Legends of equestria; Of darkness and fire (First three chapters)

[Umbra Thunderwing 82]

Still writing this so leave criticism, ideas and stuff. Be as cruel as you want.

 

 

Legends of Equestria: Of darkness and fire.
 

 

Chapter 1: The legend of Wyverne
 

“Welcome. Today I shall tell you the story of the old town of Wyverne and the curse of the Drakons.”
 

Long before new Equestria was founded and neither Luna nor Celestia were born, ponies led a much different life. There were many villages, communities that kept themselves to themselves. The land of Old Equestria was ruled over by Nix and her husband Aether. This royal duo shielded the citizens from the chaos in the west and kept them moderately happy.

In the north east of Old Equestria once lay a quiet village, its name: Wyverne. The village was home to over half of the population’s unicorns however it was also home to the moon cave, were the Drakons lived. Due to the attacks this brought, Nix gave the town magical protection and they lived in peace for many many years. However one day something rare happened, something unexpected and hitherto happened, a Pegasus was born in the town of unicorns. The parents of the unfortunate foal were shocked beyond belief, two unicorns could not have a child who was a Pegasus, or so they believed. (It is now common knowledge that this is possible as long as there is a Pegasus somewhere in your family tree). Fearing the retribution that would inevitably occur if their child was noticed, the two parents hid their child away, the only pony who ever met the sorry foal before the towns demise was the Aetherian priest who christened the foal. As he grew up, the colt was taught either by his parents or the priest, and because of this he was taught a very biased version of the history of their land, for example he was taught that the pegasi were a warlike race (which is true) and were responsible for nearly every war in Equestria (which is not). The colt delighted in this. He abhorred the unicorn magic which he was, inevitably, unable to perform but still forced to learn. Often he imagined himself flying into battle, clad in armour, striking down his enemies many of which seemed to have the faces of his parents.

So his childhood dragged on, lonely in a land which was strange to his nature. He often tried to make friends, flying out of an open window and attempting conversation with the nearest foal that caught his eye, however all the foals in town had long been taught not to trust a Pegasus and either ignored him or asked him politely to leave them be, there was only one foal who would talk to him, an orange maned filly with a white coat, however his lengthy chats were cut off when her mother slapped him across the face and pulled her away. It was on days like this that he would experiment with the weather, creating storm clouds and making them rain on a random Unicorn. It was on one such day the disaster was set in motion.

Wyverne was built on the side of a mountain, with a cliff behind it and impassable walls caressing it, the gate was a giant iron monstrosity that took several minutes to open. At the back of the fortress town, at the base of the cliff was a cave. The moon cave. It was deep and dark, the foul stench of death floated out of the cave. It was filled with drakons.
The entire drakons population of Equestria resided in that forsaken hole.

On one particularly rainy day a certain Pegasus noticed a drakon by the cave. It was obviously a child, not much bigger than the Pegasus himself, and it was crying.

 

“Are you o.k.?”
“No, my brothers are cruel to me”.
“Is there nothing I can do?”
“No. But....”
“What?”
“Will you stay and talk?”
“Of course!”

So forth began the friendship of the outcasts. The Pegasus and the drakon met every day, they shared food and stories, told each other everything they knew.
 

The Pegasus could never have known he was being betrayed.

 

One day, a lovely summer’s Sunday, the drakon asked how the town was protected, the Pegasus, naive beyond hope, told him everything. How Nix’s protection worked, how powerful it was and, most importantly, where the weak points where.

The drakon, no longer able to hide his nature, roared with triumph and swiped at the Pegasus before retreating into Moon cave, an evil glint in his eyes.

Reeling in pain and shock, the Pegasus fled to a high cloud, his tears mingling with the blood from his left leg.

Night fell on Wyverne. Everything was as normal, until the drakons attacked.
No pony survived, no pony was spared. Except for two ponies, the Pegasus with the black coat on the high clouds and that young unicorn filly, whom had been crying in the forest outside town and whom was rescued by a traveller. She never properly remembered that day.

Nix saw the destruction, she was horrified and she was not allowed to help. Instead she diverted her anger on the Pegasus.

The Pegasus saw the full anger of a vengeful deity descend upon him.

“THIS DESTRUCTION IS OF YOUR DESIGN!”

 

“It’s not my fault, I swear!”
 

“ENOUGH, FOR YOUR SINS I WILL CURSE YOU. FROM THIS DAY FORTH YOU SHALL GUARD THE GATES OF THIS BLASTED PLACE, YOU WILL NOT LEAVE UNTIL THE DAY THE DRAKONS ARE DESTROYED”

Disorientated the Pegasus stood, in armour, in front of the iron gates of his burning town, a dark spear at his side. Thus darkness descended upon Wyverne.

Ten years later, roughly ten miles away, a Unicorn was being taught the legend of her old home.

 

 

Chapter 2: Wyrmvale high

Ms Ice slammed the dusty history book closed, waking the several young ponies at the back who had fallen asleep. Ms Ice sighed, of all the classes she had to be given it was this one. They were all in their mid-teens and were, in one way or another, different from the rest of the school. There were two Unicorns, several adhd ponies, one depressive colt from West Cheval and an ocd Filly who never stopped rearranging her equipment.

Ms Ice waited for a few seconds for the Filly in the front row to raise her hoof as she usually did. She didn’t have to wait long.

The filly in question was Ignis, she was one of the few unicorns who attended the school, she had a talent for creating fire with her magic, this getting her in trouble many times. As well as her thirst for knowledge, she had managed, somehow, to achieve much in sword-fighting class.

“What is it Ignis?” sighed Ms Ice.

“I just wondered, why are we learning about something that didn’t happen in history class? I mean it’s just a myth right?” Ignis questioned.

“First things first, it’s important to find out about what we believed before we learn about our past. Secondly these events actually happened.” Answered Ms Ice.

The other Unicorn in the class raised her hoof, much to the surprise of the class.

“Yes Glacie?”

“How can it be true though, I mean nopony has ever taught us about this before. How come we don’t know about it if this place is, like, 10 miles away?” she asked.

“We know it is true because every year schools across the country send the champion of a swordsmanship contest to take on the guard of the gates. My husband, your swords-master, was one of the first ponies to fight the guardian. I would have thought you, Ignis, would have known more about it” Ms Ice replied.

At that the bell rang.

“Your homework is to bring me one page of research on Drakons, now off with you, get your lunch”

Groaning and mumbling the students trotted out into the corridor.

Wyrmvale high was a large boarding school that presided 4 miles outside the city of Wyrmvale itself. The bleached white walls were topped with flags of the schools emblem and motto; “Resuscitet Tua Simultates”. The school accepted mostly Earth Ponies though Pegasus’ and Unicorns were accepted.

Ignis and Glacie trotted down the corridor in the opposite direction to all the ponies flooding towards the lunch hall.

“Ignis you really should go down to lunch for once, it can’t hurt you, you know” Said Glacie

“I promised Mr Ice that I would go down for extra lessons every lunch time” Ignis stated flatly.

 

“But......”

 

“Leave it” Ignis advised “Get yourself down to lunch before we bump into anypony unpleasant.”

“Fine, but you’ll regret it later when you’re hungry” Glacie said indignantly before trotting off sulkily.

 

Ignis sighed and trotted on without looking back, she didn’t care about food, no hunger wasn’t an issue, besides she had promised. Soon the corridors emptied out making it easier for her to reach the sports hall.
Ignis trotted inside past the stallion’s changing room where she could still hear the sports class getting changed. Sighing Ignis ducked into the mare’s changing room, using her magic to quicken things up, Ignis put on everything but her helmet.
“That’s that, I hope I’m not too late” she mused concernedly.
Ignoring the jeers and catcalls of the colts that had finished changing, Ignis trotted into the hall.

“Sir I’m here, sir?” Ignis looked around confused. Something glinted in the corner of her eye. Ignis drew her sword and parried away the blade that would have taken her head from her shoulders. Ignis turned around and found herself faced with a tall pony in full body armour. The Assailant took off their helmet.

“Mr Ice?” Ignis said, slightly breathlessly.


“Who else did you think it would be, girl!” Mr Ice said jovially, “and how many times have I told you to call me neon?”

“Over 9000 times.” she said unamused.

“You’re right to be serious Ignis, the championship is coming up and you won’t just be fighting the simpletons who learn here this thing’s national baby.” Mr Ice joked.

Ignis sighed, she often wondered why Neon Ice was so jokey about something as serious as swordfighting. She re-equipped her helmet.

“Let’s train!” She said fiercely


She fought wildly, her body and blade a blur, as usual the adrenalin caused her temperature to rise dramatically, the floor soon became blackened around her feet and Mr Ice, a seasoned soldier, formally of the Equestrian army, was now sweating and struggling to parry her blows. The sparring ended as it always did. Ignis’s sword set ablaze fiercely and she cleaved the floor in front of Mr Ice, rendering  him motionless. Neon Ice let out a heavy breath.

“I know it’s not against the rules to use your magic, Ignis, but it gives people a better view of you.”

Ignis pulled off her helmet, a cloud of steam flew out of it. She shook her mane and grinned.

“I don’t always make it happen on purpose you know.” She said indignantly but still she was laughing. She sheathed her sword and picked up her still smouldering helmet. Mr Ice cringed slightly, his leg had a nasty looking burn on it, Ignis looked on apologetically

“Now don’t look at me like that Ignis, I’ve had worse burns from a freezer. You get yourself to your next class while the corridors are empty. Oh and remember to come see me Friday after your classes.”

Ignis walked out of the hall still frowning apologetically. She walked slowly into the changing rooms and threw her gear into her locker. Then she walked out of the sports hall altogether, her spirits considerably higher than when she’d entered.

Ignis loved walking through the corridors while they were empty, it allowed her to feel alone in an otherwise crowded place. Reaching her classroom she stood waiting. Equestrian language, the most boring subject taught in Wyrmvale high.
She spent the next few minutes enjoying all the kinds of flames she could make, however her fun was stopped by the bell, the corridors instantaneously filled with hundreds of ponies rushing to get their classes and Ignis was squashed against the wall. When the rush had stopped and the class was all lined up, Ignis unstuck herself from the wall looking slightly flatter.
 
An hour later she walked out of class looking significantly more tired, an exasperated look on her face. Somepony tapped on her side.

“Hey you’re Ignis ain’t ya?” asked a small first year colt with a straw coloured mane. “Mr Ice gev us ‘is letter an told us to get it on to yous.” He said handing Ignis the letter.

“Thank you kindly” She told him and walked off with the letter in hoof.

Dear miss Ignis Blazeheart;
I have just this instant received confirmation that the championship has been moved to this Saturday so your attendance tomorrow is imperative, I want you to have a friendly spar with your rival from this school. If you don’t get your sorry plot down here at 3:05 I will personally buck you over the equestrian channel.
Sweet dreams.

Best regards.
Neon Percival Ice

Ignis sighed nervously and headed towards the dormitory. Just another fun day at Wyrmvale high.

 

 

Chapter 3: Gladiatorial

 

Ignise dreamt of fire. A tall orange Alicorn stallion walked towards her mind’s eye.

“I HAVE CHOSEN THEE FOR THE TASK. THOU WOULD DO BEST NOT TO DISAPPOINT ME.” And with an angry glare he disappeared in a fierce supernova.

Ignise woke with a jolt. Her bed was blackened and smoking. Ignise sighed, this was her 10^th bed this month and the supplier was charging her more each time.
She flipped the mattress over onto the less burnt and melted side, then walked out of her room. She headed towards the cafeteria and bought a coffee, she was glad that she’d got up before everypony even if it meant she’d have to buy another coffee to wake her up. Even as she finished off her third cup she could here ponies waking up and getting ready for their day at school. Ignise checked her timetable. Free periods all day Friday. Today was going to be fun.

She collected her armour and her favourite sword and she walked up to the field.
Awaiting her were her dummies, mannequins she practiced her swordplay with. The grass surrounding them was black and refused to grow, it smelt faintly of smoke. Ignise put on her armour, it was meant to be white and shiny steal but her fiery nature made sure that it hadn’t lasted long and now it was a blackened mix of 20 different metals that somehow withstood the flames. She aimed her horn at the dummies and cast two spells on them. They fell off of their stakes each bearing a wicked blade and approached Ignise slowly, they had been slashed and battered hundreds of times and now they were held together by insane amounts of magic.
The first dummy flew at her. Ignise caught it’s blade with her shield and ripped her sword into its stomach, with a push she flung it over the others and it landed, smashing into pieces. The other dummies continued the assault and she tore them down again and again, her magic piecing them back together, making them almost intelligent. She swung and slashed, ripping the stiff material of the dummies over and over. As the time wore on her eyes glowed whiter, heat emanating from her body. By the time the clock ticked 2:50 she was surrounded by a firestorm, the dummies were desperately trying to stop melting enough to get an attack on her.

 

The bell rang surprising her, she let off all the heat in an explosion that cleaved the air apart, hastily she undid her mobility spell and half ran, half paddled out of the disaster area her training circle had become. She ran at full speed back onto school grounds, random pieces of armour levitating behind her. She burst into the sports hall panting, putting her armour on hastily. She heard a female voice laughing but paid no heed.

“I’m here sir!” she said, saluting.

“Ignise you are very nearly late.” He said as the 3:05 bell rang to signal the end of that day’s classes, “Allow me to be the first pony to introduce you to Selane.”
The pony whom had laughed at Ignise’s disarray stepped forward, she was holding a set of expensive armour that sparkled in the harsh light of the hall, Selane took her helmet off allowing her long, light blue mane to fall around her neck.

She had a pure white coat that gleamed as much as her armour, her blue eyes and gracefully outstretched wings made her look like she’d flown straight out of a church’s window. The only thing that ruined the illusion was the way she was looking  at Ignis.
 

“I am the Sapphire Selane and I would thank ye kindly to address me as such.”  She said pompously.
 
Ignis knew instantly she would hate this mare, she looked down at her hooves a sudden thought arising, she was still sooty and her hooves were plastered with mud and melted grass. She looked into Selane’s eyes and smiled.
“Hello miss Sapphire Selane I am Ignise. Ignise Blazeheart, but you needn’t remember my second name.” She said offering her muddiest hoof out for Selane to shake, knowing that Mr Ice would not let her refuse. Selane reached out grudgingly and shook Ignise’s hoof as fast as she could without arousing Mr Ice’s suspicion.

“Perfect, we’re all friendly then, put your armour out of the way, we don’t want it destroyed before the contest.” Mr Ice said, cheerily oblivious to the hatred between the two. Ignise pushed her armour away happily, this would give her more room to move. She drew her blade from the mess of metal and trotted back to the centre of the hall. She stood in a defensive stance and waited for Selane to finish piling her armour tidily, Ignise watched Mr Ice back away slyly out of the corner of her eye. Selane marched to the ring with a fancy and expensive looking blade, she stood half heartedly opposite Ignise. It was obvious that she expected to win with little effort. “This should be quick” Selane yawned. As soon as Mr Ice’s arm fell Ignise launched herself at Selane, disarming her instantly. In a blink of an eye Ignise was holding both swords to Selane’s cheeks, allowing them to bite in. “Welcome to the real world, Miss Sapphire Selane. Gear means nothing without skill” Ignise said an angry smile on her face. A drop of blood rolled down Selane’s sword and Ignise threw it to the other side of the hall and turned away in disgust.
“M-m-my parents will hear about this!” Selane said angrily a trickle blood ran down her face as she ran to her armour and sword then out of the hall.

“My my Ignise, your tongue has sharpened since we last had a proper talk! I wouldn’t mind so much but there was no need to scar her.” Mr Ice chided.

“I neither would have scarred her, but she acted as if she could win with just a good blade and expensive armour, I can’t believe you didn’t try to knock a bit of humility into her!” Ignise said.
Mr Ice nodded simply, Ignise could be very hot-headed sometimes and it was worth keeping quite unless he wanted a hole to Tartarus burnt in the hall floor, he checked his pocket watch. “Bed time Ignise, you have a long day ahead of you tomorrow.” He said gesturing her towards the door. “And get yourself cleaned up, you stink!”

Ignise Jumped straight in the shower as soon as she got back to her room, not having any homework she sat on her bed and fell asleep, still covered in towels.

 

The dawn came quickly. Ignise felt like manure. She paced round her room waiting for them to come for her, muttering vaguely to herself while the rest of the building thundered with ponies moving around.
There was a sharp knock on her door and she opened it.
“Please come with us, Ignise” A tall gray stallion spoke.
“O.k” She said hoarsely, locking her door behind her.

She followed him out of the school and into the school’s arena. She was taken into a small room where a painter was stood smiling, a canvas in front of him.

“I never asked for this!” She said indignantly.

“Just sit down and get on with it, it won’t take two minutes.” The artist said, bemusedly.
Ignise sighed, if she managed to win that painting would go all over Equestria. She wondered why they hadn’t done this tedious formality days ago.
When they were done they threw her from the room and told her to follow the corridor along.  Her throat constricted as she walked into a common room style hall, a multitude of heavily clad ponies stood therein, mostly male. She sat down on a chair and took off her helmet, she stared at the ground and waited. An official looking pony brought in a poster. It showed who would be battling who first.
Instantly voice rose and everypony was talking to another. Ignise stayed silent, she was to fight somepony called  Alexus Blaize. She waited, every 10 minutes or so a bell would ring and another pair of ponies would walk out of the room, one by the left and one by the right. She looked around the room. Any one of them could be her first rival.

After an infinite amount of time, her name was shouted. She stood up and saw her movements mirrored on the other side of the room. She walked out, the sun had risen magnificently and was hanging high and bright, the heat felt like the stare of the hundreds watching her, piercing but somewhat invigorating. She put on her helmet and marched into the ring following the beat of the drums, she drew her sword and watched as the unknown pony opposite did the same. A gong rang loudly and their swords clashed in the dead centre of the ring. Ignise shield-bashed him and ripped a gash in his armour, angered, the other pony doubled their speed but Ignise was shielding with relevant ease against his strikes. “Let... me..... Hit you!” He said as she parried his blade away with a yawn.
“How ‘bout no?” she said, swatting his blade away. As he prepared to strike she twisted her blade round disarming him, she threw her shield arm around his neck, her sword pointing at his throat. His last action before the whistle was blown on this round was to kick the helmet off her head.
There was a collective gasp from the audience, even the judges who knew about her faked astonishment.
An obnoxious voice chimed over the audience’s chatter. “Congrats Ignise you’re through! Blaize has been shameful been defeated by a filly, mares and gentlecolts so we’re sending him home, honour in tatters!”
Ignis pulled her sword away from his throat and picked up her helmet. She tried to give him a sympathetic smile but he looked at her with a glare of pure hatred.
She looked back at him curiously as he was dragged off by a furious looking stallion.
 

There was light applause as she entered the other lobby. A scribe was already jotting down her name next to another pony’s. Ignise sat on a comfy looking chair in the corner and stared at her hooves. She had been one of the last to come out so the first round would be over soon, then a flood of ponies with backstage passes would come in for autographs and refreshments. She sighed and began pacing. She did not feel comfortable whatsoever with meeting the rich snobs whom would make her pose and force her to smile.

One last contestant walked in through the door. Ignise could already here the announcer droning on about chivalry and other rubbish, there was a round of applause and a thunder of hooves as many ponies congregated at the exit. She could hear voices outside the door, a butler-esque stallion hurriedly put cloths onto the tables and set up a buffet by the back wall. Mr Ice walked up to her.
“You did brilliant Ignise, I’m proud of you, here let me take that armour so it doesn’t get dented.” He said, picking up her chestplate and shield.

 

“Thank you sir.” She said nervously, handing him the helmet and sabatons so that they were balanced in a precarious tower on his back. As he worked his way to the other side of the room, the door was opened and a group of wealthy looking ponies walked in. Ignise stood as straight as she could, wearing her best fake smile as they weaved through the others, chatting amiably with them. Ignise levitated a glass of water to herself and took a sip, trying to get into a quiet space. She was instantly cornered by 3 ponies. Sighing she agreed to their requests of autographs and similar. The night dragged on and Ignise was extremely glad when she was told she could leave.

 

As she walked back towards the quarters, someone called to her; “Excuse me! Wait a second.”

Ignise sighed hopelessly, one of the V.I.Ps had probably stalked her out.

“Look if you wanted talk to me, you should have done so while you had the chance.” She said, turning round fiercely. She was surprised to be faced by a young gryffin. He was moderately sized, covered completely in a dark shade of blue. His eyes were blood red. “No need to be touchy. I wanted to know who I would be facing tomorrow” he smiled.

“So you stalked me out here?” she said incredulously. He simply shrugged “I am lexeria.” He smiled, extending a claw, Ignise shook it, anything for the quiet life she thought.

“How about we make a deal?” Lexeria smiled. “I won’t totally humiliate you tomorrow, hell, I’ll even let you win.”

“What do you want in return?” she put on a very convincing smile.

“Well...” he moved in very close, his beak almost touching her mouth. His claw stroked across her flank......
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That's all so far folks