A large collection of Diamond Dogs were gathered outside the Temple of Our Lady Canis carved from the very bedrock that made up their underground habitat performing the religious ritual of kowtowing. If there was one shared notion throughout this far spread race, it was that this temple was the holiest of holy places a Diamond Dog could visit. This was due to an event that is transcribed in this culture’s primary written work the Reality and a Holy Relic housed inside.
The Reality was written by a bohemian individual identified only as Ziggy Starchild a few years after Princess Celestia established the dual principality with her sister Luna. While it mostly deals with daily life after the Diamond Dogs exodus underground and local politics; it offers the only written version of the tale of Lady Canis.
“…and it happened that Lady Canis came upon Emperor Ferrack in His final hours and offered her services to the regent. Emperor Ferrack instructed that Lady Canis take her brethren down into the mines in order to avoid the wrath of those that usurped Him and to wait for His eventual return.
Before Lady Canis could respond He stated ‘I know you wonder how could I transcend death when my father, mother, siblings, and ancestors could not; let it be written that Emperor Ferrack, Son of Gaius, the rightful successor to the Unicorn Rulers of old, sipped from the elixir of immorality in order to return to once again rule Equestria.’
Before succumbing to his wounds He continued ‘I have enchanted this crown to touch my head and my head alone, take it for I shall need it when I return.’
After finishing Emperor Ferrack body crumpled into a lifeless heap and a light, silent, snow began to blanket the meadow where He lay. Following His instructions Lady Canis took the crown from His brow and retreated to her kinsfolk. She told them what the Emperor had said and offered the crown as proof to the validity of her claims. While most were complaint with the Emperor’s demand and ventured into the underground mines, those that chose to stay above ground were ground into dust by His enemies."
The aforementioned relic is stored in the Temple Canis, built not only to house Ferrack’s crown but other remnants of the Diamond Dogs life above ground. The crown usually remains on its podium untouched outside of the occasional cleaning, but not today. Today, it has been whispered that inside the Temple a Unicorn was meeting with the highest religious and political authorities in Diamond Dog society. Today, to the shock of those religious and political leaders assembled that very same Unicorn magically grasped the crown and placed it upon his empty brow.
The red pupils of his dragon shaped eyes stared at the now bowing religious and political leaders as he spoke in a booming voice “At one point in time my Father’s Father employed the services of the Diamond Dogs as soldiers against those that opposed his takeover of Equestria. At one point in time the Diamond Dogs were a proud race, a race worthy of envy. However, now you are a race living on the fringe of civilized society. I willed myself back to the realm of the living expecting to find an underground oasis, but instead I find a bejeweled desert. Your coveting of gems has caused your youth to shed their glorious past to live as bandits or harlots. I should be angry and cast my vengeance against you, but as your Emperor I forgive you. As the political and religious leaders of the Diamond Dogs you can redeem your race in my eyes, by mobilizing a force to help me reclaim my terrestrial throne from Tia the usurper. Then we…”
“My liege!” a voice belonging to what could be classified as High Priest rang out. “ Much has changed since you last walked this world…Tia is now Princess Celestia and she and her sister Princess Luna rule over the Pon…” the High Priest stopped and saw the dragon like eyes boring down upon him. “I meant no disrespect…I promise…I swear my liege… I swear.” The High Priest’s pleas fell on deaf ears as a beam of concentrated magic shot through his chest. Clutching the wound the High Priest murmured something unintelligible before coughing up blood…silenced forever. His limp body crashed to the tiled floor, but nodog moved to retrieve it.
“If what this foal said is true, it makes no difference to me. If anypony has the right to rule Equestria, it is me. I am descended from royalty, I conquered death, IT IS MY DESTINY!” Ferrack stomped his left hoof on the tiled floor for dramatic impact. “Once you clean up this mess, I must journey to the place of my birth. As your unfaultable Emperor I realize that the geography may have changed over the years, so I wish to go to the nearest location to where the once fabled city of Ponylon stood.”
“That would be Ponyville my Emperor” said a prominent member of the Diamond Dog’s legislature in a nervous tone of voice. Noting the Emperor’s impatient look he quickly added “I will go fetch you a map my liege!”
