Prologue: Dream (revised)
Prologue: Dream
The world is black, like a void. A haze appears, giving some character to the darkness, and a room comes into shape. A small rom came into shape, aged walls and windows that were typical of a small cabin became prominent, what’s more is that the windows are barred shut, as if to keep prying eyes out. The only furniture is a round table with several chairs with a chandelier that hung low above the table. The haze becomes lighter, and several figures can be seen in the chairs. They share the same robes, black with gold trimmings. There are guards wearing intricate light armor, and pointed ears can be seen on each person.
“When is he going to get here?” one of the figures at the table asked.
“Late again? Not surprising, the High General grew up in Orsinium.” Another spoke.
“That’s no reason to waltz around like one of those bloody Nords. The Aldmeri Dominion has to keep a high level of status, and he’s not helping.” The first replied.
“Getting antsy?”
“I hate waiting.”
“I'm here,” a voice called from the door by the guards. The figure wore a set of robes like the others, but without the hood. His skin was slightly yellow in color, his ears were pointed, and his facial features seemed longer.
“What took you?” one of the first voices asked.
“I found a new realm and did some scouting.” The general replied.
“What does that mean?”
“I found the Argonians that disappeared. They are in another realm, and it is a powerful one. If the Dominion took over this plane, we would be unstoppable.” The general answered with a clenched fist.
“What makes you think the council will agree to this?” another voice asked.
“easy.” He snapped his fingers and a creature was dragged in. it was equine in shape, and had blue fur, and a grey mane and tail. It had a cutie mark, one of a farming hoe. “I pulled this from the other side.”
The figures in the room let out a collective gasp. “What is that?” one asked.
The standing figure held his hand over the pony’s head, and drained magic from him. The stallion slumped down, and the figure turned back to his comrades.
“It is like a battery. I have drained him three times so far and I have never felt more powerful.” He said darkly.
“Could be just an illusion; I want proof.” One growled.
He laughed and held up his palm; raw magica flowed from it, creating a blue flame. The fire then latched itself around his hand, traveling up his arm and around his body, creating a blue spectral armor that made him look like he was a set made of dragon bones. A large sun shaped shield materialized on his left arm, and in his right, a long sword like the one from the story of Pelinal Whitestrike. He swung the sword effortlessly, like it weighed nothing, and turned to one of his guards.
“Strike me.” he said casually, his voice seemingly amplified by the spectral armor.
The guard nodded and drew his sword, stabbing it straight into the general’s breastplate. The sword shattered like glass, the other officials stared in awe of the display.
The armor fizzled out after a few seconds; he gasped and chugged down a magica potion. “It takes quite a bit of magica to hold a spell like that, more than anyone has been known to have. Draining him three times has given me the power to not only create it, but hold it. With powers like that, imagine the possibilities.” He let his statement sink in to the robed figures in front of him.
“You want us to go to war with another realm? What makes you sure that the Deadric Lord living there won’t retaliate?” one asked.
“That’s just it; I found no Deadra, and there wasn’t even any war that I have observed. If we were to attack, they wouldn’t stand a chance.” The General answered, clenching a fist.
“Your trick caught my interest; I will lend you aid, but if it turns out there is a Deadric Lord… you’re on your own.” the one farthest to the right said.
“I second that notion.” another agreed.
One by one, everyone in the room agreed to the generals plans. A smile tugged at his lips as the gears slowly turned in his head.
“How will we go about getting the council to agree with this plan though?” one asked.
“I have an idea, but it will require some fine tuning.” He replied.
“Why not show them the power you showed us?” another suggested.
“Good idea, gentlemen. this is the start of a new age for Tamriel, with the Dominion leading it.”
The haze returned to the room, and darkness crept back from the corners. The shadows covered everything, slowly sending the room back into darkness. Once the room went black again, low laughter started up, slowly gaining strength before two mismatched eyes opened and a ghastly smile appeared.
“Chaos is coming, hope you’re ready little pony…”
Author's Note
re-written chapter, hope you all like it.
Thanks to krdragon for helping out!
Ch1: the Adventure Begins
Ch1: The Adventure Begins
Frost woke from her slumber feeling more tired than before. She used her scaled forelegs to wipe the sleepiness from her eyes as she looked about her room. It was a simple room, for her anyway. To her left were a door, a dresser, and a mirror. In front of her, was a closet with several pictures of her friends on it: Raspberry Pie, Apple Slice, Flawless Gem, Jetstream, Autumn Breeze, and Starry Night. On her right wall, lay her various weapons and Targets to use them all on. The racks held swords, daggers, pikes, and even chakrams she had custom made to be thrown from her wings.
She had to admit, she wasn’t like the normal fillies, and she like weapons and tended to be a bit more violent, she even had a drawer in her dresser dedicated to the many detention notes from school. She got out of her bed and walked out of her room and into the living room of her house. It was the generic Equestrian living room, sofa, coffee table, recliner, perfect for homework (which she rarely does), or family time and hanging out with guests playing board games.
Her mother walked in from the kitchen. Her name was Swift Shadow, and she had dark purple scales, and wings like Frost. She had feathers upon her head and at the end of her tail that were crimson in color. Her smile was slightly off-putting, being it that she looks like she would stab somepony in the back at any moment.
“Good morning Frost, sleep alright?” she asked, that natural Argonian accent ever so present in her voice.
“Had a weird dream last night and I somehow feel more tired than dad when he is late at work.” Frost replied, plopping down on the couch.
Swift dropped her smile, and stared at her daughter. “What was the dream?”
“Why the sudden interest?”
“Tell me, and I might know what to make of it.”
“Some weird bipedal creatures with pointed ears and black robes. They said something about a council and a dominion, and then plans that involved ponies. That mean anything?”
“You might have to ask Sheogorath during class, while I go to Canterlot today.”
“Oh right, its Wednesday. History with the mad god, woo.” She said in a joyless tone.
“You will listen to him Frost, he knows more then he lets on.” Swift said.
“Okay fine… at least I'm in a class with a few friends.”
“Try not to freeze Haskill this time.”
“No promises mom.” they both shared a laugh at that.
“Get going my little pony; if you’re late again I don’t know what he would do.”
“Wabbajack me again?” she asked with amusement. Last time that happened she wound up like some naked human girl, which was embarrassing.
“If you get Wabbajacked too many times I don’t think you might recover, remember when you spent a week as a rabbit?” she chuckled.
“Yea, great time for dad to bring a hawk home from work.” Frost growled playfully.
“Get going already, we’ll talk about how you got Wabbajacked again later.”
“Not today mom!” Frost yelled as she grabbed a sweet roll from the kitchen and flew out the door.
“Well well well, look who’s early this time.” Sheogorath said as Frost burst through the door to the throne room.
“Early, crap!” She face-planted into the carpeted stone floor from exhaustion.
“Yea, ya are. You know what being early by thirty minutes means don’t ya?” he said smugly.
“The Wabbajack!” they said at the same time, be it with less enthusiasm from Frost.
“You sure I'm not on time?” she asked.
“Do ya see any other ponies in here?” she shook her head. “Very well, on with the fun!” he yelled.
“Alright alright, ill bite, something is different about you… let me guess, you got your scales waxed!” Jetstream let out before bursting into a laughing fit.
“It’s not funny Jet!” Frost yelled out, the effect the Wabbajack had on her turned her scales every color of the rainbow, turned her spines into candy.
“Candy Spines! Why couldn’t I have been early?” Rasp yelled.
“Again, not funny!”
“Calm down the lot oh ya, class is startin.” Sheogorath yelled with his smirk still plastered on his face. “Alright, you all know where ya are goin, but today we will mix it up. A third oh ya are goin through the right door, and another third be goin through tha left one. The rest will stay with me. as an added bonus, you get to pick where you go, except for you Frost, today is our demonstration on magic, and you are my test subject.”
“Akatosh’s flame, this is going to suck.” Frost mumbled.
“Oh I gotta see this.” Jetstream said with a laugh.
“I'm here for ya sweetheart, just one day a week of this, remember.” Apple Slice said, making Frost blush.
“A demonstration of the Wabbajack, moms gonna love this~” Starry Night sang.
“Oh, great, let me guess, you guys want to watch too?” the rest of Frost friends nodded. “Crap.”
Frost sighed deeply. The magic testing was a royal pain, and the last effect, courtesy of a hysterical Jetstream; she is now a walking chocolate bar. She had to freeze several creatures already to prevent them from eating her, and now she was stuck sitting in the throne room alone with Sheogorath.
“You know, lunch is a godsend, it’s just great, now I gotta fight to prevent myself from being lunch!” she yelled.
“Don’t get your panties in a twist Frosty; the effects will wear off in ‘bout an hour, then we can get back to tha fun!” Sheogorath said excitedly.
“You’re enjoying this way too much.” She growled.
“Not enough ahm afraid. So, I think your mom wanted ya to tell me something?” he said while taking one of her ears and eating it.
“Hey what the hell! Give it back!”
“Don’t worry; you’ll get it back when the spell wears off.”
“I’d better; otherwise I’ll just have to take one of yours.” She growled.
“Ah look forward to it! Now tell me about your dream last night.” Sheogorath said calmly.
“Alright. Well, it was about some weird creatures with pointed ears, black robes, and something about a dominion, you know anything about it?”
“You’re leaving something out.” he said.
“Yea, something about a pony battery.” She waved her chocolate hoof idly.
“Well, this came sooner than ah thought.” He rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
“What did?"
“It would seem that the Aldmeri Dominion has taken an interest in your home.” He said.
“Okay you lost me, who are they?”
“A bunch of idiots who think they can force their will upon everybody. They banned the worship of Talos and are avid supporters of the Vigilant of Stendarr.”
“I'm still lost.” Frost said.
“Well, ah could go into a long winded speech about them, or ah could send you on a little excursion, stop them from taking everything you hold dear, hmm?”
Frost smiled. “All I got from that was adventure, and you sure as hell know I'm in.”
“In what, I think putting you in chocolate sauce is a bit redundant.” He laughed.
“Grr, change me back jerk!”
“Okay okay, ah have had ma fun.” He snapped his fingers and Frost went back to normal, she even got her ear back. He snapped his fingers again and a portal to some kind of lake opened up. “Have fun, and try not to die!”
“Wait, wh-” she didn’t get to finish, because Sheogorath kicked her into the portal, yelling something about Sparta.
Ch2: Taken
Frost blinked a few times, trying to come to terms with the very the fact at she was just punted like a hoof ball into a portal, a portal that may or may not have led to a hostile dimension, for which she was unprepared for. She stood on her hooves, shaking the dizziness from her head as she took in her surroundings. In front of her, was a small spring lying in the middle of a clearing that didn’t know if it was part of the side of a mountain or part of a forest. Behind her looked to be a rocky slope with several trees and shrubs lining flat areas and in front of her was a downed log and a ledge, which she peered over. To her surprise, a multitude of environments presented themselves to her. Below the mountain was what looked like a giant area dotted by hot springs, a snowy mountain to its left, and a forested mountain to the right. Beyond the springs, was a forested trail leading to a city being covered in snow.
She looked to her left and saw a path leading downward, with a deer walking toward her. “Where did that damned mad god just send me… well, I asked for adventure.” She walked towards the path and went downwards.
The animals were more skittish here than in Equestria, it’s like they were afraid of her. She made it to a stone road and made a right, not caring for where it took her. Her father’s favorite phrase played in her head, ‘tough ponies don’t get lost, we go exploring.’ She chuckled as she remembered one day when he had gotten the two of them lost in Canterlot castle three years ago.
She continued to walk, and met with a low snarling to her left. She recently came to a spot where a small stone fence blocked her view of what was over that way, and over it came three nasty looking wolves.
Frost got into a defensive stance, “you think I’m scared, I’ve fought rabbits with more balls than you.” This wasn’t boasting, she survived an attack from Angel bunny, a feat not accomplished by many.
The wolves lunged at her and she jumped to the side, swiping one of her claws and catching one of them in the side, spilling its guts on the cobblestone.
“Thank Celestia mom makes me sharpen my claws.” she said to herself.
The wolf she cut fell to the ground, bleeding out, while the other two flanked her. She had to keep her eyes on both, should they attack, and she needed to be ready.
These wolves seemed to be calculating possible moves, anticipating how much about fighting she knows. They moved simultaneously, one up and left and the other to her right, keeping her in one spot. She avoided the one that jumped, but was tackled by the other.
It pinned her to the ground and bit towards her neck. She swatted it with her wing, distracting it and then throwing it off her with her hind hooves. The other grabbed her back then bit the joints on her wings, making them go limp.
“GAH!” she yelled in pain as the wolf tried to rip her right wing off. The other jumped back on her and went to bite on her neck. It clamped down shut, but didn’t tear at it, only crushed a bit. She started losing air and the world started to blacken around her. The pressure on her wings let up as the sound of footsteps approached from beyond the trail.
“Good boys, too bad about the other, but this little thing will bring me big money in the fights.” She heard a male voice say before losing consciousness.
“Hmm, that aint good.” Sheogorath said as he saw Frost get dragged away by a bandit. “Not good at all, Swift’s gonna be pissed.”
“About what?” speak of the deadra.
“Oh nuttin.” He said casually as he wiped the window he used out of existence.
“It didn’t look like nothing; it looked like my daughter got dragged off by a bandit.” Swift said while glaring at Sheogorath.
“Don’t give me that look, ya know ah wouldn’t have done it if she didn’t want it.” he said defensively.
“You would have done it anyway!” she yelled. “The council of Elders meets tonight and they wanted to see her, what am I supposed to tell them, the next elder of war got dragged off by a bandit that owns a fight pit!”
“Yes.” He said casually.
Swifts right eye twitched violently. “Get her back, or ill gut you like a fish and hang your hide out to dry.” She threatened.
“Can’t, even if ah wanted to, which ah don’t. She’s stuck there till she finishes her task. Ah am unable to help get her out, but ah can send things to her to help with survival.” He said.
“When she is safe, we’re sending her weapons and armor.” She growled, calming down slightly.
“Ah can only send her one thing, which do ya think we should send, with the Wabbajacking ah gave her, she should be resistant to most spells. Maybe a sword, a staff, ya husbands spear?”
“Something she feels comfortable with, she always did enjoy her chakrams, send those.” Swift said.
“That’s more than one lass.”
I know, but when were you one to ever follow rules?”
“Good point, alright Swift, Frost shall receive them at Bonestrewn Crest.”
“That’s a dragon nest! Are you crazy!” she yelled.
“No, I’m mad, there’s a huge difference. Ah made ma decision, honor it, cause this is the only way we can help her as of now.” He said, conjuring the chakrams and teleporting them into the chest at the dragon nest.
“You better know what you’re doing, elder Rajaad won’t be happy.” Swift said, walking out of the palace.
Sheogorath re-summoned the window to check on Frost, “ah, wakin up ah see. Well mortal, show ol’ Sheo what ya got.”
Frost blinked her eyes open, and tried to get a grip of her surroundings. It was dark, yet she could make out some forms of furniture, chairs, a bar table, and metal bars.
‘Am I in prison?’ she asked herself, and then she remembered what happened. She shot up and looked around again; she was indeed trapped underground in a cage. There were three others, each had a trio of dogs in them like the ones that attacked her. She looked at her wings, which hung uselessly by her side, and then by the pile of hay that seemed to be breathing.
She took a closer look and saw she was in a cage with a black bear, one who had yet to maul her in her sleep. She backed to the edge of her cage, only to get snapped at by one of the wolves.
“Eep!” she squealed softly, trying not to wake the bear.
A light came in through some kind of doorway and she saw a man with a torch wearing an apron move over and light the torches and candles in the room, revealing that she was being held by the bar, like some kind of…
“Oh, your awake, good, thought Bok nailed ya too hard. Can’t bring in gold if ya dead right?” he asked cheerily. “Ah who am ah kidding, filthy animals like ya can’t talk. Come to think o it, ya look like a dragon, right small one at that, you should be bringin in lots o gold.” He chuckled as he walked behind the bar.
A couple of minutes later, and several other bipeds sauntered in, taking looks at her and the other animals, and then placing bets with the bartender and buying bottles of what she assumed was alcohol.
An old lady walked up to her cage and stared at her. “This that new thing Bok brought in? Doesn’t look like it could kill a flower.” She taunted.
“Watch it Kaila, thing might spit fire at ya.” Someone said from the bar.
“You kidding me, thing won’t last three seconds with one of my hounds.” She laughed and walked out of the room.
“Alright you sods, fights are gonna start, let me just make sure these things know where they are goin.” The bartender ordered. The patrons left some stumbled as they walked out. The bartender walked to Frost with an amused expression on his face. “Alright beastie, you and one o Kaila’s hounds be up first, let’s see if she got the gold to back up her claim.” He drew a metal rod and a rope, leashing her like a dog, yet keeping her out of striking distance. She could see two doors, the one on the right was where the gamblers walked out before, and a hole with a metal barred door leading to a cage. “Had to spend some gold making this place better for out gamblers, no escaping till you either kill, or get killed.”
She was unceremoniously thrown into the room on her face, her opponent followed soon after. It was a white wolf with deep red eyes and the sharpest claws she has seen on an animal. It growled menacingly, sending a shiver up Frost’s spine.
“Get that stupid hatchling ya dumb dog!” the lady from before yelled.
The wolf leaped at her and tried to snap its jaws around her neck. Frost jumped on her back and used her legs as springs to launch it into the side bars of their cage.
“Damn lizard!” the woman yelled while the others laughed.
Frost got back to her hooves, anger slowly seeping into her veins. The wolf growled as they started circling each other, her wings dragging along the cave floor and the wolf walking with a slight limp in its left foreleg. It lunged again; Frost jumped to the left but forgot her wings were limp, and the wolf grabbed the right one in its jaws, tearing the membrane slightly.
“AAAHHH!” she yelled in pain as blood seeped from the wound. The wolf then swung her around like a flail and slammed her into the sides of the cage before throwing her towards the exit door.
The spectators were cheering loudly now, though some were cursing, obviously they had money on Frost. “Get up lizard, I swear ya are just like those useless Argonians!” her original captor yelled.
‘Useless? He just call my people useless?’ she thought to herself. ‘I’ll show these hairless apes what a useless lizard like me can do.’ She growled inwardly as she got up, wincing slightly as her wing brought her pain.
She sent a menacing glare towards her opponent, who seemed to smile at the challenge it was given. The circled yet again, waiting for the other to make the first move. She made it this time, making a zigzag type of run and then leaping at the wolf’s side. It swatted a leg at her, but she caught it in her mouth, biting down on it hard, making the wolf howl in pain. She slammed her hooves into it and ripped its leg off, sending it flying back, coating the arena in a thin layer of blood.
“Get up worthless mutt, stop playing around and kill that lizard!”
“Your dog is going to die Kaila, might as well give your gold up now.” The crowd laughed.
‘These monsters are amused by this?’ she thought while spitting the leg from her mouth.
She walked to the wolf, who was trying to adapt to being on three legs. The crowd chanted for her to end it, she pitied the wolf; no creature needed a fate with these monsters. As an act of mercy, she took it from them, swiping her claw through its throat, decapitating it.
“Oh you’re kidding me!”
“Pay up missy, you owe me 500 gold!”
She looked around, they cheered, making her sick to her stomach. They didn’t help their cause any when her keeper dragged her back to her cage and threw her in.
“Great fight, yea, you’ll bring in lots of gold. Take a rest, your next fight will be with tiny over here.” he gestured to the bear, whose ears perked up at his words.
‘Great.’ Frost sighed inwardly.
“So, you’re telling me that the next in line for the council is already on Nirn?” A rust colored Argonian asked.
“What do you mean already?” Swift asked. The council meeting was in Canterlot, six elders meet at a round table to discuss current events and actions they must take, and even though Swift is not officially an elder, she is welcome to come to the meets.
“This was planned by Akatosh from the beginning girl, how do you not know?” A white scaled one asked.
“Remember Tang, she isn’t officially one of us, she doesn’t get visions. Like the one from last night.” The elder from before said.
“Wait, so she wasn’t just having a dream?” Swift said with a befuddled expression.
“No, elders are gifted with the ability to see the future, even knowing the littlest things can allow us to change the flow of fate, but will only work when the greatest of wrongs, might be committed. Like the capture of that stone worker, and the siphoning of his magic.” He explained.
“What do we do?” Swift asked. “Just let her get kicked around?”
“You sent her weapons, she isn’t a child anymore Swift, and she is capable of fending for herself.” Tang said, the others nodded in agreement. “We must prepare the troops, keep constant guard, keep track of the denizens of this world, and make sure those blasted high elves don’t get what they want.”
“I agree, but what about Frost?” Swift insisted.
“Haven’t you been listening girl?” a dark green Argonian started. “She is at the mercy of Nirn’s gods and deadra; we have no control of her now. We can only hope that Dagon and Sithis don’t see this as a time to get revenge, or even they won’t be powerful enough to stop the Thalmor.” He said.
“I hope your right, for her sake and ours.”
Odahviing rested upon his new perch, guarding a nest of Dragon eggs the Dovahkin found in an ancient tomb. He was bored of his job right now; looking after eggs was the job of the females, not of a warrior of his strength. Day turned to dusk, and his curiosity was burning his mind, a flash of light caught his attention earlier that day when a bright flash appeared by Clearspring Tarn. It was deadric in nature, and when those foul beings were involved, things got interesting.
He raised his head and looked towards the mountains separating him and Riften, where the Dragonborn was staying.
‘How did I get dragged into this?’ he asked himself.
His gaze drifted to Cragslane Cavern, he doesn’t know why, but he feels a strange power coming from there. He focused his gaze, and whispered,
“LAAS YAH NIR.” He saw a band of bandits leaving with a caged creature. He focused even more, and saw that it looked like they captured a hatchling.
His Dragonborn friend told him what went on in that cave, and he could feel the pain the creature was in. he growled deeply, shaking the earth around him.
“Tonight’s dinner, Bandit.” He growled.
FIIK LO SAH!” he shouted, summoning a spectral version of him. Unlike the Greybeards, spectral dragons can actually do something other than be target practice. “Guard the eggs, I have hunting to do.”
“You expect us to waste valuable Thalmor gold in a project like that!” a bearded Altmer yelled.
“No, I expect you to invest. These batteries would increase our strength tenfold! With that kind of power, we would be able to finally seize control of all Tamriel, and even lands out of our grasp.” The guest retorted.
“Without evidence of your claims, the council denies your request.”
“I have evidence. Bring it in.” an armored elf brought in the blue pony from before.
The four council members stared in shock at what was brought before them. The high elf merely put his hand above the pony’s head and drained its magic. He turned back to the members of the Dominion council, and placed his hand on the floor, six circles appeared before him. Deadric Runes donned each, and in a flash, six Atronachs appeared in their place, two of each type. The high elf council stared in disbelief; such power has never been seen used by a mortal.
“Now, what do you say?” His familiars got in offensive stances. “One way or another, you will help.”
They each gulped audibly. “In light of recent evidence brought before us, we agree to fund your project.”
“Good, good.” He chuckled lightly.
A/N: I promised some history about the Blackheart clan, and I will give it.
The clan has a council of leaders; it consists of the most powerful members of their clan, who randomly inherit their powers. There are only six elders at a time and will live until another is able to claim their place, which could take many years, making them the longest living members of the clan. Frost has inherited the power of the clans elder of war, which will give her the strength to power through the harshest of battles.
On another note, all Argonians in Equestria are in pony form, and each elder has a set of wings, barring Swift, who isn’t officially an elder, but an honorary one because of her assistance in getting them a new home.
Frost was born with her cutie mark; the blackheart on her flank represents the clan, which she will one day help lead. The icicles circling it represent her affinity for ice spells.
This may sound overpowered, but it is as much of a curse as it is a blessing. The one destined to be an elder will undergo a trial that will test their skills and resolve, many don’t make it through, and the ones that do can expect the longest life they will ever live. Since it is rare that an elder will be replaced within the first hundred years of taking their seat. They will outlive friends and family, and when it is time to be replaced, they slowly wilt away as their power leaves them.
Elder roles include:
• War
• Peace
• Agriculture
• The dead
• Internal troubles
• Religious affairs
Special thanks to BIGBLACKINTOSH for looking this over and giving me the okay needed to post this.
If you have any questions, ask them below.
