First rule of Understanding... understanding
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The Icy Flame of Understanding

First rule of Understanding... understanding

Author's Note

Yes I actually rolled where it says a roll was made.

First rule of Understanding... understanding

Sikstael Pov

I was surrounded by the undead wyrmlings created by the black dragon necromancer Sask Usk. This sick nest of rot and decay filled my senses with nothing but disgust. "I shouldn't have come in here. I should have just realized this was a trap. I have been hunting Sask for so long and just thought I had a chance to end this here," I said as my blades carved through some of them and kept me alive for now.

"Patience, something will definitely end this night. You will end," Sask spoke through the clone he had made of himself that had tricked me. "Don't worry young one your body will be very useful for me once this is all done. Very useful indeed," he continued.

"By the will of Tamara I will not be used by you," I screamed killing more of the undead.

"Ah, but this is for Falazure, not Tamara," he replied with a dark laugh.

My body was bleeding, my spells were used up, and they had more numbers than I could deal with, but, I would not go down without a fight. I fought and fought until I was all used up and fell to the ground. My blood ran cold, my vision blurred and I suddenly felt as if I was falling. One final impact and my heart stopped. My final utterance was, "Those who work for death, decay and destruction will fear what shall come. Life will always permeate. persevere and progress. I may have fallen, but, others will always take up the mantle. Your ending is nigh."

Celestia Pov

I sat upon my throne bored out of my mind with all of these nobles coming in requesting for ridiculous things, but, still kept up my mask of the perfect princess and my calm demeanor. The time passed until it was finally time to switch with my sister the nobles exiting just as she entered. "Hello, sister. Do you think you can perform your duties this night?" I ask her quietly when we are finally the only ones in the room.

"I do believe I have told you I'll be just fine," Luna said as we performed our ritual changing day into night.

Then, everything changed. A bright light burst out of nowhere, temporarily blinding my sister and I. When our vision returned what I saw was unbelievable, corpses of small dragons everywhere all surrounding one being. He had large feathered wings, his eyes were a dark purple, his skin, from what I could see, was a pale golden color, his long mane was a mix of light reds and silvery colors, he had small claws, was covered in armor, had two blades near him and was absolutely mutilated. Blood slowly drained from the many wounds on his body, burns littered his flesh, and bone showed through in some places.

Then he spoke and a whispering echo flooded the throne room, "Those who work for death, decay and destruction will fear what shall come. Life will always permeate. persevere and progress. I may have fallen, but, others will always take up the mantle. Your ending is nigh."

"Luna, I don't know what has just happened, but, I think we may have to save this creature. Will you help me?" I asked her. She simply nodded and we charged our magic and pooled it together into one spell. The spell slowly healed his wounds, but, it was clear they couldn't fix everything. He was just far too damaged for a quick fix.

Sikstael POV

I could hear something within the shadows surrounding me, something soft, something kind, something... familiar. "Oh child of celestial soul and mystic wisdom, oh star child, will of life," the feminine voice began, "I ask you will you fade into the darkness, will you fall into the silence, or, will you carve a path through the pathogen, the curse and be my blade. If you wish to fall I will, willingly, call you into my eternal bond. If you choose to fly I will allot you the blessings of my family. Either way I will love you and either way it is your choice and your choice alone."

I wish to fly, I wish to bond with your family, I thought.

"You were always a part of my family shadow child. With this I grant you the blessings Burning Soul, Life Bound, and Familial Ties. When you have bonded with Joyous Soul, Passionate Devotion, Loving Heart, Selfless Wish, Truest Will and Mystic Affection you will then be granted your undying truth. Unfortunately, you have slept long my child and I can only leave you with this. Find the Sun and you will find your heart. Now awaken," she finished.

Light flooded my vision and I saw her brilliant smile.

Celestia POV

After trying to heal the strange male, I realized that he had stopped breathing and that the rhythmic beat of his heart had silenced. He was dead. All we were really doing was undoing the damage to his corpse. I felt horrible that we could not save him from his inevitability. I called in the guards to clear the throne room of the corpses and gore, but, told them, "please leave this creature here. I wish to give him a proper burial."

After ten minutes of grief just staring at the corpse and Luna at my back, I still was confounded as to why I felt a connection to this creature. Someone I had never known, something I had never seen, but, it was there and I knew. I stared into his eyes and wished I could have saved him, I hoped he would return somehow. These thoughts burned in my soul. I then heard a kind and loving voice speaking directly into my mind, "Daughter of the cosmos, little solarium, I implore you to not lose hope. I ask this of you passionate flame. Will you help this child of mine? Will you help this shadowed star child? If you could would you allow him a chance?"

If I could I would, but, he is dead what chance is there? I thought, confused and scared by the fact that someone had the ability to enter my mind.

"Be not afraid brilliant star child, I will not harm you. You must only have the will and the want strong enough to bring him back. As his soul lies with me and he wishes to fly once more. I will handle the rest," the feminine voice stated. My fears felt as if they were melting away, as if they were never there at all. I did want him back and I pushed my will to the limit on that single thought, even if it was just to find out who he was and what the connection was. "Good young sun."

Brilliant runes flooded his body quickly and once more his heart was beating, his breath was slow and pained. He was alive, but his wounds were still present. My sister and I were both confused and amazed at what had just happened. "Luna tell the guards to bring this one to a hospital, he lives once more," I said without breaking my gaze as his eyes closed and unconsciousness took him.

Luna ran out and brought the guards. Once it was just her and I, she asked me, "what did we just observe?"

"A miracle... we saw a genuine miracle," I answered slowly.

Sikstael POV

The first thing I felt was the pain and the dryness in my throat. I tried to shift, but, couldn't move. Tried to open my eyes, but, there was only darkness. I shifted once more and felt something crack. Once more and I was finally free and fell to the ground, nothing but shattered crystals around me. The brightness around me felt warm as my vision returned. I blinked a couple times adjusting to the night's light. I stretched my wings and stood up, almost falling as I did so.

That's when I realized I wasn't alone. The female seemed to be a smaller form of Equinal, but, she had wings and a horn as well. She stood at around 6'4". Her mane had soft pastel blues, greens, and pinks and seemed to flow in a nonexistent wind. Her short fur was a bright white color, her eyes were a light grey magenta. She wore gold jewelry and a golden crown that had purple gems in them, as well as, a white dress that seemed to lightly conform to her shapely body without truly revealing anything. She had a tail as well that matched her mane. She had a softer and smaller muzzle than an Equinal would have had.

I noticed that she was staring at me in silence just as much as I was at her. "Where am I?" I asked, knowing that she would understand me.

"Sau tarik ullram dor Equestria," I heard her say. Her voice was soft, smooth and lovely. "Kasu makin tarik vaun kloquir?" I could tell that what she was saying was a question, but, unsure of what she was actually saying. "Chemira, draki tarik dequr Celestia," She said in a way that I think that she was introducing herself. Then she rattled off, "Derak muri nakti sevoa resk j...."

I put a single claw up and stated, "I know you can understand me, but, I don't actually understand you. We are speaking two different languages. I just have the ability to allow others to understand me. So, do we have a way to resolve this at least for now. Obviously I need to learn your language."

She cocked her head and shook it for a moment as if trying to understand exactly what I meant by that. Then her horn lit up with a mystic light. I felt warmth throughout my body. "How about this, do you understand me now?" She asked.

"Yes, now let's start over. I am Frostfire Siktael. Who are you?" I asked her.

"I am Princess Celestia, the Solar Princess of Equestria," She answered. "What exactly are you?" she quizzed.

"That answered my next question. I am an Illumian, mainly. My mother was a Tulani by the name of Krukani and my father was an Illumian by the name of Frostfire Zhaoruk. My ancestor was a silver dragon by the name of Gul Letni," I answered. I felt a pull inside that seemed to connect to her and that's when a single memory returned to me. Find the sun and you will find your heart. "Wait you said you're the Solar Princess, as in the Princess of the Sun, correct?" I asked.

"Yes, but, the only thing that I understood in that was that you're born from two creatures I have never seen before and somehow you have a dragon within your ancestral heritage somehow," she stated.

"Once again you just answered another question of mine without even trying. Thank you by the way, makes things much easier. I believe I am in what I would call the material plane, but, not the one I remember. Now, I'm sorry for this by the way, but, what are you?" I asked.

"I am an Alicorn, a pony," she answered, following it with a few questions, "why was it important that I said I was the Solar Princess? Does it have to do with the connection that I feel with you?"

"Wait, you feel it as well," I slowly spoke. My eyes opened wide.

"Oh, what does this mean? I have waited over 2000 years, thinking that whatever that calming voice said would never come to be. I mean she called me little solarium, brilliant star child. She asked me to help you, her shadowed star child," She rattled on. Then she stopped and asked, "wait was that your mother?"

My eyes went as wide as they could and I answered, "no... not in actuality, but, I know who spoke to you. It was the goddess I serve the dragon goddess Tamara. Goddess of life, the sun and of mercy." I shuddered before I finally stated, "wait... you said... 2000 years... it's been that long...."

That's when something happened that caught me completely off guard. 1d20+2 spot check, 22 critical success. I saw the shadows move from behind her and it felt evil. I pulled her towards me and used my wings to push us backwards as a dark blue sword slashed upwards just barely missing her. 1d20+3 Str check, 7 unsuccessful 1d4+10 damage roll 13 damage, 1d20+8 refl check, 14 unsuccessful. Celestia knocked me backwards off of her and I landed sharply on my back. 88/102 HP.

The dark shadow gripped her with its power. She fought back shouting to me and pointing, "there's a town to the south of this mountain named Ponyville! Twilight Sparkle is there! I cannot hold this much longer, please protect her!" She fell into the darkness and I felt the spell she had cast dissipate. I flew up quickly and shot down to where she had pointed as fast as I could.