Divinity II: Return of the Damned

He swirled the ale he had bought in his hand, looking but not seeing. Stopping he took it all in one swig and slammed the glass back onto the counter, the sound echoing in the empty tavern. Swiveling around on the stool he pushed himself off of it, his armor clanging against itself. Walking towards the door he grabbed his war hammer and looked at it, turning it this way and that. Dozens of dents, dull and worn from his travels across the land, the fights against trolls, goblins, demons and the servants of the damned one all shone across it.

Tossing it in the air he caught it by the handle and strapped it back onto his back. Pushing open the door he strode out into the tainted light of the sun, he turned his gaze upward and watched as another of the damned one’s flying fortresses fire another barrage, the shield surrounding the city turning a bright orange as the cannonballs hit it.

Looking back down to his own two feet he walked past the tree that housed an ancient king’s soul, the infirmary where many wounded still lay there dying, moaning for someone to put them out of their misery, or someone to heal them. He ignored them and walked to the elevator and pushed the button, despite the recent use in the past few hours, or because of the use, the chains groaned under his weight.

Travelling the well-worn road into the main plaza of the town he watched as some of the poor souls still stuck in the undead claimed part of the city ran about from the few undead that he had missed on his previous visit. Drawing his miniature bow from his side he aimed, and fired killing the undead. The rest looked at him and the two that had bows tried firing their bows at him, he let the arrows bounce off of his armored plates.

He put arrows through the rest of the undead’s heads and continued on to the docks. A resounding crack echoed throughout the city, prompting him to look up. He doubled his speed to the docks.

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The commander paced back and forth muttering to himself. “Where is the divine-be-damned dragon knight? We can’t win without him. Did he run?”

Hearing a person clearing their throat he looked up to see the Dragonknight leaning against the wall as if the end of the world was not upon them.  “There you are! We’re about to probably get ourselves all killed! And I hear you went to the tavern for a quick drink!?” The commander yelled at him.

Shrugging his shoulders he said, “All the more reason for a drink eh? And why haven’t you already started?”

Gesturing for the Dragonknight to follow him he walked past him and into the hallway. After hearing the distinct clinks of the Dragonknight’s armor he answered him. “You know as well as I do that without you we would all have long been dead,” Passing by two guards that were positioned at a door, the commander opened it to reveal a balcony. The commander walked up to the edge, while the Dragonknight stood behind, he never liked having recognition. The commander turned and smiled at him. “And our warriors wanted to hear a speech from our hero.” Gesturing over the edge of the balcony he heard a larger cheer from the crowd.

“I myself figured who better to give a speech than one who has faced the Damned one and lived?” The commander stepped away from the edge. Rolling his eyes the Dragonknight took a deep breath before venturing out onto the balcony. Below him was the entire city, civilians, champions, seekers, even the goblin brothers. Holding up both of his hands the crowd quieted.

Clearing his throat the Dragonknight began, “I know that all of you have been through difficult times, have lost your loved ones, your homes, everything you’ve ever owned. But today is a day that will be remembered forever. Now I must assure you all that most of you will not make it through this.” The crowd erupted into boos, and many colorful words. “ENOUGH!! Let me continue. For the past few weeks the Damned one has terrorized each and every single one of us. But today we take the fight to him. Today we will make sure that the Damned one knows we won’t take this lying down!” Despite the noise the crowd was making below him he continued. “Today is the day we fight back! Today is the day when we show him fear! Today is the day when each and every single one of you decides the fate of your fellow man! Today we will end his reign of terror once and for all or die trying!!!”

At this the crowd practically exploded. The Dragonknight backed away from the edge and started walking towards the docks.

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The docks were bustling with activity, hundreds of people running around loading the ships, and anything that could fly regardless of what it was designed to do. The Dragonknight watched them all scurry to do anything they could to help the effort. He rolled his head to crack it, he backed away from the edge and tapped a kid that had been trying to move a crate towards the docks.

Getting onto a knee he leaned in and asked him, “You want to help right?” The child nodded his head enthusiastically. “Head to the temple in the center of the temple tell them at two o’clock to drop the shield arlight?” The child nodded once more and ran off to do as he was asked. Standing back up the Dragonknight picked up the crate and placed it on his shoulder and walked down to put it where it was needed.

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Scowling the Dragonknight stood right on the edge of the wall, unfazed by the cannons that were concentrating their fire at him. Glancing up at the sun he knew it was somewhere around two-ish, reaching into his pocket he took out the dragonstone, which he had made sure never to lose.

He tossed it up into the air a few times, not paying attention to the commander below who was giving a rousing speech to the warriors below. His brothers in arms had betrayed him long ago so he made sure to stay away from them.

“Do you hear me Dragonknight? One of the wizards thought it would be a great idea for us to communicate telepathically.”

“I hear you.”

“Good because Morvin is about to drop the shield, so get ready to fight for life.” He nodded as if the commander was actually there next to him. Channeling his magic into the dragonstone it started to glow a brilliant white.

As he watched the shield seemed to bend inwards on itself before exploding violently outwards, crippling the armada. Smiling the Dragonknight jumped off the edge and activated the dragonstone.

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The ancient dragon jerked his head up being awoken from his slumber by the memory of the Dragonknight. Swiveling his head around on his elongated neck he took in where his personal chamber. Licking his lips he eyed the hundreds of gems, gold, and other delicacies that were piled around him. His gaze wandered over the dragonstone that had lost its owner long ago, making him lose his appetite. Using his tail he grabbed it off of the pedestal he had asked his descendants to put it on.

He slowly stood up, stretching his muscles after all a dragon’s nap usually lasted hundreds of years and he had taken a long deserved slumber, which for him lasted at least a thousand. As he reached his full majestic height his crystalline blue head grazed the ceiling. Eyeing the ceiling in annoyance he lowered himself so he could walk out of the cavern he had been in.

His tail slithered along the ground behind him, making sure not to dirty the dragonstone, keeping his head low to avoid the sharp stalagmites that grew on the ceiling. He smiled as he found the opening to the cave, cocking his ear towards the entrance he heard his many children flying, playing, or debating about the natives in the surrounding countryside.

Putting one crystalline foot forward in the sun, then another he pulled himself out of the hole barely fitting. Once outside he stretched his wings as far as they could go and let the sun’s warmth envelop him. Taking a deep breath he raised his head and let loose a might roar that could be heard for hundreds of miles around.

Lowering his head back towards his many children he found that they had all stopped their nonsense and debating and were looking at him, some with happiness, other with wonder since they had yet to see him and other he noted with jealousy. Writing it off as the fact that all the other children gave him tributes and not them he gestured his four favorite and most loyal children over.

Out of the crowd of dragons came four old dragons, almost as old as him but a few thousand years separated them. They all walked up to him and bowed their heads in reverence.

The first to raise their head was one of his daughters, Linfernias a blood red dragon the smallest of the four, she was barely bigger than a juvenile dragon. The next two to raise their heads were son and daughter, twins that went by the name Fern and Aqua both a cross between green and blue with Aqua being the brighter blue and Fern the brighter green, both almost his size but barely smaller.

The last to raise their head was the eldest son, Blaze a rusty-orange dragon that was bigger than even him, the father! But out of all his children he was the most loyal. Indicating with his head to follow him he trotted off to a place where they couldn’t be disturbed.

As soon as they left their sight the other dragons went back to what they were doing, some with hate showing on their faces.

Following their father the four let their gaze wander over him, still as healthy and lean as ever. His color was still the bright crystalline blue it was millennia ago, his bright green eyes showing no sign of slowing down. And the muscles that were not big and bulging like Blaze’s or tiny like Linferias, but still good enough to fight off any dragons that challenged his authority.

Walking into a copse of trees father lied down, propping his head upon his arms and carefully set the dragonstone on the ground next to him. Looking back at them he gestured to the ground in front of them to sit. All of them sat except for Linfernias who instead decided to spread her weight across the trees surrounding them.

“So how has everything been going during my absence?”

Raising her head ever so slightly Linfernias pawed at the ground barely grazing her claws against it. “Griffons still are as annoying as ever, a hundred years ago they developed flying ships, sorta like the ones you used to talk about except some of the bigger ones require magic. Other than that it went like you predicted.”

Nodding he looked at Blaze. “Zebras recently took to living in cities, by that I mean RECENTLY. Diamond dogs are still up to their gem thefts in the lower part of our lands. And the sea dragons are still doing fine over in the Green sea. Like Linfernias everything else is like you predicted.”

“Still haven’t decided to visit us?”

“No. Still thinking that the land is what brings all the ‘ill omens.’” Blaze replied, his spines contracting in annoyance at their cousins. Smiling at his child’s little quirks the ancient dragon turned his gaze towards the twins.

“And how have my friends the alicorns been doing?”

Looking at her brother then back at her father, Aqua sighed. “Well I suppose I can say that out of all the countries Equestria has been… amusing to watch.”

The ancient dragon raised his eyebrows. “How?”

Looking at her brother for help, Fern sighed and continued for his sister. “A hundred years after you took your slumber Luna went well evil.” He gulped when his ‘father’ tensed his muscles. “Celestia beat her though and sent her to the moon , just recently though she came back and was redeemed.”

Loosening his muscles, he lowered his head back closer to the ground. “I always thought she took a little bit too far after her father and not enough after her mother.”

Rubbing the back of her neck Aqua spoke, “About that too you know Discord right? Well…. he’s living with them now.”

Blinking like an owl the ancient dragon took a minute to reply. “Come again?”

“A year or so ago Discord broke loose of the prison he was set inside, and did his usual wacky stuff. Six young mares got rid of him though and a few months ago they gave him a second chance and apparently he’s using his chaos magic for good.”

Clacking his claws against the ground he said with sarcasm dripping through his voice. “I’m sure that he’s redeemed.” He took a moment to sigh. “I guess I haven’t visited them in a while, now’s a good time as any I suppose.” Fern cleared his draconic throat. “Don’t tell me there’s more”

“Um well it’s not as bad. There’s two new alicorns running around. One’s a mare named Cadence apparently goddess of love or something like that. And then there’s Celestia’s student Twilight Sparkle the super-new goddess of magic. And by super new I mean like just a few weeks ago she was made an alicorn!”

Twisting his head at an odd angle ‘father’ got up and stretched his wings before giving them a mighty flap, launching himself into the air. The others followed suit. “I feel as if the royal sisters have been too busy while I have been away. You may follow if you wish but if you do don’t make any scenes.” Twisting himself in the air the ancient dragon flew towards Equestria with the other four dragons in tow.

As they neared the border the dragonstone flashed slightly, ending just as quickly as it happened. The only one noticing it was Fern but he just wrote it off as him not having taken a nap for a few hundred years.

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The ancient trees bent underneath the mighty flaps of the five ancient dragons, scattering their leaves and goods across the forest. Hundreds of animals and accursed abominations ran in different directions hoping not to be noticed by the dragons. The dragons paid them no mind either way for they were following their ‘father’ and he was heading towards the castle jutting out from the mountainside up ahead. After being told by Fern and Aqua about the royal’s move to the mountain they had passed the forest it used to be in.

With their draconic vision they could see ponies running about screaming below them as they flew over a town, and a baby dragon that lived there, the ancient crystalline dragon noted with a smirk. Celestia had been able to hatch the dragon after all. Putting more power behind each thrust of his wings he pulled ahead of the other four.

As he got closer to Canterlot as it was called he could see a magic purple barrier pop up around the city. Smiling he was reminded of shield spells of old. Going over the city his shadow covered many houses and ponies, sending them into an even larger panic. He grasped the mountainside as he folded his wings back to his side. Looking to the other four dragons he gave them an order to wait in the rolling hills below until otherwise said, with explicit instruction not to harm or terrorize any ponies.

After sitting there for a few minutes he saw something or to be exact two somethings flying towards him. Putting on his best innocent look he watched the two alicorns close the distance between them. Celestia perched herself on the mountainside next to him while Luna flapped her wings in the air.

Giving a short bow to the ancient dragon she spoke with the tongue of an angel. “It has been too long Patriarch.”

Letting loose some smoke from his lips he smiled back at her. “Indeed far, far too long.”