~The Jewel Empire - Book 3~ posting not welcome

[Kodabomb]

This is written from Princess Flare's point of view.

I got out of bed, panting and puffing like the past few nights of my slumber. It was getting worse. It was messing with my sense of reality.
I still didn’t understand it.
I had to – for the sake of her fragile mind – keep it from Wildfire. I didn’t want to scare her, and what if those dreams were simply from the depths of my mind that feared my future beyond belief? Without magic, nothing can mess with the mind. So nopony could have simulated it upon my sleeping state, as nopony close to me knew what Wild and I were up to.
I rubbed my eyes and combed locks of silver hair away from my face before leaving my room. I had to be brave, I had to protect Wildfire, and I had to focus. I wasn’t going to risk everything laying on my shoulders because of some stupid nightmares, because I was responsible for so much at that moment. Wildfire couldn’t cope with it by herself, she’d never handle it – she needed MY help and MY guidance.
My magic.
I found myself wandering not to the breakfast hall, but through the throne room and out the entrance hall. I walked idly past the guards and to the large, silver front gates, where one of the guards there looked at me funny.
“Princess, are you alright? Where are you off to at this time?” he asked, concern edging his voice. I grumbled.
“I’m fine. I need to clear my mind. If anypony asks, I’ll be at the coffee shop.” I said with a sigh, walking through the gates that he opened. I trudged off down the white cobble street, ignoring all the strange glances I received from the posh ponies of Laheb City. Caffeine was the very thing I needed to give me an energy high and stop me thinking about everything.
I arrived at the tiny, fancy cafe on the corner of the street, where I dragged myself through the door. The inside seemed larger than it did from the outside, and it was rather pleasant. However, I didn’t have the motivation to be admiring the interior of a coffee shop.
I walked past some surprised-looking ponies to the counter, where a waitress greeted me with a grin.
“Good morning, your highness!” she exclaimed, propping her front hooves on the shiny wooden surface. “What would you like?”
“Just a coffee, thanks.” I mumbled in gratefulness. She nodded a toothy smile and ducked behind to fill up a china mug with foamy brown liquid. She returned it, and when I took the cup in my magic I suddenly realised I didn’t bring any money with me. Luckily, I was an alicorn and rather good at magic, so before the waitress was able to question what I was doing, I summoned a few Gems directly from my room and they appeared before my eyes. Money was one of the few things ponies could summon, but only if they owned that money.
Without another word, I took my drink to one of the outside tables and sat down to consume the stuff. I sipped slowly, gazing absently across the street at all the fancy buildings and decorated roads. It was nice to appreciate the mental silence of the bustling city morning, and not be concerned over what I needed to teach Wildfire. It was just so hard, it was just so unclear, it was just so intimidating.
Why was it me? Why Wild? Why dump it on the shoulders of a couple of teenage fillies, stupid Prophecy?
I moaned and drained my cup, my head falling to the wooden tabletop. Nothing was right any more.
The caffeine was beginning to make my senses tingle, and I shuddered. It wasn’t the same sort of magical charge I got from refuelling my powers, it was more just the need to run around everywhere. I stopped feeling sluggish, so I stood and abandoned the cafe. I trotted down a few of the streets, trying to burn the energy piling up inside of me from my liquid breakfast.
I soon reached the city square, where quite a few ponies were hurriedly crossing to get to work. I realised that in the open air of that area, it was rather chilly in the Autumn breeze, making me shiver a little. I looked around then swiftly ducked into one of the side roads.
But then, as I tried scurry down the road, I bumped straight into somepony. I gasped, embarrassed by my terrible concentration, then apologised before checking who I hit.
I got a surprise. “Wildfire?” I said bluntly. She pursed her lips “What are you doing here?” I asked with a smirk.
“I was originally looking for you!” she replied. “But then the coffee shop was empty, so I thought you went home.”
I sniffed in amusement. “What uh, why were you looking for me?” I asked awkwardly.
“It’s stupid but... oh come on, I’ll tell you somewhere else.” She said hastily, looking around. Her mane was plaited in the fashion she slept in, but the way she was rather awakened told me she’d been up a few hours already. Wildfire grabbed me and teleported with ease, and I quickly realised she’d taken me to the privacy of the completely empty botanical gardens.
She led me over to a little gazebo on a hill in the centre of the gardens; I assumed so we’d be able to see if somepony was trying to spy. But as if they’d want to; nopony knew what we were doing anyway.
“I’ve been sleeping really bad. I still don’t know how much you know about all this but – I’ve been having nightmares.” She said in a hiss. I creased my brow, not shocked. I didn’t know why it wasn’t a surprise, perhaps because I wanted to know more specifically what she meant.
“What were they about?” I asked cautiously. She blinked tensely.
“They were horrible... just about fire and yelling and screaming. It wasn’t about the Prophecy but it has to mean something...” she pushed. I nodded slowly. I was beginning to get it. Maybe my own dreams were similar, and maybe meant something. I needed to know... perhaps make a map, a plan of what they were saying. I kept my cool.
“Tell me the story. What happened?” I said calmly and flatly. I needed the storyline. I needed to link it with my dreams. Understand it.
“Um... well, I was attacked by an illusion of myself as the Queen I transformed into that time. She screamed at me and told me I wouldn’t ever escape that... I don’t know – side?” she said. “Then somepony else told me gently that I should go back. I guess that wasn’t really relevant, maybe revealing my fear or something.” She stopped momentarily.
“Keep going,” I insisted.
“OK, um. Well, then, I attacked the voices and the illusion. I basically erupted into flames, and felt strong. Like, not even just magically strong. Uh... physically strong? Like, I could do anything. I was really powerful and stuff, and I defeated them.” She said, blabbering rather fast.
I pondered for a moment. I wasn’t an expert. I was just going to mess everything up, but I had to try.
“Physically powerful?” I asked. She nodded. “What about your appearance?”
“Fire everywhere.” She let out a broken laugh. “My hair was all shiny, my wings were on fire, my hooves were on fire all the way up to my elbows, my horn was on fire, everything was just on fire.” She told me. She grinned a little. I sighed shortly. What did it mean?
“Hm. OK.” I said. Her smile faded.
“What are you implying?” she asked. “Is it worthless?”
I glanced up at her. “No, no! It’s not, at all. I reckon it’s similar to mine,”
“Yours? What, you had them to?” she asked eagerly. I huffed.
“Yeah, actually, I did.” I sighed. “But they’re different to yours.”
“Would that mean something?” she asked. I shook my head.
“I don’t know! I’m sorry Wild, I just have no idea.” I replied. No! No, I had to know... I had to know, for her! I had to keep calm... I spoke again before she could say anything. “But I will know, I will. Don’t worry.” I insisted. Her eyes became nervous. I felt like such an idiot.
After a minute of awkward silence, Wildfire, in idle, set her hooves on fire. I gasped, suddenly shocked she was doing it in public. Somepony would see... I was about to stop her, but realised that perhaps I needed to study it. I bit my lip and looked around the gardens, seeing nopony.
Wildfire looked up at me with a blush, as I gazed at her hooves. The visions in her dreams were accurate to real life! The fire went right up to her elbows. But – why was that? Wildfire didn’t have more power than me, did she?
“Is that draining you?” I asked, still looking at them. “Using more power?”
“No, uh, not really. I’m not using more effort.” She cocked her head. “Actually, I don’t think I’ve ever made this much fire before.” She brought a hoof to her face to look at it.
She looked quite stunning. I noticed, that as she allowed the flames to flicker on, her hair began to lift slightly off the ground. It flowed a little, shining. It created a glow that lit up the shady gazebo. It was quite amazing! But – Wildfire was by no means more powerful than me. Definitely. I wasn’t going to doubt that and I wasn’t going to be jealous – these were simply aesthetic.
Questions aroused.
Why?
But all of a sudden, out of the blue, my thinking was interrupted. I gasped in absolute horror, as some ponies came into view.
One was grey and black, the other grey and orange.
Oh crap was all my thoughts managed when Tenebris and his new buddy Blaze came striding up the path in curiosity.
“NO!” I gasped. “TB, turn around and run away,” I said, eyes wide. Wildfire, hearing me, began to panic.
“Gah! Flare! My fire’s not going!” she cried. She bashed her hooves upon the concrete, whimpering. But it was too late. Tenebris and Blaze saw Wild, freaking out as her hooves were still on fire, and her hair was still glowing. They’d seen it all before during the Hiem war, but now they knew we were talking about stuff in secret.
Tenebris’s blue eyes watched me in suspicious, narrowing. Blaze just sort of awkwardly stood behind him and watched Wild panic.
I turned back to her with a mad expression. “Put it out! Calm yourself!” I hissed. Wild looked at me in desperation, before closing her eyes and forcing the fire to fade. Her hooves extinguished and her mane rendered itself once again normal, falling back around her face. It wasn’t in its plait any more. I glared at Tenebris.
“What are you doing? Are you spying?” I demanded.
“No!” he cried in defence. “I was showing Blaze around!”
“What did you think we were doing?” I asked, not lowering my guard.
“I don’t know! But now I think you’re up to something. Geez, Flare, don’t act so suspicious.” He said, huffing. I stopped, gaping. Yes. We blew it that time. If we hadn’t acted like that, perhaps they wouldn’t have suspected it. I wanted to throw my face into a wall. “So, what ARE you doing?”
I threw my face into one of the walls.
“Uuuugh...” I moaned. “It’s really secret. Go away.”
“No.” He replied flatly. I twisted my head around to stare at him, hurting my neck. My forehead remained planted to the wall. “You have to tell.”
“No, Tenebris! I can’t tell you; it’s actually really secret. Also Blaze barely knows us.” I spat.
“Blaze can know! He’s your Aunt’s messenger. He’s like, I don’t know – family?” he replied.
“No, Blaze is not. He’s not related to us.” I retaliated. “How do you even ‘message’? You’re a unicorn.” Blaze spoke for the first time, draw dropping a little.
“I just, uh, teleport.” He said quietly. As I studied him a little, still rather cranky, I noticed he was wearing a stupid-looking vest. He wasn’t at a party. But, in my frustration, I didn’t bother questioning that irrelevant factor. Maybe it was a Skyrithian trait.
“Go, TB!” I yelled at my friend. He looked a little taken aback. But, after the look of surprise, his forced determination returned.
“Please, Flare? Seriously, I’m like your I don’t know – ‘boyfriend’ as you referred to me? You have to spill.” He sighed.
“Or what?” asked Wildfire. Tenebris brought his gaze over to her.
“Or... I’ll tell Sparkle Flame.” He said, chin up, but expression twitching a little.
“That’s really immature.” Replied Wildfire.
“Is it? So, would that be completely fine if I just told your completely overprotective sister, or...”
Horror flowed through me.
Nope.
No, it would not.
Wildfire and I spoke in perfect unison. “NO.” Tenebris retained a smirk, though I could tell he was about to crack. He was slightly stronger than that, though; and I didn’t want to risk blowing our cover and having everything messed up.
“What’s going on?” he asked. Wildfire sat down on the gazebo’s bench, Blaze and I sat on either side and Tenebris was near me. I stared him down for a moment, but he gave me a fragile poker face.
“Do not – repeat DO NOT tell anypony, alright?” I said very sternly. He nodded. “Wildfire and I NEED this a secret from those who have the power to do something about it.” I then turned to Blaze, and he looked at me in surprise. “You, too. Tell Syrenix and you’re dead.” He lifted a hoof to defend himself.
I waited a moment.
“So... I’ll make this very short. Need to know only.” I said. I then sighed and looked at the white concrete floor. “I found a book that foretold a Prophecy; one in which Wildfire and I had to go and defeat my mother and bring ‘peace’ back to my kingdom. Pssh, my kingdom...” I muttered. “It was really vague and wasn’t written in a way like it was informing us what to do, because it’s written as a history for Volglacia up until around eleven years ago. It’s super recent and very, VERY vague.”
I glanced at Tenebris who was basically staring at me, his irises tiny and his mouth gaping. I straightened my mouth, not really finding much else to say. For the first time, Blaze spoke by his own accord.
“Have you tried looking for something more than that? Something that DOES inform you what to do?” he asked in his soft voice. I grunted and shook my head in something that sounded like annoyance, but more of frustration at myself, and my search for answers.
“No, I guess not...” I mumbled. “What else would there be? Where would we find it?”
We were rather silent for a moment. I had to really remind myself that the boys didn’t know what was happening, and they didn’t know as much. They weren’t going to be thinking as deeply as us. But perhaps that shallow answer pool of theirs would allow them to fish out better questions, questions we couldn’t find as we searched deeper.
“I’m guessing – knowing you – you didn’t actually look any further than that page. Freak out moment.” Said TB flatly. “Look back at that book.”
Wildfire butted in, agreeing with Tenebris. “How did the book get in there in the... wait. Flare, what was the book called? Surely if couldn’t have been ENTIRELY about Volglacia. An entire book would have given more information.” She said in curiously, resting her shin on her forehooves. Blaze looked past her at me.
I stammered a little, quite astonished I didn’t actually take much of this into account earlier. “It was... um... I think it was just a random magic book.” I replied, legitimately not remembering taking in the title.
“Magic book?” asked Wildfire. I pursed my lips and looked at the ceiling.
“A magic book on kingdoms I think? I actually have no clue.” My words were blunt, as blunt at my mind at that minute.
“How did it get in the outdated section anyway? Accidental?” asked Blaze. The sound of his voice was so foreign to me. I wasn’t used to it – almost to a point where I wasn’t comfortable with him knowing.
“Father said he actually found it before us, before Flare even came along, and put it in the outdated section.” Replied Wildfire. “Hell knows where it came from before that, and if he found it before Flare, how could it have been UP to the time Flare arrived here? It would mean that it was written at the time of her being abandoned.”
“Books are printed every day. Maybe it was just a normal book. Bought by the palace librarian and placed there!” I suggested. It was plausible. Maybe. We probably needed more information, to find out what was actually going on. It was fiddling with me. I made a gurgling sound.
“Alright, alright. Ponies, we need to go to the library.” Said Tenebris, standing. I looked away, thoughtful and rather concerned. Wild stood up after him, then Blaze. “Flare?”
“Yeah, I’m coming...” I whispered.

[Kodabomb]

This is written from Tenebris's point of view.

“Be casual and subtle. Don’t let the others know what we’re up to,” hissed Wildfire, leading the way to the palace library.
“It’s fine, Wild. They won’t suspect anything if we don’t act like anything.” Replied Flare in reassurance, as we arrived at the library doors. On the inside, it was large – the ceiling stretched so high, it could fit more than one storey. Most of the walls were stained glass window art, the sunlight peeping in and creating a very bright, calm atmosphere. Nopony was in here, it was reserved only for palace ponies. This gave us ultimate privacy, as Wildfire shut and watched the doors in paranoia.
Bookshelves were everywhere, towering to the ceiling of the huge, bright room. Most supported ladders for ponies to reach the highest books.
But we weren’t looking at any in this area, as much as I could see Blaze’s eyes lighting up at the sight of the books. Flare led us all down one of the shady shelf aisles, where we came to dark wooden door showing the sigh ‘outdated’. I bit my lip as it was opened and we filed down the stairs. Wildfire lit the torches around the walls.
The place wasn’t really scary, musty or sinister. It was simply an outdated section of a library, fairly well-kept to preserve the ancient books. There were a few cobwebs, but all the books lining the shelves weren’t damaged at all.
However, Flare wasn’t showing us the shelves. She showed us to a dark corner, where she scanned our faced for a moment, then, using her magic and shutting her eyes, she lifted a heavy marble brick out of the wall to reveal a dark hole. She peered inside and drew out a big, fat book.
I stared at it in curiosity while Flare placed the thing on the ground. Wild hastily lit a torch right above us so we could see better, and with a drawn-out breath Flare opened the pages to the contents at the very start.
“Wait, what’s the title?” I asked. Flare’s eyes flickered to me and I tensed. She flipped the cover over in annoyance. The book wasn’t old. Apart from the dust of being kept in here for years, it was in fine condition and was obviously recently made. Wildfire read the title aloud for Flare.
“Spiritual Magics and Histories.” She said flatly. She paused for a moment.
“Geez, by the sounds of it it’s just a hippy magic book.” Scoffed Wild.
“Why would it if it had something so important in it?” asked Blaze.
“I don’t know. It seemed pretty random, I guess...” pondered Flare, flicking back to the contents. I peered over to see what they were. I pursed my lips while I read down through them; Wildfire was right. It was stupid, uninformative magic junk.
“Who even believes in these fortune-teller ponies anyway?” I asked blatantly.
“The elders of Staria Castle... Psychics within our realm... Spells for the soul... Royalty of demons... oh my Celestia what is this?” spat Wildfire. But, looking at Flare’s face, I could tell that she was in a little deeper. She looked intently at one of the chapter names before speaking.
“Guys, this is the chapter I read. It’s really random and doesn’t fit. I don’t know why though.” She muttered. I followed her gaze to chapter 13, where it read very simply and shortly; ‘Volglacia’. Just Volglacia? The rest of the chapters were mumbo-jumbo about magic and soul-searching and fortune-telling and such. But how did Volglacia just fit in there, with nothing else in its title? It seemed rather odd, but I just thought to assume the author couldn’t find a creative title.
We were all silent, strangely tense as Flare turned directly to chapter 13 partway through the pages. Nervous and rather curious feelings flew around in my stomach when the very decorated title ‘Volglacia’ was printed at the top of the page. The writing and page decorations were mystical and strange, in what seemed like a normal fashion for these book types.
I knew Flare and Wild weren’t going to read it out, and I wasn’t going to read it either. Flare needed to figure out more information from the depths of the storyline. What kind of storyline was it? The space the writing took up was barely a page; the whole chapter was just that single column. I rubbed the back of my neck with my hoof and studied the thing absently.
Blaze and I were dead-silent while we watched the girls intently read through. Their eyes flittered swiftly over the words, and I could see Flare’s pained expression trying to be withheld through a bit lip. It wasn’t giving them answers, I could see it on their faces. A page so short couldn’t have answers, and if it was written by just a fortune-teller or somepony then it wasn’t going to have those informative details they needed.
My mind was blabbering with possibilities, and I only knew the surface of it. I wasn’t involved, I wasn’t all-knowing and I had absolutely no relevant input to their research.
Just as my brain was beginning to slip completely out of focus, Flare gasped in shock. My instincts made me pop to life for anypony’s defence, but all I could see was that she was staring at Wildfire. Both pairs of eyes bore into one another, gaping. When Flare turned back to the book, a look of such surprise, Wildfire’s expression just flopped into something resembling confusion.
“What?” blurted Blaze. I leaned over, just as curious.
Flare hummed tensely and tapped the page rapidly with her hoof. Her eyes then flew to look upon my face, making me feel quite intimidated as the dark pink stared at me. “Tenebris! Look! Wildfire, this has to be a mistake.”
“What?” I echoed Blaze, turning the book around so we could both read it.
“One of the final paragraphs. Uuuh,” she scanned it, “The one beginning with ‘soon, however’.” She pressed. I nodded vigorously for her to be quiet.
I found it and Blaze was quick to read it out for us. “Soon, however, she was told of a prophecy she could not seem to do anything about. A prophecy that foretold three bearing the marks of fire would take her down and restore peace and,” he cut short. I gasped. Wildfire squeaked.
“Three? Three?” I demanded. “I thought there was only you two!”
“Me too!” Flare cried in her fascinated revelation.
“What the heck? What does this mean?” said Wild. Flare and I just basically shook our heads while Blaze stared at the book with a furrowed brow. He knew only as much as me, but he didn’t know Flare or Wildfire. He didn’t understand. This was so distant for him, I could tell.
“So, Flare, you didn’t know there was supposed to be three?” he asked, not looking up.
“No. I didn’t pay much attention, actually.” She blushed. “I just immediately thought Wildfire – past that original assumption there was no more thought.”
“Who is it? Flare, who could it be?” said Wildfire in excitement.
“We have to find out!” replied Blaze before Flare could say anything.
However, Flare’s response to Blaze wasn’t exactly enthusiastic. His irises shrunk when her feisty gaze fell upon him. “Blaze, you don’t even know me or Wildfire.” She spat, a little too harshly. “We, as in you involved this much, don’t need to do anything.”
“I’m... I’m sorry.” He muttered, rather sincerely, not looking away from Flare.
“I don’t know if I can trust you.” She continued, ignoring the fact that Wildfire and I were staring at each other with straight mouths and wide eyes. “It was by chance you were with TB when you stumbled across these facts.”
“Flare, calm down. You can trust him. He’s with your aunt.” I muttered. She glanced at me, softening her expression and leaving Blaze rather stunned. That was a very accusing outburst. Maybe Blaze shouldn’t know, but it was too late now. He was in on it.
“Don’t worry, Flare. It’s fine. Blaze can hang with us, and right now we need to focus.” Soothed Wildfire. Flare took her friend’s words into far more consideration than mine, and I definitely respected that. My thoughts about Blaze were swiftly overtaken by more questions; who was the other fire alicorn? What other secrets were there?
“I’m sorry, Blaze. Just don’t jump into this too quick.” Said Flare more calmly.
“Who can we consider?” Wild asked hurriedly.
“Your sisters?” I suggested.
The purple alicorn shook her head. “No. I’ve already said this to Wildfire, but they have no fire powers at all. Fighter is physically fiery because of her grandmother and her cutie mark means she’s has a fiery personality. Sparkle Flame has NO relation to it at all except for her jewellery, and that was to keep with some sort of ‘fashion theme’.” She said the last words with a sarcastic voice. “Other than those false ones, there’s nopony else I know with legitimate fire powers.” She added thoughtfully.
For a moment we were doused in deep silence. I racked my brain – who could have fire powers like this other than Flare and Wild? We would have witnessed it if anypony tried to help them with active magic. There was nopony else I could think of that possessed a mark of fire, but then again I was very new to society. I didn’t know enough ponies for that.
“Anything?” snapped Flare.
Wildfire let out a sigh. “No. None.” She muttered in disappointment.
“We can’t complete the Prophecy if we don’t know the last Fire Alicorn.” Replied Flare. “This is failing so bad,”
“What if it’s somepony we don’t actually know at all? Somepony from Equestria or Staria or,” I started.
“Or Skyrithia.” Shot Flare suddenly. “Blaze, why is your name ‘Blaze’?” she demanded.
“Because of the orange in my mane,” he replied quietly, leaning back.
“What’s you cutie mark anyway?” asked Wildfire, peering past me and Flare to examine Blaze. He self-consciously covered his flank. He was very quiet for a moment, his grey face going red while our eyes focused on him only. He closed his eyes and directed his shy response to the floor.
“Nothing.” He muttered. “It’s nothing.”
“Nothing?” asked Wild bluntly.
“Are you a blank flank?” seconded Flare, hiding a smirk and trying to respect him. I wasn’t familiar with pony culture that much; was having no cutie mark common? “What happened?”
Blaze shot her a look. “We’re getting off topic.”
“Besides, he’s not an alicorn, remember?” I put in, shaking my head.
“Right. OK. Guys, we’ll have to see Whirlwind.” Said Wildfire, standing up and stretching a little. She aimed an odd glance at Blaze, but didn’t say any more, as he and I stood too. I leaned toward the corner of the bookshelf ready to leave, but we were slightly held up when Flare didn’t stand.
Her friend put her hoof on her shoulder to beckon her to her hooves. Flare nodded after a second, an expression of disappointment and fear on her face. She was acting rather stressed. I couldn’t blame her, she had so much resting on her shoulders.
“OK. I suppose he’s the only one who knows and has more life experience.” She sighed, getting up and smiling a little at Wildfire. She then looked down at the book, almost saddened, before she picked it up in her aura. She held it to her face, skimmed the page, then placed it in the hole and sealed it.

* * *
Wildfire knocked three times on Whirlwind’s office door then invited herself in before her father could even respond. When I nodded for Blaze to enter and tentatively followed the girls, we saw the King looking under one of the sofa cushions.
“Hello. Hey, have you guys seen my magazine?” he asked. I smirked.
“Uh, no. You have like five hundred or something.” Replied Wildfire, shaking her head and using her magic to replace the discarded cushions. Whirlwind sighed, biting his lip, before turning directly to us. When he spotted Blaze, a friendly beam crossed his face.
“Hello Blaze!” he said cheerfully, offering a hoof. Blaze acknowledged him with a short grin and shook it.
“Father? Can we... can we speak to you about our... ‘issue’?” asked Wildfire, raising her eyebrows. Whirlwind’s face went blank for a brief moment, then he understood.
“Do the boys know about this?” he asked, looking at me and Blaze nervously. We both nodded, and he relaxed. “Alright. But, what could I possibly know?”
“We need you to think of anypony you have EVER met that has EVER seemed to have fire powers.” Insisted Flare, sitting on the sofa. Whirlwind and Wildfire joined him, while Blaze and I stood awkwardly in front of them. “Even if you’ve only briefly noticed them.”
“Fire powers?” asked Whirlwind oddly. He looked at the floor and cocked his head a little. “No, actually. I’m really sorry girls, but I haven’t.”
Instantly, Wild and Flare let out a long, groaning sigh of annoyance. Whirlwind cringed apologetically. “Nopony?” grumbled Wildfire.
“No. Not even years ago.”
I decided to make a small input. “Well, we can easily narrow it down. If you think about it, there’d only be a few alicorns in the entire world.” I said in a small voice. Nopony said anything, so they were either considering my words or ignoring me. I however believed the former when Wildfire responded.
“I suppose. Let’s think,” she said.
Whirlwind tapped his forehooves. “Our family – no. Staria – no. Equestria – no. Saddle Arabia – no ponies. Volglacia – your mother banished you. Crystal Empire – no.” He huffed. “Seriously, other than that, I don’t think there are any. I don’t really know the royals in other kingdoms, but there are barely any alicorns anywhere else anyway.”
We were silent. Whirlwind must have been right. But what could it be? Was the book wrong? Maybe there was another alicorn, far away and inaccessible, that we didn’t even know. I grumbled and put my hooves in my eyes and tried to think just like the others.
“I reckon,” Flare said in finality, “That the prophecy was altered. I bet that there was a fire alicorn way before we were born and the prophecy was written down, and he or she died. It could have just been changed because of a death.”
“That could be right, yeah.” Sighed Whirlwind. “Prophecies aren’t normally changed, but hey.”
“Did you know if our grandmother was a fire alicorn?” offered Wildfire. Whirlwind looked at her with glazed, thoughtful eyes. His response took a while, and he said it with them closed.
“No. No, not as in she wasn’t, but no as in I have absolutely no idea.” Replied the King. “There’s no point in finding out, she died hundreds of years ago.
We were all rather quiet for a moment, thinking. Curiosity lingered in the air, not sadness, as nopony but Whirlwind actually met Wildfire’s grandmother. I vaguely knew that already.
“Hey, do you know anything about older relatives?” offered Wildfire. “Out of interest, not importance.”
“Come to think of it, no. I don’t know that much about my family, but they were Skyrithian royalty. About Aka’s family; not anything past Fire Light.” He paused, looking around the room with sightless, thinking eyes. “Aka’s father was a unicorn and he died long, long, long ago, plus he wasn’t descended from the founders.”
“Who were the founders,”
“Look, I don’t know any more, Wildfire!” insisted Whirlwind, standing up and stretching. Wild shut her mouth in a pout and looked away. I supposed we didn’t need more – it looked like the only explanation was that the prophecy was altered because of a death. While the girls stood, I could see a look of much disappointment and confusion. I knew them now. They wanted as much information as possible, but what information? Where were they going with this?
We were about to subtly leave Whirlwind’s office a few minutes later, but were very unexpectedly stopped. “Girls, wait!” he called from behind us. We all turned, Blaze and I more eager than the disgruntled ladies with us, as Whirlwind held up a hoof as he dug through a drawer with his magic.
“What?” spat Wildfire. Whirlwind’s brow furrowed and he nodded hastily, suddenly pulling out a old paper folder from the dark corners of the drawer’s interior.
He brought it to his desk and beckoned us over. The folder was clearly unused, but rather old. It wasn’t tattered like it had been of much use, but it was dusty and discoloured like it had been hidden away for an extended amount of time.
He opened it carefully, revealing a few bits of old paper and papyrus. So far, as intrigued as I was, Flare and Wildfire showed little interest and appeared to be in a hurry to leave. Obviously their father took it into account to prevent them from playing guessing games, gently removing one of the small bits of paper. He unfolded it, stained and battered, holding it before the four of us.
Nopony read aloud. We all read for ourselves. The writing was thick and black ink, splattered here and there. The handwriting was smooth and cursive, but the fashion in which it was put down was messy, rushed and varying it the way it sloped.
I began to read, hearing the gasps of Flare and Wildfire.

[Kodabomb]

This is written from Blaze's point of view. Art and character belong to Next to the Kitchen. <33

I hesitated to read, extremely uncomfortable toward such invasion of their information. Especially after Flare’s outburst at me – I didn’t want to get too involved.
But my curiosity was burning at my brain when immersed, intrigued and fascinated mutters erupted from the girls. Tenebris not so much, as he knew barely more than me. When he finished, his brow creased, but he nudged me to get me to read. I nodded nervously and scanned my eyes over the tattered paper.
Hm, vague.
I should never have been with her. I know she did this to me. Please Frost, please understand it. Understand the prophecy, unite the jewels. I’m dying, but it was my responsibility to keep them alive while I could, and I didn’t
“What does this mean? Who’s it from?” I asked. Wildfire shook her head violently, snatching another bit of paper from Whirlwind. I quickly read it this time.
Frost. The gems. I don’t know where they are, but they can’t defeat her without them. I know all the missing links, everything, and please go to the Empire. The Jewel Empire
“What? What the heck is going on?” demanded Flare. It was intense. My heart beat in my head, trying to understand it. I could feel their emotions, and the insane feelings they emitted.
“How did the writer know about the Empire?” asked Wildfire.
“Who is the writer?” said Tenebris.
Flare was quick to grab another note.
If she knows I write to you, you’ll die. I have to somehow get these to you, my son. Find the gems, wherever they are, and understand how important the Empire is. Flare has to find the others. The Empire is the first place to look... our sister kingdom. Know that there is perhaps one, destiny changed... goodbye forever Frost
Whirlwind snatched all the notes back, stuffed them in the folder and tossed it back into a drawer. I could see his tight nervousness, and I knew he was trying to keep this a secret. Aka could walk in at any time.
I was about to speak, but when I turned I could only see Flare. Her face, a torn look with her mouth hanging open, eyes staring and wet. I felt a twinge of pain, wanting to ask what was wrong and comfort her, but nothing came up. Wildfire stared at her friend, a look of extreme concern plastered over her.
“That... that was my father.” She gasped with almost no voice. “My... I had... my father he...” she choked and wrapped a hoof over her chest.
“Flare, I’m,”
“He was talking to Frost.” She heaved a breath, fighting a sob with all her strength. “My brother... I don’t even... I don’t...” her body shuddered, sobs creeping up her throat. “Is he a traitor? I don’t know what to think about it. Why the Empire?”
“Sssh, sssh,” whispered Tenebris. “It’s OK,”
“No! Tenebris, we need more. Wildfire, my father knew more about the Prophecy than anypony. And... and...” she heaved again, almost falling and wincing when Tenebris went to catch her. She stood herself. “He died. She killed him!”
Tears poured from her eyes. Her heavy, soul-crushing cry shook me, and I ran to her side to do something. Her head was down, mouth open. I’d never lost anypony. I watched as the tears fell from her sockets and splashed onto the carpet. She became weak, for the first time I’d seen her, and this time Tenebris rushed and grabbed her around both sides and pulled her to his sturdy chest.
She shook her head, and as much as she tried to escape his grasp, she seemed unable, as she looked at Wildfire and I with desperate eyes and a voice that was trying to be as determined as possible. She drew in a few breaths, struggling for her words. She spoke to us, still wrapped in Tenebris’s hooves.
“We have to find the fire gems. My father said that the fire gems are the things we need.”
“They’ll act as a power source. I know magic like this.” Said Whirlwind quietly. I glanced at him.
“Do you think they’ll be in a safe place?” I asked.
Whirlwind shook his head. “They’ll probably be guarded, lost or somewhere in Volglacia.” He replied.
“Why is the Empire the sister country?” asked Tenebris, releasing Flare and giving her a light kiss.
“I don’t know. We might not ever know – Flare’s father took that information to his forged grave...” muttered Whirlwind. I huffed.
“What do we do?” whispered Wildfire.
“We’ll have to find somepony who knows more than us, maybe almost as much as your father.” Whirlwind looked at Flare. She drew in a few deep breaths and put her hoof on her forehead.
“Well, he certainly didn’t write that book.” She said.
“Wait, who did write that book?” I asked suddenly. Nopony answered for a moment, but then Flare spoke with a shaky voice.
“Crystal Iris the Fortune Teller.” She said. I racked my brain and remembered seeing that on the front of the book. Crystal Iris – that was quite a stereotypical fortune teller name. Why did we need to know who she was? I was the one who asked, but surely we’d never find her or actually have much to do with her. If she was merely a fortune teller, she couldn’t tell any more than what was in the book.
But… watching Flare like this, wanting to know the truth, I thought perhaps we needed everything we could get.
“We should go.” Said Wildfire. “We should see her, maybe she’ll have something for us.”
“No, you don’t even know where she lives,” put in Whirlwind suddenly. “It’d be too dangerous just searching for her.”
“Father, we have to. What’s going to happen with Flare if we don’t?” she said sincerely. Whirlwind pulled a straight face and looked at Flare, who looked almost angry with her tear ducts.
“You don’t even have a starting point for this starting point.” Said Whirlwind. “Besides – what information could somepony like that possibly give?”
Wildfire let out a low roar of frustration. “The fire gems, Father! How else are we supposed to find out what the heck they are?”
“I just… I can’t let you kids go! It’s too dangerous.” He highlighted the last two words, making Wildfire glower more.
“Whirlwind, we are all old enough to do this. I’m not as fragile as you might think, and Flare’s tougher than steel. You know that.” She hissed. Flare threw her head back and huffed. Whirlwind opened his mouth, stepping closer to his daughter. She held up a hoof. “No. You tell Aka that we’re going on a short holiday to Equestria with our friends. We will be back in a few days, I promise. We’re not going to carry out the rest of this from here, alright?”
“Aka?” said Whirlwind.
“I am only proving my point, Whirlwind.” she replied. Her father raised an eyebrow. “Come on guys.”
Wildfire and Flare led us out of the room. I glanced back at Whirlwind, who had an expression of concern, but he didn’t follow. I swallowed a strange feeling before I was suddenly taken by surprise as Wildfire grabbed my shoulder. I drew in a shocked breath before we were suddenly spat back out, and I realised we were in a bedroom. Wildfire’s by the looks of it.
She shot me a quick triumphant grin as Flare and Tenebris arrived, and Wildfire had already scurried away into her closet.
“What, are we leaving like, now?” asked Tenebris in surprise, stepping back.
“Yes. This seems to be of urgency. But if you’re scared, you can stay back.” Replied Flare. I listened to Wildfire rummaging randomly around in her closet. She then walked out, a saddlebag strapped around her middle. Around her she levitated a few items I didn’t bother recognising, and when they were all loaded in she closed the bag and folded her wings over it.
“Oh my gosh…” said Tenebris. “I don’t know if I really want to go on another one of these crazy adventures.”
“Suck it up. We’ll be back before anypony knows we left.” Sighed Wildfire, looking out the window.
“How are we going to make a start?” asked Flare. Wildfire stopped and thought for a moment. I shot a glance at Tenebris.
“Well, we can ask the local bookstore if they know of a pony with that name.” she suggested. “I mean, she can’t have only written this book.”
“Yeah, and if the bookstore has nothing, there’s that creepy hippy and fake-magic shop on the outskirts.” Agreed Flare. I pressed my mouth into a line and shook my head, starting to wonder what I’d gotten myself into. But all the same, I walked next to Tenebris as he followed the girls out the door.

* * *
For heck knows why, though to my relief, we didn’t try to teleport. We ended up walking all the way through Laheb City to a quaint little book shop that was bordered by a café and a fancy boutique. The entire trip, Tenebris and I hadn’t exchanged a single sentence, so we ended up listening to the girls chatting about random stuff and commenting on the surrounding city. I could tell it was taking their minds off everything.
When we walked inside, I felt calm wash over me as the smell of new books filled my nostrils, the spines of perfectly preserved books lining all lining the walls making me curious.
But we weren’t here for shopping. The two alicorns strode straight to the counter, where a surprised mare greeted them.
“Good day, madam.” Said Wildfire politely.
“Hey.” Said Flare.
“Well, good day to yourselves your highnesses! What can I interest you in?” smiled the middle aged mare.
“We were wondering if you’ve heard of this author.” Said Wildfire. “Any chance you know of somepony called Crystal Iris the Fortune Teller?”
The mare put a hoof on her chin and pondered for a minute. “I’m sorry, no I haven’t. See, I haven’t worked here as long as Mrs Newbook.”
“Mrs Newbook?” laughed Flare.
“Yes, she’s the owner. She’s read probably every book in existence since the creation of books!” chuckled the mare. “I’ll grab her for you.” She winked before leaving the counter. I heard her calling for somepony, and another voice screeching back. They were both close. I instantly assumed that this ‘Newbook’ pony was old and deaf.
A second later the first mare returned, and ten seconds after her hobbled an old mare with a walking stick. I raised an eyebrow as she glanced up at us with her old, beady, watchful eyes.
“What do them youngsters want from us, eh, Annie?” grumbled Newbook.
Annie replied in a loud, clear voice. “They need you to find an author for them, Mrs Newbook.”
“An author? Oh, why do they wants an author, them kids just looking for trouble…”
“Mrs Newbook, these are the Princesses.” Said Annie, leaning close for her voice to reach. “Give them your manners and help them.”
“You know I don’t care for the ranks of anypony!” Newbook yelled back, prodding Annie with her stick. “What author do you kids be looking for?”
Flare sniffed a bit when Wildfire leaned over the counter to speak. “Have you heard of Chrystal Iris the Fortune Teller, Mrs Newbook?”
Newbook paused, glaring at Wildfire. “Now see of course I do! What are you going to do about that, Princess?” she spat. The rest of us, almost including Annie, were trying not to let our laughter escape mouths clamped by our hooves.
“Do you know where she might live?” asked Wildfire.
“Yes of course I do!” replied Newbook. Wildfire stepped off the counter and watched Newbook hobble out from behind it. We were all silent as she made her way to the side of a shelf and pulled out a book, grunting and muttering as it fell open on the floor. She growled, so we gathered around her while she placed a shaking hoof on the page. “You see? That be the new location of the Chrystal Iris you youngsters are wanting.”
“New location?” asked Tenebris bluntly.
“Oh don’t you go questioning my knowledge! I gave you what you wanted,”
“Mrs Newbook, you can stop now. Go back to your sleep.” Butted in Annie. Newbook muttered more things as Annie showed her back to her door behind the counter, before coming back to us.
“Sorry about her. But did that give you what you needed?” she asked.
“This uh, should be OK…” muttered Flare, levitating the book up. “It says – for if ponies wish to find me, they only need come to the oaken house on the stream of border, east of the falls that break into the jewel’s land, below the tree serving powers to water and fruit to our mouths.” Said Flare. She frowned.
“Alrighty then, that makes perfect sense.” I sighed.
“Actually, it should if we just decipher it.” Said Wild.
“OK.” Muttered Flare. “An oaken house,”
“A wooden house.” Replied Wild. “On the stream of the border,”
“The river that runs between two kingdoms.” Put in Tenebris.
“East of the falls that break into the jewel’s land,” hummed Flare.
“The waterfall that marks part of the Staria-Jewel Empire borderline river.” Smiled Annie.
“And a tree that bares fruit and is believed to be magic by fortune-tellers is the fig tree.” I grinned. The smiles spread, realising how easy this would be.
“So, we’re looking for a wooden house over the border river, underneath a fig tree and only a little way from the Border Waterfall!” cried Wildfire, stomping one hoof on the ground.
“Excellent!” agreed Flare. She turned to Annie and stretched out a hoof. “Thank you for your help.”
“Oh, don’t worry – I didn’t do anything.” Laughed Annie, shaking the hoof anyway. “You could thank Newbook, but she probably wouldn’t appreciate it.”
Flare laughed a little, putting the book back on the shelf. “Oh, Annie? If somehow somepony comes looking for us, don’t tell them where we’re going.” She asked. Annie looked at Flare in suspicion and I let out a wheezy breath.
“We’re not doing anything bad, it’s OK, it’s just important. Please?” asked Wildfire. Annie sighed, biting her lip.
“Alright your highnesses. Well, good luck on your journey.” Annie smiled weakly, eyes flickering between the four of us, before she went back through the door behind the counter without another glance. Flare nodded to us and showed us from the store, back out onto the shining streets of Laheb City.
“Does anypony know how to get to this place?” asked Tenebris as we all strolled side-by-side down the road.
“Yep, it should be easy,” replied Wildfire. She levitated a map out of the saddlebag and showed it to Flare, and they both nodded. I couldn’t see it, but I knew how close Staria was to the Empire, and that it was easy to get to. The girls then stopped, Flare stretching out a hoof for us to grab.
“Are you serious? We can’t just travel by train or something?” I groaned. Wildfire grinned as Flare lit up her horn and I touch hooves with her.
“We don’t run like that.”

[Kodabomb]

This is written from Prince Frost's point of view.

Everything was in pain.
Everything ached.
My throat from screaming, my stomach from hunger, my muscles from thrashing, my skin from the blankets…
But mostly, my mind from the torture.
I didn’t know
I didn’t know when the insanity would end, when I would or could wake and finally escape these nightmares. I wanted the relief, the sweet, kind embrace of reality to draw me in, so every time I opened my eyes to see my bedroom ceiling, I tried to escape my mind. I tried to get out of my bed, walk to my door… just live.
I had no idea how long it had been going for. Days? Weeks? Whatever was penetrating my head had been telling me the same things over and over and over until I couldn’t even understand it any more. But even as I saw the exact same vision and heard the exact same voices and expected the exact same outcome… it still terrified me to the point of tears.
So of course, the next time I awoke – struggling and thrashing with the horror – I routinely tried to get out of my bed.
But… this time, it finally, finally worked.
I fell from my mattress, the hard thump on the stone floor not affecting me in comparison to what I’d already experienced. Panting and huffing and sobbing, I hauled my body toward the door, not bothering to untangle myself from the sweat-drenched sheets.
I didn’t care how messed up I was with the crying and sweat, dragging my weight through the dark halls. I couldn’t think or barely feel, I was just blindly craving contact from a living pony. I didn’t know how much I was shivering from the cold of my nightmares and the fear they inflicted, as I fell down the hard rock stairs. I lay there, crumpled, grazed and crying on the stone, my blanket wrapped around me and my tears drenching my hair.
I did know or care for the length of time I lay sprawled at the base of the stairs, surrounded by the cold and lonely air of the hallway and feeling no warmth from the torches upon the wall. It was like I couldn’t move, apart from my muscles uncontrollably shuddering.
And when I suddenly felt hooves, hooves of an actual pony wrapping themselves around my body, all I could do was flail wildly to return the embrace. I buried my face into the chest of my holder, not wanting to let go as they stroked my soaking hair.
“Sssh, sssh. Don’t let them affect you, my dear. They’re liars, they don’t need you,” she soothed, a silken voice that only needed to whisper and it could begin to calm me.
“Don’t… don’t let them, please…” I sobbed. “They keep coming, please don’t let them…”
“Sssh, stay with me Frost. I won’t let them, it’s alright.” Her lips touched my head.
“The gems of the frost… and the snow they… are they trying to kill… me?” I shivered, not really finding my words or mind. “The frost… and the, the… fire. There’s so much fire and everything… everything’s cold…”
“Rest, Frost. Sleep. Sleep silently, no dreams.” She whispered. My breathing wasn’t able to steady, but I tried to calm myself. All I could think of was that I didn’t want to sleep again. I never again wanted to be alone, I never wanted to dream, or be cold, or do as the dreams said.
“I’ll stay with you, I promise I will…” I said, shuffling closer but collapsing in her arms. “Just don’t let me go again, please…”
“I won’t. Hush, now. Quiet, now.” She whispered into my ear. “Tis time to lay your sleepy head.”
“No dreams?”
“No dreams.” She said. “They’re liars Frost. Trust in only me.”

[Kodabomb]

This is written from Princess Wildfire's point of view.

“Well, here it is!” I smiled, fluttering up onto the river bank and looking across the river, to the thundering, crashing wall of water from atop the cliff. Flare came up beside me, and behind us I could hear Tenebris and Blaze hauling themselves up and puffing.
“Man… you guys are… just, can we stop now?” moaned Blaze, collapsing next to me. I laughed a little and lifted myself into the air.
“Teleport to the top,” I giggled as Flare flew up too, and together we soared into the sky. We flew toward the waterfall, and soon it became so loud we couldn’t even hear our wings flapping. Before we reached the peak, a black and a blue-orange pair of flames appeared at the top, so we landed next to the boys.
“Hm…” hummed Flare, looking around and walking away from the river. The forest around us was thick, but not overgrown. I looked over the edge of the falls, where it crashed into the river and the water wound its way around the hill and out of sight. It bordered the Empire and Staria, but I was too lazy to figure out which kingdom we were in at that minute. I followed Flare along the bank.
As we came to a mound of boulders that had fallen from the side of the craggy hill beside us, Flare flew over before us. She then gasped in surprise and called for us. “Guys! I think I found the place!” she yelled. I smiled and fluttered over, and as I looked ahead I could see that she was right.
Upon the riverside, stretching into the sky and covering almost everything around it, was the biggest and most magnificent fig tree I’d ever laid eyes on. The thick, hard roots entwined themselves through the forest, down the stone riverside and into the water. They wound themselves around something else too – a wooden hut. It looked like it had been there for years, almost appearing to be a part of the enormous tree itself. It had dark windows and a door at the front, with steps dug into the roots that were taking over the tiny structure.
“Well, this has to be it,” said Flare, taking a step forward. I grabbed her tail.
“No! We can’t just break into somepony’s house!” I hissed. She glared at me.
“It’s for a good cause.” She replied. She broke free of my grasp and galloped over the rocks toward the house. I whined and scurried after her, and a couple of seconds later heard the hooves of Tenebris and Blaze behind me.
Flare jumped up a couple of roots until she was at the door of the house, and I timidly stood at the base of the tree amongst the dead fig leaves. Tenebris was about to go up, but I stopped him with one hoof. Flare knocked a couple of times and waited. A few tense seconds passed, until suddenly a strange voice from within the hut answered.
“With what good reasoning does thou and thine companions wish to enter my holy domain?” said a weird voice. I pressed a hoof into one eye and continued to watch Flare nervously.
“Uh,” she said stupidly.
“Do the ponies beyond my door seek questions or answers?” pushed the voice. Flare sniffed in frustration.
“We, and uh, mine companions want, uh, both.” She said. Blaze snickered and I elbowed him.
“State your names.”
“Princess Flare, Princess Wildfire, Tenebris and Blaze.” She replied, cocking her head to try and see through the window. I heard a curtain draw shut.
“Tell me your type. Do you possess wings, a horn, or nothing?”
“We’ve got an alicorn, another alicorn, a unicorn and another unicorn.” Said Flare, pulled a face at me. I tried not to laugh and retained a straight face, timidly jumping onto one of the branches below her to listen.
“That is the wrong answer.” Said the voice. Flare gaped.
“What? If you know, why are you asking?” she demanded.
“If you want my assistance, you shall already know of my ability to see.” said the voice with a wavering, questioning tone.
“Oh for heck’s sake – if you could see, then you would know that I’m correct. Two alicorns, two unicorns. Let us in, lady!” cried Flare in frustration. The voice chuckled.
“Entry to you and your group shan’t be granted if one of your members persists in deceiving you. Truth and only the truth shall be spoken when within my walls and under my roof.”
“OH MY HOLY CELESTIA WHAT THE HAY?” roared Flare in anger. I pursed my lips as she went winglessly soaring from the house step and onto the ground in front of the boys. “Blaze, I hope you realise I still don’t trust you!” she went right up in his face and I groaned.
“I don’t… I’m sorry, I…” he muttered. As Flare continued to press her dangerous gaze into his terrified face, he lit up his horn and put his aura around the vest he was wearing. I held my breath and watched in awe as the vest came off, revealing a pair of enormous, black and orange wings.
“Blaze? You’re an alicorn?” I gasped, delicately flying off my branch and nudging Flare away. I stood in front of him as he flushed and shut his eyes.
“Yeah…” he muttered.
“Why didn’t you tell us?” I whispered. I wasn’t shocked that he was an alicorn – I was shocked that he kept it a secret.
“I don’t know. Because… I’m not royalty. I’m just a weird little alicorn that occasionally ‘watches’ Skyrithia.” He replied. I sighed and touched his shoulder.
“It’s fine. But at least now, nopony’s lying.” I smiled. Flare huffed and flew up to the door, which suddenly opened as she landed.
I squealed and flew up after her, Tenebris and Blaze following. Flare led us inside. The house was dark, only one room. It had a fair amount of space, but some rather odd things. In the corner was a cauldron, next to that was a table supporting a weird white ball and an enormous pile of books. On another table, paired with a chair, was a typewriter and a bunch of notes strewn everywhere. There was also an oven and a stove, as well as a surprising neat and clean bed in another corner.
“So, what would you like to know?” the voice suddenly said. I gasped, spinning around to see the dark shape of a pony hidden in a shadow where the light of the torch on the wall didn’t reach. I stepped back, and the pony walked forward.
She was a unicorn, with a very aged face. Her mane was long, almost to the floor, and plaited. Her tail was short like it had been badly cut, and her hooves were adorned with golden bangles. Around her neck was a light, draping scarf that covered the wrinkles in her neck, and she had a scarf over her head too. Her ears were pierced multiple times with long, golden dangling rings through them.
Though she was clearly deeply physically aged, she spoke and walked with a youthful air.
“Chrystal Iris, is it?” I asked, clearing my throat.
“If that is who you truly seek, then yes. If you are simply travellers who stumbled upon my residence, then no.” she replied with a smile. Flare grunted.
“We need to know something about a book we found.” She said. “It was written by you, so we assumed you would understand all that was in it.”
“What is the name of this book?” Chrystal Iris asked in her wispy voice.
“Spiritual Magics and Histories.” I replied. She looked at me. Her eyes were strange and watchful.
“Where did you find this book?” asked Chrystal Iris.
“Well, we’re from the Jewel Empire, and we found it in our library so,”
“The… the Jewel Empire?” Iris suddenly gasped. A shaking hoof lifted lightly off the ground, stretching toward Flare.
The hoof touched her in the chest and Iris stared into Flare’s eyes. “It’s… it’s… the Prophecy be told…” she whispered.
“Oh my what,” said Flare.
“The Prophecy does come, the Prophecy does come to life…” whispered Iris, stroking Flare’s shoulder. My friend looked rather uncomfortable.
“Excuse me, miss, but do you know more about this?” I asked.
“My children, turn around and show me your bestowed mark,” urged Iris. Flare looked at me and I nodded, so the two of us spun around to show Chrystal Iris our cutie marks. Was she crazy, or did she really know something? She drew in a breath and held it in shock.
“What?” asked Flare.
“There is only one time, one reason for you to have found what I gave you all those years ago,” whispered Iris, brushing her hoof over my cutie mark. “The time has truly come for the Prophecy of the Fire Gems to come true.”
“What do you mean?” asked Flare, now growing curious as she turned back around.
“You see, child… I,” Iris stopped. She gestured for us to sit. I cautiously laid down on the wooden floor. “Many years ago, the Queen came and asked for what lay ahead in her endeavours. I agreed and gave her a reading from my orb, not trusting her and hoping to just give her something small, irrelevant…” she trailed off.
“The Queen of Volglacia?” asked Tenebris. Iris nodded.
“But I was taken over by the power of the orb. I – through the orb’s voice - told her that three bearing the mark of fire would come to restore peace to the kingdom, peace that she had disrupted. When the orb finished speaking, I regretted telling her such important information… she fled, and I knew that she was going to try and stop that coming true.” Iris sighed. “The orb continued to speak to me vaguely, and I didn’t know why I wrote a chapter on the history of the kingdom and secretly made the addition of the prophecy… but, you see, the only copy of that book with that chapter in it… was the one I gave to the Empire’s royal library.”
I gasped.
“So, you knew that somehow Wildfire would be a Fire Alicorn, and I would end up in the Empire?” asked Flare, creasing her brow. Iris held a hoof up in defence.
“No, I didn’t. It was one of those strange hunches, left over from what the orb said.” She replied distantly.
“But, miss Iris, my father King Whirlwind found that book before Flare came to the Empire. He found some notes from… from Flare’s father in it.”
“Ah, see.” Sighed Iris. “Before I was about to finish that book, the dying and weakened King came to my home. I can’t remember what he said, but all he did was toss a pile of notes at me, look me in the eye in pleading, then return to the castle. That night… that night, the King was pronounced…” Iris sighed in sorrow before she could finish, turning away and putting her hoof against Flare’s chest once again. I looked at Flare and nudged her, watching her fight back tears.
“After that, I was taunted from knowing that the Queen would stop at nothing to fight that Prophecy – just as I stated in the book. I left Volglacia, and I’ve been here ever since.” Sighed Chrystal Iris. We were all silent for a moment.
“Iris, do you know anything about the Fire Gems?” I asked. “They were on the notes.”
“Please forgive me, Princess. But no, I don’t. I never got a reading…”
“Would you be able to give us one now?” asked Tenebris. She glanced at him, then nervously at the orb on the table in the corner.
“Maybe, I suppose…” she said. “I don’t know if it will speak to me after so long.” She said. The old pony got to her hooves and walked over to her table, levitating the orb off and placing it on the ground in front of us. We gathered into more of a circle. Chrystal Iris closed her eyes, brushed her hair from her face, and held her hooves delicately over the surface of the swirling, white orb.
“Understand, children,” she said, moving her hooves around, “That when I speak, it will be the orb. Don’t be frightened when,”
Suddenly Iris choked, and I gasped. I reached to grab her, as her head became stiff and thrown back. I sniffled a yell of fear, as suddenly her eyes flashed open. Her pupils were completely white, shining in the dark of the room. It was eerie and strange, her head snapping down to glare into space.
“Remaining untouched shall the gems of frost lay – undisturbed and meddled with not, for the power they possess isn’t of a Prophecy element. They will be unseen, whilst their flaming sisters, gems of fire, rise to connect with their bearers of physical, mental, and magical infernos. Find the jewels beneath the wing of the one who seeks only blind treachery, and be sure that those three bodies can harness their magic and one day connect with their brothers and bearers of ice.”
Suddenly, Iris’s eyes went back to normal, and as the old mare steadied her head, all I could think about it what the orb stated through her mouth. What did it mean? Was that the lore of the fire gems? Was that what we needed?
“I’m so sorry girls, I…” whispered Iris. “I didn’t even understand that, I’m so sorry,”
“No, no Chrystal Iris that’s perfect!” cried Flare. I looked at her strangely. Her face was bright, like she’d just realised the secret of the universe and she could do anything with that knowledge. “Thank you so much!”
“It is?” I asked.
“I know, I thought it was vague too and I don’t entirely get it,” she replied. “But I can definitely work with it. Thank you Iris!”
“No, thank the orb, my children.” Smiled Iris. We all stood, and out of the corner of my eye I could see Blaze and Tenebris looking even more than opposite of what Flare looked like. They had no clue. “Remember absolutely everything, it’s all,”
All of a sudden, Iris’s eyes snapped wider again. I jumped when they turned white, and her voice echoed the strange sound of the orb’s words for the second time.
“Find the final bearer of the fire gem and let her unite the three as your destined number. Destiny changed and hidden from sight, though without the three the gems are of no worth.”
Iris snapped back again and coughed. I stared intently at her. So, there was a living final Fire Alicorn? Destiny changed? I racked my brain. On the note, Flare’s father also said that there was another, destiny changed… What did that even mean?
“Whose destiny? Chrystal Iris, who is the final Fire Alicorn?” demanded Flare.
“I don’t know, I can’t understand it either,”
“You have to! Whose destiny could have been altered to do with fire? Where have we seen before?” Flare’s voice was harsh with curious and frustrated anger.
I tried to think. Where had any of us seen something to do with fire before all of this happened? How could a pony’s destiny be altered? Thinking of it, the only time I’d heard of it before was with Maera, but in nopony’s reality was Maera related to fire or even an alicorn at that. Fire? Where had it occurred before? There had to be something large for it to happen…
Then, it hit me.
Like a smack in the face.
It was quite a few years ago, but I almost even remembered.
“Flare, we need to see Lunar Eclipse.” I whispered.
“Lunar? She’s like, the moon?” spat Flare.
“Yes, but Solar isn’t the sun anymore. I think I know who could well be the third Fire Alicorn.”

[Kodabomb]

This is written from Lunar Eclipse's point of view. Please excuse my procrastination. ;-;

“So… are you telling me that she ran away because her powers of this ‘fire alicorn’ thing are coming to life?” I asked, dumbstruck, to Princesses Flare and Wildfire as they sat on my couch in front of me. I’d never actually had these girls over before, I didn’t understand how they knew where I even lived, and the first thing they tell me is about Solar. Though I understood that everything they were telling me was crucially important, what they told me was clouded by my anger and mild hatred for Solar.
“Well, sort of. She ran away because she was upset – as you said – but while she was gone her powers began to go crazy. That was just a coincidence. I think.” Replied Flare. I huffed.
“But…” started Wildfire. “Maybe the powers went crazy because she was mad?” Flare puckered her lips.
“Perhaps.” She said. I looked back and forth between them.
“Well, as you might have gathered, I am in no mood to associate myself with Solar.” I sighed, putting a hoof against my forehead. “So, is there anything you want me to actually do?”
“I guess… I guess we wanted to talk to you first, to ask about her behaviour.” Replied Wildfire. She turned and her eyes scanned the room. “We assumed she’d be here.”
Frustration bubbled in my stomach. “She’s not. And… and I…” I hesitated. “I don’t care. I care, of course about your situation. It’s got fascinating magic in it by the sounds of things, but I don’t care about Solar.” When I lifted my eyes, I could see the disappointed look upon their faces. I felt a little guilty, but they didn’t look upset. I knew they’d be determined. “I’m sorry,”
“No, it’s fine.” Grumbled Flare.
“We just need to find her.” Put in Wildfire. “Have you any clue where she might be?” she said quietly.
“I’d like to know, I do,” I replied sincerely. “But even when she sent me a letter, she enchanted it so I couldn’t find her.” I sighed. Did I really want to know? Maybe I wanted to know where she was, but didn’t want to see her.
“Send her a mind message.” Suggested Flare.
I shook my head. “No, she’ll never even listen to my voice even if it was important.” I muttered, pushing a lock of hair away from my face. “But, maybe if you tried.” I looked up at Flare.
“Oh, uh, OK…” she said. Wildfire and I watched as Flare lit up her horn with a faint glow, straining and closing her eyes. Just as she began to bite her lip down, she released and let out a puff.
“What did you tell her?” asked Wildfire.
“I just said that basically we needed to speak to her. Maybe she’ll reply,” Flare paused a moment. Her eyes blackened out a little. “Oh, uh… I think she’s trying… it’s really weird…”
“There’s always something wrong with Solar’s brain.” I scowled. Wildfire shot me a look. Flare didn’t hear me.
“I don’t think,”
All of a sudden, I was thrown back from a fright, almost falling off my chair as I covered my head. The others gasped and leaned back, Wildfire jumping off the couch and bracing herself. A hot blast shook me, and it took a few seconds for me to recover myself to peer over the edge of the chair.
Standing amongst the dying flames of her yellow and orange teleportation magic, was a white alicorn with flaming hair and freckles dotting her under-eyes.
“Solar, you,”
“I still don’t want to talk to you.” She hissed. I frowned, her words stinging a little, her deep blue eyes trailing away from me and over to Flare and Wildfire. “What’s happening?”
“Oh my gosh, Solar! Thank you for coming!” gasped Flare, straightening her hair and walking over to her.
“I didn’t know she’d be here.” She shuffled her hoof in my direction and I snorted.
“Shut up, Solar. I didn’t do anything wrong.” I spat.
“Guys, it’s alright. Can you just ignore whatever’s going on with you for now?” begged Wildfire.
“Fine. But, what could you possibly need with me?” asked Solar, nervously running her hoof over her hair of pure fire.
Flare gestured for Solar to sit down, so she cautiously walked over to the couch and seated herself. I remained in my spot a few metres away from my knocked-over chair, watching Wildfire sit next to Solar and Flare stand in front of the two of them. My interest to the subject was lowered even further by my sister’s selfish presence.
“OK. Solar Eclipse, we don’t actually have any proof so far that you’re the one we’re looking for.” Started Flare. “But, if you are the one, you have to know that you need to focus, and understand just how important you are.”
“Nope, she thinks she’s not important. She think that her unimportance is in fact so important that she’s shunning her own sister and assuming everything revolves around her.” I spat. Flare shook her head at me and tried to continue.
“Lunar, I’m not the villain here!” retaliated Solar.
“Hey, neither am I!” I said in defence.
“Then who is?” she snarled.
“You’re the one who said you were getting dangerous!” I cried.
“I was! Lunar, I don’t hate you, OK? I just want to keep you safe!” Solar stood up, throat tight like she was holding back tears. “Just,”
“Safe? Solar, what were you trying to keep her safe from?” asked Wildfire suddenly. My sister wiped her eyes and glared down at Wild.
“From me! From… why are you interested in this?” she demanded. Wildfire tried to speak but Solar cut her off. “I’m dangerous! I nearly killed her – twice! TWICE! And I’ve already killed somepony… somepony I… loved.”
A pang of sympathy stung me, but I tried not to let it show. I remained expressionless, while Flare’s and Wildfire’s eyes boiled with curiosity. Solar turned her head to look at me, eyes becoming wet and hair flaring into the air. The princesses kept exchanging looks, making my frustration hotter.
“I knew it…” I overheard Flare whisper.
“Knew what? That I can kill others by just loving somepony?” cried Solar.
“No!” cried Flare. “Solar, your recent fears that you’re dangerous were sparked by magic similar to what you’ve already experienced, correct?”
“It was like, exactly the same.” She replied, grudgingly sitting down.
“That wasn’t the same. Sure – the outburst that caused the emotional pain and you running away was created when you thought about… who was it?”
“Aqua and Golden Bolt.” I said with tight lips. Solar flinched and I looked at the wall.
“Right. But the thing that caused you to see that magic again, was your inner Fire Alicorn.” Said Flare with a smile. Wildfire copied her expression, but Solar remained confused. “Did you have any nightmares?”
Suddenly Solar’s expression changed. Her face crumpled into a look of fear and horror, her eyes blanking and growing small. Her entire body sort of folded in like she wanted to be small, rubbing the back of her neck. The princesses looked at each other again. “What were they about?” whispered Wildfire. Solar didn’t glance up, eyes harshly trained to the floor.
“This black, evil… version of me… she told me that if I don’t make my fire magic, she’d kill her…” she shuddered. “She told me she’d kill Lunar, like she killed him. I didn’t want to use my magic, but I was watching her die! When I finally got rid of her with the magic, I just started seeing horrible things. Everything was hot, there was blood, there was crying, I saw the faces of so many I loved, burning in the fire and…”
Solar shivered and let out a dry sob, clutching the side of the couch with her hoof.
“She’s a Fire Alicorn,” Flare hissed at Wildfire. Wild grinned and nodded, but her face turned back to sympathetic while she rubbed Solar’s shoulders. I decided to have an input.
“How can Solar be one of these ‘Fire Alicorns’ if her destiny is being guardian of the sun?” I asked. At my words, Flare jolted and flicked up her wings.
“I know it! It’s because of the notes and the orb! Wildfire, you were right – ‘destiny changed’?” she grinned. Wildfire considered it for a moment.
“So, when you were young, you were granted your sun guardian mark. But, I think, that when you were transformed into, say, your ‘evil form’, the magic infused into that form was transferred to you…” she said.
“Changing not only her hair, but her destiny!” I gasped. “Does this mean that her destiny was changed, but not her cutie mark? She wasn’t born a fire alicorn? Am I getting all this?” Flare nodded.
“You’re understanding perfectly. Solar, you?”
“What do you want me to do as a Fire Alicorn?” she asked, almost as if she didn’t hear the question. She then glanced at her cutie mark. “Are you sure I even am? I can’t manage magic I wasn’t even born with…”
Flare leaned toward her with a warm smile, Wildfire shuffling back. Solar looked up at her and steadied her gaze. “Yes, you can.” Said the purple alicorn. She then walked back a little, closed her eyes, and lifted a horn. I watched in awe as the hoof suddenly came alight with hot pink fire, burning away at her limb. Wildfire brushed Solar’s back and stood, standing near Flare, as her own hoof was lit aflame with orange fire. Flare opened her eyes and Wildfire continued to look at her friend as she spoke.
“You’re special Solar. Just, before we show you what it is to be a Fire Alicorn, put everything behind you.” Flare said confidently. “Just forget who you once harmed, loved or hated. Just… temporarily put aside who you are as the sun guardian, and discover who you are as a Fire Alicorn.”
“I don’t know if I can…” said Solar nervously, rubbing her forehoof while she stood.
“Lunar, would you be OK if we took Solar for a while? We’ll uh, give her right back.” Giggled Wildfire. I smiled in response to her laugh, but then straightened my expression.
“I guess. If… if you can forgive me, Solar.” I said. My sister looked at me, creasing her brow.
“I will… I will, Lunar, but only if you can forgive me.” She replied, walking through Flare and Wild who parted before her and coming to stand before me.
“True forgiveness could take a while, but I will right now. Go and… do whatever a Fire Alicorn does.” I said, turning up the corners of my mouth and delving into her night-sky eyes.
“Then you’re forgiven too. For whatever you did. I don’t even know anymore.” She let out a broken laugh, before pulling me into a hug. Her hug was warm, like a fireplace, and harsh from her tense muscles in her fear for the future. I hugged her back, before our embrace ended after a few seconds. Maybe I could forgive her for being selfish and hurtful, but right now she was going to be brave and go into the unknown. I had to let her, though I didn’t really know how everything would play out. This Fire Alicorn thing was a bit beyond me.
“Come on!” said Flare. “Now that we’re completed… we’re the three Fire Alicorns of the fire gems in the Volglacian Prophecy.”
“Feels wonderful, doesn’t it?” sighed Wildfire, stepping closer to her friend and nuzzling her a little. They nodded, and Flare reached a hoof out for Solar. She looked at me and I closed my eyes as my sister brushed my hoof. She walked over to the princesses, took Flare’s hoof, and before I knew it she’d left. My sister was pursuing something new now.
And finally, at long last, it was for the best.