearby, Leo laughed and Siloam chuckled slightly. "Ah, that is true!" Leo laughed.

"Your furiness." Siloam said again, his voice carrying a heavier weight. "The Crocodiles are feared by even them. What makes you think they'll accept cheating creatures like us? What if they assassinate you? There'll be no cat to lead the golden islands."

Leo smirked and leaned forward towards Siloam's face, his gaze more serious and determined as ever. "Well that's a risk I'm willing to take." He said, patting him on the back before walking back onto the deck.

Siloam didn’t know what else to say. It just seemed like that no matter what he said, the stubbornness of the king would not allow him to listen. He groaned in anger and went to the bottom of the ship, cats of all colors talking to each other in unison while giving toast. Siloam awkwardly took a seat next to an orange cat named whisker, who sat silently.

“You look troubled.” He said. “What’s the matter?”

“The king still refuses to listen to me.” Siloam complained, his paws moving with his words. “I’m supposed to be his hand, and yet, he still refuses to listen to me. He just doesn't understand… he's not his father."

"Can't say that I don't agree," Whisker said, adjusting his posture. "But, the king's not dumb either. I'm sure he knows what he's doing."

"I wish I had your optimism, whisker." Soliam scooted over. "There's just way too much at stake here. I understand that our ancestors were greedy, manipulating, risk-taking conquerors, but we're not that anymore. We've just been feeding on the resources of other creatures. And we all know the damage that can happen when the island is when there is no cat to rule."

"I wouldn't stress too much about it," Liam said. "He's trying to bring back our old ways, remember? We can't just sit around and expect some other creature to help us, or the Lions to rebuild their military. No amount of tuna will help that, for sure."

Siloam sighed and looked back down at the ground, his face shrouded in doubt and confusion. "I hope the king's words are right." Siloam said.

Zebraska

A day passes from when the three unicorns were welcomed into the home of Zebraska. The first day was so different, yet so welcoming. Everyone in the land gathered around them, handing them bracelets of gold, purple, and red, along with beautiful necklaces of the same color. The food was very different than it was back home. It wasn't hayfries or lettuce, instead, there were peas, corn, noodles, soup, and many more. They were reluctant to taste it at first, but eventually gave in, and It tasted great. Unfortunately, due to all of the town's teachings of their culture, they didn't get to spend much time with the family who brought them in. Zebulon was glad about that, but his siblings were the opposite.

On this day, however, the unicorns would be sent into the custody of Zecora and her family. An order given by the king. The unicorn's didn’t know whether to feel excited or scared, but they had no choice but to accept the order.

The two king's warriors led them to their house at the break of day, bathed in the light of Celestia's sun. The house was made of ancient cobblestone, tall and wide, its triangular roof filled with hay and its walls covered in lush moss. It stood out amongst the other houses of Zebraska, a perfect blend of old and new.

The two children, Zofran and Zakaria, stood outside of the house, seemingly eager for their arrival. The three unicorns felt their hooves shiver ever so slightly, but they were able to push themselves forward.

"Come, don't be afraid!" Zofran urged as Twilight walked closer. She stopped for a moment and looked at him for a moment. Zofran was worried that he had started her, and stepped back a little.

"Ssh! Don't startle her, brother!" Zakaria said, hastily.

"I'm not trying to!" Zofran spat back, calling over to Twilight once again. Twilight looked over at her friend, Sunset Shimmer.

"Should we… go?" Twilight whispered, nervously. "They seem like they want us to go to them."

"If they are, then I think we should." Trixie answered. "They don't seem like bad creatures at all, and they helped us, so it's only fair, right Sunset? What do you think.."

"...I think so." Sunset said, uncertainty in her voice. "It's an order from the king, so we must follow it."

They took a deep breath and began approaching Zofran and Zakaria, the royal guards following in their hoofsteps. "They're coming towards us, stand still!" Zakaria commanded, her voice trembling in excitement

Taking a deep breath, Twilight approached cautiously. "Um, hello," she said, her voice trembling slightly. "I'm Twilight Sparkle. It's nice to meet you."

Zofran, the middle child with a calm demeanor, looked up and smiled warmly. "Greetings, Twilight Sparkle. I am Zofran. You may enter our space!"

"How did you… know my name?" Twilight asked, stammering.

"The townsfolk talked about all three of you, including your names." Zofran answered. "Sunset, Trixie, and you, Twilight Sparkle. Those are your names, correct?"

They three all nodded in unison.

"Good," Zofran and Zakaria turned around, looking back at the three unicorns. "Come, we'll show you around our household."

The unicorns followed through zebras into the home. The place was well cleaned and maintained, with candles placed onto the wall, and old pictures of the family along with them. There was also a red carpet in the heart of the living room in the shape of the square, nearly covered by the wooden circular table and the brown couch that was behind it. It was barely visible, but Twilight could see the golden Zebra head symbol adorned into the carpet. That must be their sigil! Twilight realized.

They then showed them their small kitchen and bathroom, which both had the same variation of their supposed sigil on the floor, as well as the very same candles hanging on the walls. Zebulon stayed in his room and did not participate in their tour. After the tour was over, the two zebra siblings decided to show them their rooms.

"Come, I'll show you my room." Zofran told Twilight.

Curiosity sparked within Twilight's eyes as Zofran led her through the trees. They arrived at a small, cozy dwelling made of woven vines and adorned with vibrant flowers. Inside, Twilight's eyes widened in awe as she saw ancient weapons displayed on the walls, each with a story etched into their surface.

"These are the weapons of my ancestors," Zofran explained, his voice filled with reverence. "They were warriors, protecting our lands and preserving our traditions. Each weapon holds a tale of bravery and honor. For example:"

Zofran picked up one of the spears hanging on the far right of his collection. It was adorned with purple stripes and had a gold blade which sat in the light of Celestia's sun through the window. "This one belonged to my grandfather, but he handed it to me after I was chosen to be lord commander. I must say, it's quite the responsibility. I almost feel myself nearly crumbling under the weight each day, but I have to persevere. It's what we do as warriors."

Twilight listened intently, her nervousness fading away as she engrossed herself in Zofran's stories. She asked questions, and Zofran patiently answered, fostering a small connection between them. "Are you a warrior too?"

"Why yes." Answered Zofran. "My grandfather molded me into one, and my brother Zebulon tagged along. I'm not too high up in the ranks, but I hope to become a lord commander."

"And what of your brother? Is he a good warrior?" Twilight asked.

"A great warrior, but not exactly the nicest." Zofran said, his tone hinting bitterness. "I had to stop him from seriously hurting you before you woke up, he's rarely happy about visitors."

"And why is that?"

"How many questions will you ask me before you eventually kill me?" Zofran asked with a hint of annoyance and full of amusement.

Twilight looked down in shame and embarrassment. "Sorry," she said, faintly.

"There's nothing to be sorry about, Twilight. I was simply joking, that's all… well, that's half of it."

"Forgive me for asking, but… may I hold it?" Twilight asked, her pupils widening. Zofran looked at her with confusion and concern. He noticed that she was staring directly at his spear, and slightly began to move away from her.

"The power of this object is far too great for even a young crocodile to wield, let alone a pony of your stature. It would be best if you focused your efforts on helping the residents of this town by folding their clothes." Zofran said, turning around and putting the spear back in its place.

"But any creature could do such an easy task," Twilight argued playfully. "I think it's much more exciting and interesting to experience and explore the culture of other creatures firsthoof."

"You're quite the curious filly." Zofran stated in a tone of amusement, Twilight blushed in embarrassment.

"I've yet to read about your culture back home. Before then, I've heard a little bit about creatures like you." Twilight said, Zofran's expression sparked in interest

"Is that so?" He asked.

"Yes," Twilight replied. "I heard the rumor that you had the physique of a pony, but with a coat of white fur and black stripes. It was only a whisper among the ponies of Ponyville, but when I stepped into the herd, it came rushing back to me all of the sudden."

"May I ask, what did they say?" Asked Zofran.

"Well… one of my teachers said that you were the closest creatures to Elohim, even closer than us ponies." Twilight answered. "The others just talked of your ability to see the memories of other creatures, as well as your ancestors."

"While we're on the subject of your hometown, I'm dearly sorry about your family." Zofran said. "It must hurt for them to not know of your well-being."

"Yeah… it must be." Twilight said.

Zofran turned back and saw the gloomy look in Twilight's eyes and walked over to her. Once close enough, he bent down and stared deep into Twilight's eyes with sincerity. "Do not worry, unicorn." He assured her. "We will raise you well, and soon, once this world is finally at peace, you will be reunited with your loved ones back home."

Twilight smiled back, but couldn't find hope within his words. She didn't want to be a pessimist, but because of the war between the Lions and Ponies, nothing told her that the war would end soon. Yes, it had ended, but what had come of it? More suffering.

"Are you sure about that, Zofran?" Twilight asked.

"I'm not going to make any promises, unicorn. But, I do have faith. That's what carries me on." Zofran answered.

"Faith? What do you mean faith?" Twilight asked.

"I believe in the creator. I have faith that he will bring order back to the world once he returns." Zofran answered. "I can not speak on the creator's behalf, or give the specific day of his return. But I sense that it's soon."

Faith? Any faith Twilight had of the Creator's return was diminished the moment her ship had sunk. Even then, faith changed nothing. It didn’t stop anyone from dying on that ship. Twilight didn't want to speak these thoughts out loud, knowing of their faith to Elohim, but she questioned it.

"So is it true, are you the closest creatures to Elohim?" Twilight asked.

Zofran turned his gaze back into his collection of spears. "All creatures are close to Elohim, we're all equal." Zofran answered, he then walked over and stroked her hair with his right hoof . "No creature is better than the other, that's how Elohim created us, and the very thing Discord tried to achieve years ago."

He then walked over to a red box in the right corner of the room, Twilight's eyes and ears perked up with curiosity. "What do you mean he tried to achieve? I thought he did, didn't he?"

"He didn't, unfortunately. One good look at the world could show you that much." Zofran answered. "You'd have to talk to our mother about this, my knowledge of the Antediluvian Era is miniscule at best."

"Oh, of course." Twilight muttered as she looked down aimlessly at the floor. She thought dearly of what the king said regarding the relationship between ponies and zebras. It made sense why the relationship between the two would be quite indifferent, considering Celestia and Luna's claim that they are the true children of Elohim and no one else.

Zofran noticed Twilight's gloomy look, and felt regret. What was I thinking, she's just a filly, he thought. "Sorry… I didn't mean to—"

"No, don't be. I understand." Twilight assured. "Luckily enough, my parents taught me that too."

"May I see another spear?" Twilight continued.

"Sure." Zofran replied, grabbing a green spear from his collection.

Outside of the stone house, a large, mystical, majestic tree that stands tall, reaching for the heavens in a mystical realm. Its trunk, adorned with intricate patterns, seems to be woven from ancient wisdom and magic. The branches of this fantastical tree spread wide, their delicate leaves shimmering with ethereal hues of green, gold, and silver. A lake of sparkling water sat in front of the tree, adding to its mystical nature. It called by the zebras "God's Tree", which they claim that the tree was built by Discord himself.

As usual, Zecora found Zycrono sitting up against the tree, reading the same book: Book of Harmony. She had never seen him read anything else besides that book even though he had finished reading it long before. Does he ever get tired of reading that same book? That was the only question that crossed her mind every time she came across him.

Zecora steadily approached him, hoping not to disturb his peace. Zycrono heard the sudden sound of a hoof stepping on a leaf, and instantly spotted Zecora.

"I apologize," Zecora said, nervously chuckling. "Please, go on."

"No, no," Zycrono refuted. "There is no need to apologize. Anyone is welcome at Elohim's tree."

Zecora smiled and Zycrono smiled back. He then scooted over from his spot, offering a seat for her near the foot of the tree. Zycrono gestured his right hoof at the patch of leaves right beside him, and Zecora was quick to accept his offer.

"If everyone is welcome, then why do I still feel like a stranger in the presence of the tree after all these years?" Zecora asked, pleasantly.

Zycrono took his eyes off his book and looked over at Zecora with a confused expression. "Why so hard on yourself?" He assured her with a smile. "You have three children, and now take care of three unicorns. You're no stranger?"

"Do you think Elohim agrees with that? Let alone, Discord?" Zecora asked, her voice dripping with amusement.

"Of course he would!" Zycrono exclaimed, smiling along with Zecora. "We've welcomed three creatures from the south of the sea into our land. That's the way of Elohim."

They both had a moment of laughter before Zycrono eventually turned his attention back to his book.

"I'm a bit worried about their safety." Zecora admitted. "If news of their existence reaches the south, there will be conflict."

"Everyone who was aboard the ship is assumed dead." Zycrono said, flipping to the next page. "There is no need to worry."

"Besides, I'm sure the king is taking extreme measures to assure their safety." Zycrono continued.

"But we essentially stole them from their homes." Zecora argued. "Do you honestly think they will accept us?"

"What else were we supposed to do? Sail a ship and take them back? Celestia and Luna will see them as ponies of sin and wreak havoc upon our ship before we would get the chance to even reason with them." Zycrono said. "Celestia and Luna despise ponies who come in contact with other creatures, they think we're all devils."

"That is true." Zecora said, looking down at the lake, her reflection staring back at her. "I just hope that these ponies will be able to trust us. They've gone through alot."

"They will," Zycrono assured, putting a hoof on her mane. "They have you, the best mother across the entire sea. I have no doubt that you'll be able to raise them into great ponies. Why else do you think the king entrusted you to take care of them?"

Zecora gave him a faint smile. It felt great to hear such words. "I deeply appreciate those words, Zycrono."

"Wow."

"What?" Asked Zecora.

"This is a Rarity. You're not speaking in riddles for once." Zycrono said, chuckling slightly. Zecora laughed with him.

"The ponies will be annoyed if I spoke to them like that." Zecora said, controlling her laughter. "They're still young."

After their laughter died down, Zycrono slowly turned his attention to the book in his hands. He carefully flipped to the next page, holding it close to his face. Zecora tried to adjust her position to get a better look at the words, but it seemed the book was held too close for her to get a clear view.

"Why do you always read that book? Do you not get tired of it?" Zecora asked.

"Why would I?" Zycrono asked. "The Antediluvian Era is so vital to the way the world is now? It's filled with wars, myths, and legends. It's fascinating."

"Fascinating, yes. However, I just thought reading about it constantly would get tiring after a while." Zecora replied.

"History is never a bore." Zycrono claimed. "It's the very foundation of this world. The more we understand the world, the better the world can be."

"Hm." Zecora nodded. She then stood up from her spot, catching the attention of Zycrono.

"Where are you going?" He asked.

"To the house." Zecora answered, looking back at him with a smile as she began to walk away. "I suggest you read the book to the kids once you're done. I'm sure they'll enjoy it."

Zycrono nodded and began reading his book once again. Meanwhile, Zecora made her way back to the home.

Chapter End

Chapter 6 - The Prince Arises

Lionstone

It had been two days since the battle of lionstone had ended, leaving what was once a beautiful land forged of stone and fire into a wasteland filled with the feasting of crows. The other lions who had evacuated away from the battlefield into the towns and villages of the countryside were distraught after hearing the death of the king. Most of the children now had no homes to return to nor food. The soldiers who guarded the townsfolk tried to provide as much resources they could get from the sea, which was scarce. News of Leo's sail to the west had also reached the towns and villages, causing another wave of hysteria among the civilians.

Avowal Village - North of the land of Ragakno
The land of Ragakno resided in the north of Lionstone, and was surrounded by three great stone Lion heads said to have been built by Nemean Lion of the Antediluvian Era. The heads were held to the ground by the enormous chains that were placed deeply into the earth. towns and villages were built in stone. Inside of the country resided villages and towns, each containing the same straight row of tall, tone built houses with triangular roofs built with brown oakwood.

Avowal was way bigger than the usual villages, and also the closest to the majestic sea. Shimmering lakes ran through the grounds and the plants bloomed with grace.
During the war, many in the land of Ragakno who wished for guaranteed protection from the war, along with villages with fewer resources nearby came rushing to the village of Avowal. But the place had already been flooded with war orphans and broken families. The resources were great in Avowal, but there was not enough to feed the Lions of numerous villages. Therefore, the Lions were forced to leave, some even had to be killed due to their resilience. Celestia considered destroying the country and more, but Luna was able to stop her.

Two days later, after the war had settled, the village hadn’t suffered any major casualties from the war. There was still enough food from the sea to provide for the war orphans, as well as foster homes. However, the news of the king’s death had reached the land, causing worry. Remaining soldiers hunted for food in the woods nearby to feed the civilians, but since of the hysteria of the lions they began to become more forceful for food, causing numerous massacres of forceful civilians all across the country.

The remaining soldiers of the battlefield searched for Songar Crestwood. They searched in the forest. He was nowhere to be found. The other half of the remaining troops searched the sea, even sending the small amount of ships they had to enhance their chances of searching for him. But once again, he was not found. The final batch of soldiers searched the ruins of the old castle, even going as far as searching the four battlements that surrounded the castle that were structured in the shape of large, rising paws.

The one leading the search of the castle was a young lioness of 17. She stood as tall as the soldiers she was leading, and had razor sharp claws the size of blades. Her eyes were as bright as the sun, but differed in colors; her right eye was bright red, while the other was bright green. Across her green eye contained a deep scar she had obtained from a sword during the war. Her name was Narayaka Fya.

"Captain!" Shouted a soldier, ramaging his paws through the rubble, staring at the female commander. "The prince, he's here!"
The pile of rubble revealed an unconscious Songar, along with his deceased mother who had been stabbed by spears. “Pull him out!” Commanded Narayaka, rushing over to help the soldiers pull the prince out of the rubble. After burning the rubble with the power of the sun, they laid him flat on his side on the blood-soaked grass where the scrapes and gashes were most present.

Songar soon regained consciousness and let out a painful groan as he saw the blurred faces of the soldiers hovering over him. His head was spinning rapidly and his vision kept fading in and out. He felt as if he had entered a new world with no memory of the past one. What’s going on? He questioned himself
“The king has arised.” A soldier mentioned as Songar coughed the ashes of the castle from his mouth.

“Go get one of the mages!” Narakaya commanded one of the soldiers.

As the soldier moved out of view, Celestia’s sun caught his eyes, blinding them for a short amount of time. It was only them when he was reminded of the horrors of the war. He shot up, the blood from his wounds trickling onto the ground, painting the grass an even darker shade of blood. Narayaka tried to restrain him from moving, but Songar refused to listen and limped over to the rubble he was once trapped in. “Mother? Where is she?!” He demanded, looking around frantically for an answer.

“You need to rest, prince! Your wounds will only worsen if you keep moving around!” Narakaya shouted once more.
“That wasn’t the question!” Shouted Songar. “Where is my mother, and what happened to our foes?!”

A soldier sighed deeply. “The war was lost, young prince.” He answered. “Our forces could not hold against the wielders of the sun and moon.”

Songar’s eyes dilated in fear.
“We have been searching for you for two days, my prince.” Narakaya added. “It is only by the luck of Elohim that we were able to find you.”

“Two days?!” Stressed Songar. He then took a moment to observe the carnage resting behind the soldiers. There was nothing but pure death, no sign of life in sight. The crows feasted on their bodies as if it was a delicious meal.

"The crows…" murmured Songar. "Feeders of the dead…"
It is your time, nephew.

The strains or Songar’s hair raised as heard the voice. It was his uncle, Serthrawl Crestwood, the warden of the southern countries. His fur was drawn in a grayish-red color, and he wore a black fur coat, the sides engrossed in the fur of other creatures.

"Why are you here?! You're supposed to be watching over the south!'!” Complained Songar.

“I left the safety of the south in the paws of your aunt.” Explained Serthrawl. “But it’s not about the south just now, a matter like this is about the entire land."

"What are you talking about?" Songar asked, his voice stammering, dreading the answer.
"The time for a new king has arrived."

Answered Serthrawl with a moment of hesitation. There was then a moment of silence. No one knew what to say. Songar felt his breath speed up steadily as he looked at the destruction of the dead bodies.

"Wait, if I'm king, then my father must be…"
"Dead, yes." Serthrawl confirmed. "The same goes for your mother."
Songar had a flashback to his mother's frightened face in the basement. "She died protecting me…" He mumbled angrily, his claws digging into the dirt. Tears of anger then flowed from his eyes.

Serthrawl gave an order to one of his guards, but the words were not clear to Songar, his constant angry snarling along with his huff-puffing barking made him unable to hear the sound. His tail was sweeping rapidly from side to side. It's not like he cared anyway. His mother and father were dead and he was now going to be crowned king by his own uncle.

The guard then handed Serthrawl a huge, white rectangular container, structured in grayish stone. He wasted little time opening it for Songar. Inside of the container was his father’s signature weapon: A long spear adorned in metal striped of fire, and a sharp, golden tip that shone in the light of Celestia's sun.

"My father's weapon…" He realized.
Songar kneeled down and stared down at the spear, his tears of anguish almost extinguishing the flames of the sword. Serthrawl put a paw under his chin and pulled his head. With a look of seriousness, he ordered him: Do not cry, we prideful never cry.

Pride… Pride.. Songar couldn't fathom how much he hated that word. There had been so many times where he had pent up emotions and wanted to cry, but the elderly insisted him not, even his father. He never understood it. Why can't he cry? His father had only taught him to be strong so the tears that fell almost didn't feel real. Nonetheless, he listened to his uncle's words and removed his tears, and looked up at his uncle.

"Tomorrow, there will be a funeral for the king and queen at the steps of the sea. The day after that, you will begin your trial to obtain the crown." Said Serthrawl, embracing Songar with a hug.

Songar growled and let out a roar of sadness.
"I will kill them all… all of those horses, including the ones of the sun and moon… they will not get away with this… I promise that to our creator… both of my parents died so I could walk on, I will honor them!" He swore In angry sobs before fainting from his wounds and falling onto the blood-soaked floor.

Chapter End

Chapter 7 - The Cat Council

Cat council.

Two days after Songar’s awakening.

Nestled within a lush, enchanted forest stands a magnificent council, an ethereal masterpiece woven into the branches of a towering, ancient tree. Ascending towards the heavens, the colossal trunk of the tree forms the foundation of the council. Its bark, weathered by time, tells tales of ages long past. Intricate, moss-covered roots cascade down, intertwining with the forest floor below, grounding the council in the very essence of the earth.

This council was for species of the different regions of Lionstone. The Tigers of Tigerwood, the Cheetahs of Nakaria, the Leopards of Shartakia, and the Jaguars of Takarnaka. Two of the most powerful lords from each land and region had arrived to not only swear their allegiance to the new king once crowned, but to discuss their plans regarding the state of the land of Lionstone.

Songar Crestwood was still unconscious, therefore, he could not attend the meeting. So Serthrawl took his place. All eight of them sat on rocks that were positioned in a circular motion around the council.

The council itself is an architectural marvel. Its walls, crafted from the tree's own branches, curve gracefully to form a circular chamber. The wood, imbued with ancient magic, emanates a faint, soothing glow. The light from Celestia's sun cracked through the openings and leaves surrounding the tree.

Serthrawl was accompanied by his royal advisor, Shargai, who was a bit smaller than him and had fur that resembled stone, and his eyes were a gleaming dark red.

A lord of Tigerwood took a seat right next to Serthrawl. His stripes on his fur were quite inconsistent as they had some stripes that were more detailed and larger than others, contrasting the other lord in his place, but his fur was well groomed.

"Greetings everyone." Serthrawl bowed down while the others bowed back. "I hope that the creator hasn't been treating you all too harsh."

"It could be worse." Said Gargrowl, the first tiger lord. "But we haven't dropped dead just yet."

"The Leopards of Shartakia could be doing way better. I sure do hope the creator doesn't starve us of all to death." The Leopard lord by the name of Rakai said in a joking manner.

"Esteemed lords, we gather here today to address the aftermath of the devastating war that has left our lands in ruins. Our kingdoms are in dire need of rejuvenation." Serthrawl said, sitting down on one of the rocks.

"We've gotten word from the northerners that you are without a king." Said the tiger.

One of the Leopard lords nodded. His name was Markanai. "There has also been a bit of distasteful news regarding the golden islands." He said with grace.

"What of them?" Serthrawl asked, sharpening his claws.

"They have begun their sail to the Crocodile Islands in search of better resources." The Leopard replied.

Serthrawl took his gaze off of his claws and looked at the Leopard in shock. "What?" He asked. "That can't be, we need their ships to cross the majestic sea."

"Well that explains why they aren't here." Spoke the tiger lord.

"There is nothing that can be done about it, now, my lord. However, if their ship falls or the Crocodiles don't accept their ships, then maybe we can let them back into the cat council."

"No!" Serthrawl shouted. "Such an act of treason will not be tolerated in this castle!"

"But sir," Shargai stepped forward. "Without their ships, we can never cross the majestic sea."

"Don't worry about that." The white Jaguar lord by the name of Walter said. "I fear that with the current status of this land, we will not be ready for battle for a long time."

"What of your army? Did they suffer as well?" Serthrawl asked, his voice lowering.

"Everycat suffered in the war, not just the lions." Markanai told Serthrawl In a soothing tone. "Nearly half of our army was wiped out by Luna's forces, and I assume that the casualties for you all were not pleasant either."

Every lord shook their head in confirmation. "Speaking of casualties, we don't have much food to give to our residents. There is food from the sea, yes, but there is only enough for five years. If we don't increase our resources by then, then we will all starve." The second lord of Tigerwood said.

"We don't have anywhere to house most of them either." Walter said. "Most of the towns were destroyed by Celestia and Luna's forces. Because of that, cats everywhere have been killing each other over shelter and food."

Serthrawl looked down in distraught and sighed deeply. "I'd say we plant more fruits and vegetables. There are more of them in Tigerwood, correct?" He turned to the tiger lords.

"Plenty, but winter will come soon." Said Gargrowl. "We must act accordingly and increase the number of our manufacturers."

"We should begin building with the rocky resources we have now, we have enough rock and stone on this land to build multiple shelters." Added Markanai. "The welfare of our subjects should be our utmost priority. We must find ways to rebuild our infrastructure and revive our economies."

Gargrowl then stepped forward. "Additionally, we must address the wounds of the past. Reconciliation among our kingdoms will pave the way for a harmonious future. Let us promote cultural exchange and encourage understanding among our diverse populations."

"Agreed," Serthrawl said.
"Our lands have been divided for far too long. By embracing unity, we can create a stronger alliance that transcends borders."

"While I do agree with those, lords, the respective species of our lands are not very content with one another. If we did band together, then be sure to expect a great disagreement and distaste for the council." Markanai argued. "I'd even say a great divide is likely to occur."

Serthrawl observed the room for a moment and sighed. "The guardians of the Lionstone will be sure to deal with such riots." He said, standing up and walking over to the opening of the council. "Nonetheless, we need to consider it."

"Good." Shargai sat back down. "What else is there to worry about?"

"The new king." Gargrowl answered. "If I'm correct, he has been unconscious for two days, and we've yet to find an opponent for his trial. How many days do you suspect he will be in remission?"

"He will be awake tomorrow," Serthrawl assured. "The result of his fainting were stab wounds that can easily be treated by our mages, it is nothing to worry about."

"What date do you suggest the prince will be fit to fight?" Asked Walter, twiddling his claws.

"The day after we hold the king's funeral." Answered Serthrawl. Shargai stared at him with eyes of bewilderment. "I will make sure that he is well-rested and well-trained before then. Meanwhile, I trust that you will find a good candidate for the prince's trial?"

"We will." Everyone said In unison, bowing down before Serthrawl.

"We will start tomorrow with the king's funeral, then we will announce the new laws to the public after Songar is king. Hopefully, the boy agrees." Serthrawl said.

And with that, the council meeting was finished, and the lords returned back to their homes. On the way back to the kingdom of Lionstone, when they were on the very horizon of it, Shargai asked the warden, "Are you sure that naming Songar the king is a good idea? He's just a boy, I'm sure there's better candidates for the title."

Serthrawl closed his eyes and then opened them to Celestia's sun. "Tradition is always a must among us." He said. "Which is why you will be his paw."

"What?" Shargai's red eyes widened. "But, I am loyal to the south, sir, I've always been!"

Serthrawl looked at him with a glare of defiance. "You were, but you're no true southerner. Any lion of the east must pledge their loyalty to the crown." He said, putting a paw on his head.

Serthrawl continued to move forward towards the kingdom while Shargai stood in disbelief. "The… paw?"

Chapter End.